Trail of the Honey Bees Walking Tour

Posted on 14 January 2020 by JLusk

There is something buzzing in Pompano Beach. On Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Pompano Beach Cultural Arts Center, at 50 W. Atlantic Blvd., there will be the first-ever walking tour of the Trail of the Honey Bees.

The trail is part of the citys Mosaic Team program which began in 2016. The program consists of three phases. Trail of the Honey Bees is part of the first phase. The city commissioned lead artist Sonata Kazimieraitiene to work with five approved apprentices to create 35 mosaics displayed throughout the Innovative District connecting multiple cultural facilities through artwork and education. The original source of the honey bee image can be seen in the metal railings of the Ali Cultural Arts roof parapet. The Trail of the Honey Bees encourages a spirit of unity to connect both sides of Dixie Highway. The focal point of the trail is on the honey bee and the vegetation it helps pollinate. Pompano Beach was built by a rich agricultural community. Without the help of the honey bee and continued education on the importance of the bee, the agricultural community as a whole is at stake. Those participating in the walking trail will meet at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center at 10 a.m. From there, the participants will be transported to the starting point of the trail, 731 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd. Jr., and begin their tour, which features pop up activities and events leading back to the Pompano Cultural Center for a final extravaganza! The entire event will take approximately four hours. Refreshments will be provided. Other projects associated with phase one of the Mosaic Team include Music Leads the Way, which consists of four music themed mosaic murals located at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater: Community, a 16 x 8 ft. mosaic mural located at the Charlotte Burrie Community Center, which is set to be open soon, and Wow, a 10 ft. diameter floor mosaic located at the gazebo on the northeast corner of West Palm Aire Drive and Oaks Drive. For more information on the Trail of the Honey Bees or the citys Public Art Program, call 954-545-7800, ext. 3813 or e-mail laura.atria@copbfl.com.

See the rest here:
Trail of the Honey Bees Walking Tour - Observer Newspaper Online

This year at CES, we had the opportunity to talk with the Ooma team about their new products that offer security and peace of mind for both businesses and consumers. In addition to home security and monitoring, the company had the Ooma Telo 4G on display.

The Ooma Telo 4G connects to the internet through a 4G LTE adapter and includes a backup battery, providing service, including 911 access when you need it most, during internet and power outages.This is a great solution for cord cutters who have also opted not to use a landline at home.

The hardware for the Telo 4G has a one time cost of $129.99, which includes a base station, wireless adapter, and 10 hour battery backup. Youll need a base subscription of $11.99/month for service through the nationwide Sprint 4G LTE network. The system delivers all the benefits of internet-based home phoneservice without worrying about power failures or losing 911 access in emergency situations.

Oomais dedicated to bringing peace of mind to families when it comes to staying connected with their homes and having a reliable way to reach first responders during emergencies, said Thad White, vice president of residential product development atOoma. We aim forOomaTelo4G, along with theOomaKeypad andOomaProfessional Monitoring forOomaSmart Security, to give our customers more choices and more control in protecting their homes.

Oomas new home security products and services include the Ooma Smart Security Keypad for $59.99 and Ooma Professional Monitoring for $14.99/month. The affordabledo-it-yourselfsystem offeringawiderange of sensors for detecting motion,the opening of doors and windows, water leaks, and the opening of garage doors. Optional premium features include multi-user geofencing to automatically control the system as family members arrive and leave the home, and remote calling to local 911 operators through theOomaSmart Security mobile app.

Did you know we now have aFREE appfor iOS, Android,and Amazon Fire? Click HERE todownload our app.

Please follow us onFacebookandTwitterfor more news, tips, and reviews.Need cord cutting tech support? Join ourCord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Groupfor help.

Here is the original post:
Ooma Improves on Phone and Home Security with New Products for Cord Cutters - Cord Cutters News, LLC

Internet service provider Spectrum has announced that it is no longer offering its Home Security plan to new customers and that it will drop its existing security subscribers in early February. The news is an unwelcome surprise for customers who paid out hefty amounts for proprietary home security equipment that cant be used with any other platforms.

Spectrum is best known for offering Internet service in a number of states, but it also offered customers the option of adding on its Spectrum Home Security, a plan that included various home security equipment like cameras and door sensors. Customers were given the option of adding on a larger package of security gear, including a wireless smoke detector, glass break detector, lamp module, motion detectors, and more.

According to a note recently spied on the Spectrum website, it will stop offering its Home Security service to existing customers on February 5, at which point it will also end support for their equipment. This hardware cant be used with other existing smart home platforms, meaning all of the gear will be completely useless by the start of next month.

Spectrum, for those unaware, is the result of the Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks merger it is owned by Charter Communications and is a major service provider in the US. The company claimed to Gizmodo that only a small percentage of its customers would be impacted by this change in service and that it was working to offer them a smooth transition.

The nature of Internet service in the United States means that many customers live in a region where Spectrum is their only option for Internet service. This essentially leaves the customers without any recourse at least one claimed to news agency KSBY that Spectrum refused to apply a credit for the cost of the home security equipment to his account, leaving him with around $900 of essentially worthless hardware.

Instead of offering customers a credit for their equipment, Spectrum says it will give them a deal on transitioning to Rings home security products instead of paying $340 for a 7-piece Ring security kit, they can get it for free of they pay for a year of monitoring instead.

Read more:
Spectrum will make its home security gear useless in early February - SlashGear

Home > News > Spectrum Leaves Home Security Subscribers In The Cold

Homeowners like to think that investing inhome security alongside their telecommunications provider might be the bestsolution. However, as Charter-owned cable provider Spectrum has shown, thismight not always be the best scenario. The company intends to shut down itshome security division, with subscribers now left having to seek another optionfor their needs. On February 5th, when the system shuts down completely, remoteaccess to devices and the monitoring service will no longer be available,although individual devices will still work. Customers will not be gettingmonetary settlements for their service termination. However, the company willoffer them deals on Abode or Ring devices, although without a discount on thesubscription for those devices.

The response the company has given tocustomers regarding covering their security needs is unsatisfactory, at best.Some homeowners have spent several times over the cost of a single one of thosenew devices in outfitting their homes with security cameras, confident inSpectrums promise to deliver on service. Now, those customers will be leftwith glaring holes in their security architecture that the company will nolonger be responsible for. While technically, under consumer protection laws,the companys termination of services is legal, it is not fair to thoseindividuals who bought into Spectrums marketing and installed their securitysystems with the intention of long-term coverage.

If anything, Spectrums shutdown has warnedusers that investing a security system, even with their trusted telecomprovider, doesnt guarantee the service will remain operational indefinitely.Consumers should take it as a sign that managed home security and devices carrythe threat of a shutdown with them, especially if those devices arebrand-specific. Dedicated home security devices may offer a better alternativeto homeowners looking for a long-term solution thats slightly more resilientto security brand closures.

Go here to read the rest:
Spectrum Leaves Home Security Subscribers In The Cold - CloudWedge

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

MILWAUKEE -- Mayor Tom Barrett along with the Milwaukee Police Department on Friday, Jan. 17 held a news conference to provide a security "footprint" for the 2020 Democratic National Convention. To get reimbursed for the DNC's public safety costs, the city has prepared its $50 million grant application to the U.S. Department of Justice.

"This is not the entire unveiling of the security plan, this is the first step. This is to announce the security footprint, following this there will be more refinements as we get closer to the convention," said Mayor Tom Barrett. "There will be changes."

Mayor Tom Barrett said the Secret Service and Milwaukee police have spent the past six months working collaboratively to ensure a very safe convention.

"I am pleased to say no businesses have been asked to close. We want to make sure people are aware of the security footprint and know that they will be able to go about their normal day-to-day activities," Barrett said. "My biggest priorities are to make sure the events are safe for everyone and that the convention is a success. We are a city -- and that means we will be in full operation at the same time as the convention. So I'm advocating to make sure any security measure is reasonable for the people who live and work here."

Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said the security zone boundaries will be as follows:

"We want to ensure our plan provides maximum security to the convention and minimum impact on residents of the City of Milwaukee," said Special Agent Robert Pacsi, DNC Security Coordinator.

"Within the security footprint, no business is going to be asked to close. Every resident will have access to their home -- and the rest of the city will receive the same level of service that they would receive on any given day," said Chief Morales.

The Democratic National Convention and more than 1,000-related events will bring an estimated 50,000 people to Milwaukee, bringing added emphasis to the importance of Wisconsin in the presidential race.

"We remain very, very excited as a community. This is the first time in the history of the City of Milwaukee, this is the first time in the history of the state of Wisconsin where we are hosting a major political party convention. That means we are in unprecedented territory -- there are a lot of new things that are occurring," said Mayor Tom Barrett.

If you have questions about security plans, you are welcome to email the Milwaukee Police Department at DNCMPD@milwaukee.gov. In the meantime, visit demconvention.com for more information.

CLICK HERE to read a letter to Milwaukee residents and business owners within the "security footprint"

43.045080-87.917386

Read the original post:
Officials reveal security footprint for 2020 DNC: Every resident will have access to their home - WITI FOX 6 Milwaukee

Update: Now down to $109.24 shipped at Amazon.

Amazon is currently offering theSimpliSafe 5-Piece Wireless Home Security System for $112.44 shipped. Usually selling for $225, todays price cut is good for a 50% discount, beats the prior Amazon low by $16, and is well under our previous mention of $175.Included in this bundle is everything youll need to get started with the popular home security system. Centered around the base station, youll receive a keypad, motion sensor, entry detector, and a keyfob.SimpliSafes home security system doesnt lock you into a contract, pairs with both Alexa as well as Google Assistant, and works with a companion smartphone app for viewing alerts. Rated 3.8/5 stars from over 235 customers.

If keeping an eye on your property is at the top of the list of a security systems functionality, consider theBlink Indoor Camera kit instead. Not only will you pocket some extra cash thanks to a $90 price tag, but the systems camera sports 2-year battery life, a built-in motion detector, and HD recording. Plus, it comes backed by a 4/5 star rating from over 6,400 shoppers.

Though if youre set onSimpliSafes system, its worth noting how solid of a value youre getting compared to competing offerings. For instance, the 5-piece Ring Alarm kit sells for $199 at Amazon right now and is tailored to Alexa, rather than being voice assistant agnostic.

Ready to protect right out of the box. Just plug in the base station, place your sensors, and start protecting your home in minutes. No tools required.Optional 24/7 professional monitoring with police, fire & medical dispatch starting at 50c/day No contracts. Pioneering signal burst technology that is powerful enough to cover homes of every size, with up to 1000 ft. range no extender needed.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Subscribe to the 9to5Toys YouTube Channel for all of the latest videos, reviews, and more!

Visit link:
Save over 50% on SimpliSafes 5-Piece Security System at an Amazon low of $109 - 9to5Toys

CHARLOTTE, N.C. A west Charlotte neighbor said he's thankful his home security cameras were rolling when a man he didnt know showed up at his home with what he believes was an intent to be a burglar.

It was around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday when the homeowner said he was alerted by his Ring doorbell camera that someone was knocking at his front door.

He was not home at the time.

After the suspect got no answer, security cameras in the backyard caught a glimpse of him creeping around out back.

At one point, the homeowner says the suspect threw a landscaping brick through the sliding glass door then ran away.

Because the alarm went off when the glass broke Im thinking maybe he left thinking he doesnt have time to do that, the neighbor said.

More than $500 worth of damage was done to the glass door, but thankfully the suspect didnt get a chance to get inside the home to steal anything.

Now, this neighbor just wants to spread the word to others so they are aware of a possible burglar on the run.

This person is in the neighborhood or the area and they could possibly be a threat," he said. "Be on the lookout."

Police are asking anyone who is able to identify the suspect in the video to give investigators a call.

Read the original here:
Watch: Home cameras catch suspected burglar in the act - WCNC.com

Smart technology has shaped not only how we communicate, but also how we live in our own homes. From voice assistants controlling our lights to security systems monitoring our front porch while were at work, these technologies are becoming more prevalent in the 21st-century residence.

As leading experts in their field, the members of Forbes Technology Council follow the trends on smart technology, including the mainstream adoption of certain devices. We asked them which up-and-coming smart device they believe most homes will have in five to 10 years. Their top predictions are below.

1. Electric Charging Stations For Connected Cars

All cars are going to be connected as soon as five years from now. Instead of going to the charging station, we would prefer to have an electric charging station at our home. Along with charging, the device will also communicate with us and the manufacturer about the critical issues to be fixed. It will also talk to the rest of the homes devices about the preferences of the driver when they arrive or depart. - Viplav Valluri, Fastlane Americas, Inc.

2. Master Controller For All Smart Devices

In the next 10 years, there will be a push for the integration of all smart technology into one seamless master controller. There are already dozens of smart home appliances and choices that are available, but the big idea and push will be for one master controller of them all, causing a fully stacked smart home and allowing for efficient and user-friendly control. - Alexandro Pando, Xyrupt Technologies

3. Ubiquitous Voice-Command Integration

In the 10-year range, the bigger development wont be new devices so much as improved integration. Todays voice assistants are all in competition to lock down the home Internet of Things market. Whether its Alexa, Siri or Google, every object in our future homes will take voice commands. As integrations improve we can expect voice-assistant interfaces to be built into the home as well, but integration is key. - Ben Lee, Rootstrap

4. Vision-Based Home Security Systems

Smart security systems with artificial intelligence and computer vision are becoming of extreme importance to most of us. Knowing how effective computer vision can be, I see a growing demand for smart home security systems around the world, especially in countries and cities with high crime and burglary rates. - Chris Ciabarra, Athena Security Inc.

5. Smart Thermostats

Smart thermostats will be in every home in the next decade. Trying to keep your house warm or cool without wasting money and taxing the environment is practically impossible. A smart thermostat does the work for you and makes sure you arent consuming more power than is necessary for comfort. Its a good thing for both consumers and the big picture and incredibly simple to use. - Robert Weissgraeber, AX Semantics

6. Wholesale Adoption Of Voice Assistants In Senior Housing

Voice assistants will be standard in the majority of homes in the next five to 10 years because the devices serve a host of use cases. Among the rising use cases that will drive wholesale adoption include senior housing, which will drive down the consumer cost of assisted living, and household energy and safety management to manage lighting, irrigation and security. - Jeanne Teshler, Wellsmith Inc.

7. Voice-Activated Home Diagnostics Tests

Imagine having software that is activated by voice and is able to run diagnostic tests on the state of your home. This type of technology will revolutionize home security. Being able to tell your home OS to check to see if a door or window is unlocked or damaged and then being able to lock down a certain area of your house will improve safety for your family and first responders. - Abishek Surana Rajendra, Course Hero

8. Environmental Sensors

A smart device I predict will be in the majority of homes in five to 10 years will be environmental sensors. Predictive maintenance tools will let homeowners know when filter replacements and professional tune-ups are needed on HVACs. Additionally, these devices can alert families when air ducts are leaking, which could be potentially hazardous. Families will be safer with smarter homes. - Ryan Chan, UpKeep Maintenance Management

9. Pet Tech Products

If there is one thing people love, its their pets. With the rise of pet tech, more and more pet owners will invest in these smart devices, especially if they can monitor their pets health. Tailio, for example, is a monitoring system that sits under a litter box. It can detect pets health problems and track their behaviors, and this information is easy to share with veterinarians. - Christopher Yang, Corporate Travel Management

10. Artificial Intelligence Integrations

AI, whether in the form of Alexa or another bot, will eventually be integrated into every smart home system. It will allow for all of your devices to sense and communicate with each other, share data with one another and ultimately optimize your environment for your lifestyle. This behind-the-scenes automation will be subtle yet extremely powerful in creating fluidity throughout your home life. - Marc Fischer, Dogtown Media LLC

11. Smart Assistants

Voice-controlled technologies are definitely going to be at the peak of their popularity within five to 10 years. Even now, if you look at the statistics, the number of their users is growing, adding almost 6 million people each year. In the future the spectrum of capabilities of such assistants will expand as well, allowing them to manage whole households. - Daria Leshchenko, SupportYourApp Inc.

12. Energy Storage Systems

The solar-energy market will continue to expand in the next decade, and smart home battery technology will expand with it. With the help of smart home systems, internet-connected, battery-based home energy solutions will enable homeowners to use voice commands to check energy storage levels and energy usage and make the switch to battery power when electricity rates are highest. - Ron Cogburn, Exela Technologies

13. In-Home AR/VR Shopping

As online retail continues to take over brick-and-mortar, online retail giants will strive to make trying out clothes, shoes, jewelry and other apparel possible online. Tech is already within touching distance from allowing you to do this; however, its still too expensive. Over the next 10 years, we will see retail giants giving away AR/VR shopping assistants to increase sales. - Tigran Sloyan, CodeSignal

14. Digital Health-Monitoring Equipment

For the most tech-savvy consumers, were already seeing digital scales, blood-pressure monitors and blood-glucose monitors enter the home. With the continued growth in chronic diseases, rising healthcare costs and the adoption of digital health beyond the technorati, digital health- monitoring equipment (including wearables) should be in the majority of homes in the next 10 years. - Steve Pao, Hillwork, LLC

See more here:
14 Smart Home Devices That Will Go Mainstream In The Next Decade - Forbes

Almost two weeks after Google disabled Xiaomis access to its Assistant and Home and Nest devices after a security breach, Xiaomi says it has resolved the issue. And customers can now use its smart security cameras within Googles smart home ecosystem again.

We now confirm that we have fully resolved the root cause of this issue, and Xiaomis Google integration service has resumed from 16, January, a Xiaomi statement reads. Users can now use Xiaomis Mi security camera services via Nest devices. At Xiaomi, we take user privacy and information security as [a] top priority. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused for affected users. We will take even stronger measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Its still not clear exactly what happened, and its likely well never find out. At the time of the bizarre breach, in which users of Xiaomi smart security cameras could see video feeds from other users, the firm only said that it was caused by a cache update designed to improve camera streaming quality.

Xiaomi says that only a few users were impacted, but apparently all of them posted videos to Reddit, since theres a lot of footage to choose from. The firm said early on that it had explained what happened to Google and fixed the underlying issue quickly. The reason for the delay in reinstating Xiaomis access was chalked up to a need to make sure that the root cause of this episode had been really solved so that it never happens again.

Well, Google is apparently now satisfied with Xiaomis fix.

Tagged with Google Home, Google Nest, Xiaomi

View post:
Xiaomi is Back on Google Home and Nest - Thurrott.com

The "United States Fire Sprinklers Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 7.2 Billion by 2025, exhibiting a CAGR of about 9% during 2020-2025.

The US fire sprinklers market is currently exhibiting strong growth and reached a value of US$ 4.3 Billion in 2019. A fire sprinkler refers to a type of fire protection system consisting of sprinkler heads installed in ceilings or side walls connected to an active water supply through piping and fittings. Fire sprinklers are triggered by the rise in temperature. When a blaze ignites, the air directly above it heats rapidly and this hot air rises and spreads along with the ceiling. When the air is hot enough and reaches a sprinkler head, it triggers a chain reaction. It is considered to be one of the safest methods for suppressing the fire at an early stage, thus, preventing it to grow any further. On account of this, it is widely being utilized across the United States including different commercial buildings as well as residential buildings.

With technological advancements and product innovations, the market for fire sprinkler has gained strong traction in the United States. Moreover, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has mandated the installation of fire protection in new commercial construction projects under the new regulatory code. As a result, the growing rate of construction of commercial units including offices, retail shops, commercial centers, entertainment centers, hospitals and schools is catalysing the demand for fire sprinklers in the United States. The US government is also organizing various seminars and formulating regulations to facilitate the adoption of these systems.

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Preface

2 Scope and Methodology

2.1 Objectives of the Study

2.2 Stakeholders

2.3 Data Sources

2.3.1 Primary Sources

2.3.2 Secondary Sources

2.4 Market Estimation

2.4.1 Bottom-Up Approach

2.4.2 Top-Down Approach

2.5 Forecasting Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends

5 United States Fire Sprinklers Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Market Forecast

6 US Fire Sprinklers Market Breakup by Component

6.1 Fire Sprinklers Structures

6.1.1 Pipe

6.1.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.1.2 Market Forecast

6.1.2 Valves & Fittings

6.1.3 Sprinklers Head

6.1.4 Others

6.2 Fire Response System

6.2.1 Fire Alarm Devices

6.2.2 Lightening

6.2.3 Voice/Public Alert

6.2.4 Secure Communication

6.3 Fire Detector and Control Panels

6.4 Fire Suppression Reagent

6.4.1 Water

6.4.2 Foam

6.4.3 Gas

6.4.4 Chemical

7 US Fire Sprinklers Market Breakup by Fire Sprinkler Type

7.1 Wet Sprinkler System

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Dry Sprinkler System

7.3 Pre-action Sprinkler System

7.4 Deluge System

7.5 Others

8 Market Breakup by Service

8.1. Installation/Design

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2. Maintenance & Managed

8.3. Engineering & Fabrication

8.4. Others

9 Market Breakup by Application Sector

9.1 Commercial

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Industrial

9.2.1 Manufacturing

9.2.2 Oil & Gas

9.2.3 Energy & Power

9.2.4 Healthcare

9.2.5 Transportation & Logistics

9.2.6 Mining

9.2.7 Others

9.3 Residential

10 Market Breakup by Region

10.1 West US

10.1.1 Market Trends

10.1.2 Market Forecast

10.2 Southeast US

10.3 Northeast US

10.4 Midwest US

10.5 Southwest US

11 SWOT Analysis

11.1 Overview

11.2 Strengths

11.3 Weakness

11.4 Opportunities

11.5 Threats

12 Value Chain Analysis

12.1 Overview

12.2 Raw Material Procurement

12.3 Design

12.4 Manufacturing

12.5 Fabrication and Installation

12.6 End-Users

13 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

13.1 Overview

13.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

13.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

13.4 Degree of Rivalry

13.5 Threat of New Entrants

13.6 Threat of Substitutes

Read more here:
United States Fire Sprinklers Market Expected to Grow with a CAGR of 9% During the Forecast Period, 2020-2025 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Yahoo Finance