Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

HOUSTON -- If you were among the millions watching Game 6 of the World Series at home, the last you saw of Atlanta Braves slugger Jorge Soler's home run ball was when it disappeared over the Minute Maid Park railroad tracks into the night.

That was what Manuel Ramos saw, too, while he watched the game from his brother Richard's apartment balcony. But he had seen it a few seconds earlier, too. That apartment happens to be across the street from Minute Maid Park. It also happens to have a view into the stadium when the roof is open -- as it was Tuesday, for one of the only times all season.

And so after Manuel and his brother watched the ball leave the yard, they looked down. And that's when they noticed it sitting on the street outside of the brick building known as 500 Crawford.

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Soler's three-run shot traveled an estimated 446 feet from home plate, landed on an awning outside the park, rolled off to the right and fell to the ground inside some fencing that closed off the stadium from the neighborhood. That's how it ended up in view of the balcony. "It just laid on the sidewalk there," Richard told ESPN a few innings later.

So within minutes, Richard's wife, Shawnda, and Manuel took to the street. Manuel guessed it took them about eight minutes to get down there -- and then they discovered that the fenced-off area was inaccessible from where they were.

"I was talking to security, like, 'Please, just escort me over there," Shawnda said.

That conversation turned out to be the moment Manuel needed. As the security guards spoke with her, he jumped at his opportunity. Literally. "I guess I distracted them," Shawnda said. "I didn't even do it on purpose. I didn't even know he came down [with me]."

Manuel jumped the fence, grabbed the ball, half hid it in his shirt and ran back up to their viewing party. It was then, they said, that security began looking for it -- but to no avail.

As lifelong Astros fans, the group upstairs was disappointed in the home run but excited by owning a game-winning home run ball.

"This is the first one I've seen leave the park," Richard said. "The roof is almost never open. We want to burn it if the Braves win."

The Braves did win, of course, but Richard is unlikely to follow through, not considering the potential value in his souvenir.

"How about $1 million?" Manuel said, only half joking. "I'm not impulsive. I'll hold on to it."

The brothers said the only souvenirs they own are a couple of seats from the old Astrodome -- and it's not like this ball has any sentimentality attached to it because the home run propelled the Braves to an easy win and a World Series title over the Astros.

So if Soler wants the baseball, they're listening.

"No one has contacted me yet," Manuel said.

Originally posted here:
World Series 2021 - The inside story of where Jorge Soler's home run went once it left Minute Maid Park - ESPN

Question: How important is technology in the modern home?

Answer: Smart-home technology is nothing new, but its constantly changing and evolving. One of the biggest lessons Ive learned as a broker is to understand technology evolves so fast, its literally impossible to know what the future holds.

Smart-home technology (or home automation) has been around a long time, but with internet connectivity and rapidly evolving wireless technology, the good news is you dont have to be super tech savvy to understand how to operate smart-home technology these days. Almost any device in your home can be monitored and controlled through the use of an app. Current smart-home applications are controlled lighting, digital doorbells and door locks, home security, home theater and smart thermostats but the possibilities are truly endless.

That said, your homes network is going to be the most important component of making sure everything runs seamlessly. Thats especially important in the mountains, where high-speed connectivity is not something to be taken for granted.

Its important to hire a home technology specialist to make sure your network is built properly and can support and integrate a wide variety of devices that can be monitored from your iPhone. The goal with all smart-home technology is to provide instant response and instant resolve, remotely. Whether youre talking about water detection, motion alerts or unsafe temperatures, the overall comfort and security comes from being able to manage whatever is going on in your home when youre not there. With all this new technology, its important that you begin by creating a network that can support that.

Make sure your technology expert can create one display on one app that provides 100% functionality: the state of your windows, music, temperature, lights, movement, sauna, washer and dryer and more.

In terms of the most current technology trends, modern homes will typically have discreet audio-visual set-ups and other equipment. That means hiding things like speakers, TVs, even wall switches and thermostats so everything in a room is very seamless. Its a common trend in newer homes with modern architecture. There are no switches or control panels on the wall anymore; everything is on one screen.

Streaming TV also is a big trend right now; it enables you to watch TV through your existing providers from any device no matter where you are, whether its on an iPad at the airport or at home in your living room. Youre no longer paying for a cable box.

For second-home owners, things like digital doorbells and door locks that enable homeowners to self-police their property even if theyre not there are key. Cameras alert homeowners upon arrival that someone is at their door and theyll get an alert for when they leave. It gives you a sense of security to know what transpires at your home and to have the ability to respond. Thats especially helpful for managing subcontractors remotely.

Its also important for safety reasons. Say a door is left open, and its cold outside. Once your house hits 50 degrees, you or your property management team can be alerted. When it comes to having that security from afar, todays smart-home technology definitely gives a new meaning to the term remote control.

Shilo Bartlett is a real estate agent in the Roaring Fork Valley and a board member of the GWS Board of Realtors. She also is part of the commercial and entrepreneurial division of Slifer Smith & Frampton. She can be reached at sbartlett@sliferrfv.com.

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Ask a Broker: The importance of smart-home technology - Aspen Daily News

To hear Craig Federighi tell it, it's not about the money.

Apple's senior vice president of software gave an impassioned defense of the App Store at Wednesday's Web Summit conference in Lisbon, Portugal. In the face of looming European Union legislation that would require Apple to permit users to install apps from outside the App Store, Federighi likened the App Store to a good home security system, and suggested to the crowd of developers and journalists that the App Store is practically all that stands between them and a wild horde of hackers and malware developers banging at their gates.

"Sideloading undermines security and puts people's data at risk," he told the audience. "Even if you never sideload, your iPhone and data are less safe in a world where Apple is forced to allow it."

Sideloading, in this context, refers to the ability of device owners to install whatever software they want on their gadgets. While the App Store may give iPhone owners the impression of that freedom, in fact they are only able to download apps approved by Apple to be in the App Store.

The European Union is considering legislation, the Digital Markets Act (DMA), directly aimed at anti-competitive behavior by tech giants. It was first proposed in late 2020.

"Some large online platforms act as 'gatekeepers' in digital markets," explains the EU. "The Digital Markets Act aims to ensure that these platforms behave in a fair way online."

Notably, Federighi did not appear to address a different possible motivation for his company's opposition to the DMA: the typical 30 percent cut Apple takes from App Store transactions. (We say appear, because the web stream of the event cut out for approximately 10 minutes at the top of Federighi's presentation to the bemusement and frustration of many watching. As of the time of this writing, the stream is still missing the first chunk of Federighi's talk.)

Instead, he reiterated the perceived security risks of platforms that allow their users the ability to install and run whatever software they want.

"One security firm found more than 5 million attacks per month on its clients using another mobile platform," he said. "But there's never been this kind of widespread consumer malware attack on iOS. Never. So what's the difference? Well the single biggest reason is that other platforms allow sideloading."

However, it's not like iOS devices are invulnerable to malware attacks. Norton, an online security company, made that clear with a blog post detailing one particularly nasty attack that reportedly affected millions of Chinese iOS users.

"The malware, called XcodeGhost, was discovered by Chinese iOS developers, after it was able to find its way into legitimate Apple Store apps, including WeChat, a popular IM application," explained the post.

Apple loves to remind us that hackers and malware developers use sideloaded apps as a means to attack people's phones a point Federighi made Wednesday with a real example of ransomware disguised as a COVID-19 contact-tracing app but Federighi's presentation stunk of paternalism. Specifically, it was reminiscent of Apple's stance on right-to-repair legislation.

Trust us, the argument goes, because you'll just screw things up if left to your own devices.

SEE ALSO: Student using iOS 15's Live Text to steal class notes gets an A+ at life

"Sideloading is a cybercriminal's best friend, and requiring it on iPhone would be a gold rush for the malware industry," he concluded.

Of course, if the DMA doesn't end up forcing Apple to allow sideloading, that would allow for a continued gold rush of a different sort.

Read more:
Apple's Craig Federighi defends App Store in face of looming regulation - Mashable

Floodlight cameras are an essential part of outdoor security, giving additional coverage to parts of your house that other outdoor security cameras may miss. Their wide field-of-view give missing coverage to backyards and garages, and the additional motion detection light provides a higher quality image while also acting as a deterrent to would-be intruders.

But not all floodlight cameras are created equally. When choosing the right floodlight camera, there are several factors to take into consideration, one of the most important of which is field-of-view. Floodlight security cameras should have a wide enough field-of-view - at least 135 degrees. And the video quality needs to be good enough for the camera's on-board AI services, such as face detection, to work properly.

This is why the eufy Floodlight Camera 2 Pro is a great outdoor camera option. Eufy has a longstanding reputation of providing holistic security coverage with secure, local storage.

The Floodlight Camera 2 is no exception. It comes with a 360 degree pan and tilt camera, allowing it to cover an entire yard regardless of where it is placed. Wide driveways and yards are no longer a concern the single camera can pan and tilt to cover a specific area, whereas other systems would require two cameras to do the same job.

But it's not just the 360 pan-and-tilt feature; the Floodlight Camera 2 pro also features onboard AI and spot tracking features that provide an extra layer of security. When the floodlight camera detects an unfamiliar face, it will automatically pan and tilt to track the subject until the subject is completely out of frame.

The floodlight panels and the 2k video resolution help provide clear, vibrant videos which also help with the camera's onboard AI. The three onboard light panels are tunable, which means that the color temperature and luminosity can be adjusted based on the environment.

Data privacy is a rising concern among home security users - who has access to which footage, how it is secured, and where it lives is something consumers are becoming more wary of. The eufy Video Floodlight addresses all of these by ensuring that all footage is stored locally on a military-grade encrypted hard drive.

Local storage also means no hidden fees that come with the floodlight. While other cloud-based security systems charge a monthly fee to access security footage and onboard AI features, all of the the eufy Floodlight Camera's features come without any additional cost.

The eufy Floodlight 2 Camea solves the biggest problem with most outdoor cameras - the 360 degree field-of-view makes it easy to see all subjects. Frank Zhu, general manager of Eufy Security says, "The eufy Floodlight solves one of the biggest complaints of floodlight cameras: limited field of view. With its 360 degree pan and tilt camera, tunable 3000 lumen LED array and AI-powered human detection and auto-tracking, there is virtually nothing our Floodlight Cam will miss."

Watch this video to see it in action:

The eufy Floodlight 2 Camera is available from Amazon.com for $299.99. But for our readers, we have a great deal. Get a $50 discount on this product by using the code EUFY88423. Redeem offer until November 10, 2021.

Link:
The eufy Floodlight Video Camera II provides 360 degrees of security coverage without breaking the bank - TechHive

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Automotive Software Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global automotive software market is valued at USD 10.7 Billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 29.3 Billion by 2026 registering a CAGR of 5.11%, during the forecast period, 2021-2026.

Companies Mentioned

Key Market Trends

Safety and Security Software is Expected to Witness Faster Growth Rate

Due to the increasing adoption of a few ADAS technologies as a standard option even in mid-size vehicles in the coming years, the safety & security category is expected to acquire a considerable part of the market studied during the forecast period. Consumer interest and regulatory demands in safety applications that help safeguard drivers and decrease accidents are predicted to drive demand for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to expand significantly over the forecast period.

The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are a set of standards issued by the United States that outline the safety criteria for all motor vehicles. While the EU's standards are mostly based on UN studies and recommendations, the FMVSS was formed within the context of US regulatory organizations. Both the United States and the European Union are framing mandates to see that all vehicles are equipped with forward-collision warning systems and emergency-braking systems by 2020. FWVSS specifies three domains of testing for meeting their regulatory requirements, including crash avoidance crashworthiness and post-crash survivability.

For instance, 2021 Kia Carnival comes with the 'safe exit warning' and 'safe exit assist' systems that will use sensors located near the tail lights to detect potential approaching hazards when the car is travelling less than 3km/ h and avoid crashes. Such launches of safety and security features in vehicles are likely to drive the demand for reliable software solutions from the suppliers in the market studied, during the forecast period.

North America Captured a Major Market Share

North America is expected to dominate the market in the forecast period. Owing to factors like strong and established automotive company clusters and also being the home for the world's biggest technology companies like Google, Microsoft, etc the region has been pioneer regard to autonomous vehicles. Particularly in the United States, self-driving cars have already been tested and used in California, Texas, Arizona, Washington, Michigan, and other states of the United States. The United States covers the largest market share of more than 65% in the North American automotive software market.

The country has been significantly increasing the number of launches of autonomous car models, as well as the development of vehicle autonomous systems among the players in the automotive industry, over the past two years. Furthermore, it is expected to continue its growth rate during the forecast period.

Key Topics Covered:

1 INTRODUCTION

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Drivers

4.2 Market Challenges

4.3 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Force Analysis

5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 By Application

5.2 By Vehicle Type

5.3 Geography

6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Vendor Market Share

6.2 Company Profiles

7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/oh01na

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Worldwide Automotive Software Industry to 2026 - Safety and Security Software is Expected to Witness Faster Growth Rate - ResearchAndMarkets.com -...

Heidi Planck hasnt been seen in more than two weeks, but on Tuesday, investigators were considering new information about the Mid-City mom and whether her disappearance is related to her job as a financial controller.

The 39-year-olds employer, Camden Capital in El Segundo, is under federal investigation for an alleged $43 million fraud scheme.

The Los Angeles Police Department and federal agents served a search warrant at Plancks home last week, apparently seeking evidence in the fraud investigation.

Plancks friends say in the days leading up to her disappearance, she was worried.

She was really stressed and nervous, but she didnt go into much detail, said Plancks friend Natalie John.

On the day she disappeared, Plancks home security camera showed her leaving home with her dog. She attended her 10-year-old sons football game, but abruptly left the game early.

She didnt seem agitated. She might have been a little bit antsy. She left with her dog, and she just walked up to us and said, Im gonna go,' Plancks ex-husband Jim Wayne said.

A few hours later, her dog was found wandering around an apartment in downtown L.A. But Planck was nowhere to be found.

Friends said Planck would not willingly leave her 10-year-old son behind.

She would never do this to her boy. Shes worked so hard, so hard in her custody battle for this little boy, John said.

Absolutely abnormal, unlikely, friend Danielle Nadolny said. She would never just leave.

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She would never just leave: Investigators look into if Mid-City moms disappearance related to financial investigation - KTLA Los Angeles

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) Yen Phan, a San Francisco food blogger, found her car windshield violently smashed while she was parked on Mission Street near 22nd Street a busy, heavily trafficked part of town.

I thought it was bird poop or some kind of stain, but no it looked like it was smashed with a baseball bat, and there were about four marks, and then the roof was also dented, said Phan.

After calling about half a dozen glass repair shops, she found they all faced a glass shortage.

Normal glass repair is about 2 to $300, said Phan. And then when I talked to the guy I was like why is it $900, does it really cost that much, and can you not get it done any sooner, and he was like yeah, No.'

The owner of a brand new Audi RS7 also ran into the same headaches, after burglars broke into her vehicle on Hawthorne Street near Howard Street in San Franciscos South Of Market neighborhood in September.

We went to probably seven auto glass shops in the Bay Area, said Trisha Bantigue. All of them were backlogged, and especially you know add in the manufacturing delays from all over the world, it took me more than 4 weeks to replace that car window.

And it cost $2,000.

We have not seen a glass shortage like this, said Co-Owner of MAZ Auto Glass Kevin Sarat-Guzman. Weve seen low supply, but not until the aspect where even when we order through the dealer they have no projected timeline, so we could be waiting weeks to months.

MAZ Auto Glass located on Bayshore Boulevard San Francisco said it used to be able to replace glass in a couple of days. But since most of the glass is imported, pandemic supply-chain issues are causing massive delays.

MAZ said its seeing shortages in all kinds of glass for old and newer cars. Newer car replacements are more complex because they often have more features and need recalibration.

Read more:
Replacement Glass Shortage Adding To Woes Of San Francisco Car Break-Ins Victims - CBS San Francisco

Q. I have a number of old double-hung windows (1965) that need serious attention. Does it make sense to repair them so I can maintain aesthetic consistency with the windows that are in OK shape?

H.M.W, Newton Corner

A. We get this question a lot: whether to refurbish the windows or replace them. What we have found is that it is roughly the same cost to put in a high-quality replacement window with all the requisite insulation and painting work as it is to refurbish a window. Replacement windows cost more but go in very quickly, while refurbishing has much less cost but is very labor-intensive.

My advice: Install quality replacements. You can do them in phases, take care of the ones that are bad now and more next year. Given that your home was built in 1965, I am not sure these are really vintage windows that warrant the cost to refurbish given that they will not perform as well as replacement windows when it comes to ease of use and energy efficiency.

Related story Its always better to replace old windows right?

Q. I live in a first-floor condo in a 30-year-old multiunit building and share common walls. I hear my neighbors conversations and TV. In addition, my upstairs neighbor constantly pounds on her floor, which carries directly down into my unit. Can you recommend soundproofing solutions to minimize the noise I hear from both of my neighbors? How much noise reduction can I expect from a soundproofing solution?

B.H.

A. I am afraid there is not a lot you can do. Sound transmission comes in two ways, sound waves and vibration, and it appears you have both. Short of opening up the walls to put in soundproofing insulation, the only recommendation I can make is to add a layer of sound-proofing wallboard over your existing wallboard. Its a lot of work. The vibrations coming through the ceiling will be almost impossible to mitigate without opening up the ceiling and putting in vibration-dampening, then installing soundproofing insulation and wallboard a very daunting challenge. I wish I had a cost-effective solution for you.

Mark Philben is the project development manager at Charlie Allen Renovations in Cambridge. Send your questions to homerepair@globe.com. Questions are subject to editing. Subscribe to the Globes free real estate newsletter our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.

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Ask the Remodeler: Replace or refurbish? A look at old windows - The Boston Globe

When Gini Wijnaldum left Liverpool in the summer at the end of his contract to sign for PSG, it was widely expected that a replacement would be brought in with Leicester City's Youri Tielemans being near the top of many people's lists.

The transfer window passed however with no replacement for the Dutchman which was a point of concern for many Liverpool fans.

The 30 year old had proved to be Liverpool's most resilient midfielder, regularly available, whilst others picked up injuries.

(Photo by JustPicturesPlus/Just Pictures/Sipa USA); (Photo by PA Images/Sipa USA)

Reportsfrom90min.comrecently broke to suggest that Tielemans had turned down Leicester's latest contract offer and links started again viaCalciomercatosuggesting Liverpool were interested.

Noel Whelan has been speaking toFootball Insiderabout why a move for the 24 year old would make a lot of sense for Liverpool.

Read More Liverpool Coverage

Thats the Wijnaldum replacement sorted straight away, isnt it?"

If they could get Tielemans through the door, hed add energy, that defensive ability, goals, link-up play, and more."

I think Salah and Mane would benefit from having him in the side as well. Hed be a perfect replacement for Wijnaldum with the way he plays."

Look at his age, as well. Youre building for the future by signing him.

Read More Liverpool Coverage

Follow LFC Transfer Room on: Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook

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Thats The Wijnaldum Replacement Sorted - Pundit On Liverpool Target Youri Tielemans - Sports Illustrated

Westminster

Mayor

Anita Seitz, 10,825 votes (49.2%)

Nancy McNally, 11,192 votes (50.8%)

At large

Obi Ezeadi, 11,312 votes (13.9%)

David DeMott, 10,995 votes (13.5%)

Bruce Baker, 10,011 votes (12.3%)

Sarah Nurmela, 9,865 votes (12.1%)

Kristine Ireland, 9,747 votes (12.0%)

Jon Voelz, 9,212 votes (11.3%)

Kathryn Skulley, 8,531 votes (10.5%)

Kathleen Dodaro, 7,389 votes (9.1%)

Karen Kalavity, 4,215 votes (5.2%)

Ballot Issue 3G: Amend Recall provisions in the city charter that merges recalls with general and special elections.

Yes 17,533 votes (77.8%)

No 5,001 votes (22.2%)

Ballot Issue 3H: Background checks for elected officials and city employees

Yes 18,850 votes (82.7%)

No 3,933 votes (17.3%)

Ballot Issue 3I: Gender-neutral pronouns in the City Charter.

Yes 11,053 votes (48.2%)

No 11,880 votes (51.8%)

Ballot Issue 3J: Establish a commission to research geographic wards for City Councilors.

Yes 9,642 votes (43.7%)

No 12,414 votes (56.3%)

Ballot Issue 3K: Allow marijuana sales in the city.

Yes 12,094 votes (52.3%)

No 11,033 votes (47.7%)

Ballot Issue 3L: 5% tax on marijuana sales.

Yes 11,528 votes (49.3%)

No 11,869 votes (50.7%)

Ballot Issue 3M: Increase public safety sales tax by .015 of one percent.

Yes 9,911 votes (42.5%)

No 13,428 votes (57.5%)

Ballot Issue 3N: $15 million bond issue extension for open space, parks and trails.

Yes 12,557 votes (53.6%)

No 10,858 votes (46.4%)

Unofficial results as of 8:22 a.m.

(Source: Adams and Jefferson County Clerks and Recorder and Colorado Secretary of State)

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Election Results 2021: Voters replace Westminster Mayor, City Council - The Westminster Window