The National September 11 Memorial Museum

Posted on September 11, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

Eliot and I were one of the first New Yorkers to see the new National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center. Our friend, journalist Rob Calem, gave us his tickets because he had an assignment out-of-town. He was invited along with all of the other residents in lower Manhattan who were displaced when the Towers came down. It’s been 13 years and the pain of losing the nearly 3000 people who perished is as strong as ever.

Information Center

Section of Steel Facade, North Tower, floors 96 to 99.

The Remains of the Survivor Staircase

North Tower Communications Center

Thank You Rob. It was very kind of you to allow us to go in your place. We were overwhelmed being among folks who were closely connected to the World Trade Center.

Visitors walked quietly through the rooms reading every word on the posted plaques. Those that held hands were probably the families of the victims. Our hearts sank as we passed each one. Others were policemen, firemen, medical first responders, and nearby neighbors. You could see the horrific memories on their faces. They all wanted to show their solidarity. Of course, we did too.

The museum allowed us to take photos except in the “Day Of” rooms where many personal belongings were on display. Cameras were off limits. These were the tougher rooms to explore. There were warning signs letting you know that some of the displays and videos were explicit. We just can’t imagine how the families of those who died were able to walk through these rooms. It was very emotional.

Bill Gates Takes Active Role Changing The Way History Is Taught

Posted on September 10, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

A few days ago, the financial columnist for the New York Times and co-anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Andrew Ross Sorkin, wrote an article about how Bill Gates wants to change the way high school students learn history. The reason why I’m spotlighting this story is because it’s interesting to see how a tech pioneer wants to spend his billions.

You can read the story here. Gates is serious about this initiative. He doesn’t want to sell this concept to school districts. He would rather target each and every high school in the United States to make sure they are 100 per cent committed to the program.

Gates got enthralled with this project after he watched a DVD called “Big History” by Australia professor David Christian. Gates loved the way Christian wove together “a synthesis of history, biology, chemistry, astronomy and other disparate fields.” He then divided the history of the world “into eight separate “thresholds,” beginning with the Big Bang, 13 billion years ago (Threshold 1), moving through to the origin of Homo Sapiens (Threshold 6), the appearance of agriculture (Threshold 7) and, finally, the forces that gave birth to our modern world (Threshold 8).

If you want to order the DVD’s, click here.

Be sure to watch Christian”s TED Talk below.

Understanding Friendships

Posted on September 8, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

Tyler Perry

I always wondered about my friendships. There was always something mysterious about them. Then a business associate/friend showed me this video made by comedian, songwriter, director, producer, and actor Tyler Perry. He freely expressed his personal views on friendship and life’s expectations, I’m including the video here because, at our age, we need to remind ourselves what’s really important.

The Newest Digital Bodyguard

Posted on September 7, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

I wish the world had products like this when we owned a second home in Montauk, and then Quogue. Instead I spent 25 summers walking around at night looking for bogeymen, or the gang of Hell’s Angels, who I thought would kill us. I grew up in an apartment building so living in a home was foreign to me.

Of course, if I owned the Withings Home product during that stretch of time, things might have been different. I really needed a security system that was more than the typical home alarm that many of us had in those days. The Withings Home unit is a smart HD camera that monitors indoor surroundings beyond anything you ever encountered before. For example, it has a 135-degree wide-angle zoom as well as night-vision capabilities.

A friend told me about the Withings Home unit, but then I Googled it. CNET, the tech site, had a great description. Read it here.

Its super-sensitive sensors detect motion and noise and recognizes the presence of people. It will even pick up a whisper sound and alert you. The same unit monitors temperature, humidity levels and air quality.

Retailing at $219.00, it will be available shortly. Let me know if you buy one and how well it works.

Lights, Camera, No Action

Posted on September 6, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t stay away. I just wanted to visit the apartment building where Joan Rivers lived one more time just to say goodbye. She lived on my block (62nd St.) a few avenues over. One East 62nd St. is perfectly situated. She had Fifth Avenue and Central Park to the West and the ultra lavish Amaranth Restaurant and Madison Avenue to the East.

Leave it to Joan to have one of the most ritzy places to worship in NYC adjacent to her condo, the Fifth Avenue Synagogue.

However, the family is having the funeral service at Temple Emanuel which is just around the corner on Fifth Avenue. Emanuel has the largest congregation of any Temple in the world and is super reform. My daughter had her Bat Mitzvah there.

Joan lived on the top three floors of the building. Check out the top two floors which are set back so she could have a gigantic outdoor garden. The first floor of her condo features a ballroom. Can you imagine? All appraised for $23 million.

People from all walks of life came to the condo to pay their respects. Young, old, white, black, fat, thin, male, female, wrinkles, no wrinkles, everyone had their own personal connection to Joan. Several policemen were stationed outside the building just to make sure no one would bother the family. Groups of 50 to 60 would flow in and out all day and night, It was all very civilized. Everyone wanted closure.

Who Are You Wearing?

Posted on September 4, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

Joan Rivers lived right down the street from me on East 62nd Street. I took great comfort in knowing she was nearby. Sometimes I would stand outside her apartment wondering where she got all that energy. Her doorman told me she was President of her Condo. Read all about that here.
She was the real deal.

A number of years ago, Eliot, Whitney and I decided to have our last meal before the Yom Kippur fast at Sarabeth’s on Central Park South. We were deep in conversation when three elderly women sat down next to us. It turned out to be Joan, Cindy Adams, and Barbara Walters. Three old friends having a holiday dinner together. No cameras, no annoying fans, no fanfare. Those in the know told me this was a yearly routine. This holiday is going to be very difficult without Joan.

At 81, Joan had a popular Internet TV show, “In Bed With Joan,” was one of the most popular on folks on Twitter and Facebook, and was the star of “Fashion Police” and a reality TV show, “Joan and Melissa.” She also made weekly appearances in clubs around the U.S.

Here are some tweets regarding her death.

Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360)
I don’t want to live in a world without #JoanRivers. No one does – @Andy on #JoanRivers

Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest)
It was a treat running into Joan in the hallways at E!…she was always on… always a riot. Our thoughts are w/ you & your family @MelRivers.

Melinda Gates (@melindagates)
“Never be afraid to laugh at yourself.” – Joan Rivers, a true pioneer for women in comedy and show business.

jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander)
My friend, Joan Rivers – we were robbed of many more laughs. You made us laugh at ourselves, Joanie. You blazed many trails. Thank you & RIP

Blair Underwood (@BlairUnderwood)
Joan Rivers had me on her talk show many years ago & I was surprised & have often said that she was one of my favorite interviews.

Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow)
Joan Rivers will always be a pioneer. She paved the way for a lot of comedians. I’m very sad she’s gone.

Frank DiGiacomo (@frankdigiacomo)
#JoanRivers Did you hear Tom Cruise just had a baby? He was there when it was born … He should have been there when it was conceived.

Mandy Moore (@TheMandyMoore)
RIP, #JoanRivers…. What a spirited force, trailblazer and beacon for all things funny. Such a loss.

Rocco DiSpirito (@roccodispirito)
R.I.P. #JoanRivers. You made the world laugh. We’ve lost a #legend today. #inspiration #comedy

Robin Roberts (@RobinRoberts)
So sad that #JoanRivers has passed away. Thinking of her daughter @MelRivers and her family, friends and many fans. #RIPJoanRivers

James Woods (@RealJamesWoods)
#JoanRivers always teased me at every red carpet event. She was always right and always hysterical. She was a joy and I will miss her. RIP

Barbra Streisand (@BarbraStreisand)
I first met Joan Molinsky (that was her real name) when I was 17 years old. We were both in an Off-Off Broadway show called “Driftwood.”
She was a real character, and I am so upset by her passing. She was too young and still had much to do. – Barbra Streisand.

With This Ring I Thee Web

Posted on September 4, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

Image from Mota website.

I think I wrote a pretty clever headline considering the topic that I am about to share with you. As I mentioned to you in a few prior posts, wearable technology is one of the hottest topics in the digital business.

First there were smartphones, then smart watches, and now–drum roll please–smart rings. A well established company in the wearable tech business, Mota of Sunnyvale, CA, has designed a smart ring that will feature all kinds of notifications : text messages, email, calendar events and incoming calls.

The cool thing about the Mota smart ring is that its not obtrusive. More and more folks are complaining that smartphones are interfering with their social lives. No one wants to put their phones down. If people replaced their smartphones with a Mota ring during social hours, they can still be connected without checking for messages. A quick glimpse is far more acceptable than being completely immersed. This is one of the reasons why the smart ring may become so popular when it goes into production later this year.

Designed for use with both Android and iOS devices, the smart ring also has a silent vibration mode that can be tailored to deliver different vibration patterns for your smartphone contacts.

Let’s cross our fingers (ha, ha) that the Mota smart ring works well! Thank you Mashable for telling is about it.

Forever Young, Not

Posted on September 2, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

image: Boomerslife.org

There are some advantages to getting older. Albeit, not many, but maybe we can capitalize on those that do come our way.

For instance, when Eliot and I went through security at the airport in Cartagena, Columbia yesterday, the officers let us pass right through even though they were questioning everyone else about what they were doing in the country. As we walked to our gate, I remarked to Eliot that apparently the security officers thought we were too old to be terrorists. I find that kind of insulting.

Eliot and I play the old age card as much as we can. We don’t have to try too hard because most of the young folks take one look and start treating us like we are their grandparents. If we take a subway, at least a half a dozen people immediately offer us their seats. That includes pregnant women, the blind, and people on crutches. Apparently, we look more helpless than them.

We just spent the weekend with six considerably younger guys. They too treated us like we were slightly handicapped. They opened the doors, gave us the best seats, carried extra stuff, and made sure we got safely across the street. They may not have been fully aware of what they were doing, but we embraced it.

Coincidently, my brother emailed me a New York Times article today entitled, “When Did We Get So Old?” I read it hoping I was going to learn an alternative to old age. No such luck. It basically says the approximate 77 million baby boomers that are alive today feel like they are on the outside looking in. Click on the Times story to see why we might be more confused than ever about who we are and where we live.

How do you think I feel? Most of my work revolves around Internet activities where the majority of co-workers are 40 years my junior. Sometimes it gives me the creeps, other times I don’t notice it at all.

I wonder what Hillary thinks?

Hard Butter Challenge

Posted on August 31, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

I feel so relieved. One of life’s greatest challenges may shortly be solved. There is going to be a way to spread hard butter evenly on a piece of bread. No more tearing your bread when trying to get that even look. Or having to settle for clumps of butter in just a few places.

Seriously, biting into a piece of bread with evenly spread butter may not be your biggest concern, but it certainly got the attention of 14,000 backers who contributed over $320,000 on Kickstarter to make sure ButterUp comes to life.

The ButterUp knife features a grater to aerate and soften the butter. Its grater shape does the trick. Watch the above video.

ButterUp will cost around $12. Delivery is next March. You still have time to join the campaign.

A Day Without Internet

Posted on August 31, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

Today we spent the day on a private island called Gente de Mar. It was a thirty minute boat ride from Cartagena. Our friends Juan Carlos and Joao arranged for the eight of us to celebrate Eliot’s birthday being disconnected. That’s the buzzword for living without the Internet.

The manager of the Island told me he is working hard along with a group of others to “unplug” local schools. He felt that the Internet contaminated young minds. That gave us the first clue that the island didn’t offer Wi-Fi.,
So we all put our smartphones away, pulled up lounge chairs, and chilled.

It was the perfect day. Below are photos from tonight’s birthday celebration in Cartagena’s Old Town.