Category Archives: senior lifestyle

Interesting Political Tweets

Posted on by
Reply

Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA)
1/21/13, 11:19 AM
Today Americans honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s been 30 years since President… fb.me/1PzcZqPI3

Chuck Todd (@chucktodd)
1/21/13, 11:45 AM
Lamar Alexander twice ran for WH. One of the most extensive resumes of any current senator

Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer)
1/21/13, 11:54 AM
On day 2 men r sworn it, recall that we’re a nation of laws, not men. For all the faults in our system, our system is our strength

The White House (@whitehouse)
1/21/13, 11:55 AM
Obama: “while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth.” #inaug2013

Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff)
1/21/13, 11:55 AM
Second inaugurations aren’t unlike second marriages: a triumph of hope over experience.

Governor Christie (@GovChristie)
1/21/13, 12:32 PM
Today also marks MLK Jr Day of Service. I encourage New Jerseyans to honor Dr. King’s life & legacy w/ acts of service within our community.

The Associated Press (@AP)
1/21/13, 1:03 PM
Here is the text of President Barack Obama’s inaugural address: apne.ws/11M2UuP #inaug2013 -MM

Bill O’Reilly (@oreillyfactor)
1/21/13, 2:02 PM
VIDEO— Will: NRA more popular than Obama… Watch: bit.ly/10inBt1

richardbranson (@richardbranson)
1/21/13, 2:33 PM
#inaug2013 Exciting day for US & all who want more progress in the next 4 years virg.in/aug

Al Gore (@algore)
1/21/13, 2:38 PM
Great to hear President Obama call for climate action in today’s #inaug2013 address. Congratulations Mr. President bit.ly/VgnNwd

Rick Perry (@GovernorPerry)
1/21/13, 2:45 PM
Hey Phil….Texas is home to liberty and low taxes…we would love to have you as well !! tinyurl.com/b3zuhnd

Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee)
1/21/13, 3:02 PM
Anthony Kearns on his performances during the Inauguration, including Joint Chiefs Chair Martin Dempsey. justsayinapp.com/post/130175ad2…

Rolling Stone (@RollingStone)
1/21/13, 3:14 PM
Take a look through photos of the all-star musicians who have visited Obama in the White House: rol.st/YehbiV #inaug2013

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
1/21/13, 3:46 PM
“Socialists think profits are a vice; I consider losses the real vice.” – Winston Churchill

Yahoo! omg! (@YahooOmg)
1/21/13, 4:31 PM
Wow! Prince Harry opens up about being and uncle, and killing Taliban in Afghanistan! – yhoo.it/TbQ5Y8

Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow)
1/21/13, 4:54 PM
The MSNBC liveshot of the first family at the reviewing stand right now is a view we never see of them. Totally casual and candid

Al Roker (@alroker)
1/21/13, 5:06 PM
To have been acknowledged by the President and Vice President on a day honoring the man that made that possible is that much more special

Timothy Leary (@DrLeary)
1/21/13, 5:28 PM
For the first time ever, an inaugural address mentioned the rights of gay Americans–Obama states “America’s jou… bit.ly/10jdQuP

Glenn Beck (@glennbeck)
1/21/13, 6:21 PM
Hope you enjoyed the #MisfitBall! Here’s a look at what was going on backstage… bit.ly/WbF8og

The Colbert Report (@ColbertReport)
1/21/13, 6:25 PM
“Has it always been that we’re in a constant state of crisis in Congress? Because it’s exciting!” on.cc.com/13Iu9ES

Sean Hannity (@seanhannity)
1/21/13, 8:15 PM
The most divisive Inauguration Speech in history today-will discuss & take events/speeches live tonite w @KarlRove @repgregwalden @RepDavid

Romney last Tweeted in November
Mitt Romney (@MittRomney)
11/10/12, 2:37 PM
From the bottom of our hearts, Ann and I thank you for your support, prayers, efforts, & vote. We are forever grateful to every one of you.

Silicon Valley is Broadway Bound

Posted on by
Reply

There are a number of regional musicals that are all about two of the most famous Internet pioneers, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Eliot and I were asked to invest in a few of them. None of the scripts we read thrilled us. It was difficult to get excited about musicals that depict the lives of nerds who became billionaires.

We think this is a fascinating subject that just doesn’t translate to song and dance. Maybe we are wrong. You can judge for yourself. The one show that has a shot at making it to Broadway is “Nerds,” a musical comedy that is currently playing at the A.J Theater in Raleigh, NC. It runs to February 3rd. It stars Darren Ritchie, Stanley Bahorek, Leslie Kritzer, and Diana DeGarmo.

We hope one of the musicals is as good as “The Social Network,” the story of Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. While many people feel the movie was pure fiction, at least it gave you a flavor of what took place to build a social media platform that has become a national sensation. The story of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates certainly deserves the same chance.

Digital Magazines Debut Before Print

Posted on by
1

20130119-211423.jpg

I knew this day would come but I didn’t think this soon. Hearst Magazines just announced that its digital issues will now be available on iPads before the print ones are on newsstands or in the mail to subscribers.

This is huge news considering most magazine publishers were reluctant to go digital just a few years ago. It turns out that magazine readers love when new issues show up on their screens, they don’t have to carry around a lot of weight, and they are saving trees.

Let’s give a round of applause to Apple and Hearst for working together leading the way for a better reading experience.

Hearst titles include Seventeen, Esquire and Popular Mechanics.

Hearst says it is nearing a million online subscribers while also seeing a sharp increase in revenue.

“Giving the Finger” could possibly be a “Cool Factor”

Posted on by
Reply

20130118-190155.jpg

I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember any of my passwords. I have about 75 different ones because I use many different websites, apps, social media platforms, blogs, YouTube, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, video chats, wire services, databanks, and banking terminals. I keep my passwords on an app called “mSecure” that lists everything in alphabetical order. I also keep printed lists with me in a secret compartment when I travel.

Very little helps. I am so lazy! I hate looking up my passwords. It’s just another step in a long process of digital “to do’s.” I should be embarrassed to admit this, but I can look up the password for let’s say, Facebook, post an entry and close the site, then remember something that I wanted to add. Damn it! I can’t remember the password I just used a few minutes ago. Back to the “MSecure” App list one more time.

That is why I am happy to report that Google announced today that they are working on a high tech ring that you wear on your finger to authorize entry to all of your accounts. You wave your finger in the air, or tap your device to recognize your password. I am so looking forward to an easy solution to help make logging in easier.

Google is also working with YubiKeys , a company that makes USB drives in the shape of a key, that is capable of reading your password on your computer or even from the cloud. How voodoo is that? Some of my friends are not happy about using devices to unlock codes because they believe we can lose them or even get them stolen. Then we are really in trouble.

I just want an easier solution than having to look up my list of passwords. If Google can develop the best reference system in the world that answers any question we may have, then they can certainly figure out how to “Abracadabra” all of our many devices.

20130118-190216.jpg

Take A Break From Your Marriage

Posted on by
4

20130117-222522.jpg

Now that I have your attention with my somewhat shocking headline, I want to tell you about a website under development that is going to address your secret desires. By secret desires, I mean something you used to do a lot of but no longer can because your other half has no interest in it. That could mean tennis, golf, sailing, bowling, ballroom dancing, skiing, whatever. I know many married people who abandoned a passion because his or her spouse (or significant other) just has no interest in that particular activity.

The new site is going to network people (married or single) who want to find others to share their interests. For example, if you love to play tennis, you will be able to find a partner near you. If you want to see a certain play but don’t want to go alone, the website will help you find a companion for the evening. Don’t want to dine alone? This site will produce lots of people to join you and split the check.

When I first learned about this site, I thought that this was a playground to break up a lot of marriages. Someone also warned me that this was a cover for an escort service. Others said this reminded them of parties decades ago where married couples threw their house keys into the center of the room and went home with the person who owned the key they selected. Yuck !

The male investors who came up with the networking site approached me about handling the PR. At first, I thought they were joking. They are dead serious. They are targeting folks who are 40 plus. They expect to have lots of activity from those in their 50s and 60s.

The founders claim this site is not about philandering. It’s more about finding your inner self again. They believe it will build stronger marriages because people will feel more fulfilled and have an outlet for their hobbies and interests.

We are having a meeting in a few weeks to discuss the business model. I have to check out the legalities.

How legit do you think this is?

20130117-222537.jpg

Coming to a Windshield Near You

Posted on by
3

car3car2car1

It is very apparent that the automobile is not taking a “back seat” to the home when it comes to innovation. Every year, more and more automobile manufacturers are showing up at International CES because they want to be known as advanced technology companies. The editorial coverage they get at CES is good enough to warrant the expense. This year we witnessed automobiles that can drive, fix, and talk to themselves.

Now comes a new technology that even the best science fiction writers will be shocked to see. It is called “Head-Up Display,” also known at HUD. It’s a transparent display (like a ghost) that is projected on the windshield so drivers like you stay focused on-the-road ahead. Now you will be able to read all kinds of safety and traffic information like weather warnings, clearances for lane changes, incoming phone call identifications, driving directions, traffic jams and general news. There is even talk about gesture controls in the future. At some point we will be able to swipe the windshield to find out how fast the car next to us is going. Wild isn’t it?

The technology was originally developed for military aviation but automobiles are quickly adopting it. HUD has three primary components: a projector, a combiner, and a video generator. Together, the elements generate the imagery on a windshield.
Texas Instruments showed a full color prototype display at CES that could work with a backup camera. That means that for the first time ever, your windshield will project everything that is going on behind you. Harman showed a HUD prototype at CES which claims to be brighter than anything else available today.

Both companies believe that HUD will start appearing in automobiles by 2015.

Lose Weight by Sucking the Food Out of You

Posted on by
1
Pump and Dump

Pump and Dump

AA

I really felt that I was in the twilight zone when I learned that there was an apparatus for treating obesity by extracting food right out of your stomach. I knew that I had to delve further into this right away so that all my readers could be among the first to know about AspireAssist. The do-it-yourself stomach pump was developed by Dean Kamen, the same inventor who created the Segway.

I have included two videos that show you how the tube gets professionally put in your stomach and then how you can suck the food out yourself. Gross? Not really. It all makes sense. I can draw two conclusions right away. One, you will be thin for the rest of your life. Two, you may not live very long. I am not a medical person so I have no idea what I am talking about other than to say be sure to seek medical advice before you dare to think about doing this.

CNET, a tech news site, quoted Kamen who said the procedure is “minimally invasive.” The 20-minute procedure involves being fitted with a removable stomach valve and a tube that leads from the top of the stomach to the valve’s outside port. Users wait a half hour after eating before starting the elimination process. They go to the bathroom and attach the AspireAssist to the port. An estimated third of the meal is drained out through the apparatus into the toilet.

The body reportedly still absorbs the calories it needs to function. Early trials show that patients lost about 45 pounds the first year using AspireAssist. Those who aspirated on a regular basis and adhered to a healthier food plan lost much more.

Don’t rush out to buy this yet. The AspireAssist is available in Europe but it has not been approved for sale in the United States yet.

Get Ready for the Virtual News Blackout

Posted on by
1

Old_Ebbitt_GrillRestaurants around the country are trying to discover new ways to get patrons to put down their cell phones while they are dining. In a recent roundtable discussion with some of the top members of the press who cover the restaurant business, I learned that many restaurateurs believe smartphones are ruining the whole dining experience. Restaurant owners are questioning the money they are spending on unique decors, excellent service and special food presentations, when more and more patrons barely notice the extra touches. More often than not, they are so busy talking on the phone or checking emails, they are unaware of their surroundings.

One restaurant in Washington D.C. decided to do something about it. The Old Ebbitt Grill, the “oldest saloon in Washington” is offering customers the opportunity to take a break from their digital devices while they are eating. In return, each customer will be provided with a receipt-sized piece of paper with all the news that occurred while they were eating along with their bill. It is a win-win situation for everyone. You get to eat in peace yet you don’t miss a thing. Associated Press is supplying the news.

The mini newspaper is called “The Latest News,” a service of PrintSignal Corporation, a start-up founded by former NPR president Frank Mankiewicz and States News Service publisher Leland Schwartz. The concept is not entirely new. “The Latest News” is a newspaper service that was printed every hour and handed out to airline passengers 23 years ago so they wouldn’t be in a “news blackout all day.” They do the same thing on cruise ships. Now restaurant owners want to declare a “virtual news blackout,” but they are not sure how many people can survive a meal without multi-tasking at the same time as eating.

Interestingly, people who dine alone are the worst offenders. Back in the day, the single patron would enjoy a meal while gazing into space, relaxing with a cocktail, or making small talk with the wait staff. Today, most people dining alone don’t even realize they don’t have a companion with them. They are so busy texting, posting on Facebook and Twitter, and checking emails, they don’t even have time to have eye contact with the restaurant staff.

All eyes are now on The Old Ebbitt Grill. Maybe an old restaurant can teach us new tricks.

DC_Receipt_Digidame1

My Secret Life with Bill Clinton

Posted on by
8

Bill Clinton speaking at the Golden Globes

Bill Clinton speaking at the Golden Globes

Every time I see Bill Clinton associated with Samsung (personal appearances, speeches, golf outings)I remind myself that I was the one who started it all. He recently was the keynoter for Samsung at International CES in Las Vegas. I am writing this post not to pat myself on the back (that’s a lie) but to share a work experience that underscores that if you want to get something done,”just make it happen.”

With no special talents, I have made impossible dreams come true time after time just by sheer perseverance. In life, people tell us “It’s who we know,” that makes a difference. I am here to tell you that is not entirely true. I hope you share my Clinton experience with every young person you know, so they too can be empowered with the force of “tenacity and determination.”

It was over 10 years ago that I was in charge of getting publicity for Samsung’s then charity,”Four Seasons of Hope.”The event was a month away and I couldn’t get a word written about it. I took a long hot shower (my best think tank) to come up with an idea that would cause media mayhem.

I knew only one guy could do that for me, so the next morning I called the office of President Bill Clinton. An intern picked up the phone and I explained my dilemma to him. I asked the most important question, “How do I get Clinton to Samsung’s charity event?” Only six months on the job, he whispered, “Donate Samsung TV displays to his Foundation and charities.”

I immediately called the marketing executive who I reported to at Samsung, Peter Weedfald, and his co-creator of the event, Susan Grant.They both gave me their support but warned me that the PR better match the donation.

Just telling the press that Clinton was going to show got a lot of interest, but was not getting me the camera crews and gossip press. I took my plight to columnist Andrea Peyser of the New York Post who put her own spin on the story that turned out to be one of the most sensational PR campaigns that I was ever involved with.

When Andrea learned that Clinton was going to be in the same room with Rudy Giuliani (she claimed that at the time they were at war with each other) she ran a picture of them nose to nose on the front page of the Post with the headline, “Faceoff!” The story was all about how Giuliani had been at the event for a few years and now Clinton was attending to possibly steal his thunder.

Every TV station, newspaper, magazine, wire service, radio and freelancer showed up to witness the encounter. The event turned out to be SRO, standing room only. The press was hanging off the scaffolds that were built for them.

Clinton and Giuliani did not disappoint. Being the politicians they are, the stars both walked on stage from opposite sides and embraced in the middle. The crowd went wild. We once again made headlines everywhere.

Ever since then, I have had a special relationship with Clinton that he too admits was built on sweat, passion, and trust. The Samsung people now have a solid relationship with Clinton and I believe I was responsible for it all. I never hear from Weedfald even though we shared career thrilling milestones together. Susan Grant continues to be one of the greatest event producers ever to grace this earth and stays well connected to me.

And then there is Bill Clinton. I am probably one of the few he never propositioned. I never would have taken him seriously anyway. You don’t need to sleep with the man to fall in love. To quote Hillary when she was in the depths of despair over Bill’s worst antics during his Presidency, “He still remains to be the most intelligent, articulate, knowledgable, and seductive man I have ever met.”

I couldn’t agree more!

The Tech Bloggers Grow Up

Posted on by
2

20130112-221214.jpg

20130112-221205.jpg

20130112-221157.jpg

One of the biggest scandals at International CES happened between CBS and the Dish Network. CBS owns CNET, one of the most popular tech news sites. The Dish Network makes the new Hopper DVR, the device that allows you to record up to six channels at once and automatically skip commercials in primetime TV on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.

At every International CES, CNET presents the Best of CES Awards to all of the most innovative companies for their genius inventions. This year, CNET recognized the Dish Hopper DVR as one of most important innovations.

At the last moment, CBS stepped in to prevent CNET from presenting the award to Dish. Apparently, CBS doesn’t like that the Hopper allows viewers to skip through commercials in programs that they record.

Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Association, which produces International CES, said CBS is practicing censorship due to their pending lawsuit against the Dish Network. He said he hopes CBS will reconsider.

CBS Corporation bought CNET Networks for $1.8 billion in 2008. Former CNET properties are now part of CBS Interactive.

The reason why I find this development so interesting is because years ago tech bloggers were the cowboys in the wild west. They made up the rules as they went along. Now, many of the writers for CNET (no longer considered a blog but rather a tech news site) have to live by the rules of the corporate world.

CNET produces some of the best news and information in the digital world. It is going to be interesting to see how their future develops now that they are reporting to the suits.