TeeSpring Alternatives

Everyone knows about TeeSpring, but there are alternatives.  Here are some of them--check them out:

TeeZily
Fabrily (based in UK)
TFund (based off CafePress)
PrintAura
SpreadShirt
Zazzle
TeeChip
TeeLeap

Typical Eye Exam Charts

Some common eye exam charts--notice the patterns:
-----------------------------------
ZFTPE     TPECL     CFEFD
FTPEO     OZFTF     ZFTPE
ZBDEF     CPEFD     TPEOL
DZFTP     ZFTPE     FTPEO    
TPEOL     FTPEO     DZFTP
-----------------------------------
COFEP     OBPTL     FDOBC
ZFPDE     ZBDEF     ZBEFD
OBPTL     PTFLE     COFEP
PTFLE     ECPFD     ZBDEF
ZBDEF     ZBEFD     OPFED
-----------------------------------
PTFLE     EPTFL     FLEPT
EPTFL     FLEPT     LEPTF
LEPTF     TFLEP     PTFLE
FLEPT     PTFLE     TFLEP
TFLEP     LEPTF     PTFLE
-----------------------------------

Sony Hack Isn't Really About "The Interview" Movie At All--Or Is It?

There is more to just a hack into Sony: the latest PR fiasco involves various inconsistencies between what Sony and the White House are saying from their respective points of view--something that has become quite ridiculous and absurd:

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/sony-hack/white-house-sony-never-told-us-it-planned-pull-interview-n272381

First of all, clearly there is a lack of communication between Sony and the US government (i.e., did CEO Michael Lynton even talk to the FBI or President Obama at all after discussing with the theaters and making the decision about whether to proceed with the movie showing?).  If anything, this not only exposes Sony's lack of judgement and poor decision making, but also erodes the company's credibility as to whether this whole thing is really about "The Interview" movie and North Korea, or there is something else dark and sinister that the company is trying to hide?  The fact that the company is hiring David Bois to deal with the media seems to show that there is more to it than meets the eye:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/business/sony-pictures-demands-that-news-organizations-delete-stolen-data.html

Let's be clear: Sony as a company is the victim here.  However, the way the executives, board, and PR are handling this case only makes matters worse and calls attention as to whether the executive team is really honest or they are more worry about protecting their personal interests and jobs.

Secondly, all signs seem to point to the fact that this is an inside job: clearly there is a mole (or ex-mole) in the company for this to even happen.  How else can that much data leak without IT noticing?  Either IT team is clearly incompetent, or they don't care--in either case, it points to poor judgement on the executive team's part: didn't they learn from the previous Sony hack?  What investments have the company made to protect their IT infrastructure and secure the company's data?  What on earth were the company's priorities to start with?

The person (or persons) who did the hack is clearly targeting Sony--not the movie itself (nor the moviegoers for that matter).  "The Interview" is simply an opportunistic excuse that plays into the timing of it all.  The hacker's motivation here is not about money, but ideology.  But why?  To answer that the investigation should focus on the question of who might Sony have offended in the past--perhaps a disgruntled (former) employee, contractor, or otherwise person of interest who might want to see Sony destroyed--whether North Korea is involved or not is really a side question at this point:

http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-these-experts-still-dont-buy-20141221-column.html

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-sony-hack-inside-job-not-north-korea-20141231-story.html

The best thing that Sony can do now at this point is not to play the PR game and confuse the matter further, but to come clean and face the matter with courage and honor: the company owes its employees--and the rest of the world--at least that much.  As to whether the executive team can truly put their personal interests aside and face the truth, only time will tell.

TI-83 and TI-83+ Calculator Tutorials

Here are some TI-83 and TI-83+ tutorials on solving cash flow problems and other equations:

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=48461049

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=46765698

SAT Redesigned for 2016

According to the College Board, the SAT will be redesigned for 2016:

 https://www.collegeboard.org/delivering-opportunity/sat/redesign

It will be going back to two sections instead of the current three, and the essay will be optional. There will be 8 key changes:

1. Relevant Words in Context - no more memorizing esoteric SAT word lists
2. Command of Evidence - a common theme across reading, writing, and essay
3. Essay Analyzing a Source - read a passage, analyze  and explain how the author builds an argument (similar/along the line of essays in AP English)
4. Focus on Math that Matters Most - focus on 3 areas: problem solving/data analysis, linear algebra, and advanced math
5. Problems Grounded in Real-World Contexts - more real world based questions
6. Analysis in Science and in History/Social Studies - applying reading, writing, language, and math skills to answer questions in science, history, and social studies
7. Founding Documents and Great Global Conversation - more reading passages from US founding documents (such as Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Federalist Papers, etc.) as well as texts from so-called Great Global Conversations (words from the likes of Edmund Burke, Henry David Thoreau, Gandhi, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Barbara Jordan, and Martin Luther King Jr)
8. No Penalty for Wrong Answers - guessing is OK

Stock Market Trends

*January Effect: 1/2 - 2/3  up
                           3/10 - 3/31 up or down
*                         4/10 - 4/15 down
                           4/15 - 4/21 up
                           5/15 - 6/15 up
*                         6/21 - 7/21 drift down
                           8/1 - 9/15 side-way then up
*                         9/15 - 10/21 drift down
*Santa Claus      11/1 - 12/20 up
  Tax /Dressing   12/26 - 12/30

Google Glass Selling Price: $4800 in China

Taobao sellers selling Google Glass for 30,000 Yuan:

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/us/2014-04/18/content_17444123.htm?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzEmail&utm_content=909325&utm_campaign=0

Children's Hospital Patients Visit Zoo-Google Glass Explorer Program

Nice use of Google Glass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG9oN4hJUQ0#t=126

Spend Your Tax Refund on Google Glass

Looks like Google is encouraging you to spend your tax refund on a pair of Google Glass--
the company is opening up the Glass Explorer Program on April 15th:

http://glassmorgasbord.blogspot.com/2014/04/google-glass-explorer-program-limited.html?view=classic

Saving For Kid's College Tuition

Nice article on saving for kid's college:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/parents-youre-saving-for-college-all-wrong-2014-04-10?siteid=yhoof2

Some tips:
1) When a kid is born, estimate college cost by multiplying current cost by a factor of 3., then shoot to save 1/3 of that (currently that amounts to about $250-$500 per month).
2) Use 529s, state prepaid tuition plans, and Upromise.

Also tone town expectations about where your kid might attend college (most likely your kid will not make it into a top college):

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/parents-and-their-kids-need-to-chill-out-about-college-174506880.html

Google Glass Development

How to sideload apps:

http://www.gosphero.com/how-to-load-apps-on-google-glass/
http://www.glassappsource.com/google-glass-how-to/easy-way-install-apk-google-glass.html
http://glassappz.com/ten-easy-steps-to-side-load-an-app-to-google-glass/
http://leetinsider.com/2014/01/26/how-to-sideload-and-uninstall-apps-to-glass/

Screencast to PC via ADB:

http://neatocode.tumblr.com/post/49566072064/mirroring-google-glass

WhatsApp Alternatives

Here are some WhatsApp alternatives to consider:

http://www.mod-gadget.com/10-whatsapp-alternatives-messaging-apps-protect-privacy/

http://readwrite.com/2014/02/25/facebook-whatsapp-5-alternative-messaging-services#awesm=~ozBzkx4Aj2K1Xd

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2099700/whatsapp-users-should-switch-to-a-more-secure-service-german-privacy-regulator-urges.html