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On the shores of Lake Washington Bill Gates lives in a $113 million smart house where automation controls everything from lighting to security. Today smart house technology begins with PC based starter kits that now sell for less than $500. A smart house relies on networking, programming and automation to move many of our homes functions to a cyber autonomic nervous system. As just one example, you could push a movie button on a touch pad which would dim your lights, close the drapes, turn on the popcorn maker, check for beer in the fridge, put your phone on voice mail, adjusting heating or air conditioning in unused parts of your home for the duration of the DVD, and then turn on your home theater system. If your children use this function on their own, you could also check the ratings of the DVD’s they watch, Because this technology is efficient, it can also save money. We’ll look at the benefits, and how to apply them.

Let’s start with economy. Last summer

I was working on a television show in Arizona. The entire crew stayed in a home kept in the mid seventies, while the air outside topped 115 degrees. Although signs warned us to turn the thermostat up while we were away, we usually forgot, cooling an empty home for an entire work day. Programming a simple use timer would have cut our energy consumption dramatically by telling the cooling system when to stop and reset so that while there we’d still be in comfort. The same programming could be applied to heat and hot water heater. Many offices today already use motion sensors to switch on lighting. The same sensors have now migrated into homes and can determine when a home owner goes to bed to turn off the light and adjust the thermostat. Additionally heavy electrical use machines, like washing machines or dryers could be programmed to turn on and work at when electrical rates drop.

Home safety can also be programmed

Security systems can form the networking backbone of many smart houses. In addition to alarms, cameras are now commonly available that you could watch world wide from any PC when you’re away. Many home fires are started by electrical short circuits. In your home today, every device has power fed to it. In a smart house, power is only turned on when the device is needed. If a short circuit occurs, power can be disconnected, the kind of action you’d expect from a simple circuit breaker, but here’s the additional protection. Smart houses also detect gas water leaks and monitor smoke alarms. Power would also be shut down here and the appropriate agency summoned. If you look at your home today, you’ll see many DC voltage transformers for radios, fax machines, and more. These wall warts are on all the time wasting power. Smart homes allow for different kinds of current to be fed to different devices only when needed, promoting safety through lower voltages while again saving homeowners money.

To begin, analyze your needs

With your family, discuss exactly which automation features you’ll require. If you are building from scratch, your requirements will influence your home’s layout. In a retrofit, you’ll be limited by your house’s floor plan. Talk to as many people as you can who are now using animation to get their advice. What did they do wrong? What works best? Decide on whether you plan to do the installation yourself or hire a professional.

Decide on your network

There are four main kinds. Structured wiring is a specialized secure network of multi-conductor cable that distributes data and power for phones, computers, home entertainment systems, and any appliances that can be controlled by a microprocessor – think a remote control or timer. It’s the best choice for new construction but is hard to install in an existing home. Wireless networks are flexible and easy to put in. However they are subject to interference from baby monitors and mobile phones. Power line networks use a home’s existing electrical wires to transmit data. They can be disrupted by power surges and failures. If your system is unencrypted it could be accessed by a neighbor on your same local transformer – so much for home security. Phone line networks control your appliances over your existing phone lines. The devices are multiplexed, assigned different frequencies, but again require hard wire installation, although the wiring is small diamater compared to a fully structured network.

Once you’ve decided on your network

then choose your control devices. Smarthome.com or housesmarttech.com are good sites to browse to see what’s available.

Some smart house technology has already filtered down to common uses. For example, ground fault interrupters are better than simple fuses, because they can instantly detect a potentially fatal shock where electricity could run to ground through a person. These circuits shut down immediately and are now commonly used in bathrooms, kitchens, and outside outlets.

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Filed under: Computers & Technology

Any hiring process should be sure to include an employee background check. That’s because these checks offer employers the perfect method for finding out about who their applicants are and what they’ve done in the past. This can be extremely important if you want to find out whether someone’s a good candidate for a job.

Employers who decide to skip this important step almost always end up regretting it later. Just running an ordinary background check could allow you to get a full list of information on someone’s history. No matter what they did, where they lived, or who they worked for, you’ll know about it.

This could help anyone’s employment process. Just one employee background check could uncover lots of important information. If an applicant has lied on his or her resume or has a criminal record you haven’t been told about, you’ll find out. That could help you make sure you’re choosing the right employee.

Of course, employers aren’t the only people who can get a lot out of running a background check. Run one on yourself if you’re applying for a job, too. That’ll tell you what might come up in an interview, and even some things you might have forgotten about your past.

Having a copy of your own background report to check over before your interview allows you to anticipate the questions you’ll be asked and develop good responses. You’ll also know more about what your potential employer knows before you go in.

Not sure how to run an employee background check?

This process is now a lot easier than it used to be. Everything can be done online, and there’s no need to hire any kind of investigative service.

Companies have put together huge databases full of information on almost everyone. All you have to do is go online and enter a name to find information about them.

You’ll need to pay a little bit for these services, but there are usually some options. You can either choose to pay a fee for each check you do, or pay for a membership that provides unlimited searches for a base charge. Memberships usually only cost two to three times more than a single search, so they’re the best value. This is especially true for employers that do a lot of hiring.

Any company that’s trying to find the right people for their positions should make sure to do background checks on all applicants. This screening process is inexpensive, easy, and effective.

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Filed under: Business

Though the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system was first created to help military units find their way in difficult situations, the technologies use has fast become a valuable tool in modern day life. Over a short number of years many personal and commercial uses have developed for GPS navigational and tracking devices and the number of applications continues to grow.

An early example of the commercial benefits of GPS technology came with the building of the tunnel from England to France beneath the English Channel. Construction crews were able to start at both ends of the tunnel and meet up with near exactness in the middle because of the GPS receivers they were able to use during construction. The use of GPS is not limited to tunnels either, as mines and other underground operations make use of these valuable tools.

In the past few years there have been many situations where GPS devices have helped rescue teams locate people that were lost or trapped. The technology has also been adapted to help fire and police departments determine the units that are closest to emergencies so that response times can be quicker. Now the forest service is also using GPS to map out forest fires and keep the maps updated and the fire moves.

One use that is becoming one of the most common uses of GPS is automobile navigation systems. Ships and planes have been using the technology for many years, but now these navigation system are becoming standard equipment in many cars and vehicles (especially rental cars). These can prove very helpful when traveling in an unfamiliar area on business or on a vacation and can also help in locating the vehicle during emergency situations.

Because GPS devices have become smaller and are easily installed in vehicles they are being used more and more by transportation companies for tracking company vehicles, public transportation buses and trains, delivery trucks, and courier services. By being able to monitor the location of all their vehicles, companies can improve their efficiency and provide better driver safety.

Teamsters are not the only ones who have benefited from this technological marvel. Even farmers are finding ways to benefit as larger farms have installed GPS trackers on their tractors which enable them to work the fields at night or in low visibility situations. They have also tied these systems into other sensors which monitor soil conditions and map out problem areas.

Science has also benefited greatly since the development of the first satellite system, using the GPS system for jobs as varied as monitoring holes in the ozone layer of the earth, keeping track of air quality in industrial areas and placing buoys in the ocean to track oil spills. Archaeologists and biologists are also getting in the act using GPS to help in the location of ancient ruins, tracking the migration of various herds, and monitoring species that are endangered.

GPS devices have even become a personal item as hikers carry them into the mountains and as pet owners have chips implanted in their pets so that they can be located if they get lost. Even a new hobby has been born from this new technology. Hobbyists known as Geo-cachers hide “treasures” for others to find while they hunt for those planted by other people. With the advances made in this field it is certain that we have only seen the beginning of the applications possible in this new technology.

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Filed under: Computers & Technology

One of the best things about modern times is the ready availability of materials and supplies. Since the advent of the internet you dont even have to travel to your local mall or distribution center to find that hard to come by toy or model, you can order it delivered right to your door! The only caveat to this plethora of supplies is that you dont always know exactly what it is you are getting ” without being able to see and handle an item before hand its possible to be fooled by images or overzealous descriptions. This is perhaps the bane of internet purchases ” but dont fear, with a little foresight and some care you can avoid these and other problems with online purchases.

Here are a few simple rules for purchasing model railroads supplies online.

1) Buy from a reputable dealer

2) If possible buy only known brand(s) and product lines that you have had experience with

3) Be sure to understand the return policy and costs associated with an exchange

4) Use a payment method such as a credit card that offers you some protection, especially on high cost items

Using discussion groups and asking other hobbyists is a good way to find reputable online sources and work through the lists of suppliers. The lowest cost shouldn’t be the only factor when purchasing. The quality of the product, friendliness of the store personnel online and in person should be considered. This is most important when purchasing from auction sites or other low cost sites. Double check with sellers that they are providing a worthy product and remember that price isn’t everything.

With a lasting hobby such as model railroading you may be forming a long relationship with the vendors you choose and you should expect them to act suitably. With a click of the mouse and a little time and research and a few dollars, you can find that special locomotive and who knows what else.

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Filed under: Ecommerce

Buying your first set of golf clubs can seem quite daunting with all the choices out there. To take away some of the confusion I have listed some things to keep in mind before you go out to get your first set of golf clubs.

Be Clear About Your Golf Goals. If you identify realistic goals before you go out to buy, it will make the process of buying clubs much easier. If you’re deeply committed to golf and plan to play every day, then obviously you’ll want to spend more time, money and effort on a set of clubs than if you only intend to play twice a year with your brother-in-law.

You should Assess Your Levels of Dedication and Interest. By honestly assessing your dedication to golf, you can more easily determine how much to spend, and on what quality of clubs. How much will you be practicing? Will you be willing to take lessons? If you aren’t willing to go that far, then you’re probably better off going with a cheaper pair of clubs. If you plan to practice regularly, and take lessons, then you may want something more expensive.

New or Used Clubs? Used clubs are probably a good choice if you aren’t sure about your commitment or have a history of taking up hobbies and losing interest in them after a short time. They will be cheaper than new clubs and they can be replaced more easily later.

Shaft Options – The Basics. The two differences in golf shafts that beginners should keep in mind are shaft composition. Graphite or steel and shaft flex (the amount of bend in the shaft during your swing). Steel is sturdier and cheaper, but graphite is lighter, so it will generate more swing speed. Women and older players will benefit most from graphite shafts that have a softer flex. Stronger, younger men may go with regular or stiffer shafts, but remember that many teaching say too many golfers use shafts with too much stiffness. If you’d like to get more details about proper shaft selection consider getting the Golf Beginners Guide, a 272 page ebook created especially for the novice golfer.

Getting a Clubfitting. If you are getting a new set of clubs, a clubfitting is an option. A clubfitting, lasting about half an hour, is an option offered by many teaching pros. If you don’t want that, at least getting a measurement in a pro shop will ensure that the clubs you choose are well-suited to your body. If you are a 5-foot-10 male, then the standard clubs straight off the rack will fit you. However, if that description doesn’t fit you very well, you might want to get fitted.

Easier Golf with the Right Clubs. Of course, nothing will take the place of a good swing, but as a novice golfer you can make it easier on yourself by choosing clubs that are designed specifically for higher-handicappers. Known as “game improvement clubs”. You should choose irons that are cavity-backed and perimeter-weighted. Investigate “hybrid” sets, in which utility clubs replace the long irons – that is, the 3-, 4- and occasionally 5-irons. Go for more loft (i.e. 12 degrees), not less, when choosing a driver. Don’t pay attention to what kind of clubs the Tour players use.

Ask Questions, Seek Advice. If you have friends who play golf, ask them for advice. Ask at a pro shop or golf pro for recommendations. Get some idea of what you’re really looking for. When you’ve done all this, and you’re ready to buy, remember to shop around. Range and price will always differ from one outlet to another, whether you’re shopping at pro shops, department stores, or garage sales. Just keep in mind your price range and only buy clubs within that range.

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Filed under: Marketing