Over 16,529,793 people are on fubar.
What are you waiting for?
Imagine for a moment that you're standing on the docks at a major port in the early 1950s. You see some evidence of technological progress around you: mechanical cranes help load and unload cargo, onto steel-hulled ships with alcohol prep pads diesel engines. And yet the process you see hasn't changed all that much over the course of a century or more. Shipping still involves scores of longshoreman, who painstakingly offload ships full of mixed, irregular cargo and then fill them back up again, wedging everything into place as best they can. Turning a ship around takes weeks and costs a fortune. Shipping looks like a huge productivity bottleneck.
One might hope for a technological miracle to save the day—some new invention that would make it easier to produce giant, fast ships on the cheap, maybe. But there is no hint that any such thing is on the horizon. Some private companies and the military are experimenting with new packing methods, like using containers of uniform size to hold some cargo. But they don't seem to save much time. To make full use of the ship's hold, longshoremen squeeze loose cargo around the containers, slowing the loading process. Containers are heavy and tricky to move around the loading area. It seems probable that tinkering with existing systems might lead to some cost savings. But shipping looks likely to be a drag on growth for years to come.
Except that's not how it works out. And not because an inventor came up with a revolutionary new technology. Instead, a few savvy shipping magnates figured out a better way to do things. A much, much better way.
The new system was simple. Customers or aggregating shipping firms would pack their antibacterial wipes cargo into giant, purpose-designed metal boxes. The boxes could be loaded on truck or rail trailers for transport to port, where purpose-built cranes would swing them onto purpose-built boats that don't carry anything but containers. Cargo could travel from factory to destination without ever being handled by a human.
AT A recent conference, Ken Goldman, the chief financial officer of Yahoo, admitted that the internet giant had an ageing audience and was looking for things to “make us cool again”. The firm's senior executives appear to think Tumblr can give it a shot at rejuvenation. According to various media reports, Yahoo is likely to announce tomorrow that it is paying $1.1 billion for the popular blogging service. (Editor's update (May 20th, 12pm GMT): Yahoo announced the deal on alcohol prep pads Monday morning.) Other companies like Facebook are said to be interested in Tumblr, but Yahoo is thought to be the preferred bidder.
It is not hard to see why Tumblr has attracted the internet giant's attention. The business, which was launched in 2007, is hugely popular and many of the service’s users are young folk who like to share everything from their latest fashion tips to pictures of cats with their heads encased in bread (yes, really). Tumblr has grown rapidly and now has some 117m unique monthly users according to ComScore, a research firm. It manages 108m blogs and hosts 51 billion posts.
Tumblr’s sizeable audience appeals to Marissa Mayer, the boss of Yahoo, who took over the reins at the internet firm last year. Her brief has been to try and turn around a alcohol wipes company whose share of the online advertising market is being rapidly eroded by the likes of Facebook and Google. In the first quarter of 2013 Yahoo’s revenue shrank 11%, to $1.1 billion.
In a bid to reignite growth Ms Mayer has spruced up some of Yahoo’s ageing products, including Flickr, a popular photo-sharing service, and has taken the company on an acquisition spree. In March, for instance, the company forked out $30m for Summly, a company founded by a 17 year-old that makes apps that summarise news stories. And more recently it courted Dailymotion, a French video site, only to back away when the French government kicked up a fuss about an American firm acquiring one of the country’s start-up crown jewels.
The common thread here is Ms Mayer’s firm belief that Yahoo needs to make headway in new areas such as mobile services and online video if it is to prosper. The firm has also been looking at social networks and other online-sharing services, which has brought it to Tumblr. The big question is whether it makes sense to fork out a whopping $1.1 billion for a company that is said to have made just $13m of revenue last year.
Among other things, Yahoo will probably argue that it can speed up Tumblr's expansion by promoting it to Yahoo's 700m unique monthly users. It will also point out that it has the know-how and resources to help the blogging service mint money from online advertising. And it may drop hints that Tumblr executives can help antibacterial wipes it rethink other areas of its business to make them more social.
Critics have been quick to point out that advertisers are unlikely to want their ads to appear alongside some of Tumblr’s content, notably numerous blogs that feature pornographic content. They have also been pointing out that a big part of Tumblr’s appeal is that its bosses have not let the service become overrun with advertising. If Yahoo starts to pump in huge numbers of ads, people may abandon the service in droves.
True, but if Yahoo manages the acquisition carefully it could turn out to be a smart move. Plenty of folk predicted a mass exodus from Instagram, a photo-sharing service, after Facebook snapped it up for $1 billion last year. But the social network has managed to develop the service without making users head for the exit. If Yahoo can pull off a similar feat with Tumblr, then it will certainly appear cooler to its shareholders.
Style in the District of Columbia is metro modern meets Capital Hill chic! These Washington women anticipate summer with looks prepped for a presidential address or a alcohol prep pads stroll down the National Mall.
This season, Washington, DC fashion mavens are the commanders-in-chief of color. They're using all the right hues in the all the right places for fresh looks that steal our vote! We fully endorse the city's chic use of accessories with glittering gold jewelry matching any outfit. Plus, their interpretation of New York's love for the black wardrobe staple places the Mid-Atlantic region in a stylish campaign of its own.
Click through the gallery above for summer style inspirations from the streets of Washington, DC.
(BPT) - During the winter months, it’s important to take extra care of your home, your family and especially yourself. In addition to taking steps to prevent cold and flu viruses that are common at this time of year, you should also pause to relax and recharge, if only for a few minutes each day.
Luckily, there are a number of simple, yet impactful ways to keep the entire household in good health. Here are seven examples to get you and your family on the right track toward winter wellness.
Pencil in cleaning
Routine household cleaning keeps clutter – and germs – at bay. Corral loose items into decorative bins and baskets, then use disinfecting wipes on common high-touch areas such as faucets, door knobs and light switches to reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria. Be sure to dust regularly, as dust particles often contain pet dander, chemicals or other irritants that have the potential to aggravate allergies. If you have any sensitivity to cleaning products, try a natural solution of equal parts water and distilled white vinegar to clean everything from windows to appliances.
The power of a shower
Installing a new showerhead can go a long way in improving your frame-of-mind, whether you use your shower to awaken your senses on a cold winter morning or relax at the end of a long day. The Twist handheld shower from Moen has four unique settings, from “Immerse” and “Drench” to “Soothe,” and is available with an adjustable slide bar, allowing everyone in the house to create the perfect custom showering experience to wash away the winter blues. Another important feature of Twist is the “Shine” setting, which is ideal for cleaning the tub and shower tiles, keeping mold and germs to a minimum.
For the dogs
Pets are extensions of our families and should be treated as such – even when it comes to bathing. These four-legged friends have the tendency to bring many allergens into the home. To minimize this problem, dogs should be bathed regularly and wiped down with a damp cloth when they come in from outside. Moen’s Twist handheld shower is perfect for bathing kids and pets alike.
Sweeping surprise
For years, we have counted on our vacuums to get rid of dust and allergens in our homes. But, it turns out that the machines we rely on to clean our floors and furniture may actually be making them dirtier. A recent study by researchers from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia found that many vacuums – especially older models – actually suspend harmful allergen particles in the air, increasing our exposure to them. If you have an older vacuum, consider upgrading to a new one with a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, which releases less dirt and bacteria into the air than a standard model. Regardless of the age or features of your vacuum, using alcohol wipes clean it regularly to ensure a healthier sweep.
Door etiquette
Dirt and pollen are often brought into a house on the shoes of guests and family members. Adding a door mat on both sides of a door and having everyone promptly remove their shoes upon entering can significantly cut back on what is being tracked inside. The Carpet and Rug Institute estimates that up to 80 percent of dirt and allergens can be caught with a washable door mat – keeping your family healthy and your floors clean.
Air it out
One area many homeowners might not consider when it comes to a healthier home is the mattress. Although changing your sheets weekly is an important ritual, delay putting on clean linens to allow time for mite-friendly moisture to evaporate. Now you’ll have a clean mattress to go along with your clean sheets.
Winter workouts
The perfect prevention for winter illness – from cold and flu viruses to a case of the winter blues – is exercise. According to Neil Schachter, a professor of pulmonary and critical care at the Mount Sinai School of Medicinealcohol prep pads, any kind of moderate daily exercise can improve lung and immune function by enhancing the ability of virus-attacking white blood cells to ramp up the immune response. If you can’t get outdoors for a daily walk during the colder months, consider purchasing a treadmill or stationary bike, beef up your workout video library or pick up an active game, like Just Dance or Dance Central, for your motion-activated gaming system to kick germs to the curb.
By following these helpful hints, you and your family will be better prepared during the long winter months – preventing the spread of germs and making wellness a top priority.
Much unlike many a magazine editor who recommends you buy all sorts of crap that they most likely got for free, your Jezebel staff doesn't get jack shit (other than books, unsolicited). And that's how it should be. But on our own time, in our personal lives, we still buy stuff. So this is Worth It, our recommendation of random things that we've actually spent our own money on. These are the things we buy regularly or really like, things we'd actually tell our friends about. And now we're telling you.
When it comes to clothes and paperwork/mail/magazines, I can be pretty sloppy — papers get scattered and stepped on; there's a pile of clothes spilling out of my closet right now. But I cannot tolerate a dirty-looking bathroom. A gunky tub is grody, a dingy sink creeps me out, a dirty toilet is unspeakably disgusting. There were some dark, dark years when I lived in a tiny hovel slum apartment where the shower could never really get clean. But I'm in a new space, with a old-tymey but nicely renovated bathroom, and I make an effort to keep in fresh and sanitary between in-depth cleanings. In addition to myself, my dog is in the bathroom a lot because he's paper trained and that's where his Wee Wee pads are. So I'm cleaning up after both of us.
Recently I'd tried using antibacterial wipes to keep the sink, floor and toilet spotless. They're pretty good — they kill Staph, E. coli, and the viruses that cause colds and the flu. But I don't like the very strong smell and I worry about my dog inhaling it and getting it on his paws. Plus, sometimes the stuff I am cleaning up is crap (literally!) I don't want hanging around in the garbage can. I also worry about too much santizing! Am I ruining my immune system with all this disinfecting, antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer? Anyway. I still use the 3 leaves wipes for certain messes.
But my new favorite are the Method Tub-N-Tile flushable wipes. They do not claim to be antibacterial. But since they are non-toxic, fresh-smelling, and flushable, it's easy to clean up a little yuck muck and just drop it in the bowl, on a daily (hourly?) basis. If you've got guys using your john, or one of those commodes that splashes when it flushes (shudder) these become even more useful. I'm not a big fan of cleaning — I hate doing dishes, for instance, and I loathe the very idea of handling a mop — but keeping a pack of these under the sink is so easy; wiping down the faucet/floor/toilet seat and flushing the wipe away is so quick! My bathroom is pretty much always in sparkly pristine shape. So worth it.
Worth It only features things we paid for ourselves and actually like. Don't send us stuff.
he war against germs is a never-ending battle. Germs can lead to common colds, swine flu and even superbugs. Germs can be transferred in many ways, and the hands are often their vehicle of choice. As a result, hospitals, schools, gyms and even grocery stores are jumping on the antibacterial bandwagon. There are a variety of ways to rid surfaces and hands of germs, and cleaning wipes are one convenient method.
Antibacterial wipes are single-use wipes which are pre-moistened with an antibacterial solution. They typically come packed in a tub or canister which keeps the wipes moist, with a dispenser which allows users to pull out a single wipe at a time. Some are designed for use in sanitizing surfaces such as countertops, while others are meant to be used as hand or body wipes for a quick cleanup in the absence of water. Many drug stores stock antibacterial wipes, and they are also available through medical supply companies.
The antibacterial solution used in antibacterial wipes is designed to kill most bacteria on contact. In the case of wipes used on the body, the solution tends to be more mild, so that it will not damage the skin, and some companies add moisturizers to their antibacterial wipes so that the skin is soothed during the wiping process. Wipes designed for cleaning are usually equipped with harsher solutions, since household surfaces are not nearly as delicate as human skin.
When used properly, antibacterial wipes can be effective at killing the bulk of bacteria on a surface. However, researchers have noted that when the wipes are re-used, utilized on multiple surfaces, or dragged across a long surface, they can actually transfer bacteria. Since the wipes eliminate most bacteria, the remaining bacteria can quickly multiply without any competition, colonizing surfaces which were swiped with the wipe. Ironically, using an antibacterial wipe can actually cause bacteria to spread.
