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The Media Industry Is Changing

By RD Bentley on November 5, 2014 in

The media industry is rapidly changing and the pace seems to be increasing at a supersonic rate. I’ve been saying that while some types of media are growing, others are becoming obsolete and are dying. Today’s headline is a bit of a surprise from CTNOW: “Dish Network could drop CNN from lineup for good.” Yet somehow, I can believe it.

The media industry seems to be moving to the internet: YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, etc. These giant tech companies have become major competitors in today’s media market.

The 20th century model of broadcasting appears to be stodgy, and a recent poll suggests that Americans no longer trust what they hear on the news these days. The argument points to hyped up propaganda, mediocre infotainment at best, and a constant hashing of news stories that have no substance.

YouTube has brought entertainment to the fore. There’s a level of interaction that is absent in the model of the cable era.

Some people are growing tired of the rising cost of cable—and the one most important factor—they simply can no longer afford cable. Especially cable that is boring…

Read More:

Dish Network could drop CNN from lineup for good — CTNOW

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My Emergency Communications And Survival Kit

By RD Bentley on November 1, 2014 in

Some do quite a bit of traveling, while others may not, but we all need viable options for emergency communications, especially when on the go. Do you have a plan for communications just in case? Do you have a list? What about power outages? Let’s try to assemble one.

1. goTenna — Here’s how it works. goTenna enables you to communicate without any need for central connectivity whatsoever—no cell towers, no wifi, no satellites—so when you’re off-grid you can remain connected.

2. Uniden BearTracker Mobile Tracking Scanner — Comes with ‘Vehicle Accessory Power Cord’.

3. Midland GXT1000VP4 36-Mile 50-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio (Pair) — Portable. Black or silver.

4. Baofeng Yellow UV-5R V2+ Dual-Band 136-174/400-480 MHz FM Ham Two-way Radio — The price is quite a bargain. Compatible with UV-5R Extended Batteries. The transceiver is a micro-miniature multi-band FM transceiver with extensive receive frequency coverage, providing local-area two-way amateur communications along with unmatched monitoring capability.

5. Omron 7 Series Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor — No. 1 Doctor and Pharmacist Recommended Brand. Automatically activates when your wrist is at heart level and a flashing blue indicator light confirms when in the correct position ensuring consistently accurate readings.

6. JJ Cole Collections All-Purpose Blanket, Gray/Green — The Essentials Blanket is a year-round, go-anywhere, travel blanket with a spacious 5 ft x 5 ft spread. Take it to the park, the beach, sporting events and other outdoor activities. Leave it in the car for emergencies and easy access.

7. Suisse Sport Adventurer Mummy Ultra-Compactable Sleeping Bag, Left Zipper (Blue) — Suisse Sport Adventurer Standard Adult size ultra compact sleeping bag is a lighter weight packable sleeping bag, comes with a compression storage sack that can compact to 12 x 7 x 7 making this your favorite packable sleeping bag. Measures 29.5 by 84.5 inches (W x L) when open designed for weight conscious hikers, bikers, and campers.

8. New Wave Enviro 2.2 Liter Eastar Resin Bottle — The 2.2 Liter Eastar ™ Resin Bottle with stainless steel cap is BPA Free and is a rigid glass like material that will hold its shape, but will not shatter. Although this bottle is reusable again and again, it does carry a wholly unique number “1” recycle code in the unlikely event it is discarded, it is easily recyclable.

9. Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets (Pack of 10) — Disposable rescue blanket keeps in body heat and preserves body temperature. Small enough to fit in most first aid kits.

10. EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe Can Opener with Black Grips — The EZ-DUZ-IT deluxe hand-held, gear driven can opener is a heavy duty swing design can opener.

11. Mini Cree Led Flashlight Torch Adjustable Focus Light Lamp — Zoomable in & out Flashlight.

12. Etón NFR160WXR Microlink Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger (Red) — The Etón MICROLINK FR160 is rugged for outdoor use, and is more than ready to go with no plugs or wires needed. Clever case design protects the analog controls from damage, while rubber gaskets and plugs help keep moisture out of the unit.

13. Mr. Heater F232000 MH9BX Buddy 4,000-9,000-BTU Indoor-Safe Portable Radiant Heater — Mr. Heater offers the latest evolution in portable heating with the Portable Buddy Propane Heater. Use it in garages, tents, workshops, cabins, porches, patios, or hunting blinds to heat up to 200 sq. ft.

14. WakaWaka Solar Lamp — The cool, personal solar lamp designed to survive the extremes of Africa. The patented innovative solar power management technology provides for superior charging capabilities results in no less than 16 hours reading light on less than a full day of sunlight.

15. Fox 40 Sonik Blast CMG with Lanyard – Multi Color, Orange/black — Advanced science and technology makes the Sonik BLAST the most efficient whistle in its class.

16. Garmin GPS Navigation — Garmin Portable / Handheld Navigators.

17. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter — Award-winning LifeStraw has been used by millions around the globe since 2005.

18. ER Emergency Ration 2400+ Calorie, 5-Year Emergency Food Bar for Survival Kits and Disaster Preparedness (Pack of 4) — Guaranteed 5-year shelf life.

19. PowerGen 2.4Amps / 12W Dual USB Car charger Designed for Apple and Android Devices – Black — PowerGen Power-U Dual Port USB Car Charger charges your iPad, iPhone, iPod, HTC, Blackberry, MP3 Players, Digital Cameras, PDAs, Mobile Phones.

20. DuroMax XP4400E 4,400 Watt 7.0 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start — Safeguard your family as well as provide portable power for work and play with the DuroMax XP4400E gas-powered generator.

21. MIDLAND WR300 Weather Radio — The Midland WR-300 23 Code S.A.M.E. Weather Alert Radio offers S.A.M.E. technology (Specific Area Message Encoding), which pre-programs the device to receive only those warnings that apply to your local area.

22. Battery Tender 021-0123 Battery Tender Junior 12V Battery Charger — Battery Tender Junior 12V Battery Charger is much more than a trickle charger.

23. Neiko 20′ Ft Heavy Duty 10,000 Lb Tow Strap with Hook — Features 2″ x 20″ strong polyester tow strap with a maximum pulling at 10,000 lbs. With two safety hooks on both ends, allows for easy and fast hook ups and releases.

24. AAA 4004 Red Aluminum Sport Utility Shovel — AAA Red Aluminum Sport Utility Shovel is given a 3-piece aluminum construction.

25. Brightest Headlamp on Amazon – Waterproof – Comfortable – Adjustable – Zoomable – Slick – Lightweight – FREE WARRANTY – Suitable for Biking / Running / Caving / Hunting / Camping – Compared vs Petzl & Black Diamond – Divine LEDs – LIFETIME WARRANTY — HANDSFREE ILLUMINATION IS NOW A BREEZE!

26. Coleman MicroPacker Compact Battery Lantern — Compact, space-saving lantern runs up to 15 hours on three AA batteries.

27. Tac Force TF-705BK Tactical Assisted Opening Folding Knife 4.5-Inch Closed — Tac Force Linerlock. 4 3/4″ closed. 3 3/8″ high carbon stainless assisted opening partially serrated drop point blade with thumb slot and extended tang with lashing hole. Block style grooved aluminum handles with drilled hole design and integrated bottle opener and glass breaker.

28. Paracord Planet Type III 7 Strand 550 Paracord – Made in the USA – Largest In Stock Selection of Paracord Colors — Parachute cord.

29. Chainmate CM-24SSP 24-Inch Survival Pocket Chain Saw With Pouch — Gather fire wood fast.

30. ALPS Mountaineering Lightweight Series Self-Inflating Air Pad — Jet Stream polyurethane open cell foam; Top Fabric: Diamond Ripstop; Bottom Fabric: Polyester Taffeta.

31. Magnesium Fire Starter — Campers’ Magnesium Emergency Fire Starter.

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There’s Propylene Glycol (Antifreeze) In Some Whiskey And The Mist In Some Electronic Cigarettes

By RD Bentley on October 29, 2014 in

Just when you think you’ve heard it all about the toxicity in our culinary habits something new finds its way into the headlines. They’re actually putting an anti-freeze ingredient in our foods? In the adult beverages? The mist in the electronic cigarette? That’s nice of them to freely share this information with us.

A certain brand of alcohol (Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey) was pulled from the shelves in Europe because of unsafe chemical levels, specifically over the anti-freeze ingredient propylene glycol.

The company insists that their whiskey is not a safety threat and propylene glycol is used in all kinds of foods. Say what? The same ingredient that is used as a coolant in automobiles and aircraft is in food?

And guess what? This particular brand of whiskey was not pulled from the shelves in America, because there’s less regulation in the good old USA.

Propylene glycol “is produced on a large scale and is primarily used in the production of polymers but also sees use in food processing as the E-number E1520. Its use in the ‘e-liquid’ used in electronic cigarettes has brought it to the attention of the general public.”

As an alternative, some e-cigarette suppliers will put vegetable glycerin in the ‘e-liquid’ for those who are allergic (or have bad reactions) to propylene glycol.

Are there alternatives in the food industry?

There are some people that have bad allergies and there are personal products to avoid which contain propylene glycol.

Propylene glycol (CH8O2) is also used in the medical community. And of course the FDA says that there’s no harm with these products: Top Medications Containing Propylene Glycol.

Other names for propylene glycol are 1,2-dihydroxypropane, 1,2-propanediol, methyl glycol, and trimethyl glycol.

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Distrust, Tragedy, And Hope In Liberia

By RD Bentley on October 28, 2014 in

The auction is open until October 31, 2014 and covers four blocks – LB-6, LB-7, LB-16 and LB-17. [1] There’s hope and at the same time there’s distrust in Liberia. The hope is in the oil discoveries. The distrust is with the Liberian government. The tragedy is the Ebola epidemic.

The Ebola outbreak isn’t the only story of the day, but the American mainstream has done a fine job of milking the cow. This is not to say that curing disease and helping others isn’t important. Au contraire, but reporting shouldn’t be so one-sided, as to forget other components that may be of extreme importance to the global community.

It makes one wonder the true aim of corporate media and the objective behind today’s ‘big story’. I wonder if much of what is propagated is intended to be a distraction of some sort. As they say, always follow the money.

Could overreporting and underreporting be a two-headed monster?

In the Economic Community of West African States, therein lies the West African Economic and Monetary Union (aka UEMOA), which proports to be a proponent of the African Euro. [2]

The six member states are Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria and Sierra Leone who founded the organization together in 2000 and Liberia who joined on February 16, 2010. Guinea is Francophone and the rest are English speaking.

The West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) is coordinating to challenge the dominant CFA franc, which is tied to the Euro. The goal may not be to totally replace the Euro, but at least merge with it. The Eco is the proposed name for the common currency.

It’s obvious that some Liberians are not happy about the negotiations with the energy companies for the following reasons:

“According to a recent statement issued by the Nobel Peace Prize winner, President Ellen Johnson, the American Oil company, Exxon Mobil will own a whooping 80% of the oil shares discovered in Liberia, while their Canadian neighbours, the Canadian Oversea Petroleum Limited (COPL), will own 20%.” [3] This leaves 5% to 10% for the people of Liberia.

Those that bid on the blocks must put up a substantial amount of money just to play. Liberia has an alleged 17 blocks that are up for bid; some blocks have been spoken for. [4]

Ellen Johnson is the 24th and current President of Liberia. [5]

Reporters in America have not been so eager to express the Liberians’ distrust of their political leaders, including President Johnson Sirleaf, and especially her request for emergency powers. Powers that would use the Ebola crisis to gain even more authority. [6] She was denied.

There’s the hard fact that she suspended her son (Charles) and 45 government officials due to corruption charges. [7]

Another son has also been suspended, the one named Robert. [8]

There you have it. There’s always a story behind the news.

Read More:

1. Liberia invites bids for four offshore petroleum blocks — Oil Review
2. Economic Community of West African States — Wikipedia
3. Oil In Liberia: How Could Liberians Settle for Only 5%? — Modern Ghana
4. Liberia: Oil Blocks Attract Bidder Interest — allAfrica
5. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf — Wikipedia
6. Ebola spotlights Liberians’ distrust of their political leaders — AlJazeera
7. Johnson-Sirleaf suspends son amid corruption probe — Mail & Guardian
8. Beware viewing African leaders through gilded lenses. — The Globe And Mail

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The Crude Oil War Could Bring $75 Per Barrel!

By RD Bentley on October 27, 2014 in ,

As we look at current crude oil trends, the price is $81.01 per barrel (WTI), and $86.13 for Brent Crude Oil. The market implies that oil is definitely on the decline. What is the agenda? Are they trying to make Mr. Putin sweat? Mr. Rockefeller used to call it sweating when he was attempting to starve the competition out. Has Saudi Arabia teamed up with the U.S. against Russia and Iran?

Is cheap oil hurting the Russian economy? Is this the plan?

The Crouching Tiger (China) is preparing for the crude oil war. China is on a buying spree, taking advantage of low market prices.

The Goldman Slash report is calling for cheap prices in year 2015. The bear is going to get more bearish. Oil exploration and drilling is bound to slow down.

Let’s enjoy the low gas prices while we can. Pump it up!

Read More:

1. Will Cheap Oil Choke the Russian Economy? — Bloomberg
2. Why Saudi Arabia isn’t sweating low oil prices — Vox
3. China Goes On A Crude-Oil Buying Spree As Global Prices Tumble To $85 A Barrel — International Business Times
4. Goldman Slashes 2015 Oil Price Forecast — International Business Times
5. Goldman Sachs Says Oil Rout Excessive on Oversupply Doubt — Bloomberg

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Want Your Old Car To Run Like A New One? Read This!

By RD Bentley on October 25, 2014 in

Do you want your old car to run like a new one? I have a quick tip that will cost you very little and will certainly make your engine run smoother. If your car matters to you, then read this!

I’m speaking of a gas additive—Sea Foam SF-16 Motor Treatment – 16 oz.—to put in your gas tank.

It’s this simple. The next time you fill up your gas tank, or at least half fill it, pour the whole bottle of Sea Foam in the gas tank. I promise that it will not harm your vehicle and I promise that it will clean your carburetor real good.

From the bottle: Liquefies gum and varnish deposits or internal engine contaminants.

Here’s what happens. Over a period of time the carb will get buildup and cause the motor to run a little ragged. This wonderful gas additive cleans out all of that gook.

I especially recommend using this product before or during winter, because this is a critical time for drivers. Who doesn’t want the car to perform better?

Your car doesn’t have to be old for this product to work. It will work on new vehicles also. It’s a good idea to use this product every 6 months or at least once a year. You’ll be glad that you did.

Drive safely. Have fun!

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Your Weakness Can Be Your Greatest Strength

By RD Bentley on October 20, 2014 in

Your weakness can be your greatest strength. Think about it. Because an artist or writer may not be be able to follow conventional methods, he or she will create a certain style that will accommodate those needs.

Maybe your vision isn’t that great for example, but your hearing might compensate for it. Your ears can be a great asset. Don’t think of poor vision as a downfall, especially if there is little you can do about it.

If you aren’t skillful as you want to be as a piano player for example, then you must create a style that fits. Who knows? You could write a hit song and become a star in the process.

Adaptation is crucial to success. You do not have to be the best at everything. You just have to find that one thing that comes natural and get better at it. Improvise and develop your craft.

Not to be overly critical about artists in the past decade or so, but it seems that it’s the passion that is truly lacking. We all want to find that particular niche and strive to achieve instant fame. In the real world it rarely works out that easy. Anything worth having is going to take some time and effort.

I once witnessed a live music performance that impressed me. The performance was stunning. A blind man played the piano and sang with a zeal like no other. There’s a possibility that you have heard of him. His name is Ronnie Milsap, an American country music singer and pianist. Ronnie went on to become one of the most popular and influential artists of his era.

There was one element that Ronnie used that captivated his audience; it was the element of surprise. Ronnie would stand on top of his piano and he would somehow find his way down.

And when he reached near the end of the show, he would tease the audience in a most daring way. He would take his feet and tap at the edge of the stage, while almost pretending that he was about to fall. What an evening that turned out to be!

There was another guy from the Chicago area that never played piano until he was 27 years of age, yet he did start out on an accordion. He never owned a piano until recording his first hit song. It was the first song he wrote and sung all by himself. What is the name of this artist and what is the name of his first hit record?

Dennis DeYoung is the name of the artist. In 1972, DeYoung penned the single “Lady”. DeYoung wrote and sang lead on six of the band’s seven top 10 Billboard hits. DeYoung is an “American singer, songwriter, musician and producer best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx as lead vocalist and keyboardist.”

In a recent interview, DeYoung explained how his personal style developed and how he progressed as a piano player. Your weakness can be your greatest strength. These are words of wisdom.

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Do You Have Fearbola? Catch The Update.

By RD Bentley on October 12, 2014 in

Do you have ‘Fearbola’? If you caught the episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers then you got the scoop. But maybe there’s a chance that you didn’t. Seth interviews a very clever doctor that has all of the details.

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Birth Outside Of The Norm

By RD Bentley on October 12, 2014 in

Having a baby is a miracle. One thing that I’ve found out is that nature provides several unique ways of getting the miracle accomplished. After a Swedish woman discovered she had no uterus and could not have a child, she desperately sought out an alternative. Yet, overcoming the odds by receiving a uterus from a 61-year-old lady, she went on to have a healthy boy. The woman made history and deserves the attention. Are there other examples of birth outside of the norm?

What about a healthy baby that grew in the abdomen? Heard of this one? Didn’t think so. This is certainly another unique way of populating the earth, but it does happen.

Morality is debate open for discussion. What about the old standard of the girl getting married before birthing? Is this standard no longer the standard? Is birth out of wedlock the new norm?

According to the Census Bureau facts, the number of first-born U.S. babies born into a home with a married mother and father has fallen below 60% for the first time.

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The SATCOM Pirates Are At It Again

By RD Bentley on October 8, 2014 in

I have been having fun on my NooElec dongle, using it as my software defined radio. I was monitoring the 250 MHz portion and I wasn’t sure what I had witnessed. Is this UHF Pirates on a 250 MHz SATCOM? This is some interesting stuff. The SATCOM pirates are at it again!

The pirates are using the US Military SATCOM system to chat. And guess what? They’re being heard around the world it seems.

These dudes have hijacked the frequencies and are laughing about it? When I listened to these guys chatting, I didn’t have a clue what they were doing. Believe me. They were laughing.

If you have the dongle or a police scanner that has this band plan on it, try it.

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