10 cosas que cabrean mucho en Redes Sociales #infografia #infographic #socialmedia

Hola: Una infografía con 10 cosas que cabrean mucho en Redes Sociales. Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1hw352Y Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Las palabras que mejor funcionan en Redes Sociales (y blogs) #infografia #infogrpahic #socialmedia

Hola: Una infografía con Las palabras que mejor funcionan en Redes Sociales (y blogs). Vía Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1j4q0CM Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

30 razones por las que Pinterest crecerá en 2013 #infografia #infographic #socialmedia

Hola: Una infografía con 30 razones por las que Pinterest crecerá en 2013. Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1mdecAU Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Top 10 competencias en Redes Sociales para profesores #infografia #infographic #socialmedia #education

Hola: Una infografía con el Top 10 competencias en Redes Sociales para profesores. Vía Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1fD2YVU Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre los CMS #infografia #infographic #internet

Hola: Una infografía con todo lo que necesitas saber sobre los CMS. Vía Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1eVBztv Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

7 derechos básicos del consumidor #infografia #infographic #marketing

Hola: Una infografía con 7 derechos básicos del consumidor. Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1md6GpG Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Las empresas locales tienen que hacerse móviles #infografia #infographic #marketing

Hola: Una infografía que dice que las empresas locales tienen que hacerse móviles. Un saludo Infographic by: Market Domination Media



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1cwuPz6 Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Tendencias sobre viajes de lujo 2014 #infografia #infographic #tourism

Hola: Una infografía sobre tendencias sobre viajes de lujo 2014. Vía Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ticsyformacion.com/2014/01/16/tendencias-sobre-viajes-de-lujo-2014-infografia-infographic-tourism/ Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

#Dircom: 5 consejos y 5 beneficios sobre la propiedad intelectual #infografia #infographic

Hola: Una infografía sobre: #Dircom: 5 consejos y 5 beneficios sobre la propiedad intelectual. Vía Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ticsyformacion.com/2014/01/16/dircom-5-consejos-y-5-beneficios-sobre-la-propiedad-intelectual-infografia-infographic-2/ Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Customer’s Spider Monkey Bites Car Dealership Employee


An employee of an Ohio Chevrolet dealership probably didn’t expect to say the words, “Can I pet your monkey?” during his work day. When a customer brought a pet spider monkey along on a trip to the body shop, the employee asked to pet the animal. It bit him, drawing blood.

Local news outlets found something interesting, though: the monkey’s owner and his twin brother were charged last year with the theft of two gibbons in Nebraska. They were caught with the animals in Florida and arrested.


This appears to be a video of Brodi, the white-bellied spider monkey in question, sitting in front of a webcam.



Police discovered that the animal’s owner did not have an exotic animals permit, required to own a spider monkey in Ohio. He did have insurance and the animal had a recent rabies vaccination. Police verified his vaccination status with a Missouri veterinarian.


The monkey was quarantined for 72 hours as a precaution, and the owner has not been charged with doing anything wrong.. The bitten employee drove himself to a local hospital, and had a small puncture wound on his right thumb.


Spider monkey bites Beachwood man at Pat O’Brien Chevrolet [News Herald]




by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

¿Sabes qué son los MOOC? #infografia #infographic #internet #education

Hola: Una infografía sobre ¿Sabes qué son los MOOC? Un saludo Courtesy of: MOOCs.com



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1eOpt7j Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Menos jóvenes en FaceBook – pero muchos más mayores #infografia #infographic #socialmedia

Hola: Una infografía que dice: Menos jóvenes en FaceBook – pero muchos más mayores. Un saludo You will find more statistics at Statista



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1j3ZU2N Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Pizza Hut Would Like You To Know That Real People Will Be Tossing Your Pie Dough


In what will surely be a blow to the brewing plans of our future robot overlords, Pizza Hut is touting its “new” hand-tossed pizza as the Next Big Thing In Eating Pizza. See? We don’t need your robotic tossing, machines. We humans aren’t perfect, and neither will that hand-tossed dough be, explains The Hut. Take that, armies of the artificially intelligent oppressors!


Anyway, hot off the heels of The Hut’s mind-blowing news that it was going to try that whole “selling single slices of pizza thing,” the company is now telling everyone that it’s got a new hand-tossed pizza, touched by people like me and you.


This new version of its hand-tossed pizza has a “lighter, airier crust, cheese blended with five Italian flavors and now brushed with garlic-buttery goodness,” according to the new ads (via AdAge). The sauce and topping options will stay the same.


Pizza Hut says everything about this pizza is in no way like anything else ever.


“[The new pizza is] completely different,” the chain’s Chief Marketing Officer Carrie Walsh tells AdAge. “It has imperfections. Customers definitely noticed a difference. We believe it’s a game-changer.”


Now’s the time when anyone who ever worked in a pizza joint pre-Pizza Hut/Domino’s/Papa John’s etc. (hi, Dad!) starts scoffing and saying, “Back in my day, it was ALL hand-tossed pizzas! None of this mechanical tossing by robots or whatever it is they have doing all the work these days!”


Yeah, take that, future robot overlords! We’re not going down that easy and we will defy you with pizza!


Pizza Hut Rolls Out ‘Game Changer’: Pie With Imperfections [AdAge]




by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

El perfil del inversor moderado #infografia #infographic

Hola: Una infografía sobre el perfil del inversor moderado. Vía Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1eVuOrx Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Los mayores fracasos de Apple #infogafia #infographic #apple

Hola: Una infografía sobre los mayores fracasos de Apple. Un saludo Source: Masters-in-Finance.org



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/K7ICWo Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Bitcoin: la moneda virtual de Internet #infografia #infographic

Hola: Una infografía sobre Bitcoin: la moneda virtual de Internet. Vía Un saludo



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1db6Mpq Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Pepsi Decides To Discontinue “Natural” Gatorade Because, Come On, Really?

Fresh from the Gatorade vine.

Fresh from the Gatorade vine.



Back when I was growing up on my grandparents’ farm out on the prairie, whenever I was exhausted from a long day of playing professional sports I simply went to the Gatorade well and pulled up a bucketful of natural Gatorade. Nothing like it! Straight from the earth! That’s not true, but there was a “natural” line of Gatorade that PepsiCo has now decided just isn’t working.


Apparently Pepsi had marketed the natural line as a drink that does everything regular Gatorade is supposed to do, but using ingredients like sea salt. You might not have seen Gatorade Naturals on your grocery store’s shelves, however, as it was released in limited distribution at certain Whole Foods and Kroger stores, reports the Associated Press.


Pepsi says in a statement that through “engagement with athletes on their fueling needs, we found that Gatorade Naturals and G2 Naturals did not resonate with this core consumer.”


While consumers have been getting into the whole natural foods thing in recent years, most people probably don’t quite look for natural ingredients in a sports beverage that traditionally comes in colors that light up the neon dreams of acid users.


It’s also not an easy thing to just slap the word “natural” on a product, as Pepsi discovered with its Naked Juice drinks, which a lawsuit said contained a synthetic fiber.


Pepsi wants to make sure you know that the Gatorade Naturals line wasn’t smacked with any lawsuits. It just isn’t popular enough with the cool kids.


PepsiCo discontinues ‘natural’ Gatorade [Associated Press]




by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Cómo preparar tu empresa para una expansión internacional #infografia #infographic

Hola: Una infografía sobre cómo preparar tu empresa para una expansión internacional. Un saludo White Space – Market Analysis Consultants



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1asS8tX Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Los números de los coches eléctricos #infografia #infographic #medioambiente

Hola: Una infografía con los números de los coches eléctricos. Un saludo You will find more statistics at Statista



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1j3KtYt Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

Just A Friendly Reminder That Some Wart Removers Can Catch Fire


You know those over-the-counter cryogenic wart removers for removing the unwanted clusters of tissue? The FDA says that since 2009, it knows of 14 incidents in which these products have caught fire, doing harm to people and or their property.

In an online Consumer Update posted earlier today, the FDA says it’s received multiple reports of people who “described singed hair, blisters, burns or skin redness,” or cases in which nearby items went up in flames. Only three of the 14 known incidents involved nearby sources of ignition.


“The labeling for these products clearly states that they are flammable and should be kept away from fire, flame, heat sources, and cigarettes,” writes FDA nurse consultant Karen Nast.


Nast says the numerous instances involving no immediate ignition source are “extremely concerning, especially because people may not be aware that everyday household items like curling irons and straight irons can be hot enough to be an ignition source for these products.”


She also believes that there are likely many more instances of wart removers going up in flames because it’s not something that everyone reports to the proper authorities.


FDA dermatologist Markham Luke writes that if you’re going to use one of these at-home cryogenic wart-removal products, that it should only be used as directed on the labeling, and that people should pay attention to the warning — “Extremely flammable. Do not pierce, burn or expose aerosol spray dispenser to excessive heat, even after use or when the dispenser is empty. This may cause dispenser to explode, causing serious injury.”


It also helps if you use the product in a well-ventilated room.




by Chris Morran via Consumerist

FTC Collects $3.5 Million From TeleCheck For Failing To Investigate Disputes Or Correct Errors

telecheck One of the nation’s largest check authorization service companies is going to be cutting a rather large check to settle charges made by the Federal Trade Commission.


TeleCheck, Inc., along with its associated debt-collection entity, TRS Recovery Services, Inc., agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle charges of violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the FTC announced Thursday.


The Houston-based company compiles consumers’ personal information and uses it to help retailers determine whether or not to accept a consumers’ check. TeleCheck is the reason that sometimes your check is accepted at Best Buy (and many other retailers) and why it’s randomly rejected at the same store the next day.


The FCRA gives consumers whose checks are denied based on information provided by TeleCheck the right to dispute that information and have TeleCheck investigate and correct any inaccuracies. However, the FTC complaint alleges that TeleCheck violated several aspects of the FCRA, including:



  • not following proper dispute procedures – refusing to investigate disputes;

  • failure to follow reasonable procedures to assure the maximum possible accuracy of information provided to merchant clients;

  • failure to promptly correct errors on consumers’ reports.


TRS, which handles consumer debt taken on by TeleCheck and provides information about consumers, allegedly violated the FTC’s Furnisher Rule, which requires entities to ensure accuracy and integrity of the information provided to consumer reporting agencies.


In addition to paying $3.5 million, TeleCheck and TRS must alter business practices to comply with the requirements of the FCRA and the Furnisher Rule in the future.


The case is part of an initiative by the FTC to target the practices of data brokers. Last August, the FTC charged similar violations and penalty amounts against Certegy Check Services, Inc., another check authorization company.


The FTC provides helpful information to businesses on the Furnisher Rule and what they should know about consumer reports.


TeleCheck to Pay $3.5 Million for Fair Credit Reporting Act Violations [Federal Trade Commission]




by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

95% Of ATMs Are Still Using Windows XP. No, Really


Who is still using Windows XP, an operating system which is now twelve years old? Other than “everyone’s mom,” the real answer might not be as obvious: the nation’s network of automated teller machines. ATMs all contain computers, of course. Computers are susceptible to malware. Systems running Windows XP may be more susceptible to malware after April 8 of this year, when Microsoft finally ends support and security patches for XP.

Don’t worry: it’s unlikely that the machines will start setting your savings account on fire anytime soon. Yet it boggles the mind to learn that 95% of ATMs in the world run on Windows XP. Still. That number won’t decrease very much after the deadline: one expert told Bloomberg Businessweek that maybe 15% would be upgraded by the deadline.


That’s not as wacky as it sounds: companies can literally buy more time, since they can pay for extended support directly from Microsoft for computers that still run XP. J.P. Morgan Chase chose to do this, and will upgrade their machines to Windows 7 sometime next year.


Some computers will be exempt, since they run a version of the operating system, Windows XP Embedded, that’s less susceptible to viruses and also will still have Microsoft’s support until 2016.


The good news for consumers in all this? Well, maybe not good news for everyone, but upgrading from Windows XP means better support for touchscreen inputs. We might see more sophisticated


ATMs Face Deadline to Upgrade From Windows XP




by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

Man Suing Unilever After Toothpaste Failed To Help Him Attract All The Single Ladies

toothpastenogo Can’t get a date with any pretty singles after seven years of flashing your best and brightest smile? Maybe it’s not your personality or your antique doll collection hanging out on your bed. One man blames his string of dating strikeouts on Close-Up toothpaste’s failure to attract women, and is suing the product’s manufacturers as a result.


Yes, this is a real thing that is actually happening, according to various reports, including one from AZCentral.com.


The 26-year-old man filed the lawsuit against Unilever Nigeria Limited, saying its ads for the toothpaste — which show women getting all hot and bothered after a dude brushes his teeth — are deceptive and false. Because he’s still single, despite using Close-up for seven years.


In his suit he claims “no girl ever agreed to even go out for a tea or coffee with me, even though I’m sure they could smell my breath. I always brush my teeth with so much close up gel to make sure the girls get turned on by my fresh breath as they usually show on TV.”


As evidence in the case, he’s submitting all of his tubes of toothpaste — the used, the half-used and those he has yet to use — as evidence.


The lonely life he’s living due to lack of help from the toothpaste has left him feeling “cheated” and in a state of “mental anguish.”


A word of advice for this fella? Maybe try cruising through dentists’ waiting rooms? Toothy grins usually go over well there.


Lawsuit: Toothpaste didn’t get me any women [AZCentral.com]




by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Do Snowboarders Have A Constitutional Right To Ski Slopes?


Only three ski resorts in the U.S. have outright prohibitions on snowboarding, and only one of them — Alta Ski Area in Utah — is located on public land controlled by the U.S. Forest Service. According to the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed against Alta and the USFS, the resort’s ban on snowboards violates the Constitution.

The complaint [PDF] filed yesterday in a U.S. District Court in Utah by four snowboarders and a local nonprofit group, alleges that Alta’s no-snowboarding policy is in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, which says that the government shall not “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”


Specifically, they believe that this rule against snowboarding prohibits the “use and enjoyment of the public land on which Alta operates, unlawfully discriminates against snowboarders, and denies snowboarders equal protection under the law as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.”


The plaintiffs claim that the ban, which was put into place in the mid-1980s was born out of “animus held by Alta’s ownership, management, and

customers towards the type of people they believed to be ‘snowboarders,’” and that the resort and the USFS continue to enforce this ban “as a consequence of this animus towards snowboarders.”


By enforcing the ban, the lawsuit alleges Alta and USFS are effectively creating two, unequal classes of people — those who ski and those who snowboard. One class is given full access to the Alta slopes while the other is persona non grata.


“Discrimination without any rational basis perpetuates inequality by creating, fostering, and encouraging skier-versus-snowboarder attitudes that are hostile and divisive in a world where skiers and snowboarders, as a general matter, share the mountains, including those on all other public land, in harmony and without issue,” reads the complaint.


The suit asks the court to order Alta to lift then ban and enjoin the resort from putting a similar prohibition in place in the future.


As some have pointed out, one could argue that the snowboarders, as people, are not forbidden from using the slopes at Alta. It’s the act of snowboarding that is forbidden. Could they make the same argument if a skating rink on public land had a “no speed skating” policy? The question is really — at which point does a rule against an activity become discriminatory toward an entire class of people?


We’re not lawyers so we’ll refrain from rendering judgement. But feel free to do so yourself in the following poll:





Snowboarders Sue Alta Ski Area [Outside]




by Chris Morran via Consumerist

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow If You Sign Up For Consumerist’s Newsletter

cistnews When you’re stuck with a day that’s gray and lonely, just stick up your chin and grin and then also sign up for Consumerist’s newsletter. See, because then not only will the sun come out tomorrow (probably, no guarantees, etc.), but you’ll also have a fresh email from Consumerist in your inbox as well.


Here’s how it works: If you sign up, we won’t sell or rent your email and we’ll all burst into songs from hit Broadway musicals each time we send you a newsletter, which is every Friday.


Fill out the form below or OR CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE .





by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Smartphones Get More Advanced, But Most American’s Still Just Use Them For Pictures


I’ll admit it, sometimes my phone gets the best of me. Apparently, I’m not alone. Smartphones are getting smarter, while we consumers are just getting more confused.


With technology innovators constantly one-upping each other with the latest and greatest, it’s not surprising that every generation – even those born with phones in their hands – are falling behind.


The Washington Post reports that 62% of Americans’ own a smartphone, but fewer than 5% use them for things such as showing movie or plane tickets – a more advanced service. However, 81% of smartphone owners use the device to send text messages – that’s something right?


A recent Gallup poll highlights the gap between younger and older smartphone users. Smartphone use among the younger generation, ages 18-29, is fairly commonplace – 88%, while only 25% of older adults, those ages 65 and older, use smartphones.


Trouble using smartphones isn’t just your grandma’s problem anymore. The Post illustrates the shift in technology usability by showcasing several people who have been outwitted by their smartphones.


A 41-year-old woman just couldn’t figure out how to take a selfie. Because she couldn’t get the camera turned around, she constantly took photos of objects. Finally, a good samaritan showed her the way.


Or take the case of a 52-year-old woman in Alexandra, VA who couldn’t silence her husband’s “Galaxy Whatever” phone. She eventually tried hiding the phone in the kitchen so she could get some sleep.


So with CES recently under our belt we have so much to look forward to – 4K TVs, Glasses-Free 3D, an internet-connected smart baby onesie (What?!) – oh, and a lot more questions for tech support.


Smartphones get more sophisticated, but their owners do not [The Washington Post]




by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

Avoid Shoplifting After Faking Your Death To Avoid Shoplifting Charge


Here’s a tip: if you’re going to fake your own death to beat a shoplifting charge, remember that’s a big step. Don’t jeopardize your hard work by shoplifting again at a different department store and getting arrested. A woman in Nashville allegedly did just that, and is now accused of stealing from Dillard’s after faking her death to get out of a shoplifting charge at Macy’s. She did not try the controversial “Dawn of the Dead” defense. [USA Today]

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

Home Depot Worker Swoops In To Save Falling Baby

So imagine you’re working at the store one day when out of the corner of your eye you see a baby about to fall to the floor from atop a shopping cart. Would you be fast enough to save the day?


A Home Depot employee in Anchorage, AK, has become a bit of an Internet hero in recent days after his brother uploaded the above video showing his on-the-job actions that saved a customer’s baby from plunging to the store floor.


KTUU-TV reports that the employee will be nominated for the Home Depot Angel Award, given out for exceptional acts of heroism.


“It’s pretty self-evident what happened in the video,” a company rep tells KTUU. “We’re just excited that this happened and excited for him.”


Below is one of the many slowed-down versions of the video that shows just how close the baby came to falling to the floor.


In December, an airport security guard in Poland also made headlines for his swift actions that saved a baby from colliding with the ground.




by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Sprint Launches Yet Another Early Upgrade Program, This Time With No Monthly Discount


Only days after Sprint pulled the plug on its 4-month-old One Up early upgrade program, the wireless company is unveiling yet another promotion aimed at people just feel compelled to constantly upgrade their devices. This time, however, Sprint has basically removed the main reason for signing up.

See, the one real redeeming value of the now-dead One-Up program was that members received a $15/month discount. That made sense because members were paying full price for their new phones, meaning they shouldn’t have to pay the full monthly rate that subscribers with Sprint-subsidized devices pay.


Both T-Mobile and AT&T have recently changed their pricing so that customers who own their phones outright, or are members of early upgrade programs that require them to ultimately pay full price for those phones, pay less for service.


But the new Sprint Easy Pay program offers no such discount. You still pay the full monthly rate for your phone service.


Under Easy Pay, you make a down-payment on the full price of a new phone and the rest of the sticker price is spread out over 24 months. The difference between Easy Pay and the other programs is that there is technically no waiting period before cashing in on your upgrade. That said, you’ll need to pay the remaining balance on the phone.


So it’s not really an early upgrade program so much as it is a program that lets you space out your payments until you’re ready to pay the whole sticker price.


Another minor concession is that when you eventually pay the full tab on that old device, Sprint will let you then trade it in. If you can still get a few hundred dollars for that device, then maybe it’s a decent deal, but you won’t know until it’s actually time to trade that phone in.


One big caveat to Easy Pay is that Sprint is listing it as a “limited time” program, which is incredibly vague. So I reached out to Sprint for some sort of clarification.


“This is a limited time offer and there has been no set time to discontinue,” replied a Sprint rep. “It’s similar to many other special offers in the marketplace. So, we encourage customers to take advantage sooner rather than later.”


Considering how quickly Sprint pulled the rug out from under One-Up, we’d encourage people to really think twice before signing up for Easy Pay.




by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Curious Which Mobile Phone Bills Are Highest? Survey Says: Verizon!


Ever wonder how your phone bill stacks up against the average? Sometimes it’s hard to know if you’re actually getting a decent deal, or if you’re being suckered into something ridiculous. Thanks to some newly published survey data, now you can see how your own bill compares to everyone else’s.


Ars Technica has a handy chart up showing the average monthly cost of using any of the big four mobile carriers.


Verizon sits right at the top, with the highest average monthly bill. The cheapest of the big four? T-Mobile. The survey had just under 1900 respondents, included both individual and family plans, and is all-inclusive of taxes and fees.


That said, “most expensive” and “cheapest” are highly relative here. Verizon’s $148 is not exactly astronomically above Sprint’s $144, AT&T’s $141, or even T-Mobile’s $120.


So if T-Mobile will, on average, save you $216 a year, why does it still have the smallest subscriber base? Everyone has their reasons, and most of them fit in with the companies’ popular reputations. Verizon and AT&T subscribers both cited network coverage and network quality as their top reasons for staying with their carrier. Consumers’ most-stated reasons for choosing both Sprint and T-Mobile were unlimited data plans and lower prices.


The good news? Those monthly bills may be getting cheaper across the board. The previous installation of the quarterly survey had Verizon’s average bill at $153, AT&T’s at $147, Sprint’s at $143, and T-Mobile’s at $133.


Analysts have surmised that T-Mobile’s new price structures were keeping the market competitive. Two data points, from the third and fourth quarters of 2013, aren’t quite enough to form a definitive pattern yet. But perhaps consumers will indeed be lucky enough to find the pressure for lower wireless prices continuing into 2014.


Verizon leads top wireless carriers in bill size, at $148 a month [Ars Technica]




by Kate Cox via Consumerist

Maytag Repairman Gets Makeover, New Job Duties

maytag_fridgeBrand spokespeople need to be refreshed every so often: just ask fictional home economist/secret Time Lord Betty Crocker. You might remember the Maytag Repairman, star of ads with a memorable premise: Maytag appliances were so reliable that the company’s repairman needed to find other ways to spend his hours.



However, the new Maytag Man is not a repair technician. He is the embodiment of Maytag appliances. Or something. He looks a little bit like Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” fame and stands in our houses, scrubbing dishes and handing us gallons of milk.



Maytag Man gets a makeover and gets busy [Consumer Reports]




by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

Medieval Sword-Fighting Session In Taco Bell Parking Lot Turns Into Drug Deal Gone Wrong


If I had a nickel for every time a medieval sword-fighting practice session in a Taco Bell parking lot turns into a drug deal gone wrong… well you know where I’m going with this. It’s a weird occurrence and in one recent Cleveland case, pretty embarrassing for the accused drug dealers in question. Sounds like they got taken by a bunch of teenagers, wielding swords, no less.


The story two men told Cleveland cops at first was that they were just hanging out with some teenagers in a Taco Bell parking lot, practicing their medieval sword-fighting craft, when the teens up and robbed them, reports Cleveland.com.


But see, there was bit more to that story, and that bit maybe should’ve had the men thinking twice about calling the authorities. Seems the twosome sort of forgot to mention that the alleged reason they were in that parking lot was to sell pot to the group of teenagers.


When police asked about the robbery, neither of the suspects mentioned that part of the story. Instead they said they were just their to practice their sword skills.


“But that’s clearly not what ended up happening,” said the public information officer for the local police department.


Instead, cops say that when the two men got into a car with the teenagers to sell them $80 worth of marijuana, one of the teens pepper-sprayed one of the alleged drug dealers, grabbed the stash and ran. The two men then called the police to report the robbery, failing to mention it was pot that had been stolen.


Police looked at one of the men’s phone records and spoke to witnesses before determining that the and the other guy had met with the teenagers with the intent to sell them pot, not just play with swords. Gotcha.


One of them men was charged with trafficking marijuana, obstructing justice and possessing criminal tools, while the other is facing charges of trafficking marijuana and obstructing justice.


Two men robbed of their marijuana in Westlake after practicing medieval swordfighting, police said [Cleveland.com]




by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

El alcalde de Segovia (@pedroarahuetes) mete la pata en FaceBook #socialmedia #marketing

Todavía hay mucha gente que tiene miedo a las Redes Sociales por lo que puedan decir de ti, algo que no tiene sentido, ya que pueden hablar de ti aunque no estés, por lo que no te enterarás. La realidad es que el peligro no son las Redes Sociales, son las personas, que tienen miedo […]



TICs y Formación http://ift.tt/1dySOnx Via Alfredo Vela y www.bscformacion.com

17 herramientas para crear un currículum digital





via Educación tecnológica http://ift.tt/LatkAA www.bscformacion.com

Driver Ticketed For Wearing Google Glass Goes On Trial Today

googleglasssss The California woman ticketed back in October for driving while sporting Google Glass is set to have her moment in court today, in the first legal test of whether wearing a wearable computer amounts to distracted driving.


For those coming late to the story, the driver was pulled over last October for allegedly speeding (a fact that many stories have overlooked) and for “Driving with Monitor visible to Driver (Google Glass),” which the police maintain violates a California law prohibiting drivers from operating a vehicle if he or she can be distracted by a visible TV or other video monitor used primarily for entertainment or business applications. That law does allow for informational screens like GPS and rearview cameras.


In December, she entered a not guilty plea, claiming that while she was indeed wearing the geeky headgear, the Google Glass was not turned on.


“There is nothing illegal about simply wearing the Google Glass while it is not turned on,” said her lawyer at the time.


Now Reuters reports that she is scheduled to appear and argue her case today in a San Diego traffic court. While the decision will likely not set any concrete, binding precedent, it is believed to be the first time that a court will rule on the legality of wearing such devices while behind the wheel.


Of course, that issue is just going to get more complicated if and when Google integrates Glass into frames containing prescription lenses. Think about it — a driver may simultaneously need to wear the device in order to see the highway with his prescription lenses while also putting himself at risk for being ticketed because of the Google Glass screen.




by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Struggling Chuck E. Cheese Agrees To Sell Itself In $950 Million Buyout Deal


The (quite possibly animatronic) overlords at Chuck E. Cheese appear to have run out of options to lift the struggling family fun center out of the slump it’s been in lately, and have instead agreed to a $950 million buyout deal currently on the table.

It’s not just any buyer throwing its hat in the mouse’s ring — Apollo Global Management was one of the buyers of Hostess Brands last year, joining with Metropoulous & Co to buy the assets of the bankrupt company.


Chuck E. Cheese dates back to 1977 when it was founded by Nolan Bushnell, who was also one of the founders of Atari, reports the Associated Press. The more you know, right?


The company has tried to stay current by changing its mouse mascot over the years, sometimes showing Chuck as a New Jersey streetwise mouse with a cigar in his mouth, other times as a hip, skateboarding mouse with a baseball cap. Despite those various iterations, including the most recent refresher to Chuck in 2012, the restaurants have had flagging sales recently.


Apolla is an investment firm that has a history of buying troubled companies using borrowed money, until it can sell them for more years later. Otherwise known as a leveraged buyout.


Chuck E. Cheese still might take other proposals from others until Jan. 29, saying it’s been reviewing its strategic options. Those options include a shareholder rights plan, or “poison pill,” which could be used to try to stave off hostile takeovers.


There are currently 577 Chuck E. Cheese locations in 47 states, as well as 10 elsewhere in the world. Then there’s the one from my memory where I’m trapped in a ride that basically goes nowhere but up and around in circles, and Chuck is calling my name from the stage to come sing “Happy Birthday” and I’m TRAPPED. TRAPPED WITH NOWHERE TO GO AND MY BIRTHDAY IS RUINED.


Anyway, good luck, Chuck!


Chuck E. Cheese owner agrees to $950M buyout [Associated Press]




by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

FCC Checking With Hotels To See If Reaching Help With 9-1-1 Is As Easy As It Should Be


If you were to pick up the phone in a hotel room and dial 9-1-1, what would you get? You probably wouldn’t be in the state of mind to dial 9 first, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting in contact with emergency services as fast as possible, which is why one member of the Federal Communications Commission is looking into how it works at different hotel chains across the country.


The move by FCC member Ajit Pai to send letters to 10 hotel chains in the United States asking whether guests dialing 9-1-1 are immediately connected to an emergency call center or an employee started after a 9-year-old tried to call for help when her mother was stabbed to death, the Associated Press reports.


The girl, her mom and two siblings were at a Baymont Inn in December when officials say the father dragged the woman into a bathroom and killed her. The daughter tried to call 9-1-1 three times, but because she didn’t press 9 first, she got no response.


The girl’s grandfather has since initiated the push to find out where else this could possibly happen. Pai calls the family’s situation “horrific,” adding that he wants to dig around and see how deep the problem goes before recommending an action to the FCC.


“If it’s a ’90 percent’ problem as opposed to a ’5 percent,’ obviously the contours of the problem will look very different and the nature of the solution will look very different,” Pai says.


It might seem like a no-brainer to have 9-1-1 always work — after all, even if you’re locked out of your smartphone you can still dial emergency services — but the problem seems to be far from solved. The grandfather noted that this week he was staying in a hotel in Waco and saw evidence that things need to change.


“There was a big card on the phone giving you instructions on how to do everything else, except dial 911,” he said of the hotel room’s phone. “It was disheartening.”


When he asked front desk workers how to call 9-1-1 from his room, they told him he had to dial 9 first.


FCC member studies Texas 911 dialing case [Associated Press]




by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Here’s The List Of JCPenney Stores To Be Closed


Yesterday afternoon, JCPenney announced it would be laying off around 2,500 employees and shuttering 33 underperforming stores around the country. Want to know if your local JCP made the cut?

Below is the complete list of stores to be closed, arranged by state. While most states on the list are only losing one or two stores, Wisconsin will be saying goodbye to five JCP stores, the most of any state.


The first name given is the name of the mall or shopping center in which the JCP store currently resides. The name of the town is given in parentheses.


ALABAMA

Selma Mall (Selma)


CALIFORNIA

Arrow Plaza (Rancho Cucamonga)


COLORADO

Chapel Hills Mall (Colorado Springs)


CONNECTICUT

Meriden Square (Meriden)


FLORIDA

Lake Square Mall (Leesburg)


Gulf View Square (Port Richey)


IOWA

Muscatine Mall (Muscatine)


ILLINOIS

Stratford Square Mall (Bloomingdale)


Hickory Point Mall (Forsyth)


INDIANA

Five Points Mall (Marion)


Marketplace Shopping Center (Warsaw)


MARYLAND

The Centre at Salisbury (Salisbury)


MICHIGAN

Westwood Plaza (Marquette)


MINNESOTA

Northland Mall (Worthington)


MISSISSIPPI

Singing River Mall (Gautier)


Natchez Mall (Natchez)


MONTANA

Butte Plaza Shopping Center (Butte)


The JC Penney Store in Cut Bank (Cut Bank)


NORTH CAROLINA

Vernon Park Mall (Kinston)


NEW JERSEY

Burlington Center (Burlington)


Phillipsburg Mall (Phillipsburg)


OHIO

Wayne Towne Plaza (Wooster)


PENNSYLVANIA

Exton Square Mall (Exton)


LaurelMall (Hazleton)


Washington Mall (Washington)


TENNESSEE

Northgate Mall (Chattanooga)


VIRGINIA

Bristol Mall (Bristol)


Military Circle Mall (Norfolk)


WISCONSIN

Forest Mall (Fond du Lac)


Janesville Mall (Janesville)


Lincoln Plaza Center (Rhinelander)


Cedar Mall (Rice Lake)


Wausau Mall (Wausau)


The closures only represent a small number of the retailer’s approximately 1,100 locations nationwide, but that won’t make it any less annoying to the employees who will be out of work or customers who need to drive even further to get to a JCP.




by Chris Morran via Consumerist

“Kid-Friendly” Plastic Surgery Apps Pop Up On Apple, Google Stores

While "Plastic Surgery for Barbie" might have been taken down, its clone "Girl Makeover" is still available on Google Play.

While “Plastic Surgery for Barbie” might have been taken down, its clone “Girl Makeover” is still available on Google Play.



Because there’s nothing children love more than animated fat-shaming and liposuction, a supposedly youngster-friendly plastic surgery app has popped up in various forms (and has also been taken down) on both Google Play Store the and Apple App Store.

Judging by screenshots (because as much as I love the search for the truth, there’s not a chance in heck I’m downloading any of these apps), all the apps appear to be the same, even though they use different names.


The version getting the most publicity was labeled Plastic Surgery for Barbie, which had apparently been listed as suitable for children aged 9 and over. Players perform all manner of fun plastic surgery procedures on the initially overweight animated character until she’s been sliced, diced, molded and vacuumed into a different woman.


“This unfortunate girl has so much extra weight that no diet can help her,” read the description of the game. “In our clinic she can go through a surgery called liposuction that will make her slim and beautiful.”


The Plastic Surgery for Barbie game was pulled earlier this week from the Apple store, with toy-maker Mattel issuing a statement that the app had nothing to do with its line of Barbie products, which merely imply that women should have unrealistic figures but doesn’t outright demonstrate how to achieve them via surgery.


Other versions of the “game,” titled Plastic Surgery for Barbara or just Plastic Surgery, have shown up and subsequently been removed by Apple and Google. One app that is either a clone or is just the same app using yet another title is still available on Google Play under the name “Girl Makeover.” This one has actually been up since Christmas day and contains the presumably Google Translated description:



Very classic plastic game! Lara is a very cute and sweet girl,she likes to eat a lot of burgers and chocolates and once she found out that she looks ugly. She can’t make it up with this situation any additional second. And today plastic surgeon is going to make operation on her body and face in order to return cute look. She is afraid of all of this, but I know you will check that everything is over normally.



While this particular version of the app is listed as for mature users, the same developer has made apps like “Ugly Girl Makeover,” which involves prying the braces off a young woman’s teeth, which Google lists as appropriate for “Everyone.”


Plastic surgery game for kids removed from iOS, Android stores [Joystiq]


Plastic surgery app game aimed at children taken down [BBC]


Apple and Google pulls cosmetic surgery game aimed at children [Polygon]




by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Citi To Replace Debit Cards Linked To Target Hack


A month after Target first revealed that its in-store credit and debit card payment system had been breached, Citi has finally announced plans to replace all debit cards for customers whose account information was stolen in the hack.

While JPMorgan Chase took immediate steps in the wake of the breach, replacing some 2 million debit cards in December, the New York Times reports that Citi waited until now to issue the replacement cards so as to minimize the potential havoc that could have been caused by changing millions of card numbers in the middle of the holiday shopping (and subsequent return) season.


Citi claims that the decision to replace these cards is precautionary and is not tied to any increase in fraudulent activity.


Neither Chase nor Citi have announced any intention to replace affected credit cards. Federal laws offer a higher level of protection to credit card users than they do to debit cards.


If an ID thief were to get a debit cardholder’s account number and PIN, he could create a duplicate card and begin withdrawing cash directly from that customer’s checking account. Even though some banks have minimal or zero liability policies on such fraudulent transactions, it can take quite some time for that stolen money to be reinstated to the customer’s account.


Target initially denied that PIN information was stolen during the breach, but it later confirmed that encrypted PIN info was indeed stolen. The thieves will need a key to break that encryption and access the PINs. Target insists that key was not part of the massive data breach.


No other major banks or card issuers have taken any action to replace debit or credit cards.


Theft at Target Leads Citi to Replace Debit Cards [NY Times]


Citi to replace debit cards involved in Target data breach [Reuters]




by Chris Morran via Consumerist