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Coronavirus: Eight things that have kept us going in lockdown

Coronavirus has forced people in Britain to radically change the way they live their lives. Here are eight things that have helped us cope.




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Whale that washed ashore in Ventura County towed out to sea

The animal's cause of death was inconclusive because a full examination was hampered by stay-at-home and social distancing orders issued amid the coronavirus pandemic.




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These are the California businesses that can reopen, and these are the rules

California allows some retailers to open with curbside service, including bookstores, florists and toy stores. Many parks will reopen Saturday.




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'That's when it changed.' Story of how 2009 team put IU baseball on the map

"I look at that group — it was not sexy at that time to play for Indiana. They made it sexy."

       




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Hackney: Looking for that stimulus check? These tax-paying Hoosiers won't get one

America relies on both legal and undocumented immigrant labor to ensure that food and other goods continue flowing across the country, Hackney writes.

       




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Family safely escapes house fire that causes $200K in damage

A family of four was able to safely get out of their house after a fire caused $200,000 of damage.




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Formula 1: Who said that? Guess the memorable quotes

A dressing-down by a team boss? Drivers who can't hide their frustration on team radio? How many memorable quotes do you remember?




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The long shot that changed a homeless caddie's life

Llewellyn Barnes made his debut in a professional golf debut last month, after decades living homeless in South Africa.




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Coronavirus: The health advice that is misleading or worse

There's still plenty of dangerous and untested medical advice circulating online.




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Coronavirus: Texas banned abortions - how did that affect women?

In Texas, abortions are resuming as virus restrictions ease - but for many, the damage has been done.






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Five great comics that Martin Scorsese might actually enjoy adapting into ‘cinema’

The director of "The Irishman" has criticized "comic book movies," but these titles show that such adaptations might be a perfect fit for him.




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‘Death Stranding’ game review: A stunning achievement that requires effort to truly appreciate

“Death Stranding” is one of the oddest, and one of the best, games of 2019.




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Sketch artists at the impeachment trial are capturing scenes that the cameras cannot

The scenes they draw include a senator seemingly falling asleep.




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Baby Yoda toys are finally arriving. Sure, they missed the holidays — but at least that prevented spoilers.

Products for the popular character from the Disney Plus hit "The Mandalorian" are about to hit stores.




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Seven ‘Twilight Zone’ episodes that are eerily timely during the coronavirus pandemic

"The Twilight Zone" delved into how human behavior changes in times of crisis.




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‘Black Mesa’: A painstaking recreation of ‘Half-Life’ that’s easy on the eyes

In keeping with the best video game remakes, “Black Mesa” is a perfect complement to your rose-tinted memories, with modern-day graphics and extensive level design tweaks.




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‘In Other Waters’: A minimalist game that will appeal to fans of nature documentaries

If you’re not put off by its low-key, text-centered nature you're likely to fall for this thoughtful, serene game.




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‘The Clone Wars’ proves yet again that Darth Maul is the most tragic Star Wars character

Darth Maul could have saved the galaxy in 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars," and lived on in the movies. Neither happened.




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This seafood restaurant’s latest catch: Chinese robots that greet customers and deliver food

A newly opened Delaware seafood restaurant has a unique item on its menu: robot servers. The machines are the latest example of intelligent machines working in the restaurant industry.




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A hit-and-run scooter crash nearly killed him. Now he’s fighting for the data that could reveal the rider’s identity.

A Chicago cyclist was injured by an electric scooter rider who fled the scene. Now he's gone to court to get the city's scooter companies to turn over personal information about their riders and their history.




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Researchers just created a robotic lens that can be controlled by the eyes

A team of researchers at the University of California at San Diego have created a soft robotic lens that responds to eye movements.




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The newest hope to beat the traffic: a ‘flying’ water taxi that glides across town

The SeaBubble is a new form of urban transportation that could offer Parisians a watery alternative to hailing a taxi, driving a car or hopping on an electric scooter.




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Caltech’s latest creation: A hovering, bird-like robot that could someday explore Mars

Researchers at Caltech have unveiled a complex new robot with the ability move between flight and walking on two legs. The machine unique design was inspired by birds.




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It’s never been easier to avoid walking. A cargo-carrying robot might change that.

A new robot from a Boston start-up is designed to make walking easier by carrying your belongings for you.




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NBC’s latest gamble depends on the idea that you’ll want to shop while you watch TV

NBC has rolled out a new feature that allows people to shop while they watch television, but a question remains: will anybody use it?




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Banking that electric cars can also be cool, Ford introduces an all-electric Mustang

Ford Motor has unveiled the Mustang Mach-E, an all-electric sport utility vehicle that the company claims will have a range of at least 230 miles.




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Tiger Woods is a changed player. That’s good for the U.S. in the Ryder Cup.

“He’s a different Tiger Woods,” said U.S. vice captain Davis Love III, and his recent form as well as his demeanor appear to back that up.




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Silicon Valley VCs have a new obsession that perfectly captures the grave danger facing startups : How long is your 'runway'?

Startups are facing what could become the worst economic downturn in several decades, and VCs are begging them to take drastic measures to improve their chances of making it through. 

Most Americans who lived through the 2008 financial crisis will know that a savings stockpile or rainy day fund can mean the difference between surviving and thriving during tough times, but as recent studies have shown, many tech startups and VC firms don't have a similar first-hand experience; many have only known boom times and are now venturing into uncharted waters.

One thing VCs agree on is that startups need to quickly rein in growth plans — ideally as soon as yesterday — and start scrutinizing expenses. Anything nonessential should be cut or suspended indefinitely, headcount should be reduced, and pricey office leases eliminated if possible, all with the goal of extending a startup's "runway."

In Silicon Valley, runway refers to how much cash a startup has on hand to put against its operating expenses. If, for example, a startup has roughly $100,000 in monthly operating expenses and has $1 million in the bank, they are looking at a 10-month runway, assuming revenue stays roughly flat.

In the days before the coronavirus pandemic, a startup's runway dictated when it had to start looking for additional funding. Instead of cutting expenses, the popular solution was to simply put more VC money in the bank. This helped high flying startups like Uber and Airbnb expand at a breakneck pace — VC dollars kept pouring in and the companies remained unprofitable as they chased growth at all costs.

But now, VCs are saying that's no longer an option. Founders Fund general partner Keith Rabois said on a podcast recently that profitability is now being rewarded much more than high-growth. 

For startups that aren't profitable, that means hunkering down and ensuring there are enough reserves to last through the crisis.

So how long does the runway need to be? 

Many VCs that Business Insider has spoken to are advising their startups to have at least 18 months of runway. But some VCs say startups should have upwards of 3 years' of expenses saved up. 

The length of time can vary depending on the startup, one investor told Business Insider, pointing to the startup's age and industry as important factors. An early-stage company with a handful of employees and low-overhead costs might easily stretch a $500,000 seed check, whereas a growth-stage biotech startup with hundreds of employees, expensive hardware, and pricey office space might struggle to make tens of millions of dollars in funding make it through 12 months. Those that can't cut costs will be forced to fundraise with poor terms and risk the dreaded downround

"You can always easily dial back up the aggressiveness and risk profile if we get more optimistic visibility, but if you don't take action right away — to preserve capital, cut your burn rate, have fundamentally attractive unit economics, edit the product to make more sense in the new world order — if you don't do those right away, the opportunity to do those things and survive is probably lost forever," Rabois said in the April Talkshow broadcast.

Rabois is in the camp of pessimists, generally speaking, who think the economic downturn will not only drag on through 2020, but could eventually turn into an economic depression the likes of which could rival the Great Depression of the 1930s. He said that his VC peers are starting to rein in the freewheeling deal-making that has defined the last two decades of the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem, and are now treading cautiously. It's time that startups do the same, he said.

SEE ALSO: Lower valuations and a long wait for funding: Two top early-stage VCs dish on how they are counseling startups to withstand long-term economic uncertainty

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Pathologists debunk 13 coronavirus myths




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Dock workers in Belgium are wearing monitoring bracelets that enforce social distancing — here's how they work

  • Dockworkers in Belgium are wearing bracelets to enforce social distancing.
  • The bracelets were already used to detect if someone fell into the water, but now they will sound an alarm if workers get to close to each other.
  • Manufacturers say there is no privacy issue and the bracelets don't track workers' locations, despite concerns.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Quarantine and social distancing are going high-tech as countries and companies embrace wearables. In Antwerp, Belgium, dockworkers are instructed to wear bracelets that enforce social distancing rules while they work.

Europe, where more than 100,000 people have died from COVID-19, is slowly starting to reopen in some places. Stay at home orders are expiring in many countries, while nonessential travel has stopped across the EU, and countries look towards the summer to anticipate what kind of travel might be possible. 

People are beginning to go back to work, which in some sectors means inevitable close contact, especially in many essential jobs. Social distancing bracelets in Belgium are one idea bing tested to see what the future of work might look like after coronavirus.

Here's how it works. 

SEE ALSO: People arriving in Hong Kong must wear tracking bracelets for 2 weeks or face jail time. Here's how they work.

The black, plastic bracelets are worn on the wrist like a watch.



They're made by Belgian company Rombit, which says that they are "a fully integrated personal safety and security device, specifically designed for highly industrial environments."

Source: Romware



Rombit already made bracelets useful in the port setting, which could be used to call for help if a worker fell into the water or another accident occurred.



Europe is slowly starting to go back to work, but fears of a second wave are making officials cautious.



Contact tracing is one solution being explored around the world, and the manufacturers of the bracelet believe it could also be used for contact tracing.

Source: The Associated Press



European health guidances say to wash hands, wear masks, and keep at least 1.5 meters, or about five feet, apart.



When two workers are less than five feet apart, the bracelets will sound warnings.



Rombit CEO John Baekelmans told Reuters that the bracelets won't allow companies to track employees' locations, because the devices are only connected to each other. He says there is no central server.

Source: Reuters



Workers in the control tower will be the first to test the bracelets early this month.



Then, the Port of Antwerp will likely expand the devices to tug boat workers.



Baekelmans told Reuters that Rombit already had hundreds of requests in 99 countries, and is hoping to ramp up production to 25,000 in a few weeks.






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The Polaris Slingshot is a car-motorcycle mashup that costs $33,000 and can do 0-60 mph in 5 seconds — on 3 wheels.

  • I tested a roughly $33,000 Polaris Slingshot R, a three-wheeled "autocycle."
  • The three-wheeler category includes vehicles from Can-Am and Harley-Davidson, offering a motorcycle experience in a less demanding package.
  • My Slingshot R had a new, Polaris-developed, 203-horsepower engine and an automatic transmission.
  • In all but three US states, no motorcycle license is required to operate the Slingshot (New York, Massachusetts, and Alaska continue to require the motorcycle certification).
  • The Slingshot is insanely fun, with a modest learning curve — it's a great alternative to a two-wheeler, although the price is definitely steep for the Slingshot R.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Motorcycles are cool, but they aren't for everybody. Fortunately, there are some alternatives out there that offer an equally compelling, open-air experience.

One of the most popular is the the Polaris Slingshot, manufactured by the Minnesota-based powersports company. Until recently, Slingshots were available only with manual transmissions and GM-sourced engines, but for 2020, Polaris has updated the autocycle with an in-house motor and an automatic.

The automatic transmission in particular really broadens the Slingshot's potential. So I was excited to sample the machine, which I first saw about five years ago.

Polaris was kind enough to loan me a tester for a few weeks. Here's how it went:

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The Polaris Slingshot is a three-wheeled autocycle/motorcycle that Polaris industries has produced since 2014. My 2020 Slingshot R tester cost about $33,000 and was outfitted in a menacing red-and-black paint job.

The cheapest Slingshot is about $20,000.



This wasn't my first crack at a Slingshot. Polaris brought the vehicle to Insider's New York offices when the vehicle first launched.



And I generally have a gander at the Slingshot when I visit the annual New York motorcycle show.



The Slingshot is classified as either a motorcycle or an autocycle, depending on which state it's being operated in.



Yep, it looks like the Batmobile. Or Batcycle. Hard to avoid feeling like a superhero when you're behind the wheel. In all but three US states, no motorcycle license is required to drive the Slingshot. In New Jersey, you are required to wear a helmet.

Up front, you have 18-inch forged aluminum wheels, with an 20-incher at the back. The brakes have two-piece composite rotors.



Permanent open-air motoring isn't for everybody. Polaris does sell and older model, the Grand Touring, which has a cockpit canopy. The Polaris R has a waterproof interior and drain holes in the floorboards, should you get caught in bad weather.



My tester was the top-level "R" trim, complete with dual roll bars for drier and passenger.



Let's talk fender fairings! The Slingshot's are dramatic and large — I was reminded of Chevy Corvettes while driving this thing. Like a motorcycle, there's no rear-view mirror, so you have to adjust slightly to using the sideviews.



There's a new engine under the hood. Previously, Polaris used a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder GM-sourced Ecotech motor, making up to 175 horsepower. But my R had a ProStar four, also at 2.4-liters, cranking out 203 horsepower with a five-speed automatic transmission (a manual remains available). It's an in-house engine that was impressive in action.

The top speed is limited at 125 mph, and the 0-60mph run, according to Polaris and confirmed by yours truly, is about five seconds.

The four-banger redlines at 8,500 rpm and even with the automatic transmission does a pretty fair imitation of proper motorcycle acceleration. The auto is a tad crunchy, but in this context, that's a plus. It keeps you aware of what the engine is doing.



The rear wheel — fat and wide — is yoked to the motor and transmission with a belt drive. The suspension is surprisingly compliant, but you do have to be mindful of bumps, potholes, and manhole covers if you want to preserve you lower spine.



Polaris says the interior has been upgraded for 2020. No one would call it premium, but for a vehicle like this, it's rather comfortable.



The steering wheel is leather-wrapped, multifunctioned, and flat-bottomed to make getting into and out of the driver's seat easier.



The instrument cluster is a basic analog affair with a central digital display. The red button to on the right steering-wheel spoke allows you to switch between Comfort and Slingshot modes (the latter being the high-performance option).



The bucket seats are waterproof and extremely well-bolstered, with three-point seat belts.



The Slingshot's tubular frame is apparent in the doorless frame.



Not really much cargo capacity here, although I did use the Slingshot for a grocery-store run and quick jaunt to Target to buy a basketball.



There is a place to stow a smartphone, located just above the push-button gear selector.



The Slingshot also has push-button start-stop.



The glove compartment is the only other storage available ...



... And it's actually pretty roomy. One could stash a rain jacket in there, for example.



The RideCommand infotainment system is basic — but good! On a vehicle such as this, I wasn't expecting much, but the audio setup sounded decent, the screen was responsive, and Bluetooth and USB connectivity was on-par with what you'd find in any modern automobile.



There's even GPS navigation, which can display a map and provide turn-by-turn guidance.



The ride-mode selector is doubled in the infotainment system.



So what's the verdict?

I love three-wheelers. They aren't as cool as two-wheeled motorbikes, but they provide easy access to open-air motoring, and the driving/riding experience is much more engaging than what you find in convertible automobiles.

For anybody who dislikes the impracticality of motorcycles but wants to partake of the open-road lifestyle, machines like the Slingshot (the Can-Am Spyder and the Harley-Davidson Freewheeler, to name two) are ideal.

Not for nothing, they also offer aging riders a chance to yank their helmets and biker jackets out of storage to pursue moderately safer riding. With the Slingshot, gearing-up isn't necessary.

The trade-off, of course, is price. The Slingshot R that I tested costs more than an entry-level car or SUV. So, an expensive plaything. But there's nothing wrong with that. Everybody needs a hobby.

No doubt about it, the Slingshot captures attention. I lost count of how many little kids a stopped in their tracks as I tooled around the Jersey suburbs. The last vehicle that provoked such astonishment was the Lamborghini Huracán Performante. If you become a Slingshotter, prepare to be pointed at and asked for photo-ops.

Driving-wise, the Slingshot scratches an itch: on the road, the experience is unexpurgated — you don't have to be constantly vigilant, as you would on a bike, but you do need to remain aware. Highway trips are demanding. And noisy. And exhilarating. The Slingshot R is also fast and torque-y and the power goes to the single back wheel, so the while the two-wheeled front is stable, the back end can get pretty wiggly, especially in Slingshot mode, if you stomp the throttle.

I had iffy springtime Northeast weather to contend with, so I took the Slingshot out only on warm and sunny days; the rest of the time, I parked it in my garage. But the vehicle can handle being rained on, and one could also buy a cover to protect it from the elements. To be honest, however, I think it's a better choice in warm, dry climates. 

The performance is aggressively go-kart-y. This thing will make you a better drive, thanks to its point-and-shoot steering, crisp suspension, and easy access to power. It's insanely fun on curves and into corners. But it's also worthy of short road trips. In fact, the relative comfort was a shocker: I took the Slingshot out for a few hours one day and suffered no ill-effects to my lower back.

Drawback? The design is thoroughly sporty, so if you don't go in for that, the Slingshot might not be your bag. It isn't a throwback, nor is it at all steam-punky. 

It also isn't a motorcycle, in that there aren't any handlebars, you don't throw a leg, and the single wheel takes up the rear. 

But the Slingshot is a absolute blast, and if you're a weekend warrior who wants to carve up a canyon or a country road without having the grapple with a motorcycle's demands — and you don't mind dropping some dollars — the Slingshot is perfect.






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Miss the Biden and Obama bromance? There’s — another — book for that.

Parodist Andrew Shaffer's new mystery "Hope Rides Again" (a sequel to 2018's "Hope Never Dies"), reunites the literary and real-life duo.




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Which politician actually said that Ruth Bader Ginsburg would be dead soon?

The 86-year-old Supreme Court Justice repeated a regular clap back she's reserved for those who've counted her out. She isn't going anywhere.




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12 Bad Cruise Habits That Annoy Other Cruise Passengers

Discover 12 habits and things cruisers do on a cruise that annoy other cruise passengers the most. Things I have seen on my many cruises, watch cruise fans discussing on cruising forums and reading complaints about. 12 common practices, habits and things cruise guests do that drive other passengers crazy. Are you guilty of any of these? Do some or all of these drive you crazy? Or, do you not see why they upset other cruise guests?




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Cruise Services That Could Change The Way You Cruise

You're about to discover eight services that I think could change the way you cruise forever! In this, I talk about eight amazing, innovative and sometimes unusual services that I think could help travellers think about and cruise very differently . Some will help people cruise when they thought they could not.

SUPPORT THE CHANNEL BY: Buying my Cruise T-shirts: http://bit.ly/TFTStore and Booking your next cruise with CRUISEDIRECT.COM: http://bit.ly/TFTBookCruise

Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers aims to help you make more of your precious travel time and money on land and when cruising the oceans or rivers of the world. To help you, in every video I draw on my first-hand tips and advice from travelling every month for over 20 years and 60+ cruises.

Follow Tips For Travellers on: Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/garybembridge - Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipsfortravellers - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/garybembridge




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‘The president would never do that!’ Oh, yes, he would.

With his latest threats to weaken the dollar, we’re seeing this pattern once again.




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Stephen Miller is right about immigration — but not in the way that he means

Immigration does touch on many other policy issues, though maybe not in the manner he suggests.




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Ivanka Trump claims her father’s administration is ‘pro-family.’ That’s rich.

Maybe it’s irony. Or maybe it’s her latest attempt to pinkwash her father’s anti-family agenda.




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Yes, Trump’s latest Fed pick is that bad. Here’s why.

Judy Shelton is an opportunist and a quack. Senate Republicans seem to know this — but they still may be too craven to oppose her nomination.




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The 2020 elections are being driven by health care. That’s good news for Democrats.

Republican incompetence and heartlessness are again coming to Democrats’ rescue.




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Trump has almost nothing to lose. That’s why he wants to reopen the economy.

Reopening the country may be bad from a public health standpoint, but the president is pushing for it anyway.




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8 Virtual Summer Camps That Will Keep Your Little Ones Engaged

Obviously, due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak, summer plans are on hold until further notice. And for families who rely on camp during the warmer months, this can be problematic. Although traditional summer camps might be out of the question this year, there are plenty of virtual options that will keep kids of all ages entertained. Whether they're looking to keep their academics sharp (hey, no one likes that pesky summer slide, right?) or just want some good, old-fashioned fun, these online summer camps will deliver.




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oscon: Mobile UX Design & Development for Apps - learn to craft an app that’s functional and fun to use http://t.co/L8kTLaxbYH #oscon #tutorial

oscon: Mobile UX Design & Development for Apps - learn to craft an app that’s functional and fun to use http://t.co/L8kTLaxbYH #oscon #tutorial




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oscon: High Availability in MySQL - how to pick a solution that best matches your use case http://t.co/PItdw0maTj @h_ingo #oscon #tutorial

oscon: High Availability in MySQL - how to pick a solution that best matches your use case http://t.co/PItdw0maTj @h_ingo #oscon #tutorial




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strataconf: Big data vs big reality http://t.co/D751jk0ntb Data itself has no quality. It’s what you do with it that counts

strataconf: Big data vs big reality http://t.co/D751jk0ntb Data itself has no quality. It’s what you do with it that counts




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strataconf: RT @synergicpartner: We are pleased to announce that we will sponsor next #strataconf in London!!! @strataconf @synergicpartner #BigData ht…

strataconf: RT @synergicpartner: We are pleased to announce that we will sponsor next #strataconf in London!!! @strataconf @synergicpartner #BigData ht…




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WIB Vulnerability: Sim-Card that Allows Hackers to Takeover Phones

In the past, we’ve all witnessed sim-jacking attacks that allow a hacker to impersonate the targeted victim to steal the phone number. Hackers can gain access to unauthorized information related to the victim using the vulnerability, ‘SimJacker’ was that vulnerability. Recently there’s a similar vulnerability that has popped up, which uses the same SMS-technology to […]

The post WIB Vulnerability: Sim-Card that Allows Hackers to Takeover Phones appeared first on ReadWrite.




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A script that detects anomalies at a local level

This script alerts advertisers when regional differences related to the coronavirus have an impact on your PPC campaigns.

Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.




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Pro Tip: How to find and fix 404 errors that really matter to win your traffic back

External sources link to your website with the wrong URLs, here’s how you can fix that.

Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.