Archive for RB

| August 20, 2022
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Seven Quick Tips For Better Coffee

Seven Quick Tips For Better CoffeeFor the longest time, the coffee I made at home never tasted like the brew I got at my local coffee shop. That meant I stopped a Tims a lot. However the cost of coffee at the drive-up has exploded. According to Tasting Table the price of coffee has been steadily increasing. In October 2019, coffee’s average price per pound in U.S. cities was $4.17. It has increased 38.8% by June 2022. The price per pound of coffee increased to $5.79. After much research and experimentation  I have identified 7 quick tips make a bold and delicious cup of coffee at home or work.

Store your coffee right

SStore your coffee righttore your coffee in a container with an air-tight lid, like a mason jar. You can or store a bag or can of coffee on a shelf or back of the pantry. You should find a spot free of humidity. Avoid the freezer – it’s humid in there. I use the OXO Airtight 1.7 Qt for Coffee and More Food Storage, Good Grips POP Container.

Warm your mug

If you pour hot coffee into a mug at a lower temperature, it won’t stay hot for long. You can prolong your coffee sipping pleasure by pre-warming the cup. Pour some hot water into the cup and let it sit while the coffee is brewing. Pout off the hot water before filling the mug with coffee and enjoy a longer-lasting hot cup of coffee.

Use the right coffee cup

the right coffee cupUse a diner-style white coffee mug with thick walls. Thick-walled mugs maintain the coffee’s steaming hot temperature for longer. Avoid those dainty china teacups. They are going to drop in temperature quickly, leaving you with room-temperature coffee. Sturdy handcrafted ceramic mugs are fine too.

Too much water

A weak cup of coffee can be caused by too much water—or not enough coffee—for a good cup of joe. Start with two heaping tablespoons of coffee per cup of brew and then tweak the coffee/water ratio if needed.

Use good water

Tap water is convenient, but if you don’t like the taste of your tap water, don’t use it for coffee. Tap water impurities can affect the taste of your morning brew. Switch to filtered water or bottled spring water. Filtered water is free of minerals and are not acidic.

Clean your filter basket

This one would seem to be a no brainer, but have you ever checked the machine at the office? Make sure that you remove the used grounds directly after brewing. If they sit in the filter for a few days, they can get moldy and you’ll need to thoroughly clean the machine before using it again.

Clean your coffee machine

Clean your coffee machineYour coffeemaker needs to be cleaned regularly. Wash the carafe, filter basket and lids in soapy water after every use. And at least once a month run a brew cycle with equal parts water and vinegar. Get full instructions on how to clean a coffee maker here.

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These seven quick tips can help you make your coffee taste like your favorite coffee shop brew.

 

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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

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| August 12, 2022
Comments Off on What the Internet Looks Like in 2022

What the Internet Looks Like in 2022

What the Internet Looks Like in 2022I have written about maps of the Internet a number of times here and here on the Bach Seat. The latest is the beautiful “Map of the Internet 2021.” The map was published by Martin Vargic, a Slovak artist and author. It is a brand new fully updated map of the internet. It is available at halcyonmaps.com.

This 21st century map is inspired by historical maps. Mr. Vargic concisely, and comprehensively visualizes the current state of the World Wide Web. He documents the largest and most popular websites on the during Internet 2020-2021.

Wikimedia land

Compared to previous maps of the Internet, this new version is more detailed and informative. It includes thousands of the most popular websites. Websites are represented as “countries.” The Internet countries are grouped together with similar sites. The groups form regions and continents like “news sites”, “search engines”, “social networks”, “e-commerce”, “adult entertainment”, “file sharing”, “software companies” and more.

What is on the Map of the Internet 2021

At the center of the map are ISPs and web browsers. Because they form the core and backbone of the internet. Color schemes of websites are based on the dominant colors of their user interface or logo. To add further detail, Mr. Vargic labels features and content creators as over 10 thousand cities and towns.

The map pays tribute to Internet personalities as well. Website founders and CEOs are represented as capital cities. Popular users of social networks and celebrities can be found in the realms of Youtube, Facebook, or Twitter. Some of the most important Internet and computing pioneers are featured on the map in the names of underwater ridges.

Relative territorial sizes of websites on the map are based on their average Alexa web traffic ranking between January 2020 and January 2021. When the map is updated it will provide an unprecedented visualization to the future generations of how internet used to be.

Many countries still have many thriving domestic sites and social networks specific to their region, including Iran, Russia, Japan, India, Indonesia ,South Korea, but especially China.

Chinese Internet

Great firewall of ChinaIn the last decade, the Chinese Internet user-base has grown rapidly. The Chinese government blocks most major international sites such as Google, Youtube and Facebook with the great firewall. This has allowed China to develop an independent domestic ecosystem of websites of all types. Some Chinese Internet sites such as Weibo, Baidu, Tmall and QQ, some of which have grown to rival sites as Google or Facebook in their sheer number of visitors and activity. However their presence outside of mainland China is almost nonexistent, mostly for linguistic and cultural reasons.

Mr. Vargic says that this Map of the Internet was inspired by the “Map of Online Communities“ by Randall Munroe.

 

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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

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| July 23, 2022
Comments Off on How to Buy a Non-Fungible Token

How to Buy a Non-Fungible Token

How to Buy a Non-Fungible TokenCNN reports that a new record price was paid for bottle of Champagne. The bubbly sold at auction for $2.5 million, making it the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold. The record setting magnum of Chateau Avenue Foch, 2017, comes with a bonus. For $2.6 million the owners also got a single non-fungible token (NFT). The NFT is for the rights to an image of “Bored Ape Mutant” and other cartoon figures that decorate the bottle.

What is a non-fungible token

What is a non-fungible tokenNon-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the latest cryptocurrency phenomenon to go mainstream. NFTs claim to transform digital works of art and other collectibles into one-of-a-kind, verifiable assets that can be traded on the blockchain. Sales of NFTs have been driven by celebrity endorsements, Online characeters like Elon Musk and Lindsay Lohan have pushed the NFT market to $41 billion in sales to 2021.

Non-fungible tokens are cryptographic assets on a blockchain with unique identification codes and metadata. These traits distinguish them from each other. Unlike cryptocurrencies, they cannot be traded or exchanged at equivalency. This differs from fungible tokens like cryptocurrencies, which are identical to each other and, can serve as a medium for commercial transactions.

How to Buy NFTs

How to Buy NFTsTo get into the highly speculative non-fungible token market, you will need to do some work before you can own an NFT.

  1. Set up a digital wallet that allows you to store NFTs and cryptocurrencies.
    2. Purchase some cryptocurrency. Eth, on the Ethereum network is the most popular cryptocurrency to buy NFTs. You can buy cryptocurrency using a credit card on platforms like Coinbase or PayPal.
    3. Move your cryptocurrency from the exchange to your wallet.
    3. Start shopping at non-fungible token marketplaces. NFT marketplaces are platforms that host thousands of non-fungible tokens creators and collectors.

NFT marketplaces

Foundation is a community-curated marketplace. It requires non-fungible token creators to be invited by other creators who are already part of the platform. 

Nifty Gateway is an non-fungible token marketplace with plans “to make NFTs accessible to everyone.” They work with big-name brands, athletes, and creators to create limited-edition digital art collections exclusive to the platform.

OpenSea.io is one of the first NFT marketplaces. It bills itself as  the “largest NFT marketplace.”

Rarible is a community-owned non-fungible token marketplace.  The platform focuses on art assets. It uses the RARI cryptocurrency issued on the platform.

The high profile NFT craze is attracting scammers. Some may try to sell you an non-fungible token when it’s not. Others may claim they have the right to sell an NFT they don’t own and didn’t create.

You have been warned.


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CNN reports that the Champagne was bought by Italian  cryptocurrency speculators. Despite their crypto profile, the purchase was made in dollars due to the recent cryptocurrency implosion. The price of a Bored Ape Yacht Club token has fallen. The price fell from an all-time high in April 2022 of 153 eth ($163,000), to 75 ethereum in May 2022.

Remember that the value of a non-fungible token is based entirely on what someone else is willing to pay for it. Therefore, demand will drive the price rather than fundamental, technical or economic indicators, which drive stock prices and investor demand.

Even if you buy a non-fungible token winner worth millions, Forbes warns that NFTs are subject to capital gains taxes. NFTs are taxable just like when you sell stocks at a profit. Since they’re considered collectibles, they may not receive the preferential long-term capital gains rates stocks do and may even be taxed at a higher collectibles tax rate. 

The cryptocurrencies used to purchase the NFT may also be taxed if they’ve increased in value since you bought them. This means you may want to check in with a tax professional when considering adding NFTs to your portfolio.

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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

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| July 2, 2022
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Celebrating the Fourth of July

Celebrate your independence this

Fourth of July

Fourth of July 2022

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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

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| June 16, 2022
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Tim Horton’s Caught Collecting Private Data

Tim Horton's Caught Collecting Private DataThe mobile app from coffee shop Tim Horton’s has been collecting vast amounts of users private data without consent. The Canadian federal privacy commission investigation began two years ago after the Financial Post reported on Tim’s contract with Radar Labs Inc. Radar Labs is a third-party U.S. firm that provided enhanced location tracking services for the app.

What Private Data Did Tim Horton’s Collect?

Tim Horton's app collected users' geolocation without their knowledge.Between May 2019 and August 2020 the Tim Horton’s app, which has four million users, collected users’ geolocation without their knowledge. The app collected personal data from users even when the apps was not being used. People who downloaded the Tim Horton’s app had their movements tracked and recorded every few minutes of every day, even when their app was not open.

Radar was able to use the information it collected in the app to identify personal location data. The app could identify a user’s home, place of work and when they visited a competitor of Tim Horton’s. Reports are the app noted when users entered a Starbucks, Second Cup, McDonald’s, Pizza Pizza, A&W, KFC or Subway. The Tim Horton’s app was even able to figure out if users had been traveling. The app generated an “event” every time users entered or left a Tim Horton’s competitor, a major sports venue, or their home or workplace. Canadian Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien said in a statement

Tim Horton’s clearly crossed the line by amassing a huge amount of highly sensitive information about its customers

What Happened to Tim’s?

delete the granular data it collected, and any further data derived from itAccording to the report, Tim Horton’s collected granular location data for the purpose of targeted advertising and product promotions. Even though Tim’s never used the information for those purposes. The investigation also found that there were inadequate contractual protections for users’ personal data. Commissioner Therrien commented,

The location tracking ecosystem, where details of our daily lives are treated as a commodity to be exploited to sell us products and services such as a cup of coffee, heightens the risk of mass surveillance

Based on its findings, the OPC ordered Tim Horton’s to delete the granular data it collected, and any further data derived from it and to order all third-party providers to do the same. Tim Horton’s has since complied. Additionally, the company agreed to create a privacy management program for the app and all future apps to prevent another privacy violation. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner noted, there “is a real risk that de-identified geolocation data could be re-identified.“

Tim Horton’s has more than 5,100 stores in 13 countries. Most are in Canada, but there are more than 600 in the US, mostly in New York, Michigan, and Ohio.

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Tim Horton’s was caught collecting illegitimate data via its app. It is a safe bet that many more apps are doing much the same with dubious consent. It is essential to always read through a user agreement before consenting. Both Apple and Android offer options on their phones to restrict how their apps track them. A step in the right direction.

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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

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