Type 2 diabetes is a disease affecting 415 million people globally and Virta, a Silicon Valley-based health startup, believes it has something unique to reverse it – remote monitoring of everything you eat.
Most people with the disease end up having to constantly monitor their blood sugar with the prick of a needle and diabetic pills or can “cure” it with bariatric surgery. However, type 2 diabetes (also know as adult onset diabetes) only affects those afflicted with it if their sugar levels go too high or too low. Thus, monitoring every carb you swallow is another measure in keeping the disease at bay.
But, believes Virta, it could also help reverse it all together without medications or surgery — something the company hopes it has proven out by working with 6,000 patients so far and publishing over 300 scientific papers on its studies of the disease.
The idea is also getting a nod from the former chief medical officer of the American Diabetes Association Dr. Robert Ratner, who is hopeful this new treatment could help significantly reduce the growth of medical costs for the disease, which ballooned to $245 billion in the U.S. since 2013.
The company has so far pulled in $37 million in funding from VC firms Venrock, Allen & Company, Ev Williams’ Obvious Ventures, Redmile Group, and PayPal and Affirm founder Max Levchin’s Scifi VC to study new treatment options that could reverse the disorder.
“Our mission is to reverse diabetes in 100 million people by 2025. It’s an ambitious goal, but we’re motivated every day by the lives we’ve already changed,” Virta co-founder Sami Inkinen said.
You don’t have to be a cartoonist to appreciate how far we’ve come since the first animated movies. You’ve probably seen some of the most iconic moments from cartoons like Steamboat Willie or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. But have you ever seen them edited together in a giant supercut?
YouTube channel The Solomon Society recently compiled the most iconic 2D moments in animation history and put them all into a short video for you to see. For any newbies, it’s a crash course in some of the most seminal moments in cartoon history. For those who grew up on this stuff, it’s a familiar trip down memory lane. Either way, you should take four minutes out of your day and check out this mesmerizing video.
Spring migration 1-2 weeks ahead of historical datesMinnesota Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota –-(Ammoland.com)- Bald eagles are migrating back to Minnesota and may be seen in large numbers across parts of the state over the next few weeks, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The spring eagle migration usually coincides with ice-out. A warm February melted much of the snow cover, and ice is breaking up along the rivers, said DNR regional Nongame Wildlife specialist Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer. “Because of that, this year’s migration appears to be a couple weeks earlier, so folks in southern Minnesota will be seeing eagles soon, even with the last remnants of winter,” she said. “We’re already seeing small groups of eagles along the Minnesota River.”
Only two states, Florida and Alaska, have greater nesting populations of bald eagles than Minnesota. In 2005, researchers estimated there are more than 1,300 active nests in Minnesota.
Fall migration typically occurs as lakes and rivers freeze over, since most eagles prefer a diet of fish. Bald eagle wintering grounds ideally contain open water, ample food, limited human disturbance and protected roosting sites. As their population increases, however, some eagles have become tolerant of some disturbance, particularly traffic, choosing to nest near busy highways or in very urban habitats. To supplement their diets in winter, eagles also prey on mammals and other birds, and will often be seen on roadsides eating carrion.
Not all bald eagles migrate southward in the fall, Gelvin-Innvaer said. In many areas in Minnesota, it’s common for some eagle pairs to stay the winter, especially during milder winters and wherever there is open water.
“This year’s winter was a bit milder,” she said. “There were fewer subzero nights and not as much snow on the ground as some other years. That should have made for an easier winter for them to find food.”
Bald eagles that stay local may begin courting and nesting as early as December or January. Other bald eagles return to their breeding territories as soon as a food source is available.
“Eagles tend to vary their migration routes, so it’s hard to say exactly where the eagles are right now,” Gelvin-Innvaer said. In Minnesota, the biggest migrations tend to be along the Minnesota River corridor, the north shore of Lake Superior and around Lake Pepin in southeastern Minnesota.
Adult bald eagles are easily identified by a white head and tail contrasting with a dark brown body. Bald eagles attain full adult plumage in their fourth or fifth year. In flight, bald eagles are sometimes confused with turkey vultures. Bald eagles can be distinguished by their tendency to soar on flat, board-like wings, while turkey vultures fly with their wings in a V-shape.
The bald eagle’s recovery is a success story and an example of how they and many other wildlife species benefit directly from donations made to the Nongame Wildlife checkoff on Minnesota tax forms. For the past forty years, checkoff dollars have been used to fund research, surveys, and education for more than 900 nongame wildlife species. When the checkoff began, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and trumpeter swans were almost gone from our landscape. Today, they are all thriving in Minnesota. Each dollar donated is matched by funds from the Reinvest In Minnesota Account. Donations are accepted year-round.
More information is available here: http://ift.tt/2mVv33P.
The DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Program is now streaming live video of a nesting pair of bald eagles on its website at http://ift.tt/2lVEI5F.
For additional information on bald eagles and where to view them, go to http://ift.tt/2mVmXIK.
Most people fell back in love with the Star Wars franchise when it first came out, with the prequels really sullying our good memories of the original trilogy (that would come to define all sci fi movies that came after it). But then the prequels happened and (insert what you already know about how shitty they were here) and that kind of fucked up everything. But just when we felt like there was no new hope (yes, that was on purpose) “J.J. Abrams, reboot master” pops into the picture and gives us fans a Star Wars experience back we have been so hungry for in the last decade (or three). But after Rogue One some people have some questions and concerns. The movie was by no means bad, but at this point, how does a badasss franchise that has pretty much milked itself dry stay badass?
Just follow these five simple rules I came up with. I may not be George Lucas but I can definitely handle his franchise better than he can at this point, and now that Abrams is out of the picture, should we be concerned? Read on to find out.
Get Hard
This fake trailer gets it.
No, I don’t want Star Wars to get erection. I am referring to that Kevin Hart movie (you know, that one where Kevin Hart plays Kevin Hart?). In this sense, getting hard means toughening up. I have said it before and will say it again but more GEN-X’ers and baby boomers fill the seats to those new movies more than the tweens do. WE grew up on the series. So why not age like we did a bit (and I don’t mean get old, many of the cast did that, actually. R.I.P Carrie Fisher).
I mean make a Star Wars that deals with heavier issues and maybe has some actual blood. I can PROMISE you an R-Rated Star Wars would do fantastic at the box office and redefine the way people looked at it (A.K.A lose the whole “it’s for kids” rep it has had for 40 years now). You know C-3PO uses that red arm for fisting, let’s not even play games.
Don’t Just Reboot Us
Only a sinner would delete scenes from a Star Wars movie.
As a lot of us came to realize, The Force Awakens wasn’t as much of a new Star Wars movie as it was a sort of refresh of the first plot with some new faces and side stories. I thought it worked really well to bring us back INTO that world, but we need more than that to keep us coming back.
In other words, if Star Wars VIII in the series coming at the end of this year is just a reboot of Empire Strikes Back, (we will be kinda happy because that IS the BEST Star Wars movie, period) but we will also start becoming weary. Using the base storyline as the roots for this new story is great, but please, take us in unexpected directions.
But keep the second movie in this trilogy thematically as dark as Empire. That is what made Empire so jaw-dropping in the first place, it left the audience hopeless at the end.
Flip the Switches
A redemption down the road for Kylo Ren would be awesome to see!
Obviously, what is laid out on the table for us is Rey getting more masterful at her Jedi skills while Kylo Ren does the same, only on the evil side. How about Rey finds out about her past and is disgusted and goes bad (she was orphaned, after all) and Ren realizes he has been manipulated this whole time by the bad guys and his family LOVED him. Boom, he regrets killing his Dad and severing his familial ties, and he goes full- good to take down Rey, who is clearly more powerful than him right now.
THAT WOULD KICK-ASS!
That is the kinda shit I mean. Throw some curves that do not fit into the Jedi blueprint to really redefine the series and keep us wet. Yes, our vaginas. Even us men. Wet them and wet them good with twists and turns on this ride NONE of us can see coming (pun intended yet again).
Add Some Mass Effect Elements
Yup, just watch these scenes to understand.
I am sorry, but whether you know it or not, Mass Effect was bioware doing an original Star Wars. They had done KOTR (best Star Wars game ever BTW) and after that and Jade Empire, they decided to take a stab at the space opera themselves and the end result was astounding and some of the best sci fi we have had in years. So as much as Mass Effect borrowed from Star Wars, maybe Star Wars needs to repay the favor. I know what you are thinking. How?
One of the cooler elements of the game was bringing together a ragtag group of different SPECIES who did not always get along and your Shepard had to do some politicking to get them to agree or work together. Yet everyone who joins in on the good guy side of the Star Wars movies always pretty much just get along from the start, outside minor bickering.
How about we enliven the gang a little by adding some warring species into the mix. It would be a great way to address racial tension in our world right now and it would make it all feel just a little less “by the books” and a little more realistic. No crew of any massive craft of any kind all get along, but that doesn’t mean they can’t learn how to work together. Seeing that evolution could benefit the series greatly.
More of The Stuff We Love
I got me a Fett Fetish.
A good example of this is Boba Fett. We all loved Boba Fett then they dropped him into the sarlacc pit and that was that (except in extended U where he actually escaped but we will leave that alone). That was weak. Then you get the most badass Game of Thrones female character, put her in super shiny armor, and use her for two minutes in TFA. What was that? So many people went into that movie thinking Captain Phasma was gonna be a favorite. And then puff. Gone. Not cool.
Granted, we didn’t see her go into compactors like Finn said, so we have to assume she is alive and we will see her again but don’t play with your fan’s balls like that. Give us less of the wrinkly old CG lady and more of the badass characters we love to hate to love and you know what Star Wars, you just might make the 100 movies you clearly have in mind.
Just be careful, a movie a year is a great way to burn people out, especially if they are all so similar. Just ask Marvel who seems to go with a movie a month now. You don’t want to drown your audience in material, you want to give them just enough that they choose to jump in and swim. Follow these steps and that is just what will continue to happen with Star Wars.
Wrapify, the startup that will pay you to wrap your car with an advertisement, has raised $3M in seed funding. As a refresher, the startup provides a two-side marketplace that matches up drivers wanting to make some extra money with brands looking for a unique way to advertise. Eligible drivers will get their car wrap installed (and removed) for free, and on average are paid $450 a month for the duration of their campaign.
The entire round of funding will come from Avery Dennison, the global manufacturer of adhesive materials (including the Avery brand of office supplies you probably know them for).
Interestingly, Avery Dennison is the manufacturer of the wraps that Wrapify uses on all of its cars. While the adhesive manufacturer has already provided Wrapify exclusive access to new adhesive wrap technology (wraps with fast install-ability and removability) that better fit the startup’s use case of short-term installations, being on the cap table should incentivize them to continue investing in wrap technology that will allow Wrapify to operate more efficiently.
Wrapify plans on using the new funding to grow the company’s sales and engineering teams, as well as build out more features for its brand-facing portal.
Currently, brands can see things like how many cars with their ads are currently on the road, routes these cars are driving each day, and even estimates on how many impressions their campaigns are receiving. These statistics are provided to Wrapify directly from software running on the phones of all drivers currently participating in ad campaigns. Just like Uber uses a virtual phone-based “meter” to track rides, Wrapify uses a similar solution to figure out where and when its cars are on the road.
Wrapify is now live in 29 U.S cities, and has 42,000 drivers signed up on its platform.
After spending 35 hours researching 18 big, high-resolution monitors and testing six finalists, we recommend the 27-inch HP Z27n for most people. Its out-of-the-box measurements are phenomenal, it has a bevy of useful features including a USB 3.0 hub and a highly adjustable stand, and its slim bezels make the screen look even larger. It’s an excellent choice for anyone who wants to upgrade to a larger monitor. (If you’re looking for a 4K monitor, we have another guide for that.)
Ontario Knife Company 2017 Carter 2QuaredOntario Knife Company
USA-(Ammoland.com)- When Ontario Knife Company (OKC) recently introduced the Carter Prime, it quickly became a top seller, and for good reason.
The Prime was designed by Robert Carter (son of longtime OKC designer Joe Pardue and grandson of legendary designer Mel Pardue) to be world class and it proved to be so.
Now, fans of the Carter Prime can look forward to the knife’s sequel: the Carter 2quared (pronounced: ‘squared’). Like its precursor, this new design by Robert Carter has been built with premium materials for uncompromised use in the field.
The design of the Carter 2quared is clearly aggressive, intended to reflect its overbuilt nature. “The vision for our collaboration with Robert Carter is to create products that engender absolute confidence,” said Deneb Pirrone, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at OKC. “This product is built to perform dependably throughout a lifetime of vigorous overuse. The Carter 2quared looks like it wants to be used and this work ethic is reflected in its ability to perform.”
The foundation of the Carter 2quared starts with its titanium handle. Titanium has the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metallic element, and includes inherent corrosion resistance, including in saltwater environments.
Plus, titanium is an ultra-lightweight material, which minimizes weight in pocket or pack. The ergonomic handle is designed for sure grip in slippery situations.
The business end of the Carter 2quared is a 3.55-inch (9.02 cm) drop-point blade constructed of D2 Steel. This metal features elevated chromium levels for superior corrosion and stain resistance while maintaining a hardness of 59-60 HRC.
Since this is a very hard tool steel, the knife is considerably abrasion resistant and durable in the face of heavy use. The titanium frame lock is designed to keep the blade in place even under considerable stress. With the blade open, the overall length spans 8.375 inches (21.31 cm).
The OKC Carter 2quared is made in Taiwan and designed and distributed in the USA.
About Ontario Knife Company:
Founded in 1889, the Ontario Knife Company is an award-winning knife, cutlery, and tool manufacturer operating out of Upstate New York for over 125 years. OKC produces a wide range of tools, including cutlery and kitchenware, hunting and fishing knives, machetes, survival and rescue equipment, science and medical tools, and tactical knives. OKC has a long tradition of building knives and tools for the U.S. military, producing high quality equipment that has seen continuous service since WWII. In addition to being a major supplier to the U.S. Armed Forces, OKC leverages a network of distributors, dealers, and major commercial retailers to sell its products nationwide and internationally to over 35 countries. OKC’s custom manufacturing division Jericho Tool, advances capabilities including a broad-spectrum of injection molding, tool and die, and machining operations to provide white label and OEM manufacturing services for consumer and industrial goods. Collectively OKC’s product lines and manufacturing services reach the house wares, sporting goods, tactical, security, law enforcement & first responders, education, science & medical, and industrial & agricultural industries.
For more information about Ontario Knife Company and its industry-leading line of advanced knives, machetes, edged products and specialty tools, contact Ontario Knife Company at P.O. Box 145-26 Empire Street · Franklinville, NY 14737 · Telephone (716) 676-5527 · Or visit their website. The Ontario Knife Company is a subsidiary of publicly traded Servotronics, Inc. (NYSE MKT – SVT).
In this blog post, we’ll look at how “operator error” can cause serious problems (like the one we saw last week with AWS), and how to avoid them in MySQL using
--i-am-a-dummy
.
Recently, AWS had some serious downtime in their East region, which they explained as the consequence of a bad deployment. It seems like most of the Internet was affected in one way or another. Some on Twitter dubbed it “S3 Dependency Awareness Day.”
Since the outage, many companies (especially Amazon!) are reviewing their production access and deployment procedures. It would be a lie if I claimed I’ve never made a mistake in production. In fact, I would be afraid of working with someone who claims to have never made a mistake in a production environment.
Making a mistake or two is how you learn to have a full sense of fear when you start typing:
UPDATE t1 SET c1='x' ...
I think many of us have experienced forehead sweats and hand shaking in these cases – they save us from major mistakes!
The good news is that MySQL can help you with this. All you have to do is admit that you are human, and use the following command (you can also set this in your user directory .my.cnf):
mysql --i-am-a-dummy
Using this command (also known as safe-updates) sets the following SQL mode when logging into the server:
SET sql_safe_updates=1, sql_select_limit=1000, max_join_size=1000000;
The safe-updates and iam-a-dummy flags were introduced together in MySQL 3.23.11, and according to some sites from around the time of release, it’s “for users that once may have done a DELETE FROM table_name but forgot the WHERE clause.”
What this does is ensure you can’t perform an UPDATE or DELETE without a WHERE clause. This is great because it forces you to think through what you are doing. If you still want to update the whole table, you need to do something like WHERE ID > 0. Interestingly, safe-updates also blocks the use of WHERE 1, which means “where true” (or basically everything).
The other safety you get with this option is that SELECT is automatically limited to 1000 rows, and JOIN is limited to examining 1 million rows. You can override these latter limits with extra flags, such as:
--select_limit=500 --max_join_size=10000
I have added this to the .my.cnf on my own servers, and definitely use this with my clients.
(PG-13: Language) The merc with a mouth drops by to remind us of his existence with this hilarious parody of a famous superhero trope, a Stan Lee cameo, a pint of delicious ice cream, some fast moving smallprint, and more snark than you can shake a stick at.
Ryan Reynolds has made our collective dreams come true by unveiling the clip that teases Deadpool 2‘s impending arrival. Freak-out time!
Slashfilm originally reported that a Deadpool teaser, called “No Good Dead,” is playing before Logan in theaters. Now it’s available to watch in all its Chimichanga glory. The clip features Reynolds, as Wade Wilson, witnessing a crime and (with much difficulty) changing in a phone booth to try and stop it. Sadly, it doesn’t quite work out, but at least he and the victim share a nice moment. There’s even a Stan Lee cameo!
Some people are reporting that this isn’t the version they saw in theaters, which didn’t have a Stan Lee appearance and the phone call joke, among other things. This either means they’ve changed it since then, or have a slightly different version for online release.
Here are some of the things we spotted!
1) Outside the phone booth, there’s graffiti for “Nathan Summers Cumming Soon” (har-har). Obviously, that’s a Cable reference. But if you look inside the phone booth, you see “Hope!”, which could mean that Hope Summers (aka the Mutant Messiah) also makes an appearance.
2) Firefly posters! Lots of Firefly posters. This could mean one of a couple of things. Either this hints Nathan Fillion will be the next Cable, which has been speculated, or it’s an homage to actress Morena Baccarin. Or hell, maybe Wade just really likes Firefly. I wouldn’t blame him.
3) Plenty of references to the Logan film, in true Deadpool fashion. Plus, the long scrolling text at the end is a Deadpool-esque version of The Old Man and the Sea, which has some thematic parallels to Logan’s journey in the film. Although I don’t think Logan’s going to open a Red Lobster franchise by the end.
4) A few other graffiti pieces I spotted but couldn’t identify: “Oggy was here,” “Victim of the Brain,” and “Alley Cats.” If anyone has an idea what these could mean, if anything, let me know in the comments!