Nuffing.com

16 out of 18 witnesses said Michael Brown had his hands up when he was shot  
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PBS analysis of the Michael Brown shooting witnesses

OS X Yosemite has had a slew of issues with Wi-Fi, namely that connections are randomly dropping out or slowing down. If you’re affected by this, developer Mario Ciabarra has a Terminal command that’ll fix the issue.

The problem seems to stem from how Yosemite handles its Wi-Fi connection with AirDrop using a connection called AWDL. So, as you’d guess, the solution is to disable it. You can do so in Yosemite with a Terminal command:

sudo ifconfig awdl0 down

That should fix up your Wi-Fi issues, although it’ll also disable AirDrop. If you’re having those same problems with iOS 8, you can fix it with a jailbreak tweak called Wifried. Head over to Medium for Ciabarra’s full post on the issue.

WiFried: iOS 8 WiFi Issue | Medium

via Lifehacker
Fix Yosemite Wi-Fi Issues with a Terminal Command

Bloggers, magazines, content creators, and freelancers are usually having a hard time finding themes to showcase their thoughts, news, articles and products. And even though there are lots of options with WordPress to do this, many of them are poorly designed and do not have the features a content creator needs. Many of the themes featured in the following article include plugins, frameworks, engines, fonts, icons, e-commerce capabilities, multilanguage, retina support and many more additions that improve the experience of the user while using it, and allows the content creator to take advantage of the combined power of these tools.
via noupe
November 2014: 22 Free WordPress Themes for (almost) All Needs

If you’re looking for two hours of deleted scenes and alternate footage from the original Star Wars Trilogy and hoping that they’d be masterfully edited together documentary-style, well, here you go. Garrett Gilchrist put together all this Star Wars footage you probably never seen before in Star Wars: Deleted Magic.

There’s a lot of great stuff—alternate, deleted, and making of footage—in the documentary that gives you a better idea of what it was like to make Star Wars behind the scenes. Gilchrist first made this documentary (using footage released by LucasFilm) in 2005 and edited it in 2009 but has only recently posted it to Vimeo for all of us to enjoy. So enjoy.

Gilchrist writes:

"Deleted Magic" is a feature-length documentary about the deleted scenes of the Star Wars trilogy, and about how the movies we know and love were made and edited together. It is taken from information, sources and home videos officially released by Lucasfilm. This project is not an official Lucasfilm project – it is an unofficial, not-for-profit research project, done in the spirit of fun by a Star Wars fan to be both informative and entertaining.

The idea is to combine all sorts of alternate, deleted and making-of footage into a full-length film that gives a better view of how the film we know as Star Wars was edited together. In addition to deleted scenes like the Biggs Darklighter material, you’ll get a sense of the "Lost Cuts" of the films … the longer edits that didn’t have finished voices or effects.

SPLOID is delicious brain candy. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

via Gizmodo
Watch two hours of deleted scenes from the original Star Wars Trilogy

Purchasing a home is a major milestone that tops many people’s lifetime to-do lists—and maybe their list of financial fears too. But it certainly doesn’t have to be a scary or stressful experience. With time, care, and research, you can take control of the home-buying process.

This post originally appeared on LearnVest.

Because while house hunting for the first time can be exciting, tales of regretful home-buying mistakes and the not-so-distant housing market meltdown have also given it a bad rap for being a stressful and confusing process. It doesn’t have to be—that’s why we created this handy nine-step checklist, which helps explain how to prepare to buy a house—and help safeguard your finances in the process.

1. Determine What You Can Truly Afford

Well, there are no surprises here: Your first step in the home-buying process is to determine your budget, just as you’d likely do for any other major financial decision.

But where should you start?

"As a general rule of thumb, you should be looking at home prices that are two to three times your annual income," says Tom Gilmour, a CFP® at LearnVest Planning Services. "This helps ensure that you’re not taking on a larger mortgage commitment than you can afford."

Speaking of mortgages, Gilmour recommends that payments generally not exceed 28% of your monthly gross income—but if you have other high costs, such as private school tuition, it can be wise to pare down this percentage even more. If you’re not sure what’s realistic, consider seeking help from a financial professional, who can help walk you through an appropriate breakdown, based on your individual situation.

Once you’ve defined your budget, it’s time to look at your cash reserves. Gilmour suggests saving up a minimum of 20% for your down payment in order to avoid having to buy private mortgage insurance, plus another 3% for closing costs. (More on that later.)

You’ll also want to make sure you have enough savings left over to help pay for any home improvements, decorations or miscellaneous moving and maintenance costs that may pop up—in full. Translation: You should not be using your emergency fund to cover these costs.

"Being a homeowner often comes with surprises, like a burst pipe in the middle of the night that needs to be fixed right away," Gilmour says. "So you need to be financially ready for these surprises, which means you shouldn’t deplete your emergency fund for expenses like furniture or remodeling."

2. Figure out Which Mortgage is Right for You—and Get Pre-Approved

Now that you’ve nailed down your numbers, it’s time to start shopping for a mortgage lender with a reputation for good customer service and timely closings. You’ll likely have a lot of questions—like how long the process will take and what the qualifying guidelines are—so choose a lender that answers them all satisfactorily.

Next, decide which mortgage makes the most sense for you. There are plenty of different options to consider. Although Gilmour advises choosing one of the most common two: a fixed-rate mortgage, in which your interest rate remains steady for the duration of the loan, or an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM), in which your rate fluctuates to reflect market changes.

"[ARMs] can be a good option—but usually only if you plan to live in your home no longer than the original fixed period," Gilmour says. "Otherwise, if the interest rate rises, you could find yourself with a mortgage payment that’s higher than you planned and, depending on your budget, may not be sustainable."

As for the length of your loan, Gilmour favors a 30-year term over 15—even if you think you can pay off your home faster.

"Building equity in a home can be a good way to grow your wealth, but it’s important that you do so in a way that doesn’t stretch your finances too thin," he cautions. "Things can get really ugly when the housing market declines, so it may be a good idea to take out a 30-year mortgage but accelerate your monthly payments as if you had a 15-year mortgage. If you ever need to lower your payment in the future, you’ll still have that option."

Next up on your to-do list: Apply for a pre-approval, the process in which a lender reviews your financial information—like your credit report, W2s and bank statements—and commits to giving you a mortgage for a specified interest rate. It’s a good idea to consider doing this now because it can prove to a seller that you’re a qualified buyer, and once an offer is made, the bank will just have to appraise the home—not the property and your finances.

But a word to the wise: A bank may approve you for a larger loan than you’ve determined you can afford. So don’t be seduced by their findings—and stick with the number you landed on in step one.

3. Consider a Financial Trial Run

If the idea of not being able to afford your mortgage keeps you up at night, this step is all about assuaging those fears by simulating the experience of being a homeowner—before you buy.

Start by totaling up all of the monthly costs associated with a home purchase, including your projected mortgage payment, tax and insurance estimates, HOA fees and home maintenance costs. And don’t worry if you don’t have concrete numbers—the point is to see if you can afford a ballpark amount.

If the sum of the expenses equals more than what you’re paying for housing now, then subtract your rent from the total. The difference is what you should consider transferring to your savings account for a few months to simulate what you’d be paying out to cover your monthly new-home costs.

If you can comfortably pull this off, then rest assured that you can probably handle the typical expenses of being a homeowner. But if you can’t—or you’re making unpleasant trade-offs—consider readjusting your home price until all of these costs are feasible on your current income.

4. Decide Which Features Are Must-Haves and Nice-to-Haves

It’s the rare lucky person who finds the perfect home within their budget, so before you go house hunting, brainstorm a list of what you absolutely must find in a home—and which features are simply nice extras.

Examples of must-haves might include the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, proximity to work and other places you frequent, and access to your preferred school districts. You might also have a strong preference on the amount of outdoor space a house offers, and whether it’s move-in ready.

Things that shouldn’t be on your must-have list? The way a house is decorated, well-manicured landscaping, a pool—or anything else you can easily fix or install yourself.

Refer to this list if you need help down the line making an objective decision between two or more houses—as well as to remind you of what’s really important, versus what could be luring you to pay more than necessary.

5. Start House-Hunting, and Decide If You Need a Real-Estate Agent

Now for the fun part: house hunting! Browsing online resources like Trulia for available homes in your neighborhood is a good place to start, and can help confirm whether your budget and house must-haves are reasonable in light of what’s for sale.

This is also a prime time to decide whether you’ll hire a real estate agent, if you haven’t already. While you’re under no obligation to do so, there are several potential benefits to working with one. First of all, an agent can provide access to more home options than you’ll likely find yourself, as well as set up viewing appointments. Since home-buying can be an emotional process, an agent can also act as a mediator between you and the seller.

To find someone, interview several buyers’ agents—this means they exclusively represent you, and not the seller, as well—until you identify someone who understands your needs and makes you feel comfortable. As a final step, check your state’s real estate licensing board’s website to ensure they’re registered, and don’t have any complaints or suspensions logged against them.

But whether or not you decide to hire an agent, you should hit the ground running now on viewing as many houses as possible.

6. Research Homeowner’s Insurance

Your lender will likely require the name of the agency providing you with home insurance, which is why you should shop around for a quote while you’re still house hunting.

Basic insurance typically covers fire, theft, storm damage and liability should someone get injured on your property and sue you. But you can also add on riders for things like expensive jewelry, furniture and home office equipment, as well as choose to get additional flood insurance if your home is in a flood-prone region.

To find a provider, you can shop around online, from agency to agency, or use an independent agent, who can provide several quotes to review at once. It varies based on your area and, of course, the value of your home, but you can estimate your costs here.

7. Put in an Offer

So you’ve fallen in love with a property that meets all of your needs and some of your wants—and it’s within your price range. Let’s make an offer!

But here’s where it can get tricky: You don’t want to low-ball your offer, and risk losing the home to another buyer or insult the seller—but you also don’t want to pay more than is necessary. So how do you land on the ideal number?

While there are no hard-and-fast rules, a few factors can help inform your decision.

First, look at other home sales in the area. Is the house you want priced reasonably in comparison? Did other homes sell for less or more than the asking price? If they sold for an amount that’s comparable to your seller’s list price, that’s a good indication you should be offering a number close to asking.

Next, consider how long the home has been on the market, and how incentivized the homeowner is to sell. For example, if the seller is living in a transition home while waiting to sell, you may have a better chance of getting the seller to accept a discounted offer. But if he’s casually putting the home on the market to see how much he can net, the seller may be more apt to wait for the perfect price.

Lastly, what’s the market like in the neighborhood? Is it like New York City, where condos get snatched up with all-cash offers, or are you in a Las Vegas-esque location, where empty homes are a common site? In the former situation, it may be a good idea to start with a strong offer to beat out an army of other suitors, whereas you may have more leeway in a market like Vegas.

8. Review the Contract and Submit Your Mortgage Application

The seller accepted your offer—congrats! But before you sign on the dotted line, you should make sure to review the contract thoroughly and understand every single clause.

Pay special attention to contingencies in the contract, which spell out situations when you can back out of the sale to help protect yourself in case something goes wrong. For instance, such scenarios can include if you discover that the home has serious physical defects or if your bank rescinds financing.

Speaking of defects, now is also the time when you’ll get the home inspected, which typically costs between $200 and $500. If there are issues, such as a non-functioning fireplace or an old boiler, you may be able to ask for a price reduction to help cover the cost of repairs. And if you find any deal breakers, such as an unstable foundation or serious mold, you have the option of backing out now.

Once your inspector confirms that there are no big defects that could affect the home’s value, you’ll submit a mortgage application. Review all closing costs—the ones you’ve hopefully saved up 3% to pay for, which might include an attorney’s fee, title insurance and partial property taxes—before you sign the contract.

9. Sign the Papers

Before the big day, you’re entitled to a walk-through to confirm that nothing has changed since the inspection. After that, make sure you have all the money required for the closing wired into the correct account.

Ask the settlement agent for copies of all the paperwork you’ll sign before closing, so you can carefully review them at your leisure. You’ll be putting your John Hancock on several items, including the HUD-1 settlement statement, which details all of the costs related to the home sale; the Final Truth-in-Lending Act statement, which outlines the cost of the loan and the interest rate; and your final mortgage paperwork.

On closing day, bring your photo I.D., as well as any paperwork you received throughout the home-buying process, including insurance and home inspection certificates.

Once you’ve signed the paperwork, you’ll be handed the keys… and you’ll officially become a homeowner!

Checklist: I’m Ready for a Home! 9 Steps to Stress-Free Home-Buying | LearnVest

LearnVest Planning Services is a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of LearnVest, Inc., that provides financial plans for its clients. Information shown is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended as investment, legal or tax planning advice. LearnVest Planning Services and any third parties listed, linked to or otherwise appearing in this message are separate and unaffiliated and are not responsible for each other’s products, services or policies.

Image by Dooder (Shutterstock). Additional photos by Sarah Reid, Marion Doss, Kristen Wheatley, David Brown, and Tim Pierce (Flickr).

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Andy.

via Lifehacker
The Start-to-Finish Guide to Buying a Home

If you’re willing to haggle, you can find some great bargains. But some haggling tactics are more effective than others. Consumer Reports surveyed consumers about their in-store negotiating tactics to find out which ones worked best.

They polled 2,000 American shoppers who reported using a handful of different tactics, from flattery to sob stories. Consumer Reports then looked for the most frequently used tactics among the most successful hagglers.

Threatening to check competitors’ prices was the most-used tactic, at 55 percent. Forty-three percent of successful negotiators said they tried to make a personal connection with the salesperson.

If you’re a novice haggler, it might be helpful to know how the pros do it. For more tactics and detailed tips, check out their full post.

How to haggle your way to holiday savings | Consumer Reports

Photo by Brian Teutsch.

Two Cents is a new blog from Lifehacker all about personal finance. Follow us on Twitter here.
via Lifehacker
Successful Hagglers’ Most-Used Tactic: Threaten to Check Rival Prices

A shipyard worker is enveloped in fumes coming off a separating wall he is cutting through with his blowtorch inside the hull of a ship being dismantled in one of the 127 ship-breaking plots in Gaddani, some 40Kms west of Karachi, Pakistan, on July 9, 2012. Gaddani’s ship-breaking yards employ some 10,000 workers including welders, cleaners, crane operators and worker supervisors. The yards are one of the largest ship-breaking operations in the world rivaling in size those located in India and Bangladesh. It takes 50 workers about three months to break down a midsize average transport sea vessel of about 40,000 tonnes. The multimillion-dollar ship-breaking industry contributes significantly to the national supply of steel to Pakistani industries. For a six-day working week of hard and often dangerous work handling asbestos, heavy metals and PCBs, employees get paid about 300 USD a month of which half is spent on food and rent for run-down rickety shacks near the yards, a labor representative told AFP.

via In Focus
The Ship Breakers

When it starts getting cold outside, creepy critters want to stay warm. Mice and bugs realize your house is warmer than it is outside. Now’s the time to stop them at the gates before they join you for the winter.

Wise Bread interviewed an expert on why pests start invading our homes’ right about now:

"Rodents, spiders, cockroaches, and other pests also seek shelter from the winter elements — and unfortunately our warm homes make the perfect haven," says Amanda Polyak, a representative for the National Pest Management Association. "It’s important to take preventative measures now to keep these pests out because they are known to spread diseases, bring other dangerous pests such as ticks and fleas in to the home, and trigger asthma and allergies."

Check out the link for tips on how to seal everything up. You’ll keep the creepy-crawlies outside and keep the heat inside.

9 Things You Need to Do Now to Prepare for Winter | Wise Bread

Photo by Martin Cathrae.

via Lifehacker
Seal Your Home for the Winter Against Outdoor Critters

An anonymous reader writes: Software engineers understand the pace of writing code, but frequently managers don’t. One line of code might take 1 minute, and another line of code might take 1 day. But generally, everything averages out, and hitting your goals is more a function of properly setting your goals than of coding quickly or slowly. Sprint.ly, a company than analyzes productivity, has published some data to back this up. The amount of time actually developing a feature was a small and relatively consistent portion of its lifetime as a work ticket. The massively variable part of the process is when "stakeholders are figuring out specs and prioritizing work." The top disrupting influences (as experienced devs will recognize) are unclear and changing requirements. Another big cause of slowdowns is interrupting development work on one task to work on a second one. The article encourages managers to let devs contribute to the process and say "No" if the specs are too vague. Is there anything you’d add to this list?

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

via Slashdot
It’s Not Developers Slowing Things Down, It’s the Process