In an unprecedented collaboration the Department of Health and Human Services, the White House Office of Science and Technology and  the Office of the Vice President challenged technology developers to create smartphone apps that would prevent violence and abuse from occuring via the Apps Against Abuse Challenge.

The challenge is aimed squarely at college students to give them the ability to prevent dating violence and sexual assault among their friends.

Recently Ashley Billasano, 18,  of Rosenberg’s BF Terry High School  committed suicide. Billasano claimed she was molested and forced into prostitution.  She informed police, but a grand jury declined to issue an indictment for lack of evidence. Billasno felt that authorities, including Child Protective Services did not believe her account.

After sending scores of tweets to leave a public record of her story, she took her own life by suffocation.

Billasno is not alone.  Nearly nineteen percent of women report experiencing sexual assault while in college.  The attacker is often an acquaintance or friend that waits for the woman to put herself in vulnerable circumstances.

According to Apps Against Abuse, dating violence also disproportionately affects young women as well. Sixty percent of college students who have been in an abusive relationship say no one helped them.

The winners of the challenge,  “Circle of 6” and “On Watch”, were announced in the beginning of November seek to change these sobering stats through mobile technology.

They beat out 30 other apps that were submitted to the challenge.  Both apps help keep young people connected to trusted friends and critical resources.

Circle of 6

This iPhone app makes it easy for students to reach a circle of friends and let them know where you are and what you need in real time.

It only takes two touches to request help.  The app uses text messaging technology to communicate with your friends, GPS to locate your position when needed, connects with domestic violence organizations and sends a requests for friends to take a Facebook pledge to stop violence.

 
On Watch

Another iPhone app that allows the user to send important information to a support network on social media, phone, email or text.

Again, only two touches are needed to connect with friends, campus police or 911.

This app allows for a timer to be set when a certain activity is being performed and alerts friends if the activity does not go according to plan.

If you have class at night, you can set the timer for ten minutes, the time it takes to walk to your car, and if it takes longer, the app will alert your circle of friends that you could be in a risky situation.

To see a complete list of the winner or for more information:

http://appsagainstabuse.challenge.gov/

Knowing how to change a tire empowers a woman to ensure her own safety.

A few days ago, I took an informal survey among women asking if they were able to change a flat tire on a car. The results would make any self-respecting feminist cringe.

Virtually none of my female associates with ages ranging from 18 – 45 could put a donut on their car without help. Most of the ladies didn’t seem too worried about it because they had roadside assistance through their insurance or an hombre who “does that kind of stuff”.

Girl power aside, the ability to change your own tire is a safety issue as well. There may be a time that your car gets a flat in a skivvy neighborhood or on a dangerous spot on the freeway – *Knock on wood*.

Luckily, I’m a big supporter of women’s independence, and I’m going to walk you through changing a flat. You should bookmark this page on your phone’s browser for easy reference.

Be Prepared

You SHOULD have everything you need to change a flat in the back of your trunk, but double check that everything is there and in proper working order.

Items Needed:

• Tire iron/ lug wrench – It’s a type of socket wrench used to tighten or loosen lug nuts on the wheels of your car. They come in either L-shaped (standard equipment on most cars) or cross-shaped, which you can find at any auto parts store. Ensure the tire iron is the correct one for your car.
• Spare tire/ donut – An additional wheel and tire combo stored in the trunk of your car. The spare is usually smaller than your standard wheel/tire and not for extended use. They are designed to get you to a repair facility. Going over 50 mph is not recommended. Make sure the spare is properly inflated.

Your jack will look similar

• Jack – A device that lifts the vehicle so that maintenance can be performed. Your car most likely comes with a small scissor jack tucked away in your trunk. It will look like the one on the picture to the left.
• Owner’s manual – Instructional book that is supplied with your car. It contains safety and maintenance instructions along with warranty information.
• Gloves – Changing a tires is a messy proposition. You might want to put some gloves in the back of your trunk just in case you have a blowout while on your way to an interview or an important meeting.
• Block of wood – The block is used to prevent the car from rolling off the jack. If you HAVE to park in dirt or grass, it can potentially be used under the jack to keep it from sinking into the ground if the wood is larger than the jack’s base.

Park in a safe spot

If you have a flat tire, park your car off the road in a well-lit area. Ensure you have enough room to change the tire and you’re not in the way of oncoming traffic. Don’t park on dirt or grass because your jack may become unstable. Turn your emergency lights on and raise your hood so that police officers or tow truck operators know you need help.

Changing a tire is easy!

1. After parking your car, turn off your engine and put on the emergency brake.

2. Place the block of wood behind the tire opposite of the flat tire to prevent rolling.
3. Check your spare and make sure it’s inflated properly. If it’s not, wait for a tow truck.

4. Slightly loosen, but don’t remove, the lug nuts in a star-patterned order with the tire iron before you jack up the car. To take off the lug nuts, turn counterclockwise. They’re most likely very tight, and if you can’t loosen them with arm strength, you can stand on the tire iron to produce enough force. Should your car have a hubcap, take it off by using the flat end of the tire iron or use a screwdriver. Some hubcaps are held in place by the lug nuts. If this is the case, leave the hubcap on for now.

Place your jack where the arrows are pointing.

5. Consult the owner’s manual to find the spot on the frame for placing the jack, and place the jack underneath. Jack up the car high enough so that the spare tire fits. The jack is raised by turning the handle clockwise and lowered by turning the handle counterclockwise.  If you’ve lost the handle to the jack, use the end of the tire iron or a screwdriver.

6. Go ahead, take off the lug nuts completely, and remove the flat tire. Sometimes the flat tire won’t come off and it may seem “stuck”. If you encounter this, give the flat tire a good kick around the edges to get it loose.

7. Put on your spare by lining up the bolts with the holes on the wheel, and slide the wheel on. Make sure the correct side is facing out. There is usually a label, and you’ll be able to see the air valve sticking out. You may have to raise the car higher in order for the spare to fit. Adjust the jack accordingly.

8. After you have the wheel on, replace the lug nuts one by one in the same star pattern that you loosened them. Tighten the lug nuts by hand until you get firm resistance.

Spare tire from a Ford Taurus

9. Lower the jack until it’s free from the car’s weight and remove it. Tighten all nuts once more in the proper sequence. If you don’t have a lot of arm strength, you might want to stand on the tire iron to tighten them. Your car will shake and wobble when you drive if not done correctly.

10. Replace the spare with a new tire or a repaired tire as soon as possible. Spare tires have a max life of about 70 total miles.

 
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Ride Rumblings and The Venture are made possible by generous donations from Ford.

 
Ford Motor Company manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

The Virgin Mary is just one of the dozens of images customers can get on their bread

The Vermont startup sparked a media firestorm in 2010 when they sent out a press release touting their “Jesus Toaster”. Resulting publicity sent orders skyrocketing as the small company struggled to keep up with demand.

Founded by Owen Mercon and Galen Dively, the company sends a Chinese manufacturer a stencil of the image they want emblazoned, and the toaster is then shipped to the U.S. for distribution.

Mercon and Dively got the idea when they were wrapping Christmas presents in 2009. They saw a toaster with a cartoon character on the bread and had an epiphany. The pair would sell customized toasters with provocative images and some irreverant humor.

According to Mercon, during the holidays the company sells about 100 toasters a day.

When you have a bad case of the munchies do you really reach for toast?

Now that election season is in full swing, the company is offering Obama and Palin toasters along with the logos of the Democratic and Republican parties.

The toasters run for $31.95 on their website jesustoasters.com, which can be a little pricey for the christian on a budget.

A Google search for a run of the mill Black & Decker two slice toaster showed a price range from $14 – $33. Even though you can’t get a Hello Kitty design, the B & D toaster toasts waffles, bagels and pastries right out of the box. Now that’s value!

What's under the hood of Ford's electric car

“Ford is invested in developing cleaner driving solutions that fit consumer needs,” said Carrie Majeske, product sustainability manager for Ford.

Houston was recently selected to host a fleet of the company’s environmentally friendly cars.

“While Houston residents tend to be satisfied with their current fuel economy rating, Ford still feels there’s a space for greener driving options,” said Majeske.

According to market research by, Houston drivers rank fuel efficiency the most important influencing factor when buying a car.  A surprising result considering the number of big trucks that cruise Houston roadways.

Among other findings, forty-nine percent of Houstonians prefer smaller cars compared to twenty-five percent who prefer a SUV.

To accommodate the shift in consumer taste from SUVs to small cars, Ford re-introduced the Ford Fiesta to the American market, which can get 40-MPG. The company plans to launch the Focus Electric, Ford’s first zero-emission, all electric passenger car, in late 2011

Ford continues to diversify it’s green strategy.  EcoBoost has been a boon for the company.  The technology essentially uses a smaller engine and adds direct injection and turbocharging to give consumers the power they are used to and the fuel efficiency they have asked for.

“I’m a college student so I don’t have a lot of extra income.  My fiesta was economical and has been good on gas.  My friends like the funky color.  I’m glad more car companies are going green.  I like the thought of saving the environment while reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said Juanita Hernandez.

Ford Fiesta eléctrcio

En un esfuerzo para seguir siendo una figura clave en la industria automovilística, Ford está siguiendo una estrategia de tecnología ecológica que está introduciendo a muchos de sus vehículos.

“Ford está involucrado en el desarrollo de soluciones para conducir con menos emisiones que concuerdan con las necesidades del consumidor”, dijo Carrie Majeske, directora de sostenibilidad de productos para Ford.

Houston fue seleccionado recientemente para presentar una flota de coches ecológicos de la compañía.

“Aunque los residentes de Houston suelen estar satisfechos con su calificación actual de consumo de combustible, Ford aun siente que hay un espacio para opciones de conducción más ecológicas”, dijo Majeske.

De acuerdo a estudios de mercado, los conductores de Houston clasifican la eficiencia del consumo de combustible como el factor influyente más importante al comprar un auto. Un resultado sorprendente considerando el numero de camionetas grandes que navegan las carreteras de Houston.

Entre otras conclusiones, cuarenta y nueve por ciento de los habitantes de Houston prefieren carros más pequeños en comparación con un veinticinco por ciento que prefieren un todoterreno (SUV).

Para adaptarse al cambio de gusto del consumidor de SUVs a carros pequeños, Ford re-introdujo el Ford Fiesta al mercado estadounidense, el cual rinde 40 MPG. La compañía tiene planeado lanzar el Focus Electric, el primer automóvil de cero-emisión, completamente eléctrico de Ford, a finales del 2011.

Ford sigue diversificando su estrategia ecológica. EcoBoost ha sido una gran ventaja para la compañía. La tecnología usa esencialmente un motor más pequeño y agrega inyección directa y turbo para darle a los consumidores el poder al que están acostumbrados y la eficiencia del combustible que han pedido.

“Soy una estudiante universitaria, así que no tengo una gran cantidad de ingresos adicionales. Mi Fiesta es económico y ha sido muy bueno en rendimiento de gas. A mis amigos les gusta el color original. Me da gusto que más compañías se están haciendo consciente del medio ambiente. Me gusta la idea de salvar el medio ambiente mientras reducimos nuestra dependencia del petróleo extranjero”, dijo Juanita Hernández.

Renu Khator, Chancellor for the UH System sent the below email out to faculty November 16.

__________________________

In the wake of recent troubling events in the academic community, I want us to recommit ourselves to making sure that no acts of abuse, fraud, discrimination or retaliation are tolerated, in any way, within the University of Houston System and all its institutions.

We must have absolutely no tolerance for any behavior that encourages or even passively accepts an environment in which such acts occur.

Let me be clear. Our responsibility is not limited to refraining from such actions ourselves. We are also responsible for reporting such behavior. I consider it your obligation to take action if you become aware of any questionable conduct.

On your respective campus websites you will find a link to “MySafeCampus,” a program that protects your identity while bringing a possible issue to the highest level of attention. Reports made through “MySafeCampus” are received by the university’s independent auditor and the UHS general counsel. Each report is screened and investigated, and the UHS Board of Regents is routinely informed of the results.

We have a number of important institutional controls in place to safeguard against improper behavior, but we must all be vigilant to make them effective. Please take an active role in helping maintain a safe, fair-minded and inclusive environment – it is our individual and collective responsibility. I take this very seriously. I ask that you do so as well.

Warm Regards,

Renu Khator

After a series of meetings and public sessions, Houston mayor Annise Parker, approved a redistricting plan that the city and community leaders felt was more representative of demographic realities. District J is one of the two new districts created this year.

The district encompasses Gulfton, Sharpstown and a small section in Alief.

Criselda Romero is one of the candidates looking to represent District J in city council. She has been a resident of the area for 16 years. Romero went to the University of Houston – Downtown where she got her bachelor’s degree in political science.

See: Latino group rejects redistricting plan

Before running for city council, she worked for Houston city council member Ed Gonzalez in District H.

Q: Why are you running for city council District J?

A: This is my community. I’m not going anywhere, and it’s my opportunity to introduce myself to everyone and get them connected back to the resources they need from the city.

The number one issue in this district is public safety and has been for many years. We need to see some change and get some leadership in here that is actually going to do something. Let’s think outside of the box. What works in another district won’t work in District J.

The district is home to a lot of Latinos, but we have never sent a Latino representative to city government because we didn’t have the opportunity to do so. Now we have grassroots support with organizations like CRECEN, which has been helping the community for over 25 years.

Q: What distinguishes you from the other candidates?

A: I have the experience that it takes to be successful. I’ve worked with many different communities resolving issues. I know this community, I know my community and the issues that need to be fixed because I can relate. With my experience from working with city council, I can come in from day one and start working.

Out of the council members we only have two, district H and I. Yet, we have a large population of Latinos in southwest Houston. For the city, we need some more representation for the Latino community. This is an opportunity we must take as well.
This is the community I grew up in. These are my neighbors, and these are my friends. I see that disconnect, where people need help but don’t know where to turn.
We need to stop and get things done here. I bring my message that is similar to those that I represent. I don’t think that there is any opponent that can honestly, genuinely say that.”

Q: If elected how do you plan on improving the district?

A: People are not connected to city government. They don’t see city hall as something that is accessible. I want to get in direct contact with the residents. I want to have a satellite office in the district so they don’t need to go to city hall to address any issues or concerns they have.

I’ll engage younger residents by utilizing the internet and social media such as Facebook, Twitter and electronic newsletters for pertinent information.

The youth dropout rate is really impacting the district. We need to think outside the box on this issue and Neighborhood Centers has come up with an innovative approach, with the help of federal funding, to get these kids back in school by bringing more stakeholders to the table.

It takes a whole community, a family, to resolve these issues. I want to bring them to the table.

We have a lot of vacant commercial space. I want to bring partners together and coordinate the effort to revitalize District J. A lot of times you have different entities working towards the same goal separately. I can bring those entities and resources together to leverage additional funds for our business district. Duplication is not effective.”

Q: What challenges have you ran into on the campaign trail?

A: The only one that I’ve seen is that you have a limited amount of time to reach a large amount of people.

Our population in District J is very transient. A lot of the residents live in apartment complexes. People who used to live there, no longer do, or phone numbers have changed.

As with any challenge you take it as it comes and you just find ways to bridge the gaps.

Q: What skills do college students need to develop to run a city campaign?

A: Writing to me is one of those big skills that you need so you can communicate. The biggest skill is having the drive within yourself. Nothing will be just given to you. You just take it. Take the initiative and just go for it.

You can come from any background, any education, but you have to have the drive.

Q: Any thing else you would like to say to the students?

A: I want to reach out to the college students. I want them to understand the importance of this new district. People fought for this district. We have it now. This is a real opportunity to get real representation and get a strong voice on city council.

The students who have lived in southwest Houston know what I mean when I say we need a Latino representative here. We need someone who is going to speak for what is right for our community and not put bandages on the issues.

I ask the students to join me. One person is not going to get this done. It’s going to take a community. I have supporters from the north side and the east end that come to southwest Houston just to make sure we don’t lose this opportunity.

We’ll be block walking everyday from now until the end of the campaign. We’ll see victory in November. Find us on Facebook and Twitter (CriseldaForJ).

See a video interview with one of Criselda’s opponents Rodrigo Canedo

ULI students promote the DREAM Act. Photo Courtesy: University Leadership Initiative

The University Leadership Initiative, a student organization at the University of Texas that promotes the DREAM Act, condemned a petition circulated by the Texas Aggie Conservatives on Monday.

The petition from TAC, a registered student organization at Texas A&M, calls for a special session to reverse legislation that allows certain qualifying immigrants who are long-term residents of the state to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities provided that they:

· graduate from a Texas high school,

· reside in Texas for at least three years prior to graduating from high school,

· continuously live in the state for the last year, and

· either has or commits to obtain legal residency status when eligible.

“There is nothing conservative about their petition,” said Ainee Athar, a UT student and member of the UIL. “This is a mean-spirited action that seeks to punish young people who are doing everything they can to succeed, despite countless obstacles.”

TAC students promoting Constitution Day. Photo Courtesy: Texas Aggie Conservatives

An open letter from TAC expresses disappointment that Texas tax dollars are being used to subsidize college tuition for undocumented students. TAC will be collecting signatures for the petition from the public over the next week.

“It is outrageous that Texas A&M, because of Governor Perry, is awarding those who violated the law with in-state tuition and financial aid. The Texas government, especially in these troubling economic times, should not be subsidizing the higher education of adults who cannot legally work in the United States,” said Steven Schroeder, Chairman of the TAC.

In September, TAC denounced Texas A&M for promoting the DREAM Act during Hispanic Heritage Month.

“This petition would disincentivize personal responsibility at the expense of what’s best for Texas,” added UIL’s Athar. “Given the benefit of this legislation and the high costs of a special session, it’s hard to believe that this petition is motivated by something other than hate.”

In February 2001, then Texas House Representative Rick Noriega authored House Bill 1403, which granted certain non-immigrant students (including undocumented students) access to in-state tuition rates at Texas colleges. Governor Perry signed the bill into law in June of that year.

The law has dogged Perry on the campaign trail as he seeks the republican nomination for president. Perry has refused to back down on the immigration decisions he made as governor, while trying to reassure the republican base that he is tough on immigration. This has led to confusion among voters and has been cited as a one of the primary reasons for his decline in polls among republican presidential hopefuls.

According to a Dallas Morning News investigation, The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board reports 12,138 immigrant students, about 1 percent of all Texas college students, benefited from paying in-state tuition.

The majority of the beneficiaries are undocumented students.

You can follow the author, Ray Ruiz, @EGMNRay on Twitter

In July, the company announced they would start offering unlimited DVD-only plans separate from their unlimited streaming-only service. Previously, customers could get the two services for one price.

If customers wanted both, like they had grown accustomed to, a 60% price increase would be incurred. Netflix claimed the move was needed to better reflect the cost of each and give members flexibility with their choices.

The change prompted a firestorm of criticism from its customers and spawned facebook pages such as Cancel Netflix, I used to love Netlix until they ripped me off and I hate Netflix’s price increase.

“This is called a bait and switch, and I am seriously starting to get pissed off.” said Saira Bottemuller on the Cancel Netflix facebook page.

“It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology.” said Hastings.

According to Hastings, streaming and DVD by mail are two different business models with different cost structures. Netflix believes the two must be grown and operated independently.

Due to this new reality, Hastings announced that Netflix will be launching Qwikster (which refers to quick delivery) in a few weeks.

The Netflix name will be used to refer to the company’s streaming content.

Customers will have to go to qwikster.com to access their queues and choose their movies. Qwikster.com and Netflix.com will not be integrated.

The change will also see DVD customers able to add video games to their queue, an option that was not previously available but that customers clamored for.

There will be no pricing changes for Qwikster subscribers. DVDs will still come in the iconic red envelope but, it will have a Qwikster logo.

Customer reaction on Netflix’s blog has been mixed. Some were irked by the late night email, yet others saw it as an honest statement by the company.

Recently, Netflix shares have taken a beating by plunging 26 percent last week. It was one of the worst in company history. Netflix missed expectations when it claimed it would end the quarter with 24 million subscribers, which was a million less than projected. The slow growth has been attributed to the price increase in July.

You can read the full apology letter here

 
Netflix CEO youtube explanation of Qwikster.