Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay

Capacity: 4TB, 6TB or 8TB | Interface: Gigabit Ethernet | Features: Remote file access, media server software, RAID support

Picking up on the 'personal cloud' theme, this unit from Seagate takes its lead from My Cloud, but it offers far larger capacities, along with dual bays for two hard drives. This allows the Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay NAS device to mirror the files on one hard drive to a second one, giving you protection in case one of those drives fails.

Also see: DROBO B800FS Review

We also like the no-fuss appearance of this unit, meaning it can sit nicely under a router or on a shelf. It works with cloud accounts, including Dropbox and Google Drive, and you can also use an app to share content to streamers, including Chromecast and Roku.

Gate Brands For Mighty Mule

All-O-Matic


All-O-Matic takes testing their gates and gate operators seriously, like no other company in the business. You never have to worry when you install All-O-Matic gates! Their operators function well on the tallest, longest, and heaviest gates around. And the company puts an intense focus on safety. In the rare event something goes wrong with one of their gate operators, you have a strong warranty that protects you. But in most cases, All-O-Matic gates last decades with almost no issues.

Chamberlain Elite


Elite is one of the leading brands of all gate operators. And like other popular gate operator brands, they’re owned by the Chamberlain Group. One thing you’ll love about Elite – they have lengthy warranties on their products. In many cases, these aren’t even necessary because the quality of their products is so high. One of the largest manufacturers in the industry, Elite makes gates and gate operators for all functions – high traffic, low traffic, residential, commercial, decorative, or even traffic control. You won’t go wrong when buying Chamberlain Elite Gates.

DC Solutions


DC Solutions gates specialties include making barrier, swing, and slide gate operators for business and home use. They’re now owned by the Chamberlain Group, who also owns Liftmaster. DC Solutions’ product line is among the most reliable and highest quality in the industry. And in the rare situation where something goes wrong, they have great customer service. Their most popular products include the Mega Slide, Mega SlideX, Mega Swing, Mega Arm, and Mega Arm Sprint. Their products also have strong resistance to corrosion, so they look good and operate well for a long time.

Eagle Gate Operators

You can get many types of gate operators with Eagle. Residential, commercial, and industrial options are available. The company’s the inventor of the “Diamond Control Board,” the most versatile of its kind you can get. The company offers an exceptional warranty – 5 years minimum for all models. And 7 years for any commercial models put in use for residential purposes. The company’s committed to constant innovation, and employs a staff specially dedicated to do so. Any of Eagle Gate Operators gates you choose is a good choice – you can’t possibly go wrong! 

MIGHTY MULE 350 is best choice for eagle gate.

Elite Gate Operators

Elite isn’t bragging with their company name – they truly do offer some of the best gate operators you can get. They’re easy to maintain (requiring almost no maintenance), have a long warranty, are quiet and fast, and they last for decades in many cases. You’ll pay up front, but the cost compared to other brands is more than worth it over the years. By the end of Elite Gate operator’s and gates’ life, they’ll have more than paid for themselves. They truly are one of the best investments your home or business can make if you must have gates.

EMX Industrial Solutions


EMX specializes in making innovative access controls for gates. One of their more recent inventions is the ULT-PLG universal loop detector for gate operators. It has a unique feature, called “detect-on-stop.” This means the detector only recognizes vehicles that come to a complete stop on top of it. So if you have a lot of moving cross traffic in a tight space, it ignores that and focuses on stopped traffic only. It’s cost-effective and easy to install. EMX Industrial Solutions gates, sensors, and access controls often make a good gate better. J&J Gate Service recommends many of their products, including this one, in appropriate situations.

Liftmaster


Liftmaster is known for their awesome garage doors, but they make great gates too. Liftmaster gates can be made specially for your home or rural applications. You can go high-end and even talk to your visitors and allow them access through your smartphone (with select gate operators). Liftmaster gates can also come with a solar option, which is among the most efficient available in the market. Their powerful P3 motors ensure your door or gate opens quickly and safely every single time. And their durable battery backup has one of the longest standby times you can find.

Linear


Linear gates and operators get made for the entire range of purposes – light residential use at a single-family home, to heavy commercial use at a highly-trafficked company. You won’t see the name “Linear” much anymore – they’re rebranding to “Nortek Security & Control.” But you can still expect the same awesome product quality. You’ll get everything you want in a gate – quiet, speedy operation, and secure and advanced controls for maximum functionality. You definitely can’t go wrong with Linear gates.

OSCO


OSCO gates has now joined with the Linear brand, but they’re still among the very best in the industry. They make gate operators for swing, slide, and barrier gates. That means they cover almost every application necessary. And since they’ve joined with another company, they can now offer you stellar customer service when you need it. One of their key benefits is you can tune their gate operators with awesome precision few others can match. And they run on all power sources – AC, DC, and solar. OSCO gates always give you a great value.

Sentex


You can count on quality with Sentex gates and gate operators. They’re prepared to handle low traffic situations at single-family homes and high-traffic ones at busy companies and manufacturers. Their gates open and close perfectly for years – including days and nights. Look out – their gate operators have such smooth, graceful, and reliable operation that neighbors sometimes get jealous! And if you own a business, you’ll impress your customers that much more. Contact J&J Gate Service today at 817-466-2794 to install your Sentex gates.

US Automatic

US Automatic gates are designed to be high-quality, while also drawing low amounts of power. The control boards their gates have come with micro-processors, which means they can offer you many new features and installation choices. Even though they’re low power, their gate operators swing open fast. Their “Ranger” series of operators, which operate on a 6-watt solar panel, can perform up to 65 cycles per day. That’s more than enough for any homeowner, and would serve many businesses well. The “Patriot” series can use AC or solar power, and comes with a nice 5-year control board/3-year all other components warranty. You’re always making a smart choice when you go with US Automatic gates.

Viking


Viking gate operators and gates are one of the best values in the industry. You won’t pay as much as you would for leading brands, and Viking gate operates and gates last reasonably long. If you choose to do your own maintenance, they have great customer service. And just like you expect with other gates and gate operators, they’re quiet and fast. They require little maintenance long-term. So for budget-conscious homeowners and businesses who want a great deal, they make for the perfect solution!

What Can a Sidewalk Sign Do For Your Small Business?

If you are a small business owner then you need a pavement sign for 2 reasons. Number one they are cost effective advertising and number two they work exceptionally well. No other form of advertising will give you the results that DOT sidewalk violation Bronx sign can. So what exactly can a signal to your small business? Well, let me tell you.

First, a Bronx sidewalk repair sign will bring more customers to your organization. How can it do that? Simple! I am only guessing here, but I wager hundreds if not thousands of potential customers pass by your business each and every day. Am I right?

Have you any idea why those prospective customers aren't quitting? Because they have no idea what you need to offer on your shop. People drive around just looking for great deals they are able to make the most of. If you put sidewalk repair contractors in Bronx New York sign facing your company telling people all of the great bargains you need to offer do you think they would stop? You ought to believe they would.

I know what it is you're thinking. People just are not spending money right now. WRONG! People are spending money. They are actually spending more than what you believe. Do not buy into the doom and gloom which has been pushed down your neck on every news channel. They're selling it because you are buying it. Got it? Good!

Today people are just becoming more careful in how they invest their money. However, they haven't stopped spending. Your job as sidewalk repair Bronx owner is to advertise deals which are so incredible that people cannot help but to stop and arrive in your store.

What better way to market those excellent deals then with sidewalk repair Bronx NY sign? You might have a new deal every day, which would then attract more and more people to your shop. All you may need to do is set your deal(s) on your pavement sign and set the sign in front of your small business or out on a pavement where people walking and driving by can see it.

Trust me, a fantastic sidewalk repair contractor Bronx sign will catch the attention of people driving by and they'll stop in and spend money on your establishment.

Tesla Becomes Cheapest Source of Electricity in Hawaii

Of all the U.S. states, the residents of Hawaii suffer the highest prices for electricity, which are typically more than double the average. The majority of electricity in Hawaii is generated from fossil-fuel power stations, but there's now a new and cheaper option available thanks to Tesla.

According to Bloomberg, Tesla through SolarCity created a solar system ( larger than Goal Zero Nomad 7  solar panel ) and battery storage facility on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It consists of a 13 megawatt solar array and 52 megawatt-hours of batteries, which generate energy and store it during the day before distributing it at night. That facility is complimented by a 20-year contract with the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, which sees electricity delivered at 13.9 cents per kilowatt hour.

To put that in perspective, the average price paid for residential electricity in Hawaii in December last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, was 27.68 cents per kilowatt hour. Diesel plants on the island manage to produce electricity at 15.48 cents per kilowatt hour by comparison.


Hawaii aims to rely completely on renewable energy sources by the year 2045. The fact Tesla's solution is cheaper than existing energy production  and counts as a 100 percent renewable source, suggests it is likely to be expanded in the near future and copied in other locations where solar power makes sense and electricity costs are high.

Tesla acquired SolarCity last year in an all-stock transaction valued at $2.6 billion. More recently, Tesla removed "Motors" from its name to show that the company is not just about vehicles, it's about energy. And that certainly seems to be the case. As well as this project in Hawaii, Tesla is going to manufacture solar panels in upstate New York and plans to offer SolarCity Solar Roofs for homes.

Health Catalyst: Dale Sanders on what’s next for analytics & big data

Health Catalyst: Dale Sanders on what’s next for analytics & big data

One of the more interesting guys in health tech is Dale Sanders who’s been data geek/CIO at multiple provider organizations (InterMountain, Northwestern, Cayman Islands), was in the nuclear weapons program in the US Air Force back in the day, and now is the product visionary at Health Catalyst. Health Catalyst is a very well-backed date warehousing and analytics company that has Kaiser, Partners, Allina and a host of other providers as its customers and investors (and has been a THCB sponsor for a while!).

 I’ve interviewed CEO Dan Burton a couple of times (here’s 2016) if you want to know more about the nuts and bolts of the company, but this chat with Dale at HIMSS17 got a tad more philosophical about the future of analytics–from “conference room analytics” to “embedded decision support.” I found it great fun and hope you do too!

Guest Post: Inspirational messages, handmade arts at Winthrop’s Purple Sage

Purple Sage … Methow Style is a “fun and funky” collection of handmade art, crafts, textiles, jewelry and decorative pieces in a bright storefront on the boardwalk in Winthrop.

Kyrie and Kathleen Jardin opened the doors of their new Riverside Avenue store on July 9, only one week before the Carlton Complex wildfires began raging and casting a pall over the valley at the height of its normally busy tourist season. The Jardins are still playing catch up.

“I haven’t minded that people didn’t know we were open,” said Kathleen, who spent much of the last two months dealing with the fire’s impact on the couple’s primary business, Central Reservations, a lodging service that handles most of the guest house, cabin and inn rentals in the valley.

When the power went out and evacuation orders were issued — one day before thousands of festival-goers were to descend upon the valley for the Winthrop Rhythm and Blues Festival — the Jardins were forced to relocate the business across the mountains. They began dealing with cancellations and issuing refunds that totaled over $100,000 before they were through.

But once they were able to return to Winthrop, Jardin re-opened the Purple Sage and derived strength from the art and inspirational messages printed on windowpanes hanging from the store’s ceiling, she said. Most inspiring to her is the message that hangs above the counter: “Don’t worry, everything’s going to be amazing.”

“The written word inspires me,” said Jardin. “It brings me vim and vigor.”

The Purple Sage features the work of many artists whom Jardin knew throughout her career as executive director of the Northwest Art Alliance, producer of the Best of the Northwest art shows, and owner of a gallery on Whidbey Island.

“This is art made by hands you can shake,” said Jardin, who has hand-lettered cards posted next to each artist’s work, describing who they are and how their art is made. “People want to buy art made by real people with a story.”

Select pieces in the large front window attract the attention of passers by, and a glass-paned door opens onto an inviting entry framed with meaningful quotations. A collection of handmade quilts for sale drapes over a loveseat, and one-of-a-kind furniture and lamps by local artists Jim Gaston, Thome George and Barry Stromberger are featured front and center.

A stroll through the store reveals a variety of eclectic items ranging from cast concrete stepping stones to ceramics, greeting cards, hand-painted tables, thumb pianos, and cozy bedroom slippers made from all-recycled materials.

Also on display are Jardin’s own hand-painted silk scarves and garments, and color-coordinated enamel jewelry, which she has sold at art shows throughout the Northwest and nationwide for the past 26 years.

The Jardins encourage visitors to wander down the alley between the Purple Sage and the Arrowleaf Bistro to view more outdoor art and sit overlooking the river, where they hope the town’s riverwalk trail will pass through someday. “We envision an outdoor courtyard for art here. Our aspirations are big, but our pocket book is not so big,” Jardin said.

Store hours roughly correspond to the 9 a.m.-4 p.m. business hours of Central Reservations, whose office adjoins the Purple Sage through open glass doors. Presently, the store is open on weekends as well, but those hours are variable, depending on staffing, Jardin said.

Purple Sage … Methow Style is located at 245 Riverside Ave. in Winthrop. Call 996-2148 for more information.

The Rust Belt Is Burning: Republicans Lay Waste to their Base on Health Reform

The Rust Belt Is Burning: Republicans Lay Waste to their Base on Health Reform

William Tecumseh Sherman, who laid waste to the South at the end of the Civil War, famously said, “War is Hell”. So, too, is health reform. And like Sherman’s infamous March to the Sea, where he burned town after Confederate town, the Republican War on Obamacare entered its attrition phase with the introduction on Monday in the House legislation to repeal and replace ObamaCare, except that Ryan is marching in the wrong direction; his troops are marching “north” and burning towns behind their own lines.

Ryan’s bill released Monday was greeted with a chorus of derision from the newly empowered Republican base; some conservative wags dubbed the bill “RINOCare”. Thoughtful conservative analysts savaged it. Michael Cannon, the hard core libertarian Cato Institute health analyst, called it “a trainwreck waiting to happen” and suggested that “ it will create the potential for the sort of wave election Democrats experienced in 2008” In Reason.com, Peter Sunderman wrote, “it’s not clear what problems this particular bill would actually solve.”

Ryan’s draft neither repeals nor replaces ObamaCare.