What is the Internet of Things?

You probably didn't notice anything different when you accessed the web on June 7th 2012, but a new and improved internet had replaced the old one virtually overnight. The new version, referred to as Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), had been in the works for years and will shepard in the next generation of internet usage where the various and sundry items of everyday life are connected. This is what is being referred by the moniker “The Internet of Things” as potentially every “thing” can be connected over the web.

To get to the point where the next generation of “things” could be connected, the old internet with a paltry 4.3 billion URLs available had to be replaced with the current version, which has trillions more addresses available, according to Vint Cerf, one of the original inventors of the internet. The explosion in available addresses paves the way for next paradigm of internet connectivity where everything from cattle on the north 40 to the refrigerator in the kitchen can be accessed.

The key to this new paradigm is the evolution of sensor technology, which has dramatically reduced prices while increasing their functionality to enable the assessment of local environments, provision of location data, and the ability to transmit information over the internet via wireless technology. The number of “things” that will be connected to the internet is estimated to reach 50 billion by the year 2020, which could spur the development of new industries, products and services dedicated to the simplification of connecting items in homes and business. In other words, the Internet of Things, despite its current low profile could be one of the biggest things to hit the web in a long time.

Anthony Ricigliano: How to Innovate your own Business into Existence

Innovation isn’t the province of a select few. It exists in everyone waiting to be discovered. Learning any new skill always takes time and it's the same with developing an innovative mindset.  Don’t be disappointed if you’re not innovating 24/7 immediately. It will take a bit of practice and probably a couple of changes in the way you go about your day. Here are a few ideas on how to bring innovation into your life to bring your own business into existence.
* Ignore the doubters – Don't listen to other people that cast doubts on what you’re trying to do. People cast doubts for a variety of reasons and most of those will have nothing to with you. If you’re working on a new business, don't waste your time and effort trying to convince people that you’re doing the right thing. The great entrepreneurs never listened to the doubters and neither should you.
* Seek guidance – Getting a mentor or guidance from someone that has done what you want to do can give you confidence in what you’re trying to accomplish and help you avoid common mistakes.
* Commit the time – Spend time on your project because if you don’t, nobody else is going to do it either. This will require some time management and discipline to make sure you can fit everything in to your life.
* No excuses – Make do with what you’ve got and don’t get bogged down because you don’t have the hottest IPad on the market. Many people use fewer tools as they become more proficient at their craft. You may have to be resourceful but that’s also a part of being innovative.
* Develop your passion – In starting a new business, you may be caught up in learning the ropes and executing your plan. If you’re truly doing something you want to do, your passion will likely build as you become more proficient and your belief than you can succeed strengthens. This passion can turn you into an unstoppable force under the right conditions.
* Don't worry if you’re not inspired 24/7 – Not everything you do in your business will provide inspiration. If you’re following your passion, inspiration will arrive at the most unexpected times. For example, JK Rowling got the idea for Harry Potter while she was stuck on a train that was in the middle of a four hour delay.
* Take care of yourself – You’re at your best, at your most creative, and you are most innovative when you’re healthy. Great things and ideas can come when you’re exercising so don’t think of it as time that you’re taking away from your business.
Keep in mind that your business is your business and that you’re doing these things for your own satisfaction and not anybody else's. A little success will bring the doubters around soon enough.

Anthony Ricigliano: Five Fracking Facts

As the proponents of "fracking" (short for hydraulic fracturing) continue to tout its virtues, the side opposing fracking continues to press forward with its own information on why the practice should either be heavily regulated or stopped altogether. The practice, which pumps water, sand, and a cocktail of viscous fluids into shale formations to release hydrocarbons, has prompted both factual and widely exaggerated claims from proponent and opponents so taking a look at some unassailable fracking facts may be a good place to start.

These facts include:

1) The cocktail of viscous fluids used for fracking can contain several components that should not come anywhere near a supply of drinking water. These chemicals include antifreeze, a variety of oil-based products, soap, and diesel fuel.

2) Fracking that is conducted at deep enough levels will not affect aquifers and wells that are thousands of feet above the shale formation. This is due to the fact that cracks caused by the fracking process typically do not reach further than a thousand feet from the location where fracking is occurring.

3) Natural gas can accumulate and rise to the surface naturally. This is particularly true when a sandstone formation rests on top of one composed of hydrocarbon-bearing shale.

4) Fracking
can cause problems that are avoidable with planning and restraint. There needs to be regular monitoring of retention pits and well sites to prevent dumping and leaks into drinking water supplies. Fracking should be avoided in situations where the shale formation sits close to the surface or is separated from the surface by porous formations like sandstone.

5) The fracking process in a vacuum is not unsafe. Like any other extraction process there is a time and place factor that should be observed, which basically comes down to using common sense. Where there is the potential for problems, fracking should be avoided. Where the process can extract hydrocarbons efficiently without exposing the surrounding areas to harm, it can be employed.

The two sides of the debate remain polar opposites in any conversation regarding the safety of fracking. Maybe, by starting with the facts of the technique, the proponents and the opponents of fracking can find some middle ground that allows for safe extraction while doing no harm to the surrounding environment.      

Anthony Ricigliano - The Entrepreneurial a Fresh Start

Anthony Ricigliano - Read News and Advice by Anthony Ricigliano: If you starting a new business, the beginning of a new venture that provides a fantastic opportunity should be accompanied by a bunch of excitement and anticipation, right? Setting your goals, developing your strategy, an imagining your life once you’ve achieved what you set out do should have you jumping out of bed before the alarm feeling fresh and ready to go each day.

If this isn’t happening, what is? Have you taken on starting your new business with the same attitude and low level of energy as you put into the job you’re trying to replace?  Not everyone is passionate about every aspect of starting a new business. This is true even for people who have achieved success at the highest levels of the industry. What is also true is that success for most people requires a passion for something.

For many, that passion may lie in reaching the goals that were set out at the beginning of the venture. This should be exciting enough to generate some passion for what you’re doing but if it’s not, there could be a couple problems with the goals you’ve set.

The first issue could be that the goals you’ve set don’t match up with what you truly want in your business or your life. Take some time to check your goals to see if they’re really going to bring you what you want. If reaching these goals leaves you flat there’s something wrong in there somewhere.

The issue that could be muting your enthusiasm is the possibility that in starting your business you’re not giving yourself a fresh start. Whether it’s because you’ve had reversals in your job or have tried other ventures that haven’t worked out, there is a possibility that you have some doubts about your ability to reach your goals.

The worst thing about this negative baggage is that it really subtracts from the positives that should be occurring as you start your business. This subtraction doesn’t eliminate the possibility of success, but it makes it tougher, less fun, and probably makes it take longer to attain.

In its simplest form, business success is a matter of setting goals and then doing the work the achieve them. If your journey has more complications than that, it’s time to make an honest self-assessment. If your goals are in line, maybe you’re carrying around some old and unnecessary baggage that is standing between you and the life you want. The time is now to release the death grip on that old baggage and start moving directly toward realizing your dreams.

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