Archive for December 17, 2011

Real Estate Technology Pioneer: Daniel Drimmer

December 17, 2011 / dylan / 2 comments

Prior to the rise of the internet, apartment hunting was dominated by print. Potential residents armed themselves with classified ads from newspapers, fliers found on bulletin boards, and, in larger communities, with apartment magazines filled with listings from residential buildings in their city. It was then a matter of footwork. Visiting all the listings that looked promising only to discover that the neighborhood wasn’t right or the property was in disrepair, etc. Apartment hunters of the past could spend weeks trying to pinpoint the perfect residence.

Today, all they need is a computer or smart phone with a solid internet connection and the weeks of research and time spent trekking from property to property can be accomplished in a few hours. This is thanks to leading real estate visionaries like Daniel Drimmer who evolved a number of technologies that make finding and renting an apartment a whole lot easier.

One of the most obvious advances of the real estate industry online was the birth of the virtual tour. The first examples of this tool appeared in the form of still photos that provided a 360 degree view of a given room or apartment complex. Once streaming video became an option, Drimmer and other leaders began creating true video tours of properties and specific units. This meant that instead of having to drive to every potential apartment, searchers could quickly watch short video clips and eliminate those that weren’t worth the time, or gas mileage, to visit. Thanks to Drimmer, today’s residential rental companies post their virtual tours on video sharing sites as well as their company websites in order to give potential residents all the information they need.

Another important tool that was pioneered by Drimmer is the interactive map. Renters can search for available units by geography. The best maps allow for filtering by specific features and amenities. Since location is the most important aspect of any real estate transaction, it only makes sense that being able to see properties on a map would be a key part of the apartment hunting process.

In addition to these two features, more and more apartment sites have started offering the online lease application. Prospective residents can easily complete the application from home, work, or, using a smart phone or other handheld device, from anywhere they like. Efficient companies will be able to offer quicker decisions, since all the information is provided digitally, rather than having to be gleaned from a paper application. The overall savings in time and energy is invaluable.

Tools like these are what set apart companies like Drimmer’s Starlight Apartments from rental companies that rely on the now old-fashioned process of printed listings and time-consuming site visits.

Image courtesy Joelk75 via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

The Love Motel for Insects

December 15, 2011 / dylan / No comments

The Love Motel for Insects project will only be funded if at least $8,000 is pledged by Sunday Dec 11, 11:59pm EST.

Artist Rendering of Proposed Love Motel for Insects in NYC

Urban Art Projects is fundraising on Kickstarter to bring artist/scientist Brandon Ballengée‘s Love Motel for Insects to New York City. The Love Motel for Insects is an innovative interactive outdoor artwork that is both an art piece and a life science project.

Combined with ancillary educational programming referred to as Bug Love, this programming informs the general NYC public about important environmental issues, inspires NYC youth so that their interest in science continues into the classroom and provides inspirational experiences, termed Eco-actions, involving both art and science.

Ballengée’s Love Motel for Insects has been exhibited worldwide since 2001; its various iterations have been extensively covered by the media as well as referenced by academia. Ballengée has been reviewed by art critics including Roberta Smith, Edward Lucie Smith and Lucy Lippard; he has also been mentioned by art historian Steven Wilson in his book Art + Science. Media coverage includes features on PBS, ABC News, BBC, and NPR.

Venice Biennale, Waterways, Italy, 2008, Photographed by Brandon Ballengée

Ballengée is also referenced in Art Practice as Research, by Professor Graeme Sullivan of Columbia University. Additionally, Ballengée recently participated in a symposium at the National Science Foundation and has received numerous honors such as the Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship and was recently named an Aububon TogetherGreen Fellow; a fellowship which receives funding from Toyota. Ballengée’s work has also been exhibited widely and is in numerous public collections including The American Museum of Natural History in New York, NASA in Washington, D.C., Yorkshire Sculpture Park in England, and the Yale Peabody Museum.

Love Motel for Insects is an ongoing series of outdoor installations intended to construct situations between humans and arthropods. The works use ultra-violet lights on enormous blank canvases to attract insects and create an opportunity for public interactions with rarely seen nocturnal arthropods. At each location, the Love Motels for Insects become the backdrop for community events such as picnics, biodiversity festivals, graffiti jams, scientific investigations, musical events and even local film screenings relating to local insect species.

EcoConnect and Love Motel for Insects in collaboration with Ecohaven Project

As described by Ballengée himself: “The Love Motel for Insects sculptures began in 2001 in Central America. At this time my initial structures were made from black (ultra-violet) lights and bed-sheets placed in the Costa Rican forest floor. Within hours numerous species of flying moths, Hemipteras, beetles, caddisflies, ants, lacewings and other arthropods descended on the installation. Female moths released chemical pheromones to attract mates and consequently “painted” the impromptu piece. Fascinated and inspired by this initial experience, I fabricated further Love Motel for Insects sculptures and developed ancillary public nocturnal field trips. To date versions of the project have debuted in diverse environments including tropical rain forests (rain, dry and cloud), inner city bus-stops, London roof-tops, industrial ‘brown-field’ sites, public schools, Scottish Highlands, German town centers, Venetian boats, and other sites within temperate climate systems. Each Love Motel for Insects variation is site-specific to each unique community and eco-system.”

Are Vitamin Supplements During Pregnancy Recomended?

December 12, 2011 / dylan / No comments

The importance of taking vitamin supplements before, during and after pregnancy is just one thing you can do for your child that has lasting effects. Many experts contend that taking supplements during pregnancy are indeed necessary. So which vitamins should you be taking?

Many of the nutrients your body needs before, during and after pregnancy are not received – even when your diet is perfect. In addition, women with certain diets or conditions are less likely to be consuming the vitamins they need to be at optimum health. Vegetarians or vegans, women with food intolerances, smokers, women with blood disorders, and women who are having twins or multiple births are at risk.

The vitamins most important for maintaining a healthy pregnancy include: folic acid, vitamin B and iron. Taking folic acid for pregnancy and vitamin B often help reduce the chance of birth defects such as spina bifida, cleft lip, cleft palate, and certain heart defects.

Iron is important for pregnant women, as the need for this mineral is increased during pregnancy. Decreased levels of iron during pregnancy may cause preterm delivery, low birth weight, and infant mortality.

Many experts suggest a full dietary assessment to be done prior to taking vitamins during pregnancy. This assessment will allow you to figure out which vitamins are indeed needed. Over consumption of certain vitamins can actually be a detriment to your baby’s health. For instance, “Retinoid embryopathy”, a syndrome affecting your baby’s face, ear, heart or central nervous system and thymus can be caused by excessive consumption of vitamin A. While rare, it’s still a concern for some pregnant women.

Taking vitamins during pregnancy, before, and after as well is extremely important for your health as well as your babies. Evaluate your needs with your doctor and choose vitamins that are manufactured from the best natural ingredients available.

Are you taking prenatal vitamins or folic acid during pregnancy? Tell us, in the comments below!

A Beginner’s Guide to Buying a New Car

December 11, 2011 / dylan / One comment

When you are new to the car buying market it pays to use a beginner’s guide in order to get the most car or truck for your budget. Whether you are out of school with your first job or just leaving home to embark into the world on your own, no doubt about it, the financial world is a little scary.

Of course, your primary objective is to provide yourself with reliable transportation. While it sounds simple, achieving this is not as easy at you may think.

1. Do Your Research
Take a look at car books and search online to get a feel for prices and styles of vehicles. There are a lot of cars out there and twice as many dealerships; small and large. If you have your eyes on a gas drinker ask yourself if you can afford to supply gas for a gas drinking monster. Look at your budget realistically before leaping into debt.

2. Think About Your Financial State Ahead of Time
Most people want to talk about the car. First, decide where you are going to get the money to make this purchase. How much are you willing to pay for the privilege of borrowing it? A cash payment would be fantastic, and there would be no reason to worry about a credit score or finding a lender. Check to make sure your credit score is over 600. Keep in mind the more lenders you visit, the lower your score will go. If you have no credit wait a while, purchase an item you want to buy, on credit; pay for it on time, then return to the car buying market.

3. Be Leery of All Deals at First
Buying a car is moving around in shark infested water. There are good deals and reputable dealers with top interest rates. But, there are the sharks who will sell you a lemon and have you in years of terrible debt with ridiculous interest rates. Search for money from a source you choose. The payments will be better and interest rates will be lower. This will help you work with a budget while you are car shopping. Consider how much money you want to spend. While you are thinking of buying a car you will still need to eat, buy food, buy gas, and pay another bunch of living expenses. There is little point in having a new car when you find yourself sleeping in it. Think about what kind of car you want and if the price and payment options are good for you. At least $1600 in earnings is required and a six month working history. Time and financial diligence will get you what you want.

Emily is the proud owner of a used Honda Civic and she also is a contributing writer for CashForTrucks, a company that helps people learn how to receive cash for cars and also how to sell you car so that you can buy a new (or at least new to you) vehicle!

 

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