The self-checkout lane may be dying for good. Albertsons, LLC has announced that it’s going to get rid of all of its self-checkout lanes. According to the MSNBC article, other major food chains may follow suit behind it.

Clarification: There are actually two different companies with similar names. Here is the distinction. Albertsons, LLC owns and operates 217 stores; it will close the self-checkout lanes.

However, Supervalu Albertsons which owns 460 stores will continue to provide self-checkout lanes (Chain Store Age).

This is not a big shock if you stop to think about it. What is the problem with self-checkout lanes?

Social media might just give us the answer. People are gregarious creatures by nature. People want to experience things together. Experiencing things together enriches life. Oh, and that thing called customer service…

This is the reason why social media has came such a long way and the odds are great that it will be around for a long time, if not permanently. People want good information, but more importantly people want to share that information. This is why social media is red hot and the self-checkout lane is not.

The dying self-checkout lane should be a big hint to websites, bloggers, and businesses. Getting your brand or product established is part of the component, but really listening to the needs of your customer is the most important factor to success. Success depends on listening more than anything else. It’s about the feedback.

When a business (or blog) loses the sight of this factor, the business runs the risk of losing customers in a big way. It’s taken the big food chain stores a decade to figure this out. Today’s business owners should step aside and take notice of this.

Internet surfers want interaction. Add a badge, suggestion box, a poll, forum, etc. The comment section is of utmost importance. Some readers may not want to leave comments while others do. Offer your readers a space to leave comments. Reply to those comments when plausible. Add social media to your page.

Customers may have forgotten something in the store, want a price check, or see an item that catches their eye. Machines do not take the place of human interaction. That’s a fact.

Whatever you do, don’t leave your customers stranded in the self-checkout lane. Read, respond, engage, and find out what your customers are really interested in. Suggest an event, a product, or a tip that might brighten someone’s day. You want your customers to stay in the store, and not leave as quickly as they can.

And make sure you tell your customers or readers that you appreciate their business very much. That’s the missing link in the busy corporate world.

You are social media friendly and not the dying self-checkout lane.

Thank you very much for reading this post and please do come back and consider leaving a comment, subscribing to the feed, or tweeting the post. Feel at home.

Can police search your digital possessions? Such as a personal computer, cell phone, laptop, etc. Just what are your rights when the police come knocking on your door?

DIGITAL CITIZEN TIPS

Don’t consent to a search
* Just say no. Tell the police to come back with a search warrant.
* If you voluntarily agree to let the police search, they won’t legally need a search warrant. They will be able to search your house, computer, cell phones, etc.

Always ask to see a search warrant
* If the police do in fact have a search warrant you have a right to see it.
* Make sure the police only search the area(s) where the warrant allows them to do so. They are not permitted to search other areas.

You do have the right to remain silent
* You don’t have to say a word to the police or help them while they are searching.
* You don’t have to give your encryption keys or passwords to the police.
* If you do decide to talk to the police, you have to tell the truth. Lying can be held against you.
* Once police are allowed to search your home you can not interfere in any way.

Talk to a lawyer
* Always get a lawyer first, if the situation permits you to do so. Get a lawyer when police want to talk to you, or when police want to search your home, business, or any electronic device.
* A lawyer is best suited to deal with the police. The lawyer may be able to retrieve your electronic device that the police got from you. Always get a lawyer.

For more tips you can visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Having problems logging into Facebook with your iPhone? This might solve the problem for you. Hey, it couldn’t hurt to try it!

One spouse could log into the Facebook account, while the other spouse could not log into the Facebook account. Both were connecting to Facebook with the same iPhone. Previously, both could access their own account until yesterday. Now the frustration sets in…

Here’s what to try.

CLEAR CACHE AND COOKIES

1.  Go to Settings… Safari
2.  Scroll down to bottom of screen
3.  Options… Clear history, clear cookies, clear cache
4.  Click on all these options… Finished

This should do the job. I tried it and it worked like magic. Please let me know if it works for you.

I’m Using Google Chrome Browser
Nothing on the chat box is working at all. The notification lights at the top will not respond when I click them. I tried to send a friend request and this isn’t working. What is wrong with this thing? I am very frustrated.

If you are using Google Chrome here is what you should try. I tried this and it worked like a charm. Everything worked fine after doing this procedure.

You have to clear the cache and the cookies.

THE STEPS YOU TAKE
1. Go to to Chrome Options.
2. Under The Hood.
3. Clear Browsing Data. Checkmark the following:

A. Clear browsing history
B. Clear download history
C. Empty the cache.
D. Delete cookies and other site plug-in-data.

After checkmarking the above you click the clear browsing data button and you should be finished. Then just cancel out everything. Hope this helps.

Note: Sometimes Facebook Chat decides to quit working. Check to see if other users are having the same issue. This problem usually works itself out on its own. Be patient.

About the OpenWatch Project from OpenWatch on Vimeo.

You feel that local police in your hood are too violent and too aggressive? You need an app to spy on them? No sweat, SuperHacker Rich Jones has got you covered with that.

If the local bullying neighorhood cop is engaging in his typical abusive style or you happen to have a corrupt politician that’s behaving badly, here’s what you can do. Go to OpenWatch and download the CopRecorder App.

OpenWatch is a participatory citizen media project which uses mobile technology to enable public monitoring of authority figures.

Rich Jones gives superb instructions in the video to guide you in your future endeavor.

A word of caution. Recording a cop may be illegal in some states (Massachusetts and Illinois). Hard to imagine but it could be possible. See if your state is record-a-cop friendly.

It’s called scientific journalism. Let’s keep government honest. Shall we?

Oh, and Jones will post your audio recording if you submit it and he agrees to it.

Want to make free phone calls on your iPod Touch? You can call anywhere in the United States and Canada on your iPod Touch for free. There is a free service called Talkatone. Talkatone is a small, independent, privately held company located in Silicon Valley, California.

Talkatone has free unlimited text messaging also. You can send and receive text if you have a Google Voice account.

Talkatone gives you free calls, text messages and real-time location sharing on your iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad via 3G or WiFi connection. Talkatone uses Google Talk and Google Voice services and bridges the gap between instant messaging on your computer and regular cellular calls on your mobile device.

Want more details? Click here if you want to learn more about their wonderful free service.

You’ll probably want the option of keeping updated with this service. Here is a link to the Talkatone Blog to catch the updates.

I heard some popping coming from the computer. The desktop was starting to produce a burn smell. The most logical thing to do was to turn off the computer.

This computer is a second, or spare if you will. After days passed by I thought to maybe turn the computer back on to inspect it. One last attempt before scrapping it. The thing previously had popped every few minutes (if not seconds) and the popping wouldn’t stop. What was wrong now? I had just replaced the power supply. I guessed the new one I installed could’ve been a defective one. Perhaps?

After examining the situation, turns out that there was a little red switch next to where the power cord is plugged in. It can be presumed that the power supply sets behind this area. Okay, to my surprise the little red switch had accidentally been set to 220 volts! Goodness, how can this happen on a computer?

A 220V/110V switch had been installed on the back, probably at the factory. After I flipped the switch back to 110V the popping sound stopped. Boy did I feel lucky about this one! The computer was a spare but still, a new one costs much more and I’m hoping for at least a few more months of usage.

Just a guess here, but I’m assuming that the switch would probably be for a European computer user. I think that in many places in Europe they use 220V in their outlets, instead of the 110V we are accustomed to in the United States.

I thought it kind of strange to see that type of switch on the back of a desktop but now at least I know what the deal is. I’m glad I caught it before the computer burned up. I can’t believe the switch turned on 220V didn’t destroy it. If you see the little red switch on the back of your desktop, please make sure it’s on the proper setting. Europeans would probably have it set on 220V, just guessing. I know I’m going to be more careful the next time.

From Columbus, Ohio to Denver, Colorado, there is a huge band that is touring. The band has been doing gigs all over the United States. Well, the band is not exactly popular, but is fast becoming well known. The band likes to perform at night, and will literally suck the blood right out of you.

Okay, probably not too much humor involved if you get infested by a band of bedbugs, or Cimex lectularius. They are on the rise in the United States. Denver firefighters have sure battled more than just fires as of late.

Causes
1. From bugs and eggs that “hitchhiked in” on clothing and luggage.
2. From infested items (e.g., furniture, clothes) brought in.
3. From a nearby dwelling or infested item, if there are easy routes.
4. Wild animals (e.g. bats, birds) and pets brought in.

Facts
1. Bed bugs are not known to carry diseases.
2. The number one cause of bed bug infestations is bringing an item that contains bed bugs into a dwelling.
3. One fertilized female can start a local infestation.
4. Bed bugs like to hide, so thoroughly search any item before bringing it into your home.
5. Adult bed bugs are red or brown and 6mm long (about the size of an apple seed); new born nymphs are 1mm long and translucent.
6. Bed bugs feed on blood and can often cause swelling and itching where they bite.

How to tell if you have bedbugs
1. During the night bed bugs can be crushed as a person tosses and turns, blood spots on sheets and pillowcases are a sign of bed bugs.
2. Tiny black spots are also a sign of bed bugs; these are excrement stains.
3. Bed bugs like to hide, so when looking for them inspect dark, isolated, and protected areas. These areas include mattresses, box springs, couches, clothes, drawers, picture frames, books, and curtains.

What to do if you discover you have bedbugs
1. First do not be afraid of the unfounded stigma that is often associated with bed bug infestation.
2. Finding and reporting the problem is the first step of control.
3. A detailed vacuuming can help remove the pests before they become a problem; a fine particle filter or bag should be used to avoid nymphs and eggs from escaping.
4. Washing clothes and bed linens in HOT water will also kill bed bugs including the hard to kill egg stage. Pillows and stuffed animals can be put in the dryer and treated with high heat for 20 minutes.
5. Clutter should be minimized as much as possible.
6. Infested items should be marked when thrown away to avoid the spread of the infestation.
More information: Denvergov.org

Although bedbugs can live for a year without feeding, they normally try to feed every five to ten days. In cold weather, bedbugs can live for about a year; at temperatures more conducive to activity and feeding, about 5 months. It has been reported that newer generations of pesticide-resistant bedbugs in Virginia could survive only two months without feeding.

Eradication of bedbugs
Eradication of bedbugs frequently requires a combination of pesticide and non pesticide approaches. Pesticides that have historically been found to be effective include: pyrethroids, dichlorvos and malathion. Resistance to pesticides has increased significantly over time and there are concerns of negative health effects from their usage. Mechanical approaches such as vacuuming up the insects and heat treating or wrapping mattresses have been recommended. The carbamate insecticide propoxur is highly toxic to bedbugs.

You’re on Facebook and you see this: I just got the Dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts lol!! Don’t click it. This is a scam. It’s the latest survey scam spreading virally across Facebook, according to Sophos, the guys that monitor computer security.

LATEST SCAMS:

“Justin Bieber trying to flirt”, “Student attacked his teacher and nearly killed him”, “the biggest and scariest snake” and the “world’s worst McDonald’s customer”. “Get the official dislike button now”.

DO NOT fall for this. A rogue application will require that you take a survey.  This is nothing but pure spam.

Check out Graham Cluley’s Blog for more clues.

For those wishing to spy on the neighbors, there are some excellent tools provided for such limited deviate practices. Here are also some most helpful hints for the aspiring espionage agent.

1. Make sure to keep lavish amounts of beverage on hand, as well as air conditioning, heat, or other modern conveniences that may be applicable. Be sure to indulge frequently. Don’t forget to enjoy your coffee. Free yourself from stressful events that you may be subjected to, such as news on the television. Avoid such negativity.

2. Locate a window or doorway. Make sure to find a good view of the neighbors nearby. Whether that may pertain to modified human beings, aliens, birds, or heavenly objects, identifiable or unconfirmed objects.

3. Exercise rapid response techniques. Employ modus operandi skillfully, especially when mother nature declares war. Toilet tissue would be preferred. Exercise caution. Any exercise at all is highly recommended.

4. While you snoop, be sure to administer diplomatic awareness. Conceal yourself. Always make social acquaintance with a legal advisor. Fraternize with caution. Better yet, stay legal.

5. While observing those under surveillance, make sure to have technologically advanced gadgets at your disposal. Such as but not limited to: police scanners, amateur radio equipment, flashlights, candles, personal computers, gps navigation devices, etc.

6. Be different. Just act normal. Join Facebook.

7. Be aware of your surroundings. Do not be in headphone mode, whatever that means. Be observant. Be aware of Russian spies.

8. Be discreet and not so obvious. Free from ostentation or pretension. If you can’t, at least be fashionable and use proper grammar. Whatever you do, don’t act like a politician.

9. Shop for some good gadgets.  Here are a few.

Spy Gadget List:

1. Bushnell Powerview 8×21 Compact Folding Roof Prism Binocular (Black)

2. Bushnell PowerView 20×50 Super High-Powered Surveillance Binoculars

3. Bushnell Image View 8×30 Roof Prism Binocular with 2.1MP Digital Still Camera

4. Night Owl 3.0x Explorer Compact Night Vision Binoculars With Extended IR Operation – Model NOXB-3 Night Vision Optics

5. SecurityMan® 900MHz Outdoor / Indoor Wireless Color Camera with Night Vision

6. Electronic Listening Dish by National Geographic: Model NG3500

7. C1390B24 WALL CLOCK 9 INCH B/W WIRELESS Covert Video Equipment

8. Cstar Spy-Scope 8×20 Monocular

9. Telephone Voice Changer

10. TrimTrak Real Time GPS Auto Locator