I’ve never really understood outdoor Christmas lighting—it seems like a lot of work to put it up and take it all down every year. But last year, I got to try out new permanent outdoor lights, and I am forever changed. You should use the October Prime Day sale as your excuse to grab permanent outdoor lights that are on sale. 

It’s not just that permanent lights will relieve you of hours of labor every year. They are also smart lights, and you can change them to basically any color you want. On a regular Tuesday, they can be a soft warm or cool white. For Christmas, sync them to music—change it up for any holiday you want. (St. Patrick’s Day has never been so festive at my house.)

They really are permanent, at least in that mine survived the worst Portland winter in fifty years). The lights don’t use the hooks that you’re accustomed to: They go up under your eaves or on the bottom of your gutters. They throw light against the exterior walls of the house, so the farther they are from the house (the deeper your eaves are), the more light is thrown. But if you have tiny gutters or eaves, don’t worry—they'll still throw off plenty of light. And because of the range of colors these lights can achieve (thousands of blues, for instance) you can wash your house in a peaceful ombre, or have it light up like a flashing rainbow. Your choice. 

Although I tried Govee's last year and they've released a new version for 2024, lots of companies have their own versions now, and most are on sale.

Govee permanent outdoor lights

The only downside of Govee's lights was their app, and over the last year, it has vastly improved. This is their second version of these lights, and I've used them the last two weeks without issue:

• 150-foot strand, was $419.99, now $279.99

• 100-foot strand, was $279.99, now $179.99

• 50-foot Strand, was $159.99, now $99.99

Eufy permanent outdoor lights

This is Eufy's first year producing these lights, but so far, I find them competitive with Govee's version. The UI is also slightly less chaotic than Govee. They offer a 50-foot strand that isn't marked down right now, but this one is:

• 100-foot strand, was $299.99, now $199.99

Enbrighten Eternity permanent outdoor lights

Enbrighten is a new brand to me, but so far, the lights work as well as the others, and they come with a lifetime guarantee. As an added bonus, they donate 50% of their profits to non-profit organizations.

• 100-foot strand, was $249.99, now $179.99

• 50-foot strand, was $159.99, now $129.99

Comcast has confirmed that the personal data of over 230,000 customers was stolen during a ransomware attack on a third-party debt collection agency, Financial Business and Consumer Solutions (FBCS). The breach happened in February 2024, but FBCS initially told Comcast that no customer data was compromised.

submitted by /u/PixelatedCouchPotato to r/memes [link] [comments]

Apple just fixed a duo of security bugs in iOS 18.0.1 and iPadOS 18.0.1, one of which might cause users' saved passwords to be read aloud. It's hardly an ideal situation for the visually impaired. From a report: For those who rely on the accessibility features baked into their iGadgets, namely Apple's VoiceOver screen reader, now is a good time to apply the latest update. In typical Apple fashion, the company hasn't released much in the way of details about the first security issue, tracked as CVE-2024-44204, which makes it tougher to understand the conditions under which this vulnerability could be triggered, or how to avoid it until the update is applied. What we do know is that it was characterized as a logic issue, which Apple rectified by improving validation. The disclosure of the bug comes less than a month after iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 debuted. Ironically, this release included Apple's first native password manager, the Passwords app.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

OneNote is journal-creating software designed by Microsoft to be a space where you can jot down ideas, conduct research, and create a highly interactive canvas-style map of "pieces" that will help you organize all those pieces. Here's how I use it with my research materials, and how you can too.

While deer can be seen in backyards and on roadsides year-round, they tend to be especially active in the fall, during the lead-up to their autumn breeding season—also referred to as the "rut," according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. When deer are focused on finding, and potentially chasing down, their future mate, they're not exactly looking both ways before crossing a street. Plus, having fewer hours of daylight means we're spending more time driving in the dark, when it can be especially difficult to spot deer about to make their way across the road.

As vigilant as you may be, sometimes the situation is out of your control, and you end up hitting a deer while driving. Here's what to do if that happens, and some tips to help you avoid this type of collision.

Move somewhere safe

The first step is to try to move your vehicle to a safe portion of the roadway, says Paul Grattan Jr., a retired sergeant and 22-year veteran with the New York City Police Department, where he oversaw media and executive communications for the NYPD’s Transit Bureau. Turn your hazard lights on, and attempt to pull to the side of the road or a nearby area that is more removed from traffic. 

If your car isn't moving well, or doesn’t steer as you would expect, Grattan says to stop where you are. After a collision, you may hear noises from bumpers, fenders and other parts of the car rubbing against the tires or ground. "Generally, it’s safer to try to move the car a short distance to safety under these circumstances than to worry about some further minor damage to the vehicle," he says.

Stay in your vehicle and call for help

Remain in your vehicle with your hazard lights on and call 911 to report the accident and any injuries, says Patti Yencho of Professional Insurance Advisors, who has more than 26 years of experience in the insurance industry. Make sure you and your passengers stay safe until the authorities arrive.

Take notes

Take note of the time and location of the accident, as well as any other information that will be useful for the police report and/or filing an insurance claim, says Alex Adekola, the CEO and Founder of ReadyAdjuster. Not sure whether your car insurance will cover the accident? “Hitting a deer falls under comprehensive coverage—not collision—so make sure you've reviewed your policy to see if you're covered."

Take photos

Once you're in a safe location, take photos of any damage to your vehicle from several angles, and make a note of what the damage is in as great of detail as possible, says Eamonn Turley, an auto and insurance expert and the CEO of Multi Quote Time. "This documentation could be crucial when you file a claim with your insurance company to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve for repairs."

Make sure your car is safe to drive

You've already moved your vehicle to a safe portion of the roadway, but how do you know if it's safe to drive to your destination, or should be towed?  According to Grattan, there are several indications that the car is better off being towed than driven. Some examples include:

• There are fluids leaking.  More than a few drops of fluid is a concern.

• The airbags have deployed. 

• There is a visibility issue—the hood is blocking a clear view or the windshield is badly cracked. 

• The car is smoking or steaming significantly.

• The brake pedal doesn’t feel the same—it goes to the floor, feels “mushy” or less firm.

•  Lighting is compromised. 

•  Parts of the exterior are making contact with the tires or the ground. 

Also, make sure nothing is dragging underneath your car, says Ethan Pickner, founder of AZ Health Insurance Brokers.

What to do about the deer

First and foremost, keep a safe distance from the deer. “From the injured animal panicking or becoming defensive, a nearby doe trying to protect her young, or the additional traffic safety concerns created by the situation, the safest option is to let the deer be,” Grattan says.

If the deer is in the roadway and poses a hazard to others, you can flash your headlights to signal to other motorists, but don’t put yourself in any danger, Turley says.

If you’ve alerted the police about the accident, they’ll probably bring in the proper authorities to deal with the deer, like local highway crews or department of transportation personnel, Grattan says. “Many police agencies, particularly in areas where deer collisions are common, have policies in place to assess the animal’s condition and, if necessary, humanely put it down,” he explains. “In some cases, police have contact with locals who will remove a deceased deer so that it may be processed and consumed.”

When in doubt, contact local wildlife authorities or animal control, Turley says.

How to avoid hitting deer

While deer can be unpredictable, especially in the fall, there are a few things you can do to reduce your chances of hitting one while driving. These include:

Travel at a safe speed

Not only is keeping a safe speed best way to avoid hitting a deer, it also helps you avoid more significant damage or injury should it happen, Grattan says.

Be extra vigilant and dawn and dusk

Be observant and exercise caution at all times while driving, particularly where deer crossing areas are noted. But be especially careful at dawn and dusk, when deer are most active, Turley says.

Use high beams

Use your high beams to illuminate the sides of the road when driving in the dark, Yencho says—just be sure to turn them off when you see oncoming traffic.

Look for eyes

When driving in the dark, keep an eye out for the reflection of deer eyes in your headlights, Yencho says. This is often the first—and sometimes only—part of the deer you'll see at night.

Assume there's a group

Deer often travel in groups, Turley says, so if you see one, know that others may soon follow.

What to do if hitting a deer is unavoidable

There may also be times when you spot a deer only after it's too late, and you know a collision is unavoidable. If that happens, keep both hands on the steering wheel and slow down as quickly as possible, Pickner says. While slowing down, Yencho suggests honking your horn to try to scare the deer away.

“The biggest thing is to continue in a straight line—no swerving around them,” he explains. “Many times people swerve and end up in the ditch with more damage than if they had hit the deer.” Along the same lines, Grattan says that in some cases, it may be safer to hit the deer than to make an evasive maneuver that would put you in even more danger, like hitting a tree or careening off the road.