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If you’re running or hiking alone, it’s always smart to let somebody know your plans and when you expect to be back. Better yet, apps with location sharing can allow your partner or friend to know exactly where you are at any moment. But there’s a way to go even beyond that: Use Strava’s Beacon feature, now available even to us plebes on free accounts.

Other running apps offer location tracking as well, with varying feature sets. For example, Runtastic offers their tracking feature for free, but your contacts also need the Runtastic app to see where you are. Runkeeper can send your tracking information to non-Runkeeper users via text, but you need a premium subscription to turn it on.

Where general-purpose location sharing apps like Find My Friends only share your location and a few other data points, Strava and its ilk know that you’re on a run (or a hike, or a bike ride) and can tell your contacts what you’re doing. If I track a run with Strava and share the link with my husband, he can see:

• What time I started running
• Where I am now
• How much distance I’ve covered
• Whether I’m tracking the run or have paused it
• How much battery my phone has left

These can all give clues to whether I might need help. If I’ve stopped for a long time without pausing the run, he might wonder what’s up. If he knows I’ve gone out for a 10-mile run and I’m closing in on mile eight, he can see that I’m more or less on track.

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There are caveats, of course: If you can’t get a GPS reading or don’t have cell data where you are, the tracking might not stay updated. And the free version of Strava’s feature is only available for phones, not for an Apple Watch or Garmin on its own (although Garmin does have its own location-sharing feature).

How to use location-sharing apps for safety

With Beacon or another location sharing service enabled, you’ll still need to let your trusted person know when you’ll be back. But now, if you don’t return, they can easily see where you are. If you’re in trouble and can text that you need help, the location tells your person where to find you. And even if you can’t text, by the time they check in on you, they’ll be able to see where you are and how long you’ve been there.

Whenever I hear about new features for location tracking for running, I think about that night in 2012 that I made a wrong turn on a long-distance trail run and found myself utterly lost as the sun was setting and my phone’s battery was dying. I called my husband in a panic, because I knew I had to be close to a road, but I couldn’t find the road. I was able to get latitude and longitude coordinates from Google Maps, and text them to him, and then I had to wait for him to call me back after he’d consulted a stack of paper trail maps I had left at home. If I hadn’t been able to get the coordinates, or if my battery had died just a few minutes sooner, the night would have ended very differently.

I think about that every time I head out for a long trail run. I now use Google’s location sharing (which wasn’t available at the time), but next time I head out into the wilderness, I’m going to turn on a Strava Beacon.

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In this digital age, why do we still have physical IDs? I don’t need my credit card when I can use Apple Pay; I don’t need my MetroCard anymore with Express Transit; but still, I need to bring the whole wallet with me anywhere that requires a driver’s license. Luckily, it looks like that’s changing with iOS 15, as Apple is making it possible to add an official ID to your Wallet app.

The new feature is tied to iOS 15, so it isn’t live yet. But we already know quite a bit about it; Apple will let you add your driver’s license or state ID to Wallet, so long as your state supports the feature. Once added, you can use it when going through new security lanes at participating airports. While that’s the initial use case, we hope to see this ID in Wallet feature accepted in more forms in the future, such as when buying alcohol or other age-restricted goods.

How to add your ID to your iPhone’s Wallet app

Once iOS 15 is out, and ID in Wallet is live, it’s a relatively simple process to set up. It’s the same initial process for adding other types of cards to the app; just tap the (+) button at the top of Wallet’s main screen, and follow the instructions for adding a license or ID. If you have an Apple Watch, you’ll also be prompted to add the ID to the watch.

Next, iOS will ask to scan your ID and ask for a selfie. According to Apple, your iPhone will then securely send the selfie to your state to verify your identity, and, as an additional security layer, will have you record a series of facial and head movements. Once your state verifies your identity, your ID will be added to the Wallet app.

How to use your ID in Wallet

While there are certainly many potential uses for ID in Wallet, Apple’s main idea at this time is for presenting your license or ID to TSA when going through airport security. All you need to do is tap your iPhone at the identity reader. When you do, you’ll see a prompt that displays the information TSA is requesting. That information is only released to TSA once you authenticate yourself with Face ID or Touch ID.

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Apple is adamant this feature is secure; all of your identifying information is encrypted on your device, so third parties can’t access it. When you share that information with a TSA identity reader, that process is also encrypted, so the data is protected during transfer.

States that will let you use ID in Wallet

At this time, ID in Wallet is not yet active, as it is an iOS 15 exclusive. There’s no timeline for when the feature will go live; Apple has not confirmed whether this is a day-one feature for iOS 15, or whether it will take some time. Until then, Apple confirmed that Arizona and Georgia will be the first states in the country to opt-in to ID in Wallet.

However, other states are also confirmed; they just won’t take advantage of the feature until some time after Arizona and Georgia. They are:

• Connecticut
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Oklahoma
• Utah

   

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We often use the words “loneliness” and “isolation” interchangeably, and in the past year or so, many of us have become all too acquainted with both of them. However, it’s possible to be isolated but not lonely, or lonely but not isolated. And both have a significant impact on our physical and mental well-being.

Social isolation is a lack of social connections. This could be due to quarantine, living in a remote area, living alone, or any number of other factors that might prevent a person from having a network of people to rely on and confide in.

Loneliness, on the other hand, is the feeling of being socially isolated, which isn’t necessarily the same. A person can have a lot of social connections with others and still feel lonely, while a socially isolated person might have only a few close social connections, but not feel lonely.

Loneliness and social isolation were significant issues even before the pandemic 

Even before the pandemic, loneliness and social isolation were significant issues. In a report from the National Academics of Science, Engineering and Medicine, one quarter of Americans older than 65 were found to be socially isolated, while a significant number of adults over the age of 45 were reported to feel lonely, with the proportion increasing with age.

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This report was published in February 2020, just before our world turned upside down, forcing us into quarantine and maintaining a physical distance between us. As Carla Perissonotto, one of the authors of the report and a faculty member in geriatric medicine at the University of California, San Francisco told the Senate Special Committee on Aging, “The reality is that to some extent we are in a data-free zone. We do not know how long we have to be lonely or isolated, or how severe this must be for us to have lasting negative consequences.”

Our strategies for mitigating loneliness need to change 

As for what to do about social isolation and loneliness, we’re in new territory. What we do know is that both social isolation and loneliness are detrimental to our health. Social isolation leads to an increased risk of premature death, as well as a higher risk of dementia. Both social isolation and loneliness increase our risk for heart attack and stroke, while loneliness often causes higher rates of anxiety and depression.

As the pandemic stretches on, our ability to mitigate our social isolation is still curtailed by COVID-19 precautions. We’re also all dealing with Zoom fatigue, while social media and other forms of digital communication can only go so far.

In terms of how well digital contact can help stave off loneliness, studies have shown mixed results, with one study showing an increase in loneliness in spite of an increase in digital communication, while another study showed that although adults over the age of 50 experienced increased social isolation, their rates of loneliness remained stable.

Think about what you need to feel less alone 

However, when it comes to social isolation and loneliness, what we can do is think about what it is that we need to feel less alone. When it comes to meaningful social contact, this will look different for everyone, which means that what works for one person may not work for another. As Perissinotto told the NY Times, what we can do is think about the kinds of connections we need, and how we might be able to get them.

Whatever it is that can help you feel a little less alone, it’s important to seek that out and devote the time you need for it. Your health and well-being will thank you.

 

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Some plants just aren’t cut out for cold weather, but a surprising number of perennials are perfectly capable of surviving a frigid winter—at least with the right protection. As the temperatures start to cool down, it’s important to take a few simple steps to insulate your plants and soil from the cold season ahead. Here’s how.

Insulate plants with mulch

The best way to protect plant roots from freezing temperatures is good old mulch. Blanketing the ground around your plants with mulch keeps root systems nice and warm and, as a bonus, can discourage weed growth over the winter.

You can buy bags of the stuff at hardware or garden supply stores, but there’s no need to: Any chunky mixture of dry-ish, decaying (but not rotting) organic matter can be used as mulch: Think straw, wood chips, dead leaves, pine needles, yard trimmings, or even early-stage compost. Certain man-made materials, like rubber and plastic, can also work, particularly if weed growth is your primary concern.

If you’ve mulched extensively and are still nervous about leaving your favorite perennials out in the elements, the Oregon State University extension program has a neat trick for insulating plants that you “especially prize:”

Assemble a tomato cage (the square, folding types are best) around it. Wrap burlap around the outside of the cage and secure with bungee cords. Fill with straw or leaves.

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Building special little plant cocoons is more work than strategic mulching, but it’s a great choice for plants you really don’t want to see damaged.

Protect bare soil with compost and a blanket

Believe it or not, bare soil also needs protection from winter weather, too. Freeze-thaw cycles kill beneficial critters and microorganisms, and can even cause erosion—not what you want to deal with come spring.

Compost is the perfect solution to this problem because it insulates the soil and provides it with tons of nutrients. The UK Soil Association recommends spreading a few inches of it directly on bare soil and empty garden plots, then covering everything with something sturdy but breathable, like an old blanket. When the weather warms back up, uncover the compost and leave it alone for a few days to “breathe,” then dig around in the dirt to evenly distribute all the good stuff.

Whether you’re protecting plants, soil, or a little of both, remember to remove any insulation before growing season begins. The timing will vary depending on your location and the type of plant—or soil—but a good rule of thumb is to start de-winterizing when spring temperatures start up for real. If you’re not sure when that is, your state university’s extension program should have specific guidance.

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The ride home from school can feel like a battle of wills with my oldest son. When I start the car, he’s a bundle of ecstatic energy. But when I begin asking him about his day, his smile vanishes, and he locks his mouth up like a safe. The remainder of the trip is more nerve-wracking than an episode of Law and Order as I listen for any clue that will get him to open up to me.

My wife and I shared in our son’s excitement to start kindergarten this year. But now that he’s several weeks in, it has been difficult for us to gauge his enthusiasm. And as someone who found socializing at school challenging, I’m always concerned that other kids are bullying him or he is finding the curriculum hard to handle.

But getting kids to talk about their day has been a struggle of parents for generations. And judging from the plethora of articles that deal with this topic, the fight to find out what happens at school will continue to be waged within minivans and around dining room tables far into the future.

To aid in the struggle, we researched why children don’t talk about what happens after we drop them off—and share some strategies and questions that might encourage kids to open up.

Kids need to decompress after school

Even when adults arrive home from work, we often need (or would love to have) a few moments to decompress and allow our brains to shift from “work mode” to “caregiver mode.” And instead, when we are met with a barrage of questions and demands—What’s for dinner? Ugh, meatloaf AGAIN?—it can make us feel a tiny bit exasperated.

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According to this article by the Washington Post’s Meghan Leahy, young children also need a moment to transition from school to “home.” But because they are younger, it’s harder for kids to make that shift:

[B]ecause children are young and immature, their brains are not adept at navigating the transition from “work” to home. When they are overwhelmed, their brains are fried. Children cannot hold on to their maturity when they are that tired. To add to this dynamic, children who are extra sensitive may show even more signs that they are overwhelmed.

Leahy recommends giving kids a few moments to decompress and waiting for them to open up. And when they finally do talk about their day, listen carefully to what they have to say: “See what happens when you do not allow your need to learn about [their] day to eat up the space and energy. Focus 100 percent on being a listener.”

Young kids don’t recall the day’s events the same way you do

One of the reasons why your child is stonewalling you when you ask about their day is actually more biological than psychological. The first significant stage of brain development occurs between the ages of two and seven. At this age, child neuropsychologist Alison Gopnik writes in her book, The Philosophical Baby: What Children’s Minds Tell Us About Truth, Love, and the Meaning of Life, that when asked about their day in general terms, kids are unable to engage because their brains can’t recall memories in the same way adults or even older kids can.

As frustrating as it is to get a standard reply from your child, they aren’t resisting your questions. One method to get them to open up is to use the itinerary of what goes on during a typical school day that most preschools and teachers give parents at the beginning of the school year. Gopnik suggests that can guide you in asking questions that help kids recall specific memories about what happened during their day and could spark a lengthier conversation.

Tell them about your day first

Unless you’re a movie star or, I don’t know, Jeff Bezos, chances are your typical workday is dull and monotonous—and there’s a good chance your child feels the same way about their day, too. Maybe the details about learning long division or who sat by whom at lunch just feel too mundane to recap. But Sara Ackerman writes for The Washington Post that when she started sharing her day with her daughter, her daughter returned the favor:

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a software developer, a cashier, a blogger, a doctor, a bus driver, or a stay-at-home parent because it’s not about the minutiae of the work. It’s about sharing what makes us laugh and what bores us, the mistakes we make and what is hard for us, the interesting people we meet. When I model this for my daughter, she is more willing to share the same with me.

What if you think they are being bullied?

One out of five kids experiences bullying, and between 25 to 60% of those kids don’t report it to a parent or authority figure. As startling as these statistics are, parents probably won’t stop the trend by directly asking kids if they’re getting harassed in school.

If you suspect your child is the victim of bullying, there are ways to get them to open up. According to HuffPost, parents should start asking simple, pointed questions about who they’re playing with and how it’s going. For example: Who did you play with today? What was that like? What are some things you like doing with other kids? What are some things you don’t like so much?

If that doesn’t work, you can use books, movies, and television shows that address bullying as a tool to help children open up or start the conversation about how children socialize with their peers. Even if your kid isn’t experiencing bullying, initiating these conversations will show them they can talk to you about these issues.

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CloudLinux today announced it will provide updates and support for CentOS 8 through December 31, 2025 – providing a lifeline for those systems that have just four more months of support from the CentOS community through the end of the year when CentOS reaches end-of-life.

The CloudLinux TuxCare Extended Lifecycle Service includes 24/7 support and updates for system components on Linux operating systems that are no longer supported by their original vendor – that is, reached their end-of-life date. CentOS 8 is an addition to TuxCare’s Extended Lifecycle Support that covers Ubuntu 16.04, CentOS 6 and Oracle 6.

For organizations running CentOS 8 systems, this gives them more time to analyze and determine the right Linux distribution to migrate their systems to, at their own pace, rather than being forced into a hasty decision in the four remaining months.

IT decisions with strategic business impact like the operating system running their servers have far-reaching consequences at all levels of the organization. It can impact, for example, application compatibility across business departments and software development stacks for customer-facing systems.

TuxCare’s Extended Lifecycle Support is backed by CloudLinux, which has a long track record of developing, testing and deploying security patches and package updates for Linux distributions, backing hundreds of thousands of systems worldwide, across all industries. For vulnerabilities with a Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score of 7.5 or higher, the average patch delivery time is two days, which is better than the original vendor’s delivery time.

Organizations using the TuxCare service can be assured that business continuity is not affected, as the service deployment is transparent and rebootless, and compliance is maintained according to strict industry standards.

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Over the past few weeks, the federal government has sent clear signals that it’s ready to work with vendors on infrastructure and cybersecurity. In the wake of the Executive Order on Cybersecurity and a $1 trillion infrastructure spending package, huge investments await companies that can achieve government standards on security and compliance.

The latest version of FileCloud’s cloud-agnostic enterprise file sync, sharing and data governance platform streamlines compliance to just two clicks. In seconds, companies can meet an entire array of federal agency standards.

From FileCloud’s new Compliance Center, organizations can run ITAR-compliant enterprise file share, sync, and endpoint backup solutions with necessary encryption options. Support for HIPAA, NIST 800-171 and FINRA standards is coming in future versions so that any company, regardless of its level of risk assessment capabilities, can be assured it meets federal standards.

“The new Executive Order on Cybersecurity lays out a timeline for standardizing contractual requirements across agencies and improves compliance for vendors and the Federal Government,” said Madhan Kanagavel, FileCloud’s founder and CEO. “There’s no easier way to achieve compliance than through FileCloud’s automated compliance wizard.”

FileCloud’s Compliance Center features an easy-to-understand display of which configurations are enabled along with a checklist of any missing elements. System administrators can follow FileCloud’s built-in best practices suggestions to apply the necessary security and sharing settings.

The Biden administration’s executive order on cybersecurity highlighted the complex system of agency-specific policies and regulations that govern current requirements. Compliance Center makes navigating the complex rules for each federal standard easy, creating greater opportunities for companies vying for federal contracts.

Along with an intuitive UI for setting each compliance policy, FileCloud allows users to export settings for each policy, along with a report on violations so that teams can focus quickly on any issues to be addressed.

FileCloud 21.2, featuring Compliance Center, will be available on Sept. 15.

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