How to make the JA$110 Lasco Ice Dream you can get at Hi-Lo Supermarket

As an ardent ice cream lover, especially on a Sunday, I was quite surprised when Lasco decided to launch their Ice Dream powdered Ice Cream product.

So much so that I did a blog article predicting the eventual demise of Ice Cream in Jamaica as per my blog article entitled “How JA$130 Lasco Ice Dream dessert mix will revolutionize the Jamaican Ice Cream market”. 

 

So naturally I wanted to test it out. As soon as the product became available, I purchased it at the Hi-Lo Supermarket for JA$110 on Friday February 19^th 2016. Available only in Chocolate or Vanilla, I naturally chose chocolate for my grand experiment with the gang on Sunday February 21^st 2016.

 

The instructions are very simple:

1.      Add 6.8 fl. oz. (200mL) of cold water

2.      Add entire sachet (130g) of Lasco Ice Dream

3.      Mix using hand mixer on high speed for two minutes or whisk for about 5 minutes until frothy

4.      Freeze for minimum of twelve hours

So what was the result. As luck would have it, I took an awful lot of pictures!

Taste Test for Lasco Ice Dream – Affordable Dream comes true for DIY Ice Cream lovers

My setup was blessedly simple, with just my magic bowl and my fork as the mixer to mix out the ingredients.

 

As you can see below, I didn't use a hand mixer, just a regular fork.

 

After mixing, I then went into the communal refrigerator along with my Ackee (that's for laters!).

 

It took awhile to freeze, roughly 12 hours, as my fridge isn't exactly a top of the line model. But the end result was truly a surprise.

 

It tasted exactly like Ice cream, sweet just like Chocolate Ice Cream with the same texture and flavour. It had me thinking I could do this every Sunday at JA$110, it's cheaper than buying a cup of ice cream in Swallowfield!

 

The only thing I'd change is the use of gelatine, which I'd add to give it a bit more body. Also you can add other flavours to make other types of ice cream.

You can even use any liquid as the base, from Red Stripe Beer to Bag juice, even Schweppes tonic wine to make it Glow-in-the-Dark Ice Cream as explained in my blog article entitled “How to make Glow-In-The Dark Ice Cream from Scratch - US$25.95 Zoku Ice Cream Bowl makes Avatar The Last Airbender Frozen Novelties”.

Lasco Ice Dream is truly a dream come true for Ice Cream lovers who like to DIY (Do It Themselves)!

How to find Free TV online and stream via Wi-Fi to any smartphone

Yes folks, this is totally possible as the title implies.

Previously, you'd need a VPN or a Proxy to stream, especially if you're in Jamaica and you wish to set up a Hulu or Netflix account as described in my blog article entitled “How to find Free TV online and how to Stream from Hulu or Netflix in Jamaica”. 

It's even more important to college students to known about VPN, especially if you're at MICO University where many services on Wi-Fi are blocked as noted in my blog article entitled “Internet blockade at MICO - How to use VPN and Proxy to access blocked websites”. 

I still prefer VPN's especially as they can also be used to allow you to work online and make money on websites otherwise reserved for Americans as noted in my blog article entitled “How Jamaicans can make money online using Free VPN”. 

But what if I told you there exists a website that allows you to watch TV anywhere in the world absolutely free?

How to watch Live TV online - Just install Adblock and you're good to go

That website is stream2watch.com as explained in the video below.

Sorry guys but there is no App on the Google Play Store or the Apple iTunes Store; you'll have to use your browser to stream live television over this service

You'll need an ad blocker, preferably Adblock Plus, the go to favourite for Laptop, Desktop and smartphone and tablet users via Wi-Fi.

Need I say more? Sharing is caring so share this information with as many of your friends as you can.

Here’s the link:

Stream2Watch

Adblock Plus

How XSTAT 30 with Cellulose and Chitosan reduces major blood loss and keeps wounds clean

“When a product is developed for use in the battlefield, it is generally intended to work in a worst-case scenario where advanced care might not be immediately available. It is exciting to see this technology transition to help civilian first responders control some severe, life-threatening bleeding while on the trauma scene.”

Acting director of the Office of Device Evaluation in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, William Maisel, M.D., M.P.H, commenting on XSTAT 30

Jamaican EMT (Emergency Medical Technicians), this one is for you. Want to stop bleeding fast?

Bandages have nothing on the XSTAT 30, which the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has cleared for use by hospitals and first responders as reported in the article “XSTAT 30, the amazing device that stops bleeding in seconds, is now approved for civilian use”, published December 14, 2015 By Drew Prindle, Digitaltrends.

Tested on the battlefield by the US Army since 2015, the XSTAT 30 is designed to stop severe bleeding in a matter of seconds. In so doing it prevents life-threatening blood loss during massive blood loss, usually in the chest or armpit, areas of the body that a tourniquet or bandage cannot salve.

So how does it work?

XSTAT 30 for EMT's - How Cellulose and Chitosan reduces major blood loss and keeps wounds clean

The XSTAT 30 is an oversized syringe skilled with ninety two (92) compressed sponges made from plan cellulose and coated in chitosan. You might know that material; it's a protein that's found in the shells of shrimps and has some interesting anti-microbial properties.

When inserted into the wound, it quickly absorbs the blood and expands, blocking the blood and staunching the wound in less than 20 seconds. The sponges can stand in place for 4 hours until medical help arrives.

This is important to EMT's as XSTAT 30 reduces hemorrhaging of blood and prevents the patient from going into shock. They have a better chance of surviving once carried into the hospital, as the doctors would simply remove the XSTAT 30 once they have blood, sedatives and sutures on hand to dress the wound that is rendered clean thanks to the chitosan.

Alas, no time when EMT in the US of A will have this, or when this will available globally. But I’d sure like this in my cabinet in case my refrigerator becomes sentient and decided to kill me in the middle of the night.

How Electoral Office of Jamaica's EVIBIS eliminates Voter Fraud for smartphone and HDTV Voting in 2021

Hello Fellow Jamaicans.

Today is Thursday February 25^th 2016, Election Day, the day that Jamaica chooses who will rule us for the next five (5) years as noted in the article “SHOWDOWN! Candidates Hours Away From Finish Line”, published Thursday February 25, 2016 by Gary Spaulding, The Jamaica Gleaner.

 

The Jamaica Gleaner is so excited, they’ve dropped their paywall as per this tweet on the Jamaica Gleaner Twitter feed @JamaicaGleaner:

No Paywall: We are giving you free access to all content on our website https://t.co/ZqbMy5FPHo until February 26, 2016. #JaVotes2016

— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) February 25, 2016

Electoral Commission of Jamaica, Dorothy Pine-McLarty has confirmed that Polling stations are stocked with ballots and Election day Workers ready to fulfill their duty as indicated in the article “#JaVotes2016: Polling Stations Open Across Jamaica”, Published Thursday  February 25, 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Voting runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and has already started in earnest as noted in the article “PHOTOS: Voters Out In All Parishes”, published Thursday February 25, 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner. The rules are as clear as the Twitter post on Jamaica Gleaner Twitter feed @JamaicaGleaner below.

IMAGE: Electoral Commission publishes Election Day RULES. #JaVotes2016 pic.twitter.com/VdqHM9c5Pn

— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) February 24, 2016

There is even a Jamaica Gleaner's Interactive Election Maps that shows you the seat won by either party. So given all this information, who will win the Jamaica General Election 2016? 

Electoral Office of Jamaica and EVIBIS - How to eliminate Voter Fraud for smartphone and HDTV Voting in 2021

As can be expected, everybody is as nervous as hell, as this General Election look very close given all that has happened over the past five years from 2011 to 2016.

 

Of interest to me as a Telecoms Researcher is the planned use of EVIBIS (Electronic Voter Identification and Ballot Issuing System) as reported in the article “Only seven constituencies to use voter ID machines”, published Thursday, February 25, 2016 BY BALFORD HENRY, The Jamaica Gleaner.

The Voter ID machines will be used in the following seven (7) constituencies:

1.      St Andrew West Central

2.      Kingston Central

3.      Kingston Eastern and Port Royal

4.      St Andrew Western

5.      St Andrew South Eastern

6.      St Andrew Eastern

7.      St Catherine Eastern

Introduced by the EOJ in 2007, it's finally making its grand debut in the 2016 General Election with the following objectives:

1.      Prevent impersonation of an elector

2.      Eliminate multiple voting by persons

3.      Eliminate the use of unauthenticated ballots

4.      Reduce Voter ballot spoilage

Most of these constituencies using EVIBIS are in Kingston and St. Andrew, with only one in the rural areas, St Catherine Eastern. They have the advantage of being able to reduce voter fraud and speeding up the voting process by forcing the voter to identify themselves using their voter ID. 

This was sorely needed, given that some 176,374 New voters, mostly below the age of twenty five (25) are among the 1,824,410 enumerate to vote in the General Elections as pointed out in my blog article entitled “How to Vote and Who to Vote for in Jamaica's General Election 2016”.

Numbers To Watch In The 2016 Election #JaVotes2016https://t.co/iOYpJ6UNM1 pic.twitter.com/0LXK6ZmvJx

— diGJamaica (@diGJamaica) February 18, 2016

The last time we went to the polls on the 29 December 2011 in Jamaica the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party), led by Andrew Holness lost to the PNP (People's National Party) led by Portia Simpson-Miller as reported in the article “BLOWOUT: PNP 41 – JLP 22”, published Friday December 30, 2011, The Jamaica Gleaner.

The PNP won 42 of the 63 seats, ensuring a two-thirds majority without electronic Voting, so there may have been a lot of rigged voting. Hopefully in the next election, all Constituencies especially in the Rural areas, will have Electronic Voting.

With 5G launching globally and 4G LTE and FTTH in Jamaica from FLOW Jamaica and Digicel Jamaica's Digicel Play as predicted  in my blog article entitled “Why FLOW Jamaica's 4G LTE Upgrade to counter Digicel Play needs islandwide LTE, VDSL and DOCSIS 3.1”. 

This may open up the possibility of voting via smartphones, Desktop computers and even HDTV with HD Cameras using Samsung’s SmartThings Platform as described in my Geezam blog article entitled “How Samsung’s SmartThings Platform makes CES 2016 SUHD TV’s IoT Ready” in the year 2021.

Here's the link:
Jamaica Gleaner's Interactive Election Maps

How Google and GSMA RCS on Telcos means Ad Chatbots to unseat WhatsApp dominance

“Today marks an important step forward in bringing a better messaging experience for Android users everywhere. We’re thrilled to collaborate with our partners across the industry to make this happen.”

Google Vice President of Communications Products Nick Fox in a statement on Google’s Universal RCS platform

SMS (Short Messaging Service) aka Text messaging, looks set to step into the 21^st Century, if Google has their way.

The MWC (Mobile World Congress) in Barcelona, Spain, which runs from Monday February 22^nd 2016 to Thursday February 25^th 2016, so far has seen the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge as described in Kelroy’s Geezam article entitled “Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge makes a big splash at MWC 2016” 

Google on Monday February 22^nd 2016 has launched the Universal RCS platform as reported in the article entitled “Google aims to beef up text messages with new open source system”, published February 23, 2016 By Kyle Wiggers, Digitaltrends.

Their Universal RCS platform, is based on the RCS (Rich Communications Services) platform that was standard developed by the GSMA (Global System Mobile Association), the body that represents GSM Telecom Providers.

To this end, Google has partnered with GSMA to launch RCS as a replacement for SMS as noted in the article “Global operators, Google and the GSMA align behind Adoption of Rich Communications Services”, published February 22, 2016, GSMA.

Google had acquired Jibe Mobile acquisition in September 2015.

Since then they’ve quietly sought to integrate RCS into Android, bringing embedded images, video, audio and even emojis, the language of Mobile Internet as noted in my blog article entitled “University College Research says Emojis replacing English in Communication - Internet's Universal Language in the Age of Emojis” , to text messaging.

That means no need to use MMS (Multi Messaging Service) or even WhatsApp, the most popular Mobile social Network with millennials in the Developing World based on the state in Kelroy's Geezam blog article entitled “WhatsApp is the #1 Mobile Messaging App in the World”.

The difference is that Google's Universal RCS platform, designed to replace the ageing SMS standard on Google Android smartphones, will be released as an Open Source API (Application Program Interface).

So potentially, Developers can integrated Universal RCS platform into their Apps on any Smartphone platform be it Google Android, Apple iOS or even Windows Phone Mobile.

But why is Google choosing to do an Open Source Universal RCS platform?

Google and GSMA to push RCS - How RCS can unseat the dominance of WhatsApp

It’s good to note that Google's biggest competitor in the IM (Instant Messaging) space, Facebook, now has two successes on its hands in Social Mobile World.

First is WhatsApp, which is now totally free as they’d scrapped the yearly US$1 fee as reported in Kelroy's Geezam blog article entitled “WhatsApp now 100% free”.  

Facebook is now seeing success with Facebook Messenger, as they're already formulating plans to monetize their popular platform with Business Ads, preferably from Fast food companies as predicted in my Geezam blog article entitled “How FB Messenger Ads means Chess playing Chatbots with Fast Food Coupons”.

Google, by introducing an Open Source Universal RCS platform, is hoping to use it as a Trojan horse to take advantage of the coming adoption of RCS among Telecom Providers.

Already nineteen (19) Telecom Providers have declared plans to the RCS standard, namely:

1.      América Móvil

2.      Bharti Airtel Ltd

3.      Deutsche Telekom

4.      Etisalat

5.      Globe Telecom

6.      KPN

7.      Millicom

8.      MTN

9.      Orange

10.  PLAY

11.  Smart Communications

12.  Sprint

13.  Telenor Group

14.  TeliaSonera

15.  Telstra

16.  TIM

17.  Turkcell

18.  VimpelCom

19.  Vodafone

Noticeably absent from this push is American Telecom Providers AT&T and Verizon, who are yet to commit to adopting RCS, as they're busily gearing up for 5G and VoLTE (Voice over LTE) trials as reported in the article “AT&T jumps into the fast lane with ultraspeedy 5G field trial”, published February 11, 2016 by Roger Cheng, CNET News.

Good to note that 5G is slated to be launched until 2020, based on the ITU (international Telecommunication Union) IMT-2020 5G Roadmap as pointed out in my blog article entitled “ITU publishes 5G IMT-2020 Roadmap - Why US Telecom Providers , @Digicel_Jamaica and @LIMEJamaica like to travel off the beaten Path”.

5G may potentially negate the need for RCS, hence why they're ignoring it.

América Móvil and RCS - Why RCS adoption means chatbots selling Pizza Hut and Popeye's Chicken   

You may have notice that América Móvil is a part of the mix, meaning that RCS support is coming to Telecom provider in South and Central America.

This suggests that Telecom Providers  Digicel Jamaica and FLOW Jamaica may soon announced support for RCS, as competition in countries they operate means they’ll be rolling out this feature in order to compete more successful for customers.

If these Telecom Provider launch RCS as the next SMS replacement, it would make SMS cool again with embedded images, video, audio and even emojis making it seem on part with Instant Messaging. RCS could potentially give Google and other Developers the ability to create competing Mobile Social Networks based on the Universal RCS platform that can successfully unseat the growing dominance of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Suddenly, this alliance with the GSMA to push RCS can translate into billions of smartphones worldwide, including those of Google’s competitors such as Apple and Microsoft.

More practically, it'll also give the Telecom Providers a way to compete with the rise of Mobile Social Networks like WhatsApp and FB messenger, allowing them to also cash in on the US$69 billion a year Mobile Advertising and Marketing Industry.

Most likely this will be done via chatbots selling free Burger King and KFC coupons and businesses hawking their wares to millions of “Texters” worldwide as predicted in my blog article entitled “Kik buys Blynk - Why chatbots are the future of music and shopping”. 

A world where we’re talking to bot programs!

RCS and Google AdWords – Replacement for Banner Ads, Sponsored articles and videos in the future

RCS may be Google's potential savior as Telecom Providers have started blocking Ad, possibly YouTube Ads in the future as predicted in my Geezam blog article entitled “Why Google needs new Ad Formats as Telcos will block YouTube Ads”.  

Perhaps this is Google's way of mending fences with the telcos, after Digicel Jamaica and now Three's in the UK have begun blocking their Ads.

Coupled with the rise of Ad Blockers as chronicled in my Geezam blog article entitled “Why the Rise of ad-Blockers is killing free Publisher and App Content”, RSC with chatbots will be the replacement for Banner ads in the long run!

Sponsored articles and videos may soon be blocked as Ad blockers get more sophisticated with AI that can detect the context of an article or video and deem it to be an ad in disguise.RCS, may, in the future, herald a world where Google, Developers and Telecom Providers make money from chatbots selling you Pizza Hut and Popeye's Chicken coupons!