#4- Technology

The Mr. Coffee Smart Coffeemaker

Technology continues to advance, and over the past decade, we have seen countless devices that are labeled as being smart. These devices that have smart technology in them are supposed to contribute to making our lives better and easier. Should all devices have some sort of smart technology embedded in them, or are some better off when left alone?

A coffee maker is one device that has been impacted by smart technology. Tried-and-true coffee makers are often simple enough to use without being smart. If a person wants to use a coffee maker, he or she just puts in coffee grounds and water and then will press the smart button to begin brewing. Most coffee makers have an alarm that can be set in order to start brewing the coffee at a specific time. So exactly how efficient and necessary are smart coffee makers in today’s world?

The Mr. Coffee® Smart Optimal Brew™ 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker with Wemo is one these new smart coffee makers that has hit the market. This coffee maker currently costs $149.99 and has received 4 stars out of 5 on the Mr. Coffee website. One of its special features is that a user has the ability to set a schedule of when the coffee maker needs to brew coffee based on their daily habits. The schedule can be adjusted at any time to fit a user’s needs. Another special feature of this smart coffeemaker is that it has Mr. Coffee’s Optimal Brew technology. Using the Optimal Brew, a user can choose the strength of the coffee they prefer, and the coffee will be brewed faster and hotter than it would in regular coffee makers. The coffee pot is also made of stainless steel, which will ensure that the coffee stays hot and tastes fresh. The coffee maker also has a feature where a user can pause the brewing, grab a cup of coffee, and then let the rest of it finish brewing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGODQUtxQD4

The features of the Mr. Coffee Smart Optimal Brew Coffee Maker can be controlled using the WeMo app on Apple and Android devices. On the WeMo app, a user can create a weekly brewing schedule, turn the coffeemaker on or off, and receive notifications either if they need to refill the coffeemaker or if the coffee is ready.

Reviews for the coffee maker are mostly positive, although the product usually receives about 4 out of 5 stars. One review from Engadget said that the coffeemaker has a nice design to its interior and that coffee does stay hot when left to sit in the stainless steel coffee pot. The reviewer said that the WeMo app is very useful when wanting to set a brewing schedule or choosing when to make a cup of coffee. Despite all the coffee maker's fancy features, he did say that he didn’t think he could justify spending $250 for a smart coffee maker, even it was handy and did work well. The coffeemaker is currently on sale for $149, but the price is still expensive for a device that is only meant to make coffee. I do think it would be nice to have those smart features on a coffee maker, although I’m not sure if I would personally pay $149 for one. If a smart coffee maker was on an extreme sale (such as under $100), I would maybe consider either purchasing it or asking for it for Christmas or my birthday. The WeMo app would be handy because I could choose to start brewing coffee from my phone and receive reminders when my coffee is finished. Maybe I will buy one someday, but I don’t think it will be anytime soon.

http://www.mrcoffee.com/coffee-makers/smart-optimal-brew-coffeemaker-with-wemo/mr.-coffee-smart-optimal-brew-10-cup-programmable-coffee-maker-with-wemo-bvmc-pstx91we/BVMC-PSTX91WE.html

 https://www.engadget.com/2015/02/03/irl-a-month-controlling-my-coffeemaker-over-wifi/

#3- Lifestyle or Popular Culture

Two Favorite Beauty Trends and Two "Hacks"

Tons of beauty trends and "hacks" come around every year, and no matter how ridiculous they are, people will probably try them for themselves.

One makeup trend that was popular last year and is still highly popular this year is major highlighting. This trend involves one using a highlighter (shimmery powder that can be purchased in many different colors) to make their face glow. Some people use a rather heavy amount of highlighter to the point where their faces look lit from within (or to the point where they might resemble a glazed doughnut). I love highlighter, and I think they look extremely pretty when applied to people's faces. When you put highlighter on top of a cheekbone, it looks gorgeous when light hits it. Some people also use colorful highlighters and can be quite artistic with the way they apply them to their faces.

Another makeup trend that has popped up over social media in the last six months or so is excessively artistic eye makeup. Now, we're not just talking about somewhat colorful/perfectly blended eyeshadows but rather, actual works of art that people create on their own eyelids. Eyelid designs can range from simple and pretty to extravagantly detailed. One girl even painted her own replica of Van Gogh's Starry Night on her eyelid. These images of people's beautiful art can be seen on social media all the time. I see these types of pictures frequently and am always amazed at the things people can do with makeup. I honestly don't understand those who criticize people who do eyelid art by calling the act unnecessary. Makeup is art, and you face is the canvas, therefore, I say go to town with it.

Another beauty related trend that has hit social media recently consists of different items one can use to apply foundation onto their faces(the colored liquid stuff for those who don't do makeup). Two of the strangest hacks I've seen are using a bra insert sponge and a condom wrapped around a beauty sponge. I think both of these "hacks" are a bit ridiculous, and I probably won't be trying them anytime soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyi4DWz62_o

For the bra insert, this tool will supposedly apply one's makeup smoothly to the face and not soak up as much product as a beauty sponge would. One supposed plus of using the bra insert is that cleanup will be a breeze. The left over foundation can just be wiped off the insert with a tissue or a towel. After this hack came out, beauty vloggers all over YouTube started posting videos of them doing their first impressions of using the bra insert to apply their makeup. Some say it works, but some also say the hack is just a dud. Any criticism of the bra insert not working did not deter the beauty company Molly Cosmetics from creating their own silicone sponge, called the Silisponge, that slightly resembles a bra insert. The product has become a best-seller because people were curious as to whether it would work or not. On Amazon, the product currently has mixed reviews.

The beauty hack featuring the condom has only recently appeared on social media but is starting to become more talked about. For the hack, one needs to take the beauty sponge of his/her choosing and simply put it inside a condom (one that is preferably clean and has been washed with some kind of soap). The condom over the beauty sponge is supposed to give the same effect that the bra insert is supposed to have with face makeup. Since the beauty sponge is nestled inside, the condom will prevent the sponge from absorbing the product and will give the makeup as much coverage as it can possibly have. Does this hack truly work for people? I'm not really sure, but it has received the same mixed reviews that the bra insert did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ASXCuj6_oc

All I can say is that you won't find me using either of these hacks anytime soon. I'll just be sticking to my tried-and-true beauty sponge (the Real Techniques sponge is cheap and works very well in my opinion).

#2- Television

The 100

The 100 used to be one of my favorites shows to watch on television. This teen drama, which currently is in its 4th season on the CW network, revolves around a post-apocalyptic world where the earth has been wrecked by nuclear war, and those who have remained have inhabited one giant space station called the Ark. In season 1 of the show, officials from the Ark make the decision to send 100 juvenile prisoners to the ground to test if humans can survive on earth, seeing as it has been almost 100 years since the nuclear war. The 100 juveniles crash-land on earth and have to explore the dangerous, unknown land while trying to make a new home for themselves. I first found the show in December of 2014, and I binge-watched the whole first season within a few days.

The first season features the tension between the Sky People (those from the Ark) and the descendants of the people who survived the nuclear war on Earth (called the Grounders). The Grounders are seen as an unknown danger in the first few episodes because strange events start happening, but the Sky People don't actually come face to face with the Grounders until later. The Sky people start experiencing attacks from the Grounders because they are foreigners in the Grounder’s homeland. The first season of the 100 mainly deals with the Sky People trying to fight off the Grounders, and it also focuses on the tension and drama that builds amongst the Sky People, who have differing opinions on how their group should be led.  The season finale features a major battle between the Sky People and the Grounders, which ultimately ends on a cliffhanger. This was probably my favorite season of the show because it was exciting to see how the Sky People adapted to a world they had never seen before.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia1Fbg96vL0&t=132s

The first few episodes of the second season had already aired by the time I started watching the show, so I didn’t have to wait for the second season to premiere as did other fans who watched the show when it first aired on TV. The second season of The 100 dealt with the adults from the Ark having to come down to earth because of dwindling resources on the space station. In this season, most of the Juveniles are being trapped by the Mountain Men, a society of people who survived the nuclear war and made their home in an underground government bunker.  I highly enjoyed this season because I thought the storyline was intriguing, and it really made me excited to watch the show every week. There was one specific creepy revelation about the Mountain Men, who were at first seemingly nice people, that made the season a very interesting ride. It was also refreshing to see the Sky people and the Grounders group together to fight a common enemy. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0vrIMcMz9Q

The third season of the show, however, was not my favorite. I liked the first few episodes because it was interesting to watch what went down after the second season ended, but I just felt that the season didn’t live up to the first two. There were several deaths in the season that I felt were uncalled for, and I noticed, as did other fans, that the PoC characters on the show were not treated as well as other character and were seen more as the villains instead of the heroes. I also felt that the storyline was more boring and the aspect of AI technology and a chip that controlled people’s minds just didn’t work very well for the show. I’m not alone in these feelings though; other fans felts that this season was lackluster. The 100 has its worst ratings during the third season due to fans boycotting the show because of the season’s storyline and controversy caused by the show’s creator, Jason Rothenberg. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL9D1a-8SEg

The fourth season recently premiered, and I watched the first episode of the season. I think I've decided to give the show a season chance. I thoroughly hope that the 100 redeems itself and that this season will be much better than the last and comparable to the first two seasons that I enjoyed so much.

Update: I gave the first few episodes a chance, but I just couldn't get myself excited about the show again. There's honestly no telling if I'll watch the rest of the fourth season anytime season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3koIh0Izwk