The Allen Report

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

See Which Facebook Ads Russians Aimed at People Like You

Russian election meddling...

One of thousands of Russian-linked, targeted ads on Facebook.

Congress last week released thousands of Facebook ads linked to Russia that ran through the 2016 presidential election, the most comprehensive look to date at the misinformation campaign mounted on the social network, Keith Collins reports on nytimes.com.

Want to see which ads were targeted to people like you or those you know?

Click here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/14/technology/facebook-ads-congress.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

How Much Money Makes You Wealthy?

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

IBM, NC State Partner in New Quantum Computing Hub

New center for North America...

North Carolina State University will be the first in North America to establish a university-based IBM Quantum Computing hub as part of the global IBM Q Network, Allan Maurer reports on wraltechwire.com.

The hub is expected to be operational on Raleigh's Centennial Campus by October, he added.

The network is a collaboration of Fortune 500 companies, academic institutions and national research labs working directly with IBM to advance quantum computing, Maurer wrote.

NC State joins three other already established university hubs worldwide: The University of Oxford in the United Kingdom; Kejo University, Japan, and the University of Melbourne, Australia, he noted.

For more: https://www.wraltechwire.com/2018/05/10/ibm-chooses-nc-state-as-partner-for-first-ibm-quantum-computing-hub-in-north-america/

IBM's quantum computer.

Photos: IBM.

Next time on The Allen Report:

See Which Facebook Ads Russians Aimed at People Like You

Exercise: C'mon -- You Know it's Good for You

Even a little helps...

Have some fun. Mix it up.

Regular exercise is probably the best prescription for healthy aging, Janet Lee reports on consumerreports.org.

But fewer than one in five adults age 65 and older gets the minimum recommended amount: 2 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (such as walking briskly or cycling at a level where you can talk but not sing) and at least two full-body strength workouts per week, Lee wrote.

For more: https://www.consumerreports.org/exercise-fitness/how-much-exercise-do-you-need-to-see-health-benefits/

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:
IBM, NC State Partner in New Quantum Computing Hub.

Monday, May 14, 2018

95 Affordable New Apartments Draw 6,580 Applications

A San Francisco story that touches on the nation's housing policy for the poor...

New affordable apartments near completion in San Francisco.

San Francisco's housing crisis has meant living without essential elements of a home for many, Emily Badger reports on nytimes.com.

A large affordable housing development rising downtown promised what they did not have: 95 complete homes, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with privacy, a sense of peace, a place to cook, Badger wrote.

The development, Natalie Gubb Commons, was reserved for households with incomes up to 50 percent of the local median. The applications were open for three weeks last fall, and 6,580 households applied for a chance to rent there, or nearly 70 for each unit, Badger added.

For more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/12/upshot/these-95-apartments-promised-affordable-rent-in-san-francisco-then-6580-people-applied.html?nytapp=true

Photo: Jim Wilson, nytimes.com.

Next time on The Allen Report:
Exercise: C'mon -- You Know it's Good for You.

Sunday, May 13, 2018

How 1-800-Flowers and IBM Helped Mother's Day Deliveries

The IBM Cloud at work...

1-800-Flowers turned to IBM for better customer

service and deliveries on Mother's Day this year.

Every year, 1-800-Flowers facilitates millions of flower deliveries, bringing in more than $1 billion in revenue, Stephanie Condon reports on zdnet.com.

Not surprisingly, the holidays -- Mother's Day in particular -- are crucial for the brand, Condon wrote.

With thousands of customer service calls coming in daily during the Mother's Day season, 1-800-Flowers was looking for a way to save the company -- and customers -- time and money. This year, it's doing so with the help of the IBM Cloud, she added.

For more of a timely report: https://www-zdnet-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.zdnet.com/google-amp/article/how-1-800-flowers-fixed-your-mothers-day-delivery-with-ibms-help/

Photo: zdnet.com

Next time on The Allen Report:

95 Affordable New Apartments Draw 6,580 Applications.