#AmazonEcho Fun: Avenger's #InfinityWar Trivia Game #AlexaSkills

Marvel Studios: Avengers Tweet (Screenshot)

Do you have an Amazon Alexa-enabled device? Or at least have an Alexa-enabled Amazon app on your smartphone/s? Alexa is so darn ubiquitous, which was rather Amazon's point in order to gain access to more consumer data, that I'm betting you do. I mean, I have an Amazon Echo (1st Gen), an Amazon Fire Tablet (originally called Kindle Fire, 3rd Gen) and various Alexa-enabled apps installed on several smartphones --- and this is all without actually trying --- merely because I've been an Amazon customer for better than a decade and I also happen to be a natural born geek.

So do you use your Alexa-enabled whatever to play games? There are some fun Alexa Skills out there. (There are quite a few useful ones, also.) I noticed a tweet from Marvel Studios this morning about a new Avenger's Infinity War Trivia Game (Alexa Skill). I haven't played it yet, but it might be fun. I like Marvel. I read the comics, watch the movies and play the games (each at varying levels).

ASIDE: Apparently, today is also Thor's (Chris Hemsworth's) birthday as I saw a tweet to this effect while scrolling through my feed this morning. I do enjoy his portrayal of the character in the Marvel movies (MCU). I've always had a soft spot for Thor, as a both a Viking and a Mythology devotee (since childhood). Happy Birthday to him!

Have you found any must-have Alexa Skills? Di mi, cara. Do Tell.

Well, the pup is stomping her paw ready to go out for second walk. Adieu!

Why #AlwaysOn #HomeAutomation Needs an [OFF] Button: #IoT #Wiretapping #PrivacyPolicies #DataMining #DoNotTrack #Supercookies

As commercial entities rush to Internet-enable everything (can the smartflush toilet be far away?) consumers should hit the [PAUSE] button and examine the cost of all this "convenience". One should always remember that technology often outpaces legality (and unfortunately, ethics); if something can be achieved with technology, it likely will be, with or without license.

When the Internet first became the domain of commerce, online shopping early adopters were the first to test the waters and bear a share of the cost. As more and more people --- across various socio-economic strata --- went online, businesses realized that potential consumers could be drawn in by offering something for "free." There is no such thing as a free lunch; the exchange always consists of the consumer giving over some detail/s in order to obtain said freebie. Sometimes it's merely a name and address, but increasingly it's become a request for more and more extensive demographic information. (Fill out this survey, get a free pack of gum. Oh, did we forget to mention the gum is extra sticky and will track you for the rest of your life?)

Once businesses realized that consumers were willing to trade all sorts of data in exchange for a perceived "freebie," commercial exploitation of the Internet commenced in full measure. The Age of Freemium Enterprise was born. A entire global enterprise ecosystem has sprung up based upon the repackaging and selling of you (your data). Some of the biggest Internet tech companies make most of their money from advertising and advertising is lucrative for these companies because they take the Freemium Model to extremes: Offer a consumer a free service, get reams of personal information in return; tack on another free service, get more data; rinse and repeat. And because they realize that the average user is either too lazy or too ill-informed to bother to "unjoin" something included at signup, these companies use opt-in as the default --- you have to take action to opt-out --- automatically gaining access to tons of data, often from unwitting consumers.

The Freemium Model soon evolved into the Convenience Factor Model: Consumers were willing to pay for a service or gadget with perceived convenience for everyday life tasks and still give access to their data in return. (Yes, we literally buy into being spied upon with the advent of smart devices.) And the big boys took notice. Companies like Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon have expanded into the home automation market because it's a most hallowed step, an open doorway into your most private space, granting access to information that previously might have been off limits. All via a consumer invitation to come on in.

Companies can now get real-time stats on your security setup (smart doorbells and smart cameras), your energy consumption (smart thermostats and smart meters), your entertainment choices (smart TVs, radios and gaming systems), your food consumption (smart refrigerators and smart crock pots) and even your linguistic patterns, random ruminations, shopping habits, and personal preferences (smart hubs or smart assistants) and much more --- all attached to location data and to a person or household. (There's a reason you're encouraged to sign-in with your often long-standing personal account to use all these new home automation tools and services offered by the behemoth tech firms.) Consumers are being quantified at every level and on every front.

Previously, much of this data could be intimated by tracking web search and online browsing habits, but it was an incomplete picture. IoT devices deployed in the home are allowing businesses to fill in those data gaps --- currently with little to no oversight as the arena is so new. For advertising and consumer sales dependent businesses, this is much better than the ill-advised supercookie Verizon used. (I'm paying you for what?) Better than stating "websites are not required to adhere to a Do Not Track request." Not only are many of these smart devices designed to be "Always On" but consumers are being sold on the idea that this is for the sake of our convenience, for our benefit, to help make our lives easier. Yes, it's a great boon for advertisers, vendors, and the data miners who feed them.

Think about it. Not only is an "Always On" smart device with an omnidirectional microphone and/or camera essentially an unhidden wiretap or voyeuristic eavesdropping box that can potentially record everything, but we're being told to think it's merely a cute toy or a dead helpful essential gadget. The convenience of getting on demand answers and actions, is supposed to blind us to the IoT connected home trade off. Namely, that "All Your Base Are Belong to Us." I would caution anyone to be aware to what data you are granting access when using any so-called smart device. (I've touched on this subject before, but the IoT consumer market is so new that the learning curve is still expanding.)

This can be difficult because some companies do not disclose how their device/s tracks your information or the disclosure is limited or buried in reams of other jargon. (Vizio is currently all over the news for surreptitiously tracking the viewing habits of its Smart TV users for years and selling the data, all without consumer consent. Samsung pulled a similar stunt several years ago with its early Smart TVs and so did LG to mention but a few cases.) Recall what I said earlier about technology often outpacing legality and ethics? It is apparently too tempting for a commercial entity to gain near unfettered access to you in the intimate setting of your home and not go overboard. Any web camera or Internet-connected Mic not only presents a potential security risk from hackers but also from the very purveyors of the devices. You would do well to never trust any device that is programmed to automatically phone home.

I'm not telling you to abstain. (Though certainly that is a choice, the ultimate opt-out. While it may keep you relatively safe at home, the outside world is now rife with Internet-connected devices. Cameras and microphones are everywhere in the public sphere. Short of moving to Mars, it helps to have an auxiliary plan.) I'm not saying these devices have no use. We all like convenience and the idea of tasks being accomplished for us effortlessly. I'm a techie, a tech geek and an engineer. I love my tech toys, too. I'm simply saying be aware, be educated, be proactive, especially when allowing any device with its own brain into your castle. (I'm an AI advocate, not a patsy.) As a consumer, the responsibility assuredly rests upon the individual to safeguard his own information. Do not count on a "business that depends on access to as much of your data as possible in order to insure its bottom line" being altruistic. Do not count on human decency. Better safe, than sorry.

You are the commodity. Realize this and act accordingly. Always check privacy policies and disclosures about how your information is collected and used (and if this isn't stated upfront contact the vendor), check the vendor reputation, keep abreast of the industry news and legislation that governs how companies can use your data (become active in lobbying for government regulations & consumer protections, if necessary), check device/s settings and controls (whether you're allowed to opt-out or limit data collection, turn off or limit device Internet access without affecting functionality), consider setting up a separate user account only for your device distinct from your personal account/s (I often do this) and if all else fails to stem the flow of your information remember to use the [OFF] button or simply unplug the thing when not in use.

Know that if a vendor, any vendor, tells you that having an "Always On" device in your home is not an invasion of your privacy, this vendor is full of it. It may not automatically be a nefarious intrusion, but it is still a third-party potentially gleaning access to things where previously the expectation of privacy was the default. Consumers should pause and come to terms with this before rushing head first into the coming dawn of data siphoning and purchasing the shop vac for it.

NOTE: I know that the popular refrain used by many folks whenever someone sounds an alarm regarding the potential for third-party observation in certain areas (police cameras in the streets, for instance) is "Doesn't bother me, I have nothing to hide" as if anyone concerned with personal privacy must be wanted by the law and on the lam. Instead, my concern is for the potential for misuse. Once your data is out there it's rather difficult to call it back, therefore any safeguard must occur prior. If you trust a third party with your data and later find out a fourth party hacked it, you may not have anything to hide per say, but you might still find yourself taken advantage of. But by all means, feel free to remain cavalier in your attitudes, it's what keeps unscrupulous businesses, identity thieves and other unsavory characters in the green. Just saying.

#HomeAutomation 101: Avoid #FutureShock Employ Basic #IoT #Security Now - A Separate #WiFi #Network #Firewall Go #Intranet

I believe in the smart home, connected home concept. I think that basic home automation will be as common as water & power in the future, specifically because utilities will become (are becoming) the first mainstream commercial early adopters of the technology. When you move into a new residence, you'll get your utilities and by default these will be routed through smart "pipes" (monitored with smart sensors) to smart meters and controlled via interfaces like smart thermostats. This will occur, and not because of altruism, but instead because of the nature of business.

Utilities will employ (are employing) smart infrastructure because of the pinpoint data that it provides per user. Data that in turn becomes a gold mine, insuring return on investment or ROI ---data mining will generate income streams that compensate for smart infrastructure deployment and maintenance costs --- as well as the bottom line (utilities will be able to customize services by user, upsell with greater ease, more accurately predict usage patterns across the service market, and depending upon government regulations and corporate privacy policies share slices of customer data with cohorts and competitors alike for a fee).

It behooves utilities to go "smart." In example, think of what having a smart power grid means. The power grid becomes a "living, breathing thing" rife with feedback at every juncture. When the power company can say with confidence user A will bill X amount for nine months of the year and X amount times 3 for three months of the year and respond to fluctuations in real time, it changes the landscape. The amount and types of data generated by smart utilities systems will affect everything in the utility industries supply chain from energy futures to the price that customers pay. This is happening. Smart Utilities will be the standard. Unless planning to go completely off-grid, customers have little choice but to get on board. The user's option this arena is to insure the safeguard of information shared by advocating for industry regulations, verifying privacy policies and opting in or out where allowed (including changing providers, if applicable).

The second phase of home automation comprises what you allow inside your residence. The level of integration of everyday objects into the "network" is more open to individual determination. Do you want a smart bed, smart crock pot, smart blinds? These are the decisions to be made per user, though the desire to "keep up with the Joneses" may influence the decision making process. And again, it will be up to the individual to police his shared data and to protect his residence from virtual intruders (with the same alacrity he uses for the potential physical ones).

The average person looks at home security and plans obvious things like alarm systems, locks, lights, reinforced doors, burglar bars, fences, landscaping, etc., in the modern age however, nearly every one of these things can be a smart device. (The home security industry is also an IoT early adopter.) So a person may have an internet connected security system he can monitor via his smartphone in real time. He may have smart lights, a smart doorbell, smart motion sensors all potentially feeding data to commercial purveyors. (Not all home automation is internet-connected, it can be merely mechanical or operate on a closed network if the user decides. The industry advocates IoT because it wants access to your data. Remember this.)

Because the advent of IoT is so new, many people haven't thought about securing these things. People tend to lock their doors when they leave home, yet many of those same people leave the passwords for internet-connected devices set to the default. These same people often don't consider basic security for their WiFi network. It's like leaving your door wide open. Virtual intruders are all but invited to poke around, to commandeer all those unsecured IoT devices for nefarious purposes (slave devices used in DDOS attacks, for instance), to hack into your personal computer, etc..

However, taking a few simple steps could minimize the likelihood of such a breach. First, setup a basic firewall for your WiFi Network, if you haven't already. Second, make certain that any IoT devices which connect to the internet have distinct passwords, if configurable. (If you cannot set a password, then use what settings are available for the device to limit it's ability to connect online. If all else fails, simply turn off the device and unplug it when not in use. Remember that "Always On" devices equate to vunerable points in your network.) Third, consider using a separate WiFi Network reserved only for IoT devices. (Do not use your personal computer or smartphone on this IoT network.) This way if any IoT device is compromised it does not make an easy entry point to the sensitive files held on your personal computing devices. And finally, for devices that allow it, consider going full intranet allowing devices to communicate only on a local network without an internet access point.

Remember, securing your home is your responsibility. Don't lock your doors and leave all the virtual windows wide open.

Saving Points for a @Vizio #SmartCast Crave 360 Speaker #WiFi #Bluetooth #MultiRoom #Fandemonium #Rewards

After I redeemed $250 worth of points for a Vizio 32" E-Series SmartCast™ HDTV, a fast USB wall charger kit and a free digital copy of Star Trek: Beyond last November, my Vizio Fandemonium Rewards points balance was pretty much shot. No biggie though, for this is what the rewards points are supposed to do, exchange for stuff. Since then, however, I've been earning points and slowly replenishing my account balance, which has grown back to approximately 39,000 points. (The rewards exchange rate is roughly 1000 points = $1.00.)

Vizio SmartCast™ Crave 360™ Multi-Room Speaker

I think I have enough TVs --- all HDTVs --- at the moment between a Vizio 60" 1080p, a Samsung 46" 3D 1080p, the aforementioned Vizio 32" 1080p and a Seiko 20" 720p (the only upgrade would be going 4K+). Instead, I've decided to aim for the 2016 Vizio SmartCast™ Crave 360™ Multi-Room Speaker Model #SP50-D5 [MSRP $249.99] as my next reward. Currently, I have an eye out for WiFi + Bluetooth speakers and/or soundbars with a goal of having one in almost every room, but there's no hurry.

The 2016 Vizio SmartCast™ Crave 360™ Multi-Room Speaker is "a portable 360° 2.1 multi-room speaker featuring amazing clarity, 8 hours of power and a wireless charging base" according to its specs. (See vizio.com/sp50d5.html.) I might change my mind regarding which reward I should next claim between now and then... I've got a ways to go yet in order to save up $250 worth of points again. As long as Fandemonium rewards continue to be offered, I'll get there eventually. Besides, it's my idea of fun to earn cool freebies!

(Re)Emergence of #InternetRadio: Hey @VTechPhones What happened to... #VTechIS9181? #GadgetGeek #GlobalNews #Trends #WorldMusic

Was flipping through the January/February 2017 issue of Men's Journal magazine (Liam Neeson!) yesterday, when I hit the Style & Design Notebook section and paused to check out the page of products being touted as "What's New". Under the heading "Tune in to the World" there's a blurb about a $300 standalone WiFi-connected Internet Radio player that allows one to "tune in to radio from all over the globe." The (unknown) authors go on to crow, "Reggae from France? It's our new favorite preset."

This, of course, immediately made me think of the standalone VTech IS9181 WiFi Internet Radio [See vtechphones.com/internet-radio/internet-radio] that I won in some random contest back in November 2010 and have been enjoying ever since. (Sadly, it seems VTech gave up on the product. I don't believe that it's still in production --- when one clicks [Buy Now] on the product page above it returns a "product not found" error --- but I absolutely love mine.)

For an information junkie and music maniac like me, it's nothing short of amazing to have access to 11,000 odd radio channels streamed on demand from around the world, particularly ones featuring my favorite genres Talk Radio, News, Opera, Early Music, Classical and Rai. I'm that geek who would tune in to obscure channels from around the world using my lowly desktop computer back in the day, so it's a treat to have a standalone player with good sound that can handle the same task, retrieve basic weather data, and function as an alarm clock, if needed. There's also a little remote which allows me to change settings on the fly.

Winning a VTech IS9181 WiFi Internet Radio as a contest prize back in 2010 was definitely a score! Nice to see that standalone internet radios are seemingly making a comeback and being touted as cool gadgets. I concur.

In what could certainly be viewed as a serendipitous move, I picked up the December 12-25, 2016 issue of New York magazine after finishing Men's Journal. Its "The Urbanist" column examines "The Globalization of Local Radio" through a lens which focuses on the local radio station as truly endemic of its surrounding community (formerly its broadcast area), i.e, what defines the culture, what makes the place unique. Of course, the beauty here --- as the column author aptly points out --- is that in modernity anyone with an internet connection and the appropriate hardware & software can eavesdrop on these "vignettes of local life", because so many local radio stations are now streamed online. The Internet morphed limited broadcast area local radio into Global Internet Radio. And we all can benefit.

The meat of the column is several pages --- which I scanned to compact PDF in order to save as a reference --- of interesting local radio stations from around the world, complete with show highlights, broadcast URLs and airtime. In other words, myriad new stations to tune in to using my VTech IS9181.

My listening future is so bright, I've gotta wear... Hey Alexa, close the shades. Ha! Ha! Welcome to the New Age of the Wireless!

Data Hog? #AmazonEcho on a Metered Connection? Without Internet Altogether? Not so fast...

As a new Amazon Echo owner, I have been debating whether I should embrace "always on". Beyond the Big Brother security and privacy concerns of having constant eavesdropping by Amazon and worse still personal recordings plumbed by unscrupulous third-party data-miners, I wondered how much data does Alexa eat? And the answer seems to be that she is a glutton.

Cursory research returned numerous complaints of users suddenly blowing through data caps. Apparently, learning a user's habits, predicting his likes, ordering items and checking the latest sports scores takes a unbelievable amount of bandwidth. I'm talking upwards of 50GBs IN A DAY, if reports are accurate.

Ridiculous! (I would NOT advise using Alexa on a metered connection. If you must try it, make certain to turn the unit off completely when not actively using it. As an alternative, consider using the Alexa app only, which you must select to activate in the case of the Amazon Fire Tablet.)

So far, I've only come across one mention of someone using an Echo sans Internet (as a Bluetooth speaker), but I want to know if Alexa can be employed strictly across a local intranet, without needing to phone home (i.e., report back to Amazon). I don't care about generating orders or asking random questions, my interest is in using Alexa to control "smart" things and this could be made an entirely localized activity, so I'm currently experimenting and testing limits, still early in the setup phase.

Setup Your Own Holiday Muzak Channel #DIY #MicrosoftStore #MP3 #Freebies

It's beginning to look a lot like... the gift giving season is in full swing. Promotions are popping up left and right and tons of free goodies are being parceled out. It's a wonderful time to be a bargain hunter-gatherer!

Before the advent of the Internet, one could always suss out what season it was by the type of music being piped into area department stores. Often tinny-sounding versions of the originals, this Muzak was either a bane or blessing depending upon whom one asked. I generally found it annoying, especially around the holidays. I'd rather listen to real music of my own choosi

In that vein, I was happy to discover that the Microsoft Store made a number of Christmas albums available for free download the other day, including the classic A Charlie Brown's Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio (a Jazz standard) along with some Motown and pop tunes. I snagged them all and plan to program my own Holiday "Muzak channel" Playlist to beam across the various Bluetooth soundbars and speakers strategically placed throughout my home. Nowadays I shop almost exclusively online, but this doesn't mean I can't enjoy all the trappings of the retail holiday season. As I get to pick the music, I can assure that it doesn't annoy me, however. And you wonder why I love tech.

NOTES: I adored the A Charlie Brown's Christmas animated cartoon as a child and watched it religiously every broadcast. (I still watch it every year, but I now own a digital copy, and thus, no longer need to wait for the television programming.) The accompanying musical score has always held a special place in my heart, and so it was an interesting aside to discover after I moved to the Bay area, that Vince Guaraldi had been born in San Francisco and had died just down the road in Menlo Park. This knowledge added another emotional layer to the music, learning that he'd been a "local boy" to an area I consider my other home. Made him seem almost like a long-lost family member reclaimed.

My #HomeAutomation Intranet Hub #AmazonEcho + @IFTTT

Recently, I registered for an IFTTT account [ifttt.com/amazon_alexa] for my new Amazon Echo. I plan to use my Amazon Echo mainly as a SmartRemote to control household appliances, etc. This is the aspect of having an automated personal assistant that excites me.

Amazon Echo > Google Home

Who cares if Google Home supposedly has better search capabilities? I know how to conduct searches, I don't need to ask Alexa for random factoids. I enjoy researching things and don't like to be spoon fed data. But to each his own. For my current needs, Amazon Echo > Google Home. Amazon's two-year head start means Alexa is integrated into so many more products, Google needs to play catch up.

#HomeAutomation Intranet Brain FTW! #AmazonEcho #Prize

I spent time over the last several months looking at home automation options. I determined that I wanted to automate security, locks, lights, blinds, thermostat, media center and any SmartKitchen appliances --- at the very least. Based on the current market of smart assistants (AI engines), I also determined that Amazon's Alexa platform is compatible with and in many cases integrated into most of these consumer product categories. Thus, I thought it worthwhile to acquire an Amazon Echo. (I planned to use it as the hub around which to build my home automation intranet.)

In addition to being DIY crafty (a natural born engineer), I'm also $ thrifty (a natural born economist), and as a result, LOVE contests and smart shopping deals. My motto could be: Why spend money on something if you can get it for free or very, very cheap? I knew with the holiday season upon us chances to win various "hot ticket gifts" would abound. I spent a few minutes on Twitter searching for contests featuring either an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot. I probably entered 10 or so, most only requiring a tweet.

Obviously, random drawing contests are hit or miss. Depends on the number of entries received, the cycle of the moon, the crow of the cock, etc., etc., but as the saying goes "you can't win, if you don't enter". I'll throw my name into the proverbial hat, if entering is simple (a fill out a form, send a tweet sort of thing). I don't jump through any hoops for merely the chance to win.

However, I prefer contests of skill. Because I'm damn good at skill based contests. It's the nature of the beast. If the entry requires some talent (essays, equations, design sketches, etc.), I like my chances. I wasn't the star student in EVERY academic subject in secondary school, for nothing. I'm like "Bring it"! So I also entered a contest that asked me to tell a story built around a set theme for a chance to win an Amazon Echo. And what do you think happened?

My Prize

Roughly within a week of deciding I needed an Amazon Echo, I'd won one, told the contest organizers which color I wanted (blackety black black black) and accepted delivery of my prize. It came direct delivery from Amazon.com in a beautiful gift bag with a lovely card attached.

My niece, the one who calls me "the luckiest aunt on the planet" could only laugh when I told her about my new toy and ask me for the umpteenth time to pick some lotto numbers. I keep trying to get her to understand that my "luck" doesn't work like that. But yeah, I am laughing.

Having acquired a Brain, I can begin sewing together the Body Politic of my home automation network. Why do I feel like Doctor Frankenstein... wait a minute, did the label on that jar the brain came out of read "Abby Normal"? Oh, that's merely Amazon attempting to give Alexa a sense of humor. I got jokes, folks.

#Live Tonight: @DrinkCheerwine #LegendaryGiveback #CharityConcert w/ #AvettBros

I LOVE music and a good live show is second to none. But unfortunately, in order to attend most live shows one has to go out in public, and well, the public is there. I'm not a big fan of large gatherings. If unavoidable, I deal with them. However, given the opportunity to party at home with a chosen few friends, I'll generally stay at home far from the madding crowds. I make no apologies for being a notorious homebody.

Luckily, the advent of live streaming technology has made it possible for me to "go out" whenever I want, while staying in. Take tonight, for instance, I plan to "attend" a live charity concert without leaving the comfort of my home. I'll have the best seat in the house and I won't have to worry about drunken revelers spilling beer, fights breaking out, or concessions running thin on vegetarian options.

I can simply access the concert live stream and then cast it to the display of choice --- in this case, my 60" Vizio SmartTV HDTV with a multichannel soundbar. It's a fairly simple thing to do with my home theater setup. It doesn't matter if there's only a general web feed of an event, instead of a native media broadcasting app at play, because all the TVs/displays in my home are internet connected SmartTVs. Content (once acquired by my media server) is pretty much shareable across my entire home network. Did I mention that I'm a tech geek?

THE CONCERT BEGINS AT 8:00PM EST.

This evening, I'm "attending" The Legendary Giveback Charity Concert featuring the Avett Brothers and supporting a good cause. It happens to be sponsored by Cheerwine. As a result, Tastemakers (aka Cheerwine Authentic Soda Society fan club members) who helped promote the event could qualify to receive discounted tickets to the actual show or get a link to stream it live online. One guess as to which option I chose (especially considering the venue is far away).

Yep. I've got a web link queued in my media server. I have good food to prepare, Cheerwine in the fridge and cold beer on tap in my Draftmark system. All my somewhat rowdy friends are coming over to party with me. All I need to do now is press play....

I'm Building a Home (AKA CM)

Your home is your castle, but this ain’t the Dark Ages.

Enter the era of Home Enlightenment.

Welcome to Castle Modern, the enlightened household built by Knowledge. 

In the seemingly never-ending quest to design, build and/or renovate the perfect abode, it pays to discover as much as possible — and to use what one learns to an advantage. (Plumb the past in order to inform the future, then implement the result/s.) Be it landscape engineering, home automation, home improvement, antique shopping, green energy or urban farming. Whatever it takes to make your house a home perfect for you (or in this case, me). This is a life's journey!

Join me as I review products, undertake DIY projects, ponder world issues that affect one's ability to live well and generally work toward creating my own Private Idaho.