Mediaboss Marketing

Portland, Ore. --

After a historically dry start to the refill season, water managers with the Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) are now optimistic about refilling most Willamette Valley reservoirs after increased rainfall and snowmelt in April.

To help explain the nuances of this water year, including refill and the conservation forecast, Corps staff will host a virtual public information session May 10, noon to 1 p.m., and May 11, 5-6 p.m.

The last few years have been a hydrologic roller coaster, and this year is no exception, said Salina Hart, the Portland District chief of the Reservoir Regulation andWater Quality Section. Spring rains are essential for refilling reservoirs and fortunately, we saw a substantial improvement in April.

The Corps reports the Willamette Valley system of dams and reservoirs is 62% full as of May 2.

Weather is one critical factor among a host of other criteria that influence the way the Corps approaches water management in the Willamette Valley system.

In February, water managers begin the delicate dance of balancing the many Congressional purposes of both the reservoirs and the dams that impound them.

One primary purpose of the systems dams and reservoirs is flood risk management: Water managers must keep reservoir elevations low to maintain storage space in the reservoirs through the spring to capture seasonal rains and prevent flooding downriver. This must be balanced with what sometimes seems to be conflicting purposes: refilling the reservoirs for irrigation, hydropower generation, water quality improvement and recreation.

The balancing act doesnt end there: The Corps must also meet minimum water releases according to the requirements of the 2008 Biological Opinions, which define minimum releases, or beneficial flows, from the reservoirs to improve downstream habitat for endangered species.

Additionally, this year, water managers will continue to operate under the constraints of a 2021 court injunction that aims to improve conditions for endangered species. The injunction orders have called on the Corps to delay reservoir refills this spring at Cougar and Fall Creek and begin early fall drawdowns of the reservoirs at Lookout Point and Green Peter, which will impact recreational access at all those reservoirs as the reservoirs release water sooner to provide fish passage.

Water managers forecast that Foster Lake will remain full for Memorial Day through Labor Day. Several smaller reservoirs are currently full or nearing full levels. The remaining larger reservoirs, which are seeing improvement given the April rainfall and some snowmelt, are expected to fill, although later than typical. Reservoir refill levels for the Willamette Valley can be found at https://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nwp/teacup/willamette/

The Corps invites the public to attend the session to learn more about current operations, future forecasts, and potential impacts to the Willamette Valley System.

Date: Wednesday, May 10, noon to 1 p.m., and Thursday, May 11, 5-6 p.m.

Link:https://usace1.webex.com/meet/erik.s.petersen

Call: 1-844-800-2712 (US) (Call-in toll-free number)

Access Code: 1999-18-2318 #

The Corps encourages questions during the meeting and asks participants to either send questions using the chat function in WebEx during the virtual meeting or email the Portland District Public Affairs Office ahead of the meeting at cenwp-pa@usace.army.mil.

Willamette Valley Project water year overview:Year-to-date precipitation across the Willamette was 92% of median, as of May 2. The snowpack is 236% of median (24 inches) for the Willamette. Snowmelt accounts for less than 10% of refill in the system and helps keep reservoir elevations up in the summer but only if the inflow of the snowmelt to the reservoir matches outflows from the reservoir. This year, given the late season melt, reservoirs that do have heavier snowmelt influence, like Detroit, will see additional refill benefit.

The Corps manages reservoir inflows based on a water control diagram, more commonly called the rule curve, which is the authorized maximum elevation on a given day to balance flood risk management and storage for other authorized purposes, such as recreation, hydropower, and irrigation supply. The Willamette Valley Systems reservoirs are kept lower in the winter to reduce downstream flooding and are refilled in the spring to prepare for recreation and adequate flows for Endangered Species Act compliance and water quality.

Portland District encourages the public to check its teacup diagrams before heading out to recreate. These diagrams show water elevations for Corps-managed reservoirs:https://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nwp/teacup/willamette/orhttp://pweb.crohms.org/nwp/teacup/willamette/.

Continue reading here:
Corps to provide update on Willamette Valley reservoirs ahead of ... - nwp.usace.army.mil

Effective and cheap, Amazon Fire TV devices (FireStick, Fire TV Cube, etc.) are the solutions that transform your TV into an entertainment hub at an affordable price. Amazon Firestick and Fire TV Cube are the most popular media streaming devices that allows users to stream a wide range of content on their television.

The Amazon platform, which allows access to the Prime Video catalog, as well as many other video streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Apple TV +, YouTube, or even Disney+, the Fire TV devices, offer you more than you can imagine.

Under their apparent simplicity, the Fire TV devices refer to many features that are very often under-exploited, if not completely ignored by users. Discover all that you need to know to have a perfect master of your Fire TV.

If you are tired of using the remote control of your Fire TV, you can always control it from your smartphone. Thanks to the official Fire TV application that Amazon proposes to download on Android and iOS devices.

However, to use your smartphone as a remote, make sure the phone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Fire TV. Download and install the Amazon FireTV application on your smartphone.

Open the app and tap on the name of your Fire TV from the application, you will have a virtual remote control on the screen of your smartphone. You can then navigate through the Fire TV menus, with quick access to installed applications. You can also use the virtual keyboard of your smartphone to capture text.

If you are an Apple TV user, you might want to use Apple TV on Firestick. Apple TV has a large library of video content including movies and TV shows. To use Apple TV on Firestick, you need to install the app from the Amazon store.

If you are a previous Apple TV user, you can sign in to the Apple TV app using your Apple ID. If you are a new user, you need to sign up for Apple ID and use it to log in to the Apple TV app. Once you install and login into the Apple TV app, you can start watching your favourite Apple TV content on Firestick.

Yes, you can control most of the features on your Fire TV by voice. The process is as simple as using an Alexa device with voice commands. All you need is to touch the microphone button on your Firestick remote and say aloud what you want to do.

Your Fire TV will execute without even having to pronounce Alexa. Another possibility is if you have Amazon Echo-connected speakers, or you use the Alexa application on your smartphone, you can also invoke Alexa to control your TV.

If you have a Fire TV, there are chances that youll be subscribed to Prime. In addition to free shipping for Amazon, Prime membership offers several other privileges: Prime Video, Amazon Music Prime, Prime Reading, or even Amazon Photos, offering unlimited online storage for all your photos.

You can, for example, use it to synchronise all the photos from your Android smartphone or your iPhone. But you can especially configure your Fire TV to display a screen economizer showing images taken directly from Amazon Photos.

To do this, enter the Settings of the Fire TV then enter the menu to find Display and sounds. Enter the screen economizer, then select Current screen to set the images you want to use as a screensaver.

You may not know this, but your Fire TV lets you stream media from your smartphone to your TV.

Provided of course that your devices are all connected to the same Wi-Fi network, you will find in Android and iOS mobile applications such as YouTube, Netflix, etc. a button to cast the content and watch it on your TV.

Find and tap the Cast or Screen Mirroring icon on your mobile app. You should then be able to choose to Cast to Fire TV.

If you want to use Amazon Echo speakers with your TV you can use them to stream audio from your Fire TV. First of all, connect all your devices to the same Wi-Fi network.

Then open the Alexa app on your Android smartphone or iPhone, and go to the Devices tab. Then press the + button at the top right and choose to Combine speakers. Once you do this, you can use the Amazon Echo speakers with your Fire TV.

By default, your Fire TV, like other Amazon devices, is set to collect your usage data, including serving you targeted ads. If you prefer, you can always turn off the process of data collection.

To turn off data collection, go to the Fire TV Settings > Preferences menu. Then Access the Privacy Settings, and use all the options given for disabling device usage data, usage data collection, and targeted ads.

If you disable these options, Amazon will not be able to collect your data and you will see fewer ads on your FireTV, enriching your streaming experience.

These were some hidden functions to control your Amazon Fire TV that most users dont know about. Now as you know about these tricks, you can use them to make your Fire TV experience simpler, more convenient, and more enjoyable. Using these functions enables Firestick users to have more control of their Fire TV and enjoy a thrilling streaming experience.

View post:
7 Hidden Tricks and Functions to Control Amazon Fire TV - We Heart

Service NSW news articles and media releases are point-in-time statements. Please note the date of issue.

As Privacy Week kicks off (1-7 May), the importance of protecting ourselves online and handing control of information sharing back to the people is the driving force behind building world-class privacy and security measures into all NSW Government digital services.

Over the last 12 months, there has been a spate of cyber-attacks on personal information affecting people across the State. These breaches are a result of businesses storing physical documents in a way that has left them vulnerable to identity theft.

These attacks have impacted millions of people across the State, with the annual cost of cyber-attacks estimated at $42 billion.

In 2022 alone, more than 50,000 physical documents were replaced with assistance from ID Support NSW, due to cyber incidents and natural disasters.

This has expedited the need for a digitally secure version of our personal information, which is a key priority of the NSW Government.

NSW Digital ID (Beta) has begun trials, with all pilot tests receiving more than 90 per cent customer satisfaction. The NSW Digital ID will help stop the oversharing of personal data by putting people in control of how and when their information is shared.

People will only need to verify their identity once to set up their NSW Digital ID, which gives them control over what information is passed on to other Government agencies and private businesses, such as being able to prove youre over 18, without sharing a date of birth, street address or other personal information which would be on a physical driver licence.

Through the NSW Digital ID and Digital Wallet, people will be able to safely and securely store their personal information, and control who has access to their verifiable credentials in real time.

NSW Digital ID will be optional for people of NSW and will be made available once rigorous testing, audit and reviews are completed to ensure information is safe and secure.

For more information on how you can protect yourself, visit the NSW Digital ID website.

To learn more about digital licences, visitService NSW app and digital licences.

Read the rest here:
NSW Digital ID set to provide people greater control over their online ... - Service NSW

FALFURRIAS, Texas Falfurrias Border Patrol agents interdicted the driver of a commercial vehicle attempting to smuggle 45 people on Monday morning.

On May 1, 2023, Falfurrias agents encountered a commercial vehicle at the USBP Checkpoint near Falfurrias, Texas. While searching the vehicle following a canine alert, agents discovered 45 non-citizen migrants in the vehicle including two juveniles. The migrants encountered were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. All subjects were placed under arrest, including the driver of the commercial vehicle. Homeland Security Investigations took lead of the investigation.

This year, RGV Sector agents have disrupted over a hundred smuggling attempts in commercial vehicles.

This smuggling attempt is a grim reminder of the treatment and endangerment of migrants by human smuggling organizations. There is no compassion or care for those smuggled, sick or injured. Also, these smuggling events often include children, said Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez.

Please visit http://www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection. Follow us on Twitter @CBPRGV and @USBPChiefRGV.

Original post:
Falfurrias agents stop major human smuggling attempt - Customs and Border Protection

Cilla Benk

In an article first published in Expressen, Swedish Radio CEO and EBU Executive Board member Cilla Benk writes about how we must protect freedom of the press on World Press Freedom Day.

Having free access to information and allowing all voices to be heard or not. Thats what freedom of speech and freedom of the press are ultimately about. And that is why we must all cherish and defend free journalism, particularly in uncertain times when it increasingly comes under fire.

On 3 May we observe World Press Freedom Day, this year with an emphasis on freedom of the press as a basic necessity for other human rights. The situation is urgent, particularly when democracy as a form of government is being challenged in more and more places around the world. The Varieties of Democracy Institute at the University of Gothenburgsays the number of democracies in the world has shrunk to 1986 levels, and freedom of the press is often the first victim when a democracy crumbles.

We see this clearly in the wake of Putins invasion of Ukraine. Independent media in Russia have been censored, blocked and dismantled. Individual journalists have been censured and in March the US journalist Evan Gershkovich from the Wall Street Journal was arrested and imprisoned in Yekaterinburg on charges of espionage. Russian forces have taken control of the flow of information and the Russian population is paying the price.

But there are trends that worry me even in Sweden. The University of Gothenburgs SOM surveyindicates that a majority of the Swedish population is prepared to make temporary restrictions to democracy to resolve urgent issues such as environmental and climate crises, pandemics, financial crises and crime. The war in Ukraine has shaken people and, alongside the coronavirus pandemic, impacted how we see the world.

But in times of crisis and unrest, it is particularly important to remember how crucial it is to have access to free, credible information. In Sweden we have a long, strong tradition of freedom of the press, but this is not the case in many countries. So we must never take freedom of the press for granted. The demand for free reporting is strong. At Swedish Radio we saw that clearly when Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year as many as a half-million brand-new listeners sought out our live reporting. Thats in a country of just 10 million.

In connection with this years World Press Freedom Day, I am travelling to Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to meet with the Swedish Embassies in a joint initiative to shine a spotlight on the immense importance of the freedom of independent media and the safety of journalists.

More than five years have passed since the murder of Slovakian journalist Jn Kuciak, who was investigating corruption and tax evasion, and his fiance Martina Kunrov. The trail led to a well-known businessman with ties to the ruling elite in the country, and the murder led to major protests in which fed-up Slovaks filled the streets and squares. Judges, top politicians and police chiefs had to leave their posts as a result.

The Slovakian peoples protests confirmed something meaningful: We must all be the guardians of freedom of the press. Because a journalist does not just represent themselves, they represent all of us. The journalist asks the uncomfortable questions, takes the powerful to task and highlights the voices that otherwise might not be heard.In closing, I would like to quote the American historian Timothy Snyder, when he attended the Swedish Academy conference on freedom of speech and democracy earlier this spring and was asked why freedom of speech must not be restricted, for example by making lies punishable.

The lies of the very powerful is not what is in danger. It is the truth of those who dont have power that is in danger.

Thats something to think about on World Press Freedom Day.

Cilla Benk, CEO of Swedish Radio

The rest is here:
We must all be the guardians of freedom of the press - European Broadcasting Union