Exclusive Look: Where The Workers Who Made Your iPhone Sleep At Night

Exclusive Look: Where The Workers Who Made Your iPhone Sleep At Night

Foxconn's factory in Shenzhen, China, is home to about half of its 420,000 workers. They make many of our gadgets and computers, then walk to dormitories on the 2.1-kilometer-square campus. I got to look inside.

Foxconn's factory in Shenzhen, China, is home to about half of its 420,000 workers. They make many of our gadgets and computers, then walk to dormitories on the 2.1-kilometer-square campus. I got to look inside.

A dorm room. Eight workers sleep in four bunk beds in a room about the size of a two-car garage.

Toiletries kept on a shelf in mugs.

A television viewing room is available on each floor. I joked with the Foxconn executive who was with me that of all the places in the world that could probably manage to get bigger television screens installed, it was probably here at Foxconn, who make televisions for the world's largest brands.

Since a spate of eleven suicides earlier this year, every building on the Foxconn campus is draped in netting. It is morbid but seemingly effective; there have been no suicides since the nets were installed in May.

Workout equipment in the spaces between buildings.

In a newer dorm, a sink is shared on the balcony, where workers can wash their clothing and themselves. Management of the living quarters has recently been outsourced to a local operations company in an attempt to address concerns about an employer managing living conditions of its workers. It's unclear how outside management will fundamentally alter the nature of on-campus living.

This special report is a partnership between Gizmodo and WIRED Magazine.

Facebook Predicts When You're Likely To Get Dumped

Facebook Predicts When You're Likely To Get Dumped

Facebook status updates can be creepy and revealing, but they can also help predict when you're likely to find yourself dumped. Naturally, there's good news and bad news to be found in the data.

David McCandless, the fellow behind some of the stunning data visualizations we've posted in the past, gave a rather fascinating TED talk a while back. And what stood out among all the clever trivia and tidbits about data were the statistics he shared about romances.

Apparently David and his team looked at about 10,000 Facebook status updates and searched for patterns related to break ups. Their discoveries? You're very likely to get dumped on Mondays, right before Spring Break, two weeks before Christmas, and at some point before the summer holidays.

The good news about the whole mess is that it seems that people feel quite bad about dumping someone right on Christmas Day, so you can breathe a bit easier while unwrapping your presents.

2011 John Deere Gator XUV 825i 4x4 Review

2011 John Deere Gator XUV 825i 4x4 Review

Awesome Power

The 50 HP, 812cc engine left very little to be desired as we took off down the trail. It did not take long at all to find a place to open it up to its top speed of 44 MPH. We were notably impressed with this speed out of such a workhorse of a machine. Its three cylinder, 4-cycle automatic engine has the most displacement and power in its class. It also has excellent low-end torque that kicked in as we came to the first steep hill climb. We suspect it would also come in handy for towing and hauling.

The reps later explained how the advanced clutching and use of a tighter belt was part of what provided the faster acceleration, along with the two-range CVT transmission, which also helps with the low-speed towing. One aspect that we appreciated, even though we did not need it at this particular test ride, was the electronic fuel injection which provides better throttle response and starting in cold weather and in higher altitudes. 

Rough Terrain

Conquering rough terrain is something you will need to be able to do whether you are working on the farm or cutting it up out on the trail. It is good to know that the 825i provides on-demand four-wheel drive at the flip of a switch. The 825i also has the option of a lockable rear differential so the rear drive wheels work together for any spots where you just a little extra boost.

The independent double-wishbone long-travel suspension combined with 11-inches of ground clearance made light work of all the obstacles we encountered on this extensive trail system. This combination also makes for a more comfortable ride whether on the trail or on the farm. The full clutch enclosure also allowed us to go through all the water crossings without any problem. John Deere representative said they recommend avoiding water deeper than 22 inches.

Stability

One of the most common concerns for side-by-sides is the stability factor. John Deere employs a solid core steel sway bar and double-ball drop-link to help insure more stability, reduce body lean and provide more durability in all areas whether at work or at play. The 825i is wide enough (62 inches), long enough (119 inches) and has a low enough center of gravity, to produce what feels like one of the most stable vehicles in its class.

Workability

While playing out on the trail with the XUV 825i is an awesome adventure in itself, the workability aspect is still one of the main considerations of most UTV buyers. Keeping true to its reputation of producing top-of-the-line work vehicles, John Deere did not miss the mark here.

The John Deere 825i 4x4 engine is built with heavy-duty components such as an aluminum head, thrust bearings and a cast block with painted interior. To increase endurance under twisting and turning out on the trail or carrying heavy loads, the 825i frame is hydro-formed and the A-arms are made of cast iron to withstand the jackhammer abuse of the most severe terrain. As added protection, the 825i comes equipped with a full-steel skid plate guard. Additionally, body panels are made of scratch resistant engineered polymer. These panels are paintable so the John Deere XUV can keep looking as good as it runs.

Cargo

What is a work vehicle without great cargo capabilities? John Deere knows this and acts on it with one of the largest cargo boxes in its class at 45 inches in length, 52 inches wide and 12 inches deep with a 1,000-pound capacity. Backing this up is a 1,400-pound payload capacity and a 1,500-pound towing capacity. To keep your cargo secure, the cargo box features 20 tie-down points to make keeping the load in place easier. You can also quickly convert the cargo area to a flatbed to haul larger items. The pick-up style tailgate is easy to use without all the latches and guards, while the steel reinforced bed and body guard provide strength and durability. As well, the cargo area has gas-assist to make loading and unloading faster and easier. Cargo bed options include a factory spray-in bed liner and power lift.

One of the things we liked most about the cargo box is the exclusive Quick-Clamp system, which makes adding the attachments quick and easy.

Competition

Honda’s Big Red, Kawasaki’s Mule 4010 4x4, Yamaha's Rhino 700, and Polaris’ Ranger 800 are some of the top competitors to the John Deere 825i.

All five of these models come with automatic transmissions with liquid cooled engines, spark arresting mufflers, electronic fuel injected fuel pumps and all are four-wheel or all-wheel drive. 

One thing that sets the John Deere apart is its three-cylinder engine, which is a fairly uncommon setup for off-road machines. All others units have either a one- or two-cylinder engine. Out of this group the John Deere also boasts the largest engine displacement at 812cc, compared to the Ranger’s 760cc, the Rhino’s 686cc, the Big Red’s 675cc, and the Mule’s 617cc mills.

Summary

I believe the John Deere 825i is one of the best choices on the market for anyone looking for a good crossover vehicle they can use on the farm and out on the trail. I often say that I would recommend a certain vehicle if you plan to do a bit more work than play or another one if you plan to play more than work. However, the John Deere XUV 825i 4x4 ($11,199) would seem an excellent choice for almost any combination of work and play.

Specifications

Engine
   • Type: 4-cycle gasoline with Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI)
   • Cylinders: 3
   • Valve: Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
   • Horsepower: 50 (37 kw) @ 6000 rpm
   • Displacement: 812 cc
   • Maximum torque, ft – lb: 47 (64) @ 3200 rpm
   • Ignition Type: Solid State 12V
   • Lubrication: Full Pressure
   • Oil Filter: Screw on Filter
   • Cooling System: Liquid
   • Muffler: Spark-arresting
   • Battery: 340CCA
   • Alternator: 75 amp @6000 rpm, regulated
   • Headlights: Two 27 watt halogen

Fuel System
   • Capacity: 5.3 gallons (20.1 liters)
   • Consumption (half load at avg. speed) U.S. gal/hr: 0.7 (2.65)
   • Fuel Pump: Electric

4WD
   • System Type: On-demand true four-wheel drive
   • Front Differential: Auto-locking (on/off rocker switch)
   • Rear Differential: Positive locking, mechanically actuated

Transmission
   • Type: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
   • Drive Belt: Spun top cog, 31 mm wide
   • Ground Speed, mph: Hi Forward (0-44), Lo Forward (0-27), Reverse (0-32)
   • Transaxle: Two speed, oil bath
   • Gear Selection: Forward (hi-lo) Neutral, Reverse
   • Overall Reduction Ratio: Low (86.8488:1), High (42.1430:1), Reverse (75.9333:1)
   • Brakes: Front/rear hydraulic disk
   • Park Brake: driveline mechanical disk, hand operated
   • Bearings: Sealed, double-row ball
   • Axle: 27 mm dia. forged CV-Shaft with Double Offset Joint

Suspension and Steering
   • Suspension, Front: Fully Independent Dual A-Arm with adjustable coils
   • Front Suspension, Travel: 8 inches (203 mm)
   • Suspension, Rear: Fully Independent Dual A-Arm with adjustable coils and sway bar
   • Rear Suspension, Travel: 9 inches (229 mm)
   • Steering: Rack and Pinion
   • Turning Radius: 12.4 feet (3.8 meters)

Hitch
   • Front: Standard 2-inch receiver
   • Rear: Standard 2-inch receiver

Occupant Protective Systems
   • Tubular Overhead Structure: 1.75 inch (44.4mm) Steel Tube
   • Passenger Grab Handles: Front OPS post, front dash
   • Seat Belts: 3-point

Ground Pressure (Max.)
   • With 200 lb Operator: 14 psi (0.98 kg/cm2)
   • Fully Loaded Vehicle: 14 psi (0.98 kg/cm2)

Ground Clearance
   • Ground Clearance: 11 inches (267 mm)
   • Under Foot Platform: 12.25 inches (311 mm)

Dimensions
   • Length: 119 inches (3021 mm)
   • Width:  62 inches (1574 mm)
   • Wheelbase: 79 inches (2007 mm)
   • Height: 75 inches (1903 mm)
   • Weight (including fuel/fluids): 1640 lbs (744 kg)
   • Seating Capacity: 2
   • Seat Type: Professional high back, bucket (tilt forward)
   • Towing Capacity: 1500 lbs (680 kg)
   • Payload Capacity: 1400 lbs (635 kg)
   • Sound Rating (at operator’s ear): 89.4 dB(A)

Cargo Box
   • Material: Polypropylene side panels and tailgate, steel floor and load guard
   • Dimensions: 45L x 52W x 12D (in), 1143L x 1320W x 304.8D (mm)
   • Volume: 16.4 cu. Ft (0.46 m3)
   • Weight Capacity: 1000 lb (454 kg)
   • Dump: Manual with lift assist shock (factory installed power lift option)
   • Tailgate:  Hinged at bottom, removable

Tires
   • Front: 26x9-12 Ancla M-T (Extreme Terrain) 25x9-12 Terrahawk AT (All Terrain)
   • Rear: 26x11-12 Ancla M-T (Extreme Terrain) 25x9-12 Terrahawk AT (All Terrain)
   • Available Tread: Ancla M-T (Extreme Terrain), Terrahawk AT (All Terrain) Maxxis BigHorn
   • Types: 2.0 Radials (Extreme Terrain) Front: 27x9-14, Rear: 27x11-14

Color Options
   • John Deere Green and Yellow
   • Olive and Black
   • REALTREE HARDWOODS HD Camo 

My Little Dita Tribute!

I am strangely attracted....

For The Gamers

Top 10 Reasons NOT To Live In CA

Top 10 Reasons Not to Live in California

California is often portrayed as a great place to visit.  And certainly, there are many tourist attractions to see and participate in.  The weather is great and you can see Mickey Mouse do his thing at Disneyland.  However, it’s best to have fun during a short stay and then be on your way.  Why? Simply, California has to be perhaps one of the most hazardous places to live.  If one were to measure the odds, it would be very easy to conclude that chance of some disaster befalling you is fairly high (increasing in direct proportion to the duration of your stay).  Don’t believe me? Consider these top 10 reasons NOT to live in California:

10.       The Governor of the State is the Terminator

The man who has warned guys not to be a “girly man” is the chief executive of the state of California- none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Actors turned politicians have mixed results (depending on who you talk to).  Under Governor Schwarzenegger’s reign, the state of California has suffered through a number of trying issues.  Perhaps the most serious, and the ones that have caused the most rancor among voters, are the economic issues.  With shrinking state revenues, budget tightening has resulted in social programs being chopped, state jobs being eliminated, and a need to increase state revenue (higher taxes).  All of this has many Californians lamenting that the Governor has reverted to his “Terminator” alter ego and is determined to extinguish all life (or at least a comfortable life) in the state.

9.    Seasonal Disasters

Natural disasters seem to find consistent and continual life in Cali.  There are of course earthquakes. The occasional shake is common enough that many Californians don’t think much of it, aside from having to replace the odd broken dish. Then of course, there are ever-present brush fires.  While there is not a high loss of life with this particular disaster, there is a tremendous toll in terms of property damage, not to mention severe ecological damage.  If an earthquake or a fire doesn’t get you, then a mudslide might.  There are a lot of hills and elevated areas in California; when the seasonal rains come, so does erosion.  The result is the earth giving way, with people and property being in the path when it does. The results are devastating in terms of loss of life and property damage.  These are just some of the common disasters that Californians have to deal with on a regular basis.

8. Impending Horrific Earthquake

Keeping with the natural disaster theme: there is of course the expected “big one” that many believe will eventually hit California.  The state of California has the misfortune to lie over a major fault line (the San Andreas).  Experts predict that at some point in the future there will be a major shift of tectonic plates resulting in a catastrophic level earthquake.  Along the lines of the earthquake that leveled San Francisco in 1906, the next “big one” is expected to be even more devastating due to population and urban growth.  If  the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile are any indication, then a major shake hitting such populated areas as LA, San Diego and San Francisco would have horrific consequences.  What’s scary about this is that scientists and experts warn that it isn’t a matter of “if” this will happen, but rather “when.”

7. Will Eventually Fall Into the Ocean

This is more of a theory than an actual scientifically proven fact, but this particular idea is so widespread and believed that one has to take it into consideration.  Some have predicted that, as a result of the likely catastrophic events in #8 above, California will somehow break off from the mainland and sink into the ocean.  Fortunately for Californians, there doesn’t seem to be any hard data to support this particular theory outside of Hollywood.  Even considering the very real tectonic activity, the motion that these plates generate is horizontal (as opposed to lateral, which could indicate a potential ‘dropping’ of land mass).  In fact, the constant shifting of the earth in the California area is along a north/south axis – meaning that LA is slowly creeping towards San Francisco at a whopping few millimeters a year.  While this bit of news may be problematic for Southern Californians (in about a million years at the current rate of speed), it certainly falls short of an apocalyptic event.  Assuming, of course, that the ‘experts’ are to be believed (and they, naturally, are always right!)

6. High Taxes Make Life Unbearable

The state of California is suffering through a fiscal nightmare.  Simply, the state has more expenses than it does revenue.  For any able minded politician, one quickfire solution (albeit an unpopular one) is to either raise taxes, install new taxes, or a combination of both.  While voters have continually voted down higher tax proposals that have made it to the ballot, California is still leading the nation in a number of tax categories: income taxes (2^nd), corporate taxes (8^th), and sales tax (13^th), to name a few.  All total, the full tax load ranks 6^th in the nation. California’s heavy tax burden has caused concerns among many about the financial ability of many families to realistically reside in the state.  Further, even with the various taxes in place, the state’s budget has still ballooned – outpacing revenues by a large margin.  The resulting disparity has crippled any number of programs, especially those aimed at helping the poor – placing even more people in potentially dire circumstances.

5. Hundreds of Prisoners Are Being Released Because of Budget Constraints

Faced with shrinking funds, state legislators (and apparently supported by the Terminator – we mean the Governor) determined that the state could realize tremendous savings by releasing thousands of prisoners from state penal institutions early.  The move is estimated to save the state about $1.2 billion – not an insignificant amount of money considering the prevalent financial woes.  California has the largest population of prisoners among states, boasting well over 170,000 inmates.  The proposal aims to release non-violent offenders, including those that are sick and elderly.  Naturally, the best of plans tend to go awry when a government entity is involved and dangerous prisoners have been released – some of whom have committed new crimes.  Laws that were held as progressive in previous years, such as the states so-called “three strikes”  have resulted in the vast overcrowding.  Now, faced with the inability to actually pay for these policies, lawmakers are in a tough bind – a real “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation.

4. Serious Gang Violence

Criminal gang activity is a very serious problem in California: many neighborhoods are literally terrorized by gang activity.  Residents are victims of random drive-by shootings, physical assaults and other criminal activities perpetrated by gang members.  Drug-related crime has also proportionally increased as well.  Families who manage navigate these dangerous war zones face the prospect of their children being recruited to join local gangs.  Aside from the more traditional gangs such as the Bloods and Crips, new (and some believe deadlier) Hispanic gangs have entered into the fray.  Fueled by poor economic conditions, the increase in gang participation is on the rise.  As gang membership increases, inter-gang violence has also become deadlier. Reacting to the dangers that gang violence poses, law enforcement and government officials have proposed and enacted numerous programs to stem the tide.  Only time well tell if these measures are effective.

3. Liberal Culture is Harbinger of the Apocalypse

The end of times may be a bit of a reach, but those of the conservative establishment do hearken to liberal culture as the precursor of many of the social ills within our communities.  For its part, California has long been a bastion of liberal (some would say progressive) thought and action.  Consider that California is very accepting of alternative lifestyles, is environmentally conscious, and not particularly religious (at least in terms of a dominant block of religiosity)- and you have the makings of a counter-culture stronghold.  Indeed, many of the universities in California (UCLA, UC Berkley and others) were home to many of the social protests that highlighted the social movements of the sixties. All of this is dire evidence for those who tend to lean toward the more so-called “traditional values” lifestyle.  Many of this perspective hold California up as the example of all that is wrong in America – from ineffective government to high crime –  the state (from a conservative viewpoint) is on the verge of collapse as result.

2. Police Brutality

While the saying “crime doesn’t pay” may hold true in many places, in California it doesn’t pay to land in the hands of the cops whether a crime has been committed or not.  California has a number of high profile incidents involving police misconduct – from the Rampart scandal in the 90’s to numerous police beatings caught on film (i.e. Rodney King and others).  And these are the incidents that are known.  Residents of economically depressed neighborhoods have long complained of draconian police activity, complaints that have largely fell on deaf ears.  With the advent of camera phones and other convenient recording devices, however, citizens are now capturing clear evidence of police officers engaged in nefarious activities.  Crimes such as murder, rape, drug trafficking, robbery and much more are among the violations for which cops in California have been convicted.  In short, the residents of California often need protection from the protectors.

1. Pending War With Mexico

There is a brewing war zone festering on the southern border of the U.S. that threatens to spill over and engulf California in the ensuing blood bath.  Not since the Mexican-American War (1846 – 1848) have the citizens of the U.S. had to be concerned about armed conflict arising from beyond the southern border.  This is no longer the case with the brewing drug war that is taking place in Tijuana – a Mexican town just south of the California border with Mexico.  In the last 1 ½ years, the death toll has exceeded over 1500 and the body count continues to rise.  Well over a third of these deaths are police officers and government officials.  The drug cartels, reacting to Mexico’s declaration of war against drugs, have sought to establish their own authority.  The Mexican government, for its part, has deployed well over 250,000 troops along its border with the U.S. to stem the tide of violence.  The Mexican government has called on the U.S .to assist with narcotic interdiction on the American side of the border.  What many fear is that the Mexican drug cartels will react just as violently on this side of the border if the U.S. decides to interfere.  Considering that the drug cartels have no inhibition to killing anyone – women, children, whomever – Californians are correct in being concerned that the violence may soon touch them.

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