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state_topic: "pat/alarm/Front Door" |
name: "Front Door" |
payload_on: "open" |
payload_off: "closed" |
device_class: opening |
Wrapping it up |
Thanks for reading this far! Hopefully this project inspired you to build something of your own or saved you a bit of time as you tackle something similar. I’m happy to clarify anything or answer questions, so feel free to reach out here or on GitHub. |
Resources |
NodeMCU Documentation (super thorough and helpful) |
Project Code |
Home Assistant Config |
MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - U.S. authorities have charged six Somali-American young men from Minnesota with planning to join Islamic State and fight for the militant group in Syria, the U.S. attorney for Minnesota said on Monday. |
The six, all U.S. citizens, were part of a larger group of friends and relatives that had been conspiring for the past 10 months, many trying multiple times to leave the country, U.S. prosecutors alleged. |
They were arrested Sunday as part of a yearlong FBI investigation into young men from the area trying to travel to join Islamic State and there is no evidence they had plans to conduct an attack inside the United States, prosecutors said. |
Dozens of people from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, many of them young Somali-American men, have traveled or attempted to travel overseas to support Islamic State or al Shabaab, a Somalia-based militant group, since 2007, according to U.S. prosecutors. |
“We have a terror recruiting problem in Minnesota,” U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Andrew Luger told a news conference. |
Zacharia Yusuf Abdurahman, 19, Adnan Farah, 19, Hanad Mustafe Musse, 19, and Guled Ali Omar, 20, were arrested in Minneapolis. They appeared for a brief hearing in U.S. District Court on Monday and were held pending a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday. |
Abdurahman Yasin Daud, 21, and Mohamed Abdihamid Farah, 21, were arrested in California after driving from Minneapolis to San Diego. They are due in court in San Diego on Monday. |
Three of the men had traveled to New York by bus with another man, Hamza Ahmed, in November, when they were stopped from boarding international flights with the intent of reaching Syria, prosecutors said. |
Ahmed was indicted in February on charges of conspiring to support Islamic State and lying to federal agents investigating recruitment by militant groups. |
The group met regularly to plan the trips, prosecutors said. One unidentified member had doubts, changed his mind and recorded their meetings, Luger said. |
“They are not confused young men; they were not easily influenced,” Luger said. “These were focused men who were intent on joining a terrorist organization by any means possible.” |
They received advice and encouragement from another group member, Abdi Nur, who has stayed in contact with them since he left the United States last year and joined the Islamic State in Syria, prosecutors said. Nur was charged in November. |
Lengthy train journeys and long-haul flights could be a thing of the past if the futuristic Evacuated Tube Transport (ETT) system of transport takes off. |
Evacuated Tube Transport capsules would carry six passengers in their pods (Picture: YouTube) |
The airless and friction-less form of transport will enable commuters to travel from London to New York in just 45 minutes on the tube. |
What’s more, from New York, it could take travellers just two hours to get all the way to China on the ETT, with six-seater passenger pods reaching unbelievable speeds of 4,000mph. |
People who fancy an around the world jaunt, on the other hand, could complete this journey in just six hours – and boffins say this could be a reality in less than ten years. |
According to scientists, passengers would not be subjected to high G forces and the transport uses far less energy than conventional methods, with it being safer, cheaper and quieter than trains or planes. |
Evacuated Tube Transport: New York to LA in a mere 45 minutes (Picture: YouTube) |
The idea came from engineer Daryl Oster, who thought it up in the 1980s before travelling to China to get financial backing. |
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A statement on the ET3 site says: ‘Just like trains, initial ETT use will be for cargo, and along high use routes of travel. |
‘Once proven, construction will rapidly spread. Since the system is efficient in energy and materials used, high-speed travel will be low-cost, and sustainable. Eventually, everyone in the world may use the system,’ it explains. |
VIDEO: See how ETT could take you around the world in six hours |
In Paul Godfrey’s dreams, he would be reincarnated as an American. |
But since he’s trapped in Canada in this life, notwithstanding his Florida winters, Godfrey has endeavoured to bring his favourite culture to the shores of Lake Ontario. |
The Skydome/Rogers Centre began life as a Godfrey-led play to bring an NFL team to Toronto. |
Now the le grand fromage of the newly less indebted Postmedia empire has reached south of the border to pad out his new board of directors for the restructured and still shrinking company. |
As rumours percolated of a coup attempt against Godfrey, five Postmedia board members were ordered to waddle the plank. No longer collecting their annual $120K stipend are: Charlotte Burke, Stephanie Coyles, Mitch Joel, Ted Lodge and Martin Nisenholtz. |
A new, U.S.-heavy slate has taken their place. |
And what could be more American than the National Enquirer? |
Now we get not one, but two executives of the company that owns the Enquirer helping to oversee Canada’s largest newspaper chain. |
Welcome the aptly-named David Pecker, CEO of American Publishing, which also owns The Star and The Globe, America’s other trash tab favourites. Pecker is joined by Daniel Rotstein, American Publishing’s director of human resources. Less exotically, Mary Junck, CEO of a chain of midwestern newspapers, is coming north for monthly meetings. |
Pecker is a colourful chap. A major Donald Trump supporter (the Enquirer is one of the only mass-circulation rags to endorse Der Donald) he burns through editors at a furious rate, and has almost as much bankruptcy experience as his candidate. |
Much strenuous denial over the summer after the New York Post reported that Pecker had been offered an ambassadorship in the Trump administration as long as he kept the hosannas humming from his tabloid stable. |
Rumours that Enquirer troops had grown restive re the Trumpian coverage were batted down by Pecker, who noted that he didn’t require a patronage plum to keep his thumb on the scales. The Donald sells papers, so he will be on the cover for the duration. |
But maybe Hillary does too. This week’s lead Enquirer offering: Fixer’s Dirt File Dossier: Hillary Clinton’s Plot To DESTROY Monica REVEALED! |
And in its debate coverage, the Enquirer exclusively revealed that pinko Fox News had cut away from Clinton as she descended the stairs after the slugfest was finished to conceal her frailty, and used “soft, angelic” camera filters for her side of the debate stage — while leaving Donald Trump’s image a cold white.” |
The week before, the Enquirer had this: |
Exclusive Video! |
Dick Morris: Tax-Dodging Hillary Hid Her Returns |
The veteran Clinton insider exposes the candidate’s shady profits! |
Meanwhile, Postmedia’s bobsled run of red ink continues. |
The new financials reveal that the chain is still reliant on a shrinking pool of print advertising revenue for most of its income. |
Loss for the last quarter: another $100 million on revenues of $198 million. So the executioner’s song is playing again: roughly another 800 jobs are slated to go. Sluggos have until the end of next week to decide to take the buyout (and hope Toastmedia survives long enough to pay it out as ‘salary continuance’) or just wait for Madame Guillotine to come to them. |
In his latest grape Kool-Aid shooter announcement, Postmedia headsman Gerry “Shurely” Nott said, “Change is nothing new and it’s been constant. This challenge is our most dramatic…Over the next couple of weeks, you’ll be hearing about what some might consider our draconian changes to the print product.” |
As predicted in Trash Magazine earlier this year, the big-city dailies offer the most tempting place to reduce. So say goodbye to the Sun papers in Edmonton and Ottawa and sayanora to one of the two birdcage liners in Vancouver. |
If competence was a factor in the firings, Nott would have been gassed years ago. After all, it was Gerry who, a decade ago, sold his bosses on the cockamamie idea that CanWest would save money by dumping Canadian Press and setting up its own national wire service. As of 2013, that brainwave had bottomed out and Postmedia now makes liberal use of the venerable wire service to backstop its decimated newsrooms. |
Another Gerry-rigged disaster was Postmedia’s endeavour to produce content across four platforms: mobile, web, tablet and print. Gerry convinced his masters that advertisers would leap like trout at the opportunity to get onboard the new tablet edition–a curated evening news magazine, interactive and amaaaazzing! |
With impeccable timing, Postmedia launched its $25-million makeover just as tablet sales went into free fall. In the end, less than 1,000 readers subscribed to the Petfinder’s test product. |
Postmedia scrubbed the entire campaign because, in the immortal words of Mark Baum, it was “dog shit wrapped in cat shit!” |
And here we go again; same dog shit, different quarter. |
President Donald Trump. Getty Images |
President Donald Trump took his "America First" vision to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, delivering his nationalist message in a way more palatable to the Washington, DC, crowd, successfully endearing many of the lawmakers and elites he vehemently fought against while seeking the White House. |
Trump spent a little more than an hour speaking about job creation, immigration, national security, and international trade as he implored Americans to embrace a "renewal of the American spirit" and work together to tackle a wide array of challenges facing the country at home and abroad. |
After the speech, NBC News anchor Brian Williams dubbed the address "the most speech-like speech" Trump had ever given. CNN's Dana Bash said it was the president's most "presidential" speech. |
Staying almost exclusively on his prepared text, Trump said he was delivering a "message of unity and strength." The US has been bitterly divided in the early days of Trump's presidency since his shocking electoral win in November. |
"A new chapter of American greatness is now beginning," Trump said. "A new national pride is sweeping across our nation." |
In a move that surprised some, Trump opened his speech by denouncing the threats targeting Jewish community centers and the vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, in addition to the shooting of two Indian men near Kansas City, saying the country "stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms." |
The president moved on to touting his early moves as president, which included his withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, his rescinding of regulations, his nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, and his executive orders on immigration. When he spoke of his beginning to "drain the swamp," several Democratic attendees began to laugh. |
The president also mentioned several major companies, such as Ford, General Motors, and Softbank, that have touted the creation of new US jobs since he took office, and he noted the recent record gains in the stock market. He promoted his direction to the Department of Defense to create a plan designed to destroy the Islamic State terrorist group, which he described as being composed of "lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs." |
Saying he inherited many problems domestically and overseas, Trump began to outline what he believed needed to be addressed. |
First, were the 94 million people out of the labor force — a misleading statistic, considering it encompasses retirees, students, and stay-at-home parents. But he also mentioned the many millions of Americans in poverty and called for a restarting of "the engine of the American economy." |
He called for a slashing of corporate taxes and a reevaluation of America's policies related to international trade — two planks of his ascendancy to the White House. |
Alex Wong/Getty Images |
Promising to return "millions of jobs," Trump discussed the taxes American companies face overseas without a similar counterpart for foreign companies looking to ship into America. Citing a recent meeting with executives from Harley-Davidson, he promised to change that. |
"They weren't even asking for change," Trump said, after mentioning the executives discussing overseas taxes. "But I am." |
The president tied changes in trade policy to an overhauling of the immigration system. Earlier on Tuesday, multiple outlets reported he had reversed course and was open to comprehensive immigration reform, something he chastised along the campaign trail in favor of a more hardline stance. |
"I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation's security, and to restore respect for our laws," Trump said. "If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens, then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades." |
In his next salvo, Trump called for $1 trillion in infrastructure spending, citing President Dwight Eisenhower's creation of the interstate highway system as proof that such investment, traditionally a Democratic cause, was favored by Republicans. |
Trump took aim at the Affordable Care Act, as well, saying that his replacement for President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, better known as Obamacare, would ensure that Americans with preexisting conditions would have access to coverage and also expand health savings accounts and tax credits. Several Democrats showed their disdain for his targeting of the healthcare act. |
"Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed," Trump said. "Every problem can be solved. And every hurting family can find healing, and hope." |
Speaking about issues related to law enforcement and security, Trump touted his budget proposal to increase defense spending and insisted he is committed to NATO — adding the caveat that member nations must meet requirements for defense spending. He also painted a picture of a nation gripped by "lawless chaos," a charge not backed up by crime data. |
The president said America could not become a "beachhead" or "sanctuary" for terrorists. He did not discuss Russia or the civil war in Syria. |
The most emotional moment of the night came as Trump introduced Carryn Owens, the widow of Navy SEAL Ryan Owens, who was killed in the controversial raid in Yemen last month, Trump's first military action as president. |
"Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero — battling against terrorism and securing our nation," Trump said. "I just spoke to General Mattis, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, 'Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies.' |
"Ryan's legacy is etched into eternity," he continued. "For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom — we will never forget him." |
Carryn Owens tearfully stood and clapped as the room stood for its longest applause of the night. |
Carryn Owens, the widow of Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens, with Ivanka Trump. Alex Wong/Getty Images |
Veering from the script, Trump said Ryan was happily looking down because he "just set a record," seemingly pointing to the lengthy ovation. |
Following the speech, Democratic CNN commentator Van Jones said Trump "became president of the United States in that moment, period." |
In closing his address, Trump spoke of the coming 250th anniversary of the country, in 2026. He said Tuesday night was "when this new chapter of American greatness began." |
"The time for small thinking is over," Trump said. "The time for trivial fights is behind us. We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts. The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls. And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action." |
"I am asking all citizens to embrace this renewal of the American spirit," he concluded. "I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country. And I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment and — believe in yourselves. Believe in your future. And believe, once more, in America." |
Afterward, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told CNN the president's address was "another speech where Trump talks like a populist — the way he's been governing is totally the opposite." The newly elected Democratic National Committee chair, Tom Perez, told MSNBC the speech was "Steve Bannon on steroids with a smile." |
"President Trump's speech had an air of unreality because what he said tonight was so different than how he has governed in the first 40 days," Schumer said in an expanded statement. |
The New York senator added: "He's proposed nothing on trade or infrastructure, which might help working families, and his budget seems to cut education and medical research, which he talked about improving. The president is simply using populists rhetoric to cloak his hard-right, anti-middle-class agenda. The American people don't want words — they want actions that help them." |
But harking back to Jones' comments on CNN moments before, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell gave his analysis on Trump's big night. |