Posts - Americans

India’s Plan For An ‘Airport For The Rich’ Actually Makes Sense

Entertainment News

India is planning to establish a business airport to ease its billionaires’ travel plans. The country’s analysts argue that with a population of more than 1.2 billion, and 750 million of whom live on less than $2 day, the move will set the country ahead for optimal growth and even create new jobs.

In a recent interview in New Delhi India’s federal Power Minister, Piyush Goyal, recounted how he had to make over 10 phone calls to have the billionaire founder of SoftBank Group, Masayoshi Son, land in Raipur. This was the case even though the billionaire was in the country for investment purposes.

Airport clearance in India can take up to 14 days. Indigenous Indians travelling can do it for a far shorter time of three days, but that is still terribly inconveniencing for time conscious business moguls. According to Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Asia’s largest vaccine maker Serum Institute of India, “It takes three to four days to get a permission to take off, whereas it should be three to four hours.”

Through the group, Business Aircraft Operators, the billionaires are petitioning the government to redevelop an airport 85 miles off Mumbai into an airfield exclusively for business planes. The field is currently being used by the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd as a military airbase.

According to the group’s president Jayant Nadkarni, “It’s about building an ecosystem for general and business aviation, and it’s also about creating jobs. Our industry is in recession. We’ve seen slowing growth for the last seven to eight years, and this year it will be less than zero percent.”

India’s growth as an economic hub is evident. The country has recorded one of the highest economic growth rates according to Royal Bank Canada and Cap Gemini SA. The country’s wealthy are increasing and so is air travel in the country thanks to base fares as low as 2 cents.

According to Boeing, Indian airlines require 1740 new panes by 2035 valued at $250 billion.
Planemaker Bombardier Inc, which has presence in both India and China, estimates India’s business to grow higher than 900 per cent to 1320 aircraft by 2033 as compared to China’s 600 per cent to 2,525.

Through a market forecast, Bombardier said India’s “business aviation growth potential in the near term continues to be weighed down by high fees, taxes and bureaucracy.”

The pressure on the government to ease operational business bottlenecks could see the country convert a military aircraft base to the country’s first business travel airbase. According to analysts, the move would not only make conducting business in the country possible, it would also provide more opportunities for investment and create more jobs.

Crushing Rent Expenses Don’t Look Set To Ease Any Time Soon

News

For the many Americans who feel like they pay too much in rent their may not be any relief in sight. According to a recent study, the number of United States households spending more than 50% of their total income on their rent could possibly increase by 25% over the next decade, as nearly 15 million American households would fall into this dubious category in a worst case scenario.

As a general rule of thumb, households should not spend more than 30% on rent or mortgage.

A nonprofit group called Enterprise Community Partners, along with Harvard’s Joint Center on Housing Studies, conducted the report. The researchers examined several scenarios for wage and rent growth that is expected to occur during the upcoming decade.

The best case scenario shows wages increasing 1% per year faster than rent expenses. Even then, the number of households spending over 50% of their income on their rent would only fall from 11.8 million to 11.6 million from 2015 to 2025.

The baseline study, in which rent and wages both increase by 2% annually, shows that more than 13 million households would fall into this category.

The worst possible outcome predicted 14.8 million “severely cost-burdened” American households.

In 2013, there were 11.2 million severely-burdened renter households, while there were only 7.3 million units affordable to them. If rent-costs keep increasing quicker than incomes, the number of households that spend more than 50% of their income on rent will continue to increase.

In the second quarter of this year, wages only grew by 0.2%. This is the slowest pace since 1982.

Senior director of research at Enterprise Community Partners Andrew Jakabovics said, “The economy alone is not going to solve this problem. It brings us back to the need to expand affordable housing.”

The report did not show the proportion of severely rent-burdened households in regards to income level. A report from the Furman Center states that the poorest Americans are the most likely to spend more than half of their income on rent.

However, a surprisingly large number of rent-burdened households come from the middle class. Studies have shown that in large cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, more than one-third of middle class renters are severely burdened by their rent expenses.

Meanwhile, data released by the United States Census Bureau last week indicated that the percentage of United States households that spent at least 30% of their income on housing in 2014 was the lowest since 2005. A likely cause of this decrease is the result of home buyers taking out new mortgages and homeowners refinancing their loans.

However, renters do not have such options, and they face a potentially dangerous future.

Greek Snap Elections Hand Clear Mandate To Far Left Syriza Party

Entertainment News

After a snap general election held in Greece over the weekend, left-wing Syriza party leader Alexis Tsipras reigned victorious as he was given a second chance to try and deal with the country’s astonishing debt. He also must tackle another immediate issue: carrying out major reforms to modernize its economy and government structures.

In front of his supporters, Tsipras proclaimed that, “Under difficult conditions, the Greek people have given us a clear order to get rid of everything that kept us stuck in the past. It’s a great victory, a clear victory and a victory of the people.”

He also told supporters that, “[He] feels vindicated because the Greek people have a clear mandate to carry on fighting inside and outside [Greece] to uphold the pride of [Greek] people. In Europe today, Greece and the Greek people are synonymous with resistance and dignity. Together, we will continue the struggle we began seven months ago.”

Despite the victory, many Greek citizens are not happy with the outcome of the election. More than four in 10 Greeks did not choose to vote in the election, and while Tsipras won 35.5% of the votes, the center-right New Democracy earned 28.1% of the votes.

The struggles that face Tsipras and the Greek government are significant.

According tough new conditions imposed by the Eurozone countries earlier this year as a result of Greece’s third bailout, the Greek government must accomplish major feats.

Specifically, the government has five priorities to face: Wages and pension costs must be cut again; the early retirement and pension system must be reformed before January; banks must be recapitalized and a timetable needs to be set for lifting capital controls; debt repayment talks must continue – with the goal of a debt relief agreement by January; tax reforms must be adopted (farmers’ income taxes will double); greater than 50% of the state electricity network must be privatized; closed professions (e.g., taxi drivers) must be liberalized and; charges to see state health providers must be reinstated.

Another immediate issue that Greece needs to confront is the growing refugee crisis that is facing all of Europe.

In sum, Tsipras and the country have a long road ahead though the path now looks more clear than it did on Friday.

China Just Secretly Tested The Fastest Aircraft In The World

Entertainment News

A recent test of a new hypersonic aircraft by the Chinese may have been the fastest in the world. A vaguely worded report released Friday on the website of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China indicated that an initial test flight of the super-fast plane took place at an unspecified high-altitude. The plane reportedly utilized a “unique flying style.” The AVIC is China’s state-owned aerospace and defense enterprise.

The report was then quickly taken down but not before giving military analysts reason to believe that China is working on a new hypersonic aircraft that is capable of travelling at five times the speed of sound, also known as Mach 5.

The model of the plane has not been provided. It is also unknown what China’s intentions with the fast aircraft might be. However, it is believed that the aircraft is capable of flying at record-breaking speeds.

The AVIC report referred to “test pilots,” but this might be describing drone pilots. Thus, it is currently unknown whether the aircraft is manned or unmanned.

Experts state that if the aircraft is indeed manned, then it would reportedly fly quicker than the SR-71 Blackbird, a strategic reconnaissance aircraft that was long-range and capable of speeds more than Mach 3. The SR-71 Blackbird was operated by the United States Air Force until its retirement in 1998.

However, if the Chinese aircraft is more of an unmanned drone, it would be more properly compared to the SR-72, a concept drone that is envisioned to reach speeds in excess of Mach 6.

Chinese officials in the report said that there are still many technical issues that must be dealt with before a stable hypersonic aircraft of such a nature can be developed.

However if the report is indeed real, this shows a major step forward in China’s defense capabilities.

The current record for the fastest aircraft ever goes to the North American X-15, which reached speeds of up to 4,520 miles per hour. The X-15 was retired in 1968.

Massive Volkswagen Emissions Scandal Could Cost The Company Over $20 Billion

Finance

Volkswagen has been exposed for cheating on emissions tests, making their vehicles appear cleaner than they actually are and drawing the ire of environmentalists everywhere.

The actions are also likely to have far reaching financial implications as regulators and lawyers circle the company.

Volkswagen issued an apology for violating United States emissions standards after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for intentionally tampering with emissions tests for nearly 50,000 of its diesel-powered vehicles.

Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn said that the German automaker is “deeply sorry” for its behavior, and the CEO is conducting an external investigation into the matter. Additionally, the company has required its dealerships in the United States to stop selling the cars involved in the situation until a solution can be found.

Volkswagen was accused by the EPA for installing the software on 482,000 of its diesel cars. This software enabled the company to cheat on emissions tests that are mandated by the EPA. Had the situation not been uncovered, United States citizens could have been exposed to dangerous pollutants at levels up to forty times of the allowable standard. This would have been particularly harmful for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.

Winterkorn quickly issued a statement in an effort to conduct damage control.

“I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public. We will cooperate fully with the responsible agencies, with transparency and urgency, to clearly, openly and completely establish all of the facts of this case,” he said.

Volkswagen faces up to $18 billion in federal fines, as the EPA can issue a maximum possible fine of $37,500 per vehicle. Additionally, Volkswagen might face charges of false marketing, a vehicle recall, and lawsuits as a result of the incident.

The company marketed its vehicles as “clean diesel.”

The state of California is also conducting its own investigation into the matter, separate from federal investigations.

According to reports, Volkswagen made use of a “defeat device” that tricked regulators into thinking that its vehicles were compliant with standards of the Clean Air Act for nitrogen oxides. The German car company admitted to United States investigators that it had used the device.

The cars involved include the Jetta, Beetle, Golf, and Passat from Volkswagen, as well as the Audi A3. The 2009 to 2014 versions of the Jetta, Beetle, and Golf are being investigated, as are the 2014 and 2015 versions of the Passat. For the Audi A3, the 2009 to 2015 versions are under investigation.

For the time being, Volkswagen dealers are being mandated by the company not to sell any of the four-cylinder diesel versions of these cars until a solution can be found. The loss of these potential sales is likely to put a major dent into the September sales performance of the company. Roughly 20% of the company’s sales come from vehicles with diesel engines.

AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan said, “It totally goes against all of the marketing they have had of a clean diesel. That’s one of the biggest selling points for Volkswagen.”

It will be interesting to see if Volkswagen can rally from this major setback. For now, the car company is focused on restoring its public image.

Winterkorn said, “The trust of our customers and the public is and continues to be our most important asset. We at Volkswagen will do everything that must be done in order to re-establish the trust that so many people have placed in us, and we will do everything necessary in order to reverse the damage this has caused. This matter has first priority for me, personally, and for our entire Board of Management.”

China Achieves Major Space Milestone By Developing Clean Rocket

Entertainment News

Space travel is the latest industry to embrace the green movement, as China has launched a rocket using fuel that is free of both pollution and toxins. The country used the Long March 6, currently China’s cleanest known rocket, to bring 20 micro-satellites into orbit on Sunday.

The Long March 6 experienced a successful launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, which is located in the Shanxi province of north China.

The rocket is not fully green, but it is extremely environmentally friendly in terms of rockets. The Long March 6 is powered by a liquid propellant that consists of liquid oxygen and kerosene. Chinese engineers say that it is China’s first rocket to utilize fuel that is both pollution and toxin free.

The rocket is a smaller-sized carrier rocket that will be used mostly to launch microsatellites with the goal of increasing China’s presence in the lucrative commercial satellite market.

China’s space program is largely secretive, as it is closely tied to the military of the country. However, the country is eager to share news of its scientific ambitions and its planned 2017 mission to the moon.

Meanwhile, another rocket, the Long March 5, is currently being prepared for a test run that will simulate its planned 2017 moon mission. The Long March 5 is considerably larger than the Long March 6, as it plans to carry astronauts.

The space agency of China has already made considerable progress in its development. The country has landed a rover on the moon, making it the third nation to accomplish the feat. The other two nations are the United States and Russia.

Last year, China successfully sent an unmanned probe round-trip to the moon and back to Earth. China hopes to visit the dark side of the moon by 2020.

The Air Force Is Readying A Fleet Of Laser Gunships That Will Completely Change War Forever

News

A 120 kilowatt tactical laser pod will be available for the U.S. military by 2020 officials confirmed late last week. The groundbreaking energy weaponry will be ready for operational use and will revolutionize military engagements as we know them.

Two of the U.S. military’s top most generals have confirmed that a tactical laser will be in use by the U.S. Air Force by 2020. Gen. Herbert Carlisle, head of the Air Force’s Air Service Command and Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold both confirmed the advancements in laser battle technology at the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference held in Washington last week.

Currently, the solid-state lasers are being developed ahead of their likely use by the Air Force Special Operations Command’s (AFSOC) AC-130W Whiskey gunships. Fighter delivered options will come much later.

Heithold told reporters the goal of the whole project was to field a laser generating 120 kw of raw power and mount it on fighter jets. He did not give specifics on the design or the procurement strategy.

Heithold said he did not plan on using the lasers to engage human targets. He explained that they would primarily be used on ground targets such as enemy hardware and armored vehicles.
Carlisle, on his part, envisions the lasers taking a more strategic route and only engaging designated targets through air campaigns. Carlisle said, “That will change the game. Imagine your ability to defeat an enemy surface-to-air capability with a directed energy weapon or to defend the homeland. I actually think it is a lot closer than a lot of people think it is.”

The generals acknowledged that laser beam control would pose a significant challenge especially over longer distances. Carlisle said, “We are making significant progress,” Carlisle said. “There are some technologies that have to do in how you handle the heat and the [size, weight and power] … that allow us to do that in a much smaller space than we did in the past. It allows to get us to those peak powers.”

Wars in both Afghanistan and the Iraq have grown the military’s spending on both personnel and technological warfare development. Army Gen. Joseph Votel, U.S. Special Operations Command chief, recently pledged to raise spending of a designated $8 billion by three to five per cent. It is part of these funds, Votel said, that would go to the development of the laser gunships.

Lasers offer attractive potential because they promise endless magazine if energy is present. The advancement of laser technology will change air combat completely, so much so that it could mean winning a war even before it even began.

Cypress Trees Could Be The Answer To California’s Devastating Wildfires

Culture

In efforts to stop repeats of this summer’s deadly and devastating wildfires that have scorched millions of acres in California, Washington State and Alaska, European researchers are taking a very close look at the cypress, a tree known to have fire retardant qualities

Researchers in Spain and Italy have found cypress trees ignite seven times slower than other species.

The lead author on a study the researchers published in the Journal of Environmental Management, Gianni Della Rocca said “The peculiar flammability traits of cypress are not a real mystery. The physical, chemical and biological characteristic of this species makes it not immediately prone to fire. It means that cypress burns, but it takes longer to catch fire than other Mediterranean species.”

Della Rocca said the researchers carried out tests on the “Cupressus sempervirens” species, a Mediterranean native. “A wide set of bench-scale calorimetry techniques were used to test the flammability parameters of live crowns and litter samples.” in the lab. He said they also planted live green barriers in the wild which, when they mature, will be tested to see how effective the barrier’s fire resistance is and if they can achieve the same results as the lab tests in actual wind conditions.

Della Rocca said the lab tests showed cypress trees would help fight wildfires of “moderate intensity” as needles and dead litter that fell from the trees are spongy, holding water for long periods, and that the ” widely-spaced structure of the tree’s crown slows down air circulation, and the space between branches reduces the speed at which a fire spreads.” The study also found cypress sap was less flammable than other tree resin

The research project was inspired by data which showed in a 2012 wildfire in Valencia, Spain, which destroyed 50,000 acres, only two percent of the area’s cypress trees burned.

Della Rocca said the trees which grow in a wide variety of soil and climate conditions could be used used as buffer zones in California and other dry and high temperature areas.

Although environmentalists say the introduction of non-native plants increase the risk of damaging the native ecosystem, Della Rocca said the researchers are doing additional tests to see how the the trees’ effects, if at all, non-native areas.

He said he wants to make it clear the researchers were not advocating for “neat hedges of cypress trees” because for them to be effective they have to grow randomly as they did in the wild.

“When we consider the cypress trees as a potential barrier able to reduce or slow down the fire initiation risk, we’re referring to multiple-row plantations with homogenous structure made by selected healthy and vigorous plants,” said Della Rocca.

Sleeper Desk Goes From Sitcom Joke To Cutting Edge Office Design

Finance

The invention seems like it jumped right out of a Seinfeld episode: a sleeper desk designed for weary workers. Similar in concept to the desk George Costanza had constructed – one where he could take a nap without the bosses seeing him do so – a real sleeper desk has made its way to the drawing board. While it is currently only a prototype, there may be a real demand for it now and in the future.

The “1.6 S.M. of Life Desk” is a stylish and classic-looking work desk that has the unique ability to transform into a bed. It is named after its dimensions and is meant to provide a reprieve for those who spend long hours working or studying at one desk.

It was designed by Athanasia Leivaditou, a member of the architectural firm NL Studio, located in Koropi, Greece, just outside Athens. Leivaditou came up with the idea while studying on her university campus on the other side of town from her apartment. “It was an inspiration that came from the exhausting working hours of my classmates who did not have an apartment close to the university. They were putting chairs together in order to take a nap during the night at the graduate school.”

The Studio explains that, “The main concept was to comment on the fact that many times our lives are ‘shrinking’ in order to fit into the confined space of our office. Eventually, I realized that each civilization may have a very different perception of things depending on its social context. For example, this desk could be used for a siesta or for a few hours of sleep at night on those days when someone struggles to meet deadlines.”

The desk, made from white leather, metal and lacquered wood is truly unique – and Leivaditou might just be onto something.

Special Forces Operators Are Quietly Helping Nigeria Fight Boko Haram Terror Network

Entertainment News

The violent extremist group Boko Haram has terrorized thousands of people in African countries. Best known for the kidnapping of greater than 200 young schoolgirls in the spring of last year, the group has expanded from its headquarters in the northern section of Nigeria. One can see why holding a conference to discuss the terrorist group – and how to combat it – is something that scares many leaders in the region.

The Diffa region in southeastern Niger finally did hold a summit in order to discuss the threat posed by the terrorist group. Diffa’s prefect, Inoussa Saouna, told the group of 75 village leaders that, “One person could come here and kill us all!”

Despite the fears of the attendees, the meeting at Diffa was somewhat successful. The group felt protected by a small team of United States Special Operations Forces who were present to stand watch. The soldiers do not wear uniforms or go into combat. Rather, their goal is to partner with local groups who are willing to fight and stand up to Boko Haram.

This low-risk strategy has proved unsuccessful in the Middle East as the United States has been unable to find reliable allies in war-torn Syria. However, in Niger and other African countries, there are signs of success against Boko Haram.

Army Col. Bob Wilson, commander of United States Special Operations Forces in west and north Africa stated that, “For the region, this is going to be a struggle that’s going to be with them for a long time, not just in Niger, but elsewhere.”

The soldiers who are a part of this mission feel that they are welcomed by the citizens of Niger more than they ever felt welcome in Iraq and Afghanistan. One American sergeant stated that, “It’s a totally different approach to the problem set.” The team sergeant further stated that, “[The citizens and leaders of Niger] are fully supportive of getting Boko Haram out of here. It’s nice to be able to work with folks like that – that want the problem gone.”

At this time, it is unclear how long the Americans will remain in the region. Sergeant Fougo Saley, chief of civil-military affairs for the Diffa region, is very grateful for the backseat approach taken by the American soldiers. “I would even like the Americans to stay for 40 years . . . I don’t know what the American government and Niger government will decide.”

UK Teddy Bear Diplomacy Results In 6,000 Acre Teddy Bear Theme Park

Entertainment News

In the 70’s ping pong diplomacy helped open China’s door to the U.S. as American table tennis players took on their Chinese counterparts in strategically staged matches. Today it seems that teddy-bear diplomacy may do the same thing for Chinese and British relationships with the announcement The Great British Teddy Bear Company (GBTBC) will be opening a cuddly wonderland in Beijing.

The British company has partnered with Chinese architectural firm Tenio Architectural Design and the Chinese Government to build a teddy bear themed, 6,600 acre fun park in Beijing’s Daxing district.

GBTBC founder Paul Jessop said “families of all generations can visit to interact, create memories and have a British experience.” He said visitors to the park will be able to learn about British literature, culture and history through the park which will be marketed as a center for cultural learning.

Jessop said among many other things at the “low-carbon teddy bear paradise,” children and their families will be able to experience the “Shakespeare theatre” with teddy bears based on characters from the great British writers plays, and then move onto the Tower of London attraction which will have “Beefeater bears”.

But as in most things China and Chinese companies become involved in, money is also a major incentive. The park plays well into the rising demand for the GBTBC brand in China. Of all teddy bears sold in the company’s Sherlock Holmes bear is reportedly the biggest seller, due in part to the success of the BBC TV series Sherlock. Other top sellers are themed on well well-known British “personalities”, alive and passed, Prince William, Robin Hood and Florence Nightingale.

It is expected 250,000 visitors annually will pay the fee to visit the park and experts say on top of this there are all the money making aspects every theme park has from sales of food and drinks, souvenirs etc.

When asked at today’s announcement what was the driving force behind him starting the company back in 2008, Jessop said “We wanted to create a teddy bear with true meaning, one that will be retained and then passed to the next generation. In our understanding of the teddy bear’s role in human life, we design them to convey meaning, to bring joy, comfort, and historic preservation, as well as sorrow.”

U.S. Admiral Says Navy Should Sail Near Disputed South Pacific Islands

News

Admiral Harry Harris, commander of United States forces in the Pacific, told the Senate this week that America should send patrol ships to sail close to Chinese-built artificial islands in a move that would challenge China’s current claim to this territory thereby. The comments by Admiral Harris came just one week before Chinese president Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit the White House.

Harris revealed to the Senate that China was building three airfields on the artificial islands and that the country’s additional militarization was a significant concern and a possible threat to all countries in the area.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei stated that China was not happy with Harris’ statements and acknowledged that China opposed “any country challenging China’s sovereignty and security in the name of protecting freedom of navigation.” He further stated that, “We demand that the relevant country speak and act cautiously, [and] earnestly respect China’s sovereignty and security interests, and not take any risky or provocative acts.”

When Harris was questioned by Senate members as to why the United States should sail within so close to the artificial islands – and thus angering China – he replied that, “I believe that we should exercise – be allowed to exercise, freedom of navigation and flight – maritime and flight – in the South China Sea against those islands that are not islands.” Specifically addressing the 12-mile issue, he stated that, “Depending on the feature. Conducting that kind of . . . freedom-of-navigation operation is one the operations we’re considering.”

The Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, Senator John McCain, expressed his disdain that the Obama administration has failed to challenge China by not yet sailing within 12 miles of the artificial islands. He stated that by this inaction, the United States was essential providing de facto recognition of the Chinese claims to these islands.

McCain further pointed out that the United States should sail close to these islands after China recently sent ships within 12 nautical miles of the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska last week.

Harris acknowledged that China was in the process of building 3,000-yard runways on the manmade islands. “They’re also building deep-water port facilities there, which could put their deep-water ships, their combatant ships there, which gives them an extra capability.”

Heavily Armed Taliban Militants Storm Pakistani Airbase During Morning Prayers

Entertainment News

Taliban militants attacked an airbase in Pakistan’s northern city of Peshawar killing 17 people and injuring dozens more. The terror group has recently been on an offensive, freeing hundreds of militants and prisoners in Afghanistan and reigning terror in Pakistan.

Gunmen dressed in full police uniforms broke into the Badaber air base in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Friday morning. According to Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa, 16 of the deceased were killed during morning prayers. The other victim was an army officer.

Gen Bajwa reported that the gunmen stormed into the base at two points before breaking out into groups. The gunmen proceeded to open fire on the faithful during morning prayers.

Authorities dispatched a rapid response unit to the scene of the shootings to contain the attackers. Reports from Pakistan authorities indicate that up to 13 militants were killed by security forces.

However, the Taliban, which has claimed responsibility for the attack, dismissed the number reporting that only one of their members was killed in the exchange of fire.

It is immediately unclear how many gunmen were involved in the attack. Pakistan authorities are still hunting downing the rest of the militant group.

Reports indicate that 20 people were injured in the exchange, including 10 Pakistan soldiers.
Pakistan Taliban spokesperson Muhammad Khurasani stated that the group had sanctioned the attack on Peshawar, a region that has been the target of militants for a long time.

Peshawar air base is located at the southernmost tip of the province. It is more of a residential base than an operative one. It is surrounded by tribal zones that have borne the brunt of militant attacks for a long time.

The attack is the first military targeting Taliban attack in Pakistan since one of their navy vessels was set upon in a Karachi dockyard in September 2014. It is also the bloodiest attack witnessed since the massacre of 150 schoolchildren and teachers in Peshawar’s Army School.

Anonymous military officials reported that the attackers were found with “explosives-laden jackets and were armed with hand-propelled grenades, mortars, AK-47 rifles”.

It is unclear whether the militants received insider support as is often the case with their previous attacks.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has condemned the killings saying “Terrorists will be rooted out from the country.”

The attack on a military base was ordered to show Taliban’s growing military might and spread fear across Pakistan that their government was unable to protect the country. Security forces are working together to fight terror and unite the nation after the horrific attack.

Trump’s Political Success Is All About Careful Word Choices

News

Those who have been attempting to decipher the meaning behind the continued and rising popularity of Donald Trump’s presidential bid may want to start attributing it to the intelligence of the American people. However, with Republican party members’ long history of aversion to politicians who rely too much on intellectual arguments, questioning the intelligence of Republican voters may only further push voters into Trump’s favor.

One has only to look at the former President George W. Bush, who was often quoted as relying on his “gut” when he had to make important decisions. In the week’s presidential debate, Trump spoke at a fifth grade level, below all the other candidates.

Although his speeches may not be up at a 7th grade level like Ben Carson or Carly Fiorina, his blunt manner and aversion to apology have enamored potential voters. Trump and Carson have recently surged in polls and are currently the only two candidates who have numbers in the double-digits.

Polls for Trump and Carson leading into last night’s debate had the two sitting near 30% and 20%, respectively. As for who won the debate, the majority still favored Trump at over 30%. Carly Fiorina came in a close second at under 30%.

Both Fiorina and Trump took questionable positions that may have been pandering to the “non-intellectual” portions of their supporters. At one point, Trump commented on the issue of mandatory vaccination programs as it relates to autism, stating a desire for the option of parents to more widely space out the administration of those vaccines to their children.

In Fiorina’s case, she cited the now infamous footage from a Planned Parenthood video, which suggests that Planned Parenthood clinics have been profiting off the sale of tissue from aborted fetuses. In a New York Times report, it was stated that the un-edited video shows that Planned Parenthood’s Dr. Deborah Nucatola was instead stating the costs of donation for legal transfer of tissue for research purposes.

With more than a year left before the American people cast their votes, there is plenty of time left for more of these divisive emotional issues to come forth and ample opportunity for the candidates to keep abusing them.

U.S. Cyber Command Is Conducting A Massive Audit Of All Military Systems To Stop Chinese Hackers

News

The U.S. Cyber Command (USCC) is conducting a massive audit of all the military’s computer networks, weapons, and bases in order to create a list of vulnerabilities to cyber attack. Deputy commander Lt. Gen. Kevin McLaughlin said the audit resulted from a troubling report from the Pentagon’s chief weapons tester, Michael Gilmore.

Gilmore’s report pointed out that a majority of the military’s weapon systems are vulnerable to cyber attack.

Within months, the audit is expected to lead to a framework for approaching the most critical vulnerabilities, which includes new weapon systems as well as those introduced 30 years ago, before the cyber threat was a factor.

Government agencies are constantly dealing with multiple attacks by both Russia and China, the largest being the attack this year on the Office of Personnel Management. One of the most recent attacks involved the Pentagon’s Joint Staff, which includes some of the nation’s most senior military personnel.

In short the military is being attacked like never before and it’s now getting tough on protecting its systems.

The USCC audit follows a similar report last week in which USCC Commander Admiral Mike Rodgers emphasized the need for more vigilance and awareness among personnel regarding cyber threats. In a troubling sign, that report echoed the desire of FBI Director James Comey to allow “backdoors” within encrypted systems, which is basically an invitation for more cyber attacks.

Mr. Comey brought out the familiar villain of terrorism as justification for requiring companies to place backdoors on consumer products such as phones, tablets, and laptops. Currently, FBI investigations of potential terrorist recruits are incapable of decoding communications exchanges once they are moved to third party encrypted software.

The USCC’s audit will hopefully result in systems that do not allow for these backdoors on weapons systems, but an event this summer involving a U.S.-made Patriot missile battery in Germany witnessed the device overtaken by unexplained commands from unknown hackers.

Government officials are eager to find a way to retain the use of backdoors for their surveillance activities, while also increasing security from cyber threats, but the two goals are contradictory. Any backdoor available to government agencies would eventually be abused by other actors.

The latest moves by the Pentagon indicate its well aware of this tradeoff and will not be including any such vulnerabilities into the nation’s weapons system while looking to aggressively remove any that may be lurking from days gone by.

The World’s Oldest Broadcaster Is About To Enter The U.S. TV Streaming Market

Finance

Famed British broadcaster the BBC is planning to offer an online subscription service in the United States next year, giving Americans a new method for viewing their vast library of programs. The network will join a slew of other companies in offering so-called Over The Top (OTT) streaming services, as more and more people look for alternatives to traditional cable and satellite TV.

The network did not state specifically which shows would be available with the service but BBC director general Tony Hall promised that the offering would include content that viewers would not be able to otherwise obtain.

There is currently a cable and satellite channel on pay TV packages from the BBC called BBC America. Select BBC shows are also available on popular streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu.

It is unknown if the subscription program will only include BBC America or if it will offer an increased archive of BBC programming. Its also unclear if it will offer any live programming such as its famed news channel.

Subscription services like these are becoming more popular, as traditional cable and satellite television services continue to decline. The upcoming service offered by the BBC will give Americans another opportunity to cut the cord and transition to a less expensive on-demand service where their favorite programs are readily available.

The BBC will become one of many other OTT services when it launches. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Instant Video are already available on virtually any digital device, such as laptops, game consoles, and smartphones while smartphone giant Apple just relaunched its Apple TV product and appears set to enter the fray with its own original programming.

Due to their inexpensive monthly prices, consumers are able to easily purchase subscriptions to these services, using them to supplement one another. This creates a strong alternative to traditional cable or satellite services, which are declining in popularity because of their high monthly fees and restrictive packaging of content.

Customers simply do not want countless “filler channels”, and seem to prefer a select package of quality programming that fits their personal needs.

The BBC, as the world’s oldest national broadcasting organization, appears to appreciate this dynamic and looks ready to capitalize. It offers a massive variety of original programming and content to viewers worldwide. This latest announcement shows that the company is remaining current with the times, recognizing that customers simply don’t want to deal with cable TV any longer.

Afghanistan Is Crumbling And World Leaders Don’t Know What To Do

Entertainment News

Afghanistan’s capital city is in ruins and its people are in despair. After years of war, Kabul has witnessed the erosion of its cultural, social and economic fabric to the extent the government has been rendered incapable of providing and protecting its own people.

Kabul today is way different from the city beaming with promise in 2014 when a democratic election was underway. Back then, the nation was deeply optimistic of a new dawn that would be ushered by fresh leadership and the exit of the last western forces.

Barely a year afterwards, Kabul’s security has deteriorated significantly, as compared to southern provinces where western armed forces are still present. Insiders are blaming the spiking insecurity to a rise in insurgency and the withdrawal of U.S. led western troops. Foreign military presence brought with it a large and financially stable economic market that has since been lost.

Analysts have also attributed Kabul’s collapse to its incompetent government. Through placing complete control of the country and its resources to the popularly elected government that did not have a clear plan for the country, the stage was set for a disaster.

Analysts now predict the only way to rescue the falling state would be through the moderation of frustrations and sustained security. However, this will be problematic considering Afghanistan’s poor economic record.

Estimates put Afghanistan’s population at 28 million, 76 per cent of whom live in the rural area while 13 million citizens suffer varying levels of food insecurity. Gender inequalities have seen many girls fail to get an education while over three decades of war have left the adult population relegated to less than 50 per cent of the population. Almost half of Afghanistan’s population is below 14.

The Taliban insurgency that’s experiencing internal succession battles, after leader Mullah Mansour was killed, has left countless fractions broken out. These breakout groups have either established independent groups or gone to fight with ISIS.

Afghanistan now seems like it can only survive through support from western states. Aid coming in to spur the numerous youth into education while improving food security for the country’s people will go along way to resurrecting the fallen state. If the path it is on now continues it is likely to just breed more poverty and more terrorism.

Google Hires Failed Amazon Design Team To Fix Failed Glass Project

Finance

The often maligned Google Glass is having another go at it, with a new name and a more extensive design team. Named “Project Aura,” the team will have as one of its main goals combating the stigma that faced the previous iteration of the smart glasses.

Forming a large part of the new design team are former Amazon employees who previously worked on such projects as its failed Fire smartphone. The team will be working on a diverse set of wearable products, in addition to the new version of Google Glass. There are also rumors that the team will be working on virtual reality technologies like gesture control of devices.

Google has already been quietly releasing a different version of Glass targeting businesses in the health care, manufacturing, and energy industries, after it ceased sales of its consumer version in January.

With the ultimate goal of a new version of Glass for the consumer market, the introduction of industry-specific versions of Glass might allow for the public to become comfortable with the presence of these types of devices.

Surgeons have been testing a version which allows them to consult with colleagues while performing a procedure, or to instruct students. For anyone who has googled the solution to a problem, the option for a device that can overlay that information onto their natural vision while performing the task would be invaluable.

One of the main criticisms of the first Google Glass, which sold for $1,500, was that it enabled users to record others without their knowledge. The application of this very same feature in a manufacturing environment will enable employees to document how to perform a task correctly, making the advanced technologies shunned by consumers ideal for the commercial world.

The next consumer version of Glass will be a result of the new design team, as well as collaboration with Italian eyewear maker Luxxotica and is expected to hit the market in early 2016. But don’t expect it to be called Glass. After the rise of the term ‘Glassholes’ to describe those wearing the obnoxious devices Google will likely go with a name closer to Aura in order to avoid negative publicity.

Doctors Uncover Breakthrough Treatment To Cure Sickle Cell Anemia In Adults

Health & Wellness

Scientists and researchers have developed a new technique that can cure adults with sickle cell anemia – without having to undergo intense chemotherapy prior to the procedure.The results of the clinical trials at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Science Systems (“UI Health”) resulted in the curing of 92% of patients with the disease.

Presently, around 90% of the 450 patients who receive stem cell transplants for sickle cell disease are children. Now, treating adults may be more common.

Dr. Damiano Rondelli, chief of hematology/oncology at UI Health stated that, “Adults with sickle cell disease are now living on average until age 50 with blood transfusions and drugs to help with pain crises, but their quality of life can be very low. Now, with this chemotherapy-free transplant, we are curing adults with sickle cell disease, and we see that their quality of life improves vastly within just one month of the transplant. They are able to go back to school, go back to work, and can experience life without pain.”

Sickle cell disease is inherited by genetics. It primarily targets people of African descent. In fact, one in every 500 African Americans born in the United States have sickle cell disease. The condition causes oxygen-carrying red blood cells to bend and appear like a sickle. The crescent-shaped cells deliver less oxygen to a person’s tissues, causing severe pain and eventually organ damage and/or stroke.

Up until now, few adults were transplanted with bone marrow, which can cure the disease, because a high dose of chemotherapy was needed to kill off the patient’s blood-forming cells and essentially his or her entire immune system, to prevent rejection of the transplanted cells.

However, in the new procedure, patients receive immunosuppressive drugs prior to the transplant, in addition to a very low dose of radiation. Donor cells from healthy (tissue-matching) siblings are then transfused into the patient. The stem cells from the healthy donor produce new blood cells in the patient and eventually produce enough to eliminate the symptoms of sickle cell disease.

The new technique brings hope to many adults who suffer from the disease.

Indonesia Arrests Executives From Seven Companies For Creating Air Pollution

Culture

Executives from seven different companies have been arrested in Indonesia, after being accused of starting illegal fires which have caused air pollution in the region.

Arrests for this type of behavior are uncommon in the region, but they could bring fines and prison sentences of up to 15 years. The move highlights the legal consequences polluters are starting to face around the world as awareness of the deadly effects of their actions spreads.

While haze caused by forest fires is a problem every year in Indonesia, this year has been particularly bad and the country declared a state of emergency in its Riau province.

The nearby countries of Malaysia and Singapore have also been affected by the problem. The haze stretches for hundreds of miles across Southeast Asia.

The fires are believed to be the result of both corporations and small-time farmers using illegal slash and burn methods in order to remove vegetation for palm oil, pulp, and paper plantations. As the prospects for trade have become more lucrative in recent years, the fires have grown into a larger issue.

Based on law in Indonesia, executives that are in charge of companies that have been accused of committing “environmental mismanagement” are able to be criminally prosecuted. For many years, Indonesia has made promises to increase its enforcement on laws regarding illicit fires.

However, up until now there had been few arrests and nobody had been held responsible. The recent arrests suggest that Indonesia is making a stronger attempt to crack down on the problem.

According to police chief of Indonesia, General Badrodin Haiti, the seven companies involved in the crimes are based in either Sumatra or Kalimantan on Indonesian Borneo. These locations have been the location of most of the fires.

It is unclear exactly how many executives have been arrested.

Burning vegetation to clear land has a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a $692,000 fine, while illegal burning of forests has a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a fine of over $1 million.

General Badrodin went on to state that 20 additional companies representing 140 individuals were also under investigation.

President of Indonesia Joko Widodo has promised to hold plantation companies responsible for clearing land illegally through burning. The government has also made threats to remove licenses of companies that have been found guilty of committing harm to the environment.

High-level executives and possibly shareholders of the companies could be targeted by police investigations according to the police chief.

However, environmentalists want Indonesia to follow through on the issue, as the country is experiencing heavy pressure both locally and abroad to put an end to this problem.

Malaysia has had to close schools and issue health alerts as a result of the haze. Meanwhile, the organizers of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Singapore have stated that the night racing scheduled for this weekend will proceed as planned despite concerns about the air quality after the thick haze lingered all week.

American Tech Giants To Face Wide Ranging UK Probe Into Collusion, Abuse Of Dominant Position

Finance

The United Kingdom is launching a wide ranging probe into American tech giants to assess whether they are treating their local competitors and suppliers fairly. The inquiry marks the onset of UK regulation and possibly market segmentation for U.S. tech companies that have dominated the country’s online industry for years.

Just months after Brussels launched a scathing inquiry into Google, the UK has declared it would be assessing the market behavior of Silicon Valley internet platforms. The use of the word ‘platforms’ has been described by analysts as wide enough to include eBay, Paypal, Amazon, Skype, Facebook and Uber. Areas dominated by search giant Google will also feature in the probe. These include: search, online videos, news aggregation and maps.

The probe was launched by the House of Lords EU Internal Market Sub-Committee and will commence proceedings for oral evidence in October. The proceedings will last till December.

The probes will take relevant evidence on the relations between the tech companies and their suppliers looking for “asymmetries in bargaining power and the fairness of terms and conditions.” They will also look into whether both consumers and the business partners were allowed to extract their data safely from the platforms.

The objective of the whole exercise by the EU is to determine whether new regulations would be required to ensure the Digital Single Market (DSM) envisioned was functioning. Previously, both Google and Hollywood have been on the receiving end of investigations by the EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.

An EU anti-trust campaign against Google earlier in the year used old-fashioned anti trust laws to loosen the search giant’s hold on online shopping though exact penalties have yet to be determined. The move marked the EU’s first attempt at regulatory assault of giant tech companies. It did not end there.

The DSM blueprint alluded to putting the sharing industry under a microscope. This would see popular sharing services such as Uber and Airbnb get regulatory checks imposed after assessment.

According to the initial DSM draft, “Some platforms can control access to online markets and can exercise significant influence over how various players in the market are remunerated.”

The Average Score On The Bar Exam Just Dropped To Its Lowest Level In History

News

The average scores for the bar exam, the test to be a practicing lawyer, have dipped to their lowest level since 1988 according to the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). The results are due to an insufficient number of law school applicants, prompting school officials to lower college entrance requirements.

NCBE CEO Erica Moeser commented on the new data, attributing it to the acceptance of students with lower qualifications, who she said “may encounter difficulty.”

In 2014, the largest year-on-year decline in pass rates in the exam’s 40 year history was witnessed, which prompted college deans to quarrel with the NCBE over its design of the exam, criticizing them for making the test too difficult. Moeser responded to these accusations by pointing out the poor quality of students.

Following students’ poor performance on the 2014 exam, the test results for 2015 from states that have reported showed yet another year of declining scores. However, most states have not released their numbers as of yet.

Moeser’s theory seems to be bearing out and Pepperdine University School of Law professor Derek Muller agrees. “There isn’t a lot that schools can do. You can only train students so far and so much, a lot depends on ability.”

Critics who attribute the drop to test changes point out that this year’s July exam was the first to include a section on civil procedure. However, those who attribute scores to the drop in student quality pointed out that examinees did not perform noticeably worse on the new civil procedure questions, than on any other section.

If the downward trend in pass rates continues, colleges worry that the already dropping number of applicants to law school may continue to fall. This year’s number of law school applicants was the lowest it has been in 30 years.

College deans have continued to press Moeser on the exam issue, but she is maintaining her position, “You can squawk loud and long about what’s happening, but you’ve got to look at who your student body is.”

In Three Months Over 30 Million Americans Won’t Be Able To Travel Without A Passport

News

Air passengers across the U.S. benefit from the use of driver’s licenses as authoritative identification when travelling domestically but that looks set to soon change. U.S. citizens from New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Louisiana and New Hampshire or American Samoa will no longer be allowed to fly any airline using their driver’s license.

Beginning 2016, travelers from the five U.S. states will not be allowed to use their driver’s licenses to identify themselves aboard aircrafts. This is because the standard driver’s licenses from the five states are considered “non compliant” with security standards set out in the Real ID Act.

The Real ID Act was passed by Congress back in 2005 and set the standard for issuance of sources of identification, including driver’s licenses. The Act established minimum security standards for the issuance of and production of identification documents. The Act also prohibited federal agencies from accepting identification documents not meeting the minimum standards prescribed by it.

The new regulations issued by the Transport Security Administration (TSA) will only allow a driver’s license identification if it is accompanied by an acceptable form of identification such as permanent resident cards, DHS trusted traveler cards like the Global Entry and U.S. military IDs.

The TSA will also accept enhanced driver’s licenses such as the type used to replace travel passports for travel to or from Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean.

The ban, whose exact date of commencing has not been given, will bring air passage among these states to a grinding halt for the 38 per cent of Americans who do not have passports. Relief has only been given in the form of a three month forgiveness period where citizens with the “non compliant” licenses will be warned that they were no longer valid.

Previously, U.S. citizens did not require a passport to travel between states. Even citizens travelling outside the continent to Hawaii and Alaska did not require a passport as their driver’s licenses were valid forms of identification. Passports were only necessary for travel to foreign countries.

The new regulations will indefinitely halt travel plans for U.S. citizens in the five states with no passports. Even more inconveniencing for them will be the process of applying for a passport which can be quite tedious.

A Virus Present In Almost Every U.S. Dairy Cow Was Just Strongly Linked To Breast Cancer

News

A new study shows that the odds of a woman developing breast cancer are much higher if the bovine leukemia virus (“BLV”) is present in breast tissue. In fact, the research suggests that the odds are far greater than with other common risk factors linked to breast cancer.

BLV infects the blood cells and mammary tissue of beef and dairy cattle causing malignant lymphoma and lymphosarcoma in up to 5% of infected animals. Exposure to BLV is determined by examining the cattle’s milk or serum. If antibodies to BLV are present, than it is likely that the cattle has the virus.

The virus is present in the vast majority of America’s dairy and beef cattle. In fact, a baseline study of the presence of BLV was established during a 1996 study. The results of that study showed that 89% of United States dairy operations had BLV.

The most recent study took place in 2007, where greater than 82% percent of the entire United States dairy herd was tested. The results showed that almost 84% of operations were positive for BLV.

Until recently, it was unsure if BLV could be transmitted to the human population. Professor Gertrude Buehring, a professor of virology at the University of California-Berkeley, and her team showed that BLV can in fact pass to humans. Buehring stated that, “The tests we have now are more sensitive, but it was still hard to overturn the established dogma that BLV was not transmissible to humans. As a result, there has been little incentive for the cattle industry to set up procedures to contain the spread of the virus.”

Taking it a step further, Buehring and her team analyzed the breast tissue from 239 women. The results showed a higher likelihood of the presence of BLV in breast cancer tissue. Further analysis indicated that the odds of having breast cancer if BLV was present was about three times greater than if BLV was absent. 59% of the breast cancer samples had exposure to BLV while only 29% of the tissue samples from women who did not have nor never had breast cancer showed the presence of BLV.

Buehring pointed out that, “This odds ratio is higher than any of the frequently publicized risk factors for breast cancer, such as obesity, alcohol consumption and use of postmenopausal hormones.”

Despite the results, Buehring stressed that, “It is important to note that our results do not prove that the virus causes cancer. However, this is the most important first step. We still need to confirm that the infection with the virus happened before, not after, breast cancer developed, and if so, how.”

Buehring also emphasised that her study did not identify how the virus infected the analyzed breast tissue samples. She proffers that the virus could have been transmitted to the women through the consumption of unpasteurized milk or undercooked meat, or it could have been transmitted by other humans.

Rise Of Humanoid Robots Creating Real Ethics Debate Around Permitted Sexual Activity

Health & Wellness

The new humanoid robot named Pepper can do many cool things. However, engaging in sexual activities is not intended to be one of them, at least according to its manufacturers.

Designed by Japanese technology company Softbank, Pepper is an “emotional robot” that will engage people on a personal level in order to help them grow, have fun, facilitate meaningful relationships, and overall enhance their lives. Pepper can move, talk, and be a super cute pal to anyone, especially Japan’s rapidly ageing population that lack enough qualified caregivers.

But with human nature comes trouble, and the designers took this into account when writing Pepper’s user manual. The document warns users that the robot is not designed to engage in “sexual acts” or “obscene behavior” with users. These user manual warnings have been attracting the attention of the media and the internet community as robot ethics starts to become a mainstream topic of conversation. The manual also addresses other ethically offside uses by forbidding using the robot to stalk or harass others.

Twitter has been particularly abuzz over Pepper’s message. One user wrote, “Humans aren’t able to have sex with Pepper.” Another user questioned how engaging in sexual activities with a robot was even possible.

Softbank said that the person who wrote this particular section of the user manual for the robot has not yet commented on the issue. However, the company claims that the point of these messages was to discourage people from using the robot for personal illegal activities.

Pepper costs around $1,650 and, so far, the robot has been hugely successful. Each of its three batches quickly sold out. The next batch of Pepper robots is due to be released on September 26th.

Pepper is manufactured by Taiwanese company Foxconn, the same company that manufactures many Apple products, as well as electric cars for the Chinese market. Alibaba, the leading e-commerce company in China, also has money invested in the Pepper project.

U.S. Activists Applaud As Argentina Lifts Ban On Gay Blood Donors

Health & Wellness

Argentina has became the latest country to lift its ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood, joining an elite group of countries worldwide who accept blood from the group with no strings attached. Only 21 countries in the world allow gay and bisexual male blood donations, while others either totally ban it or have a time deferral system during which no sexual activity with another male is allowed before donating blood.

Health Minister Daniel Gollán lifted the ban at a special signing ceremony at which he said under a new policy Argentina could finally “move toward a national blood system that is safe, caring, and inclusive.”

Under Argentina’s new policy each blood donor will go through individualized risk-assessment screening.

The South American country joins Australia, Brazil, Hungary, Japan, Sweden, Britain, Bhutan, Spain, Bulgaria, Chile, Latvia,Italy,Mexico, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Uruguay, Venezuela, Poland and Portugal, as the only countries that have no bans on known gay or bi-sexual male blood donation.

The Argentine move was welcomed by activists in the U.S. which still bans blood donation by gay and bisexual males.

Earlier this year the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it plans to revise its total ban for gay and bisexual men which has been in place in 1977 – the height of the AIDs epidemic in the country.

Gay activists have criticised the plan saying gay and bisexual men would still be discriminated against as it would place monogamous gay men in the same blood donation group as “straight people” who had unprotected sex with prostitutes, and used IV drugs.

One activist said the proposed Food and Drug Administration rules were “bizarre” in that “straight people who have frequent, anonymous, high-risk, unprotected sex with opposite-sex partners still face no deferral at all.”

America’s Blood Centers, The American Red Cross, the American Medical Association and the American Association of Blood Banks, all support lifting the U.S Food and Drug Administration blood bans on gay and bisexual men.

The Los Angeles Police Department Is About To Start Testing Teslas And BMWs Amid Switch To Electrics

News

Police forces are set to be the latest group to embrace electric cars, as the Los Angeles Police Department is set to begin testing the cleaner vehicles in the near future.

The department plans to start leasing 160 electric cars and 128 hybrids. The city is aiming to eventually switch all of its squad cars and at least 50% of its newly purchased vehicles to electric. Detectives and investigators will use 100 of these new cars.

The move is expected to reduce the department’s cost of operating vehicles by 41%.

In order to begin the testing process, Tesla and BMW have each loaned a vehicle to the LAPD. Tesla loaned its Model S P85D, while BMW offered one of its i-Series of sedans.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said, “(The vehicles) will be used for testing and research by LAPD technical experts to determine how this technology can support their future needs.”

However, it’s unlikely that the LAPD would switch its all of squad cars to BMWs. The department would most likely experience a public relations disaster if they invested into cars that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars apiece while not being built in America like the Teslas.

Yet the Tesla S probably isn’t suitable to replace all the force’s squad cars either. The model automatically reduces power with prolonged acceleration, making it a poor choice for police chases which happen frequently throughout the sprawl of Los Angeles.

Converting a major police department’s entire fleet of cars to electric vehicles won’t happen immediately yet the recent moves show that as electric vehicles are embraced by the public the same decision making factors appear set to drive fleet adoption.

The LAPD’s transition to electric cars is estimated to have the environmental impact equivalent to planting 20,000 trees.

The Los Angeles Police Department has expressed an interest in electric vehicles in the past. In 2013, the department began testing electric motorcycles from Zero Motorcycles.

Mishaps And Graft Mean American Red Cross Is About To Face Tight Government Oversight

News

The American Red Cross is under scrutiny as a government investigation has determined that the organization should have independent oversight and that it should open its books and operations as part of that oversight.

The investigation was conducted as a result of perceived failures during its responses to Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and the Haiti earthquake in 2010 as well as the fact that the organization’s CEO, Gail McGovern, gave misleading responses regarding how the group has spent millions of donor dollars.

Democrat Representative Bennie Thompson is introducing legislation that requires the American Red Cross to participate in regular audits from the United States government. The legislation also requires that the organization must open its books and cooperate with future Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) investigations.

Thompson stated that that portion of the legislation is particularly important because the Red Cross did not fully cooperate with the current GAO investigation that began 18 months ago. Thompson stated that, “There was initial pushback from the standpoint of getting information.” He then stated that the situation got progressively worse.

He described an encounter he had with McGovern last summer when she wrote to Thompson and requested that he end the GAO investigation. She further asked that if he had any questions, to call her private cell phone and that he refrain from communicating with her in writing.

Thompson stated that McGovern’s request was “unbelievable” and that, “I mean, I don’t know if this is an effort to convince me that anytime you got a problem you can call me on my cell phone and I can answer it . . . but, you know, this is not how Congress normally [does] business.”

Thompson further reiterated that he had never heard of an organization trying to end a GAO investigation. He is disappointed that the Red Cross chose to handle the investigation the way it did. “The public deserves and needs to know that the money is going for [that] which it is intended. If it’s going for the purpose intended, there should not be a problem in demonstrating and documenting that.”

The report that was generated as a result of the investigation stated that, “While coordination in response to disasters is clearly established in written agreements, the Red Cross’s role in recovery has not been as clearly defined up to now. Although the Red Cross plays a significant role in domestic disaster relief, the federal government does not conduct regular ongoing evaluation of its disaster-related services.” It further stated that, “The absence of regular, external evaluations of its disaster services that are publicly disseminated could affect the confidence of both the donating public and the federal agencies that rely on the Red Cross.”

In response to the GAO’s findings, the Red Cross issued a statement that the organization “has well-established plans in place to coordinate with FEMA in responding to disasters,” and that its practices are “consistent with several best practices that are ‘benefitting’ our coordination efforts.”

Australian Volcanoes Found To Be Joined Together By Massive Underground Lava River

Culture

Scientists recently realized that what they had thought were several small unrelated chains of volcanoes in Australia is actually one giant connection that is 1,240 miles long.

This chain is now considered to be the world’s largest chain of volcanoes.

Researcher of seismology and mathematical geophysics at Australian National University, Dr Rhodri Davies, along with his colleagues, plan to present evidence for what they are calling “Earth’s longest continental hotspot track” in a new study.

Although hotspots are not usually associated with the boundaries of tectonic plates, they are able to form above “mantle plumes” that begin at the boundary of Earth’s mantle and core.

The scientists were aware of four different tracks of past volcanic activity in eastern Australia. However, they were unaware that they were linked together, sharing a common mantle plume that has melted the Earth’s crust for millions of years.

The team examined past data and combined it with a study of the age of elements found within Australian minerals in order to create a model of Australia’s tectonic plate. The team discovered that the reason that sections of the volcanic track don’t have usual volcanic activity is because the continent of Australia is too thick to enable the hot rock located within the mantle plumes to rise close enough to the surface of the Earth for it to melt and create magma.

The team was able to uncover that volcanic activity is created in sections of the Earth where the outer layer, also known as the lithosphere, is thinner than 81 miles.

A mineral known as leucitite led the scientists to thin spots that are prone to volcanic activity. This showed scientists that the chains of volcanoes had actually been one giant chain the entire time.

The new giant track of volcanoes has been named the Cosgrove Volcano Track. It is the largest known track of volcanoes in the entire world.

The scientists are hopeful that they will be able to use their newly discovered information to understand the geological record of Australia more clearly.

Despite Losing Patent Case, Samsung Avoids Having To Recall Smartphones

Finance

In the ever-raging war between Apple and Samsung, Apple has won the latest battle – to a very small degree. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has held that Apple is entitled to a very narrow ruling that prevents Samsung from using Apple’s technology in its products. The court noted that to rule otherwise would render the patent rights of inventors useless. The court specifically looked at the patent rights related to features in multicomponent devices.

The court’s ruling could have far-reaching implications with regards to how conflicts are resolved when it comes to multicomponent devices – which includes smartphones and tablets.

Essentially, the ability to stop an invention from being marketed and sold is extreme leverage that can certainly cause an increase in settlement valuations.

In the case at hand, Apple received a ruling that Samsung has in fact infringed on Apple’s federally registered patents for the “slide-to-unlock” feature, autocorrect function and the ‘quicklink’ feature.

Despite this finding, the trial judge did not go as far as to issue an order that would force Samsung to remove said features from its mobile phones. The court ruled that monetary damages would be sufficient.

While Apple argued that it may lose market share and suffer a damaged reputation if Samsung was not ordered to receive the features from its products, the court didn’t buy the argument.

The court ruled, in a 2-1 decision, that, “The right to exclude competitors from using one’s property rights is important. And the right to maintain exclusivity – a hallmark and crucial guarantee of patent rights deriving from the Constitution itself – is likewise important.”

However, the court also found that, “The public generally does not benefit when that competition comes at the expense of a patentee’s investment-backed property right. This is not a case where the public would be deprived of Samsung’s products. Apple does not seek to enjoin the sale of lifesaving drugs, but to prevent Samsung from profiting from the unauthorized use of infringing features in its cell phones and tablets.”

Essentially, the court determined that the specific features at issue in the lawsuit had an impact on consumer decisions to buy products – and that must be considered in deciding whether to block use of an invention. After considering that issue, the court did not block Samsung’s inventions.

Samsung had many supporters in its corner, including Google, LG Electronics Inc., etc. These companies filed their own supporting filings with the court arguing that a ruling for Apple could allow the owner of a patent to “unfairly leverage its patent for competitive gain.”

Presently, Samsung is appealing that portion of the court’s ruling ordering it to pay significant monetary damages to Apple.