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U.S. Markets Rebound And Post The Biggest One Day Gain Since 2008

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The benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average exploded 619 points higher on Wednesday, posting its biggest gain since the 2008 financial crisis and the third largest in its history.

The huge rally is a dramatic rebound after six days of panicked selling driven by concerns about China’s slowing economy and how it will impact the rest of its trading partners.

The broader S&P 500 jumped a whopping 3.9 percent on Wednesday, notching its biggest single-day percentage gain since 2011. The tech heavy Nasdaq rebounded 4.2% higher.

According to S&P Dow Jones Indices, an eye-watering $2.1 trillion of value was wiped out from the S&P 500 in the last six trading days.

Investors were clearly aware that bargains were to be had as the recent declines were the first time in four years all the major U.S. indexes had declined more than 10 percent, which is generally viewed as a correction.

While the one day pop was badly needed, there remains plenty of reason to remain cautious. The weakened Chinese economy will likely persist for some time and its effects will be slow to propagate through the global financial system.

“There’s a moderate-sized storm brewing that will keep the market in check here over the next 60 to 90 days,” Federated Investors vice president and portfolio manager Matthew Kaufler was quoted as saying. “We’ve probably absorbed the worst of the volatility in terms of magnitude but I don’t know that we’re done with the volatility. I think the correction phase will continue, just at a lower amplitude than before.”

Researchers Just Proved That Google Could Pick The Next U.S. President

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Researchers Just Proved That Google Could Pick The Next U.S. President

America’s next president could be decided based on a manipulated algorithm and rankings on Google’s search engine it has been revealed. Based on research conducted that shows a direct impact of search engine rankings and voter appeal towards a specific candidate, researchers now believe Google could determine the fate of the coming elections and the future of the U.S.

New research done by psychologist Robert Epstein from the American Institute of Behavioral Research and Technology, shows just how much influence is wielded by search engines, particularly with regard to undecided voters in swing states.

In the research, voters were split into three groups, with each group being exposed to a different search ranking for two candidates: A and B. One ranking favored candidate A, the other candidate B and the other neither candidate.

Each group was then allowed to conduct a 15 minute search on the candidates on a search engine similar to Google called Kadoodle. Each group had 30 search results from where they could click freely on real websites from past elections. After the searches, the participants were asked to vote.

The votes cast revealed that the votes, opinions and measures shifted in favor of the candidates with favorable rankings in the search results. The researchers reported that they were able to bolster the results of a candidate by between 37 to 63 per cent just by granting them a favorable ranking.

Granted that Google’s search arithmetic exposes voters to a certain ranking for much longer than 15 minutes, the search engine’s influence is far greater than one could imagine, barely short of handing a candidate a direct pass to their swearing in ceremony.

According to psychologist Epstein, three possible tactics can be deployed by Google to influence the coming 2016 election. One would be the Western Union scenario. Through a monopoly of communications in the 1800s, Western Union was able to ensure only positive news was spread about America’s 19th President Rutherford B. Hayes, effectively granting him an easy win. The same could be applied with Google who have a great relationship with the Democrats.

Six of President Barrack Obama’s top tech administration officials are former Google employees. Google representatives visited the White House reportedly ten times more frequently than other companies and in 2012, Google donated $800,000 towards Obama’s re-election campaign and only $37,000 to Mitt Romney.

An alteration of search rankings in Hillary Clinton’s favor would effectively put her miles ahead of competition. And she knows this, having hired one of Google’s executives, Stephanie Hannon, as her head technology officer.

The second way Google could affect the elections is through a rogue employee manipulating search results in favor of a candidate.

In 2010, when Google was caught sweeping private data from more than 30 countries by unprotected Wi-Fi networks, the blame was put on one employee, engineer Marius Milner. The company was not put at fault and, five years later, their scapegoat still works at Google.

The third way is if the search arithmetic itself favors one candidate over others. Here, Google’s workers are innocent, but their ‘software’ is flawed and biased. The computer program itself will determine our next president and there is no regulation in place to prevent that from happening.

Search engines such as Google owe a duty to the people of the U.S. and in the spirit of democracy to allow free, fair and unbiased elections. This starts with their role in unbiased rankings. Should the company prove otherwise, government regulation should be put in place to correct it, lest the fate of America be decided by a compromised arithmetic.

Dawn Of Self Driving Cars Leading To Tough Questions About The Future Of Law

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When and it what capacity can and should law enforcement direct the actions of those vehicles? A recent report published by the RAND Corp. attempts to identify and ponder these questions that will likely arise when law enforcement is confronted with self-driving vehicles.

While the report indicates that these questions are new and emerging, similar questions arose when the first vehicles hit American roadways.

The RAND report presents a hypothetical scenario as follows: “The police officer directing traffic in the intersection could see the car barreling toward him and the occupant looking down at his smartphone. Officer Rodriguez gestured for the car to stop, and the self-driving vehicle rolled to a halt behind the crosswalk.” Should the officer’s direction for the vehicle to stop be allowed under current laws and regulations regarding vehicles?

It seems that the question should be answered in the affirmative. In today’s world, drivers are required to stop when directed to do so. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that self-driving cars should do the same.

The issue arises, however, as to where to draw the line. When is a slippery slope created? Should police officers be able to direct self-driving cars to stop if they suspect a crime has been committed? And, if the passenger does not want the car to stop – can he or she override the car’s program to stop or does the direction by the officer control? All interesting issues.

The report also raises additional issues such as whether under current stop, search and seizure laws, police officers should or should not be able to direct a self-driving vehicle to identify its occupants and history of its locations.

What if a person is or is not in the vehicle? Who makes sure that the police officers have gone through the proper “judicial controls” before conducting such a search? The report points out that, “the dark side to all of the emerging access and interconnectivity is the risk to the public’s civil rights, privacy rights, and security.” Again, it would seem that these types of questions are answered on a daily basis when defendants inquire as to whether an officer had the requisite reasonable suspicion, probable cause, etc. in order to stop and question a driver.

The RAND report does not attempt to answer these “new” questions – it instead questioned a panel of 16 experts in technology and criminal justice to identify new technological developments in vehicles that may impact current law enforcement procedures and policies. According to the panel, these types of questions are already on the minds of law enforcement. And the questions will become more imminent and crucial as self-driving vehicles hit the roads sometime in the future.

The lead author of the RAND report, John S. Hollywood, reports that police currently are not pushing for enforcement control of self-driving and Internet-connected vehicles, but rather that, “developing policies and procedures for self-driving unmanned and automated vehicles” were a first priority. In fact, “Develop[ing] an interface for officers to directly take control of unmanned vehicles” was at the bottom of the priority list.

It appears that the current policies and procedures that govern law enforcement will have to be tweaked in the future when self-driving cars are a reality. However, it may surprise us that the new questions might have very similar answers to the old ones.

Upstate New York Interest Groups Are Trying To Form The First New State Since 1959

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Upstate New York Interest Groups Are Trying To Form The First New State Since 1959

At least a dozen factions in support of hydraulic fracturing and gun rights are planning a rally on Sunday to organize support for converting upstate New York into an independent state.

At the root of their ire is Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo and his backing of the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013. He also sponsored a resolution last year to order state controllers to ban fracking for natural gas.

“Why secession? Secession is about reclaiming the economic opportunities upstate has lost and restoring the liberties Upstate residents once enjoyed,” Shooters Committee on Public Education, the gun group, said in a statement, adding “Downstate has dominated upstate for decades, and upstate has no future in a state controlled by New York City’s needs and desires.”

The groups selected Bainbridge, N.Y., a community of not more than 1,500 residents approximately 25 miles north of the Pennsylvania boundary, for their two-hour public meeting running from 1 to 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. It is situated in part of the Marcellus shale configuration that contains vast natural gas reserves and extends into New York.

The separation effort is not the first time campaigners have asked to divide the state in two. GOP state Sen. Joseph Robach of Greece, N.Y., tabled bills in 2009 and 2011 to let counties have an opinion vote on the thought of seceding.

The bills have not made past the committee. Long Island policymakers also pitched the thought of a different state for their counties at the beginning of this year.

This time the pro-secession factions are considering two options:

The first is creating a minor New York state administration with a couple of independent regions, upstate to be referred to as New Amsterdam and downstate to maintain the name New York. That would need either governmental approval or a lawful convention.

The second is requiring the legislatures of New York and Pennsylvania to approve the split as well as Congress.

What the factions may not have evaluated is income.

The Center for Governmental Research in Rochester, N.Y., established that upstate New York gains from the tax income sent to Albany from the City of New York and its affluent neighborhoods. Wall Street alone accounts for about 19% of all state income.

Secession has been successfully achieved before, but not for some time.

Maine broke away from Massachusetts in 1820 after inhabitants launched a 35-year crusade for statehood; Vermont broke away from New York in 1777, ultimately becoming a formally recognized state in 1791; and West Virginia became an independent state in 1863 after the rest of Virginia decided to join the Confederacy during the Civil War.

The factions planning Sunday’s occasion include Red Dragon, Deposit Gas Group, Americans for Restoring the Constitution, Shooters Committee on Public Education, Upstate New York Towns Association, New Yorkers United for Kids, NY2A, Oath Keepers, Landowner Advocates of New York, Divide New York State Caucus, Sapbush Road Group, We the People of New York and Tri-County Tea Party.

California Just Saw A Rise In Home Schooling After Passing Mandatory Vaccination Law

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California Just Saw A Rise In Home Schooling After Passing Mandatory Vaccination Law

California homeschooling organizations are seeing a sharp uptick in interest following passage of a law mandating vaccines for any student in public or private school. The law was passed in a rush following the Disneyland measles outbreak earlier this year.

As of 2012, over 3% of children between 5 and 17 were home schooled, up from about 2% in 2003.

The mandate was co-authored by Senator Richard Pan, with backing by the California Medical Association, and was marked by protests at the state capitol in the lead up to its passage. Pan received death threats over the law and it is currently in the process of a referendum aimed at its repeal.

Many parents who would not have normally considered home schooling are now investigating the option in order to avoid the mandate.

Not all are so called ‘anti-vaxxers’, but view some of the 10 specific vaccinations mentioned in the law as not worth the risk. Medical studies claiming to link autism to vaccines have been discredited or retracted, but some still cite the studies as the reason behind their decision.

Doctors state that the decision not to vaccinate has allowed pockets of very low immunity to develop in some communities. Infectious disease expert Dr. Dean A. Blumberg commented on the issue, “The majority of the state does the right thing, but you have these clusters of really low rates, and if there’s a vulnerable population in any way there, you can have serious problems quickly.”

The law does not go into effect until the fall of 2016, but some parents have chosen to begin homeschooling this year.

Teresa Fitzpatrick, president of the California Homeschool Network, stated that the organization has seen an increase in calls related to the new law.

California joins West Virginia and Mississippi, which both have similar vaccine laws. The California law eliminates exemptions for personal belief and religion, but does allow for medical exemptions.

Coca Cola Announces Its Entire Operations Will Be ‘Water Neutral’ By The End Of The Year

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Coca Cola Announces Its Entire Operations Will Be ‘Water Neutral’ By The End Of The Year

Coca-Cola Co. and its partners announced they expect to be restoring 100 percent of the water utilized in their plants by the end of this year, reaching an old conservation objective five years ahead of schedule.

The beverage company, which declared the replenishment goal in 2007, said it’s currently “balancing” approximately 94 percent of the water. That implies that Coca-Cola is counterbalancing each gallon it utilizes by conserving or recycling a gallon somewhere else in the world.

The organization relies on a combination of systems to achieve this, including waste management at its plants and tree-planting projects that help reinstate watersheds.

In an official statement, CEO Muhtar Kent said “As a consumer of water, the Coca-Cola system has a special responsibility to protect this shared resource.”

The plan is meant to make certain that the corporation will have adequate water to meet its demand, as well as restoring confidence in customers who may be concerned about severe drought in California and other regions. Coca-Cola had initially intended to be water-neutral by 2020.

Through 209 developments in 61 nations, the Atlanta-based organization and its bottling associates have restored about 40.57 billion gallons of water. The organization’s system has also reused 33.47 billion gallons after waste management. Collectively, these numbers can meet the company’s objective by the end of this year based on 2014 revenue.

In an interview, global director of water stewardship at Coca-Cola, Greg Koch, said that the plan isn’t charitable so much as a tactical business move. Domestic water availability is vital to Coca-Cola’s victory, he said, since “the price point that we sell our products demands that we manufacture and distribute locally.”

When water availability is strained, “that presents risks, risk to those communities, those ecosystems, and all businesses operating there — including ours,” Koch stated.

However, there are some aspects of Coca-Cola’s water consumption that may not be featured in the statistics, said the director of the Water Resources Research Center at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Paula Rees. The organization’s agricultural water utilization, for example, may not be entirely known, she argued.

“There’s so much water that goes into a single product that it’s hard to capture all of the water footprint,” Rees said, adding, “All of the water that’s used to grow the corn — that goes into the fructose that sweetens the Coca-Cola.”

As part of its conservation endeavors, Coca-Cola has joined hands with other companies to increase water availability and look after river basins.

“There are still watersheds — regardless of how much we’ve replenished — that have stress and therefore are risks to ecosystems and those communities and economies that we’re a part of,” Koch said, adding, “We have to continue to do work well beyond any percentage of our sales volume because it is a vital business risk and a fundamental of our business model.

Rare ‘Living Fossil’ Found Again After Thirty Years

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Rare ‘Living Fossil’ Found Again After Thirty Years

Earlier this month, biologists from the University of Washington encountered a rare species of nautilus that has not been seen in over thirty years. A nautilus is a marine mollusc that has a shell and is closely related to squids and cuttlefish.

In 1984, the rare Allonautilus scrobiculatus was found and identified off the coast of Ndrova Island in Papua New Guinea by researchers Peter Ward and Bruce Saunders. The species was seen by Saunders again in 1986, but has not been seen since.

The nautilus is considered a “living fossil” in that animals extremely similar to today’s nautiluses are found in the fossil record dating back to 500 million years ago. And, even though nautiluses saw the age of dinosaurs come and go, today’s overfishing may end the existence of the sea creatures. Ward pointed out that, “As it stands now, nautilus mining could cause nautiluses to go extinct.”

The Allonautilus is different than other nautiluses in that it has a hairy, thick, slimy covering. It is speculated that the slimy coating may help to prevent predators’ sharp teeth from getting a good grip on the mollusc.

In conducting his research this time around, Ward and his team used the “bait on a stick” method to collect various species of nautilus. Essentially, fish and chicken meat were suspended on a string at various depths of the ocean and – after time – the creatures attach to the meat. Ward’s crew filmed activity surrounding the bait for 12-hour periods. The nautiluses were then slowly brought to the water’s surface – in cool water since they do not like the heat – and studied by the scientists before being returned to the depths of the ocean. Every day, the team would watch the footage taken the night before at super speed.

Through these studies, the researchers learned that most nautilus communities are completely isolated from each other because each population only inhabits a narrow band of ocean depth. Ward observed that, “They swim just above the bottom of wherever they are. Just like submarines, they have ‘fail depths’ where they’ll die if they go too deep, and surface waters are so warm that they usually can’t go up there. Water about 2,600 feet deep is going to isolate them.” These depth restrictions mean that populations in different areas are often ecologically and/or genetically different from each other. Ward pointed out that, “Once they’re gone from an area, they’re gone for good.”

Ward described Allonautilus as possibly “the rarest in the world” as it has only been found near the one tiny island. “We need to know if Allonautilus is anywhere else, and we won’t know until we go out there and look.”

Trump Says Chinese President Should Have McDonald’s Instead Of State Dinner

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Donald Trump, the Republican party’s front runner in the Presidential nomination race, has continued his China bashing during an appearance on The O’Reilly Factor, where he continued attacking the Obama administration’s plans to hold a state dinner for Chinese leader Xi Jinping when he visits the U.S. next month.

“I would not be throwing him a dinner. I would get him a McDonald’s hamburger and say we’ve got to get down to work because you can’t continue to devalue,” he said. “We’ll give him a state dinner and what he has done is suck all the jobs, suck all the money right out of our country.”

Later the candidate, popularly known as ‘The Donald”, softened his stance – blaming China’s influence on the world economy as being President Obama’s fault. When asked about ‘trade wars’ between the U.S. and China, Trump praised the IQ of the Chinese leadership.

“Their leaders are intelligent. Ours aren’t. We don’t know what we are doing,” he said.

Trump’s comments are part of his continuing rhetoric about China holding the upper hand over the U.S. in trade matters, and for stealing jobs from U.S. workers.

In the first televised debate between Republican presidential  candidates, Trump several times cast China as “the winner” .

“We don’t win anymore. We lose to China. We lose to Mexico both in trade and at the border. We lose to everybody,” he said.

Trump is not the only one angry about Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to the U.S. Scott Walker, Wisconsin’s Republican Governor and Trump’s opponent in the presidential nomination race, has also called for the cancellation of the State dinner for the Chinese leader..

“Why would we be giving one of our highest things a president can do – and that is a state dinner for Xi Jinping, the head of China – at a time when all of these problems are pending out there?” said Walker.”We should say those … honors should only be bestowed upon leaders and countries that are allies and supporters of the United States, not just for China, which is a strategic competitor.”

There has been no reply to either Trump’s or Walker’s comments from Chinese authorities.

As for the state dinner menu – there has yet been no word from the White House, or McDonalds.

Four Brokerages Accused Of Stock Market Violations Amid Chinese Market Meltdown

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Four Brokerages Accused Of Stock Market Violations Amid Chinese Market Meltdown

Four Chinese securities brokeages and employees of its securities regulator are under investigation for alleged stock market offences.

China’s official News Agency, Xinhua, reported that three of the brokerages have confirmed they are being accused of failing to confirm the identities of clients, and that eight employees of another brokerage are suspected of illegal securities trading.

Xinhua also reports that one former and one current employee of the China Securities Regulatory Commission have also been accused of insider trading.

The news report said a journalist is also being investigated on suspicion of spreading fake futures trading and fake securities information.

In July, Chinese authorities said they were investigating possible breaches and misconduct within China’s securities market following the sudden end to a stock price boom.

The authorities said brokerages, among other things, may have been allowing clients to trade without revealing their real names and other violations. They gave no indication on whether the cases were connected.

However some China watchers say at this stage the charges and investigation may not hold any substance, and may be a desperate effort by the ruling Communist Party to deflect blame for the latest economic downturn.

Meanwhile Chinese and Hong Kong markets stabilized today after two days of a downward spiral, closing mostly higher. Experts say Beijing’s latest rate cuts restored some confidence in the market after days of brutal losses. Along with the interest rate cuts, Beijing eased bank lending limits as a measure to stop panic selling bringing them to an eight month low.

China’s Premier Li Keqiang is reported today as saying although current global economic conditions were “bewildering, creating volatility in global markets” the Chinese Government has room to respond innovatively and deploy the correct tools to reach its economic targets.

U.S. Central Command Under Investigation For Faking ISIS Progress Reports To Congress

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Anonymous officials within the United States Defense Intelligence Agency (“D.I.A.”) have reported that the military headquarters overseeing America’s campaign against ISIS are “overstating” its results.

Specifically, it is alleged that the United States Central Command has reported false or at least tweaked intelligence assessments prepared for Congress and President Obama in order to make it seem that America is having greater success against ISIS than is actually the case.

The allegations regarding “skewed intelligence assessments” have resulted in an investigation conducted by the Pentagon’s inspector general and raise questions about the government’s current tactics for fighting the war against ISIS.

While differences in opinion among top security officials are encouraged, an investigation by the inspector general is highly unusual. The investigation suggests that the reported claims are more serious than just differences in opinion.

Under federal regulations, intelligence officials have a mechanism to report wrongdoings by security officials to the inspector general. If the inspector general finds the allegations credible, he or she is required to report the findings to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees.

Col. Patrick Ryder pointed out that “The [inspector general] has a responsibility to investigation all allegations made, and we welcome and support their independent oversight.” He further stated that it was customary for a number of different agencies that produce intelligence assessments regarding the Iraq war to make suggested changes to one another’s draft reports. He also stated that each agency makes the final decision about what is included in its final drafts and that, “ . . . the multisource nature of our assessment process purposely guards against any single report or opinion unduly influencing leaders and decision makers.”

Senior military officials repeatedly report that generally, America’s campaign against ISIS has been successful thus far. Others believe that a limited bombing campaign rather than boots on the ground will never defeat ISIS. The latter view seems to be somewhat legitimized by the “whistleblowers’” allegations that classified documents report that little has been accomplished in the war against ISIS’ militant fighters. Moreover, this past year, the group has expanded its terror into Central Asia and North Africa.

The D.I.A. was created in the early 1960s in order to create a check and balance system between itself and various service declarations (i.e., claims made by the Air Force, Army and Navy). For example, the D.I.A. repeatedly reported that a sustained military presence was unlikely to beat the North Vietnamese troops during the Vietnam War – despite the claims by commanders that the United States was winning the war.

Paul R. Pillar, a retired senior Central Intelligence Agency analyst describes the system best by stating that “There’s a built-in tension for the people who work at D.I.A., between dispassionate [objective] analysis and what command wants. You’re part of a large structure that does have a vested interest in portraying the overall mission as going well.”

What the inspector general’s findings reveal regarding reports about the war against ISIS remain to be seen – but it is likely it may shape the continuing efforts against the terrorist group.

Virginia Shooting Suspect Shoots Himself After Authorities Confront Him, Dies In Hospital

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Virginia Shooting Suspect Shoots Himself After Authorities Confront Him, Dies In Hospital

Updated: Authorities now confirm the Virginia shooter has died in hospital. He was previously in critical condition after shooting himself in a suicide attempt.Vicki Gardner, the third victim in the attack, is now listed in stable condition after undergoing surgery.

Authorities have confirmed that shooter in this morning’s graphic live TV killing of two journalists, Vester L. Flanagan, shot himself in the head after a police chase.

The incident occurred on I-66 in Virginia after authorities surrounded his vehicle. Flanagan was a former employee of TV station WDBJ and knew his victims, Alison Parker and Adam Ward.

The subject of the interview, Vicki Gardner, who is the executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, was wounded in the back and is remains in surgery.

A massive manhunt was launched for the gunman by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the FBI and local law enforcement.

The FBI is conducting an investigation of the incident, which occurred at Bridgewater Plaza near Moneta.

Flanagan posted graphic video of the incident to Twitter, under an assumed name.

Police have not yet disclosed a motive for the senseless slaying.

Huge Manhunt Underway After Two Journalists Were Just Murdered On Live TV

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Huge Manhunt Underway After Two Journalists Were Just Murdered On Live TV

A massive manhunt has been launched for a gunman who shot a local news reporter and photographer on live TV. The fatal shooting occurred during an interview being conducted in Moneta, Virginia, Wednesday morning.

Victim Alison Parker was conducting an interview with a woman at approximately 6:45am when shots rang out, prompting both women to scream.

The cameraman, Adam Ward, was fatally shot and as the camera rolled to the ground, viewers caught a brief glimpse of a man pointing a gun at the fallen cameraman.

The station cut away to a shocked anchor, Kimberly McBroom, back in the studio.

The incident occurred at Bridgewater Plaza near Moneta.

The subject of the interview, Vicki Gardner, who is the executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, was wounded in the back and is now in surgery.

WDBJ, the station conducting the interview, said that the gunman fired six or seven times.

Area schools are on lockdown as the gunman remains on the loose.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the FBI and local law enforcement are participating in the manhunt.

The FBI is conducting the investigation.

Authorities have confirmed the identity of the shooter as former WDBJ employee Vester L. Flanagan.

Kraft Heinz Recalls Two Million Pounds Of Oscar Mayer Bacon

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Kraft Heinz Recalls Two Million Pounds Of Oscar Mayer Bacon

Food giant Kraft Heinz announced late Tuesday that it is recalling more than 2 million pounds of bacon that while fresh on the shelves could spoil prematurely, well ahead of the best before date printed on the package.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said that exactly 2,068,467 pounds of Oscar Mayer brand turkey bacon “may be adulterated because it may spoil before the ‘Best When Used By’ date.” According to the the USDA, the company became aware of the problem after it received “spoilage-related consumer complaints.”

The recalled turkey bacon was produced between May 31st and August 6th of this year, and carries the following brand names:

  • Oscar Mayer “Selects Uncured Turkey Bacon”
  • Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon “Smoked Cured Turkey Chopped and Formed”
  • Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon “Smoked Cured Turkey Chopped and Formed”

    • This recall carries a ‘Class II’ designation, the middle level of three. The USDA defines this as “a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.”

    Consumers can return the affected products to their local grocery stores for an exchange or refund.

    China Caught Supplying South Sudan With Weapons It Knew Would Be Used For Genocide

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    China Caught Supplying South Sudan With Weapons It Knew Would Be Used For Genocide

    A Chinese government owned military arms supplier has been identified as having sold $20 million worth of weapons to the South Sudanese government, just several months after a brutal and deadly escalation in the civil war that has been raging in the country for the last 18 months.

    A United Nation’s (UN) report says the 2014 sales were made at a time when it was widely known that government forces were burning people alive, raping children and committing other horrific acts.

    The report identifies China North Industries Corp (Norinco), a Chinese State owned and controlled company, as selling,1,200 missiles, 100 anti-tank guided missile launchers, 10,000 automatic rifles, 24 million rounds of various types of ammunition, and 2,400 grenade launchers, to the South Sudanese Government.

    Although South Sudan’s military forces have also acquired four attack helicopters since the civil war began, the UN report did not identify who had supplied them, revealing that it had started an investigation into the supply of the helicopters and other weapons, along with looking into “the financing channels used by the government and the opposition to prosecute the war and into those individuals and entities who gain financially from the continuation of the conflict”.  

    The civil war began in December 2013, after a split within the South Sudanese military amongst tribal factions, turned into a violent rebellion led by Riek Machar.

    The UN Security Council has said if the South Sudan government does not sign a peace deal this week, it would impose an arms embargo, and experts say despite earlier resistance, Sudan’s President Salva Kiir is expected to comply with the UN demand.

    The UN report showed both sides in the internal conflict have targeted civilians saying that as from April  “the intensity and brutality of the violence aimed at civilians are hitherto unseen, in what has already been, without a doubt, an exceedingly violent conflict.”

    Government controlled forces have adopted a “scorched earth policy” burning entire villages, sometimes with people still in their homes, are abducting children for use as child soldiers, and are raping women and young girls..  

    Stephen O’Brien, the UN’s aid chief said the level and scope of attacks against civilians  “suggests a depth of antipathy that goes beyond political differences”.

    “A witness from Rubkona County has said that she saw government forces gang-raping a breastfeeding mother after tossing her baby aside,” he said,

    Although not saying how many civilians have been killed in the Civil War, the UN has said it was thousands and that 1.6 million people had been displaced so far.

    Although being oil-rich, the civil war has plummeted South Sudan into huge public debt. When the country gained independence in 2011 it had zero debt, but as of June, 2015, it stood at $4.2 billion, the UN report said.

    Food Shortages In Venezuela Are Leading To Looting And A Thriving Black Market For Basic Produce

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    Food Shortages In Venezuela Are Leading To Looting And A Thriving Black Market For Basic Produce

    As Venezuela fights an economic disaster, food shortages mean looters are robbing supermarkets while regular customers deal with long lines and limited supplies.

    Shoppers in the country are now spending hours lining up to buy staples including flour and laundry soap, turning queues into scenes of shoving competitions and increasingly frequent attempts to steal from shops.

    The disaster has hit President Nicolas Maduro’s approval ratings and raised suspicion levels in the country.

    56 incidences of looting and 76 attempted thefts occurred in the first half of this year, according to Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict, a local NGO, which based the statistics on media reports and statements of observers countrywide.

    On Sunday, a small group in the city of San Cristobal forced its way into the state-run Bicentenario supermarket to steal products after it had been shut, leaving workers scratched and hurt.

    Speaking to Reuters, store manager Edward Perez said, “As we were closing, a group of 20 people unexpectedly started shouting insults at the government and the workers.”

    Several thieves were apprehended after the fracas, which the president blamed on “ultra-right-wing sectors of the opposition” seeking to stir violence.

    Last Friday, 60 people were arrested in Ciudad Guayana, in southern Venezuela, and one man was killed after shops were burglarized.

    More regular than these serious phenomena are small melees that arise when delivery vehicles arrive at stores with expensive products such as milk and chicken.

    The mixture of exaggerated rumors and limited formal communication often makes it difficult to differentiate between the two and thus fully understand how widespread the issue is.

    Queues have been longer since early this year, and have been particularly edgy since last Friday’s occurrence in Ciudad Guayana.

    The challenges, however, have not spurred a bigger wave of demonstrations like those organized by the opposition early last year, which left 43 people dead.

    Supporters of the Socialist Party say that the network of state-funded grocery stores established by the late president Hugo Chavez, and supported by oil revenue, helped lessen poverty and food shortages during his 1999-2013 reign.

    But the mixture of dysfunctional money controls, which have reduced Venezuela’s ability to import, and the end of a 10 year-long oil boom has left Maduro’s administration strapped for currency and fighting to maintain the charity.

    Lines are noticeably filled with looters who buy subsidized items and resell them at a higher price on the informal market or in adjacent Colombia, generating suspicion between the resellers and those endeavoring to stock their own kitchens.

    California Eyes Sweeping New Drone Regulations That Threaten The Fast Growing Industry

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    California Eyes Sweeping New Drone Regulations That Threaten The Fast Growing Industry

    A new bill making its way through the California legislature may sharply curb the burgeoning commercial drone market by banning many of the ways that drones are currently used.

    The new law would restrict the flight of the devices below 350 feet without permission of the property owners or legal entities. Senate Bill 142 has already passed the California Assembly by a wide margin and will now head to the state senate.

    Yet advocates for the technology say such moves could kill a blossoming industry and put the country behind others in advancing drone technology.

    Potential uses for unmanned vehicles go beyond the recreational hobbyist to include delivery services and emergency response to remote locations.

    Amazon and Google have are both developing the technology and logistics for such delivery services, but have failed to comment on any pending legislation. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) estimates that the state could lose up to $14 billion over the next 10 years if the bill passes.

    Proponents of the new bill have defended it as a privacy issue, and the bill’s text specifies that operation of drones over private property will require “express permission” of the property owner. Because most drones operate between 200 and 500 feet, supporters of the bill say operating a drone delivery service would not be affected, as the drones could merely fly above the 350 foot limit until they arrived at their destination.

    Regardless, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may supersede the authority of a California bill as it moves to issue national regulations on drones next month.

    The FAA is looking to answer the push for national regulations, with 46 states already having considered drone bills this year, and increasing pressure from industry lobby groups.

    There are FAA guidelines currently in place for recreational use, including a 400 foot maximum altitude limit and maintenance of line of sight, but commercial use is only allowed with express permission from the FAA.

    With industry giants like Amazon and Google holding back their drone ventures pending such legislation, there will be a frenzy of activity in the industry once rules are finally passed.

    As School Approaches, Teachers Remain Sharply Divided On The Use Of Technology In The Classroom

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    As School Approaches, Teachers Remain Sharply Divided On The Use Of Technology In The Classroom

    While it’s natural to assume that the use of laptop computers, smartphones and tablets in classroom settings is fairly universally accepted, given some schools are even supplying laptops for a small fee to students, this is not necessarily the case, especially in higher education.

    There is strong debate amongst academics over whether to embrace and accept digital tools in lecture halls or get rid of them altogether.

    Those who want to ban laptops from their classes say they want to put a halt to the distractions caused by the increasing levels of technology in the classroom. They say the temptation to post on and check social media is too much for many students. They cite studies that show students who take notes on devices with keyboards retain less information than those who write notes by hand.

    But the academics that support use of technology by students say it’s not laptops that are the problem, but boring, traditional teaching methods. They argue that to engage students, the way teachers and lecturers think, use and talk about modern day technology has to change.

    Dr. Mark Morton, senior instructional developer of educational technologies at the University of Waterloo, in Canada, believes that although traditional, lecture-style classes work for many academics, there needs to be an integration of these traditional teaching methods and technology being used as both teaching and learning tools.  He says technology can foster a more inclusive teaching environment.

    “Consistently lecturing, that’s very, very difficult for students to stay attentive throughout a 75-minute lecture,” said Morton. “Or at least, it advantages some students who have that kind of attention and disadvantages others. Trying to create different kinds of learning activities can benefit everybody.”

    McGill University’s associate professor of natural resource sciences Chris Buddle says student distraction presented an opportunity for teachers to rethink their approach to teaching.  McGill believe a distracted student, regardless of having a laptop or not, indicated a larger problem.

    “We need to adjust. The profs I know who do adjust, and do have more active learning environments, don’t complain about technology in their classroom.” he said

    Dr. Buddle cited cases where students checking facts on the Internet during class,  often created spontaneous discussions on the subject being taught. Buddle integrates Twitter, using a lesson hashtag to share information and ask questions, and using a blackboard and chalk.

    Assistant professor at York University in Toronto Sean Kheraj, says he hasn’t found banning laptops to be effective in getting the attention of students.  He asks students who are easily tempted to use laptops for things other than note taking to sit in the back row, as a way of accommodating those students who say they are easily distracted by other people’s screens which he says is a common complaint.

    Kheraj says the use of technology in classrooms should not be banned or disapproved of because  it is a part of  the daily lives of students and something which follow them into the workplace .

    “I don’t think compulsion is the best way to win students’ attention. It’s the best way to reflect on your teaching, the content of your course,” he said. “It’s a better experience to be drawn to the material than held hostage.”

    Adaptive educational technologist at the University of Waterloo’s Access- Ability Services Department Susan Shifflett, says some students with disabilities need laptops, so banning them from classrooms was not an option. These disabilities, says Shifflett, are often “invisible,” so even asking students if they needed to laptops as a way of setting no laptop policy, even in individual classroom situations, rather than overall policy, was not going to work.  She say it was an individual’s right whether to disclose the disability to others or not.

    ISIS Is Now Routinely Using Chemical Weapons In The Battle For Syria

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    ISIS Is Now Routinely Using Chemical Weapons In The Battle For Syria

    Islamic State (ISIS) fighters have been confirmed to have used chemical weapons in an assault on an urban center in northern Syria on Friday.

    On Tuesday, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it had taken care of four members of a family who experienced breathing complications and developed skin burns after a mortar hit their compound in Marea.

    The Syrian American Medical Society has also said that it has received 50 patients presenting signs and symptoms of exposure to chemicals.

    Frontline militia in the region say the shells were fired from a village held by ISIS to the east.

    A spokesperson for one militia, the Shami Front, said that 50 percent of the artillery rounds and 50 mortars which hit Marea contained sulphur mustard.

    The strong irritant and blistering substance, which is regularly known as “mustard gas” but is liquid at room temperature, causes harsh skin damage, and irritation to the eyes and respiratory system.

    MSF said the four victims, a couple and their five-day-old and three-year-old daughters, reported to one of its facilities an hour after the Friday evening assault in Aleppo province, experiencing respiratory difficulties, red eyes, inflamed skin and conjunctivitis. In about three hours they had blisters and their breathing difficulties got worse.

    Personnel treated their signs and provided them with oxygen before referring them to another hospital for specialized treatment.

    According to Pablo Marco, MSF’s program manager in Syria, “MSF has no laboratory evidence to confirm the cause of these symptoms”. He added, “However, the patients’ clinical symptoms, the way these symptoms changed over time, and the patients’ testimony about the circumstances of the poisoning all point to exposure to a chemical agent.”

    On Monday, the Syrian American Medical Society stated that its hospital in Marea had admitted at least 50 civilians who presented similar signs. About 30 citizens had skin blisters, with medical personnel identified the agent to be sulphur mustard.

    The medical organization stated that the samples had been taken from the clothing, hair and blood of patients as well from the shelling scene, to be examined.

    Earlier in the month, the U.S. armed forces said they suspected ISIS of having utilized chemical substances in an assault on Kurdish troops in northern Syria. Reports of a chemical assault on Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga militants in Iraq are also being evaluated.

    U.S. officers recently argued that ISIS might have acquired the sulphur mustard from Syria, despite the administration announcing that all of its supplies had been destroyed as part of a disarmament agreement that came following a lethal sarin nerve agent attack in the periphery of Damascus on August 21st 2013.

    Yemeni Rebels Launch Scud Missile Into Saudi Arabia In Retaliation For Over 100 Saudi Air Strikes

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    On Wednesday, Yemeni military units associated with the Houthi militia launched a ballistic missile toward southern Saudi Arabia, the faction’s TV channel reported, as fighting between the Iran-allied group and the kingdom increased.

    “The Yemeni army fired a Scud ballistic missile toward Jizan,” Houthi-run Al Maseera TV stated on its official page on Twitter.

    Inhabitants in the capital Sanaa claimed hearing a loud sound as the Scud was launched from a place in the city’s vicinity. The launch was closely followed by Saudi-led airstrikes on a military depot for rockets and a government palace.

    Saudi Arabia has led an Arab intercession against the Houthis beginning on March 26th of this year with the goal of reinstating the Yemeni administration. The government was overthrown by the Houthi militia, a Shi’ite Muslim group whose main supporter is Iran.

    The Houthis claim their rise to authority is a rebellion against corrupt officers beholden to the West and Saudi Arabia.

    A large weapon commonly used in the Cold War-era, the Scud had been launched by Yemeni forces at Saudi Arabia two times before during the five-month battle but was destroyed by American Patriot missile batteries both times.

    A brigadier general and two Saudi military personnel were killed this week in boundary battles along the kingdom’s long border with northern Yemen, which is the epicenter of the Houthis.

    Yemeni national news agency Saba, which is owned by the Houthis, reported that Saudi-led fighter planes launched over 100 air strikes against the faction’s major base of support in Saada province on Tuesday alone.

    The statement could not be instantaneously verified.

    According to the Human Rights Watch, months of air assaults have hit homes and markets, killing dozens of Yemeni residents and potentially violating the laws of armed conflict.

    Thailand Publicly Burns More Than Two Tons Of Illegal Ivory

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    Thailand Publicly Burns More Than Two Tons Of Illegal Ivory

    In a public ceremony lauded by animal conservation groups, government officials in Thailand incinerated more than two tons of seized and smuggled ivory. The ceremony, presided over by Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, is the latest move by officials to avoid possible sanctions over a failure to combat the illicit trade of ivory.

    Chan-ocha stated to the crowd observing the ceremony that, “This is to show the Thai government’s strong determination to oppose ivory trafficking and that Thailand will comply with international rules.”

    Animal rights groups have long complained that Thailand’s lax regulations regarding the ivory trade have led to an increase in the poaching of elephants. The groups have pushed Thailand to destroy its ivory stockpile in order to send a message to poachers everywhere and to prevent pieces of ivory from finding their way back to the black market. In fact, several wildlife conservation groups audited the huge collection before it was destroyed.

    Thailand has long been a major traffic hub and final destination for smuggled tusks – the majority of which are taken from wild African elephants. Loopholes in recent Thai laws allow ivory from domesticated elephants to be made into ornaments and sold. This has allowed for the illicit trade to thrive. However, in 2013, the organization that fights illegal ivory trade, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (“CITES”), put the pressure on Thailand to close the loopholes or face economic sanctions.

    The Thai government hopes that the ivory burning ceremony appeases CITES. While many acknowledge that the work of stopping the illegal trade is not yet done, World Wildlife Federation (“WWF”) spokesman Janpai Ongsiriwittaya stated that, “Thailand’s ivory destruction is more than just a symbolic event since it follows a series of important steps that the country has taken to tackle illegal ivory trade in the past year. For too long Thailand has been exploited by wildlife criminals as both a gateway and marketplace for ivory poached in Africa and Asia. This event aligns the commitment of the Thai government and the will of the Thai people with the global priority of stopping the illegal ivory trade.”

    European Weapons Makers Attend Russian Arms Show Despite Strict Sanctions

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    European Weapons Makers Attend Russian Arms Show Despite Strict Sanctions

    Ignoring the existing western sanctions against Russia, many aircraft makers from Europe gladly accepted an invite to participate in the MAKS-2015 global air show that launched in Moscow on Tuesday and will continue through Sunday.

    Its opening three days are deemed to be business days for security industry executives, and the show opens to the common public on Friday.

    Although MAKS is conventionally used by local and foreign civilian helicopter and airplane makers to market their products to possible buyers, one of the clear functions of the show is to exhibit the full power of Russia’s air force, in addition to those of its rivals.

    Over 150 organizations from 25 nations, including France, Germany, Belgium, the UK and Austria are participating in the weeklong event, despite sanctions that limit business they can legally conduct.

    Russia’s Rostec state conglomerate, which supports production, development and export of technical industrial products for public and security sectors, intends to hold a series of business discussions with partners from Italy, the U.S., France, India, Malaysia and China.

    Russia will roll out an extraordinary list advanced airplanes, including the Kamov Ka-52K helicopter meant for use with the Mistral amphibious war ships, an export edition of the Mil-28NE “Night Hunter” and VIP editions of the Mil-38 and Ansat choppers.

    The Russian exhibition will also have the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft, Be-200ChS amphibious plane and the all-new Yak-152 trainer.

    In another first, guests will have an opportunity to view the new Il-76MDK plane customized for zero-gravity spaceflight tutoring programs.

    And, lastly, in the show’s major attraction, at least 80 helicopters and planes will execute a series of aerobatic acts, including Russia’s original fifth-generation covert fighter, the Sukhoi T-5, which will be making its initial public appearance since the MAKS air show of 2013.

    Guests will also be fortunate to watch a succession of roaring flybys by Russia’s top-of-the-line Su-34 and Su-35 fighter planes.

    Inspector General’s Report Finds Caroline Kennedy Used Personal Email To Conduct State Department Business

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    Inspector General’s Report Finds Caroline Kennedy Used Personal Email To Conduct State Department Business

    According to a new State Department report, Caroline Kennedy, the United States ambassador to Japan, used a personal email account to conduct official business, just as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did.

    The revelations raise fresh questions about Clinton’s handling of the department and a top down attitude within the agency of lax information security.

    Many State Department personnel were found to have used their personal accounts to both send and receive official messages, the State Department’s inspector general established in an investigation of Kennedy’s office in Tokyo.

    In the report, released on Tuesday, investigators wrote that “Senior embassy staff, including the ambassador, used personal email accounts to send and receive messages containing official business.” The report added, “In addition, (investigators) identified instances where emails labeled sensitive but unclassified were sent from, or received by, personal email accounts.”

    The report said that Kennedy’s deeds were against State Department policy and put the office at risk. But State Department spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday that there was “absolutely no indication” that she had gone against the department’s policies

    “In accordance with department policy, the mission requires the use of official email accounts to conduct official business whenever possible,” Kirby said, adding, “There’s absolutely no indication that (Kennedy) violated department policy.”

    Except for that pesky little report.

    Clinton, who was the secretary of state during President Barack Obama’s first term in office, has had her political campaign’s first months dogged by inquiries for similar personal email use.

    Republicans have argued that Clinton violated the law, but her campaign team maintains that Clinton has not done anything wrong.

    Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy’s daughter, has returned to the limelight since Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump began questioning her credentials for the ambassadorial job, which he claims she got due to goodwill from the White House.

    In an interview, Trump told CNN’s Chris Cuomo, “I mean, she’s a very nice person, my daughter likes her … Caroline Kennedy. OK, in Japan. She didn’t even know how she got the job.”

    Japanese Gadget Maker Sony Is Now Building Commercial Drones

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    Japanese Gadget Maker Sony Is Now Building Commercial Drones

    Sony, once known for the Walkman and its iconic televisions, is now entering the rapidly growing commercial drone market. The company this week launched a camera drone, in the shape of an airplane, which can land and take off vertically and move at speeds up to 106 mph.

    Aerosense, the maker of the aircraft, is a joint enterprise controlled by Sony and Japanese robotics company ZMP, which is specialized in autopilot know-how.

    The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has the capacity to fly faster and further than conventional drones, partly because it moves like a plane. The drone also utilizes rotors arranged in quadcopter design to take off upwards like a helicopter.

    The UAV can carry a maximum of 25 pounds and move without stopping for 22 hours at a velocity of 106 miles per hour.

    But if you were thinking about snagging one of the innovative drones, don’t get your hopes up. They’re designed for businesses looking to conduct airborne reconnaissance and surveillance missions, as well as “measuring, surveying, observing, and inspecting.”

    Aerosense is also looking to offer organizations services such as examining old infrastructure and assessing land that is hard to access. The gadgets would be piloted mechanically, following input from users specifying which areas they wanted assessed.

    Hisashi Taniguchi, chief executive of Aerosense and ZMP said, “By making them automated, drones will be considerably safer because many of accidents today are caused by human error.”

    It’s all good news for technology and internet companies, including Google and Amazon, which are presently studying drones for parcel delivery. More competition in the market means more innovative solutions and lower prices for the would-be drone delivery companies.

    Taniguchi said that ZMP is targeting $82.6 million in profits by 2020.

    Though the drone is indeed striking, it’s not the first revolutionary idea to be suggested for UAVs. U.S. planemaker Boeing, seemingly left out of the drone market thus far, has just copyrighted a drone that would be able to turn into a submarine.

    The relatively small size and lack of a human to interfere with operations opens up exciting possibilities for all sorts of shapes, sizes and functions. Just as the early 20th century ushered in the ‘Golden Age of Aviation’, it appears the 21st century is the Golden Age of Drones.

    South Korea Invades Iran With Large Trade Delegation As Sanctions Rollback Leads To Huge Business Opportunities

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    South Korea Invades Iran With Large Trade Delegation As Sanctions Rollback Leads To Huge Business Opportunities

    South Korean government officials, flanked by public and private companies, have travelled to Iran to seek oil and gas deals in the wake of the lifting of sanctions against the fourth largest oil producing country in the world.

    Through the talks, South Korea, once one of Iran’ chief trade partners, will resurrect trade deals with the emerging Iranian republic.

    Officials from South Korea, who include the country’s deputy minister in charge of trade Woo Tae-hee, are in Tehran to discuss a wide variety of possible trade deals between the two countries. A statement from the South Korean government said the minister, together with officials from various oil, gas and construction companies, had travelled to the Islamic country on Sunday and Monday.

    South Korea’s minister for Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Yoo Il-ho, has already visited Iran. The increased delegation of South Korean officials in the country has caused interest from both political and business circles by sheer regard of the magnitude of trade deals that could be signed.

    Iran, an OPEC member, has the largest gas reserves in the world and is the fourth largest in terms of oil reserves in the world. Government officials have stated they are committing to gas and oil projects worth $185 billion by 2020.

    A statement from the South Korean ministry of trade stated, “We plan to highlight the capability of our firms for major projects with which the Iranian government seeks to rebuild infrastructure, diversify industries and develop energy fields in the post-sanctions era.”

    After negotiations with six of the world’s major powers including the U.S., Russia, Britain, Germany, France and China, that ended on July 14th, it was announced that crippling sanctions on Iran were ending in return for the country limiting their nuclear program.

    In addition, billions of dollars in economic relief would be granted to the country and multi-million dollar trade partnerships renewed. Nuclear inspectors must, however, inspect the country’s nuclear program and confirm that they are complying with the terms of deal.

    Sanctions against the country will be officially end next year.

    Officials from South Korea’s ministry of energy said of the talks, “The delegation will discuss possible deals and continue talks in the second half of this year, as we need to prepare for actual business deals to be made next year.”

    Following the lifting of sanctions against Iran, the country is set to bounce back into the oil and gas international market in a grand manner. Through new trade deals with foreign partners fostering increased investment in the country’s infrastructure, Iran’s full potential can be reached and its people more fulfilled.

    Feds Bust World’s Largest Male Prostitution Website Despite Obvious Benefits To World’s Oldest Profession

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    Feds Bust World’s Largest Male Prostitution Website Despite Obvious Benefits To World’s Oldest Profession

    Manhattan authorities raided the offices of Rentboy.com, one of the world’s largest male escort services, on allegations that the site was offering illegal prostitution services in the guise of companionship. The site that allows its users to post pictures and physical descriptions of themselves in search of ‘companionship’ has been brought down since with the chief executive and six other workers booked in court.

    Rentboy.com Chief executive Jeffrey Hurant, together with six workers were arrested during the raid on Rentboy.com’s Manhattan offices on Tuesday afternoon. They were charged with “conspiring to violate the Travel Act by promoting prostitution” according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Eastern New York.

    U.S. Attorney Kelly T. Currie said, “As alleged, Rentboy.com attempted to present a veneer of legality, when in fact this Internet brothel made millions of dollars from the promotion of illegal prostitution.”

    Rentboy.com was founded in 1996 and prides itself of being “the original and world’s largest male escort site.” The site has almost 10,500 members spread out in 2,100 cities across the world, according to the company’s website. The company also has an active Twitter account where it enjoys some 11,000 followers.

    Subscribers to the site pay a “minimum monthly fee of $59.95 and up to several hundred dollars more to advertise their service” according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    Acting Special agent in charge of Homeland Security Glenn Sorge said of the arrest, “The facilitation and promotion of prostitution offenses across state lines and international borders is a federal crime made even more egregious when it’s blatantly advertised by a global criminal enterprise.”

    After being arraigned in a Brooklyn court, Hurant, 50, told journalists at the scene he did not believe they were conducting illegal activities. He said, “I don’t think that we do anything to promote prostitution. I think we do good things for good people, and we bring good people together.”

    The company allegedly raked in some $10 million between 2010 and 2015.

    During the crackdown, authorities seized $1.4 million of alleged criminal money from six bank accounts, while also restricting the domain name Rentboy.com.

    Should Hurant and the six others be convicted, they could face up to five years jail time together with fines of up to $250,000.

    The war on prostitution has been frustrated with the morphing of the vice in various forms over the last couple of years. Veneers such as ‘companionship’ and ‘escort services’ have made it difficult for authorities to see beyond these veils and expose the rotting underbelly beneath. Backpage.com, a service which accepts U.S. credit card payments and offers very similar services, remains unaffected.

    The logic behind the raids is questionable to say the least. Online prostitution services have been shown by both the United Nations and numerous academics to reduce the incidence of violence against providers and have been shown to improve health outcomes for all involved.

    Trump, The Man And The Machine, Shows Iowa He Is Deadly Serious About Being In Office

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    Trump, The Man And The Machine, Shows Iowa He Is Deadly Serious About Being In Office

    Thousands of residents turned up in an events center near the Mississippi on Tuesday evening to hear a speech from Donald Trump. Trump’s bombastic larger than life appeal has been taunted to be the reason he is able to attract thousands of people to his events. However, can he convince gawkers into loyal supporters enough to register as Republicans and vote for him in the oncoming caucuses next year?

    Judging by tonight’s presentation, the answer could well be a resounding ‘yes.’

    Trump’s surging presidential campaign is rooted more on his star power and name recognizability than his conservative ideologies, a factor that has served his presidential ambitions well in terms of the numbers he is pulling.

    Trump’s top Iowa organizer, Chuck Laudner, said “I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s drawing crowds that most candidates only get in the weeks before the general election.”

    Trump’s star power has overwhelmingly wowed traditional Iowan voters, completely upending the retail politics the state is known for. When Trump landed in a helicopter at the beginning of the month at the Iowa State Fair, he was immediately mobbed by thousands of fans. Last week when he was in Mobile, Alabama, he almost filled a sports gymnasium.

    Laudner said, “His reach is just so far beyond what the rest of these guys can do combined. It’s all new territory.”

    When these residents come to the Grand River Center on Tuesday to listen to the Donald, they will be recruited by Trump’s staff into precinct captains, staff, organizers and volunteers. All of whom will help in building the Trump brand ahead of the caucuses next year.

    Recent winners in Iowa were either candidates with superior resources and very strong organizations such as George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 or conservatives who appeal to the state’s many evangelicals like Mike Huckabee in 2012.

    Trump could easily use his vast resources to create momentum in the state. His next well funded Republican competition Jeb Bush is not very popular in the state.

    Trump is also set to use the same resources to build a formidable ground organization in the state, to reach the grass roots, starting with Laudner and his recruits at the events places.

    An Iowan Republican consultant said of Laudner, “Chuck Laudner is a deity among conservative activists. Chuck is somebody who values grassroots mobilization. This is a guy who eats and breathes organizational structure.”

    Trump has structured his team under ten full time paid workers who will run state affairs and he looks poised to add more. A more recent tactic he is using is to send a large tour bus with his Trump logo embossed on it around the state from county to county, drawing crowds even though only one or two staff are present inside, not Trump himself. The bus even has a Facebook page.

    John Hulzier, Trump’s coordinator for the northern part of Iowa state said, “We want to make sure we hit every county in the state of Iowa.”

    A majority of voters in the state are union workers aggrieved by the loss of jobs to foreigners. Trump’s staff is largely convinced that Trump could be the candidate to convince the so called Reagan Democrats to vote for him during the elections. Laudner added that in Trump, the aggrieved will find an empathetic friend.

    So far, it seems to be working very well.

    Trump continued to draw large crowds this evening in Dubuque, Iowa and looked every bit the GOP, and presidential, front-runner. After briefly having his security remove Univision journalist Jorge Ramos for heckling, Trump allowed him back and engaged him at length on the issue of immigration, putting on a masterful performance of controlling the dialog and looking like a born leader.

    Trump was then introduced to a crowd of several thousand by right wing commentator Ann Coulter, in a ceremony that may as well have been his GOP coronation.

    But beyond the flash, Trump looked savvy, with his team running a traditional Iowan campaign; handing out hats, buttons and t-shirts as they registered voters and assigned staunch supporters key roles.

    When Donald Trump told the crowd “I wish the election was tomorrow!” he wasn’t kidding. He’s ready and his political machine appears to be too.

    Favorable Environment And Generous Tax Credits Are Leading Texas To Dominate The Solar Energy Industry

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    Favorable Environment And Generous Tax Credits Are Leading Texas To Dominate The Solar Energy Industry

    Texas may soon be just as well known for solar energy as it is for oil wells, with multiple solar firms having recently invested around $1 billion in the state. Contractors from OCI Solar Power LLC, First Solar Inc., Recurrent Energy, and SunEdison Inc. are all pursuing projects there, where projections for installed solar power by the year 2029 are estimated at between 10,000 and 12,500 megawatts.

    For perspective, this is equivalent to the total installed solar capacity in the U.S. today.

    The recent move to Texas by solar firms is partly due to the falling price of the technology. According to Warren Lasher of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), “Solar is going to become one of the most cost-effective sources of electricity on the grid.”

    The abundance of cheap and flat real estate in West Texas, coupled with good sun exposure is making the decision a natural one.

    Texas has also recently completed construction of $6.9 billion of new electric transmission lines, which connect West Texas to large metropolitan areas. The lines have allowed Texas to become the nation’s largest wind producer. Solar energy should make a nice complement to the state’s wind farms, as wind power generation typically lulls during the middle of the day, which is the time best suited for solar production.

    A major player in the solar market is Recurrent Energy, which currently has 2 gigawatts of installed solar capacity in North America. Their contract with Austin Energy to build a 150 megawatt solar facility in Pecos County will make it one of the largest in the nation. Amazingly, the price at which the facility will be selling its power will be $0.05/kilowatt hour, very close to the current rate for West Texas of $0.04/kilowatt hour.

    Much of the investment in solar energy is due to the passage of the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in 2005. Following passage of the ITC, installed solar capacity grew by a factor of 40, from 500 megawatts in 2004, to 20,000 megawatts in 2014. These solar firms are trying to complete the various projects they have underway before the commercial solar ITC drops in 2016 from 30% to 10%.

    Analysts project that after the expiration, yearly addition of solar capacity will drop from a peak of 10,000 megawatts in 2016, to around 1,500 megawatts in 2017, dropping off in subsequent years. It remains to be seen whether industry lobbyists will succeed in getting an extension for the credit but in any case it appears that what Texas was to oil is very like what the state will mean to the solar industry.

    Trump Declines Fox News Chairman Ailes’ Demands For Apology Over Twitter Comments

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    Trump Declines Fox News Chairman Ailes’ Demands For Apology Over Twitter Comments

    Donald Trump may have gone too far with Fox News, far enough for powerful Chairman Roger Ailes to demand an apology from the Republican frontrunner for his endless attack on Fox reporter Megyn Kelly.

    Trump, sticking to his guns, maintains he does not think Kelly is a ‘quality’ journalist deserving of a station such as Fox News.

    Ailes said in a statement that Trump should apologize for his attacking tweets, issued late Monday night, aimed at Kelly.

    Ailes said, “Donald Trump’s surprise and unprovoked attack on Megyn Kelly during her show last night is as unacceptable as it is disturbing. Megyn Kelly represents the very best of American journalism and all of us at Fox News Channel reject the crude and irresponsible attempts to suggest otherwise.”

    Trump immediately responded saying he did not think Kelly was a ‘quality journalist’ based on her tough questioning of his record during the first Republican Presidential debate.

    Trump said, “I totally disagree with the FOX statement. I do not think Megyn Kelly is a quality journalist. I think her questioning of me, despite all of the polls saying I won the debate, was very unfair.”

    Ailes proceeded to shower Kelly with praise for her professional handling of the situation despite Trump’s unwarranted remarks. He reiterated his stand that Trump should apologize to the news anchor.

    Trump flared Twitter on Monday night with several tweets aimed at Kelly, who had just returned from a vacation. One of his tweets said he “liked The Kelly File much better without @megynkelly. Perhaps she could take another eleven day unscheduled vacation!”

    Another tweet described Kelly as being “really off her game” while another even called her a “bimbo.”

    Fox presenters came on to Kelly’s defense soon afterwards. Host Bret Baier, who hosted the GOP debate alongside Kelly tweeted, “It’s been 19 days since the debate – @realDonaldTrump has made his feelings clear. But THIS needs to stop #letitgo.”

    Sean Hannity, who had one of the very first interviews with the Republican frontrunner after the debate tweeted, “My friend @realdonaldtrump has captured the imagination of many. Focus on Hillary, Putin, border, jobs, Iran China & leave @megynkelly alone.”

    Trump’s beef with Kelly began after the presidential debate when Kelly questioned Trump on his previous remarks against women. Later, Trump blasted Kelly on an interview with CNN’s Don Lennon saying, “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her — wherever.”

    Trump rarely apologizes and it appears unlikely in this case he well, despite Ailes being a highly influential GOP member. He remains the GOP frontrunner, continuing to dominate polls despite his loose tongue.

    Desperate Libyan Government Calls For Airstrikes And Arms To Prevent ISIS Takeover

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    The arms embargo placed on Libya has been allowing Islamic militants to increase their hold within the country says Mohamed al-Dayri, Libya’s foreign minister who has called for international air strikes against the terrorists.

    “The situation is extremely serious.” he said in Paris, where he is trying to get more support for his Tobruk based, internationally-recognised government’s fight against Islamic State forces.

    “People are dying, are crucified, are disinterred from their graves, are burned alive. Libyans don’t understand why the international community doesn’t wake up to these dangers.” he said.

    Ever since the international community helped oust Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, the country has been in a state of civil war with two rival governments, one of which Dayri is a minister, and which controls most of the country’s eastern regions. The other, which controls the rest of the country and the former capital Tripoli, is made up of a coalition of Islamists and militants.

    According to Dayri, Islamic State (IS) groups are controlling the towns of Benghazi, Sabratha and Derna Sirte.

    “They have not yet seized oil fields, but we fear they might come to control several wells,” he said. “On Saturday, there was a call from their leaders in Iraq and Syria to reinforce their ranks in Libya. They want to make Libya a rear base.”

    He said currently ISIS has limited support within Libya and was opposed by Al-Qaeda and other splinter Islamic extremist groups, but that if there was no international help for his Government, the situation would change quickly. Calling on the United Nations to lift its 2011 imposed arms embargo, he said once Gaddafi and his Government had been eliminated “Libya was abandoned to its fate”.

    “We are not talking about sophisticated military equipment, but we need the minimum to fight terrorism in an adequate manner,” he said. “We also hope for an international intervention as soon as possible because the danger is growing. But not troops on the ground. We are hoping for aerial support for the Libyan armed forces on the ground. The international community waited for Mosul to fall before intervening in Iraq. We don’t want to see Tripoli or Misrata fall.”

    China Announces Mass Prison Pardons To Those Who Fought In World War Two

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    China Announces Mass Prison Pardons To Those Who Fought In World War Two

    Chinese inmates who fought during the Second World War will be released from prison as the country prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

    Through the amnesty, China seeks to grant solace to those who sacrificed their lives for the service of the nation during the conflict. However, analysts have seen the move as mere political rhetoric with no legislative goal in mind.

    China’s legislature announced that four categories of prisoners who were sentenced before January 1 would be released. These include those who fought against both the Japanese and the Kuomintang, those who fought in wars after 1949 to “protect the country’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”, those who are older than 75 and are physically disabled and those who were under 18 when they committed their crimes.

    However, a statement from Li Shishi, head of the National People’s Congress Standing Committees legislative affairs, said that the amnesty would not be granted for inmates who were accused of serious crimes that include murder, bribery, rape, corruption, terror offences and organized crime.

    According to Shishi, the exceptions to the amnesty were because of the ongoing crackdown by the nation on corruption, and also to maintain public security and safety.

    This is China’s seventh amnesty since 1949. The last one occurred in 1975.

    The Standing Committee will make their final decision regarding the proposal by Saturday. Afterwards, it will be up to the country’s high profile courts and intermediate people’s courts to determine who will qualify for the amnesty.

    Analysts, however, have termed the move as mere “rhetoric” that is based solely on politics and not legal issues. Patrick Poon, Amnesty International Chinese researcher said, “We can’t see any rationale for maintaining the Chinese government’s call for promoting the rule of law.[The amnesty] is more political than legal.”
    The move toward leniency has led many to ask whether high profile inmates such as Liu Xiaobo, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, would be released.

    Zhang Lifan, a Beijing based political analyst said, “That’s very unlikely, or impossible. There’s leniency on the surface, but only a small number of prisoners will benefit.”

    As China marks 70 years since the end of World War II on September 3, the amnesty shown to prisoners will set it apart as a country increasingly becoming humane. It will move closer toward shedding its image as an elitist government with tough laws for small fish and more toward an equal society before the law guided by law and moral obligation. Or at least that’s the plan, which can often differ from the hard realities of the sprawling country.

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