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Users Of The ‘Netflix For Pirates’ Just Got Sued By A Big Hollywood Film Studio

Finance

Popcorn Time, commonly referred to as “Netflix for pirates,” has found that its users are now under attack for copyright infringement.

The creators of a movie called The Cobbler just initiated a court case against 11 Popcorn Time consumers in Oregon for copying and dispensing the movie without permission.

The Cobbler was released in early this year to tepid reviews and stars Adam Sandler.

Though no individuals are named, in the court case, the makers of the movie list out 11 John and Jane Does by their computers’ IP addresses together with their ISP, in this case Comcast Cable, and the time and date they made access to the movie.

In the complaint, the makers claim that “Popcorn Time is meant for one purpose and one purpose only: to steal copyrighted content.”

As far as compensation goes, the claimants are seeking at least $150,000 in lawyers’ fees and damages, although these cases usually settle near the beginning of the proceedings, regularly to the tune of a few thousand dollars.

The movie in question has a rating of 9% on Rotten Tomatoes and instead of embracing the few customers who actually want to watch such a poor production the team behind the film would prefer to sue what few fans they do have.

While the business of suing customers never produces results for powerful film studios the fact Popcorn Time has incurred their wrath is unsurprising.

Since it went live in 2014, the website’s simple to use browsing system has made the search and access of copyrighted content a breeze, particularly when compared to conventional BitTorrent users. Not too astonishingly, Popcorn Time has caused an apparent increase in both TV and movie piracy in recent months.

Yet rather than examine the research, which time and again shows that piracy is associated with higher profits for content creators, Hollywood has again decided to put their head firmly in the sand and sue their best customers.

Google Teams Up With Facebook To Control Internet Access In India

Entertainment News

Google has joined forces with Facebook in an attempt to stop the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) from taking an anti Zero Rating stance.

Zero Rating is a highly controversial practice where a certain list of websites does not count towards a user’s phone data usage.

While providing cheaper access, ideal in developing countries, who controls the list of Zero Rated sites means that net neutrality is not preserved. In the case of Facebook’s Internet.org scheme the social networking giant allows its own sites while blocking rivals like Google and Twitter.

According to recently disclosed emails between the IAMAI’s Government Relations committee members and Vineeta Dixit, a member of Google’s Public Policy and Government Relations team, Google strongly lobbied for the removal of mentions of Zero Rating from the IAMAI’s submission on the Department of Telecom’s (DoT) report into Net Neutrality.

The DoT report singled out Facebook’s Internet.org as a possible Internet access gatekeeper and one that could lead to the compromise of non-discriminatory access if “such market leaders could dictate the path to specific content.”

The report read “The committee therefore is of the firm opinion that content and application providers cannot be permitted to act as gatekeepers and use network operations to extract value even if it is for an ostensible public purpose. Collaborations between TSPs and content providers that enable such gate keeping role to be played by any entity should be actively discouraged.”

Internet experts say Google has entered into zero rated partnership deals in India, citing Airtel which provides Free Zone ( gmail, Google Search and Google plus) and 200MB free data for access to Google Play apps.

The Economic Times also has reported that Google was planning to roll out its own Zero Rated service in India, but had put plans on hold after the Net Neutrality protests.

Dixit’s email to IAMAI, while reasoning there was no consensus on Zero Rating, asked it be removed from the submission, saying: “We would like to register strong protest against this formulation and would request you to remove this (Zero Rating) from the submission.”

The experts said it was noteworthy that Google had joined in lobbying DoT just several months after Facebook did. Their lobbyists aggressively pushed for both Zero Rating, and the regulation and licensing of Internet Telephony and messaging apps in the country.

Surprisingly Google, which was known for being an active partaker in regulatory consultations in India, had not taken part in discussions with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT that was looking into Net Neutrality, even though being invited to do so. The experts say Google has gone out of its way not to be seen to be taking a stand but was working behind the scene to ensure IAMAI did not oppose Zero Rating.

Several members of the government relations committee had confirmed Google supported Facebook’s efforts and that Facebook now chairs the IAMAI government relations committee.

Researchers Uncover Strong Link Between Being Overweight And Breast Cancer

Health & Wellness

It’s long been acknowledged that being overweight makes women more likely to develop cancer of the breast, but the explanations as to why have previously been unclear.

Now scientists have established that tissue around breast cells is “stiffer” in overweight women and mice, and that this thick tissue in rodents triggers the development of cancerous cells.

The research suggests losing weight may restructure fat tissue and reduce the possibility of getting cancer. Conversely, the emergent practice of utilizing fat from severely overweight women for reconstructive operation of their breast may come with a threat that had been ignored until now.

Obesity is generally associated with cancer, but the connection with cancer of the breast is particularly striking: In one new large study, the most obese women faced 58 percent more cancer risk than those with normal weight.

One theory is that fat tissue secretes estrogen that can spur the growth of breast cancer cells at menopause, when the reproductive organs stop producing estrogen. However, the technicalities of the scaffolding around breast cells, may also factor.

New rodent studies have established that a stiffer extracellular matrix spurs the creation of proteins that encourage the growth of precancerous cells. This may help illustrate why women with heavy breasts are also at high risk for cancer of the breast. Other studies have indicated that when people become overweight, their fat tissue tends to create stringy, scar-like lumps of tissue.

Reporting in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the scientists established comparable structural dissimilarities in the fat tissue from the breasts of lean and overweight ladies.

The outcomes imply that the lumps of firmer extracellular matrix in obese women’s breasts add to tumor enlargement as well as to more destructive cancers.

The researchers comment that “people always think it’s all about soluble factors, chemicals. It’s also about this interplay with physical parameters.”

The news wasn’t absolutely bad: When the research team put overweight mice on a diet, their breast fat tissue contained fewer myofibroblasts, suggestive of the idea that cutting down on weight could make a woman’s breast tissue formation more normal and reduce her breast cancer threat.

In addition, the research raises the idea of using a woman’s own fat from somewhere else in her body to repair breasts after a breast surgery. Fat tissue from overweight women may raise the threat of a tumor recurring.

Biochemist Valerie Weaver of the University of California, San Francisco, who pioneered earlier studies connecting tissue firmness and breast cancer development, calls the study “very important” because it establishes a new mechanism connecting breast cancer with obesity.

Mammograms often cannot sense dense tissue in overweight women as it is concealed by fat cells, the research says. The tiny, local areas of firm tissue found in the novel research are primarily likely to be missed.

Under Armour Aims Legal Shotgun At Startup Sportswear Makers

Finance

Sportswear giant Under Armour has pledged a relentless court battle against any company using its trademark name for profit. The company has proceeded to make good its threat by launching a flurry of lawsuits involving multiple companies for what it terms trademark infringement that could confuse its clients.

Under Armour has grown from a basement company founded in 1996 to America’s second largest sportswear company. Last year it did over $3 billion in sales.

The company attributes its rise to staying true to their clients’ requests and a strong brand presence, one that it says is being eroded by the heavy use of its trademark name by other retailers.

Recently, the company served a local Maryland company named Armor & Glory with lawsuit papers for trademark infringement on their name. The giant sports retailer said the Maryland company’s name was “ likely to cause confusion, mistake and deception” and that it would “dilute the distinctiveness” and “further damage and irreparably injure” the company’s strong nationwide brand.”

Terrance Jackson, founder of Armor & Glory was not impressed. He said, “It’s trademark bullying at its finest. I’m the little kid in the group and they’re trying to kick dirt on my new shoes. The name came to him one morning, from “the full armor of God” cited in Ephesians 6:11. “When God gave this [name] to me, I never thought once about those guys. We don’t even spell it like them.”

Under Armour, through their Washington attorneys Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, said they would be seeking to have Armor & Glory permanently destroy all of their branded products, relinquish their domain name and profits, pay their legal fees and also damages worth $100,000, the same amount that sums up the small company’s revenues since 2013.

Armor & Glory is not the only company Under Armour has gone after. It has also sued sports drink maker Body Armor, fishing apparel company Salt Armour and snowboarding shorts maker Ass Armor.

The recent campaign by Under Armour was laid down to protect its brands which include ArmourChill, ArmourLoft, ArmourStorm, OffshoreArmour and Baby Armour.

Under Armour has vowed to continue with litigation against any company that comes close to infringing on their trademark.

The case highlights the massive power large, well-funded, companies wield over small competitors – perceived or actual. The mere threat of a lawsuit can ruin small businesses who are not even competing against a powerful trademark holder that has eyes on their market.

Under Armour refused to comment on the ongoing litigation.

Pentagon Suspends Military Aid To Pakistan Over Blatant Support Of Taliban

Entertainment News

U.S. military aid to Pakistan has been suspended as a result of the government’s failure to advance the fight against the Haqqani network, a terrorist group associated with Afghanistan’s Taliban.

U.S. and Afghan officials have long suspected that Pakistan’s spy agency, the ISI, has actually been assisting the Haqqani network.

The most recent offensive by Pakistan’s military began in June, known as Zarb-e-Azb, and targets militant groups in North Waziristan along Afghanistan’s border. But as Pakistan deals with its many domestic issues, it may be taking a conciliatory approach toward Haqqani in an effort to prevent any aggression by the terrorist group.

Afghanistan has dealt with several attacks in recent weeks, accusing Pakistan of functioning as a safe haven from which militants have launched such attacks.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani made the issue clear, “Pakistan still remains a venue and ground for gatherings from which mercenaries send us messages of war. The incidents of the past two months in general and the recent days in particular show that the suicide training camps and the bomb making facilities used to target and murder our innocent people still operate, as in the past, in Pakistan.”

Following news last month that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar had died in 2013, the fragile state of peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government has deteriorated.

Part of that deterioration is a result of reports that Omar’s death took place in a Karachi hospital, adding weight to Ghani’s accusations of Pakistani aid to the Taliban.

Pakistan was slated to host a round of talks between the Taliban and Afghanistan one day after the news on Omar was released.

The new leader of the Afghan Taliban has since appointed Sirajuddin Haqqani, head of the Haqqani network, as one of his deputies. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khwaja Asif maintained that his nation would remain committed to peace talks with the Afghan government regardless of who leads the Taliban.

Google Just Placed A Huge Bet On The Future Of Manufacturing

Finance

Google aggressively entered the world of manufacturing on Thursday after it invested millions in Carbon3D, a 3d manufacturing startup. The new funding aims to lift 3D manufacturing out of the prototype business it has been in the recent years and into a multi-billion dollar industry.

Google, through its subsidiary investment arm Google Ventures, invested an undisclosed sum into Carbon3D. The startup was seeking funding to help drive its growth in the 3D printing field.

Carbon 3D printers are remarkably different from other traditional 3D printers.

According to cofounder Joseph DeSimone, the printers are powered by a uniquely distinct photochemical process, much different from the traditional layer-on-top-of-layer process inherent in other traditional 3D printers.

The photochemical process also incorporates algorithms in their design, enabling them to make pin point accurate designs at 100 time faster speeds.

Andy Wheeler, leader of the Carbon3D Google investment said, “This is the first 3D printing tech that really has the potential to break out of the prototyping realm that 3D printing has been relegated to until now. For one because of the sheer speed, but perhaps even more importantly due to the range of materials.”

Carbon 3D is able to print anything from remote controls to the arms of chairs through utilizing a multitude of materials. The company is already working with dozens of manufacturers involved in the auto industry, consumer electronics, aerospace and studio effects.

Earlier this year, Ford Motor Company showed it was taking advantage of 3D printing to come up with new prototypes of cars and improve its innovativeness. Studio Effects company Legacy Effects also delved into 3D carbon printing to improve its concept creations.

With the recent interest in 3D printing, analysts have predicted that its market could reach $16.2 billion in 2018.

Google was interested in the company out of a necessity from the various projects it is taking on in the future, including self driving vehicles. According to DeSimone, “They are doing a lot of things with hardware and prototyping and the ability to support them in that is going to be very cool.”

Other investors joining Google in the funding were Russian entrepreneur Yuri Milner and Reinet Investments S.C.A.

The 3D printing company is still in its beta phase and pans to start selling industrial scale printers to manufacturers by end of this year.

3D printing has lagged behind its widely understood potential for quite some time since its inception. Relegated to conceptualization, Carbon 3D offers a ray of hope for the industry that has tremendous potential and will likely replace traditional manufacturing in virtually every production sector.

Secret Side Deal Will Allow Iran To ‘Inspect’ Its Own Nuclear Facilities

Entertainment News

Iran will be allowed to scrutinize a suspected nuclear facility themselves under a top secret agreement reached with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), according to files acquired on Wednesday by the Associated Press.

The Parchin Agreement, named after the location where Iran is said to be making a nuclear weapon, was a top secret deal brokered between Iran and the IAEA.

It was not related to the deal reached last month between the Iran, the U.S., and five other countries, but the U.S was aware of its particulars and had endorsed it earlier.

The Associated Press originally reported on Wednesday that the leaked file said that Iranian detectives would take samples of the location themselves “using Iran’s authenticated equipment consistent with technical specifications provided by the agency [IAEA].”

However, the AP amended its statement some hours later, saying that the file revealed that the IAEA would ensure the accuracy of the scrutiny, but did not spell out how.

The White House has constantly refuted that the Parchin Agreement was a “side deal” that permitted Iran to keep making its nuclear weapon capacities in secret.

However, this disclosure will likely trigger condemnation that Iran is being permitted to do just that, by taking control of the investigation without any external oversight.

The file reveals that Iran will be able to cite unclear armed forces concerns to stop the IAEA from physically accessing or even receiving videos or photographs of the Parchin site, the AP said.

The deal is strange, considering that the United Nations agency has closely watched Iran’s alleged attempts to build a nuclear weapon. Much of last month’s agreement was based on the confidence that Iran would conform to international expectations.

Classified information from the U.S., Israel and IAEA has revealed that Iran has tested nuclear explosions in the past at the Parchin military base, but tried to hide proof of it from the inspectors. Iran has constantly denied constructing a nuclear weapon at the Parchin site.

The nuclear agreement reached on July 14th will be subjected to a Congressional election in September. Critics of the deal will probably cite the Parchin Agreement as another primary reason to knock it over.

Powerful Wall Street Law Firm Comes Out In Favor Of Abandoning Quarterly Financial Reports

Finance

Wachtell Lipton, the powerhouse Wall Street law firm, on Tuesday expressed its support for ditching quarterly corporate financial reports.

In a note to clients, partner Martin Lipton wrote, “We may still achieve a capitalism in which long-term, responsible investors champion boards and management teams that resist pressures to maximize short-term stock prices at the expense of sustainable long-term investment and wealth creation.”

The firm was inspired by work this summer by Legal & General Investment Management, a European business organization with at least $1.1 trillion in property under management.

According to Wachtell Lipton, Legal & General, which did not return a request for remarks, communicated with the boards of directors of the leading 350 corporations on the London Stock Exchange expressing support for a move away from quarterly earnings reports.

According to the firm, Legal & General said “Providing the market with quarterly updates adds little value for companies operating in long-term business cycles.”

“U.S. companies do not, as of yet, have the option of discontinuing quarterly reporting,” Wachtell Lipton noted, though they do have the liberty to avoid quarterly earnings guidance.

Many organizations have opted to turn their back on such intermittent forecasts.

Legal & General’s move comes after similar calls from financial consultants and managers, including the famous Blackrock Inc. and McKinsey & Co., to stop the “scourge” of short term thinking on Wall Street and in Washington.

Speaking on the Securities and Exchange Commission, the firm said in writing, “(SEC) should keep these observations in mind in pursuing disclosure reform initiatives and otherwise acting to promote, rather than undermine, the ability of companies to pursue long-term strategies.”

Whether or not U.S corporations should ditch quarterly earnings reports remains a matter of discussion, with such notable media as The Wall Street Journal seeking the opinions of the public.

UK Joins FCC In Requiring Disclosure Of ‘Pay For Play’ Social Media Videos

Finance

The United Kingdom’s Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has told those blogging videos (vloggers) on YouTube and other social media platforms to come clean when they are getting compensated to discuss a product.

The ruling mirrors a set of U.S. guidelines issued by the FCC that any paid placement in media must be clearly disclosed to viewers.

The CAP’s latest set of guidelines gives instructions for the stars and producers of video blogs on how to reveal when they have been given cash rewards or stand to gain from giving support to a certain product in their video posts.

The rules come as a response to a 2014 occurrence in which some video bloggers were compensated for uploading videos promoting Oreo cookies without fully revealing that they had been paid to do so.

In a statement, CAP said, “The advertising rules do not cover or prohibit vloggers entering into commercial relationships and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) does not regulate editorial opinion.”

It went on to explain, “In response to feedback from vloggers, however, we and the ASA are also reminding brands and agencies (be they advertising, digital or PR) looking to partner with vloggers of the need to be transparent.”

The latest guidelines outline how vloggers should deal with product adverts within their uploads, as well as when to reveal commercial breaks in the multimedia files, referring to paid content as “advertorial.” The guidelines also say how to acknowledge a video’s promoters and when to reveal where an organization has sent a vlogger some free product.

The guidelines explain how to brand and term adverts, such as using the words “ad,” “advertising feature,” or other words a vlogger can utilize to inform those viewing when they are using a paid item.

Other subjects for the rules include product position within videos, and advertorials featuring the vlogger’s personal products and businesses.

Shahriar Coupal, CAP director said, “Our guidance will give vloggers greater confidence that they’re sticking to the rules, which in turn will help maintain the relationship and trust they’ve built with their followers.”

Thai Police Hunting 10 Suspects In Monday’s Bangkok Bomb Attack

Entertainment News

Thailand is pursuing ten suspects in relation to the Bangkok bombing on Monday, stating that they do not believe the attack was the work of an international terror group. Two suspects have handed themselves in following two more bomb attacks on Tuesday, but police still do not know whether the three attacks are linked.

Speculation has been circulating that the attack was prompted by the struggle between the two prominent political groups in the nation, the Red Shirts and the Yellow Shirts. Past protests between the two have turned violent, but no group has been directly blamed for the recent attacks.

There was a bomb attack in a Bangkok mall soon after the impeachment of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The Red Shirts form the base of Yingluck’s support and were therefore highly suspected in that attack.

There have been numerous other bomb attacks this year, and the Red Shirts have been blamed in some of those cases.

A reward of $28,000 was offered by the police to anyone who could give information regarding the current case.

Another possible suspect could be the ethnic Uighurs, who are a Muslim minority in China. In July, Thailand forced 109 Uighurs to return to China in opposition to protests from the UN and human rights groups, who claim they face persecution there.

Still another possibility is the Malay Muslims on Thailand’s southern border, who have killed over 6,400 people in that region. However, such attacks have never taken place as far north as Bangkok.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha seems to be moving the investigation more towards Yingluck’s Red Shirt supporters. The group has never carried out a mass casualty bombing such as occurred on Monday, and Thai police investigations are notoriously corrupt.

There would be strong incentive to implicate the Red Shirts in any attack in order to reinforce Prayut’s authority.

Lack Of Funding Means NASA Must Now Scavenge Museum Pieces For Spare Parts

News

Like most United States government agencies, NASA is facing major budget cutbacks. That means the agency has to get creative in finding ways to continue developing America’s world leading space program.

One way of doing so includes raiding NASA museum pieces for salvageable parts. Specifically, NASA engineers have looked to spacecraft parts of the shuttle program that was shut down in 2011.

Once the space shuttles were retired, they were shipped to museums across the country for the viewing public. Handy for NASA is the fact that the shuttles were designed to fly in more missions than they actually did, so a lot of their parts are in good condition, particularly the interior parts.

In May, engineers removed water tanks from the Atlantis space shuttle for use as drinkable water storage onboard the International Space Station (“ISS”).

Similarly this week, four water storage tanks are being removed from the Endeavour – the youngest of the shuttles, which is now stored at the California Science Center. The tanks measure approximately 3 feet by 1 foot and weigh about 40 pounds when empty. Since they are located deep within the interior of the shuttles, museum goers will not even notice they are missing.

California Science Center president Jeff Rudolph recently stated in an interview with ZME Science that, “It wasn’t a part of the deal, but we’re always happy to work with NASA. The concept of taking something from an old shuttle and making it available for use in space is something that we think is great.”

Unfortunately, the tanks will not be launched into space in the near future as NASA’s budget concerns mean U.S. astronauts must rely on Russian space launches to transport the astronauts to the ISS. Earlier this summer, NASA extended its multimillion dollar contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency until 2019.

Hence, the recent frugal moves by NASA to look to its past fleets for parts.

NASA recently requested a budget proposal from the United States Legislature. President Obama proposed a $1.2 billion allotment for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program – a number far less than what NASA would like. The Senate countered with a $900 million budget and is waiting for approval.

Americans Trade Beef For Bison As Consumer Preference Changes To Healthier Meat Varieties

Health & Wellness

More and more meat lovers are choosing bison as their steak of choice rather than traditional beef in restaurants across the country. While a bison filet can cost as much as a strip steak, there are many reasons why people are making the switch.

Bison has fewer calories than beef. For example, a 6-ounce bison filet has fewer than 200 calories.

There’s also approximately ⅓ less fat in bison than there is in beef and unlike beef, bison is raised without being pumped full of steroids or other chemicals. Bison simply eat grass and forage.

Roger Gerber, chief executive officer of Blackwing Quality Meats, a United States distributor of bison meat, states aptly that, “The consumer today doesn’t trust the food industry. They can feel comfortable to know [bison] doesn’t have hormones, it doesn’t have antibiotics.” Moreover, bison also contains much less cholesterol than beef.

The food industry caught on early to consumers’ increasing demands for bison. Restaurants, as well as retailers such as Whole Food Market, Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp. and The Kroger Co. all carry bison.

Of course bison suppliers, including ranchers across the country, restaurants and retailers are taking note of the increased consumption of bison. More demand means more supply and ultimately means higher prices. In fact, prices for the healthy meat have about doubled over the last five years.

Yet because prices for other meat including beef and pork have also risen, consumers are not deterred from the higher price of bison.

Dave Carter, executive director of the Westminster, Colorado-based National Bison Association stated that, “People have kind of gotten used to the prices and are willing to pay a little bit more.”

The bison has been a conservation success story, with the United States population having increased to 500,000 from around 1,000 in the late 1800s.

But, just like its cousin the cow, the bison’s health is dependent on natural conditions such as droughts and extremely hot weather. United States ranchers reported an 18% decrease in bison in their herds between 2007 and 2012. As a result, even though the United States is the largest bison producer in the world, it has doubled its import of bison from Canada in the past year alone.

Since it takes about five years to increase bison herd sizes, it is likely that high prices for bison will continue to take hold in restaurants and retailers throughout the country as people increasingly switch to this delicious and healthy meat.

ISIS Claims Responsibility For Massive Egyptian Car Bomb Attack

Entertainment News

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Thursday’s massive car bombing targeting Egyptian security forces in the country’s capital, Cairo. The group called the attack revenge for the deaths of some of its fighters earlier this year.

According to the Interior Ministry, six enforcement officers were injured in the early morning assault on a division of the National Security Agency, the nation’s local spy service, in the Cairo neighborhood of Shubra al-Kheima.

The massive blast, which was heard across Cairo’s districts, has revived fears of stepped up terror attacks in the Egyptian city.

Islamists and other extremists have waged an increasingly bloody campaign against Egyptian defense forces since a military takeover ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Among the sections is a group, based in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, which has pledged allegiance to the radical Islamic State.

In a message posted on the internet, the Islamic State stated its “soldiers of the caliphate were able to strike the state security building in the area of Shubra al-Kheima with a car full of explosives.”

A bomb-rigged car was parked near the security offices, approximately six miles from the centrally located Tahrir Square. The driver ran away on a motorbike before the blast, the Interior Ministry said in an official statement.

Egyptian rebels have regularly targeted security establishments. According to the Islamic State, Thursday’s assault was in retribution for “Arab Sharkas,” a reference to the location of a fatal shootout between security forces and the insurgents, in a village near Shubra al-Kheima in 2014.

The gun battle that lasted hours was triggered by an attack on a timber workshop said to be linked to insurgents who later forged connections with the Islamic State. senior army officers and militants were among those that lost their lives.

In May, Egypt authorized the execution of six men it believed were associated to the cell in Arab Sharkas. The Human Rights Watch has reported that three of those executed were already in police custody when the shootout took place.

Early Thursday, the privately controlled Egyptian TV channel CBC aired images showing extensive destruction to houses in the Shubra district.

In January 2014, terrorists now dedicated to the Islamic State executed a car bombing raid outside a security directorate in Cairo, causing serious destruction.

In June, a huge car bomb blew up and killed Hisham Barakat, Egypt’s chief prosecutor, right at the center of Cairo. A new faction calling itself the “Tahrir Brigades” claimed liability for that act earlier this month.

Spotify Pushes Creepy New Update That Allows It To Track Customers And Sell Their Data

Finance

Leading music streaming service Spotify has just revamped its privacy policy and the changes mean it will collect significantly more data about its customers than it did previously. It will also now sell the information to advertisers.

When opening the Spotify service, users are greeted with a request to accept the new terms and conditions before continuing to the program. You either accept the creepy new terms or lose access to the app.

Taxi hailing app Uber did a similarly shady update in July, where users were forced to allow the app to track them around the clock.

Like most clickwrap agreements, a simple check of the “yes” button is sufficient. However, in reality, the majority of users never read the fine print about just how Spotify intends to invade their privacy.

Of note is Section 3.3 regarding information stored on a user’s mobile device. It provides that, “With your permission, we may collect information stored on your mobile device, such as contacts, photos or media files. Local law may require that you seek the consent of your contacts to provide their personal information to Spotify, which may use that information for the purposes specified in this Privacy Policy.”

In essence, Spotify is informing users that if they use the service, their contacts and photos are up for grabs and can be used by the company in any way it likes.

Another section of significant importance is Section 3.4 regarding location and sensor information of users. “Depending on the type of device that you use to interact with the Service and your settings, we may also collect information about your location based on, for example your phone’s GPS location or other forms of locating mobile devices (e.g., Bluetooth). We may also collect sensor data (e.g., data about the speed of your movements, such as whether you are running, walking, or in transit).”

In other words, Spotify tracks your location at any time and then determines if you are running or walking.

Probably most notable is Section 5.2.1 regarding marketing and advertising. “We may share information with advertising partners in order to send you promotional communications about Spotify or to show you more tailored content, including relevant advertising for products and services that may be of interest to you, and to understand how users interact with advertisements. The information we share is in a de-identified format (for example, through the use of hashing) that does not personally identify you.”

So in addition to logging lots of data about its user, the company will now sell all that data to advertisers.

There is also no definition or explanation of the term “media files,” but as written it is likely to include a user’s chosen music, videos, podcasts, saved articles, screenshots, downloaded e-books and more.

The new policy also does not distinguish practices between users of the free service and users who pay a premium for a service.

Obviously this information is extremely valuable to Spotify, especially with competitors like Apple Music entering the market.

Yet Spotify is now making a privacy land grab and requiring their paying subscribers to either accept it or quit the service.

Whether users of Spotify take note of the changes before continuing to use the service remains to be seen. What is sure is that users’ lives got a lot less private.

Study Reveals Harsh Sentences Do Nothing To Stop Illegal Online Drug Marketplaces

News

Following the shutdown of the Silk Road, an online illicit drug marketplace, the judge responsible for sentencing the site’s founder to life in prison, Katherine Forrest, issued a threat to those who pursue illegal activity in the so-called Dark Web.

“They need to understand, without equivocation, that there will be severe consequences.”

Yet whether or not those consequences will have any impact on the prevalence of such activity looks to be leaning towards the negative.

The Dark Web is made up of websites that are publicly visible, but are run using anonymity tools, such as Tor, that conceal the IP address of the server hosting the content. Much of the activity on the Dark Web is devoted to illegal drug sales, though journalists have been known to use Tor in order to correspond with whistleblowers.

According to a new study by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), the imprisonment of Silk Road’s founder Ross Ulbricht has had virtually no impact on the amount of illicit commerce on the web.

CMU researchers Kyle Soska and Nicholas Christin investigated Dark Web drug marketplaces similar to Silk Road in order to develop an estimate on the type and volume of drugs being purchased.

Between 2013 and 2015, they concluded that sales fluctuated between $300,000 and $500,000 per day, with most sales involving cannabis, psychedelics, and opiates. The portion of international drug trade that occurs on the Dark Web only accounts for 0.1% of the global total, which the UN pegs at $321 billion.

Soska and Christin point out that the pursuit and closure of such online marketplaces is a misallocation of government resources that is having no real impact, citing the FBI and Europol’s Operation Onymous, which closed hundreds of Dark Web markets.

Despite the closures online drug sales still remained above $100 million per year as users flocked to other marketplaces or created their own.

Christin suggests focusing on vendors who sell dangerous products, such as ricin or cyanide, rather than users in pursuit of recreational drugs.

Christin cites the fact that online transactions remove the possibility of violence that is present in face-to-face transactions while the escrow and review processes of online marketplaces reduce the odds of consumers acquiring drugs cut with possibly dangerous substances.

In Ross Ulbricht’s case, Silk Road even had a staff doctor who offered rigorous medical advice on a wide range of drug related issues to marketplace users. This effectively made Silk Road the world’s safest drug marketplace, a fact which was completely ignored when Judge Forrest sentence him to life in prison.

With the success of the online drug war shaping up to be no more effective than its offline counterpart, more evidence like that from the CMU study may one day shift enforcement policy in a more productive direction.

South Korea Shells North Korea In Response To Morning Rocket Attack

Entertainment News

South Korea fired dozens of artillery rounds towards the North after North Korea launched a shell towards a South Korean loudspeaker that was blaring anti-North propaganda. The incident happened mid morning on Thursday, local time.

North Korea did not immediately return fire but it did warn Seoul in a letter that it would indeed take military action if South Korea did not take down the loudspeakers within 48 hours. It further threatened of “indiscriminate strikes” if its demand was not met.

This most recent round of back-and-forth between the two countries started when two South Korean soldiers were injured severely when a landmine exploded on a South Korean patrol route. An investigation concluded that the landmines were not left over from several years ago but rather were newly placed wooden box landmines belonging to North Korea.

North Korea denied the attack, but in retaliation, South Korea erected loudspeakers that have not been used in years and began blasting anti-North propaganda in the direction of North Korea. The South believed that the North placed the landmines to show its opposition to a scheduled joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea. North Korea was very vocal about its opposition to the exercise, calling it preparation for an attack on the North.

The joint military exercise remained on schedule and began Monday, when North Korea began its own propaganda broadcasts blaring at the South. As South Korea did not remove its loudspeakers, North Korea fired a missile in its direction.

South Korea said that its detection equipment spotted a suspected North Korean missile heading in its direction. The missile did not strike the loudspeaker nor did it injure anyone.

South Korea responded by placing its military on high alert and firing tens of artillery rounds towards North Korea. South Korean President Park Geun-hye instructed the country’s top defense officials to “react firmly” to any North Korean provocations, the latest sign that the once pacifist South has run out of patience with its belligerent neighbor.

Bolivia Sees Sharp Drop In Coca Production After Evicting The DEA, Legalizing Drug Farms

Entertainment News

Coca plantations in Bolivia are in steep decline after years of battling the drug menace. Since the country kicked out the DEA and the UN approved the first ever coca producing regions, Bolivia’s coca farmers are dropping out by the dozens, raising fresh questions about previous drug policies.

Coca is the parent plant of the drug cocaine. Figures released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) indicate that the production of coca declined by a stunning 11 per cent in 2014. The figures showed a total fall in cultivation areas from 23000 hectares in 2013 to 20400 hectares in 2014.

The production of coca is at its lowest point in over a decade since the UN began monitoring the crop in 2003.

A national law is set to be enacted that limits the total acreage of coca plantations in the country to only 12000 hectares. The new program has been hailed by analysts as providing a means to eradicate the cultivation of the dangerous drug without having to incite farmers into violence.

UONDC analyst in the country Antonio De Leo said, “Bolivia has adopted a policy based on dialogue, where coca cultivation is allowed in traditional areas alongside alternative development [in others],”

De Leo further added that the eradication of the plant involved much more than just the mere stopping of its growing. He said that it involved providing essential services to the people and alternative crops to grow.

He elaborated, “It’s not only about making money off a crop. In the old fashioned alternative development approach, we substitute one illicit crop for a licit crop. It’s about a more comprehensive approach that includes access to essential services like schools, hospitals, and roads in areas that traditionally have been hard to reach.”

More significant is the fact that the decrease in cultivation occurred in two of the largest producing areas of the crop: Los Yungas De La Paz and Tropico de Cochabamba. For the former, plantation areas fell from 15700 to 14200 while for the latter, plantation areas fell from 7100 to 6100 hectares.

While Bolivia has shown great promise in the fight against the growing of the coca plant, other countries have not shown the same tenacity. In Columbia, Growth increased from 85000 hectares in 2013 to 112000 hectares in 2014. In Peru, acreage numbers remain high despite the government’s controversially violent methods of ridding the country of the crop.

Most of the cocaine produced in Bolivia finds its way into Brazil and Argentina, endangering the lives and health of thousands. The gradual decline in growth of the coca plant will see many South Americans benefit from cleaner streets and healthier people.

Chinese Internet Giant Tencent Invades North America With $50 Million Kik Investment

Finance

Chinese company Tencent has plunged deeper into the U.S. market with a multi-million dollar investment in Canadian online messenger Kik.

Already one of the largest internet companies in the world, Tencent is aggressively looking to grow its foot print across North America, and outside its stronghold of China.

Shenzhen, China, based Tencent invested $50 million in Kik and now gains access as not only a partner but also a part owner of the North American company. Tencent will have a strong operational role in the company going forward.

Kik is a messenger service that boasts over 240 million users. It is especially popular among teenagers in both the U.S and Canada. According to the company, two out of every five teenagers now use the app. The investment by Tencent values the company at $1 billion.

Tencent is the biggest messaging company in China thanks to its two popular apps WeChat and QQ.

But the company has clear aspiration of global messaging domination after it invested millions of dollars recently in Snapcat. Snapchat enjoys over 100 million daily active users, most of whom are from North America.

Tencent has also diversified beyond messaging. It has announced plans to develop an online stock trading platform, has committed to enhancing its online to offline strategic partnerships and will be escalating its shareholding of eLong, one of China’s growing online travel services providers.

Executives from Tencent have said the Kik investment will help the company develop an ecosystem of multiple services that would help it fight rival messaging services Whatsapp, Facebook and SnapChat.

Whatsapp boasts an impressive 800 million registered users while Snapchat has over 700 million.

Kik recently integrated games and other apps such as Soundcloud for music streaming into its services to help it carve out a unique niche from its rivals. This same approach is used by WeChat and other Asian messaging apps which eschew the simple focus on North American rivals.

Kik doesn’t require its users to have a mobile number, a feature that makes it very attractive to teens. Tencent is looking to capitalize on this young user base to create a generation of users that grow up on its messaging platforms.

Violent Protests Erupt In St Louis After Another Fatal Police Shooting

News

Police officers in St. Louis used tear gas to scatter protesters and arrested nine people on Wednesday night as demonstrations continued over a fatal police shooting earlier in the day.

According to Police Chief Sam Dotson, protesters hurled bottles and bricks at officers, and when they ignored repeated calls to disperse, police officers first used inactive gas, and then real tear gas.

Police will keep up an increased presence near the intersection of Walton and Page, the location of the demonstrations.

During the day on Wednesday, protesters engaged the police in a cat-and-mouse game. They gathered at the intersection, dispersed, and then got together again.

They were holding protests over the shooting of an 18-year-old man by police officers.

According to Dotson, two young men ran out of the back of a building when police arrived to perform a search.

Addressing reporters, the chief said, “Officers in the rear alley ordered them to stop and to drop the gun. As they ran, one of the individuals turned and pointed the gun at the officers. There were two officers in the alley. Both officers fired.”

The unidentified suspect who supposedly pointed a gun at police officers was shot, and pronounced dead at the scene.

Afterward, protesters gathered at the junction of Walton and Page, making it impassable. The authorities made some arrests, “people moved to the sidewalk and peace was restored,” the police chief said.

However, when the police left, the demonstrators returned, walked on to Interstate 70, blocked it and gathered again at the intersection, Dotson said.

The officers were hit with bottles and bricks, he added.

“At at that point, after the crowd ignored repeated requests and directions, inert smoke was used,” the chief said. “After that didn’t have an effect, tear gas was used.”

According to the chief, “There’s a line that gets crossed from peacefully protesting, which we will support, to when laws are broken.” He added, “Police officers have to do their job.”

Alderman Antonio French, who gained fame during demonstrations last year in Ferguson, uploaded videos and photos of fire personnel extinguishing house fires.

Relations have been on edge between some residents in St. Louis and police for quite some time.

The tension rose after Michael Brown, a black teenager, was shot dead by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, slightly more than one year ago.

The two police officers involved in Wednesday’s incident have been placed on compulsory leave, per police guidelines.

According to Dotson the suspect’s firearm was reported stolen. The second criminal suspect who escaped from the house is still at large.

Other people who had been in the building were apprehended without incident, Dotson said.

Officers recovered four firearms, including one inside the house, two that were thrown over a fence as the suspected individuals were running and the gun in the suspect’s possession, said Dotson, adding that three of the four were stolen.

User Data Lost After Google Datacenter Gets Struck By Lightning Four Times

Finance

Google, the world’s most popular search engine, is unable to recover a huge amount of data after lightning struck one of its key data centers in Belgium, four times.

The unlikely strike means that some users have permanently lost a significant amount of data.

In a formal statement, the company said that just 0.000001% of its desk space was permanently damaged at the site, though this will still have a notable impact on a substantial amount of information.

It is not known with certainty what kind of information was lost in the unforeseen lightning strikes, or which users were affected, but it is clear that the affected servers were owned by the Google Compute Engine (GCE) Service, where they store client data and operate virtual machines in the cloud.

In an official online statement, Google Engineer James Wilman said, “Although automatic auxiliary systems restored power quickly, and the storage systems are designed with battery backup, some recently written data was located on storage systems which were more susceptible to power failure from extended or repeated battery drain.”

He went on to say, “Everything in the data center is connected one way or another,” “If you get four large strikes it wouldn’t surprise me that it has affected the facility.”

While the possibility of permanently losing data due to such occurrences as lightning strikes is extremely low in such facilities as Google’s, it appears that the company’s existing precautions were not sufficient to prevent loss of data in this rare occurrence.

Google said that it will be upgrading its hardware in order to reduce the possibility of such huge data losses in the future.

4300 Year Old Tool Proves Chimpanzees Are In The Stone Age

Culture

Archaeologists in Africa and South America have uncovered some amazing ancient stone tools they say were not made by humans. The archaeologists believe the tools are as old as the Egyptian pyramids and that whoever made them bore similar characteristics to humans, including their hand prints.

The antique tools bore hand prints that very much resembled those of humans, leading scientists to believe they were developed by chimpanzees, man’s closest relative.

The tools created were crude. The use of rocks and heavy pieces of stone by primates hardly results in eye popping pieces of art. However, their archaeological relevance is astounding.

Through the use of these rocks as a way to make life easier for the primates, scientists believe the primates are now in their stone age.

A group of primate archaeologists led by Christophe Boesch, from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany set out to the dense rainforests of the Ivory Coast to seek answers on the primates’ archaeology.

While digging in the forest floor down to depths of about three feet, the scientists discovered the tools they said dated back to about 4300 years. Some of the tools, they reported, were worked on to a level of precision once only thought possible by humans.

The results led the researchers to conclude that chimpanzees have been in the stone age for over 4300 years.

Primates have been known to use tools for various purposes over the years. Oxford University primate archaeologist Michael Haslam said, “Orang-utans, bonobos and gorillas have been seen using plant tools but never stone tools.”

According to Haslam, stone tools were rarely used because of their unavailability. He explained, “Plants are ubiquitous in primate habitats but stones are not.”

Through being readily available, skills performed with the help of plants were easily passed down from generation to generation of primates. The same could not be done for stone tools.

It is unclear whether chimps will have an opportunity to advance their stone age technology. Haslam said, “We are shrinking their populations dramatically through habitat destruction and hunting. Smaller populations cannot spread and sustain complex technologies as well as larger groups.”

What the research draws to our attention is that these chimps may be able to make more advanced stone tools, but they may never get to the technology age due to our encroachment into their forests.

British Health Authorities Just Concluded That E-Cigarettes Are 95 Percent Safer Than Smoking

Health & Wellness

The popularity of e-cigarettes continues to rise after England’s government made an official acknowledgement of the devices’ health advantages over smoking.

Consumption of e-cigarettes, or “vaping,” was stated to be about 95% less damaging than conventional cigarettes in an expert independent review published by Public Health England (PHE), an agency of the UK Department of Health.

In the results of the review, e-cigs came in below pipes, small cigars, and regular cigars with regard to mortality and morbidity costs. PHE was careful to stress that e-cigs are not free from risk, but believes that traditional cigarettes will slowly be replaced by them as scientific evidence continues to accumulate showing their benefits.

England’s chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies sees the e-cigarette as a treatment device to be used towards the end goal of smoking cessation and also noted, “there continues to be a lack of evidence on the long-term use of e-cigarettes.”

Davies advocated for the marketing of the devices as licensed medicines in order that they undergo more rigorous testing regarding their safety. Currently no e-cigarette has been licensed as a medical treatment like other smoking-cessation products including nicotine patches and gums.

Manufacturers of e-cigarettes object to the process of becoming a licensed medical treatment mainly due to the cost.

The news from the PHE was a shift of position by England’s National Health Service (NHS) on the relatively new smoking devices, of which they had previously been more critical with regard to their safety.

Some of the NHS’s former negative press regarding e-cigarettes may have contributed to the public’s perception that the devices are equally or more harmful than conventional cigarettes, with 22% now holding that view compared to 8% two years ago.

Director of health and wellbeing at PHE, Kevin Fenton stated the dilemma, “The problem is people increasingly think they are at least as harmful and this may be keeping millions of smokers from quitting. Local stop-smoking services should look to support e-cigarette users in their journey to quitting completely.”

The director of the NHS, Simon Clark, advocates that the government stay out of the e-cigarette business and allow consumers to consume the product without unnecessary restrictions on their marketing or sales. Barring any new revelations on their safety, the trend of vaping may indeed result in the improving health of smokers.

Documents Reveal New York City Treated Black Lives Matter Rights Group Like Terrorists

News

Undercover New York police officers infiltrated organized Black Lives Matter protests and the city police department tailed and kept secret files on the organization’s activists, according to newly released documents.

Nearly 300 documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the media, from the Metro-North Railroad and Metropolitan Transit Authority, show there was much more on-the-ground surveillance of Black Lives Matter members by undercover NYPD officers, NYPD intelligence officers and MTA counter terrorism agents, than had previously admitted to.

The level of surveillance on the group, which is dedicated to the human rights of African Americans, is on par with terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda and ISIS.

The documents are the first real proof of a regular presence of undercover police at Black Lives Matter protests in New York City. The protests began last year after a grand jury did not indict Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo over the death of Eric Garner.

The surveillance of protesters and use of undercover officers raises questions about whether New York-area law enforcement agencies have the potential to criminalize free speech and treat activists like terrorist threats.

Civil rights activists say the police files appear to document a response not in proportion to the level of crime and law breaking associated with protests, which was virtually nothing.

Media were unable to get particulars of undercover officers who attended protests or monitored Black Lives Matter activists.

In response to requests for names, MTA spokesperson Adam Lisberg said “The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department must ensure the safety and security of millions of people who pass through our railroad systems every day, at a time when transportation networks have been persistently targeted by terrorists. We accommodate peaceful protest in our transportation system, while also ensuring that protest activities do not prevent customers from using the system for transportation. We take all appropriate police measures to ensure the safety and security of our customers, but we do not discuss the particulars of those operations.”

Although the NYPD did not comply with request for documents, those obtained from the MTA and Metro-North show NYPD personnel had been involved in the surveillance of Black Lives Matter protests .

Many of the released documents included live updates on protests from undercover police officers, reporting on numbers, and the tracking of protesters’ movements around the New York city, particularly those of New York’s ‘People’s Monday’ protests, an organization that focuses attention on, and demonstrate on the behalf of, victims of alleged police brutality, and which repeatedly convenes at Grand Central Station. Some of the reports go beyond tracking group movements, containing information on specific activists, including photos.

Some documents showed surveillance operations may have targeted organizations and individuals all across the city including including schools and students, with files on individuals including photographs and movement and contact reports.

Black Lives Matter activists have said that while the intense surveillance of their lives was worrying it would not stop them protesting.

DeRay Mckesson, whose social media activities reportedly were monitored by the Department of Homeland Security said . “Some of this surveillance is meant to scare us and potentially to figure out what people’s next steps are. But what we’re doing is right.”

U.S. Gives South Sudan Ultimatum: Peace Or Heavy Sanctions

Entertainment News

The United States says it is working with other nations to impose United Nations backed sanctions if the country does not sign and adhere to a peace treaty.

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama’s national security adviser Susan Rice said in a statement that the U.S. was suggesting such sanctions “if an agreement is not signed by the government within 15 days and a ceasefire is not implemented promptly by all parties”.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir refused to endorse a peace agreement suggested by regional leaders on Monday, saying he needed more time.

The war-torn country, which gained self-government from Sudan in 2011, degenerated into turmoil in December 2013 when a political dispute between Kiir and his second-in-command, Riek Machar, spiraled into violence that reopened tribal fault lines.

Seyoum Mesfin, the arbitrator for IGAD, the East African alliance leading the peace discussions, said Kiir’s faction required a couple of weeks before endorsing the peace agreement that had been previously accepted by the South Sudanese insurgents.

According to Seyoum, “In the next 15 days, the government will come back to Addis Ababa to finalise the peace agreement.” There was no immediate remark from the administration.

On Monday, the U.S State Department announced that it profoundly regretted the government resolution and advised it to sign within 15 days.

Many rounds of conciliation have failed to finish the armed conflict that has seen over 10,000 people lose their lives and displaced at least 2 million, with both parties engaging in a battle of attrition despite endorsing ceasefire agreements.

If South Sudan’s administration will not endorse the peace agreement, “then we must all be firm on our next steps,” Britain’s UN assistant ambassador Peter Wilson said to the 15-member UN Security Council. “We cannot sit by while leaders fight and their people’s suffering grow,” he added.

Last month, IGAD settled on August 17th as the cut-off date to end the prolonged talks, outlining suggestions for ending the violence.

According to IGAD, the proposal entails a 30-month changeover period with Kiir as leader, with a first deputy president post given to the rebels.

In July, after at least one year of admonitions, the Security Council enforced its first sanctions on six army generals for accelerating the fighting.

Sprint Joins Verizon In Cancelling Smartphone Subsidies, Rolling Out Phone Leasing Plans

Finance

On Monday, Sprint Corp. announced that it too is doing away with two-year contracts and entirely moving to a model where consumers choose – and pay for – their smartphones.

Earlier in the month, Verizon Communications Inc. announced that it would no longer use contracts, while T-Mobile Inc. eliminated contracts over two years ago.

AT&T Inc. is now the only U.S. wireless company that offers contracts and subsidized smartphones.

Contracts have been the custom since the beginning of the wireless industry. Consumers signed and got a cut-rate price on a brand new smartphone.

As smartphones prices rise and margins decline carriers are switching to low-cost monthly plans without contracts, but in which consumers to pay the price in full for their phones, usually in monthly payments spread out two to three years.

Sprint started offering a contract-less alternative last year, and in a Monday interview, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure said the carrier will shift completely to that plan by year-end.

Leasing or paying in full will be the only ways to obtain a new device from the carrier.

According to Sprint, 51% of consumers who bought a new phone last quarter went for the lease option.

As part of the complete shift, on Monday Sprint launched a new leasing arrangement referred to as iPhone Forever that begins at $22 per month for an iPhone, besides the monthly service charge.

The plan allows consumers to upgrade to the most recent iPhone every year as soon as it is launched. That is a development over its present renting option, which only allows consumers to upgrade to a new iPhone after every two years.

Paying $22 every month and acquiring a new phone annually implies that a buyer will pay approximately $264 for one year’s use of an iPhone 6, which has a $649 vendor price.

To be eligible for the plan, consumers must trade in their present phone and it must be in working condition.

Buyers can still purchase the iPhone entirely if they would like, at the full retail cost.

Mr. Claure said Sprint’s affiliation with its main company, SoftBank Group Corp., will assist it in monetizing the traded-in devices, thus making up for the phone’s discounted price.

New Poll Shows Trump Poised To Overtake Clinton In 2016 Presidential Race

News

A new CNN/ORC poll released today shows controversial Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is now a real force to be contended with, the second most popular candidate in the crowded 2016 field.

The Donald still trails Democratic favorite Hillary Clinton due to not being favored by the influential female vote.

Trump trails Clinton by only 6 points, whereas in polls taken in July, he was a clear 16 points behind.

Trumps quick catch-up has been spurred on by support from mainly white, male Republicans and Republican-leaning independents – from 67 percent in July to 79 percent now.

Although this is good news for Trump and possibly the Republican Party, Clinton still appears to hold the trump card in the overall race for the Presidency, despite increasing public perception that the controversy surrounding her use of a private email account for State business, would harm her run for the White House – from 51 percent in March to 56 percent now.

Among Democrats polled, the number saying she did anything wrong had dropped from 71 percent to 63 percent.

Clinton’s front runner status also holds despite 53 percent of all those polled holding a negative view of her and only 44 percent having a favourable impression. Among all women polled, 52 percent have a favorable impression of her, indicating her base for success is women voters.

As well as having a six point lead over Trump, among all those polled regardless of party affiliation, Clinton leads Republican Jeb Bush 52 percent to 43 percent, and Trump 51 percent to 45 percent.

All Clinton’s leads are driven by the female support. Against Jeb Bush, she leads 59 percent to 37 percent among all women polled and against Trump, women favor her by 23 points, 60 percent to 37 percent.

Political experts say that according to the poll results, Clinton’s White House run would be helped by current Vice President Joe Biden deciding to not compete against Clinton for the Presidency. They say although Biden only holds 6 percent of the vote for prefered President, if he announced he would not run, his supporters, vote wise and financial support wise, would “flock to Clinton.”

Super Smart Mice May Hold The Key To Powerful New Drugs Against Alzheimer’s And Schizophrenia

Health & Wellness

Researchers have developed a form of super-intelligent mice by altering a single gene. An added bonus was the modification also produced a drop in the mice’s ability to feel anxiety and recall fear. The hope is that such research will lead to new treatments for cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia.

The particular gene altered in the experiment is responsible for producing the enzyme phosphodiesterase-4B (PDE4B), and is present in the brains of many vertebrates. Altered mice produced less PDE4B and were demonstrated to have faster learning ability, better memory, and improved performance in problem solving.

The decreased ability to recall fearful events in PDE4B mice shows promise in the treatment of individuals who may suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The mice’s drop in fear-related memory was also associated with a lack of fear for cat urine, which would clearly pose an increased risk to survival.

This could be dangerous if the same effect were to display in humans, as fear for imminent threats is a healthy adaptation.

The so-called “brainy mice,” were shown to grow more neurons than the control group, and also an increase in the number of connections between memory-associated neurons. This may account for the rise in memory ability and hold promise in the research of Alzheimer’s treatments.

Dr. Laura Phipps of Alzheimer’s Research UK stated, “This study highlights a potentially important role for the PDE4B gene in learning and memory in mice, but further studies will be needed to know whether the findings could have implications for Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.”

More work is being done with specific drugs that would act to inhibit the PDE4B gene. If a drug can be developed to inhibit PDE4B, animal subjects will be tested first, followed by human trials if results are promising.

The study was published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology and was funded by the UK Medical Research Council.

The FCC Just Affirmed The Right To ‘Bring Your Own’ Internet By Fining Wi-Fi Blocker $750,000

News

A company which had been blocking Wi-Fi access at convention centers in various parts of the United States, has agreed to pay the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Enforcement Bureau $750,000 in an out-of-court settlement.

Smart City Holdings, LLC which supplies Internet and telecommunications services for hotels, convention and meeting centers, had been blocking access to personal mobile “hotspots” which were being used by convention exhibitors and visitors who preferred to use their own personal data plans rather than pay Smart City huge fees to use it’s Wifi service.

Chief of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau Travis LeBlanc said “It is unacceptable for any company to charge consumers exorbitant fees to access the Internet while at the same time blocking them from using their own personal Wi-Fi hotspots to access the Internet.

LeBlanc issued a warning to any other companies that were using Wi-Fi blocking technology or were considering it.

“All companies who seek to use technologies that block FCC-approved Wi-Fi connections are on notice that such practices are patently unlawful.” he said

Smart City, as part of providing services at convention centers, had charged visitors and exhibitors an $80 per-day fee to access it’s Wi-Fi services.

The FCC’s investigation showed that if convention visitors or exhibitors did not pay the fee, Smart City would simply block their access to any other Internet service either through their own cellular data plans through their smart -phones or other mobile devices, or provider “hotspots” .

The FCC investigation was launched in June, 2014, after it received informal complaints from consumers that they could not connect to the Internet at venues where Smart City was providing Wi-Fi and other communication services.

The investigation showed Smart City had automatically blocked consumers access from their own Wi-Fi networks at convention centers in Columbus, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; Orlando, Florida; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Phoenix, Arizona.

LeBlanc pointed out there was no evidence the blocking of Wi-Fi “hotspots” took place in response to any security threat to Smart City’s own network or the users of that network.

The Smart City enforcement action is the second major enforcement action over Wi-Fi blocking the FCC has undertaken. Last October it fined Marriott Hotel Services, Inc. and Marriott International, Inc. $600,000 for blocking Wi-Fi at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.

Experts say many providers receive complaints from consumers who can not access Wifi hotspots in airports, hotels etc where they should be able to, and put this down to intentional blocking from companies that provide paid for services.

Over 30,000 Firefighters Are Battling The Worst Forest Fires In U.S. History

Culture

More than 30,000 firefighters, the largest number ever mobilized, are battling wildfires across the western United States, but according to the U.S. Forest Service it is still not enough as continuing outbreaks overstretch available resources.

A Service spokesman said 200 members of the military are being added to the fight, as are Canadian firefighting forces, and there is a possibility that experienced firefighters from Australia and New Zealand will be flown in.

The fires are raging in five states- Idaho, California, Oregon, Montana and Washington, and so far 7.1 million acres of land has been burned out with another 1 million currently ablaze.

The spokesman said “This is the earliest the number of national acres burned has been more than 7 million in the past 20 years” and in intensity these are the worst wildfires seen in the past decade.

The United States is at Level 5 wildfire preparedness — the highest.

The spokesman said particularly worrying is developments in Idaho and Montana where 35 large fires are raging. Experts say the fires in these two States, and also in the Pacific Northwest, have been started by lightning strikes from rain -free thunderstorms.

Rob Allen, deputy incident commander said “Competition for resources right now is extremely tight. As of yesterday there was outstanding orders for crews of 160 crews. They’re still looking for, there are no more shower units, there are no more catering units. A lot of the stuff we rely on to come in and give us a hand is being used….The truth of the matter right now is that between Oregon, Washington, Northern California, Idaho got very busy, Nevada’s busy, Colorado’s busy, there’s just a real strain in all the resources we have right now”.

Two weeks ago the U.S Forest service warned that predicted fires would up 50 percent of its budget, but as predictions have proven to be understated, it is likely two thirds of the budget will disappear.

The Forest Service spokesman said $100 million per week was spent when the wildfire preparedness level was at 5.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “Fire seasons are growing longer, hotter, more unpredictable and more expensive every year, and there is no end in sight. Within just 10 years, two out of every three dollars the Forest Service gets from Congress will be spent on fire programs, which leaves much fewer resources for the very restoration projects that have been proven to reduce the risk of wildfire and improve forest health.”

He warned that “We are at a tipping point. Congress must change the way it pays for wildfires by providing a fiscally responsible way to treat catastrophic wildfires more like the natural disasters that they are, end fire transfers, partially replenish our capacity to restore resilient forests, and protect lives and property against future fires.”

South Carolina Civil War Reenactment Cancelled In Honor Of Charleston Shooting Victims

News

A South Carolina plantation has cancelled a civil war reenactment in the wake of the gruesome slaying of black parishioners in a Charleston church. The reenactment cancellation was announced by various news media in South Carolina and would mark a rare gap in the annual event.

Boone Hall Plantation from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, has announced it would not go on with their reenactment of the Battle of Secessionville. The reenactment was slated for November.

Marketing Director for the plantation said the reenactment came too close to the Emmanuel AME Church slayings. He said the move would accord the grieving families and the community enough time to heal.

In a statement on Tuesday, Benthall said, “It was a difficult decision as Boone Hall’s association with this event has been long standing, but one we made and think is best on behalf of Boone Hall and the Charleston community at this time.”

The June 17th slayings involved the shooting of nine black parishioners by 21-year-old Dylaan Roof. During a service dedicated to prayer at the Emmanuel AME Church, Roof killed nine parishioners, including state senator Clementa Pinckney and injured one person. Roof was arrested and confessed to shooting the deceased persons so as to ignite a race war.

Roof had posed for pictures with the confederate flag prior to the attack. In fact, in one picture, he was in a slave cabin located in Boone Hall.

President of the NAACP Charleston Branch Dot Scott welcomed the news of the cancellation saying it was appropriate in regard to the recent shootings.

Scott said, “We are grateful. We think that it’s appropriate in terms of not following through with the re-enactment, particularly in light of what we’ve been dealing with for the last couple of months.”

The battle of Secessionville was a historic battle fought in 1862 at James Island. It involved the Confederate forces fighting back a Union attempt to take control of Charleston.

The event’s chairman Randy Burbage said the November event would have marked the 25th anniversary of the battle. The three day event draws hundreds of persons from across the country. It is sponsored by the Confederate Heritage Trust Inc.

The Charleston shootings were one of the worst racial violence incidents in over a decade. The cancellation of the event marks an appropriate move to let the Charleston community grieve in peace and heal from the brutal slayings.