EFF – by Kerry Sheehan

No one should have to fear losing their internet connection because of unfounded accusations. But some rights holders want to use copyright law to force your Internet service provider (ISP) to cut off your access whenever they say so, and in a case the Washington Post called “the copyright case that should worry all Internet providers,” they’re hoping the courts will help them.   Continue reading “The Music Industry Shouldn’t Be Able To Cut Off Your Internet Access”

RT

A pipeline in North Dakota spilled over 176,000 gallons of oil before it was shut down, state officials say. The spill happened 150 miles from the Dakota Access pipeline protests, with thousands of people rallying against the construction for months.

The data initially came from the state’s Department of Health spokeswoman Jennifer Skjod.   Continue reading “176,000 gallons of oil spilled at North Dakota pipeline”

Courier Post – by Wayne Perry

ATLANTIC CITY – New Jersey gambling regulators have seized more than $69,000 in unclaimed jackpots won by gamblers at three casinos who couldn’t prove they were old enough to gamble legally, or who left the premises without cashing in.

The move by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement has a long reach: it included seizures from two casinos that are now closed, Trump Plaza and the Trump Taj Mahal, which accounted for most of the seized money. The third seizure came from the Tropicana.  Continue reading “NJ seizes $69K in unclaimed AC casino jackpots”

Mail.com

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Christmas gifts arrived at the International Space Station on Tuesday, courtesy of Japan. A Japanese cargo ship pulled up at the orbiting lab four days after launching. The capsule — called Kounotori, or white stork — contains nearly 5 tons of food, water, batteries and other supplies. NASA said there also are Christmas presents for the two Americans, three Russians and one Frenchman on board.

Commander Shane Kimbrough, an American, and France’s Thomas Pesquet used the robot arm to grab the capsule 250 miles above Chile. Flight controllers in Japan and Houston applauded — and some of the Japanese even bowed.   Continue reading “Christmas delivery at space station, courtesy of Japan”

Mail.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — A key Republican lawmaker wants to overhaul Social Security, the decades-old program that provides benefits to some 60 million retirees and disabled, with a plan to gradually increase the retirement age and slow the growth of benefits for higher-income workers.

Rep. Sam Johnson of Texas, the chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security, introduced legislation just before the end of the congressional session last week that he said would “permanently save” the program. He said the bill would increase benefits for lower-income workers.   Continue reading “Republican looks to overhaul Social Security”

Washington Post

President-elect Donald Trump has picked as his secretary of state Rex Tillerson, the chief executive of ExxonMobil, setting up a possible confrontation with members of his own party in the Senate, Trump’s transition team announced Tuesday.

Since Tillerson’s name emerged as a candidate for the post, leading Republicans have expressed reservations about his years of work in Russia and the Middle East on behalf of the multinational petroleum company.   Continue reading “Trump picks ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state”

Breitbart – by Charlie Spiering

Four-star Gen. John Kelly had a 45-year career in the Marines which included three tours in Iraq and leading the United States Southern Command before he retired in January 2016.

Kelly also served as the assistant commander of the 1st Marine Division under Gen. James Mattis during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Here are some quotes and facts about Donald Trump’s choice to head to lead the Department of Homeland Security.   Continue reading “Meet Gen. John Kelly, Donald Trump’s Pick for DHS Secretary”

The Daily Sheeple – by Lily Dane

A police officer at a Nevada school shot a student last week, and the details are horrific.

The student – 14-year old Logan Clark – was reportedly emotionally distressed, bleeding, and armed with a knife when he was shot in the chest by a campus cop at Hug High School in Reno.

Logan had been bullied and beaten and was trying to escape from a crowd of classmates who had gathered to capture video of an anticipated fight when the shooting occurred.   Continue reading “Boy Is Beaten And Bullied At School, Cop Responds By Shooting Him In The Chest”

The Daily Sheeple – by Melissa Dykes

The number used to be one in ten, but according to new data, one out of every six adult Americans is taking anti-depressants or some other type of psychiatric drugs now.

What that breaks down to is “Overall, 16.7 percent of 242 million U.S. adults reported filling one or more prescriptions for psychiatric drugs in 2013,” according to research published today in Journal of the American Medical Association’s JAMA Internal Medicine.   Continue reading “New Study: Now 1 in 6 American Adults Takes Anti-Depressants or Other Psych Drugs”

USA Today

President-elect Donald Trump will nominate former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to serve as secretary of Energy, according to reports by CBS News and NBC News.

The former GOP presidential hopeful beat out two contenders for the Cabinet post: Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat representing West Virginia, and Ray Washburne, a Dallas investor working in oil and gas operations, CBS News reported.   Continue reading “Rick Perry, who said he wants to scrap Energy Dept., may lead it”

The Conversation

Forensic science has become a mainstay of many a TV drama, and it’s just as important in real-life criminal trials. Drawing on biology, chemistry, genetics, medicine and psychology, forensic evidence helps answer questions in the legal system. Often, forensics provides the “smoking gun” that links a perpetrator to the crime and ultimately puts the bad guy in jail.

Shows like “CSI,” “Forensic Files” and “NCIS” cause viewers to be more accepting of forensic evidence. As it’s risen to ubiquitous celebrity status, forensic science has become shrouded in a cloak of infallibility and certainty in the public’s imagination. It seems to provide definitive answers. Forensics feels scientific and impartial as a courtroom weighs a defendant’s possible guilt – looking for proof beyond a reasonable doubt.   Continue reading “Forensic evidence largely not supported by sound science – now what?”

Extreme Tech – by Joel Hruska

It’s late in the year, which means, inevitably, it’s time to play a game of “How much are cable companies jacking up prices?” This year the early award goes to Comcast, who is raising its Broadcast TV fee from $5 to $7 per month, while its Regional Sports Network fee is rising from $3 to $5 per month. That works out to an extra $48 per year and comes on top of an additional 3.8% rate increase for broadcast TV and Internet service.   Continue reading “Comcast cable costs jump $48 per year, thanks to increased fees”

The Daily Caller – by Kerry Picket

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to pass a bill Thursday that critics say could open a Pandora’s Box to government tracking of Americans.

H.R. 4919, which passed 346 to 66 in the lower chamber, also known as Kevin and Avonte’s Law, mandates the U.S. attorney general award grants to law enforcement officials so that those agencies can create, establish and operate “locative tracking technology programs.”   Continue reading “Human Tracking Bill Passes House”

Epoch Times

PARIS—French police say they are hunting for four men suspected of stealing gold dust worth an estimated 1.5 million euros from an armored truck Monday before setting cars ablaze near a major highway and fleeing.

The suspects, operating in multiple cars, surrounded the armored truck and forced it off the A6 highway between Paris and Lyon, a national gendarme service spokesman and a judicial official said.   Continue reading “Big Gold Theft From Armored Truck in France; 4 on the Run”

Telegraph – by Alan Tovey

Increased fears about global stability and the rise of new military powers is driving a return to steady growth in worldwide defence spending.

A new analysis of arms spending from Jane’s Defence Budgets report found that outlays on weapons, equipment rose 1pc in 2016, to a global total of $1.57 trillion.   Continue reading “$1,570,000,000,000: how much the world spent on arms this year”

Conservative Daily Post – by Martin Walsh

We are living in a country that treats Syrian refugees better than our veterans. That is the America that Obama has created.

Under Obama, the Veterans Affairs (VA) has been one of the most mismanaged government entities since 2008. In fact, it has gotten so bad that Obama should be charged with treason for how poorly and disgustingly he has treated our men and women in uniform.   Continue reading “Congress Releases Final Report, Shows Obama Took $2.6b From Vets To Give To Syrian Refugees”

Brought up by Mike in AZ.

New York Post – by Jacob Sullum

Last week, the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2016, a k a S. 10, was introduced in the Senate, read three times, and approved by unanimous consent without debate or amendment — all on one day. That sort of bipartisan consensus, which suggests a bill is so obviously unobjectionable that no discussion is necessary, usually means trouble, and this case is no exception.   Continue reading “Congress’ rotten idea for fighting anti-Semitism”