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Monday, November 24, 2014

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Học Để Thi

Giuliani: 'White Police Officers Won't Be There' If Blacks 'Weren't Killing Each Other' (VIDEO)

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:48 PM PST

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) got into a heated argument about race and crime with Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson during a discussion on Ferguson, Mo.
"But the fact is, I find it very disappointing that you're not discussing the fact that 93 percent of blacks in America are killed by other blacks. We're talking about the exception here," Giuliani said on NBC's "Meet the Press" while discussing whether police forces reflect the demographics of the communities they serve.
Dyson called this a "false equivalency."
"Can I say this, first of all, no black people who commit crimes against other black people go to jail. Number two, they are not sworn by the police department as a agent of the state to uphold the law," he said. "So in both cases, that's a false equivalency that the mayor has drawn, which is exacerbated tensions that are deeply imbedded in American culture."
Later in the argument Giuliani argued that while police officers are only present in certain communities because black people are committing crimes.
"It is the reason for the heavy police presence in the black community," he said. "White police officers won't be there if you weren't killing each other 70 percent of the time."
Dyson shot back at Giuliani and said, "this is a defense mechanism of white supremacy at work in your mind."
Watch the clip via NBC:

H/t Washington Post

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Nevada GOPer Resigns As Speaker Over Controversial Columns On Race

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:43 PM PST

The incoming elected Speaker of the Nevada Assembly Ira Hansen (R) said on Sunday that he would resign from his leadership position following a controversy surrounding columns he wrote about race, gender and other topics.
"For the greater good of the State of Nevada and the cause I support it is necessary for me to withdraw as Speaker Designee," Hansen said in a statement obtained by Nevada reporter Jon Ralston. "The tens of thousands of people who both read my columns and listened to my radio shows through two decades in the media know this has been a carefully orchestrated attack to remove a conservative Republican from a major leadership role in State government. The deliberate character assassination and the politics of personal destruction have totally distorted my views and record."
On Thursday, the Reno News & Review highlighted a few shocking columns Hansen wrote. In one column, he said that the "relationship of Negroes and Democrats is truly a master-slave relationship, with the benevolent master knowing what's best for his simple minded darkies."
Hansen on Sunday called the controversy over the columns a political attack.
"Ultimately, this whole attack has very little to do with my views. The powers that be are planning a massive, more than one billion dollar, tax increase and I stood in the way as Speaker," he said in his statement. "I have already served two terms as an Assemblyman without any of these vicious attacks. It was only when I had risen to leadership that this smear campaign occurred. That is the real reason for this and it is vital the public understands that."
H/t Huffington Post

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Obama Honors The Late Marion Barry

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:42 PM PST

President Obama expressed his condolences to the family of Marion Barry, the former mayor of Washington, D.C., who passed away Sunday.
The president said he was sad to hear that Barry had died and honored the former mayor for his commitment to civil rights and the poor.
"Marion was born a sharecropper's son, came of age during the Civil Rights movement, and became a fixture in D.C. politics for decades. As a leader with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Marion helped advance the cause of civil rights for all. During his decades in elected office in D.C., he put in place historic programs to lift working people out of poverty, expand opportunity, and begin to make real the promise of home rule," Obama said in a Sunday statement.
"Through a storied, at times tumultuous life and career, he earned the love and respect of countless Washingtonians, and Michelle and I extend our deepest sympathies to Marion's family, friends and constituents today."

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Why Voter Turnout In Oregon Is Incredibly High

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:41 PM PST

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — It's nearly as certain as Oregon's rainy season. When there's an election, voters in the state respond with an enthusiasm that's rare in most other places in America.
They did it again this year.
Average voter turnout across the country was horrible during this year's midterms: about a third of those eligible to cast ballots did so, according to an Associated Press tabulation of preliminary data from local officials and state election authorities. That's the lowest turnout in at least five decades.
But turnout surpassed 50 percent in a handful of states: Maine, Wisconsin, Colorado, Alaska, Minnesota and Oregon. During each election over the past 10 years, these states have often been among the top performers.
Trying to explain the phenomenon can be elusive. Each state is different — some lean Republican, some lean Democrat, for example — and experts say there's no precise equation that results in higher voter turnout. A few things, though, tie Oregon to its fellow high voter turnout states: A century-old tradition of civic-mindedness that dates to the Progressive Era, convenient voting procedures and especially contentious races or ballot issues.
"There is something about our civic culture in this state that rewards civic participation of all kinds," said Minnesota's recently elected secretary of state, Steve Simon. "We are doers and joiners and voters in Minnesota."
The states with consistently high turnout tend to make it easy to cast ballots. Maine, Minnesota and Wisconsin allow voters to register on Election Day. Colorado, Oregon and Washington state hold elections exclusively by mail. Washington often has high turnout but was closer to the middle of the pack this year at 41 percent.
Though experts say convenience alone doesn't necessarily mean higher turnout, in Oregon, residents like voting by mail. Ballots are sent by mail to registered voters three weeks before the election, and voters can take time making their election choices. Filling in ballots at the dining room table has become an Oregon tradition.
An especially contentious race or ballot issue also drives voters to weigh in, and this year, several of the top voter-turnout states had closely watched races.
Wisconsin has long been a battleground state in presidential elections, and most recently, it's had a string of hotly contested campaigns following Republican Gov. Scott Walker's push to weaken bargaining rights for public employee unions.
"People see their votes as making a difference," said Kevin Kennedy, Wisconsin's chief elections official. "The fact that it's had a very sharp partisan divide the past few years probably focuses to engage voters."
Maine's turnout this month was boosted by contested races for governor and U.S. House, Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said. And it also got a bruin boost. A ballot question that sought to ban the use of dogs, bait and traps to hunt bears drew out residents in rural parts of the state in large numbers to vote it down.
Oregon voters also turned out in droves to vote on a ballot measure asking whether they wanted to legalize recreational marijuana. It drew 40,000 more votes than the hotly contested race for governor.
It was nothing new. Oregon has a long history of contentious ballot-measure fights over taxes, property rights, crime, abortion and a host of other topics. They have been used to enact many a law that has given Oregon a reputation for having no fear of going its own way, such as a statute allowing terminally ill people to hasten their lives through the use of doctor-provided medication.
The fervor for ballot measures and the enthusiasm for voting is a legacy of the state's embrace of the Progressive movement in the early 20th century, which was also active in other states with high voter turnout, said Jim Moore, director of the Tom McCall Center for Policy Innovation at Pacific University outside Portland.
Oregon was among the first states to let women own businesses and keep their money. The state allowed women to vote before the 19th Amendment extended the right nationwide. And it gave citizens the ability to go around their elected leaders and take a direct role in making laws.
"It was putting power in the hands of the voters, and it's basically continued over the last 100 years," Moore said.
___
Associated Press senior research coordinator Cliff Maceda in New York City, AP writers Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washington; Kyle Potter in St. Paul, Minnesota; and Alanna Durkin in Augusta, Maine, contributed.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Flake To GOP: 'We Ought To Move Beyond' Benghazi

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:40 PM PST

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) on Sunday said that he thinks the GOP needs to move on from the Benghazi scandal.
On NBC's "Meet the Press," host Chuck Todd asked Flake if it was time for Republicans to stop harping on the Benghazi attack now that the House Intelligence Committee found there was no wrongdoing on the part of the Obama administration.
"Well, I've always thought the biggest problem with Benghazi is how it was cast by the administration and the remarks that Susan Rice just really threw in the face of what we knew was going on," Flake responded. "But with regard to the other things that were addressed by this report, well, yes, I thought for a long time that we ought to move beyond that."

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Lindsey Graham Won't Accept New Benghazi Report: It's 'Full Of Crap'

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:39 PM PST

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Sunday refused to accept that the new House Benghazi reportcleared the Obama administration of any wrongdoing in its response to the Benghazi attack.
"I think the report is full of crap," Graham said on CNN's "State of the Union."
The senator insisted that members of the administration altered the Benghazi talking points after the attack.
"I'm saying that anybody who has followed Benghazi at all knows that the CIA deputy director did not come forward to tell Congress what role he played in changing the talking points," he said. "And the only way we knew he was involved is when he told a representative at the White House, I'm going to do a hard review of this, a hard rewrite."
CNN host Gloria Borger then told Graham that the House report concludes that the administration received bad information at first and did not lie.
"That's a bunch of garbage," Graham shot back. "That's a complete bunch of garbage."

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Drone Beat: 500 strikes in 12 years, an animated history and more

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:37 PM PST

The U.S. government uses them to bomb alleged terrorists in far-away places. Tech companies like Amazon, Google and Facebook are all toying with the idea of using them, and now they're a photographer's secret weapon. Drones are a big part of our lives, whether we see them or not. Drone Beat collects the best and most important stories every week.
If you want even more on Drones, subscribe to the Center for the Study of the Drone Weekly Roundup, which features news, commentary, analysis and updates on drone technology.

Drone Beat's coverage areas this week

Last update: Friday, 5:15 p.m. ET

U.S. launches 500th drone strike

On November 3, 2002, the CIA killed six suspected Al Qaeda militants in Yemen in the first ever American drone strike, an extraordinary occurrence at the time. A little bit over 12 years later, the number of strikes has grown to 500 this week, according to an estimate by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), and at this point we see drone strikes as totally normal.
"It is easy to forget that this tactic, envisioned to be rare and used exclusively for senior Al Qaeda leaders 13 years ago, has become a completely accepted and routine foreign policy activity," Micah Zenko, a fellow at CFR, wrote in a post.

The number is an estimate because the U.S. government does not release details of all its targeted killings conducted by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), but independent organizations have been keeping a tally of them based on news and on-the-ground reports.

The history of drones in a beautiful, animated form

Have you ever wondered where drones come from? The flying robots have enjoyed a crazy amount of popularity in the last couple of years, but they actually go way, way, back. Anyway, it's a long story, and it involves the World War, Marilyn Monroe and the CIA. To know the full history, just check out our animated video.

Oh, and since you're here, check out our interactive infographic on some of the most iconic drones out there. And if that's not enough, worry not, we also had a Google Hangout with two experts to talk about the future of drones. In the Hangout, we're joined by Arthur Holland Michel, the founder and co-director of the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College, and Peter W. Singer, New America Foundation's strategist and senior fellow, and award-winning author of 2009's Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century.

Drunk man tackles drone

An apparently drunk man wasn't very happy to see a drone film an open-air cumbia concert in Peru. As soon as he saw it, the man tracked it down and ended up swatting it out of the sky.
Check out the athletic tackle in the video below, spotted by Arthur Holland Michel at Motherboard.

UK shoppers can't get enough drones for the holiday season

The holidays are approaching and it looks like a flying robot is the perfect gift in the UK, so much that they're "flying off the shelves," as Mash reported this week.
The prospect of having thousands of new drone owners after Christmas has some concerned, though. The Civil Aviation Authority has produced a leaflet to inform new owners of the relevant regulations they need to be aware of, relating to both privacy and flight safety. And the UK's Information Commissioner's Office released new guidance for people operating drones just last week.

Court rules drones are just like any other aircraft

In what has been seen as a big victory for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board ruled this week that drones are just like any other aircraft, and thus, the FAA has authority to regulate them and fine pilots for operating them recklessly.
The ruling came in the case of Raphael Pirker, also known as "Trappy," who was fined $10,000 for a "reckless flight" in 2011, when he allegedly flew his drone "directly towards an individual standing on a ... sidewalk" while filming a video for the University of Virginia. The case will now go back to a judge that will have to decide whether the fine stands in light of this ruling.

Topless sunbathing woman captured by drone, ends up on real-estate billboard

This is pretty much the most illustrative privacy nightmare scenario a drone critic could ever think of.
A woman was sunbathing topless in Australia when a drone snapped a picture of her neighbor's property. The picture, unfortunately, also captured the woman, and her half-naked image ended up on a billboard advertising the sale of the house.

The real estate agency ended up removing the sign, but the woman wasn't very happy about it.
"It's in the real estate magazine, it's on the Internet and on the board and I'm really embarrassed," Mandy Lingard said.

Some Americans are building military-style command and control centers

Robert Estes, a man from Southaven, Mississippi, has built a full-fledged mobile command and control center in a trailer, from which he can launch and control multiple drones — kind of like the military does.
Apparently, he's not the only one to have created something like this, asMotherboard reported last week.
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Taylor Swift is Lorde's biggest fan, again

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:34 PM PST

Lorde performs at the 2014 American Music Awards on Nov. 23 in Los Angeles.
Nothing says BFFs 4 eva n eva more than fangirling over your your besties' American Music Awards' performance, amirite?
During Lorde's head-banging AMA performance of "Yellow Flicker Beat," from the Hunger Games soundtrack, Taylor Swift perfectly played the part of best friend.

While Lorde was doing her usual exorcism-meets-dancing thing on stage Sunday — bonus points for smearing her lipstick off her face — Taylor was busy losing her marbles over the 17-year-old's performance.
Don't get us wrong, Lorde's royal on her own, but there's something that just works about Lorde & Taylor (**bows for joke creativity**).

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Teeny pygmy marmoset can't get enough of toothbrush massage

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:31 PM PST


Oh, what we would give to be this baby pygmy marmoset enjoying a light toothbrush head massage.
Ninita is a tiny orphaned monkey who lives at the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation. Born deaf and abandoned by her parents, the pygmy marmoset was hand-reared by the staff at the RSCF, and now happily lives in an enclosure with her "handsome boyfriend." She is notably fond of climbing, eating and of course, toothbrush massages.

The pygmy marmoset is the smallest true monkey, and is indigenous to the rainforests of the Upper Amazon basin of South America. The species is not currently endangered, though it is listed as a species of special concern. The pet trade and human encroachment on its habitat have contributed to growing concern over their well-being.
See more of Ninita's day-to-day life, and find out how you can help protect pygmy marmosets in the following clip:



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This is the most insane touchdown catch of the season

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:22 PM PST

Odell Beckham Jr. makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown.
Odell Beckham Jr. may be an NFL rookie, but the Giants wide receiver has already scored the most impressive touchdown of the season (or maybe beyond) with this one-handed grab Sunday night:

Not only did Beckham make the acrobatic catch, but Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr was called for pass interference on the play. Let's take a look at that again:
Yeah, he was practicing for it.

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NFL finally announces Katy Perry as next Super Bowl halftime performer

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:17 PM PST


Katy Perry, as long rumored, will headline the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show on Feb. 1, 2015, following in the recent footsteps of Bruno Mars, Beyoncé and Madonna.
The NFL announced the news Sunday night on NBC, confirming that all eyes will be on Perry during the big showdown at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Her setlist and guest performers will undoubtedly remain under wraps until closer to game day, but having attended a Perry concert in October, anticipate a wild medley filled with fireworks during empowering hit "Firework," elaborate outfits on her and her dancers (maybe cat onesies), stages that rise up, high-flying stunts, and possibly animals during "Roar."
Last year, Bruno Mars had the most-watched half-time show ever with115.3 million viewers, beating out Beyonce's 2013 halftime show, which attracted 110.5 million viewers.
With her massive following — Perry is the most-followed Twitter user in the world with more than 60 million followers — she'll likely attract significant viewership. Additionally, she has 76 million fans on Facebook. Don't think for a second that the NFL didn't consider this.
Pepsi, the halftime show's sponsor, unveiled its first two Katy Perry-themed commercials (above and below) after Bob Costas announced her involvement Sunday.

The 30-year-old singer is known for turning her live sets into costly spectacles (see examples, below). Here are our predictions for her Super Bowl guest performers:


The 30-year-old singer is known for turning her live sets into costly spectacles (see examples, below). Here are our predictions for her Super Bowl guest performers:

  • 1. Ferras

    Why? Ferras is the first musician Katy Perry signed when she launched her record label, Metamorphosis, in June. They have a duet on his self-titled EP called "Legends Never Die."
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, FERRAS

  • 2. Kacey Musgraves

    Why? Country singer Kacey Musgraves and Katy Perry teamed up for CMT Crossroads, where the duo sang each other's songs like Perry's "Roar" and "Firework."
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, CLEVVER MUSIC

  • 3. Juicy J

    Why? Juicy J is featured on on Katy Perry's "Dark Horse," which won Best Video at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, CHUNG KEV

  • 4. Rihanna

    Why? Rihanna is one of Katy Perry's celebrity friends. A surprise appearance from Rihanna would be a big jab at the NFL, who in September were embroiled in a beef with Rihanna over using her song "Run This Town" in an ad.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, ARRIBAFTV

  • 5. and 6. Sara Bareilles AND Tegan and Sara

    Why? Despite drama over comparisons between Katy Perry's "Roar" and Sara Bareilles' "Brave," the two have shared the stage to perform "Roar." Meanwhile, Tegan and Sara, who also joined Perry and Bareilles for the "Roar" performance, have been the openers for some of Perry's Prismatic World Tour stops.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, WARNER BROS. RECORDS

  • 7. Riff Raff

    Why? Riff Raff was Katy Perry's date to the MTV Video Music Awards in August. They could advance their friendship into a duet at the Super Bowl, hopefully sans their all-denim outfits.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, JODYHIGHROLLER

  • 8. Taylor Swift

    Why? What better way for Taylor Swift and Katy Perry to end their public feud than to join hands at the world's biggest music event at the Super Bowl. They could perform Swift's "Bad Blood" as a mashup with one of Perry's tunes.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE

  • 9. Jodi DiPiazza

    Why? Remember when Katy Perry performed with Jodi DiPiazza, a girl with autism, in 2012 during Comedy Central's "Night of Too Many Stars"? How beautiful would it be if they reprised their performance at the Super Bowl? We can dream.
  • Here are a few performances to give you a glimpse of what she and her team are capable of producing, which you might see during next year's halftime show:
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Everything you missed at the 2014 American Music Awards

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:11 PM PST

And thus ends another enthralling installment of the American Music Awards.
Sunday's AMAs was basically a three-hour long showcase of what music has to offer today — lots of butt shaking. Dozens of artists, from Jennifer Lopez to Lorde to Imagine Dragons performed (or should we say theyauditioned to perform at the Grammys).
One Direction and Iggy Azalea picked up a few awards, the Kardashians spoke and Pitbull made a chuckle-worthy joke or two. Oh, and Taylor Swift won the night, because what isn't she winning these days?
Take a look at everything that went down, so you have something to talk to your 12-year-old niece about at Thanksgiving.

  • Taylor Swift had a fiery performance.

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  • Why so serious Charli XCX?

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  • People awkwardly danced to Imagine Dragons.

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  • The teleprompter apparently broke.

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  • Even Pitbull had some trouble.

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  • Iggy Azalea tried out some new moves.

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  • Taylor Swift loved Lorde's performance.

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  • Selena Gomez got emotional over Justin Bieber.

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  • And so did Taylor Swift.

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  • One Direction maintained excellent eye contact.

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  • Lil Wayne and Christina Milian's performance was meh.

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  • Taylor Swift received the first Dick Clark Award for Excellence from Diana Ross.

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  • Fergie had an awkward wardrobe malfunction.

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  • Khloe Kardashian slapped Jessie J's butt.

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  • Then everyone got down.

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  • Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea butt cuddled.

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10 travel destinations Australians will flock to in 2015

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:08 PM PST

Otto Beach, Nicaragua.
Australians are obsessed with travel and these days it is rare to meet anyone who has not left the country for a sneaky trip.
In the financial year ending June 2014, more than 9 million Australians travelled abroad, with another 383,000 planning on starting a new life elsewhere, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics information.
Australians get a bad rap for causing havoc as backpackers across the world with their boozing culture and good-time attitude. From the mid-20s sabbatical to London to a gap year on the slopes at Banff, Aussies swarm the hostels of the world like mosquitoes.
But according to a new analysis by Skyscanner, The Future Laboratory and Trendhunter, next year Australians are going to break free of the mould and push into new destinations. Soon, there will be nowhere to escape the Aussie drawl.
Here are the top 10 destinations it is predicted Australians will be flying to in 2015.

1. Myanmar

In good news, the prediction shows that Aussies are finally hanging up the Bintang singlet and taking out the braids as they move away from the typical choice of Bali and venture further afield in the Asia Pacific region.
Skyscanner's data shows the hottest destinations next year in the region will be Myanmar, the country isolated for half a century, which had a massive 59% search increase.

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Myanmar.
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

2. Mykonos

The only European destination to make the list, it would seem Australians are over the culture continent. Mykonos is not so much known for its culture, as it is known for its party vibe. The island received an increase of 8% in flight searches from Australia — and with celebs such as Ronaldo, Naomi Campbell and Lindsay Lohan flocking there, it is easy to see the appeal of the new Ibiza.

mykonos

Mykonos.

3. Iceland

In an interesting show of television influencing real life, Australians have been frantically looking up flights to Iceland off the back of it being the setting for multiple Game of Thrones episodes. Iceland had a 32% growth in searches from Australia.

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Iceland.
IMAGE: FLICKR, MOYAN BRENN

4. Brazil

Europe is being shoved to the side for Central America, which could be due to easier accessibility to the intriguing continent since Qantas launched flights to Santiago in 2012, and the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana are winning the Aussies over. Brazil saw a 45% search increase from Australians wanting to drink Caipirinhas and Samba the night away.

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Brazil.
IMAGE: FLICKR, BOSSA07

5. Panama

The Aussie sense of adventure also means we are hunting down the next off-the-beaten-track destination, and Central and South America fit this bill.Skycanner's 2015 predictions see three countries in Central and South America hit the top ten list, including Panama, which makes the list with a 10% increase in search.
With the global obsession with coffee leading directly here and the country's improving infrastructure, this Central American country is finally on the map.

Panama

Panama.
IMAGE: FLICKR, MARC VERAART

6. New Caledonia

In the mid-2000s this tiny, remote island archipelago, off the east coast of Australia enjoyed a heyday as a cheap-and cheerful package destination for the same Aussie tourists that no doubt moved on to Bali not long after. New Caledonia is making a comeback, with the French colony becoming a hotspot with the wealthy looking for eco-tourism.

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Païta, New Caledonia.
IMAGE: FLICKR, BREWBOOKS

7. Seoul, South Korea

The Korean Wave has hit Australia. It started with Gangnam Style and it has ended with 10% more Aussies booking flights to check out the K-Pop stars on offer. Seoul is seeing its popularity soar as a tourist magnet for Australians.

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Seoul.
IMAGE: FLICKR, JOSH HALLETT

8. Colombo, Sri Lanka

Australians are following the global trend by paying attention to this new hot spot. Colombo had a 19% search increase, following a global increase of 25%. With Sri Lanka's first film festival in 2014, ongoing restoration of its colonial architecture, a variety of new hotel openings and casinos planned, it is predicted that Colombo's appeal is set to soar in 2015.

sri lanka

Colombo, Sri Lanka.
IMAGE: ISHARA S.KODIKARA / GETTY IMAGES

9. Nicaragua

Shaking off its reputation for political strife, Nicaragua is giving Brazil a run for its money, with flight searches up 48%.

nicaragua

Nicaragua.
IMAGE: FLICKR, INGA

10. Okinawa, Japan

Tokyo isn't drawing the visitors to Japan, it is Okinawa, a chain of sub-tropical islands stretching 1,000 km across the South China Sea. The area, once a paradise reserved for locals, has seen an influx of search traffic — with a 26% increase.

okinawa

Okinawa, Japan.
IMAGE: FLICKR, DOCTOR HO

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Google to launch Time Square's largest interactive billboard ever

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:03 PM PST

There is only one Times Square, New York, the place where the world rings in the new year, and now Google is set to take over the largest electronic billboard ever installed on the iconic, neon-laced strip.
The billboard, which covers an entire city block, is powered by a Mitsubishi Electric large-scale display (the Diamond Vision AVL-ODT10) that delivers a pixel density of 2,368 x 10,048, exceeding 4K display resolution by 15 million pixels.
Located at 1535 Broadway, between 45th and 46th streets, about a mile and a half from Google's New York headquarters, the record-setting billboard measures 77.69 feet by 329.65 feet.This is the largest billboard on Broadway ever," a Clear Channel spokesperson told Mash. "[And] the largest digital billboard in North America."

Set to go live on Monday, the billboard will feature an interactive Android game that the public can play (until Tuesday at 9 p.m.) as well as the opportunity to get their custom Androidify characters, created on site, made into t-shirts and postcards.

In addition to showcasing its own products, Google will also donate screen time to non-profits like Charity Water and the WWF (World Wide Fund).
Clear Channel billboard

Neither Google nor the companies in charge of the display, Clear Channel Spectacolor and Vornado Realty Trust, have disclosed the amount the search giant paid for the massive advertising space but, according to Ad Age, average billboard rates in Times Square can range as high as $4 million per year.
Snapped up by the company to, in part, help boost its upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions, Google will have exclusive rights to the giant-sized interactive display until January 31.

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10 successful magazines you've probably never heard of

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 11:02 PM PST

You've heard of Esquire, Marie Claire and Vogue, magazines with thousands of readers and subscribers.
But you may not know that there are smaller publications out there that are also sustaining themselves.
Here are some publications that have probably flown under your radar.

1. Portable Restroom Operator

Yes, there is an entire publication that discusses industry issues related to porta-potties.
Since 2004, PRO has delivered up-to-date information on news, trends, products and services to everyone who rents or installs portable restrooms and sanitation systems.
The November 2014 issue includes a preview of next year's industry trade show, provides tips on how to please users with special amenities such as gender-specific portable restrooms and profiles a successful fourth-generation sanitation professional in southeastern Minnesota. A compact hose reel, portable vacuum system and 12-volt washdown pump are just a few of the products mentioned.
Portable Restroom Operator

2. Girls and Corpses

It's the only publication in the world (that we know of) that combines comedy and cadavers. Founded by Deaditor-in-Chief Robert Steven Rhine, the magazine describes itself as a mash-up between Maxim andDawn of the Dead. It caters to fans of music, comics and attractive women, releasing 33,000 issues on a quarterly basis to its readers and subscribers.
Those of you concerned about the dead bodies can rest assured that using them is completely legal. All of the corpses are borrowed — primarily from Guam, South America and Eastern China — and treated with Coca-Cola, fructose, limestone powder and Spray 'N Wash before replacing their insides with plastic. After the photo shoots, the corpses are returned and used for medical research or other commercial pursuits.
Stars who have graced the cover of the magazine include former Teen Mom Farrah Abraham and reality TV star Courtney Stodden, fiancée of actor Doug Hutchison.
Girls and corpses

The magazine's fifth print issue.

3. Private Islands Magazine

If you have to ask how much the private island costs, you probably can't afford it.
Twice a year, Private Islands Magazine publishes an issue with at least112 pages and gives a celebrity guest editor the chance to add his or her insight into the benefits of purchasing or renting your very own island.
If only we all had the option of claiming the Caribbean's Calivigny Island (available for $24,763 per night) or Canada's Reef Island ($8,723,947) as home sweet home.
Private Islands Magazine

4. The Mountain Astrologer

TMA covers everything you ever wanted to know about astrology and can be found in more than 2000 locations across the world.
Six times a year, the magazine releases new forecasts, feature stories and astrological data for students and industry professionals.
As of 2012, TMA had 7,780 print subscribers. 

Mountain Astrologer

IMAGE: THE MOUNTAIN ASTROLOGER

5. Modern Farmer


One of the newest print magazines, Modern Farmer has quickly become a success. Earlier this year, it beat out household names GQ, Vanity Fairand New York Magazine to win the National Magazine Award. 


As its title suggests, the quarterly magazine's articles are written for anyone interested in the movement towards greater awareness about how food is produced. 

Modern Farmer


IMAGE: MODERN FARMER


6. Tropical Fish Hobbyist


Tropical fish lovers have turned to TFH for more than 60 years. For these readers, aquariums aren't meant to be visited every few years — they're part of their daily lives. 

The magazine compiles news and information for hobbyists across the globe at all experience levels. Article topics include common mistakes made by new aquarists and tips on how to breed killfish and introduce fish to aquariums.
Tropical Fish Hobbyist

7. Miniature Donkey Talk

Donkey experts Bonnie and Mike Gross launched this publication nearly 25 years ago, originally as a three-page newsletter.
The quarterly magazine is the go-to publication about caring for miniature donkeys, choosing the appropriate type of hay and finding all the products that meet the needs of owners.
Over time, the Gross family has thinned its herd. At one point it owned 85 miniature donkeys, but recently brought that number down to 15.
Miniature Donkey Talk
IMAGE: MINIATURE DONKEY TALK

8. Teddy Bear & Friends

This magazine is for anyone who's deeply invested in stuffed animals and serves as a comprehensive resource filled with teddy bears from different artists, detailed advice for collectors and a glance at how specific teddy bears are created.
Two years ago, the publication merged with the Teddy Bear Review, allowing the partners to enjoy a larger readership and giving readers content six times a year rather than four.
Teddy Bear & Friends

9. Pen World

Covering the "universe of writing culture," Pen World has been around for more than two decades, for those who produce — and use — the best inks and writing utensils.
With a worldwide audience that has reached over 100,000, there are plenty of folks who can't get enough of their fine pens.
Pen World Magazine

IMAGE: FLICKR, PEN WORLD

10. Leather Crafters & Saddlers Journal

Most people have something made of leather, be it a purse, jacket, gloves or pair of boots. Yet, not everyone can create or design leather materials.
Listed as a consumer magazine in the 2014 Writer's Market, it offers the latest news and explains how to craft your own boots, saddle and shoes.
There's even a handy 21 x 31 inch pattern in every issue, ready to be used for leatherwork.
Leather Crafters & Saddlers Journal



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AMAs winners list: One Direction, Iggy Azalea and Katy Perry dominate

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 10:56 PM PST

Iggy Azalea and Jennifer Lopez perform at the American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Nov. 23 in Los Angeles.
The men of One Direction snagged the biggest honor at Sunday's fan-voted American Music Awards, winning Artist of the Year over Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Iggy Azalea and Luke Bryan.
Taylor Swift opened the night with a fiery performance of "Blank Space." Pitbull poked fun at her commercial success: "In four minutes onstage, she sold another 68 million albums."
Iggy Azalea dominated the rap/hip-hop categories and then closed the festivities by joining Jennifer Lopez onstage for their "Booty" remix.
Here's everything you missed in GIFs, plus the list of winners below the gallery.
  • Bjqyq5i

    Taylor Swift had a fiery performance.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Ocjs8rv

    Why so serious Charli XCX?

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Yxuup61

    People awkwardly danced to Imagine Dragons.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Mwgljkb

    The teleprompter apparently broke.

  • Bfierj0

    Even Pitbull had some trouble.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Ih8eb2i

    Iggy Azalea tried out some new moves.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC

  • Taylor Swift loved Lorde's performance.

    IMAGE: COURTESY OF ABC
  • 6e3lsuk

    Selena Gomez got emotional over Justin Bieber.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Nhresva

    And so did Taylor Swift.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Lsykrqe

    One Direction maintained excellent eye contact.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • 5z3usxz

    Lil Wayne and Christina Milian's performance was meh.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Jkstvg3

    Taylor Swift received the first Dick Clark Award for Excellence from Diana Ross.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Yufjasf

    Fergie had an awkward wardrobe malfunction.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Qai7tl2

    Khloe Kardashian slapped Jessie J's butt.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Kfmxy3l

    Then everyone got down.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Xzn83bp

    Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea butt cuddled.

    IMAGE: IMGUR, COURTESY OF ABC
  • Artist of the year: One Direction
  • New artist of the year: 5 Seconds of Summer
  • Single of the year: Katy Perry feat. Juicy J — "Dark Horse"
  • Pop/rock female artist: Katy Perry
  • Pop/rock male artist: Sam Smith
  • Pop/rock band, duo or group: One Direction
  • Pop/rock album: One Direction — Midnight Melodies
  • Country female artist: Carrie Underwood
  • Country male artist: Luke Bryan
  • Country band, duo or group: Florida Georgia Line
  • Country album: Brantley Gilbert — Just As I Am
  • Rap/hip-hop artist: Iggy Azalea
  • Rap/hip-hop album: Iggy Azalea — The New Classic
  • Soul/R&B female artist: Beyoncé
  • Soul/R&B male artist: John Legend
  • Soul/R&B album: Beyoncé — Beyoncé
  • Latin artist: Enrique Iglesias
  • Alternative rock: Imagine Dragons
  • Adult contemporary: Katy Perry
  • Contemporary inspirational: Casting Crowns
  • Electronic dance music: Calvin Harris
  • Soundtrack: Frozen

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Tensions mount as Ferguson awaits grand jury decision

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 04:49 PM PST

Police warn protesters to stay out of the street or face arrest during a demonstration outside the Ferguson Police Department on Nov. 23, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri.
Tensions ran high over the weekend, as residents in Ferguson, Missouri, await word on whether a grand jury will indict police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown.
Anticipating large-scale demonstrations, authorities set up barricades around the Buzz Westfall Justice Center in Clayton, Missouri, where the grand jury has been meeting. Meanwhile, protesters gathered outside the Ferguson police station.
On Saturday night, police in Ferguson cautioned protesters not to enter the street and disrupt traffic, but some disregarded the warning, and blocked several cars. Officers ended up arresting two people, according to St. Louis County Police spokesperson Brian Schellman.
Police arrested Trey Yingst, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist, according to reports. Yingst became the 23rd journalist to be arrested in Ferguson since August when protests first erupted following Brown's death, according to a tally by the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
Yingst was released a few hours later.
Meanwhile, CNN reported on Sunday that several television anchors, including NBC's Matt Lauer, ABC's George Stephanopoulos, CBS' Scott Pelley and CNN's Anderson Cooper have secretly met with Wilson to try to convince him to grant them an interview. Wilson hasn't been seen in public since Aug. 9, when he shot and killed Brown.
Cooper and Don Lemon, also from CNN, confirmed the report on Twitter.

As CNN reporter Brian Stelter noted, these meetings are a customary part of booking a guest on television — a fact that both Cooper and Lemon also underscored.


But as Erik Wemple explained in a Washington Post piece, while courting Wilson is okay, the fact that the meetings were kept secret is probably not, and the anchors should have disclosed that.
"What the television networks have done here is to bind themselves to a more restrictive, more censorious version of 'off the record,'" wrote Wemple. "A more gross one, too. That Wilson would be absenting himself from official court testimony while shopping his story around to TV network types is enormous news in and of itself — perhaps as big as what he might eventually say in the sit-down interview."

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Egyptian Cyber Army: The hacker group attacking ISIS propaganda online

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 04:39 PM PST

There's a new hacking group in cyberspace, and it's going after the Islamic State's online propaganda.
Last week, less than 24 hours after ISIS social media accounts posted a threatening message from the group's leader, the audio recording was replaced with a song and its transcript with a logo resembling that of the Egyptian military, accompanied by a writing in Arabic that read "Egyptian Cyber Army."
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's recording had been hacked, and the operation carried all the hallmarks of a group such as the Syrian Electronic Army.



Egyptian Cyber Army

A screenshot of the message that replaced the transcript of the Baghadi's message

The Egyptian Cyber Army is clearly inspired by the infamous Syrian hacktivist group, but a spokesperson told Mash that the group's members are all Egyptians — some civilians, some with a military or police background — all sympathizers of the Egyptian government led by former Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Their goal is to defend al-Sisi's governments against any opponent, such as the Muslim Brotherhood or ISIS, according to the group as well as experts who've been tracking it. With its anti-ISIS stance, the group seems to join a motley crew of hacktivists who are trying to counter the terrorist group's influence on the Internet.
Baghdadi "was delivering a message to all extremists all over the Middle East and my country that you have to use your weapons in the faces of the government and our people so we took it down and replaced it with a very popular song," the spokesman of the Egyptian Cyber Army, who claimed to be a 37-year-old former Cairo police officer named Khaled Abubakr (he declined to offer any proof of his identity), told Mash. "All the people instead of hearing this pig heard our song and laughed."
Experts who have been tracking the group confirmed to Mash that the group's actions suggest they're pro-government and anti-ISIS, but it's unclear who is really behind the group, and whether they're sanctioned by the Egyptian government.
" We are an idea, not only a team," Abubakr said, explaining that the group is a loose-knit collective. "When we started the team we accepted that all the people can work in screwing the Brotherhood or ISIS or any radical Islamic party."

The group has claimed to have infiltrated top Islamic State web forums, according to Laith Alkhouri, a researcher with Flashpoint Partners, a company that tracks online jihadists, but they have also claimed to have hit American pro-democracy websites like the Open Society Foundation and the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative. In March, they also claimed to have jammed the signal of a popular Egyptian satirical show, though Abubakr now admits his group was not responsible for it.
Despite their claims, there's "no proof or solid evidence" of their hacks, according to Ramy Raoof, an Egyptian technologist and human rights advocate. "I have never taken them seriously," he told Mash.

Not everyone agrees, though. The group is focused on disrupting the flow of information from al-Sisi's opponents, but also on trying to compromise them and expose anonymous online activists to identify them and facilitate their arrest, according to Helmi Noman, a researcher with the Berkman Center at Harvard University and the Ciizen Lab at University of Toronto.
"They should be taken seriously because of the potential [harm] their attacks can cause, even if they use low level skills such as phishing," he told Mash.

Ali-Reza Anghaie, a security researcher who tracks hackers online, said that "some of the alleged supporters do indeed show some highly capable technical background, but I have yet to see a substantial claim of military background."
As for their apparent connection to the Syrian Electronic Army, it seems like it stops at the name. Abubakr said that while the Egyptian Electronic Army was inspired by the group, they do not "cooperate with them at all," and a member of the Syrian Electronic Army told Mash that they have nothing to do with the Egyptian group.
The Egyptian Embassy in D.C. did not respond to Mash's request for comment.
It remains unclear how the Egyptian Cyber Army replaced Baghdadi's message. Abubakr refused to disclose how the attack went down, and a spokesman for the Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library where the recording was hosted, said that no outside account "made any modifications" to the files other than the original uploader. But that doesn't rule out the possibility that the account was taken over by the hackers.
What's next for the group? More hacks, of course — or so they claim.
"We have our people spying on al-Furqan [the media arm of ISIS] which is the media of the terrorists and this will not be the last thing we are going to do," Abubakr said. "They must expect us any time."
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Dramatic footage shows fire on train in central London station

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 09:25 AM PST

LONDON — A fire broke out in a train carriage at a central London train station platform Sunday, closing it for two hours.
The dramatic incident was captured on camera by passenger Vincenzo Minore:

The blaze, thought to have been caused by an electrical fault, broke out on platform six, and was attended by 33 firefighters and officers.
"A small section of the front carriage of a train on platform 6 was damaged in the blaze plus a section of track," the London Fire Brigade said in a statement. "Around 100 people were evacuated from the station. A small number of people were on the affected train, but they were evacuated by station staff and there were no injuries."
There was panic at the scene, with some people saying they assumed it was a bomb, according to BBC News. However, police said they were not treating the fire as suspicious.
"Suddenly the doors burst open, and a woman ran through shouting there's a bomb on the train, everybody get off," Eileen Harris told the BBC. "We ran away towards the opposite end of the station because I thought that if there was a bomb, they'd probably take out the concourse."
The station was closed for a time, but has now reopened.

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10 professional athletes dish on their favorite restaurants

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 09:20 AM PST

Unless you're a techie genius who sold his Internet stock for millions of dollars or the heir to an oil tycoon, you will probably never live the lifestyle of a professional athlete in America. These young stars are paid millions of dollars to play sports, drive fast cars and sleep in hyperbolic champers.
You may not be able to live like a pro but thanks to Urbanspoon, you can now eat like one.
The food blog and restaurant rating website released a list of 10 athletes and their favorites foods to get when eating out. Read up and then chow down like the pro-star you wish you were.
(There are no Jets players on this list because we all know that Jets players only eat Rex Ryan's leftovers.)

  • 1. Anquan Boldin

    Anquan-and-burger
    The San Fransisco wide receiver frequents Smelly's Creole and Soulfood in Oakland.
    IMAGE: NICK WASS/ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • 2. Brandin Cooks

    Brandin-and-grocery
    Brandin Cooks is new to New Orleans but has already found his favorite food joint in the big easy. The Saints wide receiver is a frequent customer at at Rouses Supermarket.
    IMAGE: ROGELIO SOLIS/ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • 3. Charlie Villanueva

    Charlie-and-pasta
    The Mavericks power forward is a fan of the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and shrimp from The Cheesecake Factory. It's good to know that with his millions in contract money Villanueva still dines where my aunt and her book club meet.
    IMAGE: DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • 4. Clint Gresham

    Clint-and-chipotle
    Money didn't change the Seahawks long snapper's tastes. Clint still loves burrito bowl from Chipotle. We hear you, Clint. We hear you loud and clear.
    IMAGE: JAMES HUTCHISON PAUL SANCYA/ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • 5. Drew Brees

    Drew-and-oysters
    Drew Brees has thoroughly embraced the creole foodie culture. The Saints QB is known for chowing down on charbroiled oysters from Drago's Seafood Restaurant.
    IMAGE: BOB LEVERONE/ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • 6. Eli Manning

    Eli-and-diner
    When Eli Manning was in college he would get the house salad (no tomatoes), pork chop, mashed potatoes, gravy and butter beans from Ajax Diner in Oxford, Mississippi. He then would throw a bunch of interceptions.
    IMAGE: SCOTT EKLUND/ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • 7. Jared Allen

    Jared-and-burger
    Jared Allen is a beast of a man so it's no surprise that he can throw back a sandwich called "The Sasquatch," a burger served between two grilled cheese sandwiches from The Lodge Sasquatch Kitchen in Fort Collins, Colorado.
    IMAGE: BOB LEVERONE/ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • 8. Kevin Garnett

    Kevin-and-steak
    Kevin Garnett's best food friend is a guy by the name of Ruth's Chris. Garnett is known to get the Caesar salad, New York strip, lobster, and a Coke from the Boston RC location.
    IMAGE: JOHN MINCHILLO/ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • 9. Taj Gibson

    Taj-and-crabs
    Taj Gibson loves his seafood. The Bulls center gets his king crab legs fix from Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach.
    IMAGE: MATT SLOCUM/ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • 10. Tom Brady

    Tom-and-table
    Gisele Bundchen's husband eats the classic Bolognese from La Morra in Brookline, Massachusetts.
    IMAGE: STEPHAN SAVOIA/ASSOCIATED PRESS
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10 things you may not know about 'Serial'

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 09:21 AM PST

Sarah Koenig and Dana Chivvis in the studio.
There will not be a new episode of the wildly popular investigative podcast Serial released on Thanksgiving. Trust us, we know how you feel.
Most listeners impatiently await the weekly release of investigative podcast surrounding the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee. Currently, her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed is serving a life sentence for the crime in a Maryland correctional facility, but insists he had nothing to do with her death.
The first season of the podcast, a This American Life spinoff, follows host and executive producer Sarah Koenig as she investigates the evidence surrounding Lee's murder. The story is confusing, intense and captivating all at the same time, but listeners just want more. So we compiled information surrounding the podcast and case to keep your appetite for Serial satiated through the holiday.
And if you haven't listened to the podcast yet, hear the first episode below.

1. Adnan Syed has not listened to the podcast

In a recent interview, Rabia Chaudry, attorney and and friend of the Syed family, told Refinery29 that Syed doesn't listen to the podcast because he can't. "No Internet in maximum security. He doesn't really know what the global response has been, and he has not been exposed to social media." However, Chaudry did say that listeners of the podcast have been sending him transcripts of the show.

2. Sarah Koenig and her team aren't that far ahead of you

In an Oct. 17 blog post on the Serial website, producer Dana Chivvis explained why they only release one episode per week instead of the entire season. "We're still pinning down information, doing interviews, following leads. So when you listen each week, the truth is that you're actually not all that far behind us."
Although, on Nov. 13, the Wall Street Journal reported that Koenig has completed "most of her reporting." She also rejects the rumor that she knows a secret ending that she isn't revealing to the audience.
Julie Snyder and Sarah Koenig

Julie Snyder and Sarah Koenig
IMAGE: ELISE BERGERSON

3. A dozen clients complained that Cristina Gutierrez, Adnan's lawyer, did not file their pleadings in court

According to an article in the Baltimore Sun written by Sarah Koenig in 2001, Gutierrez was allegedly not only negligent with client cases, but with their money as well. In May 2001, Gutierrez was "disbarred by consent" and none of these claims were investigated because she willingly signed the disbarment. "Since I can't defend myself against anything, and I can't practice anyway, I decided to sign the consent," Gutierrez told Koenig at the time. Gutierrez suffered from multiple sclerosis and died of a heart attack in 2004 at age 52.

4. Adnan's mother and brother listen to the podcast just like everybody else

During an interview with CBS News, Adnan's brother, Yusuf Syed revealed that he and his mother listen to the podcast just like everyone else. "Some days I'll be like 'oh this is a really great episode,' some days I'll just feel so down and depressed."

5. The innocence project that is looking into Adnan's case is investigating physical evidence

According to the Columbia Journalism Review, the Innocence Project Clinic at the University of Virginia School of Law that is currently looking into Adnan's case and are "poised to ask a court to test an old physical evidence recovery kit (PERK) that was used on Lee's body to test for possible sexual assault in 1999, but was never tested for DNA."

6. Hollywood is trying to cash in on Serial

During an overview of the podcast, the Wall Street Journal mentions that Hollywood executives have reached out to This American Life about movie or television projects surrounding Serial. Don't worry, though — WSJ added that the show is not currently pursuing any film or television deals.
Sarah Koenig

Sarah Koenig
IMAGE: ELISE BERGERSON

7. The MailChimp ad was produced by Serial's Dana Chivvis and Julie Snyder

During an interview with The Atlantic, MailChimp Marketing Director Mark DiCristina revealed that although they wrote the script for the infamous MailChimp ad, Chivvis recorded it on the streets of New York. DiCristina also stated that if MailChimp does support the second season of Serial, there will be a different ad.

8. Hae Min Lee made a purchase at a gas station the day she was murdered

According to records from The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, Hae Min Lee's bank records show that she made a purchase at a gas station in the amount of $1.71. The gas station was at the corner of Hartford Road and Northern Parkway, which is far from Woodlawn High School, about a half hour by car. The time of that purchase is unknown. (This may be mentioned in future episodes.)
Screen Shot 2014-11-20 at 1.26.11 PM

9. Serial is the most popular podcast in the world

According to Apple, Serial has broken the previous iTunes record for the fastest podcast to reach 5 million downloads and streams, and remains in the top spot for most popular podcast in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia. This number does not factor in streams from other sources, such as SoundCloud and other podcasting apps.

10. Parts of the Blair Witch movies were filmed in Leakin Park and Patapsco Valley State Park

According to the Baltimore Sun, the 1999 horror film Blair Witch Project was filmed partially in Patapsco Valley State Park, the park where Jay told investigators that he and Adnan had smoked weed the day of the murder. The sequel Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, released in 2000, was partially filmed in Leakin Park, the same park where Hae Min Lee's body was discovered.

Bonus: Redditor jakeprops created a Google Map that shows locations surrounding the case


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University of Virginia suspends fraternities amid rape investigation

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 09:12 AM PST

University of Virginia's campus.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The University of Virginia on Saturday suspended activities at all campus fraternal organizations amid an investigation into a published report in which a student described being sexually assaulted by seven men at a fraternity in 2012.
University president Teresa Sullivan said in a letter to the university community that the Board of Visitors is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the allegations contained in a Rolling Stone article, along with the university's policies and procedures concerning sexual assaults. Groups of students, faculty, alumni and others will be asked to hold similar discussions.
"Meaningful change is necessary, and we can lead that change for all universities. We can demand that incidents like those described in Rolling Stone never happen and that if they do, the responsible are held accountable to the law," Sullivan wrote. "This will require institutional change, cultural change, and legislative change, and it will not be easy. We are making those changes."
"We need the collective strength of the members of our community to ensure that we have the best policies."
Sullivan said the suspension of all fraternal groups is effective until Jan. 9. She has also asked Charlottesville police to investigate the alleged rape at the Phi Kappa Psi house. The fraternity has voluntarily surrendered its fraternal agreement with University of Virginia.
On Friday, Attorney General Mark Herring said the university agreed to withdraw its appointment of former federal judge and prosecutor Mark Filip as independent counsel to investigate how the school responds to rape allegations. In college, Filip was a member of Phi Kappa Psi.
Sullivan had said the Rolling Stone article includes details that weren't disclosed to university officials previously.
"The wrongs described in Rolling Stone are appalling, and have caused all of us to reexamine our responsibility to this community. Rape is an abhorrent crime that has no place in the world, let alone on the campuses and grounds of our nation's colleges and universities," she wrote. "There are individuals in our community who know what happened that night, and I am calling on them to come forward to the police to report the facts."

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2 children are being tested for Ebola in Ohio

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 09:09 AM PST

Created by CDC microbiologist Cynthia Goldsmith, this colorized transmission electron micrograph (TEM) reveals some of the ultrastructural morphology displayed by an Ebola virus virion.
Two children who recently traveled to West Africa are being tested for Ebola in Columbus, Ohio, after they showed symptoms of fever.
The children, whose names have not been released, are 4 and 6 years old. They were transported to an area hospital at 2 a.m. Sunday, according to a local news report, citing Columbus Public Health.
Health officials were previously monitoring the two children on a daily basis, after they returned to the U.S. The children are now being screened for the virus, as well as respiratory illnesses.
This story is developing...

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America's richest generation got really, really lucky

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 07:03 AM PST

A tourist on a nature trail in Lakeland Countryside at Easedale Tarn Lake in the Lake District National Park, Cumbria, UK.
Jon Burkhart was born during the Great Depression, and like many members of his generation, he couldn't have been luckier. For most of their working lives, he and his wife saved 10% of everything they earned. They made some smart investments, but they also rode the postwar economy perfectly. After a 30-year career as a television producer and director in Houston, Burkhart moved in 1987 to Maui, where he and his wife bought a house. They sold it for a 300% profit in 2008, and invested most of the money in mutual funds just as the stock market was nearing a 13-year low. Today 81-year-old Burkhart — in a retirement community in Winston-Salem, North Carolina — lives far more comfortably than the elderly folks he knew as a child. "It was the most fortunate timing you could imagine," he says. "There's no way you can plan on that."
For most Americans, the economic recovery has been marked by stagnant wages, high unemployment and declining wealth. According to Federal Reserve data, the median U.S. household had a net worth of only $81,200 in 2013, down from $115,000 in 2004. But there's one group that's doing better than ever: old people. Historically one of the poorest age cohorts in the country, elderly Americans are now among the wealthiest. As of 2013, people 75 and older had a median family net worth of almost $195,000 in constant 2013 dollars, up from $131,000 in 1989, Federal Reserve data show.
This prosperity reverses decades of demographic trends. In 1959, people 65 and older had a higher rate of poverty (35%) than any other age group in the country. Now they have the lowest (9.5%), according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It used to be that "poor people were old," says Neil Howe, a demographer and president of Saeculum Research in Great Falls, Virginia. "That's a really fascinating contrast with today."  
The poorest Americans today are the youngest — those 35 and under — and they are getting poorer.

Many of the oldest Americans, born between 1928 and 1945, are members of the so-called Silent Generation, a term coined by Time magazine in 1951 to describe the group of people then coming of age, who were "working fairly hard and saying almost nothing." In many ways they are the forgotten, middle child of the 20th century: younger than the Greatest Generation, who fought in World War II, yet older, and much fewer in number, than the 80 million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964. A relatively small group — about 50 million — given the low birthrates during the Depression, the Silents are the rare generation to go through life without sending one of their own to the White House. Carter, Reagan, and Bush Sr. were all from the Greatest Generation; every president from Clinton on has been a boomer.
Still, the Silent Generation has been in the sweet spot of America's economy for half a century. From 1962 through 1991, when its members were in their prime working years, the U.S. economy grew at an average pace of 3.5% a year, compared with only 2.6% since. As they've aged, the Silents have benefited from improved health care and a much more generous social safety net. Adjusted for inflation, annual federal outlays have risen from about $4,000 per person in 1960 to almost $28,000 in 2011, according to the Urban Institute. The Silents also timed their retirement perfectly. By the time the recession began to wipe out jobs in late 2007, almost all were 65 and older. That's helped make them "the richest old generation we've ever seen," says William Emmons, a senior economic adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
That title will probably go unchallenged for years to come, Emmons says. People immediately behind — including many baby boomers and most of Generation X — have seen their wealth dip significantly since the recession. Recouping what was lost before they retire will be difficult, especially since they're unlikely to see the kind of price gains for their homes and investments that their elders enjoyed for most of their lives. 
"The Silents have done very well, and a lot of it has just been their location in history," says Howe, the demographer. "They planned ahead, they were risk-averse, they played by the rules, and the system worked for them."

Having so much wealth concentrated in the hands of the country's oldest citizens isn't exactly a recipe for a strong economy, particularly one so dependent on consumer spending. JPMorgan Chase found that household spending peaks at age 45 and then falls in every category except health care, dropping 43% by age 75. Old people might be rich, but their big-spending years are behind them. The people who should be driving the economy, 45- to 54-year-olds, are a lot poorer than they used to be. Since 2007, the median household net worth of 45- to 54-year-olds has been cut in half, from $207,600 to $105,300.
Over the next two decades, some of those people will inherit the wealth being held by the Silent Generation. Those legacies will help, but they're probably not going to make a big difference to the broader economy. A lot of that wealth could remain "trapped in this old-age part of life," Emmons says, where a group of 95-year-olds end up leaving money to their 70-year-old kids. The effects will also likely be contained to a narrow band of what is already a wealthy — and white — slice of the population. Of those who do inherit, Emmons says, "only a small number will receive what you might think of as a life-changing amount."

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Whatever happens to Google Glass, it's been a boon to smart glasses

Posted: 23 Nov 2014 07:00 AM PST


Google Glass captured our imagination with the idea of Internet-connected smart glasses, but delivering on that promise feels further away than ever.
Wearable technology took a hit this past week after many began proclaiming the apparent demise of Google Glass. Once the "hot new thing," Glass has had a tough time ever since Reuters reported many developers had stopped building software for the gadget. Even my colleague, Lance Ulanoff, decided it was time to break up with Glass.
Google quickly tried to get in front of the hearse, insisting it hadn't abandoned Glass.
"Google remains committed to Glass and is energized by the opportunity that wearables, and Glass in particular, represent," spokesperson Anna Richardson White told Mash, adding that Google would launch Glass officially "when the product is fully ready."
When it's fully ready? Google's had nearly two years since it kicked off the Google Glass Explorer program, and almost three since it first started talking about it. How much time does it need? In the absence of a clear road map for the product or the technology, developers and users are moving on.
"There's a lot of people who have fallen out of favor with [Glass] because there just doesn't seem like there's a vision for Google of where they're taking it," said Robert Patterson, vice-president of social media for MMGY Global and an early adopter of Google Glass. "The updates have been less frequent, and they haven't really put out their vision for this product."

The future of smart glasses

Where does that leave smart glasses as a category?
Google Glass, rightly or wrongly, became the public face of smart glasses, showcasing many of the benefits, while enduring virtually all of the criticism. If Google Glass has — at least on the surface — failed, what chance do smart glasses have?

"To be successful in the consumer space, you need the look and feel of fashion glasses," said Paul Travers, CEO of Vuzix, which has been making smart glasses (mostly for business applications) for many years. "Imagine a pair of glasses, and they connected cloud information to the world in front of you, and you didn't look like a dork when you're wearing it. That's the ultimate goal."
The design of Google Glass has earned plenty of criticism — even jabs. Everyone from designer Marc Newson to fantasy author Neil Gaiman have taken shots at how silly (or worse) Glass looks. Google built Glass to stand out on purpose, but it hasn't blunted the accusations of spyware, which has led many to completely shun the product.
A rethought design, made to look more like a pair of glasses, might kill those two birds with one stone-colored pair of frames. Yes, the accusations of spyware would grow even louder, but they would be confined to online chatter among the tech con and legal circles; people who see this reimagined Glass in public simply wouldn't notice it. Glass users would no longer get the incessant question, "Are you recording me?"
It might even be the first step toward a "platform" solution for Glass. As Will Ormeus at Slate suggests, Google might be better served by a product model that looks something like how it handles Android, with Google providing the operating system and much of the software, while others build the actual glasses. The current Explorer Edition could even remain, essentially functioning as the "Nexus" of the Glass platform.
Such a neat solution, however, is unlikely. As a piece of technology, Glass is made to be glanceable, just out of your direct line of sight. To build the screen into the lenses themselves would change the concept — not completely, but enough to require a re-think of how the software and apps work.
Vuzix, Epson and others have shown how lens-integrated smart glasses can work, but the nature of them necessitates abandoning the idea of "prescription" versions. Even if you assume the current bulky designs will eventually be as sleek as today's designer frames, creating lenses in the multiple sizes and styles consumers demand from eyeware would be a monumental challenge.
"If Google Glass could go with a stronger processor, and a pair of glasses that were optically see-through and actually fashionable looking, they could start to deliver the stuff they were talking about," Travers said.
Google's partnership with Luxottica is the first step on that journey, but it's doubtful if the so-called "mainstream consumer" would tolerate any frames — as beautiful as they may be — with Glass' signature prism growing out of them.

The consumer question

Would perfectly designed smart glasses even be enough? As many have observed, Google Glass often feels like a solution in search of a problem. Are the conveniences it and other smart glasses bring — hands-free access to Twitter, Facebook, and other apps and services — really that helpful?
Many in the enterprise world would say, yes, and indeed Google Glass has spurred lots of professions to consider smart glasses where they might not have otherwise. Travers said Vuzix's business customer base has jumped ever since Glass debuted.
"We're seeing amazing uptake, the bulk being enterprise customers," he said. "For us, it's just getting started."
Whether or not consumers will ever warm to smart glasses is a bigger question. Glass has proved its usefulness in certain situations — mainly travel and the "GoPro" factor, times when a hands-free camera is needed.
"Smart glasses as a category seems pretty small," Patterson said. 
"There is an opportunity for wearable cameras, but I don't think we're going to see mass consumer adoption of this technology any time in the near future."

Glass could justify its existence to consumers even more if it performed more like the original promo video for the product. That video showed impressive feats of image recognition, such as alerting the wearer that subway service was suspended when he tried to descend into a station — feats outside the abilities of Glass in its current form.
"Google built a product that they wanted to do one thing, but when they came out with it, it didn't do it," Travers said. "They ended up building a product that was nothing more than a remote display for the phone."
Still, it's hard to think of a company better suited than Google to one day realize that vision, and according to the company, Glass' journey is just beginning — probably because it's invested too much into its "moonshot" project to back out now. We'll likely see the next phase of the product, with Luxottica's participation, in the coming months.
But a few pairs of luxury frames won't solve the acceptance and practicality problems of Glass and smart glasses in general. It may be almost three years since Google captured our imaginations with the idea of an Internet-connected, head-mounted display, but delivering on that promise feels further away than ever.
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