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Friday, November 28, 2014

Học Để Thi

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Học Để Thi

Car Mows Down Protester At Ferguson Rally In Minneapolis (VIDEO)

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:33 AM PST

A driver mowed down a protester Tuesday at a rally in Minneapolis, where people were demonstrating against a grand jury's decision not to indict Ferguson, Mo. police Officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown.
In footage shot by the Minnesota Star Tribune as well as another video obtained by local TV station KSTP, a driver could be seen plowing through a crowd of protesters and driving directly over one female demonstrator's leg as she screamed in pain.
The videos showed the car screeching to a halt shortly after it rolled over the protester's leg. A crowd immediately surrounded the car as people rushed to help the victim.
Paramedics treated the woman on the scene before an ambulance took her to Regions Hospital in St. Paul with very minor injuries, the Star Tribune reported.
Police did not take the driver into custody or ticket him, according to KSTP. Police told the news station that the incident was under investigation.
The protest was staged near the Minneapolis Police Department's 3rd Precinct headquarters.
A Star Tribune reporter tweeted about the incident from the ground:












Watch below:

Obamacare Returns To SCOTUS: Will John Roberts Crush It This Time?

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:32 AM PST

Chief Justice John Roberts may be feeling a flash of déjà vu.
For the second time in three years, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case aimed at toppling Obamacare. Roberts again finds himself caught between the wishes of a movement that made him America's most powerful judge, and the reputation of his institution which is being asked to cripple a sitting president's signature law for the first time in nearly 80 years.
The big question on the minds of conservative legal advocates is: can Roberts bring himself to crush Obamacare this time after he dashed their hopes in 2012?
"He's under the same pressure that he was under in 2012, where his natural allies really want him to gut the statute and be done with it. And as you saw when he voted to sustain Obamacare, the right came fairly close to accusing him of treason," said Lucas A. Powe, a Supreme Court historian and law professor at the University of Texas, Austin. "The belief is that if conservatives come to a conclusion, then their justices must have the identical conclusion."
John Yoo, a former Bush administration lawyer, wrote in the conservative magazine National Review that the case gives Roberts an "opportunity to atone for his judicial sin of two years ago" — choice language to direct at a devout Catholic. "Not many judges have the chance to make up for the mistakes of the past."
Unlike the 2012 case, King v. Burwell doesn't present any constitutional questions, nor is there a split in the lower courts that necessitated a resolution by the Supreme Court. The case is simply about how the Affordable Care Act statute ought to be interpreted — whether the IRS erred when permitting premium tax credits to be utilized on the federally-run insurance exchange, which today serves 7 million Americans in 36 states. A defeat for the White House stands to gravely damage the architecture of Obamacare, making insurance unaffordable for many.
"The institutional interests of the Court are stronger at this point [than in 2012] because the law is now in place and providing health coverage for millions of Americans who didn't have it when the first challenge was heard," said Doug Kendall, the president of the Constitutional Accountability Center, a progressive group helping with the legal defense of Obamacare. "If Chief Justice Roberts wanted to strike down this law he would have been smarter to do it before it went into effect than he would be in 2015."
The political atmospherics of the new Obamacare case are hard to ignore. Michael Carvin, the lead attorney arguing against Obamacare, correctly predicted Supreme Court action back in late September, telling TPM: "I don't know that four justices, who are needed to [take the case] here, are going to give much of a damn about what a bunch of Obama appointees on the D.C. Circuit think. This is a hugely important case."

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts greets President Barack Obama on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, prior to the president's State of the Union address. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Asked if he believes he would ultimately lose the votes of any the five Republican-appointed justices, Carvin said, "Oh, I don't think so."
The conservative challengers point to a poorly worded section of Obamacare which they argue prohibits the provision of insurance tax credits to residents of the 36 states which didn't build their own exchange and turned the task over to the federal government. Obamacare architects, meanwhile, have stressed that they intended for the subsidies to be available to Americans in every state, and argue that the law as a whole backs up that case.
There's little doubt among legal experts that the real-life impacts of the case will play a role with Roberts, who is widely known to be protective of the Supreme Court's reputation.
"I think that the consequences of [judges'] decisions factor into most of their thinking to some extent. No one lives in a box. They all live in the real world and they're all attentive to some extent, as any human being would be, to the consequences of their decisions," said Brian Fitzpatrick, a law professor at Vanderbilt University and former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia.
Legal scholars say the decision in King is likely to come down to Roberts and potentially Justice Anthony Kennedy, who have more ambiguous views of statutory construction than the seven other members. "The four liberals are wired in, and [Justices Antonin] Scalia and [Clarence] Thomas are wired in, and I assume [Samuel] Alito will vote with the conservatives," Powe said. "Roberts and Kennedy are up for grabs."
Both sides are jockeying. Conservative legal scholars claim judicial restraint means letting the law go forward without the subsidies, and leave it to Congress to sort it out. Progressive lawyers say it's the height of judicial activism for the Supreme Court to preempt a pending December hearing at the D.C. Circuit court by taking the case. (The hearing was canceled as a result.)
"He's got that bullshit line in Shelby County v. Holder: Congress can fix this. Obviously Roberts knows Congress isn't going to fix it," Powe said. "In this case he can easily say again, oh, Congress is gonna fix it. He knows it won't."
The Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments in King v. Burwell early in 2015 with a probable decision be the end of June.
In the 2012 case, Kennedy was among four justices who voted to wipe out Obamacare in its entirety. Roberts issued a response to conservatives hoping the Court would overturn the law, writing in his 5-4 majority opinion, "It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices."

Philadelphia families volunteer to host guests during Pope Francis' first U.S. visit

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:30 AM PST

Pope Francis waves as he leaves the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014.
Pope Francis, in case you haven't heard, will be visiting the United States in the fall of 2015.
The pope confirmed earlier this month that he will attend the eighth World Meeting of Families, which will be held from Sept. 22 to 27, 2015, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Preparations have since been underway in anticipation of Pope Francis' visit.
He will be the fourth reigning pope to visit the U.S.: Paul VI visited in 1965, John Paul II visited a total of seven times, and Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2008.
Event organizers expect about 15,000 attendees at the meeting, which will lead up to Pope Francis' public appearances on Sept. 26 and 27. Around 1.5 million people are expected to be in attendance on those days. The pope's appearances will include a festival and a Mass on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a boulevard running through the heart of Philadelphia.
Catholicism is the largest religious denomination in the U.S., with about 78 million baptized members.
Philadelphia's inventory of 11,000 hotel rooms are already filling up, so World Meeting of Families organizers are hoping that 10,000 local residents will be able to host guests for a moderate fee of $30 to $50 per night.

"We hope that a large number of the people of Philadelphia — not just the Catholic community, but others — will open their homes to visitors from around the world," Archbishop Charles Chaput said.
The last World Meeting of Families, which took place three years ago in Milan, Italy, had a similar campaign that resulted in about 50,000 extra beds, according to Donna Crilley Farrell, executive director of Philadelphia's organizing committee.
More than 100 families have registered so far, Homestay CEO Alan Clarke said, adding that travelers can begin booking their stays in the coming weeks.
Homestay was founded in 2013 by Debbie Flynn, founder of Irish Education Partners, and Tom Kennedy, who previously founded HostelWorld.com.
The company is working to build awareness of homestays as a product, Clarke told Mash. Coordinating lodging for the pope's visit is a big opportunity for Homestay, which has a form on its website for Philadelphia host signups.
Homestay's service, which matches travelers and hosts based on several factors, is in safer legal territory than short-term rental sites such as Airbnb.

Los Angeles police release Ferguson protesters for Thanksgiving

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:28 AM PST

California Highway Patrol officers guard a freeway ramp as demonstrators rally in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014. People protesting the Ferguson, Missouri, grand jury decision took to the streets in cities across the U.S. for a third day Wednesday.
The Los Angeles police chief ordered on Thursday the release of about 90 Ferguson protesters who were arrested Wednesday night.
After Monday's announcement that Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted in the shooting death of Michael Brown, protests broke out in dozens of cities across the United States. In downtown Los Angeles, about 200 demonstrators ended an hours-long march on Wednesday night, after they were stopped by riot police.
About 130 of those demonstrators were arrested, according to NBC Los Angeles. Around 90 were still in jail Thursday afternoon.
"We have every legal right to keep them until they post bail," Cmdr. Andrew Smith told the Los Angeles Times. "But in light of the holiday … [Beck] called and said he wants everybody who is eligible for release to be released by dinner time."
Prior to Wednesday's protest, Los Angeles Police Department chief Charlie Beck had said that if any protesters ended up spending the holiday in jail, it was their own fault. Beck had tweeted this week, encouraging protesters to remain peaceful.
Wednesday marked the third day of protests in Los Angeles:
In Oakland, California, where protests have also taken place since the announcement, about 35 protesters were arrested Wednesday, according to NBC Bay Area.
New York police arrested a handful of the protesters who tried to disrupt the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday.

Pranksters give away cash to honest strangers for Thanksgiving

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:27 AM PST


If you saw someone drop a ton of cash, would you tell them?
American comedian and prankster Roman Atwood says in a YouTube video posted Thursday that he wanted to give away some money — but in an unusual way. He repeatedly let a briefcase of cash fly open on city streets to see if anyone would tell him.
So do people inform Atwood that he just dropped a bunch of bills? Just watch and see. The video may restore your faith in humanity this Thanksgiving.

Iconic holiday gifts that belong in the history books

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:26 AM PST

Most of us probably can't remember what gifts we got for the holidays last year, much less 10 years ago, but we can remember the most iconic presents: the ones we wanted because everyone else did, too.
Remember the Red Ryder BB Gun in A Christmas Story? That was the most influential gift in 1938. In the 1940s, the slinky came on the scene, and Lego conquered the 1950s, gaining a popularity that has not since receded (unlike 1975's pet rock). Whether these gifts continue to pop up or have already been long forgotten, you probably still remember the Rubik's Cube you received in 1980, or the Game Boy you got in 1990.
While you wait to find out what 2014's biggest gift is (Frozen merchandise is reportedly the hottest gift for girls this year) , see eBay's graphic below to learn more about the most influential gifts between 1923 and 2013.
ebayinfluentialgifts


IMAGE: EBAY

Full of Turkey? Time for a live-streamed 'MST3K' marathon

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:24 AM PST


Cord cutters, rejoice! The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Thanksgiving Day marathon does not require a cable-television subscription.
The marathon, which started Thursday at 12 p.m. ET, includes live streaming of six episodes of the TV show. The cult hit B-movie comedy series ran on various networks from 1988 to 1999.
So if you're done stuffing your face, and Thanksgiving football is not your thing, take a seat and enjoy some hearty laughs.

Al-Qaeda escapes with American and Briton before special forces raid in Yemen

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:23 AM PST

Yemen's Defense Ministry conducts an operation in the desert.
U.S operation forces took part in a rescue mission that freed eight hostages in a remote corner of Yemen, but a Yemeni official said Wednesday that it did not liberate five others, including an American journalist and a Briton who were moved elsewhere by their Al-Qaeda captors days before the raid.
Eight hostages — including a Saudi— were liberated in the joint U.S.-Yemeni operation, a rare instance of American forces intervening on the ground in Yemen.
A member of the Yemeni anti-terrorism forces was quoted on a website connected to Yemen's Defense Ministry, saying that the mission searched for a group of hostages from several nations in an eastern province, but when the commandos arrived at the cave where al-Qaeda militants had chained and covered the hostages in blankets, the American and four others were already gone.
A senior U.S. official had earlier confirmed U.S. involvement and said no American was rescued, without elaborating whether the operation had intended to free one.
The mission was carried out in a vast desert area dotted with dunes called Hagr al-Saiaar, an al-Qaeda safe haven where local tribes offer them protection near the Saudi border.
The operations come as U.S. drone strikes target militants amid a Shiite rebel power grab in the politically unstable, impoverished nation and fierce battles between al-Qaeda and Shiite rebels.

Yemenis initially gave no mention of American involvement in the operation and said its special forces and anti-terrorism units carried out the raid alone. However, a Yemen Special Forces member identified only as Abu Marouf gave a detailed account of the operation to a semi-official Yemen Defense Ministry online portal.
He said that his unit received intelligence information about al-Qaeda militants moving hostages chained in shackles and covered with blankets in pickup trucks to Hagr al-Saiaar where they kept them in caves. He added some 30 troops, including snipers, were deployed in the early hours Tuesday some seven kilometers (four miles) from the caves, which he described as 10 meters deep and 30 meters wide.
Divided into four groups, he said he was among the main group that stormed the entrance of the cave then engaged in a shootout that ended with the killing of all seven kidnappers.
"We found the eight hostages chained. We found al-Qaeda cellphones and documents," he said, adding that the hostages said five of their companions had been moved out to an unknown location. He listed nationalities of the other hostages as an American journalist, one Briton, one South African, a Yemeni and a fifth believed to be Turkish. He did not identify them.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is considered by the U.S. to be the world's most dangerous branch of the terror network and has been linked to several failed attacks on the U.S. homeland. Yemen has seen both foreigners and Yemenis targeted in kidnap attempts, either for ransom, political reasons or over suspicions that victims worked as spies helping Americans carry out the drone strikes.
The strikes targeting suspected militant gatherings are increasingly unpopular in Yemen due to civilian casualties, legitimizing for many the attacks on American interests. The U.S. Embassy in Sanaa has been closed several times recently over militant threats.
The site shed light on the riskiness surrounding the operation. Other Yemeni officials said that one of the main tribes in the area is led by the well-off Waqash al-Saiaari, who gave shelter to the militants. They say al-Qaeda set up large training camps in the area.
Members of al-Qaeda affiliates from this area were recently arrested while trying to flee the country after alleged involvement in the beheading of 16 Yemeni soldiers in August.
Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

EU wants Google to extend the 'right to be forgotten' globally

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:22 AM PST

This Jan. 3, 2013, file photo shows a Google sign at the company's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif
The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in May 2014 that search engines — Google included — must give people the possibility to have their personal information erased under certain conditions. Google has complied with the court's decision, which became widely known as "the right to be forgotten," but it only applied to Google's European sites.
On Wednesday, the European Union's data protection authorities have adopted a new set of guidelines regarding the court's decision, requiring Google to extend the rule to the rest of the Internet as well.
The new guidelines have not been published yet, but a press release from Brussels makes it clear that simply removing a link from Google's EU sites will no longer suffice. From the release:
"...in order to give full effect to the data subject's rights as defined in the Court's ruling, de-listing decisions must be implemented in such a way that they guarantee the effective and complete protection of data subjects' rights and that EU law cannot be circumvented (...) limiting de-listing to EU domains on the grounds that users tend to access search engines via their national domains cannot be considered a sufficient means to satisfactorily guarantee the rights of data subjects according to the ruling. In practice, this means that in any case de-listing should also be effective on all relevant .com domains."
It's not entirely clear at this point whether the ruling applies only to European citizens, but the press release says that it applies to situations in which there is a "clear link between the data subject and the EU."
The original court ruling was criticized because, in many cases, removing one's personal data from google.es, for example, and leaving it on google.com, was essentially pointless. Some critics, such as blogger Jeff Jarvis, were unhappy with the ruling's implications when it comes to freedom of speech. In a tweet, Jarvis said the ruling is a "blow against free speech."
Still, Google's online form that lets people request to be "forgotten" garnered a lot of interest, generating 12,000 requests in the first two days after it was launched. According to Google's Transparency Report, there have been more than 174,000 requests to date. Out of all requests to remove an URL from its search results so far, Google has complied in 41.5% of the cases.
The new guidelines, while not legally binding at this point, could have far-fetching implications. First, handling user requests of this sort (especially on a global scale) is expensive, and while Google probably has the means to do it, it could pose a problem for some search engines and tech companies.
Secondly, it potentially moves Google's European woes to a global arena — a precedent which might have an impact on other similar decisions in the future.
A Google spokesman told The New York Times Wednesday the company has not yet reviewed the new guidelines, which are due to be published Friday.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Police called to stores across UK as Black Friday attracts big crowds

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:20 AM PST

Police attending Black Friday sales at a Tesco store in Edmonton
LONDON — Police were called to several stores across Britain as Black Friday crowds gathered in large numbers hoping to get their hands on a bargain.
Synonymous with the promise of cut-priced goods and long queues, more British retailers are partaking this year in Black Friday than ever before with a host of deals advertised in advance of it.
Police in Manchester appealed for calm and said that two people had been arrested. A Tesco store in Trafford was closed shortly after the sale began at 12:01 AM.
Police in London attended three Tescos and an Asda, according to BBC News. Police said there was a large, volatile crowd at the Tesco in Glover Drive. The retailer had promotions in the store for cut-priced TVs and coffee makers.
Meanwhile, in Glasgow a Tesco store at Silverburn was shut aftercustomers clashed over bargains.
Things were no different in South Wales where officers were called to control crowds at a number of Tesco stores.
It's estimated that people in Britain will spend around £1.3 billion between Black Friday and Cyber Monday on Dec. 1. Last year, the UK spent £341 million on Black Friday and the figures from the online marketplace expects that this will grow by 6.5 percent this year.
Online retailer Amazon.co.uk previously kick-started the notion of Black Friday in the UK but this year some of the top British stores got involved.

Five of the most important new powers proposed for Scotland

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:19 AM PST

Scenes from September 2014 ahead of the Scottish independence vote
LONDON — A new range of powers have been recommended in Edinburgh Thursday, to give Scotland more control over key things like taxes and the voting age.
The recommendations have been made in a report by the Smith Commission, which was set up following a "No" vote in the Scottish independence referendum in September. Headed by Lord Smith of Kelvin, the Commission involved Scotland's five political parties.
The UK government has committed to delivering draft legislation to give effect to the recommendations by January 2015.
Here are five of the key new powers:

1. Income Tax

incometax

IMAGE: FLICKR, SIMON CUNNINGHAM
The Scottish parliament will be given the power to set income tax rates and bands on income earned. It will receive all income tax that is paid by Scottish taxpayers. However, the UK parliament will keep the powers of taxation over income from savings and dividends. Income tax will still be collected and administered by HMRC.
There will be no restrictions on the thresholds or rates the Scottish Parliament can set, however all other aspects of income tax will remain with the UK parliament, including introductions of annual charges to income tax, personal allowances or the ability to introduce or amend tax reliefs.
The annual block grant, the sum of money granted by the UK government to the Scottish parliament, will be adjusted to take account of these changes.

2. VAT

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vat

IMAGE: AKIRA SUEMORI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Scottish government will have control over the first 10 percentage points of VAT raised at the current standard rate in Scotland. A standard rate of 20% is levied on most goods and services in the UK. The report proposes that the block grant given to Scotland will be reduced to account for this new transfer.
All other aspects of VAT, including the setting of VAT rates, will remain with the UK Government.
Taxes such as the corporate tax rate, the tax on oil and gas receipts, and inheritance tax and capital gains tax remain as is with the UK Government.

3. Air Passenger Duty

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IMAGE: FLICKR, FS999
The power to charge tax on air passengers leaving through Scottish airports will be devolved to the Scottish parliament. The Scottish government can make its own decisions on what a tax replacing it would look like and how that tax would be collected. However the Scottish government must pay the UK government back for any costs incurred by "switching off" the Air Passenger Duty in Scotland.

4. Lowered voting age

AP426181603559

IMAGE: SCOTT HEPPELL/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Scottish parliament will have the power to extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds, which will allow them to cast their ballots in the 2016 Scottish elections.

5. Creation of new benefits

carers

IMAGE: FLICKR, GARRY KNIGHT
The Scottish parliament is being given powers over the setting of, structure and value of some benefits outside the group of core benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance and others covered under Universal Credit.
The benefits they will have control over include: Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Industrial Injuries Disablement Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance, Cold Weather Payment, Funeral Payment, Sure Start Maternity Grant, Winter Fuel Payment and Discretionary Housing Payments.
The report also recommends giving the parliament powers over new benefits or services that might replace existing ones.

People being awesome: The story behind the viral duckling video

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:17 AM PST


Cute ducks waddling across a road are saving the world one small step at a time.
This video, created by Animals Australia, received 90 million views and almost two million shares on Facebook in 10 days. On first watch, it appears to be a compilation of people being generally awesome helping our feathered friends out, but it is not as straightforward as it seems. The video is part of a campaign to end duck shooting in Victoria and the final message is not cute: "You know what's not awesome? Shooting ducks for 'fun'," it reads.
Lisa Chalk, Communications Director at Animals Australia, told Mashablewith the state election coming up this weekend, the organisation wanted to create awareness about the fact shooting of native waterbirds is still legal in the state of Victoria.
"The video was created as part of a campaign to help convince the Labor party in Victoria to change their policy on duck shooting," Chalk said. "Through this video we wanted to show politicians that overwhelmingly, people want our native waterbirds to be protected, not shot out of the sky in the name of 'sport'."
Chalk said she wasn't surprised the video resonated with so many people, but the rate it has been shared through Facebook is unprecedented.
"It's wonderful reinforcement of how people positively respond to witnessing acts of kindness to animals, and in this case, the extraordinary actions taken by individuals to save the lives of ducks and ducklings," she said. "This little video has come to achieve more than its goal. It's no longer a message to one political party on the eve of an election, it's a message to politicians everywhere that being kind to animals is a vote winner."
In a smart play by Animals Australia, who don't have a marketing team but are obviously a bunch of sharp thinkers, the video draws a crowd before highlighting the real issue. Animal cruelty videos are normally shocking, distressing and highlight the issue by revealing the horror. This method is subtle and a pleasure to watch, but allows the video to travel around the world at warp speed.
"We thought the best way to send a message to politicians that Australians want animals treated with kindness and respect was not to show more images of cruelty, but instead to show them the extraordinary lengths people will go to in order to protect these animals from harm," Chalk said. "To remind them that it is human nature to be kind, not cruel."
The video plays on a positive human emotion, and it seems to work a treat. "There are few things more powerful than witnessing an act of kindness, whether to an animal or to a person, and this is exemplified in the extraordinary response to this video," Chalk added.
The most viral Australian ad currently, "Dumb Ways to Die," which has sailed past the 92 million mark, also uses a different tactic to engage the audience. Turning the risk of death by being stupid around trains into an animated, catchy video that is fun rather than serious.

Both videos prove thinking outside the box can help raise awareness for a cause. And that ducks are amazing.

Majority of global population agrees Internet access is a human right

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:16 AM PST

The United Nations Human Rights Council officially declared Internet access and online freedom of expression a human right in July 2012. According to the results of an extensive survey published this week, the majority of the world's citizens agree.
The CIGI-Ipsos Global Survey on Internet Security and Trust, commissioned by the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and conducted by global research company Ipsos, surveyed more than 23,000 Internet users across 24 countries between Oct. 7. and Nov. 12. The report [PDF] found that 83% of users believe affordable access to the Internet should be a basic human right.
As might be expected, people living in the developing world and regions where nations often face censorship agree more broadly than regions where Internet access has become more or less standard. In fact, 90% of survey respondents in the Middle East and Africa believe Internet access is a human right.
In North America, 76% of people believe Internet access should be a human right — however, only 36% "strongly agree," while 40% "somewhat agree." The report didn't elaborate on the exact differences between the two statements.
Over the years, several high-profile people have criticized the idea that everyone is entitled to the Internet. Vint Cerf, often dubbed one of the "fathers of the Internet," wrote a 2012 op-ed in The New York Times, stating, "Technology is an enabler of rights, not a right itself."
Brian Schepis, formerly of Google and now of SpaceX, wrote in the Canadian Journal of Politics and Law that the denial of Internet access "should be seen as a potentially urgent threat to a more basic list of human rights, namely the human right to assembly..."
Various human rights organizations offered rebuttals to these claims; Amnesty International, for example, called Cerf's view of human rights "exceptionally narrow."
The following chart, created by Statistics portal Statista, illustrates the regions containing the survey's 24 participating countries, and the percentages of people who strongly and somewhat agree that Internet access should be a human right.

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#PutOutYourBats: A moving Twitter tribute for cricketer Phillip Hughes

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:09 AM PST

It is a striking symbol of a legend loss. The #putoutyourbats campaign on social media pays tribute to Phillip Hughes, a 25-year-old Australian cricketer who died on Thursday after being hit in the head with a cricket ball.
As Australia mourns, they are also putting their cricket bats against a wall as a mark of respect.
It started when Sydney dad Paul Taylor put his at his front door and sent a tweet out. Now people across Australia and the world have joined the trending hashtag to say goodbye to a young star lost too soon in the most horrible of ways. Google followed the moving tributes with its own special moment on its homepage.
google

Hong Kong protest leader Joshua Wong released on bail

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:08 AM PST

Prominent Hong Kong student protest leader Joshua Wong talks to reporters outside a court in Hong Kong Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014.
HONG KONG — Joshua Wong, the 18-year-old who is the best-known of the students who are leading the protests in Hong Kong, was released on bail on Thursday. Wong was taken into custody amid clashes as police moved to clear one of the three protest sites that have blocked streets in the city for nearly two months now.
Wong shot to international fame (and onto the cover of Time magazine as the protests gathered steam in late September.
He, another student leader, 21-year-old Lester Shum, and a well-known activist lawmaker, Leung Kwok-Hung, were among more than 100 people arrested as police used pepper spray and batons on Wednesday to clear the streets in the neighborhood of Mongkok. The area has seen sporadic clashes and tense scenes over the weeks as opponents of the protests have voiced their anger at the disruption caused by the sit-in.
At a court hearing on Thursday Wong and Shum were banned from large parts of Mongkok as part of their bail conditions.
This means they won't be able to join any attempts to re-take the now-cleared protest site in Mongkok.
On Thursday afternoon, the area – centered on the intersection between Nathan Road and Argyle Street, busy, bustling areas bristling with shops – was eerily normal, with traffic roaring past at high speed.
"We, all of us, very happy," said one middle-aged store assistant who did not want to be named, in broken English. The comment reflects a general sense of relief among local shops whose business has been hurt by the stand-off.
Uniformed police officers were stationed on street corners, but, during the day at least, there were few reminders of the protest camp that had squatted on the crossing for weeks.
Whether that will stay that way remains to be seen: there was much speculation that protesters may try to move back in overnight or in the coming days in support of their calls for more democracy in this city of 7.2 million people.
Heavy-handedness by the police here is rare compared to the United States, for example, but when it has happened, it has tended to back-fire, by rallying ordinary Hong Kongers around the protesters. Many Hong Kong people believe that it is time to end the protests (at least for now), but some may see the clearance of Mongkok as a reason to lend their support again.
At the same time, Yvonne Leung, another of the student leaders, said in an interview with a local radio station on Thursday that some of the students may now target government buildings as a way to step up action against the authorities.
Meanwhile at Admiralty, where the largest of the three protest areas is located outside government offices, the mood on Thursday was gloomy and more depressed than in the past.
The Admiralty site remains as large and calm as ever. Hundreds of tents are pitched in the middle of a multi-lane thoroughfare there. Several men were hard at work at a carpentry shop that has sprung up there to make desks and other items for the protesters. The police have made no moves, so far, to shift the protesters at this site, which has been peaceful, clean and well organised for most of the past two months.
But the mood is now apprehensive and the site looked bedraggled in the cold drizzle on Thursday.
"It is hard to know what will happen. Maybe some protesters will move to Mongkok, or some from Mongkok will come here," said Steven Cheng, a student who was helping to organise a supply store near the local subway station, and who has been there for most of the past two months.
"I think maybe we will still be here at Christmas," he said, pointing to a nearby Christmas tree that is standing among the tents. "But maybe more people will now stay at home. It depends on whether things stay peaceful or not. So hard to know."

World Like Follow Michael Brown's family leaves empty seat at dinner table for Thanksgiving

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:06 AM PST

Lesley McSpadden, right, the mother of 18-year-old Michael Brown, watches as Brown's father, Michael Brown Sr., holds up a family picture on August 11.
The family of Michael Brown, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson in August, have sat down for Thanksgiving dinner without their son and brother.
Brown had two sisters and seven half-siblings, but it was not immediately clear which of the siblings were pictured. Michael Brown Sr., Brown's father, can be seen standing in the middle holding a young girl.
The photo is a poignant reminder of the emptiness felt on Thanksgiving by the families that have lost a relative to a police shooting, and follows on from a flow of photos under the hashtag #StolenLives.
The campaign started by Ferguson Action group, calls for families to leave a seat empty at the table in solidarity with those who have lost someone they love. "This year Mike Brown's parents will have an empty seat at their dinner table, so will others who have lost a loved one to police violence," the campaign website states. "Stand in solidarity with them this holiday and save a spot for those who have been lost at your table."
A spokesperson for Ferguson Action told Mash: "The #StolenLives campaign is our effort to remind people that the victims of police violence are loved and remembered by their families and communities. While some, like Darren Wilson, see "demons" we see our brothers, sisters and friends. Their lives matter."

Ukraine’s most pro-Western parliament in history holds first session

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:04 AM PST

Newly elected Ukrainian parliament deputies swear their oath during the inauguration cermeony in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014. Ukraine Parliament has opened for its first session since an election last month that ushered in a spate of pro-Western parties.
KIEV, Ukraine – Ukraine's eighth parliament held its first session on Thursday after snap elections last month ushered in the most Western-friendly group of lawmakers ever, including several from the Euromaidan revolution that ousted the country's Russia-leaning president in February.
All 423 elected deputies were sworn in during an emotional inauguration ceremony inside the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, that was presided over by speaker Oleksandr Turchynov.
Even Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, who remains imprisoned in Russia on what Kiev says are bogus murder chargers, took her oath. She reportedly signed it from her prison cell before her lawyer brought it to Ukraine. Savchenko was elected to parliament on the ticket of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna party.
But hers and 27 other seats remain vacant in the 450-seat Verkhovna Rada. Due to Russia's annexation of Crimea in March and the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow-backed separatists occupy large swaths of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, it was impossible to hold votes in several districts. Those areas under separatist-control, for now, will have no elected representatives.
The ceremony included all the pomp and circumstance of previous convocations. A choir dressed in traditional Ukrainian garb sang the national anthem, followed by the reading of a traditional prayer that began with the words, "God the great and united one, protect our Ukraine." But the ceremony also included a moment of silence to commemorate the more than 4,300 people who have lost their lives in the country's conflict-torn east since April.
In a reminder that the country is still at fighting pitched battles with pro-Russian separatists in the east, several new deputies from volunteer battalions who have fought in eastern Ukraine opted to wear their camouflaged uniforms in lieu of a suit and tie.
Meanwhile, the fighting raged on.
The country's snap October parliamentary election overhauled a legislature previously dominated by supporters of former pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in February after three months of protests. He now faces charges of mass murder in Ukraine for the killing of over 100 demonstrators, but is unlikely to see his day in court after fleeing to Russia, where is has found refuge.
A day at Ukraine's parliament rarely passes without scandal. Thursday was no different, with President Petro Poroshenko's son, Oleksiy, among those deputies sworn in. Critics have blamed the head of state for perpetuating the same nepotism that plagued previous governments.
But overshadowing that were the new faces who took their seats inside the Verkhovna Rada for the first time.
Alex Ryabchin, an economist originally from Donetsk who won a seat in parliament on the Batkivshchyna party list, shared several photos from his first day on the job.
Others, like former investigative journalist Serhiy Leshchenko, were equally as excited, if not slightly in awe of the whole thing.
Five parties on Thursday formed the new ruling coalition in parliament. It is their responsibility to appoint the new cabinet of ministers.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, front right, and his cabinet stand during the opening first session of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014. Parliament in Ukraine has opened for its first session since an election last month that ushered in a spate of pro-Western parties.
IMAGE: AP PHOTO/EFREM LUKATSKY
On Thursday, the coalition moved quickly to endorse Arseniy Yatsenyuk to lead the government, meaning he would remain as prime minister. The coalition also endorsed Volodymyr Hroisman, a close ally of Poroshenko, for speaker of parliament. Shortly after, they confirmed him.
The president greeted Hroisman with roses after the vote.
Yuriy Lustenko, leader of the president's Bloc of Petro Poroshenko, told Interfax-Ukraine news agency that it was unlikely the rest of the government would be appointed on Thursday.
"Today, we will create a coalition, and today we will elect the leader of the Verkhovna Rada, and today we will elect the prime minister, and by the next session day on Tuesday, we will have the full composition of the government," Lutsenko said.

12 best iPhone apps of 2014

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 01:02 AM PST

Between iOS 8 and the iPhone 6, 2014 may have been one of the best years yet for iPhone users.
But killer updates from Apple aside, there was no shortage of great new apps this year. From killer new productivity apps, to some of the most addicting games to ever land on the iPhone, you'd be forgiven for not being able to choose the best new offerings.
Luckily, Mash's done the hard part for you. Check out the gallery, above, to see which apps made our list of top picks of the year and see how they compare to your favorites.

  • 1.Acorns

    Acorns
    We all know investing properly is crucial for long term financial success but getting started can the most overwhelming and difficult part. Acorns takes the friction out of the process by investing the change left over from your everyday purchases into a portfolio managed by a financial professional. You can choose how much to invest, how aggressive you want to be and the app takes care of the rest. Acorns is free but costs $1/month once you start investing.
    IMAGE: ACORNS

  • 2.Humin

    Humin
    Humin reorganizes your contacts based on their relationship to you, making it really fast and easy to search for contact info with queries like "works atMash" or "met at ComicCon." The app also learns from your past behavior to predict who you'll want to get in touch with the second you launch the app so the more you use it, the smarter its predictions get.
    IMAGE: HUMIN, INC.

  • 3.Hyperlapse

    Hyperlapse
    Facebook gave us a slew of new apps this year but Instagram's Hyperlapse was by far the best of the bunch. The app provides a really simple way to create stunning time-lapse videos— previously a labor intensive and time consuming task-- and easily share them back to Instagram or Facebook. The app will even work with the iPhone's front-facing camera so you can create time-lapse selfies.
    IMAGE: INSTAGRAM, INC.

  • 4.Jelly

    Jelly
    Twitter cofounder Biz Stone's latest venture, Jelly, is premised on the fact that there are some questions not easily answered by a quick Google search. Some answers are better when they come from people you know (or who are at least in your wider social network). Ask a question using text, photos or map location and friends and friends of friends from your social circle will give you their best advice.
    IMAGE: JELLY INDUSTRIES, INC.

  • 5.Kim Kardashian: Hollywood

    Kim%20kardashian%20hollywood
    One of the most popular (and the most profitable) mobile games of the year, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood allows placers to step into the fast-paced Hollywood lifestyle of Kim Kardashian and other up and coming stars. Create a character and and work your way to the top b, schmoozing with the right people, going to the right parties and— of course— with the help of advice from Kim K herself.
    IMAGE: GLU GAMES, INC.

  • 6.LinkedIn Job Search

    Linkedin%20job%20search
    It's no secret that LinkedIn is a great place to find jobs but until the Job Search there wasn't a good way to actually browse the company's huge database of open positions from your phone. LinkedIn's Job Search solves that with an app entirely dedicated to the network's job postings. Users can browse open positions, apply for new ones or opt for personalized alerts when the type of job they want becomes available.
    IMAGE: LINKEDIN CORPORATION

  • 7.Nuzzel

    Nuzzel
    There's no shortage of news-reading apps but sometimes you just want to find the stories the people you know are reading. That's where Nuzzel comes in and ensures you're always up to date on the latest stories making the rounds on your Twitter feed. Created by Friendster founder Jonathan Abrams, the app surfaces articles your friends are sharing the most as well as items you may have missed from the last week. It's not an all-inclusive news app but it's a great way to find new articles relevant to you.
    IMAGE: NUZZEL

  • 8.Overcast: Podcast Player

    Overcast
    This podcast app from the creator of Instapaper is a simple yet elegant way to manage your podcasts. It handles the basics, like subscriptions and downloads, well but it's the premium features that set this app apart from other podcast mangers. Smart Speed speeds up the silences within recordings to shave minutes off each episode without a detectable difference while Voice Boost equalizes the volume across the podcast so you won't have to adjust the volume when a soft-spoken person comes on.
    IMAGE: OVERCAST RADIO

  • 9.Secret

    Secret
    Launched at the start of 2014, Secret quickly captivated us by revealing just how many deep dark secrets our friends really have. Users post their secrets, deep and trivial alike, and all posts are anonymous-- though users can see whether or not it came from someone nearby or someone they actually know. The app's users are also especially engaged with the comments sections sometimes attracting hundreds or even thousands of interactions, which sometimes even make their way offline and into real life.
    IMAGE: SECRET, INC.

  • Swype

    Swype
    The arrival of iOS 8 meant iPhone users could finally swap out and customize their keyboards and Swype's gesture-based keyboard is one of the best out there. It supercharges your texting abilities by enabling lightning fast typing. Quickly swipe your finger over the letters you need and the predictive keyboard fills in the rest with minimal time between words.
    IMAGE: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS

  • Threes

    Threes
    Proof that sometimes the simplest games can be the best, Threes is not only beautifully designed but awesomely addicting. Players begin the puzzle game by combining 1s and 2s into threes while matching higher matching numbers to get bigger multiples of threes. It sounds simple (and it is) but topping your best high scores gets progressively more challenging.
    IMAGE: SIRVO, LLC

  • TwoDots

    Twodots
    Forget Flappy Bird, TwoDots might just be the most frustratingly addictive game ever. It borrows some dynamics from its viral predecessor Dots but adds news levels and challenges. You'll quickly learn it's all about squares as you attempt to connect the right series of dots to make it past each level. The game looks whimsical but don't let that fool you— chances are high that once you start you'll be sucked in until the bitter end.
    IMAGE: BETAWORKS ONE

Mystery writer P.D. James dies aged 94

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 12:59 AM PST

P.D. James as she discusses her latest novel, "The Lighthouse," another mystery featuring Scotland Yard detective Adam Dalgliesh,
Mystery writer P.D. James, who brought realistic modern characters to the classical British detective story, has died, her publisher said. She was 94.
Faber and Faber said publisher said James died Thursday at her home in Oxford, southern England.
James' books, many featuring sensitive sleuth Adam Dalgliesh, sold millions around the world, and most were just as popular when adapted for television.
Faber, James' publisher for more than 50 years, said in a statement that she had been "so very remarkable in every aspect of her life, an inspiration and great friend to us all. It is a privilege to publish her extraordinary books. Working with her was always the best of times, full of joy. We will miss her hugely."
Because of the quality and careful structure of her writing — and her elegant, intellectual detective Dalgliesh — she was at first seen as a natural successor to writers like Dorothy L. Sayers, creator of Lord Peter Wimsey in the between-the-wars "Golden Age" of the mystery novel.
But James' books were strong on character, avoided stereotype and touched on distinctly modern problems including drugs, child abuse and nuclear contamination.
"She has pushed, as a modernist must, against the boundaries of the classical detective story,"critic Julian Symons once wrote.

"The greatest mystery of all is the human heart," James said in a 1997 interview, "and that is the mystery with which all good novelists, I think, are concerned. I'm always interested in what makes people the sort of people they are."
Although there was nothing remotely "genteel" about P.D. James' writing, she was criticized by some younger writers of gritty urban crime novels.
They accused her of snobbery because she said she liked to write about middle-class murderers, preferably intelligent and well-educated, who agonize over right and wrong and spend time planning and justifying their crimes. Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard, hero of more than a dozen of James' novels, is a decidedly gentlemanly detective, who writes poetry, loves jazz and drives a Jaguar.
Phyllis Dorothy James was born in Oxford on Aug. 3, 1920. Her father was a tax collector and there was not enough money for her to go to college, a fact she always regretted.
Even as a child, she said, she had been interested in death. As a little girl, when someone read "Humpty Dumpty" to her, she asked, "Did he fall or was he pushed?"
But she did not start producing her mysteries until she was nearly 40, and then wrote only early in the morning before going to the civil service job with which she supported her family. Her husband, Connor Bantry White, had returned from the war mentally broken and remained so until his death in 1964.
"It was a late beginning for someone who knew from early childhood that she wanted to be a novelist, and, looking back, I can't help regret what I now see as some wasted years," James wrote in a 1999 autobiography, "Time to Be Earnest."
Phyllis White's career took her from the National Health Service to the Home Office, where she worked in the forensic science department and then the criminal law department.
Her first novel, "Cover Her Face," was published in 1962 under her maiden name and was an immediate critical success, but she continued to work in the Home Office until 1979.
In 1980, with the publication of her eighth book, "Innocent Blood," her small but loyal following exploded into mass, international popularity.
"Monday, I was ticking along as usual, and by Friday I was a millionaire," she once said.

The Crime Writers' Association gave P.D. James its Diamond Dagger award in 1987 for lifetime achievement, and in 2005 the National Arts Club honored James with its Medal of Honor for Literature.
Her work was not confined to the mystery genre. Her 1992 science fiction novel "The Children of Men," about a dystopian future in which humanity has become infertile, was turned into a critically praised 2006 movie by Alfonso Cuaron. In 2013 she published "Death Comes to Pemberley," introducing a murder mystery into Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice."
Queen Elizabeth II made her Baroness James of Holland Park in 1991, in recognition of her work as a governor of the BBC, a position she held from 1988 to 1993.
James was a member of the Church of England's Liturgical Commission and expressed doubts about the modernized Book of Common Prayer, the 16th- and 17th-century Anglican service book famous for the beauty of its language.

"Something vital is lost, surely, when 'Let not your heart be troubled' is translated as 'Do not be worried and upset,'" she said.
James was often spoken of as an heir to Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, icons of the classic British mystery, but her admirers thought she transcended both.
"Doyle and Christie are genre writers — clever, yes, but one must suspend considerable disbelief right from the get-go when reading their works," said author Anita Shreve. "No such acrobatics are necessary with a James novel."
There was an outpouring of tributes to the writer on Twitter:

The astronauts on the ISS will be having Thanksgiving dinner too

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 12:58 AM PST

The International Space Station orbits around Earth.
Like most Americans back on the ground, astronauts aboard the International Space Station will celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast: NASA food scientists have created zero-g versions of classic Thanksgiving dishes for this week's celebration.
The American astronauts currently living on the orbiting laboratory 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth's surface — commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and flight engineer Terry Virts — as well as Italian-born flight engineer Samantha Cristoforetti, will get a day off this Thursday, Nov. 27 to celebrate Thanksgiving. At mealtime, they'll gather for some "traditional" Turkey Day fare — in zero-g form, of course.
The in-flight menu includes smoked turkey, candied yams, green beans and mushrooms, cornbread stuffing and cherry-blueberry cobbler. In addition, the crewmembers may enjoy some personal Thanksgiving favorites.
"I'm from Tennessee, so I grew up drinking sweet tea — so I've got a little sweet tea as well," Wilmore said in his Thanksgiving video. "So, we're going to have all of that up here and try to share in the spirit of the season."
Thanksgiving in Space

NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins prepares to enjoy his Thanksgiving meal on Nov. 28, 2013.
IMAGE: NASA
The astronauts will likely share the meal with their newly arrived Russian shipmates, flight engineers Alexander Samokutyaev, Anton Shkaplerov and Elena Serova, who got to the station late Sunday, Nov. 23. The Russians do not have the day off, but crewmembers dine together most days. The orbiting laboratory frequently hosts an international crew, and astronauts generally join in the celebrations of their crewmates.
Food aboard the International Space Station is either freeze-dried or thermostabilized (a process similar to canning, but with the food packed in pouches), so it has a long shelf life and can be stored without refrigeration. There are no microwaves or ovens on board the station, so food is heated using warm water. Such storage methods do not work well with all foods, so it can be a challenge to recreate specific dishes.
One Thanksgiving staple, sweet potatoes, may one day be grown in space, NASA officials said. Deep-space missions to Mars, or even more distant destinations, will likely require astronauts to grow their own food. According to NASA, sweet potatoes could be an ideal crop for these missions: They would provide astronauts with energy (from carbohydrates) and beta-carotene, they can adapt to a controlled environment with artificial sunlight, and in addition to the tuber itself, the side shoots from the potato are also edible.
Thanksgiving has been celebrated aboard the International Space Station since the first Americans came on board in 2000. The first Thanksgiving in space took place aboard the United States' first space station, Skylab, on Nov. 22, 1973, and was marked by American astronauts Jerry Carr, Bill Pogue and Ed Gibson. On that first extraterrestrial Thanksgiving, the astronauts did not get the day off.

How to share your gaming with the world on Twitch

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 12:55 AM PST

Thanks to the huge success of Twitch, gaming can be even more social and entertaining than playing alone. Everyone from pros to casual gamers can find a niche in the streaming community, gathering fans and followers to watch them play.
Here, we'll walk you through the essentials of how to get involved with the Twitch community — now more than 55 million strong — and start streaming your games from either a PC or a console.
No matter what your gaming platform of choice is, start by making an account on Twitch. You probably have one already if you're an active follower or subscriber on the site, but for those those want to go straight from lurking to streaming, you'll need to make it official.

Check your specs

Streaming is a powerful activity, so you'll want to make sure your PC can keep up. The recommended specs from Twitch are:
- Windows 7 Home Premium or newer operating system
- 8GB of RAM
- At least an Intel Core i5-4670 or AMD FX-8350 for CPU
Ideally, you'll also want a graphics card that can easily support your games. Twitch suggests a card that supports at least DirectX 10, but this isn't a central factor in creating the best setup.
It's also worth noting that some games are much more demanding on your gear than others. If you plan to mostly share older games, then you won't have to trick out your computer with top-shelf components. If you want to dive right into the latest releases that push the envelope on graphics and performance, then you'll need to make the investment to give your viewers a good experience.

Broadcasting software

To actually get the visuals from your game onto Twitch, you'll need to have some third-party broadcasting software. XSplit is one of the top choices for streamers who are okay with a paid subscription. The best freebie is Open Broadcast Software, or OBS.  is another common option.
Each of those three broadcasting programs have resources to walk you through the setup. If you run into problems with completing the installation or determining the right settings, check out that software's support or forum pages for troubleshooting help.

Console streaming

If you have the latest generation of gaming hardware, then streaming to Twitch is much simpler. Both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One have streaming capacity built in.
Sony has made streaming from the PS4 a matter of just a few menu selections. Once you're logged in to your account and have started a game, press the Share button on your controller. Select the "Broadcast Gameplay" option, then pick Twitch. It will take you to the streaming site, where you'll need to log in. Now you're set up. Once you're ready to start the stream, press the Share button and choose "Broadcast Gameplay" again. Pick Twitch, then select "Start Broadcast," and you're off.
For the Xbox One, Microsoft has a free Twitch app in the Xbox Live store. Open in and click "Broadcast." You'll need to enter the activation code on Twitch's website to continue. Once your console is activated, you can start broadcasting from within the Twitch app. Or you can use the Kinect's voice controls by saying, "Xbox, broadcast."
If you want to stream from a different console, you'll need extra hardware to do it. Companies like El Gato, Roxio and Hauppauge make devices that will intercept the video and send it to your computer to stream.

Extra gear

Depending on the type of stream you expect to run, you'll want a few other items to give your viewers the best experience. Grab a microphone so that everyone can hear your fabulous monologues. It can be a headset or a freestanding mic; it all depends on what will be most comfortable and useful to you.
Although it's not necessary for streaming, including video of yourself is also a nice touch. Just hook up a reliable webcam to your PC and you'll be set. If you do opt for a webcam, try to stream from a well-lit room so that your fans can actually see you. If you're streaming from a console, the built-in camera capabilities of the PS4 and Xbox One mean that including your face is just a setting option when you set up your broadcast. The Xbox One's Kinect will work as the camera, but you'll need to purchase the PlayStation 4 camera separately.

Find your voice

The final point to consider when you're getting ready to stream has nothing to do with your hardware. If you're putting your gaming online for people to watch, then you need to give them a reason to tune in. Are you highly skilled? Are you a funny host? Are you good at explaining a particular game and its nuances?
A huge range of gamers and personalities can find followings as streamers. Think about why people might be interested in your gaming and what you bring to the Twitch community. Be ready to present that from the first time you go live.

175 DIY gifts you can make instead of shopping on Black Friday

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 12:54 AM PST

If the idea of fighting your way through Best Buy is giving you a headache, opt for something a little craftier.
There's no need to elbow your way through thronging of shoppers on Black Friday. Instead, get creative with some easy DIY projects. You can knock out your gift list without stepping out the door, while chowing down on Thanksgiving leftovers.
This year, stay warm and stress-free for the holidays. The best Black Friday deal is not having to go out on Black Friday.

  • 21 DIY holiday gifts that anyone would love

    Diyholidaygifts
    Pocket ties, custom kitchenware and cute home accents are just some of the great DIY gifts you can make for everyone on your list.
    IMAGE: CHELSEA MOHRMAN BRIT + CO

  • 15 simple DIY holiday gifts to make with your kids

    Kidgifts
    Kids shouldn't be elbowing through crowds of angry shoppers anyway. It's much more fun for them -- and for you -- to make adorable photo frames and tree ornaments.
    IMAGE: EIGHTEEN 25

  • How to make a snow globe out of a mason jar

    Busting out your craft glue and spending the day making something sparkly for your loved ones sounds so much more appealing than fighting the crowds at the mall.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, THE WATERCOOLER

  • 20 DIY projects to revamp your old sweaters

    Slipperboots
    Got a nice sweater that's fitting a little too snug this year? Turn it into a sweet scarf or warm pair of booties for a friend of relative.
    IMAGE: JEN KLUFTINGER DRAWINGS UNDER THE TABLE

  • 15 thoughtful DIY gifts for your favorite teacher

    Teachergifts
    Teachers love getting holiday gifts too. Make something to decorate their desk for the upcoming school year.
    IMAGE: @HANDMADEMOOD ON INSTAGRAM

  • 18 easy DIY projects that are cute as a button

    Bracelett
    Button earrings, book marks and office supplies make great stocking stuffers, and they're a lot less expensive than any Black Friday deal.
    IMAGE: DREW SCOTT SCRAPPY HAPPINESS

  • 10 homemade ways to get your lip gloss poppin'

    Lip-gloss
    There are plenty of pretty (and delicious) lip gloss recipes out there. Spend the day trying them all and give them out throughout the holiday season.
    IMAGE: NICOLE HILL GERULAT/GETTY IMAGES

  • 12 homemade body scrubs to keep your skin smooth

    Scrubsthumb
    While other people are shoving their way through the hoards of shoppers trying to get their hands on a discount spa gift -- you can easily make an all natural one with a custom scent.
    IMAGE: ETSY MAMASWEETSHOMEMADE

  • 15 DIY bathroom products to help you ditch the drugstore

    Soap
    There is a soap, bath bomb or shaving cream out there for everyone in your life. And you don't have to rush out right after Thanksgiving to get it.
    IMAGE: ETSY ROOTSSOAPCO

  • 12 grown-up versions of your favorite childhood crafts

    Friendship-bracelet
    Friendship bracelets and perler beads aren't just for kids crafts. You can also make great gifts right at home by channeling your childhood craftiness.
    IMAGE: ETSY BEADSTHEATER

  • DIY Iron Throne phone stand

    Diyironthrone
    Sometimes the best gift for the Game of Thrones fan can't be found in a store.
    IMAGE: IMGUR, IMGUR

  • All men must DIY: 10 crafts inspired by Game of Thrones

    Gotthumb
    Necklaces, home decor and custom made dragon eggs are just some of the things you might not find a Black Friday deal on -- but make wonderful gifts for theGame of Thrones fans in your life.
    IMAGE: NERDS AND NOMSENSE

  • 10 creative DIY projects for the unartistic

    Unartistic-diy
    Even DIY beginners can make quirky succulent planters or washi tape smartphone case for their holiday gift list.
    IMAGE: AMAZON PLAID PIGEON

  • 15 last-minute Mother's Day gifts to DIY

    13937553991_f220d6d23d_o
    Skip shopping and spend the day focusing on a gift for the person who matters most: mom.
    IMAGE: FLICKR, STACIE

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Apple Store unveils Black Friday gift card offers

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 12:51 AM PST

At the stroke of midnight, Apple went live with its Black Friday deals in the Apple Store.
These deals will balance your guilt of spending too much money on consumer goods with doing something positive for the world.
With a splash of the color red, Apple is offering gift cards up to $100 when you purchase your new, shiny product. The good bit? The company will make a donation to an AIDS charity organization, Red.
The Apple Store update, which was unveiled after a few hours of downtime and speculation, came with the following note:
"Let's make today more than the start of the shopping season. When you purchase select Apple products, you'll receive a (PRODUCT)RED™ iTunes Gift Card to use toward anything at the iTunes Store. And we'll automatically make a donation to the Global Fund to support the fight against AIDS."
apple

IMAGE: APPLE
There aren't any actual savings but if you purchase a MacBook Pro, a MacBook Air or an iMac you'll receive a $100 gift card. Buying an iPhone or an iPad that qualifies will get you a $50 gift card to spend, while an iPod, Apple TV or Beats product will see you pocket a $25 card.
And don't think you can take advantage of these offers across the world, the deal is only via the U.S. Apple Store on Nov. 28.

14 goats that made your heart skip a bleat in 2014

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 12:49 AM PST

Goats > all other animals.
The dopey middle child of the farm animal family was once cast aside in favor of more majestic animals, such as horses or talking pigs. Now, goats hold a coveted spot in the Internet animal hierarchy, somewhere slightly above cats with snaggletooths and just below dogs welcoming home army veterans.
2014 may have been the Chinese Year of the Horse, but this year was the Internet Year of the Goat. Here are our picks for goats that out-goated all the other goats on the Internet this year.

  • 1. Star Goats

    I've got to go to the TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAshi station to get power converters.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, MARCA BLANCA

  • 2. Goat Says "What What"

    This video isn't creepy, right? Right. Right?
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, DUSTY BELEW

  • 3. Goat Stuck in a Hole

    We've all been there, goat. We've all been there.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, BABYGOATS ANDFRIENDS

  • 4. Goat and Hippo

    The Shaq and Kobe of interspecies friendship.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, HESCCHEETAHCENTRE

  • 5. Goats on a Steel Sheet

    I wish I loved anything as much as these goat love pliable steel sheets.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, MAX MURS

  • 6. Goat National Anthem

    Patriotism at its best.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, WORLD WIDE INTERWEB

  • 7. Goat vs. Blow-Up Chair

    You know what you did, blow up chair. You know what you did.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, SHANON CASSON

  • 8. Jurassic Goat

    "You bred raptors*?"
    *Goats
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, MARCA BLANCA

  • 9. Baby Goats

    You want a baby goats video? You got it. We make dream happen here.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, ANNA HUTCHISON

  • 10. Baby Goat Stampede

    This is like a better version of running with the bulls.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, HOPE HALL

  • 11.Wimpy Goat

    The story of the little goat who overcame the odds to let out a bleat for the ages.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, MADEBYSAM

  • 12. Goat on a Guy's Back

    Goats are royalty and should be treated as such.
    VIDEO: YOUTUBE, NUNO SÁ

  • 13. Frostie the Snow Goat

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Volunteers save 108 suffering dogs from breeding farm

Posted: 28 Nov 2014 12:46 AM PST


Thanks to the ambition and big hearts of a small group of women, 108 dogs will have new, fulfilling lives far from the puppy mills where they were once trapped.
A small group of eight volunteers rescued dogs from a puppy mill auction held Nov. 22 after managing to raise $200,000 in 11 days for the cause. Dubbed "Operation Rescue Cavalier," the mission saved 96 Cavalier King Charles spaniels, seven shiba inus, one French bulldog, two cocker spaniels, one shih tzu and one Yorkshire terrier. The dogs have been transported to vet clinics for check-ups and are safely on their ways to better physical and emotional states.


Rescued at the auction, #99

A Cavalier rescued at the Nov. 22 auction.
IMAGE: CRYS CARNES

For the volunteers who made this mission possible, Operation Rescue Cavalier was the culmination of months of research and two weeks of intense fundraising. A dog breeder in Lineville, Alabama, sent 96 Cavaliers to a puppy mill dispersal auction held last Saturday in Wheaton, Missouri.
Alabama attorney Angie Hubbard Ingram has been researching the mill since last spring, and tells Mash that the auction was made possible by a federal exemption that provides regulatory amnesty to kennels looking to get out of the large-scale breeding business.
Ingram is the proud owner of three Cavaliers and an active volunteer for Cavalier Rescue USA (CKCSCR). Through her own investigation, she learned of the Lineville kennel, and made it her mission to re-home the dogs kept there.
When she learned of the November auction, Ingram assembled a team of volunteers to ensure that every dog would go to one of five animal rescue groups. These include Ingram's own CKCSCR, the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Rescue Trust, Lucky Star Cavalier Rescue, Treasured Pals Small Spaniel Rescue and the Greater Chicago Cavalier Rescue.

Puppy Mill

Cavaliers at the puppy mill.
IMAGE: CRYS CARNES

CKCSCR raised $200,000 in less than two weeks, thanks to donations from 2,250 people on a GoFundMe campaign and the concerted publicity efforts from New York publicist Amanda K. Ruisi, who'd connected with Ingram after learning of her mission online.
"We were all surprised at the outpouring of financial support from around the world," Ingram said. "I felt a huge responsibility had been entrusted on me and made a firm commitment with [fellow volunteer] Crys Carnes to ensure that the stated mission would be adhered to no matter the cost — 'no Cav left behind.' Once we found out there were other breeds at the auction, the mission became 'no dog left behind.'"
Ingram, who bid on behalf of CKCSCR at the auction, ran out of funds with three hours left to bid. But after the call went out for more donations, CKCSCR managed to raise $75,000 in 30 minutes, and Ingram continued to bid. Rescue Trust contributed $100,000 to the cause, as did the three other organizations involved. By the end of the auction, all but two dogs had been rescued. In keeping with her promise of "no dog left behind," Ingram purchased the last two dogs back from the breeders who bid for them. Ruisi tells Mash that although a percentage of the profit will go to the owners of the Lineville kennel, she believes it was worth paying that price to ensure a safe home for so many dogs.

Freedom

IMAGE: CRYS CARNES

Forty-six Cavaliers are under the care of CKCSCR, and the remaining 62 dogs are dispersed among the four remaining rescue groups. All groups will rehabilitate, foster and find permanent homes for the dogs.
"Now those dogs have started the first day of their new lives, some have touched grass for the first time in their seven year lives, some are pregnant, some blind, some being walked on a leash for the first time and some are learning to stand up again having been forced to live in a crate that they could not even fully stand up in or turn around," Ruisi toldMash. "It is a truly incredible outcome."

  • At-the-puppy-mill

    Cavaliers at the kennel.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • At-puppy-mill

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • At-the-auction

    Dogs in cages at the auction in Missouri.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Rescued-1

    Two rescued Cavaliers.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • One-of-the-7-shiba-inu-puppies-rescued

    One of the seven rescued shiba inu puppies.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Rescued-french-bull-dog

    A rescued French bulldog.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Kara-ingram-angie-ingram-crys-carnes-with-some-rescue-dogs

    Kara Ingram, Angie Hubbard Ingram and Crys Carnes with rescued dogs.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Rescued

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Being-transported-from-the-auction-to-the-vet

    Rescued dogs in their way to a vet clinic.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • At-the-vet

    Two Cavaliers at the vet.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Bath-at-the-vet-after-the-rescue

    Taking a bath.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Vet-appt

    A veterinary appointment.

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Vet-1

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • At-the-vet

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Vet-3

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES
  • Vet-2

    IMAGE: CRYS CARNES

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