| ‘Severe Turbulence’, 10 Injured on Flight from Greece to Philadelphia Posted: 06 Aug 2017 09:11 AM PDT  Ten people were injured after an American Airlines flight from Athens, Greece, experienced "severe turbulence" prior to landing at Philadelphia International Airport Saturday.
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| Both Democrats and Republicans Struggle to Fix Their Broken Politics Posted: 06 Aug 2017 01:14 AM PDT  Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Gov. Jerry Brown (D-Calif.) and the panel join Meet the Press in a special edition on our broken politics.
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| Venezuela troops quash anti-Maduro attack on military base Posted: 06 Aug 2017 05:42 PM PDT  VALENCIA, Venezuela (AP) — Soldiers battled for three hours Sunday morning against a small band of anti-government fighters who snuck onto a Venezuelan army base, apparently intent on fomenting an uprising, President Nicolas Maduro said.
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| Two Baltimore murders break 72-hour anti-violence 'ceasefire' Posted: 06 Aug 2017 07:31 AM PDT  The unidentified victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds just before 10 p.m. on Saturday, a few hours after a 24-year-old man was reported shot and killed. Following the first shooting on Saturday, Baltimore Ceasefire's organizers said on Facebook that the killing would not stop their mission. Despite the shootings, activists held marches, cookouts and vigils on Saturday night, paying tribute to the city's murder victims and hugging residents affected by the violence, the Baltimore Sun reported.
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| Passenger knocked out as whale slams into Australia boat Posted: 06 Aug 2017 09:52 PM PDT  A man was knocked unconscious and three others suffered facial fractures and broken ribs after a whale slammed into a charter fishing boat off Australia's north coast, the skipper said Monday. The 30-foot (9-metre) vessel was returning to port in the Whitsundays off the Queensland state coast with eight passengers on board when a humpback whale rammed it from below, sending it airborne. "Within a split second we all hit the floor, the boat launched up into the air and it dislodged everyone off their feet," captain Oliver Galea told AFP of the drama on Saturday.
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| Graffiti on stop signs could trick driverless cars into driving dangerously Posted: 07 Aug 2017 02:55 AM PDT  Driverless cars could ignore road signs on the streets since they can be confused by simple vandalism, researchers have found. While carmakers have been investigating ways to protect autonomous cars against hackers, more conventional attacks could confuse the vehicles into misreading road signs that would appear normal to ordinary drivers. Placing stickers or posters over part or the whole of a road sign could be used to trick the smart car into ignoring stop signs, even if visually they appear the same to the human drivers. Researchers at the University of Washington demonstrated how car hackers who had gained access to the visual recognition software within the vehicle could create simple alterations to road signs that would cause the car to misread them. The researchers said changes that trick learning algorithms, such as those used in driverless cars, can cause them "to misbehave in unexpected and potentially dangerous ways." Stickers caused cars to read a stop sign as a speed limit sign Credit: University of Washington In one example, graffiti stickers were added to a stop sign that read "Love / Hate", which caused it to be misread as speed limit sign reading 45. In another trick, the researchers printed out a right-hand turn sign that looked almost identical to a legitimate one, but subtle colour changes caused the sign to be misinterpreted as a stop sign. "Both of our attack classes do not require special resources—only access to a colour printer and a camera," the researchers said. The team said they hoped the research could help build better defensive systems into autonomous vehicles. Although the turn right sign appears very similar the computer misread it Credit: University of Washington The dangers of such attacks could see cars driving straight through junctions or coming to a halt in the middle of the road. Some current cars are already equipped to read and detect signs, such as Tesla's Autopilot feature on its Model S electric cars, although the vehicles are not yet programmed to react to the signs. Threats to self-driving cars that would normally not affect human drivers have proved tricky for researchers to counter. Engineers at Volvo have been trying for two years to teach their cars how to avoid kangaroo collisions, while a team at Waymo was forced to develop a pair of tiny windscreen wipers to clean bird droppings that masked the cars cameras and LIDAR systems. This week the government announced new guidance to develop safer driverless cars. Transport minister Lord Callanan said: "We need to make sure that the designs of the vehicles in the first place are completely cyber secure so that people can't break into them, they can't steal them and more importantly they can't hack them to potentially cause accidents." The crazy future of transport - in pictures
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| Why Republicans Can't Just Pivot to Tax Reform Posted: 07 Aug 2017 01:00 AM PDT ![Why Republicans Can't Just Pivot to Tax Reform]( "Why Republicans Can't Just Pivot to Tax Reform") The White House is promising swift action on the GOP's next priority. But Congress must first pass a budget, and the details are once again dividing the party.
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| This T-shirt Company Is Trying To Reclaim The Swastika Symbol Posted: 06 Aug 2017 11:02 AM PDT ![This T-shirt Company Is Trying To Reclaim The Swastika Symbol]( "This T-shirt Company Is Trying To Reclaim The Swastika Symbol") The move has brought a lot of heat from Facebook users.
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| Excessive corrosion blamed for deadly Ohio ride failure Posted: 06 Aug 2017 01:17 PM PDT  A few days after the deadly incident in Columbus, Ohio, KMG instructed operators to suspend the use of similar rides. The company said it had dispatched investigators to Columbus, where they looked at video footage of the incident and conducted a metallurgical test of the 18-year-old ride. Ohio State Fair officials were not immediately available for comment.
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| Philippine president on human rights: "Don't go there" Posted: 07 Aug 2017 08:51 AM PDT  MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met Monday with America's top diplomat, where he voiced solidarity with the U.S. amid global concerns over North Korea's nuclear program and angrily dismissed media questions about human rights abuses by his government.
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| McConnell to consider bipartisan plan to pay health insurers Posted: 06 Aug 2017 11:37 AM PDT  week after an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he'd consider a bipartisan effort to continue payments to insurers to avert a costly rattling of health insurance markets.
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| Taliban, IS jointly massacred 50 civilians: Afghan officials Posted: 07 Aug 2017 03:35 AM PDT  The Taliban and Islamic State group jointly massacred dozens of civilians in an Afghan village, officials said Monday, highlighting rare co-operation between the insurgents that could increase the strain on Afghanistan's beleaguered security forces. The fighters killed more than 50 men, women and children in the remote Sayad district of northern Sar-e Pul province on Saturday after overrunning the Afghan Local Police (ALP) -- a government-backed militia -- in a 48-hour battle, according to local officials. "It was a joint operation by Daesh (IS) and Taliban fighters.
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| What It's Like to Test Drive the 2017 Lamborghini Huracán Spyder Posted: 07 Aug 2017 08:06 AM PDT  At nearly $300,000, the fabled Italian brand shows us once more why they are among the very best in producing exceptional supercars
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| Trump turns to base to protect imperiled presidency Posted: 05 Aug 2017 06:31 PM PDT  Beset by investigations, dire approval ratings and growing party dissent, Donald Trump is stirring up his base, hoping to mobilize an army of political shock troops to protect his presidency. Revelations that a grand jury has been impaneled to investigate his finances and his campaign's ties to Russia raises the specter of indictments and subpoenas that would shake any administration. Facing the prospect of limping through another three and a half years, Trump is settling on a strategy of shoring up the support of voters who propelled him to the White House with a series of right-wing policy announcements and red-blooded speeches.
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| US Navy take part in war games off Scotland's coast as they help train British forces Posted: 07 Aug 2017 05:24 AM PDT  Members of Britain's new carrier strike group are engaged with the US Navy and other international allies in Exercise Saxon Warrior, aboard American aircraft carrier the USS George HW Bush. The 97,000-tonne and 1,092ft Nimitz class aircraft carrier was off the coast of Scotland on Sunday in the latest phase of the war game, ahead of the UK's carrier strike group setting up on the Queen Elizabeth in the coming months. F/A-18 Hornet pilots return from a flight during joint military exercise, Saxon Warrior, aboard the USS George H.W. Bush on August 6, 2017 off the north west coast of the United Kingdom Credit: Getty Images Europe/ Dan Kitwood Commander Betton, commander of the Royal Navy's carrier strike group, told the Press Association the two new carriers marked a huge step for UK defence that would "usher in a new era of carrier strike activity". Speaking aboard USS George HW Bush, he added: "Carrier enabled power projection, which is the formal term for this capability, offers strategic choice to Her Majesty's Government. "The ability to scale from humanitarian assistance, response to natural disasters, through to a poise to try and deter a potential conflict and if necessary to engage as a serious tier one partner in the international coalition to take our place at the top table. "As a United Nations permanent security council member, I feel it's firmly the right thing for the United Kingdom to be doing." Timelapse: HMS Queen Elizabeth squeezes out of dockyard with inches to spare 00:44 The Royal United Services Institute recently warned that the £3 billion carrier could be disabled with a single strike from a relatively cheap missile costing less than £500,000, and sunk by multiple missiles. Other recent warnings around the Queen Elizabeth have concerned its technology and vulnerability to cyber attack, as well as the number of ships and maritime aircraft available to protect it. Captain Ken Houlberg, the UK carrier strike group chief of staff, said the capability delivered by an aircraft carrier and strike group "sets that nation on the world map - it's a player". He added: "It's got hard power tools that can deliver capability across the spectrum of conflict, from humanitarian and disaster relief through defence engagement to full high-end war fighting with our coalition allies. "It sets Britain apart." Both men were also confident the UK's two carriers could compete with the American fleet, with the USS George HW Bush one of 10 in the US Navy. Personnel stand in steam created after a plane took off during joint military exercise, Saxon Warrior, aboard the USS George H.W. Bush on August 6, 2017 Credit: Dan Kitwood/ Getty Images Europe Cmdr Betton said the two British carriers would operate at a high state or readiness, with one or the other always available at short notice to undertake carrier strike operations. Cpt Houlberg added: "We've got to get from two carriers the sorts of things the Americans get from a lot more, and that's going to be quite a challenge, but it's something I'm confident we can deliver." Graphic: HMS Queen Elizabeth
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| Toxic waste from U.S. pot farms alarms experts Posted: 06 Aug 2017 07:39 AM PDT  By Sharon Bernstein WEAVERVILLE, Calif. (Reuters) - Pollution from illegal marijuana farms deep in California's national forests is far worse than previously thought, and has turned thousands of acres into waste dumps so toxic that simply touching plants has landed law enforcement officers in the hospital. The volume of banned or restricted pesticides and illegally applied fertilizers in the woods dwarfs estimates by the U.S. Forest Service in 2014, when a top enforcement official testified that the pollution was threatening forest land in California and other states.
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| Road rage incident leaves four-year-old boy in serious condition after being shot in the head Posted: 07 Aug 2017 09:10 AM PDT  A four-year-old boy is in a serious condition after he was shot in the head following an apparent road rage incident involving his mother. The youngster, who has not been identified by the authorities, was taken to Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital where he was reportedly conscious and breathing.
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| China urges N. Korea to stop missile tests, resume talks Posted: 06 Aug 2017 12:06 AM PDT  MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday urged his North Korean counterpart to abide by U.N. resolutions and stop provoking "the international community's goodwill" with missile launches and nuclear tests.
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| NASA Responds To Nine-Year Old Boy Who Applied For A Job Posted: 06 Aug 2017 11:11 AM PDT  Jack Davis, a nine-year-old from New Jersey, applied for a job with NASA and the space agency responded via social media.
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| Latest: Radio dispatches offer insight after officer shot Posted: 07 Aug 2017 01:52 PM PDT  CLINTON, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on the fatal shooting of a western Missouri police officer during a traffic stop (all times local):
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| Venezuelan military repels attack on a army base in 'rebellion' against Maduro Posted: 06 Aug 2017 05:51 AM PDT  A group of dissident Venezuelan soldiers claimed to have taken over an army base in the city of Valencia on Sunday, calling on the people to support them in a "legitimate rebellion" against Nicolas Maduro's "murderous tyranny". The attempt appeared to have been quickly put down by the government, which declared it had thwarted an attack on the base by "terrorists", and that the army was now back in control. Tank and armoured vehicles respond to attack in Venezuela military base 01:08 Two of the attackers were killed and eight were captured, Mr Maduro said on state television, claiming the group of "mercenaries" - whose total number he put at around 20 - had ties to Colombia and the United States. "We know where they are headed and all of our military and police force is deployed," Mr Maduro said. He said he would ask for "the maximum penalty for those who participated in this terrorist attack." In a video circulating on social media, a group of men in military uniform purporting to represent the 41st Armoured Brigade in Valencia announced the start of "Operation David", which they said was a "legitimate rebellion" against a government that was was destroying the country. Venezuela's President Maduro has been accused of behaving like a dictator Credit: REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo Other videos appeared to show people cheering and coming out on to the streets as armoured vehicles circulated around the military base. There were also reports of heavy confrontations, with shots ringing out and clouds of teargas visible in some footage. The apparent uprising comes two days after the installation of Mr Maduro's controversial constituent assembly, which is empowered to rewrite the constitution and dismiss institutions deemed hostile to the government. On Saturday it fired the country's rebel attorney general, Luisa Ortega Diaz, and appointed a senior Chavista in her place, in a move condemned internationally as dictatorial. Ms Ortega insisted on Sunday that she remained the attorney general, and could not be dismissed by the "illegitimate" assembly, which she said been elected through "manipulated" results and voter intimidation. URGENTE! APOYO RESISTENCIA Con ellos también están Oficiales y tropas retirados, policías y civiles. pic.twitter.com/nd8t3orDKI 42W— Alberto Franceschi (@alFranceschi) August 6, 2017 In the video message, the commander of the group, who identified himself as Captain Juan Caguaripano, called for support from other units, the police and all "brave men and women, lovers of freedom of peace" in their fight to defend the country's democracy. "We clarify, this is not a coup d'etat. This is a military and civilian action to reestablish the constitutional order but what's more, to save the country from total destruction, to stop the killers of our young people and families," he said. Diosdado Cabello, Mr Maduro's powerful second in command, said later that they had "consolidated total control" of the base after the "attack by groups of mercenary terrorists". There was "absolute normality" among the rest of the country's armed forces, he insisted. In a statement, the Armed Forces said that they had detained the leader of the group, a known army defector, and several others, who they claimed were civilians in military uniform. They had revealed they were contracted by "activists from Venezuela's extreme Right, in connection with foreign governments", the statement said. Explosions and clashes in Venezuela 00:57 If serving officers were found to have been involved, it would be the clearest sign yet of a rupture within the Armed Forces, whose loyalties will determine the future of the Maduro government. Amid conflicting reports on the ground, there were some suggestions that the entire "Operation David" was a so-called false flag staged by the government in order to justify repression of opponents. Rocio San Miguel, president of Citizen's Control, a civilian watchdog for security, defense and the armed forces, said it "smells like a false flag" to "serve as an excuse for ferocious persecution inside the Armed Forces". The captain of the group in fact been wanted by Venezuelan authorities since 2014, when he issued a similar video message during a deadly round of protests known as "The Salida (The Exit)". Similar questions have been raised over an apparent helicopter attack on the Supreme Court in June, which was claimed by a shadowy faction led by a dissident police officer, Oscar Perez. The now fugitive Mr Perez, who has previously acted in an a movie, continues to publish video messages calling for insurrection.
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| Macedonia aims to solve protracted name row with Greece Posted: 06 Aug 2017 09:05 PM PDT  After a quarter-century-long dispute that has blocked its entry to NATO and the European Union, Macedonia seems determined to end the row with Greece over its name. The quarrel between Skopje and Athens dates back to Macedonia's declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and has poisoned neighbourly relations. From the outset Greece denied its neighbour the right to use the name Macedonia, which is also the name of a northern Greek region.
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| Anthem to pare back Obamacare offerings in Nevada and Georgia Posted: 07 Aug 2017 11:54 AM PDT  (Reuters) - U.S. health insurer Anthem Inc said on Monday it will no longer offer Obamacare plans in Nevada's state exchange and will stop offering the plans in nearly half of Georgia's counties next year. The moves come after Republican senators last month failed to repeal and replace Obamacare, former President Barack Obama's signature healthcare reform law, creating uncertainty over how the program providing health benefits to 20 million Americans will be funded and managed in 2018. Hundreds of U.S. counties are at risk of losing access to private health coverage in 2018 as insurers consider pulling out of those markets in the coming months.
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| 2017 Chrysler 300S V-6 RWD Posted: 07 Aug 2017 10:15 AM PDT  S without RT.
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| Facial recognition on the iPhone 8 may be more advanced than we thought Posted: 07 Aug 2017 06:27 AM PDT 
The HomePod firmware that Apple mistakenly made public last weekend may very well represent the most significant iPhone leak we've ever seen. While the prototype iPhone 4 obtained by Gizmodo a few years back revealed a completely new form factor, many of the device's new software features remained unknown until Steve Jobs officially introduced the device a few months later. In stark contrast, Apple's HomePod firmware has provided us with an inside look at the iPhone 8's new form factor along with a few of the device's more significant new features. Just a few days ago, for example, data strings from the HomePod firmware revealed that the iPhone 8's front facing camera will likely support 4K video recording at 60 frames per second.
That said, the most significant and intriguing tidbits of information regarding the iPhone 8 center on the removal of Touch ID and the inclusion of an advanced facial recognition system. With respect to Touch ID, developer Steve Troughton-Smith a few days ago relayed that nothing in the HomePod firmware points to the iPhone 8 featuring a Touch ID sensor embedded into the display. Instead, it's widely believed that the iPhone 8 will incorporate advanced facial recognition software that will be used for biometric authentication. To this end, developers have also found evidence that facial recognition on the iPhone 8 will be used to authenticate Apple Pay transactions. Since debuting on the iPhone 5s in 2013, Touch ID has been an incredibly reliable, useful and secure way for users to log into their device and authorize financial transactions. As a result, there are well-grounded concerns as to whether or not facial recognition will be as easy to use and practical as Touch ID. After all, Touch ID allows users to unlock a device as they pull it out of a pocket, even in the dark. Replacing Touch ID with facial recognition therefore raises a number of interesting questions. For starters, what happens when a user takes out his or her device in the dark? Well, not to worry, data strings in the HomePod firmware suggest that the iPhone 8's front facing cameras will rely upon infrared sensors that should work just fine in low light and dark environments. Another valid concern asks if users will have to hold up the iPhone 8 directly to their face in order to unlock it. This, of course, would present an obvious step backwards in usability. Once again, this concern may not be as big of an issue as some might imagine. The latest iPhone 8 leak to emerge from the HomePod firmware release indicates that the iPhone 8 camera will be able to identify individual users even when the device sitting flat on a table. Originally unearthed by iHelp BR, the data string in question reads in part: "accessibility.resting.pearl.unlock." Notably, Pearl is believed to be the internal codename for the iPhone 8's facial recognition scheme. 
That this feature would exist certainly makes sense given that Apple isn't generally in the business of releasing new products that provide less functionality and usability than existing ones.
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| Settle Flowerpot Festival Posted: 07 Aug 2017 10:32 AM PDT ![Settle Flowerpot Festival]( "Settle Flowerpot Festival") You can choose to follow one of the Flowerpot Trails that are available to purchase from the Tourist Information Centre or you can just explore and take great delight in 'bagging' another display. The Festival is FREE and accessible at all times throughout July and August.
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| Donald Trump's highest-profile tech backer Peter Thiel fears 'this whole thing ends in disaster' Posted: 07 Aug 2017 11:18 AM PDT  Silicon Valley's most high-profile backer of Donald Trump's presidential campaign has reportedly begun disparaging the President's erratic administration and even warning it may collapse in "disaster". Mr Thiel's vision of limited government aligns with a central plank of Republican orthodoxy, and his libertarian-minded aversion to foreign entanglements mirrors Mr Trump's isolationist stance.
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| Prisoner charged with rape overpowers deputy, steals his gun Posted: 05 Aug 2017 10:18 PM PDT  PAULDING, Ohio (AP) — A nationwide manhunt is underway for an Ohio rape suspect who overpowered a sheriff's deputy in a transport van and stole his gun and ammunition.
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| Philippine military needs 20,000 more troops due to greater threats: Duterte Posted: 06 Aug 2017 03:19 AM PDT  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has asked lawmakers to approve the recruiting of 20,000 more soldiers to tackle increased security threats following a bloody urban siege in the south, his spokesman said Sunday. Almost 700 people have been killed, according to the official count, in over two months of fighting in the southern city of Marawi against Islamist militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. The militants, waving the black IS flag, have occupied parts of Marawi since May 23, prompting Duterte to declare martial law in the entire southern region of Mindanao.
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| 'Adult Entertainers Kill Man Who Changed Their Flat Tire Posted: 06 Aug 2017 12:27 PM PDT  Four adult entertainers are charged with the death of a good Samaritan who helped change their flat tire.
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| Venezuela launches manhunt for leaders of attack on army base Posted: 07 Aug 2017 04:26 PM PDT  By Hugh Bronstein CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela launched a country-wide manhunt on Monday for the men who assaulted an army base the day before, using state TV to flash pictures of the accused rebels who escaped with weapons after a gunfight with soldiers. The attack came just hours after the first session of a new legislative superbody created by President Nicolas Maduro, which opponents say will cement dictatorship after months of deadly protests in the oil-rich but economically-ailing country. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said in a televised address that two of the men who attacked the base had been shot dead and eight captured.
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| How to Create a Simple Retirement Plan Posted: 07 Aug 2017 08:11 AM PDT ![How to Create a Simple Retirement Plan]( "How to Create a Simple Retirement Plan") You know the old saying about failing to plan means you're planning to fail. The same goes for retirement. If you don't make a plan, you may never get to retire. And if you don't have a vision of what your retirement years will look like, you'll likely drift through your senior years ... and then wonder where they went.
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| What to Eat For Healthy Eyes Posted: 07 Aug 2017 10:33 AM PDT  You've probably heard that carrots are good for your eyes, but there are plenty of other foods that can promote healthy peepers, too. Watch this video for more.
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| AP FACT CHECK: Trump didn't receive laudatory calls Posted: 06 Aug 2017 11:36 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — In President Donald Trump's universe, the past week was distinguished by two phone calls that happened and two that didn't.
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| Faraday Future Finally Buys a Factory for Its Electric Cars Posted: 07 Aug 2017 09:19 AM PDT  The flashy electric car company has settled down.
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| At least 11 killed in 'barbaric' Nigeria church shooting Posted: 06 Aug 2017 04:06 PM PDT  At least 11 worshippers were shot dead at a church in southeast Nigeria on Sunday, with authorities suggesting the bloodshed was due to a local feud. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack, describing the incident as "an appalling crime against humanity and unspeakable sacrilege," his office said. At around 6:00 am (0500 GMT) at least one gunman opened fire at Saint Philip's church in Ozubulu, near the city of Onitsha, unleashing terror on the congregation.
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| Northwestern professor, Oxford staffer jailed in stabbing Posted: 05 Aug 2017 08:19 PM PDT  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Far from their prestigious campuses, a Northwestern University professor and a University of Oxford finance officer were jailed in the San Francisco area on Saturday after eight days as fugitives in the death of a young hairdresser in Chicago who was repeatedly stabbed until the knife broke, police said.
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| Charity run by Pakistani Islamist with $10 million bounty launches political party Posted: 07 Aug 2017 09:28 AM PDT  A Pakistani charity that the United States accuses of being a front for anti-India militant group that staged the 2008 Mumbai attacks has entered politics by forming a new party, charity officials said on Monday. The new Milli Muslim League party will follow the ideology of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), which the U.S. says is a front for banned militant group Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) and is run by Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 attacks that killed 166 people. "We have decided to make a new political party, so that Pakistan is to made a real Islamic and welfare state," said Milli Muslim League President Saifullah Khalid.
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| Tesla seeks $1.5 billion junk bonds issue to fund Model 3 production Posted: 07 Aug 2017 11:50 AM PDT  By Nick Carey DETROIT (Reuters) - Tesla Inc said on Monday it would raise about $1.5 billion through its first-ever high-yield junk bond offering, as the U.S. luxury electric car maker seeks fresh sources of cash to ramp up production of its new Model 3 sedan. The debt offering marks Tesla's debut in the junk-bond market and the company will start road-shows on Monday, IFR reported, citing lead bankers on the deal. Tesla has been riding high on investor expectations that its Model 3 will be a mass-market hit, with shareholders pushing its market value above that of General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co , the top two U.S. automakers that produce millions of cars each annually.
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| Elon Musk Just Confirmed a ‘Special’ Tesla Model 3 Surprise Posted: 07 Aug 2017 05:29 AM PDT  The CEO has been up tweeting.
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| Why the smartphone era is causing a mental health crisis in teens Posted: 06 Aug 2017 09:00 AM PDT 
The number of ways in which the smartphone has made our lives easier is vast. Whether it's using Shazam to identify a song on the radio or having a sophisticated camera at the ready 24/7, the smartphone era ushered in by the iPhone has fundamentally changed the way the world uses and interacts not only with technology, but also with each other. While there are no shortage of examples which illustrate how the smartphone has improved our lives, a more interesting and novel thought experiment would have us explore some of the more detrimental side effects associated with our collective addiction to smartphones and society's unending need to constantly stay connected.
Tackling this very topic, a fascinating piece from Jean M. Twenge of The Atlantic articulates that adolescents who have grown up in a world dominated by smartphones are more prone to a variety of mental health problems than adolescents from previous generations. Twenge categorizes kids born between 1995 and 2012 under a group she calls iGen, and the problems she's seen in these kids -- who have never known a life without the Internet -- transcends gender, class and ethnicity. One of the more intriguing data points Twenge presents is that kids from the iGen generation are more likely to commit suicide or experience depression than Millennials. "It's not an exaggeration to describe iGen as being on the brink of the worst mental-health crisis in decades," Twenge writes. "Much of this deterioration can be traced to their phones." Twenge writes that the connections smartphones provide are truly only surface-level, and that as kids spend more and more time connecting with friends digitally, actual human interaction becomes markedly rarer. One of the ironies of iGen life is that despite spending far more time under the same roof as their parents, today's teens can hardly be said to be closer to their mothers and fathers than their predecessors were. "I've seen my friends with their families—they don't talk to them," Athena told me. "They just say 'Okay, okay, whatever' while they're on their phones. They don't pay attention to their family." Like her peers, Athena is an expert at tuning out her parents so she can focus on her phone. She spent much of her summer keeping up with friends, but nearly all of it was over text or Snapchat. "I've been on my phone more than I've been with actual people," she said. "My bed has, like, an imprint of my body."
Twenge also cites studies which find that kids and teens who spend more time on their smartphones tend to be, on average, more unhappy than their counterparts who aren't as tied to their smartphones. All in all, Twenge's full write-up is well worth a read for anyone with even a passing interest in how the modern day smartphone era is potentially wreaking havoc on the minds of today's youth. For as much good as the smartphone has introduced, Twenge's report underscores the fact that too much of a good thing can often result in unforeseen consequences.
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| USDA has begun censoring use of the term 'climate change', emails reveal Posted: 07 Aug 2017 08:43 AM PDT  Among the 'intense weather events' qualifying as climate change under the advice in the email chain is drought. Staff at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been told to avoid using the term climate change in their work, with the officials instructed to reference "weather extremes" instead. A series of emails obtained by the Guardian between staff at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a USDA unit that oversees farmers' land conservation, show that the incoming Trump administration has had a stark impact on the language used by some federal employees around climate change.
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| Could Your Air Conditioner Be Making You Sick? Posted: 06 Aug 2017 04:00 AM PDT  On a scorching summer day, air conditioners do more than help you stay comfortable indoors. They help protect against such serious maladies as heatstroke and filter out some pollutants and allerg...
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