Archive for June, 2014
Jimmy Savile NHS Abuse Victims Aged Five to 75
June 26th, 2014Via: BBC: Ex-BBC DJ Jimmy Savile sexually assaulted victims aged five to 75 in NHS hospitals over decades of unrestricted access, investigators say. He abused patients in their beds, in corridors and offices, reviews into his conduct on NHS premises found. The reports cover 28 hospitals including Leeds General Infirmary and Broadmoor psychiatric hospital. Health […]
Predictive Policing
June 25th, 2014Via: Guardian: The algorithm at play is performing what’s commonly referred to as predictive policing. Using years – and sometimes decades – worth of crime reports, the algorithm analyses the data to identify areas with high probabilities for certain types of crime, placing little red boxes on maps of the city that are streamed into […]
Robot Truck Convoy Tested In Nevada
June 25th, 2014A human steers, but drafting is automated. Via: Popular Science: Like Olympic skiers racing in single file to reduce air resistance, two 18-wheeler trucks in Nevada recently proved that uncomfortably close convoys can save drivers fuel and money. The key, instead of bold Olympic athleticism, is robotic assistance. A computer-assisted truck was able to follow […]
The Rise of Militarized NGOs
June 25th, 2014Via: The Atlantic: Who invaded Crimea? Civil society. Who has occupied government offices and police headquarters in eastern Ukraine, bringing massive instability to that region? Civil society. Who is fighting the governments of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and Nouri al-Malaki in Iraq? Civil society. And who are thecolectivos confronting Venezuelan students who protest against the […]
Pennsylvania Ordered Its Health Workers to Never Discuss Fracking
June 25th, 2014Via: Grist: In the heavily fracked Keystone State, the economic interests of frackers trump the health concerns of residents. That much is abundantly clear in the wake of an extraordinary story by StateImpact Pennsylvania, which interviewed two retired state health department workers. The former workers say they were ordered to not return the phone calls […]
And Now… “Americans Have Joined Militant Group ISIS”
June 25th, 2014*wink* Via: CBS: The Sunni militant group in Iraq is a force roughly 3,000 strong and includes some Americans, a senior intelligence official told CBS News on Tuesday. The majority of fighters in the group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, are of Iraqi and Syrian origin. In all, up to 10,000 are fighting […]
U.S. Army MAARS (Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System)
June 25th, 2014Via: Bloomberg: One of the most advanced breeds of pint-sized robotic tanks is currently being tested by the U.S. Army. MAARS (Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System) is a 3-foot tall, remote-controlled ground vehicle that can assist in anything from camera surveillance to launching grenades. MAARS can take on the riskiest of tasks, like disarming IEDs […]
Federal Judge Rules U.S. No-Fly List Violates Constitution
June 25th, 2014Via: Reuters: The U.S. government’s no-fly list banning people accused of links to terrorism from commercial flights violates their constitutional rights because it gives them no meaningful way to contest that decision, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Anna Brown, ruling on a lawsuit filed in federal court in Oregon by 13 […]
FAA Bans Use of Drones to Deliver Packages
June 24th, 2014Via: Ars Technica: The Federal Aviation Administration has said that online shopping powerhouse Amazon may not employ drones to deliver packages, at least not anytime soon. … In Monday’s announcement, published in the Federal Register, the FAA named Amazon’s December proposal as an example of what is barred under regulations that allow the use of […]
Australia: Genetically Modified Grass for Dairy Cows Sparks Concern
June 24th, 2014The issue with GM crops polluting neighboring farms in Australia is particularly grim. See: Steve Marsh: The future of organic and non GM food in Australia is uncertain after a WA farmer today lost his legal battle with a neighbouring farmer. Steve Marsh lost organic certification on his Kojonup farm – and most of his […]
