Alternative News

Original owner of Toronto ex-mayor’s alleged ‘crack’ video may have been killed

"Two separate sources said authorities interviewed a senior member of Ford’s staff regarding the possible link between the video and the killing of 21-year-old Anthony Smith, who is believed to appear in the video with Ford. Smith was shot dead in March. The video’s original owner was reportedly killed because of the potential value of its contents. Ford denied the existence of the video in a short statement on May 24, saying, 'I do not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of crack cocaine.' CBC then reported that Rob Ford’s press secretary and deputy press secretary have both resigned 'on principle,' four days after the mayor fired his chief of staff, Mark Towhey." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOriginal owner of Toronto ex-mayor’s alleged ‘crack’ video may have been killed

Local hero? Man tweets DUI checkpoint locations

"Increasingly, social media has allowed real human beings to contact other real human beings in order to avoid being randomly stopped and having their breath searched. Sennett Devermont has turned checkpoint alerts into what he believes is a public service. Devermont, a co-founder of the dating site site DateUp (later sold to IAC) and various other ventures, has created the superhero name Mr. Checkpoint, and his site works hard to ensure that his followers receive text alerts as soon as the information comes to him. His Twitter feed now has more than 43,000 followers, who hang on his every revelation." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLocal hero? Man tweets DUI checkpoint locations

Illinois teacher in trouble for advising students about 5th Amendment before drug screening

"A high school teacher in Batavia, Illinois could be disciplined for informing his students of their Fifth Amendment rights before administering a survey school officials was intended to gauge their emotional needs. The Batavia Daily Herald reported on May 25 that social studies instructor John Dryden advised students of their right not to incriminate themselves before giving them a 'screener' survey on April 18 that had each student’s name printed on it. 'I made a judgment call,' Dryden told the Herald. 'There was no time to ask anyone.' Dryden could reportedly be issued a 'letter of remedy,' which would stay in his employment record." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIllinois teacher in trouble for advising students about 5th Amendment before drug screening

Fake cop scams seniors out of nearly half a million dollars with faux ‘sting operations’

"Police in Washington state are searching for a man who they say has scammed seniors out of nearly a half a million dollars by pretending to be a police officer, recruiting unsuspecting victims for faux 'sting operations' involving large cash transfers. It begins as a phone scam, police told The Seattle Post Intelligencer. Introducing himself as either Sgt. Drumbowski or Capt. Jack Truska, the conman preys mainly on elderly women with claims of a counterfeit money investigation that he needs help with. The elaborate rouse ends with the fake police officer meeting the victim and taking a large sum of money from them — at least six women have lost around $75,000 per shakedown." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFake cop scams seniors out of nearly half a million dollars with faux ‘sting operations’

Chinese Tourists with Pockets Full of Dollars

"Chinese tourists have become the highest-spending overseas visitors, reports LaTi. Chinese tourists spend an average of $2,932 per visit to California compared with $1,883 for other overseas visitors, according to the latest statistics by the U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism Industries. 'What we know about Chinese visitors is they don't like to lay on the beaches,' said Ernest Wooden Jr., president of the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board. 'What they do like is shopping.' The outpouring of Chinese money helped set a record for spending by foreign visitors to the U.S. — $168.1 billion in 2012, says LaTi." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChinese Tourists with Pockets Full of Dollars

Europe Opens $80 Trillion Shadow Banking Pandora’s Box: Will Seek To Collapse Repo “Collateral Chains”

"Banks and brokers face a clampdown on using assets they hold for clients as collateral for their own trades as part of European Union moves to bolster market stability and rein in shadow banking. The handing over of collateral is an integral part of repurchase agreements, or repos -- one of the activities under review by global regulators as part of their efforts to regulate shadow banking. The reuse of clients’ assets poses a potential threat to financial stability should one of a chain of firms that handled the securities go bankrupt, according to the document prepared by commission officials and dated May 15." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEurope Opens $80 Trillion Shadow Banking Pandora’s Box: Will Seek To Collapse Repo “Collateral Chains”

Getting Up-to-date on Syria

"The rebel leader has called for reinforcements. That article mentions that 'More than 80,000 Christians were forced to flee al-Qusayr in late 2012 to escape the frenzy of the jihadists.' The U.S. is on the side of a collection of certain jihadist groups. Hezbollah, associated with Iran, has joined the Syrian government side. It is the prospect of an Assad win that has Obama, Kerry and the Senate warmongers scrambling with new propaganda angles so that they can find cover and more freely supply the rebels with stronger weapons. They are also pushing to end an embargo on arms shipments from Europe." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGetting Up-to-date on Syria

3D printing saves a life

"For the first three months of his life, Kaiba Gionfriddo’s airway collapsed repeatedly, occasionally causing his heart to stop and leaving many doctors at a loss for how to help him. Then, in the first procedure of its kind, doctors in Michigan used a 3D printing method to create an artificial splint to help Kaiba breathe without the assistance of a breathing machine for the first time, according to the Associated Press. Since the operation, which was performed in February 2012, the now 19-month-old Ohio boy has been able to breathe on his own without a single breathing crisis. Doctors will soon remove his breathing tube, the AP reports." Continue reading →

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Next Generation 3-D Printed Gun Fires Nine Shots, Costs $25

"One evening late last week, a Wisconsin engineer who calls himself 'Joe' test-fired a new version of that handgun printed on a $1,725 Lulzbot A0-101 consumer-grade 3D printer, far cheaper than the one used by Defense Distributed. Joe, who asked that I not reveal his full name, loaded the weapon with .380 caliber rounds and fired it nine times, using a string to pull its trigger for safety. The weapon survived all nine shots over the course of an evening, as you can see in the YouTube video below." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNext Generation 3-D Printed Gun Fires Nine Shots, Costs $25