Land Of The Flea

Texas begins replacing paved roads with gravel due to lack of funding

"The Texas Department of Transportation began converting more than 80 miles of paved roads to gravel on Monday, according to the Texas Tribune. The speed limit on the new gravel roads will be reduced to 30 mph. Texas lawmakers approved $225 million for the repair of roadways and bridges within the state highway system this year. Texas lawmakers also approved a ballot measure that would provide $1.2 billion a year for state transportation projects. But the Texas Department of Transportation said $400 million was needed to repair immediate damage caused by energy sector traffic across the state." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexas begins replacing paved roads with gravel due to lack of funding

U.S. Air Force can’t find enough people willing to be drone pilots

"The US Air Force is unable to keep up with a growing demand for pilots capable of operating drones, partly due to a shortage of volunteers, according to a new study. Despite the importance placed on the burgeoning robotic fleet, drone operators face a lack of opportunities for promotion to higher ranks and the military has failed to identify and cultivate this new category of aviators, Air Force Colonel Bradley Hoagland wrote in the report published for the Brookings Institution think tank. As of last year, the Air Force has 1,300 drone pilots, making up about 8.5 percent of the force’s aviators, compared to 3.3 percent four years [earlier]." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. Air Force can’t find enough people willing to be drone pilots

Lebron James Escorted Through Oncoming Traffic To Concert By Police

"'It's unclear which law enforcement agency assisted King James in his concert commute, or whether the NBA superstar, who recently earned $56.6 million, arranged for such services himself. TMZ reports four law enforcement agencies, including City of Miami PD, Miami-Dade PD, Miami Gardens PD, and the Florida Highway Patrol have all denied escorting LeBron -- but a source with Miami-Dade Police told the site they are 'investigating' the breach of protocol.' The Young Turks hosts Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian break it down." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLebron James Escorted Through Oncoming Traffic To Concert By Police

Oakland citizen activist says city worker assaulted him

"The resident, 36-year-old Joshua Daniels, is recovering from a black eye and broken eye socket that required 10 stitches at Highland Hospital to close a wound that he said he suffered when a city worker, who was cleaning up the plaza, attacked him during a confrontation. Daniels, a regular activist at Oakland City Council meetings and no stranger to many city officials, said the confrontation began about 8:30 a.m. as he was walking through the plaza and spit his gum into a trash bin that was being used by city workers. [..] 'Truthfully, when I pulled out my phone and started filming, that's when it escalated,' Daniels said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOakland citizen activist says city worker assaulted him

Groklaw Shuts Down Over U.S. Internet Surveillance

"My personal decision is to get off of the Internet to the degree it's possible. I'm just an ordinary person. But I really know, after all my research and some serious thinking things through, that I can't stay online personally without losing my humanness, now that I know that ensuring privacy online is impossible. I find myself unable to write. I've always been a private person. That's why I never wanted to be a celebrity and why I fought hard to maintain both my privacy and yours. Oddly, if everyone did that, leap off the Internet, the world's economy would collapse, I suppose. I can't really hope for that. But for me, the Internet is over." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGroklaw Shuts Down Over U.S. Internet Surveillance

Federal Drug Agency Denies Marijuana Is Less Toxic Than Alcohol

"The National Institute on Drug Abuse released an eyebrow-raising statement to PolitiFact on Monday, denying that marijuana is less toxic than alcohol. 'Claiming that marijuana is less toxic than alcohol cannot be substantiated since each possess their own unique set of risks and consequences for a given individual,' wrote the institute. NIDA, part of the National Institutes of Health, funds government-backed scientific research and has a stated mission 'to lead the nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFederal Drug Agency Denies Marijuana Is Less Toxic Than Alcohol

U.S. survey data casts doubt on classification of psychedelics as ‘dangerous’

"The study, published online Tuesday in PLoS One, used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health survey to investigate psychedelic drug use and mental health problems. The survey is administered annually by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The researchers found psychedelic use was not associated with a higher rate of mental health problems. In fact, the use of psychedelic drugs appeared to reduce the risk of mental illness, though only slightly." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. survey data casts doubt on classification of psychedelics as ‘dangerous’

White House dodges question on Sanjay Gupta’s marijuana reversal

"The White House refused to comment Tuesday on Sanjay Gupta’s vocal support of medical marijuana, continuing a pattern of ignoring the issue. During a press briefing, CQ-Roll Call reporter Steve Dennis asked White House spokesman Josh Earnest if President Barack Obama had any reaction to Gupta’s recent advocacy in favor of medical marijuana. Dennis noted that Obama had once considered appointing Gupta as surgeon general of the United States. 'I have to confess, I did not see the Sanjay Gupta column that you’re referring to, so it is hard for me to comment on it at this point,' Earnest responded." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House dodges question on Sanjay Gupta’s marijuana reversal

US court rules that IP cloaking to access blocked sites violates CFAA law

"The legal dispute began in July 2012 when Craigslist sent a cease-and-desist letter to apartment listing app PadMapper, claiming it was violating the site's terms of service by scraping apartment rental information from the online classifieds site. Craigslist argued that the 3Taps' subterfuge violated the CFAA, which prohibits the intentional access of a computer without authorization that results in the capture of information from a protected computer. The 1984 law, which was invoked in the federal prosecution against late Internet activist Aaron Swartz, has been criticized as overly broad." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS court rules that IP cloaking to access blocked sites violates CFAA law

US court rules that IP cloaking to access blocked sites violates CFAA law

"The legal dispute began in July 2012 when Craigslist sent a cease-and-desist letter to apartment listing app PadMapper, claiming it was violating the site's terms of service by scraping apartment rental information from the online classifieds site. Craigslist argued that the 3Taps' subterfuge violated the CFAA, which prohibits the intentional access of a computer without authorization that results in the capture of information from a protected computer. The 1984 law, which was invoked in the federal prosecution against late Internet activist Aaron Swartz, has been criticized as overly broad." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS court rules that IP cloaking to access blocked sites violates CFAA law