Mainstream News

Drug use doubles among U.S. baby boomers and seniors

"For adults aged 50 to 54, the rate more than doubled from 3.4 percent in 2002 to 7.2 percent last year. For those aged 55 to 59, it more than tripled from 1.9 percent to 6.6 percent. 'Among those aged 60 to 64, the rate increased from 1.1 percent in 2003 to 3.6 percent in 2012,' the report added. Marijuana — ranked on par with heroin under federal law, despite a trend towards legalization at the state level — was the most commonly used illegal drug. Current use between 2007 to 2012 grew from 5.8 percent to 7.3 percent of the overall population, and the number of Americans who used marijuana daily or almost daily grew from 5.1 million in 2007 to 7.6 million in 2012." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDrug use doubles among U.S. baby boomers and seniors

Mexico’s Vicente Fox pushes marijuana debate to forefront

"Former President Vicente Fox grew up on a farm here in rural Guanajuato, one of Mexico's most conservative states. He is the kind of guy who wears big belt buckles, collects hand-tooled saddles and worships the free market. Fox has always fancied himself a policy maverick. And these days, the former standard-bearer of Mexico's conservative National Action Party, or PAN, has emerged as one of Latin America's most outspoken advocates of marijuana legalization. This summer he has significantly ramped up his efforts. In June, he declared that he would grow the plant if it were legalized and added that he'd like to see marijuana sold in Mexican convenience stores." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMexico’s Vicente Fox pushes marijuana debate to forefront

Pennsylvania man pays $7,143 school tax bill in $1 bills

"Fed up with having to pay $7,143 in school taxes for a district his children don’t attend, a Forks Township man paid that portion of his tax bill last week in single dollar bills. And it's all on YouTube. 'We don't even use the public system, yet I am being forced to pay all this money into a public school system,' he said. 'I don't think that's really either fair or just or even ethical. It would be the equivalent if McDonald's were to force vegetarians to pay for their cheeseburgers.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPennsylvania man pays $7,143 school tax bill in $1 bills

New documentary puts Donald Rumsfeld on the hotseat about Iraq

"Former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld wriggles out of straight answers on the Iraq war in Errol Morris’s new documentary, screening in Venice Wednesday. 'The Unknown Known' takes its title from a 2002 speech Rumsfeld gave to justify the invasion. Asked at the time whether Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, he replied that there are 'things we do not know we don’t know.' In the film, Morris repeatedly attempts to quiz Rumsfeld on this and other decisions taken by a man accused of disastrous mismanagement of the war and condoning policies on interrogation which led to cases of extreme abuse of prisoners." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNew documentary puts Donald Rumsfeld on the hotseat about Iraq

FTC Begins Sanctions Against Insecure Internet-Connected Device Companies

"The FTC is steadily hacking the law to make itself the country’s de facto privacy regulator. In this case, it’s using its right to punish a company for being 'unfair' to consumers. But its power is limited: it can’t fine TRENDnet; it can only require it to notify customers, establish 'a comprehensive security program' — that includes pen testing its products — and agree to 20 years of privacy audits (just like Facebook and Google). If TRENDnet messes up again after this, the FTC can then fine it up to $16,000 per violation (a power it used to fine Google $22.5 million). There may well be more FTC orders to come." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFTC Begins Sanctions Against Insecure Internet-Connected Device Companies

Search Engine Finds Internet-Connected Cameras, Medical Devices, Power Plants

"Shodan crawls the Internet looking for devices, many of which are programmed to answer. It has found cars, fetal heart monitors, office building heating-control systems, water treatment facilities, power plant controls, traffic lights and glucose meters. It’s become a crucial tool for security researchers, academics, law enforcement and hackers looking for devices that shouldn’t be on the Internet or devices that are vulnerable to being hacked. An industry report from Swedish tech company Ericsson estimates that 50 billion devices will be networked by 2020 into an 'Internet of Things.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSearch Engine Finds Internet-Connected Cameras, Medical Devices, Power Plants

Senate-crafted Syria resolution riddled with loopholes for Obama

"Senators on Wednesday tried to write a tight resolution authorizing President Obama to strike Syria under very specific circumstances, but analysts and lawmakers said the language still has plenty of holes the White House could use to expand military action well beyond what Congress appears to intend. 'Wiggle room? Plenty of that,' said Louis Fisher, scholar in residence at the Constitution Project and former long-time expert for the Congressional Research Service on separation of powers issues. Mr. Fisher pointed to the 1964 resolution that authorized a limited response to the Gulf of Tonkin, but that ended up being the start of an escalation of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam war." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSenate-crafted Syria resolution riddled with loopholes for Obama

US Senate panel approves use of force against Syria

"President Barack Obama's plan to conduct punishing military strikes on Syria passed its first congressional hurdle Wednesday, paving the way for a full Senate debate on the use of force. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved an amended resolution 10-7, with one senator, the chamber's newest member Edward Markey, voting present, that authorizes US military intervention with a 90-day deadline and bars American boots on the ground for combat purposes. 'What we've done today is a step in the right direction. I hope it makes a safer world,' said Senator Dick Durbin. The chamber's number two Democrat voted against the war in Iraq, but he insisted that 'this is different.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Senate panel approves use of force against Syria

Mexico leader to discuss alleged U.S. spying with Obama

"Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Wednesday he would voice concerns about alleged US spying on his emails to US counterpart Barack Obama, warning it would be illegal if proven true. The new claims of spying in Latin America came two months after allegations of widespread US electronic espionage in the region that infuriated allies and rivals alike. 'If it is proven that an action took place, with the use of espionage means, this is clearly not permitted and it is outside the law,' Pena Nieto told reporters during a layover in Canada on his way to Saint Petersburg." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMexico leader to discuss alleged U.S. spying with Obama

Huntington continues arresting people who record police encounters

"Another Huntington police officer is accused of falsely arresting a person for recording his on-duty actions. In the complaint filed Aug. 22 in U.S. District Court, the Thomases allege Officer Brian Lucas arrested Xavier for watching him conduct a traffic stop at a convenience store last year and detained Martin for filming the arrest on his cell phone, which was deleted by another officer. The suit comes on the heels of a settlement reached earlier this month between the City and another resident who alleged three officers falsely arrested him for filming them perform a traffic stop at a housing project two years ago." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHuntington continues arresting people who record police encounters