U GOT ISSUES TV BLOG

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 21:53:00 +0000

Kiribati: The world's next Atlantis?

The Pacific Island nation of Kiribati may be the first country to disappear under the rising sea levels of climate change. Its people fear their homeland may become the world's next Atlantis.

As our boat nears the shore, the dark shadows beneath the sea sharpen into focus. Chiseled coral stones, organized neatly into rows, glisten from the reef of this shallow cove.

READ: President of Kiribati on climate change: "It's too late for us"

We are drifting over the foundations of the surrendered neighborhoods of Tebunginako. The village was once home to more than 200 households, but today, it lies beneath several meters of turquoise water.

"We used to swim out there to see the ships when we were boys. They'd tie them up to the coconut trees just over here," explains the Mayor, pointing enthusiastically as we coast over the remains of his town. Locals say Tebunginako was once the island's main harbor -- before the rising sea swallowed its coast.

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Now stumps of dead coconut trees line the lagoon, their tips peaking out from the water like little grave stones of a civilization lost.

READ: U.N.: Invest now or face 'irreversible' effects of climate change

The extreme coastal erosion of Tebunginako is becoming increasingly common in Kiribati, a South Pacific nation of 33 islands strung along the equator.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified Kiribati as one of the six Pacific Island countries most threatened by rising sea-levels. The report claims that, due to coastal erosion and freshwater contamination, Kiribati could become uninhabitable as early as 2050.

"Right now we're experiencing total inundation of areas that previously were not vulnerable to normal tides," says Andrew Teem, Kiribati's Senior Adviser on Climate Change. "We're getting something called King Tides -- extremely high tides. These were non-existent when I was a boy."

A large number of Kiribati's citizens are already internally displaced from climate-related disasters, and many have fled to the capitol island, South Tarawa.

Today, half of Kiribati's population crowds onto South Tarawa's tiny crescent of land, making it one of the most densely populated areas on earth, mirroring the population density of To or London. Unless birthrates or internal displacement are curbed, the population of South Tarawa is expected to double by 2030.

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"Like any developing island state, our population is quite young and developing at a very high rate, which already strains our fresh water supply," Teem explains. "Climate change and the rising sea exacerbate a problem we already have with regards to our water resources."

This week, representatives from 190 countries will gather in Lima, Peru for the twentieth session of the U.N. Climate Change Conference. The Lima conference will lay the groundwork for a climate treaty at the end of 2015, for implementation by 2020.

But for low-lying island nations like Kiribati, these commitments may not materialize soon enough. For communities like Tebunginako, these treaties are already long overdue.

"Climate change has major implications for our people today, not in the future like some other countries," explains Teem.

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Kiribati's government has pursued various adaptation initiatives over the last decade. These efforts range from employment-related migration programs with Australia and New Zealand to the exploration of man-made floating islands. This year, Kiribati finalized a purchase of a plot of land in Fiji that it hopes to use in the future.

But the people of Kiribati are unwilling to abandon their homes without a fight.

In addition to their local efforts, they are challenging the root of the problem, global carbon-emissions, at the international level. The government of Kiribati, along with a coalition of other small island states, has been lobbying for binding carbon-emissions treaties. They have also supported the concept of "climate change reparations," or compensation to non-industrialized developing countries for the climate-related damages caused by the industrialized powers.

In the past month, breakthroughs were made on both fronts. The United States and China -- the world's largest emitters of carbon -- announced plans to cut emissions over the next two decades. At the recent G20 conference, several nations joined President Obama in committing billions of dollars to the United Nation's Green Climate Fund, which will support developing nations in combating the effects of climate change.

READ: U.S. and China reach historic climate change deal, vow to cut emissions

While the government of Kiribati welcomed this news, the measures are only a first step towards addressing their national needs. Environmental groups have criticized the developments, calling the measures "a drop in the ocean."

"Climate change is something we were not responsible for. If we were responsible for this fate, that would be a different story all together," responds Teem, on the issues of climate change reparations and carbon emission cuts.

"We are very simple people with very simple needs, but we do not want to be faced with something that is not entirely of our own doing."

READ: What Obama gets right about climate-change fight

As the sun sets in Tebunginako, the Mayor guides us to the shore of the town's two remaining structures, a Church and a traditional community center, known as a maneaba. The tall structures jet out defiantly from the middle of the lagoon, fortified only by leaking sandbags and battered seawalls.

"We struggle to maintain them as a remembrance of Tebunginako," explains the Mayor. "These places are important to our people because of their religion and because it was the last place they were all together."

When asked about his people's future, he clings to their past.

"We are very scared, and we need help," he shrugs. "We believe in our government and their strong voice to the world, but we are still waiting for the world to reply."

"We used to swim out there as children," he repeats quietly, his gaze shifting blankly to the ocean. "And tie the boats to the coconut trees..."

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 21:30:00 +0000

Student told to unclog toilet with bare hands

OTHELLO, Wash. (AP) — A Washington state teacher acknowledged ordering an 8-year-old student to unclog a toilet with his bare hands, and the boy's parents say the educator deserves more than a reprimand.

Artie and Lisa Adams told KEPR-TV (http://bit.ly/1vml84o ) that they learned of the Nov. 6 incident at Scootney Springs Elementary School in the small, central Washington city of Othello when they asked their son about his day at school.
The third-grader said he reported the clog and teacher Brent Taylor told him to clear it with his bare hands.
The parents complained. The principal reprimanded Taylor, warned him that any further such incidents would lead to his termination, and ordered the 23-year teaching veteran to review a hygiene course.

Othello Superintendent George Juarez told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the punishment was made in consultation with the school district's lawyer and was appropriate considering the teacher's record and contract protections.

While the pupil reached into the toilet and pulled out a couple strands of paper, the teacher himself ultimately reached in barehanded and pulled out the clog, which consisted "only of paper," Juarez said.

Juarez called the teacher's actions "very poor professional judgment" and said the district regrets what happened.

"The child had flushed the toilet several times, and it didn't go down," Juarez said. "I am sure that the best judgment would have been to call our custodian to handle the matter."

A message left for Taylor at the school was not immediately returned.

The district granted a request from the boy's family to transfer him to another school.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 21:19:00 +0000

'Peter Pan' and 6 Other Beloved Disney Movies Based On Dark, Horrifying Books

With the live, musical stage production of Peter Pan airing on NBC on Thursday, and the recent release of the trailer for the upcoming adventure drama Pan – a re-imagined live-action version of J.M. Barrie's classic tale – it seems that America is once again experiencing full-blown Peter Pandemonium.

And why not? It's fun for the whole family, right? On the surface, Peter Pan is about a young boy leading his friends on the adventure of a lifetime. Like most children's stories, it's a cherished morality tale that teaches kids a lesson while keeping them entertained.

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And, like most beloved children's stories, the familiar tale of Peter Pan is based on a book full of horrible murder and deeply traumatizing acts of depravity. Seriously, children's stories are messed up. To show you what we mean, here are seven beloved (Disney-adapted) tales of fun and adventure that are based on some of the most shocking, horrifying stories imaginable.

Peter Pan- Peter Pan, the character, is always remembered as the lovable scamp who whisks children off from their homes and into a magical world of adventure. What people seem to forget about is all the hard-core murder.

In the books written by J.M. Barrie, when Wendy first flies to Neverland, Tinkerbell convinces one of the Lost Boys, named Tootles, that she's actually a bird that Peter wants killed, so he shoots Wendy with a bow and arrow, and she almost dies. Ashamed of his actions once he finds out the truth, Tootles begs Peter to kill him. These are children, mind you.

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Also, at one point, the pirate Hook – a grown man in this universe – attempts to butcher Peter with his hook, and claws him badly. Peter lays on a rock as the tide comes in, waiting to either bleed to death, or drown. Again, Peter is a child. Just wanted to make that extra clear.
And, unlike in the Disney adaptation, Peter kicks Hook over the side of the boat and he is brutally eaten by the crocodile. All of these murder attempts overshadow all the many themes of racism and underage kidnapping that also seem to exist in every facet of the original story.
The Little Mermaid- Hans Christian Andersen's original 1837 fairy tale The Little Mermaid is almost the exact same as Disney's adaption, minus the "love conquering evil" stuff, or any of the happiness.

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In the original version, the potion that the Sea Witch gives the young princess makes her tail turn into legs, but walking on them causes horrifying agony, and feels like stepping on knife blades. Also, the Prince is a jerk who makes her dance for his amusement, despite the pain it causes her.

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And if that's not disturbing enough, the Sea Witch's agreement dictates that if the Prince doesn't fall in love with her, the Little Mermaid will die and disintegrate into sea foam. And what do you know? The prince falls in love with some other random woman. The Little Mermaid is given a chance by the Sea Witch to kill the Prince and escape the punishment of the deal, but she loves him too much!
So she dies, and turns into sea foam. Sweet dreams, kids! Remember that love is fleeting and any attempts at happiness lead to death.
Sleeping Beauty- Wow. The Sleeping Beauty we all know is based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale of the same name. That, in turn, is based on a story, published in 1634, by Giambattista Basile called Sun, Moon and Talia. To say it's dark is an understatement.

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In Sun, Moon And Talia, the princess – known as Talia in this version – is put in a deep, magical sleep when she pricks herself with a flax splinter. After she goes into her mystical coma, her father abandon's the castle, leaving her there. Years later, a different king enters the castle and finds Talia unconscious. Unable to wake her, the king decided to have sex with her nearly lifeless body instead.
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Talia gives birth to twins, who suck on her finger and happen to pull out the splinter (Was that really the solution? No one thought of that?) When she awakens, the rapist king returns and they bond over their mutual interests, such as his bastard children.
When the king's wife, the evil queen, learns of Talia and the two kids, she invites them over under a false pretense, and she kidnaps the babies. She tells the royal chef to kill the kids and make them into a meal for the king, so he will unknowingly eat his own children.
The chef hides the babies with his wife and cooks lamb instead, saving the children. The evil queen then tries to burn Talia at the stake, but the king - now the hero of this fable - saves Talia, and kills his wife instead.
Cinderella- In the Brothers Grimm version of Cinderella, known as Aschenputtel, there are a few minor differences from the Disney film that became a hit. First off, there's no fairy god mother. Instead, there is a magical wishing tree and some talking doves. Also, the slipper isn't glass, it is gold.

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Oh, and to convince the Prince that the all-important footwear belonged to them, one evil step-sister saws off her heel until blood is pouring out of the slipper. The other step-sister slices off all of her toes. Neither attempt works.
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Finally, when Aschenputtel and the Prince get married, the evil step-sisters serve as her bridesmaids in an attempt to win the favor of the future princess. But the wedding is interrupted by doves that fly down from heaven and brutally peck out the step-sisters' eyes. Good times.
Snow White- This is yet another gruesome offering from the Brothers Grimm! When Disney adapted this iconic German fairy tale for their 1937 animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, they stayed close to the source material, only leaving out the more horrific depictions of torture and some of the darker details.

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One major difference in the original Brothers Grimm story is that the Evil Queen was not Snow White's step-mother, but her biological mother. Snow White's own mother wanted to brutally murder her for being pretty. The Grimm brothers decided that this was too cruel even for their stories, and later made the Evil Queen Snow White's step-mother instead.
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In the Disney version, the Evil Queen wants the Huntsman to cut out Snow White's beating heart - which is pretty gruesome for a Disney film. But the original still manages to top that. In the fairy tale, the Queen wants the Huntsman to cut out Snow White's lungs and liver so that the queen can cook and eat them.

Finally, in what is probably the creepiest difference, the Evil Queen doesn't fall to her death after being chased by the dwarfs. Instead, she's forced to put her feet in red-hot iron shoes and dance until she dies.
Rapunzel- Tangled is Disney's adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Rapunzel, and aside from the core concept of a girl with long, flowing hair who is locked in a tower by an evil witch, nothing else really stays the same. Which is probably a good thing, what with all the sex and maiming in the original version. Of all the stories in this list, Rapunzel is probably the tamest, but that's not saying much.

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In the story, a prince is riding through the woods near Rapunzel's tower. The 12-year-old Rapunzel lets down her hair and he climbs into her room, where he proceeds to immediately ask for her hand in marriage. Weeks later, it's revealed that her dress is getting tight around her stomach – a subtle way of revealing that some random, roaming prince knocked up an obviously kidnapped pre-teen girl.
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Eventually, the prince helps Rapunzel plan her escape. However, the evil witch discovers the plan, cuts off Rapunzel's hair and casts her out into the woods to die. When the prince shows up, ignorant to the turn of events, the witch throws down one end of Rapunzel's lopped-off hair, letting him climb up to the window. When he gets there, the witch shoves him off the tower and he falls into a bush of sharp thorns which gouge out his eyes.

In the end, he and Rapunzel find each other, and her tears of joy restore his eyesight – so that's nice. However, the witch dropped Rapunzel's hair out the window when she shoved the prince. Since the tower has no door and no stairs (people only got in through the window by climbing up Rapunzel's hair like a damn jungle gym) the evil witch starves to death - which was really her fault for building such a stupid tower in the first place.
Pinocchio- As creepy as the Disney version of Pinocchio was – and it was, without a doubt, super creepy – it can't hold a candle to the deeply disturbing horror-fest that is the 1883 Carlo Collodi book The Adventures of Pinocchio.

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The element that stands out the most about this Italian novel, which Collodi claimed was for children, is its intensely depressing subject matter. For instance, the lovable Jiminy Cricket, from the Disney version, is actually the ghost a dead cricket that Pinocchio stepped on, in the book.

Also, in the original story, there is a town called Catchfools, which is full of sad, dying animals such as starving dogs, freezing sheep, half-dead butterflies and a whole depressing menagerie of other hopeless creatures. In this town, any foolishness is punished with jail time, and Pinocchio is arrested and imprisoned as punishment for getting conned out of his only possessions. It's a truly terrible legal system.

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In another dark scene, Pinocchio runs off with a young boy to Toyland, where an old man collects children by luring them with toys. Then, Pinocchio is turned into a donkey because this book hates children. As a donkey, he's eventually sold to a man who wants to skin him and turn him into a drum. The man tries to drown Pinocchio in the ocean, but carnivorous fish bite off all of his magical donkey flesh, turning Pinocchio back into a regular living marionette. Yay?

And all of this doesn't even begin to address the constant maiming, killing and torturing of animals. It happens so often that it seems to be the book's main motif. From a starving fox who cuts off his own tail to sell for food to a snake that laughs at Pinocchio's misfortune so hard it bursts an artery and dies, this is a wonderful book to read to your kids if you absolutely want them to have night terrors well into adulthood.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 01:37:00 +0000

Cleveland boy with pellet gun dies after police shoot him

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - A 12-year-old boy who was shot by police after he brandished a pellet gun at a Cleveland recreation center died on Sunday from his injuries, officials said.

The boy was identified as Tamir E. Rice, 12, of Cleveland by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner.
Rice was shot in the abdomen by a city officer at a playground on the city's west side on Saturday, said Timothy Kucharski, an attorney for the boy's family.

According to the recording of a 911 call, a witness at the Cudell Recreation Center park told the police dispatcher that he saw somebody with a pistol and he was pointing it at people.

The caller told the dispatcher that the gun was "probably fake." But he said that it was scaring people.

Officers responded and advised the boy to raise his hands, according to a police statement.

"The suspect did not comply with the officers' orders and reached to his waistband for the gun. Shots were fired and the suspect was struck in the torso," the statement said.

After a preliminary investigation, authorities said the gun Rice had was an airsoft-type replica gun resembling a semi-automatic pistol.

Airsoft weapons are realistic-looking guns used in play combat, and they usually shoot plastic pellets. Most are made with bright orange tips so that they aren't confused with real guns. Police said the orange safety indicator was removed from the replica gun Rice was holding.

The boy was taken to MetroHealth Hospital where he underwent surgery Saturday and remained in critical condition until his death early Sunday, Kucharski said. The death was confirmed by hospital spokesman Jonah Rosenblum.

The two officers involved in the incident were placed on administrative leave. One of them was treated at Fairview Hospital for an ankle injury.

The shooting followed another incident that shook the city. On Friday, Cleveland police said four people, including a 41-year-old pregnant woman, were shot and killed at a home on the city's east side. A 9-year-old girl was shot in the chest and was treated and released from a local hospital.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 01:27:00 +0000

Married Jesus? New book adds fuel to conspiracies

LONDON (AP) — A researcher who has attracted attention and criticism with his revisionist Biblical theories says he has found new evidence that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and that early Christians considered her a deity.

Canadian-Israeli documentary-maker Simcha Jacobovici says an ancient manuscript in the British Library offers a glimpse at an early version of Christianity radically different from the faith practiced today.
"This shows that Mary Magdalene really got ripped off" in mainstream Christian theology, Jacobovici said Wednesday at the launch of "The Lost Gospel," a book co-authored with York University religious studies Professor Barrie Wilson.
But many religious scholars are skeptical about the latest addition to the crowded field of Biblical conspiracy theories.
"The Lost Gospel" is built around a new interpretation of an ancient text, "The Story of Joseph and Aseneth." Jacobovici and Wilson studied a 1,500-year-old Syriac-language version of the story in the London library.
Most religious scholars think the text explains why the Hebrew patriarch Joseph came to marry a gentile, but Wilson and Jacobovici say it is a coded tale that actually relates the story of Jesus, his wife and their children.
Jacobovici said that in the document, Mary Magdalene is "not just Mrs. Jesus. She's a co-deity, a co-Redeemer."
But Greg Carey, professor of New Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary, said the story was already well known to Bible scholars and "doesn't require any decoding."

"That's not to deny that some early Christians interpreted the story allegorically," he added. But he said there was no evidence for "the idea that it's about Jesus and his wife and their two children."

Jacobovici has a record of headline-grabbing but contested claims.

He co-wrote "The Jesus Family Tomb," which was strongly criticized by scholars and archeologists for alleging that a tomb found in a Jerusalem cave contained the remains of Jesus and possible family members.

Other researchers also have claimed to have found references in ancient texts to a married Jesus. Dan Brown used such theories as the basis for blockbuster thriller "The Da Vinci Code."

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 01:17:00 +0000

Ancient Egyptian Handbook of Spells Deciphered

Researchers have deciphered an ancient Egyptian handbook, revealing a series of invocations and spells.

Among other things, the "Handbook of Ritual Power," as researchers call the book, tells readers how to cast love spells, exorcise evil spirits and treat "black jaundice," a bacterial infection that is still around today and can be fatal.
The book is about 1,300 years old, and is written in Coptic, an Egyptian language. It is made of bound pages of parchment — a type of book that researchers call a codex.

"It is a complete 20-page parchment codex, containing the handbook of a ritual practitioner," write Malcolm Choat and Iain Gardner, who are professors in Australia at Macquarie University and the University of Sydney, respectively, in their book, "A Coptic Handbook of Ritual Power" (Brepols, 2014).
The ancient book "starts with a lengthy series of invocations that culminate with drawings and words of power," they write. "These are followed by a number of prescriptions or spells to cure possession by spirits and various ailments, or to bring success in love and business."
For instance, to subjugate someone, the codex says you have to say a magical formula over two nails, and then "drive them into his doorpost, one on the right side (and) one on the left."
The Sethians
Researchers believe that the codex may date to the 7th or 8th century. During this time, many Egyptians were Christian and the codex contains a number of invocations referencing Jesus.
However, some of the invocations seem more associated with a group that is sometimes called "Sethians." This group flourished in Egypt during the early centuries of Christianity and held Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve, in high regard. One invocation in the newly deciphered codex calls "Seth, Seth, the living Christ." [The Holy Land: 7 Amazing Archaeological Finds]

The opening of the codex refers to a divine figure named "Baktiotha" whose identity is a mystery, researchers say. The lines read, "I give thanks to you and I call upon you, the Baktiotha: The great one, who is very trustworthy; the one who is lord over the forty and the nine kinds of serpents," according to the translation.
"The Baktiotha is an ambivalent figure. He is a great power and a ruler of forces in the material realm," Choat and Gardner said at a conference, before their book on the codex was published.
Historical records indicate that church leaders regarded the Sethians as heretics and by the 7th century, the Sethians were either extinct or dying out.

This codex, with its mix of Sethian and Orthodox Christian invocations, may in fact be a transitional document, written before all Sethian invocations were purged from magical texts, the researchers said. They noted that there are other texts that are similar to the newly deciphered codex, but which contain more Orthodox Christian and fewer Sethian features.
The researchers believe that the invocations were originally separate from 27 of the spells in the codex, but later, the invocations and these spells were combined, to form a "single instrument of ritual power," Choat told Live Science in an email.

Who would have used it?
The identity of the person who used this codex is a mystery. The user of the codex would not necessarily have been a priest or monk.

"It is my sense that there were ritual practitioners outside the ranks of the clergy and monks, but exactly who they were is shielded from us by the fact that people didn't really want to be labeled as a "magician,'" Choat said.

Some of the language used in the codex suggests that it was written with a male user in mind, however, that "wouldn't have stopped a female ritual practitioner from using the text, of course," he said.

Origin

The origin of the codex is also a mystery. Macquarie University acquired it in late 1981 from Michael Fackelmann, an antiquities dealer based in Vienna. In "the 70s and early 80s, Macquarie University (like many collections around the world) purchased papyri from Michael Fackelmann," Choat said in the email.

But where Fackelmann got the codex from is unknown. The style of writing suggests that the codex originally came from Upper Egypt.

"The dialect suggests an origin in Upper Egypt, perhaps in the vicinity of Ashmunein/Hermopolis," which was an ancient city, Choat and Gardner write in their book.

The codex is now housed in the Museum of Ancient Cultures at Macquarie University in Sydney.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:58:00 +0000

Trojan is likely state sponsored, has attacked Russian, Saudi internet providers and telecoms since 2008

Security researchers have discovered one of the most advanced pieces of malware ever created — and it's been in use since at least 2008. Symantec researchers published their findings today on a new Trojan they're calling "Regin."
The researchers say the tool is "a complex piece of malware whose structure displays a degree of technical competence rarely seen." It's been cleverly designed to spy on computer systems around the world while leaving hardly a trace behind. The software's "authors have gone to great lengths to cover its tracks," reports Symantec, by using multiple layers of complex encryption to mask spying activities. Even when Symantec's researchers did discover the presence of malware on clients' machines, they had to decrypt an entire sample package of files just to get some idea of what the tool was up to.

The espionage tool has been found primarily on systems in Russia and Saudi Arabia, though its presence has been detected in smaller numbers in Mexico, Ireland, India, Afghanistan, Iran, Belgium, Austria, and Pakistan. Over half of all confirmed cases were on machines in Russia and Saudi Arabia.
"Its authors have gone to great lengths to cover its tracks."
Attacks on internet providers and telecom companies — with the goal of obtaining information from the small businesses and individuals that use their services — accounted for roughly 75 percent of infections. Airlines, energy utilities, research agencies, and hospitality companies were also targets of such attacks.

As you might expect, something this complex isn't designed to steal your credit card numbers. The sophistication of the software and its confirmed targets, according to Symantec, makes almost certain that the malware is state-sponsored. In fact, the researchers say that it is similar to the Stuxnet worm that was allegedly designed to sabotage Iran's nuclear program. They should know: this group of computer security experts are the same team that first discovered Stuxnet. The US, Israel, and China are believed to be among the nations with the funding and expertise to develop and execute such attacks.
"A huge spying campaign dating back at least to 2008."
Whichever nation-state sponsored this malware, it's believed that Regin is likely that government's primary means of executing cyber espionage around the world. One of the malware's fairly unique traits is that it is highly customizable. Different packages can be built into the payload that infects computer systems. Some of the typical tools the software has at its disposal is the ability to remotely control the mouse and keyboard, take screenshots, record key presses and network activity, and recover deleted files. But spies could also load more specialized functionality designed for specific monitoring of energy utility or telecom systems, according to researchers. Those custom payloads "exhibit a high degree of expertise in specialist sectors," according to researchers — another sign that a large state player is behind the software.
What's not clear is how the malware executes an attack. In just one single confirmed case, it exploited an undiscovered Yahoo Messenger vulnerability, but the researchers speculate that it can use spoofed versions of popular websites or other application holes to gain access to computer systems.
The pattern of attacks does show, however, that the software has been used for years. "This has been a huge spying campaign dating back at least to 2008 and maybe even as early as 2006," researcher Liam O’Murchu tells Recode. Attacks abruptly halted in 2011, before an updated version of the malware was introduced to the web in 2013. There's still much that's unknown, but now that Regin's existence has been publicized, we should expect more details to trickle out over the coming months.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:49:00 +0000

Marion Barry: A wily survivor leaves the stage

Marion Barry had an impeccable sense of timing, even in his death.
In 1960 he became the first chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), because the favored candidate had left the room.
When he arrived in the District of Columbia in 1965, the nation’s capital was just beginning to elect leaders for a new, local political system, thanks in part to LBJ. Barry astutely analyzed the power structure and exploited it to become mayor in 1978.
A dealmaker at heart, he rode the real estate boom of the 1980s to rebuild D.C.’s downtown, finance a bureaucracy jammed with city workers loyal to him and bestow contracts on black businessmen. He created a black middle class.

When he returned to the District in 1990 after serving six months for a cocaine rap, he saw a city still vulnerable to his political charms and lacking leadership. Four years later he confounded critics and got elected to his fourth term as mayor.
And when he died early Sunday morning at the age of 78, his power had waned, the District’s African-American population had dropped below 50 percent, and newcomers had no idea Barry was the politician who opened the government to African-Americans after decades of Southern white politicians ruling the city from Congress.
D.C. was no longer Chocolate City; Barry’s moment had passed. It was time to leave the stage.
“I am a situationist,” Barry once said. The situation had become untenable.
There is no middle ground in judging Marion Barry. For the vast majority of white residents of Washington and across the country, Barry will be remembered as a womanizing politician, addicted to alcohol, drugs and power. To them he squandered opportunities to govern D.C. well and become a leader in the national arena. Instead, he was the butt of jokes on late-night TV.

But most African-Americans in D.C. have enshrined him as the strong leader who shared their struggles, overcame the odds and prevailed against a system that discriminated against blacks. He gave many Washingtonians their first jobs. They saw him as the man who never backed down in confrontations with the white establishment. Regardless of his personal failings, they embraced him as their own.

The straight facts of Barry’s life make him one of the most influential politicians of his time. Born to sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta, he excelled in school and became one of Tennessee’s first black Eagle Scouts after his family moved to Memphis. He earned a master's degree in chemistry before joining the civil rights movement. In Washington, he founded Pride, Inc., to provide jobs for African-Americans. He was elected to the D.C. school board in 1971, won a seat on the District council and rode his political machine to four terms as mayor. He was representing D.C.’s Ward 8, the city’s poorest neighborhoods, when he died.

In all, Barry served 40 years in elective office, a record that rivals any politician in any other major city. He was perhaps the last black civil rights leader to hold public office, putting him in a class by himself.

The awful irony of Barry’s political career is that he failed to improve the lives of the poor Washingtonians who revered and elected him time and time again. When he first won the mayoralty in 1978, communities east of the Anacostia River were home to the city’s downtrodden. In his four terms and more than a decade on the council, he did little to lift them from poverty. He allowed their schools to fester and become the worst in the country. When crack cocaine overcame the District in the 1980s and the murder rate neared 500, Barry became addicted to the drug. The streets of Anacostia ran with blood. In his third term, from 1986 to 1990, he succumbed to various addictions, and the government failed to function, especially for the needy.

Investigated by D.C. police and the FBI, Barry was arrested in a downtown hotel with a crack pipe in his mouth in January 1990, after an old flame lured him into the trap. Barry uttered the infamous line: “Bitch set me up.”

Barry wasn’t a model citizen. He was prosecuted for failing to pay taxes, investigated for getting kickbacks from a girlfriend and castigated for offending Filipinos and other Asians.

What amazed me and many others was Barry’s survival instinct. Through myriad ailments, from prostate cancer to a kidney transplant and blood infections, through four marriages and his continued addiction to drugs, he held his head high and kept showing up.

He defied death until the time was right.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:39:00 +0000

Prosecutor Bob McCulloch announced the grand jury's decision.

On Monday night, St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch announced that a grand jury had decided not to charge Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson with a crime for killing 18-year-old Michael Brown in August.
County officials distributed documents from the grand jury deliberations to the press. St. Louis Public Radio has been uploading and posting the documents, which you can sift through here.

But if you're looking for the major documents, here are links to some of the key information from the case:
Michael Brown's official autopsy report
Investigators' interview with Darren Wilson

Darren Wilson's medical examination after killing Michael Brown
Crime-scene analysis of firearm evidence

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:21:00 +0000

Which nation-state is behind the sophisticated, stealthy Regin malware?

The publication, which in the wake of Glenn Greenwald's departure from The Guardian continued to publish documents leaked by Edward Snowden, said on Monday the recently discovered malware, known as Regin, was used against targets in the European Union.
One of those targets included Belgian telecommunications company Belgacom, which had its networks broken into by the British spy agency the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).
Regin was first publicly talked about over the weekend after Symantec discovered the "sophisticated" malware, though is understood to have been in circulation since 2008.
Compared to Stuxnet, the state-sponsored malware whose creators have never been confirmed, the recently-discovered trojan steals data from machines and networks it infects, disguised as Microsoft software.

Some began to point the finger at Russia and China, but these were quickly discounted by industry experts. Others suspected the U.S. and Israel — a deal already exists that allows the Middle Eastern allied state to access raw and "unchecked" U.S. collected intelligence.

They weren't far off. According to Monday's report, the U.S. working in conjunction with Britain, a European member state (though perhaps not for much longer) attacked Belgacom using the Regin malware.

Though the Belgacom hack was disclosed by Snowden's leaks, the malware used had never been revealed.

The new details from The Intercept show how GCHQ embarked upon its "hacking mission," known as Operation Socialist, by accessing Belgacom's networks in 2010. By targeting engineers through a faked LinkedIn page, GCHQ was able to get deep inside the Internet provider to steal data.

One of Belgacom's main clients was the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Council of member state leaders.

Exactly how member states of the European Union — there are 28 of them including the U.K. — will react to one of its own member states launching a successful hacking attack against their executive body, remains unknown.

But while members of the Parliament and Commission staff have, over the years, seen the U.S. as one of the greatest threats to the region's data protection and privacy policies, they should have been looking a little closer to home.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:10:00 +0000

UPDATED: Sony Hacker Paralysis Reaches Day Two

2ND UPDATE: This Sony computer hacking episode isn’t over. The corporation’s computers are still down, in New York, overseas and on the Culver City lot of Sony Pictures, for the second day. IT experts are still working to figure out how the breach happened, and to stop a repeat. It is never opportune for something like this to interrupt a corporation’s hard work, but Thanksgiving week is probably not the worst time for it. Here’s the official line: “Sony Pictures Entertainment experienced a system disruption, which are working diligently to resolve.”

UPDATE: While it seems that a world-leading tech company would be the last to be brought down by a hacker, this Sony thing is serious. I’ve come across a still photo of the hacked message that appeared on screens, posted by a site called business2community.com. More when it comes in. SPE spokesperson Jean Guerin said “We are investigating an IT matter.” Here’s the still photo:

EARLIER EXCLUSIVE, November 24, 10:50 am: Things have come to a standstill at Sony today, after the computers in New York and around the world were infiltrated by a hacker. As a precaution, computers in Los Angeles were shut down while the corporation deals with the breach. It has basically brought the whole global corporation to an electronic standstill. I’d heard that this began with a skull appearing on screens, and then a strangely ominous message telling users they’d been hacked by something called #GOP. It gets more bizarre as the message claims this is just the beginning and then threatens to release documents by 11 PM this evening. There is no reason given why this is happening, and no specific demands. Mentioned are websites in places around the world, some of which don’t even function. While Sony works this through, there are no corporate emails going in and out and you can’t use your computer and it’s hit or miss on whether calls are going to email. “We are down, completely paralyzed,” said a source. Waiting on reaction from Sony, but if you’re not getting your calls or emails returned from Culver City, don’t take it as an insult or reason to feel small. No comment from the studio.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 23:57:00 +0000

A cemetery dating back around 1,700 years has been discovered in Kucha, a city in China.

A cemetery dating back roughly 1,700 years has been discovered along part of the Silk Road, a series of ancient trade routes that once connected China to the Roman Empire.

The cemetery was found in the city of Kucha, which is located in present-day northwest China. Ten tombs were excavated, seven of which turned out to be large brick structures.
One tomb, dubbed "M3," contained carvings of several mythical creatures, including four that represent different seasons and parts of the heavens: the White Tiger of the West, the Vermilion Bird of the South, the Black Turtle of the North and the Azure Dragon of the East. [See photos of the ancient Silk Road cemetery]

The M3 tomb also "consists of a burial mound, ramp, sealed gate, tomb entrance, screen walls, passage, burial chamber and side chamber" the researchers wrote in a report published recently in the journal Chinese Cultural Relics.

The cemetery was first found in July 2007 and was excavated by the Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, with assistance from local authorities. The research team, led by Zhiyong Yu, director of the Xinjiang Archaeological Institute, published the findings in Chinese in the journal Wenwu. The article was recently translated into English and published in the journal Chinese Cultural Relics.

Who was buried here?
The identity of the people buried in the cemetery is a mystery. The cemetery had been robbed in the past and no writing was found that indicates the names of those buried or their positions in life.
The seven large brick tombs were likely constructed for people of wealth, the researchers said.

But, when the skeletal remains were analyzed, the researchers found that the tombs had been reused multiple times. Some of the tombs contain more than 10 occupants, and the "repeated multiple burials warrant further study," the researchers wrote.

City on the Silk Road

The excavators think the cemetery dates back around 1,700 years, to a time when Kucha was vital to controlling the Western Frontiers (Xiyu) of China. Since the Silk Road trade routes passed through the Western Frontiers, control of this key region was important to China’s rulers.

"In ancient times, Kucha was called Qiuci in Chinese literature. It was a powerful city-state in the oasis of the Western Frontiers" the researchers wrote.

For the dynasties that flourished in China around 1,700 years ago "the conquest and effective governance of Kucha would enable them to control all the oasis city-states in the Western Frontiers," the researchers said.

In fact, one ancient saying was, "if you have Kucha, only one percent of the states in the Western Frontiers remain unsubmissive."

Chinese Cultural Relics is a new journal that translates Chinese-language articles, originally published in the journal Wenwu, into English. The discovery of the 1,700-year-old cemetery was included in its inaugural issue.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 23:37:00 +0000

16 Jobs Being Created By the Marijuana Industry

Marijuana is now legal for recreational use in both Colorado and Washington, and retail sales have officially kicked off in both states. Colorado got off to a head start, and has brought in millions of dollars in tax revenue for the state, prompting many others around the country to start the legalization conversation among their own legislators. Washington’s market has officially been open to the public for a short amount of time, and so far, revenues have been stymied by a lack of adequate supply. Over the course of the next several months, things are expected to even out, and Washington residents hope to see similar results to what Colorado is experiencing.
Tax revenue has been the major selling point to local governments throughout the legalization effort, and that makes sense. But there are also numerous other economical benefits to ending prohibition, including an influx of new jobs to the market. Keeping cannabis relegated to the black market meant that the profits from its sale, as well as those working to earn those profits, stayed off the books. By bringing marijuana into the legal realm, an accurate picture of how much money there is and how many people there are working within the industry is being developed for the first time.
Opening up an entire new sector and industry within the economy is going to have enormous benefit, especially one that had been operating in the shadows all along. It’s not just the actual growing and sale of marijuana that brings in revenue and jobs; legal cannabis is an entire industry, requiring support staff and regulators as well. All of this means a big influx of employment opportunities for those in areas where legalization is in full swing. Not to mention, law enforcement and legal professionals no longer need to spend precious public resources fighting low-level drug crimes related to cannabis, saving enormous amounts of money and time.
What are some of these jobs, what do they pay, and how can you get one? Well, there are a multitude of opportunities in just about every function you can imagine. Many of these jobs had previously been segregated to the black market, or the medical industry only, available to a select few who qualified. Now, they are becoming mainstream and available to many more. Some are lucrative, others pay low-wages. But the industry is in its infancy, and as it evolves, as will the positions within it.
Here are 16 jobs now being created by the new marijuana industry, providing new opportunities and giving local economies a shot in the arm.

1. Edible Creator
Creating edibles might be a dream job for many. The variations in edibles really runs the gamut — a trip a retail shop or medical dispensary will leave most people in disbelief at how many options there are. If you can name it, there’s probably a marijuana-infused version of it. Soda, oatmeal, baked goods, candy, coffee … the list goes on. Getting into edibles can be difficult, mainly due to its competitive nature. In some areas, every ingredient and levels of THC must be listed appropriately as well. Depending on where you live and your skill level, making edibles can be lucrative, but extremely difficult due to regulatory efforts of local lawmakers.

2. Concentrates Processor
This is a field that requires considerable skill, and can also be potentially dangerous. Concentrates include things like hash oils, Rick Simpson oil, dabs and shatter, among others. These products are noted for their incredibly high concentration, which can have powerful effects and be very valuable to medical cannabis patients. The popularity of concentrates is growing rapidly, as vaporizers become more commonplace. As far as creating them, a background in chemistry is helpful, and experience with chemicals and laboratory equipment. Concentrates can be very lucrative, but like anything else, it’s getting more competitive by the day.

3. Glass Merchant
This is an industry that has been around for years, although it could never be officially targeted at cannabis users. Selling pipes, bongs, and more recently vaporizers is a business that is only expected to grow as prohibition falls across the country. Whether you can create your own devices by blowing glass, or decide that marketing and selling handheld vaporizers is a better plan, there will always be customers looking for peripherals to help them partake.

4. Courier and Delivery
Made popular by the medical marijuana community, the industry will soon be brimming with delivery and courier services, dropping off customer orders much like a pizza business. Many medical marijuana patients are unable to actually make it in to dispensary locations, so delivery became an attractive option. As retail locations open up, delivery options will most likely come along as well. Whether it be by bicycle or vehicle, couriers are sure to become a part of the lexicon in the near future. Pay is probably not great, but there is always the opportunity for tips!

5. Security
When retail locations started opening up, security was of paramount concern for many shop owners. While things have calmed down, most retail locations — and many medical dispensaries — have opted to keep security guards on staff. Checking IDs and guarding privacy for customers are the most visible duties, but ensuring that money and product transfers go off without a hitch is another important part of the job. There may be more opportunities for security work in urban locations, but as the industry kicks off, security will be important for storefronts in all environments.

6. Reviewers
Talk about a dream position! Yes, there is a need for marijuana reviewers. Websites like Leafly are becoming giant platforms for strain reviews and information, letting customers get in on the action on their Yelp-like platform. Strains can differ in a number of ways, not just the basic indica and sativa strains, but hybrids and specialty-bred strains can deliver a wide range of effects. For medical patients in need of high THC or CBD strains, reviews can be very valuable. Finding a way to become a strain reviewer would be difficult, but just like in any other industry, critics are needed.

7. Trimmer
Marijuana doesn’t fall off the stem in those tight, dried little buds. There is a whole process — or art — to making the finished product look perfect for customer sale. Trimming, although incredibly tedious, can be attractive to many people. Essentially, the process entails taking buds from the plants and chopping off the larger leaves to leave an aesthetically pleasing product. This also helps cut down on excess weight, which ensures customers are getting the most for their money. The job doesn’t pay extremely well, but trimming is a job that needs to be done.

8. Tourism
The tourism segment of the marijuana industry has yet to really take off, but there are companies out there trying. Essentially, tourism companies would bring in revenues by taking tourists out and giving an overview of the industry. From dropping by growing locations to going on a tour of retail and dispensary locations, these companies can really tailor their business models as the market sees fit. As the industry finds its footing, the tourism sector will grow up with it. Think of how there are currently winery tours and apply the same line of thinking to cannabis. Could be a great opportunity for entrepreneurs!

9. Administrative
Administrative tasks may be the least exciting out of all when it comes to business. But, like many other roles, they are entirely necessary. From checking patients or customers in at the front door, to ensuring shipments and accounts are all in order, administrative staff is essential. This could be a great opportunity for many professionals looking to get a fresh start in a new industry, especially for accountants, secretarial, and marketing professionals. At this point, the pay might be as good as in other industries, but that should only improve as time goes on.

10. Budtender
A budtender is exactly like a bartender, except for — you know — bud. A budtender is the individual who actually assists customers at the counter by offering their sage advice and knowledge about different cannabis strains, concentrates, and edibles. Essentially, the budtender will help you make the perfect selection for the effect your looking for. The job requires rather extensive knowledge about the products being offered, as well as identifying any allergies or issues prospective customers may have. Pay for budtenders can really run the gamut, but just like a great bartender, a solid budtender can really make or break a business.

11. Regulators
The role of regulators will vary quite a bit from state to state, and municipality to municipality. In Washington, for example, the industry will be regulated in a much tighter way than in Colorado. The laws can evolve over time, as over-regulation can have negative economical effects. But inspectors and regulatory staff are necessary — whether they work for local governments or law enforcement agencies. There should be lots of opportunities to get into regulatory agencies as legalization occurs in more states.

12. Web & Software
As mentioned previously, companies like Leafly are blazing the trail into the online space when it comes to the marijuana industry. Other companies, like Viridian Sciences and WeedMaps, are making their own way. Software to help run marijuana businesses is essential, and can include things like accounting programs and product management systems. Companies like WeedMaps and Leafly are there to assist cannabis users in finding the product they’re looking for, and creating an online community.

13. Retail Shop Owner
It’s the ultimate dream for many entrepreneurs — owning your own marijuana retail store! Actually getting the chance to open a store may be difficult enough, as in the case in Washington where licenses were offered to a select few through a lottery system. But as the industry opens up, the opportunity to actually open a retail location will be available to almost anyone who wants to take a shot. Of course, this comes with the necessary business and entrepreneurial prowess that any other operation requires, as well as the support staff and suppliers. Opening a store is risky, but in a brand new industry, it could be the perfect opportunity to live out your entrepreneurial dreams.

14. Farmer
That’s right, the world needs farmers. Pot farmers, that is. Where do you think all of this marijuana is coming from, anyway? Well, many people have been growing for years, whether it was under medical protection or otherwise, and have developed techniques to cultivate the perfect product. Growing marijuana can be time consuming and expensive, and also requires a lot of skill. Similar to opening up a retail location, growing can be risky. There are things like temperature control, space, pests, and seemingly a thousand other issues that can arise, and then finding a place to sell your product can also create issues. But for those who always wanted a chance to be a marijuana farmer, the time is quickly approaching — if it hasn’t yet arrived.

15. Seed Harvester
Harvesting and selling seeds can go hand-in-hand with being a farmer, but is a bit more specialized. Selling seeds requires jumping through a ton of legal loopholes, but it can be done. Seeds and clones, which are smaller plants sold to growers, do have a big market. But in certain places, growing marijuana on your own without a license is illegal. Depending on where you live, selling seeds and clones could be a great business decision — or a terrible one.

16. Consultants
Consultants. Every industry has them, and they can provide some very valuable insight. For growing specialists who don’t want a farm of their own, consulting can be very lucrative. Also, consultants can help entrepreneurs get their businesses off the launching pad, and also help identify areas for growth and expansion. Marketing consultants can also assist cannabis startups get their brands off the ground, and create a real identity for many businesses in the industry. Consulting requires a great deal of specialized knowledge, but could be an excellent opportunity for those who are qualified.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 22:42:00 +0000

Michael Brown’s friend upset and angry that officer Darren Wilson walks free, vowing the ‘fight doesn’t stop here’

One of Michael Brown’s friends says he thinks the United States witnessed a travesty of justice Monday night.

“It’s hurtful to think that someone can be murdered, and their killer will walk away free,” Dorian Johnson said in an interview with ABC News.

Johnson was with Brown just before he was fatally shot by officer Darren Wilson of the Ferguson Police Department.

When a grand jury decided not to indict Wilson in 18-year-old Brown’s death, many people across the country thought the justice system had failed to deliver.

“I’m very disappointed, angry. But not to where I can’t contain it. I can control myself,” Johnson said. “I’m just so angry about the outcome of the situation. It’s just real hard to take right now.”

After all, he said, it could have been his body lying in the street, while his killer walked off free.

Outraged crowds filled the street after St. Louis County's top prosecutor announced the grand jury’s decision Monday night.

Some protesters broke windows, vandalized cars and set buildings on fire, spurring officers to use tear gas. Dozens were arrested.

Johnson made clear that he does not condone violence or looting but understands the source of their anger and said that he feels it himself.

“It’s just sending a message that we see everything, and we do feel pain,” he said.

The jury of nine whites and three blacks met on 25 different days over a three-month period to hear more than 70 hours of testimony, the Associated Press reports.

Their decision exacerbated the already fractured relationship between the African American community and law enforcement in the St. Louis area.

Johnson expressed gratitude to the protesters and said he hoped everyone who spoke out will continue to fight for justice and work to restore peace to the community.

“The fight doesn’t stop here,” he said. “We’re going to continue.”

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 16:26:00 +0000

Ex-NBC Employee Claims He Helped Bill Cosby Pay Off Women.

Frank Scotti, a 90-year-old ex-NBC employee, is the latest to go public with stories of Bill Cosby’s past.
Scotti, who worked as a facilities manager for the Brooklyn NBC Studio where “Cosby Show” was filmed, told the New York Daily News that he arranged for monthly payments and more for eight women during “The Cosby Show’s” run from 1984-1992. He claimed some women would receive as much as $2,000 at a time.
“He had everybody fooled,” Scotti said to the Daily News. “Nobody suspected.”
Scotti provided copies of money orders to four women to the Daily News and said Cosby asked him to put his own name on them.
“He was covering himself by having my name on it,” he said. “It was a coverup. I realized it later.”
One woman, Shawn Thompson, reportedly received more than $100,000 after their alleged affair started in 1974. Thompson’s daughter, Autumn Jackson, has claimed Cosby is her father, which Cosby has denied.

One woman whose name is on the receipts reached out to the Daily News and said the payments funded her son’s private school tuition. Scotti is confident that he was sexually involved with the women receiving payments, and came forward now because he “felt sorry for the women.”

“Why else would he be sending money?” Scotti asked. “He was sending these women $2,000 a month. What else could I think?”

The story also includes a quote from Cosby’s attorney Martin Singer denying Scotti’s allegations.

“What evidence does he have of Mr. Cosby’s involvement?” Singer said. “How would Scotti know if a woman was a model or a secretary? It appears that his story is pure speculation so that he can get his 15 minutes of fame.”

NBC declined comment on the story.

Cosby now has claims against him from at least 15 women with varying charges of sexual assault. Since the allegations resurfaced, NBC has pulled a project with him, Netflix postponed a stand-up special it was going to stream and TV Land has stopped airing re-runs of “The Cosby Show.”

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 18:35:00 +0000

How Closely Should You Monitor Remote Employees?

Nowadays, employers can adopt technology to track a remote employee’s every keystroke.

Is your outsourced crew in India spending too much time on Facebook? Do they finish all assigned tasks in the first half of the day, then enjoy an afternoon of fooling around on the internet rather than asking for more work? Are your delivery drivers sticking to their routes? If you’re in trucking, you can even use software to decelerate a truck when the driver gets too close to the vehicle in front of him.

Remote monitoring via technology – also known as telematics — is perfectly legal. Employers can use GPS without their employees’ knowledge in every state. And unless you live in Connecticut or Delaware, you don’t even have to inform your employees you’re monitoring their emails, texts, and other types of electronic communication.

But just because you can do something, should you?
The Big Question

When you use remote employees, the big question is always whether they’re working or not. The answer? Depends on the employee.

It comes down to character and personality. Some people work harder and are more trustworthy than others. They take a lot of pride in meeting deadlines and delivering a quality product.

Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford economist, studied traditional versus stay-at-home employees. He found that the latter group did 13 percent more work.

Then again, you’ll have other employees who pride themselves on scamming the system, putting in minimal effort, and squeaking by. You’ll probably figure out pretty quickly who is who.

You also have to consider the different personalities of your employees. Task-oriented, introverted loners make excellent stay-at-home workers. But gregarious, chatty employees – even those who really want to work hard – may be completely derailed by the isolation of remote work. They’ll be more productive staying in the office.
Selective Monitoring

To keep tabs on employees, telematics is a powerful tool you should absolutely use. But depending on your industry and your employees, how closely you should monitor their movements and keystrokes varies.

For example, say you run an HVAC company. Your GPS system tells you exactly where your service drivers are and for how long. You notice an unexplained 10-minute stop here, a 15-minute stop there every few weeks by a driver who is otherwise top-notch. Should you ask for a detailed account of these stops? No. A good employee deserves a certain amount of leeway. He probably had to use the restroom, get a cup of coffee, or make an important call.

However, if a driver at your HVAC company makes longer and more frequent unexplained stops, you should definitely get to the bottom of it. Maybe he’s having daytime trysts or playing video poker when he should be servicing somebody’s furnace.

Same for remote white-collar employees. Few things will destroy morale as fast as letting a quality employee know you’re tracking every keystroke. If you’re getting the desired work results, a remote employee deserves a few minutes to rest their brain. After all, you’re probably not following your in-office staff around and timing how many minutes they spend at the water cooler or chatting about non-work topics in each other’s cubicles.

In some industries, however, letting employees know you’re monitoring their every move can pay off. For example, if you own several restaurants, your employees are likely to work harder if they know you’re remotely monitoring them.

A study that examined the impact of information technology on employee theft and productivity at restaurants found a 22 percent reduction in theft after servers found out about the new software. At the same time, drink sales rose 10 percent. The study also found that watched workers worked harder.
Monitoring for Rewards

Remote monitoring has a connotation of deterrence and punishment, but it also should be used to celebrate success.

Most telecommuters understand they’re at a disadvantage when it comes to impressing the boss. It’s the in-office staff who are are more visible that usually get promotions and performance-based awards — even if they’re goofing off more than their telecommuting counterparts. Tracking software can therefore be used to compare the productivity of remote employees with the accomplishments of in-office staff.

Whatever your industry, handle your remote monitoring with finesse. Used correctly, it can improve safety and productivity without destroying employee morale.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 18:30:00 +0000

Another Bill Cosby rape accuser comes forward.

Another woman who claims she was raped by Bill Cosby has spoken out about her encounter with the embattled comedian.
The accusation is just the latest of numerous allegations of sexual abuse by Cosby, and follows the claims of another alleged victim who spoke out earlier this week.
In an essay on Hollywood Elsewhere, music industry publicist and journalist Joan Tarshis claims that Cosby sexually assaulted her twice in 1969 when she was 19. The former actress and Cosby were both working at Universal Studios, and she said he took an interest in her.
Cosby often pushed alcohol on her, Tarshis said, and on one instance when the two had been working on material together, she fell unconscious at his bungalow after having a cocktail he made for her.
"The next thing I remember was coming to on his couch while being undressed," Tarshis wrote. "I thought I was being clever when I told him I had an infection and he would catch it and his wife would know he had sex with someone. But he just found another orifice to use. I was sickened by what was happening to me and shocked that this man I had idolized was now raping me. Of course I told no one."
The second time Cosby allegedly attacked her, Tarvis claims that she had been drinking with Cosby while attending a performance at a music theater. She started to feel shaky, and "the next thing I remember was waking up in his bed back at the Sherry, naked," Tarvis wrote.
Tarshis was prompted to share her experiences after seeing others go public with their allegations, saying "as more and more of his rape victims have come forward, all telling similar stories, the time is right to join them."
Cosby has been dogged by accusations of sexual assault for years, and the controversy returned to the public eye after comedian Hannibal Buress called Cosby a rapist during one of his routines. Following Buress' charge, one of Cosby's alleged victims, Barbara Bowman, published an essay in The Washington Post, titled "Bill Cosby raped me. Why did it take 30 years for people to believe my story?"
When pressed by NPR's Scott Simon during Saturday's "Weekend Edition" to address the allegations, Cosby refused to discuss the matter. On Sunday, John P. Schmitt, Cosby's lawyer, said his client would not respond to the claims against him.
"Over the last several weeks, decade-old, discredited allegations against Mr. Cosby have resurfaced. The fact that they are being repeated does not make them true," Schmitt said in a statement.
It was not clear if Schmitt's statement was also referring to the accusation made by Tarshis.
Cosby's scheduled Nov. 19 appearance on "The Late Show With David Letterman" was canceled after the Washington Post essay was published. A representative for CBS declined to comment when contacted by The Huffington Post.
Cosby has never been charged with any of the alleged crimes. He settled a civil suit with another alleged victim in 2006.
The Huffington Post reached out to Cosby's representatives on Sunday, but did not receive a response.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 14:20:00 +0000
Weather Modification Programs

Rosalind Peterson (Agriculture Defense Coalition) announces at U.N.Weather Modification Programs.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 13:44:00 +0000

Here's What a Comet 317 Million Miles Away Looks Like to a Landing Spacecraft.

The ROLIS instrument took a snapshot of comet 67P/CG as Europe's Philae lander descended toward.

Scientists and space fans alike held their collective breath today, as the European Rosetta mission's Philae probe landed on a comet for the first time in history. During those nerve-wracking few hours before landing, the Philae lander snapped a photo of its incoming landing site, revealing some amazing detail.

The image from Philae's historic landing success is the closest view of a comet ever captured. It shows the rugged surface of the 2.5 mile-wide (4 kilometers) Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, currently located 317 million miles (510 million km) from Earth.

The European Space Agency's Philae lander's arrival on Comet 67P/C-G was confirmed at about 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT), making space exploration history as first soft landing on the surface of a comet. [Rosetta Comet Landing: Full Coverage]

The new comet photo came from Philae's ROLIS instrument, one of 10 different tools on the lander designed to study Comet 67P/C-G in extreme detail. One of Philae's legs also appears in the upper right corner of the picture.

Stefano Mottola of the Institute of Planetary Research at the German Aerospace Center and the lead scientist for ROLIS said in a press briefing that the image was taken about 3 km (1.8 miles) from the surface of the comet.
"The landing site is exactly in the middle," said Mottola. "And so we can confirm that the trajectory was correct and we had a safe landing. And more images are to come."
The Philae lander arrived at the comet aboard the Rosetta spacecraft, which left Earth in March 2004 and arrived at the comet in August 2014. The journey included a series of difficult maneuvers and a total distance of about 4 billion miles (6.4 billion km), according to ESA.
The image from ROLIS is the first in what is expected to be a detailed study of the surface and subsurface of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. Philae is equipped to not only photograph the comet, but drill into its surface to analyze its composition.

Comets like 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko formed more than 4.6 billion years ago, when the solar system was young and "unfinished," according to ESA. Unlike many of the planets and moons in our solar system, which have evolved since their formation, most comets have remained the same. Thus, comets serve as a sort of time capsule from the early universe.

Previous missions have chased after comets in our solar system. The International Cometary Explorer (ICE) passed through the tail of Comet Giacobini-Zinner in 1985, and then through the tail of Comet Halley in 1986. In 2005, NASA's Deep Impact mission dropped a probe onto the surface of Comet Tempel 1, creating an impact crator and kicking up debris. This allowed the second, orbiting probe to study the composition of the comet. The Deep Impact encounter is considered a "hard landing" because the object was not meant to operate after contact.

In a live webcast of the Philae landing, many representatives from ESA and other space agencies expressed their excitement about the event. David Parker, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency said, "A simple way of summing it up for me is: science fiction has become science fact today. Or maybe a better way of saying it is: Hollywood is good, but Rosetta is better."

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 13:29:00 +0000

Traces of Fukushima Radiation Detected Off      California Coast.

Extremely low levels of radioactive cesium from Japan's 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown are present in ocean water offshore Northern California, researchers announced Monday (Nov. 10).

In seawater collected about 100 miles (161 kilometers) offshore of Eureka, the amount of cesium-134 was 2 Becquerels per cubic meter of water (a unit of measure based on the number of radioactive decay events per second per 260 gallons of water). That's about 1,000 times lower than the drinking water limit set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This level of radioactivity does not represent a health hazard for people who want to fish or swim in the area, said Ken Buesseler, a marine chemist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, who helped analyze the seawater. Buesseler is leading a crowdfunded citizen science program to track cesium levels from the meltdown by collecting water samples along the U.S. and Canadian West Coast.
A swimmer who spent 6 hours every day for a year in water with 10 Becquerels per cubic meter of cesium-134 would still receive 1,000 times less radiation than the dose from a single dental X-ray, Buesseler said. "Now, we have measurements that confirm that for human health, when a mother from Santa Cruz calls me and asks if it's safe for my son to go surfing, we have far fewer concerns," he said.

To date, no cesium-134 has been found at Canadian or U.S. beaches, including those in Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California. The short-lived isotope has only been detected offshore.

Cesium-134 does not occur on its own in nature — only forming in nuclear reactors — and it has a short two-year half-life. These qualities make cesium-134 an ideal tracer of the pollution from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant meltdown following the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami. [Fukushima Radiation Leak: 5 Things You Should Know]

The new results also support fish sampling results from the Food and Drug Administration, Buesseler said. To date, the FDA has not detected radioactive iodine or cesium in fish caught in the North Pacific and Alaska waters, where currents carry the Fukushima pollution.

It's possible that cold currents that upwell along the West Coast, especially along California, may keep the eastward-flowing cesium-134 from reaching beaches for several more months, but researchers need more data to confirm this idea.

"It's not a public health threat, but those last 100 miles are pretty tricky," Buesseler said.

It costs about $550 to $600 to test each sample at Buesseler's lab. No federal or state research agencies have stepped in to help offset the costs, so public fundraising pays for the analyses.

The latest samples were collected on donated time during a research cruise from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, to Eureka, California, by the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California. LUSH Cosmetics donated $12,000 to test 24 water samples, but another 20 or so samples are still sitting, waiting for someone to underwrite the cost.

Buesseler will present the findings Thursday (Nov. 13) at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry's annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 13:30:00 +0000

You May Pay More for Health Insurance in These States.

More than 76 million baby boomers are heading into their golden years and that's expected to create a surge in spending on everything from prescriptions to hospice care.
Facing an avalanche of spending, insurers like UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH  ) and WellPoint (NYSE: WLP  ) may have little choice but to hike monthly premiums for consumers. If that happens,residents of some states may feel the pinch more than those living in other states.
Operating on uneven ground
Basic economics suggests that certain health insurance markets are better prepared to withstand the weight of spending growth than others. Big markets like California and New York; for example, have patient pools large enough that insurers can spread co
The small state disadvantage is particularly evident when we crunch market share data and discover that the least populated states overwhelmingly have less competitive health insurance markets.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, three of the five states where market share is most heavily concentrated -- Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire -- rank near the bottom in terms of state population.
The largest health insurer in Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire controls 94%, 90%, and 80% of the individual health insurance market in those states, respectively. That kind of market share concentration gives insurers little incentive to compete on price.
The small state disadvantage is also evident when we flip the table and discover that none of the five states with the lowest concentration of market share are ranked lower than 26th by population. In fact, three of the most competitive states, as measured by the market share of each state's largest insurers, are among the 20 most populated in the nation. Those states are New York, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

Impact of narrow markets
A lot goes into setting individual plan premiums and premiums can vary dramatically from state to state based on mandates. For example, some big states like New York arguably have onerous insurance requirements that make health insurance more expensive than it might be otherwise.

But generally speaking, an absence of competition appears to correlate with higher premium prices. According to a separate Kaiser Family Foundation study conducted in 2010, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire were the second, fifth, and eighth most expensive markets for individual health insurance in the country, while Wisconsin, Missouri, and Colorado were among the top 10 least expensive states for individual health insurance.
Solving the problem of a lack of competition in states may not be simple. An argument could be made that casting aside the competitive barriers of intrastate insurance regulation that prohibit pooling patient populations across state lines could help lower premium payments, but there's no guarantee. Absent any changes, residents of small states may pay higher insurance premiums given they have fewer alternatives.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 13:12:00 +0000

What Self-Employed People Need to Know About Affordable Care Act Enrollment.

Yahoo Small Business recently spoke with Mike Stahl, senior vice president at Health Markets employers with fewer than 50 employees—those not required by law to offer health insurance to their employees—can leverage the Affordable Care Act as an employee benefit.

Here, we continue the conversation with Stahl to address what self-employed solopreneurs and freelancers need to know about the pending Affordable Care Act enrollment deadlines.
YSB: What Affordable Care Act health insurance deadlines does the self-employed person without employees need to be aware of?
Stahl: Self-employed people such as solopreneurs and freelancers are purely in the regular individual market. Group insurance is not an option for them. Open enrollment opens for them November 15 and continues until the last day of February, 2015.
Plans that do not meet the minimum ACA standards are being cancelled at the end of this year. Self-employed people who have been covered by one of those should enroll in an individual plan on the exchange by December 15 to avoid being exposed. If you enroll after December 15 but by January 15, your policy will become effective February 1. The final enrollment period is until February 15 to have a policy effective March 1. Getting coverage by March 1 means you will have been covered for at least 9 months of the year and there will be no tax penalty.
YSB: Do self-employed people who had already enrolled in an ACA insurance plan need to do anything now?
Stahl: If you are insured under an ACA plan and you qualified for subsidies in 2014, you need to re-enroll either in the same plan or consider switching. You can do this between November 15 and December 15.
The process was set up so that if you don’t re-register for subsidies you will be receiving the wrong ones. When you applied last year, you would have answered a question during that long application process you went through with an insurance agent or on your own: “Do you permit the IRS and Treasury Department to look at your tax records to determine your subsidies for the next 5 years?” If you did not check that box last year, your policy will automatically be renewed, but when you wake up January 1 your subsidies will be gone.
The average nationwide gross healthcare insurance premium was around $5,000 for the year. The average subsidy was $4,000 for the year. So individuals were paying about $100 a month. This year, the average policy rate is increasing up to 10 percent. That means that if your gross premium goes up from $5,000 to $5,500 and you do not re-register, you will get a bill for the first month’s premium: one-twelfth of $5,500—that’s $458 instead of $100. You’re going to freak out.
You could get things trued up when you file your taxes in April 2016, but that’s a long time to wait to reconcile a big cash flow problem.
YSB: OK, what if someone did check the box to permit the IRS to look at their tax records and determine their subsidies?
Stahl: If those people do not re-register by December 15, then when they wake up January 1 they will still be insured, but their subsidy will remain at the same dollar amount it was in 2014. In other words, if they were getting a $333 per month subsidy toward a monthly premium of $416 but their policy rates increase by 10 percent, they will be seeing bills each month that are $41 greater.
They should go back into the system after November 15, 2014, and actively re-determine their subsidy. Insurance rates are going up for 2015, so most subsidies will also go up, though that is hard to determine because subsidy calculations are based on income and the benchmark plan in your area.
YSB: And what about people who paid a tax penalty because they had no insurance last year?
Stahl: The penalty is doubling next year.
YSB: Could free agents do better by joining a group insurance plan such as through the Freelancers’ Union?
Stahl: It’s unlikely that those plans are a better deal than being insured as an individual on the exchange, because group plans are nonsubsidized. Group rates are, generally speaking, the same as individual rates, or even higher.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:17:00 +0000

Warren was honored Sunday by the ACLU in Beverly Hills along with Participant's Jim Berk, Cyndi Lauper and Cameron Strang.



Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, regarded by many progressive Democrats as their party's alternative to Hillary Clinton, told attendees at an ACLU gala in Beverly Hills on Sunday that "economic opportunity is slipping further and further out of reach" for average Americans.
She said bluntly: "We have to face it: The game is rigged in Congress."

Using the inability to raise the minimum wage nationally, Warren said: "We face a basic question in this country: Who does this government work for? Is government to advance the interests of the rich and the powerful? Does government exercise its power only for those who can hire armies of lobbyists and lawyers? Is it there only to strengthen the strong and enrich the wealthy? Or does government work for all of us?"
In too many instances — whether it's raising the minimum wage or appointing noncorporate lawyers to federal judgeships — the playing field in Washington is tilted against working Americans, Warren said.
Warren was in town to attend the ACLU of Southern California's 91st anniversary Bill of Rights Dinner and to receive the organization's Ramona Ripston Liberty, Justice & Equality Award for her work on behalf of consumers and working families. The accolade is named for the local ACLU chapter's longtime director, who was on hand along with Norman Lear to present the award to Warren.

Also honored with the organization's Bill of Rights Award for their efforts to further civil liberties were Participant Media CEO Jim Berk; Grammy Award-winner Cyndi Lauper, co-founder of True Colors Fund; Cameron Strang, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Records and Warner/Chappell Music Publishing; and longtime ACLU board member Marvin Schachter.
"The Bill of Rights Dinner is an important event for the ACLU SoCal because we take time to recognize those individuals who through their work help shape our culture for the better by shining a spotlight on the precious principles of liberty, justice and equality," said Hector Villagra, the group's executive director.
Warren's address was a clear statement of the anti-Wall Street sentiment and economic populism that has made her a darling of the Democrats' progressive wing. That includes many in Hollywood, where she did extensive fundraising for her successful run to unseat the Republican incumbent Scott Brown and recapture the seat long held by Ted Kennedy.
Warren has said several times that she does not plan to run for president in 2016, but segments of the party's progressive left, suspicious of both Hillary's and Bill Clinton's long-standing and friendly relations with many of Wall Street's leading financiers, have been urging her to reconsider. Party regulars — and many of Hollywood's biggest Democratic contributors — already have thrown their support to Hillary, and there is wariness over what a pro-Warren insurgency might do in the run-up to the general election.

At the very least, a Warren campaign might split the party when it least can afford it, perhaps pushing Clinton to the left at a time when strategists are counting on her centrist record to be an important asset, particularly if the Republicans nominate someone like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz or Kentucky's Rand Paul. Some on the Democratic left still believe that Clinton may founder in the primaries and, if that occurs, would like to see Warren positioned to step in.
In any event, while Hollywood's ties to both of the Clintons are long-standing and strong, there's also a deep reservoir of demonstrated support for Warren.
Warren told The Hollywood Reporter that when she looks out over a Hollywood crowd, she's always struck by the fact they're applauding policies that will end up costing them money.

See more 20 Biggest Political Players in Hollywood

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:03:00 +0000

A vendor arranges tofu on her stall as she waits for customers at a market in Huaibei, Anhui province.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - A criminal gang in eastern China has sold almost 100 metric tons (110.23 tons) of toxic tofu onto the local market, the latest in a string of scares that have thrown light on shady practices in the country's food industry.

The gang added industrial bleaching agent rongalite to make dried tofu sticks brighter and chewier, the Shanghai Daily reported on Monday, citing official media in Shandong province. Rongalite is banned in food production as it can lead to cancer.

Gut-wrenching food scares erupt regularly in China and highlight the challenges firms face to control supply chains.

A supplier to KFC parent Yum Brands Inc and McDonald's Corp came under fire in July after a report showed workers using expired meat. U.S. retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc recalled some donkey meat products in January after tests showed they contained traces of fox.

Media reports made no mention if the tofu factory had supplied any large local or global chains operating in China.

The local Qilu Evening News newspaper said the gang, led by three cousins, had bags of rongalite powder stacked against the walls of the factory.

The chemical was then added into the mix to make the dried tofu sticks, also called "fuzhu", a popular snack in China.

"The factory floor was filthy and there was a choking odor in the premises. Workers were busy making fuzhu with utensils that were covered in dirt," police official Zhang Qinchao told the local paper.

Police detained four men involved in the operation and seized nearly 10 metric tons of toxic tofu, but said a further 100 tonnes had already been sold by the gang within Shandong and nearby Henan and Jiangxi provinces.

No one has yet been reported ill from eating the affected products, the report said.

noreply@blogger.com (U GOT ISSUES TV) — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 15:17:00 +0000

Obama chooses U.S. prosecutor Lynch to be next attorney general, ahead of expected confirmation showdown.
President Obama, in nominating New York federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch on Saturday to be the country’s next attorney general, called her the most qualified public servant for the job. However Lynch will still face a difficult confirmation process in Congress.
Republicans have already told the White House that pushing any nominee through Congress while Democrats still have control of the Senate will be difficult and politically damaging.
Republicans want to oversee Lynch's confirmation in the next Congress, after taking control Tuesday of the upper chamber.
If confirmed, Lynch will become the first African-American woman in the job, succeeding Eric Holder, who was the first African-American head of the Justice Department.
“I couldn’t be more proud to nominate Loretta Lynch as our next attorney general,” Obama said during a brief White House ceremony. “I can think of no better public servant to be the next attorney general.”
The president cited Lynch’s successful efforts as U.S. attorney for eastern New York in prosecuting terrorists, mobsters and Democratic and Republican public officials.
“It’s pretty hard to be more qualified for the job than Loretta,” Obama said.
Lynch, 55, is a Harvard Law School graduate and popular prosecutor who is currently serving her second stint as the U.S. attorney for eastern New York, which covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island.
“No one gets to this place -- this room, this podium this moment -- by themselves,” Lynch said Saturday in thanking the president, Holder, her New York colleagues, family and others.
“I will wake up every morning with the protection of the American people my first thought,” said Lynch, who must be confirmed by the Senate to get the job.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which holds the confirmation hearings, has already indicated that he is unhappy that Obama is making the nomination now, instead of during the new session, when Republicans will have the majority in both chambers.
“Democrat senators who just lost their seats shouldn't confirm (a) new attorney general,” he tweeted on Friday, after news surfaced that Lynch would officially be nominated Saturday. “(They) should be vetted by (the) new Congress.”
Still, Holder express confidence on Saturday for Lynch and that she would be confirmed.
“Loretta Lynch is an extraordinarily talented attorney, a dedicated public servant, and a leader of considerable experience and consummate skill,” he said. “I am certain that she will be an outstanding attorney general, and I am delighted to join President Obama in congratulating her on this prestigious appointment.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, earlier expressed "every confidence that Ms. Lynch will receive a very fair, but thorough, vetting by the Judiciary Committee."
"U.S. attorneys are rarely elevated directly to this position, so I look forward to learning more about her, how she will interact with Congress, and how she proposes to lead the department," Grassley said. "I'm hopeful that her tenure, if confirmed, will restore confidence in the attorney general as a politically independent voice for the American people."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who presumably will become the majority leader in the next session, issued a statement Friday night urging the Senate to wait until January to vote on the nomination.
"Ms. Lynch will receive fair consideration by the Senate," he said. "And her nomination should be considered in the new Congress through regular order."
Lynch was a federal prosecutor in New York when she encountered an astonishing case of police brutality: the broomstick sodomy of a Haitian immigrant in a precinct bathroom.
The 1997 assault on Abner Louima set off street protests, frayed race relations and led to one of the most important federal civil rights cases of the past two decades. Lynch was a key part of the team that prosecuted officers accused in the beating or of covering it up.
Obama's nomination of Lynch comes as the Justice Department she would take over continues to investigate the police shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old in Ferguson, Mo., and seems partly intended to convey the message that police misconduct and civil rights will remain principal focus even after the departure of Holder.
Lynch has overseen corruption, terrorism and gang cases. But it's her involvement some 15 years ago in the Louima prosecution that gave her experience that is in step with a core priority of the department.
Selecting someone with civil rights experience could reaffirm the government's commitment to that cause.
That figures to be an especially important signal to send as community members in Ferguson brace for the real prospect that state and federal investigations into the shooting death of Michael Brown will close without criminal charges.
Holder has said he expects his federal investigation to conclude before he resigns, but Lynch would inherit a civil rights probe into the practices of the entire Ferguson Police Department.
Lynch also was the top federal prosecutor for Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and Staten Island during the 2012 conviction of Najibullah Zazi for a foiled plot to bomb the city's subway system.
Her office successfully prosecuted a New York state assemblyman caught accepting bribes in a sting operation, charged the head of a Mexican drug cartel with 12 murders and, more recently, filed tax evasion charges against Republican Rep. Michael Grimm, who won re-election this month. She also worked closely with Justice Department leaders by heading a U.S. attorneys committee that advises Holder on policy.
Lynch was as U.S. attorney from 1999 to 2001, as the Louima case slogged through the courts on appeals and new trials. She left for private practice before being nominated again in 2010 to run the office.
Lynch, who grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, "rode on her father's shoulders to his church, where students would meet to organize anti-segregation boycotts," Obama said. "She was inspired by stories about her grandfather, a sharecropper in the 1930s, who helped folks in his community who got in trouble with the law and had no recourse under the Jim Crow system."


A vendor arranges tofu on her stall as she waits for customers at a market in Huaibei, Anhui province.