The Army Chaplain Who Quit Over Obama’s Drone Program

As a witness to the removal of fallen U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Army Chaplain Christopher John Antal can’t recall a time when that solemn ceremony wasn’t conducted without the presence of drones passing along the horizon. They were sleek and quiet, making a gentle humming noise as they flew over the flight lines — where aircraft can be parked and serviced — of the Kandahar airfield in Afghanistan, where he was stationed in 2012. Not everyone had access to the flight lines, according to Antal, but he was responsible for participating in dignified transfer ceremonies...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/gottlieb/the-army-chaplain-who-quit-over-obamas-drone-program

The Forgotten Material That Changed the World

There is something wonderfully seductive about our gadgets. Sleek and futuristic, they seem not of this world – and certainly not of the toxic, noisy world of extractive rock mining. Few think of the ecological impact of our craving for a range of lightning-quick, portable and disposable devices. The smartphones that allow us to connect instantly with the far corners of the planet rely on as many as seventeen so-called rare earth metals such as scandium, yttrium and lanthanides.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/canuck/the-forgotten-material-that-changed-the-world

Sharon Armstrong spent two years in an Argentinian jail after being caught in an online dating scam

MORE than a third of marriages now start online, but thousands of people around the world are also falling victim to online dating scams.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Dino55/sharon-armstrong-spent-two-years-in-an-argentinian-jail-after-being-caught-in-an-online-dating-scam

Should We Get Rid Of The Penny?

Right now making a penny costs 1.7 cents. Yet we continue to mint more pennies every year, costing the government several million of dollars.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/JazzofAllTrades/should-we-get-rid-of-the-penny

How fake news sites frequently trick big-time journalists

It would’ve been one hell of a story. Early this month, “news” surfaced that Michael Jordan—yes, the Michael Jordan—had threatened to move his NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets, from North Carolina unless the state repealed a law barring transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice. Air Jordan hadn’t seemed so heroic since he saved Bugs Bunny in the 1996 movie Space Jam. Except the news was as fictional as the film.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/gladsdotter/how-fake-news-sites-frequently-trick-big-time-journalists

'Making A Murderer' Steven Avery Exonerated By August 29, 2016?

Avery’s lawyer, Kathleen Zellner, has asked the court to extend the time for filing the brief by 90 days – until August 29, 2016. The document titled “Motion to extend the time for filing defendant-appellant’s brief,” (read the document here) submitted by Zellner and Tricia Bushnell, states that the record in the case in question was filed on April 20, 2016. While the brief is due on May 31, 2016 (40 days thereafter), the document states that “despite diligent and extensive efforts...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/spacepopper/making-a-murderer-steven-avery-exonerated-by-august-29-2016

Afghanistan's carpet makers have long made "war rugs." What's the latest? Drone rugs.

The war rug tradition of Afghanistan has its origins in the decade of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan from 1979, and has continued through subsequent military, political and social conflicts. Afghan rug-makers began incorporating the apparatus of war into their designs almost immediately after the Soviet Union invaded their country. They continue to do so today in the wake of the United States' 2001 invasion of Afghanistan which ousted the Taliban government of Mullah Omar but has failed to bring an end to violence in the country. These days, with the ongoing drone war, these have started creeping up.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/canuck/afghanistans-carpet-makers-have-long-made-war-rugs-whats-the-latest-drone-rugs

Is Exclusion Still the Norm? Saudi Arabia and Women in the Olympic Games

After considerable international pressure, Saudi Arabia agreed to send two female athletes to the London 2012 Games–the first time in history the nation sent female athletes to the games. Qatar and Brunei’s female athletes at the London Games were also the first female members in the history of their Olympic participation, but in both of those countries, the policies restricting women in sports are significantly less harsh.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/JazzofAllTrades/is-exclusion-still-the-norm-saudi-arabia-and-women-in-the-olympic-games

Kelowna woman warns others after terrifying ordeal at U.S. border

After a recent trip south of the border, a Kelowna business owner says she won’t be returning to the United States without her husband by her side. Just a little over a week ago, Mary Ann Gill and a female friend were on a motorcycle trip to Elmo, Mont., from Radium Hot Springs, where they had travelled to the day before.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/drunkenninja/kelowna-woman-warns-others-after-terrifying-ordeal-at-us-border

Device used in Nazi coding machine found for sale on eBay

For codebreakers with the allied forces, it was more important a discovery than the Enigma machine, offering encryption for the Nazi command that, when cracked, would hasten the end of the second world war and lead to huge breakthroughs in modern computing. Less than 80 years later, for a thrifty woman in Essex, the “telegram machine” was little more than a dusty old gadget languishing in the garden shed. But after an eagle-eyed volunteer with the National Museum of Computing (NMC) spotted an ad on eBay this week, the extremely rare, military-issue Lorenz teleprinter has been saved and provides the latest piece in...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/TNY/device-used-in-nazi-coding-machine-found-for-sale-on-ebay

Global Slavery Index 2016 Estimates 45.8 Million People Trapped In Modern Slavery

The Global Slavery Index 2016, released Tuesday, found that India topped the list with the highest absolute number of people in modern slavery.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/JazzofAllTrades/global-slavery-index-2016-estimates-458-million-people-trapped-in-modern-slavery

Meet the 'courtroom dogs' who help child crime victims tell their stories

Getting child crime victims to open up is never easy for investigators and asking them to tell their stories to a jury can be brutally traumatizing. To help these kids overcome their fears, some courtrooms across the country are employing comfort dogs, canine companions who take the stand alongside them to calm and bolster their spirits. Special correspondent Kathleen McCleery reports.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/rti9/meet-the-courtroom-dogs-who-help-child-crime-victims-tell-their-stories

David Mitchell buries latest manuscript for a hundred years

Mitchell is the second contributor to the Scottish artist Katie Paterson’s Future Library project, for which 1,000 trees were planted two years ago in Oslo’s Nordmarka forest. Starting with Margaret Atwood, who last year handed over the manuscript of a text called Scribbler Moon, each year for the next 100 years an author will deliver a piece of writing which will only be read in 2114, when the trees are chopped down to make paper on which the 100 texts will be printed.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/gladsdotter/david-mitchell-buries-latest-manuscript-for-a-hundred-years

Australia’s censorship of Unesco climate report is like a Shakespearean tragedy

Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef is clearly at risk from climate change, so why would Unesco agree to censor its own report?
Read more: http://snapzu.com/rti9/australias-censorship-of-unesco-climate-report-is-like-a-shakespearean-tragedy

Mugger arrested after victim spots him on Facebook’s ‘people you may know’ section

In a somewhat bizarre story which proves that truth is often stranger than fiction, a serial mugger in England was arrested after one of his victims spotted him under Facebook’s “People you may know” section. Originally reported by the BBC, 21-year old Omar Famuyide had a long history of theft, muggings and armed robberies to his name. Not too long ago, Famuyide brandished a knife and stole a car. Flash forward a bit, and the victim of said car robbery was recently shocked to see Famuyide’s face pop up as a suggested friend he might want to add on Facebook.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/melaniee/mugger-arrested-after-victim-spots-him-on-facebooks-people-you-may-know-section

Oklahoma Makes the Poor Poorer

As they sliced and diced state programs this month to close a budget deficit, Republicans controlling the Oklahoma Legislature cruelly targeted some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens — the working poor — by cutting an average $147 a year from the income of 200,000 households. This may seem negligible to the state’s wealthy and middle class, but not to a poor family with a breadwinner struggling at the margins. The method chosen is deplorable — cutting the state share of the earned-income tax credit for low-income workers, a federal program widely praised as an effective lift from poverty.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/timex/oklahoma-makes-the-poor-poorer

'Hypocrite' Holder Says Snowden Performed Important 'Public Service'

Though he acknowledged that Edward Snowden did indeed perform a "public service" by starting a national conversation about government surveillance, former Attorney General Eric Holder still insists that the NSA whistleblower should be prosecuted for supposedly "harming American interests."
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Appaloosa/hypocrite-holder-says-snowden-performed-important-public-service

A Kangaroo Attacked a Woman on a Bike and Burst Her Breast Implants

"He was a lovely kangaroo until he did what he did," said the South Australian woman.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Dino55/a-kangaroo-attacked-a-woman-on-a-bike-and-burst-her-breast-implants

Inmates in Syrian Prison Fear Reprisal After Revolt

Tensions at a prison in Hama were so high on Monday night that prisoners feared that government forces would try to storm the compound by morning.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Mai/inmates-in-syrian-prison-fear-reprisal-after-revolt

James O’Keefe Accidentally Stings Himself

A failed attack on George Soros is part of a new era of secretly funded political hit jobs. By Jane Mayer. (May 21)
Read more: http://snapzu.com/AdelleChattre/james-okeefe-accidentally-stings-himself

Remembering Sherman’s Army

The story of the Grand Review of the Union Armies in May, 1865 and of the veterans of Sherman’s March who believed that it was their campaign that helped bring the Civil War to its end. By Anne Sarah Rubin.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/AdelleChattre/remembering-shermans-army

Most Drugs Aren’t Tested on Pregnant Women. This Anti-nausea Cure Shows Why That’s a Problem

For years, Zofran was the most popular morning-sickness medication in the U.S. Now it’s being accused of causing birth defects. The larger issue is a drug-safety system that excludes women from clinical trials, potentially putting them and their babies at risk.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/CatLady/most-drugs-arent-tested-on-pregnant-women-this-anti-nausea-cure-shows-why-thats-a-problem

Let Them Drown

“This is happening because the wealthiest people in the wealthiest countries in the world think they are going to be OK, that someone else is going to eat the biggest risks, that even when climate change turns up on their doorstep, they will be taken care of.” By Naomi Klein.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/AdelleChattre/let-them-drown

All scientific papers should be free by 2020

This week was a revolutionary week in the sciences - not because we discovered a new fundamental particle or had a new breakthrough in quantum computing - but because some of the most prominent world leaders announced an initiative which asserts that European scientific papers should be made freely available to all by 2020. This would legally only impact research supported by public and public-private funds, which are a vast portion of the papers produced annually; however, the goal is to make all science freely available. Ultimately, the commitment rests on three main tenets: "Sharing knowledge freely", "open access", and "reusing...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/kxh/all-scientific-papers-should-be-free-by-2020

Runway Injustice: Two undercover models expose industry's dark side

Two undercover models are using humor to shine light on the dark side of the modeling industry.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/CatLady/runway-injustice-two-undercover-models-expose-industrys-dark-side

Interview with Bill Binney

“Ron Wyden has never watched one pornography movie in his life, because if he had, the NSA would know about it.” By Kade Crockford. (Feb.)
Read more: http://snapzu.com/AdelleChattre/interview-with-bill-binney

White House placed on partial security lockdown: official

The north side of the White House was placed on a security lockdown on Monday because of a suspicious package, a Secret Service official said.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/geekster/white-house-placed-on-partial-security-lockdown-official

Japan: Drinking ban and curfew for US military in Okinawa after murder of local woman

US military officials have reportedly cancelled all parties after a former marine was arrested.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/mtnrg/japan-drinking-ban-and-curfew-for-us-military-in-okinawa-after-murder-of-local-woman

Olympiakos footballer Alan Pulido kidnapped in Mexico

Mexican footballer Alan Pulido has been kidnapped in the northern border state of Tamaulipas, officials say. The 25-year-old striker was reportedly kidnapped on Sunday near his home in Ciudad Victoria after leaving a party. He plays for the Greek team Olympiakos and has made several appearances for Mexico's national team. Mexico has the one of the world's highest kidnapping rates, with government figures saying some 1,000 people are taken every year.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/jackthetripper/olympiakos-footballer-alan-pulido-kidnapped-in-mexico

Revealed: cancer scientists' pensions invested in tobacco

cientists funded by Cancer Research UK who spend their lives hunting for cures for the disease are among thousands of academics whose pensions are invested in the tobacco industry, the Guardian can reveal. The latest annual report for the university staff’s pension fund shows it had £211m invested in British American Tobacco in the year to 31 March 2015 – its fifth biggest listed equities holding. The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) – the official name for the fund for university academics and staff...
Read more: http://snapzu.com/zyery/revealed-cancer-scientists-pensions-invested-in-tobacco

Nest's co-founder is releasing a smart go-kart for kids

Nest co-creator Tony Fadell isn't focused solely on making intelligent thermostats and smoke detectors. He recently unveiled Actev Motors, a company whose inaugural Arrow Smart-Kart promises to give kids a taste of what smart cars are like. The electric go-kart includes GPS, a and WiFi to keep junior drivers safe. Parents using a mobile app can geofence the kart's driving area, limit the top speed or hit a stop button in an emergency. In other words, even younger kids (5- to 9-year-olds are the main targets) can motor around without getting in over their heads. There's also a proximity sensor to automatically prevent accidents.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/junglman/nests-co-founder-is-releasing-a-smart-go-kart-for-kids

Effort to Expose Russia’s ‘Troll Army’ Draws Vicious Retaliation

Finland is an active front in an online “information war” between Russia and the West. When a journalist there confronted pro-Putin agitators, she became a target.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/aj0690/effort-to-expose-russias-troll-army-draws-vicious-retaliation

Former Zurich Insurance boss Martin Senn kills himself

Former Zurich Insurance (ZURN.S) boss Martin Senn has committed suicide six months after leaving the company under a cloud, a tragedy that comes less than three years after Zurich's finance chief took his own life.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/geekster/former-zurich-insurance-boss-martin-senn-kills-himself

In pictures: 19th-century India through the eyes of Samuel Bourne

An upcoming exhibition of the British photographer's work demonstrates its significance in the history of visual culture.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/JazzofAllTrades/in-pictures-19th-century-india-through-the-eyes-of-samuel-bourne

Zuckerberg Is Dictator of The World's Largest Nation, Pirate Bay Founder Says

Peter Sunde says Europe must take action to stop the giant social network.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/JazzofAllTrades/zuckerberg-is-dictator-of-the-worlds-largest-nation-pirate-bay-founder-says

Watch a man released from prison after 44 years react to today's technology

One man's story of reintegration with the modern world.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/JazzofAllTrades/watch-a-man-released-from-prison-after-44-years-react-to-todays-technology

L.A. will convert motel units to 500 apartments for homeless vets

The city of Los Angeles has approved a deal for nonprofit and private developers to convert “nuisance" motels into 500 permanent supportive apartments for homeless veterans. Officials called it a major step forward toward developing large-scale housing for hundreds of homeless veterans. Advocates say about 2,700 homeless veterans remain in the county, despite an intensive drive by local and federal officials..
Read more: http://snapzu.com/belangermira/la-will-convert-motel-units-to-500-apartments-for-homeless-vets

Vintage Illustrations of Trains by Koyata Yasui

Kodomonokuni was a Japanese kids magazine that was published between 1922 - 1944. Featuring full-page illustrations, the magazine helped elevate the genre of illustration, which was previously considered secondary to text. The magazine also helped many illustrators becomes household names and one of those was Koyata Yasui.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Dino55/vintage-illustrations-of-trains-by-koyata-yasui

42 Visions For Tomorrow From The Golden Age of Futurism

Smartwatches? Check. Self-driving cars? Check. Corn on the cobs the size of London Eye pods? Hmm
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Appaloosa/42-visions-for-tomorrow-from-the-golden-age-of-futurism

Bookings at Trump Hotels Plummet

Donald Trump has garnered a lot of attention as a Republican presidential candidate. But how has this attention impacted his business interests? Are sales up or down? The Trump brand is associated with a variety of hotels, apartments, and products. On one hand, a growing number of political supporters could boost sales of Trump products; on the other, a growing number of political detractors could lead people to avoid his brand. So which of these two forces is stronger?
Read more: http://snapzu.com/hedman/bookings-at-trump-hotels-plummet

These Historic Photos Are A Stunning Reminder Of World War II For Memorial Day

Since it's Memorial Day weekend it's important that people remember what got us where we are today. Take a walk down memory lane with pictures that prove just how different times are since World Wa
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Appaloosa/these-historic-photos-are-a-stunning-reminder-of-world-war-ii-for-memorial-day

Surprising historical photographs of famous people hanging out together

Historical photos of famous people hanging out together. Who knew Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin were friends?
Read more: http://snapzu.com/Appaloosa/surprising-historical-photographs-of-famous-people-hanging-out-together

These gripping images from legendary photographers were supposed to be thrown away

Bill McDowell assembles a collection of these forgotten photos in a new book.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/lostwonder/these-gripping-images-from-legendary-photographers-were-supposed-to-be-thrown-away

China is encouraging its citizens to eat less meat — and that could be a big win for the climate

An updated set of dietary guidelines just released by the Chinese government could be a boon not only for public health, say some environmentalists, but also for the environment. They’re arguing that the new recommendations have the potential to reduce China’s meat consumption, or at least slow its growth, which can help save land and water resources and put a substantial dent in global greenhouse gas emissions.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/roxxy/china-is-encouraging-its-citizens-to-eat-less-meat-and-that-could-be-a-big-win-for-the-climate

Bernie Won’t Get the Nomination. But His Online Army Isn’t Done

If the latest projections come to pass, Hillary Clinton will lock up the Democratic nomination for president by the June 7 primaries in six states. If she does, it will be the end of a hard-fought insurgent campaign for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. But it will not, Sanders supporters say, be the end of the massive progressive movement that propelled him. The Sanders campaign has defied expectations from the outset. What began as a long-shot campaign in April 2015 soon became a viable threat to what pundits had long seen as Clinton’s inevitable coronation.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/drunkenninja/bernie-wont-get-the-nomination-but-his-online-army-isnt-done

Mossack Fonseca to close offices in Jersey, Gibraltar and Isle of Man

The law firm at the heart of the Panama Papers revelations has decided to close its offices in the British-dependent territories of Jersey, Isle of Man and Gibraltar. Mossack Fonseca “will be ceasing operations” in those territories, “but we will continue serving all of our clients”, it said.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/junglman/mossack-fonseca-to-close-offices-in-jersey-gibraltar-and-isle-of-man

Isaac Newton Once Tried To Invent His Own Language

The great 17th century physicist Isaac Newton is known for many things. There’s his laws of motion and theory of gravity. Plus, the dude invented calculus, wrote a lengthy treatise about optics, and dabbled in alchemy for good measure. But few people know that as a young college student, Newton tried to invent his own universal language.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/JazzofAllTrades/isaac-newton-once-tried-to-invent-his-own-language

The NSA's Guide To The Internet Is The Weirdest Thing You’ll Read Today

The NSA has a well-earned reputation for being one of the tougher agencies to get records out of, making those rare FOIA wins all the sweeter. In the case of Untangling the Web, the agency's 2007 guide to internet research, the fact that the records in question just so happen to be absolutely insane are just icing on the cake - or as the guide would put it, "the nectar on the ambrosia."
Read more: http://snapzu.com/baron778/the-nsas-guide-to-the-internet-is-the-weirdest-thing-youll-read-today

The fall of Salon.com

How a digital trailblazer and progressive powerhouse lost its way.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/gladsdotter/the-fall-of-saloncom

How England's First Feline Show Countered Victorian Snobbery About Cats

The 1871 cat show ushered in a new era of appreciation for the furry rat-catchers.
Read more: http://snapzu.com/CatLady/how-englands-first-feline-show-countered-victorian-snobbery-about-cats