Archive for December, 2017
Iran Flashback: Seven Countries in Five Years
December 31st, 2017Via: New York Magazine: Anti-government protests continued across multiple cities in Iran for a fourth day on Sunday, the most widespread unrest in the country since the pro-democracy Green Movement in 2009 — though nowhere near the same scale thus far. Two protesters were killed overnight Saturday, the first deaths attributed to the unrest. On […]
The Proportion of Medical Procedures Unsupported by Evidence May be Nearly Half
December 31st, 2017Via: Vox: The recent news that stents inserted in patients with heart disease to keep arteries open work no better than a placebo ought to be shocking. Each year, hundreds of thousands of American patients receive stents for the relief of chest pain, and the cost of the procedure ranges from $11,000 to $41,000 in […]
Australian Banks Reportedly Freeze Accounts of Bitcoin Users
December 31st, 2017Disclosure: I hold cryptocurrencies. — At some point, the fiat outflows will cause liquidity problems. That’s my guess as to why they fear cryptos so much. At the link below, see the comments by user CPL that start out with: Means they are just about to rob the Australians of their savings and are cutting […]
America’s Worst Graveyard Shift Is Grinding Up Workers
December 30th, 2017Via: Bloomberg: Cleanup at the slaughterhouse is as dangerous as it is repulsive, and the immigrants who do the work are under pressure to complete it faster than ever.
Bitcoin is Eating Itself
December 26th, 2017Disclosure: I hold Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. — Bitcoin has become utterly terrible to use. The slow confirmations and high fees are insane. The article below is old. The average Bitcoin transaction fee is now $41.66, which is down from a record high $55.16 from a few days ago. I did a couple of small […]
Hinkley Point: The ‘Dreadful Deal’ Behind the World’s Most Expensive Power Plant
December 25th, 2017Disclosure: I sell solar power systems in New Zealand. — Via: Guardian: Hinkley Point, on the Somerset coast, is the biggest building site in Europe. Here, on 430 acres of muddy fields scattered with towering cranes and bright yellow diggers, the first new nuclear power station in the UK since 1995 is slowly taking shape. […]
Julian Assange’s Twitter Account Reappears After Mysterious Absence
December 25th, 2017Via: CBS: The official Twitter account of controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange — @JulianAssange — is back online after disappearing from the social media platform overnight. It’s unclear whether the account was suspended by Twitter or deactivated by Assange. Representatives at Twitter did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment.
Apple Faces Lawsuits Over Its Intentional Slowing of Older iPhones
December 22nd, 2017Via: Guardian: Apple is facing lawsuits over the revelations that it intentionally slows down older iPhones without user consent. Apple has admitted to slowing down the iPhone 6, 6S, 7 and SE when their batteries are either old, cold or have a low charge to prevent abrupt shutdowns. Two separate class-action lawsuits were filed Thursday, […]
A Fight to the Death for the Elephants
December 22nd, 2017Via: Los Angeles Times: Kambale Mate huddled beneath a tangle of grass, looking up at bright stars in a moonless sky, a tumble of chaotic events cascading through his mind. Where were the other wildlife rangers, Jean de Dieu Matongo and Joel Meriko Ari? Were they alive? He had been a ranger for only five […]
Goldman Is Setting Up a Cryptocurrency Trading Desk
December 22nd, 2017Via: Bloomberg: At least one of Wall Street’s biggest firms is growing more comfortable with cryptocurrencies. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is setting up a trading desk to make markets in digital currencies such as bitcoin, according to people with knowledge of the strategy. The bank aims to get the business running by the end of […]
