Friday, April 19

Month: September 2014

Apple Denies Claims that Security Breach Led to Leaked Celeb Photos
Lifestyle

Apple Denies Claims that Security Breach Led to Leaked Celeb Photos

Apple claims that the recent celebrity photo leak scandal that affected over 100 celebrities was not the result of a security breach in its systems. Rather, they say, it was a targeted attack on celebrity usernames, passwords and security questions. After being notified of reports of an iCloud breach, Apple spent over 40 hours investigating its systems involved with the attack that led to the leak of compromising photos of celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian and Kate Upton. The photos were stolen early last week and posted to the web forum 4chan. Users offered to exchange the photos for paypal and bitcoin payments. Soon after the photos were leaked, they began to circulate on Twitter, as well. Several Twitter account holders have already faced su...
$1K in Donations for Disabled Veterans Stolen
Local

$1K in Donations for Disabled Veterans Stolen

David Lee, a 76 year old veteran who was collecting disabled veterans donations for other local disabled vets, had nearly $1,000 in donations stolen from right under him in front of a Massachusetts supermarket last week. The suspect is a homeless white male in his late 20s or early 30s. The man was riding a bicycle, when he approached Lee and asked him, "What's that?", while pointing in another direction. When Lee looked where the man was pointing, the suspect proceeded to grab the donation bucket and pedal away on his bike. The man is known by other area homeless people. Police are still investigating. However, Lee was not at all discouraged or deterred. In fact, this event simply fueled his resolve to help other veterans. He was back outside the supermarket where he was robbed the ...
Nine Year Old in Pajamas Hijacks Bus, Just Because He Could
Local

Nine Year Old in Pajamas Hijacks Bus, Just Because He Could

Michael Pritchard saw two things: a running bus with its door open, and a small child riding by on his bike. What happened next might sound like a scene ripped right out of a family comedy."I looked in my mirror and I saw a little head in the driver's seat of the bus," said Pritchard. Yes, a 9 year old boy from Canada stole a bus and then took it out for a joyride while still in his pajamas -- because he could. "He had an opportunity to take it," said police spokesman Sgt. Ryan Smith said. "And he did." The littlest bus thief, who had to stand to operate the vehicle because his legs were too short to reach the pedals, joyrode the bus for about three blocks, turning right at least twice. "My wife looked out her window and saw a city bus and said, 'There's a boy driving that bus,'" ...
Priceless Raphael Painting Damaged by Outdated HVAC Systems
World

Priceless Raphael Painting Damaged by Outdated HVAC Systems

The faulty air conditioning system in the Galleria Borghese isn't just a burden on visitors: now it's damaging the paintings as well, including Raphael's Desposition, a priceless High Renaissance painting from 1507. The masterpiece, which was one of the highlights of the Rome museum's collection, has been severely damaged by the overwhelming heat, possibly past the point of repair. According to reports from the Independent, the extreme heat of the Italian summer warped the wood panel behind the painting. Director Anna Coliva described the air conditioning system as "completely worn out" and said there was little they could do other than open windows and use fans and dehumidifiers to encourage the painting straighten itself out. These efforts weren't enough to restore the painting ...
New Study Shows a Short Walks Can Help Damage From Prolongued Sitting
Lifestyle

New Study Shows a Short Walks Can Help Damage From Prolongued Sitting

If you've had any experience sitting at a desk and staring at a computer screen for eight hours a day, you know that the effects it has on your body are not very good. Slouching, headaches, lower back pain, carpal tunnel, etc. But did you know prolonged periods of sitting have also been associated with higher cholesterol levels and greater waist circumference, which can lead to cardiovascular and metabolic disease? Fortunately, a new study shows that there's a very simple way to combat these negative effects: taking a walk. That's right. According to researchers at Indiana University, just a 5-minute stroll for every one hour of sitting could reduce the damage to leg arteries and reduce the risk for heart disease. Researchers looked at 11 healthy men between the ages of 20 and ...
California HOAs Clash with Residents Over Anti-Drought Measures
Local

California HOAs Clash with Residents Over Anti-Drought Measures

The drought in California is hitting everyone on the east coast hard, but are homeowners associations doing enough to help their residents save water? A resident of the San Ramon neighborhood in Twin Creeks is locked in a battle with her HOA for a surprising reason, given the current situation. The association is objecting to her installation of a drought-resistant yard. Fran Paxton was met with resistance when she replaced her sod lawn with a type of mint that requires much less water to stay green and healthy. She claims she's just trying to be a good citizen. Her HOA claims that she's damaging the appearance of the neighborhood. The local water district was so pleased with the landscaping job that they gave her a rebate on the lawn makeover, but the Twin Creeks Homeowners Assoc...
Baltimore Conservation Group Receives $52.8 Million for Energy Efficiency Programs
Lifestyle

Baltimore Conservation Group Receives $52.8 Million for Energy Efficiency Programs

Anyone who has been paying attention to news regarding energy efficiency in the past decade has probably noted a recent lag in discussions pertaining to energy conservation; as one reporter notes, the everyday discussion about energy tends to be less exciting than a discussion about solar power or wind power. Perhaps the fact that eco-friendly products are so easy to find these days is another reason why interest in everyday energy-efficient products appears to be decreasing; it isn't hard to find energy-efficient light bulbs at any hardware store, or a coffeeshop that has ditched Styrofoam sleeves in favor of tree-friendly recycled cardboard sleeves. Quite simply, the opportunity to be energy efficient is everywhere, and it's lost much of its novelty. But as one Baltimore conservation ...
Could Frozen Collagen Meat Popsicles be the Newest Beauty Secret?
Lifestyle

Could Frozen Collagen Meat Popsicles be the Newest Beauty Secret?

A cool summer treat that can help your skin look younger sounds like a dream come true, but when you find out it's a frozen collagen meat popsicle, does that still sound appealing? Tokyo eatery Zenyaren has begun serving a line of frozen collagen meat pops, and they are all the rage in Japan. Chefs prepare traditional skewers of chicken, known as yakitori, but then slowly freeze them in collagen blocks so they keep their freshly barbecued taste. The resulting treat can be licked or crunched, just like a popsicle. Collagen is the most prevalent protein in the human body, and is responsible for our skin's strength and elasticity. But as we age, collagen production slows down, and the preexisting collagen is absorbed into the skin, resulting in fine lines and wrinkles, and sagging sk...
Is Dutch Glow Amish Wood Milk a Scam?
Business

Is Dutch Glow Amish Wood Milk a Scam?

Dutch Glow is the newest "As Seen on TV" hit, offering what promoters call "a pure and simple furniture polish from a pure and simple people." But does this miracle "Amish Wood Milk" really perform as advertised? The infomercials are tantalizing, showing intrepid cleaners spritzing Dutch Glow on wooden furniture and removing years of wax buildup and residue with one swipe of a soft cloth. And the results really do glow on TV, especially when you consider that the product is priced at about $10. Woods look brighter, warmer, and cleaner in seconds.But does Dutch Glow really bring your furniture back to life? And what exactly is "Amish Wood Milk?"No one seems to know. Ingredients aren't listed on the website, and through promoters shill a "100 year formula," there's no definitive connection t...
Roof Collapses on Top of Firefighters
Local

Roof Collapses on Top of Firefighters

This past Labor Day, a Sacramento family escaped the fire consuming their house. Fire rescue crews were still inside when the inferno, whose flames shot 50 feet into the air, caused the roof to collapse. Around one o'clock in the morning, Jesse Chan heard a noise from outside. He opened the front door to find a small fire on the porch. Chan immediately ran to tell his parents, who were asleep. “My dad ran through the front door while the flames were still small," said Chan. "He ran through the front door and grabbed the hose. I went through the garage and opened the garage door." As Chan's father tried to use the hose to douse the flames, neighbors look on in disbelief. “We felt the heat from our balcony, just standing up there”, said Jocelynn Tupou. “It was scary, especially f...