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#MuslimApologies Campaign Turns One Unwitting American into the Star of the ISIS Movement

16Oct

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World

#MuslimApologies Campaign Turns One Unwitting American into the Star of the ISIS Movement

Jennifer Williams, an American from Texas, logged into her Twitter account last Thursday to find that the 40 followers she had at the beginning of the week had exploded into more than 5,000. Williams, a researcher with the D.C.-based Brookings Institute, has spent her career researching religious extremism and the ongoing struggles against radical Islam in the Middle East. Three years ago, after realizing that she had never once read the Quran, despite her field of study, Williams read the religious text -- and shortly thereafter converted to Islam. Flash forward to Wednesday of last week: Williams took notice of the trending #MuslimApologies campaign, a social effort driven by Muslims who were tired of having to apologize for the actions of jihadi radicals. Sympathizing with the campaign...

Apple Supplier Unexpectedly Files for Bankruptcy, Surprising Even Apple

16Oct

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Business

Apple Supplier Unexpectedly Files for Bankruptcy, Surprising Even Apple

Last week, Apple supplier GT Advanced Technologies Inc filed for bankruptcy in a move that shocked even Apple, which had planned to depend on GT Advanced for scratch-resistant sapphire screen technology for all future Apple devices. According to the Wall Street Journal, GT Advanced's bankruptcy filing was met with shock from its investors, creditors and partners alike -- even Apple itself remarked that the filing was "a surprising decision" in a statement. The bankruptcy comes as such a shock due to the fact that GT Advanced made a bond payment and promised a business update just a week before the bankruptcy was filed. In August, GT Advanced executives stated they predicted the company would have $400 million in the bank at the end of the year. Even more bizarre is the fact that GT Adva...

Google May Soon Factor Mobile UX Into Search Rankings, Experts Suggest

16Oct

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Business

Google May Soon Factor Mobile UX Into Search Rankings, Experts Suggest

Last week, Barry Schwartz (news editor of Search Engine Land) put together cues from Google and his own research and came to a potentially game-changing conclusion: mobile accessibility may soon become a part of Google’s ranking algorithms. “Google sees what users see, and if that is a bad mobile experience, it may impact your rankings,” the article reads. If accurate, this prediction points to an ever-growing need to consider mobile design as an integral part of building an online presence. Primacy of the User Experience Schwartz writes that at Search Marketing Expo Eas, held this year in New York from September 30 through October 2, Google engineer Gary Illyes emphasized the importance of the user experience, or UX in industry slang. When questioned about the motivation for stressin...

Are Cyberhackers Getting Smarter? Recent Home Depot Security Breach Suggests They Are

15Oct

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Business

Are Cyberhackers Getting Smarter? Recent Home Depot Security Breach Suggests They Are

When Target's point-of-sale system was hacked during the winter holidays last year, resulting in approximately 40 million customer credit card and debit card numbers being compromised, the chain store suffered from scathing articles and customer feedback reports for months. Consumers were furious that the store could allow such a huge security breach to occur, and that company executives could let so much time pass between the initial breach and their official confirmation of the breach, thereby allowing the hackers more time to use the stolen information. The backlash from Target's POS security woes was sure to make national retailers re-examine their own security measures, American consumers had assumed. But chain stores continue to fall victim to dedicated hackers, and The Home De...

Charitable Giving Up for the Working and Middle Class but Down for the Wealthy, According to IRS Data

14Oct

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Lifestyle

Charitable Giving Up for the Working and Middle Class but Down for the Wealthy, According to IRS Data

A new and extensive analysis of IRS data reveals what many people know to be true: the wealthiest Americans are donating a much smaller share of their income to charity than low and middle-income Americans give from theirs. The study, conducted by nonprofit news organization the Chronicle of Philanthropy, was released this week. The findings were based on tax returns of Americans who itemized their deductions, including charitable gifts, between the years of 2006 and 2012, and the report also gave rankings for states and metropolitan areas based on the ratio of contributions to adjusted gross income. According to the report, Americans who earned $200,000 or more gave an average of 4.6% less of their income between 2006 and 2012. However, those who earned less than $100,000 increased thei...

Expert Panel Advises Doctors To Perform Diabetes Screenings On Anyone Over 45

13Oct

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Lifestyle

Expert Panel Advises Doctors To Perform Diabetes Screenings On Anyone Over 45

According to a new government-sponsored panel of healthcare experts, several large clinical trials have produced enough evidence to support the statement that primary care physicians should screen all of their patients over the age of 45 for diabetes. These clinical trials have provided enough evidence, the panel states, to show that an early diagnosis of high blood sugar levels gives physicians time to work with their patients on lowering blood sugar levels, and ultimately reduces the risk of becoming diabetic and/or developing heart disease later on. As explained by Boston Globe reporter Deborah Katz, these "moderately elevated" blood sugar levels are called "prediabetes," and patients who altered their diet and exercise regimen had a 47% reduced risk of developing diabetes in the next ...

New Motorcycles Look Like Giant, Robotic War Machines

13Oct

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Lifestyle

New Motorcycles Look Like Giant, Robotic War Machines

Earlier this year, two Japanese automotive manufacturers unveiled the designs for new motorcycles. Now, keen-eyed observers, especially those who are anime fans, have noticed that the bikes' designs look a lot like the titular giant robotic war machines of the anime and manga series Mobile Suit Gundam. Honda made a big splash this past summer at the 30th Osaka Motorcycle Show when it revealed the plans for its new bike, the NM4 Vultus. With a sleek exterior and dramatic angles, it was very obvious that the bike was influenced by -- as the automotive manufacturer itself said -- the "futuristic machines seen in the anime and manga television and film styles." Looking at the bike from the front, the influences become much more obvious. Its inverted triangular shape, with its glass windshiel...

Portland Police “Protect and Serve” Pizza After Delivery Person Gets in Accident

10Oct

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Local

Portland Police “Protect and Serve” Pizza After Delivery Person Gets in Accident

When a hungry Portland, OR resident named Steve Huckins ordered a pizza, he expected a Pizza Hut delivery person to show up at his door, not two Portland police officers with the pizza in hand. The couple had ordered their dinner, and found themselves waiting longer than expected. They decided to call the Pizza Hut to tell them that they never received their order. "So [my wife] goes, 'well we didn't get the pizza,' so [the manager] says, 'well we'll make one and I'll hand deliver it and give it to you for half price," said Steve Huckins. Just as the couple sat down to eat the replacement pizza, there was a knock at the door. Huckins answered, and found two Portland police officers standing on his doorstep, with the original pie in hand. The officers explained that the pizza delivery pe...

Walmart Blames Tracy Morgan For Injuries He Received in Accident It Caused

10Oct

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Lifestyle

Walmart Blames Tracy Morgan For Injuries He Received in Accident It Caused

Retail juggernaut Walmart has allegedly blamed comedian and actor Tracy Morgan for the serious injuries he received when one of Walmart's truck drivers crashed into his limousine van, because Morgan was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt. According to the legal documents, the actor's injuries were "caused, in whole or in part, by plaintiffs' failure to properly wear an appropriate available seat belt restraint device," and that the actor and his entourage had "acted unreasonably and in disregard of [their] own best interests." The monolithic retailer has reportedly not only refused to comment on whether or not it's laying any blame on the driver, but has even gone so far as to refuse to acknowledge whether Kevin Roper -- the truck driver -- was in fact a Walmart employee, noting the possi...

USPTO Shows Off Rare Lucasfilm Trademark Filing on Twitter

9Oct

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Business

USPTO Shows Off Rare Lucasfilm Trademark Filing on Twitter

The characters of the Star Wars film series are all iconic for one reason or another: Luke Skywalker's lightsaber, Princess Leia's hair, and Chewbacca's growl come to mind. And when it comes to villain Darth Vader's characterization, perhaps what is even more widely known than his mask and cape is the sound of his mechanical breathing. That sound is something that Lucasfilm, the company run by Star Wars creator George Lucas, protects from infringement thanks to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This type of trademark is referred to as a non-visual mark or "soundmark" by the USPTO. Like a trademark, the soundmark is also used to protect intellectual property from infringement. The USPTO showed off the application for Vader's signature breathing, filed in 2008, on its Twitter...