Hey, Alexa, What Can You Hear? And What Will You Do With It?

Amazon and Google have filed patent applications, many still under consideration, that outline how digital assistants can monitor more of what users say and do.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/31/business/media/amazon-google-privacy-digital-assistants.html?source=Snapzu

Twilight in a Western Sky

: A slender crescent Moon and inner planets Venus and Mercury never wander far from the Sun in planet Earth's skies,taken March 18,2018.
Read more: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180331.html?source=Snapzu

He applied to 20 of the best colleges and got a full ride to all of them

Micheal Brown stared at the acceptance letter in front of him: It said yes. So did the next one. And the one after that. The 17-year-old from Houston applied to 20 of the best universities in the US. He was admitted to every single one with a full ride and $260,000 in additional scholarship offers. "It's something I'm proud of because I see my hard work paying off, determination paying off, sacrifices paying off," the student told CNN.
Read more: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/03/30/health/teen-college-20-acceptances-trnd/index.html?__twitter_impression=true?source=Snapzu

Software turns knitting machines into 3D printers

Ordinarily, programming an industrial knitting machine to knit a certain type of item is quite a complex process. As a result, they're generally not used to create one-offs. That could change, though, thanks to new software that tells them how to knit custom 3D objects.
Read more: https://newatlas.com/knitting-machines-3d-objects/54032/?source=Snapzu

Building Community in Las Vegas with Airstreams

Constructed on the site of a former motel, the Downtown Project has attracted an eccentric mix of young residents, including musicians, families, and entrepreneurs.
Read more: https://www.curbed.com/2018/3/29/17163698/tiny-house-las-vegas-zappos-downtown-project?source=Snapzu

The News that made Us Smile this Week

A nun who brings good luck, an enthusiastic dog and some striking flowers.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-43569050?source=Snapzu

Poland’s Surprisingly Beautiful Cheese

Oscypek, a golden-hued, spindle-shaped cheese, is as delicious as it is beautiful. But authentic versions are getting increasingly hard to find.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180327-polands-surprisingly-beautiful-cheese?source=Snapzu

#DeleteFacebook

How to poison, obfuscate and purge your facebook data before deleting your account.
Read more: https://www.shift8web.ca/2018/03/delete-facebook-how-to-poison-obfuscate-and-purge-your-facebook-data-before-deleting-your-account/?source=Snapzu

They Did It: Hasbro Is Officially Producing Its Largest Star Wars Toy Ever

Star Wars toy collectors have been keeping a close eye on a special crowdfunding project over the past few weeks. It’s by none other than Hasbro and it’s for a giant (two feet long and over a foot high and wide) replica of Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge from Return of the Jedi. The hope was that 5,000 people would pledge $500 to make it—and they did.
Read more: https://io9.gizmodo.com/they-did-it-hasbro-is-officially-producing-its-largest-1824215497?source=Snapzu

This is the environmental impact of your Easter egg

Those concerned about the rampant consumerism of religious holidays now have another thing to consider – the environmental impact of Easter eggs. Not only has Easter egg packaging been deemed excessive in a new report, analysis by a team of scientists at the University of Manchester has revealed the huge carbon footprint associated with chocolate production.
Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/easter-egg-environment-damage-packaging-greenhouse-gas-emissions-revealed-chocolate-a8281976.html?source=Snapzu

Historic hull of 18th century ship washes ashore in Florida

The fascinating remains of a historic 18th century ship have washed ashore on a Florida beach. The 48-foot wooden hull of a gigantic shipwreck was discovered by Julie Turner and her son Patrick, eight, on Ponte Vedra Beach around 8am Tuesday. Little did the pair realize that the wreck was centuries old and has been hailed as the 'holy grail' of shipwrecks.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5561047/Historic-hull-18th-century-ship-washes-ashore-Florida.html?source=Snapzu

Megachurch pastor indicted on $3.5 million fraud

A former religious adviser to President George W. Bush has been accused by federal prosecutors of defrauding investors of $3.5 million. Pastor Kirbyjohn Caldwell and a business partner, Gregory Smith, sold millions of dollars of worthless Chinese bonds, telling investors to "remain faithful and that they would receive their money," according to documents obtained by ABC Houston station KTRK. Both men could face significant jail time and be forced to forfeit assets.
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/megachurch-pastor-indicted-35-million-fraud/story?id=54117145?source=Snapzu

Police can download your phone's data in minutes with NO warrant

Within minutes, officers can use a machine to extract location data, conversations and encrypted apps, according to Privacy International, a registered charity based in London.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5558511/Police-download-phones-data-minutes-NO-warrant.html?source=Snapzu

Florida Photographer Captures the Stunning Beauty of the Everglades

Years of practice have made Paul Marcellini one of the state's best landscape photographers.
Read more: https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/florida-photographer-captures-stunning-beauty-everglades?source=Snapzu

Toto - Hold The Line

Read more: https://snapzu.com/Appaloosa/toto-hold-the-line?source=Snapzu

This Woman's Sketches have Solved Over 1,000 Crimes

Even in a world of omnipresent surveillance technology, old-fashioned pencil artists help police catch bad guys.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20180329-this-womans-sketches-have-solved-over-1000-crimes?source=Snapzu

San Diego unveils unorthodox homelessness solution: big tents

The southern California city faces a spike in people living on the streets, and new housing will take years to build. Now huge temporary structures are offering respite and key services
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/29/san-diego-homelessness-big-tents?source=Snapzu

Tesla issues its largest recall ever voluntarily over faulty Model S steering

Tesla said Thursday it was recalling a huge number of its Model S sedans around the world over a power steering issue. It told customers in an email that it was a proactive move and none of the company’s other vehicles were affected.
Read more: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/29/17177888/tesla-recall-model-s-size-power-steering?source=Snapzu

Will Ferrell says he can 'no longer, in good conscience' use Facebook

Comedian Will Ferrell has joined the small chorus of public figures signing off of Facebook for good. "I know I am not alone when I say that I was very disturbed to hear about Cambridge Analytica's misuse of millions of Facebook users' information in order to undermine our democracy and infringe on our citizens' privacy," Ferrell wrote in a Facebook post.
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/29/comedian-will-ferrell-says-he-cant-in-good-conscience-use-facebook.html?source=Snapzu

Facebook risks millions of dollars in FTC fines over data crisis

Former Federal Trade Commission officials say that Facebook Inc. appears to have breached a 2011 consent agreement to safeguard users’ personal information and may be facing hundreds of millions of dollars in fines. The agency could fine Facebook up to $40,000 per violation per day—which could add up quickly with millions of users involved—if it finds the social media giant broke its earlier promises to protect user data, they say. “If I had to bet, they will find violations,” said Jessica Rich, a former head of the FTC’s consumer protection bureau.
Read more: https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/6Bg51pYlke8o3ykpjyXJUJ/Facebook-risks-millions-of-dollars-in-FTC-fines-over-data-cr.html?source=Snapzu

Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop Just Raised Gobs of Money to Peddle Pseudoscience

There is good money in pseudoscience.
Read more: https://gizmodo.com/gwyneth-paltrows-goop-just-raised-gobs-of-money-to-pedd-1824183669?source=Snapzu

Coffee must carry cancer warning, California judge rules

A judge sided with the nonprofit that brought the case against coffee companies because of a carcinogen, acrylamide, that is produced when coffee beans are roasted. Don't drink coffee in California, it causes cancer.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/03/29/coffee-must-carry-cancer-warning-california-judge-rules/?source=Snapzu

I am sick of these kids demanding safe spaces

I refuse to modify my argument in any way to reflect the fact that what they are asking to be kept safe from is not words but bullets.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2018/03/29/i-am-sick-of-these-kids-demanding-safe-spaces/?utm_term=.23172da8b7cb?source=Snapzu

DMX Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison

DMX has been in and out of jail throughout his career. Only two months after being sent behind bars for violating bail conditions related to failed drug tests, X has just been sentenced to 1 year in prison.
Read more: https://hypebeast.com/2018/3/dmx-tax-fraud-sentencing-one-year?source=Snapzu

How warehouses for personal junk became a $38 billion industry

One in 11 Americans pays for space to store the material overflow of the American dream
Read more: https://www.curbed.com/2018/3/27/17168088/cheap-storage-warehouse-self-storage-real-estate?source=Snapzu

Cannabinoids are easier on the brain than booze, study finds

Marijuana may not be as damaging to the brain as previously thought, according to new research from the University of Colorado Boulder and the CU Change Lab.
Read more: https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2018/02/02/cannabinoids-are-easier-brain-booze-study-finds?source=Snapzu

Man cleared of murder after 45 years in jail 'not bitter'

A US man who was cleared of murder after spending 45 years behind bars has said he’s “not a bitter man”. Richard Phillips, 71, had his conviction erased last year but has now been exonerated and will not face a second trial. Mr Phillips, from Detroit, smiled as he said the criminal justice system "works - it just didn't work fast enough".
Read more: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/us-man-cleared-of-murder-after-45-years-in-jail-says-im-not-bitter-a3801711.html?source=Snapzu

This 1999 tech magazine column predicted the rise of smartphones with scary accuracy (AND their effect on privacy)

David Gerrold eerily predicted the rise of the smartphone in a 1999 tech column.
Read more: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/star-trek-writer-eerily-predicted-rise-smartphones-1999-tech-column-effect-privacy-144703225.html?source=Snapzu

Meet Profile Engine, the “spammy” Facebook crawler hated by people who want to be forgotten

Google’s latest report on its implementation of the European “right to be forgotten,” which allows people to petition to have search results on them removed, shows a backlash against the ubiquity of information about people and their lives floating around on social networks. Facebook had the most Google search results expunged. The second-most requested site is possibly one you have never heard of.
Read more: https://qz.com/279940/meet-profile-engine-the-spammy-facebook-crawler-hated-by-people-who-want-to-be-forgotten/?source=Snapzu

Chinese facial recognition and AI sends fines to jaywalkers via text

Traffic police in Shenzhen City, south-east China, have asked Intellifusion to upgrade a system installed last April to detect jaywalkers to send texts and instant messages to offenders.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5554579/Facial-recognition-AI-used-China-send-FINES-jaywalkers-text-messages.html?source=Snapzu

Facebook will no longer allow third-party data for targeting ads

Facebook announced today that it’s disabling a form of advertising targeting called Partner Categories, which allowed prominent third-party data aggregators like Experian and Acxiom to provide clients with offline data like purchasing activity to inform ad targeting. The move comes amid the fallout from the ongoing Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal, and it follows similar moves from the social network to curtail abusive ad practices.
Read more: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/28/17174854/facebook-shutting-down-partner-categories-ad-targeting-cambridge-analytica?source=Snapzu

Delicious Vegan Easter Nests - MyHealthyDessert

Here’s a delicious and easy-to-make Easter dessert idea. These nests are yummy and nutritious, and you can fill them with anything you want.
Read more: http://www.myhealthydessert.com/recipes/vegan/easter-nests/?source=Snapzu

An 18-year-old buys her first lottery ticket and wins $1,000 a week -- for life

On her 18th birthday, Charlie Lagarde bought a celebratory bottle of sparkling wine and her first-ever lottery ticket at a Quebec convenience store. When she got home, the newly-minted adult discovered she was also a newly-minted millionaire. It turns out the Gagnant à vie scratch-off she bought was worth a million dollars. Instead of the lump sum, she chose the annuity option and will receive $1,000 every week for the rest of her life.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/28/world/teen-wins-lottery-on-her-first-try-trnd/index.html?source=Snapzu

Facebook urgently introduces new tools to let people delete their data

Facebook will give people new ways of seeing and deleting the data it collects on its users, it has said. The latest development comes as the social network continues to try and stop the damage from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, through which it became clear that the site was collecting many of its users’ most sensitive and personal information.
Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/facebook-data-delete-how-to-see-what-tools-latest-cambridge-analytica-login-a8277476.html?source=Snapzu

Staying Active: Why Passivity leads to depression

Our lives are a constant struggle where we try to avoid bad emotions. We try to avoid it as much as possible.However, what do you do when
Read more: https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/community/blogs/macca/staying-active-why-passivity-leads-to-depression?source=Snapzu

French children to start school at three

The reduction, from six, will give France one of the lowest school starting ages in Europe.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43562029?source=Snapzu

'Disappointed' Facebook hits back at Privacy Commissioner

Facebook has responded to the Privacy Commissioner's allegation it breached the Privacy Act, claiming it has been attacked for protecting the privacy of its users. Privacy Commissioner John Edwards said the company refused to cooperate with an investigation from his office, telling him it was not subject to the Privacy Act.
Read more: http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/03/disappointed-facebook-hits-back-at-privacy-commissioner.html?source=Snapzu

Lincoln Aviator brings twin-turbo, plug-in hybrid power to New York

Lincoln will add this new Aviator crossover to its lineup later this year, and we're getting our first glimpse at the New York Auto Show this week. There's lots to discuss with this new CUV, but the biggest news is definitely under the hood, where Lincoln is introducing a brand-new plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Read more: https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/lincoln-aviator-twin-turbo-plug-in-hybrid-new-york-auto-show/#ftag=CAD7f780fb?source=Snapzu

Teachers can’t afford Miami rents. The county has a plan: Let them live at school.

Miami-Dade’s school system and housing department have a plan to build low-rent apartments at Phillis Wheatley Elementary and at an expansion school at Southside Elementary in Miami. The rents would be targeted at teachers caught in a pricey real estate market.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article206839799.html?source=Snapzu

The Gig Economy Celebrates Working Yourself to Death

America’s self-reliance obsession makes it more acceptable to applaud working yourself to death than to argue that doing so points to a flawed economic system.
Read more: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/jia-tolentino/the-gig-economy-celebrates-working-yourself-to-death?source=Snapzu

Apple's Position on Privacy Is Paying Off

Silicon Valley is reeling with algorithmic and privacy-related controversies. Meanwhile, Apple is laughing.
Read more: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/j5a5x7/apple-facebook-privacy-tim-cook-mark-zuckerberg?source=Snapzu

DMX's Lawyers Are Going to Play His Songs in Court to Sway Judge During Sentencing

DMX currently awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to tax fraud for avoiding $1.7 million in taxes over the course of five years. "I failed to file taxes," he told U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in December. "I'm responsible, even placing other people in charge of it." The rapper's prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison sentence and urged Rakoff to "send the message to this defendant and others that star power does not entitle someone to a free pass."
Read more: http://pigeonsandplanes.com/news/2018/03/dmx-lawyer-songs-sentencing-sway-judge?source=Snapzu

Why are white men stockpiling guns?

Since the 2008 election of President Obama, the number of firearms manufactured in the U.S. has tripled, while imports have doubled. This doesn’t mean more households have guns than ever before — that percentage has stayed fairly steady for decades. Rather, more guns are being stockpiled by a small number of individuals. Three percent of the population now owns half of the country’s firearms, says a recent, definitive study from the Injury Control Research Center at Harvard University.
Read more: https://www.salon.com/2018/03/27/why-are-white-men-stockpiling-guns_partner/?source=Snapzu

Why you might want to rethink chocolate eggs this Easter

There's another reason you might feel guilty about your Easter egg binge — more water is used to produce chocolate than any other food product, a university expert is warning.
Read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-28/why-you-might-want-to-rethink-that-chocolate-easter-egg-binge/9594628?source=Snapzu

Bank of America cuts Facebook stock forecast for second time in 5 days, this time for FTC data probe

For the second time in five days, Bank of America Merrill Lynch reduced its price forecast on Facebook shares as the fallout from the data scandal worsens. The bank slashed its original forecast on Thursday. On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission confirmed it has an open nonpublic investigation into Facebook's data privacy practices, a development analyst Justin Post called "significant."
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/27/bank-of-america-cuts-facebook-stock-forecast-for-second-time-in-a-week-on-ftc-probe.html?source=Snapzu

Hotting up: how climate change could swallow Louisiana's Tabasco island

With thousands of square miles of land already lost along the coast, Avery Island, home of the famed hot sauce, faces being marooned
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/27/climate-change-louisiana-tabasco-avery-island?source=Snapzu

Maryland School Gunman Confronted by Officer Shot Himself, Authorities Say

A Maryland high school student who fatally shot his ex-girlfriend and injured another student outside a classroom last week killed himself when a school resource officer stationed on campus confronted him, the authorities said on Monday evening.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/26/us/maryland-school-shooting.html?source=Snapzu

U.K. to Order Facebook, Google to Redo Data Policies, Times Says

The U.K. government will direct Facebook Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Twitter Inc. and other tech companies to simplify their data management policies for consumers after disclosures about recent breaches, the Sunday Times reported.
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-25/u-k-to-order-facebook-google-to-redo-data-policies-times-says?source=Snapzu

How a blind artist is challenging our understanding of colour

For centuries, people who were born blind have been the intellectual curios of philosophers studying consciousness. This is particularly true for those exploring the way our consciousness is effected by our bodies, especially our eyes, which Leonardo da Vinci described as the “window of the soul”.
Read more: https://theconversation.com/how-a-blind-artist-is-challenging-our-understanding-of-colour-93872?source=Snapzu

Timing your meals may help with weight loss. That’s what it seems to do in mice.

Animal studies show limiting food intake to eight to 12 hours a day can boost cognitive and physical performance.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/timing-your-meals-may-help-with-weight-loss-thats-what-it-seems-to-do-in-mice/2018/03/23/14672fc0-f718-11e7-a9e3-ab18ce41436a_story.html?utm_term=.6f911fee1b9c?source=Snapzu