Anonymous Targets Ukrainian Government over Demonoid Shut Down



Following reports that claimed the popular torrent website Demonoid was taken down by the Ukrainian government as a gift to the United States, notorious hacking group Anonymous announced plans for retaliation. On Tuesday, the group took down websites belonging to the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Agency for Copyright and Related Rights, and the Ukrainian Anti-Piracy Association, ZDNet reported. “We can no longer sit around and watch this censorship happen right in front of us,” the group said in a video announcement. “Ukrainian Government, you have committed a crime against Humanity & Freedom. We will not tolerate this. We will take direct actions against you and your criminal friends until you realize the crimes you’ve committed and restore our beloved Demonoid.” It has also been reported that Demonoid’s operators are under investigation for copyright infringement in Mexico, and it is unclear if the site will ever return to the Web.

FULL STORY AND VIDEO HERE


sn: Chevy Laron says HELL YES!!! Do your thing, Anonymous!

Popular torrent site ‘Demonoid’ shut down as gift to U.S. government

Following a massive denial-of-service attack on July 24th that left millions of would-be pirates in the dark, the Ukrainian government has shuttered popular file-sharing website Demonoid. An executive for the company that hosted the service, ColoCall, confirmed that authorities seized information from Demonoid’s servers and the service provider was forced to terminate the agreement it had with the site, Ukrainian news source Kommersant reported. A source inside the Interior Ministry also claimed the raid was timed to coincide with Deputy Prime Minister Valery Khoroshkovsky‘s first trip to the United States to discuss copyright infringement. Demonoid, which was one of the world’s oldest torrent services, attracted millions of users each month, although it was blocked for Ukrainian locals to comply with the country’s copyright laws.

STAY TUNED....

HIV Undetectable in 2 Men After Bone Marrow Transplants

THURSDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Following bone marrow transplants, two men infected with HIV no longer have any traces of the AIDS-causing virus in their lymphocytes, researchers report.

Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell and are a key part of the immune system.

The U.S. researchers suspect that bone marrow transplantation along with continuation of antiretroviral therapy resulted in the dramatic effects evident eight months post-transplant. They are scheduled to present these preliminary findings Thursday at the International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C.

HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy often achieve "undetectable viral loads," meaning there are no virus particles in their blood. But they still have latent HIV in their lymphocytes, and if antiretroviral therapy were discontinued, the latent HIV could reactivate.

But having no traces of HIV in these white blood cells is an indication that this "reservoir" of latent HIV may have been eliminated, the researchers believe.

At this point, they are far from saying these patients are cured. But the findings are "exciting," said Dr. Savita Pahwa, director of the Center for AIDS Research at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, who was not involved with the study.

"Every hint you get that it's possible to wipe out the reservoir needs to be investigated," she said.

"Eliminating the reservoir is the key to the cure," said Pahwa. She also stressed that it would only be
possible to say these patients were "functionally cured" if the virus did not rebound when the patients went off antiretroviral therapy.

The two men whose cases are described in the paper underwent chemotherapy for blood cancers before receiving stem cell transplants. One had his transplant two years ago; the other, four years ago. Both also developed graft-versus-host disease (when transplanted cells attack the host cells) and continued with their antiretroviral medications throughout and after the transplant procedures.
Any of these factors could theoretically explain their HIV-free status, but the bone marrow transplantation combined with antiretroviral therapy seems the most likely explanation, said the study authors.

"We believe the transplanted cells killed off and replaced all of the patients' own lymphocytes, including the infected cells, and the donor cells were protected from becoming infected themselves by the antiretroviral therapy they were taking throughout the transplant period," said study senior author Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Graft-versus-host disease also probably played a role, he said. "The replacement of host cells by donor cells is itself a form of graft-versus-host reaction," Kuritzkes explained.

But the only way to verify that the transplant plus antiretroviral therapy can eradicate HIV is to take the patients off their medication regimens.

That would be the "next logical step," said Kuritzkes, adding that this would require patient consent and adherence to ethics protocols.

But even if the transplant procedure were found to eliminate the reservoir of latent HIV cells, bone marrow transplantation is a very risky procedure. Kuritzkes said he does not "foresee bone marrow transplantation being performed on otherwise healthy HIV-infected patients who are doing well on [antiretroviral therapy]."

Kuritzkes and his colleagues are continuing to enroll and follow HIV-positive patients who have
undergone bone marrow transplants as part of a larger study.

This preliminary study contains echoes of the so-called "Berlin Patient," who has no detectable HIV cells in his blood five years after a stem cell transplant for leukemia.

Like the two men discussed in the current paper, the Berlin Patient -- Timothy Ray Brown of Seattle -- also had been diagnosed with HIV and also underwent chemotherapy (for acute myeloid leukemia) and developed graft-versus-host disease.

But, unlike the current patients, Brown received his stem cell transplant from a donor who had a rare genetic mutation that increases immunity against the most common form of HIV. He remained HIV-free after discontinuing antiretroviral therapy.

The two men described here received donor cells, which were "fully susceptible" to HIV, Kuritzkes said. This raises the possibility that a cure may be possible even when the donor does not have this gene mutation, he said.

Because this research has not been peer-reviewed and published in a medical journal, the data and conclusions should be considered preliminary.

Read full story here.

1073 Pound Deadlift With A Torn Bicep! (WSHH VIDEO)

ORIGINAL POST

William Bonner of Georgia Sets Head On Fire In Bar Bet

Watch video here

Winning!

A boozed up bar-goer bet his buddies that he could douse his head in high-proof alcohol and light it on fire. He won the bet, with predictable results.

William Bonner, 36, of Augusta, Ga., decided it was a good idea on Friday night to pour a shot of Bacardi 151 on his head and then have a friend light the alcohol, according to WFXG.

The stunt caught on a security camera inside Allie Katz Bar and Grill, resulted in a hat made of flames atop Bonner's skull. The video (above) shows Bonner frantically looking for a beer to quell the fire as friends look on in horror.

The lapse in judgement lasted about 10 seconds.

"I've seen a lot of things," said bar owner Bryan Birmingham to the station, "But never something like that."

Local news outlets originally reported that the flame-game was an act of aggression by other bar patrons, WJBF reported. But it turns out that Bonner just wanted to make a quick buck.

He reportedly refused medical aid on the scene and friends drove him to the hospital. He was in critical condition for a few days but was released on Monday.

It's unclear how much money he bet, or whether his friends payed up.

Read full story here.

Chinese Man's Penis Stolen By Thieves



Thieves stole a man's penis while he slept, according to police.

Fei Lin, 41, of the Niqiao village near Wenling City, in east China’s Zhejiang province, told police he was asleep when the thieves burst into his room and put a bag over his head, according to CEN/EUROPICS and as reported in the Daily Star.

"They put something over my head and pulled down my trousers and then they ran off," Lin said. "I was so shocked I didn't feel a thing - then I saw I was bleeding and my penis was gone."

Police believe the attackers were jealous lovers of several local women whom Lin was having affairs with, the Austrian Times reported. Lin denied taking part in any infidelity.

Emergency workers and police searched for Lin's anatomy but turned up nothing, according to TNT Magazine. The penis thieves are nowhere to be found, but police said they're looking for the jealous lovers.

Read full story here.

Man Released, Jailed Again for Refusing to Leave



A man faces new criminal charges after refusing to leave the Rockingham County jail.

The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said Rodney Dwayne Valentine, 37, had been held in jail since May 22.

Valentine, who has no permanent address, was released from jail at 8 a.m. Saturday. The sheriff’s office said Valentine asked deputies to drive him to a local motel. They refused.

When Valentine failed to leave the jail by about 1 p.m. Saturday, he was charged with second-degree trespassing and returned to jail.

He is being held on a $500 bond. He is due in court Aug. 9.

 

Read full story here.

Glasses that Add Instagram Effects to Real Life

I got lazy...so just click here or on the pic to read the story.

Library Installs Computer Privacy Screens For More Discreet Porn Watching

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – In response to complaints about San Francisco Public Library visitors openly viewing explicit content, including pornography, the network has installed plastic screens to block monitors from people nearby, according to a recent New York Times report.

According to The Times, the library plans to post warnings on all computers to remind people to be sensitive to what others might see while they are web surfing.

The watching of such materials in public has increasingly been the focus of debate and legislation as broadband technology becomes more widespread, pitting people who want internet access to be unrestrained against those who feel that controls must be placed on the public viewing of mature materials.

According to The Times article, San Francisco Public Library officials have traditionally leaned toward limiting exposure to viewing rather than censoring content.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Read full story here.

Man Pleads Guilty to Neglect, DWI for Strapping Kids to Hood of Car

A Fort Wayne, Ind., father has pleaded guilty to four charges related to a incident in which he strapped four children to the hood of his car.

The Journal Gazette reported that 29-year-old Aaron Stefanski pleaded guilty on Monday to three counts of child neglect and a charge of driving while intoxicated.

Stefanski used yellow tow straps to secure four children — three of his own — to the hood of a white sedan, according to The Journal Gazette.

When officers stopped him as he was driving with the kids on the hood, Stefanski said he was “only going to drive around the corner” and “thought they would like it,” according to court documents.

The documents also show Stefanski’s blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit at the time of the May incident.

Stefanski was scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 3. He could face up to three years in prison, The Journal Gazette reported.

Read full story here.

Man Pulls Out Crossbow in Road Rage Incident



A Philadelphia man took road rage to a whole new level when he pulled a crossbow on another driver during Tuesday rush hour.

According to police, Kenneth Butterworth, 45, began driving erratically, weaving in and out of traffic when another driver changed lanes .

The driver, whose name was not released, then honked his horn.

When the driver of the other vehicle got in front of Butterworth's Dodge Stratus, Butterworth changed lanes and pulled out a crossbow and pointed it at him.

The driver called 911, and Butterworth was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault. Police could not confirm whether he was still being held in jail.

Police told msnbc.com the crossbow was never fired.

Read full story here.

Mom Hacks School's Computer System to Change Kids' Grades



A Pennsylvania mother went to great lengths to see her children succeed when she logged into a school district's computer system to change their grades, state police and school officials say.

Catherine Venusto, 45, admitted to using password information obtained while employed as a secretary for the Northwestern Lehigh School District to log onto the computer system on multiple occasions, according to authorities.

Using district superintendent Dr. Mary Anne Wright's sign-on and password, she changed a failing grade for her daughter to a medical exception in 2010 and bumped up a grade of 98 to a 99 for her son in February, authorities said.

She also used Wright's information gain access to emails and personnel files, assistant superintendent Jennifer Holman told NBC News.

Authorities said Venusto also used employee passwords to access the district's human resource system.
Venusto told police she logged into the system out of "curiosity" and "boredom," according to court records, The Morning Call reported.

The investigation began in February when Holman reported that a former employee had used the Wright's password and username to gain access into the district's computer system.

"We had a pretty good idea (identity of employee) because of the grades that were changed," Holman told NBC News.

A teacher at district high school told the principal she had seen Wright's name as logging into an electronic gradebook system, Holman said.

After district officials contacted Wright to inquire about her viewing student grades, she ordered a shutdown of the district's computer system.

"At the time, I didn't quite have a grasp of the scope of what happened, but I was immediately concerned for protected information," Wright said. "We shut down the system within three hours of learning there was a potential problem."

As a secretary, Venusto's duties included creating sign-in and passwords for Wright and several other employees, the Morning Call reported.

Holman said she left her secretary job of six years in 2011 in good standing for a position with another school district before going to work for QVC, an online shopping network, according to a news release by the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office.

The release said an investigation found Venusto logged into the district's computer system more than 100 times using Wright's password.

Venusto used three different Internet-provider addresses, one from her home, the East Penn School District and another associated with QVC, to log onto the system, the news release said.

"We deeply regret this incident and that this unauthorized access occurred, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause," Wright said in a statement posted on the district's website.

Holman said no evidence was found suggesting employee personal information was compromised or used for illegal purposes. She told NBC News that the grades for Venusto's children were the only ones changed.

She has been charged with three counts of unlawful use of a computer and three counts of computer trespass, according to court records.

She was released on $30,000 bail Wednesday.

Police said she admitted her actions were unethical but not illegal.

Read full story here.

Мишка’s Got Stunna Shades In All the Colors of the Rainbow

Brand New Мишка Sunglasses Now Available!

Us here at Мишка should just change our names Roy G. Biv, cause our latest run of Cyrillic emblazoned sunglasses come ready in every color of the spectrum. Whether you’re shielding your lids from solar bombardment, laying low from the paparazzi or just ridin round bumping Corey Heart, we’ve got the perfect pigment of plastic to keep your facial region looking mysteriously fly no matter what shade the rest of you is wearing.

Your next pair of sun-ready spectacles are even available in translucent colors too, because we know how you’ve been waiting on something that goes with your N64 controller.

Check out original post here by Pool Captain.

Anti-Putin Rockers Thank Supporters from Prison


MOSCOW (AP) — Three feminist rockers facing trial for performing a "punk prayer" against Vladimir Putin from a church pulpit have thanked their supporters in a letter from prison.

The members of the Pussy Riot band were arrested after their February stunt at Moscow's main Christ the Savior cathedral two weeks before March's presidential vote, in which they asked Mother Mary to deliver Russia from Putin's third presidential term.

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23 years old, Maria Alekhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29 face up to seven years if convicted on hooliganism charges. Their prosecution has caused public outcry.

They said in a letter posted on Ekho Moskvy radio's website Wednesday that what some see as their "insolence and impudence" is merely a sarcastic response to a lack of justice.

Read full story here.

Would Jesus Pack Heat? Is Gun Control a God Issue?

 Read full story here.

The tragic shooting at the Dark Knight showing in Colorado is promoting social media debates over where God would stand on gun control. Is it a pro-life issue?

To the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest who calls himself "pro-life across the board," it obviously is.
Within hours of posting that view on social media Friday morning, Martin had to shut down comments on his Facebook page and cut off trading tweets on the topic. It got too hot.
Though most posters echoed his plea for prayers for all victims of violence, several sharply disagreed on gun control. Many repeated that guns don't kill, people do. Several argued as Sandra Canosa who posted:

Crazy people and criminals will always find a way to obtain weapons. Law abiding citizens are the only ones who will be impacted by gun control laws, inhibiting our right to bear arms and defend ourselves against all enemies foreign and domestic. Too bad a responsible gun owner was not packing in that theatre...

Elizabeth Andrew posted:

There are key points that need to be made distinct: First, taking a gun and shooting up a movie theater is NOT LEGAL. Contrast with the fact that abortion IS LEGAL. This distinction is one of the reasons why the pro-life movement concentrates on abortion. …

Sarah Jancosek Torff countered:

I remember Joseph Cardinal Bernadin from Chicago. He drew a lot of criticism--- from Catholics -- for his "seamless garment" approach to ethics. He said you can't be "pro life" and pro-war, pro-gun, pro-violence. It is all of a piece. It is the only anti-abortion position I ever had deep respect for.

Martin echoes that. He says that although the Catholic Church's position on gun control is not as publicly known as its stance against abortion, it's all about opposing the taking of human life.
Martin says:

I am pro-life across the board. I'm against abortion. But I don't think it's antithetical to being for gun control. They are two sides of the same coin. How can people get so worked about one and not the other?
It's similar to people who procure abortions, and we can regulate and legislate abortions. Why can't we regulate guns? Can't it be made more difficult in both cases to enable people to take those actions?

Jasmine Rivera suggested:

We should think about if Jesus would have wanted a society where everyone had a gun or a society where no one had guns.

Robert Jones at the Public Religion Research Institute looked at a religion breakdown of 2011 ABC News/Washington Post survey question on views on gun control.
When asked if they favored or opposed stricter gun control laws, the most support for stricter laws came from black Protestants (71%) Catholics (59%) and the unaffiliated (55%). But solid opposition was expressed by white evangelical Protestants (60% ). Only mainline Protestants were more divided (47% favor, 51% oppose).

But, Jones notes, a second question asked whether the best way to reduce gun violence is by "passing stricter gun control laws or by stricter enforcement of existing laws?" Says Jones,

What's interesting is that there is more consensus that current gun laws need to be better enforced, that more laws by themselves aren't necessarily going to solve the gun violence problem.

That was the choice for 69% of white evangelicals, 60% of mainline Protestants, 41% of black Protestants, 58% of Catholics and 51% of the unaffiliated.

DO YOU THINK … your faith should guide your view on gun control?

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Major Construction Project Will Widen Zierdt Road to 4 Lanes



HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  -  A heavily traveled roadway for Huntsville and Madison residents and Redstone Arsenal workers is getting a major overhaul.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison Mayor Paul Finley Wednesday announced that Zierdt Road will be widened to four lanes.  The $12.1 million project will double the lanes from Madison Boulevard to Martin Road, where Redstone Gate 7 is located.

The project is expected to begin this fall.

“We are finally bringing Zierdt Road into the norm of our major thoroughfares,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “Zierdt is a major corridor for traffic in and out of Redstone Arsenal, and it is a critical part of the infrastructure our community needs to support BRAC.”

“Improving Zierdt Road has been a top priority for both Madison and Huntsville for years,” said Madison Mayor Paul Finley. “We are thrilled dirt will soon start moving and the improvements needed to make our citizens commute easier are one step closer to reality.”

Here is the scheduled timeline for construction on Zierdt Road:

• Late 2012 – Begin east side right-of-way clearing and Redstone Arsenal fence relocation
• Early 2013 – Begin utility relocation
• Late 2013 – Begin construction on northbound lanes, east side of Zierdt, upon completion of utility relocation
• Late 2014 – Begin construction on southbound lanes, west side of Zierdt, upon completion of northbound lanes and right-of-way acquisition
• 2015 – Project completion



Read full story here.

LA City Council Votes to Ban Medical Marijuana Shops



LOS ANGELES (AP) — Unable to rein in hundreds of medical pot shops that blossomed around the nation's second-biggest metropolis, the Los Angeles City Council banned them Tuesday until the state's highest court weighs in.

The 14-0 vote drew an angry, profanity-laced response from some medical marijuana advocates who attended the council meeting.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was prepared to sign the ordinance, according to his spokeswoman, Vicki Curry. The storefront ban would then go into effect after 30 days.

In the interim, letters will be sent to as many as 900 dispensaries advising them of the ban.

The city has fumbled with its medical marijuana laws for years, trying to provide safe and affordable access to the drug for legitimate patients while addressing worries by neighborhood groups that streets were being overrun by dispensaries and pot users.

"Relief is on the way," said Councilman Jose Huizar, who introduced the so-called "gentle ban."

Many cities have struggled with medical marijuana ordinances, but none has had a bigger problem than Los Angeles, where pot shops have proliferated. At one point, the city ordered closure of the shops — a process that failed amid lawsuits and conflicting rulings by appellate courts.

Read full story here.

Katherine Jackson Loses Custody of Michael’s Children Temporarily to Grandson



Ten days after Katherine Jackson inexplicably cut off communication with Michael Jackson's three children and took off for Arizona without them, she has lost custody of them. A judge ruled on Wednesday that the 82-year-old be stripped of her guardian duties and has handed over the responsibility to her grandson, Tito's son Tito Joe "TJ," temporarily. At the emergency hearing, the 34-year-old told the court that during a phone call with his grandmother on Tuesday, "she wasn't sharp. The pauses, choice of vocabulary … she has not used certain phrases like that before."

TJ, who was choked up throughout much of his testimony, added that he thought perhaps Katherine was talking in code to him, since she has been closely monitored in Arizona by her oldest daughter Rebbie, who has been in cahoots with her siblings Jermaine, Randy, and Janet to convince their mother to contest Michael's will … which left them nothing. During the hearing, the judge made it clear that he didn't feel Katherine had done anything wrong, but he felt she was being prevented from being the guardian of Prince, 15, Paris, 14, and Blanket, 10, by an "intentional act from third parties." The matriarch's own lawyer, Sandra Ribera, also said she had visited her client several times recently and believes she was being held in Arizona against her will.

In addition to awarding TJ guardianship, the judge also ruled that the three children are not to be removed from California without a court order and the permission of both Diana Ross (the guardian successor to Katherine when she dies) and Prince and Paris' biological mother Debbie Rowe. On Monday, Janet and Randy reportedly ambushed their car as they returned home and tried to take them to Arizona as well. In a video posted on TMZ, Janet can be seen trying to snatch Paris' cell phone out of her hand twice before chasing after her, but she was restrained by Randy. It was also reported that Janet was scouring the Calabasas home looking for the kids' passports before Paris demanded she leave "our house."

TJ plans to file within the next 48 hours to become his cousins' permanent guardian, a source tells TMZ. But outside the courthouse following the ruling, Katherine's lawyer Perry Sanders said he would oppose that and added that the whole mess over the past 10 days is just one "giant misunderstanding" and that Katherine will return home to California on Wednesday. And when she does, Perry said he would file a motion to reinstate her as guardian of the children.

Read full story here.

Skydiver Felix Baumgartner Completes Jump from Space

Daredevil Felix Baumgartner this morning landed from his 18-mile dive back to Earth from the edge of space, in a plummet that reached a speed of more than 500 mph.

Mission Control gave the go ahead this morning for the launch, saying "God Speed Felix" from Roswell, N.M., where the mission is being hosted. Baumgartner, an Austrian national, was lifted in a capsule carried afloat by a huge helium balloon.

Click Here for Pictures: Felix Baumgartner's Dive

The balloon took 90 minutes to get to 90,000 feet. The crane holding the capsule went up as fast as it could to get the capsule under the 210-foot tall balloon as it rose. After he jumped, Baumgartner was in freefall for three minutes and 48 seconds . After five minutes, his parachute opened, at which point it took another seven to 10 minutes to descend to Earth. Baumgartner's speed went from 0 to 536 in 25 seconds flat.

"Fearless Felix" was in free fall for an estimated three minutes and 48 seconds. His top speed was approximately 536 mph, Brian Utley, an official observer on site, told The Associated Press.

"The pressure is huge, and we not only have to endure but excel," Baumgartner told ABC News before the jump. "We're excellently prepared, but it's never going to be a fun day. I'm risking my life, after all."

Red Bull is financing the daredevil skydive from space. The mission is named Stratos. It was five years of planning by a team of experts, many volunteering their services, to break several records in one breathtaking plunge back to Earth.

This was the second test dive for Baumgartner, who plans on a record-breaking jump from 125,000 feet, or 23 miles, next month.

The records Baumgartner plans to break include those for the first person to break the sound barrier outside of an aircraft, the record for freefall from the highest altitude, and that for the longest freefall time, expected to be five minutes and 35 seconds, and that for the highest-manned balloon flight.

Baumgartner, who has already jumped more than 2,500 times from planes and helicopters, would be breaking a 52-year-old record, and he recruited the man who set the record, the legendary retired Air Force Col. Joe Kittinger, for advice.

Kittinger jumped from a balloon Aug. 16, 1960, at an altitude of 102,900 feet, and fell for almost five minutes before opening a parachute to slow his descent at 18,000 feet.

He made history for the highest-balloon ascent, the highest parachute jump and the fastest speed by a human through the atmosphere.

Read full story here.

U.N. Commission Calls for Legalizing Prostitution Worldwide

 

(CNSNews.com) - A report issued by the United Nations-backed Global Commission on HIV and the Law; recommends that nations around the world get rid of “punitive” laws against prostitution – or what it calls “consensual sex work” -- and decriminalize the voluntary use of illegal injection drugs in order to combat the HIV epidemic.

The commission, which is made up of 15 former heads of state, legal scholars and HIV/AIDS activists, was convened in 2010 by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and is jointly backed by the United Nations Development Programme and UNAIDS – the Joint U.N. Programme on AIDS/HIV.

The commission recommends repealing all laws that prohibit “adult consensual sex work,” as well as clearly distinguishing in law and practice between sexual trafficking and prostitution.

The report--“HIV and the Law: Risks, Rights & Health”--cites a recommendation by the International Labour Organization, which recommends that “sex work” should be recognized as an occupation in order to be regulated “in a way that protects workers and customers.”

Specifically, the commission wants to:

-- “Decriminalise private and consensual adult sexual behaviours, including same-sex sexual acts and voluntary sex work.”

-- “Reform approaches towards drug use. Rather than punishing people who use drugs but do no harm to others, governments must offer them access to elective HIV and health services, including harm reduction programmes and voluntary, evidence-based treatment for drug dependence.”

-- “Work with the guardians of customary and religious law to promote traditions and religious practice that promote rights and acceptance of diversity and that protect privacy.”

The commission calls laws against prostitution “bad laws,” and said criminalizing injecting drug use and prostitution stands in the way of “effective HIV responses.”

“Laws that criminalize and dehumanize populations at the highest risk of HIV--including men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people and injecting drug users--drive people underground, away from essential health services and heighten their risk of HIV,” the commission said in a July 9 press release announcing the report.
The commission says 116 countries and territories have punitive laws against sex work and 80 countries or territories have some legal protections for sex workers.

 Read full story here.

SUPA (SORTAHUMAN) & SHAWN KEMP - SUPASONIC

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Stabil-i Case - Shake Free Video for iPhone

Stabil-i Case is the world’s first, pocket-sized, precision balanced, video stabilization phone case that truly eliminates shake.

• Launched: Jul. 25, 2012
• Funding ends: Sep. 01, 2012
• Remind Me

Hello Kickstarter!  We are the creators of Stabil-i and are very excited to share our idea with you...
Our goal is to change the way people capture the greatest moments of their lives.
Imagine looking back on one of the greatest moments of your life; you know the one, that moment you were lucky enough to capture with your iPhone.  Now instead of that video looking like an old time home movie - shaky enough to give you motion sickness - your memories can have the smooth cinematic feel of a Wes Anderson movie.

The Problem - Shaky Video

Even though the resolution and quality of cameras has increased greatly while size has decreased, there is still one limiting factor- shake & vibration. With our backgrounds in film and video production, we’ve used some of the leading camera stabilization equipment in the film industry. We know firsthand that having the right tools can make all the difference. We decided that there needed to be a stabilization system that was as compact as the phone itself.

Development - 13+ months

The first prototype

We began by building multiple prototypes from sheet metal in the garage, then moved on to SLA printed prototypes and finally, five iterations CNC machined from ABS plastic . We've partnered with engineers, industrial designers and materials specialists to ensure the best product possible.  

A later prototype.

After over a year of development and 21 different design iterations, we have finally created the world’s first, pocket-sized, precision balanced, video stabilizing phone case!

The Solution - Stabil-i Case

Stabil-i shares its roots with large, high priced camera stabilization systems used in the film industry. Our patent pending design allows us to remove 90% of the hardware along with the costly bearing system. This is a unique and ultra-compact camera controller that drastically reduces vibration in all directions... Basically, it's a ninja for your phone!

Stabil-i is ready to use within seconds, right out of the box and functions 100% better than image correction software, which not only takes forever to fix your video, but can crop and add distortion.  Besides, who has time to go back and fix a video when you can shoot it right the first time?

Stabil-i features a mounting dock for a separate, metal tripod adapter.

See our Rewards to find out how you can get the a Stabil-i case AND tripod adapter!

How You Can Help

Our dream is to have Stabil-i in the hands of everyone that shoots video, from parents and real estate professionals, to tomorrow's movie makers. Reaching our goal of $80,000 will allow us to make the steel molds for the die casting of our metal parts as well as our injection molded plastics. We already have a tooling company right here in Texas, awaiting our success to proceed with manufacturing. Assembly will also take place in either Texas or Alabama. When we say "Made in USA", we mean it! Our early backers will be receiving their Stabil-i Case in early November.
We need your support to make our dream a reality!
Now, let's capture something amazing!

¿FAQ?

Were all of the clips in your video shot with an iPhone?
Yes!  Other than our interview portion, the entire video was shot, handheld with an iPhone and a Stabil-i Case.
It looks very compact.  Will Stabil-i fit into my pocket?
Absolutely!  Stabil-i only increases the length of your phone by 5% (dock to power button), 15% in width, and will make up 55% in thickness (front face to back). This is comparable to a high-impact or waterproof case.
Why is your goal $80,000?

• Steel molds to make the plastics
• Die-cast molds for the metal handle and hinge pin
• Preliminary short run and assembly 
• Custom packaging

My smart phone isn't an iPhone.  Now what?
You can still contribute $5 toward our project and make your recommendation as to what you think the next device should be. This will get you heard by us loud and clear!  Rest assured that we are working quickly to adapt the Stabil-i case to fit other manufacturer's handsets.
How much heavier will my phone be after equipping with Stabil-i?
Stabil-i will make up 35% of the total weight. The counterweight itself only amounts to a third the weight of your iPhone.
What is inside the counterweight?
We use a completely encapsulated, high-density lead alloy.
When will I receive my Stabil-i Case?
Our first backers should receive their own Stabil-i Case within 90 days of reaching our goal of $80,000!  So, if you like our campaign, help us move faster by sharing our story with your friends and family.

Read full story or make a donation here. 

Five 'Jealous' Wives Rape Man to Death

 In an extraordinary case of jealousy, a Nigerian man - husband of six - was allegedly raped to death by his five spouses as he was paying too much attention to his sixth wife in east-central Benue state.

Uroko Onoja, a wealthy businessman, was having sex with his youngest wife when the other five women attacked him with knives and sticks, demanding that he have sex with all of them at once.

Onoja, who resisted their attack, was overpowered by the women who ordered that the sex march begin with the youngest wife and to continue in that order to the top, Nigeria's Daily reported.

Onoja stopped breathing when the fifth woman was making her way to the bed.

According Onoja's youngest wife, five other spouses ran into the forest realising that their husband is no more.

Village head Okpe Odoh said that the matter had been reported to the police, who have already arrested two of the wives following the incident last week.

Read full story here.

Christian Bale Visits Aurora, Colo. Shooting Victims



Christian Bale arrived in Aurora, Colo. today to visit victims injured during Friday’s shooting at a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises.” The Batman actor was seen at the Medical Center of Aurora, and hospital personnel were overheard saying he was talking to patients.

Petitions asking the actor to visit Aurora were posted on Change.org following Friday’s shooting. Over the weekend, Bale released a statement regarding the massacre, saying “Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them.”

Read full story here.

Survey Finds Big Drop in Sexual Activity Among Black Teens



TUESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- Black teenagers in the United States have become much less sexually active over the past two decades, and those who do have sex appear to be more likely to use condoms, a new survey has found.

The declines are "dramatic," said report author Laura Kann, who studies adolescent health for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The numbers don't disclose anything about why black teens might have changed their behavior. "This tells us what kids do, but not why," Kann said.

Overall, teens of all racial and ethnic groups are about as sexually active as they were a decade ago. And the rate of condom use by teens -- just six in 10 used them the last time they had sex -- hasn't changed much since the 1990s.

By contrast, the numbers for black teens are strikingly different. The percentage who reported ever having sex fell from 82 percent in 1991 to 60 percent in 2011. Kann said the numbers coincide with drops in teen pregnancy and births.

Increased education about HIV/AIDS among blacks, leadership in the black community and a public health focus on black Americans could explain the change, Kann said.
The new CDC teen-sex survey also reveals that:

• The percentages of students who've had sex have remained fairly stable over the last 20 years for Hispanic students (49 percent in 2011) and whites (44 percent in 2011).
• Overall, 47 percent of all teens surveyed said they'd ever had sex, down from 54 percent in 1991. The rate has barely changed since 2001.
• About one-third of students said they'd had sex within the past three months, and 15 percent said they'd had sex with four or more partners.
• The percentage of sexually active teens who use condoms grew from 46 percent in 1991 to 60 percent in 2011, although the number hasn't changed much in recent years. Black teens are more likely to use condoms: their rate is 65 percent.

The recent stabilization of condom use could have something to do with less focus on HIV, which has largely become a treatable disease, Kann said. Also, "the percentage of high school students overall who have had HIV education has dropped since 1997. That hasn't helped any either."
The new survey results come from the CDC's National Youth Risk Behavior Survey of students in grades 9 through 12 from both public and private schools. About 15,000 students take the surveys each year.
Jennifer Manlove, area director of Fertility and Family Structure with the Child Trends advocacy group in Washington, D.C., said the survey shows that much of the evolution toward less sexual activity occurred in the 1990s, even among black teens.

"There's been a little bit more since 2000, but not really that much. The big news in the 1990s was the real focus on the AIDS epidemic and a lot of attention given to that," she said.
Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center, said the study "is a mix of good news and persistent causes for concern."

Read full story here.

Sherman Hemsley Dead at 74

Sherman Hemsley, the actor who made the character George Jefferson famous in "The Jeffersons," has died, El Paso cops tell TMZ.

Hemsley died at his home in El Paso, Texas. 

Sources tell us ... it appears Hemsley died from natural causes.

Hemsley, who was 74, became famous during his appearances on "All in the Family."  The spin-off, "The Jeffersons" was a monster hit.  He also starred in the TV show, "Amen."  He was also a professional singer and even released the single in 1989, "Ain't that A Kick in the Head."

Read full story here.

3 Arrested in Separate 'Dark Knight' Incidents

At least 3 men accused of making threats during or after watching the new Batman movie have been arrested in separate incidents, underscoring moviegoers' anxieties and heightened security in the wake of a deadly mass shooting at a Colorado theater showing the film.

A Maine man was arrested when he told authorities that he was on his way to shoot a former employer a day after watching "The Dark Knight Rises," Maine state police said Monday.

Timothy Courtois of Biddeford, Maine, had been stopped for speeding, and a police search of his car found an AK-47 assault weapon, four handguns, ammunition and news clippings about the mass shooting that left 12 people dead early Friday, authorities said.

Former graduate student James Holmes, 24, is accused of opening fire in a theater in a Denver suburb. The shooting also injured 58 people.

Courtois said he had attended the Batman movie on Saturday, although police have not confirmed whether he actually saw the film.

"I guess we're taking everything at face value," State Police Lt. Kevin Donovan said. "It's very scary."

Read full story here.

Huntsville Clown Rallies for Women to Go Topless in Asheville

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -

A Huntsville pediatrician office general manager is rallying to allow men and women to go topless, but he claims authorities infringed on his constitutional rights.   

Jeff Johnson said it's happened several times in Asheville, North Carolina, a place where it's legal for everyone to go topless.

"It should be like Asheville everywhere," said Johnson. 

He started his mission after a female friend asked him for some help.

Johnson's fear is if women don't use the right they have, it'll get taken away.

"The reason it's legal is if a man can do it, then a woman can do it," said Johnson. "If you make a law based on your genitalia, you're breaking the constitution."

But not everyone is in full support of Johnson's movement.

"Many things are better left to the imagination," said Huntsville resident Paul Mittel.

Johnson said even the Asheville Police have given him trouble. He shot an undercover video as officers approached him and two topless women recently.

"They stopped me when they had no reason to stop me, they lied to me and jerked us around, they intimidated me," said Johnson.

The Huntsville native has also received personal attacks from a list of people because he's performed as a clown for children.

Now, he's planning legal action.

"When the police broke my civil rights and broke those ladies civil rights that's when it got personal. When they came in and mischaracterized me and misrepresented me that's when the gloves came off," said Johnson.

Asheville Police Department has not commented at this point in time.

It is illegal for women to walk around topless in Alabama.

Read full story here.

SUPA - WEIRD IS THE NEW COOL

FREE DOWNLOAD

ALBUM: WEIRD IS THE NEW COOL
ARTIST: SUPA

RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 5 2012

LABEL: THIS GUY IS UNLABELABLE!

ARTWORK BY: Sdotpdot Designs(Shedrick Pelt)
WEBSITE: http://sortahuman.bandcamp.com

DIZZY D - SHOW OUT (Produced by Yung Jones)

Hollywood Movie Begins Filming in Huntsville, Alabama

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -

The Space and Rocket Center is hosting a little bit of Hollywood.

Filming started Friday on the movie Space Warriors.

Director Sean McNamara has a crew in town working to shoot this movie on location.

The filming  is scheduled to run through August 21st.

The movie plans to include the following actors:

• Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama) 
• Dermot Mulroney (The Wedding Date)
• Mira Sorvino (Romy and Michele's High School Reunion)
• Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon)
• Thomas Horn (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)

All of the actors/actresses are not yet on the property. Some will be arriving within the next few weeks to complete filming of the movie.

Read full story here.

Мишка x Harvey Comics Delivery 1, Available NOW

ORIGINAL POST CAN BE FOUND HERE.

Мишка x Harvey Comics Delivery 1, Available Now!

Hello all, and welcome to the first installment of our newest collaborative capsule collection. Crack open the metaphorical mylar bag, turn the proverbial front page, and dig right into Мишка x Harvey Comics. Founded in 1941 by publisher and writer Alfred Harvey, Harvey Comics is responsible for some of the most enduring characters not only of the medium, but of American pop culture. The most universally known is, of course, the iconic Casper The Friendly Ghost, but starting in the 1950’s Harvey published comics featuring characters like Richie Rich, Hot Stuff the Little Devil, Wendy the Good Little Witch, The Ghostly Trio, and Casper’s compatriot Spooky.

Though their lighthearted comics were targeted to younger readers, they nonetheless were consistently fixated on traditionally dark subjects like ghosts and magic. In addition to the characters themselves, it’s this concept that we hold very near and dear to our hearts, and indeed one that has informed the brand since day one. Being able to work with the Harvey properties has been a real privilege, and we’ve made the most of the opportunity by producing a truly vast collection.

You’ll be able to get the whole thing by the end of 2012, but today we’re launching the first part of the collection in the form of two snapbacks, five tees, and five tanks which feature Harvey’s signature characters,  Richie and Casper. You can get a solid taste of the looks and colorways we’re employing with these characters, as well as the different Harvey inspired typography we’ve cooked up. Both Richie and Casper get their own snapback, with differing takes on the “Мишка” type and character specific colorways.

They’re simple, classic, nostalgia inspiring versions of the characters you know and love. When it comes to the tees and tanks, you’ll be able to get a look at the Harvey team coming face to face with the iconic images of our brand, whether it be in the form of a Keep Watch hat on Casper, or a little surprise for Richie featuring Simon, Lobster Roll, Kill With Power, and Death Adder hand puppets. Also be on the lookout for the Мишка x Harvey Comics custom tags, which feature Harvey’s patented Jack-In-The-Box logo as seen on the fourth tee. These twelve items are available now, and look out for more stuff soon like hats, tees, polos, and jackets!

Мишка
350 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY
718-388-1725

ORIGINALLY POSTED HERE BY WHOLE MILK FOR MISHKA BLOGLIN

NBA to Vote on Rule Changes



The NBA's Board of Governors is meeting in Las Vegas on Thursday, and a source with knowledge of the talks told ESPN.com the agenda includes votes on several rule changes, especially expanding the use of instant replay. If passed, the changes would be in effect for the next NBA season.
The board, comprised of one owner from each team, is slated to vote on three instant replay issues, and one proposal about inbounding the ball:

• Instant replay for all flagrant fouls: The competition committee proposes to let referees review all flagrant fouls on video.
In May, Game 5 between the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat was marred by a succession of violent fouls. First, the Pacers' Tyler Hansbrough fouled the Heat's Dwyane Wade hard. Less than a minute later Wade's teammate Udonis Haslem evidently sought retribution with a blow to Hansbrough's head and upper body. Both were given the milder designation of "Flagrant 1" and thus referees did not review video of either play mid-game. Under the rules at the time, only the harsher "Flagrant 2" calls could be reviewed on video by referees. After the game, NBA officials reviewed video of all three calls, upgraded Hansbrough's call to a Flagrant 2, while issuing suspensions for Haslem and the Heat's Dexter Pittman who also committed a violent foul later in the same game.
The league long has sought to prevent escalations of violence, and in this a mid-game video review of Hansbrough's initial foul could have resulted in a Flagrant 2 call just after the play, which would have meant Hansbrough's automatic ejection and, therefore, no opportunity for Haslem to retaliate, and for the violence to escalate.

• Instant replay for late-game goaltending and restricted area: Owners also will vote on two more new uses of instant replay, to review goaltending and to see if a player was standing in the restricted area under the basket. Both kinds of plays can be very difficult in real time.
In the first, referees are asked to use the naked eye to judge if a shot is on its way up or has yet to reach the backboard, and is therefore fair game to block -- or past that point and off-limits to shotblockers. In the second, referees must both watch a collision in the lane and know with certainty if the defensive player had both feet entirely outside the semi-circular "no charge" zone under the hoop.
Instant replay often gives fans in the arena and at home views referees don't have. If approved, replay for goaltending and restricted area calls only would be available in the final two minutes of games, or in overtime.

• Inbounding from the sideline or baseline: The fourth and final proposed rule change slated for a vote is letting teams choose to inbound the ball from the baseline or the sideline after timeouts. Previously, teams would have lost that choice by, for instance, inbounding and dribbling the ball before calling the timeout.
Also slated for discussion, but not scheduled for votes, are changes to how the league handles flopping, the draft lottery and potentially adopting international basket interference rules.

• Flopping: This may be the biggest issue with fans, but is not slated for a vote Thursday.
NBA commissioner David Stern discussed the league's ideas on flopping after a June competition committee meeting in Miami: "One of the things we're looking at is a postgame analysis of flopping," he explained. "We could see something like (the current points system for technicals) ... If you continue to do this you have to suffer some consequences. What exactly that should be, and the progression is, is to be decided. We just want to put a stake in the ground and say this is not something we want to be a part of our game -- without coming down with a sledgehammer but to do it in a minimalist way to begin stamping it out."
Under the current points system for technicals, fines and suspensions mount as the offenses continue.

• Draft Lottery: The draft lottery has long been much-debated, with some saying it does too much to reward the league's worst teams and others saying it doesn't do enough.
The league instituted the lottery after complaints that teams were losing in order to get good picks, and has since tweaked the system in response to complaints that the weights favored certain kinds of teams. Further changes have been much-discussed, but are not likely to be approved today. Stern has been dismissive of suggestions that big changes are necessary.

• Basket interference: The NBA's current basket interference rules prohibit touching the ball while it's "in the cylinder," an imaginary column above the rim. Under FIBA's international rules, there is no such prohibition, and Stern has long supported adopting FIBA's rule, which is in effect in the NBA's Developmental League, where it is said to create exciting plays at the rim without leading to higher injury rates as has been feared.
Rule changes approved now could result in new rules in effect for the 2012-13 NBA season. Items like flopping and the draft lottery, which are only under discussion, could also result in quick changes, even though there is not another Board of Governors' meeting scheduled soon -- the board can vote to approve rule changes without convening.

Read full story here.

The AIDS Epidemic: Beginning of the End?

WASHINGTON – Thirty-one years after doctors saw their first cases of AIDS, scientists say they now have the knowledge to begin to end the epidemic.

The only questions, says AIDS researcher Diane Havlir, are "Do we have the will to do it?" and "Who is going to pay for it?"

Doctors can now prescribe drug cocktails that reduce the amount of AIDS virus in a patients' body to undetectable levels. Landmark research funded by the National Institutes of Health show that these patients are not only healthier, but virtually non-contagious.

Outside the controlled environment of the lab, however, fighting HIV is far more complicated.

Only about one in four Americans with HIV have their virus this well controlled, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rest either aren't getting care, aren't getting consistent care, or don't know they're infected.

"It's very easy to treat HIV, the virus itself," says Jeff Lennox, chief of infectious diseases at Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital and a professor at the Emory School of Medicine. "It's very hard to get treatment to people with HIV."

More than 25,000 AIDS researchers, patients and activists will converge on Washington, D.C., next week for AIDS 2012, an international conference being held in the USA for the first time in 22 years. While the meeting's location in the nation's capital will highlight the USA's scientific achievements and generosity in fighting AIDS around the world, the conference will also shine a spotlight on the country's uneven progress in treating the disease at home, activists say.

Read full story here.