Tag: boing

Meth offered ‘as casually as a cup of tea’ in North Korea, reports LA Times

There’s not much stigma attached to meth use in harsh North Korea, writes Los Angeles Times reporter Barbara Demick. Some take it to treat colds or boost their energy; students take it to work late. The drug also helps curb appetites in a country where food is scarce. It is offered up as casually as a cup of tea, North Koreans say. “If you go to somebody’s house it is a polite way to greet somebody by offering them a sniff,” said Lee Saera, 43, of Hoeryong, also interviewed in China. “It is like drinking coffee when you’re sleepy, but ice is so much better.” More: LA Times .        

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Meth offered ‘as casually as a cup of tea’ in North Korea, reports LA Times

2 men suspected of installing card skimmers at LA area banks

Two men were arrested in the greater Los Angeles area Sunday on charges they installed ATM card-skimmers at banks in Sherman Oaks and Encino. The operation was managed by the Southern California High-Tech Task Force (SCHTTF), a law enforcement team that includes LA Sheriff’s Department personnel and agents from Secret Service and FBI. An LA Sheriff’s rep says North Hollywood resident Geori Nikolov, 32, and Santa Monica resident Dimitar Dimitrov, 36, installed the devices at Chase and Bank of the West locations in order to steal credit and debit card information and PIN numbers. “They would attach the skimmers for a few hours and then go and retrieve them and the banking information they stole,” said the spokesman. More: CBS Los Angeles , Patch , and a press release .        

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2 men suspected of installing card skimmers at LA area banks

Bits of T. Rex tissue survived for millions of years

In 2005, scientists found some soft tissue in the fossilized leg of Tyrannosaurus Rex. Now, they can confirm that, yes, that is T. Rex collagen. What’s more, there’s preserved collagen in lots of other T. Rex fossil specimens. How’d it survive? Stephanie Pappas at NBC News explains .        

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Bits of T. Rex tissue survived for millions of years

Venomous crustacean discovered

Dr Bjoern von Reumont: “This is the first time we have seen venom being used in crustaceans and the study adds a new major animal group to the roster of known venomous animals. Venoms are especially common in three of the four major groups of arthropods, such as insects. Crustaceans, however, are a glaring exception to the rule.” [BBC]        

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Venomous crustacean discovered

Silk Road ends: Feds arrest ‘Dread Pirate Roberts,’ alleged founder of largest Bitcoin drug market

Looks like the government shutdown didn’t stop federal agents from shutting down the most popular “deep web” illegal drug market. In San Francisco, federal prosecutors have indicted Ross William Ulbricht, who is said to be the founder of Silk Road.        

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Silk Road ends: Feds arrest ‘Dread Pirate Roberts,’ alleged founder of largest Bitcoin drug market

DoD office can’t process FOIAs because fax machine broken, no money for new one

MuckRock News reports that Freedom of Information Act requests faxed to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) started coming back as undeliverable a couple weeks ago.        

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DoD office can’t process FOIAs because fax machine broken, no money for new one

Obama administratrion permits states to manage marijuana

Via Reuters “The Justice Department said it would refocus marijuana enforcement nationwide by bringing criminal charges only in eight defined areas – such as distribution to minors – and giving breathing room to users, growers and related businesses that have feared prosecution.”        

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Obama administratrion permits states to manage marijuana