“There’s just something about uniforms that garner an almost naïve trust. People trust uniforms. Most of us obey the word of those clad in uniforms to an almost Stanford Prison Experiment-esque degree.”
Read more: https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/chalecos-reflectantes-entrar-gratis
“Here’s a short story about how I became a real American: Someone whose debt is gonna take a few years to pay off. 28 months by current count.”
Read more: https://swizec.com/blog/how-i-got-boned-by-taxes-two-years-in-a-row/swizec/7582
“Meet Isaac Morehouse, founder of the apprenticeship program, the Praxis, built on the belief that college degrees are less valuable than work experience. He tells Tucker how he helps people who don’t go to college with apprenticeships.”
“I met with Manu Prakash from Stanford to talk about 2 of his labs’ inventions the Foldscope and the Paperfuge. Combined these cost only 68 cents and they can be used to diagnose Malaria. Both of these are examples not only of simple, brilliant design, but of how engineering is used to make a positive dent in the world.”
“Girod, a member of the Old Order Amish faith, operated a business in Bath County that made products to be used for a variety of health problems, including skin disorders, sinus infections and cancer, according to court documents. Girod represented himself, arguing that his products weren’t subject to FDA oversight because they were herbal remedies, not drugs. He referred to himself as ‘accused, in error.’ Girod also said that requiring FDA approval of his products infringed on his religious freedom. Old Order Amish seek to insulate themselves from the modern world, including modern pharmaceuticals, he said.”
Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/article135986318.html
“Bob Luddy was tired of trying to convince North Carolina educrats to improve the state’s public schools, so he built his own network of low-cost private schools that the government can’t meddle with.”
“The main factor driving Venezuelans to take up bitcoin mining is a price control put in place by the socialist government: Electricity is virtually free. In Venezuela, the government has turned bitcoin mining into something akin to owning a home mint. Since bitcoin mining is a process, in effect, of converting the value of electricity into currency, Venezuelan miners are engaging in a form of arbitrage: They’re buying an underpriced commodity and turning it into bitcoin to make a profit. The miners have turned socialism against itself.”
http://reason.com/archives/2016/11/28/the-secret-dangerous-world-of
“A California DA says the single mother of six facing prosecution for selling 32 ounces of homemade ceviche is ‘making more of this than it is.’ Mariza Ruelas, 37, made headlines Monday when she claimed to be facing a year in jail for a Facebook-based hobby. Ruelas and five others were busted when San Joaquin County investigators posed as members of the suspects’ Facebook group, where they traded recipes and sometimes sold dishes to each other. One undercover investigator asked to buy some of Ruelas’ homemade ceviche, and she was promptly charged with operating a food facility and business without a license.”
http://www.newser.com/story/233821/mom-facing-ceviche-related-jail-time-is-overreacting-da.html
“Dubbed as ‘the world’s first robot lawyer’ by its 19-year-old creator, London-born second-year Stanford University student Joshua Browder, DoNotPay helps users contest parking tickets in an easy to use chat-like interface. The program first works out whether an appeal is possible through a series of simple questions, such as were there clearly visible parking signs, and then guides users through the appeals process. The results speak for themselves. In the 21 months since the free service was launched in London and now New York, Browder says DoNotPay has taken on 250,000 cases and won 160,000, giving it a success rate of 64% appealing over $4m of parking tickets.”
“A state water agency has proposed one of its largest fines ever — $4.6 million — against a Bay Area man for allegedly damaging an island by transforming it into a luxury sporting enclave for Silicon Valley executives. After purchasing the island in 2011, Sweeney sought to revive a decades-old duck hunting club at the island. He launched a kite-surfing outfit with marketing materials that tout its seclusion and convenience for Silicon Valley and Bay Area executives. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission issued a cease-and-desist order on April 22, concluding that Sweeney and the club violated two state laws.”
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bay-area-island-fine-20160518-snap-story.html