Tag Archives: Sudden Outbreak of Common Sense

Kenyan slums dispense clean drinking water through ATMs

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“The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage company has just opened four ATM-like kiosks that will dispense 20 liters of potable water for just half a Kenya shilling (about half a US penny). That’s 100 times less expensive than what vendors charge for the same amount. Residents simply have to swipe a smart card and put a jug under the spigot, and the access card balances can be refilled either at the kiosk itself or via mobile phone.  The plan is not new — it’s actually been in use in rural Kenya for a while now — but it’s thought to be the first time such a distribution scheme has been tried in an urban city center.”

http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/22/kenyan-slums-dispense-clean-drinking-water-through-atms/

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Italy’s army bringing down the cost of medical marijuana

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“In a heavily-guarded lab in Florence, many hundreds of a new type of marijuana plant are being grown. It’s part of the Italian army’s latest mission, to grow medical grade cannabis for the nation.  General Giocondo Santoni directs the business unit at the military pharmaceutical facility in Florence.  ‘We expect to make this drug available by the end of this year in a quantity of about 100 kilos (220 lbs), which is double the amount that we are currently importing from the Netherlands.’  Italy legalised the use of medical marijuana in 2007, meaning patients suffering from cancer, sclerosis and chronic pain have relied on the plant for relief.  For 25ml of cannabis oil, it can cost more than 400 euros per month.”

http://www.euronews.com/2015/07/29/italy-s-army-bringing-down-the-cost-of-getting-high-on-medical-marijuana/

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Retired General: Drones Create Terrorists; Iraq War Helped Create ISIS

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“Retired Army Gen. Mike Flynn, a top intelligence official in the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, says in a forthcoming interview on Al Jazeera English that the drone war is creating more terrorists than it is killing. He also asserts that the U.S. invasion of Iraq helped create the Islamic State and that U.S. soldiers involved in torturing detainees need to be held legally accountable for their actions. Prior to serving as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Flynn was director of Intelligence for the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/07/16/retired-general-drones-create-terrorists-kill-iraq-war-helped-create-isis/

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Amid economic crisis, Puerto Rico cuts spending by $150 million

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“Puerto Rico’s government says that in recent years it has reduced certain expenditures by nearly $150 million amid a worsening economic crisis.  Budget director Luis Cruz says the cost of contracting for professional services has dropped by more than 55 percent. He says the government of the U.S. territory also has cut contracts related to services purchased by $93 million.  Cruz said late Monday that the government also has moved public offices from private buildings to state-owned locations for nearly $20 million in savings. Puerto Rico is entering its ninth year of recession and is struggling with $72 billion in public debt that Gov. Alejandro García Padilla has said is unpayable.”

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/money/2015/07/22/amid-economic-crisis-puerto-rico-cuts-spending-by-150-million/

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European Court of Justice Official Proposes Bitcoin VAT Exemption

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“Citing existing exemptions for currency and money transactions in Europe’s VAT Directive, Advocate General Juliane Kokott urged the court to opt against applying a tax to bitcoin purchases and sales. She further argued that bitcoin, while not legal tender, is still a form of money.  Swedish tax officials asked the ECJ to look into the matter last June. At the time, the Skatterverket – Sweden’s tax office – challenged a court decision that ruled bitcoin transactions in the country should be exempt from VAT.  The publication of the European Court of Justice’s opinion follows the release of bitcoin VAT exemptions by various EU member states.”

http://www.coindesk.com/european-court-of-justice-official-proposes-bitcoin-vat-exemption/

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Italy to invest $2bn in Iran projects as Tehran gets back to business

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“Italy and Iran have signed a deal which could see investment in Iranian projects worth $2 billion. The agreement aims at reviving trade and economic ties between the countries after Western sanctions against Tehran are removed.  The countries plan joint industrial, construction and infrastructure projects, and have already agreed on expanding commercial transactions and promoting relations. The Italian bodies signed a memorandum of understanding in Tehran with Iran’s economy ministry and central bank.  The parties expect a €3-billion increase in Italian exports to Iran in the next three years, mostly in the mechanical engineering, energy and transport sectors.”

http://www.rt.com/business/311672-italy-iran-investment-relations/

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Iran offers state assets to foreigners in investment drive

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“Iran offered to sell state assets to foreigners, said it would cut the government’s role in the economy and pledged a tight monetary policy as it sought to attract billions of dollars of investment from abroad after over a decade of isolation.  The package was strikingly pro-market – many of the policies would not have been out of place in a centre-right European government. If implemented, they could move Iran’s economy well beyond the tight restrictions and heavy state involvement that followed its 1979 Islamic Revolution.  With a young, well-educated population of just under 80 million and some of the world’s largest energy reserves, Iran looks likely to provide huge investment opportunities.”

 

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/07/24/uk-iran-nuclear-economy-idUKKCN0PY13920150724

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Australian inquiry says digital currencies are real money

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“An Australian government inquiry will recommend treating digital currencies as money, simplifying tax for people who trade with them while forcing bitcoin exchanges to monitor customers for potential money laundering and terrorism financing activities.  The Senate committee recommendations underscore governments’ growing acceptance of the role of so-called ‘cryptocurrencies’ around the world.  If implemented, the changes would align Australia with the United Kingdom and Spain by having people pay sales tax just once if they buy something with bitcoin, while leaving other nations like Sweden to fret over its true legal status. The changes would also match Australia with Canada and Singapore.”

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/05/us-australia-bitcoin-idUSKCN0QA0TS20150805

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Court Rules Warrantless Cell Phone Tracking Violates Fourth Amendment

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“A divided appellate court panel in Richmond, Virginia, ruled on Wednesday that citizens do not give up their privacy rights just because their mobile-phone providers know where to reach them.  The decision is the strongest assertion of the Fourth Amendment rights of mobile phone users out of three appellate court decisions on the matter, setting up a likely Supreme Court hearing. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling rejected the ‘third party doctrine,’ a legal theory that private information held by a company is not protected by the Fourth Amendment’s prohibitions against unreasonable search and seizure.”

https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/08/05/court-rules-warrantless-cell-phone-tracking-violates-fourth-amendment/

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Google Removing Google+ Requirement From Other Products

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“When Google first revealed its answer to social media giants Facebook and Twitter in 2011, it was met largely with a fizzle. With membership in Google Plus far underperforming its goals, Google took a somewhat drastic step: much to the chagrin of users, Google began requiring people to have a Google Plus account to use Google services like YouTube or Google Drive.  Despite immediate backlash from users, Google pressed on with this endeavor for several years. Now, however, Google seems to have finally caved to its users, and will begin to remove Google Plus requirements from its most popular service, YouTube, in the coming months.”

http://www.techzone360.com/topics/techzone/articles/2015/07/28/407356-google-removing-google-plus-requirements.htm

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