America Faces One of the Worst Flu Seasons Ever

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America is set to endure one of the most perilous flu seasons in years – with doctors warning it could be similar to the deadly 2014 outbreak.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the US will be hit by a particular strain of influenza called H3N2, the same strain which has just wreaked havoc in Australia, and was responsible for the four most deadly flu seasons in the last 10 years.

Early assessments suggest the current vaccine – which was produced in spring after scientists made an educated guess at what strain to expect – will be just 10 percent effective.

While some seasons don’t kick off until February, we are already seeing a surge in people hospitalized with influenza-like symptoms – at a rate even faster and earlier than we saw in 2014.

‘I’m anticipating this being a bad flu year,’ infectious diseases specialist Dr Pritish Tosh, of the Mayo Clinic, told Daily Mail Online. (Read more from “America Faces One of the Worst Flu Seasons Ever” HERE)

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The Military Is Using Falcons to Build a Drone Killer

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Throughout history, humans have employed falcons as lethal hunters of other animals. Now those raptors are being sent after drones.

It turns out that many of the skills feathered predators use to find a tasty lunch can be applied to the developing field of drone defense. A U.S. Air Force-funded study by zoology researchers at Oxford University suggests that the means by which a peregrine falcon tracks its quarry could be effective in defending against drones that threaten troops, police or airports.

The researchers fitted the falcons with miniature video cameras and GPS receivers to track their angle and method of attack on other birds, or on bait being towed through the air by a drone. In a paper published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S., the falcons’ approach to intercepting its target aligned closely with the rules of proportional navigation, a guidance system used by visually-directed missiles.

The principle is such that a missile—or a falcon on the hunt—will reach a target as long as its line-of-sight remains unobstructed while it closes in. The earliest AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking missiles, dating to the 1950s, used this technique with a rotating mirror to “see” the target.

A key difference, however, is that falcons adjust their angle of attack to compensate for their slower speeds—which is where drones come in. The work, the researchers suggested, could be applied to the development of small, visually-guided drones that can disable other drones. (Read more from “The Military Is Using Falcons to Build a Drone Killer” HERE)

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How the Law Responds When Emoji Are the Weapon of Choice

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Nearly everyone is familiar with emoji, those popular icons that appear in text messages, emails and social media platforms. Emoji are often used as lighthearted adjuncts to text, or to soften the blow of a message . . .

Perhaps the most troubling use of emoji has come through their use in interpersonal messages where it is unclear whether they modify or amplify a prima facie criminal threat.

In New Zealand, a judge considered the role of emoji in a Facebook message sent by a man to his ex-partner. The man wrote, “you’re going to get it” followed by an aeroplane emoji.

Concluding that the message and emoji generally conveyed that the defendant was “coming to get” his ex-partner, the judge sentenced the accused to 8 months jail on a charge of stalking . . .

The issue has also arisen in several cases in the US. In Virginia in 2015 a high school student was charged with computer harassment and threatening school staff. She had posted several messages to her Instagram account, combining text with emoji (a gun, a knife and a bomb). (Read more from “How the Law Responds When Emoji Are the Weapon of Choice” HERE)

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Inside China’s Big Tech Conference, New Ways to Track Citizens

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An artificial intelligence company touted a robot that could help doctors with diagnoses. A start-up displayed a drone designed to carry a single passenger 60 miles per hour.

And in a demonstration worthy of both wonder and worry, a Chinese facial recognition company showed how its technology could quickly identify and describe people.

If there were any doubts about China’s technological prowess, the presentations made this week at the country’s largest tech conference should put them to rest. The event, once a setting for local tech executives and leaders of impoverished states, this year attracted top American executives like Tim Cook of Apple and Sundar Pichai of Google, as well as executives of Chinese giants like Jack Ma of Alibaba and Pony Ma of Tencent.

Yet all the advancements exhibited at the event, the World Internet Conference, in the picturesque eastern Chinese city of Wuzhen, also offered reason for caution. The technology enabling a full techno-police state was on hand, giving a glimpse into how new advances in things like artificial intelligence and facial recognition can be used to track citizens — and how they have become widely accepted here. (Read more from “Inside China’s Big Tech Conference, New Ways to Track Citizens” HERE)

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Angel or Devil: Hillary Now a Christmas Tree Topper

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For those still traumatized by the 2016 election, “Resistmas” is the alternative celebration this first Christmas of the Donald Trump era, and it comes complete with a $900 Christmas tree topper featuring runner-up Hillary Clinton.

The newly released ornament, made by U.K.-based nonprofit Women to Look Up To, is one of a trio of “bada– women” honored by the organization in 2017. The other two, tennis player Serena Williams and entertainer Beyoncé, were offered earlier, but, according to the company, the third – Hillary Clinton – was chosen based on a popular vote by visitors to the website.

Not exactly Mount Rushmore, but at least an election Hillary could finally win.

“Every Christmas we place a ‘topper’ […] made of no more than plastic and glitter on top of trees. For many, she has lost her meaning, which is why Women To Look Up To have created a range of modern female role models to place on top instead,” reads the website.

“In 2017 make your Christmas tree angel-fairy topper an inspiring kicka– woman worthy of wings and celebration – a Serena, a Beyoncé or a woman voted for by you. (Read more from “Angel or Devil: Hillary Now a Christmas Tree Topper” HERE)

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Arpaio Malicious-Prosecution Lawsuit Goes to Trial

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Former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio was unable to cite any evidence on the witness stand Wednesday to back up his now-dismissed animal cruelty case against one of U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake’s sons in the 2014 deaths of 21 dogs.

The former six-term sheriff of metro Phoenix told jurors he felt his detectives had gathered the proper evidence to recommend charges after the dogs died of heat exhaustion. He repeatedly declined to explain his confidence in the investigation into Austin Flake and his then-wife Logan Brown, who were caring for the animals at a kennel operated by Brown’s parents . . .

The case against the Flakes was dismissed at the request of prosecutors, and the owners of the kennel pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges after an expert determined the facility’s air conditioner failed because the operators didn’t properly maintain it. (Read more from “Arpaio Malicious-Prosecution Lawsuit Goes to Trial” HERE)

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Trump Impeachment Vote Fails Miserably

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House Democrats overwhelmingly joined Republicans on Wednesday to defeat an attempt to impeach President Donald Trump. But 58 Democrats supported the bid to consider impeachment over the objections of House Democratic leaders, who viewed the measure as a distraction in a Republican-controlled Congress.

The motion to sideline the measure — killing the effort — was approved 364-58, with four Democrats voting present.

The vote was forced by Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), who introduced articles of impeachment describing Trump as a bigot who incites hate and has demeaned the presidency.

“Donald John Trump, by causing such harm to the society of the United States is unfit to be president and warrants impeachment, trial and removal from office,” Green said on the House floor as he introduced the articles.

But Green, a seven-term, Houston-area lawmaker, said his conscience compelled him to push forward with the measure, even though he acknowledged he was unlikely to succeed. (Read more from “Trump Impeachment Vote Fails Miserably” HERE)

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Ex-CIA: Trump Should Just Pardon Everyone

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A former CIA analyst who now advises from his post as senior vice president for policy and programs at the Center for Security Policy says the “Russian investigation” is just a bunch of fabrications – and President Donald Trump should just pardon anyone involved and be done with it.

Fred Fleitz appeared on Fox News this week to explain his inside-the-Beltway take on the so-called Russian “dossier” about Donald Trump, Robert Mueller’s agenda and more.

“The Democrats paid for this dossier, the purpose of which was to set off an FBI investigation,” he explained. “The Trump campaign is made up of outsiders. They’re likely to get caught up in this investigation. After all, when Michael Flynn talked to the FBI, he didn’t have an attorney with him,” he said.

“These last-minute policy decisions by the Obama administration to sanction the Russians? I think it was bait,” he continued, citing Obama’s bottom-of-the-ninth decisions to act against Russia, just as the Trump administration was preparing to take over.

“It was bait to get Trump officials to do something. I think they were being monitored by intelligence agencies. They were looking for evidence to get the Trump transition team with, because I think this was all a trap by the Democrats. If this can be established, I think President Trump should pardon everyone, and I think that’s what Republicans on the Hill should be calling for,” he said. (Read more from “Ex-CIA: Trump Should Just Pardon Everyone” HERE)

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Chinese Air Force Holds Drills Near Korean Peninsula

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China’s air force recently staged drills involving various aircraft through “routes and areas it has never flown before” over the Yellow and East seas near the Korean peninsula.

Air force spokesman Shen Jinke made the announcement at an airport in northern China on Monday – the same day the United States and South Korea began their biggest joint air force exercise, and days after Pyongyang launched its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile to date.

Without specifying the date or exact location of the drills, Shen said warplanes had ventured into unknown areas, adding that this kind of training would become a regular feature as the air force worked to strengthen its capabilities so that it was ready to safeguard China’s strategic interests.

The exercise involved aircraft including reconnaissance planes, fighter jets, an early warning and control aircraft, and a joint operation with surface-to-air missile units, he said.

Beijing-based military expert Li Jie said the drills were intended to show that the People’s Liberation Army Air Force was making strides in joint operations, which are an important part of modern warfare. (Read more from “Chinese Air Force Holds Drills Near Korean Peninsula” HERE)

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Bill and Hillary Clinton Were Weinstein’s ‘Celebrity Shields’

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By Robert Donachie. Former President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton were key players in a Democratic cover-up of former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault, The New York Times detailed in an exclusive report Tuesday.

Two prominent women in media told TheNYT that they personally warned Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2016 that Weinstein was a known sexual assaulter and that it was highly unwise to be so closely connected with him.

“I just want you to let you know that Harvey’s a rapist and this is going to come out at some point,” actress and writer Lena Dunham reports telling Kristina Schake, the Clinton campaign’s deputy communications director, in 2016. “I think it’s a really bad idea for him to host fund-raisers and be involved because it’s an open secret in Hollywood that he has a problem with sexual assault.”

Dunham says the Clinton staffer appeared to be shocked at her statement and told her she would immediately report it to Clinton Campaign Manager Robby Mook.

Mook told TheNYT that he was never warned about Weinstein. (Read more from “Bill and Hillary Clinton Were Weinstein’s ‘Celebrity Shields'” HERE)

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Actress Says She Warned Clinton Campaign About Harvey Weinstein

By Fox News. Actress Lena Dunham said she warned Hillary Clinton’s campaign about disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and was uncomfortable with his presence during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to a report out Tuesday.

The “Girls” star told The New York Times that she heard stories about Weinstein from other actresses who claimed they had troubling interactions with him, so in March of 2016 she warned Clinton campaign deputy communications manager Kristina Schake about him.

“I just want you to let you know that Harvey’s a rapist and this is going to come out at some point,” Dunham said she told the campaign. “I think it’s a really bad idea for him to host fund-raisers and be involved because it’s an open secret in Hollywood that he has a problem with sexual assault.”

Dunham, who said she has “an incredible allegiance to Hillary,” claimed Schake told her she’d relay the message to campaign manager Robby Mook, but that she was surprised at the warning.

The controversial actress said she also told another Clinton campaign member, spokeswoman Adrienne Elrod, about Weinstein. Dunham said “the campaign had not responded to her concerns” about the disgraced megaproducer, who’s been accused of sexually assaulting or harassing more than 100 women. (Read more from “Actress Says She Warned Clinton Campaign About Harvey Weinstein” HERE)

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