BeeTrends

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/when-a-mother-bought-her-child-a-toy-she-never-expected-to-find-this/

When A Mother Bought Her Child A Toy, She Never Expected To Find This.

A 2-year-old girl in Dayton, Ohio, may be scared for life after receiving a toy from her mother that wasn”t quite what it appeared to be.

Nicole Allen purchased a toy wand for her daughter at a local dollar store, thinking she would enjoy it. She wasn”t wrong in thinking so. The wand looked innocent enough. It was a made of pink plastic, and came in bright purple packaging. What could be wrong with that? Well….

Here is the toy in its original packaging. Looks simple enough, right? Well, it turns out that the silver foil peels back to reveal something terrifying.

What the…? What the heck is that?

Oh, it”s just a picture of a demonic girl, cutting her wrist with a knife. Who the heck would put that in a toy wand?!

Allen went back to the store after her daughter found this. It turns out the toy is called an “EvilStick,” so I guess it kind of makes sense.

But talk about misleading packaging. Who would expect to find that on what appears to be a children”s toy? It even says it plays music! Something weird is going on here.

H/T: Gawker

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/what-women-used-to-do-in-the-name-of-beauty-is-downright-shocking-even-today-2/

What Women Used To Do In The Name Of Beauty Is Downright Shocking, Even Today

Many vintage inventions, fads, and medicines look fairly creepy from the our vantage point in 2015. However, one surprisingly creepy aspect of life back then stands out: beauty procedures and products.

Women in the 1930s and 40s were just as concerned about their appearance as today. The only difference these days is the technology. These 14 pictures highlight some of the creepiest procedures that women put themselves through, all in the name of beauty.

1. Those are some powerful-looking blowdryers.

2. This woman is undergoing a permanent hair procedure in 1929 Germany.

3. This crazy-looking head gear was invented by Max Factor in 1930. Its purpose was to aid in the correct application of makeup.

4. Before there was sunscreen there was the “Freckleproof Cape.” The cape was worn to protect against the sun”s rays. Some models even had built in sunglasses like the one pictured below.

5. If you visited a “slendering salon” in the 1940s, you might have come across a chair like this. It massaged your legs and supposedly promoted weight loss.

6. This is a procedure from the 1930s where doctors attempted to freeze off freckles using carbon dioxide. The patient”s eyes were covered and their nose was plugged for their protection. They had to breathe through a tube.

7. Those are suction cups. This procedure promised to literally suck out skin spots.

8. I”m not even sure what”s going on here, but it”s terrifying.

9. Supposedly, this horrifying mask from the 1940s was used to heat the face as a way of improving circulation and making the skin look younger.

10. During the 1920s, it was thought that wearing rubber “beauty masks,” would smooth out wrinkles. They look like something else entirely though…

11. Prior to World War II, many women would spend hours in machines like this having their hair curled.

12. Also invented by Max Factor, this woman is wearing a “Hangover Heaven” face pack. As you might imagine, it was popular with Hollywood stars in the 1940s. The plastic ice cubes on the front could be filled with water and frozen.

13. I don”t think anyone knows what the point of a fruit mask was, but it certainly makes for a shocking photo.

14. The woman in this photo is wearing a so-called “Glamour Bonnet.” The bonnet promised to give users a rosy, glowing complexion. It did this by lowering atmospheric pressure around the head to alpine conditions. Something about that doesn”t sound safe.

(source: Imgur)

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/photos-from-the-rosetta-and-philae-probe-show-the-alien-terrain-of-comet-67p/

Photos From The Rosetta And Philae Probe Show The Alien Terrain Of Comet 67P

History was made on November 12, 2014, when the European Space Agency”s Philae probe made a successful touchdown on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, sometimes affectionately known as “Chury.” The precise calculations and the size, speed and distance of the comet made the landing an incredible feat, and it will be remembered as the first controlled landing on a comet nucleus. For ten years prior to this, Philae“s mothership, the Rosetta, has been tailing the comet as it made its orbit around the sun and inner solar system.

Philae has been transmitting panoramic pictures back to Earth since landing, giving us a glimpse of what it”s like on a comet as it hurtles through space, providing researchers with the most complete, in-depth study of a comet they”ve had yet. As the comet continues in its orbit, Philae will stay on it, so we”ll also be able to look into the void of open space.

Philae”s photos, shot in stark black and white, show the landscape of the Comet 67P from the ground, where it looks like a small, arid island in the vast dark ocean of space. Beyond the horizon, distant stars glimmer. The comet, like space itself, is solid black, meaning that to us, it would be barely visible against the blackness of space. The ESA describes it as “blacker than coal,” and thus the photos you see here have been enhanced with a grayscale to make the comet”s features visible.

The comet from the perspective of Rosetta. Like most comets, it”s composed of ice, dust and rocks, which lend it an irregular shape with spire-like protrusions.

The comet as seen from the Rosetta“s NAVCAM. This is taken from about 40km away. The comet is roughly the height of Mt. Fuji on Earth.

This is the parting shot from Rosetta after the Philae probe detached and began towards the comet.

Philae, seen here as a tiny dot circled in red, descents to the comet”s surface.

A view of the landing process taken from Philae“s downward-facing ROLIS camera. The ROLIS captured images of the probe”s descent onto the comet”s surface, and, now that the probe has landed, it will serve as a multispectral close-up camera.

The lander Philae on the surface of the comet.

The comet”s surface is varied, and overlooks the emptiness of space.

Comet 67P”s sandy surface. The photos, which are taken in black and white, have been grayscaled to make the features more easily visible.

The comet has a varied terrain of cliffs, dunes and jagged rocks.

Rosetta“s OSIRIS camera spots Philae as it travels across the comet”s surface. These were taken about 15.5 km from the surface. In the insets, you can see Philae doing an (unintentional) flip.

Comet 67P/CG will come to perihelion–that is, closest to the sun–next August, where it will be visible from Earth”s northern hemisphere. In the meantime, you can see more images of the comet on the ESA”s Flickr profile.

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/jail-for-sharing-your-netflix-password-understanding-the-law-that-could-make-it-a-federal-crime/

Jail for sharing your Netflix password? Understanding the law that could make it a federal crime

It’s become so common that it’s almost a joke. One person has a Netflix account and three other people are using it. A recent court ruling found that because of a law called the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), using someone else’s password could be considered a federal crime with an extremely harsh punishment. Someone who violates the CFAA can face decades in prison and large fines.

“The CFAA was intended to be an anti-hacking statute. It should be targeting the circumvention of technological access barriers — people breaking into computers — and the law is so vague and so confusing that it’s gone really far beyond that,” Jamie Lee Williams, a legal fellow for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told Salon.

The case is called United States v. Nosal. David Nosal was a former recruiter with an executive search firm when he at one point decided to use a former coworker’s password to get into the firm’s database. That might seem innocent enough, but the prosecution is using the CFAA to allege that Nosal’s use of the password was unauthorized and thus a crime. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit found it was indeed a violation of the CFAA.

Judge Margaret McKeown of the ninth circuit argued that this case is not about sharing password for common services like Netflix, and that it’s simply about an employee “accessing trade secrets” through a “back door.” However, the reasoning used in the case was broad and could affect common password sharing.

“Their reasoning was so broad that it would criminalize any type of use of someone else’s password, even with their permission, so long as you didn’t have the computer’s owner’s permission,” Williams said. The “computer owner” in the hypothetical case would be Netflix, as it owns the computer systems running the website.

Another case dealing with the CFAA received a ruling last week, and it only added to the confusion around the law. A case called Facebook v. Vachani dealt with a company called Power Ventures that was having people give it their Facebook username and password so their timeline could be integrated into its social media aggregating service.

Facebook attempted to stop this practice by issuing a cease and desist letter to Power Ventures, and a lawsuit against Power Ventures arose when it was not stopped. The ruling in that case showed a third party may be able to legally use someone else’s password if they’re authorized, but it also said that authorization can be revoked. Exactly how it is supposed be revoked remains a mystery. How the CFAA is meant to work continues to get more confusing.

The CFAA received much scrutiny and attention when it was used against Aaron Swartz, the person who helped create the RSS feed, co-founded Reddit and did so much more. Swartz was charged under the CFAA when it was discovered he was using a program to download millions of academic journals from the JSTOR database. Facing a felony, crippling court expenses and much more, Swartz committed suicide before his case was over. He was 26 years old.

A piece of legislation called “Aaron’s Law” attempted to curb some of the issues with the CFAA, but it has received little attention and hasn’t gone anywhere in Congress. Swartz’s death remains a tragic reminder of how lives can be destroyed by misinterpreted laws.

It is clear to many who advocate for Internet freedoms that the CFAA needs to be reformed. Besides password sharing, someone can be charged under the law for violating a website’s terms of service in various other ways or for numerous other innocuous actions.

Williams said we need a reform that makes the CFAA about stopping hackers, not criminalizing standard behavior. “We may need reform that specifically says that password sharing is not a crime…; to be more clear about what is unauthorized access,” she said.

Until the CFAA is reformed, contradictory court rulings will likely continue to be put out in the world, and people who probably shouldn’t be considered criminals may face draconian prison sentences.

“We are at the whim of prosecutors to decide whether to bring a CFAA case,” Williams said. “It doesn’t matter if the prosecutor has promised to use the law responsibly, that’s not a reason for adopting an overly broad interpretation of a statute. We need to interpret our laws clearly to give people notice of what is and is not criminal.”

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/if-you-saw-this-on-the-street-at-night-youd-run-the-other-way-and-never-forget-it-omg/

If You Saw This On The Street At Night, You'd Run The Other Way And Never Forget It. OMG.

There are lots of talented artists in the world that no one knows the name of. Many of said artists take to the streets, showing the world just what they can do by leaving anonymous pieces scattered throughout cities. Some of this art can be beautiful. Some can be clever. And some can be so terrifying that you”ll lose a week”s worth of sleep if you came across this graffiti at night. Seriously, if we saw this on the street at night, we”d turn around.

1.) This skeletal dog/baby won”t let me sleep.

2.) Once you see it, you”ll never un-see it.

3.) I really hope not…

4.) I”m not even sure what makes this so terrifying.

5.) It”s judgment day.

6.) Save the children.

7.) Hold onto your soul for this one…

8.) I”ll never feel safe again.

9.) The mask just makes it worse…

10.) This was found in an abandoned hospital.

11.) Nooooo, pleaaaaase.

12.) I love it, but I fear it. Woah.

13.) There”s just something so wrong about this…

14.) Bad Felix…

15.) All of its eyes are watching you.

16.) You made him cry.

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/ill-have-to-leave-every-light-on-tonight-because-of-these-creepy-stories-2/

I'll Have To Leave Every Light On Tonight Because Of These Creepy Stories!

Lots of terribly creepy stories circulate through society around Halloween. People love to feel frightened, even if they know the tales about ghosts and ghouls aren”t true…

But these campfire stories aren”t just fiction. Each have a ring of truth to them. Although we can”t prove that these certainly took place, read them for yourself.

…and leave the light on tonight.

1. The Ourang Medan

In February 1948, several ships near Indonesia picked up distress calls from the Dutch freighter, SS Ourang Medan. In broken, accented English, a man stated, “All officers including captain are dead lying in chartroom and bridge. Possibly whole crew dead.” Indecipherable Morse code followed the message, then one final grisly message: “I die.” When search parties boarded, they found all crew and officers of the Ourang Medan dead, their eyes open, faces looking towards the sun, arms outstretched, and a look of terror on their faces. Even the ship”s dog was dead. The bodies appeared unharmed. The ship suddenly caught fire and sunk, erasing all evidence of its existence.

2. Deadliest Phone Number

First issued in Bulgaria in 2000, every person who had the cell phone number 0888-888-888 has died in a terrible manner. In fact, it claimed the lives of at least 3 people; one by a sudden onset of cancer and two others in a hail of bullets. The number was suspended indefinitely in 2007.

3. The Man in the Mask

The book and movie The Man in the Iron Mask was based on an actual person. In 1669, King Louis XIV sent a man to the Fortress of Pignerol who was neither charged, tried, or convicted of any crime. He had to wear a mask of velvet and whalebone. He was even assigned a special guard to make sure he was not seen, heard, or recognized. After moving to several prisons, the masked man died in 1703, with no one but the king of France knowing who he was or why he was incarcerated.

4. Abe Lincoln”s Dream

Just before he was shot, Abraham Lincoln told several members of his cabinet, as well as his wife, Mary, about a dream he had. In his dream, Lincoln saw a soldier standing by a casket and heard people weeping. “Who is dead in the White House?” Lincoln asked a soldier in his dream. “The President,” he was told.

5. Devilish Twin

Edward Mordrake, a handsome and talented man, was born with another face on the back of his head…a girl”s. Although it couldn”t eat or speak, the face”s eyes moved independently from Mordrake and could even laugh and cry. Edward begged to have his “devil twin” removed, but no doctor would attempt it. He committed suicide at the age of 23.

6. The Missing Brother

On September 20, 1885, a man received a letter from his dead brother of 13 years. The letter informed him that he was mentally ill and still alive. The handwriting on the letter matched his brother”s, so he had his coffin exhumed, only to find it empty. Although the letter said that the brother planned to visit, he never came, and no further communication was ever received.

7. Curse of the Mongul Tomb

On June 21, 1941, Soviet archaeologists opened the tomb and removed the skull of a Great Mongol Khan named Timur. They did this despite warnings by the locals that disrupting the tomb would lead to a great war. The next day was when Operation Barbarossa happened, and was the longest and most brutal invasion carried out during WWII. Hundreds of thousands died within the first weeks.

8. Bloody Stains

Students at Sydney”s Riverwood Primary School returned from summer break to find 1.5 liters of unexplained blood in the school playhouse. For an adult, 1.5 liters is about 30 percent of total blood volume. DNA tests so far only tell us that it belonged to a human male and the DNA doesn”t match anyone in the database. No explanation was ever discovered for the blood.

9. Undeveloped Film

In 1997, Rita Swift found an undeveloped roll of film while looking through a guest room”s cedar chest. The note attached stated “Taken in our backyard, 1969.” The first 16 photos were quite typical, but #17 through 19 showed what pictures from another time. The camera was a Brownie Hawkeye 20, and the images were shot hot using 620 black and white film. However, the last three photos look like they were taken with a pinhole camera and depict several people dressed in mid-1800s Native American garb. The first photo is a close-up of three men dancing in a body of water. The second shows a large animal, like a cow or an ox, and several people surrounding it. The third is of a large fire and a large group of people dancing in a circle.

10. Possessed Limbs

Since childhood, George Boyer “wanted to be one-legged.” Therapists convinced him that this desire was irrational, but at the age of 68, his bizarre desire became too urgent to ignore any longer. He planned the amputation, and when the big day arrived, he sat down in his backyard, stuck his leg out, and pulled the trigger. The shot only partially severed the limb. With blood spurting everywhere, he had to struggle to fasten a tourniquet to his shattered leg, then call for an ambulance. After making it to the hospital alive, the Florida man had to persuade his doctors to amputate the leg rather than save it. After 12 days, they agreed to remove it…and the one-legged George lived happily ever after.

11. Edgar Allen Poe”s Story

In Edgar Allan Poe”s 1838 story, “The Narrative Of Arthur Gordon Pym Of Nantucket,” three starving shipwreck survivors murder and consume their companion, Richard Parker. In 1884, three real-life shipwrecked sailors were tried for the murder of the fourth sailor. His name was also Richard Parker, and he was also eaten.

12. She Lives In The Walls

A 57-year-old man in Japan set up security cameras inside his house after realizing that some of his items and food were missing. He watched the video one day later and saw a small woman sneak out of a bedroom cupboard. She ate his food, stole some money, and even took a shower. Before dawn, she disappeared into the cupboard again. Thinking her to be a one time thief, the man called the police to report her. After a thorough search though, the police discovered the woman still hiding in the cupboard. She had reportedly lived in it for over a year without the elderly man being aware.

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/there-was-a-mass-death-of-fish-in-one-russian-lake-and-nobody-is-sure-why/

There Was A Mass Death Of Fish In One Russian Lake, And Nobody Is Sure Why

Now that it”s spring, we can all look forward to a little dip in the water to beat the heat. But one lake village in Siberia isn”t so keen to dive in, and with good reason. Judging by the thousands of dead fish that have washed ashore, the water is not fine.

The people of Tulagino, located on the shores of Lake Khatyng in the coldest region of Russia, are appropriately troubled by this mass death of carp and grouper…especially because nobody seems to know why it happened.

One theory about the dead fish is that they were killed by the recent removal of ice in rivers that feed into the lake. The ice was destroyed with dynamite to eliminate flooding in nearby towns. Local government officials deny that this is the cause.

One village official thinks the fish died due to a lack of oxygen under the lake”s thick sheet of ice. That, paired with temperatures as low as -58 degrees Fahrenheit, feels like a recipe for disaster.

Others are worried that something has contaminated the water. Villagers are demanding that tests be conducted to make sure the water is not poisoned.

The most suspicious thing about all this is that the Emergencies Ministry of the area hardly believes the fish he sees in the pictures are real. But who would fake something like that, and why? Is the Ministry trying to cover something up?

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/i-thought-paris-was-the-city-of-lights-not-the-city-of-being-really-creepy-2/

I Thought Paris Was the City of Lights, Not the City of Being Really Creepy.

Paris is known as the city of lights, but what would it look like if it was the city of creepy? The French language website Golem13 decided to find out. They superimposed characters from famous horror and monster movies over iconic pictures of Paris. The result is actually creepier than you might think. Just wait until you see #7…that would freak me the heck out.

1. Spider at the Place des Vosges.

2. Aliens in the Paris metro.

3. Jason from Friday the 13th at Temple Square.

4. Chucky is waiting for you on the playground.

5. The Evil Dead at Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle.

6. It is watching you.

7. The Ring. Creepy.

8. The Shining at Galerie de Montpensier, Palais Royal.

9. Michael Myers from Halloween at Quai des Grands Augustins.

10. The Loch Ness Monster swimming in the Seine River.

11. The Blair Witch Project.

12. The eggs from Aliens outside of the Louvre.

13. The Exorcist.

Via: Design Taxi

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/50-fall-projects-you-will-love/

50 Fall Projects You Will Love

I cannot possibly tell you how much I love fall; it is my favorite season and words cant do it justice. The weather, the recipes, the crafts…theyre all so wonderful! The people of Tried & True feel the same and have come up with the best collection of fall DIYs ever. I am so happy that the blustery season is upon us!

Heres the link to Tried & Trues full article: Tried & True: 50 Fall Projects You Will Love

Do you feel that? The sigh of relief is happening almost everywhere where the leaves are slowly changing and the air is just a little bit more crisp. There is a promise of hot cocoa, delicious pumpkin flavored everything and cozy times with your family. This is when you know that fall is here, and with it comes all of the exciting fall craft ideas that will give you a new chance to enjoy your favorite season.

These days, since do it yourself projects are all the rage, if you havent already tried a DIY project, then here is your chance to begin! They are exciting, and satisfying to work on, because you can enjoy the end result and know that you did it yourself. At the beginning of any project there might be a feeling of anxiety, a doubt in yourself, but there is also a brilliant excitement that just zings through your chest at the thought of making something beautiful.

Fall Treats

You can make the scrumptious fall treats that you long to buy at the special trade stores during fall months. Here are a list of amazing treats that you can try your own hand at making for the whole family to enjoy.

-Cinnamon Sugared Biscuit Donuts -These are simple and easy to make. The best type of treat to make with your little ones. -Dutch Apple Pie-Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Falls Hot Beverages

When you think of being warm and cozy, one of the best ways to prepare is to make the kinds of hot beverage that everyone loves. Here are a few examples that will make anyone happy to be your guest.

-Starbucks Inspired Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte an all time favorite for many people who are crazy about pumpkin. -Cinnamon Hot Chocolate -Spiced Apple Cider

Fall Crafts

Spice Up Your House!There are a lot of fall craft ideas that you can use throughout the whole year, but they can be especially cute during the fall months.

-Autumn DIY Chalkboard Art this kind of art can be utilized all year, but it works especially well for the cute sayings about fall. -Acorn Bird Feeder -Fall Leaf Art

No matter what kind of do it yourself projects that you decide to work on it is always a good idea to include your family members. This is a great way to maintain your closeness through the whole year, because fall is also the time that children go back to school. During these back to school months your family can so easily start to drift apart, because everyone is so busy with the new things in their life. Use these fall craft ideas to draw the individuals in your family close. Everyone will really enjoy the delicious treats and the craft time together.

If you are someone that has always been a little bit apprehensive about working on crafts, then this is your chance to kick that habit in the mud! If you love the idea of making your own goodies to share by the fire, your own crafts to hang on the porch or in your foyer, then take a look at these ideas and create one of your very own. You do not have to buy the expensive crafts at your local shop any longer. Allow yourself to create the perfect decorations that will fill your home with joy and happiness!

Additional Resources: Looking for more fall craft ideas? Dont miss this article by Activity Village and also this one from All Kids Craft Network.

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/an-open-letter-to-the-commission-on-presidential-debates-bring-on-instant-replay/

An open letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates: Bring on instant replay!

Dear Mr. Frank Fahrenkopf and Mr. Michael McCurry:

As you gentlemen undoubtedly know, Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season concluded with its usual and unusual fanfare: roaring crowds, jammed parking lots, overserved fans, heartfelt renditions of “The Star Spangled Banner” (with some players kneeling, others raising their fists and an entire team locking arms) and several exciting games decided by just one point.

While each contest this past weekend had its own series of questionable plays, viewers were at least assured a baseline sense of accuracy and “truth” in the outcome. That’s because there’s a system in place to examine and confirm every score, turnover or controversial play. The NFL has tweaked its instant-replay rules over the years in an effort to offer a sense of transparency to fans, casual fantasy players and big-time bettors following the action in Vegas. Although there probably always will be some plays that will generate partisan debate, the NFL has basically brought “fact-checking” into its games through the use of instant replay.

Doesn’t the most important contest in the country deserve the same treatment? After working in Silicon Valley for the past decade, I have learned that digital technology can take democracy to a new level. Today facts, videos, photos and public documents are all readily available online for anyone to see. When presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump appeared on last week’s prime-time forum with NBC’s Matt Lauer, America’s collective BS detector started to sound — loudly.

Almost immediately, the electorate and the media began to question whether the moderators of the upcoming presidential debates can hold the candidates to a basic standard of truth.

Therefore, since the future of our country and the world is at stake, I propose that the Commission on Presidential Debates change course and reform a clearly antiquated debate system and bring it into the information age. Specifically, I urge you, as heads of the commission, to leverage the technology built in this country by immigrants and the children of immigrants to perform real-time fact-checking on stage during the debates.

Here is my proposal: During the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, the moderator, NBC’s Lester Holt, should go about his business as usual, sitting in front of the candidates and posing questions — but be joined by a team of fact-checkers from Factcheck.org, a project run by the nonpartisan Annenberg Public Policy Center (itself part of Donald Trump’s alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania). Just like in professional football games, each side would be given two challenges. The candidates could then use them over the course of the 90-minute debate. If one heard a “lie” during the other’s response, he or she could press a button that would illuminate a red light at his or her podium. Once the other side finished its response, the moderator would allow the candidate who “threw the red flag” to explicitly challenge the statement at issue.

Members of the fact-check team would then go to work to determine the veracity of the answer and relay their findings to the moderator. If the challenger were to be correct, then he or she would still have two challenges and the candidate whose statement was found false, well, would be shown to be a liar in front of the whole country. If, however, the challenge were to be unfounded — and the speaker’s statement is determined to be factually sound — then the challenger would lose one of his or her challenges and be shown as ill-informed.

The candidates wouldn’t be the only ones who could issue a challenge, however. Just like how the NFL automatically reviews plays during the last two minutes of a half, the debate moderator and the fact-checkers could weigh in on any possible mistruths after the closing remarks and make the call without a candidate’s being able to respond.

So careful what you say, Mr. Trump and Secretary Clinton, because under this scenario you would not have the final word — the truth would.

Although it’s no game-show gimmick, this new format would make for riveting political theater and has the potential to bring in more than the 100 million expected debate viewers. Most important, though, those who tune in could expect to hear verifiable facts, even if only on a few nights.

I have bounced this idea off a few colleagues and business leaders and their response has been the same: They love it but it would take way too long! This seemed to be a fair point, so I decided to test it. I took the subject of immigration and the proposed Great Wall of Mexico. I wanted to see what each candidate’s record or position was on securing America’s southern border.

Trump has changed and restated his proposed policy of deporting 11 million immigrants in dizzying fashion. During his Fox News discussion with Sean Hannity, his proposal to grant amnesty came back on the table. Yet during his speech days later in Phoenix, it wasn’t.

Sourcing these facts required mere microseconds in a YouTube search. It took me 0.75 seconds to find on Google what Secretary Clinton had said during her acceptance speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention: “We will not build a wall.” A second search that took another 0.54 seconds, however, turned up a Senate roll call vote on Sept. 29, 2006, when then-Senator Clinton voted for what is known as the Secure Fence Act of 2006. This bill authorized the allocation of $7 billion to build and fortify a 700-mile fence across all of Arizona’s border with Mexico, as well parts of those of California, New Mexico and Texas. So basically, this fact-check took about 1.2 seconds of searching and a few more seconds of reading.

Given what happened last week at the Commander in Chief Forum hosted by NBC News (my former employer) in front of a live audience of veterans and families of veterans, I decided to focus on the much-scrutinized topics of email servers and Iraq. Secretary Clinton’s assertion that she took her use of the private email server “very seriously” and “did exactly what I should have done” stood somewhat in contradiction to what FBI Director Comey said on July 5, when he clearly observed about Clinton’s staffers, “There is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.” In other words, if challenged, Secretary Clinton would have lost this round of fact-checking.

Trump has claimed that he was against the 2003 invasion of Iraq from the very beginning. In this case, I consulted Factcheck.org, which described a Sept. 11, 2002 appearance by Trump on “The Howard Stern Show” when the host asked Trump if he supported a war with Iraq, and Trump responded, “Yeah, I guess so.” The YouTube video of this segment is like the replay that clearly shows that the ball came out before the knee touched the ground — it doesn’t lie.

Working in media and technology, as we do here at Salon, I fully recognize that this concept, like any innovative idea, needs beta-testing. A director at Factcheck.org told me, “Holding candidates accountable for making false statements is an admirable goal, but live fact-checking is a dangerous thing to do.” He cautioned, “I would be wary of it and, in general, use it only if the statement in dispute already has been thoroughly researched and proven clearly false.”

That’s a high bar, of course, and perhaps that’s just as well. The 2016 debates are only a couple of weeks away and we have some more work to do to get this concept ready for primetime. But an interim step could be taken immediately. Both CNN and MSNBC have begun using a fact-check crawl at the bottom of the screen during their coverage of speeches.

This is a great first step, one we would like to see the commission mandate for all the networks carrying the debates, so that the viewing public could see the record set straight in real time. I am not naive enough to think that these actions would stop the deceptive remarks, but it would certainly make the candidates think twice about it — for once.

Best regards,

Jordan Hoffner,

CEO of Salon Media

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/bill-clinton-charms-the-dnc-with-story-of-hillarys-life-long-commitment-to-social-change/

Bill Clinton charms the DNC with story of Hillary's life-long commitment to social change

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Taking on the role of devoted political spouse, former President Bill Clinton declared his wife Hillary Clinton an impassioned “change-maker,” serving as character witness for her on the night she triumphantly became the first woman nominated for president.

“She’s been worth every single year she’s put into making people’s lives better,” he said of his partner of more than 40 years and the Democratic Party’s new standard-bearer in the race for the White House.

For a man more accustomed to delivering policy-packed stem-winders, Clinton’s deeply personal address underscored the historic night for Democrats, and the nation. If she wins in November, the Clintons would also be the first married couple to each serve as president.

She will take on Donald Trump, who won the Republican nomination a week ago. Trump, who campaigned Tuesday in North Carolina, mocked the former president’s speech in advance, calling him “over-rated.”

Referring to Trump, though not by name, Clinton said there are real and affordable solutions to problems facing the nation but “we won’t get to them if America makes the wrong choice.”

The former president traced his relationship with his wife back more than 40 years, recalling in great detail the first time he spotted her on campus and the impact she had on pushing him into politics.

“Hillary opened my eyes to a whole new world of public service by private citizens,” he said, addressing a convention hall packed to the rafters with delegates listening raptly.

He closed the second night of the Democratic convention, a jubilant celebration of Hillary Clinton’s formal nomination for president. In an important move for party unity, her primary rival Bernie Sanders helped make it official when the roll call got to his home state of Vermont, prompting delegates to erupt in cheers. It was a striking parallel to the role Clinton played eight years ago when she stepped to the microphone on the convention floor in Denver in support of her former rival, Barack Obama.

This time, Clinton shattered the glass ceiling she couldn’t crack in 2008.

She leads a party still grappling with divisions. Moments after Clinton claimed the nomination, a group of Sanders supporters left the convention and headed to a media tent to protest what they said was their being shut out of the party. At the same time, protesters who had spent the day marching in the hot sun began facing off with police.

Trump cheered the disruptions from the campaign trail. In North Carolina, he told a convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars that, “our politicians have totally failed you.”

Indeed, Clinton’s long political resume — secretary of state, senator, first lady — has sometimes seemed an odd fit for an electorate deeply frustrated with Washington and eager to rally around unconventional candidates like Trump and Sanders. Many voters have questions about her character and trustworthiness, suggesting her years in power give her the impression she can play by different rules.

You Might Also Like

President Clinton spoke after three hours of testimonials from lawmakers, advocates, celebrities and citizens who argued otherwise. Each took the stage to vouch for Clinton’s commitment to working on health care, children’s issues and gun control.

“Hillary Clinton has the passion and understanding to support grieving mothers,” said Sybrina Fulton, whose son Trayvon Martin was killed in 2012. “She has the courage to lead the fight for commonsense gun legislation.”

The significant time devoted to the character testimonials underscored the campaign’s concerns about how voters view Clinton. Public polls consistently show that a majority of Americans don’t believe she is honest and trustworthy. That perception that was reinforced after the FBI director’s scathing assessment of her controversial email use as secretary of state, even though the Justice Department did not pursue charges.

President Clinton complicated the email controversy last month when he met privately with Attorney General Loretta Lynch in the midst of the FBI investigation. Republicans cast the meeting as a sign that the Clintons play by different rules, while Democrats bemoaned that at the very least, it left that impression.

The former president has campaigned frequently for his wife during the White House race, but mostly in smaller cities and towns, part of an effort by the campaign to keep him in a more behind-the-scenes role. His convention address was his highest profile appearance of the campaign.

Clinton’s landmark achievement saturated the roll call with emotion and symbols of women’s long struggle to break through political barriers. Jerry Emmett, a 102-year-old woman born before women had the right to vote, cast the ballots for Arizona.

Martha McKenna, a Clinton delegate from Maryland, said the night felt like a celebration for Sanders’ campaign as well as Clinton’s. She added, “The idea that I’m going to be here when the first woman president is nominated is overwhelming.”

The Democratic convention drew the party’s biggest stars to sweltering Philadelphia for the week-long event. On Monday night, first lady Michelle Obama made an impassioned case for Clinton as the only candidate in the presidential race worthy of being a role model for the nation’s children. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will speak Wednesday, along with Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Clinton’s new running mate.

___

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/meet-some-of-the-bizarre-fish-living-in-the-deepest-part-of-the-ocean/

Meet Some Of The Bizarre Fish Living In The Deepest Part Of The Ocean

The Mariana Trench is the deepest known part of Earth”s oceans. The trench is located off the coast of Japan, and stretches for almost 1,600 miles. The average depth along the trench is 6.8 miles. This might not sound like much, but the atmospheric pressure at the bottom of the trench is 1,000 stronger than the pressure at sea level.

Despite the pressure, a plethora of fish life can be found throughout the Mariana Trench. Most of them are ancient creatures who haven”t evolved for thousands of years. Because of the environment, their evolution became…interesting.

1. The Frilled Shark.

2. The cute little Dumbo Octopus.

3. The Fanfin Seadevil.

4. The Fangtooth Fish.

5. Hatchetfish.

6. The Anglerfish.

7. The Barreleye Fish.

8. The Goblin Shark.

9. Another type of Anglerfish.

10. The Football Fish.

11. Say hello to the Dragon Fish.

12. The nearly transparent Telescope Octopus.

13. This one is beautiful.

14. This Benthocodon sort of looks like a UFO.

15. The Mertensia Ovum is mesmerizing.

(source Imgur, Wikipedia)

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/pennsylvania-police-officers-were-stumped-by-this-head-they-discovered/

Pennsylvania Police Officers Were Stumped By This Head They Discovered

Earlier this month, police in Economy, Pennsylvania, found a dismembered head in the middle of the woods. Even stranger was how the head was found completely embalmed. Law enforcement officials couldn”t find a good reason why the head would have been preserved in such a way.

Not much is known about the case. In fact, police don”t even know who the victim was. In an effort to find out, they”ve released the following sketch, in hopes that family and friends of the deceased will come forward.

The woman appears to be a white woman, 50 years of age or older. Her hair is whitish gray and is curly.

Police have still yet to find the woman”s body, even after they tirelessly combed through the surrounding forests.

The fact that the head was embalmed makes it hard for police to determine when the murder was committed. It also makes it difficult for them to determine any sort of rational motive.

(via The Daily Mail)

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/righteous-hypocrite-wisconsin-senator-believes-in-charity-to-solve-social-ills-but-his-family-foundation-gives-away-scraps/

Righteous hypocrite: Wisconsin senator believes in charity to solve social ills - but his family foundation gives away scraps

Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin is a right-wing Republican who, like many in his party, believes that the federally-funded social safety net is a disastrous failure and that private charity works much better at helping lift people out of poverty. But as Salon has discovered by looking through Johnson’s family foundation’s tax documents and his own financial disclosure statements, Johnson’s own charitable foundation does not exactly represent the poverty-destroying generosity he claims will work so much better than government spending.

In 2013, for instance, the Johnson family’s Grammie Jean Foundation gave $20,000 to the Oshkosh Opera House and only $1,500 to anti-poverty programs.

It’s a strange choice from a man who has a long record of arguing that private charity works better to relieve poverty than taxpayer-funded programs like Medicaid and SNAP.

“After spending $19 trillion on a war on poverty, the total — when adjusted for inflation — number of Americans in poverty has increased from 29 to 47 million,” Johnson said in a 2016 address released prior to the State of the Union. “Sadly, the war on poverty has primarily grown government, not prosperity.”

To highlight his belief that private charity works better than government spending, Johnson has been touting the Joseph Project, a faith-based charity helping connect people seeking jobs to factory work.

“It is a joy, being able to participate in that, seeing people’s lives be turned around,” Johnson told the Wall Street Journal in August. “That’s true conservative values and they work. You outsource compassion to the federal government, that doesn’t work so good. You show your compassion here in your community, one person at a time.”

Johnson even blamed the violence and unrest that erupted in Milwaukee in August on federal anti-poverty programs and argued instead for “faith-based, community-based programs, helping individuals one person at a time.”

Johnson is currently running a tough race for re-election against Russ Feingold, who held Johnson’s Senate seat before Johnson ousted him in the 2010 Tea Party wave. Johnson’s emphasis on charity over government programs has become an important part of his campaign to convince Wisconsin voters, especially in the wake of the Milwaukee unrest, that he is serious about alleviating some of the economic and social problems of the state.

Looking at Johnson’s activities with the Grammie Jean Foundation, however, it doesn’t appear that his belief in the power of charity really translates into action.

Family foundations are big in the news these days, as both presidential candidates have been accused of using foundations for corrupt ends. To be clear, only one set of accusations has much merit. The Clinton Foundation — which, unlike most family foundations, is a public, not private, foundation — is a highly-rated charity that spends 87 percent of its expenses on programs and services that give aid. Lengthy, expensive investigations into Hillary Clinton’s time as secretary of state have turned up no evidence that she did special favors for Clinton Foundation donors, even though many in the press dearly wish it were otherwise.

The Trump Foundation, on the other hand, appears to have been used frequently as a slush fund for Donald Trump, who solicited donations for his private foundation and then pretended it was his own money in charitable giving, bought himself presents, used the funds to settle lawsuits and, in one case, donated money to the Florida attorney general, who then shut down a state investigation of Trump University.

Most family foundations sit somewhere between these two examples: They’re not big, public charities that do a lot of good in the world like the Clinton Foundation, nor are they as clearly corrupt as the Trump Foundation. But it’s worth taking a look at these middle-ground family foundations, because of what they show us about how the wealthy people who run them approach the concept of charity.

The Grammie Jean Foundation is a private family foundation that was set up by the Johnsons in 2009, and is headed by the senator himself. At first, it started off fairly small for such a wealthy family, but as this chart from its 2014 tax filings shows, that rapidly changed right around the time Johnson took office in 2011.

The amount of money in the foundation’s accounts surged dramatically because, according to 2010 tax documents, Johnson and his wife donated a huge amount of money to the foundation, much of it in the form of Alcoa and General Electric stocks.

That stock gift happened right before Johnson took his seat in the Senate. He used to own an array of stocks, but as his financial disclosure forms show, he’s gotten rid of most of them. Johnson even went to the press to brag about how much stock he unloaded in order to avoid the perception of a conflict of interest. Many of the stocks given to the Grammie Jean Foundation are from the same companies, and are presumably the same stocks that Johnson said he had unloaded. But the foundation, which was personally controlled by Johnson, didn’t liquidate those stocks immediately. They remained in the its portfolio for several years before they were sold, a strategy that left the foundation with an endowment of $1.5 million.

Despite the rapid growth in the size of the foundation, its charitable donations did not increase at the same rate. Johnson’s foundation distributes roughly 5 to 10 percent of its value every year, barely enough to meet the minimum standard required to retain its tax-exempt status. In 2014, the foundation gave away no money at all, relying on the larger gifts from years past to keep it in compliance with the law.

“Not only is the Grammie Jean Foundation in complete compliance with the law, it has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to worthy causes, well above all giving requirements, all while being funded quietly by the Johnson family without any personal gain or desire for recognition,” Brian Resigner, the communications director for Johnson’s re-election campaign, told Salon by email.

As the Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold recently explained to NPR’s Terry Gross, “a lot of wealthy people have a foundation” and “put their own money into it, so they get the charitable deduction right away.” They then make charitable donations directly from the foundation’s account.

As Fahrenthold elaborated, numerous “social rituals” among the wealthiest Americans are built around philanthropy. They buy tables at fancy fundraisers or donate money to get their names into the programs at operas and symphonies. This helps build social capital among their fellow rich folks. Private foundations work, Fahrenthold said, as “a bank account filled with a rich person’s money, which they then give away.”

Giving away your stocks to charity rather than just selling them and keeping the money seems like a nice gesture on paper. But Johnson didn’t exactly give the stocks to charity. He gave them to his own family foundation, and that’s an important distinction.

A foundation like the Grammie Jean Foundation works basically as a revolving door of social credit. Johnson has parked about $1.5 million in this tax-exempt foundation, where it can accumulate interest. He can then spend that interest money on prestigious charities without reducing the foundation’s capital accounts, and while enjoying the tax benefits of its nonprofit status.

The social nature of these kinds of foundations is evident in the kinds of charities to which the Grammie Jean Foundation donated. Here, for instance, is a list from the foundation’s 2012 tax return:

Animal welfare programs, Christian ministries, emergency relief programs, children’s hospitals and veterans’ organizations are well represented. These organizations are no doubt doing honorable work, but only a few of them have a mission to stabilize people living in poverty so they can move towards self-reliance.

Talking up the power of charity is all well and good, but a look at the charitable giving of people like Johnson suggests it is no replacement for government welfare programs. In 2012, the Grammie Jean Foundation gave almost as much money to dogs as it did to people struggling to pull themselves out of poverty.

And, as noted, the foundation gave exponentially more money in 2013 to an opera house in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, than it did to anti-poverty programs.

That’s the nature of charitable giving: It’s directed not by actual need so much as by the interests and the concerns of the people who write the checks. Maybe they like dogs or opera houses. Maybe dogs and opera houses have more social value in their circles than less glamorous anti-poverty programs.

None of this is to say that the Johnson family foundation is doing anything illegal — Salon’s investigation turned up no evidence of conspicuous wrongdoing — or that it is unique. A lot of families park money in foundations so they can give away the interest and look generous, without actually reaching too deeply into their own pockets. Johnson’s case is largely notable because of the political benefit it offered him, by allowing him to hold his personal wealth in the foundation for years, instead of putting it in private accounts that would have to be included in his Senate disclosure forms.

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/john-mccain-censured-by-arizona-republicans-in-landslide-vote/

John McCain Censured by Arizona Republicans in Landslide Vote

McCain subject of unprecedented embarrassment

The Maricopa County Republican Committee, the states largest Republican group, censured Senator John McCain for a long and terrible record of drafting, co-sponsoring and voting for legislation best associated with liberal Democrats.

This official censuring of McCain happened during the annual mandatory meeting of the Maricopa County Republican Committee. Nearly 1,500 precinct committeemen (PCs) were in attendance. The vote to censure McCain passed overwhelmingly 1,150 in support with only 351 opposed.

The censure concluded that until he consistently champions our Partys Platform and values, we, the Republican leadership in Arizona will no longer support, campaign for or endorse John McCain as our U.S. Senator.

After McCain held several closed door town halls on amnesty last year, state Republicans expressed their outrage with his stance on rewarding illegal aliens with citizenship.

McCain betrayed the state by proclaiming his intent to Complete the Dang Fence when running in his 2010 primary, then turning around and pushing through last years Gang of 8 Senate amnesty bill that would gut border security and hand tens of millions of illegals instant legalization.

McCain also opposed attempts to defund ObamaCare, pushed to arm Al Queda-backed rebels in Syria, and shamed his state when he was photographed with a Syrian terrorist who had kidnapped and tortured 11 civilians.

Maricopa County is the 4th largest county in the U.S., and represents over 60% of Arizonas population.

Arizonas entire Republican Congressional delegation attended the meeting. U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar, (CD-4); Matt Salmon, (CD-5); David Schweikert, (CD-6) and Trent Franks (CD-8) were warmly received by the committeemen. The Representative gave rousing speeches that resonated with the PCs.

As always, popular Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was greeted with loud cheers.

Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake did not attend.

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/one-man-destroyed-his-own-face-for-a-shocking-and-disgusting-reason-2/

One Man Destroyed His Own Face For A Shocking And Disgusting Reason

Henry Damon is a comic book super fan. His favorite character is the Marvel villain, Red Skull. While some fans might pay tribute to their favorite comic book with a tattoo, that wasn”t nearly enough for Damon.

For the last few years, this 37-year-old father from Caracas, Venezuela, has drastically altered his appearance to look exactly like Red Skull. How he”s going about this radical change may surprise you.

Here is what Damon looked like before embarking on his journey to become the next Marvel super villain.

This is what he looks like today. Since that first picture, Damon had several subdermal implants placed on his forehead, along with extensive facial tattoos. He also had part of his nose removed.

The picture on the right is of the Red Skull as played by Hugo Weaving in 2011″s Captain America: The First Avenger. Can you see the resemblance?

Damon began to work towards his dream of being the Red Skull after meeting Emilio Gonzalez, a med school dropout who became a specialist in tattooing and extreme body modification. According to Gonzalez, Damon underwent a full psychological evaluation before beginning the process. Here he is before the surgery to remove part of his nose.

Damon even took to calling himself Red Skull. Here he is after his nose surgery, before any of the facial tattoos.

Before and after. Can you say terrifying?

Gonzalez says that Damon plans to continue his extensive body modification. The final steps will include further facial implants, and then eventually tattooing his entire face red. Then he will actually be Red Skull.

(source The Daily Mail)

New Post has been published on http://www.beetrends.com/100-beautiful-diy-wall-art-ideas/

100 Beautiful DIY Wall Art Ideas

I am so excited to share this wall art round up I just discovered at Brit + co! Theres 100 totally beautiful ideas that all link through to their respective tutorials/sources. I hate finding a great idea but never being able to find the tutorial so this is awesome.

I totally love these bottles mounted inside frames. So many different directions you could take this one ideas!

Heres the link to all 100 ideas…

Brit.co DIY Wall Art

Image Credit: pinterest.com via weheartit.com