Category: News and Views

The Rain That’s Saving the West Is Drowning the South | WIRED

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THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI River watershed is awash with rainwater. Houses flooded, roads washed away, and peoples’ lives in soggy ruin. The only logical thing to do is blame California.

Seriously. Sort of. The weather system that parked near the Lower Mississippi watershed arrived after a California drive-by. But the Golden State’s massive massifs squeezed most of the moisture out of the system. It would have been fine if it hadn’t straddled Mexico for an extended bout and replenished its moisture from the humid waters on either side of the isthmian nation.

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Brazil economic activity January | Business Insider

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Brazil is in a free fall.

Data released on Monday showed that economic activity in the world’s seventh-largest economy fell 8% this January from a year before. That makes it the 11th month in a row that activity has fallen.

This is going to be a difficult problem to solve because Brazil’s government is a complete mess right now.

Millions of Brazilians took to the streets over the weekend, peacefully protesting corruption that has reached the highest levels of the country’s government. It all stems from a 2014 corruption sting called “Operation Car Wash,” which showed the ruling party was engaged in widespread corruption of Petrobras, the country’s massive quasi-state oil company.

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Sprint is trying to fix its biggest problem | Money CNN

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Marcelo Claure took over as Sprint’s CEO and president in August of 2014.

At the time, Sprint had the slowest 4G network compared to the other major carriers, was losing customers, and had just been rated the worst carrier in the country.

To turn Sprint around, Claure said he would make the company more “cost efficient” and “aggressive in the marketplace.”

But even after thousands of layoffs, significant investments to improve its network, and deep price discounts to woo new customers, the carrier still hasn’t addressed its biggest problem — its lack of identity.

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VW: Prosecutors in Germany and France widen probes | BBC News

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Prosecutors in Germany and France have broadened their investigations into the emissions scandal at Volkswagen.

Authorities in Paris have opened a formal probe into “aggravated fraud” over the use of diesel engine devices that gave misleading emissions results.

And German prosecutors said the number of VW employees now under investigation has increased from six to 17.

VW, which said it is cooperating with all inquiries, had about 11 million cars fitted with the emissions devices.

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Tesla Takes on the Dealerships—and GM | Bloomberg Business

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“We need your help,” Tesla wrote in a Feb. 19 e-mail to its customers in Indiana. The state legislature was about to move forward with a bill that would have forced the electric-car maker to find a franchisee to operate its one showroom in the state, setting a precedent that would make it harder for Tesla to open others elsewhere. The company claimed the legislation reflected the interests and influence of one rival: General Motors. “Don’t let GM tell you that your only option is to buy a car from a traditional franchised dealer by shutting out Tesla,” the e-mail continued. Tesla asked recipients to contact their lawmakers.

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Sports Authority declares bankruptcy, lays off 3,400 employees and considers selling itself | Mashable

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NEW YORK — Sports Authority is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to try to fix its business as it pays off $1.1 billion in debt.

The retailer said Wednesday that it plans to close or sell about 140 stores and two distribution centers, in Denver and Chicago.

Sports Authority stores will remain open and run on normal schedules during the Chapter 11 process.

The company is also laying off 3,400 employees, or about one-third of its staff, all of whom were notified on February 10, according to the Denver Post.

“We wanted to give them plenty of time to find their next opportunity, whether it’s in the company, or wherever else it is,” Foss said. “It is hard to close a store or a distribution center, or right-size a corporate headquarters. We try to mitigate the impact on people as much as possible.”

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How A City Is Slashing Gun Crime With A Paid Fellowship For Would-Be Shooters | Co.Exist

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A few years ago, the city of Richmond, California, embarked on a radical new approach to gun violence. Instead of simply arresting, prosecuting, and jailing its shooters, it started helping them. It formed a fellowship program, introduced intensive mentoring, and asked these “high risk individuals” to agree to wide-ranging life-goals.

The strategy appears to be working. Since 2007—the year it launched its Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS)—there’s been a 76% reduction in firearm-related homicides and a 66% reduction in firearm-related assaults. Helping young men break a cycle of hopelessness and nihilism gets results, officials say.

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Centenario is most powerful Lamborghini |Business Insider

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423367Lamborghini unveiled its new Centenario supercar today at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.

The uber-aggressive, carbon-fiber-clad beast is a celebration of company-founder Ferruccio Lamborghini’s 100th birthday.

The Centenario is also the most powerful road car in company history.

Under the hood you’ll find a naturally aspirated 770 horsepower V-12 engine. It’s the most extreme version of Lambo’s iconic V-12 that has ever been deployed in a road car.

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Net Neutrality Is in More Danger Than Ever | WIRED

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net-neutrality-1024x768IT’S BEEN A year since the Federal Communications Commission adopted the Open Internet Order, theoretically ushering in the age of net neutrality. Under the order, Internet service providers are banned from discriminating against certain types of traffic or charging deep-pocketed Internet companies to have their content funneled through so-called “fast lanes.” Net neutrality advocates hailed the FCC’s decision as a victory for equal access and free speech, an Internet where money can’t buy privileged placement on the network.

But the battle is far from over. In fact, the FCC’s decision has catalyzed the forces that oppose government-enforced net neutrality. Regulators may be pushing for a more open Internet, but its prospects are in greater danger than ever.

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