BARACK OBAMA WISHES MUSLIMS HAPPY END OF RAMADAN Following Murder Of 4 Marines By Muslim Terrorist

(Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

First things first…

image: http://2ps46p2qeea548gs4x33cbdz.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/ramadan-o.jpg

The following statement is the first to come out of the White house. It was emailed out and makes no reference to today’s terror attack.

See Below statement:
Michelle and I would like to extend our warmest wishes to Muslims in the United States and around the world celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr. As Muslims mark the end of the month, they are reminded that Ramadan is a time to reflect spiritually, build communally, and aid those in need. While Eid marks the end of Ramadan, it marks a new beginning for each individual – a reason to celebrate and express gratitude on this holiday.

For millions of Muslims, the morning of Eid is marked with the call to prayer echoing through cities and towns across the globe. Millions of people head to local mosques for special Eid prayers followed by festive gatherings, gift exchanges, and feasts among friends, neighbors and families. The diversity of traditions paint the vibrant images we see from around the world capturing the spirit and excitement of Eid – colorful dresses or white garments decorating the masses of people standing in lines for prayer, lanterns and ornaments lighting up bazaars and neighborhoods, intricate henna designs painted on hands of young girls and women, and an abundance of delectable foods and aromatic cuisines.
As Muslim Americans celebrate Eid across America, the holiday is a reminder to every American of the importance of respecting those of all faiths and beliefs. This past year New York City Public Schools announced adding Eid to their official school calendars alongside Christmas, Hanukkah and other holidays – an acknowledgement of the great diversity and inclusiveness that adds to the richness of our nation. During this year’s White House Iftar, I had the opportunity to meet inspiring young Muslim Americans who are leading efforts for greater understanding and unity across diverse communities. Following the Iftar, one of the young attendees helped spearhead an effort that raised more than $75,000 for the churches burned in the wake of the shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Americans of all faiths and beliefs must stand together to protect our democracy and strengthen our country as a whole.
Michelle and I hope today brings joy to all of your homes, both here in the U.S. and around the world. From my family to yours, Eid Mubarak!
source http://100percentfedup.com/breaking-barack-obama-wishes-muslims-happy-end-ramadan-following-murder-4-marines-muslim-terrorist/

The Incredible Software Banks and Law Enforcement Agencies Use to Detect Altered Photos

For decades on end, long before Adobe Photoshop became a household name, governments across the world have manipulated photographs to serve political ends. Joseph Stalin, for instance, famously altered photographs as to remove individuals who fell out of favor with the regime.

These days, image editing tools are not only abundant, but they’re incredibly easy to use. As a result, it’s become increasingly difficult to differentiate an authentic photo from one that’s been doctored.

Coming to the rescue is a Czech startup with an interesting piece of software that can purportedly detect when photos have been manipulated with astounding accuracy.

Called Verifeyed, the software is already being employed by a variety of businesses to ensure that images and scanned documents haven’t been altered. The company notes that its software continues to be used by Insurance Companies to sniff out fraudulent claims, along with Law Enforcement agencies and Banks.

continue http://bgr.com/2015/07/05/altered-photo-detection-software-verifeyed/

The Myth of Gentrification

A summer festival in June 2014 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Photo by Jens Karlsson/Getty Images

It started in Soho, then moved to Chelsea and the East Village. Riots in Tompkins Square in 1988 earned it some headlines but didn’t stop its creeping advance. It moved on to lower Harlem, then jumped the river to Park Slope. Williamsburg and Fort Greene followed; today, it threatens even Bedford-Stuyvesant. New York isn’t the only city where it spreads. San Francisco, Washington, and Boston have arguably been even more affected by it. Seattle, Atlanta, and Chicago have experienced it on a large scale, too.

The “it,” as you may have guessed, is gentrification. If you live in one of these cities, you probably think you know how it works. Artists, bohemians, and gay couples come first. They move into run-down—but charming and historic—homes and loft spaces close to the urban core. Houses are restored. Funky coffee shops appear. Public safety improves. Then rents and home prices start to go up. The open-minded, diversity-loving creative types who were the first wave of gentrifiers give way to lawyers, bankers, and techies. As rents and home prices continue to rise, the earlier residents—often lower-income people of color—are forced out.

That’s the story, at least. Read the Atlantic’s City Lab, and you regularly encounter titles such as “Why Gentrification Is So Hard to Stop” and “There’s Basically No Way Not to Be a Gentrifier.” Liberals and conservatives alike agree that it is bad (although liberals blame developers, and conservatives blame onerous regulations that limit development). Even Jezebel has joined in. It recently chided Taylor Swift (who earlier this year traded her comparatively affordable $2 million apartment in Nashville for a $20 million penthouse in Tribeca) for including an “obtuse” “gentrification anthem” in her latest album.

continue http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/01/the_gentrification_myth_it_s_rare_and_not_as_bad_for_the_poor_as_people.html

Two-Legged Robot With Human Feet Can Now Walk Independently

MARLO

Joseph Xu/ University of Michigan

MARLO is the University of Michigan ATRIAS 2.1 robot designed by Jonathan Hurst and the Dynamic Robotics Laboratory at Oregon State University.

Humans evolved to walk on two legs, but getting robots there has proven quite challenging so far.

That’s why it is amazing to see this bipedal robot, developed by the University of Michigan, walk without the help of a support beam.

continue http://www.popsci.com/two-legged-robot-people-feet-can-walk

Argentine Artist Creates Solar-Powered Balloon From Used Plastic Bags

Argentine artist, Tomás Saraceno, creates Anthropocene art that confronts humanity’s influence on the environment.

Becoming Aerosolar is “a set of creative propositions that tries to imagine a metabolic and thermodynamic transformation of human societies’ relation with both the Earth and the Sun. It is an invitation to think of new ways to move and sense the circulation of energy and resources…”

Saraceno is currently running his first solo exhibit in Austria at the 21er Haus. “Through a series of sculptures, objects and installations, the show presents the results of a long-term research project conducted through the interdisciplinary collaboration with institutions and individuals all over the world.”

continue http://disinfo.com/2015/07/argentine-artist-creates-solar-powered-balloon-from-used-plastic-bags/