US-Schiff feuert Warnschüsse gegen iranische Revolutionsgarden ab

Bis auf eine Entfernung von nur knapp 140 Metern hat sich offenbar ein iranisches Boot dem Patrouillenschiff „USS Thunderbolt“ genähert. Dann gab die US-Marine Schüsse ab – weil die Iraner nicht reagiert hätten.
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„Spiegel“ verteidigt Streichung von „Finis Germania“

Nachdem „Finis Germania“ von der Beststeller-Liste geflogen ist, rechtfertigt sich der „Spiegel“ nun. „Wir bleiben bei dieser Entscheidung“, sagte eine Sprecherin, die Chefredaktion halte das Buch für antisemitisch.
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Macht das Handy Männer unfruchtbar?

Forscher zählen bei Männern immer weniger Spermien. Seit Jahren werden verschiedene Ursachen für diese „Spermienkrise“ angenommen. Umwelt und Lifestyle spielen offenbar eine Rolle.
by Norbert Lossau via Endless Supplies .De - News

Das zynische Kalkül der Palästinenser

Bei dem Konflikt um den Tempelberg geht es weder um verletzte religiöse Gefühle von Muslimen noch um Fehler der israelischen Sicherheitsbehörden: Die jüdische Geschichte soll delegitimiert werden.
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„Ich wollte nur noch weg aus diesem Freiluftgefängnis“

Die Journalistin Sirin Manolya Sak lebte zweieinhalb Jahre in der Türkei. Sie erlebte verstörende Veränderungen unter Erdogans Herrschaft. „Der radikale, antidemokratische Wandel vollzog sich sehr schnell.“
by Thomas Schmoll via Endless Supplies .De - News

VW-Manager in US-Haft bekennt sich schuldig

Er ist der einzige deutsche VW-Manager, der bislang wegen des Abgasskandals in Haft sitzt: Oliver Schmidt will sich in den USA nun schuldig bekennen. Er könnte so einer drakonischen Strafe entgehen.
by Philipp Vetter via Endless Supplies .De - News

Der tiefe Fall des Jared K.

Jared Kushner galt als heimlicher Star der Trump-Regierung. Nun wird er immer tiefer in die Russland-Ermittlungen hineingezogen, die auch den Präsidenten bedrohen. Die Geschichte einer enttäuschenden Karriere.
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Wie Ahmad S. Europas Asylpolitik ins Wanken bringt

Am Europäischen Gerichtshof geht es um die Klage eines Syrers. Er kämpft gegen die Abschiebung nach Kroatien. Bekommt er recht, wäre das Dublin-Abkommen infrage gestellt. Das hätte auch für Deutschland Folgen.
by Hannelore Crolly via Endless Supplies .De - News

Merkel kämpft mit dem Schirm, Joachim Sauer verknöpft sich

Der Auftakt der diesjährigen Wagner-Festspiele fiel ins Wasser - zumindest was das Wetter anging. Statt gemächlich über den roten Teppich zu flanieren, hastete die Kanzlerin mit einem Schirm zum Festspielhaus.
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„Der Regen hat alles Vorherige stark übertroffen“

Während im Süden Hitzerekorde gebrochen werden, geht in Deutschlands Hauptstadt die Welt unter. Was in Berlin passiert, ist nicht mehr normal. Grund dafür ist unter anderem ein bestimmter Effekt, der in Großstädten auftritt.
by Anne Voigt via Endless Supplies .De - News

Polizei entdeckt bei Razzia Kalaschnikow und Munition

Die Vorwürfe gegen einen 27-Jährigen sind zahlreich: Er soll mit minderwertigen Druckerpatronen, Drogen und Ausweisen gehandelt haben. Bei einer Razzia fanden Polizeibeamte dann auch ein Sturmgewehr.
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Neue Ermittlungen gegen ehemalige KZ-Aufseherin Michnia

Hilde Michnia soll als SS-Mitglied den Todesmarsch ins KZ Bergen-Belsen begleitet haben, bei dem Hunderte Frauen ums Leben kamen. Das Verfahren war schon eingestellt, doch nun wird wieder ermittelt.
by Per Hinrichs via Endless Supplies .De - News

Quiet Supersonic Transport - Nasa plant neuen Ãœberschalljet

Die Nasa plant einen Überschalljet, der nur noch vier Stunden von Berlin nach New York braucht. Erste Tests in einem Windkanal seien sehr erfolgreich verlaufen. In einem Promovideo präsentiert die Nasa das Projekt.
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Lieferverkehr zum Oktoberfest wird schärfer kontrolliert

Nach den Lkw-Anschlägen in Berlin, Nizza und London verschärft München das Sicherheitskonzept fürs Oktoberfest. Der Lieferverkehr wird dieses Jahr strikter kontrolliert. Die Änderungen betreffen auch Besucher.
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Justin Bieber bricht Tournee ab

Der 23-Jährige hat seine Welttournee abgesagt. Dabei standen auf dem Tourplan noch 15 Konzerte in den USA, Kanada, Hongkong, Indonesien, Japan, Singapur und auf den Philippinen.
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Müller, James und Alaba im Freestyle-Contest

In Singapur zeigen FC Bayern Münchens Stars Thomas Müller, David Alaba und James Rodriguez im Freestyle-Battle, was sie mit dem Ball noch drauf haben.
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So sieht angeblich das neue iPhone aus

Das neue iPhone soll sich optisch dem Konkurrenten Samsung angleichen. Das legen Aufnahmen nahe, die ein Handyhüllenhersteller einem US-Magazin zur Verfügung gestellt hat. Das Display wird demnach größer.
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House Votes To Strip Bank & Credit Card Customers Of Constitutional Right To A Day In Court

Because the Sixth and Seventh Amendments of the U.S. Constitution are apparently less important than making sure that banks, credit card companies, student loan companies, and other financial services be allowed to behave badly with impunity, the House of Representatives has voted to overturn a new federal regulation that would have helped American consumers hold these companies accountable through the legal system.

In a largely party-line 231-190 vote this afternoon, the House passed a Congressional Review Act resolution that, if also adopted by the Senate and signed by the President, would overturn recently finalized rules from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Those rules seek to curb the use of “forced arbitration” in many consumers’ financial contracts. These arbitration clauses dictate that any legal dispute between the customer and the bank must be resolved outside of the legal system. Instead, these matters — no matter the scope of the allegation — must go through a closed-door arbitration process, where the results are often confidential, so there is no public record of the alleged wrongdoing.

Additionally, most arbitration clauses include a ban on class actions — even through arbitration. So a bank could, for example, open millions of fake, unauthorized accounts in customers’ names, but then try to block all of those customers from moving forward as a plaintiff class. Rather, each of the millions of wronged customers is required to go through arbitration on their own. As a result, very, very few people ever enter into the arbitration process.

READ MORE: CFPB’s Finalized Arbitration Rule Takes Away Banks’ ‘Get Out Of Jail Free Card’

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s new rule doesn’t bar affected companies from using arbitration clauses, but it severely limits their ability to use class action bans.

Last week, a group of heavily bank-backed lawmakers in both the House and Senate introduced Review Act resolutions to roll back the rule.

READ MORE: Lawmakers Who Want To Hand ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ Card To Banks Made Millions From Financial Sector Last Year

During debate in advance of today’s vote, GOP representatives repeatedly attempted to claim that arbitration is superior to class actions because the typical payout of an arbitration dispute is significantly higher (around $5,000) than in a class action (around $32).

Rep. Dave Trott of Michigan belittled class actions, pointing to a $3.99 settlement he recently received. What the congressman didn’t mention is that he was likely one of thousands — potentially millions — of people who received that $3.99 settlement. To him, it was the price of a latte, but to the company that had to pay that settlement, it was a large financial spanking.

Democratic representatives responded to this repeated criticism by noting that arbitration cases tend to involve small numbers of customers with high-dollar disputes, whereas class actions often involve large numbers of wronged customers with small-dollar issues.

Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island mocked the GOP contention that forced arbitration is pro-consumer.

“If these provisions were so beneficial, why do you have to sneak them into the contracts?,” asked Cicilline.

Maryland Rep. John Sarbanes questioned the GOP’s reason for trying to undo these protections.

“Who back home is asking for this?” asked Sarbanes. “Who is coming to the town hall and asking for you to repeal this?”

In the end, only one Republican voted against repealing the CFPB rule. No Democrats strayed across the aisle to vote in favor of repeal.

What Choice?

In his closing remarks before the vote, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (TX) — whose campaign received nearly $2 million from financial services companies last year — made the dubious claim that arbitration clauses provide consumers with a “choice” between arbitration and the court system.

The problem is, that this is not at all true in practice. Arbitration clauses generally say that either party in the contract can elect to enter into arbitration, and that the other party must abide by that decision. So yes, if a customer chooses arbitration, they get arbitration, but if a company wants arbitration, the customer has no “choice” to speak of. While this might seem harsh, the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld that aspect of arbitration clauses.

What Now?

Even though these resolutions to overturn the CFPB rules face huge opposition from consumer advocates, there was little hope that the Republican-dominated House would vote against passing the bill. The Senate resolution may face a tougher fight, as the GOP can only afford to lose two votes to the opposition.

“House Republicans have turned their backs on their constituents for Wall Street’s benefit,” said Christine Hines, legislative director at the National Association of Consumer Advocates. “Instead of supporting a reasonable rule that helps consumers get back their day in court, the U.S. House sided with big banks, which for too long have used their fine-print contracts to take Americans’ rights away.”

“By voting to overturn the CFPB’s arbitration rule, Republicans in Congress are siding with predatory banks, payday lenders, credit card companies and the financial industry against Main Street Americans, and are choosing to be on the wrong side of history,” adds Lisa Gilbert, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, Public Citizen. “Big banks, the financial industry and their allies in Congress are trying to overturn the CFPB’s rule because it will deprive them of a means to rip off consumers.”

“Consumers shouldn’t be forced to give up their legal rights when they sign up for a loan or open a bank account,” says our colleague George Slover, senior policy counsel for Consumers Union. “The CFPB’s rule ensures they can join with others and have their day in court if they’ve been harmed by their bank or credit card company. Repealing the forced arbitration rule will make it harder for consumers to hold financial firms accountable for breaking the law or treating their customers unfairly.”

by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Moto Z2 Force | Hands-on

The Moto Z2 Force is a powerhouse that plays it safe. Motorola tried to mash up the best bits of its two most recent flagships into the Moto Z2 Force. More info: http://ift.tt/2uybdwE Subscribe to Engadget on YouTube: http://engt.co/subscribe Get More Engadget: • Like us on Facebook: http://ift.tt/1k1iCZT • Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/engadget • Follow us on Instagram: http://ift.tt/1k1iCZV • Add us on Snapchat: http://ift.tt/1UqS18a • Read more: http://www.engadget.com Engadget is the definitive guide to this connected life.
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Elon Musk's public diss of Mark Zuckerberg | Engadget Today

Musk called Zuck's understanding of Artificial Intelligence "limited." http://ift.tt/2gZouv4 It's easy to imagine the world's most powerful people as being mysterious and aloof, but thanks to the wonders of Twitter, we can now regularly witness them being just as petty as the rest of us. Everyone's favorite eccentric billionaire Elon Musk is the latest example of this, publicly slamming Mark Zuckerberg with a tweet stating that the Facebook CEO's understanding of AI "is limited." Subscribe to Engadget on YouTube: http://engt.co/subscribe Get More Engadget: • Like us on Facebook: http://ift.tt/1k1iCZT • Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/engadget • Follow us on Instagram: http://ift.tt/1k1iCZV • Add us on Snapchat: http://ift.tt/1UqS18a • Read more: http://www.engadget.com Engadget is the definitive guide to this connected life.
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Moto Z2 Force: First hands-on

Motorola's newest modular phone has a shatter-resistant display, and works with a new 360-degree snap-on camera. Subscribe to CNET: http://cnet.co/2heRhep Check out our playlists: http://cnet.co/2g8kcf4 Like us on Facebook: http://ift.tt/1930vfU Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/cnet Follow us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2icCYYm Add us on Snapchat: http://cnet.co/2h4uoK3
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Mann greift Polizist in Melilla mit Messer an

In Melilla ist ein Polizist von einem Mann mit einem Messer angegriffen worden. Bei dem Angriff wurde der Beamte leicht verletzt. Es war nicht der erste Vorfall in der spanischen Exklave im Norden Marokkos.
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Canon EOS C700 Before The Prep: LUT Capabilities

Join us as we take a look at the EOS C700’s LUT capabilities for video outputs to proxy recording.
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Al Gore Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions on Climate Change | WIRED

Politician and activist Al Gore answers the Internet's most searched questions about climate change. Al Gore appears in the new documentary 'An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.' Still haven’t subscribed to WIRED on YouTube? ►► http://wrd.cm/15fP7B7 CONNECT WITH WIRED Web: http://wired.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/WIRED Facebook: http://ift.tt/1dBz3Oa Pinterest: http://ift.tt/1JeJD7O Google+: http://ift.tt/1Ch4gR7 Instagram: http://ift.tt/1lUgynY Tumblr: http://WIRED.tumblr.com Want even more? Subscribe to The Scene: http://bit.ly/subthescene ABOUT WIRED WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. Through thought-provoking stories and videos, WIRED explores the future of business, innovation, and culture. Al Gore Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions on Climate Change | WIRED
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Sling Studio makes multi-camera video production so damn easy

Tito Hamze gives an in-depth review of the Sling Studio, a multi-camera production studio that turns your existing cameras wireless and makes your phones into cameras with the ability to control everything from an iPad as a switcher. It’s the most portable multi-cam setup I’ve ever used -- and it’s awesome! Article: http://ift.tt/2tAB6dS Credits: Video Credits Written by: Tito Hamze Twitter: @titoyooo Hosted by: Tito Hamze Filmed by: Gregory Manalo, John Murillo, Tito Hamze Edited by: Tito Hamze Special Thanks to Mitch Eason, Joe Seiler, Keven Hempel and Jenni Curtice for letting me shoot at her tea shop, Luna Tea.
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Facebook Patents Tech To Watch You Though Phone And Computer Cameras, Respond To Your Reactions

Just because a company patents a piece of technology, that doesn’t mean it will necessarily use it in the wild. Still, it’s kind of freaking people out that Facebook patented technology that would watch you through your phone or computer’s front-facing camera, and see how you react to content.

Facebook filed for this patent in 2014, but we just learned about it recently from The Daily Dot. The idea isn’t to spy on you or to hold on to video footage of you staring at your computer or phone all day, thank goodness. The technology would watch your facial expressions as you scroll through content on Facebook.

Instead of depending on you to scroll past things or tap on the “like” button, the system would just look at you to see what you think. Then, just as Facebook’s algorithm does now, it would decide what to serve up to you next based on your mood.

“The identification of content for display by the one or more applications based upon the identified emotion type may include searching among a plurality of content items, each content item being associated with one or more emotion type,” the patent application describes.

CB Insights publicized this patent along with some other similarly invasive ideas that Facebook has had, including measuring users’ mood by their typing speeds, and generating emojis based on a user’s actual facial expression.

This kind of technology is in use all around you, or will be soon, whether you realize it or not. Consumerist noticed similar technology in use on a smart freezer case at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in 2016, with the system set up to keep track of the age and gender of people who approach the case, as well as their facial expressions.

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

Thierry Henry wirft First Pitch in New York

Der FC Barcelona tourt derzeit durch die USA. Mit dabei sind auch Thierry Henry und Juliano Belletti. Die beiden Ex-Stars besuchten in New York ein Baseball-Spiel der New York Mets.
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Passagier demoliert vor dem Abflug ein Dutzend Autos

Kurz bevor ein Schweizer am Münchner Flughafen in einen Flieger steigen will, beschädigt er im Parkhaus ein Dutzend Fahrzeuge – absichtlich. Statt in Thailand sitzt der 26-Jährige nun in Untersuchungshaft.
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Zum Sportdirektor taugen nur drei Kandidaten

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge und Uli Hoeneß wollen binnen weniger Wochen endlich einen neuen Sportdirektor präsentieren. Wer nach der Absage von Oliver Kahn mögliche Anwärter für den heiklen Posten sind.
by Julien Wolff via Endless Supplies .De - News

„Die Ifo-Daten lügen nicht“

Die deutschen Unternehmen blicken optimistisch in die Zukunft, das besagt der Ifo-Geschäftsklima-Index. Damit können auch die Anleger guten Renditen entgegen sehen, meint Kapitalmarktanalyst Robert Halver.
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Europa war nie das Ziel vieler afrikanischer Jugendlicher

Ihre Lebensumstände in Libyen waren erschreckend. Nur deswegen sind viele afrikanische Flüchtlinge über das Mittelmeer weiter nach Europa gereist. Eine neue Studie zeigt nun ihre unterschiedlichen Beweggründe.
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Bundesanwaltschaft sieht Zschäpe als Mittäterin überführt

Im NSU-Prozess haben vor dem Oberlandesgericht München die Schlussplädoyers begonnen. Die Bundesanwaltschaft sieht die Hauptangeklagte Beate Zschäpe als Mittäterin überführt und fordert eine Verurteilung.
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How to Check Usage on Circle | NETGEAR

Learn more about Circle with Disney, now on NETGEAR: http://ift.tt/2uWqGsv See how easy it is to find how your family spends their time online on the Circle app, now on NETGEAR. Circle with Disney is an app that lets you manage content and time spent online for families with multiple devices. With the Usage feature, you can take a look at how your family members spend time online in a convenient dashboard. First, choose a family member’s profile and tap on the Usage tab to see all the top apps, platforms, and categories for the day. Look back in time so you can compare your family members’ usage to today. If you want a bigger picture, you can view Usage by week or month. If you see a most-visited website category, you can easily set a filter for it. The Usage dashboard makes it easy to place a time limit or set up a custom filter for websites in a couple taps. Circle is available on iOS and Android. Circle and NETGEAR work together to create a simple solution to manage your family time online. Be sure to subscribe for more videos: http://bit.ly/1JsK6Ej
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Canon EOS C700 Before The Prep: Configuring Audio

In this video, you’ll learn about configuring audio input and output on the EOS C700.
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John G Moore Photographer: Data integrity is everything in a digital workflow

I create, process and store huge amount of Data in my professional workflow so it's only natural for me to Partner with Seagate, who are experts dedicated to Data storage.
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Canon EOS C700 Before The Prep: Configuring Capture Settings

In this video, you’ll learn about selecting gamma curve, color space, color matrix, and codec on the EOS C700.
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HomeCare's Free Antivirus Protects Your Devices from Cyber Threats

TP-Link HomeCare protects every device connected to your home network from cyber threats. This includes devices that don't normally have protection, such as smart products and gaming consoles. It guards against new viruses and malware listed on Trend Micro's continuously updated database and also includes parental controls and QoS. Learn more about HomeCare at: http://ift.tt/2sU8iN8 Learn more about Trend Micro's technology at: http://ift.tt/2uysbex FEATURES: • Three years of free antivirus • Parental controls • QoS (Bandwidth optimization) • Continuously updated FIND US AND FOLLOW US: Facebook: http://ift.tt/2qaEJZ9 Instagram: http://ift.tt/2r9ya6f Twitter: https://twitter.com/tplinkna LinkedIn: http://ift.tt/2qaII8f Website: http://www.tp-link.us Be the first to see the latest news and products from TP-LINK. Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSzRN67gT_B7oYPG0NMx7sA
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Owner Of Terrifying Clown Motel Getting Out Of The Terrifying Clown Motel Business

Unless your subconscious has buried this memory among other real life nightmares, you may recall the story about the creepy Clown Motel in Nevada filled to the brim with leering, smiling painted faces — and located next to a cemetery filled with gold miners who died from the plague who are bound to be grumpy ghosts (when they aren’t hiding from the clowns). Anyway, good news! It’s up for sale.

The man who’s owned it for 22 years is ready to call it quits and focus on things in life that are not clowns, like camping and fishing. He’s putting the property on the market and hopes to sell it for about $900,000, reports KLAS-TV.

It sounds like he’s making out just in time.

“It’s funny you get attached to something,” he told KLAS. “I haven’t gone so far as to start talking to them.”

One condition: Whoever buys the historic site has to keep its heritage. The owner says that means new owners can upgrade it but it has to stay true to itself. Whiiiiiiich probably means the clowns stay.

This is not the end for the man and his inanimate (so far as we know) friends.

“Oh, I’m going to miss the clowns,” he told the news station. “I’m going to come back. I’m going to come back and visit my clowns.”

Meanwhile, this guy will be waiting patiently..

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Adobe Flash Will Finally Die In 2020

If you’re one of the many, many people out there who despise Adobe Flash for its reputation of being a crashy wasteland brimming with bugs and vulnerabilities, we’ve got great news for you: Adobe is finally killing it off.

The bad news, however, is that it won’t be sun-setting the plugin until 2020.

Moving on

Adobe notes in an announcement that while Flash served its purpose, open standards like HTML5 and WebGL provide capabilities that plugins used to, and have become increasingly popular for content on the web.

Companies like Google have also taken things into their own hands by disabling the plugin by default and replacing it with HTML5.

“Given this progress, and in collaboration with several of our technology partners – including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Mozilla – Adobe is planning to end-of-life Flash,” the company says.

Adobe will stop updating and distributing the Flash Player at the end of 2020, and “encourage content creators to migrate any existing Flash content to these new open formats.”

A familiar tale

It’s not the first time Adobe has advised folks to use something other than Flash: Back in 2015, the company said it would be encouraging content creators to “build with new web standards” like HTML5, instead of Flash.

Flash, though once a great tool for creating web games and animations, has been less and less popular over the last 10 years: Flash pages and players load slowly and drain laptop batteries, and it isn’t widely supported on smartphones. It’s also been subject to a slew of security issues, making it a risky prospect for users browsing the web.

For you Flash lovers, you’ve got a few years to make your plans: Adobe says it will “remain committed to supporting Flash through 2020, as customers and partners put their migration plans into place.”

We’ll just leave you with this commentary from a truly peerless source:

'When Flash is truly dead, our lives will be nothing more than one loooong exported PNG sequence.' – Strong Sad Allen Poe http://pic.twitter.com/Yk7m0heXVR

— Strong Bad (@StrongBadActual) July 25, 2017

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Senate Votes To Move Forward With Debate On Obamacare Repeal Bill

The Senate narrowly voted today to move forward with its still-vague plan to repeal and possibly replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

The high-drama vote began just after 2:30 p.m., delayed a few minutes while the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms removed protesters shouting “Kill the bill; don’t kill us” and “Shame! Shame! Shame!” from the gallery. A New York Post reporter on the scene, Gabby Morrongiello, Tweeted that about 10 protesters were handcuffed and removed.

Morrongiello and Huffington Post reporter Jennifer Bendery both reported that reporters were being blocked from viewing the arrestsa and told that they could not take, and needed to delete, photos of the scene.

The vote began as an alphabetical roll call a few minutes later, during which time 47 of the Republican senators voted. Senators Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) voted “no” on the motion to proceed; 45 other Republican senators voted yes.

The remaining “yes” votes slowly came in over the next half-hour, with the “ayes” from Sens. Jeff Flake (AZ), Dan Sullivan (AK), Jim Inhofe (OK) dribbling in over the following 20 minutes, and the deciding votes from Sens. Ron Johnson (WI) and John McCain (AZ), who spoke to applause, landing right around 3:00.

After that, the Democratic senators all registered their “no” votes. Vice President Mike Pence will cast the 51st, tie-breaking vote shortly.

This story is still developing, stay tuned for updates…

by Kate Cox via Consumerist

Which Major Retailers Sort Their Toy Departments By Gender?

While some toy companies have been giving up on long-held preconceptions about gender-specific products in recent years, we were curious how this was affecting retailers, so we checked out a few of the big chains. Here’s how the major stores sort their toy departments by gender so you can shop by your preference.

Target

Target doesn’t use gender-based signs in its toy department online or in stores: In 2015, the company announced that it would no longer market anything to kids based on gender in its toy departments or in other sections like decor and bedding.

For example, in its online store, toys are sorted by age, brand, character, or divided into descriptive categories like “action figures & playsets,” “building sets & blocks,” “dolls,” and “games & puzzles.”

JCPenney

JCPenney recently announced new in-store toy shops offering a “significantly expanded assortment” of items. A spokesperson confirmed to Consumerist that these sections are organized by brand and age.

Online, toy can be sorted by age group, product type — indoor games, plush, pretend play, etc. — price range, character, brand, features, average rating, and deals & promotions.

Kmart & Sears

It’s unclear if Kmart and Sears — both owned by Sears Holdings — sort toys by gender in their physical stores: We asked the company whether it could share any policy regarding sorting toys by gender in both brick-and-mortar locations as well as online, and a spokesman said he had no further information to provide on the topic.

Consumerist called two separate Kmart stores in Cleveland and asked to speak with someone in the toy department, but we were transferred and sat on hold long enough for us to give up. But when we asked a store associate at a Dayton location if the toy department was organized by gender, we were told, “Honestly, we’re supposed to,” but with that store going through liquidation, “it’s hard to keep everything straight.”

We also tried calling a Sears store in Eau Claire, WI, but were told that location doesn’t have a toy department.

On Sears.com, there is a “Shop By Gender” option for toys, but clicking that link leads back to the main toy page:

As for Kmart.com, there is a working “Shop by gender” category showing a green and black truck for “Boys’ Toys” and a pink and purple Minnie Mouse kitchen for “Girls’ Toys”:

Walmart

While Walmart’s physical store aisles aren’t labeled by gender, a spokesperson confirmed to Consumerist, the online store does offer gender-based sorting, among other classifications.

“On Walmart.com, we offer several filtering options to allow customers to search for items how they choose, whether it’s by age, category, brand, price, or gender,” the spokesperson said.

The boys’ section features an ad with a purple and green color scheme and pirate action figures:

The girls’ page has rotating ads featuring dollhouses, a girl in a (different) pink Minnie Mouse kitchen, and Wonder Woman, if you’re looking for:

Kohl’s

Kohl’s did not return requests for information regarding its physical stores, but a store associate we talked to in Jersey City told us that the toy department is organized only, “kind of by like whatever toys we have right now “— and not by age or gender.

A trusted associate of Consumerist visited a Kohl’s in Milwaukee and found no signs designating boys’ or girls’ toys, although the dolls were all in the same aisle with tiny makeup kits. Toys were grouped more by age and toy type, our friend says.

Kohl’s does have a “Toys for Boys” and “Toys for Girls” online.

The toys for boys section boasts a Batman set and sports items sorted by age:

While the girls section has some pink and purple examples of toys, again, sorted by age:

Macy’s

It’s unclear whether Macy’s has a gender orgniaztion scheme in its toy department: The company didn’t reply to our request for information, and when we called the flagship location in New York City, no one answered the phone in the children’s department.

Macy’s doesn’t filter by gender online, but instead by age range, toy type — educational, outdoor, electronics, etc. — special offers, characters, brand, price, and customer ratings:

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Angelina Kirsch sucht den neuen Star

Angelina Kirsch überzeugte zuletzt bei Let's Dance auf dem Parkett. Jetzt sucht sie ein neues Curvy-Model auf RTL2. Die Casting-Show ist in der zweiten Staffel.
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Why Are People Paying So Much For Used Toyota Tacomas?

When shopping for a used car, there are a number of factors that can contribute to the price you’ll pay: type and brand of vehicle, model year, wear-and-tear, and mileage. Typically the more years and more miles a car had meant you’d pay a lower price. But that’s apparently not the case for one truck: The Toyota Tacoma. 

Jalopnik writer Tom McParland discovered the surprisingly cutthroat and expensive market for used Tacomas recently when searching for two such used trucks for individuals on the East and West Coast.

In his search for the used Tacomas, McParland writes that he discovered that in some cases the prices for the older vechiles were more closely aligned to the cost of new Tacoma trucks than to other used vehicles of similar makes and models.

For instance, one of the used Tacoma trucks McParland found was actually more expensive than a brand new Tacoma, despite being several years old and pre-loved with tens of thousands of miles.

The 2013 Tacoma with 38,000 miles cost $30,000, while a new 2017 model — with an offer of $2,725 off MSRP — was listed for $28,775.

But why? Are Tacoma trucks the best on the market? Do people just love them too much to sell them for a lower price?

We set out to look find out why used Tacoma trucks rival the newer versions in price.

Reputation For Reliability

We turned to our trusted colleagues at Consumer Reports in our quest to better understand the competitive market for used Toyota Tacoma trucks.

“The Tacoma has a tremendous reputation for reliability,” Nick Kurczewski, senior multimedia content editor for CR, tells Consumerist. “In the car world, the joke is that after the zombie apocalypse the only things to survive will be cockroaches and Tacomas.”

Indeed, a look at Consumer Reports’ ratings for the Tacoma show that the small, compact pickup truck show it has a long history of strong reliability among testers and customers.

The 2013 Tacoma scored a 5-out-of-5 in reliability, a rating that scores how models have performed in the past. Subsequent models from 2014 and 2015 also scored 5-out-of-5 in reliability.

Falling Scores

Scoring high on vehicle reliability was, well reliable, until just recently. In 2016, the Toyota redesigned the truck for the first time in 10 years, and the scores for the vehicle plummeted, according to CR ratings.

In fact, the 2016 Tacoma scored just 1-out-of-5 in reliability.

Problem areas with the new model, as reported by owners, included issues with wind noise, squeak or rattles in the door panels, slipping transmissions, and other nuisances.

CR notes that troubles in the first year of a newly redesigned model aren’t unheard of, as carmakers must work out bugs in the design.

However, it is really unusual for the Tacoma that has few problems for most of its production years.

As a result, a fall in ratings could contribute to the increase value of older model Tacomas, which are viewed as being more reliable.

Fewer Options

Another reason the Tacoma used market could be booming has to do with few options when it comes to smaller, compact trucks on the market.

While there seems to be a plethora of crossover and mid-sized SUVs, the same isn’t necessarily true of trucks.

The Tacoma, which retails for between $24,000 to $42,000 for a new model, is described by CR as a compact truck that remains a utilitarian workhorse.

“With its diverse lineup, the Tacoma can be anything from a stripped-down work truck to something that feigns luxury,” CR notes in its overview of the 2017 model.

Similar models to the used Tacoma would include Nissan Frontier and Honda Ridgeline. Although a comparison of the three models shows that the Ridgeline scored higher in overall satisfaction, that vehicle was more expensive and had fewer options in body styles.

Today, the Tacoma is comparable to the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, and Honda Ridgeline. Each of this models have an overall higher ranking than the new Tacoma.

Recalls & Upkeep

Although Jalopnik’s McParland found a 2006 Tacoma with 130,000 miles listed for $12,000, significantly more than a new Nissan Frontier with just 85,000 miles, going too far back in time for a used Tacoma might also pose problems.

Kurczewski points out that reliability can only get vehicles so far. Last year, Toyota agreed to pay $3.4 billion to replace the frames on 1.5 million Tacoma, Sequoia, and Tundra trucks to settle a frame rust lawsuit brought by owners of the vehicles.

Under the settlement, Toyota will inspect and replace the frames for model year 2005 to 2010 Tacoma, model years 2007 to 2008 Tundra, and model years 2005 to 2008 Sequoia vehicles. The settlement estimates that each replacement will cost about $15,000.

“We want our customers to have a great ownership experience, so we are pleased to resolve this litigation in a way that benefits them and demonstrates that we stand behind the quality and reliability of our vehicles,” a rep for Toyota said at the time.

Since then, the carmaker has also issued at least two recalls for the Tacoma related to loss of control and unexpected stalling.

Additionally, McParland followed up his quest for the used Tacomas by exploring the cost of keeping the cars in model condition. After purchasing a 2003 Tacoma 4×4 with a V6 engine for $3,000, McParland reported that he spend another almost $2,000 in repairs and upkeep.

“Second-hand buyers may believe they are getting a truck that is invincible, but this stereotype shouldn’t be taken for granted,” McParland wrote. “The Toyota Tacoma is still a machine that can get worn and will need some attention every once in a while.”

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

Facebook Feels Left Out, Working On Its Own Smart Speaker For 2018

When all of the other internet mega-corporations have their own smart speakers and home hubs, it’s understandable that Facebook would feel left out. It just wants to be like the cool kids: Amazon and Google have their products on the market and even Apple and Alibaba have plans to launch their own. Facebook is reportedly catching up.

DigiTimes reports that unlike its competitors’ devices, which don’t have screens and use a voice interface, Facebook’s speaker will reportedly use a 15″ touchscreen and display images. You know, the kind of images that people share on Facebook.

Perhaps the device will be a combination of a digital picture frame and a smart speaker, which would be an improvement over Amazon’s creepy closet camera.

While the speaker wouldn’t reach the market until 2018, Facebook’s manufacturer Pegatron is reportedly already producing some text batches.

Pegatron puts together gadgets for a number of companies, including the Xbox One, the iPhone, and the Microsoft Surface.

Amazon’s Echo was the first smart speaker on the market, and was a big seller during the 2016 holiday season and the made-up holiday of Prime Day 2017.

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

Micron Technology - Smart Manufacturing Panel. SEMICON West 2017

This Micron-sponsored panel discussion explores some of the unique engineering and IT challenges to initializing automation and data science programs within semiconductor manufacturing, where panelists share firsthand knowledge and experience doing so in their fabs. Panelists: Moderator: Roberta Gamble, VP & Partner, Frost & Sullivan Wayne Allan, Senior VP, Global Manufacturing, Micron Tim Archer, Chief Operating Officer, LAM Research Maciej Kranz, Vice President, Strategic Innovations Gian Yi-Hsen, Regional President, Economic Development Board (EDB) Singapore Tim Long, Director, Data Science, Micron
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Voyager 8200 UC - Escape The Noise

Wherever you work, noise can be distracting. So whether you’re in an open office or on a crowded flight, taking calls or listening to music, the boomless Voyager 8200 UC Bluetooth® headset with active noise canceling lets you focus on what’s important, in comfort and style. http://ift.tt/2eLPLk1
by Plantronics via Endless Supplies .De - Brands

Fines schmines! Google is still minting cash (The 3:59, Ep. 256)

Also, the Musk-Zuck AI tussle and implantable RFID chips. Alphabet: http://cnet.co/2uuxugv Musk v. Zuck: http://cnet.co/2uW1zpW Snopes: http://cnet.co/2vFm34e RFID chips: http://cbsn.ws/2uT4uzW Good morning from CNET NY Studios while we record the daily news-bite podcast: The 3:59. Hangout while we cover a multitude of stories from around the tech world and then Ben Fox Rubin and Dan Ackerman will take your questions and comments in the chat. Watch more episodes of 3:59 on Youtube: http://bit.ly/29LVP7F Livestream: http://ift.tt/2sd94Yk Periscope: http://ift.tt/2qU1nTf Subscribe to CNET: http://bit.ly/17qqqCs Watch more CNET videos: http://bit.ly/1BQxrGw Follow CNET on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CNET Follow CNET on Facebook: http://ift.tt/UQQ9wc Follow CNET on Instagram: http://ift.tt/1YieDuO
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Moto Z2 Force first look

Motorola’s Moto Z2 Force has a screen that won’t crack when you drop it, powerful hardware specs, and a dual-camera on the back. It’s coming August 10th to all major US carriers for around $720. Subscribe: https://goo.gl/G5RXGs Check out our full video catalog: https://goo.gl/lfcGfq Visit our playlists: https://goo.gl/94XbKx Like The Verge on Facebook: https://goo.gl/2P1aGc Follow on Twitter: https://goo.gl/XTWX61 Follow on Instagram: https://goo.gl/7ZeLvX Read More: http://www.theverge.com
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'Valerian' director Luc Besson can't wait to see an alien

The acclaimed director tells us he's finally been able to make his sci-fi epic now CGI's caught up with the images in his head Subscribe to CNET: http://cnet.co/2heRhep Check out our playlists: http://cnet.co/2g8kcf4 Like us on Facebook: http://ift.tt/1930vfU Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/cnet Follow us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2icCYYm Add us on Snapchat: http://cnet.co/2h4uoK3
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Report: Senate Obamacare Replacement Vote This Afternoon May Be On “Skinny Repeal” Bill

The Senate is scheduled to start a procedure around 2:15 p.m. (Eastern time) today that could drastically change health care law in this country — but nobody, including Senators, seems to know exactly what the vote is on. In the last remaining hours before the votes are cast, here’s what we do know.

What’s Going On

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) has put forth proposals to repeal and/or replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) as a budget resolution.

In order to make that happen, he has to get a simple majority of 51 Senators to vote in favor of a motion to proceed. Mathematically speaking, there are 52 Republican members of the Senate, but not all are expected to be in favor of the motion to proceed. So McConnell needs at least 50 to vote yes, with Vice President Mike Pence in his back pocket as a tie-breaking 51st vote if needed.

But as we explained yesterday, the text put in front of the voting Senators on which they can vote (or not) to proceed doesn’t actually have to be the text of the proposed bill. It can be a placeholder — and because no actual bill has yet gained the approval of 50 or more Senators outright, it has to be.

McConnell has been proposing various strategies and compromises in order to get more moderate Republicans and hardline conservatives on the same page and both willing to vote for the motion to proceed. The strategy that seems to be sticking, sources tell Vox, is a “skinny repeal,” in which the Senate votes on a proposal that rolls back many, but not all, provisions of the ACA.

What “Skinny Repeal” Entails

The “skinny repeal” is basically what it sounds like: a narrowly-targeted repeal bill that reverses some provisions of the ACA.

According to Vox, the bill proposes to functionally eliminate the individual mandate — the part of the law that requires people to get coverage — by eliminating the penalty for not getting coverage. The skinny repeal also rolls back the employer mandate (the thing that says workplaces of a certain size and type have to offer coverage) and several taxes that pay for it all.

However, removing the individual and employer mandates effectively tanks the law.

The Congressional Budget Office determined earlier this year that a repeal of the individual mandate would cause an estimated 18 million currently-covered Americans to lose their insurance within a year.

The CBO also found that the marketplaces would enter a precipitous decline, as people withdrew from the exchanges, and that would in turn raise premiums and costs as only those with the highest care needs would stay in plans.

That, then, would render plans unaffordable to lower-income patients who needed to buy them, and would keep increasing the uninsured rate — which would make insurers pull out of the marketplace, deeming the number of customers no longer worth the cost.

In total, the CBO estimated, the individual mandate repeal would leave a total of 59 million Americans without coverage by 2026.

Another recent analysis found that repealing the ACA would cause more than a million Americans to lose their jobs.

Health care is a huge employer — nearly 16 million Americans have jobs in the industry, roughly 1 in 9 workers nationwide. But if fewer people have insurance, fewer people seek care — which means folks who work at hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical-related facilities get the pink slip.

Now What?

The Senate’s plans so far have been deeply, overwhelmingly unpopular. Basically everyone who isn’t in the Senate has come out against the current bills, including hospital groups, doctor groups, all the major health care issue groups (i.e. American Cancer Society), and in fact the actual insurers themselves.

Meanwhile, in the Senate it’s been a rough road and a mixed bag. As recently as last week, Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Rand Paul (KY) were firmly against the BCRA, for different reasons, and were eventually joined by Sens. Mike Lee (UT) and Jerry Moran (KS).

When McConnell then suggested voting on a straight repeal, he drew opposition once again from Collins, this time joined by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (WV) and Lisa Murkowski (AK).

However, the only Senator to remain a firm, known “no” is Collins; all of the others are considered up in the air and could vote either way, depending on what it actually is that McConnell, in the end, proposes.

Stay tuned. We’ll all find out what the Senate actually votes on — and how they vote on it — later this afternoon.

by Kate Cox via Consumerist