Congress can sometimes manage to agree on some wrongs to try to right, and one of those is the robocall. The Senate held a hearing Thursday to find a way forward on cracking down on the practice, which plagues just about anyone with a phone. Telecom industry professionals called on lawmakers on the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet to pursue the criminal enforcement of robocalls in hopes of providing consumers some relief. The Federal Communications Commission says that Americans received 47.8 billion robocalls last year, and over 46 percent of them were from scammers. Robocalls, typically made to personal communication devices, use a computerized auto-dialing device to deliver a pre-recorded message, as if from a robot. The calls range from recordings claiming they're representatives from the IRS or debt collectors, to political and telemarketing phone campaigns. And often, the calls appearing on Americans' phones appear … [Read more...] about Senate panel examines how to crack down on robocalls
Nuisance calls on cell phone
John McAfee Fled to Belize, But He Couldn’t Escape Himself
On November 12, 2012, Belizean police announced that they were seeking John McAfee for questioning in connection with the murder of his neighbor. Six months earlier, I began an in-depth investigation into McAfee's life. This is the chronicle of that investigation. Twelve weeks before the murder, John McAfee flicks open the cylinder of his Smith & Wesson revolver and empties the bullets, letting them clatter onto the table between us. A few tumble to the floor. McAfee is 66, lean and fit, with veins bulging out of his forearms. His hair is bleached blond in patches, like a cheetah, and tattoos wrap around his arms and shoulders. More than 25 years ago, he formed McAfee Associates, a maker of antivirus software that went on to become immensely popular and was acquired by Intel in 2010 for $7.68 billion. Now he's holed up in a bungalow on his island estate, about 15 miles off the coast of mainland Belize. The shades are drawn so I can see only a sliver of the white sand beach and … [Read more...] about John McAfee Fled to Belize, But He Couldn’t Escape Himself
The best noise-canceling headphones of 2018
Here’s a fact that every business traveler, public transit commuter, or office worker is woefully aware of: The outside world is loud and full of distractions. Thankfully, noise-cancellation technology has been steadily developing over the last few years, with hundreds of headphones designed to eliminate the sounds you don’t want to hear occupying store shelves around the globe. Thanks to advancements in wireless technology — and the demand for fewer wires from those who own jack-less cell phones — the best new noise-canceling headphones are most often also wireless these days. But never fear, wire lovers: Many of the headphones on this list are dual threats, allowing you to plug in and save some battery life, or unplug and let the good times roll. Our list will help you cut through the noise in more ways than one, detailing the best noise cancelers in any style. At a glance Product Category Rating Sony WH-1000xM2 Best noise-canceling … [Read more...] about The best noise-canceling headphones of 2018
Apocalypse Not: Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Worry About End Times
This is the question posed by the website 2012apocalypse.net. “super volcanos? pestilence and disease? asteroids? comets? antichrist? global warming? nuclear war?” the site’s authors are impressively open-minded about the cause of the catastrophe that is coming at 11:11 pm on december 21 this year. but they have no doubt it will happen. after all, not only does the Mayan Long Count calendar end that day, but “the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years.” Case closed: Sell your possessions and live for today. When the sun rises on December 22, as it surely will, do not expect apologies or even a rethink. No matter how often apocalyptic predictions fail to come true, another one soon arrives. And the prophets of apocalypse always draw a following—from the 100,000 Millerites who took to the hills in 1843, awaiting the end of the world, to the thousands who believed in Harold Camping, the Christian … [Read more...] about Apocalypse Not: Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Worry About End Times
Artificial Intelligence Helps Reveal How People Process Abstract Thought
As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, much of the public attention has focused on how successfully these technologies can compete against humans at chess and other strategy games. A philosopher from the University of Houston has taken a different approach, deconstructing the complex neural networks used in machine learning to shed light on how humans process abstract learning. "As we rely more and more on these systems, it is important to know how they work and why," said Cameron Buckner, assistant professor of philosophy and author of a paper exploring the topic published in the journal Synthese. Better understanding how the systems work, in turn, led him to insights into the nature of human learning. Philosophers have debated the origins of human knowledge since the days of Plato - is it innate, based on logic, or does knowledge come from sensory experience in the world? Deep Convolutional Neural Networks, or DCNNs, suggest human knowledge stems from experience, … [Read more...] about Artificial Intelligence Helps Reveal How People Process Abstract Thought