November 3, 2017

TODAY'S BLOG CONTAINS TOO MANY STORIES FOR ME TO PUT IN MANY OF MY "VIEWS," SO THIS IS MAINLY A COLLECTION OF NEWS. I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY IT ANYWAY.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/source-who-is-being-examined-by-special-counsel-its-every-man-for-himself/
By JEFF PEGUES CBS NEWS November 3, 2017, 2:23 PM
Source who is being examined by special counsel: "It's every man for himself"

Last Updated Nov 3, 2017 4:22 PM EDT

Less than a week after two top former Trump campaign officials were indicted and another adviser to the campaign had already pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, the pressure on others under scrutiny appears to be growing. One source whose actions during the 2016 election are being examined by the special counsel's office and who is reluctant to talk publicly tells CBS News, "It's every man for himself."

Commentary: Don't get your hopes up about Mueller

That remark suggests that some of the former campaign officials and associates in legal jeopardy may be rushing to offer their cooperation in an effort to get a better deal from prosecutors. The source maintains that he is innocent and is frustrated that he has so far failed to clear his name in the ongoing probe. Over the last few months the source seems to have evolved in his thinking about Russian involvement in the presidential election.

Earlier this year this individual dismissed any suggestion that there was any coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives.

Now, days after former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates were indicted, the source acknowledged to CBS News something he'd been reluctant to admit in the past: "I do believe the Russians interfered or tried to interfere," he said. But he pointed to others associated with the campaign, "I don't know what they were doing" and "whatever those people did, that's on them."

Washington is bracing for the next indictment to be unsealed, but it is unclear when that will happen. There are several people under scrutiny at risk. Even those close to President Trump are speculating. A source familiar with the inner workings of the Trump business and White House operation says, "I think everyone in the entire circle is potentially a target." Among the names the source mentioned were former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn; his son, Michael Flynn Jr.; Felix Sater, a former Trump business associate; Carter Page – a former foreign policy adviser for the campaign; Sam Clovis a former top campaign official; Michael Cohen, Trump's personal attorney; and Jared Kushner who is the president's son-in-law and one of his top advisers.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


A TERRIBLE AND DAMAGING CHILDHOOD? GROWING UP IN A PLACE WHERE CHRISTIAN IDEAS OF RIGHT AND WRONG DON’T EXIST? BAD TREATMENT BY AVERAGE CITIZENS HERE IN THE USA OVER HIS APPEARANCE AND RELIGION? DEPRESSION OVER THE LACK OF A JOB? ALL OF THE ABOVE, PROBABLY. NONETHELESS, HE WILL PROBABLY BE EXECUTED AFTER HIS APPEALS ARE EXHAUSTED. I WONDER IF HE’S GOING TO ENJOY PRISON AS MUCH AS HE DID FANTASIZING ABOUT HIS ROLE IN HEAVEN. ILLOGICAL AND HIGHLY EMOTIONAL RELIGION DOES MORE HARM THAN NO RELIGION AT ALL, IN SO MANY CASES.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-city-terror-attack-uber-passenger-damian-erskine-sayfullo-saipov/
By PETER MARTINEZ CBS NEWS November 2, 2017, 8:27 PM
Uber passenger recalls ride with Sayfullo Saipov days before NYC attack

NEW YORK -- Damian Erskine, a 34-year-old British graphic designer, came to the United States with his girlfriend last weekend to attend a friend's wedding in New York. Little did the couple know that the Uber they ordered Oct. 26 from Newark International Airport would be driven by Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov -- the man who is now facing federal terrorism charges for killing at least eight people with a rented pickup truck in lower Manhattan on Halloween.

Saipov was registered as a driver for both Uber and Lyft.

Erskine described Saipov as "very friendly" and "a perfectly normal guy." He said Saipov took the bags from Erskine's girlfriend (who declined to be interviewed) loaded them up and offered them water as they entered a white Toyota minivan -- the same vehicle authorities would later find at a Home Depot in New Jersey, where the truck for the attack was rented.

171102-saipov-uber-route.jpg
A look at Saipov and the Uber route he took for Erskine and his girlfriend. CBS NEWS

Saipov was chatty during the ride, which lasted more than an hour on the way to Rockaway in New Jersey. He talked about real estate prices in Manhattan versus London and spoke admiringly about Range Rovers, saying he hoped to own one someday, Erskine recalled. Saipov disclosed that he was also a truck driver and mentioned a trip where he drove from New Jersey to California.

Erskine thought he seemed "totally, totally normal."

"You get a vibe from someone ... there was certainly nothing that would give you any sense of obviously what was to come," Erskine said.

171102-damian-erskine.jpg
Damian Erskine CBS NEWS

Erskine says Saipov didn't mention religion or politics during the car ride and that he wasn't critical of the United States in any way. They didn't talk about where Saipov was from or how long he had lived in America. Erskine thought Saipov spoke very good English with not much of an accent.

The couple returned to the U.K. on the morning of Oct. 31 -- the same day as the deadly rampage in lower Manhattan.

"The day we landed was weird because we just landed and saw the news of what happened in lower Manhattan ... and so we think, yeah we were there. We were by the World Trade Center," Erskine said. "It's a really weird feeling."

It wasn't until Wednesday, after watching coverage on BBC News, that Erskine began to piece together the realization that he'd spent an hour in a car with the suspect. He checked his Uber receipt and confirmed the name was a match. He says he contacted U.S. authorities in Britain and reported his experience to investigators.

related: Truck plows into pedestrians in NYC attack

He remains shaken by the close encounter with a man authorities say bragged about killing people in the name of ISIS.

"When people talk about radicalization and that kind of thing ... it's that ability to live a normal life, when how much is an act," Erskine said. "But what is it that makes that transition from being the friendly polite person to being the murderer? That transition should be the focus."

Erskine said that he physically felt sick after learning of the attack that left two Americans, five Argentines and a Belgian dead.

"Just repulsion really," Erskine said. "You think, was there anything you thought might have been a flag? I know there wasn't. That's the worst part ... you almost wish there had been because you could have made a phone call. You could have done whatever."

"I could spend the next week dwelling on the 'what ifs' and 'hows,'" he said. "It isn't going to change anything."

Watch a portion of Erskine's interview with CBS News' Charlie D'Agata in the video player above.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


IF ONLY FOUR AMERICANS WERE KILLED, WHERE ARE THE BODIES OF THE OTHERS, NOT TO MENTION SOME 30 NIGERIAN SOLDIERS? CAPTURED, I SUPPOSE? ALSO, WHY STRIP OFF THE UNIFORMS, UNLESS TO PREPARE FOUR OF THEIR OWN TO INFILTRATE AMERICAN FORCES? (THAT’S WHAT IT WOULD BE IN AN OLD DETECTIVE MOVIE.)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-details-ambush-niger-soldiers-dead/
By DEBORA PATTA CBS NEWS November 2, 2017, 6:36 PM
New details on ambush in Niger that left 4 U.S. soldiers dead


CBS News has learned new details of the October ambush in Niger that left four American soldiers dead and their bodies stripped.

They were part of a larger force of U.S. and Nigerien troops on a reconnaissance mission near the border with Mali, where Islamic terrorists are known to travel.

At some point, their orders changed, and the soldiers were forced to camp outside for the night.

The village of Tongo Tongo is so remote some Nigerien military escorts had trouble finding the road to get there. It's where the 12-member American team and 30 Nigerian soldiers stopped to get supplies.

Villager Adamou Bubaker said he saw three or four armed men on motorcycles approach the U.S. convoy. He was so nervous he walked 25 miles to speak with CBS News at another location.

"We thought if it's just a few terrorists, the soldiers can kill them easily," Bubaker said. "But we didn't know there were so many more of them waiting nearby."

It was a trap. Once the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters had managed to lure the troops away from the village, the numbers multiplied, and suddenly, they were under attack. You can still see the bullet casings left over from the intense shooting.

The burnt out shell of a school, blood stained bushes and empty boxes of ammunition are all that's left now.

Bubaker said there were at least 60 attackers armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The fighting lasted over two hours.

When it was over, Bubaker said he saw the bodies of three American soldiers slumped near their vehicle. All three were stripped of their uniforms.

But it would be two days before children from the village discovered the fourth body of Sgt. La David Johnson about half a mile away. It's still not clear how Johnson got separated from the rest.

"Johnson had been stripped of his uniform," said a soldier who would only talk if his identity was concealed. "He told us his hands were tied and they'd shot him in the head."

The Pentagon would not comment.

There is still some confusion over why the American team had their mission extended, and what exactly was their assignment. But either way, it resulted in the Americans having to camp out overnight in dangerous territory that might have alerted the extremists to where they were.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


AFTER ALL THE MONEY THAT THESE PENS COST, AND THEY HAVE A PRETTY HIGH FAILURE RATE. SHAMEFUL. IT’S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE COMPETING INJECTORS ON THE MARKET.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/epipen-complaints-that-device-is-not-working/
CBS NEWS November 3, 2017, 7:35 AM
Complaints of reported EpiPen failures has Mylan on defensive again

Mylan, the drug company that created outrage with the dramatic price increase of the EpiPen, is on the defensive again. A new report shows a big rise in complaints about the device not working in life-threatening emergencies.

Bloomberg says 228 people this year reported failures of EpiPen, which injects a drug that can stop severe allergic reactions. That's way up from 2012, when just four failures were reported.

Mylan doesn't take issue with the data but said Bloomberg's article is "misleading." It said a rise in reports of failures doesn't necessarily mean a rise in actual failures and suggests heightened attention on the company and increased prescriptions could be to blame, reports CBS News correspondent Tony Dokoupil.

But for those who depend on the device, any failure is unacceptable.

"Watching your child sit there scream to you 'don't let me die' is awful for any parent to have to go through," said Tina Hampton, who has a 6-year-old daughter.

Mylan announces nationwide EpiPen recall over potential defect

This past spring, her daughter was gasping for breath after an allergic reaction to peanuts. Hampton's moment of panic was made worse after she reached for an EpiPen.

"When I pulled it out, the needle did not go back inside of the EpiPen, It was bent," Hampton said.

It sliced her daughter's leg leaving a scar. She credits a backup EpiPen for saving her child's life.

Bloomberg obtained data from the FDA, linking 228 reports of EpiPen failures to seven deaths and 35 hospitalizations this year. The FDA cautions that with its reporting system, "there is no certainty that the reported event ... was due to the product."


Dr. Scott Sicherer of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York is a pediatric allergy expert.

"It's a very easy device to use, but someone in a panic might use it wrong," Sicherer said of the EpiPen.

He showed us how quickly the EpiPen deploys. Slow-motion gives a better look at how it delivers a dose of epinepherine – just one shot per device. In emergencies, he says some folks mess up holding it the wrong way.

"When they press it, they then get the medication into their thumb," Sicherer said.

Despite the increase in reports of failures since 2012, Mylan said "no changes have been made to the EpiPen device since 2009." The company said they haven't found a "causal connection" between reported patient deaths and the EpiPen.

There was a recall of some EpiPens earlier this year due to a defective part. But the FDA told CBS News: "We are not aware of defective EpiPens currently on the market and recommend that consumers use their prescribed epinephrine auto injector." As for Hampton, whose EpiPen needle cut her daughter, she's now switched to a competing injector.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



BERGDAHL LUCKS OUT

THE FINAL JUDGEMENT: DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE AND FORFEITURE OF PAY. HE’S A VERY LUCKY MAN. HE COULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN LIFE IN PRISON. WHAT WILL HIS FUTURE BE? EVEN IF CONDITIONS AT THE POST WERE BAD (NO COMMENT ON WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANT) THE DANGER OF GOING OUT ON HIS OWN INTO A HOSTILE SITUATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS TO HIM. DID HE THINK THAT GROUP LIKE THE TALIBAN WOULD TREAT HIM AS AN HONORED GUEST?

FOR ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BERGDAHL, GO TO: HTTPS://WWW.CBSNEWS.COM/BOWE-BERGDAHL/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sgt-bowe-bergdahl-sentencing-no-prison-time/
By STEFAN BECKET CBS NEWS November 3, 2017, 11:41 AM
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to serve no prison time for desertion

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's sentence for deserting his post came down today. He will serve no prison time for endangering his fellow soldiers when he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was captured by the Taliban.

Army Col. Judge Jeffery R. Nance said Bergdahl will be dishonorably discharged and have his rank reduced to private. He was also ordered to forfeit $1,000 of pay per month for 10 months. He issued the ruling Friday at Fort Bragg in North Carolina after nearly two weeks of sentencing proceedings that included testimony by Bergdahl's former comrades.

Bergdahl, 31, was held by the Taliban for five years before being released in a prisoner swap in 2014. He said he walked away from his post in remote Afghanistan to alert commanders of issues at the post.

Bergdahl was extremely tense when entering the courtroom and stood before the judge with his attorneys' hands on his shoulders. The dramatic ruling lasted just two minutes. Bergdahl and his lawyers were immediately relieved when the judge read the decision, CBS News' Mark Strassmann reports. One attorney appeared to be in tears.

Defense attorney Eugene Fidell said the dishonorable discharge will not be final until Bergdahl exhausts his appeals. He called the case a "terrible ordeal" for Bergdahl.

"He's certainly glad this is over," Fidell told reporters.

Bergdahl pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy on Oct. 16 and faced the possibility of life in prison. Prosecutors asked the judge to sentence him to 14 years behind bars, arguing that he was responsible for serious injuries soldiers suffered in the massive search effort to find him.

Bergdahl admitted his guilt without assurances from the prosecution about his sentencing, hoping for leniency before the judge. In emotional testimony Monday, Bergdahl apologized to soldiers who were wounded while searching for him.

"I would like everyone who searched for me to know it was never my intention for anyone to be hurt, and I never expected that to happen," he said. "My words alone can't take away their pain."

Bergdahl testified for two hours and described the brutal conditions he endured while held captive by the Taliban. He said he was beaten with copper wires and kept in a cage for four out of the five years he was held, causing his muscles to atrophy to the point where he could barely walk or stand.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



THIS IS A RACIAL KILLING LIKE HUNDREDS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE USA SINCE THE CIVIL WAR. I DO HOPE THE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE PROSECUTED, BUT I’LL BE SURPRISED IF MUCH OF AN INTERNATIONAL APPEAL OCCURS. MAYBE I’M WRONG. TED CRUZ AND JOHN CORNYN ARE NOT LIBERALS, BUT THEY ARE TEXANS, SO MAYBE THEY WILL STAND UP FOR THIS FAMILY. I'M SORRY TO SEE THAT THE ATTACKERS ARE SERBIAN, A NATION WHICH HAS AN ANTIDEMOCRATIC HISTORY, AND LIKE MUCH OF EUROPE, HAS MORE THAN A TINGE OF ANTISEMITISM. IT IS ANOTHER SIGN THAT FASCISM MAY BE THE PROBLEM.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bakari-henderson-american-killed-in-greece-lawmakers-state-department/
CBS NEWS November 2, 2017, 8:16 AM
Parents of American killed in Greece hope lawmakers can bring justice

A group of Texas lawmakers is asking the State Department to get involved in the pursuit of justice for an American killed outside a bar in Greece.

Bakari Henderson was 22 years old when he was beaten to death in July. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, along with Congressman Michael McCaul, sent a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. They requested he "utilize all diplomatic means available to ensure that the aggressors do not escape justice."

Jill and Phil Henderson met privately this week with lawmakers in Washington discussing the case against the alleged killers of their son, Bakari, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.

"Dealing with another country – we're not sure what the process should look like. And so, we're hoping that they understand what that process should look like and can help us get through that. Because without the pressure of the U.S. government, you know, we probably don't have as much hope, truthfully," Jill said.

ctm-1102-bakari-henderson-parents-with-rep-marc-veasey.jpg
Jill and Phil Henderson meet with Texas Rep. Marc Veasey. CBS NEWS

Sharing memories over candlelight, Bakari's friends and family gathered last week at the University of Arizona where he graduated in May. In July, videos showed him enjoying his time on the Greek island of Zakynthos before an argument in a bar escalated into a deadly attack.

A Serbian woman told investigators it started when she wanted a selfie with Bakari. CBS News obtained the image which appears to show part of Bakari's face on her friend's camera. She claimed a man nearby said, "There are a lot of Serbs in the bar. Why are you talking to a black guy?"

"I really want some answers. I really wanna just the true story, which we don't have yet. And that's why we are lookin' to try to seek justice in this. And go to court and see what comes out of this," Phil said.

Surveillance video will be a key piece of evidence. It shows the man striking Bakari and moments later, Bakari hitting back before both men run out of view. It ends with a group of men chasing Bakari down the street, knocking him down, then kicking and punching him on the ground.

"You can see from the video, the brutality of this beating. This was a clear-out lynching brutality," said Earl Ward, lawyer for the Henderson family.

Ward and lawyer Jonathan Abady are working to make sure the Hendersons are represented in court.

Nine suspects, mostly Serbs, face charges of voluntary manslaughter. Seven remain behind bars. The other two have returned to Serbia, and the lawyers say they don't believe they'll be coming back for trial.

"There's no way to bring Bakari Henderson back… but I think the idea that people could do this and get away with it would add a level of outrage that is almost unthinkable," Abady said.

We asked the State Department if it was in contact with the Greek government about the case. A spokesperson didn't directly reply but said: "We continue to monitor Greek authorities' investigation."

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2017/07/10/family-friends-mourn-ua-grad-beaten-death-greece-bar-fight-bakari-henderson/464946001/
What we know so far about UA grad beaten to death in Greece bar fight
Kaila White, The Republic | azcentral.com Published 1:35 p.m. MT July 10, 2017 | Updated 2:15 p.m. MT July 10, 2017

After graduating from the University of Arizona in May, Bakari Henderson set out to put his business skills to use by starting a clothing line.

He decided to travel to the the scenic island of Zakynthos, Greece, to do a photo shoot for the line. The island is a popular summer getaway with clear, bright blue water, perfect for photos.

Henderson, 22, was at a bar early Friday morning and was involved in a fight. The circumstances are unclear, but at least 10 people followed him into the street, where they beat him to death.

Family and friends have described Henderson as peaceful, easy going, ambitious and friendly, many wondering how he could have been involved in such as a vicious fight.

Recent University of Arizona graduate Bakari Henderson
Recent University of Arizona graduate Bakari Henderson was killed in a bar fight in Greece on July 7, 2017. (Photo: GoFundMe)
A GoFundMe to cover the cost of the funeral and bringing Henderson's body home raised more than $37,000 since it was created Saturday.

A separate GoFundMe to cover, in part, "the engagement of legal counsel in Greece," raised another $18,000 since it was created Saturday.

Eight arrested after fight possibly over a photo

Eight people were arrested in connection with the incident in Greece, according to various media reports.

"A 32-year-old British bouncer of Serbian origin and a Greek barman, 34, have been charged with his murder," The Independent reported, along with a photo of two suspects covering their faces as they were escorted by police. Six Serbian men were also arrested.

The fight may have started after Henderson and his friends wanted to take a photo with a waitress, which angered a bouncer, according to CBS News.

At least 10 people following him out of the bar, "including the bouncer and another employee," CBS News reported.

Athens newspaper Kathimerini reported that the fight began over "a petty dispute over someone setting their drink down on a table occupied by a different group."

ABC News reported that a coroner told them Henderson suffered severe head injuries and that there appear to be no defensive wounds on his body.

Autopsy results are expected this week and a toxicology report will be released in several weeks, according to ABC News.

Friends and family mourn

Bakari was from Austin, Texas, and leaves behind his parents, Phil and Jill Henderson, brother P.J. Henderson, and sister Jory Henderson.

From left, Bakari Henderson and Daniel Brown. Bakari

From left, Bakari Henderson and Daniel Brown. Bakari was killed in a bar fight in Greece Friday. (Photo: Daniel Brown/Facebook)
Friend Daniel Brown posted a photo with Bakari, remembering their last day together.

"I'll never understand how one of the greatest days of my life; driving me and you around the island to go cliff diving as we sang the lyrics to the songs you were playing in the passenger seat beside me, could end in such a tragedy," Brown wrote.

"My new life motto is BLB, Be Like Bakari, and I'll tell myself that every morning as a constant reminder to stay humble, pursue my dreams, and never get rattled by the little things life has to throw my way."

Bakari's friend Travis Jenkins told ABC News that "Bakari was not one to act aggressively like that" and that "he was always the one who was the peacemaker."

. . . .


HERE IS YET ANOTHER REASON WHY I REALLY DON’T LIKE SUPERTALL BUILDINGS. I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL TIMES THAT "SKYSCRAPERS" WILL SWAY IN AN EARTHQUAKE, AND EVEN IN A VERY BAD STORM SUCH AS A NUMBER 5 HURRICANE. THIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE WORD “UNSUSTAINABLE” A BUILDING WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY TOO HEAVY FOR THE GROUND IT STANDS ON. WATCH THE VIDEO AS WELL, AND THE PFIZER COMMERCIAL CALLED “SWING SET STANDOFF.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/as-san-francisco-residential-skyscraper-sinks-and-leans-the-number-of-lawsuits-rises/
60 MINUTES
As SF skyscraper sinks and leans, the number of lawsuits rises
Residents mind the cracks in the basement walls of the Millennium Tower and wonder how far their homes and their property values will sink
Nov 02, 2017

As the cracks in its basement walls slowly widen, a visual clue to the slow sinking of the 645-ft. skyscraper, the residents of Millennium Tower file lawsuits and wonder how far their homes - and their investments in those homes -- will sink. Jon Wertheim went to San Francisco to report on the building that's become the most infamous in the city's skyline for a 60 Minutes story to be broadcast Sunday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. PT.

millennium.jpg
Since its foundation was poured in 2006, the Millennium has sunk 17 inches and tilted 14 inches to the northwest. The posh residence was once touted as the best in the city and its units commanded millions from the likes of tech titans and the city's former pro quarterback, Joe Montana. Pat and Jerry Dodson were enthusiastic buyers. They tell Wertheim they were euphoric over their new home until the news broke about the sinking. Jerry, a lawyer and engineer, now makes a daily trip to the basement to check on the spread of cracks in the walls. "There's enough of them, a spider web of cracks… that you have to be concerned about what's going on underneath…I've been told by structural and geotechnical engineers that I should be watching."

The trouble at the Millennium Tower has spawned numerous lawsuits -- to which there are some 20 parties so far. But some residents have already sold their units. "We don't know if this building's going to stand up in an earthquake," says Frank Jernigan. "And so I became severely frightened of that." His husband, Andrew Faulk, adds, "And we got out. We left really most all of our belongings. We just left," he tells Wertheim. They say they lost between 3 and 4 million dollars when they sold their apartment earlier this year. "We sold it for approximately half of what it was valued at before this news came to light," says Jernigan.

Millennium Tower was built to code, but some engineers now say that because the building is made of concrete and heavier than a steel building, its foundation should have been driven deeper, all the way to bedrock, to prevent sinking. An interesting array of suggestions about how to fix the tower have been floated around town; they include freezing the ground beneath in perpetuity or lopping off the top 20 floors to decrease its weight. More likely, say engineers, the foundation will have to be strengthened by new piles that reach down to bedrock.

Meanwhile the tech-fueled building boom in San Francisco continues unabated and "bedrock" has become the new watchword to developers. In an ironic reference to Millennium's troubles, tech giant Salesforce, whose headquarters was recently completed across the street, proudly tweeted that it was resting on "Bedrock Baby!"

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


THIS INTERESTING ARTICLE CONTAINS SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS TO STOP TERROR ATTACKS, BUT THE MECHANISMS HAVE DRAWBACKS.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-new-car-tech-stop-terrorists-vehicle-attacks/
By JEREMY STRAUB THE CONVERSATION November 3, 2017, 11:21 AM
Could new car tech stop terrorists' vehicle attacks?

Photograph -- Sensor-equipped cars can stop when they detect pedestrians. YAUHEN_D/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Jeremy Straub is an assistant professor of computer science at North Dakota State University

In the wake of car- and truck-based attacks around the world, most recently in New York City, cities are scrambling to protect busy pedestrian areas and popular events. It's extremely difficult to prevent vehicles from being used as weapons, but technology can help.

Right now, cities are trying to determine where and how to place statues, spike strip nets and other barriers to protect crowds. Police departments are trying to gather better advance intelligence about potential threats, and training officers to respond – while regular people are seeking advice for surviving vehicle attacks.

These solutions aren't enough: It's impractical to put up physical barriers everywhere, and all but impossible to prevent would-be attackers from getting a vehicle.

As a researcher of technologies for self-driving vehicles, I see that potential solutions already exist, and are built into many vehicles on the road today. There are, however, ethical questions to weigh about who should control the vehicle – the driver behind the wheel or the computer system that perceives potential danger in the human's actions.

A computerized solution

Approximately three-fourths of cars and trucks surveyed by Consumer Reports in 2017 have forward-collision detection as either a standard or an optional feature. These vehicles can detect obstacles – including pedestrians – and stop or avoid hitting them. By 2022, emergency braking will be required in all vehicles sold in the U.S.

Safety features in today's cars include lane-departure warnings, adaptive cruise control and various types of collision avoidance. All of these systems involve multiple sensors, such as radars and cameras, tracking what's going on around the car. Most of the time, they run passively, not communicating with the driver nor taking control of the car. But when certain events occur – such as approaching a pedestrian or an obstacle – these systems spring to life.

Warning systems can make a sound, alerting a driver that the car is straying out of its lane, either into oncoming traffic or perhaps off the road itself. They can even control the car, adjusting speed to maintain a safe distance from the car ahead. And collision avoidance systems have a variety of capabilities, including audible alerts that require driver response, automatic emergency braking and even steering the car out of harm's way.

Existing systems can identify the danger and whether it's headed toward the car (or if the car's headed toward it). Enhancing these systems could help prevent various driving behaviors that are commonly used during attacks, but not in safe operations of a vehicle.

Smarter Driver: Which self-braking and forward-collision tech is rated highest? (On Cars) by CNET on YouTube

Preventing collisions

A typical driver seeks to avoid obstacles and particularly pedestrians. A driver using a car as a weapon does the opposite, aiming for people. Typical automobile collision-avoidance systems tend to handle this by alerting the driver and then, only at the last minute, taking control and applying the brakes.

Someone planning a vehicle attack may try to disable the electronics associated with those systems. It's hard to defend against physical alteration of a car's safety equipment, but manufacturers could prevent cars from starting or limit the speed and distance they can travel, if the vehicle detects tampering.

However, right now it's relatively easy for a malicious driver to override safety features: Many vehicles assume that if the driver is actively steering the car or using the brake and accelerator pedals, the car is being controlled properly. In those situations, the safety systems don't step in to slam on the brakes at all.

These sensors and systems can identify what's in front of them, which would help inform better decisions. To protect pedestrians from vehicle attacks, the system could be programmed to override the driver when humans are in the way. The existing technology could do this, but isn't currently used that way.

It's still possible to imagine a situation where the car would struggle to impose safety rules. For instance, a malicious driver could accelerate toward a crowd or an individual person so fast that the car's brakes couldn't stop it in time. A system that is specifically designed to stop driver attacks could be programmed to restrict vehicle speed below its ability to brake and steer, particularly on regular city streets and when pedestrians are nearby.

A question of control

This poses a difficult question: When the car and the driver have different intentions, which should ultimately be in control? A system designed to prevent vehicle attacks on crowds could cause problems for drivers in parades, if it mistook bystanders or other marchers as in danger. It could also prevent a car being surrounded by protesters or attackers from escaping. And military, police and emergency-response vehicles often need to be able to operate in or near crowds.

Striking the balance between machine and human control includes more than public policy and corporate planning. Individual car buyers may choose not to purchase vehicles that can override their decisions. Many developers of artificial intelligence also worry about malfunctions, particularly in systems that operate in the real physical world and can override human instructions.

Putting any type of computer system in charge of human safety raises fears of putting humans under the control of so-called "machine overlords." Different scenarios – particularly those beyond the limited case of a system that can stop vehicle attacks – may have different benefits and detriments in the long term.

The Conversation
This article was originally published on The Conversation.


THIS LADY IS 80 PLUS YEARS OLD AND STILL DOING NEW THINGS. I HOPE THAT I WILL BE THE SAME AT HER AGE.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/queen-elizabeth-vineyard-windsor-sparkling-wine/
CBS NEWS November 3, 2017, 1:18 PM
Inside Queen Elizabeth's vineyard on Windsor Castle estate

Queen Elizabeth is tapping into the sparkling wine industry, leasing out a small chunk of land on her estate outside Windsor Castle for a vineyard. The wine from those grapes sold out in its first two years of release. CBS News was the first U.S. network allowed inside the vineyard at Windsor Great Park.

It might look like a scene from the sunnier climes of France, but it doesn't get any more British than this: a modest little vineyard happens to be in the backyard of one of Britain's biggest landowners – the queen.

Frankly, her majesty could spare seven acres on grounds that span more than 15,000 acres on her estate outside Windsor Castle, about 20 miles west of London, reports CBS News correspondent Charlie D'Agata.

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Queen Elizabeth is leasing out a small chunk of land on her estate outside Windsor Castle for a vineyard. CBS NEWS

The man who helped plant the idea – and the vines, for that matter – was winemaker Tony Laithwaite. He grew up in the town of Windsor and thought this patch of prime real estate just might work.

"I was enthusiastic 'cause I thought Windsor Great Park, yeah, that's – wow, yes, there's several places in there I could immediately think of. I mean, I know the place pretty well," Laithwaite said.

The queen was enthusiastic too, as was husband Prince Philip, who has held the title of Ranger of Windsor Great Park for 65 years. It is a role he takes very seriously. It was his idea to reintroduce deer to the park back in the 1970s.

"It's a great honor that we've been able to do this. But we know we're being watched, we have to do it really well," Laithwaite said, chuckling.

"You got a pretty important boss," D'Agata said.

"Yes," Laithwaite agreed.

The land and the climate are best suited for sparkling wine. It's champagne in all but name – that belongs to the French and the region of Champagne. But the vines came from Champagne, and the chalky soil is similar. It's processed exactly the same way, and at $45 a bottle, it costs about the same as champagne, too.

Once all those grapes are gathered, Tamara Roberts is in charge of fermenting, bottling and distribution.

"We obviously understand how high profile this particular vineyard is," Roberts said.

The crown has joined a craze in British sparkling wine. In the last decade, vineyard acreage has grown by an astonishing 135 percent, something wine producers put down to warmer temperatures climbing north.

"If you compare where we are today to where Champagne was 30 years ago, that's pretty much where we were," Roberts said.

"Weather-wise?" D'Agata asked.

"Weather-wise. And it gives us the opportunity to have a slightly longer growing season. Makes it feasible in order to grow the grapes that we can," Roberts said.

This year's first vintage, just 3,000 bottles, were snapped up. Even now there are pre-orders, including orders from the U.S.

But is it any good?

"It is good. It's not as good as it will be," said Hugh Johnson, author of "Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2018." "The raw material is very good and when the vines are a bit older, it'll be very good indeed."

For Laithwaite, the person he wanted to impress most was the queen herself.

"When we presented the first bottles, that was a day. If only my mother could've seen me," Laithwaite said with a laugh.

Though just a walk away, it was a world away from where he grew up – and that is worth raising a glass to.

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I HOPE THE GOVERNMENTS OF CATALONIA AND SPAIN DO NOT COME TO A MILITARY CONFLICT. WE HAVE ENOUGH INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS AS IT IS. THE IDEA OF PUTTING ALL OF THE NATIONS UNDER THE EU MAY HAVE BEEN A PROBLEMATIC ONE. CAN SEGMENTS OF A LONG-ESTABLISHED NATION MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE WHEN THEIR FINANCES MAY NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO STAY AFLOAT? CATALAN IS A SEPARATE LANGUAGE. PERHAPS THE PEOPLE FEEL STRONGLY ENOUGH ABOUT THEIR CULTURAL TIES TO START A WAR, BUT SHOULD THEY? I HOPE THIS GOES WELL FOR EVERYONE. THERE IS ENOUGH EMOTIONAL TENSION IN THE AIR TO LIGHT THE SPARK TO A WIDER WAR, I’M AFRAID. I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT SUCH INTERNATIONAL “DIVORCES” SHOULD BE A SIMPLE MATTER OF LAW AND A VOTE, BUT OF COURSE IF THE SPLIT INVOLVES GREAT LOSS OF INCOME THE LARGER NATION WILL PROBABLY PUT UP A FIGHT TO STOP IT.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41865121
Catalonia crisis: Spain issues warrant for Puigdemont
5 hours ago – NOVEMBER 3, 2017
From the section Europ

Photograph -- Mr Puigdemont has called for his colleagues to be released, REUTERS

A Spanish judge has issued European Arrest Warrants (EAW) for sacked Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and four of his allies who went to Belgium.

The five failed to attend a high court hearing in Madrid on Thursday when nine other ex-members of the regional government were taken into custody.
One of those detained has been freed on bail of €50,000 (£44,000; $58,000).
They all face charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds for pursuing Catalan independence.

Mr Puigdemont has said he will not return to Spain unless he receives guarantees of a fair trial.

Belgium will "study" the warrant, a spokesman for the state prosecutor told AFP news agency.
Catalonia crisis: What next for Spain?

The regional parliament in Catalonia voted to proclaim an independent republic a week ago, following an illegal referendum on independence organised by the Catalan government on 1 October

No other country recognised the move and the Spanish central government moved swiftly to impose control, using emergency powers under the constitution.

Who faces extradition?

Mr Puigdemont was the president of the autonomous region of Catalonia until the proclamation of independence and continues to regard himself as the president of the newly proclaimed "Republic of Catalonia".

Mr Puigdemont and his colleagues travelled to Belgium to raise their case for statehood at the EU institutions and he insists he is not trying to evade "real justice".

He said in a Belgian TV interview aired earlier on Friday that he would co-operate with Belgian judicial authorities.

He also said that he was ready to run in snap regional elections in Catalonia next month.

The other four warrants are for:
Meritxell Serret, former agriculture minister
Antoni Comín, former health minister
Lluís Puig, former culture minister
Clara Ponsatí, former education minister

Will the warrants be acted upon?
The warrants were sent to Belgian prosecutors, who have 24 hours to decide whether the paperwork is correct.
If they do, they will forward them on to a judge who will decide whether Mr Puigdemont and the four others should be arrested.

People hold banners reading
Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption
Protesters have taken to the streets again in Barcelona over the detentions of Catalan ex-officials

Belgium has a maximum of 60 days to return the suspects to Spain after arrest. But if the suspects do not raise legal objections, a transfer could happen much sooner.

A country can reject an EU arrest warrant if it fears that extradition would violate the suspect's human rights.

Discrimination based on politics, religion or race is grounds for refusal. So are fears that the suspect would not get a fair trial.

There is an agreed EU list of 32 offences - in Article Two of the EAW law - for which there is no requirement for the offence to be a crime in both countries. In other words, any of those offences can be a justification for extradition, provided the penalty is at least three years in jail.

However, neither "sedition" nor "rebellion" - two of the Spanish accusations against the Catalan leaders - are on that list.

What about those already in prison?

Thousands of protesters have gathered in Barcelona and other Catalan cities for the second night running to call for the release of the former officials detained on Thursday.

Santi Vila, the Catalan former business minister, was granted bail at the request of prosecutors after spending a night in prison.

"My colleagues and I are fine, we are calm," he said upon leaving jail in Madrid, but called the detentions "disproportionate", Spain's El País newspaper reports.

He had resigned from the cabinet before the Catalan parliament voted for independence.

Photograph -- Dismissed Catalan cabinet members (L-R): Interior Minister Joaquim Forn, Foreign Affairs Minister Raul Romeva, Labour Minister Dolors Bassa, Government Presidency Councillor Jordi Turull, Justice Minister Carles Mundo, Sustainable Development Minister Josep Rull and Culture Minister Meritxell Borras arrive at Spain's High Court Image copyright REUTERS
Image caption
Seven of the eight ex-ministers were pictured turning up to court together on Thursday

Those who remain in custody are:
Oriol Junqueras, former deputy vice-president
Joaquim Forn, former interior minister
Raül Romeva, former external relations secretary
Carles Mundó, former justice minister
Dolors Bassa, former labour minister
Jordi Turull, former government presidency councillor
Josep Rull, former sustainable development minister
Meritxell Borras, former culture minister

Protesters are also calling for the release of two grassroots separatist leaders, Jordi Sánchez and Jordi Cuixart, who were taken into custody last month. They lost an appeal for release on Friday.

Five senior members of the Catalan parliament, as well as Speaker Carme Forcadell, are facing the same charges but, because of their parliamentary immunity, their cases are being handled by the Supreme Court. Their hearings have been postponed until 9 November.