In the Transparency Report’s latest edition, Google has revealed that the final six months of 2012 saw an increase in government requests to remove content — often YouTube videos. Google received 2,285 such requests (compared with 1,811 during the first half of 2012) that named a total of 24,179 pieces of content for removal (compared with 18,070 in the preceding period).
Continue reading… “Google sees spike in government requests to remove content”
How we pay taxes.
Taxes are complicated. There are a lot of numbers involved. But that’s where graphs help answer the biggest questions: Where do our tax dollars come from? Where do they go? Who pays how much? How has it changed over time?
Continue reading… “14 charts that show how we pay taxes”
Minister Marco Antonio Raupp releases the Start-up Brazil program.
The government in Brazil is offering foreign companies visas and funding to relocate to South America. Startup Brasil is a new program offering up to $78 million in investment for domestic and foreign high-tech companies. Firms that participate would have to relocate to Brazil and hire local employees; disbursement of funds would take place through a series of government-subsidized accelerators concentrated in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janiero. One of the participating accelerators, 21212, also has a New York office.
Continue reading… “Startup Brasil – Brazil offers foreign startups visas and funding”
Raymond Alvarez: “We are a nation of laws.”
There was a time when another nation found itself confronted with unwanted visitors who ignored their laws. The people fought these squatters and went on to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Cherokee Nation initially lost its case, but won on subsequent appeal.
The bet is that some of the braniacs’ startups will eventually create lots of good jobs.
One of the world’s largest immigration programs is in Canada and they are launched a new type of visa for foreign entrepreneurs this week. Foreign nationals can apply to the new Startup Visa program and gain immediate permanent residency if the secure funding from Canadian venture capital firms or angel investors. Canada’s new program is the latest in a score of startup visas recently created or revamped by governments, including Australia, Chile, and the U.K., to woo foreign entrepreneurs.
Continue reading… “Brilliant young entrepreneurs being wooed by Canada’s new startup visa”
Canada and China beef up efforts to lure the next generation of business leaders.
The world’s brightest innovators and entrepreneurs have long been drawn to the United States. They have come here to launch firms like Intel, Merck and Google.
Continue reading… “Canada and China challenge U.S. for startup supremacy”
High school students in Virginia competed in a digital defense simulation.
Arlan Jaska is in the eight grade and he has figured out ow to write a simple script that could switch his keyboard’s Caps Lock key on and off 6,000 times a minute. He would slip his program onto his friends computers when they weren’t looking. It was all fun and games until the program spread to his middle school.
Continue reading… “U.S. lures young web warriors with hacking games”
Every month, 14 million Americans get a disability check.
The number of Americans who are on disability has skyrocketed in the past thirty years. Medical advances have allowed many more people to remain on the job, and new laws have banned workplace discrimination against the disabled, but disability is still on the rise. Fourteen million people now get a disability check from the government every month.
Continue reading… “The startling rise in disability in the US: 14 million Americans can’t work”
On September 16, 2011, President Obama signed the America Invents Act.
On March 16, 2013, the third and final wave of provisions of the America Invents Act (AIA) became effective. This completes the overhaul of the U.S. patent law that began with the enactment of the AIA on September 16, 2011. The United States will move to a first-to-file system with these provisions. It will greatly expand the definition of prior art and usher in the use of post grant review.
A communal cell for juveniles in a Yemeni prison.
Mohammed Haza’a was put to death last week by the Yemeni government despite legitimate questions as to whether he was under the age of 18 when he committed an alleged murder.
Continue reading… “Children still sentenced to death by firing squad in Yemen”
Weibo, China’s version of Twitter.
China’s version of Twitter, a microblogging service called Weibo was launched in 2010. Just like Twitter, users are allowed to post 140 character messages with @username and #hashtags. 140 characters in Chinese contain significantly more information content than in English.
Continue reading… “China’s Twitter censorship measured by computer scientists”
People in Mexico City show pictures of missing women.
During the six years of Mexico’s former President Felipe Calderon’s administration the number of people who went missing stands at 26,121 according to government officials. That figure ranks as among the worst episodes of “disappearances” in Latin American history.
Continue reading… “26,121 people missing during Mexico’s Calderon era”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.