World’s first head transplant patient schedules procedure for 2017

A man set to become the world’s first head transplant patient has scheduled the procedure for December 2017.

Valery Spiridonov, 30, was diagnosed with a genetic muscle-wasting condition called Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, and volunteered for the procedure despite the risks involved, Central European News (CEN) reported.

“When I realized that I could participate in something really big and important, I had no doubt left in my mind and started to work in this direction,” Spiridonov, a Russian computer scientist, told CEN. “The only thing I feel is the sense of pleasant impatience, like I have been preparing for something important all my life and it is starting to happen.”

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The half-empty United flight at the center of a corruption probe

In the airline business, filling seats is everything.

Whether it’s packed or empty, airlines have to pay for fuel, flight crews and everything else it takes to get a plane off the ground. So to boost profits, airlines try to get as many people on board as they can.

Efforts to fill up planes have spawned seat designs that look like torture devices, a federal investigation into potential collusion and a constant peeve of travelers: no leg room.

In fact, the percentage of seats that fly empty has been dwindling for more than a decade, federal data show — that is, it’s been getting harder and harder to luck out and get a row to yourself.

But if you flew between Newark and Columbia, S.C., back when United offered that route, you had a pretty good chance of being able to spread out.

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AG Frosh Backs Consumer Rights To Challenge Flawed Data

Maryland joins Supreme Court argument in support of Virginia man suing data broker for errors

Baltimore, MD - Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today joined a U.S. Supreme Court brief arguing that consumers suffer when data-mining companies collect and disseminate inaccurate personal information that is used to make decisions about credit, housing, insurance or employment.

Attorney General Frosh is supporting the case of Thomas Robins of Virginia, who is pursuing a lawsuit against the data-collecting search engine Spokeo, Inc. Mr. Robins claims that errors in his profile could be used against him by employers, banks and other companies that use Internet searches to do business.

"It is my job as Attorney General to help protect consumers when inaccurate data is disseminated to companies that then make important decisions based on erroneous facts," Attorney General Frosh said. "Companies that scour the Internet and collect and sell data bear responsibility for ensuring that the information is accurate."

It's complicated: Why following your significant other on social media is a bad idea

Dr. Ian Kerner wants you to unfriend your significant other on social media. And he wants you to do it now.

The psychotherapist, who specializes in couples counseling, recently told Public Radio International that contrary to what your friend who posted 700 newlywed shots from her honeymoon thinks, being connected to your partner on social media is ultimately detrimental to the health of a relationship.

While many are quick on the trigger, posting every photo, tweeting every funny story, and writing mushy Facebook posts about a new bae, Kerner says that you're probably a lot better off holding back. Instead of focusing on documenting the relationship on social media, he advised couples to just focus on being in the relationship.

“I see technology and compatibility as one of the main subjects in therapy,” he told PRI in the interview. “So often, couples are really having side-by-side conversations—they’re not having direct face-to-face conversations because they’re also on an iPhone or a gadget, so they’re partially vacated. In couples therapy, sometimes that’s the only time that they’re actually having a real, genuine face-to-face conversation.”

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Nearly A Dozen Baltimore Charter Schools Suing City’s School System

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore City schools–hit with a major lawsuit. Nearly a dozen charter schools claim the district is breaking state law when it comes to funding.

Christie Ileto with more on why schools are joining together to sue.

These schools say it’s not just about the dollars, but how the districts come up with how much they’re getting. City schools CEO Gregory Thornton tells WJZparents shouldn’t panic.

Nine charter schools are suing the city school district.WJZ obtains the lawsuits that allege the school board failed to live up to its obligations for full funding and transparency.

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Abortion Survivor: ‘Is My Life Less Valuable Due to My Cerebral Palsy?'

(CNSNews) – Abortion survivor Gianna Jessen told the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that after surviving a late-term saline abortion, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a condition she calls “a tremendous gift.”

“I would ask Planned Parenthood the following questions: If abortion is about women’s rights, then what were mine? You continuously use the argument, ‘If the baby is disabled, we need to terminate the pregnancy,’ as if you can determine the quality of someone’s life. Is my life less valuable due to my Cerebral Palsy?” Jessen asked.

“Instead of dying, after 18 hours of being burned in my mother’s womb, I was delivered alive in an abortion clinic in Los Angeles on April the 6th, 1977. My medical records state: ‘Born alive during saline abortion’ at 6 am,” Jessen said.

Jessen was later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, “which was caused by a lack of oxygen to my brain while surviving the abortion. I was never supposed to hold my head up or walk. I do, and cerebral palsy, ladies and gentlemen, is a tremendous gift to me,” she said.

“Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, said the following: ‘The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it,’” Jessen noted.

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James Clapper: Islamic State could infiltrate U.S., West through migrants fleeing from Syria

America’s top spy said Wednesday that U.S. intelligence officials have a “huge concern” about Islamic State’s ability to infiltrate waves of Syrian war refugees flowing into Europe and potentially the United States as pressure mounts on Western nations to take in a growing number of people fleeing the conflict in the heart of the Middle East.

“As they descend on Europe, one of the obvious issues that we worry about, and in turn as we bring refugees into this country, is exactly what’s their background?” Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper said. “We don’t obviously put it past the likes of ISIL to infiltrate operatives among these refugees.”

“That is a huge concern of ours,” Mr. Clapper said during a rare and unusually informal public appearance at an annual U.S. intelligence community conference that kicked off Wednesday morning in Washington.

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New Species in Human Lineage Is Found in a South African Cave

Acting on a tip from spelunkers two years ago, scientists in South Africadiscovered what the cavers had only dimly glimpsed through a crack in a limestone wall deep in the Rising Star Cave: lots and lots of old bones.

The remains covered the earthen floor beyond the narrow opening. This was, the scientists concluded, a large, dark chamber for the dead of a previously unidentified species of the early human lineage — Homo naledi.

The new hominin species was announced on Thursday by an international team of more than 60 scientists led by Lee R. Berger, an American paleoanthropologist who is a professor of human evolution studies at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. The species name, H. naledi, refers to the cave where the bones lay undisturbed for so long; “naledi” means “star” in the local Sesotho language.

In two papers published this week in the open-access journal eLife, the researchers said that the more than 1,550 fossil elements documenting the discovery constituted the largest sample for any hominin species in a single African site, and one of the largest anywhere in the world. Further, the scientists said, that sample is probably a small fraction of the fossils yet to be recovered from the chamber. So far the team has recovered parts of at least 15 individuals.

“With almost every bone in the body represented multiple times, Homo naledi is already practically the best-known fossil member of our lineage,” Dr. Berger said.

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O’Malley takes to the (Wall) street to earn an honest buck

WASHINGTON — Former Maryland Governor and current Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley is no stranger to musical props.

He picked up his guitar to gear up for his campaign back in May.

Now, he’s teamed up with the Independent Journal to take on Wall Street’s political contributions. And again, O’Malley used his guitar to do it.

O’Malley took to Wall Street, opened the case, and began playing. The video, titled “How To Make an Honest Buck on Wall Street with Martin O’Malley,” shows the candidate playing for the public while passersby toss money into his case.

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Nuke all your computer passwords, says Intel exec (INTC)

Let's face it: No one likes passwords.

With all the different websites and devices you log in to, it has become almost impossible to keep track of all your passwords.

But what if you could forget about passwords and log in instantly using something else, like your face or fingerprints?

Intel thinks that's a real possibility — and something you can do right away.

"We want to eliminate all passwords from computing," Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's client-computing group, said at the Citi Global Technology Conference held on Tuesday. "I can confidently say today, you can eliminate all your passwords today, if you buy a sixth-generation Core system."

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DC’s delegate to Congress introduces bill on Redskins name

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District of Columbia’s delegate to Congress, introduced a bill that would lift the NFL’s antitrust exemption if the Washington Redskins do not change their nickname.

In a news release issued Thursday, Norton was quoted as saying Washington “should always be associated with pride, not with a moniker that mocks and insults Native Americans.”

Legislation from the non-voting Democratic delegate stands little to no chance of being passed by the Republican-led House.

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Huma Abedin, top Clinton aide, formally investigated by feds for embezzlement

Blames husband Weiner for failing to notice extra $30K payment

Federal investigators formally investigated top Hillary Rodham Clinton aide Huma Abedin for the crime of embezzlement after confirming she took a “Babymoon” vacation and maternity time at the State Department without expending her formal leave, resulting in thousands of dollars of pay she wasn’t entitled to receive, The Washington Times has learned.

The probe also gathered evidence she filed time sheets charging the government for impermissible overtime and excessive hours after she converted from a full-time federal employee to a State Departmentcontractor.

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Virginia Sheriff releases video of struggle with inmate who died

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP/ WJLA) — A video released Thursday shows a prolonged struggle between a naked, mentally ill inmate and five deputies in biohazard suits who shocked her four times with a stun gun before she lost consciousness.

The inmate, 37-year-old Natasha McKenna, died several days after the struggle, prompting a months-long criminal investigation. Thursday's release of the 45-minute video by Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid comes two days after the county's lead prosecutor announced he would not file charges, calling the death a "tragic accident."

A medical examiner also ruled the death accidental, specifically by excited delirium associated with use of restraints and a stun gun. McKenna's schizophrenia was listed as a contributing factor. The case remains the subject of a federal civil rights investigation.

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Oakland Zoo to auction paintings by its animals

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elephants, giraffes, lemurs, and even a cockroach at the Oakland Zoo have been exploring their creative sides to produce colorful paintings that will be auctioned for charity.

The painting sessions were conducted by zoo keepers who used only positive-reinforcement, including plenty of treats, as they worked with the animals, zoo spokeswoman Nicky Mora said.

Elephants were helped to hold paintbrushes in their trunks and giraffes in their mouths and produced their artwork one stroke at a time. Goats, lemurs, and meerkats had their hooves, paws or claws dabbed with nontoxic, water-based paint and ran over a blank sheet of poster board while chasing a treat.

Thirty-two of the works will be auctioned on eBay starting Thursday.

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Police: Md. Correctional Officer Attempted To Deliver Drugs To Inmate

TOWSON, Md. (WJZ)—A Maryland correctional training officer has been charged after police say he attempted to deliver drugs to an inmate.

52-year-old Patrick Merson, an officer with the Maryland Correctional Training Center (MCTC) in Hagerstown, is facing 11 criminal charges related to an alleged plot to bring heroin, OxyContin, and synthetic marijuana known as “Spice” into the prison.

Investigators believe Merson was working with a relative of the inmate to deliver the drugs from a location in Smithsburg, MD.

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This is what could tip Fed's hand

Financial markets have become the story for the Fed next week.

After another day of searing volatility, traders will look past economic reports Thursday and the normal triggers of market movements to see if conditions stabilize, creating an environment where the Fed would be more comfortable hiking rates for the first time in more than nine years.

"I think what people are going to focus on is are we in an extremely volatile period for the next couple of weeks, and if we are I think this is a Fed that feels like it can be patient," said Rick Rieder, chief investment officer, fundamental fixed income at BlackRock. He said the odds of a rate increase at the Fed's Sept. 16 and 17 meeting is now less than 50 percent, but would increase to 50 percent if the markets stabilize.

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Police/Courts 09/11/2015

Assault and damages

Lynnette Cutlip, 35, Levittown, Pa. was arrested on Aug. 26 for malicious destruction of property and two counts of second-degree assault.

Ocean City police met with the suspect’s boyfriend who said they were drinking when an argument erupted and that Cutlip punched and kicked him.

According to the report, Cutlip took her mother-in-law’s duffle bag and threw it off the balcony, which landed on her boyfriend’s car causing $300 in damages.

Disorderly conduct

Ryan Mittrick, 22, of Severna Park, Md. was arrested on Aug. 25 for disorderly conduct after he disrupted several people on the Boardwalk. He also was charged with indecent exposure after being taken into custody.

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Congressman Harris: President Obama is Empowering our Enemies

Congressman Andy Harris’ Statement on the Iran Nuclear Vote in the House

WASHINGTON, DC: Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01) released the following statement after the House of Representatives did not approve the nuclear deal in Iran. The House did not pass H.R. 3461, “To Approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran.” The House also passed H.R. 3460, which would remove the ability of the President to lift or reduce sanctions on Iran within the nuclear agreement.

“It’s a shame that on the fourteenth anniversary of September 11th, President Obama seeks to empower the terror-ridden country of Iran and aid worldwide terrorism. The bottom line is that they are our enemies, and the President, along with 42 Democrats in the Senate, seeks to enable a country that has a proven record of state-sponsored terrorism, religious extremism and human rights abuses with this horrendous deal.

“Today, the House, acting in a bipartisan vote, stood strong by not approving the nuclear deal with Iran, while also passing a bill that would immediately deny the President the ability to lift sanctions on Iran. Iran’s possession of a bomb would immediately endanger not only our allies in the region like Israel, but the security of the United States itself in the future. I continue to support much stronger sanctions and believe we can and should make a better deal.”

Marriage fraud scheme aimed to help Chinese get US residency

LOS ANGELES — An American man was told he could make $18,000 for marrying a Chinese woman who needed a green card, so he agreed to get hitched at a California wedding studio and then took an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas where he posed in photos with his new wife.

But the man was gay and vacationing with his boyfriend, while the woman already had a husband. Until he revealed his sexual orientation to an immigration officer during a green card interview, both couples had been caught up in an elaborate marriage fraud scheme that has netted organizers $3.5 million since 2006, authorities say.

Federal authorities on Wednesday arrested Jason Shiao, a 65-year-old Southern California man they say posed as an attorney, and his 43-year-old daughter, Lynn Leung, on charges of conspiring to commit visa fraud by arranging phony marriages between Chinese citizens seeking legal residency and American spouses.

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Ocean City Brewing Co. expands to Harford County

An Ocean City taphouse is bringing its seaside suds to Harford County.

Ocean City Brewing Co. is taking over an 8,500-square-foot space at the Boulevard at Box Hill in Abingdon. Joe’s Crab Shack, the current tenant, announced its closure Sept. 9.

Unlike the Baltimore restaurants that have laid fresh roots in Ocean City, such as Ropewalk Tavern and Abbey Burger Bistro, the beach pub is heading in the opposite direction for its expansion. Owner Joshua Shores splits his time between a house in Bel Air and one in Ocean City, and he had been searching for space for a second location near his Harford County home for more than six months.

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