A Quick Run Around the Web--November 24, 2015

Bruno Liljefors, Studie till Ung tjäderskytt (1923-24)

• "Syrian rebels chant 'Allahu Akbar' over body of dead Russian pilot after Turkey shoots down jet for violating its air-space... then chopper searching for co-pilot is blown up by anti-Assad troops"--Daily Mail.

• "Vladimir Putin warns Turkey of 'significant consequences' over shooting down of Russian jet"--Mirror.

• "Turkmen forces in Syria shot dead pilots of downed Russian jet: deputy commander"--Reuters.

• "Putin calls jet's downing 'stab in the back,' but Turkey says warning ignored"--CNN.

• "Five people were shot near Black Lives Matter protest site"--Star Tribune. 5 BLM protesters shot by what the MSM is currently describing as "white supremacists" based solely on what the BLM is stating. However, Weasel Zippers has reviewed video and indicates that the 3 suspects were surrounded by BLM, threatened, shoved them, pushed them, and started chasing them before shots were fired. Anyway, 2 suspects (a young Hispanic man and a young white man) have been arrested, according to the Washington Post.
• "White cop who shot black Chicago teenager 16 TIMES charged with first-degree murder - and the city is bracing for riots ahead of dashcam video's release"--Daily Mail.

In the McDonald case, ministers, community leaders and others worry the graphic images of the shooting from the squad car dash-board camera could lead to the kind of unrest seen in Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri, following police-involved deaths, including that of Michael Brown.  

'I'm definitely concerned about people's outrage,' said the Rev. Corey Brooks of the New Beginnings Church on Chicago's south side.

'Many in my community feel betrayed, they are so very angry and protests are imminent. It's clear from the meeting today that Emanuel knows that,' said the Rev. Ira Acree of the Greater St. John Bible Church on the west side. 

• "Worldwide travel alert issued by State Department over terror threats"--New York Daily News.

• Related: "Take that! Obama: Climate summit a ‘powerful rebuke’ to terrorists"--Climate Depot.  "'I think it is absolutely vital for every country, every leader, to send a signal that the viciousness of a handful of killers does not stop the world from doing vital business, and that Paris … is not going to be cowered by the violent, demented actions of a few,' Obama said about the upcoming climate conference."

• "As China’s Workforce Dwindles, the World Scrambles for Alternatives"--Wall Street Journal. Short story, the increased price of labor in China is undermining its competitiveness, and a shrinking working age population means that China will probably not be able to return to cheap labor. From the story:

Fearing that China will see an exodus of manufacturers, Chinese Communist Party Chief Xi Jinping last year called for “an industrial robot revolution” in China, which has become the world’s largest market for automation. 

Looking ahead to 2050, the future appears mixed for consumers around the globe. Low-cost production in China has helped suppress inflation in the U.S., Europe and at home. It is an open question whether automation can hold down costs as effectively as Chinese peasant labor did. But consumers should look forward to more choice, faster delivery and, perhaps, less harm to the environment.

Some technologists even think that inventions such as 3-D printing—essentially printers that replicate solid objects like copiers reproduce printed pages—will have a big impact by 2050. In such a world, printers could spew out clothing, food, electronics and other goods ordered online from a nearly limitless selection, with far fewer workers involved in production.

• "Ancient DNA shows Stone Age humans evolved quickly as they took up farming"--Washington Post. "The research, published Monday in the journal Nature, identified 12 specific genetic mutations that corresponded to the rise of agriculture and the migration of people into new regions. They include the ability to digest milk and metabolize fats. The mutations also favored greater height at maturity, lighter skin and lighter eye color in northern populations. There are also genetic markers that appear to be connected to resistance against such diseases as leprosy and tuberculosis."
• "Jeff Bezos just made history by launching and landing a reusable rocket"--Tech Insider. This is a big deal. Seriously.

The New Shepard rocket lifted off from Blue Origin's launch facility in Van Horn, Texas, on Nov. 23, 2015, flew about 2,800 mph, and soared to more than 62 miles above the Earth, the company said in a press release.

After deploying a space capsule, the rocket then plummeted back toward the ground, reignited its booster, and — in a world first — gently and safely touched down in the middle of a landing target.

• "Wonder of the World: Google Street View launches incredible tour of Petra in all its astonishing and timeless beauty"--Daily Mail. Probably the closest I will ever get to traveling there....
• "Yours for $17.5million, the luxury home where you WON'T have a blast! Converted nuclear bunker boasts 32 acres of land, 3ft-thick walls and decontamination showers"--Daily Mail. "Built entirely underground, it boasts three-foot-thick walls, a weapons room, a $100,000 CCTV system and even decontamination showers. These photos show a one-of-a-kind luxury home that can apparently withstand an array of potential threats - including a 20-kiloton nuclear explosion. The converted bunker, situated near Savannah, Georgia, is also said to be able to survive natural disasters, civil disturbances and terrorist attacks."

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