Month: July 2017

The Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli on keeping it “fun” after death of a beloved bandmate

The Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli on keeping it “fun” after death of a beloved bandmate

Published by Sam Flores

Low-key kings of ’90s alt-rock, the Afghan Whigs have been on a tear since reuniting in 2011. The band’s two post-reformation albums — 2014’s “Do to the Beast” and “In Spades,” which arrived in May — seethe with R&B-saturated roars, distortion-fuzzed guitars, and antique-sounding orchestration. “In Spades” especially is haunted by macabre-sounding vibes: Strings and horns dart and quiver through many songs, including the elegiac “Toy Automatic” and spare “Oriole,” while the elegant opening salvo “Birdland” has stuttering arrangements that sound like chamber-jazz. As anyone who’s seen the Afghan Whigs in recent years will testify, this ever-present studio ferocity comes directly from the band’s stunning live shows. In late June, however, the group suffered an emotional blow. Guitarist Dave Rosser, who also played alongside Afghan Whigs vocalist Greg Dulli in groups such as the Gutter Twins and the Twilight Singers, passed away less than a year after being diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer. To honor his memory, the Afghan Whigs recently recorded and released a cover of a song called “You Want Love” originally recorded by …

4 reasons why you should not be browsing the internet without the Disconnect app

4 reasons why you should not be browsing the internet without the Disconnect app

Published by Sam Flores

In a time when cyber-attackers are becoming more sophisticated every day and net neutrality regulations are constantly under fire, it’s a good idea to invest in some web-surfing safeguards. And when it comes to Internet security, Disconnect is second to none. Read on to discover why The New York Times, LifeHacker, PCMag, TechCrunch, and Ars Technica have all featured this all-in-one app. 1. It improves browser speed Under normal circumstances, your everyday web browsing is subject to infiltration by various trackers and malware, which can drastically slow down your devices. Disconnect blocks tracking requests from connecting to your devices, which increases website loading speed and decreases battery drain. 2. It secures your dataWhile some web tracking exists merely to serve you more specifically targeted ads, there are more nefarious forms of tracking that aim to harvest your private data without your consent. Disconnect hides this data from companies, government agencies, and cybercriminals, allowing you to browse in peace. 3. It cloaks your identityWherever you roam on the web, you leave behind a trail that your …

April 3, 2023 Trump indictment news

April 3, 2023 Trump indictment news

Published by Sam Flores

Lawyers for former President Donald Trump told a New York judge on Monday that they oppose the request by media outlets to broadcast Trump’s arraignment on Tuesday. “We submit that the media request should be denied because it will create a circus-like atmosphere at the arraignment, raise unique security concerns, and is inconsistent with President Trump’s presumption of innocence,” the Trump team said in a letter to New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchant. Trump’s attorneys said in their letter to Acting New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan that he is required under court rules to take into account potential security concerns. “As Your Honor is well-aware, this case presents extraordinary security concerns (including Secret Service-related concerns) and we submit that any video or photography of the proceedings will only heighten these serious concerns,” they wrote. Among the Trump lawyers signing the new letter was Todd Blanche, who, CNN reported, recently joined the former president’s legal team. Meanwhile, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office also responded Monday to the news outlets’ request, and said that it …

April 3, 2023 – Russia-Ukraine news

April 3, 2023 – Russia-Ukraine news

Published by Sam Flores

The Ukrainian military has reported little change to the front lines but heavy fire from Russian forces at various parts of the front line in the Donetsk region. The General Staff said that more than 45 enemy attacks had been repelled over the past day, with the focus on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinka. It said there were 17 air strikes and more than 20 strikes by multiple launch rocket systems. “In the Bakhmut direction, the enemy is trying to take full control over the city of Bakhmut and continues to storm it,” the General Staff said. West of the city, Ukrainian defense forces repelled about 20 enemy attacks, according to the General Staff. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukrainian Land Forces, posted on Telegram that in Bakhmut he had met with “soldiers and commanders who destroyed the myth of invincibility of the Wagner fighters and Russian paratroopers.” “The enemy is weakening and trying to cover up its failures with new fakes about the capture of Bakhmut,” Syrskyi said. Syrskyi referenced the possibility of a future …

Pinduoduo: One of China’s most popular apps has the ability to spy on its users, say experts

Pinduoduo: One of China’s most popular apps has the ability to spy on its users, say experts

Published by Sam Flores

CNN  —  It is one of China’s most popular shopping apps, selling clothing, groceries and just about everything else under the sun to more than 750 million users a month. But according to cybersecurity researchers, it can also bypass users’ cell phone security to monitor activities on other apps, check notifications, read private messages and change settings. And once installed, it’s tough to remove. While many apps collect vast troves of user data, sometimes without explicit consent, experts say e-commerce giant Pinduoduo has taken violations of privacy and data security to the next level. In a detailed investigation, CNN spoke to half a dozen cybersecurity teams from Asia, Europe and the United States — as well as multiple former and current Pinduoduo employees — after receiving a tipoff. Multiple experts identified the presence of malware on the Pinduoduo app that exploited vulnerabilities in Android operating systems. Company insiders said the exploits were utilized to spy on users and competitors, allegedly to boost sales. “We haven’t seen a mainstream app like this trying to escalate their …

Sally Hemings’ slave quarters discovered at Monticello

Sally Hemings’ slave quarters discovered at Monticello

Published by Sam Flores

A new chapter in the story of America’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, has been quite literally discovered. Archaeologists at Jefferson’s estate Monticello have discovered the living quarters of his slave Sally Hemmings, according to a report by NBC News. Architectural historian Gardiner Hallock, who works for Monticello, told NBC News that “this discovery gives us a sense of how enslaved people were living. Some of Sally’s children may have been born in this room. It’s important because it shows Sally as a human being — a mother, daughter, and sister — and brings out the relationships in her life.” It is widely believed that Jefferson engaged in a sexual relationship with Hemmings and historians fiercely debate whether Jefferson fathered six of her known children. Although the jury is still out as to whether Jefferson fathered any children with Hemmings, a DNA test in 1998 revealed that a man who was previously believed to be the white father of Hemmings’ children did not have a genetic connection to at least one of their ancestors, while a male from the Jefferson …