Category: Local

Local

​New York City is cleaning its ancient Egyptian monument with lasers

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As reported on Engadget. BY SEAN BUCKLEY A 69-foot, 3,500-year old granite obelisk has stood in New York City’s Central Park for 130 years, and it’s never, ever, been cleaned. The ancient pillar is deceptively fragile, and conservationists have been hesitant simply to hose it down. The solution? Blast it withlasers, of course. After careful testing, the Central Park Conservancy determined that a gentle bath of infrared lasers is both the most sensitive and environmentally friendly cleaning method…

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Government Local

White House close to backing FBI’s wiretap backdoor proposal, says NYT

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As reported on The Verge. By Jeff Blagdon The White House is reportedly close to backing an FBI plan that would simplify online wiretapping by providing for significant fines against web services that refuse law enforcement requests. The New York Times reports that companies could face fines of up to $25,000 day if they fail to comply with judge-issued wiretap orders.   COMPANIES ARE ABLE TO CLAIM THEY CAN’T IMPLEMENT A WIRETAP Citing officials familiar with the deliberations, The Times reports that while…

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Application Legal Local

New York cops now armed with crime-busting Android app

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As reported on The Verge. By Matt Brian The New York Police Department (NYPD) began outfitting its officers with Android smartphones as part of a new pilot aimed at improving policing and public safety.According to the New York Times, the department has already distributed over 400 smartphones to its officers since last summer, providing them with more detailed access to police data while on the move. The Android smartphones are unable to make or receive calls, but…

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Local Politics

A New York police state of mind: Bloomberg’s vision of a drone-filled city doesn’t fly

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As reported on The Verge. By Joshua Kopstein The world’s most powerful mayor welcomes ‘visibility’ — just not in city hall Taking a break from his crusade against sugary soft drinks, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg took some time during his weekly radio broadcast last week to downplay an issue that’s been at the forefront of privacy concerns in a growing number of US states: the use of unmanned aerial drones for ubiquitous police surveillance. “What’s the…

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Local News

New York senator blames newspaper’s gun map for local burglary

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As reported on The Verge. By Amar Toor A Republican state senator from New York is blaming a controversial handgun map for the recent burglary of a gun owner’s residence in White Plains. According to Newsday, at least two burglars broke into the home on Saturday evening, as part of an effort to rob the owner’s gun safe. Local police say the were unable to open the safe, and that one of the suspects has already been taken into custody.…

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