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The FBI can't figure out how to unlock the Texas church shooter's iPhone, and Apple has offered help (AAPL)

By Unknown - Saturday, November 11, 2017

Another battle is brewing between FBI and Apple.

Apple CEO Tim Cook (Getty/Justin Sullivan)

The FBI says it can't access data on a phone used by Devin Patrick Kelley, the gunman who killed 26 people on Sunday at a rural Texas church.
Apple said that it contacted the FBI but it has not yet received a request for technical assistance.

Another fight between Apple and the FBI is brewing, this time over an iPhone reportedly used by Devin Patrick Kelly, the man who went on a shooting rampage on Sunday killing 26 people at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

In a press conference on Tuesday, the FBI said that it hadn't been able to access data on a phone used by the gunman. The Washington Post identified the phone as an iPhone.

"They're in the process of looking at the phone," Christopher Combs, the special agent leading the investigation into the shooting, told reporters on Tuesday. "Unfortunately, at this time, we are unable to get into that phone."

Combs' comments suggest that critical clues to Kelley's motivations or potential co-conspirators remain inaccessible on his device without knowing the password.

Apple told Business Insider that it reached out to the FBI after it saw the press conference on Tuesday.

"Our team immediately reached out to the FBI after learning from their press conference on Tuesday that investigators were trying to access a mobile phone. We offered assistance and said we would expedite our response to any legal process they send us," an Apple spokesperson said in a statement.

"We work with law enforcement every day. We offer training to thousands of agents so they understand our devices and how they can quickly request information from Apple," it continued.

The fingerprint sensor might still have been able to unlock the phone after Kelley's death

The Apple spokesperson went on to confirm that law enforcement had not yet asked for any help from Apple accessing data off of Kelley's phone.

The implication is that had law enforcement contacted Apple sooner, it would have received tips and guidance that could have helped it preserve access to the data on Kelley's phone.

For example, as a security measure, the fingerprint sensor on iPhones won't work if the user hasn't used it in the last 48 hours. That suggests that for the two days after the rampage and after Kelley's death, but before the press conference, law enforcement could have used Kelley's actual finger or a copy of his fingerprint to access his phone.

Echoes of the San Bernardino showdown

The episode mirrors a fraught situation in 2016 when Apple and the FBI publicly clashed over access to an iPhone used by Syed Farook, a terrorist associated with an attack in San Bernardino.

At the time, Apple went public to fight a court ruling that ordered it to assist the FBI in bypassing critical security features on the device. But the FBI later announced that it was able to access the data on its own and dropped the court fight.

FBI officials have called for companies like Apple to build "back doors" into their technology — special ways for law enforcement to read messages and other data off of commercial smartphones.

A spokesperson for the FBI did not immediately return a request for comment outside of business hours.

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NEWS

Nicki Minaj’s Elder Brother Found Guilty Of [email protected], To Face 25yrs Prison Sentence

By Unknown - Saturday, November 11, 2017

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CARS

2017 Car of the Year runner-up: The impressive Acura TLX A-Spec

By Unknown - Saturday, November 11, 2017

This snazzier version of Acura's bread-and-butter sedan had us thinking that we should take a pass on the BMW 3-Series.

Editorial note: Business Insider will name its 2017 Car of the Year on November 14, based on 15 finalists. Each day this week, we're taking another look at the five vehicles that were runners-up. First up: the Acura TLX A-Spec.

The Acura has a splendid V6 engine, a smooth-shifting transmission, dual infotainment screens that make sense with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a comfortable interior.
The car is a great value versus the competition, with legendary Honda reliability.
But the Acura is not a luxury status symbol. It also lacks rear-wheel-drive (although AWD is excellent), has a sub-300hp motor, and the styling is a bit controversial for Acura loyalists.

Sometimes, a really great car just kind of sneaks up on you. Several years ago, Acura (Honda's luxury division) rolled out a new version of its TLX sedan, a mid-size BMW 3-Series fighter.

That's no easy task; everyone selling a mid-size luxury sedan has been unsuccessfully fighting the 3-Series for decades. But the TLX was absolutely necessary to keep Acura competitive in the segment. That said, everyone also knew that the almighty BMW wasn't going to be dethroned anytime soon, if ever.

Enter the TLX A-Spec, which I borrowed to test out. I drove a well-optioned 2018 model that came with all-wheel-drive and stickered at $45,750. (Interestingly, I sampled the Acura in and around Fremont and San Jose, CA, when I was also checking out the launch of the Tesla Model 3, the all-electric mass-market car of the future, and we later enjoyed the vehicle in the New York-New Jersey area).

It would be a sad understatement to say that I liked this car. I've always been an Acura fan — even though Honda doesn't do rear-wheel-drive and therefore has a tough time competing against BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus, who do. The brand's cars and SUVs are exceptionally well-done, with reasonable performance, great reliability, and fantastic Honda engineering. My TLX had a brilliant 3.5-liter V6 under the hood (Honda makes superb V6's) and all the go-fast upgrades that earned it the A-Spec designation.

It was good. Real good:

The TLX A-Spec isn't flashy, but it's a nice looking set of wheels, in shimmery white with a black interior.

The TLX replaced the TL in 2015 and was quickly greeted with the usual sighs about how Acura is never going to top the Big Four luxury automakers: Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, and Audi. Along with Infiniti (Nissan's luxury brand), Acura has long strived to replicate Lexus's achievements, but of the Japanese carmakers, only Toyota has truly cracked the luxe code.

This is a misplaced lament. Acura has been around since Ronald Reagan was in the Oval Office and over the decades has sold many vehicles, including the much-loved Legend and Integra. The brand has its own thing going, and in my view, it's different from Lexus's "Don't think about it" approach toward luxury and the Germans' focus on driving performance.

The design grows on you.

I gave some serious thought to buying a used luxury sedan a few years back — certified pre-owned luxury cars are great deals — and Acura was my first stop. Yes, rear-wheel-drive is nice, but if you're mainly going to be navigating freeways and urban/suburban roadways, you don't really need it, and having to send power to the back wheels adds mechanical complexity.

Acura's solution is to use its front-wheel-drive platforms to host AWD technology. You either buy this or you don't. And as Acura once pointed out to me, Infiniti's decision to go RWD hasn't really helped it to conquer the BMWs and Mercedes of the world.

Ultimately, you're getting a much nicer Honda in the bargain if you go for an Acura like the TLX. If that sounds like a compromise, it isn't, unless status ranks higher than common sense. Hondas are a superb baseline; Acura's are better.

The much-maligned "beak" is gone from the TLX's front fascia, replaced by the angular grilled and the large Acura badge.

Acura took it a little too far in a flashy direction with its prior front-end design, alienating some owners who have always liked the brand's sharp, but non-Germanic looks.

Honda's overall problem with design had been that decades of competence had suddenly become boring. So Acura overreacted and has now retreated.

The result is a fairly well-designed car that blends clean lines with a touch of aggression — but just a touch. And check out those "jewel eye" LED headlights! Very sleek and contemporary, although, one could complain that they're out of scale when compared to the badge.

The interior is, in a word, perfect.

I don't think Acura has the best seats in the luxury segment, nor the flashiest appointments. But the carmaker tends to get everything just right, continuing Honda's long record of focusing on ergonomics.

When you get into an Acura, the learning curve is a bit steeper than it was in the pre-infotainment-system era, but it's still far less steep than with some other carmakers (BMW and Lexus, I'm looking at you).

Did I say that seats aren't the best? Okay, but these saddles are pretty nice, with contrast stitching, piping, and Alcantara inserts.

Also, up front they're heated and cooled — I appreciated the latter in some toasty NoCal sunshine.

From the driver's point of view, the cockpit is a pleasing combination of new and old, with the multi-screen infotainment system on the center stack but the central instrument cluster analog-style old-school. The leather-wrapped steering wheel has all the usual buttons to control vehicle functions, and the paddle shifters are sort of fun if you want to tackle the shifting yourself in manual mode.

A decent-sized moonroof prevents the black interior from feeling cavernous, and back seats are reasonably roomy.

Throwback gauges — but will Tesla's influence spell an end to this familiar sight?

I've been looking at this tachometer-speedometer layout form pretty much my entire adult driving life.

But something interesting happened, as I was testing the TLX A-Spec while covering the launch of the new Tesla Model 3, a car that's completely done away with the traditional instrument clusters, placing all information in a central, horizontally oriented touchscreen.

I expected this even before I saw the car in the flesh, so the TLX provided me with an opportunity to consider the demise of gauges.

Honestly, I think the industry will move inTesla's direction over the coming decades. For the vast majority of drivers, the tachometer is a useless instrument — it merely adds a sporty vibe. Few will really need to track their car's engine redline when shifting. I certainly didn't, even though the TLX A-Spec includes both a Sport and a Sport Plus driving mode, in additional to Normal and Econ (the last helping the car make good on its 20 mpg city/29 highway/23 combined fuel-economy ratings).

Lincoln has been tipping in this direction by making its information displays more minimalist, which actually adds to a luxury feel. The Model 3 is a $44,000 car at currently available pricing, but its ultra-minimal insides make it feel ironically more premium. A trend is a trend, and in this context, the TLX's setup comes off as overly complicated. The future will entail less.

Mid-size sedans need good-size trunks, and the TLX A-Spec doesn't disappoint.

I didn't have anything to put back there, but if I did, the trunk would have easily swallowed up a long weekend's worth of luggage for a family of four. A golf bag would fit, as would gear for a mixed-doubles team. Two guitars and two amps, yes. A drum kit: no.

The Acura has an interesting infotainment-screen setup: two screens! This means you can run Apple CarPlay, for example, on one, and the Acura system on the other.

It's a little odd, but it works well. You have Bluetooth, USB/AUX ports, navigation, voice commands, and a tasty audio system.

So we liked the car! But how did the Acura TLX A-Spec drive?

Acuras are more fun to drive than Lexuses, less fun than BMWs, different from Audis (I tend to find Acura's to be better for daily driving duty), more youthful than Mercedes, and less juicy than Cadillacs. Lincolns are much mushier, in a good way.

The A-Spec package adds some oomph to the regulation TLX. A 290-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 is under the hood, and it's fantastic. We're being compelled to deal with more and more turbocharging on luxury vehicles, but the TLX's mill is all motor, and it punches above spec, at least in the feel department.

I thought I had more than 300 horses the entire time, testament to how that V6 in combination with a 9-speed automatic does a passable imitation of a small V8. The 0-60 mph run can be achieved in about six seconds, which isn't bonkers fast, but the TLX A-Spec comes into its own when you call on it to pass or want to cleanly access the power while modulating speed.

This is a no-compromise drivetrain, and when you throw in the torque-vectoring AWD system, you get a ride that's crisp when commanded and mellow when it isn't — the polar opposite of a twitchy performance car. Steering is responsive without being heavy, and the brakes feel solid. If you get bold with the throttle, the A-Spec even shows a glimmer of a wild side. But just a glimmer. This is no BMW M-Sport machine.

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NEWS

Residents Flee As Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Adamawa Community

By Unknown - Saturday, November 11, 2017

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LIFESTYLE

Sheenglishing heenglish; English and women titles (part two)

By Unknown - Saturday, November 11, 2017

You gracefully say for example ‘welcome, madam. (www.Pinterest.co.kr)

Similarly, the counterpart or the feminine version of ‘sir’ is ‘Madam.’ The word was gotten from the French mid-16th century word ‘Madame’ which is a title used to address a respectable, married French woman.

‘Madam’ is the title for a woman of high status, elegance, royalty, culture, style etc. ‘Madam’ is a word that comes before the title of a woman’s social or political office. E.g. Madam Senator. Madam President.

‘Madam’ is also used as a salutation for ‘woman’ in official letters. The phoneme [d] at the centre of ‘madam’ could be replaced with an apostrophe: ma’am. It still means the same. People erroneously believe that since it is acceptable to salute a man in an official letter with ‘Dear Sir,’ it is also ok to write ‘Dear Ma,’ while addressing an official letter to a woman.

‘Madam’ is a very formal word with which you address a woman of honour. It is inelegant and unsuitable to address your mother at home as ‘Madam.’ That is not to say that you cannot playfully get ‘formal’ with your mother at home. You do that when you are getting at something.

Whenever you want to address a woman who is not your mother and you intend doing this with a touch of respect, you gracefully say for example ‘welcome, madam.’ If the woman were your mother/guardian or someone you consider your mother, you may say ‘welcome, ma.’

The relationship and setting determine whether you use either of the two. Formal relationship and setting attract ‘Madam,’ while informal relationship and setting attract ‘Ma.’ Why?

‘Ma’ is the early 19th century word for ‘Mother.’ E.g. My ma believes so much in me.’ ‘Ma’ is the informal old fashioned shortened form of the word ‘mama.’ ‘Ma’ is a title for an old woman. E.g. Ma Abosede was a good woman.

Other words that share the meaning and informality of ‘Ma’ include: mam, mama, mummy, mum, mommy, nana, momma, and mom. Pa is the masculine version of ma. It means ‘Father.’ E.g. My old pa likes little children. Pa James.

The simplest plural form of ‘Madam’ is ‘Madams.’ It has other plurals such as ‘mesdames’ or ‘ladies.’ So you can say ‘welcome, gentle ladies,’ when you address a gathering of women. You may also say ‘Good evening, mesdames.’ The problem with ‘mesdames’ is that even native speakers of English consider it strange and foreign.

‘Ladies’ used as the plural of ‘Madam’ also falls in the category of nouns that adopt irregular pluralisation. ‘Ladies’ itself has its singular form as ‘Lady.’ What is accentuated is not the formation of familiar proper plurals but a creation of appropriate meaning in a given context. That is why people say ‘Hello, ladies and gentlemen.’ It could as well be ‘Hello, Madams and Sirs,’ or ‘Hello Mesdames.’ How does that feel in your mouth?

Written by Omidire Idowu.

Omidire Idowu Joshua is a committed pedagogue, editor, and proofreader. You may reach him via noblelifeliver@gmail.com or on twitter through @IAMEagleHeart

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SPORTS

Emotional Neymar on verge of tears as he addresses rumours he wants to quit Paris Saint-Germain for Barcelona return

By Unknown - Saturday, November 11, 2017

Neymar was on the verge of tears as he addressed rumours that he is unhappy at Paris Saint-Germain.

It has been claimed that the Brazilian superstar has not settled into life at Paris after quitting Barcelona this summer.

He returned to Barca’s Ciutat Esportiva this past week, where he was reunited with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, and reportedly asked if they would ‘accept him back’.

Neymar’s relationship with PSG’s fellow big name stars has come into question, most notably with Edinson Cavani, with whom he had a penalty row with just a few games after moving.

Neymar got emotional as he spoke following the game

Neymar was keen to address rumours about his future

There have also been reports of a rift with manager Unai Emery.

But Neymar has passionately shot down rumours that he is unhappy at PSG – and insists that he gets on with everybody at the club.

“I’m fine, happy, motivated, satisfied and giving everything on the pitch,” Neymar told O Globo following Brazil’s win over Japan on Friday.

“But it’s something that’s bothering me a lot because they’re inventing stories that aren’t true.

Neymar has been on international duty with Brazil this week

Neymar spoke passionately about his future after the game with Japan

“I have no problem with Cavani, I have no problem with the coach – I came with his endorsement!”

He continued: “I want to be happy, I did not come to disturb anyone. I know my importance to the team, my role on the pitch. I beg you to stop.

“I’m not angry, I’m not p***** off. I came with my own will, to say what I think.

Neymar joined PSG in a deal worth £200million in the summer

Things haven’t gone completely to plan for Neymar since his move

There has been talks of a rift with Cavani

There has also been speculation over his relationship with Emery

“I do not like rumours. What I talk about is the nuisance of people who think they know everything but don’t. So it’s easier for you to hear it from my mouth.

“I have no problem with PSG, what bothers me is the pressure of the press.

“I’m a guy who likes to win, I like titles and I went to PSG for this. I’m happy.

“I was happy when I left Barcelona and I’m happy now.”

Neymar was the star of the show in the game against Japan

Neymar reportedly walked away from the interview at this point, after becoming visibly emotional with the nature of the questions.

On the pitch,the 25-year-old was the star of the show as Brazil defeated Japan in a friendly in Lille on Friday afternoon.

Brazil ran out easy winners in a game where Neymar both scored and missed from the penalty spot.

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NEWS

Woodward must demand Mourinho sell these three Man United players in January

By Unknown - Saturday, November 11, 2017

Our Manchester United fans here in the Transfer Tavern are having a little discussion over who should be leaving this January.

Ed Woodward and the rest of the board have told manager Jose Mourinho he has to sell before he buys and our regulars say United’s wage bill has risen by 13.5% in recent years. Although Mourinho has shown the door to several players over the past year and a half, the books still need balancing after a fair few big spending summers.

With Mourinho going into his second season our glass collector thinks he’ll have a clearer idea of his squad, who he can utilise and who is surplus to requirements. Indeed, having been heavily linked with Ozil in recent months and the need for a first-team left back, the Old Trafford man must clear away some deadwood to make way for the new.

Our landlord takes a look at these three players to should be shown the Old Trafford exit door…

The left-back arrived from Southampton for big money during Louis Van Gaal’s reign and, since then he’s failed to impress with poor form on a regular basis and a bout of injuries giving him a stop-start United career.

Mourinho’s limited options at left back have still made the Portuguese choose an ageing Young over Shaw, which surely signals curtains for the England man.

The marmite midfielder is loved by Mourinho but generally disliked amongst the Old Trafford faithful. So, with his contract talks seeming to have stalled, meaning he’s open to talking to who he wants in January.

United may cash in on the Belgium midfielder early, or risk losing a man they splashed fairly big money on for free.

This would come as a welcomed transfer to the majority of United fans but Mourinho would lose his plan B.

The United academy youngster is surely looking for a loan move to re-ignite his United career but after a major injury he seems to have missed the impression boat with Mourinho and he may as well cut his losses and move on to forge a career elsewhere.

Wilson will find it hard to dislodge any of the front men at the moment and with the returning Zlatan you can only see more bench time for the young man.

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NEWS

2019 Election: Igbos give Buhari tough condition –

By Unknown - Saturday, November 11, 2017

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LIFESTYLE

Vampire transfusions may help humans live forever

By Unknown - Saturday, November 11, 2017

It is possible that we can grow biologically younger – and they key is in our blood, according to a scientist.

The biomedical gerontologist – an ageing expert – says that one day we won’t die from old age or ill health – only as a result of road accidents.

That is according to Briton Aubrey de Grey, who is chief science officer and co-founder of the SENS Research Foundation in Mountain View in California.

His company is one of an increasing number of Bay Area researchers pursuing the fountain of youth – focusing on isolating a factor in blood to turn back the hands of time.

The idea is that giving the plasma of the young to the old could help to reverse the effects of ageing.

And while it’s a concept that calls to mind vampire lore and stories of bathing in blood, research has suggested it’s not just pie in the sky.

Indeed, researchers at Stanford University, led by neuroscientist Tony Wyss-Coray, showed in a 2014 study that infusions of blood from young mice reversed cognitive and neurological impairments in old rodents.

Now biotech start-ups are racing to replicate this in humans, to achieve what we only know in science-fiction movies: eternal youth and health.

“The risk of death will remain the risk of death from causes other than aging — like being hit by a truck,” Dr de Grey told CBS SF Bay Area.

“We don’t know how soon we’re going to defeat aging. We should be able to keep people truly in a youthful state of health, no matter how long they live and that means the risk of death will not rise. Plasma transfusions are big hot property right now.”

A year after the Stanford research, biotech company Alkahest in San Carlo, California, experimented a step further in a series of trials injecting the blood plasma of 18-year-old humans into old mice.

They found that similar effects to the original study – human blood did rejuvenate both the body and brain, improving cognition and allowing them to frolic about like their younger counterparts.

Knowing that mice are biologically similar to humans, the researchers believed a similar technique could one day be used to benefit us.

Meanwhile, there may be science behind the fairytales of vampires feeding on the life blood of young maidens.

Blood plasma taken from young people and given to those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease appears to help ward off its symptoms.

It has long been hoped that giving the blood of the young to the old could help to reverse the signs of ageing.

A study has now found so-called ‘vampire transfusions’ may help people with dementia regain the capacity to perform basic daily tasks, such as making their own meals, paying bills and remembering to take their medications.

This is what happened, according to researchers at Stanford University when they gave 18 people with Alzheimer’s disease the blood plasma of 18 to 30-year-olds.

Although this was an early-stage trial, set up only to determine if such transfusions were safe, the authors were surprised by the results.

The breakthrough follows a Stanford study in 2014 which found the blood of young mice rejuvenated the brain tissue of old mice and made them better able to learn.

At the time, the researchers said young blood may contain ingredients, as yet unknown, which are able to ‘recharge’ the brain.

The new findings were presented at the 10th annual Clinical Trial on Alzheimer’s Disease conference in Boston.

Jos Stay Online

Social Plugin

The FBI can't figure out how to unlock the Texas church shooter's iPhone, and Apple has offered help (AAPL)

Another battle is brewing between FBI and Apple.

The fingerprint sensor might still have been able to unlock the phone after Kelley's death

Echoes of the San Bernardino showdown

Nicki Minaj’s Elder Brother Found Guilty Of [email protected], To Face 25yrs Prison Sentence

2017 Car of the Year runner-up: The impressive Acura TLX A-Spec

This snazzier version of Acura's bread-and-butter sedan had us thinking that we should take a pass on the BMW 3-Series.

The TLX A-Spec isn't flashy, but it's a nice looking set of wheels, in shimmery white with a black interior.

The design grows on you.

The much-maligned "beak" is gone from the TLX's front fascia, replaced by the angular grilled and the large Acura badge.

The interior is, in a word, perfect.

Did I say that seats aren't the best? Okay, but these saddles are pretty nice, with contrast stitching, piping, and Alcantara inserts.

Throwback gauges — but will Tesla's influence spell an end to this familiar sight?

Mid-size sedans need good-size trunks, and the TLX A-Spec doesn't disappoint.

The Acura has an interesting infotainment-screen setup: two screens! This means you can run Apple CarPlay, for example, on one, and the Acura system on the other.

It's a little odd, but it works well. You have Bluetooth, USB/AUX ports, navigation, voice commands, and a tasty audio system.

So we liked the car! But how did the Acura TLX A-Spec drive?

Residents Flee As Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Adamawa Community

Sheenglishing heenglish; English and women titles (part two)

Emotional Neymar on verge of tears as he addresses rumours he wants to quit Paris Saint-Germain for Barcelona return

Woodward must demand Mourinho sell these three Man United players in January

2019 Election: Igbos give Buhari tough condition –

Vampire transfusions may help humans live forever

Want to stop wrinkles, skin aging? Try banana peel

Banana and its peel ring in amazing beauty benefits for the skin, here's how to use it...

Banana and its peel ring in amazing beauty benefits for the skin.

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