Elizabeth Sheld

Elizabeth Sheld

Articles by Elizabeth Sheld

Freedom Fest 2014: Radley Balko Explains 'The Rise of the Warrior Cop'

The “Rise of the Warrior Cop” is a phenomena with which the public is becoming all too familiar. Most recently, we saw an excessive display of militarized regulatory agencies when the Bureau of Land Management’s “armed officers, helicopters and four-wheel

Groups Protest Gov't Snooping with Giant Airship over NSA Facility

A consortium of interested groups launched a giant airship to fly over the NSA’s new snooping repository in Bluffdale, Utah. A 135 foot long thermal airship flew over the snoop headquarters last Friday with the message: “NSA Illegal Spying Below”

Groups Protest Gov't Snooping with Giant Airship over NSA Facility

Trend: Police Getting Sued to Return Marijuana Seizures

In states with legalized recreational marijuana and legalized medical marijuana use, police are finding themselves sued by citizens who have wrongly had their pot seized as evidence. Only a few years ago, police could confiscate “illegal pot plants by ripping

Google Enters Lucrative Domain Name Market

Google announced yesterday that it will enter the domain name marketplace. With the release of over 1400 new top level domains, like .vote, .guru and .coffee, Google will be a competitor with companies also in the domain registration business that

Study: 3+ Hours of TV a Day Doubles Your Risk of Early Death

A study released yesterday reveals that adults who watch three or more hours a day of television double their risk of early death. The study was released in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Nielsen recently reported that adults

Court Releases [REDACTED] Memo on al-Awlaki Drone Strike

On Monday, a federal court released a “secret government memo” explaining the 2011 killing of Anwar al-Awlaki. Awlaki was a United States Citizen and accused Al Qaeda operative killed during a drone strike in Yemen.The U.S. Court of Appeals for

IKEA Walks Back Threat Against Its Biggest Fan Site

Earlier this week, the DIY/Decor-o-sphere was rocked by the news that flat-boxed furniture conglomerate IKEA was attempting to shutdown its largest fansite, the 8-year-old, IKEAHackers. Full disclosure here, I’m a huge fan of IKEAHackers and long time reader. Have I

The 'Dronie' Is the New Selfie

Now that private and commercial drone use is becoming more popular, it seems as good as time as any to integrate the devices into the use of social media.  Enter “the dronie.” A play on the ubiquitous “selfie” phenomenon, a

The 'Dronie' Is the New Selfie

Is General Motors Working with the NSA to Snoop on Auto Owners?

Mary Barra, the embattled CEO of General Motors, currently embroiled in a recall scandal, is also on the Board of NSA surveillance contractor General Dynamics. Specifically, General Dynamics is the contractor helping the NSA process recorded phone calls going in and

'Broke' Clintons Reported $12M Income in 2001

Financial disclosure forms reveal the Clinton’s earned a hefty $12M in the year following their exit from the White House. According to 2000 financial forms, they left the White House in some level of debt: the Clinton’s held assets ranging

'Broke' Clintons Reported $12M Income in 2001

Triple Crown Whiner 'Ashamed' of Tantrum over Belmont Loss

This morning on ABC News , Steve Coburn apologized for his sore loser remarks following the loss of California Chrome at the Belmont Stakes. Coburn, appearing with his wife Carolyn said he was “ashamed” of his remarks and congratulated the

Sour Grapes at the Triple Crown

(In this Aug. 31, 1955, file photo, owner William Woodward Jr. congratulates Nashua and jockey Eddie Arcaro in the winner’s circle after Nashua won the Great Match Race against Swaps at Washington Park in Homewood, Ill. Though Nashua didn’t win

Sour Grapes at the Triple Crown

Nun Wins Italy's The Voice, Recites Lord's Prayer on Stage

On Friday night, Sister Cristina Scuccia won Italy’s The Voice.  The 25 year-old Sicilian nun received 62% of the votes and won a recording contract with Universal.  Upon winning, the nun prayed on stage: “My presence here is not up

Nun Wins Italy's The Voice, Recites Lord's Prayer on Stage

Japan Plans Giant Space-Based Solar Farm

JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is planning to send a solar power station into space. The target date is set for 2025. Vice.com describes the endeavor: “Floating 24,000 miles above the Earth’s surface is a mammoth power plant (power satellite

Guinness Announces World's Oldest Cat: 24 Year-Old 'Poppy'

The Guinness Book of World Records has revealed the world’s oldest cat, a 24 year-old tortie named Poppy.  The newly decorated feline was born in 1990 and is considered to be 114 years-old in human years. Craig Glenday, Guinness World

NASA Robots Are Helping Eventual Manned Mission to Mars

NASA is slowly approaching a manned mission to Mars.  Information transmitted from rovers Opportunity and Curiosity are helping the space agency determine how to get to the surface of the Red Planet. Future expeditions are focused on learning about the

Report: Drone Used to Peep, Film Sunbathing Ladies

A woman in Virginia Beach, Virginia has complained that a drone operated by a perverted voyeur was filming bathing suit-clad women at a private residential beach. According to a participant on Reddit, she “heard this whirring noise above us, and

Report: Drone Used to Peep, Film Sunbathing Ladies

Robot Named to Board of Venture Capital Firm

A venture capital firm in Hong Kong has named a robot to its board of directors, and the robot “will be treated ‘equal’ to the other board members.” The announcement came in a press release from Aging Analytics UK, a

Robot Named to Board of Venture Capital Firm

$400K Drone Delivered to Wrong Person

Reddit user Seventy_Seven was the lucky recipient of an unmanned drone, delivered erroneously by UPS. Gizmodo describes, “thanks to one hell of a mixup, Reddit user Seventy_Seven just got a $400,000 unmanned aerial vehicle delivered straight to his doorstep. Talk about service.”

Gangs Use Drones to Steal Rivals' Pot Crops

Gangs in the United Kingdom are using drones equipped with heat-sensing technology to locate their rivals marijuana crops to steal them. The hydroponic lamps used to grow the crops allow the drones to locate heat signatures so their owners can

EPA Faces Criticism for Decadent, Energy Wasting Earth Day Tour

The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility took a swipe at the EPA for sending bureaucrat Gina McCarthy on an greenhouse gas generating five city tour for Earth Day.   Administrator McCarthy will undertake a greenhouse gas laden week-long tour that

Candidate Says Iraq War Veteran Opponent Not Up for a 'Real Job'

Maryland’s Attorney General Douglas Gansler accused his opponent, Iraqi war vet and Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, of not being capable of a ‘real job’. Gansler and Brown are both fighting over the democrat nomination for Governor in Maryland, so this

Candidate Says Iraq War Veteran Opponent Not Up for a 'Real Job'

Drone Crashes Near Elementary School

A drone manned by the Pennsylvania Army National Guard crashed near Lickdale elementary school yesterday afternoon. “The aerial vehicle, controlled by a remote operator, was part of a training exercise at Fort Indiantown Gap, said Maj. Ed Shenk, public affairs

Elle Mag's '10 Most Powerful Women in D.C.' Not So Diverse

Elle Magazine published a story titled ‘Meet the 10 Most Powerful Women in D.C.’ this month, but the piece only includes one right-leaning woman.  It’s not clear why a fashion magazine believes it is qualified to determine who are the

Poll: Almost 2/3 Oppose US Giving Up Control of the Internet

Rasmussen’s latest polling effort shows that almost 2/3 (61%) of voters oppose the United States abdicating control of the internet. Last week, the government quietly announced that it would relinquish control over the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

Drones on Leashes Debut at Ted 2014

Sergei Lupshin, a roboticist based in Zurich, revealed his new “leashed quadcopter drones” at at TED 2014.  Lupshin calls them “Fotokites” because they look like a kite and do not require any special piloting skills to operate. They also provide

Get Your Math On: Seven Things to Know as We Celebrate Pi Day

It’s the day that mathletes and number freaks wait for all year.  March 14, also known as 3/14 is celebrated everywhere as Pi (π) day. Pi (π) is the mathematical constant 3.1415926535897932 …   Here are a few facts about Pi (π) to drop

Get Your Math On: Seven Things to Know as We Celebrate Pi Day

The Food Police Are Back

This Friday (3/14) the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) will hold it’s third meeting.  The purpose?  To “encourage Americans to focus on eating a healthful diet — one that focuses on foods and beverages that help achieve and maintain a

Youth Vote? Obama Quick Hits NSA Snooping in Galifianakis Interview

Obama appeared on Zach Galifianakis’ web show “Between Two Ferns” presumably to pitch his ill-performing health care program.  The President managed to offer a quick quip on the NSA surveillance dragnet revealed by Edward Snowden.   During the six minute

Youth Vote? Obama Quick Hits NSA Snooping in Galifianakis Interview

NSA Seeks to Expand Database

Yesterday, the NSA asked the surveillance court for permission to retain millions of phone records beyond the five-year limit currently imposed on the agency.  The DOJ argued that they need to retain the data as “evidence” because of the privacy

Study: Drone Swarm Can Self-Organize in the Air

A team of Hungarian researchers have created a swarm of ten drones that can “self-organize” in the air.  The project was modeled on birds such as pigeons, “which fly in tight bunches while making adjustments and decisions.” Tamas Vicsek, a

Five Questions for Author Lisa De Pasquale

Lisa De Pasquale, a contributor here at the exclusive Conversation, has just published her first book entitled Finding Mr. Righteous.  Many know Lisa from her years as executive director of CPAC, a job she handled admirably.  Lisa’s latest literary endeavor

New Supersonic Jet Tricked Out with Massive Live-Streaming Screens

Spike Aerospace is building a new supersonic private jet with an innovative addition: live-streaming hi-def screens instead of windows. The S-512’s exterior will be lined with tiny cameras sending footage to thin, curved displays lining the interior walls of the

New Supersonic Jet Tricked Out with Massive Live-Streaming Screens