Speedo USA Drops Sponsorship of Ryan Lochte

Decision comes in the wake of Lochte's scandal while in Rio.
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/speedo-usa-drops-sponsorship-ryan-lochte-amid-scandal/story?id=41571638?source=Snapzu

Adblock Plus chalk talk takes stock: Facebook's gonna block our block of their block of our block? Let's rock

Filter-flinger suggests the FTC could even step in
Read more: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/08/18/adblock_plus_new_facebook_block_gripe/?source=Snapzu

98 personal data points that Facebook uses to target ads to you

Facebook built the world's best ad platform by tracking your behavior online and off it. Facebook, in its omniscience, knows that you’re wondering how they do that — and it would like to reassure you. The social network just revamped its ad preference settings to make them significantly easier for users to understand. They’ve also launched a new ad education portal, which explains, in general terms, how Facebook targets ads. But it remains to be seen whether users are pleased or frightened by the new information they suddenly have.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/08/19/98-personal-data-points-that-facebook-uses-to-target-ads-to-you/?source=Snapzu

Why Hundreds of Software Patents Are Being Thrown Out

A Supreme Court decision slashes business-method filings.
Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-17/why-hundreds-of-software-patents-are-being-thrown-out?source=Snapzu

Nestle continues to extract water from Ontario town despite severe drought: activists

Environmentalists are urging the Ontario government against renewing one of Nestle’s water-taking permits in a southwestern Ontario town, saying “water should be for life, not for profit.” Wellington Water Watchers says the permit for Nestle Waters in Aberfoyle, Ont., expired on July 31, but the company has been allowed to keep extracting water from a local well even in the midst of a severe drought. The group says the Ministry of Environment did not post Nestle’s renewal application for the usual 30 days of public comment...
Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/nestle-continues-to-extract-water-from-ontario-town-despite-severe-drought-activists/article31480345/?source=Snapzu

The War on Cash

Banks, governments, credit card companies and fintech evangelists all want us to believe our cashless future is inevitable and good. But this isn't a frictionless utopia says Brett Scott, and it's time to fight back​. Several months ago I stayed in an offbeat Amsterdam hotel that brewed its own beer but refused to accept cash for it. Instead, they forced me to use the Visa payment card network to get my UK bank to transfer €4 to their Dutch bank via the elaborate international correspondent banking system.
Read more: http://thelongandshort.org/society/war-on-cash?source=Snapzu

Uber and Lyft to tip Massachusetts taxi drivers a nickel per trip

Add to the list of Massachusetts’ odd laws. The Codfish State already forbids tomatoes in clam chowder, tattooing and body piercing, dueling to the death on Boston Common on Sundays unless the Governor is present, and playing the fiddle in Boston at any time, according to Only in Your State. The latest judiciary jaw-dropper requires that ride-hail companies subsidize taxi companies, according to Reuters. The new law, just inked by the Massachusetts governor, requires that Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hailing companies pay a 5-cent fee per ride to taxi companies.
Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/massachusetts-uber-lyft-taxi-tax/?source=Snapzu