#also to be fair when you donate plasma once it get in the machine it get mixed with an anti coagulant so that also helped

[thecooleraveragejamm]

love that when i went to donate blood it clotted 3 minutes in, yet when I go to donate plasma it was perfectly fine

[booksinpublic]

Why we’re covering Russia

Please prepare to encounter an earth-shattering paradox that might just rip apart the fabric of space, time and modern American politics. Ready? Deep breath. Here we go.

I’m a journalist and I’m not bitter about the election.

Personally and professionally, I’m not attempting to change the results of the US Presidential election, sneak Hillary Clinton into office or otherwise disrupt Donald Trump’s road to the White House. I respect the decision that emerged after a year of hateful campaigning and fearful voting, and honestly, I’m not even that surprised by the outcome.

Personally, I am affronted and ashamed to have Donald Trump represent my country, and I’m afraid of what strange new havok his idiocy and ego might inflict upon the world. But, to be fair, I am afraid of every president.

As with every new person we proudly march into the Oval Office, I wonder how many people this president will kill. I wonder how, why and when his decisions will result in death, how large the scope will be, and I hope he ruminates seriously on his role in the entire affair. Because sending people to die and orchestrating the untimely murder of citizens across the world is one of the infallible, unavoidable aspects of being President of the United States, especially in an era of drone warfare, connected missiles and rapidly advancing weapons technology. People are going to die because of Donald Trump’s decisions, just as people died under Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and nearly every other president in history. Just as they would have died under Hillary Clinton.

I wonder how killing people will make Donald Trump feel. I wonder if it will change him.

But I digress.

Donald Trump is the President of the United States. This is a fact. As a citizen and especially as a journalist, I honor this fact and I’m not in the business of trying to change it single-handedly.

Which brings us to Russia.

B A C K  I N  T H E  U S S R

I would not be doing my job if I did not write about Russia’s well-documented cyber attacks on the US election process in 2016. Engadget would not be doing its job if we ignored the conclusions and evidence of multiple trusted intelligence agencies that Russia attacked the very foundation of US democracy right under our noses, while the world was watching.

Engadget is dedicated to discussing all of the ways technology influences our lives -- this includes its influence on the US political system. This includes hacking, especially on an international scale; especially from a country as power-hungry and dangerous as Russia.

Let’s be clear here: Russia is dangerous. Russia is the reason the war in Syria is so catastrophic that it has been called the worst humanitarian crisis since the Holocaust. Right now, Russia is helping bomb hospitals, civilians, children and entire cities in a nation already devastated by civil war. Russian president Vladimir Putin has shown willful disregard for international laws, not only by authorizing cyber attacks on the US, but also by invading his country’s neighbor, Crimea, and taking control of it by force. Putin’s actions have earned him a dedicated sub-heading on Wikipedia’s “List of journalists killed in Russia” page. Putin is dangerous. Russia is dangerous.

This isn’t a revelation. Frankly, the response to Russia’s intrusion into the US political system has been completely backward. Conservatives have decried Russia’s policies and actions for generations; Republicans rallied against the USSR so fiercely in the mid-1900s that they birthed McCarthyism and decades of anti-Communism crusades.

But somehow, today, the loudest defenders of Russia’s cyber attacks on the US election process are people who voted for Donald Trump, the Republican candidate. It’s baffling.

J O U R N A L I S M  T O D A Y

I only know the political leanings of these commenters because a pattern has emerged on my published articles about Russia, cyber warfare and fake news: It seems that every time I mention these topics, I’m accused of being a liberal cuck who’s attempting to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s victory. Even though these are straight news articles; even though they are clearly sourced, concisely written and contain no personal commentary.

Even then, in the comments I am suddenly transformed into the wider “mainstream media,” which I imagine as a beastly, bulbous worm oozing with kale-scented puss and covered in the plasma of a million aborted fetuses, quietly undulating in front of a computer playing Hillary Clinton’s campaign speeches on an endless loop. I am suddenly part of a larger effort to remove Donald Trump from office and implement endless term limits for Barack (or Michelle) Obama; I am a snowflake who can’t get over the election; I am the absolute worst.

And it’s not just me. Anyone who writes about Russia on Engadget -- and across the web -- gets similar treatment. So, let’s take a moment to clear the air: There is no left-leaning, media-wide conspiracy to brainwash the American public.

Journalism is just like any other industry -- it’s composed of individuals, some of whom are liberal, some of whom are conservative and some of whom don’t give a damn. Plenty of reporters voted for Donald Trump (and no, we’re not talking about the bloggers at Breitbart who were contractually obligated to vote for him, donate to his campaign and kiss his gold-flecked slippers once a week), and plenty voted for Hillary Clinton. Across the broad field of journalism (again, this does not include tabloid sites like Breitbart or InfoWars), there is no conspiracy to skew facts in any particular direction.

Of course, I can not and do not speak for every journalist. I take my job seriously; I have a degree in journalism and I delight in thinking critically about its role in society. Freedom of the press is protected by the First Amendment for a reason -- it is a vital aspect of our country’s checks and balances. It ensures people in power can’t act without consequence. It is necessary and I am proud to be a part of this particular machine.

Furthermore, I’m proud to report for an outlet with a laser-focus on technology and all of the ways it impacts our lives. As Moore’s Law plays out before our eyes, technology is becoming increasingly relevant to every person on the planet. I delight in introducing new audiences to the fascinating worlds of AI, gadgetry, cyber security, video games and, yes, state-sponsored hacking.

F A K E  N E W S

I can hear the comments now: “No voting machines were hacked, no other systems involved in the elections were hacked. This is fake news at it's [sic] best.”

The thing is, comments like this (completely real) one have little basis in reality. I have never written an article claiming Russia hacked US voting machines, nor has any other journalist worth his or her salt. The easiest way to fact-check this claim is to read our stories.

I have also never written “fake news” (though I did get to the second round of interviews at The Onion like eight years ago). Fake news is not simply an article that you find upsetting or a report that makes someone you like -- or voted for -- look bad. There is a global fake-news industry churning away right now that is dedicated to writing incorrect and misleading stories about the US political system -- and we should be concerned about it.

When citizens can’t distinguish truth from a lie, we lose our power. It is impossible to make informed decisions in the voting booth, at town halls or on the streets without a consensus on the facts; we can’t change the system if we don’t first understand how it works. When fiction is treated as truth, there is no foundation for productive conversation and we lose the ability to reach a compromise. Democracy’s floor falls away beneath us.

It takes some work to write fake news, but it takes vastly more effort and expertise to spot trends, investigate, interview, verify and craft a true, in-depth report that stands up to public scrutiny. The process can take days, weeks, months or years. The process involves traveling to Baghdad, Manila, Delhi, Nice, Seoul and every other city across the globe; the process involves weeks away from family; the process gets people killed. And no, that’s not just in Russia.

This is what journalists do, every day, in pursuit of the truth. Journalists at CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Mother Jones, NPR and Engadget follow complex processes and a strict code of ethics -- all of which are currently under a microscope as the Trump campaign wages a war of words against the press and its freedoms.

I do contend that 24-hour news networks in particular provided a disservice to the American public this election cycle. While plenty of hard-hitting, verified reporting about the candidates came out in 2016, they couldn’t hold the country’s attention while BREAKING stories about Trump’s sexual proclivities dominated the television screen. Plus, Donald Trump’s election was a shock to plenty of seasoned journalists who put too much stock in pollsters and prediction models in an unprecedented campaign season.

This scrutiny means journalists are working harder today than before Election Day. And just like 2017 promises to be a great year for punk rock, it’s also looking like fertile ground for robust, system-shaking journalism.

Which, again, is not fake news. A recent episode of Planet Money offers brilliant insight into the machinery behind fake news, and I encourage anyone who’s ever lodged that term at a journalist to listen in.

At its heart, fake news is the complete opposite of journalism; it is the antithesis of the work I do every day. It makes my job harder.

It’s a good thing I’ve always loved a challenge.

P R O M I S E S

So, here we are.

I will continue to write about Russian cyber attacks on the US political system. Engadget will continue to cover every instance of hacking, nuclear armament, technological advancement and military upgrades to come out of Russia, the US or any other country with global influence. Covering technology as it infiltrates systems across the world is not only fascinating and important work; it’s our only job.

As a human, I will make mistakes. As a journalist, I will rectify and clarify those mistakes as quickly as possible, with complete transparency and in the interest of cultivating an informed audience. This is what separates my work from the world of fake news -- my goal is to inform; the goal of fake news is to generate quick outrage and clicks.

I will continue to act professionally and write the truth as far as we can know it for the benefit of every single person who reads my articles.

Even the ones calling me a liberal cuck.

Especially those ones.

[kennethherrerablog]

When Money is Tight, These 10 Resources Can Help You

When money is tight, you can feel like you’re drowning.

You finally make that late payment on one bill, and the next one shows up in the mail. You turn to credit cards to stay afloat, but those bills pile up, too. And just when you think you’re in the clear and a nice paycheck comes rolling in… the rent is due.

Here are ten resources that can give you some relief when you feel like your wallet is stretched as far as it can go.

1. Let This Company Help You Pay off Your Credit Cards

Once you fall behind, you may find yourself getting crushed by credit card interest rates north of 20%. You’ll never catch up that way. You’re spending so much on interest, you’ll never pay off your balances.

If you’re financially treading water like this, it might be worth consolidating and refinancing your debt.

By refinancing an existing loan, you’re taking out a totally new loan, which comes with new terms and (ideally) a lower interest rate. By consolidating your existing loans, you lump all your debt into one big payment, so you’re only making one payment and dealing with one interest rate per month.

Make sense but don’t know where to start? Credible is an online marketplace that offers consumers personalized loan offers. It’s best for borrowers who have good credit scores (think: around 640 or higher), and it lets you quickly compare rates without visiting a bunch of sites.

Rates start at 5.99%, and you can check yours by entering a loan amount here ($500 to $40,000) and comparing your personalized options in under 90 seconds.

2. Earn 100x More Interest on Your Savings

One of our favorite banking accounts is the Aspiration Account — there are no monthly fees, and you’ll earn up to 100 times the interest rate of other banks.

This online-only account comes with a debit card and free ATMs, so you can easily access your money when you need it.

After you open your Aspiration Account, use it to split your income:

Automatically deposit a portion of your income into your existing bank account, and use that to cover basic expenses like rent and bills.

Deposit what’s left into your Aspiration Account to use for building an emergency fund.

Bonus: You’ll get a free $5 just for signing up!

3. Make a Little Extra Money While You Watch TV

Surveys aren’t the quickest way to make money, but they’re a great way to cash in on your downtime and pad your pockets for the next rainy day. Fill them out while you’re watching TV, riding the bus or waiting in line.

One survey site we love is called InboxDollars. It offers several short, daily surveys. You earn cash, so you don’t have to worry about exchanging points. It also offers more ways to earn, such as watching videos, playing scratch-off games and searching the internet.

4. Earn Cash Back When You Take a Picture of Your Receipt

No matter how tight money is right now, you’ll have to buy food at some point. We know it sounds strange, but Ibotta will pay you cash for taking pictures of your grocery store receipts.  

Before heading to the store, search for items on your shopping list within the Ibotta app. When you get home, snap a photo of your receipt and scan the items’ barcodes.

Ibotta is free to download. Plus, you’ll get a $10 sign-up bonus after uploading your first receipt.

5. Stop Deleting Your Emails

It turns out deleting your emails could be costing you money. Intrigued?

One of our secret weapons is called Paribus — a tool that gets you money back for your online purchases. It’s free to sign up, and once you do, it will scan your email for any receipts. If it discovers you’ve purchased something from one of its monitored retailers, it will track the item’s price and help you get a refund when there’s a price drop.

Plus, if your guaranteed shipment shows up late, Paribus will help you get compensated.

Disclosure: Paribus compensates us when you sign up using the links we provide.

6. Prioritize Your Bills and Negotiate Them

Decide which bills to pay first and which ones can slide a little bit until you’re back on secure footing.

Pay your rent or mortgage so you don’t get kicked out of your home. Pay for power and water. You need that stuff.

Ask for payment arrangements. You may be able to negotiate lower bills on essentials like utilities or set up an interest-free payment plan to make larger bills more manageable.

For help, download Truebill, an app that’ll negotiate your bills, cancel unwanted subscriptions and refund your bank fees.

On average, Truebill says it helps customers save more than $700 a year by lowering their bills, canceling unnecessary subscriptions and getting refunds.

7. Sell Your Stuff

When you’re short on cash, look to the back of your closet and in the depths of your attic or basement. You’ll almost certainly find a bunch of stuff you don’t use anymore.

A lot of people see this clutter and start plotting a garage sale to earn extra money. The prospect is tempting — but a garage sale might not be worth your time.

Try some alternatives, like selling your stuff online or in town to earn more money with less hassle than hosting a full-blown garage sale. Apps like OfferUp and Decluttr make it super easy to sell your stuff without sitting in the front yard and dealing with strangers all day.

8. Ask for Help

If you’ve exhausted all your options, call a local resource line for help. There’s no shame in it.

Start with 2-1-1, a confidential service offered through United Way that can help you find the resources you need to make rent, pay utilities or find affordable housing.

To use the service, head to 211.org and enter your location. It’ll show you services in your community and give you a number to call.

You can also look into applying for a grant. Take, for example, Modest Needs grants, which are designed for workers just about the poverty line who are ineligible for most other forms of social assistance.

9. Sell Your Blood Plasma

It takes about two hours and, yes, it involves a needle, but selling your plasma could earn you about $25 for your first visit. The process is simple, and you’re free to read or watch TV while a machine draws your blood and separates the plasma.

It’s common for plasma donation centers to pay between $20 and $30 per visit, up to twice a week.

Interested? Search “plasma center + [your city]” for options, and ask your friends for referrals — many centers offer referral sign-up bonuses.

If you prefer just to donate blood, look for a blood drive near you on the American Red Cross’ website.

10. Breathe New Life Into Your Credit

Maybe your credit isn’t the best. Maybe you don’t even have credit. It’s a tough position, but here’s a simple way to remedy the problem: Open a credit card.

Sure, this might sound counterintuitive. However, if you open a credit card and pay it off each month, you’ll likely see your score increase.

Now the only problem is finding a credit card you qualify for.

If you’ve faced rejection after rejection, try applying for the Capital One® Platinum credit card. It’s built for those of us who have average, fair or limited credit. After the first five months, if you’ve made all your payments on time, you’ll gain access to a higher credit line. Another big perk? No annual fee.

Read through customer comments over at Credit Sesame — then start working on your credit.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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