10 Things to Know Today For Good Conversation

Posted: 1:16 pm, March 21, 2014 by Jeffrey Ely

Mischa Barton as a prostitute shooting scenes for NBC's TV series 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' -- photo: dpa

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) speaks as Crimean leaders Premier of the Crimean government Sergey Aksionov (R) attend in rally celebrating join Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia on Red Square in Moscow — photo: dpa

1. PUTIN: NO NEED FOR FURTHER RETALIATION AGAINST US SANCTIONS

The Russian president spoke after Obama ordered a second round of sanctions targeting about two dozen members of Putin’s inner circle and a major bank supporting them.

2. SEARCH CONTINUES FOR JET DEBRIS IN VAST INDIAN OCEAN

Planes flying deep into rough seas have found nothing so far that could be from the missing Malaysian airliner.

3. GUNMEN ATTACK FOREIGNERS IN KABUL

The restaurant inside a luxury hotel — considered one of the safest places to stay in Afghanistan — was the scene of a bloody assault that left nine people dead, including four foreigners.

4. BLACK PRESCHOOLERS MORE LIKELY TO BE SUSPENDED

The racial disparities in American education are highlighted in a new report released by the Education Department’s civil rights arm.

5. MT. GOX FINDS 200,000 OF ITS MISSING BITCOINS

The bankrupt exchange says it found them in disused electronic wallets. Another 650,000 still remain unaccounted for.

6. WHO DISCOVERED THE “LOST WORLD”

Outsiders — from fishermen and poachers to developers and tourists — and they’re flocking to the Mergui archipelago in Myanmar where peaceful nomads have lived for centuries.

Honolulu police officers have urged lawmakers to keep an exemption in state law that allows undercover officers to have sex with prostitutes during investigations, touching off a heated debate. — photo: Oskar Garcia, AP

7. WHERE COPS CAN HAVE LEGAL SEX WITH PROSTITUTES

Honolulu police officers have urged lawmakers to keep an exemption that allows undercover officers to have sex with prostitutes during investigations.

8. VIRULENTLY ANTI-GAY PASTOR LEAVES COMPLEX LEGACY

Some believe that the Westboro Baptist Church’s Fred Phelps, who died Wednesday, actually helped the cause of gay rights by serving as such a provocative symbol of intolerance.

9. HOW GOOGLE IS GUARDING AGAINST SPYING

The company has improved the encryption technology for its flagship email service — making it harder for the NSA to intercept messages.

10. QUICK UPSETS BLEMISH NCAA BRACKETS

After the tournament’s first afternoon, about 95 percent of people who filled out brackets had missed at least one game.

Consumer Watchdog Washington DC Director, Carmen Balber, wears Google ‘Wi-Spy’ glasses during a ‘Google Ice Cream Truck’ event giving out free ice cream and info on Google’s alleged online and mobile tracking of consumers, in Washington DC, USA, 21 September 2011. Executive Chairman of Google Inc. Eric Schmidt will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Subcommittee hearing on ‘The Power of Google: Serving Consumers or Threatening Competition’, 21 September 2011. EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS