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Popular Disney Movie Comes With Seizure Warning by Lisa Gutierrez, The Kansas City Star/TNS | June 20, 2018 Helen, aka Elastigirl, in the animated film, "Incredibles 2." Disney has asked theaters to warn customers about a sequence of flashing lights in the film that could be problematic for some people. (Disney/Pixar) Disney is warning moviegoers that its new blockbuster, “Incredibles 2,” contains a scene with flashing lights that could pose a health concern for some people. According to USA Today, Walt Disney Pictures asked theaters showing the movie to post the warning late last week. Blogger Veronica Lewis, who has vision impairment, shared a photo of those signs, which read: “‘Incredibles 2’ contains a sequence of flashing lights, which may affect customers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy or other photosensitivities.” Lewis appears to have been among the first to complain about the movie on her blog, Veroniiiica, and Twitter account, where she warned that scenes in the animated film could cause seizures in people with epilepsy, seizure conditions, migraines or autism. She describes herself on her blog as a “four-eyed college student from Virginia who loves writing about technology, education and disability.” The sequel had a blockbuster opening weekend earning an estimated $180 million in the United States and Canada, reported Entertainment Weekly — the biggest domestic debut ever for an animated movie and, according to Deadline, the best opening ever for a movie with a PG rating. The Epilepsy Foundation issued a caution about the movie on Saturday and asked Disney to post warnings. The advocacy group wrote in a statement on its website that members of its community had expressed concerns about flashing lights in the animated movie, “and, in certain instances, people having experienced a seizure during the movie. “We stand with our epilepsy warriors and their families as they voice their concerns about the movie and appreciate the efforts some theaters have already made to post warning signs for people waiting to see the movie.” According to USA Today, the villain Screenslaver is featured in one of the scenes with bright flashlight lights. Lewis mentioned five scenes that concerned her. She wrote how excited her family had been for months to see the movie about a family of superheroes. “After last night, I can say that the movie is unlike anything I have ever seen before, in that the villain’s weapon of choice can hurt not only characters on-screen, but can also hurt the people in the audience as well. The weapon? Continuous sequences of rapidly flashing/strobing lights,” she wrote. “There are at least five scenes throughout the movie, all of which feature the villain, that use bright white flashing/strobe lights for more than fifteen seconds, with at least one scene going over 90 seconds in continuous strobing lights. “These lights stay at their rapidly flashing speed in the entirety of these scenes, which are scattered throughout the movie. My brother estimated the light flashes being as fast as 3 flashes per second.” The Epilepsy Foundation wrote that for about three percent of people with epilepsy, “exposure to flashing lights at certain intensities, or with certain visual patterns, can trigger seizures. “This condition is known as photosensitive epilepsy and it’s more common in children and adolescents, especially those with generalized epilepsy and a type known as juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. “For those who have been diagnosed with photosensitive epilepsy — or are simply sensitive to flashing lights — and are planning to watch the movie, they should be advised that the flashing lights may trigger seizures in some people.” According to Variety there have been no reported incidents of seizures among those who have seen “Incredibles 2,” noting that in 1997 nearly 700 children went to the hospital in Japan after watching the “Pokemon” movie that featured flashing red and blue lights in one scene. The Epilepsy Foundation has never asked that a movie issue a warning like this, the group’s media relations director, Jackie Aker, told USA Today. © 2018 The Kansas City Star

The "e-dermis" applied to the thumb and forefinger of a prosthetic handView gallery - 2 imagesResearchers have developed an "e-dermis" or electronic skin that could be applied to a prosthetic hand to give the wearer a sense of touch. By using electronic sensors that mimic the nerve endings in the body, the skin can convey both the senses of touch and of pain.The skin is made of a combination of fabric and rubber, into which the electronic sensors are embedded. The technology isn't invasive, but relays sensation through the wearer's skin using a method known as TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation – a process that needs hours of mapping of the subject's nerve endings.It's thought the technology could make sense of so-called phantom limb sensations in amputees – the name given to the feeling that a missing limb remains present. The researchers used EEGs to confirm that phantom-limb sensations were felt during stimulation via the electronic skin over the course of tens of hours of testing.According to the research paper, the subject mainly felt sensations of pressure along with some "electrical tingling" feelings. The subject reported feeling nothing more severe than an uncomfortable but tolerable pain. The researchers say the subject could report which fingers of the prosthesis were being stimulated "with perfect accuracy.""For the first time, a prosthesis can provide a range of perceptions from fine touch to noxious to an amputee, making it more like a human hand," senior author of the research Nitish Thakor explains in a press release. The desire to restore pain may seem counterintuitive, but it could be used to warn the wearer of damage."This is interesting and new, because now we can have a prosthetic hand that is already on the market and fit it with an e-dermis that can tell the wearer whether he or she is picking up something that is round or whether it has sharp points," adds biomedical student Luke Osborn."After many years, I felt my hand, as if a hollow shell got filled with life again," says the researchers' principle (and anonymous) volunteer.At the moment the electronic skin is able to detect curvature and differentiate sharp objects, but in future could be adapted for temperature sensitivity. As well as helping prosthesis users, the researchers think the technology could be used to improve space suits, or to aid robots.We've reported on various touch-sensitive prostheses over the years, but this development shows just how far the technology has come, needing no invasive surgery, differentiating touch from pain, and being potentially applicable to any prosthesis.The skin is the work of a team of engineers at Johns Hopkins University and the Singapore Institute of Neurotechnology. The work has been published in the journal Science Robotics and can be read in full online.Sources: Johns Hopkins University, Science Robotics

President Trump will unveil his administration's plan to reorganize the federal government during a Cabinet meeting this afternoon, including plans to merge the Departments of Education and Labor into a single agency and rename the Department of Health and Human Services to the Department of Health and Public Welfare. Be smart: This massive proposed shakeup, titled “Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century: Reform Plan and Reorganization Recommendations,” will face significant opposition in Congress, as the reshuffling will make it easier to cut and revise several domestic agencies. Similar efforts in the past have failed due to pushback. Key changes, outlined on page 15 of the proposal: "Merge the Departments of Education and Labor into a single Cabinet agency, the Department of Education and the Workforce." "Move the non-commodity nutrition assistance programs currently in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service into the Department of Health and Human Services — which will be renamed the Department of Health and Public Welfare." "Move the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Civil Works out of the Department of Defense (DOD) to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of the Interior (DOI)." "Reorganize the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the food safety functions of HHS’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) into a single agency within USDA." "Move USDA’s rural housing loan guarantee and rental assistance programs to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)." "Consolidate the Department of Energy’s (DOE) applied energy programs into a new Office of Energy Innovation." Axios is posting this because we received the proposal from an outside source and never agreed to an embargo. https://www.axios.com/trump-proposal-reorganize-federal-government-b77b8dbc-0494-4e9a-8c10-55f3706cb5e4.html

AT&T is quickly taking advantage of its $85 billion Time Warner acquisition (the one that was just approved last week). How so? With an all new low-cost streaming service ($15/month) called WatchTV. And (surprise!), about 20% of the 31 channels used to be a part of Time Warner. Those include CNN, Cartoon Network, and TNT. Not to mention, it's got a library of over 15,000 on-demand shows and movies. See the different plan options here.

Wondering why your local hardware store held a Project X-style rager last night? The Supreme Court handed down a major ruling that gives states the authority to require e-commerce companies to collect sales tax on online purchases (a big win for brick-and-mortar). They weren't allowed to before? Nope. In 1992, this very same Supreme Court ruled that states could force retailers to collect sales tax only if they had a "physical presence" in the state. So while e-commerce companies sell goods all across the country, they weren't required to collect taxes unless they had a warehouse or an office in that particular state. That is until yesterday. The decision overturned the 1992 ruling because it was "unsound and incorrect." Translation: It's time we recognize online retail as a significant (and growing) sector of the marketplace. Or, as Justice Anthony Kennedy put it, "The Internet's prevalence and power have changed the dynamics of the national economy." Let's talk winners and losers Winners: States: They'll be able to bring in revenue they previously missed out on (government estimates peg it at between $8-13 billion). Brick-and-mortar stores: They felt like they were put at a huge disadvantage when it came to taxes. So your disgruntled local store owner will view this as a huge step towards leveling the playing field. Amazon: We know, we know, it sounds crazy. But Amazon already collects sales tax on goods it sells directly. And with this ruling squeezing smaller e-commerce players (see below), Amazon stands to tighten its grip on the online shopping world. Losers: E-commerce companies: Especially the smaller ones. They'll now be required to navigate a spider web of complicated tax laws across thousands of jurisdictions. Some won't have the capacity to make it work. Congress: Only because they'll have more homework. They've puntedon interstate commerce issues for years, so maybe this ruling will finally drive them to action.

Facebook (+2.28%) will let some group admins start charging monthly subscriptions of up to $29.99.

It's a small AI startup with about 40 employees. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/20/microsoft-buys-ai-start-up-bonsai.html

Zuckerberg Is Instagram Straight Flexin’ The numbers are in...and? Instagram has officially passed 1 billion monthly active users (MAU). So be hard on the Zuck all you want, but just remember he now owns: Facebook: 2.19 billion monthly active users WhatsApp: 1.5 billion Messenger: 1.3 billion And of course, Instagram So it's no wonder Facebook shares jumped to a record-high $203 yesterday. As outspoken NYU professor Scott Galloway puts it: "Zuckerberg oversees the content and influence and mood of a community greater than Christianity, the southern hemisphere, plus India." And Insta didn't stop at 1 billion. It also announced the rollout of IGTV—a YouTube competitor. + Is Zuckerberg bound to pass Buffett in wealth? He's getting close.

Berkshire, Amazon, and JPMorgan Announce CEO for Healthcare Initiative In January, the real Avengers (Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos, and Jamie Dimon) slapped on their skin-tight spandex and promised to take down the rising cost of healthcare in America. What's the plan? Offer a better health insurance program for their U.S. employees, built from the ground up and "free from profit-making incentives." The details of what that'll look like are still foggy, but one thing's clear: re-imagining healthcare (with its sky-high drug prices and misaligned incentives) is a task for no ordinary CEO. Which is why the Avengers just announced their Super CEO: Dr. Atul Gawande Dr. Gawande is everything we're not: A general and endocrine surgeon, professor at Harvard Medical School, staff writer for the New Yorker, author of four books (including the best-selling The Checklist Manifesto), and director at the World Health Organization. Besides having little business experience, Dr. Gawande seems to fit the bill to lead this long-term initiative—he's often highlighted the unnecessary rise of healthcare costs in his work. In one New Yorker piece, he wrote: "In just a single year, the researchers reported, twenty-five to forty-two per cent of Medicare patients received at least one of the twenty-six useless tests and treatments." A 2010 study showed "waste accounted for thirty per cent of health-care spending." He even called out his own clinic for unnecessary spending. Not the hero we want, the hero we need Here's the deal with misaligned healthcare incentives: Now that more people have insurance under the ACA, there are more doctor visits. The docs can order more tests and treatments because they make more money and insurance will cover the costs. Insurance providers don't care, because they just raise the premium families pay. And the cycle goes on...and on... The average yearly premium for a single worker in 2000: $2,500. The average in 2017: $6,700. The only question that matters: Can Amazon, Berkshire, JPMorgan, and Dr. Gawande (a world-renowned thought leader in the healthcare space) finally break the cycle?

Square (+2.67%) got the regulatory stamp of approval to offer cryptocurrency trading on its Cash app in New York.

NYT writer David Leonhardt grabbed his shovel, strapped on his oxygen mask, and went down the rabbit hole, analyzing an obscure Census dataset on the size of businesses in America. And when he emerged months later (slightly woozy, but coherent), he found an interesting trend: In 1989, small companies (fewer than 50 workers) employed 32.4% of American workers. In 2014? That fell to ~27%. Where'd they go? Huge companies. In 2014, firms with over 10,000 workers employed 28% of all workers, a big jump from 24% in 1989. Leonhardt paints the picture: "The hardware store has given way to The Home Depot. The local hospital and bank are owned by a chain. The supermarket is Whole Foods, which is now owned by Amazon." Bottom line: Leonhardt worries that the balance is shifting too far in favor of the giants, which could spell bad news for worker pay, consumer prices, and effective policy. + In the spirit of debate: Why we're wrong to vilify big business. https://morningbrew.cmail19.com/t/j-l-ngkrhd-yhyuhjkhdk-jt/

The World Health Organization (WHO) wants you to put down the controller. "Gaming disorder" is officially making its debut appearance in a new version of the U.N. org's International Classification of Diseases. What's gaming disorder? It's when gaming becomes so addictive it affects relationships and rational behavior. So basically, a drug. And just like a drug, gaming addiction can lead to anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts, according to the WHO. Not to mention the economic burden of being a "gamer" On the extreme end of the spectrum, there's Daigo—a 31-year-old with severe gaming disorder: he spent $70,000 on in-game purchases for Sony's popular Fate/Grand Order game. And then there are casual gaming addicts. They occasionally drop out of college and can't hold jobs. If they hope to receive therapy, it can cost up to $30,000 for the first 7 weeks. That's not a problem for everyone Gaming is more than a social outlet—it's a profession and a land of glorious economic opportunity for a select few. Forget esports and gaming tournaments (where the world's top players earn $200,000 a year) and meet Ninja—an incredibly successful Fortnite player. He makes $500,000 a month. How (you ask as you hand in your 2 weeks notice)? Because millions of users pay Twitch—a live streaming service for personable gamers—$4.99 a month to watch Ninja play. Ninja splits that revenue. But Ninja's one in a billion Actually, 2.6 billion—that's the number of people around the world who play video games (one-third of the global population), while only a couple hundred are making over $100,000 a year in prize money. That said, the gaming industry could grow 30% to $180 billion in the next three years. There's clearly increasing demand, but expect the WHO to play the parent as the industry grows up.

It's been abandoned since 1988, but today, we get a glimpse of its bright future: Ford (+0.93%) bought the building in May, and it's announcing its ambitious plans in a celebration this morning. The company, which also bought up nearby properties, will eventually occupy 1.2 million sq ft in the station's neighborhood (called Corktown). The Corktown campus will be "an innovation hub for Ford's vision for the future of transportation." Why we're watching the livestream: Detroit native Big Sean will be performing. Bottom line: Michigan Central Station is more than a building—it's a symbol of Detroit's rise and fall...and current renaissance. For Ford to come in and open it again is a really exciting moment for the city.

Google did a quick search to see what a $550 million investment in Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com would return. The results? A less than 1% stake in China's second biggest e-commerce player (behind Alibaba). A massive network of warehouses and delivery ops. A chance to work with JD.com to tackle online retail across the globe. But as Google eyes e-commerce (and Amazon)... ...it's also looking to win favor with China. Since China banned Google's search engine in 2010, Google's built offices in the country, opened AI research facilities, and sent Sundar Pichai over to wine and dine lawmakers. But so far, China's remained query intolerant. Best case scenario: Google slides into three markets (U.S., Europe, and SE Asia) using JD.com's incredible capacity to fulfill up to 200,000 orders in one day...from one facility...with only four human workers...Then? China changes its mind about Google search.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and the company's ex-president were indicted on criminal charges.

LOS ANGELES—Today, biotech magnate Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong will officially acquire the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union Tribune from media company Tronc for $500 million. Doctor who? A guy who's somehow managed to rack up every single job title known to humankind: Surgeon, philanthropist, entrepreneur, adjunct professor, billionaire, minority owner of the LA Lakers, issuer of over 230 patents...and now? Newspaper owner, a title he doesn't take lightly at all. Soon-Shiong will have to work some magic on the LA Times, a paper whose staffers were basically in open rebellion last year over several questionable decisions by ownership. And then, of course, there's the huge challenge of navigating a newspaper industry that's struggling to adapt to the digital age. Maybe he and fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos (owner of the Washington Post) will talk strategy together.

If the AT&T-Time Warner approval didn't shake up media enough—the race for original content should. Oprah Winfrey just signed a multiyear contract with Apple, which plans to take Netflix, HBO, Amazon, and any other content creator head-on. Apple made this clear when it poached two top Sony media execs (the guys behind "Breaking Bad" and "The Crown"). It also committed at least $1 billion towards original content (perspective: Netflix is spending $8 billion this year). Apple already locked in contracts with a few big names like Kevin Durant and Steven Spielberg. But Oprah's deal, which follows Netflix's multiyear contract with the Obamas, raises the bar. Our Monday morning hot take: Apple is sitting on $267 billion in cash. If you're a big time TV or movie personality, you might be getting a call.

Hey crypto investors: it might be safe to bring back Coinbase from the sixth page of your iPhone. The SEC's top crypto guru, William Hinman, declared that ether was not a security...which means it won't be regulated as one (the same goes for Bitcoin, which is considered a commodity). What's ether? It's the digital token that powers the Ethereum blockchain platform. And it got a major boost following the announcement. What he didn't disclose: The regulatory status of Ripple's XRP token. It's the third ranked cryptocurrency by market cap ($22 billion). What was at stake for ether.

It could be the biggest news for Chicago since the Cubs won the World Series: Elon Musk's Boring Company won a bid to build an express train to O'Hare Intl. Airport. But this is not your average train: You'll board a pod-like electric vehicle (called a "skate"). These cars will carry 8-16 passengers, leave every 30 seconds, and travel up to 150 mph in underground tunnels. Here's what a station might look like: This contract is a game changer For Chicago... As any Chicagoan will tell you, getting to da airport from da downtown "Loop" is a nightmare, whether yer taking the L train (~40 minutes) or sitting in traffic. The plan here is to whisk you out to O'Hare in just 12 minutes. And for Musk... Winning this bid adds legitimacy to a company that he started as a hobby just a year and a half ago. Now go reward yourself with a Bean selfie, Elon. But there's still a long way to go until this thing actually gets built.

As you mull it over, consider this jaw-dropping report from China: JD.com, a Chinese e-commerce behemoth, claimed it could receive, pack, ship, and deliver 200,000 orders a day across China. But get this, it employs just four workers at the fulfillment center. And those employees' jobs? To service the robots that fulfill the orders... Final food for thought: In January, the World Economic Forum and Boston Consulting Group said that by 2026, over 1 million Americans could lose their jobs to automation. + There's always another side to the story: "AI Doesn't Eliminate Jobs, It Creates Them."

@JW Insider Ah! Now I see what you are referring to. Thx.

Just curious as to why you think Angela Merkel is the most powerful? I wouldn't have thought that. More powerful than Donald Trump?

Reptile reportedly leapt from the water and grabbed Pastor Docho Eshete as he moved on to the second person in a mass baptism of 80 followers. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/crocodile-kills-pastor-ethiopia-baptism-lake-abaya-docho-eshete-arba-minch-fatal-croc-attack-nile-a8384531.html?amp

Kate Spade reportedly didn't profit from the sale of her company to Coach https://finance.yahoo.com/video/kate-spade-reportedly-didnt-profit-165659548.html FBN's Neil Cavuto on the death of designer Kate Spade and reports she wasn't receiving any money from Coach's $2.4 billion acquisition of the Kate Spade brand.

An explosion at an iron ore mine in Benxi, Liaoning, kills 11 people, 23 others were rescued from the site, while 2 more remain trapped.