<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">ShutterstockNestlé has been trying to be the sole manufacturer of four-fingered chocolate bars.</div></div></div><ul><li>Nestlé, the manufacturers of KitKat, lost a 16-year legal fight to dominate the chocolate bar market.</li><li>Nestlé applied to trademark the distinctive trapezoid shape of KitKats in 2002, and initially succeeded.</li><li>But KitKat's competitors - who make very similar snacks - objected.</li><li>This started a string of court cases and appeals for some ten years.</li><li>In 2016, an EU court annulled the trademark, saying that Nestlé had failed to prove that KitKat has a "distinctive character" across all EU states.</li><li>Nestlé appealed the decision.</li><li>Europe's top court threw out Nestlé's appeal on Wednesday, removing any hope of them sewing up the market for themselves.</li></ul> KitKat's makers have suffered a major setback in its 16-year quest to dominate the market for four-fingered chocolate bars.Nestlé has been fighting to trademark the distinctive trapezoid shape in Europe, where other snack companies have been manufacturing similar treats.One of its largest competitors is Kvikk Lunsj - pronounced "quick lunch" - a Norwegian snack first manufactured in 1937, two years after KitKats first appeared.KitKat's shape is already protected in Australia, Canada, and South Africa, <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/kit-kat-battles-for-four-finger-trademark-11448020">according to Sky News</a>, but the battle in Europe has been particularly difficult.In 2002, Nestlé applied to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to trademark the shape. The office granted the mark four years later.But Mondelez, the manufacturers of Kvikk Lunsj, appealed the following year, starting a slew of court cases in Europe.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmxN971aTIE">Freia via SMFB Oslo/YouTube</a>Norway's kvikk lunsj chocolate bar is one of KitKat's biggest competitors.</div></div></div>After nine years of court battles, in 2016 a lower EU court annulled the EUIPO's decision, saying that the office "could not validly conclude" that KitKat had acquired the "distinctive character" in all EU member states.Nestlé had to be able to prove that KitKat had "acquired distinctive character in the part of the EU in which it did not previously have such character," <a href="https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2018-07/cp180116en.pdf">according to a European Court of Justice summary</a>. In other words, the chocolate bar had to be recognizable enough to be trademarked.Nestlé had been able to prove that in ten EU countries - Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Sweden, and the UK - but had insufficient evidence to do so in Belgium, Ireland, Greece, and Portugal.The global company continued to appeal against the decision. But on Wednesday, the European Court of Justice - Europe's top court - dismissed Nestlé's appeal, saying instead that the lower court had been right to annul the trademark.The court said in a statement on Wednesday: "Although such proof may be produced globally for all the Member States or groups of Member States, it is not, however, sufficient that the party with the burden of providing such evidence produces only evidence that fails to cover part of the EU, even a part consisting of only one Member State."Other European snack companies have been told they weren't allowed to trademark their products in the past. Lindt, the Swiss chocolate company, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/lindt-bunnies-ruling/lindt-loses-german-case-over-easter-bunny-trademark-idUSL5N0CK1SB20130328">lost a case</a> to trademark gold-wrapped chocolate bunnies in 2013.Last year, Toblerone was also forced to prove that its triangular shape was distinctive enough to trademark when British retailer Poundland made an off-brand version. That case ended in an out-of-court settlement. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/greshams-law-explains-why-no-one-spending-their-bitcoin-2018-7">An early investor in Uber, Airbnb, and bitcoin explains why it's actually a good sign that no one is spending their crypto</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

KitKat makers Nestle just lost a wild, 16-year legal battle to dominate the chocolate market in Europe after losing an argument about its shape

People in Sydney have been taking selfies in front of the Lindt Cafè, where <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-hostages-held-in-sydney-cafe-islamic-flag-seen-in-window-local-tv-2014-12" target="_blank">a gunman has taken about 20 people hostage</a>.
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The gunman took control of the cafe at about 10 a.m in Sydney when the area was buzzing with tourists and commuters. It seems some passers-by thought it would be good ideasnap a smiley selfie in front of the terror scene and upload those photos to social media.&#xa0;
The Twitter community is reacting badly to the behaviour.&#xa0;People are being slammed as "morons" and "idiots":
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This one says it all:
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People Are Taking Selfies In Front The Sydney Cafe Where Hostages Are Being Held

Author Michael Lindt <a href="http://early-onset-of-night.tumblr.com/post/39981292390/left-in-lieu-of-a-tip-gotta-love-those#notes">points us to</a> a photo of a card that was apparently "left in lieu of a tip."
It was originally <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/161iul/friend_got_this_as_a_tip_id_be_livid/">posted on Reddit by user nickshambo</a> who claims that the card, which is possibly fake, was left for a friend.
"I'd be livid," he adds.
As <a href="http://gawker.com/5974396/the-biggest-schmuck-on-earth-left-this-as-a-tip">Gawker's Jordan Sargent points out</a>, it seems to be from California, as the note mentions <a href="http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_30,_Sales_and_Income_Tax_Increase_(2012)">Proposition 30</a>, a bill that was passed last November which raised sales taxes and taxes on the rich in California in an effort to fund schools.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way for the both of us," it says on the note.
<div class="image-container" style="width:620px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://early-onset-of-night.tumblr.com/post/39981292390/left-in-lieu-of-a-tip-gotta-love-those#notes">Michael Lindt</a></div>

A Tax Protester Left This Infuriating Note Instead Of Giving The Server A Tip

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Clive Brunskill/GettyRafael Nadal could win up to $3.7 million in the 2017 US Open.</div></div></div>In the sport of tennis, rank doesn't always equal wealth.Rafael Nadal, the Spanish tennis player currently ranked No. 1 in the world, has advanced to the semifinals of the US Open Tennis Championships this week in New York City. He'll play No. 28 Juan Martín Del Potro Friday night for a spot in the finals on Sunday.Nadal holds 73 overall titles - including 14 Grand Slams, which award the most prize money. The 31-year-old has been playing professionally since 2001 and is a two-time winner of the US Open.Though Nadal's dominance in the sport is indisputable, his total career earnings - about $86.3 million - are not a reflection of his current top-player status, at least when compared to his rivals.The Association of Professional Tennis (ATP) is responsible for <a href="http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/rankings/rankings-faq">ranking players</a>, measuring their performance in the Grand Slam, Masters, and a handful of other tournaments throughout the year. A player's placement in those tournaments adds up to ultimately determine their numbered world ranking.Serbia's Novak Djokovic, who's ranked No. 5, is currently <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tennis-players-highest-paid-all-time-men-women-2017-1">the highest-paid tennis player in the world</a>, with a total of $109.8 million in career earnings. Roger Federer, the Swiss man who sits at No. 3, has won $107.7 million in prize money.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Michael Dodge/GettyNovak Djokovic shakes hands with Roger Federer after winning the semifinal match at the 2016 Australian Open.</div></div></div>Tournament purses are consistently increasing, and more wins in recent years for Djokovic, who's been playing professionally since 2003, has likely added up to a higher total sum. In fact, the Serbian earned a record-breaking amount of prize money in one season in 2015 when he pocketed $20 million, winning three of the four Grand Slams that year.On-court payouts are just one factor contributing to the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/pictures/59a08e1c4bbe6f125a72cc48/the-worlds-highest-paid-t/#45d5e1632d3f">multi-million dollar net worths</a> of the top tennis players. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2017/08/29/the-highest-paid-tennis-players-2017/#3cf1d9f3435d">According to Forbes</a>, Nadal has earned $26 million from endorsements like Nike, Babolat, and Kia Motors, so far in 2017.The deals are even more lucrative for Federer, who earns nearly $60 million a year from partnerships with Wilson, Credit Suisse, and Nike, and luxury brands Mercedes, Rolex, Lindt, and Moet &amp; Chandon. He also commands fees up to $2 million for exhibitions and events.Djokovic isn't far behind. The Serbian has earned $37.6 million off-court this year, endorsing brands like Seiko watches and Adidas. Earlier in 2017, he traded in his signature Uniqlo apparel for <a href="http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/lacoste-confirms-djokovic-deal">a new deal with Lacoste</a>.Nadal could win as much as $3.7 million at this year's US Open, if he takes the top spot. The United States Tennis Association is handing out a total of $50.4 million - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-open-prize-money-2017-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the largest purse in tennis history</a>. Both the men's and women's championship title winners will earn $3.7 million on Saturday, while the runner-up will walk away with $1.825 million. Semifinalists pocket $920,000. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jack-sock-displays-good-sportsmanship-tennis-australia-lleyton-hewitt-challenge-2016-1">American tennis player displays remarkable sportsmanship by telling his opponent to challenge a bad call</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Rafael Nadal has won $86.3 million in prize money during his career - but he still trails his rivals

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Hello! Here's what you need to know for Friday.1. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-31960926">Nine people have been arrested in connection with the attack on Bardo museum</a> in Tunis, which left 23 people dead.2. Malcolm Fraser, the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/mar/20/malcolm-fraser-dies-aged-84">prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983, died Thursday</a> at the age of 84.3. Regions of <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/who-can-see-2015-total-solar-eclipse-2015-3">Greenland, Europe, and North Africa will be treated to a solar eclipse</a> - when the moon passes between the sun and earth - this morning. 4. Sydney's Lindt Chocolate Cafe, where a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-australia-honors-victims-of-deadly-siege-as-sydney-cafe-reopens-2015-3">deadly siege took place three months ago, will reopen today</a>.5. The two-day European Union economic summit wraps up today, while <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-greece-to-submit-new-reform-list-within-days-2015-3">Greece is expected to submit a new list of reforms to international creditors within days</a>. 6. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-eus-russia-sanctions-extended-to-end-2015-tusk-2015-3">EU leaders agreed to extend economic sanctions against Russia</a> until the end of 2015. 7. Emails show the <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/report-the-world-health-organization-resisted-declaring-ebola-an-international-emergency-for-economic-reasons-2015-3">World Health Organization delayed calling the Ebola</a> outbreak a public health emergency because they worried it would anger the affected African countries or hurt their economies.8. In a video message to Iran, US President Barack Obama said <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-obama-to-irans-people-best-opportunity-in-decades-to-pursue-different-future-with-us-2015-3">this year represented the "best opportunity in decades"</a> to build a better a relationship. 9. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/19/arctic-sea-ice-extent-hits-record-low-for-winter-maximum">Arctic sea ice hit a record low for its maximum extent this winter</a>, which scientists link to a warming planet.10. The US and Japan will attend a memorial service Saturday to <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-seventy-years-on-japan-us-remember-epic-iwo-jima-battle-2015-3">mark the 70th anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima</a>. And finally ...<a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/biggest-archeological-discoveries-2015-3">Archaeologists are having an awesome month, with finds that include a secret fortress of Genghis Khan and a 250-year-old pretzel.</a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/map-how-indo-european-languages-evolved-2014-12">This Animated Map Shows How European Languages Evolved </a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="wwMjI2cjq9yWkT5MO7-968mt2D9V_wxN" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

The 10 most important things in the world right now

Good morning! Here's what you need to know for Monday.
1. A<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-hostages-held-in-sydney-cafe-islamic-flag-seen-in-window-local-tv-2014-12"> gunman is holding an unknown number of people hostage in a cafe in Sydney</a> and forcing them to hold up a black flag with white Arabic writing in the window.&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-brent-hits-five-and-a-half-year-low-of-63-on-supply-glut-demand-woes-2014-12"> </a>
2.&#xa0;For the first time, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/world/americas/lima-climate-deal.html?_r=0">a climate change deal has been made that commits every country in the world to reducing fossil fuel emissions</a>.&#xa0;
3.&#xa0;Japan's <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/japans-abe-vows-to-increase-wages-1418624998">Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to increase wages</a> a day after his election victory.
4.&#xa0;A spokesman for the French Interior Ministry said&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-ahead-of-taxi-protest-france-says-uberpop-to-be-banned-2014-12">ride-booking service UberPop will be banned in France starting Jan. 1</a>.&#xa0;
5. Police arrested&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-hong-kong-police-make-arrests-as-last-protest-site-cleared-2014-12">protesters in Hong Kong as the last remaining pro-democracy site was cleared</a>&#xa0;after more than two months of demonstrations.&#xa0; 
6. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-sierra-leone-ebola-christmas-ban-20141212-story.html">Sierra Leone has banned Christmas and New Year's celebrations</a> to prevent the spread of Ebola.&#xa0;
7. One of the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-white-rhino-dies-safari-park-20141214-story.html">last six northern white rhinos in the world died Sunday at the San Diego Zoo</a>.&#xa0; 
8. Greece's finance minister Gikas Hardouvelis <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-greek-minister-says-failure-to-elect-president-would-hurt-2015-growth-2014-12">said a failure by parliament to elect a president by the end of the month will hurt growth in 2015</a>.&#xa0;
9.&#xa0;Denmark will file documents to the United Nations on Monday to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-denmark-to-claim-slice-of-continental-shelf-in-arctic-ocean-2014-12">claim a continental shelf in the the Arctic Ocean</a>.&#xa0; 
10.&#xa0;An <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-executed-chinese-teenager-found-innocent-18-years-on-2014-12">executed Chinese teenager was declared innocent 18 years after being convicted of murder and rape</a>. And finally ...
The latest leaked Sony emails revealed that Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jennifer-lawrence-paid-less-than-male-co-stars-2014-12">were paid less than their male co-stars in 2013's "American Hustle."</a>

The 10 Most Important Things In The World Right Now

<keyword id="2884150" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yudhvir-Singh-Malik">Yudhvir Singh Malik</keyword>, the CEO of <keyword id="109212" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Food-Safety">Food Safety</keyword> and <keyword id="1713626" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Standard-Authority-of-India">Standard Authority of India</keyword> (<keyword id="154680" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="FSSAI">FSSAI</keyword>), a Haryana cadre IAS officer from the 1983 batch, is the man who took over the list of hundreds of products rejected since 2012 and posted it on the FSSAI website in April this year. 
 On June 4, a team led by <keyword id="75190" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nestle">Nestle</keyword> CEO <keyword id="225478" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paul-Bulcke">Paul Bulcke</keyword> met government officials including Malik and health secretary BP Sharma. Nestle tried hard to convince FSSAI official that Maggi was safe to consume, but FSSAI, which played a major role in this controversy, lashed out the Swiss multinational food and beverage company and imposed a ban on the product. This information was revealed in an Economic Times report. 
 The decision, however, has been challenged by the <keyword id="34523" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="fmcg">FMCG</keyword> giant Nestle in <keyword id="48485" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bombay-high-court">Bombay High Court</keyword>. 
 
Yudhvir Singh Malik, considered as a tough taskmaster by his FSSAI colleagues, is the man who assumed charge in October 2014 and just after that FSSAI’s various meetings with overseas delegations have acquired the status of formal engagements. And inter-ministerial meetings have been taking place more frequently, owing to which the office of the regulator has acquired a new energy. 
 
According to Malik’s colleague, "The order issued against Nestle -which reasons out the problems, explains Nestle's grounds of defence and logically details why it is not acceptable -has his (Malik’s) stamp all over. I am sure that he has personally drafted it word by word." 
 
As mentioned in the financial daily, it was after Malik took over the list of hundreds of products rejected since 2012 was drawn up; it was posted on the FSSAI website in April. A clearer regulatory pathway for product approval is being drawn up. A recall mechanism for defective food, drafted in large parts in 2011, has been sent to the World Trade Organisation for its comments and inputs from member countries. 
 
Malik has inherited several labeling wrangles from his predecessors, mostly starting in 2013. These include disputes with imported chocolate brands such as Godiva, Guylian, Lindt and Mars besides liquor makers such as Diageo and Pernod Ricard. 
 
Last month, Malik told stakeholders that it would be unfair to draw a parallel between India's food regulatory t system and those of the US and the European Union (EU) because consumer awareness is higher in those markets. 
 
Besides this, more responsive legal systems overseas compel industry to self-regulate. He also said that Indian consumers tend to be less skeptical than those in more mature markets.

Meet Yudhvir Singh Malik, the man who led the nationwide Maggi Ban

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Rick WilkingDoes your company offer a gym membership?</div></div></div>An <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/how-your-office-job-is-killing-you-2015-6">office job can be tough on your body,</a> so it helps to work at a place that cares about and encourages the health of its employees. To determine the healthiest workplaces in the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword>, insurance company VitalityHealth surveyed companies about corporate policies, practices, and facilities that could affect employee health.To find out where the healthiest people work, a different survey asked employees questions about their lifestyle behaviours, mental well-being, and general health. The data, which this year included 32,500 employee responses from 112 companies, was collected and analysed with help from the University of Cambridge and RAND Europe.The overall award for <a href="http://www.britainshealthiestcompany.co.uk/index.html">Britain's healthiest company</a> combines scores from both surveys and was given out to three company sizes. This year's top awards went to Johnson &amp; Johnson, Adidas UK, and Old Mutual, for healthiest large, medium, and small companies, respectively."We have a long history of caring for the health and well-being of our workforce and offer a range of programmes, employee benefits, and facilities for our staff in the UK which have a great rate of uptake," Angela Hamlin, HR Director for the pharmaceutical sector at Johnson &amp; Johnson, said in statement. Adidas UK offers mental health clinics and life coaches to all workers, while Old Mutual has an assistance programme that provides counselling on a range of topics, including relationships and debt. The full list of winners across three categories is below:Britain's healthiest companies (large)1. Johnson &amp; Johnson2. Nomura3. Morgan StanleyBritain's healthiest companies (medium)1. Adidas UK2. Iris Worldwide3. Sweaty BettyBritain's healthiest companies (small) 1. Old Mutual2. JDSU UK Ltd3. Sanofi Pasteur MSDHealthiest workplace (large)1. Johnson &amp; Johnson2. Morgan Stanley 3. Chivas Brothers Healthiest workplace (medium)1. Adidas UK 2. Iris worldwide 3. Edinburgh Leisure Healthiest workplace (small)1. Lindt &amp; Sprungli 2. Old Mutual 3. Sundyne HMD Sealless Pumps LtdHealthiest employees (large)1. Microsoft2. Nomura3. BNP ParibasHealthiest employees (medium)1. Sweaty Betty2. Gilead Sciences3. Adidas UKHealthiest employees (small)1. Sanofi Pasteur MSD2. JDSU UK Ltd3. Ruffer LLPMost improved companyTUI UK &amp; Ireland <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/floyd-mayweather-koenigsegg-4.8-million-car-money-boxing-2015-8">Floyd Mayweather just spent $4.8 million on one of the fastest cars in the world</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="1zbTQ3dzqpHPgWF9SU47Z800eUPuTDvk" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

The best places to work in the UK if you care about your health

Hello, everyone! Welcome to the new edition of <keyword id="9095853" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="insider-today">Insider Today</keyword>. Please <a href="https://www.insider.com/insider-today">sign up here</a>.<h2>QUOTE OF THE DAY</h2>"Our state appetizer, calamari, is available in all 50 states." — <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/19/calamari-rhode-island-comeback-dnc/">Rhode Island Democratic Party Chair Joseph M. McNamara</a>, interrupting his state's roll-call endorsement of <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword> to tout the local seafood. <h2>WHAT'S HAPPENING</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/postmaster-general-will-suspend-service-changes-until-after-election-2020-8">Postmaster general will suspend all service changes until after the election</a>. In the face of immense public outcry, Louis DeJoy said he'd delay his operational reforms until after the election. Post offices will maintain retail hours. Overtime will be permitted. Mail-processing facilities won't be cut back.Rave reviews for the second night of the Democratic convention. The party <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-formally-attains-democratic-nomination-for-president-2020-8">officially nominated Biden</a> for president with a glorious coast-to-coast (and beyond) video montage from 57 states, territories, and districts. Jill Biden also gave a much-praised speech, and more Republicans (Cindy McCain, Colin Powell) explained why they're choosing a Democrat over Trump. Tonight is star-studded: Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren, and Barack Obama will headline, and Kamala Harris will give her much anticipated acceptance speech. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/19/world/covid-19-coronavirus.html?action=click&amp;module=Top%20Stories&amp;pgtype=Homepage#link-2b2713a52b2713a5">Top health officials delayed emergency FDA approval of blood plasma COVID treatment.</a> The Food and Drug Administration was poised to approve the treatment, which is derived from survivors of COVID-19, but last week Anthony Fauci and the National Institutes of Health director intervened, arguing that the clinical data is not yet strong enough to justify the approval. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-supports-oracle-buy-of-tiktok-larry-ellison-donor-2020-8">Trump seems to favor Oracle's bid to acquire TikTok's US operations.</a> Oracle boss Larry Ellison is a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/larry-ellison-oracle-trump-support-2020-4">Trump supporter</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oracle-billionaire-larry-ellison-is-fundraising-for-donald-trump-2020-2">donor</a>, and Trump seems to want Oracle, not Microsoft, to acquire ByteDance's US operations. Last week, Trump gave ByteDance 45 days to start a US sale or risk being shut down.<h2>VIEWS OF THE DAY</h2><div type="image" title="Erik Prince" height="1000" width="2000" msid="77641588" hostid="261"></div>So you can just lie to Congress now?In June 2019, the Senate Intelligence Committee wrote a criminal referral letter to the US attorney's office in Washington, DC, for Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, former Trump adviser <keyword id="3581499" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Steve-Bannon">Steve Bannon</keyword>, Donald Trump Jr., and <keyword id="4323281" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Erik-Prince">Erik Prince</keyword> (a modern-day mercenary, extremely wealthy Trump donor, and brother to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos). The <a href="https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-08-14/senate-committee-sought-investigation-of-bannon-raised-concerns-about-trump-family-testimony">Los Angeles Times</a> broke this story on Friday, and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/senate-made-criminal-referral-trump-jr-bannon-kushner-two-others-n1237155">NBC News</a> and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/senate-intelligence-committee-donald-trump-jr-jared-kushner-stephen-bannon-erik-prince/2020/08/15/a7905a84-def5-11ea-b205-ff838e15a9a6_story.html">The Washington Post</a> have since confirmed it.The letter was bipartisan, signed by Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the panel's chairman at the time, and Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia. It raises concerns that these people may have misled Congress in their testimony about the investigation into Russia's ties to the Trump campaign.The committee said it had questions about issues with testimony from Trump Jr., former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks, and Kushner because it contradicted things said by Rick Gates, a former associate of Paul Manafort, who is serving out a prison sentence in home confinement. Those may or may not have been outright lies.Prince, Bannon, and Sam Clovis (a lesser known Bannon associate also involved in this Russia mishegoss) get a more severe treatment from the committee's letter. Those men are suspected of making false statements outright. According to the LA Times, they may have lied about a meeting they planned in Seychelles along with Rick Gerson, a hedge-fund manager, and Kirill Dmitriev, the head of a Russian sovereign fund. Congress suspects they were attempting to establish a back channel to communicate with the Russian government.It's unclear what happened once this letter got to the US attorney's office. Sometimes letters like this get shrugged off because they seem like partisan witch hunts (but this one was signed by both parties) or because they don't actually detail a crime (lying to Congress is undoubtedly a crime). So where's the action? The American people need to see it.The Trump administration has been a test of this country's faith in the rule of law from the beginning. Trump promised to drain the swamp, but there are few things swampier than getting to lie to Congress just because you're the president's donor or campaign manager. I guess — to borrow a turn of phrase from the man himself — if you're the president's son, "they let you do it." <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/linette-lopez">— Linette Lopez</a><div type="image" title="Screen Shot 2020 08 19 at 12.42.24 PM" height="1433" width="2866" msid="77641592" hostid="261"></div>DNC night 2 was a much better show, even if somewhat misleadingI'm not saying the <keyword id="805524" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Democratic-National-Convention">Democratic National Convention</keyword>'s producers might have read <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dnc-night-one-joe-biden-eva-longoria-democratic-national-convention-2020-8">my column yesterday</a>; I'm just saying they took my advice.Out were the squirm-inducing minutelong interviews with "just regular folks"; in were more speeches and more face time with luminaries of the party's past and present.The most effective bit of programming was unquestionably the roll call. Once an interminable episode of mostly anonymous delegates holding pole-shaped placards bearing their state's name on the cramped floor of a basketball arena, the coronavirus created an opportunity for each state (and territory) to have its moment in the spotlight.Roll call kicked off with Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell placing her delegation's vote for Biden with Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge — the site of the civil-rights march led by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965 — in the background. Instant stars were created by Rhode Island's <a href="https://twitter.com/thedailybeast/status/1295918471600103424">calamari-touting</a> delegate and <a href="https://twitter.com/ScarletAvengers/status/1295904540240347143">the Louisiana kid</a> holding up a poster of Joe Biden's aviator sunglasses. Matthew Shepard's parents representing the Wyoming delegation and <a href="https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/politics/khizr-khan-represents-virginia-in-roll-call-dnc-night-2-still-wants-trump-to-read-constitution/65-006f47c0-10e5-484f-8460-751440d3419b">Khizr Khan representing Virginia</a> were also strikingly powerful moments.The parade of disaffected Republicans for Biden also continued last night, with ringing endorsements (and denunciations of Trump) from Chuck Hagel, Colin Powell, and Cindy McCain. Like night 1, a lot of this was directed toward a part of the electorate that doesn't like Trump but is not all that enthused about a future Democratic Party represented by young socialists such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.AOC might have gotten only 90 seconds to speak, where she seconded the nomination of Sen. Bernie Sanders to lead into the roll call vote, but she and her cohort would have far more influence on a Biden administration than the mostly retired Republicans who vouched for their pal Joe. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/anthony-l-fisher">— Anthony Fisher</a><div type="image" title="Screen Shot 2020 08 19 at 12.35.31 PM" height="1431" width="2862" msid="77641597" hostid="261"></div>The Democratic roll call was the most inspiring moment of the entire campaign.Fisher, I don't think you're appreciating the roll call enough. It was absolutely magnificent, the most inspiring thing on television this entire campaign! It was the road trip we all dream of making in the pandemic, a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/19/us/politics/dnc-roll-call.html">"Magic School Bus" tour</a> of the whole nation, its landscapes, its history, its present, and its people.We began on the Edmund Pettus Bridge celebrating Rep. John Lewis, saw the shores of the Pacific with a deliriously excited Rep. Barbara Lee, commemorated the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with a young college student in the Tennessee hotel where its passage was announced, shared the sorrow and determination of Matthew Shepard's parents in Casper, Wyoming, reveled in the "Fight Club" vibe of the Ohio union organizer Josh Abernathy, basked in the sunshine of the US Virgin Islands, visited New Mexico's Pueblo of Sandia with tribe member Derrick Lente, and reveled in the unapologetic calamari hawking of the Rhode Islanders.We learned about the issues that are preoccupying Americans in different parts of the country, from the Colorado family, New York nurse, and Nebraska meat-packer struggling with COVID-19, to the Iowans recovering from one of the worst storms in state history, to the Florida father hoping to stop the gun violence that took his child's life at Parkland, to the Gold Star father mourning the racist violence that besieged his city of Charlottesville, Virginia, to the Utah mayor affirming her state's excellent experience with voting by mail.This roll call was not merely a mild improvement on the shouty convention-hall roll calls of the past. It is a genuinely brilliant new tradition that must — and will — become the standard.At a time when we're atomized, narrowly restricted to our homes, limited in our social interactions, it showed us America at its most expansive and wonderful, our variety of landscapes and skies, the multiplicity of issues that concern us, the depth of our history (the 19th amendment, the Tulsa race massacre, and the civil-rights movement were just a few of the capsule reminders). And most of all, it showed us the variety of us. Young and old, immigrant and native-born, Indigenous, Black, white, Hispanic, island people, mountain people, and plains people.It was a Walt Whitman poem come to life. We are large. We contain multitudes. —DP<div type="image" title="GettyImages-laura-loomer" height="489" width="978" msid="77641600" hostid="261"></div>Another fringe candidate won a GOP primary, and Trump congratulated herLaura Loomer — a 27-year-old Islamophobic internet personality who's been barred from all the major social-media platforms, as well as from Uber, Lyft, GoFundMe, and Venmo — just won the GOP primary in Florida's 21st Congressional District. Loomer is well-known in alt-right and ultranationalist internet cadres, but she's never been able to achieve the mainstream attention she so desperately seeks. She's essentially a B-list <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59n99q/milo-yiannopoulos-says-hes-broke">Milo Yiannopoulos</a>.She tried, and failed, to get arrested at Twitter headquarters <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lara-loomer-chained-herself-twitter-hq-after-banned-2018-11">when she handcuffed herself to the front door</a> after being barred. She <a href="https://splinternews.com/laura-loomer-is-at-it-again-1831755717">trespassed on Nancy Pelosi's</a> property as an act of protest, again failing to get arrested. She did manage to get arrested in 2017 <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumpkins-cry-free-speech-and-stab-it-in-the-back">when she disrupted a Shakespeare in the Park production</a> of "Julius Caesar," using the same shutdown-of-speech tactics she claims to oppose when acted out by the progressive left.Loomer is such an obnoxious exhibitionist that <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/anti-muslim-activist-laura-loomer-banned-from-cpac-after-harassing-reporters">she was barred in 2019 by the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)</a> — about as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cpac-2020-trump-worship-hating-socialism-bullied-victim-left-2020-2">Trump-friendly a venue</a> as you're likely to find — for harassing reporters. Unlike the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-marjorie-taylor-greene-georgia-bio-age-beliefs-qanon-2020-8">QAnon-supporting Marjorie Greene</a>, Loomer has almost no chance of winning the heavily Democratic district (which happens to include Mar-a-Lago, making President Trump and first lady Melania Trump constituents). The GOP primary was a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-candidates-florida-21st-congressional-district-trump/2020/08/16/a8d710b8-de2d-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html">rogue's gallery of fringe candidates</a> with no support from the national party.But <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1295932138290917376">Trump congratulated Loomer on her primary win</a> anyway. Despite Loomer being an inconsequential candidate, she represents a significant and vocal portion of the Trump base, and he dares not to offend it this close to Election Day. — AF<h2>BUSINESS &amp; ECONOMY</h2><div type="image" title="mike Lindell MyPillow my pillow " height="529" width="1057" msid="77641604" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mike-lindell-founder-ceo-mypillow-donald-trump-ally-2020-8">MyPillow CEO has a stake in the company that developed the COVID-19 "cure" Oleandrin.</a> Trump ally Mike Lindell has been pushing to get FDA approval for the unproven remedy, and now the president says the feds will "take a look at it."<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/apple-stock-price-market-cap-valuation-hits-2-trillion-milestone-2020-8-1029517431">Apple becomes the first US-listed company to hit a $2 trillion market cap.</a> Aramco, a Saudi oil giant, briefly hit $2 trillion in December.<h2>LIFE</h2><div type="image" title="tiger king" height="797" width="1594" msid="77641607" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.insider.com/tiger-king-zoo-closed-after-animal-exhibition-license-pulled-2020-8">The USDA shut down the "Tiger King" zoo in Oklahoma.</a> Federal officials suspended the animal-exhibition license of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park because of animal-welfare violations.<a href="https://www.insider.com/swiss-town-covered-in-chocolate-snow-lindt-factory-malfunction-olten-2020-8">A gentle chocolate snow fell on a Swiss town.</a> A ventilation malfunction at the local Lindt factory released a cocoa cloud that dusted houses nearby.<h2>THE BIG 3*</h2><div type="image" title="Mike Tyson" height="1000" width="2000" msid="77641611" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.insider.com/roy-jones-jr-is-threatening-to-cancel-mike-tyson-exhibition-2020-8">Roy Jones Jr. is threatening to withdraw from Mike Tyson fight.</a> Jones is annoyed that promoters pushed back the fight from September to November to increase the audience and wants compensation for the two-month delay. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-term-coronavirus-immunity-t-cells-2020-8">Everyone infected with the coronavirus develops immunity, according to a new study.</a> The study finds that even people with mild or asymptomatic COVID cases develop immunity thanks to virus-fighting T cells.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/revealed-donald-trump-letters-to-vladimir-putin-miss-universe-russia-2020-8">"I'm a big fan of yours."</a> Trump's fawning letters to Putin were included in the Senate Intelligence Committee report showing the connections between his campaign and the Russians. *The most popular stories on Insider today.

So you can just lie to Congress now?

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">"Shark Tank"/ABCNohbo founder Benjamin Stern on the "Shark Tank" set.</div></div></div>The "Shark Tank" investors were charmed by baby-faced Benjamin Stern, the 16-year-old founder and CEO of bottle-less bath products company <a href="https://nohboball.com/">Nohbo</a>, whose pitch involved washing his grandmother's hair.But after the high school junior from Florida explained how he cold called invention headhunters at companies like Clorox and then set forth to secure patents after hearing interest, the Sharks respected him as a bona fide entrepreneur.Mark Cuban said he saw himself in Stern, calling Stern "Mini Me," and made a deal with him for $100,000 in exchange for 25% of the company.Stern and Cuban closed the deal since filming the pitch last summer, and Stern said his business has been kicked up a level since his segment premiered in a Season 7 episode two weeks ago. Stern told Business Insider that Cuban and his team have already revamped Nohbo's website and secured it with a manufacturing deal, as well as given him plenty of valuable guidance. Stern shared several key lessons they've already taught him.<h2>You have to walk before you run.</h2>When he was 14, Stern watched a documentary about the plastic bottling industry and realized that may of the plastic gone un-recycled came from people's bathrooms, where they're more likely to toss an empty bottle into the trash. He decided to find a way to take the idea behind detergent pods and apply them to shampoo, body wash, and shaving cream. He and a chemist developed a prototype that looked like a <a href="http://www.lindtusa.com/shop/create-your-own-spring-lindor-truffles-75-pc-gift-bag-s002390?eSpotType=eSpot">Lindt chocolate ball</a>, a dissoluble ball held in a biodegradable wrapper.Stern has always wanted Nohbo to be a revolutionary product, one that could end up in hotels and licensed to major toiletry manufacturers. Cuban was drawn to Stern's passion but taught him to minimize risk and keep his ambitions grounded."They have taught me I shouldn't start something without knowing and preparing for the absolute worst outcome that could happen, even if we expect the best," Stern said.<h2>You don't need to wait for the perfect time to seek a deal.</h2>While Cuban taught Stern to stay grounded, he's also given him the assurance that reaching out to potential licensing partners this early in the company's life "is never a bad thing," and that he was right to follow his instinct when he called Clorox a couple years ago to gauge its interest in his product.Cuban wants Stern to hedge his bets, but not to lose his aggressive confidence.<h2>You need to foster excitement over your brand.</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">NohboNohbo's products are intended to keep plastic containers from going wasted in the trash.</div></div></div>Stern has already exceeded the $10,000 goal for <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/nohbo-the-world-s-first-eco-friendly-shampoo-ball#/">his Indiegogo campaign for the launch of Nohbo</a> and has been fielding investment offers. But Cuban and his team told Stern the "Shark Tank" buzz won't last forever.Stern said that he realized that "keeping up the excitement is an inevitable and ongoing challenge." He's determined to build relationships with customers and clients, making the most of the momentum he's got.<h2>You need to surround yourself with people better than you.</h2>"I want to run Nohbo in a way that allows flexibility and secures a sense of loyalty for all of our workers," Stern said."As a CEO, I'm adjusting to working with people all the time, and jumping into an area which I know little about," he said. In his journey as a founder-CEO, he's already recognized that Cuban and his team have helped him avoid mistakes he would have made on his own. He wants to bolster his team even further, and not let his ego get in the way."I know how many bad turns I have avoided by surrounding myself with geniuses in the business field, so if I can get them on board to back us completely, that would be amazing, and would progress Nohbo more than anything I could possibly do," Stern said. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/barbara-corcoran-shark-tank-cry-tears-emotion-2016-1">'Shark Tank' investor reveals the biggest mistake you can make in the office</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="FqMWY1MDE6gKbroBnAeubPulKjAD-3_i" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

16-year-old entrepreneur who landed a $100,000 'Shark Tank' deal shares lessons he's learned from Mark Cuban

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>A week ago, AT&amp;T did something with network technology that's never been done before and companies like Cisco and Juniper Network should be terrified.AT&amp;T ran a test using data from its customers that proved it can build a super-fast, reliable network with inexpensive no-name computer switches, some open source software and software from a startup.In industry speak: that no-name hardware devices AT&amp;T used are known as "white box" switches.But that's not all. AT&amp;T's successful test, conducted last Tuesday, sent data from one white box switch in Washington built with one kind of computer chip to another one located in San Francisco from a different vendor using a different computer chip. That proves that companies really don't need to buy all their networking gear from one vendor in order to have everything work well together.AT&amp;T used this network gear with its own homegrown network management software, called ECOMP, that makes sure that all the data gets to where it's supposed to go. And AT&amp;T has given ECOMP away to the Linux Foundation, meaning anyone can take that software, use it and contribute to it. That includes other telecom network providers, some of whom are trying it out now, and would also likely be interested in the low-cost hardware AT&amp;T just tested.<h2>Software eats the network</h2>AT&amp;T has basically proved Facebook's vision of how data networks should be built. Even when it comes to an enormous, powerful network like AT&amp;T.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>To clarify: Facebook has been pushing forward a new way to build networks, an approach generally referred to as software-defined networking (SDN).Instead of baking all features into expensive, high end networking gear (aka Cisco's model), an SDN network uses cheaper hardware. All the powerful features are built into software, which can be purchased from another company. SDN promises to make networks more affordable and easier to manage.Facebook didn't invent SDN but it has been proving the concept works in its own large-scale data centers.More importantly,<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-is-again-putting-the-computer-network-industry-to-shame-2016-11"> it's been inventing all kinds of brand new networking technology</a> based on the SDN vision. It gives its software and hardware designs away for free, too. Several years ago Facebook launched an organization called the Open Compute Project to develop the vision of giving away hardware designs, known as open source hardware. OCP encompasses more than just networking but networking has been such a big focus hat Facebook launched an similar project for service provider networks, called the <a href="https://telecominfraproject.com/">Telecom Infra Project.</a><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>OCP has taken off beyond Facebook's wildest dreams. AT&amp;T <a href="http://about.att.com/innovationblog/012716compute">joined last summer, </a>looking for help with its own internal project to revamp itself in the SDN image.While AT&amp;T created its own hardware for this project (it didn't use standard OCP products), a bunch of OCP players were the ones that helped AT&amp;T. They include:<ul><li>SnapRoute, a startup created by the former Apple networking team in direct response to the heartburn they experienced when building Apple's networks running everything from the App Store to Siri. SnapRoute makes software called a network operating system, that can be loaded onto lots of different hardware. </li><li>Barefoot Networks, a network hardware startup by famed network pioneer and Stanford professor Nick McKeown. Barefoot Networks is building a new breed of chip for network equipment that can be changed and programmed. While that may not sound revolutionary, it is. Most networks today are built on fixed-function chips.</li><li>Broadcom, the chip maker that makes industry standard chips. AT&amp;T used some of its cutting edge network chips. Broadcom has been a big player helping Facebook build OCP network switches.</li><li>Delta and Edgecore, two of the manufacturers that also make network switches based on Facebook/OCP designs.</li></ul><h2>Why Cisco and Juniper should be scared</h2>While AT&amp;T didn't say it was ditching Cisco, it did say that this method of building networks was its future."With this trial, we went from using traditional switches the size of multiple refrigerators to a chip that can literally fit in the palm of your hand. We think white box will be a big part of the future of the wide area network," Andre Fuetsch, CTO and president of AT&amp;T Labs <a href="http://about.att.com/story/white_box_collaboration.html">said in the press release.</a> It's actually been<a href="https://www.att.com/Common/about_us/pdf/AT&amp;T%20Domain%202.0%20Vision%20White%20Paper.pdf"> saying such things for years</a>.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>And at least some people on Wall Street have noticed that the big networking vendors were not part of AT&amp;T's test.Nomura analyst Jeffrey Kvaal put out a research note on Wednesday on the "implications" of AT&amp;T's test called "AT&amp;T's Gain . . . Vendors' Pain.""Conspicuously absent from the trial were Cisco, Juniper, and Arista," he wrote and noted that AT&amp;T is a big customer for Cisco and Juniper, as well as Arista but to a lesser extent."AT&amp;T's network automation is already hurting vendors."While Cisco does offer a SDN product called Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI), it is only available as a software option for its biggest, most powerful high end switch, the Nexus 9000. Cisco says ACI has been selling well, however <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-ciscos-rock-star-engineers-quit-2016-6">as we previously reported</a>, while customers like the Nexus 9000 switch itself, ACI has a reputation in the industry for being difficult to install and use.Plus, Cisco's legendary top engineers team that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-ciscos-rock-star-engineers-quit-2016-6">built that product very publicly quit Cisco last summer.</a>Seeing the writing on the wall, Juniper and Arista have already begun to sell versions of their network software that could run on white box switches. Cisco is rumored to be working on a similar thing, internally called Lindt, according to a report by Kevin McLaughlin in <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/cisco-moving-to-break-apart-networking-software-from-hardware?token=abb0bfdfeafc64cc02d42801d51290a662700134" target="_blank" title="">The Information</a>, although Cisco wouldn't publicly confirm that.But selling the software without the high-end hardware could be a major decline in revenue for Cisco and, possibly, cannibalize its largest, most important product lines.Put it this way: imagine being able to buy Apple's iOS software, put it on a $99 phone and have it all work great.That's the quandary Cisco faces. And AT&amp;T just made this problem very real, and very public.Get the latest Cisco stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/csco-Quote"> here.</a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/everything-we-know-about-apple-iphone-8-rumors-2017-3">Forget the iPhone 7 - here are 13 reasons the next iPhone will blow everyone away</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="sxcHRmYTE6NbPEwkeL_VlEHb50t1EGBR" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

AT&T just completed a first-of-its kind test ... and Cisco should be terrified

Barely a week goes by without some radical elements claiming lives of innocent people. While those who are involved in the crime are high on propaganda and are highly mislead, the lives of people who are going about their own lives is put on the line of fire. What do you call them? Unlucky? Unfortunate? Or simply wonder if their time on earth was up, and this was the pretext under which they had to exit? 
 
The recent chilling incidents have coincidentally involved Islam for reasons that the men who orchestrated those were fighting for the cause of their faith. 
 The world had just sighed in relief at the news that Australian café incident had drawn to an end. Out of 17 who were taken as hostages at an up market Lindt café in <keyword id="5629" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sydney">Sydney</keyword>, two innocent people had lost their lives. And the man in question, Haron Monis was dead in the ordeal that ended after 16 hours after he took siege of the café. 
 His support to <keyword id="174501" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="ISIS">ISIS</keyword> got him away from reality and the fundamentalism consumed him from within. When his journey ended, it also sounded the end of road for two more people who just happened to be present at the café around the time when he took siege of it. 
 But, what about those 132 (and still counting) children who were engrossed in their subjects around the time when Talibanis entered their school in the beautiful town of <keyword id="42462" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Peshawar">Peshawar</keyword> in <keyword id="3001" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Pakistan">Pakistan</keyword>? What was their fault? Just being present at a place where they were supposed to be present? Though the Pak police says all the gunmen have been killed, how will it ever free the survivors from the memory that is going to haunt them forever? 
 What about those innocent lives that breathed their last even before they began to have an opinion on <keyword id="16945" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Taliban">Taliban</keyword>? Or any fundamentalist organization for that matter? Where did the world go wrong? 
 
It’s inevitable that we compare both incidents for more reasons than one. Firstly, they happened back to back that you couldn’t ignore. There was absolutely no time gap between the one ending and the other one beginning. 
 
Second, both have religious ring to them. Remember, we aren’t speaking of Islam alone. We are referring to any fundamentalist propaganda that is sure to end up being detrimental to the society and also to the individual involved. Unfortunately, the ordeal is never about the individual alone. Because when he strikes, he is sure to cause a bigger gash than just having his gun blaze at some random target. 
 
In more ways than one, both attacks have a similar storyline. At the risk of sounding ‘blasé’ it is imperative to say when religion becomes the core of a war, it loses the base. It falls into a bottomless pit and then into zero gravity. It sails, but carries no weight because it does not have matter. Some would think the whole thing is flying, and it would just be their perspective. 
 
In case of Sydney incident, it was the trust that was shattered, and replaced with fear. The Aussies allowed Haron Monis to thrive by granting him asylum, by ignoring his umpteen crimes and still allowing him the benefit of doubt. The otherwise stringent Australian judiciary and migration laws somehow couldn’t see the streak of a maniac in Monis for various reasons. 
 
But, in case of Pakistan, the incident came like a bolt from the blue. When it occurred, the devastation was complete. Two related generations wiped out. One of the students who were killed and second is that of the parents who lost their children in the incident. Faith now is a question of feasibility. Because, trust isn’t a virtue when you lay small coffins into the earth and bury them. Their tiny souls may find peace somehow, if the heaven’s gates are open. What about those souls who are left behind? Those of the parents’ who will grieve forever for their children who did nothing wrong to deserve such a gruesome exit? 
 
In a way, this was the land’s own doing. This is the opinion that’s gaining ground on social forums. The same social forum aided by technology that is also helping the fundamentalism gain stronger ground in various parts of the world, just as it is causing revolutions as well. 
 Whichever way you look at it, there are definite signs of humanity too. Soon as the news of an Iranian holding 17 people under siege broke out, Aussies reacted with amazing grace and offered to escort any Muslim with visible signs of religion such as a headgear, safely to their destination. Twitter trended with hashtag that spoke of humanity. <keyword id="2641951" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="illridewithyou">#Illridewithyou</keyword> simply held the promise of humanity much above a fundamentalist’s brutal act. 
 
The conventional opponents India and Pakistan grieved equally at the incident of children being blindly murdered by Talibanis. 
 <keyword id="2643679" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="IndiaWithPakistan">#IndiawithPakistan</keyword> has been trending on twitter, in a heartening sign of a relationship that's joined by the same chord. 
 
Image: indiatimes

Fundamentalism Tears At Soul; Humanity Stands Tall

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/album2007/6882712906/sizes/h/">Flickr/Anil m</a>A scene of Gstaad, Switzerland.</div></div></div>Editor's note: This post originally appeared on Quora in answer to the question, "<a href="http://www.quora.com/Which-is-a-better-place-to-live-Switzerland-or-USA">Which is a better place to live: Switzerland or USA?</a>" Manish Rai Jain, who previously worked at Google and Quora, allowed us to republish his answer. He's currently working on his own startup, <a href="https://twitter.com/snapknock">Snapknock</a>.
I lived in Switzerland for two years and then moved to the US. Life in general in Switzerland is IMO, better than U.S., and here's why:
<ol>
<li>Higher standard of living: Swiss cities, houses and food are all top quality. Crime is very low, so you'd feel pretty safe roaming around in the middle of night all alone. There're no beggars on street, and every body around you looks very well off, it's surreal. You can drink from any public water fountain in the city, and all public places are kept really clean. There're many reasons why Zurich consistently fares as one of the top 3 cities in the world to live in. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercer_Quality_of_Living_Survey" target="_blank" class="external_link">Mercer Quality of Living Survey</a></li>
<li>Higher pay and lower taxes: Swiss wages are pretty high. If you're a waiter, you get paid minimum 20 CHF per hour. If you're an engineer or a banker, your salary is better off than your US colleagues. On top of that, the taxes are relatively lower. <a href="http://www.estv2.admin.ch/e/dienstleistungen/steuerrechner/steuerrechner.htm" target="_blank" class="external_link">Swiss Tax Calculator</a></li>
<li>Amazing public transportation / travel opportunities: You're right in the middle of Europe. From Zurich, Germany is an hour away, France and Italy are 2. Everything else is a few hours by flight. The trains are all on time, and the transportation both intra-city and inter-city is very good. You can pin point any remote location and reach there solely by public transportation. Switzerland is also part of Schengen treaty, even though it's not part of European Union. That means, citizens of visa deprived countries (like India / China) can roam around freely in EU if they're living / working in Switzerland. <a href="http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html" target="_blank" class="external_link">SBB: Swiss Train System</a></li>
<li>Better work life balance, and emphasis on sports: People work to live there. 8-5 culture is the norm, and people don't work on evenings or weekends. This applies not only to office going folks, but also to general stores / shopping malls etc. Minus the bars, the entire city of Zurich closes at 7pm on weekdays, and opens only until 4pm on Saturday (Thanks for correction: <a href="http://www.quora.com/Thierry-Blancpain" target="_blank">Thierry Blancpain</a>). Nothing is open on Sundays. Everybody I knew was doing at least 2 sports on a regular basis, which also explains why Swiss are so fit.</li>
<li>Almost free education even during undergrad studies: As opposed to US, where an undergrad can cost you a mortgage and your parents have to save their entire lives for, the best of Swiss universities charge only ~500 CHF per semester, regardless of nationality. This includes world renowned universities like ETH Zurich, and EPFL Lausanne, and is true even for master studies. <a href="http://www.rektorat.ethz.ch/students/finance/fees/index_EN" target="_blank" class="external_link">ETH - Rektorat - Semestergebühren/-beiträge</a></li>
<li>Clean smog-free air / beautiful mountains and landscape: Swissreally care about the environment. Air conditioners are frowned upon, if not entirely forbidden. Even when summer brought 32 degrees Celsius (~90F), we had to make do with fans both at home and at office. Ah, the horror! But well, it's good for the environment, and summer doesn't last that long. Another good example is the Gotthard Rail tunnel that Swiss are building to cut down on the number of trucks between Switzerland and Italy. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotthard_Base_Tunnel" target="_blank" class="external_link">Gotthard Base Tunnel</a></li>
<li>Food / Chocolate / Beer / Wine: The best of Swiss chocolate isn't sold at airports worldwide (I'm looking at you Lindt). In Switzerland, you get to eat Sprüngli, which IIRC, has its main branch in Paradeplatz in Zürich, right in front of Credit Suisse and UBS headquarters, and isn't available outside the country. In Switzerland, you can find good selection of Italian, French and German food as well. And you wouldn't be complaining about beer and wine. <a href="http://www.spruengli.ch/?lang=en" target="_blank" class="external_link" data-tooltip="attached">Swiss chocolat.</a></li>
</ol>
So, why did I move? Now, here're 3 reasons where U.S. (well California) fares better than Switzerland:
<ol>
<li>Weather: Switzerland isn't known for their great weather. It's cold and wet 9 months of a year, and hot and wet for the rest. California boasts of a weather straight out of heaven (minus the earthquakes that is).</li>
<li>Silicon Valley: If you're a software engineer, your Mecca lies in the San Francisco bay area. The choice of great ambitious companies, and cutting edge technology is unmatched in the rest of the world. Zurich only has a few software companies, so if you choose to live there, you're pretty much stuck working for them.</li>
<li>Foreigners are tourists: Swiss don't believe in foreigners contributing to their society. For them, foreigners are something they have to bear with, and protect their society from. They're really kind hearted people once you get to know them, but you wouldn't feel at home living there.</li>
</ol>

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