News from Around the World (8/9)

The End Of Email As We Know It - Now Google doesn’t just host and operate my email service, it owns and controls my entire email experience.

Deadly Skyscraper -  It is a coincidence of shapes and materials, say physicists, that is ideally suited to focusing a tremendous amount of solar energy on a small area and generating a lot of heat—enough to melt the plastic coatings on the side mirror of an expensive sports car.

Expensive College Fees: All Rich Kids’ Fault? - In each case, the poorest students are paying slightly more than half of what the richest ones are paying. The numbers are even more startling when you look at tuition apart from room and board.

To Dodge Law, High-Cost Lender Offers Cash for Free - In Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin – which have all passed lending laws – those loans have come with zero percent interest. What’s the catch? After 30 days, the loan is due in full.

Why Did Pirates Wear Eye Patches? - The fact that some pirates wore eye patches most likely had nothing to do with a missing eye, and everything to do with being able to see—specifically, above decks and below them.