After sliding for weeks, the price of oil has started to rise again. We’ll look at the real market force that’s setting the price, how long it will stay down & chat about some of the more interesting theories. It’s a fascinating behind the scenes look at something that impacts your everyday life.

Plus we discuss the big boost Net Neutrality got this week, and the pending debate, why the ISIS fear is at new levels & much more.

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News

Saudi Oil Is Seen as Lever to Pry Russian Support From Syria’s Assad – NYTimes.com

Saudi Arabia_has been trying to pressure President Vladimir V. Putin_of _Russia_to abandon his support for President _Bashar al-Assad_of _Syria, using its dominance of the global oil markets at a time when the Russian government is reeling from the effects of plummeting oil prices._

Saudi Arabia and Russia have had numerous discussions over the past several months that have yet to produce a significant breakthrough, according to American and Saudi officials. It is unclear how explicitly Saudi officials have linked oil to the issue of Syria during the talks, but Saudi officials say — and they have told the United States — that they think they have some leverage over Mr. Putin because of their ability to reduce the supply of oil and possibly drive up prices.

Syria was a major topic for a Saudi delegation that went to Moscow in November, according to an Obama administration official, who said that there had been a steady dialogue between the two countries over the past several months. It is unclear what effect the Jan. 23 death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia might have on these discussions, which the Saudis have conducted in secret.

The monarchy has about $733 billion in savings invested in low-risk assets abroad, and it can afford to dip into that for a few years without much pain. Russia and Iran have no such luxury, and neither do shale-fracking oil producers in North America.

The Saudis have offered economic enticements to Russian leaders in return for concessions on regional issues like Syria before, but never with oil prices so low. It is unclear what effect, if any, the discussions are having. While the United States would support initiatives to end Russian backing for Mr. Assad, any success by the Saudis to cut production and raise global oil prices could hurt many parts of the American economy.

FCC Chief Unveils Sweeping Net Neutrality Rules

The Federal Communications Commission plans to enact President Obama’s proposal for net neutrality regulations that would claim expansive new powers over Internet providers.

In an op-ed in the technology magazine Wired Wednesday, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said his rules will assure “the rights of internet users to go where they want, when they want, and the rights of innovators to introduce new products without asking anyone’s permission.”

He plans to fully apply “bright-line rules” to both Internet connections at home and on mobile devices.

The move is a devastating blow to Internet providers like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T, who warn that treating the Internet like a utility will strangle investment, leading to worse service for everyone. They have all vowed to fight the rules in court.

But it’s a stunning victory for net neutrality advocates, who organized a massive public campaign over the past year to pressure the FCC to enact strong regulations. More than 4 million people filed comments with the FCC, the most for any proceeding ever. In November, President Obama sided with the activists and urged the FCC, an independent agency, to enact the “strongest possible” rules.

FCC strikes in Net neutrality war: Run Internet like a utility – CNET

Wheeler confirmed Wednesday that he intends to regulate wired and wireless broadband services under the Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, subjecting them to the same utility-style rules that oversee telephone service. He said Title II would ensure that the Internet remains open to everyone, a concept known as Net neutrality.

How Netflix helped change the FCC’s definition of net neutrality | The Verge

Today, the FCC did just that. “For the first time the commission would have authority to hear complaints and take appropriate enforcement action if necessary, if it determines the interconnection activities of ISPs are not just and reasonable, thus allowing it to address issues that may arise in the exchange of traffic between mass-market broadband providers and edge providers.”

ISIS

Fight against ISIS needs troops to be effective, Michael Morell says

“Unless the coalition is willing to put more ground troops into Iraq and possibly into Syria, there is very little we can do to respond,” said CBS News senior security contributor Michael Morell, the former No. 2 at the CIA.

Morell made the comments following ISIS’ release of a video Tuesday purportedly showing captive Jordanian pilot Lt. Muath Al-Kaseasbeh being burned to death. The killing led Jordanian officials to execute two Iraqi al Qaeda-linked prisoners.

Morell said the will to commit such a large number of troops “simply does not exist” in the U.S. or in Western Europe.

Burning Victims to Death: Still a Common Practice – The Intercept

The most immediate consequence of drone strikes is, of course, death and injury to those targeted or near a strike. The missiles fired from drones kill or injure in several ways, including through incineration[3], shrapnel, and the release of powerful blast waves capable of crushing internal organs. Those who do survive drone strikes often suffer disfiguring burns and shrapnel wounds, limb amputations, as well as vision and hearing loss. . . .

In addition, because the Hellfire missiles fired from drones often incinerate the victims’ bodies, and leave them in pieces and unidentifiable, traditional burial processes are rendered impossible.

As Firoz Ali Khan, a shopkeeper whose father-in-law’s home was struck, graphically described, “These missiles are very powerful. They destroy human beings . . .There is nobody left and small pieces left behind. Pieces. Whatever is left is just little pieces of bodies and cloth.” **A doctor who has treated drone victims described how “[s]kin is burned so that you can’t tell cattle from human.” When another interviewee came upon the site of the strike that killed his father, “[t]he entire place looked as if it was burned completely, so much so that even [the victims’] own clothes had burnt.

All the stones in the vicinity had become black.”** Ahmed Jan, who lost his foot in the March 17 jirga strike, discussed the challenges rescuers face in identifying bodies: “People were trying to find the body parts. We find the body parts of some people, but sometimes we do not find anything.”

UN claim: ISIS selling, crucifying, burying children alive in Iraq | News24

Islamic State militants are selling abducted Iraqi children at markets as sex slaves, and killing other youth, including by crucifixion or burying them alive, a United Nations watchdog said on Wednesday.

Iraqi boys aged under 18 are increasingly being used by the militant group as suicide bombers, bomb makers, informants or human shields to protect facilities against US-led air strikes, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said.

High Note:

Silk Road Mastermind Ross Ulbricht Convicted of All 7 Charges | WIRED

A jury has spoken, and the mask is off: Ross Ulbricht has been convicted of being the Dread Pirate Roberts, secret mastermind of the Silk Road online narcotics empire.

On Wednesday, less than a month after his trial began in a downtown Manhattan courtroom, 30-year-old Ulbricht was convicted of all seven crimes he was charged with, including narcotics and money laundering conspiracies and a “kingpin” charge usually reserved for mafia dons and drug cartel leaders. It took the jury only 3.5 hours to return a verdict. Ulbricht faces a minimum of 30 years in prison; the maximum is life. But Ulbricht’s legal team has said it will appeal the decision, and cited its frequent calls for a mistrial and protests against the judge’s decisions throughout the case.

As the verdict was read, Ulbricht stared straight ahead. His mother Lyn Ulbricht slowly shook her head, and his father Kirk put a hand to his temple. After the verdict, Ulbricht turned around to give his family a stoic smile.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Says Marijuana ‘Can Be Helpful’ For Some Medical Conditions

While Murthy didn’t take the opportunity to endorse legalization of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes, he did add that he believes U.S. marijuana policy should be driven by science and what it reveals about the efficacy of using the plant for medical purposes.

“I think we’re going to get a lot more data about that,” Murthy said. “I’m very interested to see where that takes us.”

State looks to share marijuana taxes with cities

Washington state legalized marijuana more than two years ago, but in much of the state, there’s still no place to get the sanctioned stuff: More than 100 cities and counties have banned pot businesses, making it tough to undermine the black market.

Lawmakers think they have at least a partial solution: paying the locals to let licensed weed come to town.

Under bills introduced in both houses in Olympia, the state would share a chunk of its marijuana tax revenue with cities and counties – but only if they allow approved marijuana businesses in their jurisdictions. It’s an approach that has worked to some degree in Colorado, said Kevin Bommer, deputy director of the Colorado Municipal League.

“It definitely made a difference,” he said Monday. “Without it, you would not have as many municipalities in Colorado approving retail marijuana sales.”

• White House Sneaks D.C. Marijuana Legalization Into Budget | The Daily Caller

President Barack Obama’s massive budget unveiled on Monday makes a foray into Washington, D.C. politics by removing the restriction Congress placed on the city’s budget to prohibit the use of public funds for regulating and taxing the sale of marijuana.

If Congress doesn’t fight back against Obama’s budget request, marijuana may achieve legal status as early as March, Marijuana.com reports. A regulatory system implemented by the city would then follow likely by the end of 2015, and with a framework in place to satisfy local politicians, marijuana dispensaries would crop up soon after. However, the budget first needs to pass through a watchful, Republican-dominated Congress, although since the Republicans took over, there has been little pushback against legal marijuana in the states.

Seattle just got an awesome, high-tech pot vending machine

It's Seattle's first pot vending machine. Show your I.D., slide in your money, push button & out pops pot. #ZaZZZ pic.twitter.com/l7T0OkWao1

— diane lewis (@dianelewis48) February 3, 2015

Sometimes you just want to pick up your pot without talking to a human. Well here’s some good news for people in Seattle, Wash.: You can now grab your medical marijuana from a vending machine.