The Legal and Ethical Ramifications of Letting Police Kill Suspects With Robots; Motherboard, 7/9/16

Jason Koebler, Motherboard; The Legal and Ethical Ramifications of Letting Police Kill Suspects With Robots:

"What are the guidelines for remotely killing a human?

Chief Brown said Dallas police “placed a device on [the robot’s] extension” that later exploded, suggesting that the robot was improvised on the fly. Given the extreme circumstances, it’s unlikely that the Dallas police department has published guidelines about when it’s OK to remotely kill a suspect (we’ve asked and will update if we hear back). Law enforcement will inevitably need those.

“With any new technology that the police use, what precautions should be taken to make sure that things don’t go badly wrong? The Dallas robot appears to have been a jury-rigged one,” Joh told me. “But if police robots become part of the future, how do we ensure that such robots aren’t taken over by third parties? The current landscape of easily hacked devices isn’t very assuring in this regard.”"

In Russia and China, Big Brother is watching you online; Washington Post, 7/8/16

Editorial Board, Washington Post; In Russia and China, Big Brother is watching you online:

"HARD TO believe, but a court in Perm, a Russian city near the Ural Mountains, recently convicted Vladimir Luzgin, 37, and fined him 200,000 rubles, or about $3,100, for posting a simple and true historical fact. Mr. Luzgin wrote on Vkontakte, a Russian social media platform like Facebook, that the Soviet Union collaborated with Nazi Germany to invade Poland in September 1939. He was prosecuted under a law signed by President Vladimir Putin in May 2014 against “rehabilitation of Nazism,” a law that declared its intent was to oppose glorification of Nazism but that human rights activists say was intended to discourage historical debate...

The Cyberspace Administration of China, a powerful censorship agency, took yet another step July 3 when it issued new rules to punish websites that publish unverified content, rumors, hearsay, conjecture and fake news. “Unverified” in this context means “unapproved,” and the real significance of the announcement is to warn websites that news is not what’s trending, but what the Communist Party bosses say it is, period.

Both Russia and China seek to tame the wild and free nature of the Internet, sharing a dangerous and illiberal vision that information should be a ward of the state."

The Internet was supposed to foster democracy. China has different ideas.; Washington Post, 7/10/16

Simon Denyer, Washington Post; The Internet was supposed to foster democracy. China has different ideas. :

"President Xi says he wants an Internet that is “clear and bright” but in April told leaders of the country’s top Internet companies, as well as officials and academics, that he did not want to shut down criticism entirely.

Indeed, he called for “more tolerance and patience” toward netizens and said he welcomed online criticism “whether mild or fierce,” as long as it arises from goodwill, the People’s Daily reported.

Authorities then apparently censored negative reactions to his speech on social media."

Soledad O’Brien: Seek Out the Curious and the Fastidious; New York Times, 6/10/16

Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Soledad O’Brien: Seek Out the Curious and the Fastidious:

[Interview with Soledad O'Brien, chief executive of Starfish Media Group, a production company]

"How do you hire?

You hire for character and teach people skills. And environment is very important to me. It’s important to me that people aren’t unpleasant and that they treat each other respectfully. It’s hard to be creative when there’s someone or something that’s really irking you.

So are you a person of integrity who makes the environment a really nice space? I will watch how they treat the person at the front desk versus me. We have people spend time with other people who they think wouldn’t necessarily be assessing them for a job.

I also think there are two qualities you can’t teach people. You have to want to understand something, and I don’t think you can teach people to be curious. You can interest people in a topic and they become curious, but I think you’re born interested in things or you’re not.

And I’m obsessed with attention to detail. I don’t know that you can teach that — either that triggers you to stay for the next two hours to fix something, or you’re the kind of person who will just let it slide.

What advice do you give to new college grads?

It goes back to what my parents always said. I think hard work does get you really far. And treating people well gets you really far — farther than I think it gets credit for in the greater world."

Roger Ailes opts for secrecy, cowardice in face of Gretchen Carlson suit; Washington Post, 7/9/16

Erik Wemple, Washington Post; Roger Ailes opts for secrecy, cowardice in face of Gretchen Carlson suit:

"“It is repulsive that Ailes is trying to force this extremely serious matter into a secretive, rigged system where Ms. Carlson’s chances of getting justice are far lower even if everything she alleges is true,” notes Bland. “The problems of secrecy in arbitration are really highlighted in this case — you look at all of the women who have come forward with very similar stories, and you can see why Ailes would prefer to keep a lid on all of this by avoiding the public court system where the evidence becomes a matter of public record.” That’s something to keep in mind the next time Chris Wallace or Bret Baier gripes about breakdowns in government transparency.

Another thing to consider is that Carlson worked at Fox News for 11 years, presiding in some way over thousands of hours of programming. Over all those hours, Carlson was adjudged reliable and honest enough such that Ailes and his lieutenants placed their precious Fox News audience in her hands. Now, all of the sudden, she has become the source for her lawyers’ dissemination of “one false and defamatory statement after another.” Even you, Roger Ailes, can’t have it both ways."

Don’t Klingon to the past, George Takei. A gay Sulu is right for Star Trek 2016; Guardian, 7/10/16

Ryan Gilbey, Guardian; Don’t Klingon to the past, George Takei. A gay Sulu is right for Star Trek 2016:

"There is always a tension in sexual identity between being accepted as normal and insisting on difference. There’s no manual for handling it in fiction. But if there were, Pegg’s approach would deserve a special mention. It is the nearest equivalent to the manner in which most heterosexual people will experience LGBT lifestyles: regardless of how strongly some might insist otherwise, they will already know people who are gay, bisexual or transgender. They may be friends with them, related to them, or work alongside them. They just might not know it yet.

Where Takei has erred, it seems, is in misunderstanding a modern phenomenon – the movie reboot, which by its very nature starts again from scratch.

He may well be interpreting the reinvention of Sulu as an act of hostility, as though the filmmakers are overwriting his old Sulu with their sparkling new one. But the two can exist side by side. One doesn’t cancel out the other – the TV episodes haven’t been removed from syndication, and you can still see the many Star Trek movies Takei was in. (Although, as Pegg pointed out in his late-1990s TV series Spaced, you might want to avoid the odd-numbered ones.) The newer Star Treks are like cover versions that introduce unexpected flavours. They no more tamper with Roddenberry’s vision than Talking Heads’ herky-jerky post-punk spin on Take Me to the River diminishes Al Green’s jubilant original.

Takei, who came out in 2005 at the age of 68, is a marvellous ambassador for equality. However, a person who has found openness and acceptance in his own life but who imposes restrictions on the means by which others do so in theirs can easily risk looking ungracious. It would be better for all concerned if he didn’t cling on – or Klingon – to the past."

"Questionable Ethics"; Pearls Before Swine, 7/9/16

Stephan Pastis, Pearls Before Swine

"Questionable Ethics"

New Censorship and Copyright Restrictions in UK Digital Economy Bill; Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), 7/8/16

Jeremy Malcolm, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF); New Censorship and Copyright Restrictions in UK Digital Economy Bill:

"This week a new Digital Economy Bill [PDF] has been tabled before the United Kingdom Parliament, tackling a diverse range of topics related to electronic communications infrastructure and services. Two of these give us serious concern, the first being a new regime restricting access to online pornography, and the other an expansion of criminal liability for copyright infringement."

Privacy Shield deal lets US tech firms transfer European customers' data again; Guardian, 7/8/16

Jemima Kiss, Guardian; Privacy Shield deal lets US tech firms transfer European customers' data again:

"Privacy Shield, the new commercial data transfer pact, was provisionally agreed by the EU and the US in February and will come into effect on Tuesday.

The EU’s top court had struck down the previous data transfer agreement, Safe Harbour, on concerns about intrusive US surveillance – leaving companies, including Google, Facebook and MasterCard, in legal limbo...

“It (the Privacy Shield) is fundamentally different from the old Safe Harbour: it imposes clear and strong obligations on companies handling the data and makes sure that these rules are followed and enforced in practice,” Ansip and Jourova said.

The United States will create an ombudsman within the state department to field complaints from EU citizens about US spying and has ruled out indiscriminate mass surveillance of Europeans’ data."

Do You Own Your Own Fingerprints?; Bloomberg, 7/7/16

Dune Lawrence, Bloomberg; Do You Own Your Own Fingerprints? :

"There’s one place where people seeking privacy protections can turn: the courts. A series of plaintiffs are suing tech giants, including Facebook and Google, under a little-used Illinois law. The Biometric Information Privacy Act, passed in 2008, is one of the only statutes in the U.S. that sets limits on the ways companies can handle data such as fingerprints, voiceprints, and retinal scans. At least four of the suits filed under BIPA are moving forward. “These cases are important to scope out the existing law, perhaps point out places where the law could be improved, and set principles that other states might follow,” says Jeffrey Neuburger, a partner at law firm Proskauer Rose.

The bankruptcy of fingerprint-scanning company Pay By Touch spurred BIPA’s passage. Hundreds of Illinois grocery stores and gas stations used its technology, allowing customers to pay with the tap of a finger. As the bankrupt company proposed selling its database, the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union drafted what became BIPA, and the bill passed with little corporate opposition, says Mary Dixon, legislative director of the Illinois ACLU."

Man falsely connected to the shooting by Dallas police is now getting ‘thousands’ of death threats; Washington Post, 7/8/16

Ben Guarino, Washington Post; Man falsely connected to the shooting by Dallas police is now getting ‘thousands’ of death threats:

"Amid the confusion, a man in a camouflage T-shirt briefly became one of the most sought individuals in the United States.

Late Thursday, the Dallas Police Department sparked a manhunt for Mark Hughes though a Twitter post, writing, “This is one of our suspects. Please help us find him!”...

Dallas, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile: should Facebook show violent videos?; Guardian, 7/8/16

Moira Weigel, Guardian; Dallas, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile: should Facebook show violent videos? :

"Facebook’s community standards appear to recognize the political significance of these types of videos. “In many instances, when people share this type of content, they are condemning it or raising awareness about it,” it reads.

Zuckerberg posted his own statement about Castile’s shooting, saying: “The images we’ve seen this week are graphic and heartbreaking, and they shine a light on the fear that millions of members of our community live with every day. While I hope we never have to see another video like Diamond’s, it reminds us why coming together to build a more open and connected world is so important – and how far we still have to go.”

But these videos call up old debates about the ethics of representation. Does increasing the visibility of violence lead to justice for the victims of violence? Does the video itself constitute a form of redress? Does consuming such imagery sensitize and politicize viewers? Or does it exhaust us – or worse, encourage a perverse kind of voyeurism?

In short, should these kind of videos be produced, watched and circulated?"

In Dallas, another example of perils of reporting breaking news; Washington Post, 7/8/16

Paul Farhi, Washington Post; In Dallas, another example of perils of reporting breaking news:

"Thanks to the speed and ubi­quity of digital media, readers, viewers and listeners know more than ever about any unfolding incident or disaster. But they also know less, thanks to the unfiltered, uncorroborated and just plain inaccurate factoids that poison the news ecosystem like a toxic chemical. It’s not just inaccurate reporting alone; TV news panels and people on social media compound questionable facts by repeating them and speculating about them.

“We keep relearning this lesson over and over,” says W. Joseph Campbell, a communications professor at American University and the author of “Getting It Wrong,” a book about epic journalism mistakes. “With any tragedy, you see it again and again.”"

Abraham Lincoln’s lesson for Trump: America’s at its best when we respect individual dignity; The Conversation via Salon, 7/8/16

Donald Nieman, The Conversation via Salon; Abraham Lincoln’s lesson for Trump: America’s at its best when we respect individual dignity:

"Lincoln believed that America’s commitment to equality and human dignity made it great. He criticized those who denied that the Declaration of Independence applied to African-Americans as “blowing out the moral lights around us.” In announcing his support for emancipation as president, he argued that it would preserve America’s role as “the last best hope of earth.”

If Trump wants to “make America great,” he can learn a lot from Lincoln. He can begin by following Lincoln’s example and appeal to “the better angels of our nature” rather than to fear. He should realize that we are at our best when we respect individual dignity, not when we stigmatize groups because of their race, sex, identity or religion.

Or he can join the Know Nothings. The party enjoyed a meteoric rise in 1854 but splintered over slavery and fizzled in the 1856 presidential election. Today, Lincoln is remembered for expanding our understanding of freedom and equality. In contrast, the Know Nothings’ appeal to fear and bigotry reminds us only of our worst instincts."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Marches In Toronto Pride Parade; Huffington Post Canada, 7/3/16

Huffington Post Canada; Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Marches In Toronto Pride Parade:

"Canada's largest Pride parade marked another milestone Sunday as a sitting prime minister marched for the first time in a colourful celebration that was tempered by last month's shooting massacre in Orlando, Fla...

Trudeau said the Florida tragedy is a reminder that "we can't let hate go by.''

"We have to speak up anytime there is intolerance or discrimination,'' he said as the 36th annual parade kicked off.

Prominent in the procession was a pair of marchers who held a large black banner that read "Orlando'' and "We march for those who can't.''"

Bookseller abductions: China demands Lam Wing-kee return from Hong Kong; Reuters via Guardian, 7/5/16

Reuters via Guardian; Bookseller abductions: China demands Lam Wing-kee return from Hong Kong:

"A statement issued by the Ningbo Public Security Bureau said Lam had broken his bail terms by failing to return to the mainland for further investigation after his initial eight months in detention, Hong Kong’s Ming Pao newspaper reported.

Lam was one of five booksellers whose disappearances over the past year have been linked to the Causeway Bay Books store that had specialised in publishing and selling books about China’s leaders, including President Xi Jinping...

The disappearances have prompted fears that mainland Chinese authorities may be using tactics that erode the “one country, two systems” formula under which Hong Kong has been governed since its return to China from British rule in 1997."

In 'Ten Years,' A Dystopian Vision Of Hong Kong's Future Under China; NPR, 7/7/16

Alan Yu, NPR; In 'Ten Years,' A Dystopian Vision Of Hong Kong's Future Under China:

"When Ten Years debuted in December 2015, Hong Kong cinemas sold out moments after publicizing showtimes. People crowded into informal public screenings. Crowdfunding campaigns later brought the film to Canada, Germany, the U.K. and Australia. It premiered in the U.S. at the New York Asian Film Festival on July 4 and will soon be available on demand.

But it has been banned in China, where a state media editorial in January — since taken down — condemned it as "absurd" and a "thought virus."

In the film, made for about $64,000, five directors imagine five different vignettes of what Hong Kong will be like in 2025.

It's a dispiriting vision: Local children are indoctrinated to spy on adults in scenes reminiscent of China's Cultural Revolution. A pro-democracy activist burns herself in front of the British Consulate to protest the U.K. handing Hong Kong back to China in 1997. Chinese government officials stage a murder to help usher in harsh national security laws.

Ten Years won Best Picture at the Hong Kong Film Awards in April — though the honor was never mentioned on the mainland, where a broadcast of the awards ceremony was cut off. The film has earned more than 10 times its budget at the Hong Kong box office. It's popular because it shows the hopes and fears of Hong Kong citizens living under Chinese rule, and because, in some ways, real life has caught up with the plot."

Legal, but Not Political, Clarity on the Clinton Emails; New York Times, 7/5/16

Editorial Board, New York Times; Legal, but Not Political, Clarity on the Clinton Emails:

"Mrs. Clinton’s desire to shield her private communications from public scrutiny may be understandable to supporters of her presidential campaign. But in leading one of the most sensitive departments in the federal government, she did little to improve what Mr. Comey called “the security culture of the State Department in general, and with respect to use of unclassified email systems in particular,” that “was generally lacking in the kind of care for classified information found elsewhere in the government.”

As Mrs. Clinton said in the past, and her campaign reiterated on Tuesday, her decision to use private email was a mistake. She remains, far and away, the most experienced and knowledgeable candidate for the presidency, particularly when compared with Mr. Trump. But she has done damage to her reputation by failing to conform to the established security policies of the department she ran and by giving evasive or misleading answers about her actions and motivations. If there was ever a time that Mrs. Clinton needed to demonstrate that she understands the forthrightness demanded of those who hold the nation’s highest office, this is that moment."

Adding Classes and Content, Resurgent Libraries Turn a Whisper Into a Roar; New York Times, 7/4/16

Winnie Hu, New York Times; Adding Classes and Content, Resurgent Libraries Turn a Whisper Into a Roar:

"Far from becoming irrelevant in the digital age, libraries in New York City and around the nation are thriving: adding weekend and evening hours; hiring more librarians and staff; and expanding their catalog of classes and services to include things like job counseling, coding classes and knitting groups.

No longer just repositories for books, public libraries have reinvented themselves as one-stop community centers that aim to offer something for everyone. In so doing, they are reaffirming their role as an essential part of civic life in America by making themselves indispensable to new generations of patrons...

Nationally, public libraries are redefining their mission at a time when access to technology, and the ability to use it, is said to deepen class stratification, leaving many poor and disadvantaged communities behind. Sari Feldman, president of the American Library Association, said library workers had shown people how to file online for welfare benefits and taught classes in science, technology, engineering and math to children who could not afford to go to summer camps. “All libraries are having a renaissance,” Ms. Feldman said. “We’re seeing that libraries have really stepped up to take on roles that are needed in a community.”"

The Theology of Donald Trump; New York Times, 7/5/16

Peter Wehner, New York Times; The Theology of Donald Trump:

"And should your conscience tell you that Mr. Trump might not be the right choice, Robert Jeffress, the influential pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, explains that “any Christian who would sit at home and not vote for the Republican nominee” is “motivated by pride rather than principle.”

This fulsome embrace of Mr. Trump is rather problematic, since he embodies a worldview that is incompatible with Christianity. If you trace that worldview to its source, Christ would not be anywhere in the vicinity.

Time and again Mr. Trump has shown contempt for those he perceives as weak and vulnerable — “losers,” in his vernacular. They include P.O.W.s, people with disabilities, those he deems physically unattractive and those he considers politically powerless. He bullies and threatens people he believes are obstacles to his ambitions. He disdains compassion and empathy, to the point where his instinctive response to the largest mass shooting in American history was to congratulate himself: “Appreciate the congrats for being right.”

What Mr. Trump admires is strength. For him, a person’s intrinsic worth is tied to worldly success and above all to power. He never seems free of his obsession with it."

PBS misfires on the Fourth of July; Washington Post, 7/5/16

Editorial Board, Washington Post; PBS misfires on the Fourth of July:

"To PBS, patriotism apparently means airing fake fireworks.

On television Monday night, PBS’s “A Capitol Fourth” broadcast treated viewers to a stunning spectacle: red, white and blue fireworks flung into relief against a clear sky. There was only one problem: In reality, the rockets’ red glare was muted by mist and clouds — PBS’s version of the show was spliced together from previous years’ displays, when the weather was fairer. “It was the patriotic thing to do,” PBS said in a tweet.

No, it was the wrong thing to do. PBS is a news and public affairs organization; its mission and its duty are to tell the truth. Americans who did not watch Monday’s fireworks in person, because they live elsewhere or, yes, because of the rain, expected to see what PBS promised: a live show, rain or shine. They did not expect to see a highlights reel — and many were taken in by the trick. It was a breach of trust from an institution consistently rated one of the most trustworthy in the country."

PBS used some stock footage for its fireworks show, and people were not happy; Washington Post, 7/4/16

Emily Yahr, Washington Post; PBS used some stock footage for its fireworks show, and people were not happy:

"As soon as the show ended, producers from Capital Concerts owned up to the fact that not all of its footage was from the live fireworks show. (In the first segment of the display, while singer Cassadee Pope was singing, some scenes did show a cloudy sky.) “We showed a combination of the best fireworks from this year and previous years. It was the patriotic thing to do,” the “Capitol Fourth” account tweeted...

A “Capitol Fourth” spokeswoman confirmed to us that because the weather was so overcast, the producers pulled together a combination of clips “to make the best television show.” She added this is the first time the producers have had to take such measures.

Still, some viewers were not happy that PBS wasn’t upfront about the pre-recorded nature of the fireworks..."

Juno probe enters Jupiter's orbit after 'amazing' Nasa mission – as it happened; Guardian, 7/5/16

Michael Slezak, Guardian; Juno probe enters Jupiter's orbit after 'amazing' Nasa mission – as it happened:

"Well, what a day. What an achievement.

After a five year journey from Earth, Juno the solar-powered spacecraft squeezed through a narrow band, skimming Jupiter’s surface, avoiding the worst of both its radiation belt and its dangerous dust rings.

It fired its main engine, slowing its velocity, and allowing it to get captured into Jupiter’s hefty orbit.

After it was complete, jubilant scientists fronted a press conference, and tore up a “contingency communication strategy” they said they prepared in case things went wrong.

“To know we can go to bed tonight not worrying about what is going to happen tomorrow, is just amazing,” said Diane Brown, a project manager from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Scott Bolton, principle investigator of the Juno mission told his colleagues: “You’re the best team ever! We just did the hardest thing Nasa has ever done.”"

NASA’s Juno orbiter set to arrive at Jupiter on Monday; Washington Post, 7/4/16

Rachel Feltman, Washington Post; NASA’s Juno orbiter set to arrive at Jupiter on Monday:

[Kip Currier: What a fitting testament NASA's Juno orbiter mission to Jupiter is to reason, shared human endeavor, and Open Science on this day, the USA's 240th birthday.]

"Take a break from your all-American cookout tonight to look up at the sky and think of Juno. On Monday, the football-field-size spacecraft will zip into Jupiter's orbit, allowing us to study the secrets of our solar system's biggest, oldest planet for the first time.

Other spacecraft have visited Jupiter before. But Juno will orbit closer than any of them – within 2,700 miles of the planet's cloud cover – and allow scientists to probe for data from beneath the giant planet's roiling, gassy surface.

"We're barreling down on Jupiter really quick," principal investigator Scott Bolton of the Southwest Research Institute said at a news briefing held at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in California on Monday. "It's been an amazing journey."

Around 1:30 p.m. Eastern, he said, Juno passed Europa – the Jovian moon that has subsurface oceans where future missions may look for signs of life. Around half an hour later, it passed Io, the innermost moon.

"In one Jupiter rotation, we'll be there," said Jim Green, director of planetary science for NASA. "What a wonderful day to celebrate. It's a milestone for our country, but also for planetary science.""

Trump’s white supremacist tweets aren’t the problem. They’re a symptom of the problem.; Washington Post, 7/4/16

Paul Waldman, Washington Post; Trump’s white supremacist tweets aren’t the problem. They’re a symptom of the problem. :

"In my analysis of American politics I try as often as possible to put myself in the shoes of people I disagree with, to take their arguments seriously and understand where they’re coming from even when I’m convinced they’re wrong. And I’ve argued that there are perfectly rational reasons a committed Republican would grit their teeth and support Trump even if they found him to be an ignoramus and a buffoon. But there comes a point at which one would have to say: Even if a Trump presidency would deliver much more of what I would want out of government policy, from the Supreme Court to domestic policy to foreign policy, I simply cannot be a part of this. Donald Trump’s appeal to Americans is so rancid, so toxic, so foul that my conscience will not allow me to stand behind him, even with the occasional protest that I don’t agree with the latest vile thing he said, or the insistence that my fellow Republicans and I will do our best to restrain his ugliest impulses...

Donald Trump isn’t hoping that he can keep his bigotry a secret; he’s running on it and promising to enshrine it in federal government policy. He may not be responsible for all the things his fans say, and you might even excuse him for passing on some of their hate by mistake. What he is responsible for is all the reasons those people became his fans in the first place. It isn’t because of economic anxiety, or because he’s an outsider, or because he tells it like it is. It’s because Donald Trump appeals directly to the worst in us, and the worst of us.

And every Republican who stands with him, no matter how uncomfortable it makes them or how much they wish he would change, will have that stench on them for a long time to come."

Federal Judge Blocks All of Mississippi’s Vicious Anti-LGBTQ Law From Taking Effect; Slate, 7/1/16

Mark Joseph Stern, Slate; Federal Judge Blocks All of Mississippi’s Vicious Anti-LGBTQ Law From Taking Effect:

"Anti-LGBTQ activists just suffered their worst defeat since the Supreme Court’s marriage equality decision—a rout so stinging and decisive that it calls into question the viability of their entire strategy post-Obergefell.

That drubbing came in the form of an astonishing 60-page opinion by U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves blocking every single part of Mississippi’s sweeping, vicious anti-LGBTQ segregation law from taking effect...

This is a landmark ruling, one whose breadth, depth, and analytical incisiveness cannot be easily rebuked. Reeves has given LGBTQ advocates their biggest triumph since Obergefell. Any state looking to pass a similar anti-LGBTQ “religious liberty” law has now been warned: The Constitution will not tolerate your efforts to discriminate against LGBTQ people under the feeble guise of selective religious freedom."

FOIA at 50; Washington Post, 7/3/16

Editorial Board, Washington Post; FOIA at 50:

"THE PRINCIPLE of holding government to account is at the bedrock of U.S. democracy, and information about government decisions is essential for that accountability. The Freedom of Information Act, although not something every citizen comes in contact with, remains a vital tool for keeping government open and honest. While not perfect — not every request results in disclosure of information or documents — it at least offers a law-based process for citizens to seek information from the powerful. Does a citizen in a place like China or Russia have such a chance to pull aside the curtains of secrecy with a simple letter? No...

First signed into law 50 years ago this weekend by a reluctant President Lyndon Johnson, the FOIA has had asignificant impact...

Federal agencies have often starved their FOIA departments for resources; the new law will not change that. Backlogs stretch for years. A related issue is excessive national security overclassification, which seems to have grown worse. But this is not a moment to complain. The fact that the FOIA exists after a half-century and is being amended with bipartisan support is a testament to a working democracy."

Mr. Trump’s fake charity; Washington Post, 7/3/16

Editorial Board, Washington Post; Mr. Trump’s fake charity:

"A painstaking review by The Post’s David A. Fahrenthold, comparing Mr. Trump’s public statements with available records of his giving, found a pattern of exaggeration and unfulfilled pledges...

The truth is, Mr. Trump’s exaggerated eleemosynary claims match his long history of embroideries, overstatements and wildly inflated assertions of prowess in other endeavors. The GOP candidate’s whoppers come so fast and thick that it’s easy to lose track, and it’s tempting to ignore much of what he says. That would be a mistake. Contempt for the truth is a disqualifying feature in a candidate for the presidency."

One of the copyright's scummiest trolls loses his law license; Boing Boing, 7/3/16

Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing; One of the copyright's scummiest trolls loses his law license:

"For more than four years, we've chronicled the sleazy story of Prenda Law, a copyright troll whose extortion racket included genuinely bizarre acts of identity theft, even weirder random homophobic dog-whistles, and uploading their own porn movies to entrap new victims, and, naturally, an FBI investigation into the firm's partners' illegal conduct.

Now, Paul Hansmeier, one of Prenda's masterminds, has lost his license to practice law, after "voluntarily stipulating" to its suspension in an investigation into his professional conduct -- a plea bargain that forestalled a judgment by the Minnesota court hearing the case brought against him by the state's Office of Lawyer Professional Responsibility.

Hansmeier had recently branched out from copyright trolling to ADA trolling -- sending bogus threats under the Americans With Disabilities Act, a racket that, if anything, is even more despicable than pornographic copyright trolling (!), as it discredits the good work that real civil rights lawyers do to protect the rights of disabled people."

Can Hillary Clinton overcome her trust problem?; Washington Post, 7/3/16

Anne Gearan, Washington Post; Can Hillary Clinton overcome her trust problem? :

"“The hardest thing is vouching. When you vouch for them you say ‘I’m putting my reputation on the line. I believe this person is a good person, has character,” Biden said in the interview for NPR’s “Weekend Edition.” “You’re putting your rep on the line. You’re saying, ‘I think this person has character,’ and that’s what I’m prepared to do for Hillary.”

Character is exactly Clinton’s trouble spot, according to polls that have charted an increase in the number of people who say they don’t like and don’t trust her as the campaign has marched ahead...

“The campaign trail is just not designed to help her with her trust issues,” said Patti Solis Doyle, who managed the first portion of Clinton’s failed 2008 presidential campaign and is now a prominent supporter.

“Having said that, I think it is important for her to acknowledge that she has trust issues and to tell voters that she will work to earn their trust,” she added. “It shows that she is in tune with the public and can recognize her flaws. This is not something she would have done in ’08. Voters appreciate the honesty and self-reflection.”"

Science Academies Blast U.S. Government's Planned Research-Ethics Reforms; Scientific American, 6/30/16

Sara Reardon, Scientific American; Science Academies Blast U.S. Government's Planned Research-Ethics Reforms:

"The US government’s proposed overhaul of regulations that govern research with human subjects is flawed and should be withdrawn, an independent advisory panel said today.

The regulations, which are known collectively as the ‘Common Rule’, address ethical issues such as informed consent and storage of study participants’ biological specimens. In its report on June 29, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine said that the government’s proposed changes are “marred by omissions and a lack of clarity”, and would slow research while doing little to improve protections for patients enrolled in studies. Instead, the panel recommends that the government appoint an independent commission to craft new rules for such research.

The Common Rule, which was introduced in 1991, is based on the Belmont Report, a 1978 document that lays out principles for ethical research with humans, such as minimizing patient harm and maximizing the benefit of such research to society. Over time, achieving such goals has become more complex because of technological advances—such as the rise of DNA identification and shared databases, which can make it harder to maintain patient privacy."

Obama hails Elie Wiesel as 'conscience of the world' amid leaders' tributes; Guardian, 7/3/16

Alan Yuhas, Guardian; Obama hails Elie Wiesel as 'conscience of the world' amid leaders' tributes:

"Barack Obama led tributes to the Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, who died on Saturday at the age of 87, saying the author had been “a living memorial” and a clear voice against injustice in the world.

“Elie Wiesel was one of the great moral voices of our time, and in many ways, the conscience of the world.” Obama said. “He raised his voice, not just against antisemitism but against hatred, bigotry and intolerance in all its forms.”

In 2009, Obama traveled with Wiesel and German chancellor Angela Merkel to the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald.

“After we walked together among the barbed wire and guard towers of Buchenwald where he was held as a teenager and where his father perished,” Obama said, “Elie spoke words I’ve never forgotten: ‘Memory has become a sacred duty of all people of goodwill.’

“Upholding that sacred duty was the purpose of Elie’s life.”"

With Canada’s Entry, Treaty for the Blind Will Come Into Force; Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), 6/30/16

Parker Higgins, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF); With Canada’s Entry, Treaty for the Blind Will Come Into Force:

"The treaty was signed by more than 75 countries, but just signing a treaty does not make it law; it needed 20 ratifications or accessions before going into force. India became the first to ratify exactly two years ago, and Canada’s accession today is the crucial twentieth. According to WIPO, that sets in motion a process to bring Marrakesh into force on September 30 of this year.

That’s another significant step for a treaty that has already made some important breakthroughs as the first international treaty focused exclusively on the rights of users of copyrighted material. Typically, if user’s rights are considered at all, they’re relegated to a section on “limitations and exceptions” or even as non-binding introductory text. In the Marrakesh Agreement, they are front and center.

That focus, and the prospect that it could set a precedent for future WIPO agreements, led groups like the Motion Picture Association of America to oppose the treaty throughout its decade-long negotiation. Although the WIPO negotiation process is far from perfect, its transparency and openness allow public interest organizations to push back on industry group positions."

"Created Equal" Nonsense; robrogers.com, 7/3/16

Rob Rogers, robrogers.com

"Created Equal" Nonsense

Superintendent Hamlet: Let’s see how the new city school leader performs; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 7/3/16

Editorial Board, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Superintendent Hamlet: Let’s see how the new city school leader performs:

"One paradox of the fracas over Mr. Hamlet’s resume is that the appropriated sentence in his resume’s educational philosophy expresses a truth that is universally supported: “A successful superintendent has to satisfy many constituencies, keeping high achievers in the system while devoting resources to those who need them most.” It addresses the central anxiety for urban school systems: how to retain and attract families who prize excellence for their college-bound kids, while making sure that schools serving children from challenged families in distressed neighborhoods can get the academic uplift and rigor they deserve. The fact is, an urban school system collapses if the college-oriented families sense trouble and, exercising their options, hightail it for the suburbs or cough up for private schools.

The Pittsburgh Public Schools can, right now, claim to be a good system, even though critics on both ends of the socioeconomic spectrum may find reasons for complaint. The finances always seem perilous, but even suburban public schools have budget pressures. The immediate challenge for Mr. Hamlet is maintaining the confidence of families already in the system — while making sure that the parents of a kindergartner enrolled for classes on Sept. 1 don’t get cold feet and withdraw. He must also fulfill the mandate set out by the board and his champions to lift up students in schools with poor performance — again, a goal that must be supported by all parents as well as every resident of Pittsburgh."

Rethinking the Much-Dreaded Employee Evaluation | Leading from the Library; Library Journal, 6/30/16

Steven Bell, Library Journal; Rethinking the Much-Dreaded Employee Evaluation | Leading from the Library:

"Perhaps the most frustrating part of employee evaluations is determining rankings—or figuring out what they mean. I’m supposed to rate librarians on their ethics. How exactly does someone earn “significantly exceeds expectations”? Still, it’s an improvement over the old point system, where staff were rated on a scale of zero to four. Is an employee earning a 3.7 more ethical than one earning a 3.2? Even employee evaluations for dummies is barely helpful in figuring this out. I’ve evaluated staff using the most simplistic of paper forms and sophisticated electronic systems, and I’ve yet to figure out just exactly how we make sense out of some final overall ranking number or label. It’s the necessary evil of having to produce ratings that detracts from the benefits we can derive from the annual employee performance review system. What really matters is having a system for structured reviews and conversations that allow us to set goals, monitor progress, build strengths, and celebrate accomplishments. Leaders need to develop employee reviews that make sense and truly contribute to worker growth."

Britain’s Shaky Status as a Scientific Superpower; Atlantic, 6/24/16

Adrienne Lafrance, Atlantic; Britain’s Shaky Status as a Scientific Superpower:

"A sizable portion of funding for scientific research in the United Kingdom comes from EU grants, and the United Kingdom is one of the largest recipients of research funding in the union. Between 2007 and 2013, the U.K. received €8.8 billion—the equivalent of nearly $10 billion—for scientific research, according to a 2015 report published by the Royal Society, an independent scientific academy based in London. Drayson and others say it’s unlikely the United Kingdom will be able to negotiate a deal for such funding to continue...

Yet there’s more to the debate than money. More broadly, many scientists fear that international collaboration among researchers from across the EU will become difficult, if not impossible, once Britain leaves the union.

“Being in the EU gives us access to ideas, people and to investment in science,” Paul Nurse, the director of The Francis Crick Institute, told the BBC. “That, combined with mobility [of EU scientists], gives us increased collaboration, increased transfer of people, ideas and science—all of which history has shown us drives science.”

The European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, is a key example of the kind of collaboration that EU membership has enabled."

Trump deletes tweet with image of the star of David, Hillary Clinton and money; Guardian, 7/2/16

Jamiles Lartey, Guardian; Trump deletes tweet with image of the star of David, Hillary Clinton and money:

"Donald Trump deleted an image of Hillary Clinton and a six-pointed star from social media, following accusations of antisemitism on Saturday given the star’s placement over an image of money and his repetition of the controversial phrase “America first”.

The original graphic, which depicted the Democratic presumptive nominee over a pile of money, contained the text “most corrupt candidate ever” in a six-sided star, reminiscent of the Jewish star of David.

Almost four hours later, Trump tweeted out a second image, with the text inside a circle instead of a star, though the star’s points were still visible on the edge of the circle."

As National Park Service confronts sexual harassment, this dysfunctional park is Exhibit A; Washington Post, 7/2/16

Lisa Rein, Washington Post; As National Park Service confronts sexual harassment, this dysfunctional park is Exhibit A:

"The culture here became so toxic that the agency’s watchdog has conducted four investigations since 2012, an unusually high number for one of the park system’s smaller sites.

In the latest report, released in June, the inspector general for the Interior Department, the National Park Service’s parent agency, disclosed a pattern of unwanted advances and attention — along with inappropriate remarks — to female subordinates by the chief law enforcement officer. He is still employed by the park but was recently ordered to work at home.

Interviewed at his home in St. Cloud, Fla., the law enforcement officer, Edwin Correa — who was named publicly at a June congressional hearing — denied any inappropriate behavior, calling his actions “cultural misunderstandings.”"

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PPS review of Hamlet's credentials details 'inaccuracies' in his resume, lacks recommendations; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 7/2/16

Molly Born, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; PPS review of Hamlet's credentials details 'inaccuracies' in his resume, lacks recommendations:

"Anthony Hamlet was sworn in Friday as superintendent of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, and in conversations with reporters, he began outlining his vision of the district’s future. But he also had to weather one last review of his past: an independent look at his credentials that detailed several “inaccuracies” in his resume.

Laurel Brandstetter, a former state prosecutor, conducted the review in June after the resume raised questions concerning Mr. Hamlet’s claims about school performance and for wording taken without attribution from other sources. Her report confirmed those discrepancies, but did not include recommendations about whether the school board should take any action.

School district solicitor Ira Weiss’ office on Friday released the 30-page report, plus appendices, via a Right To Know request by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette...

More than half of the report included details of the investigation, a list of relevant policies and a line-by-line “factual summary.” In her 9 1/2-page analysis of the data, Ms. Brandstetter found a resume “fraught with errors” relating to Mr. Hamlet’s employment dates and inaccuracies in school grades, graduation rates and suspension rates at one Florida school he led. She said the problems were “primarily the result of typos, inaccurate verbiage, and lack of clarity or precision.”"

A warning to Gove and Johnson - we won’t forget what you did; Guardian, 7/1/16

Jonathan Freedland, Guardian; A warning to Gove and Johnson - we won’t forget what you did:

"Senior civil servants say Brexit will consume their energies for years to come, as they seek to disentangle 40 years of agreements. It will be the central focus of our politics and our government, a massive collective effort demanding ingenuity and creativity. Just think of what could have been achieved if all those resources had been directed elsewhere. Into addressing, for instance, the desperate, decades-long needs – for jobs, for housing, for a future – of those towns that have been left behind by the last 30 years of change, those towns whose people voted leave the way a passenger on a doomed train pulls the emergency cord. Instead, all this work will be devoted to constructing a set-up with the EU which, if everything goes our way, might be only a little bit worse than what we already had in our hands on 22 June.

This week of shock will settle, eventually. Events will begin to move at a slower pace. We will realise that we have to be patient, that we need to wait till France and Germany get their elections out of the way, and hope that a new future can be negotiated – one that implements the democratic verdict delivered in the referendum, but which does not maim this country in the process. But even as we grow calmer, we should not let our anger cool. We should hold on to our fury, against those who for the sake of their career or a pet dogma, were prepared to wreck everything. On this day when we mourn what horror the Europe before the European Union was capable of, we should say loud and clear of those that did this: we will not forget them."

Across the world minds are narrowing. We must fight back.; Guardian, 6/27/16

Molly Crabapple, Guardian; Across the world minds are narrowing. We must fight back. :

"If there’s one note of hope, its this. History keeps moving. Tomorrow always comes, and we help shape what that tomorrow will be. An MP and a singer made the world larger just by living. We build the world by living too. In spaces large and small, we can fight for universal ethics, cosmopolitanism, art, solidarity. On the beaches of Lesbos, across the mud of borders, in the streets of Chicago, against our lovers’ lips."

DONALD TRUMP BECOMES A MARVEL SUPERVILLAIN IN "SPIDER-GWEN"; Comic Book Resources, 7/2/16

Kevin Melrose, Comic Book Resources; DONALD TRUMP BECOMES A MARVEL SUPERVILLAIN IN "SPIDER-GWEN" :

"In an alternate Marvel Universe where Gwen Stacy, not Peter Parker, was bitten by a radioactive spider, and Samantha Wilson is Captain America, the classic supervillain M.O.D.O.K. resembles a certain real estate mogul turned reality TV star turned presidential candidate: Donald J. Trump.

In this week's "Spider-Gwen Annual" #1, writer Jason Latour and "an awesome assemblage of artists" offer a tour of Earth-65 with a collection of short stories that includes She-Hulk as a pro wrestler, the origin of Koala Kommander, and an all-too brief showdown between Captain America and M.O.D.O.K. -- wait, make that M.O.D.A.A.K. (Mental Organism Designed As America's King)."

Americans can choose better than Trump; Washington Post, 7/1/16

Marc Racicot, Washington Post; Americans can choose better than Trump:

"It is inescapable that every decision made by every leader reflects the character of the man or woman making the decision. Character is the lens through which a leader perceives the path to be followed. It conceives and shapes every thought and is inextricably interwoven into every word spoken, every policy envisioned and every action taken.

Persistent seriousness, solemn and honest commitment to the interests of others, exhaustive study and detailed proposals, sincerity, humility, empathy, dignity, fairness, patience, genuine respect for all of God’s children, durability, modesty and the absence of self-interest are those qualities of principled leadership absolutely essential to presidential decision-making."

How everyone looks bad because Bill Clinton met with Loretta Lynch; Washington Post, 7/2/16

Dan Balz, Washington Post; How everyone looks bad because Bill Clinton met with Loretta Lynch:

"Bill Clinton has made a mess. It was either out of foolish indifference or plain foolishness, but it has created a terrible moment for his wife and the Democrats, and for President Obama and perceptions of the integrity of his administration...

Hillary Clinton wants and needs a clean resolution of the long investigation. Bill Clinton and the attorney general managed to muddy all this with their private chat in Phoenix, no doubt to the consternation of both Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Justice Department officials trying to bring this to a resolution soon. No one looks good in this transaction."

Bill Clinton’s Surprise Loretta Lynch Visit Isn’t a Scandal. But It Is a Problem.; Slate, 7/1/16

Josh Voorhees, Slate; Bill Clinton’s Surprise Loretta Lynch Visit Isn’t a Scandal. But It Is a Problem. :

"Bill Clinton either couldn’t stop himself or didn’t want to. On Monday, the former president stepped off his private plane in Phoenix and walked across the tarmac to pay a visit to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who was aboard a government plane parked at the same airport. The unplanned drop-in, according to Lynch, was nothing more than a harmless social call during which Clinton mostly talked about his grandkids. Republicans, of course, saw something else entirely. “The system is totally rigged,” Donald Trump tweeted Friday. “Does anybody really believe that meeting was just a coincidence?”

Trump and his conservative allies are—surprise, surprise—overplaying this. There’s absolutely no evidence that this was a planned meeting, and if Clinton wants to flex his political muscle or try to call in a favor to help his wife, all he would need to do is pick up the phone. Likewise, there’s also nothing to suggest that Lynch would bow to such pressure even if it were there...

But you don’t have to be partial to tweeting Benghazi acrostics to get worked up over this Lynch mess. Yes, the possibility of favor trading and conflicts of interest hangs over almost every decision in and out of Washington. And, no, Bill and Hillary Clinton didn’t create the imperfect system we have. But it’s also clear that they’ve come as close as anyone has to perfecting how to use it to their own advantage. The fact that they refuse to acknowledge the power of their, well, power and act accordingly is either willfully naïve or intentionally dishonest. Neither of which should make anyone feel any better about the idea of them returning to the White House."

This Modern World, The Nation, 6/28/16

This Modern World, Tom Tomorrow, The Nation

12 Months of Trump

Dilbert, 7/2/16

Scott Adams; Dilbert:

Mom Drone

President Obama Signs FOIA Reform Bill into Law on 50th Anniversary; Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 6/30/16

Luis Ferre Sadurni, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; President Obama Signs FOIA Reform Bill into Law on 50th Anniversary:

"President Barack Obama today signed a bill that significantly reforms and improves access to public records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The signing marked the culmination of open government advocates' battle to reform part of FOIA ahead of the law's 50th anniversary on July 4th.

One of the most notable provisions is the law's mandate for agencies to operate from a presumption of openness, ensuring that information is withheld only under one of FOIA's nine exemptions. The bill codifies Obama's 2009 memorandum sent on his first day in office — which ordered federal departments to operate under this presumption.

The law also paves the way for the creation of a single online portal to accept FOIA requests for any agency, similar to FOIAonline, already in use by 12 agencies and offices. The Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) will also be strengthened with the reforms, permitting it to make recommendations for improving FOIA without necessarily seeking input from other agencies.

A White House fact sheet provides more details about the law and announced new members of the FOIA Advisory Committee."

Here are the new rules for transgender troops; Military Times, 6/30/16

Andrew Tilghman, Military Times; Here are the new rules for transgender troops:

"Transgender people can serve openly in the U.S. military, effective immediately.

In an historic and controversial move, the Pentagon on Thursday lifted its longstanding ban on transgender troops and began outlining how the military will begin allowing — and paying for — service members to transition, medically and officially, from one gender to another.

Now transgender troops will no longer be considered “medically unfit” for military service. By October, transgender troops may begin an official process to change gender in the military personnel management systems."