Angelo Young, Salon; Google canceled companywide meeting over anti-diversity memo after questions leak
"Google canceled a planned company-wide meeting to discuss a memo questioning the company’s diversity efforts after employees said they feared being exposed to online harassment. The town hall meeting between company higher ups and their employees had been scheduled for Thursday, but Google CEO Sundar Pichai canceled the meeting a half-hour before it was scheduled to start.
The search giant is dealing with the fallout from the 10-page memo written and posted on the company’s internal network by Google software engineer James Damore arguing that women are biologically less suited to be engineers. The company responded by firing Damore on Monday.
“We had hoped to have a frank, open discussion today as we always do to bring us together and move forward,” Pichai said in an email sent to Google staff on Thursday. “But our Dory questions appeared externally this afternoon, and on some websites, Googlers are now being named personally. Googlers are writing in, concerned about their safety and worried they may be ‘outed’ publicly for asking a question in the Town Hall.”"
Friday, August 11, 2017
Amid all the craziness, don’t forget: Trump is using the presidency to enrich his family; Washington Post, August 11, 2017
Sarah Posner, Washington Post; Amid all the craziness, don’t forget: Trump is using the presidency to enrich his family
"As Walter Shaub, the since-departed director of the Office of Government Ethics, has said of Trump’s refusal to divest from his business holdings, “a conflict of interest is anything that creates an incentive to put your own interests before the interests of the people you serve.” Trump’s continued stake in the hotel and ongoing promotion of it by using his name as the draw risks the appearance of “using the presidency for private gain,” Shaub told Vox.
One of the biggest challenges of the post-Trump era will be how to restore the norms and standards that Trump has so blithely trashed. Someday, Americans — from the people who run our government to the citizens in every corner of the country — will have to reckon with what he has done, and figure out how to undo it. That process will probably have to start with some basic reminders that the presidency is not for sale."
"As Walter Shaub, the since-departed director of the Office of Government Ethics, has said of Trump’s refusal to divest from his business holdings, “a conflict of interest is anything that creates an incentive to put your own interests before the interests of the people you serve.” Trump’s continued stake in the hotel and ongoing promotion of it by using his name as the draw risks the appearance of “using the presidency for private gain,” Shaub told Vox.
One of the biggest challenges of the post-Trump era will be how to restore the norms and standards that Trump has so blithely trashed. Someday, Americans — from the people who run our government to the citizens in every corner of the country — will have to reckon with what he has done, and figure out how to undo it. That process will probably have to start with some basic reminders that the presidency is not for sale."
Reminder: the Trump International Hotel is still an ethics disaster; Vox, August 11, 2017
Carly Stirin, Vox; Reminder: the Trump International Hotel is still an ethics disaster
"Who’s spending all that money at the hotel? Since visitation records are not made public, The Washington Post sent reporters to the hotel every day in May to try to identify people and organizations using the facilities.
What they found was a revolving door of powerful people holding galas in the hotel’s lavish ballrooms and meeting over expensive cocktails with White House staff at the bar.
They included Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), whom Politico recently called "Putin’s favorite congressman”; Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), who chairs the General Services Administration, the Trump hotel's landlord; and nine other Republican Congress members who all hosted events at the hotel, according to campaign spending disclosures obtained by the Post. Additionally, foreign visitors such as business groups promoting Turkish-American relations and the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and his wife also rented out rooms.
"Who’s spending all that money at the hotel? Since visitation records are not made public, The Washington Post sent reporters to the hotel every day in May to try to identify people and organizations using the facilities.
What they found was a revolving door of powerful people holding galas in the hotel’s lavish ballrooms and meeting over expensive cocktails with White House staff at the bar.
They included Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), whom Politico recently called "Putin’s favorite congressman”; Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), who chairs the General Services Administration, the Trump hotel's landlord; and nine other Republican Congress members who all hosted events at the hotel, according to campaign spending disclosures obtained by the Post. Additionally, foreign visitors such as business groups promoting Turkish-American relations and the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and his wife also rented out rooms.
Ethics experts — including the former top government ethics official who resigned last month — say this is exactly what they were worried about in a Trump presidency."
One of Google’s highest-ranking women has answered that controversial memo with a very personal essay; Washington Post, August 9, 2017
Jena McGregor, Washington Post; One of Google’s highest-ranking women has answered that controversial memo with a very personal essay
"Like many Google leaders, Susan Wojcicki probably faced some difficult questions from employees this week about the controversial employee memo that exploded on social media. But the most personal question may have come from her daughter.
In an essay published by Fortune on Wednesday, the chief executive of YouTube, which is owned by Google, wrote that her daughter asked her about the memo, which raised questions about Google's diversity efforts and included statements about gender differences. It was written by a company engineer who was fired earlier this week in its aftermath. “Mom,” her daughter asked her, “is it true that there are biological reasons why there are fewer women in tech and leadership?”
Before revealing how she answered her daughter, Wojcicki said the question has been “pervasive,” based on her experience. “That question, whether it's been asked outright, whispered quietly, or simply lingered in the back of someone's mind, has weighed heavily on me throughout my career in technology.”"
"Like many Google leaders, Susan Wojcicki probably faced some difficult questions from employees this week about the controversial employee memo that exploded on social media. But the most personal question may have come from her daughter.
In an essay published by Fortune on Wednesday, the chief executive of YouTube, which is owned by Google, wrote that her daughter asked her about the memo, which raised questions about Google's diversity efforts and included statements about gender differences. It was written by a company engineer who was fired earlier this week in its aftermath. “Mom,” her daughter asked her, “is it true that there are biological reasons why there are fewer women in tech and leadership?”
Before revealing how she answered her daughter, Wojcicki said the question has been “pervasive,” based on her experience. “That question, whether it's been asked outright, whispered quietly, or simply lingered in the back of someone's mind, has weighed heavily on me throughout my career in technology.”"
Sundar Pichai Should Resign as Google’s C.E.O.; New York Times, August 11, 2017
David Brooks, New York Times; Sundar Pichai Should Resign as Google’s C.E.O.
"The mob that hounded Damore was like the mobs we’ve seen on a lot of college campuses. We all have our theories about why these moral crazes are suddenly so common. I’d say that radical uncertainty about morality, meaning and life in general is producing intense anxiety. Some people embrace moral absolutism in a desperate effort to find solid ground. They feel a rare and comforting sense of moral certainty when they are purging an evil person who has violated one of their sacred taboos.
Which brings us to Pichai, the supposed grown-up in the room. He could have wrestled with the tension between population-level research and individual experience. He could have stood up for the free flow of information. Instead he joined the mob. He fired Damore and wrote, “To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not O.K.”
That is a blatantly dishonest characterization of the memo. Damore wrote nothing like that about his Google colleagues. Either Pichai is unprepared to understand the research (unlikely), is not capable of handling complex data flows (a bad trait in a C.E.O.) or was simply too afraid to stand up to a mob.
Regardless which weakness applies, this episode suggests he should seek a nonleadership position. We are at a moment when mobs on the left and the right ignore evidence and destroy scapegoats. That’s when we need good leaders most."
"The mob that hounded Damore was like the mobs we’ve seen on a lot of college campuses. We all have our theories about why these moral crazes are suddenly so common. I’d say that radical uncertainty about morality, meaning and life in general is producing intense anxiety. Some people embrace moral absolutism in a desperate effort to find solid ground. They feel a rare and comforting sense of moral certainty when they are purging an evil person who has violated one of their sacred taboos.
Which brings us to Pichai, the supposed grown-up in the room. He could have wrestled with the tension between population-level research and individual experience. He could have stood up for the free flow of information. Instead he joined the mob. He fired Damore and wrote, “To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not O.K.”
That is a blatantly dishonest characterization of the memo. Damore wrote nothing like that about his Google colleagues. Either Pichai is unprepared to understand the research (unlikely), is not capable of handling complex data flows (a bad trait in a C.E.O.) or was simply too afraid to stand up to a mob.
Regardless which weakness applies, this episode suggests he should seek a nonleadership position. We are at a moment when mobs on the left and the right ignore evidence and destroy scapegoats. That’s when we need good leaders most."
Airlines Are Giving Your Face to Homeland Security; Daily Beast, August 9, 2017
Aliya Sternstein, Daily Beast; Airlines Are Giving Your Face to Homeland Security
"The agency admits there are many privacy issues surrounding this “partner process” that need some resolving (PDF). As CBP’s own June privacy impact assessment states, there remains “a risk that commercial air carriers will use the photographs for purposes beyond departure verification” because “commercial air carriers are not collecting photographs on CBP’s behalf or under CBP authorities.”
Delta and JetBlue said they do not store or directly access passenger biometric data...
To Jeramie Scott, national security counsel at the Electronic Privacy Council, her vision of a planet blanketed by interconnected security cameras and computers seemed all too plausible.
“I don’t think that’s a crazy world. It’s just a scary world for us,” Scott said. “The mission creep possibility is a real, real thing.”
ACLU senior policy analyst Jay Stanley said it would be convenient to walk through checkpoints where you have to stop and show papers today, but would you want to take out your passport and show it to authorities every 10 feet?
“If your face is your passport you’re doing the same thing—we end up with a checkpoint society where people are being tracked,” Stanley said."
"The agency admits there are many privacy issues surrounding this “partner process” that need some resolving (PDF). As CBP’s own June privacy impact assessment states, there remains “a risk that commercial air carriers will use the photographs for purposes beyond departure verification” because “commercial air carriers are not collecting photographs on CBP’s behalf or under CBP authorities.”
Delta and JetBlue said they do not store or directly access passenger biometric data...
To Jeramie Scott, national security counsel at the Electronic Privacy Council, her vision of a planet blanketed by interconnected security cameras and computers seemed all too plausible.
“I don’t think that’s a crazy world. It’s just a scary world for us,” Scott said. “The mission creep possibility is a real, real thing.”
ACLU senior policy analyst Jay Stanley said it would be convenient to walk through checkpoints where you have to stop and show papers today, but would you want to take out your passport and show it to authorities every 10 feet?
“If your face is your passport you’re doing the same thing—we end up with a checkpoint society where people are being tracked,” Stanley said."
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
The First Amendment doesn't guarantee you the rights you think it does; CNN, August 8, 2017
A.J. Willingham, CNN; The First Amendment doesn't guarantee you the rights you think it does
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances
That's it. That's the entirety of our Constitution's First Amendment, the central animus of our American way of life that gets dragged out every time someone's banned from Twitter.
There's a lot going on in those few sentences, and it's important to know when and how it applies to common situations -- and, equally as important, when it doesn't.
Let's look at some common First Amendment arguments; illuminated and debunked by a constitutional expert."
EDITORIALLY SPEAKING: Ethics code should steer conduct; Muskogee Phoenix, August 9, 2017
Muskogee Phoenix Editorial Board; EDITORIALLY SPEAKING: Ethics code should steer conduct
"The document requires everyone to sign a confidentiality agreement before entering an executive session. Anyone who refuses to sign the agreement will not be allowed into the meeting.
We would hope that anyone who is elected to public office would have the integrity and character to understand that what happens in executive session must stay in executive session. That is, after all, the entire point of an executive session.
We would hope anyone elected to public office would not need a piece of paper to ensure ethical conduct."
"The document requires everyone to sign a confidentiality agreement before entering an executive session. Anyone who refuses to sign the agreement will not be allowed into the meeting.
We would hope that anyone who is elected to public office would have the integrity and character to understand that what happens in executive session must stay in executive session. That is, after all, the entire point of an executive session.
We would hope anyone elected to public office would not need a piece of paper to ensure ethical conduct."
The Danger of an Incurious President; New York Times, August 9, 2017
Sarah Vowell, New York Times; The Danger of an Incurious President
"Having just read Barbara Tuchman’s book “The Guns of August,” about the madcap rush into World War I, Kennedy said, “I am not going to follow a course which will allow anyone to write a comparable book about this time, ‘The Missiles of October.’ ”
Would a more curious mind like Kennedy have made different decisions from Truman in 1945? Probably not — once “the Gadget” worked, it was going to be used. But he might have asked more questions beforehand. What we do know is that in 1962, nuclear holocaust was averted in part because a president read a book and learned from it.
We know that our current president reads neither books nor the Australian prime minister’s mood. And thanks to a leaked talk to congressional interns last week, we know that his son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, the administration’s supposed voice of reason who is charged with ending the opioid epidemic, brokering peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and presumably proving the existence of God, actually said these words, out loud, to people with ears: “We’ve read enough books.”"
"Having just read Barbara Tuchman’s book “The Guns of August,” about the madcap rush into World War I, Kennedy said, “I am not going to follow a course which will allow anyone to write a comparable book about this time, ‘The Missiles of October.’ ”
Would a more curious mind like Kennedy have made different decisions from Truman in 1945? Probably not — once “the Gadget” worked, it was going to be used. But he might have asked more questions beforehand. What we do know is that in 1962, nuclear holocaust was averted in part because a president read a book and learned from it.
We know that our current president reads neither books nor the Australian prime minister’s mood. And thanks to a leaked talk to congressional interns last week, we know that his son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, the administration’s supposed voice of reason who is charged with ending the opioid epidemic, brokering peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and presumably proving the existence of God, actually said these words, out loud, to people with ears: “We’ve read enough books.”"
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Do You Really Need to Store That IoT Data?; Inside Counsel, August 7, 2017
Justine Young Gottshall, Inside Counsel; Do You Really Need to Store That IoT Data?
"Not only are companies collecting a massive amount of data generated by the Internet of Things (IoT), they are storing it too. According to a survey of 1,000 enterprises conducted by 451 Research, 71 percent of enterprises are gathering IoT data and nearly half of the data generated are being stored. What the survey doesn't reveal is if companies are considering the legal implications of storing IoT data and preparing to deal with demands for that data from outside entities.
Some contend that the IoT is on the brink of changing life as we know it. According to Gartner, 20.8 billion objects will be connected to the internet by 2020. On their own, droves of these data-generating things will churn out an inconceivable amount of intriguing data about our patterns of behaviors."
"Not only are companies collecting a massive amount of data generated by the Internet of Things (IoT), they are storing it too. According to a survey of 1,000 enterprises conducted by 451 Research, 71 percent of enterprises are gathering IoT data and nearly half of the data generated are being stored. What the survey doesn't reveal is if companies are considering the legal implications of storing IoT data and preparing to deal with demands for that data from outside entities.
Some contend that the IoT is on the brink of changing life as we know it. According to Gartner, 20.8 billion objects will be connected to the internet by 2020. On their own, droves of these data-generating things will churn out an inconceivable amount of intriguing data about our patterns of behaviors."
Google has fired the employee behind that controversial diversity manifesto; Washington Post, August 7, 2017
Jena McGregor, Washington Post; Google has fired the employee behind that controversial diversity manifesto
""If you think about the continuum of the workforce, you’ve got one end where people are going to say this person should be fired," Kropp said, while on the other end, there appear to be employees who may agree with his remarks. "Whatever Google decides to do, they're going to be potentially disappointing somebody along one of those groups or making them angry."
The company’s new vice president for diversity, integrity and governance, Danielle Brown, who started at the company just weeks ago, had put out a statement in recent days expressing her disagreement with the essay, as did other executives. Brown wrote in an internal response that "like many of you, I found that it advanced incorrect assumptions about gender," and that "we are unequivocal in our belief that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success as a company."
Ari Balogh, vice president of engineering at Google, wrote in a statement that "sharing different perspectives is an important part of our culture," but "one of the aspects of the post that troubled me deeply was the bias inherent in suggesting that most women, or men, feel or act a certain way. That is stereotyping, and it is harmful.""
""If you think about the continuum of the workforce, you’ve got one end where people are going to say this person should be fired," Kropp said, while on the other end, there appear to be employees who may agree with his remarks. "Whatever Google decides to do, they're going to be potentially disappointing somebody along one of those groups or making them angry."
The company’s new vice president for diversity, integrity and governance, Danielle Brown, who started at the company just weeks ago, had put out a statement in recent days expressing her disagreement with the essay, as did other executives. Brown wrote in an internal response that "like many of you, I found that it advanced incorrect assumptions about gender," and that "we are unequivocal in our belief that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success as a company."
Ari Balogh, vice president of engineering at Google, wrote in a statement that "sharing different perspectives is an important part of our culture," but "one of the aspects of the post that troubled me deeply was the bias inherent in suggesting that most women, or men, feel or act a certain way. That is stereotyping, and it is harmful.""
Monday, August 7, 2017
Gene Editing for ‘Designer Babies’? Highly Unlikely, Scientists Say; New York Times, August 4, 2017
Pam Belluck, New York Times; Gene Editing for ‘Designer Babies’? Highly Unlikely, Scientists Say
"In the future, will there be nations that allow fertility clinics to promise babies with genetically engineered perfect pitch or .400 batting averages? It’s not impossible. Even now, some clinics in the United States and elsewhere offer unproven stem cell therapies, sometimes with disastrous consequences.
But R. Alta Charo, a bioethicist at University of Wisconsin-Madison, who co-led the national committee on human embryo editing, said historically ethical overreach with reproductive technology has been limited.
Procedures like I.V.F. are arduous and expensive, and many people want children to closely resemble themselves and their partners. They are likely to tinker with genes only if other alternatives are impractical or impossible.
“You hear people talking about how this will make us treat children as commodities and make people more intolerant of people with disabilities and lead to eugenics and all that,” she said.
“While I appreciate the fear, I think we need to realize that with every technology we have had these fears, and they haven’t been realized.”"
"In the future, will there be nations that allow fertility clinics to promise babies with genetically engineered perfect pitch or .400 batting averages? It’s not impossible. Even now, some clinics in the United States and elsewhere offer unproven stem cell therapies, sometimes with disastrous consequences.
But R. Alta Charo, a bioethicist at University of Wisconsin-Madison, who co-led the national committee on human embryo editing, said historically ethical overreach with reproductive technology has been limited.
Procedures like I.V.F. are arduous and expensive, and many people want children to closely resemble themselves and their partners. They are likely to tinker with genes only if other alternatives are impractical or impossible.
“You hear people talking about how this will make us treat children as commodities and make people more intolerant of people with disabilities and lead to eugenics and all that,” she said.
“While I appreciate the fear, I think we need to realize that with every technology we have had these fears, and they haven’t been realized.”"
Atheists tend to be seen as immoral – even by other atheists: study; Agence France-Presse in Paris via Guardian, August 7, 2017
Agence France-Presse in Paris via Guardian; Atheists tend to be seen as immoral – even by other atheists: study
"“It is striking that even atheists appear to hold the same intuitive anti-atheist bias,” the study’s co-author, Will Gervais, a psychology professor at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, said.
“I suspect that this stems from the prevalence of deeply entrenched pro-religious norms. Even in places that are currently quite overtly secular, people still seem to intuitively hold on to the believe that religion is a moral safeguard.”
Only in Finland and New Zealand, two secular countries, did the experiment not yield conclusive evidence of anti-atheist prejudice, said the team."
"“It is striking that even atheists appear to hold the same intuitive anti-atheist bias,” the study’s co-author, Will Gervais, a psychology professor at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, said.
“I suspect that this stems from the prevalence of deeply entrenched pro-religious norms. Even in places that are currently quite overtly secular, people still seem to intuitively hold on to the believe that religion is a moral safeguard.”
Only in Finland and New Zealand, two secular countries, did the experiment not yield conclusive evidence of anti-atheist prejudice, said the team."
"Dangers of Counterfeit Solar Filter Glasses"; Global Intellectual Property Center, August 7, 2017
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A Google engineer wrote that women may be unsuited for tech jobs. Women wrote back.; Washington Post, August 6, 2017
Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Washington Post; A Google engineer wrote that women may be unsuited for tech jobs. Women wrote back.
"In a screed that rocketed around Silicon Valley this weekend, a software engineer at Google blasted the company's efforts to increase the number of minorities and women in its ranks and leadership positions.
The essay, reported by Motherboard and posted by Gizmodo, was posted on an internal Google forum by a male software engineer and titled “Google's Ideological Echo Chamber.”
The author has not been publicly identified, but his words have sparked a backlash. Critics say his sentiments reflect a tech company culture that's unwelcoming or even hostile to women and minorities. Another fear: The engineer's words reflect the unspoken thoughts of many others in an industry dominated by white men."
"In a screed that rocketed around Silicon Valley this weekend, a software engineer at Google blasted the company's efforts to increase the number of minorities and women in its ranks and leadership positions.
The essay, reported by Motherboard and posted by Gizmodo, was posted on an internal Google forum by a male software engineer and titled “Google's Ideological Echo Chamber.”
The author has not been publicly identified, but his words have sparked a backlash. Critics say his sentiments reflect a tech company culture that's unwelcoming or even hostile to women and minorities. Another fear: The engineer's words reflect the unspoken thoughts of many others in an industry dominated by white men."
Sunday, August 6, 2017
‘We can change the meaning’: Trademarks filed for n-word after Supreme Court decision; Washington Post, August 1, 2017
Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post; ‘We can change the meaning’: Trademarks filed for n-word after Supreme Court decision
"Gene Quinn, founder of the intellectual property blog IP Watchdog, said trademarking epithets to limit their use was a “laudable purpose,” but difficult to achieve.
To be maintained, trademarks must be used in interstate commerce, he said, and are awarded in different classes, such as clothing, food or video games. Anyone trying to erase these words from the marketplace would simultaneously need to put them into the marketplace."
"Gene Quinn, founder of the intellectual property blog IP Watchdog, said trademarking epithets to limit their use was a “laudable purpose,” but difficult to achieve.
To be maintained, trademarks must be used in interstate commerce, he said, and are awarded in different classes, such as clothing, food or video games. Anyone trying to erase these words from the marketplace would simultaneously need to put them into the marketplace."
Bobby Sticks It to Trump; New York Times, August 5, 2017
Maureen Dowd, New York Times; Bobby Sticks It to Trump
"We are in for an epic clash between two septuagenarians who both came from wealthy New York families and attended Ivy League schools but couldn’t be more different — the flamboyant flimflam man and the buttoned-down, buttoned-up boy scout. (And we know the president has no idea how to talk to scouts appropriately.)
One has been called America’s straightest arrow. One disdains self-promotion and avoids the press. One married his sweetheart from school days. One was a decorated Marine in Vietnam. One counts patience, humility and honesty as the virtues he lives by and likes to say “You’re only as good as your word.”
And one’s president."
"We are in for an epic clash between two septuagenarians who both came from wealthy New York families and attended Ivy League schools but couldn’t be more different — the flamboyant flimflam man and the buttoned-down, buttoned-up boy scout. (And we know the president has no idea how to talk to scouts appropriately.)
One has been called America’s straightest arrow. One disdains self-promotion and avoids the press. One married his sweetheart from school days. One was a decorated Marine in Vietnam. One counts patience, humility and honesty as the virtues he lives by and likes to say “You’re only as good as your word.”
And one’s president."
Hey Marvel, please don’t take away female Thor’s hammer; Salon, August 5, 2017
Mark Peters, Salon; Hey Marvel, please don’t take away female Thor’s hammer
"The commercial success is an especially delicious rebuke to anyone who thinks diversity is killing Marvel. The issue of gender in comics is timelier than ever thanks to a depressing recent incident on Twitter, which should be the name of the Norse realm of the trolls. A group of female Marvel editors were recently blasted with online harassment just for posting a picture of them drinking milkshakes. This picture, no different from thousands posted online every day, somehow drew angry trolls out their holes, issuing rape threats and complaining about how women and SJWs are ruining comics. This burst of ugliness provoked the #makeminemilkshake hashtag, which catalyzed an outpouring of support.
You don’t have to be Heimdall the all-seeing to notice that female Thor is more important than ever in a world where women are treated like garbage, by garbage people, just for daring to work in the comics industry. So let the Odinson keep playing with his ax and keep that hammer right where it is, Marvel."
"The commercial success is an especially delicious rebuke to anyone who thinks diversity is killing Marvel. The issue of gender in comics is timelier than ever thanks to a depressing recent incident on Twitter, which should be the name of the Norse realm of the trolls. A group of female Marvel editors were recently blasted with online harassment just for posting a picture of them drinking milkshakes. This picture, no different from thousands posted online every day, somehow drew angry trolls out their holes, issuing rape threats and complaining about how women and SJWs are ruining comics. This burst of ugliness provoked the #makeminemilkshake hashtag, which catalyzed an outpouring of support.
You don’t have to be Heimdall the all-seeing to notice that female Thor is more important than ever in a world where women are treated like garbage, by garbage people, just for daring to work in the comics industry. So let the Odinson keep playing with his ax and keep that hammer right where it is, Marvel."
Saturday, August 5, 2017
The Gatekeepers; Radio West, August 2, 2017
Doug Fabrizio, Radio West; The Gatekeepers
[Kip Currier: Heard some very interesting comments from Chris Whipple (author of The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency) on either CNN or MSNBC while I was driving this morning:
[Paraphrasing]
Chiefs of Staff have to manage up, as well as manage down.
Chiefs of Staff have to be the one person able and willing to close the Oval Office door and tell the President how things really are.
Chiefs of Staff who don't do their jobs well and allow things to happen that shouldn't, commit "Chief of Staff malpractice".]
"Wednesday, journalist Chris Whipple joins us to talk about what’s been called the toughest job in Washington. White House Chiefs of Staff serves as gatekeepers to the Oval Office, and they help define the course of the country. Whipple interviewed all 17 men still living who have served in the position. Ultimately, he says, their style makes or breaks each presidency. We’ll examine the job’s unique challenges and ask how new chief of staff John Kelly might shake up the current West Wing.
CHRIS WHIPPLE is a writer, journalist, documentary filmmaker, and speaker. He earned multiple Peabody and Emmy Awards as a producer CBS’s 60 Minutes and ABC’s Primetime. Most recently, he was the executive producer and writer of Showtime’s The Spymasters: CIA in the Crosshairs. His new book is called The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency [Independent booksellers|Amazon|Audible]"
[Kip Currier: Heard some very interesting comments from Chris Whipple (author of The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency) on either CNN or MSNBC while I was driving this morning:
[Paraphrasing]
Chiefs of Staff have to manage up, as well as manage down.
Chiefs of Staff have to be the one person able and willing to close the Oval Office door and tell the President how things really are.
Chiefs of Staff who don't do their jobs well and allow things to happen that shouldn't, commit "Chief of Staff malpractice".]
"Wednesday, journalist Chris Whipple joins us to talk about what’s been called the toughest job in Washington. White House Chiefs of Staff serves as gatekeepers to the Oval Office, and they help define the course of the country. Whipple interviewed all 17 men still living who have served in the position. Ultimately, he says, their style makes or breaks each presidency. We’ll examine the job’s unique challenges and ask how new chief of staff John Kelly might shake up the current West Wing.
CHRIS WHIPPLE is a writer, journalist, documentary filmmaker, and speaker. He earned multiple Peabody and Emmy Awards as a producer CBS’s 60 Minutes and ABC’s Primetime. Most recently, he was the executive producer and writer of Showtime’s The Spymasters: CIA in the Crosshairs. His new book is called The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency [Independent booksellers|Amazon|Audible]"
"A Mind Needs Books..."--George R.R. Martin
Kip Currier: While thinking about some recent news stories about censorship and intellectual freedom, I reflected on this George R.R. Martin quote I saw on a sign outside Kramer's Books in Washington D.C.'s DuPont Circle last month...
New Florida Law Lets Residents Challenge School Textbooks; NPR, July 31, 2017
Greg Allen, NPR: New Florida Law Lets Residents Challenge School Textbooks
"More recently, the group has turned its attention to the books being used in Florida's schools. A new state law, developed and pushed through by Flaugh's group, allows parents, and any residents, to challenge the use of textbooks and instructional materials they find objectionable via an independent hearing."
"More recently, the group has turned its attention to the books being used in Florida's schools. A new state law, developed and pushed through by Flaugh's group, allows parents, and any residents, to challenge the use of textbooks and instructional materials they find objectionable via an independent hearing."
Friday, August 4, 2017
At Long Last, a Sensible Internet of Things Security Bill Has Been Introduced in the Senate; Slate, August 3, 3017
Josephine Wolff, Slate; At Long Last, a Sensible Internet of Things Security Bill Has Been Introduced in the Senate
"On Aug. 1, a group of senators introduced a bill, the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2017, that could make some strides toward securing the ever-growing number of online devices that, generally, comprise the so-called “Internet of Things.”
"On Aug. 1, a group of senators introduced a bill, the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2017, that could make some strides toward securing the ever-growing number of online devices that, generally, comprise the so-called “Internet of Things.”
The bill would require that any such devices sold to the U.S. government must be patchable (i.e., allow for security updates), not have any known security vulnerabilities, and permit users to change their default passwords. The bill leans heavily on the considerable technical expertise of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the nonregulatory government agency that develops standards for different technologies."
Trump is a one-man assault on the rule of law; Washington Post, August 4, 2017
Ruth Marcus, Washington Post; Trump is a one-man assault on the rule of law
"Some readers have asked a fair and important question: Why is nearly every column of mine about Trump? The answer is: Trump. His behavior is so extreme and so dangerous that to respond only episodically and occasionally is to risk allowing it to appear acceptable. Outrageous words and outrageous actions require expressions of outrage in return, each and every time. That will continue until the danger subsides."
"Some readers have asked a fair and important question: Why is nearly every column of mine about Trump? The answer is: Trump. His behavior is so extreme and so dangerous that to respond only episodically and occasionally is to risk allowing it to appear acceptable. Outrageous words and outrageous actions require expressions of outrage in return, each and every time. That will continue until the danger subsides."
Facebook’s Latest Move to Fight Fake News Might Finally Be the Right One; Slate, August 3, 2017
Will Oremus, Slate; Facebook’s Latest Move to Fight Fake News Might Finally Be the Right One
"Facebook may have finally hit on a promising way to fight its “fake news” problem.
"Facebook may have finally hit on a promising way to fight its “fake news” problem.
The company on Thursday announced that it is launching a feature called Related Articles, which it has been testing since April. Now, when you see certain controversial or hotly debated stories in your news feed, below them will appear a series of headlines from other publishers on the same topic."
Carla Hayden: By the Book; New York Times, August 3, 2017
New York Times; Carla Hayden: By the Book
"Which book would you wish all Americans would read? And which book would you want all American schoolchildren to read?
I just want people to read, so I have never been prescriptive about it. But I do think “A History of Reading,” by Alberto Manguel, includes a specific chapter that is so important. It is about forbidden reading, and talks about what happens when reading is suppressed. Everyone should understand that reading is not something to take for granted."
"Which book would you wish all Americans would read? And which book would you want all American schoolchildren to read?
I just want people to read, so I have never been prescriptive about it. But I do think “A History of Reading,” by Alberto Manguel, includes a specific chapter that is so important. It is about forbidden reading, and talks about what happens when reading is suppressed. Everyone should understand that reading is not something to take for granted."
Judge balks at FBI’s 17-year timeline for FOIA request; Politico, July 29, 2017
Josh Gerstein, Politico; Judge balks at FBI’s 17-year timeline for FOIA request
"U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler bluntly rejected the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s proposal that documentary filmmaker Nina Seavey wait until the year 2034 to get all the law enforcement agency’s records for a request pertaining [sic] surveillance of anti-war and civil rights activists in the 1960s and 1970s."
"U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler bluntly rejected the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s proposal that documentary filmmaker Nina Seavey wait until the year 2034 to get all the law enforcement agency’s records for a request pertaining [sic] surveillance of anti-war and civil rights activists in the 1960s and 1970s."
Human Gene Editing Is Leaving Ethics Dangerously Far Behind; Huff Post, August 3, 2017
Craig Calhoun, HuffPost; Human Gene Editing Is Leaving Ethics Dangerously Far Behind
"What does this mean for the notion that all human beings are members of a single species and thus members of a common “community of fate”? This idea is basic to the notion of human rights. It is basic to the way citizenship is understood in most countries. Is it possible that genetic engineering could create such marked differences about human beings that they couldn’t all be considered citizens even if they all descended from people who are citizens today?
Gene editing is one of the most promising medical technologies in years. But unless there is much more attention to the ethical and social choices before us, we risk seeing that promise mired in controversy — or turned into a disaster."
"What does this mean for the notion that all human beings are members of a single species and thus members of a common “community of fate”? This idea is basic to the notion of human rights. It is basic to the way citizenship is understood in most countries. Is it possible that genetic engineering could create such marked differences about human beings that they couldn’t all be considered citizens even if they all descended from people who are citizens today?
Gene editing is one of the most promising medical technologies in years. But unless there is much more attention to the ethical and social choices before us, we risk seeing that promise mired in controversy — or turned into a disaster."
Thursday, August 3, 2017
To Protect Voting, Use Open-Source Software; New York Times, August 3, 2017
R. James Woolsey and Brian J. Fox, New York Times; To Protect Voting,Use Open-Source Software
"If the community of proprietary vendors, including Microsoft, would support the use of open-source model for elections, we could expedite progress toward secure voting systems.
With an election on the horizon, it’s urgent that we ensure that those who seek to make our voting systems more secure have easy access to them, and that Mr. Putin does not."
"If the community of proprietary vendors, including Microsoft, would support the use of open-source model for elections, we could expedite progress toward secure voting systems.
With an election on the horizon, it’s urgent that we ensure that those who seek to make our voting systems more secure have easy access to them, and that Mr. Putin does not."
How Apple and Amazon Are Aiding Chinese Censors; Slate, August 2, 2017
April Glaser, Slate; How Apple and Amazon Are Aiding Chinese Censors
"Over the weekend, Apple took a small step to help shore up the Great Firewall of China: It deleted more than 60 apps used to route around internet filters from its App Store in China.
The removed apps are virtual private networks, or VPNs, which are used to tunnel web traffic through another computer, often hosted in other countries. VPNs allow Chinese users to circumvent government censorship by essentially letting people use the internet as if they weren’t in China.
The move came after the Chinese government began enforcing a cybersecurity law that prohibits the use of unregistered VPN apps, Apple CEO Tim Cook said on a call with investors on Tuesday."
"Over the weekend, Apple took a small step to help shore up the Great Firewall of China: It deleted more than 60 apps used to route around internet filters from its App Store in China.
The removed apps are virtual private networks, or VPNs, which are used to tunnel web traffic through another computer, often hosted in other countries. VPNs allow Chinese users to circumvent government censorship by essentially letting people use the internet as if they weren’t in China.
The move came after the Chinese government began enforcing a cybersecurity law that prohibits the use of unregistered VPN apps, Apple CEO Tim Cook said on a call with investors on Tuesday."
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
We will survive this; Washington Post, August 1, 2017
[Kip Currier: Interesting insights from Garrison Keillor about taking a long-view of life, as well as voicing a carpe diem gratitude--embodied in the perfect imperfections of an heirloom tomato.
I first learned about "heirloom tomatoes" from a 2015 radio episode of The Splendid Table (Thanks, National Public Radio!), featuring tomato expert Craig LeHoullier.
[Aside: Great quote by The Splendid Table host Lynne Rosetto Kasper, after LeHoullier notes that tomatoes are "very perishable":
"But I think some of the best things in life have to be fragile. We appreciate them more."]
Soonafter, I tried my first heirlooms from the incredible year-round open-air Freshfarm DuPont Circle Market in Washington, D.C.: it was love at first bite.
A week ago I picked up these beauties in DuPont for a killer (Fair Use-transformed!) Caprese Salad:
"It’s a privilege to know people over the course of a lifetime and to reconnoiter and hear about the ordinary goodness of life. By 75, some of our class have gotten whacked hard. And the casualty rate does keep climbing. And yet life is good. These people are America as I know it. Family, work, a sense of humor, gratitude to God for our daily bread and loyalty to the tribe.
If the gentleman stands in the bow and fires his peashooter at the storm, if he appoints a gorilla as head of communications, if he tweets that henceforth no transcendentalist shall be allowed in the armed forces, nonetheless life goes on.
He fulfills an important role of celebs: giving millions of people the chance to feel superior to him. The gloomy face and the antique adolescent hair, the mannequin wife and the clueless children of privilege, the sheer pointlessness of flying around in a 747 to say inane things to crowds of people — it’s cheap entertainment for us, and in the end it simply doesn’t matter."
Marvel and DC Show Solidarity Against Online Trolls; Comic Book Resources, August 1, 2017
Albert Ching, Comic Book Resources; Marvel and DC Show Solidarity Against Online Trolls
"DC Comics made a rare and overt reference to Marvel on its Twitter account on Tuesday, sharing a group photo of its female employees along with the words, “Cheers @Marvel ladies! #MakeMineMilkshake.” Marvel quickly responded with an image of a milkshake with two straws, encouraging the solidarity between the two companies...
Archie Comics has also showed support, responding to Marvel and DC on Twitter with an image of a milkshake with three straws (both representing the three publishers, and a common image to Archie fans evoking Archie, Betty and Veronica sharing a shake)."
"DC Comics made a rare and overt reference to Marvel on its Twitter account on Tuesday, sharing a group photo of its female employees along with the words, “Cheers @Marvel ladies! #MakeMineMilkshake.” Marvel quickly responded with an image of a milkshake with two straws, encouraging the solidarity between the two companies...
Archie Comics has also showed support, responding to Marvel and DC on Twitter with an image of a milkshake with three straws (both representing the three publishers, and a common image to Archie fans evoking Archie, Betty and Veronica sharing a shake)."
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Companies brace for European privacy rules; Axios, August 1, 2017
Sara Fischer, Kim Hart, Axios; Companies brace for European privacy rules
"U.S. companies are largely unprepared for what's about to hit them when sweeping new EU data laws take effect next year. The regulation — the General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR) — is intended to give users more control of how their personal data is used and streamline data processes across the EU. Companies that fail to comply with the complex law will face steep fines of up to 4% of their global annual revenue.
Why it matters: Europe has by far taken the most aggressive regulatory stance on protecting consumer privacy and will in many ways be a litmus test for regulating the currency of the data economy. It impacts a huge number of businesses from advertisers to e-commerce platforms whose data flows through EU countries. That means everyone from Google to your neighbor who sells shoes on eBay could be affected."
"U.S. companies are largely unprepared for what's about to hit them when sweeping new EU data laws take effect next year. The regulation — the General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR) — is intended to give users more control of how their personal data is used and streamline data processes across the EU. Companies that fail to comply with the complex law will face steep fines of up to 4% of their global annual revenue.
Why it matters: Europe has by far taken the most aggressive regulatory stance on protecting consumer privacy and will in many ways be a litmus test for regulating the currency of the data economy. It impacts a huge number of businesses from advertisers to e-commerce platforms whose data flows through EU countries. That means everyone from Google to your neighbor who sells shoes on eBay could be affected."
Fox’s Gifted Stars Discuss the X-Men Show’s Social Relevancy; Comic Book Resources, August 1, 2017
Lauren Gallaway, Comic Book Resources; Fox’s Gifted Stars Discuss the X-Men Show’s Social Relevancy
"Speaking with the press, Teale, who plays Marco Ramirez (aka Eclipse), was asked about how the show will follow in its comic book inspiration’s footsteps and reflect modern society’s issues. “People keep asking why X-Men is still relevant and why it deals with social issues. I think the reason why is because of its conception. Magneto and Charles Xavier were made, that was Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. If that’s the way that this concept was conceived, then that’s going to emanate throughout the mythology later on.
“In this show, we have that same thing,” Teale continued. “These civil rights issues and these people who aren’t superheroes, who don’t don super suits or magic jets or save the world. They are human beings that are persecuted for doing nothing other than being themselves. They’ve been bestowed this X-gene that they did not ask for. We’re dealing with issues that exist on the planet already. That persecution of age, weight, gender, sexuality or disability is relevant on our show because they don’t have a choice. It’s human beings being persecuted for being nothing other than themselves and coming together and trying to fight for their rights as people. I think that’s quite relevant.”"
"Speaking with the press, Teale, who plays Marco Ramirez (aka Eclipse), was asked about how the show will follow in its comic book inspiration’s footsteps and reflect modern society’s issues. “People keep asking why X-Men is still relevant and why it deals with social issues. I think the reason why is because of its conception. Magneto and Charles Xavier were made, that was Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. If that’s the way that this concept was conceived, then that’s going to emanate throughout the mythology later on.
“In this show, we have that same thing,” Teale continued. “These civil rights issues and these people who aren’t superheroes, who don’t don super suits or magic jets or save the world. They are human beings that are persecuted for doing nothing other than being themselves. They’ve been bestowed this X-gene that they did not ask for. We’re dealing with issues that exist on the planet already. That persecution of age, weight, gender, sexuality or disability is relevant on our show because they don’t have a choice. It’s human beings being persecuted for being nothing other than themselves and coming together and trying to fight for their rights as people. I think that’s quite relevant.”"
Trump risks US being seen as 'kleptocracy', says ex-ethics chief Walter Shaub; Guardian, July 31, 2017
David Smith, Guardian; Trump risks US being seen as 'kleptocracy', says ex-ethics chief Walter Shaub
"The former head of the US government ethics watchdog has warned that Donald Trump’s conflicts of interest put the country at risk of being seen as a “kleptocracy”.
Speaking to the Guardian, Walter Shaub, who quit this month as director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), condemned the president for using his hotels and other properties for government business in what is in effect a free advertising campaign.
“His actions create the appearance of profiting from the presidency, and the appearance here is everything because the demand I’m making is so much more than ‘have a clean heart’. It’s ‘Have a clean heart and act appropriately,’” Shaub said.
"The former head of the US government ethics watchdog has warned that Donald Trump’s conflicts of interest put the country at risk of being seen as a “kleptocracy”.
Speaking to the Guardian, Walter Shaub, who quit this month as director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), condemned the president for using his hotels and other properties for government business in what is in effect a free advertising campaign.
“His actions create the appearance of profiting from the presidency, and the appearance here is everything because the demand I’m making is so much more than ‘have a clean heart’. It’s ‘Have a clean heart and act appropriately,’” Shaub said.
“The fact that we’re having to ask questions about whether he’s intentionally using the presidency for profit is bad enough because the appearance itself undermines confidence in government.”
He added: “It certainly risks people starting to refer to us as a kleptocracy. That’s a term people throw around fairly freely when they’re talking about Russia, fairly or unfairly, and we run the risk of getting branded the same way. America really should stand for more than that.”"
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