Brandon Zachary, Comic Book Resources; Artist Fired For Trump Cartoons to Release Book Enemy of the People
[Kip Currier: With his singular artistic style and rapier insights, Rob Rogers is truly one of America's great political cartoonists and satirists.
Rogers was treated abysmally by the owners and management of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and was fired from the paper this year; see this Nov. 4 article in The Washington Post for more background.
It's good to see that his newest compilation Enemy of the People: A Cartoonists Journey will be available for purchase soon.]
"The Pulitzer Prize winner was a 25-year veteran of the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette before being unceremoniously fired earlier this year,
purportedly because his cartoons were regularly critical of President
Trump and his policies.
Titled Enemy of the People: A Cartoonists Journey, the 184-page collection will be released Dec. 11 through the publisher's IDW Limited imprint...
“Satire is the ultimate expression of free speech," Rogers said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
"[It] reminds us that we live in a healthy democracy. But we are living
in a time like no other in our country’s history, a time when the media
is under attack, a time of extreme partisanship. We need satire and
editorial cartoons more now than ever.”"
Friday, November 9, 2018
In Favor of the Caselaw Access Project; The Harvard Crimson, November 7, 2018
The Crimson Editorial Board, The Harvard Crimson; In Favor of the Caselaw Access Project
"We hope that researchers will use these court opinions to further advance academic scholarship in this area. In particular, we hope that computer programmers are able to take full advantage of this repository of information. As Ziegler noted, no lawyer will be able to take full advantage of the millions of pages in the database, but computers have an advantage in this regard. Like Ziegler, we are hopeful that researchers using the database will be able to learn more about less understood aspects of the legal system — such as how courts influence each other and deal with disagreements. Those big-picture questions could not have been answered as well without the information provided by this new database.
This project is a resounding success for the Harvard Library, which happens also to be looking for a new leader. We hope that the person hired for the job will be similarly committed to projects that increase access to information — a key value that all who work in higher education should hold near and dear. In addition to maintaining the vast amounts of histories and stories already in the system, Harvard’s libraries should seek to illuminate content that may have been erased or obscured. There is always more to learn."
"We hope that researchers will use these court opinions to further advance academic scholarship in this area. In particular, we hope that computer programmers are able to take full advantage of this repository of information. As Ziegler noted, no lawyer will be able to take full advantage of the millions of pages in the database, but computers have an advantage in this regard. Like Ziegler, we are hopeful that researchers using the database will be able to learn more about less understood aspects of the legal system — such as how courts influence each other and deal with disagreements. Those big-picture questions could not have been answered as well without the information provided by this new database.
This project is a resounding success for the Harvard Library, which happens also to be looking for a new leader. We hope that the person hired for the job will be similarly committed to projects that increase access to information — a key value that all who work in higher education should hold near and dear. In addition to maintaining the vast amounts of histories and stories already in the system, Harvard’s libraries should seek to illuminate content that may have been erased or obscured. There is always more to learn."
Harvard Converts Millions of Legal Documents into Open Data; Government Technology, November 2, 2018
Theo Douglas, Government Technology; Harvard Converts Millions of Legal Documents into Open Data
[Kip Currier: Discovered the recent launch of this impressive Harvard University-anchored Caselaw Access Project, while updating a lecture for next week on Open Data.
The free site provides access to highly technical data, full text cases, and even "quirky" but fascinating legal info...like the site's Gallery, highlighting instances in which "witchcraft" is mentioned in legal cases throughout the U.S.
Check out this new site...and spread the word about it!]
"A new free website spearheaded by the Library Innovation Lab at the Harvard Law School makes available nearly 6.5 million state and federal cases dating from the 1600s to earlier this year, in an initiative that could alter and inform the future availability of similar areas of public-sector big data.
Led by the Lab, which was founded in 2010 as an arena for experimentation and exploration into expanding the role of libraries in the online era, the Caselaw Access Project went live Oct. 29 after five years of discussions, planning and digitization of roughly 100,000 pages per day over two years.
The effort was inspired by the Google Books Project; the Free Law Project, a California 501(c)(3) that provides free, public online access to primary legal sources, including so-called “slip opinions,” or early but nearly final versions of legal opinions; and the Legal Information Institute, a nonprofit service of Cornell University that provides free online access to key legal materials."
[Kip Currier: Discovered the recent launch of this impressive Harvard University-anchored Caselaw Access Project, while updating a lecture for next week on Open Data.
The free site provides access to highly technical data, full text cases, and even "quirky" but fascinating legal info...like the site's Gallery, highlighting instances in which "witchcraft" is mentioned in legal cases throughout the U.S.
Check out this new site...and spread the word about it!]
"A new free website spearheaded by the Library Innovation Lab at the Harvard Law School makes available nearly 6.5 million state and federal cases dating from the 1600s to earlier this year, in an initiative that could alter and inform the future availability of similar areas of public-sector big data.
Led by the Lab, which was founded in 2010 as an arena for experimentation and exploration into expanding the role of libraries in the online era, the Caselaw Access Project went live Oct. 29 after five years of discussions, planning and digitization of roughly 100,000 pages per day over two years.
The effort was inspired by the Google Books Project; the Free Law Project, a California 501(c)(3) that provides free, public online access to primary legal sources, including so-called “slip opinions,” or early but nearly final versions of legal opinions; and the Legal Information Institute, a nonprofit service of Cornell University that provides free online access to key legal materials."
#ProtectMueller Rapid Response Rally in Pittsburgh--Calling for Recusal of Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, Protection of FBI Investigation by Robert Mueller, and Upholding of Rule of Law, Pittsburgh, PA, November 8, 2018
Kip Currier; #ProtectMueller Rapid Response Rally in Pittsburgh--Calling for Recusal of Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, Protection of FBI Investigation by Robert Mueller, and Upholding of Rule of Law:
Hundreds protest Downtown with 'Trump chicken' balloon to protect Mueller investigation; The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 8, 2018
Bill Schackner, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Hundreds protest Downtown with 'Trump chicken' balloon to protect Mueller investigation
"The turnout at 6 p.m. roughly coincided with demonstrations across the nation quickly announced for Thursday after Mr. Trump, a day earlier, sought and received the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose recusal from the probe last year drew the president’s ire.
Matthew Whitaker, named as his acting replacement, is seen by critics as a Republican loyalist who they contend may move to end or curb the probe."
"The turnout at 6 p.m. roughly coincided with demonstrations across the nation quickly announced for Thursday after Mr. Trump, a day earlier, sought and received the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose recusal from the probe last year drew the president’s ire.
Matthew Whitaker, named as his acting replacement, is seen by critics as a Republican loyalist who they contend may move to end or curb the probe."
Acosta should sue the president, and Americans should shun Sanders; The Washington Post, November 8, 2018
Jennifer Rubin, The Washington Post; Acosta should sue the president, and Americans should shun Sanders
The First Amendment protects the press’s right to report the news and the public’s right to receive that news. The government cannot punish or threaten the press or individuals based on the content of what is reported. In fact, in a public forum, which Twitter was deemed to be, a federal court already ordered Trump to unblock Twitter users who were critical of him."
"President Trump’s conduct (Sanders surely didn’t do
this on her own) violates every democratic norm one can think of — and
what’s more, is illegal.
The First Amendment protects the press’s right to report the news and the public’s right to receive that news. The government cannot punish or threaten the press or individuals based on the content of what is reported. In fact, in a public forum, which Twitter was deemed to be, a federal court already ordered Trump to unblock Twitter users who were critical of him."
Thursday, November 8, 2018
White House shares doctored video to support punishment of journalist Jim Acosta; The Washington Post, November 8, 2018
Drew Harwell, The Washington Post; White House shares doctored video to support punishment of journalist Jim Acosta
"The video has quickly become a flashpoint in the battle over viral misinformation, turning a live interaction watched by thousands in real time into just another ideological tug-of-war. But it has also highlighted how video content — long seen as an unassailable verification tool for truth and confirmation — has become as vulnerable to political distortion as anything else."
"The video has quickly become a flashpoint in the battle over viral misinformation, turning a live interaction watched by thousands in real time into just another ideological tug-of-war. But it has also highlighted how video content — long seen as an unassailable verification tool for truth and confirmation — has become as vulnerable to political distortion as anything else."
Hundreds of '#ProtectMueller' Trump protests planned for Thursday November 8; BoingBoing, November 7, 2018
Xeni Jardin, BoingBoing; Hundreds of '#ProtectMueller' Trump protests planned for Thursday November 8
"Hundreds of #ProtectMueller protests and other events are planned for Thursday, November, 8, at 5pm local time.
Here is a list by state and town.
From the organizers, civic.moveon.org:
"Hundreds of #ProtectMueller protests and other events are planned for Thursday, November, 8, at 5pm local time.
Here is a list by state and town.
From the organizers, civic.moveon.org:
NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW—MUELLER PROTECTION RAPID RESPONSE
PROTESTS CALLED FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 5 PM LOCAL TIME.
Donald Trump has installed a crony to oversee the special counsel's Trump-Russia investigation, crossing a red line set to protect the investigation. By replacing Rod Rosenstein with just-named Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as special counsel Robert Mueller's boss on the investigation, Trump has undercut the independence of the investigation. Whitaker has publicly outlined strategies to stifle the investigation and cannot be allowed to remain in charge of it. The Nobody Is Above the Law network demands that Whitaker immediately commit not to assume supervision of the investigation. Our hundreds of response events are being launched to demonstrate the public demand for action to correct this injustice. We will update this page as the situation develops.Donald Trump just crossed a red line, violating the independence of the investigation pursuing criminal charges in the Trump-Russia scandal and cover-up.
Trump putting himself above the law is a threat to our democracy, and we’ve got to get Congress to stop him.
We're mobilizing immediately to demand accountability, because Trump is not above the law.
Please make note of the date, time, and description below to confirm that the host is able to organize the event on such short notice! In general, rallies are suggested to begin @ 5 PM local time. But individual local events may vary—please confirm details on your event page.
Once you sign up, make sure to invite friends to join you at the event!
Note: If you choose to attend an event, you agree to engage in nonviolent, peaceful action, to act lawfully, and to strive to de-escalate any potential confrontations with those who may disagree with our values.
Create an event in your area!"
Republicans Must Choose Between Trump and the Rule of Law; The Atlantic, November 8, 2018
Conor Fiedersdorf, The Atlantic; Republicans Must Choose Between Trump and the Rule of Law
"The president’s actions Wednesday portend a choice for GOP officials: Is their greater loyalty to the president or to the public’s right to know what he’s done?"
"The president’s actions Wednesday portend a choice for GOP officials: Is their greater loyalty to the president or to the public’s right to know what he’s done?"
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
New EU Directive Limits Hate Speech, Establishes European Content Quotas; Intellectual Property Watch, November 6, 2018
William New, Intellectual Property Watch; New EU Directive Limits Hate Speech, Establishes European Content Quotas
"A new directive adopted today by European Union member governments updates and strengthens regulations on video-sharing platforms and other newer forms of media, emphasising the public interest, elevating protections for children, and establishing a 30 percent quota of European content in on-demand audiovisual media services
An over-riding element of the new rules is to emphasise the public interest over other interests, while seeking to ensure freedom of expression."
"A new directive adopted today by European Union member governments updates and strengthens regulations on video-sharing platforms and other newer forms of media, emphasising the public interest, elevating protections for children, and establishing a 30 percent quota of European content in on-demand audiovisual media services
An over-riding element of the new rules is to emphasise the public interest over other interests, while seeking to ensure freedom of expression."
Why 'Right To Delete' Should Be On Your IT Agenda Now; Forbes, October 22, 2018
Yaki Faitelson, Forbes; Why 'Right To Delete' Should Be On Your IT Agenda Now
"As California goes, at least concerning data laws, so goes the rest of the country. In 2002, California became the first state to require organizations to report breaches to regulators. Now, it’s the law in all 50 states."
"As California goes, at least concerning data laws, so goes the rest of the country. In 2002, California became the first state to require organizations to report breaches to regulators. Now, it’s the law in all 50 states."
Monday, November 5, 2018
Data Self-Autonomy and Student Data Analytics; Kip Currier, November 5, 2018
Kip Currier: Data Self-Autonomy and Student Data Analytics
When I first saw this PittWire article's headline (Pitt Sets Course for Student Success With Inaugural Advanced Analytics Summit) about Pitt's first-ever Advanced Analytics Summit, my initial thought was, "will the article address the potential downsides of student data analytics?"
Certainly, there are some benefits potentially offered by analysis of data generated about students. Chief among them, greater self-awareness by students themselves; assuming that students are given the opportunity to access data collected about themselves. (Let's remember, also--as surprising as it may seem to digital cognoscenti--that not everyone may want to know and see the kinds of educational data that is generated and collected about themselves in the digital age, just as biomedical providers, ethicists, and users have been debating the thorny issues implicated by the right to know and not know one's own medical information (see here and here, as some examples of varying perspectives about whether to know-or-not-know your own genetic information.) Some among those who do see their educational data analytics may still want to elect to opt out of future collection and use of their personal data.
(Aside: Consider that most U.S. consumers currently have no statutorily-mandated and enforceable rights to opt out of data collection on themselves, or to view and make informed decisions about the petabytes of information collected about them. Indeed, at a privacy conference in Brussels recently, Apple CEO Tim Cook excoriated tech companies for the ways that "personal information is being "weaponized against us with military efficiency.""
Contrast this with the European Union's game-changing 2018 General Data Protection Regulation.
Perennial consumer protection leader California, with its legislature's passage of the most stringent consumer data privacy protection law in the nation and signing into law on September 23, 2018 by California Governor Jerry Brown, was recently sued by the U.S. Department of Justice for that law's adoption.
All the more reason that a recent Forbes article author exhorts "Why "Right To Delete" Should Be On Your IT Agenda Now".)
Having qualified persons to guide students in interpreting and deciding if and how to operationalize data about themselves is crucial. (Student Data Analytics Advisor, anyone?) In what ways can students, and those entrusted to advise them, use data about themselves to make the best possible decisions, during their time as students, as well as afterwards in their personal and professional lives. As Pitt Provost Ann Cudd is quoted in the article:
Kudos that Provost Cudd, as reported in the article, explicitly acknowledged "that as advanced analytics moves forward at the University, two topics of focus include identifying whether the use of data is universally good and what potential dangers exist, and how to keep the human components to avoid generalizing." The overarching, driving focus of student data analytics must always be on what is best for the individual, the student, the human being.
It was good to see that data privacy and cybersecurity issues were identified at the summit as significant concerns. These are HUGE issues with no magic bullets or easy answers. In an age in which even the Pentagon and White House are not innoculated from documented cyberintrusions, does anyone really feel 100% sure that student data won't be breached and misused?
Disappointingly, the article sheds little light on the various stakeholder interests who are eager to harvest and harness student data. As quoted at the end of the article, Stephen Wisniewski, Pitt's Vice Provost for Data and Information, states that "“The primary reason is to better serve our students". Ask yourself, is "better serving students" Google's primary reason for student data analytics? Or a third party vendor? Or the many other parties who stand to benefit from student data analytics? Not just in higher education settings, but in K-12 settings as well. It's self-evident that the motivations for student "advanced analytics" are more complex and nuanced than primarily "better serving students".
As always, when looking at ethical issues and engaging with ethical decision-making, it's critically important to identify the stakeholder interests. To that end, when looking at the issue of student data analytics, we must identify who all of the actual and potential stakeholders are and then think about what their respective interests are, in order to more critically assess the issues and holistically apprise, understand, and make highly informed decisions about the potential risks and benefits. And, as I often remind myself, what people don't say is often just as important, if not sometimes more important and revealing, than what they do say.
Any mention of "informed consent", with regard to data collection and use, is noticeably absent from this article's reporting, though it hopefully was front and center at the summit.
Student data analytics offer some tantalizing possibilities for students to better know thyself. And for the educational institutions that serve them to better know--with the goal of better advising--their students, within legally bound and yet-to-be-bound limits, human individual-centered policies, and ethically-grounded guardrails that are built and reinforced with core values.
It's paramount, too, amidst our all-too-frequent pell-mell rush to embrace new technologies with sometimes utopian thinking and breathless actions, that we remember to take some stabilizing breaths and think deeply and broadly about the ramifications of data collection and use and the choices we can make about what should and should not be done with data--data about ourselves. Individual choice should be an essential part of student data analytics. Anything less places the interests of the data above the interests of the individual.
When I first saw this PittWire article's headline (Pitt Sets Course for Student Success With Inaugural Advanced Analytics Summit) about Pitt's first-ever Advanced Analytics Summit, my initial thought was, "will the article address the potential downsides of student data analytics?"
Certainly, there are some benefits potentially offered by analysis of data generated about students. Chief among them, greater self-awareness by students themselves; assuming that students are given the opportunity to access data collected about themselves. (Let's remember, also--as surprising as it may seem to digital cognoscenti--that not everyone may want to know and see the kinds of educational data that is generated and collected about themselves in the digital age, just as biomedical providers, ethicists, and users have been debating the thorny issues implicated by the right to know and not know one's own medical information (see here and here, as some examples of varying perspectives about whether to know-or-not-know your own genetic information.) Some among those who do see their educational data analytics may still want to elect to opt out of future collection and use of their personal data.
(Aside: Consider that most U.S. consumers currently have no statutorily-mandated and enforceable rights to opt out of data collection on themselves, or to view and make informed decisions about the petabytes of information collected about them. Indeed, at a privacy conference in Brussels recently, Apple CEO Tim Cook excoriated tech companies for the ways that "personal information is being "weaponized against us with military efficiency.""
Contrast this with the European Union's game-changing 2018 General Data Protection Regulation.
Perennial consumer protection leader California, with its legislature's passage of the most stringent consumer data privacy protection law in the nation and signing into law on September 23, 2018 by California Governor Jerry Brown, was recently sued by the U.S. Department of Justice for that law's adoption.
All the more reason that a recent Forbes article author exhorts "Why "Right To Delete" Should Be On Your IT Agenda Now".)
Having qualified persons to guide students in interpreting and deciding if and how to operationalize data about themselves is crucial. (Student Data Analytics Advisor, anyone?) In what ways can students, and those entrusted to advise them, use data about themselves to make the best possible decisions, during their time as students, as well as afterwards in their personal and professional lives. As Pitt Provost Ann Cudd is quoted in the article:
“Two of our main objectives are raising graduation rates and closing achievement gaps. Things to focus on are excellence in education, building a network and identifying and pursuing life goals and leading a life of impact.”
Kudos that Provost Cudd, as reported in the article, explicitly acknowledged "that as advanced analytics moves forward at the University, two topics of focus include identifying whether the use of data is universally good and what potential dangers exist, and how to keep the human components to avoid generalizing." The overarching, driving focus of student data analytics must always be on what is best for the individual, the student, the human being.
It was good to see that data privacy and cybersecurity issues were identified at the summit as significant concerns. These are HUGE issues with no magic bullets or easy answers. In an age in which even the Pentagon and White House are not innoculated from documented cyberintrusions, does anyone really feel 100% sure that student data won't be breached and misused?
Disappointingly, the article sheds little light on the various stakeholder interests who are eager to harvest and harness student data. As quoted at the end of the article, Stephen Wisniewski, Pitt's Vice Provost for Data and Information, states that "“The primary reason is to better serve our students". Ask yourself, is "better serving students" Google's primary reason for student data analytics? Or a third party vendor? Or the many other parties who stand to benefit from student data analytics? Not just in higher education settings, but in K-12 settings as well. It's self-evident that the motivations for student "advanced analytics" are more complex and nuanced than primarily "better serving students".
As always, when looking at ethical issues and engaging with ethical decision-making, it's critically important to identify the stakeholder interests. To that end, when looking at the issue of student data analytics, we must identify who all of the actual and potential stakeholders are and then think about what their respective interests are, in order to more critically assess the issues and holistically apprise, understand, and make highly informed decisions about the potential risks and benefits. And, as I often remind myself, what people don't say is often just as important, if not sometimes more important and revealing, than what they do say.
Any mention of "informed consent", with regard to data collection and use, is noticeably absent from this article's reporting, though it hopefully was front and center at the summit.
Student data analytics offer some tantalizing possibilities for students to better know thyself. And for the educational institutions that serve them to better know--with the goal of better advising--their students, within legally bound and yet-to-be-bound limits, human individual-centered policies, and ethically-grounded guardrails that are built and reinforced with core values.
It's paramount, too, amidst our all-too-frequent pell-mell rush to embrace new technologies with sometimes utopian thinking and breathless actions, that we remember to take some stabilizing breaths and think deeply and broadly about the ramifications of data collection and use and the choices we can make about what should and should not be done with data--data about ourselves. Individual choice should be an essential part of student data analytics. Anything less places the interests of the data above the interests of the individual.
Pitt Sets Course for Student Success With Inaugural Advanced Analytics Summit; PittWire, November 2, 2018
PittWire; Pitt Sets Course for Student Success With Inaugural Advanced Analytics Summit
"Ann Cudd, provost and senior vice chancellor at Pitt, said that as advanced analytics moves forward at the University, two topics of focus include identifying whether the use of data is universally good and what potential dangers exist, and how to keep the human components to avoid generalizing...
While the vast amounts of information may be overwhelming, data privacy is seen as a key fundamental of building and maintaining trust between students and universities.
“It is vitally important that the storage of data be secure,” [Stephen] Wisniewski [vice provost for data and information at the University of Pittsburgh] said. “To that end, experts in the field collectively work to understand and address the ever-changing technology landscape to protect sensitive data.”
Wisniewski said that Pitt’s focus on advanced analytics has one driving principle.
“The primary reason is to better serve our students. That is our ultimate goal,” he said. “That’s what we want out of this. We want them to have the best experience possible and we’re using analytics to help that process.”"
"Ann Cudd, provost and senior vice chancellor at Pitt, said that as advanced analytics moves forward at the University, two topics of focus include identifying whether the use of data is universally good and what potential dangers exist, and how to keep the human components to avoid generalizing...
While the vast amounts of information may be overwhelming, data privacy is seen as a key fundamental of building and maintaining trust between students and universities.
“It is vitally important that the storage of data be secure,” [Stephen] Wisniewski [vice provost for data and information at the University of Pittsburgh] said. “To that end, experts in the field collectively work to understand and address the ever-changing technology landscape to protect sensitive data.”
Wisniewski said that Pitt’s focus on advanced analytics has one driving principle.
“The primary reason is to better serve our students. That is our ultimate goal,” he said. “That’s what we want out of this. We want them to have the best experience possible and we’re using analytics to help that process.”"
Nurse who treated Pittsburgh shooter: 'I'm sure he had no idea I was Jewish' ; The Guardian, November 4, 2018
Martin Pengelly, The Guardian; Nurse who treated Pittsburgh shooter: 'I'm sure he had no idea I was Jewish'
"Mahler said he would not go into great detail, because of privacy rules. But he wrote that the gunman “thanked me for saving him, for showing him kindness, and for treating him the same way I treat every other patient.
“This was the same Robert Bowers that just committed mass homicide. The Robert Bowers who instilled panic in my heart worrying my parents were two of his 11 victims less than an hour before his arrival.
“I’m sure he had no idea I was Jewish. Why thank a Jewish nurse, when 15 minutes beforehand, you’d shoot me in the head with no remorse?
“I didn’t say a word to him about my religion. I chose not to say anything to him the entire time. I wanted him to feel compassion. I chose to show him empathy. I felt that the best way to honour his victims was for a Jew to prove him wrong. Besides, if he finds out I’m Jewish, does it really matter?
The better question is, what does it mean to you?”
In conclusion, Mahler wrote: “If my actions mean anything, love means everything.”"
"Mahler said he would not go into great detail, because of privacy rules. But he wrote that the gunman “thanked me for saving him, for showing him kindness, and for treating him the same way I treat every other patient.
“This was the same Robert Bowers that just committed mass homicide. The Robert Bowers who instilled panic in my heart worrying my parents were two of his 11 victims less than an hour before his arrival.
“I’m sure he had no idea I was Jewish. Why thank a Jewish nurse, when 15 minutes beforehand, you’d shoot me in the head with no remorse?
“I didn’t say a word to him about my religion. I chose not to say anything to him the entire time. I wanted him to feel compassion. I chose to show him empathy. I felt that the best way to honour his victims was for a Jew to prove him wrong. Besides, if he finds out I’m Jewish, does it really matter?
The better question is, what does it mean to you?”
In conclusion, Mahler wrote: “If my actions mean anything, love means everything.”"
I’m a rabbi from Pittsburgh. The way to help our community is to act.; The Washington Post, November 2, 2018
Mark Asher Goodman, The Washington Post; I’m a rabbi from Pittsburgh. The way to help our community is to act.
So here’s how to help: Do something."
"Judaism is a religion of action. We are commanded in
so many places by our Torah to do something; to do justice; to care for
the stranger, the widow, and the orphan; to tend for the sick; to free
the captive; to build a world of lovingkindness. We are commanded
to “not stand idly by the blood of our neighbor.” Our most central
figure is Moses, who reacted to a great massacre against children with
action.
So here’s how to help: Do something."
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Why Aren’t Democrats Walking Away With the Midterms? Democrats miss Trump’s political gifts and the real threat he represents.; The New York Times, November 2, 2018
Bret Stephens, The New York Times;
Why Aren’t Democrats Walking Away With the Midterms?
Democrats miss Trump’s political gifts and the real threat he represents.
"I have written previously
that the real threat of the Trump presidency isn’t economic or
political catastrophe. It’s moral and institutional corrosion — the
debasement of our discourse and the fracturing of our civic bonds.
Democrats should be walking away with the midterms. That they are not is
because they have consistently underestimated the president’s political
gifts, while missing the deeper threat his presidency represents.
There’s a lesson here worth heeding. Our economic GDP may be booming, but our moral GDP is in recession."
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Customizable ethics checklists for Big Data researchers; BoingBoing, October 29, 2018
Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing; Customizable ethics checklists for Big Data researchers
"Deon is a project to create automated "ethics checklists" for data science projects; by default, running the code creates a comprehensive checklist covering data collection and storage, modeling and deployment: the checklist items aren't specific actions, they're "meant to provoke discussion among good-faith actors who take their ethical responsibilities seriously. Because of this, most of the items are framed as prompts to discuss or consider. Teams will want to document these discussions and decisions for posterity."
The lists can be customized for your own purposes, and if you think the default list needs revising, there's a democratic process for amending it."
"Deon is a project to create automated "ethics checklists" for data science projects; by default, running the code creates a comprehensive checklist covering data collection and storage, modeling and deployment: the checklist items aren't specific actions, they're "meant to provoke discussion among good-faith actors who take their ethical responsibilities seriously. Because of this, most of the items are framed as prompts to discuss or consider. Teams will want to document these discussions and decisions for posterity."
The lists can be customized for your own purposes, and if you think the default list needs revising, there's a democratic process for amending it."
A Rising Crescendo Demands Data Ethics and Data Responsibility; Forbes, October 29, 2018
Randy Bean, Forbes; A Rising Crescendo Demands Data Ethics and Data Responsibility
"It is against this backdrop that data ethics has rapidly moved to the forefront of any meaningful discussion about data. A spate of recent articles -- Never Heard of Data Ethics? You Will Soon, It’s Time to Talk About Data Ethics, Data Ethics: The New Competitive Advantage, Will Democracy Survive Big Data and Artificial Intelligence – underscore the increasing urgency and highlight the ethical considerations that organizations must address when managing data as an asset, and considering its impact on individual rights and privacy.
I recently convened two thought-leadership roundtables of Chief Data Officers and executives with responsibility for data initiatives within their organizations. The increased focus and concern for the ethical use of data is born out of widespread reaction to recent and highly publicized misuses of data that represent breaches of public trust -- whether this be unauthorized data sharing by social media platforms, reselling of customer information by businesses, or biased algorithms that reinforce social inequalities.
It is within this context that we are now witnessing increased corporate attention to data for good initiatives. Companies are increasingly recognizing and acknowledging that ethical action and doing well can be synonymous with doing good. A few corporations, notably Mastercard through their Center for Inclusive Growth, Bloomberg through Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Data for Good Exchange, and JP Morgan through the JP Morgan Institute have been among those corporations at the forefront of ethical data use for public good...
Increasingly, corporations are focusing on issues of data ethics, data privacy, and data philanthropy. An executive representing one of the nation’s largest insurance companies noted, “We are spending more hours on legal and ethical review of data than we are on data management”."
"It is against this backdrop that data ethics has rapidly moved to the forefront of any meaningful discussion about data. A spate of recent articles -- Never Heard of Data Ethics? You Will Soon, It’s Time to Talk About Data Ethics, Data Ethics: The New Competitive Advantage, Will Democracy Survive Big Data and Artificial Intelligence – underscore the increasing urgency and highlight the ethical considerations that organizations must address when managing data as an asset, and considering its impact on individual rights and privacy.
I recently convened two thought-leadership roundtables of Chief Data Officers and executives with responsibility for data initiatives within their organizations. The increased focus and concern for the ethical use of data is born out of widespread reaction to recent and highly publicized misuses of data that represent breaches of public trust -- whether this be unauthorized data sharing by social media platforms, reselling of customer information by businesses, or biased algorithms that reinforce social inequalities.
It is within this context that we are now witnessing increased corporate attention to data for good initiatives. Companies are increasingly recognizing and acknowledging that ethical action and doing well can be synonymous with doing good. A few corporations, notably Mastercard through their Center for Inclusive Growth, Bloomberg through Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Data for Good Exchange, and JP Morgan through the JP Morgan Institute have been among those corporations at the forefront of ethical data use for public good...
Increasingly, corporations are focusing on issues of data ethics, data privacy, and data philanthropy. An executive representing one of the nation’s largest insurance companies noted, “We are spending more hours on legal and ethical review of data than we are on data management”."
Current Events Classroom lesson from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), re the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, October 30, 2018
[Kip
Currier: I'm posting helpful information below, received from my former and
now-retired University of Pittsburgh colleague Dr. Ellen Detlefsen, whose son
David Reynolds works within the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) Education
Division. As Ellen wrote:
"David...has put together a lesson plan and resource page about the tragedy in Pittsburgh. He has asked us to share this widely, and we urge you to do the same! Sadly, it is more needed now than ever, so please see that this is shared with teachers, preachers, health workers, and your friends, neighbors, and relatives!"]
"David...has put together a lesson plan and resource page about the tragedy in Pittsburgh. He has asked us to share this widely, and we urge you to do the same! Sadly, it is more needed now than ever, so please see that this is shared with teachers, preachers, health workers, and your friends, neighbors, and relatives!"]
"ADL has a new HS Current Events Classroom lesson: Deadly Shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue.
On the morning of October 27, at Sabbath services, Robert Bowers entered the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA and
yelled “All Jews must die,” then opened fire upon the congregants. He was armed
with
an assault rifle and several handguns and killed eleven congregants and
wounded six others, four of whom are police officers.
When
surrendering to law
enforcement, Bowers told an officer that he “wanted all Jews to die” and
that Jews “were committing genocide against his people.”
This
shooting is the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the
U.S. This lesson provides an opportunity for students to analyze
this incident in the context of the shooter’s background and history of
anti-Semitism, as well as the nationwide rise of anti-Semitic incidents
over the last year. In this lesson, students will learn more about the
incident, understand and consider the larger
context of anti-Semitism in the U.S., explore how the escalation of
hate operates and how allyship can make a difference.
We also posted a new blog:
The Week in Hate and Bias and How to Talk with Young People
Here is a landing page with all the related resources that I’ve been sending the past few days plus these—all in one place!
After the Deadly Shooting at a Pittsburgh Synagogue: Resources for Educators
Dave Reynolds, Director of Professional Development and Regional Support
t: 617.406.6345 | email: dreynolds@adl.org
adl.org"
adl.org"
Medicine and ethics: Will we learn to take research scandals seriously?; Star Tribune, October 29, 2018
Carl Elliott, Star Tribune; Medicine and ethics: Will we learn to take research scandals seriously?
"“The Experiments” is a cautionary tale of how the refusal of institutional leaders to look honestly at ethical problems can lead to the deaths of unsuspecting patients. And while the jury is still out as to whether the Karolinska Institute will reform itself, at least the Swedish public and concerned politicians are trying to hold the institution accountable.
That is more than we can claim for Minnesota. As they say in the rehabilitation units: The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem."
"“The Experiments” is a cautionary tale of how the refusal of institutional leaders to look honestly at ethical problems can lead to the deaths of unsuspecting patients. And while the jury is still out as to whether the Karolinska Institute will reform itself, at least the Swedish public and concerned politicians are trying to hold the institution accountable.
That is more than we can claim for Minnesota. As they say in the rehabilitation units: The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem."
He Promised to Restore Damaged Hearts. Harvard Says His Lab Fabricated Research.; The New York Times, October 29, 2018
Gina Kolata, The New York Times;
He Promised to Restore Damaged Hearts. Harvard Says His Lab Fabricated Research.
He Promised to Restore Damaged Hearts. Harvard Says His Lab Fabricated Research.
"For Dr. Piero Anversa, the fall from scientific grace has been long, and the landing hard.
Researchers
worldwide once hailed his research as revolutionary, promising the
seemingly impossible: a way to grow new heart cells to replace those
lost in heart attacks and heart failure, leading killers in the United
States.
But Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, his former employers, this month accused Dr. Anversa and his laboratory of extensive scientific malpractice.
More than 30 research studies produced over more than a decade contain
falsified or fabricated data, officials concluded, and should be
retracted. Last year the hospital paid a $10 million settlement to the
federal government after the Department of Justice alleged
that Dr. Anversa and two members of his team were responsible for
fraudulently obtaining research funding from the National Institutes of
Health.
“The number of papers is
extraordinary,” said Dr. Jeffrey Flier, until 2016 the dean of Harvard
Medical School. “I can’t recall another case like this.”"
NDAs Are Out of Control. Here’s What Needs to Change; Harvard Business Review, January 30, 2018
Orly Lobel, Harvard Business Review; NDAs Are Out of Control. Here’s What Needs to Change
[Kip Currier: Came across this article about Nondisclosure Agreements (NDAs) while updating a Trade Secrets lecture for this week. The author raises a number of thought-provoking ethical and policy issues to consider. Good information for people in all sectors to think about when faced with signing an NDA and/or managing NDAs.]
"Nondisclosure agreements, or NDAs, which are increasingly common in employment contracts, suppress employee speech and chill creativity. The current revelations surfacing years of harassment in major organizations are merely the tip of the iceberg.
New data shows that over one-third of the U.S. workforce is bound by an NDA. These contracts have grown not only in number but also in breadth. They not only appear in settlements after a victim of sexual harassment has raised her voice but also are now routinely included in standard employment contracts upon hiring. At the outset, NDAs attempt to impose several obligations upon a new employee. They demand silence, often broadly worded to protect against speaking up against corporate culture or saying anything that would portray the company and its executives in a negative light. NDAs also attempt to expand the definitions of secrecy to cover more information than the traditional bounds of trade secret law, in effect preventing an employee from leaving their employer and continuing to work in the same field."
[Kip Currier: Came across this article about Nondisclosure Agreements (NDAs) while updating a Trade Secrets lecture for this week. The author raises a number of thought-provoking ethical and policy issues to consider. Good information for people in all sectors to think about when faced with signing an NDA and/or managing NDAs.]
"Nondisclosure agreements, or NDAs, which are increasingly common in employment contracts, suppress employee speech and chill creativity. The current revelations surfacing years of harassment in major organizations are merely the tip of the iceberg.
New data shows that over one-third of the U.S. workforce is bound by an NDA. These contracts have grown not only in number but also in breadth. They not only appear in settlements after a victim of sexual harassment has raised her voice but also are now routinely included in standard employment contracts upon hiring. At the outset, NDAs attempt to impose several obligations upon a new employee. They demand silence, often broadly worded to protect against speaking up against corporate culture or saying anything that would portray the company and its executives in a negative light. NDAs also attempt to expand the definitions of secrecy to cover more information than the traditional bounds of trade secret law, in effect preventing an employee from leaving their employer and continuing to work in the same field."
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