2020 Election Security

Russia Is Going to Up Its Game for the 2020 Elections

https://www.wired.com/story/russia-2020-election-security-mark-warner

What distinguishes this latest group, which Facebooks says it discovered a week ago, from the Iranian propaganda network that tech giants shut down this past summer are the striking similarities between its campaign and the one the Russians mounted before the 2016 election. Rather than focusing on the Iranian regime's agenda at home, the new network focused squarely on American and British politics. As it turns out, that may be a more successful strategy: While the network discovered this summer had just around 200,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram, this latest batch had more than one million.

Good Basic Introduction

How Tech Companies Track Your Every Move And Put Your Data Up For Sale

https://www.npr.org/2019/07/31/746878763/how-tech-companies-track-your-every-move-and-put-your-data-up-for-sale

Good for non techies.

hold their pledge

Web Tool Tracks Deforestation So Food Makers, Sellers Can Monitor Suppliers : The Salt
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/07/31/746192595/dont-cut-those-trees-big-food-might-be-watching

I like this a lot. Helps companies keep their pledge and improve sustainability, and gives watchdogs a tool to audit those companies.

Rule Roll Back

Proposed Trump Rule Would Weaken Fair Housing Act, Advocates Say
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/31/747006108/a-new-trump-rule-could-weaken-a-civil-rights-era-housing-discrimination-law

Didn't drumpf and his papa get sued for this at one point.

Sears estate says it can't pay insurance premiums

Workers who retired after years of folding shirts and selling refrigerators for Sears Holdings Corp. banded together earlier this year to complain when the retailer’s bankrupt shell terminated their life insurance plan.

Those benefits were potentially worth thousands of dollars to heirs of the former employees. Now the Sears estate has responded with a proposal that would pay them about $135 each.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-30/sears-retirees-life-insurance-payouts-could-be-just-135-each

Never work here

https://www.wired.com/story/to-end-student-debt-tie-tuition-to-post-grad-salaries/

a shame too......

For example, at Lambda School, the school I founded, students don’t pay tuition until they’re earning $50,000 or more. Then they pay 17 percent of their salary over 2 years, with repayment capped at $30,000 total. If their income falls below $50,000, payments pause. If grads don’t reach the cap in five years, they never make another payment and the ISA amount goes to zero. If everybody got a six-figure job post-graduation, we wouldn’t have a student debt crisis.

BROADBAND ISSUES?

https://www.wired.com/story/having-broadband-issues-tool-learn-local-laws/

To help illustrate those decisions, the Pew Charitable Trusts Wednesday launched the State Broadband Policy Explorer. You can use it to find out which agency in your state, if any, funds programs to expand broadband access in rural areas, check whether your state has laws restricting cities from building their own "municipal broadband" networks, or just find out how your state defines "broadband." You can view a list of policies in your state and filter them by category, year, or both.

The tool doesn't yet have a category for net neutrality, a hot-button state-level issue after the FCC repealed federal net neutrality rules in 2017. But you can find some related laws in categories like "competition and regulation" and "infrastructure access."

China troop movements

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-30/white-house-eyeing-buildup-of-chinese-forces-on-hong-kong-border

gross

1 In 4 Food Delivery Drivers Admit To Eating Your Food
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/30/746600105/1-in-4-food-delivery-drivers-admit-to-eating-your-food

When I was a driver for Pizza Hut, I never even thought of doing this.

Good luck with trump

New California Law Requires Presidential Candidates To Release Tax Returns
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/30/746777305/new-california-law-requires-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns

no way he follows this..

Candidates will have to submit five years of tax returns by November to be eligible for the primary ballot. California officials will post the information online for the public to access.

Newsom insists the law is constitutional, but it will almost certainly face a challenge in federal court. The law does not name a specific candidate, but opponents say it's a partisan ploy meant aimed at President Trump. They argue removing Trump's name from the ballot for failing to release his tax returns would amount to voter suppression.

budget gap grows

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-11/u-s-budget-gap-widens-to-747-billion-in-9-months-through-june

Trump once said he would eliminate the $22 trillion federal debt, but the annual budget deficit is on track to top $1 trillion a year -- swollen by bipartisan spending increases and his tax cuts -- with no real expectation of a change in trajectory any time soon.

foreign election interference

https://www.lawfareblog.com/managing-and-mitigating-foreign-election-interference

This is no laughing matter. Such warnings—even when they are issued seriously—are not working. For example, in August 2018, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton warned Russians not to meddle in the upcoming midterms. Had the warnings worked, the Russian government would not have tried to manipulate the election and the United States would not have needed to protect the integrity of the midterms from Russia. But just a few months later, U.S. Cyber Command reportedly launched offensive cyber operations against Russian targets, and while it was apparently able to block Russian troll farms on Election Day, its defensive actions suggest that multiple warnings by the United States did not dissuade Russia’s efforts to interfere. Russia has continued its efforts since, using myriad social media platforms to spread disinformation in an attempt to sway elections and call into question the stability of democracies.

Persian Gulf Russian Roulette

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/20/why-united-states-is-playing-rope-a-dope-with-iran-persian-gulf/

“We need to be the calm and steady part of the equation,” McKenzie told CBS News’s David Martin and me, the two journalists who are traveling with him. “We don’t need to overreact to what the Iranians do.”

“Clearly this [Iranian] action is irresponsible,” McKenzie continued. “But merely because they’re being irresponsible, we shouldn’t fall into the trap of some form of overreaction. So our response is going to be very calm, taken in concert with the international community.”

unintended amplification

https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2019/05/03/study-major-media-outlets-twitter-accounts-amplify-false-trump-claims-average-19-times-day/223572

Russian dis-information

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 investigation shows Russian disinformation campaigns have global reach
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/social-engineering/2019/07/malaysia-airlines-flight-17-investigation-shows-russian-disinformation-campaigns-have-global-reach/

Recession Indicators

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/28/business/economy/economy-recession.html

Many different ways to look for and predict a recession.

Sugar Rules the World

Study: Why Cavities Are On The Rise Around The World
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/07/19/743500431/study-sugar-rules-the-world-and-ruins-teeth

Trump is on something of a roll

Wake up, Democrats

Trump’s best issue is the economy. Last week’s employment report showed sharp job growth, led by manufacturing. There are caveats: The distribution of rewards is grossly unequal, and growth has been pumped by deficit spending. 

Iran Says It Has Seized A British Tanker In Strait Of Hormuz

www.npr.org story

Refinery Explosions Raise New Warnings About Deadly Chemical


Masur watched as the refinery spewed black smoke above the city, easily visible from his home. But what he didn't know at the time was just how close he and his family came to getting exposed to hydrogen fluoride, one of the deadliest chemicals used by refiners and other industrial manufacturers.

Philadelphia Energy Solutions knows that's a possibility. Its worst-case disaster scenario includes 143,262 pounds of hydrogen fluoride released over 10 minutes, which could travel as a toxic cloud for more than 7 miles and impact more than a million people, including in schools, homes, hospitals, prisons, playgrounds, parks and a wildlife sanctuary.

Iran seizes ship

Iran Says Its Revolutionary Guard Seized Foreign Oil Tanker In Strait Of Hormuz
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/18/743016095/iran-says-its-revolutionary-guard-seized-foreign-oil-tanker-in-strait-of-hormuz

Only because he was caught

Trump Attempts to Disavow Chant

“I was not happy with it,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office. “I disagree with it.” --  He is so full of $h!t

Asked why he didn’t stop his supporters from continuing with the chant, Trump insisted that he, in fact, did. “Well, number one, I think I did. I started speaking very quickly,” he claimed. “I disagree with it, by the way. It was quite a chant, and I felt a little bit badly about it.”

But videos of the rally show Trump nearly basking in the crowd’s chants and and listening to it for more than 10 seconds before proceeding with his remarks. Despite video evidence contradicting Trump’s comments from the Oval Office, several news outlets ran with the headline the president clearly desired.

“This time bomb is now going off”

At the core of the problem is the way Russia funds its big weapons budget. The government doesn’t release the funds for new systems until they’re completed, forcing producers to borrow from commercial banks -- usually under government guarantee -- to cover costs before then. But the rates on those loans average about 10% a year, according to government data, leaving the companies with huge debt costs.

Putin's Huge Military Buildup Leaves Industry With Debt Hangover

Turla renews its arsenal with Topinambour

https://securelist.com/turla-renews-its-arsenal-with-topinambour/91687/

Turla renews its arsenal with Topinambour

https://securelist.com/turla-renews-its-arsenal-with-topinambour/91687/

Racist in Charge

Trump Attacks Congresswomen At N.C. Rally, As Crowd Chants 'Send Her Back'
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/17/742896827/trump-attacks-congresswomen-at-n-c-rally-as-crowd-chants-send-her-back

"We as a people and we as a congregation have had firsthand experiences on how racist activities can impact people of faith... When you hear the rhetoric of going back from where you came from — for many of our folk, that's two blocks from here, so we are well invested in this country," Hammond said. "The contributions that we've made to the success of this country are well-documented."

Racist in Charge

Trump Attacks Congresswomen At N.C. Rally, As Crowd Chants 'Send Her Back'
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/17/742896827/trump-attacks-congresswomen-at-n-c-rally-as-crowd-chants-send-her-back

"We as a people and we as a congregation have had firsthand experiences on how racist activities can impact people of faith... When you hear the rhetoric of going back from where you came from — for many of our folk, that's two blocks from here, so we are well invested in this country," Hammond said. "The contributions that we've made to the success of this country are well-documented."

waiting for the book

Now We Know How the Zombie Ant Gets Its Bite
https://www.wired.com/story/now-we-know-how-the-zombie-ant-gets-its-bite

round 2 of debate-a-dome

2nd Democratic Primary Debate: See Which Candidates Made The Cut

https://www.npr.org/2019/07/17/742785609/second-democratic-primary-debate-see-which-candidates-made-the-cut

The math will be more interesting than the race.

waiting for the book

Now We Know How the Zombie Ant Gets Its Bite
https://www.wired.com/story/now-we-know-how-the-zombie-ant-gets-its-bite

One more radical change

If We All Ate Enough Fruits And Vegetables, There'd Be Big Shortages
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/07/17/742670701/if-we-all-ate-enough-fruits-and-vegetables-thered-be-big-shortages

The report comes at a time when poor diets are a leading cause of premature death. In fact, a recent study found diets are now responsible for more deaths than smoking around the globe. And it's become increasingly clear that current dietary patterns are detrimental to the environment, too. Recent studies, including the EAT-Lancet study and the Global Nutrition Report, have pointed to the need for a radical shift in the food system aimed at nudging people toward more nutritious and sustainable diets

One more radical change

If We All Ate Enough Fruits And Vegetables, There'd Be Big Shortages
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/07/17/742670701/if-we-all-ate-enough-fruits-and-vegetables-thered-be-big-shortages

The report comes at a time when poor diets are a leading cause of premature death. In fact, a recent study found diets are now responsible for more deaths than smoking around the globe. And it's become increasingly clear that current dietary patterns are detrimental to the environment, too. Recent studies, including the EAT-Lancet study and the Global Nutrition Report, have pointed to the need for a radical shift in the food system aimed at nudging people toward more nutritious and sustainable diets

Ban, Not so Much

That Global Ban on Huawei? Not So Much Anymore

https://www.wired.com/story/global-ban-huawei-not-so-much

A bit of a reversal.

Apollo 11: Mission Out of Control 

https://www.wired.com/story/apollo-11-mission-out-of-control

what an amazing moment to have a computer crash, and have to recover.

Worst BSOD Ever

Apollo 11: Mission Out of Control | WIRED https://www.wired.com/story/apollo-11-mission-out-of-control/?itm_campaign=TechinTwo

echo chambers

The Toxic Potential of YouTube’s Feedback Loop

https://www.wired.com/story/the-toxic-potential-of-youtubes-feedback-loop

how AI lets you stay in your bubble.

collection of bits

Palantir Manual Shows How Law Enforcement Tracks Families

https://www.wired.com/story/palantir-surveillance-apple-watch-security-roundup

I always thought it weird how Peter Thiel, who is as I understand it, a very independent and libertarian thinker, would create such a company that only heightens the police state like palantir does.

echo chambers

The Toxic Potential of YouTube’s Feedback Loop

https://www.wired.com/story/the-toxic-potential-of-youtubes-feedback-loop

Clearly this is different than an ordinary trespassing case.

New Ruling in Mar-a-Lago Intruder Case Raises Question of Chinese Espionage

More circus sideshow

Tom Steyer, Billionaire Environmental Activist, Is Latest To Run Against Trump
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/09/739825963/billionaire-tom-steyer-changes-his-mind-and-is-now-running-for-president

More circus sideshow

Tom Steyer, Billionaire Environmental Activist, Is Latest To Run Against Trump
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/09/739825963/billionaire-tom-steyer-changes-his-mind-and-is-now-running-for-president

Thank you Ambassador Obvious

British Ambassador Calls Trump 'Inept', Trump Says He Won't Work With Him
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/07/739251572/top-british-diplomat-assails-trumps-inept-presidency-in-leaked-memos

I love this part:
"""
Among the leaked memos was a list offering advice for other top British officials in their dealings with Trump. According to the Daily Mail, the ambassador advised, "You need to start praising him for something that he's done recently."
"""

Thank you Ambassador Obvious

British Ambassador Calls Trump 'Inept', Trump Says He Won't Work With Him
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/07/739251572/top-british-diplomat-assails-trumps-inept-presidency-in-leaked-memos

I love this part:
"""
Among the leaked memos was a list offering advice for other top British officials in their dealings with Trump. According to the Daily Mail, the ambassador advised, "You need to start praising him for something that he's done recently."
"""

Growing out of control

Iran's Uranium Enrichment Breaks Nuclear Deal Limit. Here's What That Means
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/07/738902822/irans-uranium-enrichment-breaks-nuclear-deal-limit-here-s-what-that-means

Growing out of control

Iran's Uranium Enrichment Breaks Nuclear Deal Limit. Here's What That Means
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/07/738902822/irans-uranium-enrichment-breaks-nuclear-deal-limit-here-s-what-that-means

Route BGP

The Infrastructure Mess Causing Countless Internet Outages
https://www.wired.com/story/bgp-route-leak-internet-outage

Betrayal of Trust

ICE Uses Facial Recognition To Sift State Driver's License Records, Researchers Say
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/08/739491857/ice-uses-facial-recognition-to-sift-state-drivers-license-records-researchers-sa

Not of just undocumented people, but any citizen. We should be made aware our data was being used in this way. So.e notice or something. Governments can destroy privacy as well.

Betrayal of Trust

ICE Uses Facial Recognition To Sift State Driver's License Records, Researchers Say
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/08/739491857/ice-uses-facial-recognition-to-sift-state-drivers-license-records-researchers-sa

Not of just undocumented people, but any citizen. We should be made aware our data was being used in this way. So.e notice or something. Governments can destroy privacy as well.

Route BGP

The Infrastructure Mess Causing Countless Internet Outages
https://www.wired.com/story/bgp-route-leak-internet-outage

Wired Opinion

How to Protect Our Kids' Data and Privacy

https://www.wired.com/story/protect-kids-data

Computers destroy Democracy

Big Data Supercharged Gerrymandering. It Could Help Stop It Too
https://www.wired.com/story/big-data-supercharged-gerrymandering-supreme-court

Take what happened in Wisconsin. Republican lawmakers in the state hired a political science professor to devise a regression analysis, which selected the district map that would benefit politicians from their party the most. In the next election after the map was passed into law, in 2012, Republicans won less than half the votes, but more than 60 percent of assembly seats. (The Supreme Court declined to rule on the case and sent it back to a lower court.) In her dissent, Justice Kagan pointed to similar partisan redistricting efforts carried out in Ohio and Pennsylvania around the same time

Computers destroy Democracy

Big Data Supercharged Gerrymandering. It Could Help Stop It Too
https://www.wired.com/story/big-data-supercharged-gerrymandering-supreme-court

Take what happened in Wisconsin. Republican lawmakers in the state hired a political science professor to devise a regression analysis, which selected the district map that would benefit politicians from their party the most. In the next election after the map was passed into law, in 2012, Republicans won less than half the votes, but more than 60 percent of assembly seats. (The Supreme Court declined to rule on the case and sent it back to a lower court.) In her dissent, Justice Kagan pointed to similar partisan redistricting efforts carried out in Ohio and Pennsylvania around the same time

Georgia's turn

Ransomware Hits Georgia Courts As Municipal Attacks Spread

https://www.wired.com/story/ransomware-hits-georgia-courts-municipal-attacks-spread

China Surveilance

Don't get me wrong, ia m sure the US government does this as well to certain travelers.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/02/chinese-border-guards-surveillance-app-tourists-phones

Migrant center attack

Libya: Airstrike On Migrant Detention Center Kills At Least 44 People
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/03/738392690/libya-airstrike-on-migrant-detention-center-kills-at-least-44-people

Warfare spills into detention center and kills many migrants.

Migrant center attack

Libya: Airstrike On Migrant Detention Center Kills At Least 44 People
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/03/738392690/libya-airstrike-on-migrant-detention-center-kills-at-least-44-people

Warfare spills into detention center and kills many migrants.

More Secure, Less Privacy

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says photos of travelers were taken in a data breach
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/06/10/us-customs-border-protection-says-photos-travelers-into-out-country-were-recently-taken-data-breach/

This crazy push to use biometrics in the pursuit of making us more secure, is actually stripping us of one of our last bits we call our own. It is only a matter of time before the first mega-breach of this data happens.

More Secure, Less Privacy

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says photos of travelers were taken in a data breach
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/06/10/us-customs-border-protection-says-photos-travelers-into-out-country-were-recently-taken-data-breach/

This crazy push to use biometrics in the pursuit of making us more secure, is actually stripping us of one of our last bits we call our own. It is only a matter of time before the first mega-breach of this data happens.

This was kept quiet

Philadelphia Oil Refinery Explosions Create Giant Fireball In The Sky : NPR https://www.npr.org/2019/06/21/734731623/explosion-at-philadelphia-oil-refinery-sends-a-giant-ball-of-fire-skyward?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news

This was kept quiet

Philadelphia Oil Refinery Explosions Create Giant Fireball In The Sky : NPR https://www.npr.org/2019/06/21/734731623/explosion-at-philadelphia-oil-refinery-sends-a-giant-ball-of-fire-skyward?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news

This is so sad

Newtown Parents Make Gains In Court Cases Against Sandy Hook Deniers

https://www.npr.org/2019/06/18/733880866/sandy-hook-victims-father-wins-defamation-suit-alex-jones-sanctioned

To have to prove your dead child was a real person has to be gut wrenching. I think this character of Alex Jones has finally gone too far, and needs to be retired. Time for you to generate a new persona for your show.

The acting president

Acting Defense Secretary Fits Trump Administration Pattern Of Temporary Posts
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/20/734058908/acting-the-part-trump-has-a-pattern-of-filling-key-posts-with-temporary-leaders

Totally makes sense why he does this. This way the chief narcissist can hire and fire people at will, and doesn't need to worry about the pesky Senate.

Church law expands

Alabama Mega-Church To Hire Its Own Police Force
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/20/734591147/new-alabama-law-permits-church-to-hire-its-own-police-force

Wow, this is a very dangerous slope.....

Acting Defense Secretary Fits Trump Administration Pattern Of Temporary Posts
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/20/734058908/acting-the-part-trump-has-a-pattern-of-filling-key-posts-with-temporary-leaders

Totally makes sense why he does this. This way the chief narcissist can hire and fire people at will, and doesn't need to worry about the pesky Senate.

This is so sad

Newtown Parents Make Gains In Court Cases Against Sandy Hook Deniers

https://www.npr.org/2019/06/18/733880866/sandy-hook-victims-father-wins-defamation-suit-alex-jones-sanctioned

To have to prove your dead child was a real person has to be gut wrenching. I think this character of Alex Jones has finally gone too far, and needs to be retired. Time for you to generate a new persona for your show.