Mage Soapbox

BIG BROTHER - San Diego Police Department Spy Cameras

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 17:43:00 +0000

"Board rejects SDPD smart streetlight proposal Council may still approve plan for adding 500 cameras across city" by Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune 25 Jun 2020

NOTE: This was copied from the eNewspaper, so there is no link to the article.

The San Diego Police Department wants to spend millions of dollars to outfit a network of streetlights with sophisticated cameras.

This week, after months of deliberation, the Privacy Advisory Board — a volunteer group charged with evaluating the city’s surveillance technologies — issued their response to that request: No.

At a Thursday meeting that went late into the evening, six of eight board members voted to recommend to city officials that they not allow the streetlight program to move forward.

The vote marked a pivotal point in a process that started in September when the city’s new surveillance ordinance went into effect. Under the legislation, city departments are required to disclose their surveillance technologies and compile reports outlining how those tools are used and their impact on communities.

That information then makes its way to the newly formed Privacy Advisory Board and, subsequently, to the City Council. Council members will decide whether to adopt the board’s recommendation regarding the smart streetlights in the coming weeks.

The Police Department’s streetlight proposal was the first to be reviewed by the board, and the undertaking highlighted challenges that may plague the evaluation of future technologies.

Questions remain

Before voting on whether to support the technology, the board highlighted several pressing concerns.

Members felt the department hadn’t provided enough information about various aspects of the plan, including the purpose or goals of the streetlight program, how data would be collected and safeguarded, who would have access to the information gathered, how those individuals would be trained, and how the effectiveness of the technology would be assessed.

But one concern outweighed the rest.

Department officials have said they plan to install cameras made by Ubicquia, a telecommunications company, but no information has been provided about the vendor that would supply the accompanying automated license plate reader technology.

Board members said the ordinance requires that the department produce this information and that without it, they can’t effectively assess potential privacy or security risks the tools may pose.

“That’s why we keep asking all these questions, because we want to make sure that everything is spelled out as clearly as humanly possible,” said Pegah Parsi, board member and chief privacy officer at UC San Diego. “We’re not trying to be obstructionist; we understand that the technology is here, but it’s very important for the Police Department and for the city to show how the cow eats the cabbage.”

Police officials said they haven’t provided information about a vendor because one hasn’t been selected. Acting Capt. Charles Lara told the board during its meeting that, based on the department’s understanding of the ordinance, police need City Council approval of the technology before a company can be chosen.

It’s a challenge department officials expect will continue to crop up.

In a memo addressing several questions from the board, Lara said, “because of the way the ordinance was drafted, city departments will have to bring proposals without the purchasing and contracting process being completed, and all potential vendors being identified or selected.”

Seth Hall, a member of "TRUST San Diego Coalition," which helped craft the surveillance ordinance, said the department’s failure to provide even the name of a probable vendor flies in the face of the spirit of the legislation.

“They’ve said they welcome oversight,” Hall said. “So welcome it.

“Bringing unknown technologies that you refused to identify, that we don’t even know who manufactures it or what it can or can’t do — that’s not participating,” Hall said. “There’s no way for us to use that to inform the public. It’s not sufficient.”

Report finds deficiencies

Hall, who is also the co-founder of San Diego Privacy, a community group that seeks to boost the public’s understanding of privacy issues, said his organization found serious flaws in the department’s plan.

The group compared the department’s proposed policies with best practices for video surveillance as established by organizations like the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Security Industry Association.

The result? A 74-page report detailing 43 deficiencies and 69 recommendations for how the department could improve its approach.

One recommendation suggested the department include additional information in its policy about how the system will be evaluated to determine whether it is meeting its objectives. Another recommended the department place more stringent limits on how other law enforcement agencies access data collected by San Diego’s system.

“When we compare the Police Department’s policy to the way the standards say that it should be written, we just come out with a bunch of stuff missing,” Hall said.

The group also raised concerns about provisions that appeared to allow the department to surveil private property with permission from the property owner.

Hall noted that many San Diegans are renters, and the department policy doesn’t specify that officials would need to obtain permission from tenants as well.

“Perhaps a department person will come along and say, ‘Yeah, that’s what we meant. We’ll get approval from the people that it affects.’ But that’s not what they wrote,” Hall said. “And that’s the primary problem here. These policies need to be carefully written.”

Department officials have said they believe the documentation they have provided, including its proposed policies, complies with the city’s surveillance ordinance.

Over the last few months, police have responded to 111 questions from the board about the streetlight proposal. Police leaders have also stated that, in addition to the privacy board’s review, the technology is subject to vetting through the city’s information technology processes.

“The Department and the City work tirelessly to ensure our information technology systems are sound, protected from malicious intrusions and protect the civil liberties and data of San Diegans,” Lara said in a recent memo to board members.

Community outcry

Many of these concerns were echoed by community members who attended Thursday’s meeting — in person and online — to speak out against the streetlights.

Speakers said they worried the technology would invade people’s privacy and fuel unequal enforcement in communities of color. Many said they didn’t trust the police to be good stewards of such powerful tools and felt the money to fund the program could be better spent if funneled to community groups that are already working to prevent crime and violence across San Diego.

“The goal for this technology is to enforce more safety, but I feel it will do the complete opposite by targeting innocent people,” said 16-year-old Sumaya Abdullahi. “My community is already targeted and watched enough, and this will make it worse.”

Abdullahi is a member of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans’ Youth Congress (PANA), a group that empowers young immigrants and refugees to participate in the organization’s policy work.

Moments after she spoke, other members of the Youth Congress who stood alongside her began to chant: “Every step we take, every move we make, we don’t want to be watched or surveiled — put the camera away.”

A few speakers voiced support for the technology, saying they were in favor of tools that would aid officers in solving crimes.

In the past, police and city officials have praised smart streetlights for their effectiveness, and cited their positive impact on police work as the reason for pursuing their installation.

In 2016, City Council members signed off on a $30 million project that pledged to use 3,000 energy-saving smart streetlights to assess traffic and parking patterns throughout the city. What the public didn’t know — and wouldn’t know for years — was that the technology came with cameras that could be accessed by police.

The resulting outcry — based on concerns about privacy and equity — led San Diego to shut down the network and fueled the creation of the surveillance ordinance and the Privacy Advisory Board.

Before losing access to the technology, police had used footage from the smart streetlights to investigate hundreds of cases, including 56 homicides or attempted homicides, 55 robberies or burglaries and 55 assaults involving a weapon.

Smart streetlights installed in San Ysidro helped investigators zero in on a suspected gunman in the Nov. 6, 2019 shootings of three Church’s Chicken workers, one of whom was killed.

In downtown San Diego, they helped identify a man suspected of donning a costume mask and fatally shooting a business owner in October 2018.

Police officials also accessed streetlights 35 times to gather evidence against demonstrators suspected of committing crimes during protests held in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020.

On Thursday, Lara thanked both the board and community members for their active participation in the process.

“The board is working vigorously to defend the privacy rights of San Diegans, and that is an important charge,” he said. “I also want to acknowledge the time and passion of all the people who came to express their opinion regarding this proposed program.”

What’s next

Despite its vote against the program, the Privacy Advisory Board is not a decision-making body.

The Police Department plans to present the proposal to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee on July 19. Sometime after that, the City Council will vote on whether the tool should be given the green light.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria has already spoken out in favor of the technology, and the $4 million needed to kick start the program is included in this year’s budget.

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com

My Questions

What protections are included in the contract with Ubicquia (or any other company chosen) contain to protect the company from recording the information on their cameras and selling it outside law enforcement?

How long will SDPD keep the recordings? There should be a time limit.

What protections are included to ensure the recordings cannot be used by ANYONE outside Traffic Courts, without a warrant (no blanket warrants)?

The ordnance was poorly written if it did not include the SDPD submitting (and updating) a list of camera companies being looked at BEFORE choosing any. This would have prevented the SDPD wasting time looking at companies that would be rejected.

AT THE MOVIES - 1987 "Empire of the Sun " the Loss of Innocence

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 15:35:00 +0000

Empire of the Sun is a 1987 American epic coming-of-age war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Tom Stoppard, based on J. G. Ballard's semi-autobiographical 1984 novel of the same name. The film tells the story of Jamie "Jim" Graham (Christian Bale), a young boy who goes from living with his wealthy British family in Shanghai to becoming a prisoner of war in a Japanese internment camp during World War II.

Harold Becker and David Lean were originally to direct before Spielberg came on board, initially as a producer for Lean. Spielberg was attracted to directing the film because of a personal connection to Lean's films and World War II topics. He considers it to be his most profound work on "the loss of innocence". The film received positive reviews, but was not initially a commercial success, earning only $22 million at the US box office, although it eventually more than recouped its budget through revenues in foreign markets, home video, and television.

Plot

Amid Japan's invasion of China during World War II, Jamie "Jim" Graham is a British upper middle class schoolboy enjoying a privileged life in the Shanghai International Settlement. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan begins occupying the settlement. As the Graham family evacuate the city, Jamie is separated from his parents in the ensuing chaos. Jamie makes his way back to their house, assuming they will return. After a length of time alone and having eaten the little remaining food, he ventures back into the city.

Hungry, Jamie tries surrendering to Japanese soldiers, who ignore him. After being chased by a street urchin, he is taken in by two American expatriates and hustlers, Basie and Frank. Unable to sell Jamie for money, they intend to abandon him in the streets, but Jamie offers to lead them to his neighborhood to loot the empty houses there. Jamie is surprised to see lights on in his family home and thinks his parents have returned, only to discover it is occupied by Japanese troops. The trio are taken prisoner, transported to the Lunghua Civilian Assembly Centre in Shanghai for processing, and ultimately sent to an internment camp in Suzhou. - Wikipedia

IMHO this is an outstanding movie and depicts the cost of war on children. One of the best Steven Spielberg has directed.

Trailer

CODA Patrick Stewart 5/29/2023

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 29 May 2023 16:43:00 +0000

I recently got the DVD of "CODA" staring Patrick Stewart and it is outstanding. And, of course, well played by Patrick Stewart.

He made you believe that the character DID suffer from debilitating stage fright and overall mental instability.

Well worth watching.

Coda is a 2019 film starring Patrick Stewart, Katie Holmes, and Giancarlo Esposito about a concert pianist (Stewart) who suffers from performance anxiety late in his career. The film is written by Louis Godbout and directed by Claude Lalonde.

The film premiered at the 2019 International Film Festival of India.

Plot

Henry Cole is an acclaimed classical pianist at the twilight of his career. He returns to the stage after a long absence following the death of his wife only to discover that his performance is marred by stage fright and overall mental instability. He barely escapes catastrophe as he suffers an anxiety attack on stage, running outside after finishing a number and smoking a cigarette.

At a post-recital press conference, he meets Helen Morrison, a music critic for The New Yorker. She wants to write a story about him and unsuccessfully asks for an interview. They meet again a few days later at Steinway Hall, where Henry suffers another episode while attempting to perform. Helen rescues him in extremis and earns his trust. Henry finally agrees to the interview.

Meanwhile, despite his agent Paul’s best efforts, Henry’s mental condition declines steadily. His recitals become more and more perilous, thus jeopardizing his comeback tour and his much anticipated and publicized final concert in London.

Henry is urged by Helen to travel to Sils Maria in the Swiss Alps in order to hear another pianist she once knew, famous for the therapeutic effect of his interpretation of Beethoven’s late piano sonatas. Once there, Henry’s symptoms at first worsen, but he gradually finds solace through walks in nature, curious but empathetic encounters with strangers, spirited chess matches with Felix, a hotel porter, and the music of Beethoven. - Wikipedia

West Side Story 5/29/2023

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 29 May 2023 16:07:00 +0000

I just bought the DVD of the musical "West Side Story (Steven Spielberg)" and it was and it was outstanding.

West Side Story is a 2021 American musical romantic drama film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Tony Kushner. It is the second feature-length adaptation of the 1957 stage musical of the same name. It stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler in her film debut with Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, and Rita Moreno in supporting roles. Moreno, who starred in the 1961 film adaptation, also served as an executive producer alongside Kushner. The film features music composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

The film entered development in 2014 at 20th Century Fox; Kushner began writing the screenplay in 2017. In January 2018, Spielberg was hired and casting began that September. Justin Peck choreographed the dance sequences. Principal photography occurred in New York and New Jersey; filming began in July 2019 and ran for two months.

West Side Story had its world premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater in New York City on November 29, 2021, three days after Sondheim's death. The film was later theatrically distributed by 20th Century Studios in the United States on December 10, after being delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film received critical acclaim with praise for the performances of the cast, Spielberg's direction, and the cinematography, with some critics deeming it superior to the 1961 film. It was named one of the top ten films of 2021 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. The film grossed $76 million against a $100 million production budget. Among its multiple awards and nominations, it received seven nominations at the 94th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, with DeBose winning Best Supporting Actress. It also received four nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, winning three, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for Zegler, and Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for DeBose.

In 1957, the Jets are a gang of white youths that fight the Puerto Rican Sharks for control of San Juan Hill on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Officer Krupke and Lieutenant Schrank break up a skirmish, telling the gangs that their conflict is pointless since the neighborhood will soon be demolished to make way for Lincoln Center. The gangs are too proud to care, and Jet leader Riff proposes a "rumble" (fight) between the two gangs. He approaches his friend Tony, who is on parole, for help. Tony refuses, wishing to turn over a new leaf with the help of Valentina, the Puerto Rican owner of Doc's general store. Meanwhile, Maria, Shark leader Bernardo's sister, is betrothed to his friend Chino, but yearns for independence. At a neighborhood dance, Tony and Maria meet and fall in love, angering Bernardo, who agrees to Riff's terms for a rumble if Tony attends. Tony tells Maria of his love and the couple meets on her fire escape, promising to see each other the next day. - Wikipedia

I remember seeing the earlier version somewhere, and I had forgotten that the story is a Tragedy, because it's a story about prejudice, the tragic reliance on violence to solve the goal of misplaced pride against the love between a boy (Tony, Jets) and girl (Maria, Sharks).

This version was otherwise enjoyable.

Trailer

OPINION - Marcus and Abernathy 1/27/2023

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 02:51:00 +0000

"Marcus and Abernathy on the deadly police beating in Memphis" PBS NewsHour 1/27/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus and her Post colleague Gary Abernathy join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the deadly police beating in Memphis and mass shootings in California as America once again reckons with its chronic struggle to prevent violence and hold the powerful accountable.

CANVAS - The Play "Life of Pi"

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 02:26:00 +0000

"A look inside the acclaimed new theater production of ‘Life of Pi’" PBS NewsHour 1/27/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: The play "Life of Pi" opened this winter at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. You may know the story from the bestselling book or the Oscar-winning film. But the creative team of the play wants you to reconsider what you thought you knew. Jared Bowen of GBH Boston has the story for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

COMMENT: I am a fan of SiFi and Fantasy therefore no surprise I prefer the fantasy interpretation that the animals are real.

JUSTICE IN AMERICAN - The "Driving While Black" Murder of Tyre Nichols

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 01:38:00 +0000

"Former Memphis police officers charged with murder in death of Tyre Nichols" PBS NewsHour 1/26/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Five fired police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, have been charged with second-degree murder in a killing that has echoed across the country. The victim, Tyre Nichols, died after a confrontation during a traffic stop earlier this month. Attorneys for Nichols' family say body camera footage shows a police beating that lasted three minutes. John Yang reports.

"Memphis prepares for protests as video of police beating Tyre Nichols is released" PBS NewsHour 1/27/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Authorities in Memphis and other cities are urging peaceful protests as they prepare for the release of graphic video of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. The 29-year-old died this month after police beat him for three minutes following a traffic stop. The five fired police officers are charged with his murder. Geoff Bennett spoke with Rev. Earle Fisher about the Memphis community's response.

"Tyre Nichols’ death puts spotlight back on excessive police use of force" PBS NewsHour 1/28/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: People across the nation are struggling to come to grips with the shocking display of excessive force by Memphis police in the beating death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols. Thaddeus Johnson, professor of criminal justice and criminology at Georgia State University, joins John Yang to discuss the use of force in policing.

MODEL FOR THE NATION - Washington State Domestic Extremism

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 01:04:00 +0000

"How a Washington state plan to fight domestic extremism could be a model for the nation" PBS NewsHour 1/25/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: In Washington state this week, legislators held public hearings to form a domestic violent extremism commission that, if implemented, would make Washington the first in the nation to target extremism with a public health and civic engagement approach. Laura Barrón-López spoke with Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson about what his state is doing and how it could be a model for the nation.

POP FRANCIS - Laws Against GAYS

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 00:35:00 +0000

"Pope Francis says laws that criminalize homosexuality are ‘unjust’" PBS NewsHour 1/25/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Pope Francis, in a wide-ranging interview with the Associated Press, spoke at length about his health, his critics and the future of the papacy. Most notably, he called laws criminalizing homosexuality fundamentally unjust and said being homosexual is not a crime. Paul Elie of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs joined Geoff Bennett to discuss the pope's interview.

GOP ANTI-DEMOCRACY - Dictator House Speaker Locks Democrats

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 00:16:00 +0000

As I've said before, the GOP cannot win playing by the rules, so the always rig the 'game.'

"McCarthy locks out leading Democrats from key committees, sparking partisan outrage" PBS NewsHour 1/25/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Historic levels of drama played out over the first few weeks of the new Congress [House]. Legislative leaders are just now beginning to get into the day-to-day of Capitol Hill. This week, Speaker Kevin McCarthy sparked outrage when he locked out leading Democrats from key committees. Lisa Desjardins has a look at what's happening now and what's to come.

UKRAINE - Tanks for Ukraine!

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 23:47:00 +0000

"U.S. and Germany sending tanks to Ukraine for fight against Russian invasion" PBS NewsHour 1/25/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: The U.S. officially announced it will send American tanks to Ukraine as part of a coordinated effort with Germany, which will also send its tanks. It’s a shift in U.S. policy and one of the most significant weapons upgrades that Ukraine has been asking for. To discuss the development, Nick Schifrin spoke with John Kirby, the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications.

FBI - Former Agent Aiding Russian Oligarch

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 23:19:00 +0000

"Former FBI agent charged with violating sanctions against Russia, aiding oligarch" PBS NewsHour 1/24/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: A former senior FBI official will appear in a federal court, but not as an investigator or a government witness. Charlie McGonigal is charged with hiding $225,000 he received from a former Albanian intelligence officer while he was still with the FBI. McGonigal is also accused of money laundering and violating Russian sanctions. Retired FBI agent Frank Montoya joined Nick Schifrin to discuss.

CANVAS - Contemporary Native American Arts

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 22:56:00 +0000

"Filmmaker Sky Hopinka’s unconventional ways of telling Native stories" PBS NewsHour 1/23/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: The artist and filmmaker Sky Hopinka was awarded the prestigious MacArthur Genius Award last fall, celebrating a decade of his experimental work focused on Indigenous people. Jeffrey Brown met Hopinka in New York’s Hudson Valley for the final story in our series on contemporary Native American Arts. It’s part of our arts and culture series, "CANVAS."

MEXICO - Crooked Politics in Drug Enforcement

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 22:32:00 +0000

"Mexico’s former anti-narcotics chief on trial in U.S., accused of protecting cartels" PBS NewsHour 1/23/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: In New York, arguments began in the case of the highest-ranking Mexican official to ever stand trial in the U.S. Prosecutors say the very man responsible for working with the U.S. to enforce the War on Drugs, Genaro García Luna protected the cartels he was supposed to prosecute. León Krauze of Univision Noticias joined Nick Schifrin to discuss the case.

SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS - The Documents Scandals

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 20:15:00 +0000

NOTE: Trump has never WILLINGLY turned over the sensitive documents in his position and still contends he had the right to have them.

"How a new chief of staff will affect the Biden White House amid documents scandal" PBS NewsHour 1/23/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: As President Biden enters his third year in office, there's a change coming at the top of his leadership team. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain will leave his post in the coming weeks. It comes as the President prepares for the State of the Union Address and deals with questions about his handling of classified material. White House Correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports.

"Pence latest to face scrutiny after classified documents found in his Indiana home" PBS NewsHour 1/24/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Aides to former Vice President Mike Pence said they discovered a number of classified documents at his Indiana home during a search conducted last week. Pence's attorney said the documents were "inadvertently boxed and transported" at the end of the Trump administration without his knowledge. Larry Pfeiffer of the Hayden Center joined Laura Barrón-López to discuss the latest.

DeSANTIS - Proves His Racism and Belief in Conspiracy Theory

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 19:16:00 +0000

"DeSantis defends blocking African American studies course in Florida schools" PBS NewsHour 1/23/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended his administration's decision to block a course on African American studies from the state's public schools. He said teaching Black history is required in Florida schools, but the Advanced Placement course amounted to ‘indoctrination.’ The fight is just the latest in the ongoing identity and culture war in Florida that has become a hallmark of DeSantis' agenda.

MASS SHOOTINGS - Again, and Again, and Again......

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 17:52:00 +0000

#StopTheNRA an American Terrorist Organization

"Community seeks answers after deadly Lunar New Year shooting in California" PBS NewsHour 1/23/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Authorities in California are trying to determine the motive behind the shooting in Monterey Park that killed 11 people celebrating the Lunar New Year. It's the deadliest shooting the U.S. has seen since 19 children and two teachers were killed last June in Uvalde, Texas. Amna Nawaz reports from Monterey Park and spoke with Rep. Judy Chu about the latest community affected by mass gun violence.

"Can gun safety laws make an impact on the frequency of mass shootings?" PBS NewsHour 1/23/2023

IMHO: Not as long as the NRA exists.

Excerpt

SUMMARY: The tragedy in Monterey Park was the second mass shooting in California in just under a week. To discuss the laws in that state and the challenges of stopping shootings given the wide availability of guns, Geoff Bennett spoke with Adam Winkler, a professor at the UCLA School of Law where he focuses on constitutional law and gun policy.

"Another community mourns after California’s 2nd mass shooting in 48 hours" PBS NewsHour 1/24/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Less than 48 hours after a gunman’s rampage shook the sleepy Southern Californian city of Monterey Park, a mass shooting in Northern California left a second trail of devastation. Officials said the gunman opened fire at a farm and another agricultural business near Half Moon Bay, a small coastal city outside of San Francisco. Amna Nawaz reports.

"Latest wave of mass shootings sparks new debate over U.S. gun access" PBS NewsHour 1/25/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: As Vice President Harris meets with the families of those killed in the Monterey Park shooting, many are grappling with the toll it is taking on their community. For Asian Americans, this past week has been especially painful. All 11 victims in Monterey Park were of Asian descent. Gloria Pan of MomsRising and the AAPI Against Gun Violence Coalition joined John Yang to discuss gun access.

"How the trauma of mass shootings fundamentally change American communities" PBS NewsHour 1/26/2023

Excerpt

SUMMARY: This week's mass shootings in California, plus two others in just eight days, left 25 people dead and wounded 15 others. They also left many people to cope with the trauma of these attacks. Jennifer Carlson is studying the impact and aftermath of gun violence for the National Science Foundation. She joined Geoff Bennett to discuss how these shootings fundamentally change communities.

CLIMATE SOLUTIONS - Norway’s Unique Approach

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 03:31:00 +0000

"Oslo, Norway’s unique approach to curbing carbon emissions" PBS NewsHour 11/20/2022

Excerpt

SUMMARY: The capital of Norway is working to be nearly emission-free by 2030. Every year, the city of Oslo calculates how much emission-producing activity will contribute to greenhouse gases, then implements a carbon budget to keep those levels low. Lisa Desjardins speaks with Heidi Sørensen, director of Oslo's Agency for Climate, to learn more.

CANVAS - Alice Gerrard

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 02:59:00 +0000

"Bluegrass icon Alice Gerrard on her trailblazing career" PBS NewsHour 11/19/2022

Excerpt

SUMMARY: With their unique harmonies, the bluegrass duo of Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard blazed trails for female folk singers in the 1960s and ‘70s. They were also civil rights activists who used their music to speak out politically. To celebrate the pair's legacy, last month the Smithsonian released a selection of remastered versions of their music. Ali Rogin speaks to Gerrard about her career.

Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard — Long Black Veil

OPINION - Capehart and Abernathy 11/18/2022

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 02:22:00 +0000

"Capehart and Abernathy on the special counsel appointed to oversee Trump investigations" PBS NewsHour 11/18/2022

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Washington Post columnists Jonathan Capehart and Gary Abernathy join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including a special counsel appointed to investigate former President Trump, the balance of power in Washington [DC] and the battle for leadership on Capitol Hill.

2022 FIFA WORLD CUP - The Real Cost

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 01:52:00 +0000

"Migrant workers recount abuse while building stadiums for World Cup in Qatar" PBS NewsHour 11/18/2022

Excerpt

SUMMARY: The World Cup starts Sunday in Qatar, but controversies have shadowed the event. To host, the nation went on a stadium-building spree, bringing in thousands upon thousands of migrant laborers. There are numerous stories about the workforce being mistreated and more than three dozen died on the job. We partnered with independent filmmakers Fat Rat Films to hear from some of those workers.

SEARCHING FOR JUSTICE - Conditions Inside Our Jails

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 01:26:00 +0000

"How a criminal justice reporter built trust with prisoners to highlight conditions inside" PBS NewsHour 11/17/2022

Excerpt

SUMMARY: A criminal justice reporter (Keri Blakinger - The Marshall Project) is using her background to build trust with men and women behind bars and to highlight conditions inside prisons. Special correspondent Christopher Booker reports from Texas for our series, “Searching for Justice.”

MISSISSIPPI RIVER - Drought’s Impact

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 01:04:00 +0000

"Drought’s impact on Mississippi River causes disruptions in shipping and agriculture" PBS NewsHour 11/17/2022

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Up and down the Mississippi River basin, below-average rainfall has constricted one of the country’s major economic thoroughfares. Some areas along the river are reporting their lowest water levels in decades and it could affect consumers across the country. William Brangham reports.

MEMORIAM - Michael Gerson Dies at 58

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 00:26:00 +0000

"Michael Gerson, longtime NewsHour commentator, dies at 58" PBS NewsHour 11/17/2022

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Longtime Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson died Thursday morning at 58. Gerson was a NewsHour commentator who regularly filled in for our Friday political analysis segment. We take a look at his lifelong career in public service.

U.S. CONSTITUTION'S "IRON LADY" - Nancy Pelosi

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 00:07:00 +0000

"Pelosi steps down from Democratic leadership after Republicans win control of House" PBS NewsHour 11/17/2022

Excerpt

SUMMARY: It was a day of momentous change in the U.S. House of Representatives. Republicans began laying plans after finally nailing down a majority and with the loss of the House confirmed, Speaker Nancy Pelosi surrendered her longtime position as Democratic leader. Congressional Correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports.