Monthly Archives: June 2017

Michigan farmer claims it’s ‘religious freedom’ to deny service to same-sex couples – ThinkProgress

Posted: June 3, 2017 at 12:20 pm

Steve and Bridget Tennes. CREDIT: Alliance Defending Freedom/YouTube

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the anti-LGBTQ hate group fighting for discrimination across the country, is back with a new lawsuit defending a business owner who wants to refuse service to same-sex couples. The latest case involves a Michigan farmer who wants to refuse to host same-sex weddings while still participating in a farmers market in a city with nondiscrimination protections.

Steve Tennes, owner of the 120-acre Country Mill farm, announced on Facebook last August that it would temporarily stop booking any weddings at the farm. It had come to light that Tennes had refused a same-sex couple back in 2014 after one of the women in that couple complained publicly. In December, however, Tennes explained that the farm would resume hosting weddings and would reserve the right to refuse same-sex couples because of deeply held religious belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.

Michigan has no state law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, so there was no enforcement action against Tennes for this open policy of discrimination. But the Country Mill also participates in a farmers market in East Lansing, a city with Michigans oldest municipal protections against anti-gay discriminationdating back to 1972. As a result of Tennes new business policy, the Country Mill was not invited back to the farmers market this year.

In fact, the city established a new guideline in its vendor application for the farmers market. A new requirement for vendors is complying with the City of East Lansings Civil Rights ordinances and the public policy against discrimination while at the ELFM and as a general business practice. This requirement that vendors cannot discriminate as a general business practice led the city to determine that because of Tennes open promise to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation as a wedding venue, the Country Mill no longer qualified to participate in the farmers market.

ADFs complaint claims that Tennes is having his freedoms of speech, press, and religion violated because he is being punished for expressing his beliefs. It also claims that his right to equal protection was violated because the city allows pro-LGBTQ messages but not anti-LGBTQ messages.

As has been the case in most of ADFs similar pro-discrimination caseswhich theyve nearly universally lostthese arguments are largely hogwash. Thats because the city was not responding to Tennes beliefs, but to his discriminatory business practices. As courts in several other states have ruled (against ADFs clients and similarly situated businesses), laws protecting against discrimination do not target religious beliefs because they apply neutrally to all purported rationales for the discrimination. If ADFs points were valid, business owners religious beliefs discrimination against interracial and interfaith couples would have to be accommodated as well.

Where ADF might have a case in this particular complaint is in its claim that East Lansing violated Michigans Home Rule City Act, which ADF alleges prohibits the city from enforcing its nondiscrimination ordinance outside the city boundaries. On its face, thats not what the city did, because that would have required actually enforcing the law against the farm for discrimination. But ADF argues that by rejecting the Country Mills farmers market application, the city is trying to extend the reach of the ordinance 22 miles outside of its jurisdiction to where the farm is located.

Hypothetically, it would only take a single person inquiring at the farmers market about the Country Mill hosting a same-sex wedding for this argument to fall apart. Likewise, a judge would have to agree that the city has little to no discretion in assessing the applicants to the farmers market in accordance with the citys laws. In other words, the city would be forced to welcome openly discriminatory businesses to do business in the city based on the logic that it only sells produce in the city, not wedding services.

In this sense, the case is an interesting new test on ADFs go-to pro-discrimination argument. As it does on behalf of the Country Mill, ADF regularly asserts that refusing to sell services related to same-sex weddings isnt anti-gay discrimination so long as the vendor sells all its other products and services to LGBTQ people. For this to be true, it requires believing that different-sex weddings and same-sex weddings are two different products; otherwise, the business is offering two different menus based on the sexual orientation of the customer, whichas courts have consistently agreedis clearly discrimination.

The Country Mill offers many services at the farm throughout the year that arent part of the farmers market, such as a corn maze, hay rides, and a petting zoo. Thus, there are obviously two different menus for two different locations. ADF will likely try to argue that because wedding hosting isnt a service offered at the farmers market, its not on that menu and thus there is no way the anti-gay discrimination will take place while Tennes is doing business there. Its a stretchand doesnt change the fact that its the same Country Mill with the same Facebook page and same discriminatory policy regardless of where its doing business.

The case is one of many suits ADF has filed across the country on behalf of wedding vendors seeking to overturn or circumvent laws protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination. Its a reminder that the Supreme Courts marriage equality decision did not put an end to discrimination against same-sex couples.

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2 Muslim students at Va. high school had to carry permission slips to … – WJLA

Posted: at 12:20 pm

by Jeff Goldberg, ABC7 News

Two Muslim students at Freedom High School in Woodbridge, Va. had to carry permission slips to wear hijabs. (WJLA)

WOODBRIDGE, Va. (WJLA) - Hajah Bah and Fatmata Mansaray are first cousins. Both are Muslim and seniors about to graduate from Freedom High School in Woodbridge - a name they find ironic, Not a lot of freedom not at all.

But their smiles disappear quickly when talking about an incident on Thursday, It was so emotional.

Mansaray and Bah say all year school administrators have required them to carry signed notes from their mothers giving them permission to wear a hijab. Bah says Thursday a staffer asked for her note but Bah didnt have it. She says the staffer then told her to take off the hijab or go home, "I was like, I refuse. Im not taking it off because of my religion.'" Mansaray says she watched the incident with sadness and disbelief, Im sad to say, but I think its about race, honestly.

I apologized to the family, said Mike Mulgrew, the associate superintendent for Prince William County Public Schools. He says staff members should not have required the students to have notes to wear hijabs, I think they had a misinterpretation. We used to give passes to assist students so they could carry out their prayers. Somehow that message got lost. Were gonna fix that message and were gonna move on.

Prince William County Public Schools issued the following statement:

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Texas Freedom Caucus’ Tactics Anger Many State Lawmakers – NPR

Posted: at 12:20 pm


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Texas Freedom Caucus' Tactics Anger Many State Lawmakers
NPR
Heard on Weekend Edition Saturday. Ben Philpott. From KUT 90.5. The arch-conservative Freedom Caucus has stymied congressional Republicans over the past several years. A copycat group in Texas and other places is forcing the state legislative agenda ...

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Defending Academic Freedom in a Populist Age – Project Syndicate

Posted: at 12:20 pm

Universities nowadays often must fight for their independence on two fronts, against autocratic governments and private interests from without, and against the threat from within posed by fiefdoms of jargon and self-righteous coercion. But success ultimately depends on convincing fellow citizens that what may look like a battle for the privileged few is a battle for the benefit of all.

BERLIN I am the President of Central European University, which is now under attack. CEU is fighting to remain a free institution in Budapest, Hungarys capital, following the passage of new legislation that would, in essence, require the university to close.

CEUs battle has become a global cause clbre. More than 650 colleges, universities, and professional associations have opposed Hungarys legal moves against CEU. Some 80,000 people marched through the streets of Budapest in our defense. Twenty-four Nobel laureates have lent their prestige to our cause. On June 22, one of them, Mario Vargas Llosa, will join us in Budapest for a conference on the global challenge to academic freedom.

We at CEU know that we are not the only university struggling to repel government attacks. Across Turkey, universities are being padlocked, and professors are being purged. In St. Petersburg, our sister European University struggles against repeated malicious attempts to close it down.

These are but some of the threats that universities now face from without. Yet there are equally worrying threats from within.

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U.N. expert Kaye fires back at Tokyo’s criticism of freedom of expression report – The Japan Times

Posted: at 12:20 pm

A United Nations expert on Friday defended his report on significant threats to freedom of expression in Japan as factually accurate, rebutting the Japanese governments assertions that his views are based on hearsay information.

I feel very confident based on the work weve done and the fact-checking we did that the facts in the report are accurate, David Kaye, the U.N.-appointed special rapporteur on freedom of expression, told a news conference in Tokyo.

Kayes visit to Tokyo coincided with the release of his report, which sheds light on a raft of threats endangering media independence and free speech in Japan. The threats range from the well known kisha (reporter) club system to state influence over history education and the 2014 state secrecy law, which critics warn could be used to intimidate journalists into self-censorship.

The report, which is slated to be submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council in June, is based on Kayes first investigation into Japanese freedom of expression last year. He interviewed a wide range of government officials, NGO representatives and journalists to compile it.

Fridays rebuttal was a response to government criticism of Kayes report that said most of his views are based on hearsay information or assumptions and do not show any verification of the details of related information.

Kaye said it is now up to Tokyo to decide what to do.

We may have disagreements with the government over interpretation of those facts, interpretation of the law, interpretation of the risks that might be posed to freedom of expression, the University of California law professor said. But at the end of the day, the report has no legally binding power and is left in the hands of the government.

Our hope is always to engage in a dialogue with the government, not to engage in an adversarial relationship, he said.

Kaye also demanded more respect from Tokyo, which recently made light of U.N. rapporteur on the right to privacy Joseph Cannatacis critique of the conspiracy bill, describing him as operating in a private capacity and not speaking on behalf of the U.N.

Professor Cannataci, like myself, is independent, Kaye said.

At the same time, he said, they are formally appointed by the Human Rights Council of the U.N. and mandated to make evaluations of domestic law and practices. In this regard, their views deserve certain kind of respect at least a certain kind of consideration, because were giving our recommendations in the spirit of good faith, constructive criticism, he said.

Regarding freedom of speech, the professor repeated his concerns about the kisha club system, noting that while it allows mainstream media to easily approach government officials, it also effectively discriminates against independent and foreign journalists by restricting or outright denying them the same access.

The entrenched system has resulted in mainstream coverage of government affairs descending into access journalism that undermines the ability and willingness of journalists to conduct hard-hitting investigative journalism under the threat of losing the privileged membership.

The fact that the regulation of broadcast media is handled by the government, and that the commercial television networks are tied to major dailies, does nothing to curb this trend, he said.

All of these things, together combined, make me very concerned about the nature of media independence in this country, he said.

In this situation, the Japanese media are prone to self-censorship even under modest pressure, which in turn results in the public not taking what the government is saying, or doing, seriously.

The governments view is not always tested in the environment of independent media that prizes investigative journalism, prizes hard questions, prizes criticism. In the absence of that kind of criticism and investigation, the government position seems untested, Kaye said.

Its in the governments interest to open up the avenues for investigation and criticism so that its own views can be tested against that criticism. Without that, there will always be doubts.

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How to create the most value for the next technology wave … – TechCrunch

Posted: at 12:20 pm


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How to create the most value for the next technology wave ...
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Major technology platforms shift every 10-15 years, with new platforms building on the ones they preceded. We're due for the next major technology platform..

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Addiction to technology can lead to greater security risks – TNW

Posted: at 12:20 pm

Technology addiction has become rampant in recent times, thanks to the explosive evolvement of technological devices and the ease of use associated with it. Researchers define it as an uncontrollable urge to use different technological devices ranging from smart phones, social media, personal computers and gaming rigs.

Its more prevalent among teenagers who shy away from social interaction in reality and find a peaceful abode in a welcoming technological world, where theres a meager chance of social contact. All in all, its an easy way for them to fulfill their social needs without havingto leave the comfort of their couch. According to researchers, technology abusers are more likely to have underlying health concerns such as depression and anxiety, and often possess impulsive behavior.The Dark abyss of Smartphones

Lets dig deep and take an example of smartphones. Gone are the days when the brick shaped mobile phones with features like inbuilt games, ringtone maker and sms were considered a technology straight from the heavens. But, with the unimaginable features they have to offer, smartphones have now become our digital companions (replacing humans) without whom we cant paint our everyday life.

However, the picture is not as glittery as it seems. With the increased usage, security stakes have increased, with every other day plagued by the news of a new hack attempt on Smartphone users. The biggest threat to Smartphone users comes from the third-party apps. These apps are considered notorious for leaking personal information including usage trends, web history, personal pictures and chat-logs which is then used for numerous purposes including unwanted advertisements based on personal buying habits and even blackmailing by unscrupulous elements.

Furthermore, smartphones might also cause a disastrous data leak if you tend to engage in a lot of activity at the same time. It might happen if you copy something very important from your work related email in your clipboard and then subsequently post it unwittingly as a social media public post or in someones WhatsApp message. This scenario, if unfolds, might leak important information related to the company which may scarily end up in the hands of competitors or some hacker.

Even Twitters own CFO once posted a confidential message via a public Tweet, even though the message was intended to be sent as a Direct Message. These scenarios emanate from the fact that majority of smartphone users have abandoned text messages in favor of messaging apps.

The mother of all addictions, social media

Similarly, social media addiction is attributed to social network companies and social content creators working hard to make their social media platforms irresistible with new features launched every other day. Theres a concept called FOMO fear of missing out associated with the addiction to social media and this involves urge to know everything thats going on around us and to be a part of these happenings.

The main tool used by the social media giants like Facebook, Google+ and, Twitter is algorithmic filtering. This involves tweaking algorithms on daily basis and then monitoring the response of users to see if the tweak has increased their engagement. Now, how does it feel like being a lab rat in a giant, global experimental lab?

These experiments might prove profitable for social media companies but not us. Think of the last time where you posted a social media story from your home or office, or shared an important life event via Facebook or Twitter. Incredulously, a harmless or useless looking post might give enough information to an outsider which might come handy in wrecking havoc to your life. Similarly, employees have, over the time, used social media to connect their companies to the outside world. Be it an important company event, a job posting or a promotion.

But, little do they know that they are sharing too much information impulsively via a single post. A geeky cyber criminal might paint a complete picture of that employee through social media activities and may deliver a spear phishing email through the very same contact details provided to send in resumes for the job post by that employee. Count the odds if a hacker sends you an email titled How you can save up $200 on a single flight at the same time when you are planning for a vacation because he already knew your plans through the Facebook postyou published only moments ago.

Interactive world of online gaming

The love of online gaming is deep rooted in our younger generations. Generation Z has the perks of interacting over their favorite games and talk to the people they dont know at all. This comes with the increased risks, especially viruses, identity theft, and phishing attacks.

With the need of creating heavily decorated profiles on gaming platforms, it has become quite easy for hackers to gain access to your personal details and credit card information. The most worrying aspect is the use of parents credit cards by their kids which means hackers and cyber criminals have access to a large sum of money.

In addition, gamers might get hooked to social engineering scams where a completely unknown person sends them a friend request and trick them into sending vital information such as virtual goods, account details or credit card numbers.

What can be done to avoid this?

As simple as it sounds, the most important instrument we have to dodge tech espionage is our brain coupled with our greatest tool, common sense. While we tend to skim a lot of information over the internet but sometimes, its necessary to grasp a little more knowledge which might come handy.

Whatever you do with the use of technology, if you have the negative consequences in mind, you would think thrice before jumping into the bandwagon of sharing spree.

Read next: How artificial intelligence optimizes recruitment

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Microsoft classes teaching soldiers technology – Colorado Springs Gazette

Posted: at 12:20 pm

Microsoft Software & Systems Academy is bridging the gap to civilian careers in information technology. The 18-week accelerated program trains active-duty U.S. service members for IT careers. (Source: Microsoft Military Affairs Facebook page)

About 500 soldiers leave the military every month in Colorado Springs, and now the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy is bridging the gap to civilian careers in information technology.

MSSA and Fort Carson celebrated Friday as 24 soldiers entered the inaugural class at Catalyst Campus for Technology & Innovation.

"Coming out of the military, this seems like the best thing to do," said new student Jesse Sutton. "I'm feeling really confident."

The 18-week accelerated program trains active-duty service members for IT careers.

"Creating this resource is a tangible way to give back to the service men and women and their spouses who do so much for our country," said Mayor John Suthers.

Program graduates can meet the industry's high demand for cloud developers and administrators in database, cloud and business intelligence fields.

"Finding IT personnel for many businesses is a huge challenge," said Thomas Dawkins, Microsoft's director of workforce development and education.

The average salary for an IT professional is $70,000, Dawkins said.

"I was an IT guy in the military, and I really wanted to expand my skillset," Sutton said.

Training goes beyond technology by expanding problem-solving skills, teamwork and critical thinking, said Aaron Glassman, chairman of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Department of Management and Technology. Microsoft is in partnership with Embry-Riddle.

Service members don't need an IT background to join the program; a strong interest is enough.

"I was always fascinated by computers, and when I saw this program, I thought it would be a great path," said new student Meshack Koyiaki.

Ninety percent of graduates get IT jobs or finish their college degrees, Microsoft reported. Graduates have gone on to work for more than 200 companies, including Dell, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Accenture and Facebook, as well as the Department of Defense.

"Even if I don't get a job, in the future I'll see a position asking for the knowledge I gained from the program," Koyiaki said.

The government estimates IT occupations will grow 12 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations.

"Once you have that knowledge, no one is going to take that away from you," Koyiaki said.

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Fashion and Technology Are Merging. And It’s Astounding. – Futurism

Posted: at 12:20 pm

In BriefFashion and technology are beginning to become more entwined,with multiple big label collaborations. But what does this mean forthe future of fashion and fashion's future with us? Tentative Steps Toward Melding Fashion and Technology

The arts and technology are beginning a courtship that may fundamentally affect the way we perceive both of them: in visual art, we have Google Deep Dream, creating hallucinatory vistas on par with the wackier end of Hieronymus Bosch or Alan Aldridge; in music,we have A.I composers; virtual realityoffers an unprecedented and fully-immersive opportunity for filmmakers and writers alike. Fashion, however, is another kettle of fish because it is an art that is lived, occurring at all hours of the day.Additionally, the high fashion industry is a made-to-order one, often based on a limited quantity of materials and intensive crafting a difficult set of values to integrate with the nature of the technology industry: machines mass-producing goods and materials.

There have been hesitant exchanges at the higher end of fashion some examples include a Google and Levis collaboration called Project Jacquard that turns fabrics into gesture-controlled surfaces andLargerfield using 3D printing in some of his designs. At the far end of the spectrum is Studio Bitoni;Francis Bitoni, the companys CEO, said: Our products should create the next version of the human, not service humanity after it has evolved. They are responsible for high heels fit to be worn to a dinner party by a Matrix sentinel and bodices that would look natural on an alien queen (although theyre currently worn by Dita Von Teese).

Wearable technology has progressed far beyond the L.E.D t-shirts you used to wear to parties when you were 15, and has now become fully integrated into those with active lifestyles with the advent of step counters and heart rate recorders. According to an educated guess by Canalys, a research firm, the Apple Watch sold 11.9 million units last year, permeating the market more than any previous smart watch and setting a precedent for widespread adoption of wearable technology. However, the next development will shift the onus of the development from wearable to worn, stressing integration rather than accessorization. Almost every wearable currently available relies on a cell phone, including that Apple Watch.

Kate Sicchio, an assistant professor of integrated digital media at New York University, predicts the relationship could lead to the elimination of the smartphone itself: If we look at the history of ubiquitous computingin the 90s, all these MIT researchers had backpacks full of laptops, and now we just have this little [rectangle] we keep in our pocket, and soon thats going to disappear and it just will be a small microcontroller in our garments.

While this may seem outlandish, we must think that we already consider technology as part of our bodies in many ways: a study published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication states that cellphone users are capable of perceiving their iPhone as an object of their extended self, which can be negatively impacted (i.e., lessening of self) during separation. If this is the case, then, it is only natural that we will want to bring our technologies closer and closer to our bodies.Fashion could be the stepping stone that bridges handheld technology and bionics on the way tosynthesis between humans and machines.

So what are some of the technologies that companies are dabbling in?Adidas is working on 3D printed shoes,Nike is focusing on shoes that lace themselves (which actually began as a replica of the Mag shoe worn by Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II), and Google/Levis Project Jacquard created a denim jacket that can connect to a smartphone. By touching the jacket sleeve in certain ways, you can control your phone. If, as Diane Kruger famously stated, what you wear is an expression of who you are, our growing obsession with iPhones, Instagram, and technology as a whole will be reflected in the directionthe clothing and wearable industries take in the coming decades.

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EPA chief: Climate pact should focus on exporting US technology – The Hill

Posted: at 12:20 pm

The head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Friday that the Trump administration will remain engaged in international climate talks following President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told reporters at the White House that any future climate deal should focus on exporting United States technology to the rest of the world.

Pruitts comments came after numerous world leaders representing the European Union, Italy, Germany, France and other nations refused to renegotiate the Paris pact or sit down for a new agreement should Trump push to pursue one.

Pruitt sought to promote recent decreases in the United States carbon dioxide emissions and said that any future deal should focus on exporting technology like hydraulic fracturing and clean coal to other countries. He did not mention renewable energy technology.

We need to export clean coal technology. We need to export the technology and natural gas to those around the globe, India and China, and help them learn from us on what weve done to achieve good outcomes. Weve led with actions, not words, Pruitt said.

After Trumps Thursday announcement on the 2015 Paris accord, senior White House officials offered few details on Trumps statement that he would be open to renegotiating the deal. They said Trump has not taken any action to convene new talks.

Pruitt similarly had few details. Asked to explain who Trump would negotiate with, Pruitt responded, Well, thats up to them, right?

If nations around the globe want to seek to learn from us on what were doing to reduce our CO2 footprint, were going to share that with them, he continued. And thats something that should occur, and will occur, in the future, and we will reach out and reciprocate with nations that seek to achieve that.

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