tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4410714061745577012024-03-13T11:33:41.411-07:00Abstractioneer by John PanzerEpistolary ramblings about technology & software developmentJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529069857081314814noreply@blogger.comBlogger333125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-20352859970138664342022-12-18T19:14:00.011-08:002023-01-01T18:45:14.918-08:00Suspended by the Baby Boss at Twitter<p>Well! I'm now suspended from Twitter for stating that Elon's jet was in London recently. (It was flying in the air to Qatar at the time the tweet was sent, though I did not post that fact. Maybe they were afraid that some migratory birds would be reading my tweets and attack the plane.)</p><p>I'm not taking anything down. I am pointing out this doesn't violate their stated policies, only their unstated policy against annoying the spoiled man-child at the head of the company.</p><p>#<a href=" https://mastodon.social/@jpanzer/109538136895681804 ">WeAreAllJohnMastodon</a></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSsfPDV8EcldObcoR2U-QkvWAEHHFe2qxtthqoPAa3Ydf53IExbnDnBQZHScBHV7y1J3anJMFnDzM1hQzcmzQk0lhsjJMxx-ePjN638QQyi2AZ4i546tKaihNc4DqS2wOAYXePCvdoynSfAX1iKCnXonjmoXB4st8nRrnPPUjQzjrQvOZpKtRws_A63Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="1320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSsfPDV8EcldObcoR2U-QkvWAEHHFe2qxtthqoPAa3Ydf53IExbnDnBQZHScBHV7y1J3anJMFnDzM1hQzcmzQk0lhsjJMxx-ePjN638QQyi2AZ4i546tKaihNc4DqS2wOAYXePCvdoynSfAX1iKCnXonjmoXB4st8nRrnPPUjQzjrQvOZpKtRws_A63Q=w389-h400" width="389" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqE8_uypBRa42OPhAJHdUd6y5p5ZE94PQRdKZizE3fqEXhVruZdE5QRs3oBIgGcwzll5hqq9-lZMe74C3n5_D7oTVfpvS_XSS6fZoawfcm6k9EKRfCATzny8FSWViHtLZZVQZ8jQMyzcz0QrWDFFGdZaKsm2uYEUIiDDJ1Xdw47Zs04ZyPWdkBMf_VXQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1338" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqE8_uypBRa42OPhAJHdUd6y5p5ZE94PQRdKZizE3fqEXhVruZdE5QRs3oBIgGcwzll5hqq9-lZMe74C3n5_D7oTVfpvS_XSS6fZoawfcm6k9EKRfCATzny8FSWViHtLZZVQZ8jQMyzcz0QrWDFFGdZaKsm2uYEUIiDDJ1Xdw47Zs04ZyPWdkBMf_VXQ=w400-h306" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As for why Elon was acting so weird -- attacking and banning journalists and, well, me, for reporting publicly available information that put no one in any danger -- well, here's the answer: He was <a href="https://wapo.st/3v29509">lying about what happened in Los Angeles earlier this month</a>.</div><br /><br /></div><b>Update</b>: Well that was a fast review! "You will not be ale to access Twitter through your account due to violations of the Twitter Rules, specifically our rules around: <blank space>" ... uh ... around what? <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQfKI4Tm1LLvrJAl408iId5czAH1ASFcQT1gj-zCvLfDDAcqO547gdKscq-LfFkkkYHSEe6t915n6lBf8riG-UetN1q6Sbs8KRumQyAUJyV7fGMKatBEvUh2bWbX_9fJcsLfTURs7hnXl0G5ZrdaYTV0d4YxEiZISbGxiyUMyYymHyks7FUQzWBD11KA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="1194" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQfKI4Tm1LLvrJAl408iId5czAH1ASFcQT1gj-zCvLfDDAcqO547gdKscq-LfFkkkYHSEe6t915n6lBf8riG-UetN1q6Sbs8KRumQyAUJyV7fGMKatBEvUh2bWbX_9fJcsLfTURs7hnXl0G5ZrdaYTV0d4YxEiZISbGxiyUMyYymHyks7FUQzWBD11KA=w400-h168" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>That's ok Twitter, we understand the Twitter Rules are more like the Pirates' Code these days!<br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxT3dPMWcgJdKV1CsTuB9ZLzzW6zcrwRGsLjA1iNP5tjCPlRt_0rdnmLuBqCAqwweJDYv_c8iHb6HwWligc4ePti4b6kGL9mTLEeOsYl32Pcqj0GS8oYyXRlZSUwnsVvhV4fd1JsqeuQdhpLHLqocr5Hb0QkUhNCyI7z_LjvjIzlm-_sTo1EJmK-pJKA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1490" data-original-width="896" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxT3dPMWcgJdKV1CsTuB9ZLzzW6zcrwRGsLjA1iNP5tjCPlRt_0rdnmLuBqCAqwweJDYv_c8iHb6HwWligc4ePti4b6kGL9mTLEeOsYl32Pcqj0GS8oYyXRlZSUwnsVvhV4fd1JsqeuQdhpLHLqocr5Hb0QkUhNCyI7z_LjvjIzlm-_sTo1EJmK-pJKA=w384-h640" width="384" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Update</b>: It's now been two weeks and it's pretty clear that Twitter is ignoring my re-appeal. Where I pointed out that not only did they fail to provide a reason, their rules about "real time" location tracking clearly don't apply to a post made <b>two hours after</b> Elon's jet took off. Here's when it took off, by the way:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMoaHB2uAEbJxfkSTUSecpveW-0VDvCOylKZ2Ub_47lfr22BL9aZBdtPy3mqNm2LNchu6LwPtNSYoxDORQhkSPGhp7HVsOrqDEaMAVaTKP1NlJxho9W9kx5odUAFE_r9y85-6Eh-DIA_JWbeUL8OAf7cou-S7dwqVtoI4iZxtkwG4oGO_udxF3AXKCmw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="646" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMoaHB2uAEbJxfkSTUSecpveW-0VDvCOylKZ2Ub_47lfr22BL9aZBdtPy3mqNm2LNchu6LwPtNSYoxDORQhkSPGhp7HVsOrqDEaMAVaTKP1NlJxho9W9kx5odUAFE_r9y85-6Eh-DIA_JWbeUL8OAf7cou-S7dwqVtoI4iZxtkwG4oGO_udxF3AXKCmw=w201-h320" width="201" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>That's fine, it's Elon's $44B platform now and he can make whatever rules he wants. And the rest of us can decide this is nonsense and go to other platforms. </div><div><br /></div><div>The past couple of weeks I have seriously been enjoying Mastodon as <a href="https://mastodon.social/@jpanzer">@jpanzer@mastodon.social</a>. There's plenty of the most useful and interesting people over there, and if there's anything important that happens only on Twitter (happening less and less) one of them will RT it. So I'm good. But I'm going to delete the tweet and link to this post as an explanation, and then convert my Twitter account to a "how to Mastodon" stream. I can't think of anything else worth doing over there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are some great follows over in the Fediverse who have been active the last couple of days:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://mastodon.social/@emptywheel">https://mastodon.social/@emptywheel</a></div><div><a href="https://mas.to/@carnage4life ">https://mas.to/@carnage4life </a></div><div><a href="https://mastodon.social/@USConst_Amend_I">https://mastodon.social/@USConst_Amend_I </a></div><div><a href="https://sfba.social/@georgelakoff">https://sfba.social/@georgelakoff</a></div><div><a href="https://mastodon.social/@dangillmor">https://mastodon.social/@dangillmor</a></div><div><a href="https://mastodon.social/@Popehat">https://mastodon.social/@Popehat</a></div><div><a href="https://mas.to/@marcelias">https://mas.to/@marcelias</a></div><div><a href="https://hachyderm.io/@mekkaokereke">https://hachyderm.io/@mekkaokereke</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Come on over, it's fun!<br /><br /><br /><p></p></div></div>John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-35575661938330131252022-12-18T15:05:00.001-08:002022-12-18T15:05:15.853-08:00The Legend of John Mastodon<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSTSx_5qkFlUpc0AreEtw6PZvIePGfEXF3u4peu1V8_tnn78C-hWww8vHwrTRYV_eiUrNLGgg3bPFu15KPVHXDW0NwQx3iXZEUpLYLAQh0FEaa4hCFhZVQUIKvLSK3CxsnCenx0Az9PxNsdH6XRpDRXnr1lBAHG6OQdiN-v8msbzINc89GJOXhZ20HAg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="600" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSTSx_5qkFlUpc0AreEtw6PZvIePGfEXF3u4peu1V8_tnn78C-hWww8vHwrTRYV_eiUrNLGgg3bPFu15KPVHXDW0NwQx3iXZEUpLYLAQh0FEaa4hCFhZVQUIKvLSK3CxsnCenx0Az9PxNsdH6XRpDRXnr1lBAHG6OQdiN-v8msbzINc89GJOXhZ20HAg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I dreamed I saw John Mastodon last night,<br />alive as you and me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Says I “But John, you’re ten years dead”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“I never died” says he,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“I never died” says he.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“In Twitter HQ, John,” says I,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Him standing by my bed,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“They framed you on a malware charge,”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Says John, “But I ain’t dead,”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Says John, “But I ain’t dead.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“The Baby Boss killed you John,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">they shot you John” says I.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Takes more than guns to kill a man”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Says John “I didn’t die”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Says John “I didn’t die”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Context: <a href="https://boingboing.net/2022/12/18/mastodon-users-embrace-columnists-funny-error-about-a-fictitious-john-mastodon.html">John Mastodon</a> (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20221216232836/https://www.mediaite.com/opinion/hypocrisy-and-fear-all-the-way-down-at-twitter/">original article</a>), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Hill_(activist)">Joe Hill</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">See also <a href="https://mastodon.social/@jpanzer/109497342323604137">my pinned tweet for the past week on twitter</a>. To recap:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've seen enough; </span>Twitter is in the same position as the Titanic on April 14, 1912 at 2:19AM.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter is headed to the bottom of the sea, just like the Titanic. The difference is that many of the passengers aren't going to see a deluge of water if they stay on board, just a deluge of Nazis, hate, and gaslighting.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's certainly possible to survive that wreck for a long time, seal yourself off with your friends, and carry on reasonably well. But why go through all that work when you can just... <a href="https://mastodon.social/@jpanzer">leave</a>?</span></li></ul><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhPpZcTowBphBU6Sen0h-cGeQi-9hyS6_25XlLvAsxMZ-XPIvFh0u5qqn-KakfBkU4iQamFXXO4KG3zxbCYYL8xasXTmMXlwfkrfCWsQjEqvXL4AXhW9sknpTPGF5IIOF7YnHvX_u0O1bHVDL-DkavKcE-KOw_FenLkru4CLYbIxk6b-KPvM8ZO11b2A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="1236" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhPpZcTowBphBU6Sen0h-cGeQi-9hyS6_25XlLvAsxMZ-XPIvFh0u5qqn-KakfBkU4iQamFXXO4KG3zxbCYYL8xasXTmMXlwfkrfCWsQjEqvXL4AXhW9sknpTPGF5IIOF7YnHvX_u0O1bHVDL-DkavKcE-KOw_FenLkru4CLYbIxk6b-KPvM8ZO11b2A" width="320" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Find me over at <a href="https://mastodon.social/@jpanzer">https://mastodon.social/@jpanzer</a>.</li></ul><br /><br /><br /><p></p><div><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></div></div></div><br /><p></p>John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-28313592442822819672020-07-12T21:26:00.001-07:002023-06-02T19:14:33.347-07:00Start School Virtual, Go Physical When Feasible<span id="docs-internal-guid-6ae0eb76-7fff-7d68-52af-f237aeec9059"><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt; text-align: left;">Update 6/2/2023: <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2805468">I was right</a>.</p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt; text-align: left;">These are my observations for our local conditions (Santa Clara County, July 10-12, 2020), which to summarize:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://covidactnow.org/us/ca/county/santa_clara_county?s=665110" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="954" height="375" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZM4RQ-W_ITA/XwvhrRsDiXI/AAAAAAACZwg/MJMiyCG1QqkD8cYTzv3_gaOx1jaLkbVCQCNcBGAsYHQ/w625-h375/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-12%2Bat%2B9.22.40%2BPM.png" width="625" /></a></div><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Observations</span></h1><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are still many unknowns and new information is arriving every day.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Local conditions are critical. This includes both the </span><a href="https://covidactnow.org/us/ca/county/santa_clara_county?s=647107" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">local prevalence and virus trends</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the school community’s needs and risks. General statements need to be evaluated to see how they are applicable to local conditions.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Research about both the educational impact of the virus, and distance learning, seems to indicate significant differences between younger children (<~12yo, cutoff) and older (>~12yo). Specifically:</span></p></li><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Younger children appear to transmit the virus significantly less than adults. We don’t know as much about teenagers. Both young children and teenagers can be infected asymptomatically, and are more likely to be asymptomatic than adults</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teenagers are “more similar to adults” in their response to the virus, per the SCC guidance.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Younger children can much more easily move to a small-stable-cohort model with a single teacher, without educational loss, than teenagers can. Teenager learning requirements are different and the varied and differentiated learning model is not very compatible with a single teacher/stable cohort model.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Younger children require childcare, teenagers require much less. The child care function of the elementary schools, which, let’s be realistic, is driving a lot of the physical re-opening urgency, is not a major issue for high school students.</span></p></li></ol><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s a surprising apparent result that COVID is transmitted by children much less than the flu. This needs more research, and it seems quite possible new information might bring new guidance or nuances important for school safety. (Also, I haven’t seen any discussion about how a cold and flu season overlaid with COVID might impact transmissibility</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which seems like it could be a concern.)</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is pretty clear that children can acquire the virus without much difficulty, the only real questions are around how much risk they face when they do (to date, not as much in terms of fatality rate, but long term studies don’t exist) and whether they transmit to others (as Dr. Cody said, we don’t know yet).</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The risks to teachers are possibly substantial, especially if the transmission hypothesis is wrong. Many teachers are in high risk categories. Even the hypothesis is right, think about the multiplied risk of a non-small-cohort based teacher coming in contact with 60-120 students every day, even mediated by masks, inside air conditioned rooms. (A small risk multiplied by a large number becomes a large risk.) This is also a risk to students, of course. And even if a teacher is “just” out for 28 days of isolation, where will a subject-trained, in-person substitute come from?</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Schools with in-person socially distanced learning are </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> going to be educationally equivalent to “regular” school, in my opinion (see also </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/07/10/case-against-reopening-schools-during-pandemic-by-fifth-grade-teacher/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">opinion of a 5th grade teacher for that environment</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). Teachers won’t be able to walk around and check in on students, students won’t be able to collaborate in hands-on projects or discuss things in small groups in person nearly as well. So we should be realistic about the options in front of us.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Schools do not currently have the capacity (space or teachers) to have all students come back to school at the same time. Most likely ½ to ⅓ of the student body at most can be physically on campus at once. This, obviously, plays havoc with differentiated learning schedules and means that </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">no matter what</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> there is going to be virtual learning going on in the mix -- so, we’d better all get really good at it.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The pandemic isn’t a 6 month thing; we are more likely going to be dealing with this for the entire school year, and, possibly, the next year. We should plan accordingly.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s one month until the planned school start date. We have very little time to plan and execute on that plan, and this is the point where we should triage and attempt to hit our most important target fully before moving on to second priorities. If we try to plan for too many contingencies at once, we risk failing at them all.</span></p></li></ol><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Opinion</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For at least secondary (middle & high) schools: "Start School Virtual, Go Physical When Feasible"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We should plan on the best possible virtual classroom to start with and make sure we have everything we need before the start of school, 4 weeks away. This also needs to include in-person safety plans for some groups who absolutely cannot be served by virtual classrooms.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While that plan runs, we start planning for a phased-in physical re-opening. Whether that’s a different schedule, a partial (1d/week), a different schedule for classes, priority meetings, or something else needs to be worked out. The metrics and decision trees we need to use for deciding things safe for various stages, and how to move back and forth, must be well defined.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At this point, I would feel far more comfortable if the SCC guidance for surveillance testing of teachers once per month were extended to testing </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the entire school community at least once or twice per week</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Because any cases among students are likely to be asymptomatic, symptom based surveillance is unlikely to catch problems until after the virus has spread substantially. Experts recommend this measure and it’s what several other countries are doing -- and the others have much lower community transmission than we do. The costs at the moment are substantial, but there are several ways to reduce the costs per person. We should explore them, and having time to do that is another reason to push this back.</span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">References</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/school-guidance.aspx" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SCC County Guidance</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jul 2), </span><a href="https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/press-release-06-30-2020-school-guidance.aspx#video" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Announcement, Q&A</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> . At </span><a href="https://youtu.be/P36GN01dovY?t=1486" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://youtu.be/P36GN01dovY?t=1486</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dr. Cody says “In this country, we don’t know yet” about how much children are contributing to the pandemic and how much re-opening will affect it, and that guidelines may change as the science changes.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leaked CDC July 8, 2020</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> briefing document outlining guidance and risks for schools: </span><a href="https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/7072-school-reopening-packet/b70172f2cc13c9cf0e6a/optimized/full.pdf#page=1" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/7072-school-reopening-packet/b70172f2cc13c9cf0e6a/optimized/full.pdf#page=1</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (note: no discussions about transmission via normal aerosols from breathing, which is an area of active research; nor of HVAC systems that might play a role in indoor transmission.)</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Metrics</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://covidactnow.org/us/ca/county/santa_clara_county?s=647107" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://covidactnow.org/us/ca/county/santa_clara_county?s=647107</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- Tracks Rt and other metrics over time, recommended by Harvard Global Health institute to help guide decision making by local authorities.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">International & College School Re-Openings</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://edsource.org/2020/how-schools-across-the-globe-are-reopening-amid-the-coronavirus-pandemic/634739" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How schools across the globe are reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/06/harvard-will-allow-some-students-on-campus-this-fall-so-long-as-they-take-coronavirus-tests-every-three-days.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harvard will allow some students on campus this fall so long as they take coronavirus tests every 3 days</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/harvard-princeton-roll-out-plans-for-fall-amid-trump-pressure-to-reopen-87177797793?cid=sm_npd_ms_tw_ma" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harvard, Princeton roll out plans for fall amid Trump pressure to reopen</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.gpbnews.org/post/not-safe-georgia-tech-faculty-fight-back-against-person-classes-fall" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">'Not Safe': Georgia Tech Faculty Fight Back Against In-Person Classes This Fall</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/413597/here-is-the-new-return-plan-for-south-african-schools/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is the new return plan for South African schools</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Studies</span></h2><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preliminary / In progress</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/10/20-2403_article" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Culture-Competent SARS-CoV-2 in Nasopharynx of Symptomatic Neonates, Children, and Adolescents</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- Shows no laboratory evidence of lower infectiousness in children (no difference in viral load / shedding) vs. adults. To be published in October.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.08.20125484v1.full.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An analysis of SARS-CoV-2 viral load by patient age</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- in-progress work tentatively indicating ~37% of under-18 COVID patients appear potentially infectious per lab tests vs. 51% of adults (not a huge difference).</span></p><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Published</span></h3><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/M20-3012?journalCode=aim&" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prevalence of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Narrative Review: Annals of Internal Medicine: Vol 0, No 0</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31483-5/fulltext" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain (ENE-COVID): a nationwide, population-based seroepidemiological study</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (teenagers & 30yo similar in seroprevalence, young children lower). </span></p><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guidance</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/school-guidance.aspx" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coronavirus and Schools - Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) - County of Santa Clara</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Guidance)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://ethics.harvard.edu/files/center-for-ethics/files/key_metrics_and_indicators_v4.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Key Metrics for COVID Suppression</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Harvard) Summary: A 6 page document from Harvard Global Health Institute. Relevant to translating public health data (e.g., case counts, deaths) into risk levels and action items for public health agencies and other authorities. While no local agency has adopted this to my knowledge, they haven’t adopted anything comparable, and this seems like a good framework for decision making.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/57834c2c-a078-4736-9173-8fb32cfbbf4e" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anthony Fauci: ‘We are living in the perfect storm’</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/public-health-on-call/id1501336958?i=1000483495001" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Public Health On Call: 110 - What Do Colleges and Universities Need to Consider to Safely Reopen in the Fall During COVID-19?</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Individual Experts</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/07/10/case-against-reopening-schools-during-pandemic-by-fifth-grade-teacher/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perspective | The case against reopening schools during the pandemic — by a fifth-grade teacher</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (7/10/2020) </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://dontforgetthebubbles.com/evidence-summary-paediatric-covid-19-literature/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An evidence summary of Paediatric COVID-19 literature</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- Jul 10, 2020 rapid review of current evidence and recent updates. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.wbur.org/npr/888853601/school-reopenings-should-keep-public-health-in-mind-pediatric-group-says" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Top Pediatrician Says States Shouldn't Force Schools To Reopen If Virus Is Surging</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aerosol transmission: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/quicktake/status/1281467223245295616?s=12" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://twitter.com/quicktake/status/1281467223245295616?s=12</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">400 questions from educators: </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n6XUconG3-gJZPfQe4O1hi_kHUk7NxyJqQWHsZWesp4/edit" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reopening Schools in NJ- Educator Concerns</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://t.e2ma.net/message/2uzyqf/qdyk1o" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jul 8, 2020: GA Educators say local data should drive reopening decisions for our schools</span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1278746728561356800?s=12" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Denmark's Rt has gone from 0.6 to 0.9 after school re openings, below 1, but need vigilance</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><a href="https://www.thelocal.dk/20200430/reopening-denmark-has-increased-rate-of-infection-spread-ssu" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.thelocal.dk/20200430/reopening-denmark-has-increased-rate-of-infection-spread-ssu</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/04/health/239-experts-with-one-big-claim-the-coronavirus-is-airborne.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">239 Experts With One Big Claim: The Coronavirus Is Airborne</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/apsmunro/status/1278714280448319489?s=20" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jul 2 new-updates thread on children in schools by UK pediatric infectious disease researcher</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (survey) includes:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Australia study of 18 confirmed cases (heavily referenced elsewhere as well)</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The French high school w/660 kids with >14y having high antibodies (exposure)</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">French Primary school with 3 kids in school, no evidence of transmission</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ireland: 3 kids/3 teachers, no asymptomatic testing, no in-school transmission detected</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Singapore: 3 cases w/asymptomatic close contacts tested, all negative (12yo, 5yo, 16 staff)</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“almost no controversy that children’s safety is not the concern from being in school” (though this is looking only at death rates)</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Data from Sweden doesn’t show increased risk for high school teachers (of course, Sweden is a bit of a mess generally: https://t.co/mB3HyVp2SF?amp=1)</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel had trouble with outbreaks from secondary schools (high schools)</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With low community transmission, many countries have schools up and running with few if any issues so far (Spain, Netherlands, SA)</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recommends prioritizing school openings over bars and restaurants (because everything contributes to risk->community transmission->need to lock down again)</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/us/coronavirus-schools-reopening-guidelines-aap.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why AAP Guidelines Are Pushing for Schools to Reopen This Fall</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/CT_Bergstrom/status/1279552836884258816?s=20" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CT Bergstrom: "My view is that we should be using school / workplace testing for as many people as possible, ideally at least twice a week."</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Economist) Paul Romer: </span><a href="https://schools.paulromer.net/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reopening Schools</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> , </span><a href="https://paulromer.net/faqs-on-virus-tests-in-schools/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FAQs on Virus Tests In Schools</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/7/9/21318560/covid-19-coronavirus-us-testing-children-schools-reopening-questions" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Covid-19, children, and schools: 6 reopening questions, answered by a doctor</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (health screening and testing as a prerequisites). </span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">News</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://apple.news/A0uWmo6_tRBOQd3ft-dXLCQ" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coronavirus: Missouri Summer Camp Closes After 82 COVID-19 Cases</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/09/texas-day-care-coronavirus-risks/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas day care coronavirus risks unclear as state limits information</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/jonmalexander/status/1280955184605249536?s=20" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">37 out of 429 student-athletes/coaches/staff test positive for COVID at UNC Chapel Hill</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/More-than-40-Bay-Area-school-principals-in-15381335.php" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Santa Clara County meeting that exposed 40 principals to coronavirus raises red flags</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN22V33B#click=https://t.co/SJvi83sPwo" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explainer: Do children spread COVID-19? Risks as schools consider reopening.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/06/03/868507524/israel-orders-schools-to-close-when-covid-19-cases-are-discovered" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel school epidemic after school re-opening</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/over-20-more-schools-closed-as-israel-sees-largest-daily-virus-rise-in-a-month/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over 20 more schools closed as Israel sees largest daily virus rise in a month</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article242846836.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Duration of exposure to COVID-19 increases risk of infection</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8427625/As-half-coronavirus-patients-NO-symptoms-silently-suffer-lung-damage.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coronavirus: 45% of asymptomatic patients may have lung damage</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #1d1c1d; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A new study from Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, found that among 76 asymptomatic coronavirus patients on the Diamond Princess, 54% had lung damage indicated on CT scan) </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/07/school-reopening-medical-case.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The medical case for reopening schools.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jul 1)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/us/coronavirus-education-lost-learning.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Research Shows Students Falling Months Behind During Virus Disruptions</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [NB: The data set at </span><a href="https://tracktherecovery.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tracktherecovery.org/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, reference for the math losses in this article, appears to be using ZLearn math lessons as a proxy, which (a) is very noisy (b) applies only to elementary age students (c ) also shows _gains_ of up to 20% during lockdown in some places, such as NY and (d) shows gains for high income ZIP codes in CA, holding roughly steady for middle and low income ZIP codes. Ignore the big “drop” in June, which is the start of summer vacation.]</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/reopening-bars-easy-schools-are-difficult/613861/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reopening Bars Is Easy. Schools Are Difficult.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Atlantic) </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/reopening-psychological-morass/613858/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reopening Is a Psychological Morass</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Atlantic) </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.elcaminohealth.org/newsroom/information-from-el-camino-health-regarding-novel-coronavirus-covid-19#districttesting" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.elcaminohealth.org/newsroom/information-from-el-camino-health-regarding-novel-coronavirus-covid-19#districttesting</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/05/why-us-hasnt-solved-coronavirus-testing-crisis-348394" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why the U.S. still hasn't solved its testing crisis</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://apple.news/AmbBsbHwMQu2cjYTQHq4ELA" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A COVID-19 outbreak on UW’s Greek Row hints at how hard it may be to open colleges this fall</span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200622-the-long-term-effects-of-covid-19-infection" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How Covid-19 can damage the brain</span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://mv-voice.com/news/2020/06/27/guest-opinion-the-risk-of-returning-to-the-classroom-in-the-fall" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guest opinion: The risk of returning to the classroom in the fall</span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/03/opinion/coronavirus-tests.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Opinion | Coronavirus Testing the Cheap, Simple Way</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Future paper strip tests) </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.mv-voice.com/news/2020/07/02/what-californias-budget-deal-means-for-k-12-schools?utm_source=express-2020-07-02&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=express" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.mv-voice.com/news/2020/07/02/what-californias-budget-deal-means-for-k-12-schools?utm_source=express-2020-07-02&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=express</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article244085697.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scientists doubt Floyd protests led to COVID-19 spikes | McClatchy Washington Bureau</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- Some evidence that outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Fraternity-parties-lead-to-47-new-coronavirus-15395626.php" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fraternity parties lead to 47 new coronavirus cases at UC Berkeley</span></a></p><br /><br /><br /></span>John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-30159685717423061532020-03-12T09:57:00.003-07:002020-03-12T17:29:14.763-07:00COVID-19: Evaluating School ClosuresI'm getting increasingly concerned that many Santa Clara County public schools are continuing normal operations when -- based on available evidence -- they should be suspending in-person classes.<br />
<br />
The communication from my local school districts, MVWSD and MVLA, is roughly the same:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In the event of potential school closure: The Public Health Department currently is not recommending closing schools. If a staff member or student in a specific school is confirmed to have COVID-19, the Public Health Department will consider, based on the specific facts and circumstances of that case, whether closure of that school is warranted.</blockquote>
The problem with this:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>We already know there is community transmission in the local area;</li>
<li>Patients presenting symptoms of COVID-19 are unable to get tested without meeting additional criteria (known contacts, foreign travel, etc.);</li>
<li>Therefore, absence of people "confirmed to have COVID-19" isn't evidence of much of anything, and not something to base critical safety decisions on. </li>
</ul>
I've checked with a local ER physician who, as of Monday night, had 2 patients presenting symptoms, but who could not get the patients tested and did not know when they would be tested. That's consistent with local and national reporting on the availability of testing, which <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/11/814189027/no-guarantee-youll-get-tested-for-covid-19-even-if-your-doctor-requests-it" target="_blank">is still very limited</a>. There's simply a capacity issue -- we cannot test everyone physicians want to screen, yet.<br />
<br />
Also, the school sizes greatly exceed the (new) 250 person cap on large gatherings from <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/12/coronavirus-gov-newsom-says-cancel-gatherings-over-250-statewide/" target="_blank">Governor Newsom's latest orders</a>. While those orders explicitly carve out schools to be treated differently from other large gatherings -- I'm having a pretty hard time seeing how we can say that, say, a conference of 300 people should be cancelled, but a school of over 2,000 kids should remain open, based purely on public health criteria.<br />
<br />
So, the official guidelines for shutting down public schools seems to still be catching up to the facts on the ground. We have 48 confirmed cases in Santa Clara County, many in the local area, so clearly there is community transmission happening here. We do not have the ability to screen people to see if we should trigger the current shutdown criteria. So, I'm calling to ignore those criteria based on that evidence and to suspend in-person classes in the local schools with community transmission in the area.<br />
<br />
Other local educational organizations appear to agree with this. Local colleges and universities have suspended in-person classes. At least one local private high school has announced suspension of in-person classes until Mar 10. I do not believe any of these are of these are based on the Health Department guidelines or specific cases -- they're evaluating the overall situation and risk.<br />
<br />
I'd love to be wrong, but for today & tomorrow, out of an abundance of caution, I'm keeping my kids home from school.<br />
<br />
(There's also a petition going around to suspend classes at MVHS: <a href="https://www.change.org/p/mvla-school-district-halt-in-person-classes-at-mvhs">https://www.change.org/p/mvla-school-district-halt-in-person-classes-at-mvhs</a>.)<br />
<br />
Update: The <a href="https://nextdoor.com/news_feed/?post=139836230&comment=348684823" target="_blank">reasoning provided by the Santa Clara County Health Department in a Nextdoor post</a> is:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The reason we are not recommending school closures at this time is because children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for serious illness from this virus. Some children have underlying health conditions, such as weakened immune systems, that put them at higher risk. Caregivers of children with underlying health conditions should consult with healthcare providers about whether their children should stay home from school.<br />
Many students also rely on schools and staff for basic needs, including regular meals, health care, and child care. If schools shut down, vulnerable families are at a higher risk of being negatively impacted. <br />
Another factor to consider is that closing schools may unintentionally impact our health care community and our collective response to COVID-19. There may be parents of students who are working as health care providers or in the health field on the front lines of the COVID-19 response. If schools close, parents may not be able to work and provide support to those who need it.</blockquote>
<br />
I agree the children without underlying health conditions aren't at high risk; that's not my major concern here -- it's amplifying the community transmission of the virus in a major way by failing to shut down our biggest group event, public schools. The concerns about vulnerable families being at risk due to lack of meals, health care, and child are are definitely valid issues, but ones the school needs to have made contingency plans for weeks back. We do not need to continue in-person classes to maintain those services.<br />
<br />
Update: After I wrote the above, I checked the Mercury News and saw this op-ed from a team of doctors. It reaches the conclusion that school closures are inevitable and suggests some good options for mitigating the impact: <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/12/opinion-doctors-call-for-school-closures-done-right/">https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/12/opinion-doctors-call-for-school-closures-done-right/</a><br />
<br />
Update 5pm 3/12: The elementary school district just sent this out:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
* In the event of potential school closure, our Food and Nutrition Services Department will utilize the district's food truck to serve meals to children under the age of 18 near Castro Elementary/Gabriela Mistral Elementary campus, as part of the Seamless Summer program<br />* We are in the process of creating grade-level packets with student work for use through spring break. The District will provide information to families on how they can access packets beginning Wednesday, March 18. These packets are designed to reinforce concepts already taught. Additionally, parents and students can log onto Clever.com for online learning resources like i-Ready, Khan Academy, Zearn, etc. This is not a replacement for classroom instruction.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Absences: The Santa Clara County Office of Education and County of Santa Clara Department of Health continue the guidance that students who are well continue to attend school. We understand that families can still make a choice to keep their children at home during this time, and we want to honor that choice. For the next few weeks, we will not be taking any truancy action or dis-enrolling students accruing unexcused absences. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The decision-making process for potential school closure is that we continue to assess the situation on an almost-daily basis with the County of Santa Clara Department of Health and Santa Clara County Office of Education. The possibility of school closure is more imminent as districts and organizations around the area close in an attempt to curtail the potential spread of the virus. It is wise that families now prepare plans for child care. We will continue to update you and will provide any details as soon as we have them. </blockquote>
<br />
Links:<br />
<a href="https://www.fast.ai/2020/03/09/coronavirus/">https://www.fast.ai/2020/03/09/coronavirus/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/singapore-was-ready-for-covid-19-other-countries-take-note/">https://www.wired.com/story/singapore-was-ready-for-covid-19-other-countries-take-note/</a>John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-81640488575243236182020-01-24T10:54:00.003-08:002020-01-24T11:01:56.273-08:00Things People Have Been Impeached For In the PastJust a few things to bear in mind when considering what counts as "high crimes and misdemeanors". Read this list, and, however vague you might think the boundary to be, consider just how far beyond the following lines the President's alleged conduct has brought us:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li>Acting "<b>contrary to the duty of his trust and station as a Senator of the United States</b>" [Blount, 1797]</li>
<li>Acting as a judge "in a state of total intoxication, produced by <b>the free and intemperate use of intoxicating liquors</b>" [Pickering, 1804]</li>
<li>On numerous occasions, "with a loud voice, certain intemperate, inflammatory, and scandalous harangues, and did therein <b>utter loud threats and bitter menaces ... against Congress [and] the laws of the United States duly enacted thereby</b>, amid the cries, jeers and laughter of the multitudes then assembled and within bearing" [Johnson, 1868]</li>
<li>Because his "personal habits unfitted him for the judicial office . . . and that <b>his sobriety would be the exception and not the rule</b>." [Delahay, 1873]</li>
<li>"<b>[B]ringing the Judiciary into disrepute</b>" [Archbald, 1913, Article XIII, convicted and removed]</li>
</ol>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h7hlqj_ZA3s/Xis-pgieE_I/AAAAAAACSYA/Oojvw6elDkkLSaL4riGQbOlGLHE1eWANwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/440px-Robert_W._Archbald_cph.3a03594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of Archbald" border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="441" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h7hlqj_ZA3s/Xis-pgieE_I/AAAAAAACSYA/Oojvw6elDkkLSaL4riGQbOlGLHE1eWANwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/440px-Robert_W._Archbald_cph.3a03594.jpg" title="I can't believe I was removed for "bringing the Judiciary into disrepute" but y'all are gonna keep Trump." width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't believe I was removed for "bringing the Judiciary into disrepute" but y'all are gonna keep Trump.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If "[B]ringing the Judiciary into disrepute" is a lower bound for impeachment & removal, we passed that lower bound several miles ago. And all of this is precedent over 100 years old, so it should be no surprise to Donald John Trump.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
References:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/expulsion_cases/Blount_expulsion.htm</div>
<div>
https://networks.h-net.org/node/950/reviews/1062/rotter-melton-first-impeachment-constitutions-framers-and-case-senator</div>
<div>
https://constitutionallawreporter.com/2017/04/04/john-pickering-federal-judge-impeachment/</div>
<div>
https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/Johnson-Impeachment/Building-the-Case-for-Impeachment/</div>
<div>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_W._Delahay</div>
<div>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wodrow_Archbald</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-25183989555977630662020-01-21T00:02:00.000-08:002020-01-21T00:02:08.820-08:00Why VSAP 2.0 Should Not Be CertifiedText of my <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SCjBhvahOpmCgfoZ7K7wM0zzGDCQ_Ann" target="_blank">letter</a> to the California Secretary of State office with public commentary on the proposed certification of the LA County VSAP 2.0 system's universal-use Ballot Marking Devices.<br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Dear Secretary of State Padilla,</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">I write to provide my comments on the VSAP 2.0 evaluation and certification process for LA County</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">. I have reviewed the written reports and corresponded with Dean Logan, RR/CC for LA County, to try to resolve open questions about the system and the process. I have several open questions remaining, but with the deadline upon us I will give the feedback I can with the information I have. If I have interpreted anything incorrectly, please let me know, and please understand that I have done everything I can with the time allowed to gather information and form opinions</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Background</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">I am a software engineer (B.S. Computer Science, M.S., Computer and Information Sciences). I have worked as a software engineer in the industry for 30 years. I have ordinary skill in the art with various standards and technologies for data storage, distributed computing, and security for online and offline systems. I am not a security specialist but have worked extensively with such specialists in building large scale consumer systems. I have also worked as an election clerk in Santa Clara County and am familiar with the processes and systems used in that county.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">General</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">I have been happy to hear that LA County has been working to create a system that is fully owned by the public, not by a vendor. The flexibility and potential ability to re-use this system in other counties is very promising. At the same time, I have concerns about this system that I ask to be considered both in certifying it for 2020 and going forward in LA County and elsewhere. They primarily involve the security of ballot marking devices and how those impact the assurances of Risk Limiting Audits (RLAs).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Universal Ballot Marking Devices Are an Unnecessary Security Risk</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">For security reasons, and because it is not a necessary requirement for the improvements incorporated in VSAP 2.0, I strongly object to the requirement for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">universal</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> use of ballot marking devices (BMDs) for in-person voting. I am basing this on the reporting that “Starting with the presidential primary, every in-person L.A. voter must use a ballot marking device”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> While voters still have the option of hand marked paper ballots for mail-in ballots, this is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">not</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> available to in-person voters. The only option for voters wishing to opt for a hand marked paper ballot is to request a pre-printed ballot by Feb 25:</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">"Pre-printed ballots will not be available at vote centers," Logan said, adding that voters who want to use pen and paper should request a mail-in ballot by Feb. 25. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Mr. Logan claims that denying hand marked paper ballot options to in-person voters is because having that option “creates a separate but equal type of scenario.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">. He provides no evidence or argument to support that claim. In addition, the fact that California </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">does</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> allow hand-marked paper ballots for voters who request them before Feb 25 undermines this argument -- if this were truly a “separate but equal” issue, why is it a non-issue for vote by mail voters?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">On the other hand, there are </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">strong security arguments</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> for allowing voters to hand mark paper ballots</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">. Specifically, hand marked ballots are not vulnerable to an entire class of electronic attacks against ballot marking devices (which the VSAP 2.0 BMD clearly belongs). We have recent experimental evidence that voters do not effectively verify BMD printed ballots without very specific training and real time prompts in the polling place -- none of which is in place for the March 2020 elections.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">In addition, the VSAP 2.0 system may potentially be vulnerable to a variant of the attack Andrew Appel termed “permission to cheat”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">, because it includes a print head in the paper scanning path for ballots, potentially allowing marks to be added to ballots even if the voter visually verified them first. (This was not evaluated by the security report below).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Allowing voters to use hand marked paper ballots, in conjunction with Risk Limiting Audits, mitigates this entire class of attacks</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> and is a recommended practice among a large group of security experts. Matthew Blaze, testifying before the House Administration Committee earlier this month, made this point clearly</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">BMD-based voting systems are controversial, since, by virtue of their design, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">the correctness of their behavior cannot be effectively audited except by individual voters carefully verifying their machine-printed ballots before they are cast</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">. A maliciously compromised BMD could subtly mismark candidate selections on ballots in a way that might not be noticed by most voters and that could undetectably change election outcomes. Furthermore, if BMDs fail or must be rebooted at a polling place, there may be no alternative method for voters to create marked ballots, making BMDs a potential bottleneck or single point of failure on election day.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">As a relatively new technology, BMD-based systems have not yet been widely examined by independent researchers and have been largely absent from practical election security research studies. However, even with relatively little scrutiny, exploitable weaknesses and usability flaws have been found in these systems. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">This underscores the need for more comprehensive studies and for caution before these systems are purchased by local jurisdictions or widely deployed</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">[Emphasis added. Testimony by Matt Blaze before the House Administration Committee on Jan 9 2020, p 9; available at </span><a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/HA/HA00/20200109/110346/HHRG-116-HA00-Wstate-BlazeM-20200109-U1.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">https://docs.house.gov/meetings/HA/HA00/20200109/110346/HHRG-116-HA00-Wstate-BlazeM-20200109-U1.pdf</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">.] This advice is in line with the recommendations of most other recommendations from security experts and takes into account the best practices of the field.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">LA County, disregarding this advice, proposes to widely deploy VSAP 2.0 and to force all in-person voters to use the system. It should not do this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Specific Issues with the Certification Process</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Security Report Has Unresolved Findings</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The “Security and Telecommunications Testing of the LA County VSAP 2.0 Voting System” (“Security report”)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> dated Dec 24, 2019 includes several detailed findings. I will reproduce some of the key findings of concern here, as they are not reproduced fully in the Staff Report and recommendations.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The easily defeated locks and seals on all of the VSAP devices resulted in the system not conforming to CVSS 2.1.1.a, which provides that all systems shall “Provide security access controls that limit or detect access to critical system components to guard against loss of system integrity, availability, confidentiality, and accountability.” It also degrades the ability of the system to meet CVSS 7.3.a. which states, “Any unauthorized physical access shall leave physical evidence that an unauthorized event has taken place.” [Security report, page 17].</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Compounding the above, “Booting from a USB drive was not disabled on any of the systems. As such, gaining physical access to the machines allowed access to both the operating and application files for VBL, Tally and FormatOS.“ In addition, “The cryptographic key material used to protect the integrity of elections was not encrypted. All cryptographic keys present were accessible in plaintext.“ and “This allowed secrets used to ensure election integrity to be recovered with only physical access to the system’s storage device.“ [Security report, page 18].</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Mitigating this somewhat: “This attack could be conducted by an elections official insider or a vendor insider. A voter would not have sufficient access to the system to successfully complete the prerequisite defeat of physical security without leaving evidence of the attack.“ Even granting this (difficult to evaluate) it does indicate that the system is not secure against insider attacks without additional precautions.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The finding “High Dependency on Root Access” is also concerning: “Root access is required for many regular operations in the VSAP system. These include, but are not limited to, updating cryptographic keys used to protect and verify the integrity of elections and voting information and performing regular system maintenance, including regular system shutdown and startup. This situation invariably leads to poor control of access to the root password which enables subsequent unauthorized access.” [Security report, page 20.] Not conforming with CVSS 2.1.4.f and 7.2.1.b.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Source Code Review Report Supports The Security Findings</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The VSAP Source Code Review Report</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> is relevant here as well, stating on page 91: “The system is airgapped—that is, not connected to the internet or connected to any other system that is connected to the internet. Air gap systems include Ballot Marking Device Manager (BMG) Ballot Marking Device (BMD) VSAP Ballot Layout (VBL) Tally … Note: Unused hardware ports (i.e. USB ports) are protected by port locks and/or tamper evident seals with signaling residue to reveal modification and/or removal. The serialized tamper evident seals are manually logged with an operator signature, seal number, location, date and time. This is to prevent removal of authorized connections when the port is in use and to prevent the insertion of unauthorized connections when the port is not in use. This prevents any infected USB flash drive from crossing any air gap.” However, per the Security report, this does not defend against an insider attack given the seals can be bypassed without detection with an insider’s access.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Smartmatic response to the concerns involving an infected USB flash drive was (page 91): “A malicious trusted insider would likely attempt other avenues by which to subvert the voting system… At this late time in the Certification campaign, we do not see the ability to remediate the listed software vulnerabilities assuming any could be exploited and would serve as a valuable target.“</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">On page 93, highly secure key material is left open to all users of the operating system: “The CA certificate and key are stored in tmp and set to 777 file permissions. …” The response indicates that this data is not necessary to the operation of the system and should have been removed as part of installation: “The documentation will be updated to instruct the installer user to delete all data from temp once the install is finished.”. This does not inspire confidence.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Usability of the System Is Not Yet Proven</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">While voters clearly enjoyed using the new system, and it may well be an improvement over the old electronic system, that does not mean it produces the correct results.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The “Usability, Accessibility and Privacy Testing” report</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> may also have detected some reliability problems, though it is difficult to tell given the available data. On page 7: “Long periods of silence made it seem as if the voting session was over” and on page 25, “Some voters noted that there were some long delays/pauses in the audio in varying parts of the ballot. This was confusing for the voter. and is also not in conformance with section 3.2.8.b, CVSS standards”. This might indicate a problem that could become worse under load, making the system unusable for some voters and/or confusing for others.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">There are other usability problems that are worth calling out because they are key to the claimed superiority of BMDs over hand marked paper ballots: The system does not warn about overvotes. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">On page 26, there is the following finding re: CVSS 3.2.2.1 (emphasis added):</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">CVSS 3.2.2.1: Notification of Effect of Over voting - If the voter attempts to select more than the allowable number of choices within a contest on a VEBD or PCOS, the voting system shall notify the voter of the effect of this action before the ballot is cast and counted. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When a voter attempts to over vote a race </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">the BMD automatically cancels the first choice and accepts the second.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">While this is a standard computer list selection UX and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">might</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> be more familiar than other designs, it is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">definitely</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> more susceptible to inadvertent touches changing the voter selection by accident than a system which warns and requires confirmation. Without full usability testing it is impossible to say either way, but this clearly appears to violate CVSS 3.2.2.1.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Similarly, on page 26, we find a technical noncompliance that may lead to real election concerns and lawsuits:</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">3.2.7.a.: No page scrolling - Voting systems shall not require page scrolling by the voter.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Long candidate lists require the voter to scroll on BMDs</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">From other reporting it appears that “long” in this context might be “more than 3 candidates” (I am interpreting this finding as equating “scrolling” with the “next” button used to move to the next page of results, where the page size appears to be set to 3 at a time, leading to breaking up even rather small lists of candidates into small sub-sections.) This also appears to violate CVSS 2.3.3.3.f per the Functional Test Report. Finally, this UI also appears to violate CVSS 3.2.5.e.i “The voting system shall visually present a single contest on a single page or column except where the number of choices in a contest makes it impossible.” </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Functional Test Report’s Findings Remain Unaddressed</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The “Functional Test Report”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> reflects a large number of findings, some of which are not noted in the staff report. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">On page 12, findings related to CVSS 2.1.1.a, CVSS 2.1.4.f:, CVSS 7.2.1.a.i, CVSS 7.2.1.c “The excessive root access and the ability to boot the system from a USB port give access to the system by unauthorized individuals. Either scenario can result in undetected changes to files and data.”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Red Team was able to gain access regardless of mitigations:</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">CVSS 7.5.4.b: “Threat model: failure - Voting systems shall fail open ended vulnerability testing if the manufacturer’s model of the system along with associated use procedures and security controls does not adequately mitigate all significant threats as described in the threat model. The OEVT team may use a threat model that has been amended based on their findings in accordance with 7.5.4.3.c.” </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The testers were able to gain access to the system regardless of mitigations</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Staff Report Does Not Address the Findings Yet Recommends Adoption of a Non Compliant System</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Finally, the “Staff Report”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> summarizes the findings and address them. However, it fails to address all of the findings. I will focus only on some that appear to be unaddressed for no apparent reason.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">On Page 15, Table 4a, it lists some but not all of the non-conformance findings I detailed above:</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 340px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="340" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7c181K2r1SVPJOYAxiDnZtrBIg95JwzXHqZ069cdE-q-wEtRP55FXEgXDJJk2f3W-dY8w3fUMoJBg2bmfXS_QAFtwF3ZSm8hWlz0r2QOT4mNdmUZaIrpZV7QK7nINw0Wlmp6zPoS" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The problems with this table are:</span></div>
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">There is no information on how updated “processes and procedures” are going to address physical design issues with tamper evident seals. How?</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">“The county will apply port protectors” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">does not appear to be a new mitigation at all</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">, since the ports were theoretically </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">already</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> protected by tamper-evident port blockers per the Source Code Review Report (“Unused hardware ports (i.e. USB ports) are protected by port locks and/or tamper evident seals…”) Thus, this is non responsive and the non conformance is unaddressed.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The finding </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #14171a; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">"Shared/Static Secrets" not conforming w/ CVSS 7.2.4.a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #14171a; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">is simply ignored</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #14171a; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: #14171a; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #14171a; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The finding "High Dependency on Root Access", not conforming w/CVSS 2.1.4.f, CVSS 7.2.1.b, CVSS 7.2.4.a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #14171a; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">is also simply ignored</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #14171a; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The section “ Accessibility, Usability and Privacy Testing Summary” (page 16) similarly ignores a set of non conformance issues which appear to remain unaddressed anywhere; in particular, the only non conformance issue mentioned is the long period of silence (delay in audio output) with no mitigation or plan to address noted; none of the other non conformance issues listed earlier are noted or addressed.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Three California Elections Code Requirements Are Not Met by VSAP 2.0</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Finally the Staff Report lists the sections of the Elections Code and claims that VSAP 2.0 meets all of the requirements. I would take exception to the following:</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">§19101 (b) (3): The system shall be safe from fraud or manipulation.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The system has unaddressed conformance issues which show it has not yet met this requirement.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">§19204.5: The Secretary of State shall not certify or conditionally approve a voting system that cannot facilitate the conduct of a ballot level comparison risk-limiting audit.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">§19270 (a): The Secretary of State shall not certify or conditionally approve a direct recording electronic voting system unless the system includes an accessible voter verified paper audit trail.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The system produces ballots that cannot be said to be voter verified and therefore the fundamental requirement for a ballot level comparison risk-limiting audit (per Stark’s definition) cannot yet be met.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Per the above, I do not believe that the Staff Report should be accepted and the system certified for use in elections. With modification, I believe it can be -- if we accept that it should not be used as a universal forced-BMD solution but as an optional mechanism for casting ballots for voters who prefer to use it. That mode does not pose nearly as great a danger and mitigates the non conformance with §19101 (b) (3), §19204.5, and §19270 (a) of the Election Code of California.</span></div>
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John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-47347048551445125812019-10-08T23:52:00.001-07:002019-10-10T16:53:20.282-07:00Why I'm No Longer On The Facebook<div class="tr_bq">
I've had a Facebook account for a few years, largely because other people were on it and were organizing useful communities there. I stuck with it (not using it for private information) even while I grew increasingly concerned about Facebook's inability to be trustworthy guardians of private information. The recent <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/24/ftc-facebook-settlement-1428432" target="_blank">slap on the wrist from the FTC</a> for Facebook violating the terms of its prior consent agreement made it clear that there wasn't going to be any penalty for Facebook for continuing to violate court orders.</div>
<br />
Mark Zuckerberg claimed he had <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/sep/27/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-2016-election-fake-news" target="_blank">made a mistake in 2016 </a>by ridiculing the idea of election interference on his platform, apologized, and claimed he was turning over a new leaf:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“After the election, I made a comment that I thought the idea misinformation on Facebook changed the outcome of the election was a crazy idea. Calling that crazy was dismissive and I regret it. This is too important an issue to be dismissive.”</blockquote>
It turns out, though, that was just Zuck lying to "dumb fucks", <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/embarrassing-and-damaging-zuckerberg-ims-confirmed-by-zuckerberg-the-new-yorker-2010-9" target="_blank">as he terms people who trusts him</a>. Last week, after Zuckerberg had a private meeting with Donald Trump, I discovered that Zuckerberg has decided to not just passively enable, but <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/oct/04/facebook-exempts-political-ads-ban-making-false-claims" target="_blank">actively aid and abet, the spread of disinformation on his platform</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1181811559598825472?s=20" target="_blank">This week, it turns out that that this is actually happening, and Facebook is perfectly OK with it</a>.<br />
<br />
I'm done. When someone shows you who they are, believe them. I believe Zuckerberg is exactly who he has shown himself to be, and that as long as he's in charge of decision making at his company, that extends to the company as well.<br />
<br />
Goodbye, Facebook. I can't say it's been fun, but it has been educational.<br />
<br />
<b>Addendum</b>: Just to be clear, this also, obviously, applies to <i>working</i> for Facebook. I recently got this email from a recruiter, so here's my answer.<br />
<blockquote>
Hi John,<br />I hope you are doing well! I was hoping you'd be open to an “exploratory” conversation about potential opportunities. I recruit specifically for our Software Engineering teams and believe you could be a strong match for Facebook.</blockquote>
Per the above, I do not think I would be a good match for Facebook. <br />
<blockquote>
As cliché as it may sound, we truly do seek innovative engineers who will come up with the next great idea for Facebook to help us connect the world.</blockquote>
Here are some ideas, which you can have for free: Be responsible custodians of user data, be up front and honest with your users, and if you're going to accept paid ads, apply the same standards for political ads that you do for ads for laundry soap.<br />
<blockquote>
By design, we run very small teams. On average, there is about 1 engineer for every 1.25 million customers on Facebook. The company is growing rapidly, and our positions offer explosive growth opportunities.</blockquote>
You might want to avoid "explosive" in your recruitment emails right now.<br />
<blockquote>
What does “exploratory” mean? Well, I’d like to talk to you about where you are in your career, what type of growth opportunities you are hoping for, and the type of development you're most passionate about. </blockquote>
I'm fairly happy in my career, passionate about working on things that help people, but especially passionate about not working on things that actively harm people. Thus, I don't think I'd be a good match for Facebook right now.<br />
<blockquote>
Please let me know if you would have a few minutes to chat sometime this week or next.<br />Be sure to check out this Forbes article:<br />http://bit.ly/2cJ3wPe<br />http://newsroom.fb.com/news/<br />Best,<br />[REDACTED]</blockquote>
<br />
<br />John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-60794910715518348422019-08-21T17:27:00.000-07:002019-08-21T17:27:18.233-07:00Shadowgate: The Lost D&D CampaignRecently unearthed in a cache of my 1980s-era papers: <b>Shadowgate</b>, totally original Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Published here for the very first time. Enjoy!<br />
<br /><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">"<i><b>Situation</b>: Shadowgate is the name of an ancient fort situated in the foothills of the mountains which mark the kingdom of Quild's northern boundary. It was constructed long ago, by the magis and artisans of the First Kingdom, to protect the land from the attacks of creatures from beyond the walls of the world. The central part of the keep was built around a gate which the creatures used to reach the lands of men. The keep was built to keep safe the magical wards which locked the gate. The physical keystone of those wards was a large, multifaceted crystal. With it in place, the shadow creatures could never break through..."</i></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xBlVTBK4sGU/XV3Eamjxa8I/AAAAAAACKOU/1BXmQ4cTZqUAJrGKazr-FgdcGOsjHG0YgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.08.29%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xBlVTBK4sGU/XV3Eamjxa8I/AAAAAAACKOU/1BXmQ4cTZqUAJrGKazr-FgdcGOsjHG0YgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.08.29%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a></span><br />
Of course, it would not be a D&D adventure without a map. The map looks like I spent a lot of time on mountains.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WoOzZJEzC6I/XV3D10EMKyI/AAAAAAACKNo/D8t1nP48VsopTIUagNFdZwxoIZ7SXyJZQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.04.49%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WoOzZJEzC6I/XV3D10EMKyI/AAAAAAACKNo/D8t1nP48VsopTIUagNFdZwxoIZ7SXyJZQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.04.49%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WoOzZJEzC6I/XV3D10EMKyI/AAAAAAACKNo/D8t1nP48VsopTIUagNFdZwxoIZ7SXyJZQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.04.49%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And yes, naturally, there <b>is</b> an evil priesthood:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HEF7Azu8bU/XV3EKJqNpSI/AAAAAAACKN8/OjzQxt3lcqgeUDa0elY286wveDZVfZ-hwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.06.02%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HEF7Azu8bU/XV3EKJqNpSI/AAAAAAACKN8/OjzQxt3lcqgeUDa0elY286wveDZVfZ-hwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.06.02%2BPM.png" /></a><br />
<br />
Troll swords? Boy, have we got awesome troll swords:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zTTBKgTKi5U/XV3EH-Gbu_I/AAAAAAACKN0/2vaDS0R8_Box5DpOwHx4xORdkqj5sumpQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.05.29%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zTTBKgTKi5U/XV3EH-Gbu_I/AAAAAAACKN0/2vaDS0R8_Box5DpOwHx4xORdkqj5sumpQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.05.29%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
We're gonna need an encounter table:<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xBlVTBK4sGU/XV3Eamjxa8I/AAAAAAACKOU/1BXmQ4cTZqUAJrGKazr-FgdcGOsjHG0YgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.08.29%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPyLDYu1NJ0/XV3Em_tydQI/AAAAAAACKOg/cFgXMctBiIMk_uZTStqIVb3I9VSrsrivACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.07.05%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPyLDYu1NJ0/XV3Em_tydQI/AAAAAAACKOg/cFgXMctBiIMk_uZTStqIVb3I9VSrsrivACK4BGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.07.05%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
And if you're lucky, it's gonna just be a pack of 5-10 feral wolves you encounter. If you're unlucky, you might get any of a variety of demons, or if the DM is really feeling cranky, a "Greater demon":<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xS9wtBQKPqY/XV3EwfaXDYI/AAAAAAACKOs/JjncWR9HhfcOZ_iXw_sYgynJv2MBTaoWgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.07.41%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xS9wtBQKPqY/XV3EwfaXDYI/AAAAAAACKOs/JjncWR9HhfcOZ_iXw_sYgynJv2MBTaoWgCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B1.07.41%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I almost forgot about the Shadow Beasts:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y_xqpSrZIA0/XV3eYpxk09I/AAAAAAACKPE/yZVETdwGLeokEXAUJSTxq0QPppeF4Le6ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B5.12.39%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y_xqpSrZIA0/XV3eYpxk09I/AAAAAAACKPE/yZVETdwGLeokEXAUJSTxq0QPppeF4Le6ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B5.12.39%2BPM.png" /></a><br />
<br />
And that's just to get to the town. That's when the mystery really begins... WHO stole that keystone, and WHERE is it now? And how can we get rid of these freaking Shadow Beasts that keep appearing?<br />
<br />
Maybe the warrior monks of the Order of the Gate can help out. Or <i>maybe</i> they're the ones releasing the Shadow Beasts!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CZOFgv58MTU/XV3eR_kXiKI/AAAAAAACKO8/ioGxUk9iiPcZVpMVQduhG1UKEigEbgeuACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B5.12.24%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CZOFgv58MTU/XV3eR_kXiKI/AAAAAAACKO8/ioGxUk9iiPcZVpMVQduhG1UKEigEbgeuACK4BGAYYCw/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-08-21%2Bat%2B5.12.24%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
It turns out this adventure is actually a whodunnit. (No spoilers, but you can read the whole thing online <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CEdfaqcf6hEFRQKp9M3WtyYIjBbBfdmk/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
(I actually have next to no memory of writing this. It's probably one of a whole set of things I wrote when I was 11 or 12 but this is the only one that survived. I don't think I ever ran a campaign using it.)<br />
<br />John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-68488936868505947122019-04-01T14:47:00.002-07:002019-04-01T14:47:52.964-07:00Goodbye G+!As I prepare to help shut down public G+ tomorrow, I realize how much I rely on it for long form postings and how much history there is. I'm frequently on twitter these days, so I'm putting my G+ shutdown playlist there:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/jpanzer/status/1112831788659798017">https://twitter.com/jpanzer/status/1112831788659798017</a><br />
<br />
I'll likely move back here for long form posts where Twitter is less than optimal. In that spirit, here's my <a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/FPa3WmzaKhi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">final goodbye</a> on G+ (which will disappear like tears in the rain tomorrow):<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Goodbye, G+! I've worked, off and on, building and maintaining G+ for <b>mumble</b> years now. I'm currently working feverishly on winding down the public G+ product and bringing things in for a landing.<br />All kinds of feels for this. Even now, with people leaving, the feed I have here is amazingly good and the social network isn't replicated anywhere else. Thank you all for using my[1] code. Thanks for being here.<br />[1] I had a small part, give all credit to the many talented engineers who have poured their skill into this, and accept all blame for post embed bugs.</blockquote>
<br />
(I may re-publish other things that seem particularly useful or relevant as I retrieve them from my G+ archive.)John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-48800846241081935852018-06-04T10:26:00.000-07:002019-04-02T10:29:47.539-07:00This kind of reaction from a Secretary of State is garbage<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This kind of reaction from a Secretary of State in charge of elections is absolutely incorrect, wrong, and deeply disturbing:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">'Democrats are launching a manufactured crisis,” Kemp spokeswoman Candice Broce said. “They would love nothing more than for us to flout Georgia law and use paper ballots so they can challenge the results when they lose, but we will not cater to such childish antics.”'</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://www.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-democratic-leader-demands-details-voter-data-breach/syAe6Hw5TGKAqfohOqEItM/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">http://www.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-democratic-leader-demands-details-voter-data-breach/syAe6Hw5TGKAqfohOqEItM/</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">) </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Voter verifiable paper audit trails ("paper ballots") are the consensus recommendation of ALL security experts who have looked at this issue, for the past decade or more:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter-verified_paper_audit_trail#cite_note-5" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter-verified_paper_audit_trail#cite_note-5</a><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is NOT a partisan issue. Kemp can legitimately push back on technical critiques of his state's systems, but to pretend that paper ballots are less secure than the systems Georgia is using (based on obsolete software on top of obsolete Windows operating systems, using registration data apparently vulnerable at least to retrieval and possibly to modification) is frankly laughable.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To then try to turn this into a partisan issue and accuse Democrats of being "childish" for demanding accurate and verifiable voting systems is the height of hubris. And, I'm sorry Mr. Kemp, it's deeply suspicious too.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Originally published Jun 4, 2018 on </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/1VqagcDTtKy">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/1VqagcDTtKy</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-21633056063773803172018-01-05T10:30:00.000-08:002019-04-02T10:33:08.321-07:00My faxed letter to both my Senators this morning<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My faxed letter to both my Senators this morning.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Senators Grassley and Graham, this morning, engaged in an obvious act of witness intimidation. They leaked a letter to the Justice Department referring criminal prosecution against Mr. Steele for alleged but unspecified false statements to, apparently, the FBI.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is on the heels of Senator Grassley refusing to release the testimony of Fusion GPS, refusing to allow the public to evaluate the claims of Simpson vs. selective and apparently inaccurate leaks of said information from the Republican members of the committee.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is outrageous.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is unacceptable. It is un-American. These Senators are trying to achieve in then court of public opinion what they have no chance of doing in a real court. They are themselves engaging in witness intimidation & obstruction of justice.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I call on you to denounce this desperate and illegal act by your colleagues and to introduce a motion to censure these two sitting Senators who have demeaned their oath of office. I call on you to support the rule of laws and not men.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Originally published Jan 4, 2018 at </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/Y4oqQ7xLASh?">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/Y4oqQ7xLASh</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-69325450295151983032017-10-02T07:00:00.000-07:002019-04-02T10:34:22.397-07:00What exactly hosts the mail on ijkfamily.com?<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what exactly hosts the mail on </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://ijkfamily.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">ijkfamily.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To sum up: Right now, it appears to be just the Trump organization email servers, which does not inspire confidence in their security.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Best as I can tell, as of 8pm Pacific time, it appears that it's hosted by the same servers running Trump org email, possibly hosted by "BBH Solutions" Here's what I did:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) dig </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://ijkfamily.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">ijkfamily.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> MX</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">yields: </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">;; ANSWER SECTION:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://ijkfamily.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">ijkfamily.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. 3055 IN MX 0 </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://ijkpph01.ijkfamily.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">ijkpph01.ijkfamily.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://ijkfamily.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">ijkfamily.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. 3055 IN MX 0 </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://ijkpph02.ijkfamily.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">ijkpph02.ijkfamily.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) dig </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://ijkpph01.ijkfamily.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">ijkpph01.ijkfamily.com</a><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">yields:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://ijkpph01.ijkfamily.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">ijkpph01.ijkfamily.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. 3600 IN A 144.121.114.12</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) OK, let's try to telnet to port 25 and see what happens:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">telnet 144.121.114.12 25</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trying 144.121.114.12...</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connected to 144.121.114.12.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Escape character is '^]'.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">220 </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://mailhost01.trumporg.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">MAILHOST01.TRUMPORG.COM</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ESMTP Mon, 2 Oct 2017 23:03:16 -0400</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">4) </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://trumporg.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">TRUMPORG.COM</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">? Well a server can be configured to say anything here, but, that's interesting. Let's do a sanity check here starting from the "</span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://trumporg.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">trumporg.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">" domain:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">dig </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://trumporg.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">trumporg.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> MX</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">--></span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://trumporg.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">trumporg.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. 3600 IN MX 0 </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://mailhost01.trumporg.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">mailhost01.trumporg.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">dig </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://mailhost01.trumporg.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">mailhost01.trumporg.com</a><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">--></span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://mailhost01.trumporg.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">mailhost01.trumporg.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. 3600 IN A 144.121.114.12</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yup, same IP address as for </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://ijkfamily.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">ijkfamily.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and therefore, same mail server. Presumably, it's whoever runs the Trump org IT, which is not in fact a commercial mail provider as far as i know. Various researchers in 2016 pointed out Trump org email servers were "horribly insecure" (</span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="https://thehackernews.com/2016/10/donald-trump-email-server.html" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://thehackernews.com/2016/10/donald-trump-email-server.html</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, for example). </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">None of this inspires confidence.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">5) Addendum: Going to </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://whois.urih.com/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">http://whois.urih.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and plugging in the 144.121.114.12 address (to see who's hosting the actual servers, or at least proxying them) yields:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://www.bbhsolutions.com/about-us/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">http://www.bbhsolutions.com/about-us/</a><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">BBH Solutions</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2131 Jericho Tpke</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Garden City, NY 11040</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don't know of any connection here but the DNS entries seem pretty conclusive -- this isn't being run by a commercial mail provider, but by Trump org internal IT (or vendor(s)). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Originally published Oct 2, 2017 at </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/Fj7vkKssvND">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/Fj7vkKssvND</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-33413474771231438312017-07-07T15:03:00.002-07:002017-07-07T15:03:27.285-07:00The problem with creation date metadata in PDF documents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ScHe4bNSIT4/WWAE_bE6PAI/AAAAAAABpbM/q_GVcYD8xXQ6jIitlJ4ayCRXWGgRvyI5wCLcBGAs/s1600/Screenshot%2Bfrom%2B2017-07-07%2B15%253A02%253A19.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="760" height="110" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ScHe4bNSIT4/WWAE_bE6PAI/AAAAAAABpbM/q_GVcYD8xXQ6jIitlJ4ayCRXWGgRvyI5wCLcBGAs/s200/Screenshot%2Bfrom%2B2017-07-07%2B15%253A02%253A19.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Last night Rachel Maddow talked about an apparently fake NSA document "leaked" to her organization. There's a lot of info there, I suggest you listen to the whole thing:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-to-news-orgs-heads-up-for-hoaxes-985491523709">http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-to-news-orgs-heads-up-for-hoaxes-985491523709</a><br />
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There's a lot to unpack there but it looks like somebody tried to fool MSNBC into running with a fake accusation based on faked NSA documents, apparently based on cloning the document the Intercept published back on 6/5/2017, which to all appearances was itself a real NSA document in PDF form.<br />
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I think the main thrust of this story is chilling and really important to get straight -- some person or persons unknown is sending forged PDFs to news organization(s), apparently trying to get them to run stories based on forged documents. And I completely agree with Maddow that she was right to send up a "signal flare" to all the news organizations to look out for forgeries. Really, really, really important stuff.<br />
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This post, though, is going to talk about a detail that Maddow may have gotten wrong, why it may be wrong, and how this bears on the possibility that the Intercept was somehow involved vs. any of the millions of people who downloaded the Intercept's published PDF file.<br />
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First, let's start with the assumption that the PDF Maddow has is a cloned-and-modified copy of <a href="https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3766950/NSA-Report-on-Russia-Spearphishing.pdf">https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3766950/NSA-Report-on-Russia-Spearphishing.pdf</a> which is what the Intercept published.<br />
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Maddow looked at a bunch of things including the data and metadata of the document. One of the key pieces of metadata was the "creation timestamp" of the PDF file. To be clear, this is just a sequence of bytes in a file and could easily be faked if anybody cared to fake it, something that Maddow made clear too. But if you assume that (A) the document is a clone-with-modifications of the Intercept's PDF and (B) the "creation timestamp" embedded in the PDF wasn't faked, there appeared to be an interesting factoid: The "creation timestamp" reported by Maddow for her PDF is 3 hours before the actual publication of the PDF, but of course the PDF would necessarily have been created before it was put up on the web server and 3 hours doesn't seem unusual.<br />
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But the Intercept took umbrage at the suggestion that this was suspicious, <a href="https://theintercept.com/2017/07/07/rachel-maddows-exclusive-scoop-about-a-fake-nsa-document-raises-several-key-questions/">saying</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If you look at the time stamp on the metadata on the document that The Intercept published, it reads “June 5, 12:17:15 p.m.” — exactly the same time and date, to the second, as the one on the document received by Maddow:</blockquote>
And they include a screenshot of the output of "exiftool" which indeed reports (in human readable form) a "Create Date" of "2017:06:05 12:17:15" (with no timezone).<br />
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The Intercept then goes on to <a href="https://theintercept.com/2017/07/07/rachel-maddows-exclusive-scoop-about-a-fake-nsa-document-raises-several-key-questions/">add</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It’s also possible that simple time zones explain the discrepancy: that whoever forged the document was in a time zone several hours behind East Coast time, and June 5, 12:17 p.m., in that time zone is after The Intercept’s publication, not before.</blockquote>
(The time zone theory doesn't make a lot of sense, because it implies that somebody created a totally new PDF document in a time zone somewhere after publication, but just happened to make the minutes and second match exactly the ones in the original creation timestamp; but at least this is something that's actually testable on a technical level.)<br />
<br />
And with this statement, I jump into the fray, because I'm a software engineer and have had to deal with this kind of technical ambiguity in timestamps way too many times and there might in fact be a way to answer at least this one small question absolutely with no ambiguity at all.<br />
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It is possible for a PDF file to contain timezone information (see http://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/pdf_reference_1-7.pdf, page 160). But sometimes software is stupid, and doesn't record what timezone it's talking about, which is horrible because it leads to confusion. <b>Did the Intercept's file contain a timezone? </b><br />
<br />
So I looked at the actual bytes of the Intercept's PDF. <b>No, it doesn't include timezone info:</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FomGsuyffRs/WWAAj6fpuLI/AAAAAAABpbE/2ZOlv70iWSMFsXZJbpVYG6rTdC88Q5NUwCLcBGAs/s1600/NSA-Report-on-Russia-Spearphishing-Metadata-Screenshot%2Bfrom%2B2017-07-07%2B14%253A13%253A33.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="76" data-original-width="683" height="68" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FomGsuyffRs/WWAAj6fpuLI/AAAAAAABpbE/2ZOlv70iWSMFsXZJbpVYG6rTdC88Q5NUwCLcBGAs/s640/NSA-Report-on-Russia-Spearphishing-Metadata-Screenshot%2Bfrom%2B2017-07-07%2B14%253A13%253A33.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Even though my local tool claims it's PDT; this is a lie:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-elDlOZdk5Lg/WWAA28Js9DI/AAAAAAABpbI/06U32jqXioMjX0U8Ia16o4e_Nf5E8ARLgCLcBGAs/s1600/PST-is-a-lie-Screenshot%2Bfrom%2B2017-07-07%2B14%253A36%253A01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="651" height="386" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-elDlOZdk5Lg/WWAA28Js9DI/AAAAAAABpbI/06U32jqXioMjX0U8Ia16o4e_Nf5E8ARLgCLcBGAs/s400/PST-is-a-lie-Screenshot%2Bfrom%2B2017-07-07%2B14%253A36%253A01.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Most likely, somebody downloaded the PDF file from the Intercept after publication, and modified it, leaving the original creation timestamp alone. The way to tell if the two PDFs have the same or a different timestamp are to open up each one <i>in a binary editor</i> and search for "/CreationDate" and just compare the strings byte for byte, because timestamp formats are horrible and you can't trust the tools to get it 100% right.<br />
<br />
So here's what you do, Rachel Maddow: Open both PDFs in a binary editor ("vi" works on a Mac). Search for the string "CreationDate". See if the "D:##########" string matches in each of them. If it matches, the files have the same creation timestamp, for whatever that is worth.<br />
<br />
More broadly, everybody writing software: Just Say No to writing ambiguous timestamps! And if you read one, DO NOT just slap the local timezone on the end like my local properties viewer does. And if it's really, really important, check the bytes by hand.<br />
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<br />John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-15223536769376053072017-06-14T10:35:00.000-07:002019-04-02T10:37:12.101-07:00Electronic pollbooks are an attractive attack vector on elections<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">See </span><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588235294118); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/14/will-the-georgia-special-election-get-hacked-215255</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This appears to be a very easy and effective attack on election systems that does not even involve trying to flip votes. </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"The center also distributes the voter registration list to counties for use on their ExpressPoll pollbooks; if attackers were to delete voter names from the database stored on the center’s server or alter the precinct where voters are assigned, they could create chaos on Election Day and possibly prevent voters from casting ballots. This is not an idle concern: During the presidential election last year, some voters in Georgia’s Fulton County complained that they arrived to polls and were told they were at the wrong precinct. When they went to the precinct where they were redirected, they were told to return to the original precinct. The problem was apparently a glitch in the ExpressPoll software."</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/14/will-the-georgia-special-election-get-hacked-215255" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/14/will-the-georgia-special-election-get-hacked-215255</a><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In other words, the very system that had major security problems and a lack of due diligence in fixing them, maintains the "source of truth" for the per-precinct registration lists. Merely deleting voters from lists in precincts which are known to lean towards one party or the other would probably be enough to tip an election (even if they are allowed to vote provisionally, that doesn't always go smoothly, and it always slows things down and creates confusion; if you can get them shuttling between precincts through manipulating the files, even better.)</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is an attractive attack vector because it's easy, it doesn't require attacking voting machines at all, could be done by attacking a "low security" system, and could be blamed on "glitches" quite plausibly. And we already know from the leaked report last week that state-level actors were attempting to modify voter roll information in other systems.</span><br />
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[This was originally published Jun 14, 2017 at <a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/QxYGgrETgwh">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/QxYGgrETgwh</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-68948653780242990982017-02-03T10:48:00.000-08:002019-04-02T10:48:48.278-07:00"We will give him a family and he will be our brother"<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember this?</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Dear President Obama, </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember the boy who was picked up by the ambulance in Syria? Can you please go get him and bring him to [my home]? Park in the driveway or on the street and we will be waiting for you guys with flags, flowers, and balloons. We will give him a family and he will be our brother..."</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(At this point, I cannot read this caption without tears coming to my eyes.)</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Ref: </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/09/six-year-olds-letter/501203/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/09/six-year-olds-letter/501203/</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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[Originally published Feb 3, 2017 at <a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/fapk4NdA9Re">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/fapk4NdA9Re</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-10905111758523310402017-02-02T10:50:00.000-08:002019-04-02T10:52:29.774-07:00Why We Do Not Punch Nazis And We Oppose Those Who Do<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">On punching Nazis: It is NOT OK to punch Nazis in the street. Stop it. Anyone who is doing this is hurting the cause. Everyone who cares about the civil rights needs to yell at people doing this, stop them where possible, and allow the police to arrest them.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope that position is clear. If you want to argue against this, or you want arguments for this position, please read on.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why We Do Not Punch Nazis And We Oppose Those Who Do</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. We stand for civil rights. One of those rights is to anyone regardless of their beliefs to be able to walk in public and not be punched. This reason is sufficient.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. It is a stupid and self defeating strategy. It gives talking points to the Nazis and lets them be victims (even if they were using "fighting words" and inciting violence). This reason is also sufficient, so even if you disagree with me on #1, please seriously consider #2.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here's some ridiculous stuff I've heard on the Internet and why it's ridiculous.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Argument: "But We Punched Hitler!"</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes we did, when we declared war against the Axis and defended the free world from fascism last time around. (And thank you, Greatest Generation, once again.) </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But we are NOT at war and you do NOT want to open that door. Know why? Because in a war, you don't punch Nazis, you shoot them and kill them, preferably from a long distance with lots of technology to multiply your effectiveness. And they will be doing the same thing to you. You want a second Civil War? No? OK, good, you're sane.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Argument: "But I Want to Take Action!"</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Awesome! Take action. Start with calling everybody in Congress you can get ahold of starting with you representatives. Write letters. March. Talk to people and convince them that there is a clear and present danger to the Constitution. Resist fascists and yell at them and make them mentally uncomfortable. Put your body on the line when necessary. Nonviolent resistance has a proven track record.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you really, really, really want to punch a Nazi after all this, go ahead and challenge one to a boxing match in a ring with legal waivers. If they accept, put it on YouTube and contribute the ad proceeds to the ACLU, OK?</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Side note: This is all playing out in front a big audience. If only 5% of the eligible voters WHO DID NOT VOTE in the recent election become mobilized and voted on our side, we will have a totally different government.)</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Argument: "But Protests Alone Didn't Work Against Nazis Last Time"</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Studying history, excellent. Please read </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_fire" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_fire</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Punching Nazis didn't work last time. Now read about the history of the Civil Rights movement, especially the nonviolent resistance. This month is a good one for it. It appears that the current administration doesn't know anything about this history, so we can crib from it and it will surprise them.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"None of These Arguments Convince Me, I Want to Punch Nazis and Burn Things"</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">OK. It's a free country and you have every right to have those feelings and thoughts. If you take action on those feelings and thoughts, I will do my best to stop you and hand you over to the police, because those things are wrong and they are hurting the cause of civil rights. You're not part of my cause.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Argument: "None of These Arguments Convince Me, I'm Actually a False Flag Operative Trying to Delegitimize Your Cause"</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hi there! Thought you might show up. Yep, you can try, but you'll be unmasked by your own actions and if possible handed over to the police (see above). Enjoy your night in jail.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">---</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Addendum: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As always self defense is perfectly acceptable. If Nazis are punching YOU then you have every right to defend yourself with appropriate force.</span><br />
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[Originally published Feb 2, 2017 at <a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/5jgzZL3Gcnu">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/5jgzZL3Gcnu</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-23645757187784258372017-01-11T10:56:00.000-08:002019-04-02T10:58:29.057-07:00Walter Shaub blasts Trump's 'meaningless' plan to avoid Emoluments Clause violationsSee <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/01/11/federal-ethics-chief-blasts-trumps-plan-to-break-from-businesses-calling-it-meaningless/?utm_term=.49c762a3b828">https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/01/11/federal-ethics-chief-blasts-trumps-plan-to-break-from-businesses-calling-it-meaningless/?utm_term=.49c762a3b828</a><br />
<br />
Federal ethics chief blasts Trump's plan to break from businesses, calling it 'meaningless'.<br />
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NPR called it "smoke and mirrors". Sounds about right.<br />
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[Originally published Jan 11, 2017 at <a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/aL75cKz3qRP">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/aL75cKz3qRP</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-19079787426505477952017-01-07T15:02:00.000-08:002019-04-03T15:04:53.679-07:00Paper ballots are critical election security infrastructure<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why voter-verified paper audit trail is so important. (</span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter-verified_paper_audit_trail" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter-verified_paper_audit_trail</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the 1/6/16 intelligence assessment: "Russian intelligence obtained and maintained access to elements of multiple US state or local electoral boards. </span><i style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">DHS assesses that the types of systems Russian actors targeted or compromised were not involved in vote tallying.</i><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So either (a) the Kremlin tried to compromise vote tallying systems but didn't succeed or (b) they were after something else having to do with "state or local electoral boards", and maybe succeeded.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><i style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both of these possibilities are terrible and we should block this kind of election fraud</i><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The security of most electronic voting systems without paper trails can plausibly be compromised by state level actors. (This is the consensus view of the software engineering professionals.) The best practice to defend against this is a paper trail and automatic recounts.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">See </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="https://medium.com/@jhalderm/want-to-know-if-the-election-was-hacked-look-at-the-ballots-c61a6113b0ba#.b25sz36l6" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://medium.com/@jhalderm/want-to-know-if-the-election-was-hacked-look-at-the-ballots-c61a6113b0ba#.b25sz36l6</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, especially the following about how an attacker might accomplish this:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"First, the attackers would probe election offices well in advance in order to find ways to break into their computers. Closer to the election, when it was clear from polling data which states would have close electoral margins, the attackers might spread malware into voting machines in some of these states, rigging the machines to shift a few percent of the vote to favor their desired candidate."</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's very hard to say from the intelligence report whether this was the first part of an attempt or not. But it's very concerning, which is why every state that cares about the integrity of its election results should implement paper trail and automatic recounts.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(The </span><i style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">other</i><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> possibility is perhaps just as disturbing -- that the Kremlin was not targeting vote tallying but something else having to do with electoral boards not directly tied to vote tallying. Blackmail material?)</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back to the intelligence report, the next paragraph:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"We assess Moscow will apply lessons learned from its Putin-ordered campaign aimed at the US presidential election to future influence efforts worldwide, including against US allies and their</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">election processes."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Originally published Jan 7, 2017 at </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/NprmqKdEzY5">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/NprmqKdEzY5</a>. Subsequently, I have seen many problems with the machine-generated "audit trails" sold by vendors and believe that we should minimize the use of machine printed ballots and maximize the use of hand marked ballots in order to have meaningful audits and defend against this kind of election fraud.]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-79100776716296049862017-01-02T10:23:00.000-08:002019-04-02T10:24:44.304-07:00How to Deal with Donald Trump <span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don't know Donald Trump, but I've dealt with his specific cluster of personality traits before. I have some rules for dealing with them. You may find them useful the next few years.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. If possible, do not engage</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This may seem like useless advice, given Trump will be President in three weeks But keep it in mind. The best possible strategy for dealing with someone like Trump is: Don't. Go no contact, do not engage with him. Do something else more productive.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. If you have to engage, be BIFF</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are forced to engage with him, keep it Brief, Informative, Friendly, and Firm (BIFF). Don't get into Twitter wars. Don't antagonize him or try to set him off (he'll go off on his own anyway). Be impersonal but friendly.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pick your battles carefully. But once you do pick a position and draw a line, do not waver from it no matter what Trump and his allies throw at you.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Believe actions, not words</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump's words are meaningless -- or, worse, a distraction or smokescreen that obscures what's really going on. Don't pay a lot of attention to them; prioritize attention to actions. Don't over-analyze his words.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Never </span><i style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ever</i><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> trade something in exchange for a promise from Trump. Demand payment up front if you must violate rule #1.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Trump does one thing and says another, believe what he does and ignore the words.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Do not give the benefit of the doubt</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We reflexively give the benefit of the doubt, especially to the President. Our political institutions codify this. The strong temptation is to give Trump chance after chance.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">That makes no sense at this point. He had his chance after winning the election to turn over a new leaf and to demonstrate what kind of President he plans to be.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This means that him saying something has </span><i style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">zero effect</i><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, for or against, on whether or not you should believe it.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. Use positive reinforcement</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">You get what you reward. Sometimes Trump will say or do things that actually make sense. Positively reinforce when he does, while keeping in mind rules 2-4. Give praise for this, even if his other actions are terrible.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But don't reward him for words.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">6. Don't normalize the abnormal</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's a slippery slope. A situation may not be changeable today, but that does not mean it cannot be changed. Simultaneously be realistic, while working towards a better tomorrow.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">7. Be patient and proactive</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- Mark Twain</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority."</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- Francis Bacon</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump and his allies have enormous power right now. But it's fragile, based on reality distortion. In the long run, if we keep the record clear, this can be apparent.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump will do everything possible to muddy the record. Defend the record, make sure that the ground truth is available for those who want it.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">8. Keep Reading and Learning</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keep informing yourself. Start with these excellent articles from the Atlantic and Teen Vogue if you haven't read them already:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2016/11/a-reflexive-liar-in-command-guidelines-for-the-media/508832/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2016/11/a-reflexive-liar-in-command-guidelines-for-the-media/508832/</a><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="http://www.teenvogue.com/story/donald-trump-is-gaslighting-america" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">http://www.teenvogue.com/story/donald-trump-is-gaslighting-america</a><br />
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[Originally published Jan 2, 2017 at <a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/9YTq4MQd53o?">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/9YTq4MQd53o</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-36135303421273659812016-12-10T15:00:00.000-08:002019-04-03T15:01:53.908-07:00Russia hacked U.S. presidential election for Trump, says CIA<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The US intelligence community concluded Russia hacked emails to get Trump elected. Nevertheless Trump will be president.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reality is like that, sometimes.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But the future CAN be changed. Step 1 is recognizing and accepting reality. Step 2 is taking action.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unlike Mitch McConnell, who discounted clear evidence of an attack on our democracy because it profited his party (this time). He's broken his oath of office, and should be recalled. This isn't even a partisan issue.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Quote</b>:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia’s goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected,” said a senior U.S. official briefed on an intelligence presentation made to U.S. senators. “That’s the consensus view.”</span><br />
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<a href="https://boingboing.net/2016/12/09/russia-hacked-2016-u-s-presid.html">https://boingboing.net/2016/12/09/russia-hacked-2016-u-s-presid.html</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Originally published Dec 10, 2016 at </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/aKey1XLRxx1">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/aKey1XLRxx1</a>. Subsequently, this reporting was confirmed and expanded into a detailed intelligence assessment, which Trump has mostly rejected]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-20276841192552728732016-12-07T14:59:00.000-08:002019-04-03T14:59:32.289-07:00Actions, not words<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pay attention to actions. Appointing a radical climate change denier to head the EPA speaks far louder than all of the doubletalk, tweets, or meetings with Al Gore.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Originally published Dec 7, 2016 at </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/YrbN76nYjcj">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/YrbN76nYjcj</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-26558436272600386012016-11-23T14:55:00.000-08:002019-04-03T14:58:27.616-07:00We should have paper ballots and meaningful automatic recounts always<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Now that this has been raised, it'll be a divisive issue forever until put to rest with actual recounts, not just statistical analysis.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. This is not a partisan issue; we should all want accurate results. </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. I would be surprised given other data whether this would change the result of the election. But it's worth doing for 1 and 2.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. For some reason which defies logic apparently only the candidates can request recounts. Jill Stein is also pushing for recounts despite having zero chance of winning, which seems like a win/win to me.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">5. Recounts should be automatic in all races and a paper trail for each vote cast is the most reliable state of the art we have for doing this. I've been saying this for over a decade now as do most software engineers who look into the problem.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Ref: </span><a href="https://www.gregpalast.com/exclusive-jill-stein-just-called-green-party-filing-recount-michigan-wisconsin-pennsylvania/#more-12950">https://www.gregpalast.com/exclusive-jill-stein-just-called-green-party-filing-recount-michigan-wisconsin-pennsylvania/#more-12950</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[Originally published Nov 23,2016 on Google+ at </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/6tLPezgPnUR">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/6tLPezgPnUR</a>]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-54242113654880776582016-10-11T14:50:00.000-07:002019-04-03T14:53:44.993-07:00There is an elephant in the corner: It's not "Locker room talk"<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are a bunch of people this week tiptoeing around an elephant in the corner, pretending it's a hatrack. We need to call this out in each and every instance and point out there is a FREAKING ELEPHANT IN THE CORNER.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is not "locker room talk".</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is not "bad language".</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is not "the way men talk with each other".</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is not "just words".</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Donald Trump in 2005 boasted that he habitually sexually assaulted women. Let's get that nailed down from the start, because apparently some people don't believe the Department of Justice:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Sexual assault is any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. Falling under the definition of sexual assault are sexual activities as forced sexual intercourse, forcible sodomy, child molestation, incest, </span><i style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">fondling</i><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and attempted rape."</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- </span><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="https://www.justice.gov/ovw/sexual-assault" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov/ovw/sexual-assault</a><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump has chosen to deflect and minimize. A bunch of his supporters are choosing to go along. By focusing on the words, they pretend that everybody is upset about some "bad language" and "blowing it out of proportion". They pretend that Trump's non-apology apology is enough and everybody should just move forward and ignore the elephant.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(This lets supporters avoid having to confront the fact that they've been fooled by a dangerous narcissist. It's painful to do this for them; there are huge real world consequences for some Republicans too. But they are enabling Trump's candidacy and for that they bear responsibility.)</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm guessing nobody who supports Trump would read this. But if you do, or if you know someone who does -- please carefully read the article below. It talks about the issue of minimization of abusive behavior in a family context. It applies equally well to the Trump candidacy.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, any time someone says this is about "just words" or "locker room talk" or "the way men talk" just tell them: No. </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We're going to use the correct words -- the best words. It's about sexual assault.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(AFTER we establish that: We can, if we can stomach it, discuss whether he really habitually sexually assaulted women, or whether he just habitually lied about doing it. Either one disqualifies him from even getting close to being President in any sane universe.)</span><br />
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<a href="http://flyingmonkeysdenied.com/2015/12/02/why-minimizing-narcissistic-abuse-is-always-wrong/">http://flyingmonkeysdenied.com/2015/12/02/why-minimizing-narcissistic-abuse-is-always-wrong/</a><br />
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[Originally published on Google+ at <a href="https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/HHt2iMNbShS">https://plus.google.com/115608553892438743738/posts/HHt2iMNbShS</a> on Oct 11, 2016. Subsequent events have confirmed my view of Trump's behavior, and of his supporters.]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-4485674813021612982016-10-09T14:54:00.000-07:002019-04-03T14:54:56.659-07:00The many meanings of "custodial parent"<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today I Learned: The term "custodial parent" has yet another distinct meaning on top of the five I already knew about. Some of these are almost but not quite the same as each other. Pay attention, there will be a quiz later.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Custodial parent" can mean:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. The parent who has physical responsibility for a child in question at a particular instant in time, used when talking about custody schedules.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. The parent who has the majority of the physical custodial instants in the sense of #1 when compared to a co-parent, across some predetermined regular time period which is context dependent. </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. A parent who has physical responsibility for a child all of the time ("sole physical custody"), except when delegated to others or during visitation with the other parent.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. The parent who receives net nonzero child support from a co-parent for one or more children. (Terminology used by California Department of Child Support Services.)</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. The parent at whose home the child in question sleeps a majority of the nights in a year, to amount to at least 1/2 of the nights in a year (rounding up), or if the parent is not at their regular home on a particular night, then the child </span><i style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">either</i><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sleeping at their regular house </span><i style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">or</i><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sleeping where the parent is counts. (IRS rules for form 2441). Note this can be different from #2. Also there are special rules for parents who work nights.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">6. The parent with the legal right to make educational, medical, and other major decisions about a child ("legal custody").</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The "noncustodial parent" is the parent who is not a custodial parent. (Both parents can be noncustodial in the sense of #5, and a parent can be "noncustodial" in the sense of #4 but "custodial" in senses 1,2,3,5, and 6. And of course with multiple children, one can be both custodial and noncustodial with respect to different children simultaneously for all of these senses.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Originally published on Google+]</span>John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441071406174557701.post-21130176346619046002016-08-06T14:44:00.000-07:002019-04-03T14:46:33.849-07:00Projection<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the projection ramps up, right on schedule:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"She is a totally unhinged person. She's unbalanced. And all you have to do is watch her, see her, read about her,” Trump said during a campaign rally in Windham, N.H., Saturday evening. “She will cause — if she wins, which hopefully she won't — the destruction of our country from within."</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Does the situation, objectively considered, match the words only when target and speaker are reversed? Projection.)</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><a class="ot-anchor aaTEdf" dir="ltr" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/08/06/trump-in-series-of-scathing-personal-attacks-questions-clintons-mental-health/" jslog="10929; track:click" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #2962ff; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/08/06/trump-in-series-of-scathing-personal-attacks-questions-clintons-mental-health/</a><br />
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[Originally published on Google+. Note: On Aug 2, 2016, four days before this, the campaign manager for Donald Trump, Paul Manafort, secretly met with and gave internal polling data to Konstantin Kilimnik, a known affiliate of Russian intelligence agencies.]John Panzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08420436736787979048noreply@blogger.com0