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20 Jul 2011 22:33

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Tech: App lets iPhone users see all of your drunken mistakes

  • A new iPhone app allows you to view real-time video feeds from inside local bars, so you can, in the words of the creators, “see what a venue looks like, to get a head count.” Cool idea, but that means that if you’re in one of said bars, everything you do is being streamed online—whether you know it or not. Bars that opt-in to this aren’t required to tell patrons that they’re being filmed, and the footage is accessible from the company’s website, so it’s not just limited to iPhone users. The creators defend the app’s integrity, saying that “the point of the product is not to make a stalker utility.” Which is a vapid defense, of course, because the intent behind a product has no bearing on the manner in which it’s capable of being used. We suspect Apple might pull this one before too long. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Apr 2011 17:06

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Politics: A win for breast cancer awareness in schools

  • NO school can’t ban anti-cancer “I (heart) boobies” bracelets source
  • » And for the ACLU, there was much rejoicing: The American Civil Liberties Union had taken on the case of two middle school girls suspended from school for wearing breast cancer awareness bracelets with “I (heart) boobies” written on them. In a preliminary ruling, federal judge Mary McLaughlin said they “can reasonably be viewed as speech designed to raise awareness of breast cancer and to reduce stigma associated with openly discussing breast health.”
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Jan 2011 11:21

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U.S.: ACLU: No accountability for US detainee treatment, deaths

  • So far, the documents released by the government raise more questions than they answer, but they do confirm one troubling fact: that no senior officials have been held to account for the widespread abuse of detainees. Without real accountability for these abuses, we risk inviting more abuse in the future.
  • A statement from the ACLU • Regarding a series of documents they released detailing the deaths of 190 US detainees, some of which have been reported by the media, but others are new. A handful – around 25 to 30 – are what the ACLU describes as “unjustified homicide.” One disturbing finding – over 25 percent of the deaths listed were due to cardiac problems, which leads to questions over how detainees are being confined. For its part, the Department of Defense, uh, defends itself. “Although there have been cases of individuals involved in misconduct,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Lt. Col. Tanya Bradsher,  “there is no evidence of systematic abuse by the United States military.” Food for thought? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Jul 2010 10:13

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U.S.: Fremont, Nebraska’s anti-immigration law may get delayed

  • what The city council is looking into delaying their voter-passed anti-immigration law, which was set to begin on Thursday.
  • why There’s a potentially costly restraining order and lawsuit against them led by the ACLU, and they want to delay the law to deal with it. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Apr 2010 11:23

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U.S.: Time for a lawsuit! Arizona immigration lawsuit on the way

  • four number of groups that will be suing over the controversial new law
  • two of those groups are related to the American Civil Liberties Union source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Oct 2009 20:54

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U.S.: America’s biggest prick … er, “toughest sheriff” investigated

  • He’s unconstitutionally acted to racially profile many persons in the community, persons who appear or are Latino.
  • ACLU lawyer Dan Pochoda • Describing why Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio is a big jerk who they’re suing for racial profiling. He’s also under investigation by the Justice Department for violating civil rights. This is the guy who puts people (including Charles Barkley!) in jail wearing old-school prison stripes and pink underwear. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Aug 2009 12:05

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Tech: A Facebook quiz designed to make you question your privacy

  • Clever. And scary. Back in June, the American Civil Liberties Union noted that Facebook quizzes can essentially take any information they want about you and your friends for purposes of a stupid, useless quiz. To prove a point, someone developed a quiz based on the ACLU’s article – one that actually takes said information. Keep this in mind next time you take a stupid quiz, guys. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

24 Apr 2009 17:32

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Offbeat, U.S.: The American Civil Liberties Union defends … uh … vanity plates

  • “ILVTOFU” is free speech, they say. Sometimes, the American Civil Liberties Union gets a bad rap for taking on inconsequential things in court. This is one of them. The ACLU has chosen to go after the Colorado Department of Revenue for denials of vanity plate applications to see if there are any free speech laws being broken. We hope there are, just to see veins burst on the foreheads of people who don’t like the ACLU. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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