Debate on debates continues
The first presidential candidate debates are right around the corner, and the large number of GOP candidates has inadvertently helped supporters of minor party and independent candidates in the debate …
August 3 Joint Forum for 14 Republican Presidential Candidates to be Televised Live on Many TV Stations
Several newspapers in various states are sponsoring a joint forum for Republican presidential candidates on Monday evening, August 3. The newspapers invited all 17 Republicans who seem to have a genuine campaign, based on how many campaign events they have set up, and whether they have campaign offices and staff. Three of the 17 declined to participate. See this story. The candidates will not appear simultaneously; instead each one will be on the stage alone. If the event had included the candidates speaking to each other, that would have violated Republican National Committee rules, which …read more
AI & Robotics Researchers Come Together to Stop the Very Real Threat of Autonomous Killer Robots
These prototypes are not “conspiracy theories.” The dangers of autonomous killer robots are clear and present.
If a world full of artificially intelligent, autonomous quadcopters searching for and assassinating people sounds appalling, you’re in agreement with Stephen Hawking and thousands of other AI researchers and scientists.
Yesterday at the opening of the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, an open letter was presented that called for governments to refrain from using AI to build autonomous killing machines.
“If any major military power pushes ahead with AI weapon development, a global arms race is virtually inevitable, and the endpoint of this technological trajectory is …read more
Former Head of DHS Warns Americans About the Horrors of Govt-Mandated Crypto “Backdoors”
Last week a surprising actor joined the discussion on the government’s push to mandate “backdoors” to encrypted personal devices. Michael Chertoff, former head of Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS), said, “…it’s a mistake to require companies that are making hardware and software to build a duplicate key or a backdoor…”
He even defended the notion of a free society by saying “…we do not historically organize our society to make it maximally easy for law enforcement, even with court orders, to get information.”
Chertoff works for the tech industry and was being paid to voice their opinion, so his conviction is suspect, …read more
Texas Residents Who Want Districts of Equal Numbers of Eligible Voters, Instead of Population, File U.S. Supreme Court Brief
Next term the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Evenwel v Abbott, 14-940. The Texas voters who filed the case argue that states must draw U.S. House and legislative districts based on the number of eligible voters, not population. Here is the opening brief filed by those voters. The “summary of argument” starts on page 14.
The core argument these voters make is that the Constitution requires states to treat all voters equally. In some districts in Texas, the number of eligible voters is far larger than in other districts. This is not only because some, but …read more
In Under a Minute, this Cop Shows Exactly Why People are Losing Faith in Police
Wichita, KS — A deputy has been suspended after he was captured on video, in a sickening display of authoritarianism. Deputy Vance Williams is now apologizing to the community after this video was posted to YouTube.
According to KSN news, the deputy was called out to the town of Harper to investigate a dispute over property, between several people.
Jeff Jacobs, who recorded the video, simply tried to ask Williams a question, when Williams completely blew a fuse. Upon being asked a question the deputy begins a full on assault.
“I don’t need anything from you. This is not my f**king jurisdiction. You …read more
Sadistic Cop Shoots Puppy in Front of Children, Laughs About It, Charges Owner with a Crime
Clayton County, GA — A tragic and insidious puppycide was reported this week in Clayton County when an officer callously and sadistically shot a puppy in front of children.
A family is grieving after witnessing Clayton County police officer Walter Dennard walk up to their five-month-old lab-pit mix and shoot it, claiming the puppy “lunged at him.”
“He just shot the dog and stood there with no remorse, no regrets in front of her and her kids,” neighbor Aijohli King told Channel 2 after she witnessed the shooting.
Claudette Terry was moving into her new home when officers stopped to harass her friend …read more
Prohibition Party Nominates National Ticket
On July 31, the Prohibition Party nominated Jim Hedges for President and Bill Bayes for Vice-President. The nomination was made with a two-hour conference call. Hedges lives in Big Tannery Cove, Pennsylvania; Bayes in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Hedges has been the party’s newsletter editor and publisher for many years. …read more
Mayor of Kingston, New York, May Depend on Green Party to Get on November 3, 2015 Ballot
Mayor Shayne Gallo of Kingston, New York, is running for re-election in a partisan election on November 3, 2015. He is a Democrat, but he has a powerful opponent in the Democratic primary in September. In case he loses the Democratic primary, he hoped to be nominated by either or both the Independence Party and the Conservative Party. He did not file to run in the Working Families Party primary.
Due to a judicial decision saying his acceptance form was a day too late for the Independence and Conservative process, he can’t expect to get their nomination. …read more
Independent Voters Network Carries Article Advocating Change to California Top-Two System
The Independent Voters Network, which was created by proponents of the top-two system, has this article by me on how the California top-two system injures voter choice in November, and how it could be altered to restore voter choice in November without reducing voter choice in the primary. …read more