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Daily Archives: December 3, 2014

The Second Amendment in the Twenty-First Century: What Hath Heller Wrought?

Charles, Patrick J., The Second Amendment in the Twenty-First Century: What Hath Heller Wrought? (December 1, 2014). William & Mary Bill of Rights, Vol. 23, 2015 Forthcoming. Available for download at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2532722

“This article explores the impact District of Columbia v. Heller has had on the public discourse. It is a discourse that will be broken down into two categories: (1) the right’s impact on politics and lawmaking or what may otherwise be described as the political discourse, and (2) the right’s impact on the opinions of society at large or what may otherwise be described as the public discourse. In many respects the two categories are intertwined. For instance, political rhetoric and debate often influence society’s view of what is and is not lawful. At the same time, whatever the judiciary identifies as constitutionally protected impacts society’s perception of historic custom and tradition, regardless of whether it is built on historical fact or historical myth. Still, despite the substantial overlap between Supreme Court opinions and the political and public discourse, it worth exploring the two categories separately. It is only then one can truly assess the impact Heller has had on American society as a whole.”

Unprecedented leak of Sony Pictures internal personal data

“After sifting through almost 40GB of leaked internal data, one thing is clear: Sony Pictures appears to have suffered the most embarrassing and all-encompassing hack of internal corporate data ever made public. The data dump, which was reviewed extensively by BuzzFeed News, includes employee criminal background checks, salary negotiations, and doctors’ letters explaining the medical rationale… Continue Reading

Federal Reserve Board Beige Book – December 3, 2014

Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District Prepared at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and based on information collected on or before November 24, 2014. “Reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts suggest that national economic activity continued to expand in October and November. A number of Districts also noted that… Continue Reading

EPIC Uncovers DOD Student Data Collection Procedures

“The Department of Defense has released to EPIC documents on the “Joint Advertising and Market Research Studies” Recruiting Database. The database includes sensitive student information, including home address and grade point average. DOD obtains this information from high schools offering military aptitude tests, state DMVs, and commercial data brokers. The documents sought by EPIC shed… Continue Reading

Experian Data Breach Resolution releases second annual data breach industry forecast

“Preventing and managing data breaches have become two of the highest priorities facing businesses today. To help executives plan ahead, Experian Data Breach Resolution announces the release of its second annual Data Breach Industry Forecast, a complimentary white paper outlining key issues and trends to watch for in 2015. Many evolving factors such as new threats, regulatory changes… Continue Reading

Semi-annual report prepared by Intelligence Community Inspector General

Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News: “The Intelligence Community Inspector General (IC IG) received a tip last year that the Intelligence Community might have assembled a database containing US person data in violation of law and policy. “A civilian employee with the Army Intelligence and Security Command made an IC IG Hotline complaint alleging an interagency data repository,… Continue Reading

Taxation of Internet Sales and Access: Legal Issues

CRS – Taxation of Internet Sales and Access: Legal Issues. Erika K. Lunder, Legislative Attorney. December 1, 2014. “In recent years, there has been significant congressional interest in the states’ ability to impose sales and use taxes on sales made over the Internet. While these taxes are imposed on the consumer, states generally prefer that retailers collect and remit them, rather… Continue Reading

Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

CRS – Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy. Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs. December 2, 2014. “Afghan security forces have lead security responsibility throughout the country, and the United States and its partner countries are in the process of transitioning to a smaller post-2014 mission consisting mostly of training the Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF). The number of U.S.… Continue Reading