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Daily Archives: July 19, 2020

Are mask mandates legal? Look to indoor smoking bans and consider workers’ rights

FastCompany: “Rules about wearing a COVID-19 mask in indoor workspaces are the same as smoking bans, an article in the latest American Journal of Preventative Medicine argues. Pushback against face coverings in places like stores and eateries is couched as an encroachment on personal liberties—or as concerns that facial coverings will alienate some customers, as evidenced by viral cellphone videos of irate individuals screaming at store employees. However, a trio of professors from Ohio State and Purdue universities says mask requirements actually are a workers’ rights issue. Failing to have these protection in place will “very likely be detrimental” to public health, especially frontline workers, so they call on federal, state and local governments to “take an active stance to promote mask wearing in workplaces.” Resistance to wearing masks is reminiscent of arguments made as smoking bans began cropping up across the United States years ago. The public-health problem then was subjecting workers, like restaurant waitstaff and travel-industry workers, to harmful tobacco smoke, while now the danger is in the respiratory droplets that carry COVID-19. What helped smoking bans gain acceptance was what experts call “denormalization”—when something evolves to be viewed as socially unacceptable…”

What Did People Use Before Google to Search the Web?

Gizmodo: “The year is 1997. You’re wearing whatever people wore back then—some kind of jean jacket, I’m guessing—and talking to your friend about your new favorite movie, the recently-released Mike Myers vehicle Austin Powers. You’re quoting the movie, and your friend thinks this is hilarious. Then things take a dark turn. “I thought Randy Quaid… Continue Reading

Research on voting by mail says it’s safe – from fraud and disease

Via LLRX – Research on voting by mail says it’s safe – from fraud and disease – As millions of Americans prepare to vote in November – and in many cases, primaries and state and local elections through the summer as well – lots of people are talking about voting by mail. Prof. Edie Goldenberg explains… Continue Reading

White House Documents Shows 18 States in Coronavirus “Red Zone”

This article about the coronavirus red zone was originally published by the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit newsroom based in Washington, D.C. “A document prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force but not publicized suggests more than a dozen states should revert to more stringent protective measures, limiting social gatherings to 10 people or fewer, closing bars… Continue Reading

Congress Soars to New Heights on Social Media

Democratic lawmakers post more content on Twitter, while the median Republican member now averages more audience engagement than the median Democrat across platforms – “As social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have become ingrained in political and popular culture, a new Pew Research Center analysis of every tweet and Facebook post from members of Congress… Continue Reading

How to Check Your Devices for Stalkerware

Wired – You deserve privacy. Here’s how to check your phone, laptop, and online accounts to make sure no one’s looking over your shoulder. “Whether it’s a prying boss or a paranoid partner, no one should snoop on your phone or laptop. But that’s exactly what can happen if stalkerware somehow gets installed on your… Continue Reading

Your Zoom Interrogation Is About To Start

The Marshall Project – COVID-19 is changing how police question suspects and witnesses—for the better, some argue. “It’s the way that detectives have extracted confessions from people forever: in a confined interrogation room, getting right up in the suspect’s face. But during a pandemic, being within six feet of a stranger—especially for a prolonged period… Continue Reading

Majority of Public Favors Giving Civilians the Power to Sue Police Officers for Misconduct

Pew – Little public support for cuts in spending on local policing – “With legislation to address racism and the use of excessive force by law enforcement stalled in Congress, there is broad public support in the United States for permitting citizens to sue police officers in order to hold them accountable for misconduct or… Continue Reading

Poll – who does and does not wear masks – and how to make masks people want to wear

Mask compliance varies by age, geographical region, income level, and perhaps unsurprisingly, political viewpoints, according to a National Geographic and Morning Consult poll. See also this related article – How to make masks that everyone will want to wear – “National Geographic contacted engineers, physicists, psychologists, and fashion designers to find out the best tips… Continue Reading

Digital Deceit: Fake News, Artificial Intelligence, and Censorship in Educational Research

Open Journal of Social Sciences > Vol.8 No.7, July 2020. Digital Deceit: Fake News, Artificial Intelligence, and Censorship in Educational Research, Joanna Black, Cody Fullerton. Department of Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.DOI: 10.4236/jss.2020.87007 “Never has it been more urgent for educators to be aware of the perils… Continue Reading

FarmMatch

FarmMatch – “Trusted by 37,596 food eaters. Buy top-tated food From Small farms and buying clubs. We’ll help you find the food you love.” [Please support the local farmers in your area. They have always been there for us – we can support them now by shopping at farmers markets, joining CSAs and sharing information… Continue Reading