Author archives

Judge Dismisses Trump Administration Suit Against Federal Bench in Maryland

The New York Times – no paywall: “A federal judge on Tuesday threw out an extraordinary lawsuit that the Trump administration had filed against the entire federal bench in Maryland, challenging a standing order intended to briefly slow down the government’s ability to deport undocumented immigrants. In a scathing 39-page ruling, the judge, Thomas T. …

Subjects: Censorship, Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research

Top AI models fail spectacularly when faced with slightly altered medical questions

PsyPost: “Artificial intelligence systems often perform impressively on standardized medical exams—but new research suggests these test scores may be misleading. A study published in JAMA Network Open indicates that large language models, or LLMs, might not actually “reason” through clinical questions. Instead, they seem to rely heavily on recognizing familiar answer patterns. When those patterns …

Subjects: AI, Education, Health Care, Internet, Knowledge Management, Medicine, Search Engines

The US used to be a haven for research. Now, scientists are packing their bags.

Christian Science Monitor – “…As government funding for scientific research dries up, and as President Donald Trump wages pointed attacks against some of the nation’s top universities, more academics are looking to Europe and Asia as safe havens. A recent survey of U.S. college faculty by the journal Nature found that 75% were looking for …

Subjects: Education, Government Documents, Health Care, Medicine

CBP Had Access to More than 80,000 Flock AI Cameras Nationwide

404 Media: “Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regularly searched more than 80,000 Flock automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, according to data released by three police departments. The data shows that CBP’s access to Flock’s network is far more robust and widespread than has been previously reported. One of the police departments 404 Media spoke …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, E-Records, Government Documents, Internet, Legal Research, Privacy

Congressional District Geography Workbook (119th Congress): An Interactive Tool for Congressional Users

“This CRS Insight accompanies the Congressional District Geography Workbook, a Microsoft Excel file that congressional users can download from CRS.gov. The workbook provides information about U.S. House districts as configured in the 119th Congress (2025-2026). It supersedes the version published for the 118th Congress: CRS Insight IN12393, Congressional District Geography Workbook (118th Congress): An Interactive …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Government Documents, Legal Research

USCIS to Consider Anti-Americanism in Immigrant Benefit Requests

“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding the factors that officers consider in certain benefit requests where an exercise of discretion is required, including factors relating to aliens’ past requests for parole and any involvement in anti-American or terrorist organizations, as well as the use of discretion in …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, E-Records, Government Documents, Legal Research

House Committee Issues Subpoena for Jeffrey Epstein Birthday Book

WSJ – read free – “A House committee has issued a subpoena for the birthday book that was given to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday. On Monday, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform issued the subpoena to Epstein’s estate for “all entries contained within the reported leather-bound book” among other documents that …

Subjects: Congress, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

Big Tech locks data away. Wikidata gives it back to the internet

Fast Company – “While tech and AI giants guard their knowledge graphs behind proprietary walls, a more open model is quietly powering innovative projects from São Paulo to Nairobi. Wikidata, the collaborative backbone behind Wikipedia’s structured data, has become the world’s largest free knowledge database. Lydia Pintscher, who leads the Wikidata project at Wikimedia Deutschland, …

Subjects: AI, Education, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Search Engines

Status of Project 2025

Project 2025 Tracker – A comprehensive, community-driven initiative to track the implementation of Project 2025’s policy proposals. Overall Progress is now at 47%. Total Objectives – 317 Agencies Involved – 34 Time Until End of Term – 1243 Days

Subjects: Legal Research

With AI chatbots, Big Tech is moving fast and breaking people

Ars Technica – Why AI chatbots validate grandiose fantasies about revolutionary discoveries that don’t exist -“A machine that uses language fluidly, convincingly, and tirelessly is a type of hazard never encountered in the history of humanity. Most of us likely have inborn defenses against manipulation—we question motives, sense when someone is being too agreeable, and …

Subjects: AI, Education, Knowledge Management, Search Engines