ECP Educational CyberPlayGround NetHappenings Newsletter

BREAKING: Mueller says Trump could be criminally charged with obstruction of justice after he leaves office.

 

The Great Hack review – searing exposé of the Cambridge Analytica scandal

Peter Bradshaw @PeterBradshaw1
Tue 23 Jul 2019 05.31 EDT

This chilling documentary lays bare the cynicism and chaos surrounding the data research company that harvested information from millions of Facebook users

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jul/23/the-great-hack-review-cambridge-analytica-facebook-carole-cadwalladr-arron-banks

 

Question: “Trump and his campaign welcomed & encouraged Russian interference?”
Mueller: “Yes.”

Question: “And then Trump and his campaign lied about it to cover it up?”
Mueller: “Yes.”

Q: “You believe that you could charge the president of the United States with obstruction of justice after he left office?” MUELLER: “Yes.” That should be enough for ANY House member who has not yet called for an impeachment inquiry. No more excuses! #ImpeachmentInquiryNow
Here’s what Mueller said:
  • Russia interfered in our election to help Trump.
  • Russians made numerous contacts with the campaign.
  • Campaign welcomed their help.
  • No one reported these contacts or interference to FBI.

They lied to cover it up.

Rep. Buck: “Could you charge the president with a crime after he left office?”

Mueller: “Yes.”

Wolfgang Mieder, an international proverb scholar

Wolfgang Mieder International #Proverb Library

Wolfgang Mieder, an international proverb scholar, stands amidst his lifelong collection of proverb books at the U. of Vermont.

youtubes of Wolfgang

He learned that many of the proverbs people treasure are traceable to Greek and Roman antiquity (“Time flies.”) or to religious texts (“Pride comes before the fall.”) or to an era in which Latin was the lingua franca (“Not everything that glitters is gold.”). Then there are proverbs that are indigenous to specific cultures. “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” and “Go big or go home” are quintessentially American, Mieder says.

Proverbs are not absolute truth, Mieder says, since the wisdoms they impart often don’t align. Yes, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” But also, if you’re “out of sight,” you’re “out of mind.”

“Proverbs are as contradictory as life,” he says.
https://www.chronicle.com/article/A-Scholar-of-Proverbs-Built-a/246681?cid=wcontentgrid_article_bottom

To many, quippy sayings like “Time is money” are synonymous with the Founding Father. People think Franklin thought them up. But Wolfgang Mieder, one of the world’s leading proverb scholars, knows better.

Mieder and a colleague traced the saying to a short, anonymous text published in a London-based newspaper, Free Thinker, in 1719. In fact, many of the sayings commonly attributed to Franklin actually come from English proverb collections, said Mieder, a professor of German and folklore at the University of Vermont.

Tracking down the origins of proverbs is “detective work,” he says. “You kind of feel like you’re discovering things.” He has researched and written about cultural wisdoms for nearly five decades and, in the process, amassed a one-of-a-kind scholarly library. It includes about 9,000 books (including 252 that Mieder has written, co-authored, or edited) and 6,500 photocopied articles and dissertations, all about proverbs. He doubts anything like it exists, anywhere.

RIP: Nicholas Vrooman Folklorist

“The Whole Country was… ‘One Robe'”:
The Little Shell Tribe’s America
Co-published by the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana and Drumlummon Institute
“The Whole Country was . . . ‘One Robe,’” by historian and folklorist Nicholas Vrooman
http://www.riverbendpublishing.com/the-whole-country-was-one-robe.html

Mike Korn  writes:

Nicholas Vrooman came to Montana in 1975, to work as a ranch hand on the
Mannix Ranch outside of Helmville. That experience made a pretty big
impression on him, working in beaverslide country side-by-side with
ranchers and cowboys in the Blackfoot Valley — an’ taking in a big ol’
gulp of Montana culture. In time, he went on to build a prodigious career
as one of our regions’ premiere and most passionate advocates of
traditional culture – our folklife – and the many peoples who make up the
patchwork quilt of the American West. For us in Montana, he served as State
Folklorist, and was involved in helping build the foundation for the Butte
Folk Festival. His knowledge and active support of the many folk cultures
of the Treasure State was second to none. Nick’s Montana was one of cowboy poets and ranchers, Butte ethnics, our many Indigenous Peoples, miners, cooks, singers, fiddlers, bootmakers, beaders, quilters, drummers,
storytellers—all of the folks who put their particular brand on and make
this The Last Best Place. In essence, Nick played cultural back-up guitar,
always putting the traditional folks up front and center stage, all the
while keeping steady background rhythm to support them in any way he could- and never missing a beat. He was both an academic with very impressive credentials as well as a popular writer and speaker. Throughout it all, he never lost the folksy touch.

Nick came to be one of the most knowledgeable and ardent advocates on
behalf of the Little Shell Band through his work in the further
documentation of their history and culture. Also called the Metis, their
history and role in the West and Montana was not as well-known but was as
strong as the other Great Plains Native peoples. Nick’s tireless research,
writing, and interviews became an important lynchpin in their struggle for
federal tribal recognition. His efforts also succeeded in creating an
awareness and appreciation of the Metis that spread far outside of western
Native communities. http://www.montanalittleshelltribe.org/

A list of his accomplishments, friendships, work- the totality of his
efforts and life on behalf of Montana as well as America’s folk cultures
would go on for volumes.

Se lost Nick suddenly on June 26th.

Also See

Metis clothing

https://allaboutthemetis.weebly.com/what-did-the-meacutetis-wear.html

What is Cowboy poetry?

https://www.westernfolklife.org/folklorists-musicians-activists/

https://helenair.com/news/local/obituaries/vrooman-nicholas-curchin-peterson/article_1af123bc-e46d-586e-815f-65384dbdac2f.html

Métis fiddle is the style which the Métis of Canada and Métis in the northern United States have developed to play the violin, solo and in folk ensembles. It is marked by the percussive use of the bow and percussive accompaniment. The Meti people blend First Nations, French, English, Celtic and other ancestry. Fiddles were “introduced in this area by Scottish and French-Canadian fur traders in the early 1800s”.Wikipedia
Stylistic origins:Jigs, Reels, Strathspey (dance)
Cultural origins:Métis people (Canada), Métis people (United States)

Metis Fiddling

https://www.westernfolklife.org/folklorists-musicians-activists/

I think of him now, his legs dangling over the edge of the wagon box of an
old,squeaky celestial Red River cart, grinning ear to ear, enveloped and
embraced by the hop-scotch double-stop rhythms of Metis fiddlers ….and
maybe even jumpin’ down and dancing a little Red River jig himself….
amongst the stars across the Montana sky….…. One Robe. So long, Nick. It’s
been good to know ya’.

History of The Metis Jig Dance

 

Jeffrey Epstein Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Sex Trafficking Of Minors

Jeffrey Epstein Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Sex Trafficking Of Minors

Alleged Conduct Occurred in both New York and Florida over Multiple Years, Involving Dozens of Victims July 8, 2019
Epstein was charged Monday with operating a major international sex trafficking ring in New York, Florida, and the Caribbean between 2002 and 2005.

Jeffrey Epstein Accuser: He Raped Me When I Was 15

Jennifer Araoz, now 32, told NBC’s “Today Show” Tuesday morning that when she was 15 she was raped by Jeffrey Epstein in his New York mansion.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/07/10/jeffrey_epstein_accuser_he_raped_me_when_i_was_15.html

It Sure Looks Like Jeffrey Epstein Was a Spy—But Whose?

He claimed to have made his vast fortune as a financial guru to the super-rich, but nearly all of his clients were unnamed.

Vicky Ward:

Ward explained the background of that deal, which is now a noose for Acosta. Specifically, she elaborated that the Epstein issue came up when Acosta was appointed to the cabinet by President Donald Trump. Ward writes:

He’d cut the non-prosecution deal with one of Epstein’s attorneys because he had “been told” to back off, that Epstein was above his pay grade. “I was told Epstein ‘belonged to intelligence’ and to leave it alone,” he told his interviewers in the Trump transition, who evidently thought that was a sufficient answer and went ahead and hired Acosta. (The Labor Department had no comment when asked about this.)

So, Acosta, according to himself, backed off on prosecuting Epstein back in 2007, despite the possession of ample evidence proving his guilt, because he “belonged to intelligence.” Whose intelligence, exactly? is the first of many questions that arise here.
https://observer.com/2019/07/jeffrey-epstein-spy-intelligence-work/

Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey E. Epstein Sex Slaves Lawsuits

Archaic Windows 7 or an older election systems vulnerable to hackers nationwide

Archaic Windows 7 or an older election systems vulnerable to hackers nationwide

The majority of 10,000 election jurisdictions nationwide use Windows 7 or an older operating system for voting or tallying — archaic systems vulnerable to hackers, AP reports.

Why it matters: Private vendors, and state finances, determine the security level of election systems, which lack federal requirements or oversight.

What they’re saying: J. Alex Halderman, a University of Michigan professor and election security expert, said the country risks repeating “mistakes that we made over the last … decade-and-a-half when states bought voting machines but didn’t keep the software up-to-date.”

What’s next: Windows 7 reaches its “end of life” Jan. 14, meaning Microsoft stops technical support and patches, although security updates will be provided for a fee through 2023.

  • AP’s 50-state survey found that battleground states using Windows 7 include Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Arizona and North Carolina.\

Pennsylvania’s message was clear: The state was taking a big step to keep its elections from being hacked in 2020. Last April, its top election official told counties they had to update their systems. So far, nearly 60% have taken action, with $14.15 million of mostly federal funds helping counties buy brand-new electoral systems.But there’s a problem: Many of these new systems still run on old software that will soon be outdated and more vulnerable to hackers.

An Associated Press analysis has found that like many counties in Pennsylvania, the vast majority of 10,000 election jurisdictions nationwide use Windows 7 or an older operating system to create ballots, program voting machines, tally votes and report counts.

That’s significant because Windows 7 reaches its “end of life” on Jan. 14, meaning Microsoft stops providing technical support and producing “patches” to fix software vulnerabilities, which hackers can exploit. In a statement to the AP, Microsoft said Friday it would offer continued Windows 7 security updates for a fee through 2023.

Critics say the situation is an example of what happens when private companies ultimately determine the security level of election systems with a lack of federal requirements or oversight. Vendors say they have been making consistent improvements in election systems. And many state officials say they are wary of federal involvement in state and local elections.

It’s unclear whether the often hefty expense of security updates would be paid by vendors operating on razor-thin profit margins or cash-strapped jurisdictions. It’s also uncertain if a version running on Windows 10, which has more security features, can be certified and rolled out in time for primaries.

“That’s a very serious concern,” said J. Alex Halderman, a University of Michigan professor and renowned election security expert. He said the country risks repeating “mistakes that we made over the last decade or decade-and-a-half when states bought voting machines but didn’t keep the software up-to-date and didn’t have any serious provisions” for doing so.

The AP surveyed all 50 states, the District of Columbia and territories, and found multiple battleground states affected by the end of Windows 7 support, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Arizona and North Carolina. Also affected are Michigan, which recently acquired a new system, and Georgia, which will announce its new system soon.

“Is this a bad joke?” said Marilyn Marks, executive director of the Coalition for Good Governance, an election integrity advocacy organization, upon learning about the Windows 7 issue. Her group sued Georgia to get it to ditch its paperless voting machines and adopt a more secure system. Georgia recently piloted a system running on Windows 7 that was praised by state officials.

If Georgia selects a system that runs on Windows 7, Marks said, her group will go to court to block the purchase. State elections spokeswoman Tess Hammock declined to comment because Georgia hasn’t officially selected a vendor.

The election technology industry is dominated by three titans : Omaha, Nebraska-based Election Systems and Software LLC; Denver, Colorado-based Dominion Voting Systems Inc.; and Austin, Texas-based Hart InterCivic Inc. They make up about 92% of election systems used nationwide, according to a 2017 study . All three have worked to win over states newly infused with federal funds and eager for an update.

U.S. officials determined that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election and have warned that Russia, China and other nations are trying to influence the 2020 elections.

Of the three companies, only Dominion’s newer systems aren’t touched by upcoming Windows software issues — though it has election systems acquired from no-longer-existing companies that may run on even older operating systems.

Hart’s system runs on a Windows version that reaches its end of life on Oct. 13, 2020, weeks before the election.

ES&S said it expects by the fall to be able to offer customers an election system running on Microsoft’s current operating system, Windows 10. It’s now being tested by a federally accredited lab.

For jurisdictions that have already purchased systems running on Windows 7, ES&S said it will be working with Microsoft to provide support until jurisdictions can update. Windows 10 came out in 2015.

Hart and Dominion didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Microsoft usually releases patches for operating systems monthly, so hackers have learned to target older, unsupported systems. Its systems have been ground zero for crippling cyberattacks, including the WannaCry ransomware attack, which froze systems in 200,000 computers across 150 countries in 2017.

For many people, the end of Microsoft 7 support means simply updating. However, for election systems the process is more onerous. ES&S and Hart don’t have federally certified systems on Windows 10, and the road to certification is long and costly, often taking at least a year and costing six figures.

ES&S, the nation’s largest vendor, completed its latest certification four months ago, using Windows 7. Hart’s last certification was May 29 on a Windows version that also won’t be supported by November 2020.

Though ES&S is testing a new system it’s unclear how long it will take to complete the process — federal and possible state recertification, plus rolling out updates — and if it will be done before primaries begin in February.

Election administrators notoriously suffer from insufficient resources. Recently, many jurisdictions splurged on new election systems, some using their portion of $380 million in federal funds provided to states.

Counties in South Dakota, South Carolina and Delaware all recently bought election systems, while many others are evaluating purchases.

The use of election systems that still run on Windows 7 “is of concern, and it should be of concern,” said U.S. Election Assistance Commission Chair Christy McCormick. EAC develops election system guidelines.

https://www.eac.gov/about/commissioner-christy-mccormick/

McCormick noted that while election systems aren’t supposed to be connected to the internet, various stages of the election process require transfers of information, which could be points of vulnerability for attackers. She said some election administrators are working to address the problem.

Officials in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona say they have discussed the software issue with their vendors. Other states mentioned in this story didn’t respond to AP requests for comment.

Pennsylvania elections spokeswoman Wanda Murren said contract language allows such a software upgrade for free. Arizona elections spokeswoman C. Murphy Hebert said ES&S has also assured the state that it will provide support to counties for an upgrade.

Susan Greenhalgh, policy director for the advocacy group National Election Defense Coalition, said even the best scenario has election administrators preparing for primaries while trying to upgrade their systems, which is “crazy.” Her group shared its concerns about Windows 7 with AP.

Certification, which is voluntary at the federal level but sometimes required by state laws, ensures vendor software runs properly on operating systems they’re tested on. But there is no cybersecurity check and the process often fails to keep up with rapidly changing technology.

Kevin Skoglund, chief technologist for Citizens for Better Elections, said county election officials point to EAC and state certifications as “rock-solid proof” their systems are secure, but don’t realize vendors are certifying systems under 2005 standards.

Local officials rely on vendors to build secure systems and EAC and the states to enforce high standards, Skoglund said.

After the AP began making inquiries, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wrote McCormick asking what EAC, which has no regulatory power, is doing to address a “looming election cybersecurity crisis” that essentially lays the “red carpet” out to hackers.

“Congress must pass legislation giving the federal government the authority to mandate basic cybersecurity for election infrastructure,” Wyden told the AP in a statement.

Pennsylvania Voting System

Electronic Voting Systems Certified after January 1, 2018
https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/Pages/Voting-Systems.aspx

ES&S DS200 Wireless Vulnerabilities
December 12, 2016 election nightmares  James Comey, Jill Simpson, Jim March Simpson, John Brakey, Thomas R. Muske

 

Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey E. Epstein Sex Slaves Lawsuits

Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey E. Epstein Sex Slaves Lawsuits

United States v. Jeffrey Epstein, 19 Cr. 490 (RMB)

July 9, 2019 update: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/programs/victim-witness-services/united-states-v-jeffrey-epstein-19-cr-490-rmb

On July 8, 2019, an initial presentment and arraignment was held in the case of United States v. Jeffrey Epstein, 19 Cr. 490 (RMB).  The defendant consented to detention pending a subsequent bail hearing.  The next conference, which will include a bail hearing, is scheduled for Monday, July 15, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. before the Honorable Richard M. Berman, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse, 500 Pearl Street, New York, New York, in Courtroom 17B.

Pursuant to the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, Title 18, United States Code, Section 3771(a)(4), a crime victim has the right to be reasonably heard at certain public proceedings in the district court, including proceedings involving release.  If you believe you are a victim in connection with this case, and would like to be heard in connection with the hearing scheduled for July 15, 2019, please contact Wendy Olsen, Victim/Witness Coordinator, at the telephone number or email address listed below.

Katie Johnson vs. Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey E. Epstein

Case 5:16-cv-00797-DMG-KS Document 1
Filed 04/26/16
Page 1 of 6
Page ID #:1
https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cacd.646485.1.0.pdf

 

Trump-Epstein Rape Of 13 Year Old Girl Allegations (Court Filings)
https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2018/06/11/trump-epstein-rape-of-13-year-old-girl-allegations-court-filings/

Jane Doe vs. Trump and Epstein: Case 1:16-cv-07673 Document 1 Filed 09/30/16
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3130729-DOE-V-TRUMP.html

also see scribed.com doc/310836504/Katie-Johnson-Trump-Lawsuit

Trump and hedge fund billionaire Mercer

It has emerged that Robert Mercer, a hedge-fund billionaire, who helped to finance the Trump campaign and who was revealed this weekend as one of the owners of the rightwing Breitbart News Network, is a long-time friend of Nigel Farage. He directed his data analytics firm to provide expert advice to the Leave campaign on how to target swing voters via Facebook – a donation of services that was not declared to the electoral commission. [guardian]

#Mercer revelation in Paradise Papers #ParadisePapers

Mercer bankrolled Donald Trump who hired Cambridge Analytica w/Bannan as board member

FCC fines Facebook $5bn for Cambridge Analytica privacy violations

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jul/12/facebook-fine-ftc-privacy-violations

2019 PENNSYLVANIA VOTE PA New election systems use vulnerable software

PA New election systems use vulnerable software

2019 PENNSYLVANIA VOTE

John MacMillan PA CIO was appointed as deputy secretary for information technology and chief information officer for the commonwealth in March 2015.

Sean E. Crager was named the Chief Technology Officer for the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in February 2019.
https://www.oa.pa.gov/Programs/Information%20Technology/Pages/leadership.aspx

Erik Avakian was named Chief Information Security Officer for the
commonwealth in 2010.

Marian K. Schneider was appointed Deputy Secretary for Elections and
Administration on February 2, 2015. #ElectionVerificationNetwork @marianschneider #VotesPA
http://www.dos.pa.gov/about-us/Pages/Deputy%20Secretary-for-Elections-and-Administration.aspx

There is no federal agency with regulatory authority or oversight of the U.S. voting machine industry  so the men above are responsible for the integrity of the vote in
Pennsylvania.
The Office of Administration’s general number is:
(717) 787-9945

To contact an individual department:
Information Technology
Phone: (717) 787-5440

—-> 2019

80% of all votes in America are counted by only
two companies:  Diebold and ES&S. Two voting companies
& two brothers will count 80 percent of U.S. election using both
scanners & touchscreens.
http://www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/042804Landes/042804landes.html

The vice-president of Diebold and the president of ES&S are
brothers.
http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/private_company.html

► PA New election systems use vulnerable software
https://phys.org/news/2019-07-election-vulnerable-software.html

So far, nearly 60% have taken action, with $14.15 million of mostly
federal funds helping counties buy brand-new electoral systems.

But there’s a problem: Many of these new systems still run
on old software that will soon be outdated and more vulnerable to hackers.

An Associated Press analysis has found that like many counties in Pennsylvania, the vast majority of 10,000 election jurisdictions nationwide use Windows 7 or an older operating system to create ballots, program voting machines, tally votes and report counts.

That’s significant because Windows 7 reaches its “end of life” on Jan. 14, meaning Microsoft stops providing technical support and producing “patches” to fix software vulnerabilities, which hackers can exploit. In a statement to the AP, Microsoft said Friday it would offer continued Windows 7 security updates for a fee through 2023.

Critics say the situation is an example of
what happens when private companies ultimately determine the security
level of election systems with a lack of federal requirements or
oversight. Vendors say they have been making consistent
improvements in election systems. And many state officials say they are
wary of federal involvement in state and local elections.

It’s unclear whether the often hefty expense of security updates
would be paid by vendors operating on razor-thin profit margins or cash-strapped jurisdictions. It’s also uncertain if a version running on Windows 10, which has more security features, can be certified and rolled out in time for primaries.

“That’s a very serious concern,” said J. Alex Halderman, a
University of Michigan professor and renowned election security expert.
He said the country risks repeating “mistakes that we made over the
last decade or decade-and-a-half when states bought voting machines but
didn’t keep the software up-to-date and didn’t have any serious
provisions” for doing so.

The AP surveyed all 50 states, the District of Columbia and territories, and found multiple battleground
states affected by the end of Windows 7 support, including
Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Arizona and North Carolina. Also affected are Michigan, which recently acquired a newsystem, and Georgia, which will announce its new system soon.

“Is this a bad joke?” said Marilyn Marks, executive
director of the Coalition for Good Governance, an election integrity
advocacy organization, upon learning about the Windows 7 issue. Her
group sued Georgia to get it to ditch its paperless voting machines and
adopt a more secure system. Georgia recently piloted a system running
on Windows 7 that was praised by state officials.

The election technology industry is dominated by three titans:
Omaha, Nebraska-based Election Systems and Software LLC; Denver,
Colorado-based Dominion Voting Systems Inc.; and Austin, Texas-based
Hart InterCivic Inc. They make up about 92% of election systems used
nationwide, according to a 2017 study . All three have worked to win
over states newly infused with federal funds and eager for an update.

U.S. officials determined that Russia interfered in the 2016
presidential election and have warned that Russia, China and other
nations are trying to influence the 2020 elections.

Of the three companies, only Dominion’s newer systems aren’t touched
by upcoming Windows software issues—though it has election systems
acquired from no-longer-existing companies that may run on even older
operating systems.

Hart’s system runs on a Windows version that reaches its end of life
on Oct. 13, 2020, weeks before the election.

ES&S said it expects by the fall to be able to offer customers an election system running on Microsoft’s current operating system, Windows 10. It’s now being tested by a federally accredited lab.

For jurisdictions that have already purchased systems running on Windows 7, ES&S said it will be working with Microsoft to provide support until jurisdictions can update. Windows 10 came out in 2015.

Hart and Dominion didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Microsoft usually releases patches for operating systems monthly, so
hackers have learned to target older, unsupported systems. Its systems
have been ground zero for crippling cyberattacks, including the
WannaCry ransomware attack, which froze systems in 200,000 computers
across 150 countries in 2017.

For many people, the end of Microsoft 7 support means simply
updating. However, for election systems the process is more
onerous. ES&S and Hart don’t have federally certified systems on Windows 10, and the road to certification is long and costly, often taking at least a year and costing six figures.

ES&S, the nation’s largest vendor, completed its latest
certification four months ago, using Windows 7. Hart’s last
certification was May 29 on a Windows version that also won’t be
supported by November 2020.

Though ES&S is testing a new system it’s unclear how long
it will take to complete the process—federal and possible state
recertification, plus rolling out updates—and if it will be done before
primaries begin in February.

Election administrators notoriously suffer from insufficient
resources. Recently, many jurisdictions splurged on new election
systems, some using their portion of $380 million in federal funds
provided to states.

Counties in South Dakota, South Carolina and Delaware all recently
bought election systems, while many others are evaluating purchases.

The use of election systems that still run on Windows 7 “is of
concern, and it should be of concern,” said U.S. Election Assistance
Commission Chair Christy McCormick. EAC develops election system
guidelines.

McCormick noted that while election systems aren’t supposed to be connected to the internet, various stages of the election process require transfers of information, which could be points of vulnerability for attackers. She said some election administrators are working to address the problem.

Officials in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona say they have
discussed the software issue with their vendors. Other states mentioned in this story didn’t respond to AP requests for comment.

Pennsylvania elections spokeswoman Wanda Murren said contract language allows such a software upgrade for free.
Arizona elections spokeswoman C. Murphy Hebert said ES&S has also assured the state that it will provide support to counties for an upgrade.

Susan Greenhalgh, policy director for the advocacy group
National Election Defense Coalition, said even the best scenario has election administrators preparing for primaries while trying to upgrade their systems, which is “crazy.” Her group shared its concerns about Windows 7 with AP.

Certification, which is voluntary at the federal level but sometimes
required by state laws, ensures vendor software runs properly on
operating systems they’re tested on. But there is no cybersecurity
check and the process often fails to keep up with rapidly changing
technology.

Kevin Skoglund, chief technologist for Citizens for Better Elections, said county election
officials point to EAC and state certifications as “rock-solid proof” their systems are secure, but don’t realize vendors are certifying
systems under 2005 standards.

Local officials rely on vendors to build secure systems and EAC and
the states to enforce high standards, Skoglund said.

After the AP began making inquiries, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wrote
McCormick asking what EAC, which has no regulatory power, is doing to
address a “looming election cybersecurity crisis” that essentially lays
the “red carpet” out to hackers.

“Congress must pass legislation giving the federal government the
authority to mandate basic cybersecurity for election infrastructure,”
Wyden told the AP in a statement.

► PA
New election systems use vulnerable software
https://apnews.com/e5e070c31f3c497fa9e6875f426ccde1

► Election
Systems Across Country Still Rely on Windows 7, Which Loses Free
Support Next Year
https://gizmodo.com/report-election-systems-across-country-still-rely-on-w-1836342889

► !!!!!! THIS

— PA Election officials call cyber-attack theory far fetched
https://www.meadvilletribune.com/news/local_news/election-officials-call-cyber-attack-theory-far-fetched/article_663c66fc-fb37-50bc-89ab-72272a6c66db.html

► Philadelphia
and Mercer to Implement New Post-Election Audits for November 2019
Election – Election Systems & Software
https://www.essvote.com/blog/industry-news/philadelphia-and-mercer-to-implement-new-post-election-audits-for-november-2019-election/

Election Voter Education for Americans

We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. ~ Aesop
https://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Technology/vote.html

2018 The Crisis of Election Security
more than 80 percent of the machines in use today are under the purview
of three companies — Dominion, ES&S and Hart InterCivic.

Top Voting Machine Vendor Admits It Installed
Remote-Access Software on Systems Sold to States July 17,
2018
Remote-access software and modems on election equipment ‘is the worst
decision for security short of leaving ballot boxes on a Moscow street
corner.’

Voting
Device Manufacturer Encourages Users To Use (And Re-Use) Easily-Guessed
Passwords
Kim Zetter, writing for Motherboard, has obtained a manual for devices
made by Unisyn Voting Solutions, which provides horrendous security
advice for users of its products. There are federal guidelines for
voting systems. The Elections Assistance Committee makes the following
recommendations for passwords: [E]lection officials are encouraged to
change passwords after every election. Passwords should also have the
following characteristics: they should be at least six characters,
preferably eight, and include at least one uppercase letter, a
lowercase letter, at least one number and a symbol. It also says,
though, that passwords should be easy to remember so that employees
won’t need to write them down, “yet sufficiently vague that they cannot
be easily guessed.”

Passwords SysremID: IamInfected
Password: H1N1tobereplacedGesundheit

HOW STUPID IS PENSYLVANIA???
http://web.archive.org/web/20090403013951/http://citp.princeton.edu/voting

Yes, You can Rig the Election cause “how to hack” the machine is so
easy.New election systems in Pennsylvania, elsewhere are using old, vulnerable software
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/07/new-election-systems-in-pennsylvania-elsewhere-are-using-old-vulnerable-software.html

Hacker demonstrates how voting machines can be compromised

Roughly 70 percent of states in the U.S. use some form of electronic
voting. Hackers told CBS News that problems with electronic voting machines have been
around for years. The machines and the software are
old and antiquated. But now with millions heading to the polls in three
months, security experts are screaming about it !!!!!!!!!!

Symantec Security Response, Election Day results could be
manipulated by an affordable device you can find online.  “I can insert
it, and then it resets the card, and now I’m able to vote again,” said
Brian Varner, a principle researcher at Symantec, demonstrating the
device.

The voter doesn’t even need to leave the booth to hack the machine.
“For $15 and in-depth knowledge of the card, you could hack the vote,”
Varner said.  Symantec Security Response director Kevin Haley said
elections can also be hacked by breaking into the machines after the
votes are collected.  “The results go from that machine into a piece of
electronics that takes it to the central counting place,” Haley said.
“That data is not encrypted and that’s vulnerable for manipulation.”
“How big of a hacking potential problem is this?” Villarreal asked
him.  “Well, there’s a huge potential,” Haley responded. “There are so
many places in the voting process once it goes electronic that’s
vulnerable.”

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rigged-presidential-elections-hackers-demonstrate-voting-threat-old-machines/

Become a poll worker Allegheny County:
Call the Elections Division at 412-350-4548 or by email at edward.barnard@alleghenycounty.us
Westmoreland County: Contact the Elections Bureau at 724-830-3564 or by email at election@co.westmoreland.pa.us.
An application can be completed online here.
Visit this link to find the contact information for your county. Westmoreland County: Contact the Elections Bureau at 724-830-3564 or by email at election@co.westmoreland.pa.us.

Visit this link to find the contact information for your county.
https://www.votespa.com/Resources/Pages/Be-a-Poll-Worker.aspx

Educational CyberPlayGround: K12Newsletters 7-11-2019

K12PlayGround.com

►Discover the right school for your child.
Add Your School / Update Your School or Organization

►Find and compare K12 Schools and School Districts in the USA and Territories.

►Join Interdisciplinary #STEAM #STEM K12 School Projects. Link to your video project from your school information page and promote your work.

►JOIN Folklore / Folklife and National Security projects across the nation.

〠❁★♥✾☻♥★❁♫☯©®〠☯♫❁★♥✾☻♥ ★❁

The National Endowment for the Arts Folk & Traditional Arts team
is very excited to share a summary and video from the Close Listening: A National Case for the Value and Impact of the Folk & Traditional Arts convening that was held at the 2018 National Assembly of State Arts Agency’s pre-conference in Baltimore, MD last October: https://www.arts.gov/artistic-fields/folk-traditional-arts/close-listening-on-the-value-and-impact-of-the-folk-and-traditional-arts.

The video <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_rALZNb-7M> includes highlights from conversations with several participants, and the summary <https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Close-Listening-Summary-July2019.pdf> includes a list of key recommendations from the convening and brief summaries of each session. We hope that you will find these materials as inspiring as we have. Please feel free to share far and wide.

Cheryl Schiele~ Folk & Traditional Arts Specialist | Multidisciplinary Arts National Endowment for the Arts

“End of Old Song“
See the entire film at http://www.folkstreams.net/
Filmed in the mountains of North Carolina, this acclaimed documentary revisits the region where English folklorist Cecil Sharp collected British ballads in the early 1900s. The film contrasts the nature of the ballad singers with the presence of the juke box.

Google’s 4,000-Word Privacy Policy Is a Secret History of the Internet

Mermaids Have Always Been Black

The uproar over Disney casting Halle Bailey as the Little Mermaid overlooks generations of Caribbean and African folklore
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/opinion/black-little-mermaid.html

 

ECP NetHappenings Newsletter © 7-11-19

ECP NetHappenings Newsletter © 7-11-19

President Trump can’t block you on Twitter, federal court rules
https://thenextweb.com/us/2019/07/10/president-trump-cant-block-you-on-twitter-federal-court-rules/

Trump’s ‘Social Media Summit’: All the President’s Memes
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/business/trump-social-media-summit.html

Trump will mobilize its domestic-based trolls ahead of 2020.
In 2016, a “meme army” rose from the depths of 4chan and Reddit to support Mr. Trump’s candidacy by turning out a steady stream of pro-Trump images, videos and animation — the best of which were often shared by Mr. Trump and his inner circle on social media. Since his election, Mr. Trump has continued to look to his internet supporters as a kind of crowdsourced media consultancy, from which he draws slogans, video mash-ups and “Game of Thrones”-inspired memes. President Trump is assembling a group of his most ardent online supporters for a White House “social media summit.” The guest list has not been publicly released, but a motley grab bag of pro-Trump influencers have taken to Twitter to brag about their invitations, including James O’Keefe, the right-wing founder of Project Veritas; Bill Mitchell, a pro-Trump activist who has promoted the QAnon conspiracy theory; and a pseudonymous Twitter user, “CarpeDonktum,” who is perhaps best known for creating a doctored video of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. that Mr. Trump retweeted.
The group will have “a robust conversation on the opportunities and challenges of today’s online environment,” according to Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, who said last month that Mr. Trump would speak at the summit. Conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation and Turning Point USA have also said they would attend.
The summit illuminates the rising influence of online tastemakers within the political establishment. But it also has the makings of a West Wing pity party. Right-wing internet personalities, including Mr. Trump himself, have accused social media companies of being biased against them. Recently, Mr. Trump suggested that Twitter “should be sued because of what’s happening with the bias,” and in May, the White House released a “share your story” tool to collect anecdotes from people who feel their social media accounts have been banned unfairly.

2014 Adam Curtis – Oh Dear
This is not another conspiracy “Theory” when you can prove the intentional strategy of statecraft
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcy8uLjRHPM

Mozilla blocks UAE bid to become an internet security guardian after hacking reports 
Firefox browser maker Mozilla is blocking the United Arab Emirates’ government from serving as one of its internet security gatekeepers, citing Reuters reports on a UAE cyber espionage program.

13-year-old scientist’s research shows hand dryers can hurt kids’ ears
Research finds many hand dryers operate at noise levels that are harmful to children. Nora Keegan is the 13-year-old student who did the study in the Canadian journal Paediatrics & Child Health.

Protip: If you want to learn about something specific, email an academic about their research. This is from David Fifield (published with permission) about how encrypted Tor traffic is censored in China. I hadn’t even asked what my question was yet, just if he was the right guy.

Eric Wall @ercwl:
Facebook’s Libra Masterplan
The social media company’s move into cryptocurrency takes advantage of regulatory loopholes

If Facebook’s blockchain handles 1,000 tps, that means you have to handle 1,000 tps as well (which you won’t) or blindly trust the system. Bitcoin doesn’t want you to trust the system. Bitcoin wants you to be the system.

“Libra “anonymity” 101: What Facebook says: private enough to hide you from corporations, but transparent enough for law enforcement to catch criminals Reality: transparent enough for corporations to track average users, but private enough to hide criminals from law enforcement”
With an account-based model (i.e. constant address reuse), every corporation should have an easy time deanonymizing every normal user and every business and map out exactly what everyone is doing. Running a full (non-block producing) node will supposedly be open to the public.
My own theory is that intially, Facebook won’t care about 0.01% of suspicious activity. It’s worth it, since keeping the system somewhat open allows for on/off-ramps to pop up everywhere on the planet without their help. Libra adoption > all.

Why Facebook’s plans for a cryptocurrency are already dead in the water
Scott Galloway Professor of Marketing @NYUStern
The Arrogance and Genius of Libra Coin

Facebook’s cryptocurrency partners revealed—we obtained the entire list of inaugural backers

Craig Wright faces tough questions in court

Freedom of the Press Foundation
https://medium.com/freedom-of-the-press-foundation

“Jane Doe” alleges Donald Trump sexually assaulted her on four separate occasions, culminating in a rape when she was just 13 at Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion. Her evidence? Three sworn declarations – from her, a friend she confided in at the time, AND one of Epstein’s recruiters. This case was filed in New York federal court in 2016. You can read her pleading here: The case was NOT dismissed. Jane withdrew her complaint on November 4, 2016, saying she was “afraid to show her face” due to “numerous threats” against her.

Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Pedophile’ Island
More than two decades ago, Little St. James Island, a small body of land tucked in the U.S. Virgin Islands, began to change in ways that that locals on other islands regarded with suspicion. Plants were cleared. Poles bearing American flags went up. Security guards lined the beaches. These transformations, according to the Associated Press, happened when the island was bought by a now-disgraced billionaire: Jeffrey Epstein, who was indicted earlier this week on charges that he ran a sex-trafficking ring of underage girls in the early 2000s.

Grim and Bizarre reality, half of USA citizens are effectively poor in the world’s richest country.

Half of Americans Are Effectively Poor Now.

America’s Real Divide Isn’t Left vs. Right. It’s Democracy vs. Oligarchy
When oligarchs fill the coffers of political candidates, they neuter democracy by Robert Reich

America’s Collapsing Because it’s the World’s First Poor Rich Country

https://eand.co/half-of-americans-are-effectively-poor-now-what-the-c944c518db6a

What a grim and bizarre reality. Half of people are effectively poor in the world’s richest country. What do we call a population that live and debt “in debt”? We certainly don’t call them free in any real sense. They’re the modern equivalent of serfs or peasants — who are born owing, and who will die owing, a fictional, unplayable amount.

If the majority of people in a rich society are poor now…even though they’re “employed”…then clearly the problem isn’t the people…it’s the system. Poverty in America, in other words, has become endemic and ubiquitous because its systemic and structural. It’s baked into the system. It’s a feature, not a bug.

“Asset limited” means that these households don’t have the resources — the hard financial assets — to drawn down on anymore. That tallies with other research which says the majority of Americans now have a negative net worth. In short, “asset limited” is a polite way of saying: indebted for life, with no real way of ever not getting out of the trap. It’s a nice way of saying: broke.

“Income constrained” = “broke and indebted” = “poor.”

43% of American households can’t afford a budget that includes housing, food, childcare, healthcare, transportation, and a cellphone. Translation: nearly half of Americans can’t afford the basics of life anymore.

REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT IT DOESN’T MATTER

Adam Bonica: In 2018, the top 0.01% of the VAP (25,306 donors) accounted for 46% of all contributions. The top 400 donors accounted for 22%. Imagine living in a town of 10,000 people where nearly half of all campaign dollars came from just one person. That’s where we are now at as a county.

Let’s all root for the wealth tax. An overwhelming majority of Democrats, and Republicans and Independents support a wealth tax on the ultra-rich.

There is no right and no left it is about taking it back from the rich. It isn’t about NO TAXES!

Immigrants pay more than 20% of their income in taxes (sales taxes & payroll taxes) Trump, Amazon: pay 0%

Want to tax the rich? Simulate your wealth tax!
You can change any of the parameters and do your own scoring, transparently. http://wealthtaxsimulator.org/

Thomas Piketty @PikettyLeMonde
Hi @LHSummers, if you want to propose another estimate, why don’t you start by working on inequality? Before 1913, there were lots of Summers saying that income tax would never work.

The expansion is now entering its 11th year and is the longest period of US growth on record. Still, middle-income Americans haven’t recovered all the wealth they lost in the Great Recession. Only the top 30% have recovered.
https://apnews.com/df1ca4016d27405791c10eb5772c06a4

@TaxJusticeNet monthly podcast: unmissable corruption, scandal & analysis with @Naomi_Fowler & @jechristensen56
https://www.taxjustice.net/2019/06/26/the-corporate-tax-haven-index-solving-the-worlds-broken-tax-system-in-our-monthly-podcast-the-taxcast/

WHY WE NEED UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME

A basic income for everyone? Yes, Finland shows it really can work

Basic Income for Americans

Why Poverty Is Like a Disease By Christian H. Cooper April 20, 2017

Federal watchdog issues scathing report on ed department’s handling of student loans

The Monopolization of America

MONOPLY: MR. Moneybags, Rich Uncle Pennybags graphic starts in Russia.

Chomsky: By Focusing on Russia, Democrats Handed Trump a “Huge Gift” & Possibly the 2020 Election

SYSTEMIC TIES BETWEEN THE RICH – THE POLITICIANS –  AND BUSINESS PEOPLE 

– IMF International Monetary Fund  head, Dominique Strauss Khan resigned in 2011 over a sex assault scandal.

– 2016 IMF International Monetary Fund  head Christine Lagarde found guilty of “negligence” for approving a massive government payout to business tycoon Bernard Tapie during her tenure as French finance minister. Lagarde ensured Tapie received preferential treatment by referring the matter to arbitration as a quid pro quo for his financial support for Sarkozy during his 2007 presidential bid.

Christine Lagarde has been nominated as candidate to replace Mario Draghi as head of the European Central Bank. She is a supporter of digital assets and could represent a transformational force within central banking. An ideal candidate for a corrupt bank. Judges opt not to give any punishment to head of International Monetary Fund, who was given support of IMF board after the verdict.

Digital Assest Manipulation by  Jamie Diamon / George Soros / Warren Buffet

 

US Customs just seized a ship owned by JPMorgan after authorities found $1 billion worth of drugs on it

Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia have seized a container ship operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Co., weeks after authorities found more than $1 billion worth of cocaine on the vessel in what was one of the largest drug busts in American history.

US Customs and Border Protection seized the ship on July 4, a statement out Monday said. The ship is owned by client assets in a maritime strategy offered by JPMorgan Asset Management, according to a person familiar with the matter. It is operated by the Switzerland-based MSC.

On June 17, border agents found 39,525 pounds of cocaine stashed in several containers on the MSC Gayane at the Philadelphia seaport. The street value of the drugs was estimated at about $1.3 billion, making it the largest cocaine seizure by the agency.

  • Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia have seized a container ship operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Co. and owned by JPMorgan Asset Management.
  • That came weeks after authorities found more than $1 billion worth of cocaine on the vessel in what was one of the largest drug busts in American history.
  • At least half a dozen crew members have been arrested, according to Homeland Security Investigations, and the investigation is ongoing.