Search

Categories

Total Results

No Record Found

View All Results
DONATE

News & Opinion

Free speech: ACLU leads fight against Muslim ‘radicalization’ hearing by House committee

donal brown March 8, 2011

The American Civil Liberties Union with other groups sent a letter to the House of Representatives Homeland Security committee to protest the bias of the committee in scheduling a hearing March 10 on the “radicalization of the American Muslim community.” The ACLU fears the hearings could chill free speech and free association. -db WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Civil Liberties Union, along with several other human rights and civil liberties organizations, sent a letter today

Read More »

Lady Gaga goes to extreme on photo copyright demands

donal brown March 8, 2011

Pop stars routinely limit photojournalists at concerts imposing rules including allowing only three shots, forbidding flashes, and pushing them far from the stage, but Lady Gaga has gone to the extreme by demanding ownership of the shots. From her Photo Release Form: “Photographer hereby acknowledges and agrees that all right, title and interest (including copyright) in and to the Photograph(s) shall be owned by Lady Gaga and Photographer hereby transfers and assigns any such rights

Read More »

U.S. Supreme Court rules for transparency in Navy records case

donal brown March 7, 2011

The Supreme Court gave open government a significant victory by reversing decades of practice in discrediting a prominent interpretation used by government agencies to reject Freedom of Information Act requests. The Navy had tried to use an FOIA exemption for records “related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency” to reject a request for data showing where damage might occur in Puget Sound if explosives were detonated there by accident or

Read More »

Survey uncovers link between transparency and well-being

donal brown March 7, 2011

A survey funded by the Knight Foundation found a possible link between transparency in government and the well-being of citizens. Those who thought the information systems were working well to keep them informed were more likely to be engaged in and happy with their communities. Over 15,000 citizens from Philadephia, Macon, Georgia and San Jose, California participated in the survey. From The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, March 3, 2011, by Kacey Deamer.

Read More »

California: Tustin City Council alleged to have violated open meeting law

donal brown March 7, 2011

The Tustin City Council scheduled a closed meeting to evaluate the city manager but instead voted to fire him, prompting criticism from the public and allegations that the council violated the Brown Act, California’s open meeting act by not allowing public comment on their action. The city manager had only been on the job for four months and according to his contract should get severance pay amounting to at least $187,500. -db From a commentary

Read More »