Sunday, April 10, 2022
FLAMBOYANT JACKASSERY : So Transparently Self-Serving Mugging for The Cameras
All the world's a stage - even for bad actors. These folks really went the extra mile to turn the proceedings into a circus. So much performative outrage. So little interest in reality.
Oh, Josh & Marsha & Ted & Lindsey … Sorry, Judge Jackson
"Although contentious — at times moronically so — the overall process to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court was relatively efficient, and the nomination was never in serious jeopardy. The final vote even wound up vaguely bipartisan, with three Republicans joining Democrats in supporting her.
But these high court confirmations also double as prime opportunities for members of the Senate Judiciary Committee — especially those harboring presidential aspirations — to strut their stuff for a larger-than-usual audience. When the nominee is mired in scandal or controversy, this dynamic can result in tense, illuminating exchanges. (Am I right, Justices Kavanaugh and Thomas?) But there wasn’t that kind of grist with Judge Jackson, so Republicans went with misrepresenting her positions and blathering on about unrelated culture war controversies. Classic, if utterly predictable choices.
Top showboaters this time around included Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Marsha Blackburn, Josh Hawley and Lindsey Graham — a master of the self-righteous hissy fit. These folks really went the extra mile to turn the proceedings into a circus. So much performative outrage. So little interest in reality.
Surprising no one, Mr. Cruz was the most embarrassing of the lot. In a convoluted effort to paint Judge Jackson as a radical wokester (the asinine details of which are but an online search away for those interested), the senator whipped out a copy of the picture book “Antiracist Baby” and started tossing off bizarre, misleading questions such as, “Do you agree with this book that is being taught with kids that babies are racist?” (The book doesn’t teach that.)
Perhaps Mr. Cruz was feeling nostalgic for his freshman year in the chamber, when he gave a dramatic reading on the Senate floor of another kiddie book — Dr. Seuss’s “Green Eggs and Ham” — as part of a marathon speech protesting the Affordable Care Act. That speech is often mischaracterized as a filibuster. But a vote on the legislation had already been scheduled, meaning that nothing Mr. Cruz said, read or yodeled made a lick of difference. He was simply delivering an empty, blustery performance with an eye toward convincing his party’s voters of his fighting chops.
Cruz and Co. played the same cynical game with Judge Jackson. They knew they didn’t really have the juice to derail her confirmation. (Two cheers for Mitch McConnell for having killed the filibuster for Supreme Court picks?) They were just strutting and posturing and channeling Trumpian jerkiness to fire up the base: Check us out! Aren’t we fierce and naughty?!
Happily, the clown show failed to disrupt the proceedings. This is in part a tribute to Judge Jackson’s ability to remain chill in the face of even the most off-point questions. (What is her definition of a woman? Really?) It also helped that the finger waggers and foot stompers were so transparently self-serving that even their teammates recognized it. At one point, Ben Sasse felt moved to refer to “the jackassery we often see around here” with folks “mugging” for the cameras.
That said, the performers’ shamelessness was impressive. After a testy exchange with the Democratic chairman of the committee, Mr. Cruz kicked back and lost himself in his Twitter feed. Nearby reporters noted that he appeared to be checking his mentions to see how he was playing on social media. Now there’s a guy who takes his constitutional duties seriously.
But for Mr. Cruz, who labors under the delusion that he will one day be elected president, it doesn’t matter much whether he wins or loses a particular fight or gets perpetually derided for being a self-absorbed goofball with baffling facial hair. It’s all about preening for the base.
Mr. Cruz, to be fair, is hardly alone in this attitude. Even as Judge Jackson takes her hard-earned victory lap, her Senate antagonists will be congratulating themselves on all the MAGA love they surely earned. Perhaps they yearn for shout-outs along the lines of:
Thank you, @tedcruz, for exposing the antiracist baby scourge. Biggest story since Pizzagate.
Stand tall, @MarshaBlackburn. You are the definition of a REAL WOMAN. #BigHair4Eva
Don’t feel bad, @LindseyGrahamSC. I often confuse Ketanji Brown Jackson with Janice Rogers Brown as well. #HonestMistake.
Hey, @SenTomCotton, I hear George Soros is a closet furry. Time for hearings? #AllDemsAreGroomers
And, of course:
You are a warrior and patriot, @tedcruz, but for the love of god get a decent shave.
You get the basic point. For those who brayed most loudly against Judge Jackson’s nomination, there are plenty of rewards to reap. In today’s MAGAfied G.O.P., nothing thrills quite so much as flamboyant jackassery.
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BUGS & VULNERABILITIES IN MEDICAL DEVICES: The PATCH ACT / Your Online Healthcare Data is At Risk
Oh No! Experts consistently find that devices in use today have vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers. Those attacks can siphon off patient data or put their safety directly at risk.
The US is trying to fix medical devices’ big cybersecurity problem
The FDA and Congress both just put out new proposals
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Medical devices are one major weak point in health care cybersecurity, and both Congress and the Food and Drug Administration took steps towards closing that gap this week —Congress with a proposed bill and the FDA with new draft guidelines for device makers on how they should build devices that are less likely to be hacked.
Devices like infusion pumps or imaging machines that are connected to the internet can be targets for hacks. Those attacks can siphon off patient data or put their safety directly at risk. Experts consistently find that devices in use today have vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers.
The FDA, which regulates medical devices, has been trying to get a handle on this problem for a while. Back in 2014, it put out guidance for medical device makers that outlined how they should incorporate cybersecurity before they asked the agency to clear their products. The agency then put out a draft guideline in 2018. This new draft replaces the 2018 version and is based on feedback from manufacturers and other experts and changes in the medical device environment over the past few years, Suzanne Schwartz, director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Technology Innovation at the FDA, told The Verge.
The new document is still just a draft, and device makers won’t start using it until it’s finalized after another round of feedback. But it includes a few significant changes from the last go-around — including an emphasis on the whole lifecycle of a device and a recommendation that manufacturers include a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) with all new products that gives users information on the various elements that make up a device. An SBOM makes it easier for users to keep tabs on their devices. If there’s a bug or vulnerability found in a bit of software, for example, a hospital could easily check if their infusion pumps use that specific software.
The FDA also put out legislative proposals around medical device cybersecurity, asking Congress for more explicit power to make requirements. “The intent is to enable devices to be that much more resilient to withstand the potential for cyber exploits or intrusion,” Schwartz says. Manufacturers should be able to update or patch software problems without hurting the devices’ function, she says.
The FDA’s efforts dovetail with a proposed bill introduced in Congress this week, the Protecting and Transforming Cyber Health Care (PATCH) Act, which would codify some of the FDA’s proposals. The bill would require device manufacturers to have a plan to address any cybersecurity issues with their devices, and require an SBOM for new devices. If the bill passes, then those elements become requirements rather than just recommended guidelines from the FDA.
“This would give us extra teeth,” Schwartz says. “This really, for the first time, would establish, very explicitly, authority in the area of cybersecurity and tie that directly to the safety of medical devices.”
Notably, these new recommendations and the legislation would primarily apply to new devices coming onto the market — they don’t cover the millions of medical devices already in use in the United States. . ."
READ more >> https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/8/23016588/medical-device-cybersecurity-fda-congress-hacking
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE: You Don't Need Any Money To Start Learning
Something good to know
6 Free Ways to Practice Sign Language Online
You don’t need to spend any money to start learning American Sign Language (ASL) with these resources.
"So, you want to learn sign language on a budget. You could be motivated by a desire to understand deaf friends better, communicate with relatives who are hard of hearing, or express yourself after experiencing hearing loss. No matter what piques your interest in American Sign Language (ASL), attending in-person classes is the fastest, most reliable way to master the language.
But plenty of people simply do not have the time or financial resources to attend sign language classes. Although studying ASL online cannot replicate the nuanced experience of in-person communication, curious students who are willing to invest time do not need to pay money for beginner lessons. All of the learning options on our list are either completely free or offer a generous amount of content in front of their paywalls.
The online ASL for Free program from Gallaudet University is not included because it is temporarily unavailable due to a curriculum restructuring—ASL for Free may be added in a future update. For more information about ASL and deaf culture and history, visit the resource-rich website for the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet.
If you ask around for free sign language resources, ASL University from Bill Vicars is often recommended. It stood out from multiple websites as the most comprehensive and organized option. With 60 available lessons, ASL University covers frequently used subjects, such as food, clothing, and emotions. Each lesson is accompanied by a 40-minute video that showcases a two-person conversation using the vocabulary. When you click on the hyperlinked vocab words, a short video demonstrating the sign language will pop up.
According to his website, Vicars is deaf and taught ASL for years at California State University, Sacramento. Even though ASL University is not an actual school, it’s a phenomenal website with informative, engaging lessons that are ideal for beginners looking for a reliable place to start.
Not all of the content on StartASL is free, but you can access a significant amount of helpful information without paying a dime. The free lessons focus on practicing conversations and understanding the structure of ASL but do not go particularly deep. You have to sign up with an email address to receive the three workbooks that accompany the lessons.
The workbooks are great for learners who have access to a printer and want to practice ASL by writing information down. As the name implies, this option is not catered to more advanced learners. If ASL University is too detailed for your taste, StartASL may feel less overwhelming and further ignite your interest in sign language.
Many sign language resources are designed to be used on a desktop computer or laptop. If you want the flexibility of learning sign language on your smartphone, The ASL App (for iPhone and Android) is worth a try. Although it is not as interactive as other options, The ASL App is easy to use and accessible for younger learners.
Numbers, ABCs, and a few other basic lessons are free. Bundles that cover specific topics can be unlocked for $1 each, or you can purchase everything for $10. Famous model and activist Nyle DiMarco is one of the sign language demonstrators. The free content is decent, and the expansion packs include topics not often covered in other resources, like the great outdoors and LGBT pride month.
Depending on how much ASL you already know, the difficulty level of Sign School can be adjusted between Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. The lessons involve watching a person sign and answering quizzes about what they communicated. This resource offers more than just traditional lessons, with tools for learning your name and a game to practice fingerspelling.
A couple of the webpages did not correctly load while testing it out, but SignSchool is a good platform overall that can supplement your language learning. The website asks for your email to create an account, but it is free to use. You can choose to have a sign of the day sent to your email inbox for extra practice. iPhone and Android apps are available so you can take lessons on the go.
Following social media accounts that post sign language content can be a fantastic way to experience ASL in a casual environment, but the final two recommendations on our list come with a disclaimer. Even though amateur videos are often created with good intentions, you should verify what you learn with outside sources for accuracy.
Searching TikTok using keywords or hashtags is a solid way to discover new accounts related to your interests. #LearnASL, #LearnToSign, and #SignLanguage all have millions of views and are adequate starting points. To differentiate their content, creators will often compile educational videos into a playlist featured near the top of their profile page.
Jon Urquhart’s (@drunkcrier) playlist titled “Worst Mistakes in ASL” is a hilarious way to discover signs with PG-13 meanings. Zoey Hendrix (@zoeysensei) is an ASL teacher who creates videos covering how to sign for everything from diabetes to astrology. Phelan Conheady (@signinngwolf) does not predominantly post teaching content on TikTok, but their videos provide valuable insight from a young member of the deaf community.
Sign language is a visual method of communication, and numerous ASL teachers host their videos on YouTube. You can directly subscribe to Bill Vicar’s YouTube channel if you want to watch longer lessons from ASL University on your smart TV. Multiple documentaries that dive into the history of ASL and the deaf community, like Signing Black in America and Through Deaf Eyes, are available to stream on YouTube.
With an engaging presence and a deep knowledge of sign language, ASLMeredith is one of my favorite YouTube channels for practicing signs. The Learn How to Sign channel has informative, entry-level videos such as “150 Essential ASL Signs.” Traveling across the pond? The Commanding Hands channel will introduce you to a few elements of British Sign Language."
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