Tag Archives: EFF

@EFF Awards “The Thin Crust, Wood-Fired Redactions Award” to @StateDept #SunshineWeek

March 22, 2021 By in Annual, Awards, Govt Documents, Huh? News, Mike Pompeo, Pompeo, Secretary of State, State Department, Transparency Tags: , , ,
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The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. Founded in 1990, EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development. It runs an annual Foilies meant to “name-and-shame” government agencies for being obstacles to public access to information.
The last time the State Department received this award was in 2016 with The Self-Server Award. For the 2021 Foilies, the State Department received “The Thin Crust, Wood-Fired Redactions” Award for the redactions of Pompeo’s list of pizza toppings apparently deemed by FOIA folks to be “far too saucy for public consumption?”
Holymoly macaroni, what could those toppings be? Peanut butter-banana jalopeno papusa-pizza?

 

Citation: The Thin Crust, Wood-Fired Redactions Award – U.S. State Department

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hosted plenty of controversial meals during his three-year tenure. There was the indoor holiday party last December and those bizarre, lavish “Madison Dinners” that cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars, including more than $10k for embossed pens alone. And while we know the full menu of Pompeo’s high-class North Korea summit in 2018 in Manhattan—filet mignon with corn purée was the centerpiece—the public may never find out two searing culinary questions about Mikey: What are his pizza toppings of choice, and what’s his go-to sandwich?
On the pizza angle, the State Department let slip that Pompeo likes it thin and wood-fired, in emails released to NBC correspondent Josh Lederman. But the list of toppings was far too saucy for public consumption, apparently, and redacted on privacy grounds. Same for Pompeo’s sandwich-of-choice, which the State Department redacted from emails released to American Oversight. But we still know “plenty of dry snacks and diet coke” were on offer.
Originally posted here: The Thin Crust, Wood-Fired Redactions Award – U.S. State Department

 

 

Looking For Stocking Stuffers? Some Holiday Gift Ideas

December 17, 2017 By in Blognotes, Holidays and Celebrations Tags: , , ,

 

The T-Rex Collection for our behavioral science and organizational study nerds: There are a few picks ranging from the “Push Button to EXIT” T-Rex Sign Graphic t-shirt to the “Tee-Rex Looking For Exit You’ve Been Waiting For.” Yee be careful what you wish for though. If you’ve been good and nice, Santa might just give you what you wished for … although it may not necessarily be this season. We heard that the elves are working on the next button, and they’re not sure if it’s gonna be a mustache or something more. 

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NASA/JPL Visions of the Future fantastic designs for science pals, who may soon get their own government approved dictionary, if the reported CDC banned words are any indication.  NASA/JPL says that “imagination is our window into the future” and here are some images of imaginative travel destinations that you can wear or gift somebody. Don’t forget to check out the t-shirts’ backs.

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Deep State, Diplocats and FOIA’d? For those looking for deep state unicorns, here’s one where the front features the words “there was never a deep state before” while the back features the words “until those idiots conjured one.” The navy looks lovely. And of course, the diplocats will save the world, who else can do that now? For those FOIA’d in Washington, D.C. there is the perfect wear to the FOIA marathon party! Sorry, the cocktails collection is not ready for the holidays.

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For readings pals, here are a few books on diplomacy, the foreign service, and geography that friends might enjoy.

Matthew Palmer Collection

Foreign Service Books

 

For board game aficionados, a few games to consider as gifts to families, and friends with slow internet connection who may soon be moved to the cloud, also with slow internet connection.


 

Our friends at Muckrock have the magical unredacting mugs, indeed a little reminder about the importance of a government accountable to the people. Check them out.

For feds considering donations to the Combined Federal Campaign this holiday season, please consider supporting our friends at the Electronic Frontier Foundation – @EFF, the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world.

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Take Time Today to Tell Your Senators to #StopCISPA

April 22, 2013 By in Congress, Current Stuff, Privacy, Technology and Work, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , ,

Via the Electronic Frontier Foundation.  Click on the image below to use EFF’s automated system to email your senators.  Sunlight Foundation shows that backers of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act had $605 million in lobbying expenditures from 2011 through the third quarter of last year compared to $4.3 million spent by opponents of the bill. Lopsided resources in action.

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EFF: U.S. House of Representatives Shamefully Passes CISPA; Internet Freedom Advocates Prepare for a Battle in the Senate

ACLU:  CISPA Explainer #1: What Information Can Be Shared?

ACLU: CISPA Explainer #2: With Whom Can Information Be Shared?

ACLU:  CISPA Explainer #3: What Can Be Done With Information After It Is Shared?

The Security Skeptic:  What you (still) need to know about CISPA

— DS