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Tag: Oakland

  • Boston Bans Facial Recognition For Government Use

    Boston Bans Facial Recognition For Government Use

    Boston has joined the growing ranks of US cities that have banned the use of facial recognition by government officials.

    Facial recognition has become one of the most controversial technologies in use. In the wake of George Floyd’s death, organizations have been reevaluating their stand on facial recognition. Companies like Microsoft, IBM and Amazon have changed their policies to exclude selling their facial recognition tech to police.

    Much of this is because of the issues with bias that are prevalent in facial recognition. Despite their best efforts, companies have struggled to keep bias from creeping in on the basis of race, ethnicity and sex.

    These concerns have led cities to take action, banning facial recognition for government agencies. Oakland and San Francisco, California, as well as Cambridge, Massachusetts have already instituted such bans.

    According to Boston.com, “in a unanimous vote Wednesday afternoon, the 13-member body passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of facial recognition technology by Boston police and other city departments, amid evidence that the existing systems misidentify people of color at an exorbitantly high rate.”

    There are some exceptions. Police will still be able to obtain evidence from facial recognition technology, as long as that evidence was gathered by another agency investigating a “specific crime,” and was not at the behest of a Boston city official. Similarly, city officials will not be allowed to use facial recognition provided by third parties.

    Given the current political climate, it’s a safe bet Boston won’t be the last city to take such measures.

  • Tonsil Surgery Tragedy: Brain-Dead Diagnosis Fought

    “Is this normal?” asked Nailah Winkfield over and over as her daughter sat in a bloody hospital gown holding a cup full of blood.

    An Oakland television station tells us of Nailah Winkfield, a woman facing one of the hardest decisions of a mother’s life. After a routine tonsillectomy gone tragically wrong, Winkfield’s 13-year-old daughter is now declared to be brain-dead by doctors after losing an extreme amount of blood hours after surgery.

    What happened to Jahi McMath? No one is quite sure, and her family wants more light shed on the subject before giving up completely. Although the doctors at the Children’s Hospital Oakland have declared her brain-dead and wish to discontinue life support as is protocol, attorney Christopher Dolan has won more time with assertions that Jahi has shown enough signs of life to warrant further investigation– but from doctors independent of the Children’s Hospital.

    According to one doctor not related to the case, it is common for a family to reject a diagnosis of brain death. The family’s attorney, however, states that “there is mistrust and there is a conflict of interest” concerning this entire ordeal. Understandably so– Jahi McMath’s loved ones are suddenly left with an unconscious child after only receiving what was supposed to have been a routine procedure.

    Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo granted Jahi McMath’s family more time Friday with the hopes that a resolution can be found by Christmas. Right now, the family is asking for a peace of mind and some clarity, and hopefully they will receive it.

    Image via KGO-TV

  • Bay Bridge Closure: Ready for Labor Day Weekend

    A San Francisco ABC News local affiliate reported that the San Francisco Bay Bridge is going to be closed down for five days with all commuting traffic between San Francisco and Oakland detoured to other routes by the California Highway Patrol.

    During the closure, BART will be running its transit system 24 hours a day with hourly scheduled overnight trains covering 14 stations. BART’s traffic increased by 30 percent the last time the bridge was closed.

    BART’s spokesperson, Jim Allison, said that on “Thursday and Friday it’s going to be very busy so we’re encouraging people to either use the ferries or modify their plans not to travel in the peak 8-8:30 in the morning and 5-5:30 in the afternoon.”

    If you want to drive yourself and need to get around the gridlock, ABC’s Waze traffic flow app for your smartphone may help you navigate the commute more smoothly, and the more people who use it, the more accurate the traffic data will be.

    The San Francisco Bay Bridge sees nearly 300,000 vehicles a day, and this weekend would be the fourth time in seven years that the bridge had to be shut down. The spokesman for the bridge, Andrew Gordon, said that the new crossing will open either late Monday or early on Tuesday, but exact details have yet to be hammered out.

    The California Department of Transportation or Caltrans, has said that they will begin tearing down the old span bridge piece by piece. In nine months, most Californians will notice the old bridge mostly gone; however, to remove the entire foundation down to the mud line would take an additional two years after the bridge’s removal.

    The “chain-cutting ceremony” that would officially re-open the bridge is scheduled for 3 pm on Labor Day, but Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA) will not be present, instead choosing to be with his wife in Michigan.

    The AP via the Denver Post has some advice from the spokesman from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, John Goodwin, who advises commuters to simply “be patient, wherever you’re going… The Bay Area keeps moving. It just becomes more sluggish.”

    [Image via a Youtube video about retrofitting the bridge]

  • Jack Dorsey Vines His Trip Up The Bay Bridge

    Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey shared an interesting (and somewhat nauseating) series of Vines today, as he took his smartphone while he climbed the Bay Bridge. Thanks to Dorsey’s venture, we’re treated to a rather close-up look at the structure of the bridge and at what the scenery (and cars) look like below.

    Enjoy the ride (please allow a few seconds to load):

    Earlier this week, Twitter launched Vine for Android, and announced that the service already had 13 million registered users. Twitter acquired it in October before launching it for iPhone in January.

  • Missing Girl Found Under Family Bed

    Missing Girl Found Under Family Bed

    A California girl that went missing Friday evening has been found – hiding under a bed.

    According to a Bay Area NBC report, Amieya Renee Stewart was reported missing at around 5 pm on Friday night. The girl went missing during a family gathering at the girl’s grandmother’s house in Richmond. Police and family members searched for Stewart for hours before finding her at around midnight.

    The girl was reportedly found hiding under a bed in the house where the family gathering had taken place. Police have stated that she was surrounded by objects that had been stored under the bed, and could not be seen. Even police dogs brought in on the search had not located the girl.

    After finding the girl, Amieya’s mother, while hugging her daughter and crying tears of relief, apologized for any worry the incident may have caused.

    View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

  • Matt Leinart Signs 1-Year Deal With Oakland: Twitter Reacts

    After suffering several injuries that kept him out of the game, Matt Leinart is now backing up Carson Palmer for the Oakland Raiders, beating out Peyton Manning’s former backup for the job.

    Leinart broke his collarbone in 2007 while playing for the Arizona Cardinals and again in 2011, which ended his season early and would be his last with the Houston Texans. That collarbone would prove a difficult hurdle to get over, but Leinart impressed Oakland with his workout, proving he has recovered from the injury and will be capable of backing up the QB with a fully operational throwing arm.

    Leinart was once considered to be a hot draft pick, and although his numbers are still good, his rookie days saw some of his best performances. After those injuries and being overshadowed by Kurt Warner, he’s struggled in the pro world a bit. There’s a good possibility this season will be much better for him, since he’s being reunited with Palmer; the two worked together at USC and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002.

    Fans had a lot to say on the matter on Twitter and seem pretty divided about the acquisition:

    (image)@ReverendRalph
    Ralph Mancini    Matt Leinart announces he’s officially part of the Oakland #Raiders. Has the arm of a high school cheerleader, but is a superb touch passer.(image) 8 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@JamOTilton
    James L. Tilton?    @frank7white congratulations on the raiders acquisition of Matt Leinart, the future is lookin bright in Oakland.(image) 5 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@REHAB_
    Charles Rehab    I DON’T WANT RAIDER FANS TO EVER TALK TO ME AGAIN ABOUT QBS AFTER SIGNING MATT LEINART(image) 8 hours ago via twicca ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@raiderdawg71
    Jason    I want to be proven wrong about the signing of Matt Leinart. He is a Raider now so I wish for him the best.(image) 10 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@SilkySantana
    Silky Santana    Wait a minute so Matt Leinart is a @RAIDERS ???(image) 9 hours ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@adamrank
    Adam Rank    Matt Leinart is going to the Raiders. How long before Mark Sanchez joins them to complete the set?(image) 8 hours ago via Twitter for iPad ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Oakland School Shootings: 7 Students Killed Execution-Style

    A disgruntled former nursing student of Oikos University walked into classrooms yesterday and shot seven people who were attending class, officials say. He also wounded three others.

    Oakland police used Twitter to broadcast a description of Goh before apprehending him at a local grocery store, where he turned himself in not long after the shootings:

    (image)@oaklandpoliceca
    Oakland Police Dept.    Possible suspect is male,asian,heavy build,khaki clothing,near or in area.Call 9-1-1,or 510-777-3321 if suspect http://t.co/AYAoClJX(image) 19 hours ago via Official Nixle ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    And again to alert nearby residents that he had been taken into custody:

    (image)@oaklandpoliceca
    Oakland Police Dept.    Possible Suspect in custody. No imminent public safety threat appears to exist in immediate area. http://t.co/a4jfS6C9(image) 18 hours ago via Official Nixle ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    43-year old One Goh told police that he was upset about being dismissed from the university, which is a Christian medical school. Police had a hard time discerning a motive at first, as when they took Goh into custody they had to wait to find a Korean translator.

    Witnesses in the school say Goh walked in, shot the receptionist, and headed for the classrooms, apparently looking for a specific female administrator who Goh blamed for his dismissal. Early reports state that he lined up the victims against the wall in one room and shot them execution style.

    “This was a calculated, cold-blooded execution,” Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan told CNN. Charges are expected to be filed tomorrow.

    Oikos, a small private school in Oakland, CA, only has about 100 students currently enrolled. The tragic loss of so many will undoubtedly weigh heavy on those left to pick up the pieces this week.

  • 5 Dead In Oakland School Shootings

    5 Dead In Oakland School Shootings

    Another school shooting has claimed the lives of at least five people today after a gunman–who hasn’t been identified in reports yet but is in custody–walked into classrooms at Oikos University and opened fire. Six others were wounded.

    The University, which is a Christian Med school, was in the middle of classes when the suspect walked in and began shooting. No motive has been given for the crime at this time, although it has been determined that the shooter was a student at the school. Police are currently looking for a Korean translator to help facilitate conversation with the man.

    As news of the tragedy broke, Twitter users offered their thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims.

    (image)@UnionMargot
    Margot    School shootings are always terrifying. It’s even more so when it happens a block from where you work. #shooting #oakland(image) 34 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@EmilyandPam
    Emily Castro    My heart goes out to the ppl that were killed in Oakland school shootings(image) 47 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@Papi_chris66
    Chris    Oakland cali medical school shootings students have died :'( god be with all the familias(image) 1 hour ago via txt ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Anonymous Releases Personal Info Of Oakland Officials

    Oakland officials are the latest group targeted by Anonymous when they released the officials’ personal information to the Web last week.

    The document begins with a message to the people of Oakland with Anonymous offering their support to the Occupy Oakland protesters:

    Anonymous has been watching. Since the inception of Occupy Oakland, We have been actively monitoring your behavior, and exposing the identities and sensitive information of Officers of the Oakland Police Department; as they have continued to act in an unprofessional and violent manner. You tear gassed Us. You shot Us with your weapons. You arrested Us. You beat Us. You also did this to Our Friends, and to Our Families. We watched as you cut budgets, cut Our jobs, closed Our schools, Our parks, and Our libraries, while leaving your own salaries alone. We laughed in disgust as Deanna Santana said she would need to speak to her attorney before discussing her pay cut. The people on this list are supposed to represent the best of what the City of Oakland has to offer. If they are the best, why is there so much trouble within the Police Department, and in the City of Oakland?

    We are shocked and disgusted by your behavior. Before you commit atrocities against innocent people again, think twice.

    The document then lists all of the personal information of the officials including address, phone number, all previous addresses, their place of work, social media accounts and personal Web sites. They also list any crimes that the officials have been involved in.

    They leave Council Member at Large Rebecca Kaplan alone with a message that says: “Thank you for your support and being a true leader in the community.”

    They then specifically ask a question of City Attorney Barbara Jean Parker:

    Our question to you Barbara – Why did you allow numerous targeted arrests to happen, with no charges filed? We expect more out of you. From your community involvement, one would think you would be front and center in the fight against the corruption in OPD and in our Government.

    They leave the city officials with a stern warning that is classic Anonymous:

    We are the ghosts in the dark of night.
    We are the voice that carries silently in the wind.
    We are that feeling you get when the hair stands up on the back of your neck.
    We live in the space between awake and your dreams.
    We move in the shadows.
    We are always watching.
    We know who you are.
    We are in your networks.
    We are everyone.
    We are everywhere.
    We are the Final Boss of the Internet.
    We are Anonymous.
    We are Legion.
    We do not forgive.
    We do not forget.
    Expect Us.

    The information is still up on Anonymous’ Facebook page where they have other Occupy Oakland related items including this video:

  • Oakland PD Using Flickr Photos To Identify Looters

    I saw an article on the the San Francisco Chronicle web site today entitled “Oakland Police Looking for Looting Suspects.” The article reports on the Oakland Police Department’s latest efforts to prosecute looters who participated in last week’s Johannes Merserle protest that turned violent with rioting and looting taking place after dark. Oakland PD has now released a number of photos of alleged looters from that evening’s protest.

    Looter Runs Down Broadway With Items Taken From Foot Locker, Oakland Riots, 2010

    The people in the photos are “involved criminal activity” and could face arrest and prosecution, said Officer Jeff Thomason, a police spokesman.

    Interestingly enough I recognized several of the photographs that the Oakland PD had released as my own photos that I’d taken the night of the riots and had posted to my own Flickr account. I was never contacted by the Oakland PD regarding their use or distribution by Oakland PD. It’s interesting to see law enforcement taking photos by citizen media and using them this way. I wonder about the legality behind this sort of use. Would the Oakland PD be able to also rebroadcast or redistribute photos or video from established mainstream media? And I wonder if the police have to abide by the copyrights of individual photographers in redistributing their work or if they have some sort of legal protection.

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