Start with Letting Go

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One of the most important differences between a change and a transition is that changes are driven to reach a goal, but transitions start with letting go of what no longer fits or is adequate to the life stage you are in. You need to figure out for yourself what exactly that no-longer appropriate thing is. There’s no list in the back of the book. But there is a hint can save you considerable pain and remorse: Whatever it is, it is internal. Although it might be true that you emerge from a time of transition with the clear sense that it is time for you to end a relationship or leave a job, that simply represents the change that your transition has prepared you to make. The transition itself begins with letting go of something that you have believed or assumed, some way you’ve always been or seen yourself, some outlook on the world or attitude toward others.

William Bridges, Transitions

The Main Thing

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Every morning just look at your calendar and ask yourself one question: “What’s the main event today?” I’m going to see six people. I’m going to do seven things. But of the six people I see and the seven things I do, what’s the main event?

In other words, what’s the most important thing I’m going to do today. Don’t make everything the main event because I’m not going to be good all day. I’m not going to be able to hit a home run every time I swing the bat. I’m going to have some fouls and I’m going to have some strike outs.

When you decide your main event, spend most of your time, most of your energy, most of your focus on it. You know what I know about life? You don’t have to be good at everything, you just have to be good at the main thing. If you’re good at the main thing, people will pay for you to do it again.

John Maxwell

The Adventure of Living

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Our attitude to life is always a reflection of our attitude to God. Saying “yes” to God is saying “yes” to life, to all its problems and difficulties.  “Yes” instead of “no”, an attitude of adventure instead of one of going one strike. In such an adventure we commit our entire being. It is not an escape. We do not have to give up our reason, our intelligence, our knowledge, our facility to judge, nor our emotions, our likes, our desire, our instincts, our conscience and unconscious aspirations, but rather to place them all in God’s hand’s, so that he may direct, stimulate, fertilize, develop and use them. 

Paul Tournier, The Adventure of Living

Articles of Interest about Higher Ed - Feb 2

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***HIGHER ED

Colleges Prepare Students 2020 census  https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/20/colleges-prepare-students-2020-census

Colorado College declares itself first school in Rocky Mountain region to reach carbon neutrality https://www.denverpost.com/2020/01/22/colorado-college-carbon-neutrality/

How to Tell if Your College is Using Facial Recognition to Monitor People on Campus
https://lifehacker.com/how-to-tell-if-your-college-is-using-facial-recognition-1841414325

Accenture to Expand Workday Practice to Help Higher Education and Public Sector Organizations Transform Core Operations https://finance.yahoo.com/news/accenture-expand-workday-practice-help-170600248.html

A university “plans to fire three people who they say helped a graduate student obtain a doctoral degree in return for the student getting them grant money https://www.wesh.com/article/alleged-bribery-scandal-under-investigation-at-ucf/30683191#

 

***HIGHER ED & HEALTH

Tuberculosis warning issued for Southwestern and San Diego City colleges https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-20/tuberculosis-warning-issued-for-southwestern-and-san-diego-city-colleges

Preparing for coronavirus on college campuses https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/27/some-colleges-report-possible-coronavirus-cases-experts-emphasize-importanc

 

***HIGHER ED & FINANCE

More than 40 percent of trustees are now very concerned about the future of higher education https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/29/trustees-growing-increasingly-worried-about-future-higher-education-us-polling-shows

 

***HIGHER ED & FREE SPEECH 

America's worst colleges for free speech list released https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/29/americas-worst-colleges-free-speech-list-released/

Babson College lands on ‘Worst Colleges for Free Speech’ list after firing employee https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/01/29/babson-college-lands-on-worst-colleges-for-free-speech-list-after-firing-employee/

 

***TEACHING

Professors Are Turning the Page on Budget-Busting Textbooks https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado/articles/2020-02-02/professors-are-turning-the-page-on-budget-busting-textbooks

Scammers target college students with fake online access codes for digital course material https://wjla.com/features/7-on-your-side/college-scams-textbook-codes-social-media

 

***ACADEMIC LIFE 

MIT puts professor on leave over new revelations about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein as it issues anticipated report https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/13/mit-puts-professor-leave-over-new-revelations-about-his-ties-jeffrey-epstein

MLA members discuss professors' ethical responsibilities for training graduate students, as some propose shifts in admissions practices. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/13/mla-discusses-professors-ethical-responsibilities-training-graduate-students 

Former TCU faculty member sues alleging discrimination https://www.tcu360.com/2020/01/former-faculty-member-sues-alleging-discrimination/

 

***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS 

Christian Colleges Should Interact With World, Not Oppose It (opinion) https://sojo.net/articles/christian-colleges-should-interact-world-not-oppose-it

Alabama Megachurch Buys More Property for New College Campus https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/alabama/articles/2020-01-19/alabama-megachurch-buys-more-property-for-new-college-campus

Pacific Lutheran violated an adjunct professor and advocate's rights in effectively dismissing her for offering private lessons https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/21/aaup-finds-pacific-lutheran-targeted-adjunct-dismissal

Private Christian institution merges with the Watkins College of Art https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/29/another-art-school-absorbed-belmont-university

Stephen Galloway Named Dean of Chapman University's Film School https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stephen-galloway-named-dean-chapman-universitys-film-school-1274760

Merger With Christian University Stokes Uproar Over Faith and Free Expression https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/02/us/belmont-university-christians-barred-watkins-college.html

 

***LIBERTY UNIVERSITY 

Liberty University spent over $157 million on admission leads between 2009 and 2016--their 8-year graduation rate is 44%  https://news.elearninginside.com/liberty-university-one-of-americas-largest-online-educators-spent-over-157-million-on-admission-leads-between-2009-and-2016-their-8-year-graduation-rate-is-44/

Liberty University announces Pompeo as commencement speaker https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/liberty-university-announces-pompeo-as-commencement-speaker/article_32e34f11-8b3a-56da-a94a-98039613c795.htm

Bob Good resigns from Liberty University position to focus on campaign https://wset.com/news/local/bob-good-resigns-from-liberty-university-position-to-focus-on-campaign

Liberty merges two schools — here’s why https://wlni.com/news/liberty-merges-two-schools-heres-why

 

***RESEARCH

Research intelligence: how to sniff out errors and fraud https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/research-intelligence-how-sniff-out-errors-and-fraud

Should research misconduct be criminalized? https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1747016119898400

Putin wanted Russian science to top the world: Then a huge academic scandal blew up https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/putin-wanted-russian-science-to-top-the-world-then-a-major-academic-scandal-blew-up/2020/01/16/f58239ec-34b9-11ea-898f-eb846b7e9feb_story.html

Journal transparency index will be ‘alternative’ to impact scores https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/journal-transparency-index-will-be-alternative-impact-scores

Peer Review works little better than flipping coins: Budding scholars pay the price https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-01-29/peer-review-is-science-s-wheel-of-misfortune

Why one plagiarism sleuth who has led to dozens of retractions does what he does https://blog.brill.com/humanitiesmatter/publication_ethics_michael_dougherty.html

In Taiwan, researchers “generally agreed that [questionable authorship practices] had a long history among local academics but were rarely reported” https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11948-020-00180-x

How Academic Science Gave Its Soul to the Publishing Industry https://issues.org/how-academic-science-gave-its-soul-to-the-publishing-industry/

California to resume Elsevier talks after signing deals elsewhere https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/california-resume-elsevier-talks-after-signing-deals-elsewhere

 

***STUDENT LIFE 

SNAP rules changes could affect college students https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/20/how-snap-rule-changes-could-affect-college-students

As Esports Take Off, High School Leagues Get In The Game     https://www.npr.org/2020/01/21/798252787/as-esports-take-off-high-school-leagues-get-in-the-game

University of Minnesota student jailed in China over tweets https://www.axios.com/china-arrests-university-minnesota-twitter-e495cf47-d895-4014-9ac8-8dc76aa6004d.html

The thirtysomething life crisis  https://www.vox.com/first-person/2020/1/23/21077392/crisis-thirtysomething-in-my-30s 

Prof calls police on student—for not changing seats https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2020/01/23/ball-state-prof-calls-police-student-over-seating-assignment/4554275002/

The link between smartphones and teenage depression may be overblown https://www.technologyreview.com/f/615071/your-kids-phone-probably-isnt-making-them-depressed/

Esports Is Booming, But Its Reception Remains Divided https://www.npr.org/2020/01/29/800938040/esports-is-booming-but-its-reception-remains-divided

The power of celibacy: Abstinence is making people happier https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/28/the-power-of-celibacy-giving-up-sex-was-a-massive-relief

New Study Finds High School GPA Beats Standardized Tests https://www.fatherly.com/news/new-study-finds-high-school-gpa-beats-standardized-tests/

 

***STUDENTS IN COURT 

Lawsuit claims Texas Christian University faculty assaulted, racially discriminated against student https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/lawsuit-claims-texas-christian-university-faculty-assaulted-and-racially-discriminated-against-student/287-6e9bcc40-c1d9-4173-aca1-04c96e65e603

Why an internet that never forgets is especially bad for young people https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614941/internet-that-never-forgets-bad-for-young-people-online-permanence/

 

***STUDENTS & FINANCE
Myth Busted: Turns Out Bankruptcy Can Wipe Out Student Loan Debt After Allhttps://www.npr.org/2020/01/22/797330613/myth-busted-turns-out-bankruptcy-can-wipe-out-student-loan-debt-after-all 

Is It Fair to Award Scholarships Based on the SAT? https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-it-fair-to-award-scholarships-based-on-the-sat-11580639400

 

***SEXUAL MISCONDUCT  

Franklin College president fired after arrest for sex crimes: 'We are deeply shocked' https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/01/13/franklin-college-indiana-president-thomas-minar-fired-wisconsin-arrest/4457686002/

Michigan Provost Accused of Sexual Misconduct https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/23/michigan-provost-placed-leave-sexual-misconduct-allegations

‘Sexual Citizens,' Reveals Data On Sex, Power And Assault On Campus https://www.npr.org/2020/01/23/798545780/in-sexual-citizens-students-open-up-about-sex-power-and-assault-on-campus

UT-Austin students condemn school's handling of sexual misconduct cases https://www.texastribune.org/2020/01/28/ut-austin-students-condemn-schools-handling-sexual-misconduct-cases/?fbclid=IwAR0ebVeGjf-pVL6uOBoHg6U29RQ6BZu2pnSm-RuYGabNIg5Dy-wwt_Z0MDs

Lawyer: Deposition Gave Wrong Info in Sexual Harassment Case filed by Nursing Student https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/north-carolina/articles/2020-02-01/lawyer-deposition-gave-wrong-info-in-sexual-harassment-case?src=usn_fl

Articles of Interest about Religion - Jan 29

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***RELIGION

U.S. churchgoers are satisfied with the sermons they hear, though content varies by religious tradition https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/01/28/u-s-churchgoers-are-satisfied-with-the-sermons-they-hear-though-content-varies-by-religious-tradition/

US biologists ‘biased’ against evangelical students, says study | Times Higher Education https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/us-biologists-biased-against-evangelical-students-says-study

For some Latinos, grappling with their Christian identity can be complicated https://pres-outlook.org/2020/01/for-some-latinos-grappling-with-their-christian-identity-can-be-complicated/

The Largest Christian Adoption Agency Is Ending International Adoptions https://relevantmagazine.com/current16/the-largest-christian-adoption-agency-is-ending-international-adoptions/

 

***RELIGION AND POLITICS

Evangelical Megachurch pastor: Jesus would have 'beat the crap' out of John Bolton https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/480605-conservative-pastor-says-jesus-would-have-beat-the-crap-out-of

Pompeo Keeps NPR Reporter Feud Going With Pointed Bible Quote https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-25/pompeo-lashes-out-at-reporter-after-she-asked-ukraine-questions

 

***RELIGION & THE LAW 

Caught between gender equality and religious liberty (opinion) https://religionnews.com/2020/01/13/caught-between-gender-equality-and-religious-liberty/

Supreme Court allows DHS rule on immigrant welfare benefits heavily criticized by evangelical groups https://www.christianpost.com/news/supreme-court-allows-dhs-rule-on-immigrant-welfare-benefits-heavily-criticized-by-evangelical-groups.html

Leaders of a Kingdom of Jesus Christ church arrested in human trafficking and immigration fraud inquiry https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-30/leaders-of-a-los-angeles-church-arrested-in-human-trafficking-and-immigration-fraud-inquiry

 

***MEGACHURCHES 

Brother of Megachurch pastor accused of sexually assaulting young girl https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Former-Harris-County-constable-captain-accused-of-15016509.php 

Willow Creek Acknowledges New Allegations of ‘Inappropriate Behavior’ Against Co-Founder https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/willow-creek-acknowledges-new-allegations-of-inappropriate-behavior-against-co-founder/

 

***CATHOLIC

We Assembled the Only Nationwide Database of Priests Deemed Credibly Accused of Abuse: Here’s How  https://www.propublica.org/article/we-assembled-the-only-nationwide-database-of-priests-deemed-credibly-accused-of-abuse-heres-how

Dorothy Day was a radical: Now many want the Vatican to make her a saint https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/01/28/being-communist-socialist-anarchist-sympathizer-once-made-dorothy-day-radical-now-many-want-vatican-make-her-saint/

***RELIGION & LGBTQ ISSUES 

Christian liberal arts college didn't want her coaching because she's gay. Now she's in the Super Bowl  https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/goshen-college-didn-t-want-her-coaching-because-she-s/article_206178f2-42c6-11ea-a9ef-d7bebaa46a9c.html

Texas AG won't defend state agency in gay marriage suit, citing beliefs https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/texas-ag-won-t-defend-state-agency-gay-marriage-suit-n1126731

Few people can detect a liar

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In daily life, without the particular pressures of politics, people find it hard to spot liars. Tim Levine of the University of Alabama, Birmingham, has spent decades running tests that allow participants (apparently unobserved) to cheat. He then asks them on camera if they have played fair. He asks others to look at the recordings and decide who is being forthright about cheating and who is covering it up. In 300 such tests people got it wrong about half of the time, no better than a random coin toss. Few people can detect a liar. Even those whose job is to conduct interviews to dig out hidden truths, such as police officers or intelligence agents, are no better than ordinary folk.

The Economist 

Articles of Interest about Literature, Journalism, Writing & Languages – Jan 29

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***WRITING & READING

The Enemies of Writing: A writer who’s afraid to tell people what they don’t want to hear has chosen the wrong trade  https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/01/packer-hitchens/605365/

 JRR Tolkien's son Christopher dies aged 95 https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jan/16/jrr-tolkiens-son-christopher-dies-aged-95

 Exploring various scholars' rationales for self-plagiarism https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/01/10/essay-rationales-self-plagiarism

 

***GRAMMAR 

Who do they think they are? The battle over the singular use of “they” has been waged for centuries https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2020/01/18/who-do-they-think-they-are   

English's pronoun problem is centuries old https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/english-s-pronoun-problem-is-centuries-old-120012301829_1.html

 

***JOURNALISM

7 things to consider before adopting AI in your news organisation: A training module for newsrooms https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/polis/2019/12/12/7-things-to-consider/

Journalism still has power: But not the way you’d hope  https://www.cjr.org/cjr_outbox/hegseth-trump-gallagher.php

The latest newspaper chain to face Alden Global Capital cost-cutting  https://www.axios.com/media-local-newspapers-private-equity-0add6bce-f44a-4938-82bb-6d4bb01068c8.html

Jim Lehrer's 16 Rules for Practicing Journalism with Integrity www.openculture.com/2020/01/jim-lehrers-16-rules-for-being-a-journalist-with-integrity.html

 

***THE BUSINESS OF JOURNALISM

Flipboard expands into local news https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/28/flipboard-expands-into-local-news/

Facebook awards $700,000 in local news grants  https://www.axios.com/facebook-local-news-grants-advertising-f9f7048b-2bd2-4eb6-9bfc-6fe72fb5c359.html

The New York Times used to be afraid of BuzzFeed. Now it’s hired its biggest star. https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/1/28/21112608/ben-smith-new-york-times-buzzfeed-media-revenue-jonah-peretti

 

***FAKES & FRAUDS

Big Tech platforms struggle to police deepfakes ahead of the 2020 elections    https://www.axios.com/deepfakes-big-tech-policy-facebook-reddit-tiktok-ca7a99b8-e571-4b0b-933a-27e4b2c0b0f7.html   

2020 rules of the road for the Age of Misinformation https://www.axios.com/2020-rules-of-the-road-for-the-age-of-misinformation-87bc3f7e-b064-4b47-bc71-7639b9a82b8a.html

How Swedes Were Fooled By One Of The Biggest Scientific Bluffs Of Our Time https://medium.com/@Soccermatics/how-swedes-were-fooled-by-one-of-the-biggest-scientific-bluffs-of-our-time-de47c82601ad

A new text message scam is disguising itself as a FedEx notification https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/23/business/fedex-text-scam-trnd/ 

How To Spot 2020 Election Disinformation https://www.npr.org/2020/01/23/798809217/how-to-spot-2020-election-disinformation

Clearview AI Says Its Facial Recognition Software Identified A Terrorism Suspect: The Cops Say That's Not True https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/clearview-ai-nypd-facial-recognition

Half of Americans don’t know 6m Jews were killed in Holocaust, survey says    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/22/holocaust-survey-americans-pew-research-center

American Distrust Of The Voting Process Is Widespread, Poll Finds https://www.npr.org/2020/01/21/798088827/american-distrust-of-the-voting-process-is-widespread-npr-poll-finds

Is this video “missing context,” “transformed,” or “edited”? This effort wants to standardize how we categorize visual misinformation https://www.niemanlab.org/2020/01/is-this-video-missing-context-transformed-or-edited-this-effort-wants-to-standardize-how-we-categorize-visual-misinformation/

Misinformation about coronavirus tests Facebook, Google and China  https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-misinformation-facebook-twitter-google-china-246a0325-b4ea-4465-92ae-5f364a7e965c.html

The New York Times tested blockchain to help you identify faked photos on your timeline https://www.niemanlab.org/2020/01/heres-how-the-new-york-times-tested-blockchain-to-help-you-identify-faked-photos-on-your-timeline/

 

***SOCIAL MEDIA 

Twitter’s Jack Dorsey on edit button: ‘We’ll probably never do it’ https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/15/21066815/twitter-edit-button-jack-dorsey-says-no

Twitter apologises for letting ads target neo-Nazis and bigots https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51112238

Targeting TikTok’s privacy alone misses a larger issue: Chinese state control https://qz.com/1788836/targeting-tiktoks-privacy-alone-misses-a-much-larger-point/

 

***LANGUAGE 

 How we use language, with a look under the hood https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/columnists/mcintyre/bs-ed-mcintyre-20200111-tmf465vuubdebmtpu3p6ngsz2q-story.html

Things You Didn't Know Had Names  https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63034/48-things-you-didnt-know-had-names 

Using a child’s identified pronouns might feel complicated, but it’s crucial. Here’s why (opinion) https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/01/16/using-childs-identified-pronouns-might-feel-complicated-its-crucial-heres-why/ 

The alphabets at risk of extinction https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200121-the-alphabets-at-risk-of-extinction

Author Interview: Dennis Baron On 'What's Your Pronoun?' https://www.npr.org/2020/01/26/799629318/author-interview-dennis-baron-on-what-s-your-pronoun

'Baby Shark,' Now In 19 Languages And Counting — Including A Navajo Tongue https://www.npr.org/2020/01/28/800557518/baby-shark-now-in-19-languages-and-counting-including-a-navajo-tongue

Discover the Disappearing Turkish Language That is Whistled, Not Spoken www.openculture.com/2020/01/discover-the-turkish-language-that-is-whistled-not-spoken.html

 

***LITERATURE

The Obscure Editions of Jane Austen Novels That Made Her Internationally Known  https://lithub.com/the-obscure-editions-of-jane-austen-novels-that-made-her-internationally-known/

UCLA receives $25 million from Uniqlo founder for Japanese literature and culture studies http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/25-million-uniqlo-founder-japanese-literature-and-culture

Edgar Allan Poe's Baltimore home was named a literary landmark https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/edgar-allan-poe-baltimore-literary-landmark-trnd/index.html

Virginia Woolf Books To Read If You Want To Explore 20th Century Literature https://www.republicworld.com/lifestyle/books/virginia-woolf-books-to-read-to-explore-20th-century-literature.html

Is Jane Austen the Antidote to Social Media Overload? https://daily.jstor.org/is-jane-austen-the-antidote-to-social-media-overload/

Jeanine Cummins' migrant book 'American Dirt' is problematic; author’s note makes it worse https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/books/2020/01/21/american-dirt-jeanine-cummins-book-review-mexican-migrant/4497859002/

 

***POETRY

What happens when machines learn to write poetry: should artificial intelligence alter our appreciation of art? http://bit.ly/30CkvI3

Have You Abandoned Your New Year's Resolutions? Tell Us In A Poem https://www.npr.org/2020/01/16/795953834/have-you-abandoned-your-new-years-resolutions-tell-us-in-a-poem

'Ghost poetry': fight over Samuel Beckett's Nobel win revealed in archives https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jan/17/ghost-poetry-fight-over-samuel-beckett-nobel-win-revealed-in-archives

 

***THE BUSINESS OF MEDIA  

Augmented reality contacts are real, and could be here sooner than you think https://mashable.com/article/augmented-reality-contact-lenses-mojo-vision/

The Culling Has Begun’: Inside the iHeartMedia Layoffs  https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/iheartmedia-mass-layoffs-937513

Could iHeart layoffs be the beginning of local radio’s endgame? https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/01/could-iheart-layoffs-be-the-beginning-of-local-radios-endgame.htm

2020 won't be the year digital election ads surpass TV  https://www.axios.com/2020-digital-election-ads-tv-75cd82b1-b9a1-4637-b885-8aa654e63291.html

 

***PRIVACY & SECURITY

Clearview app lets strangers find your name, info with snap of a photo, report says  https://www.cnet.com/news/clearview-app-lets-strangers-find-your-name-info-with-snap-of-a-photo-report-says

Facial Recognition could replace the fingerprint https://story.californiasunday.com/facial-recognition

The Secret History of Facial Recognition https://www.wired.com/story/secret-history-facial-recognition/

Most Americans support right to have some personal info removed from online searches  https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/01/27/most-americans-support-right-to-have-some-personal-info-removed-from-online-searches/

The terrifying truth

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Monday, January 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Introducing a (60 Minutes) story about Nazi Adolf Eichmann, a principle architect of the Holocaust, (Mike) Wallace posed a central question at the program’s outset: “How is it possible…for a man to act as Eichmann acted?...Was he a monster? A madman? Or was he perhaps something even more terrifying: was he normal?”

Normal? The executioner of millions of Jews normal? Most self-respecting viewers would be outraged at the very thought.

The most startling answer to Wallace’s shocking question came in an interview with Yehiel Dinur, a concentration camp survivor who testified against Eichmann at the Nuremburg trials. A film clip from Eichmann’s 1961 trial showed Dinur walking into the courtroom, stopping short, seeing Eichmann for the first time since the Nazi had sent him to Auschwitz eighteen years earlier. Dinur began to sob uncontrollably, then fainted, collapsing in a heap in the floor a sthe presiding judicial officer pounded his gavel for order in the crowded courtroom.

Was Dinur overcome by hatred? Fear? Horrid memories?

No; it was none of these. Rather, as Dinur explained to Wallace, all at once he realized Eichmann was not the godlike army officer who had sent so many to their deaths. This Eichmann was an ordinary man. “I was afraid about myself,” said Dinur “… I saw that I am capable to do this. I am…exactly like he.”

Wallace’s subsequent summation of Dinur’s terrible discovery – “Eichmann is in all of us” – is a horrifying statement; but it indeed captures the central truth about man’s nature.

Charles Colson, Who Speaks for God?

Articles of Interest about Religion - January 24

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***RELIGION 

AI will transform religion with robot priests like this one https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/9/9/20851753/ai-religion-robot-priest-mindar-buddhism-christianity

'Jeopardy!' Game show faces criticism after wading into Mideast conflict: Is the Church of the Nativity in Palestine or Israel? https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/game-show-jeopardy-faces-criticism-after-wading-israel-palestine-conflict-n111416

Sex Abuse Crisis in Amish Country https://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a30284631/amish-sexual-abuse-incest-me-too/

Died: Jack Van Impe, Televangelist Who Saw Signs of End Times  https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/january/jack-van-impe-died-end-times-televangelist.html

  

***RELIGION AND POLITICS

Why Pete Buttigieg Has Made Religion Central to His Campaign https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/us/politics/pete-buttigieg-religion-2020.html

Meet Mark Galli: The Wheaton evangelical who called out Trump https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20200111/meet-mark-galli-the-wheaton-evangelical-who-called-out-trump 

Donald Trump Is Promising ‘Big Action’ on School Prayer to Rally Evangelical Voters https://time.com/5765829/trump-school-prayer-evangelicals/

Many churchgoers in U.S. don't know the political leanings of their clergy https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/01/13/many-churchgoers-in-u-s-dont-know-the-political-leanings-of-their-clergy/

Trump to become first president to speak at annual anti-abortion March for Life event https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/24/politics/trump-march-for-life/index.html

 

***RELIGION & THE LAW 

Christian-Based Convicted Sex Offenders' Ministry Housing Too Close To Playground, City Says https://www.npr.org/2020/01/15/796021411/convicted-sex-offenders-ministry-housing-too-close-to-playground-city-says

 

***RELIGION IN THE SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court takes up a deeply fraught case about state funding of religious schools https://www.vox.com/2020/1/15/21058338/supreme-court-espinoza-montana-religious-schools

Supreme Court will tackle dispute over birth control, religious liberty https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/17/birth-control-coverage-supreme-court-weigh-religious-objections/2679555001/

Supreme Court religious rights case has big implications for U.S. schools https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-religion-idUSKBN1ZJ19T

Supreme Court takes up church-state separation in Christian schools case https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-takes-church-state-separation-christian-schools-case-n1117006

 

***RELIGION & MONEY  

Major evangelical nonprofits are trying a new strategy with the IRS that allows them to hide their salaries https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/major-evangelical-nonprofits-are-trying-a-new-strategy-with-the-irs-that-allows-them-to-hide-their-salaries/ar-BBZ3nTt?li=BBnbfcN

 

***RELIGION & MUSIC

Kanye West Headlines At Evangelical Student Conference In The Bible Belt https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kanye-west-strength-to-stand-conference_n_5e25ff85c5b673621f7a4c97

TobyMac's son, Truett McKeehan, died of fentanyl, amphetamine overdose https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/2020/01/22/tobymac-rep-son-truett-mckeehan-died-of-accidental-overdose-in-nashville/4539864002/

 

***RELIGION & LGBTQ ISSUES

Kentucky Christian school expels girl for 'gay' rainbow cake, mom says https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2020/01/14/kentucky-christian-school-expels-girl-gay-rainbow-cake-mom-says/4418756002/ 

Utah Becomes Latest State To Ban Discredited LGBTQ 'Conversion Therapy' https://www.npr.org/2020/01/22/798603313/utah-becomes-latest-state-to-ban-discredited-lgbtq-conversion-therapy