Bi Sasquatch

"A group of three teenage girls, two of whom are minors, filed a lawsuit on Monday against Elon Musk’s xAI artificial intelligence company alleging that its Grok image generator used photos of them to produce and distribute child sexual abuse material. The class-action lawsuit is the first filed by minors following Grok’s rampant generation of nonconsensual nude images earlier this year."

#ElonMusk #xAI #GRok #AI #Lawsuit #ChildAbuse

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/16/lawsuit-elon-musk-ai-grok-child-sexual-abuse

Big Picture Science for Mar. 16, 2026: Skeptic Check: Project Hail Mary

As protagonist Ryland Grace fights to save Earth - and possibly the universe - in Project Hail Mary, author Andy Weir discusses the science behind his sci-fi story and what it’s like to see it adapted for the big screen. From a diversity of aliens thriving in extreme environments, to our sun’s shortening lifespan, to the conundrum of keeping astronauts alive during intergalactic missions, we consider the possibility of science fiction becoming future reality. A NASA astrobiologist who consulted on the book weighs in on how Earthly creatures have inspired some of our favorite science fiction aliens. Plus, science fiction author Becky Chambers discusses how she balances science fact with fiction in her work.

Guests:

* Andy Weir – science fiction writer, author of Project Hail Mary, The Martian, and Artemis
* Andy Fraknoi – professor of astronomy at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco
* Becky Chambers – science fiction writer, author of To Be Taught if Fortunate, the Wayfinders series, and the Monk and Robot novellas
* Shawn Domagal-Goldman – NASA acting director, astrophysics division

Download podcast at - https://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/skeptic-check-project-hail-mary

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://bigpicturescience.org/

Get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on Patreon. Thanks for your support!

#ProjectHailMary #ScienceFiction #BigPictureScience #SETI #News #Podcast #Science

Keep the pressure on Trump.

#EpsteinFiles #KeepThePressureOnTrump #Trump
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/16/epstein-files-trump-iran-war

"An Afghan father who served with U.S. forces dies in ICE custody less than a day after being arrested in North Texas."

#AfghanAllies #ICECustody #HumanRights #ICENews #ICE
https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/afghan-father-former-u-s-military-ally-dies-in-ice-custody-in-texas/

If you witness ICE activity, use the S.A.L.U.T.E. protocol when reporting.

Share any immigration‑related photos or videos at:
* iceinmyarea.org
* iceout.org

#SALUTEProtocol #EyesOnICE #ICE #NewOrleans #BatonRouge #Shreveport #Lafayette #LakeCharles #Louisiana

""Denver-based nonprofit law firm Towards Justice on Wednesday sent a cease-and-desist letter to Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario alleging that his office has been “violating Colorado law limiting local law enforcement collaboration with civil immigration enforcement” and demanding a stop to these actions."

#Colorado #GarfieldCounty #ICENews #ICE
https://aspenjournalism.org/law-firm-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-garfield-county-sheriff-over-alleged-unlawful-immigration-enforcement/

"A deed recorded this week with the Salt Lake County Recorder shows the federal government purchased the property at 6020 W. 300 South for about $145 million from RREEF CPIF 6020 W. 300 S LLC, a real estate investment entity tied to Deutsche Bank."

#Utah #SaltLake #ICEDetentionFacility #ICENews #ICE
https://kmyu.tv/news/local/utah-republican-leaders-yet-to-comment-on-possible-ice-detention-facility-in-salt-lake

"Maryland lawmakers and advocacy groups hope to pass a bill that would prohibit law enforcement officers and agents from wearing face coverings or masks during normal operations."

#Maryland #LawEnforecement #MaskBan #ICENews #ICE
https://dbknews.com/2026/03/09/maryland-bill-law-enforcement-face-coverings/

"Hacked data from the Department of Homeland Security’s technology incubator shows it funding a variety of companies that would expand its surveillance capabilities with artificial intelligence, the Guardian can reveal."

#DHS #Surveillance #AI #ICENews #ICE
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/15/hacked-data-homeland-security

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to launch an automated fraud-detection tool to scan more than a million disability benefits questionnaires for evidence of fabrication or other problems that could force a new medical exam and impact compensation, according to a VA official.

#Veterans #VeteransAffairs #ProtectOurVeterans
https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-03-09/va-fraud-detection-veterans-claims-21007490.html

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair, Brendan Carr, is facing pushback from a Republican lawmaker after warning on Saturday that broadcasters could lose their licenses if they run what the federal agency deems “fake news” over the Iran conflict.

#Journalism #FreedomOfThePress #Censorship
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/15/fcc-chair-broadcasters-license-iran-war

The Trump administration’s communications licensing tsar fired a warning shot over the US broadcasting industry Saturday, threatening to cancel the spectrum permits of broadcasters pushing what he termed “hoaxes and news distortions”.

#Journalism #FreedomOfThePress #Censorship
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/14/fcc-broadcast-permits-iran-war-news

The Defense Department has begun to exert greater control over Stars and Stripes, weeks after a top spokesman accused the independent military newspaper of focusing on "woke distractions."

#USMilitary#StarsAndStripes #Jornalism

URL for NPR article in case thumbnail is not displaying:
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/14/nx-s1-5748020/pentagon-tightens-controls-over-stars-and-stripes-after-calling-it-woke

Yeah, it's AI slop, but I'm not an artist and I wanted to create something positive for my chosen community.

#Curved #LGBTQ #Queer

As someone who wants to work in assistive technology, I find the potential of AI working with assistive tech interesting, though with a lot of caution. I am sure if this AI assistant were to be implemented on Xbox there would be some abuse, then again, a lot of disabled and elderly people might welcome the assistance.

Windows Central - March 3, 2026:

"Following Microsoft's recent announcement that Xbox head Phil Spencer is retiring and the company's CoreAI Product president Asha Sharma is stepping up to fill the role of Microsoft Gaming CEO, a patent the firm filed that describes helpers — human or AI — stepping in to assist players when they get stuck on difficult in-game challenges has rapidly become the target of public scrutiny.

"Some have run with the idea that this represents the start of aggressive AI expansion into the Xbox gaming experience on consoles and PC by Sharma. Something that needs to be understood, however, is that this patent was filed by Microsoft in 2024, long before Sharma entered her new position.

"The "State management for video game help sessions" patent itself describes a process in which a system recognizes when you're struggling with a particular game segment, encounter, or puzzle, and offers you a choice to connect with a helper. If you accept it, the system saves your game and a helper briefly takes control of the game over the cloud and completes what you're stuck on for you, explaining how they did so over text chat.

"Notably, the patented system includes the option for players to immediately get control of the game back from a helper at any time if they want it. It also mentions machine learning that determines when assistance should be offered and how long it lasts, which would hopefully ensure the system doesn't feel intrusive."

#Xbox #GamingNews #Microsoft #VideoGames #GamingAccessibility #InclusiveGaming #AI #MicrosoftAI #TechEthics #AssistiveTech #Accessibility #Disabled #Elderly

https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/an-old-xbox-ai-patent-is-going-viral-for-the-wrong-reasons-assistive-tech-is-actually-one-of-the-best-use-case-scenarios-for-ai

Check out this blog post from the Digital Learning Institute on the role of AI in assistive technology. The blog briefly touches upon AI ethics, privacy, and the need to focus on user-centered AI design, as well as using AR/VR and wearable technologies.

From the blog:
"AI already impacts every aspect of daily life, and none more so than in assistive technology. According to the World Health Organization, up to 2.5 billion people worldwide require one or more assistive products. And with the ageing population, that number is expected to increase to 3.5 billion by 2050. From employment to education and daily living, assistive technology supports individuals with disabilities in achieving their potential and participating in society.”

Granted, the blog is intended to get the reader interested in signing up for the training that the Digital Learning Institute offers, though it also makes one consider the potential human benefits of AI use in assistive technology rather than just a way to cut costs. ~ Jim

#A11y #Accessibility #AssistiveTechnology #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #InclusiveDesign
#DigitalAccessibility #Privacy #DataSecurity #EthicalAI #AIEthics #AR #VR #WearableTech

https://www.digitallearninginstitute.com/blog/revolutionising-accessibility:-the-role-of-ai-in-assistive-technology

#IranConflict #ICE

"The news about their staggering success comes during a broader regression around scouting organizations with respect to transgender people"

#Transgender #SupportTransYouth #InclusiveGirlScouts #LGBTQ #LGBTQInclusion
https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/trans-girl-scouts-sell-330000-boxes

Just another example of #TDS - #TrumpDistractionStrategy

#Cuba #FriendlyTakeover #Trump
https://apnews.com/article/trump-cuba-friendly-takeover-rubio-venezuela-435f056b47cfd6bc0c0af875318fa123

#AI has promise, but still has a long way to go - #AIFails

“It was hilarious to us in the moment because it was so absurd,” she said Thursday. “But at the same time, it has real accessibility issues for people who call in every day and need to speak in a different language other than English.”

#ArtificialIntelligence #AIWTF #ArtificialStupidity
https://apnews.com/article/washington-dol-spanish-accent-ai-3a1b8438a5674c07242a8d48c057d5a3

If you witness ICE activity, use the S.A.L.U.T.E. protocol when reporting.

Share any immigration‑related photos or videos at:
* iceinmyarea.org
* iceout.org

#SALUTEProtocol #EyesOnICE #Houston #SanAntonio #Dallas #FortWorth #Austin #Texas #ICE

"The US Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $250,000 public relations contract to a Republican political consulting firm led by former Trump campaign officials with connections to Corey Lewandowski, a senior adviser to the DHS secretary, Kristi Noem, according to federal records reviewed by the Guardian."

USPolitics #DHS #Trump #ConflictOfInterest
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/26/homeland-security-contract-trump

"NEW YORK (AP) — Federal immigration authorities arrested a Columbia University student early Thursday, triggering protests on campus along with allegations that agents had entered the university-owned residence under false pretenses."

#ColumbiaUniversity #EllieAghayeva #Mamdani #Trump #ICENews #ICE
https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-student-dhs-ice-f76e678d014680390322703d46eb3b9c

"On Tuesday evening, Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a Blind, seriously ill Rohingya refugee from Burma who does not speak English, was found dead in Buffalo—five days after Border Patrol dropped him off on a street corner without notifying his family, who had moved away from the area. He was 56."

#NurulAminShahAlam #BuffaloNewYork #HumanRightsViolations #DHS #BorderPatrol
https://www.motherjones.com/mojo-wire/2026/02/shah-alam-buffalo-rohingya-blind-man-border-patrol/

"Immigration and Customs Enforcement is struggling to keep pace with vetting new hires during its historic recruitment push and is laying out a process to deal with allegations of past misconduct among recruits, the agency said in an internal email this week, underscoring concerns about ICE’s rapid expansion."

#PublicSafety #Oversight #Vetting #ICENews #ICE
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/26/trump-ice-hiring-surge

"Columbia University said on Thursday morning that one of its students was arrested by federal immigration officers who apparently misrepresented themselves to gain entry to a residential building to make the apprehension."

#ColumbiaUniversity #DHS #NYC #ICENews #ICE
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/26/columbia-student-detained-federal-agents

If you witness ICE activity, use the S.A.L.U.T.E. protocol when reporting.

Share any immigration‑related photos or videos at:
* iceinmyarea.org
* iceout.org

#SALUTEProtocol #EyesOnICE #OklahomaCity #Tulsa #Norman #BrokenArrow #Edmond #Oklahoma #ICE

If you witness ICE activity, use the S.A.L.U.T.E. protocol when reporting.

Share any immigration‑related photos or videos at:
* iceinmyarea.org
* iceout.org

#SALUTEProtocol #EyesOnICE #Wichita #OverlandPark #KansasCity #Olathe #Topeka #Kansas #ICE

"The Trump administration’s latest policy of deporting immigrants to “third countries” to which they have no ties is unlawful and must be set aside, a federal judge ruled Wednesday in a case that already reached the nation’s highest court."

#ImmigrationLaw #ThirdCountryRemoval #USPolitics #Deportation #ICENews #ICE
https://apnews.com/article/south-sudan-deportation-supreme-court-judge-murphy-148cee2906dc7286b074116d3eec6fd4

"A grand jury on Wednesday rejected indictments over the fatal shooting last year of a U.S. citizen by a federal immigration agent during a traffic encounter in Texas, prosecutors said."

#RubenRayMartinez #TexasIceShooting #JusticeForRuben #ICENews #ICE
https://apnews.com/article/texas-ice-shooting-martinez-death-grand-jury-e4882b787c7251cbf494be08976dbedd

"The largest body-camera maker in the US celebrated its latest financial results on Tuesday – reporting record revenue and forecasting major growth – as it prepares to cash in on the Department of Homeland Security’s planned rapid acquisition and deployment of these devices nationwide."

#BodyCameras #Surveillance #Immigration #Axon #ICENews #ICE
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/25/axon-body-cameras-revenue

"A $70m aircraft the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering for deportation flights has a luxurious interior and will be used to transport Trump administration officials to engagements in comfort, according to a report published Friday."

#DHS #LuxuryJet #DeportationFlights #GovernmentSpending #ICENews #ICE
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/luxury-jet-dhs-deportation-flights-trump-officials

"There is a vast building, reportedly the size of seven football fields, in Surprise, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix; ICE bought it for $70m. Another building, along the southern border in San Antonio, Texas, was valued at $37m; it’s 640,000 sq ft. In January, ICE bought a warehouse in Upper Bern Township, Pennsylvania, not far outside of Philadelphia, for $87.4m. In Williamsport, Maryland, outside Hagerstown, the cost of a facility on a nearly 54-acre plot was $102m."

#DetentionCenters #ImmigrationDetention #HumanRights #ICENews #ICE
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/17/ice-holds-people-in-disgusting-conditions-now-its-turning-warehouses-into-camps

#EpsteinFiles #JeffreyEpstein #Trump

"Quakertown School District officials canceled a planned student-led walkout Friday at its high school over Immigrations Customs Enforcement operations and tactics in the United States, but when some students took their protest into town, things turned violent."

Quakertown #Pennsylvania #ICEprotes #ICENews #ICE
https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/local/2026/02/20/quakertown-high-school-police-anti-ice-immigration-customs-enforcement-threats-cancel-centennial/88775242007/

"Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, who has been at Microsoft since he joined as an intern in 1988 and with Xbox since the software giant launched its first console in 2001, is retiring, sources familiar with the matter who are not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to IGN. "

#Xbox #Microsoft
https://www.ign.com/articles/phil-spencer-retiring-sarah-bond-out-matt-booty-promoted-as-microsoft-ai-exec-asha-sharma-named-new-xbox-boss-exclusive

FYI: This article is from last month, posting for signal.

"The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has voted 2–1 to rescind its 2024 enforcement guidance, which expanded interpretations of workplace protections for LGBTQ workers and individuals seeking reproductive care.

"The revised policy was repealed on January 22, 2026, following a change in the commission’s membership that gave Republicans a 2–1 majority.

"The 2024 guidance, which was not binding law but offered detailed examples of how anti-discrimination protections apply, had built on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, which recognized that Title VII’s ban on sex discrimination covers sexual orientation and gender identity

#EEOC #HarassmentGuidance #WorkplaceRights #EmploymentLaw #CivilRights #LGBTQ
https://valawyersweekly.com/2026/01/27/eeoc-rescinds-lgbtq-and-anti-harassment-guidance/

"ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A Mexican woman and her three children were taken into custody by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in Soldotna Tuesday morning, and by Wednesday afternoon, the mother and two minors were in Tijuana, Mexico while her 18-year-old son remains in custody of Alaska’s Department of Corrections, according to Alaska immigration attorney Lara Nations."

#Alaska #RapidDeportation #DueProcess #ICENews #ICE
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/02/20/rapid-deportation-case-may-signal-change-pace-alaska-immigration-proceedings/

"An army veteran detained by federal immigration agents in southern California during his work commute in July has filed a lawsuit against the federal government."

#ArmyVeteran #WrongfulDetention #Lawsuit #ICENews #ICE
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/19/army-veteran-detained-sues-federal-government

"Federal investigators examined Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship with a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer who worked at the St Thomas airport to which Epstein regularly flew on his private planes before traveling by boat or helicopter to his private island, newly released documents reveal."

#EpsteinFiles #JeffreyEpstein #Investigation #Corruption #CBP
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/19/jeffrey-epstein-cbp-officer-st-thomas

"SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The kindergarten and first grade students in Linda Davis’ classes sobbed and shed tears after being told their teacher, who greeted them most mornings with an infectious smile, wouldn’t be coming back."

#Teacher #LindaDavis #CarCrash #ICENews #ICE
https://apnews.com/article/ice-immigration-crash-savannah-teacher-linda-davis-daed7eaee667a725dc7e3891ab327ca5

"A federal judge has accused the Trump administration of terrorizing immigrants and recklessly violating the law in its efforts to deport millions of people living in the country illegally."

#Immigration #ImmigrationPolicy #ICENews #ICE
https://apnews.com/article/immigration-trump-detention-bond-judge-50a5da122aa51eed77cace0830548df3

"At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Singapore-based startup Strutt introduced the EV1, a powered personal mobility device that uses lidar, cameras, and onboard computing for collision avoidance. Unlike manually-steered powered wheelchairs, the EV1 assists with navigation in both indoor and outdoor environments—stopping or rerouting itself before a collision can occur."

#Lidar #AssistiveTechnology #MobilityDevice #Accessibility
https://spectrum.ieee.org/assistive-technology-lidar-wheelchair

"On a rainy evening in early May, several armed ICE agents in tactical vests closed in on a small red sedan at a gas station in South Nashville. The driver, a frightened 55-year-old Salvadoran man named Edgardo David Campos, gripped the steering wheel while bystanders took out their phones and began recording video. As agents pulled the driver side door open, one of them placed his hand on his holstered pistol. An onlooker yelled, “Do you have a warrant? Let him go!”

#Tennessee #HumanRights #ICENews #ICEoutTN #ICE
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/immigrant-ice-raid-nashville-tennessee-highway-patrol-state-police-287g-republicans/

"The Trump administration is moving to arrest thousands of people already legally admitted to the US as refugees and detain them indefinitely for aggressive “rescreening”, a report published on Thursday said."

#ImmigrationNews #ICENews #ICE
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/19/trump-administration-memo-ice-dhs-refugees-screening

#EpsteinFiles #PriceAndrew #Trump

#PeoplesStateOfTheUnion #Democrats #Trump

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/us/politics/democrats-trump-congress.html

“The rally, dubbed the “People’s State of the Union,” will include lawmakers who skipped Trump’s first and second inaugurations, underscoring a small but consistent block of Democrats who continue to opt out of the president’s most high-profile events.”

#Democrats #PeoplesStateOfTheUnion #Trump

URL for article in case thumbnail is not displaying:
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/18/democrats-trump-state-of-the-union-boycott-00786370

"A married couple from Azerbaijan says the Trump administration is keeping one husband locked in an immigration detention center in Georgia even though both men, one of whom is a legal permanent resident, have agreed to leave the United States immediately. Their case raises questions about why the government is continuing to hold him at all."

#LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #LGBTQRights #HumanRights #ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationDetention #ICE
https://www.advocate.com/politics/immigration/gay-couple-ice-detention-azerbaijan

"On February 2, 22 Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem interrogating the agency’s compliance with disability civil rights law—namely, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act—across its departments, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A similar letter in August, raising concerns that ICE’s treatment of disabled people may violate disability civil rights laws, was ignored beyond confirmation of receipt, according to the office of House Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Ca.), one of the signatories."

#Disabled #Disability #CivilRights #HumanRights #Immigration #Detainees #Lawsuit #DHS #CRCL #CBP #ICE
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/dhs-axed-its-civil-rights-staff-and-opened-the-door-to-a-major-lawsuit/