A sheriff in suburban Detroit was not fooled by a suspicious gentleman driving what appeared to be a police car.

[NARRATOR: It was not a police car.]

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard told reporters he was driving away from a meeting Thursday, and saw a vehicle with police-style bumpers, various lights on the rear end, and an “emergency response” decal.

Sheriff Bouchard hit the emergency light switch on his car, and stopped the weird vehicle, which also had a fake radar on the dashboard and a 'police' computer.

And he found a loaded .45 glock and a large Bowie knife.

“He looks at me and says, ‘Who are you?’ And I said, ‘I’m the sheriff. Who are you?’” Bouchard told Detroit, Michigan news channel WDIV-TV.

More: ‘I’m the sheriff. Who are you?’: Mike Bouchard pulls over man posing as a cop [clickondetroit.com]

Read more at the Associated Press:‘I’m the sheriff’: Detroit-area lawman stops phony cop car Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/im-the-sheriff-gentl.html

A commercial database that maps the movements of millions of cellphones is being used by immigration and border authorities to round up undesirable immigrants for detention and deportation.

The Wall Street Journal [paywall] published a special report on Friday about how federal agencies under impeached president Donald Trump are exploiting cellphone location data to track individuals for enforcement of Trump's racist immigration policies.

“The location data is drawn from ordinary cellphone apps, including those for games, weather and e-commerce, for which the user has granted permission to log the phone’s location,” write te WSJ's Byron Tau and Michelle Hackman: Excerpt:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of DHS, has used the data to help identify immigrants who were later arrested, these people said. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, another agency under DHS, uses the information to look for cellphone activity in unusual places, such as remote stretches of desert that straddle the Mexican border, the people said.

The federal government’s use of such data for law enforcement purposes hasn’t previously been reported.

Experts say the information amounts to one of the largest known troves of bulk data being deployed by law enforcement in the U.S.—and that the use appears to be on firm legal footing because the government buys access to it from a commercial vendor, just as a private company could, though its use hasn’t been tested in court.

Read more: Federal Agencies Use Cellphone Location Data for Immigration Enforcement [WSJ, reporting by Byron Tau and Michelle Hackman, Feb. Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/trumps-immigration-enforceme.html

Don't miss the license plate. (Elon McFly) Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/watch-the-tesla-cybertruck-go.html

• 'U.S. tech giants are considering alternatives to Hong Kong as a global data hub after national security officials upended plans for a trans-Pacific internet link to the territory, according to people familiar with the matter.' —- WSJ

Alphabet/Google and other U.S. tech giants are reported by the Wall Street Journal on Friday to be working together on alternatives to Hong Kong as a global data hub, after Trump administration officials reversed plans to develop a trans-Pacific internet link to HK.

“We have been working through established channels in order to obtain cable landing licenses for various undersea cables, and we will continue to abide by the decisions made by designated agencies in the locations where we operate,” said a Google spokesperson.

Google and Facebook Inc. last week asked U.S. authorities’ permission to start using the internet conduit’s branches to Taiwan and the Philippines while leaving its Chinese portion offline.

Read more at WSJ, paywall: Tech Giants Seek Alternative to Hong Kong After U.S. Blocks Data Cable [Reporting: Drew FitzGerald and Kate O’Keeffe, Feb. 7, 2020 1:35 pm ET]

Read more at Reuters, no paywall: Tech giants seek Hong Kong alternative after U.S. blocks undersea cable - WSJ Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/google-and-other-tech-giants-w.html

If you want to have an edge in the increasingly lucrative yet competitive world of graphic design, you need to have the right skills on your resume to help you stand out from the crowd. But instead of investing large amounts of time and money in traditional graphic design education, check out the All-in-One Adobe Creative Cloud Suite Certification Bundle, which offers a massive trove of educational material on the world’s most popular design programs for just $34.

This 8-course bundle will help you increase your earning potential by introducing you to the most in-demand Adobe Creative Cloud design skills and tools.

In the Complete 2020 After Effects CC Master Class, you’ll learn how to create professional motion graphics and visual effects for your projects through 96 lectures on the latest trends in motion tracking and composition, while the Adobe Photoshop CC: Advanced Training course will teach you how to take advantage of Photoshop’s more advanced elements.

There’s also the Logo Design Mastery In Adobe Illustrator course, which walks you through working with typography and color pallets; the comprehensive Adobe CC Masterclass, which focusses on Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe XD; the Adobe Lightroom Classic CC: Zero to Pro course that will help you professionally edit your images; and much more.

You’ll be able to dive into the content regardless of whether you’re a true novice or a more seasoned pro who wants to add more tools to your creative toolkit, and there are plenty of helpful resources to answer any questions you may have along the way. Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/advance-your-career-in-graphic.html

• NY lawsuit vs. Trump to challenge federal ban on New Yorkers from enrolling in programs that allow travelers to skip ahead at airport security lines

BREAKING NEWS: Don't fuck with New York.

New York is suing the Trump Administration because Trump just blocked state residents from enrolling in the Global Entry.

Trump's Department of Homeland Security toadies announced on Wednesday that DHS was going to start blocking anyone who claims residency in New York from participating in Trusted Traveler Programs, which includes Global Entry.

These programs function as ways to reduce the burden of security theater on individual travelers through screening and enrollment.

Time and time again President Trump has gone out of his way to punish New York and other blue states for refusing to fall in line with their dangerous and divisive agenda.

New York will sue over @DHSGov's decision to ban New Yorkers from the Trusted Traveler Program. https://t.co/D6Yy4dWRdH

 Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) February 7, 2020

“We’re going to disclose this political intrusion into government, this ham-handed political tactic, that once again hurts New Yorkers to make their political point,” New York's Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo said at a Manhattan news conference on Friday.

From the New York Times:

The decision was a response to a recent New York law that lets undocumented immigrants who live in the state obtain driver’s licenses. The statute, known as the green light law, also prohibits federal immigration officials from gaining access to Department of Motor Vehicles databases without a court order.

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/new-york-state-sues-trump-admi.html

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/china-mourns-li-wenliang-whis.html

If your idea of a good time is watching a Gucci glammed up Kenneth Anger lounging around all over the Chateau Marmont hotel, check out this five minute mini-doc done by the fabulous Floria Sigismondi (one of my faves). Sigismondi was commissioned by System magazine to do the shot as part of Fashion Film Festival Milano. The film ended up winning two awards at the 2019 festival, Best Fashion Film and Best Editing.

[H/t Rodney Orpheus]

Image: Screengrab from the film Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/floria-sigismondi-spends-72-ho.html

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/video-diary-of-wuhan-man-whose.html

My red Swingline stapler has been sparking joy since 2008, but if you don't care about the color, this black version is just on Amazon. At that price, you won't be tempted to set your building on fire should someone take it from you. Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/this-metal-swingline-stapler-i.html

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/a-cape-town-diner-wins-guinnes.html

The vinyl record industry could be in for real trouble after a devastating fire on February 6th completely destroyed the vinyl manufacturing facility, Apollo Masters, in Banning, CA. Ben Blackwell, co-founder of Third Man Records, tells Pitchfork via email:

“From my understanding, this fire will present a problem for the vinyl industry worldwide. There are only TWO companies that make lacquers in the world, and the other, MDC in Japan, already had trouble keeping up with demand BEFORE this development.” (The emphasis is Blackwell’s.)

Blackwell also wrote that there have been “whispers” of another company “entertaining the idea” of entering the lacquer marketplace, but that Apollo was also the “primary or possibly only supplier of the styli” that are used in the vinyl pressing process. “I imagine this will affect EVERYONE, not just Third Man Pressing and Third Man Mastering, but to what extent remains to be seen.”

Read the rest on Pitchfork.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/worldwide-vinyl-supply-may-be.html

Lee-Jackson Day is a state holiday in Virginia, meant to honor Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson as "defenders of causes." But the Virginia House voted to stop lionizing the slave-owning generals and instead establish an "Election Day" on the first Tuesday after the First Monday in November.

Not everyone is happy with the change, reports CNN:

Lee-Jackson Day, founded more than 100 years ago, is observed with Civil War-themed parades, wreath layings and reenactments hosted by Confederate memorial groups, though these celebrations are increasingly unpopular. Defenders of the holiday say it honors Virginia history.

"I think Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee are some of the greatest men to have ever lived," a supporter named Carson Via told the Roanoke Times at last month's Lee-Jackson Day celebration in Lexington while dressed in a Civil War uniform. "Great men, and we're all getting washed away."

Virginia has struggled to confront its Confederate legacy in recent years. In April, a Virginia judge ruled that statues of Lee and Jackson in Charlottesville were "war monuments" that the city couldn't remove without permission from the state.

Image: CC0 Public Domain Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/virginia-will-eliminate-state.html

Two dogs in the country have the time of their lives running up a tree and leaping from it.

having fun with friend from r/aww

Image: Reddit video screenshot Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/watch-these-joyful-dogs-run-up.html

The recently departed Kirk Douglas was 75 when he appeared on The Dick Cavett show to promote his autobiography. Douglas told Cavett that his friend John Wayne thought he was a "sissy" for playing Van Gogh in Lust for Life. "Kirk, how can you play this sniveling weakling who commits suicide," Wayne told Douglas after they watched a screening of the movie together. Douglas also told Cavett that Brando ruined many actors who tried to imitate Brando, who was, of course, inimitable. All in all, Douglas comes off as a delightful person in this interview. Now I want to watch Ace in the Hole again.

Image: YouTube Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/watch-kirk-douglas-on-the-dick.html

Mitt Romney doesn't have to feel completely alone after his courageous vote to convict Trump during the impeachment trial. Vermont Governor Phil Scott, one of the first republicans to support the impeachment inquiry last year, also spoke his conscience yesterday at a news conference:

“I believe that the president abused his powers. It’s hard, in some respects for me, because I’m not a supporter," Scott said. “I didn’t vote for the president, and I don’t believe that he should be in office...I think it’s for the voters to decide in November whether he should continue in that role.

"I believe he abused his position of power; withholding those funds is inappropriate..I believe, as Sen. Romney did, that he shouldn’t be in office."

From ABC:

Romney announced his decision Wednesday two hours before the GOP-dominated Senate voted to absolve Trump. He said the impeachment oath required him to render “impartial justice.”

Since he took office in 2017, Scott has been a frequent critic of Trump, has repeatedly called for an end to the divisiveness in American politics, and has criticized many of the president's policies, including on climate change and immigration.

Not surprisingly, Scott was voted one of the most liked governors in the United States in 2017 (while Chris Christie, of course, was voted the most disliked).

Image: By US Embassy Canada - Flickr, Public Domain, Link Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/gop-governor-on-trump-the-p.html

Here's another excellent explainer video from CGI animator Jared Owen (see my previous posts about his explainer videos: escalator, combination padlock, pull-back toy car, gumball machine). This time, Jared shows how the various mechanisms in an oscillating fan work. Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/animated-explainer-video-how.html

A couple years ago, my son was watching an an online live chat with Gaten Matarazzo and asked the Stranger Things star if he digs Green Day. Matarazzo answered with an enthusiastic hell yes. Today is the release of Green Day's new album Father Of All Motherfuckers and whaddaya know, the first video, for the song "Meet Me On The Roof," stars Matarazzo!

Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/watch-the-new-green-day-video.html

A fellow identified as Alec in this Verge story bought a Tesla at an auction, which was advertised as having “Enhanced Autopilot” and “Full Self Driving Mode.” Soon after Alec started driving the car, these features were deactivated without warning. Alec contacted Tesla and received the following explanation:

Tesla has recent identified instances of customers being incorrectly configured for Autopilot versions that they did not pay for. Since, there was an audit done to correct these instances. Your vehicle is one of the vehicles that was incorrectly configured for Autopilot. We looked back at your purchase history and unfortunately Full-Self Driving was not a feature that you had paid for. We apologize for the confusion. If you are still interested in having those additional features we can begin the process to purchase the upgrade.

If Alec wants to get these software features reactivated he'll have to pay Telsa $8,000 to get them to press a keyboard button.

From The Verge:

With a normal car’s built-in features, even ones that may depend on software, it’s reasonable to think a technician or mechanic would need to physically access the car to remove it. Even with a technology product like a laptop or smartphone, updates generally can’t be forcibly rolled back without the consent of the owner — unless the device has special IT software installed. In those cases, the company generally owns the device or has the owner sign a legal agreement anyhow.

Tesla’s over-the-air updates have caused anxiety before. This kind of control by a carmaker wasn’t possible until recently, and Alec’s situation raises questions about what used car owners can expect in the future.

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/man-buys-used-tesla-with-autop.html

On Tuesday I linked to a CNN story reporting that Emerson Elementary School in Berkeley, California held a screening of  The Lion King,  and received a $250 charge for "illegally screening the movie." Today The New York Times reports that Disney chief Bob Iger apologized to the school and said he will donate money to its PTA:

Our company @WaltDisneyCo apologizes to the Emerson Elementary School PTA and I will personally donate to their fund raising initiative.

 Robert Iger (@RobertIger) February 6, 2020

The New York Times notes that it "was not immediately clear whether the company was still requiring the licensing fee after Mr. Iger’s tweet." My guess is that Iger's donation will exceed $250, but that the licensing fee will stand. If Disney dropped the fee, it would set a precedent that would give anyone a good excuse to screen Disney movies at fundraising events without having to buy a license.

Image by Thomas Wolter from Pixabay Read the rest

https://boingboing.net/2020/02/07/disney-ceo-will-donate-to-the.html