Why did the US just ban TikTok from government-issued cellphones? | TikTok | The Guardian

"The US government has approved an unprecedented ban on the use of TikTok on federal government devices. The restrictions – tucked into a spending bill just days before it was passed by Congress, and signed by Joe Biden on Thursday – add to growing uncertainty about the app’s future in the US amid a crackdown from state and federal lawmakers.

Officials say the ban is necessary due to national security concerns about the China-based owner of the app, ByteDance. But it also leaves many questions unanswered. Here’s what you need to know.

Why did the ban happen?

The US government has banned TikTok on federal government-issued devices due to national security concerns over its China-based parent company, ByteDance. The US fears that the Chinese government may leverage TikTok to access those devices and US user data."

Continue reading the article online at The Guardian ->

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/dec/30/explainer-us-congress-tiktok-ban

This is the most recent step to prevent US data being exposed to China. A recap of the security and privacy issues involved can be found online

https://www.cisecurity.org/insights/blog/why-tiktok-is-the-latest-security-threat

   

The US Congress banned the use of the TikTok app on government-issued devices. Photograph: Florence Lo/Reuters

Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Monday, Jan 2, 2023

•  wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Monday

9 AM 12 PM and 6 PM Talkin’ the Blues – Jim Derick & Todd Monjur
2 hours of awesome blues music, info, interviews

11 AM 2 PM and 8 PM A More Perfect Union – Discussing American Politics and Current Events - Peter Fasciano, Dr. Michael Walker Jones, Dr. Natalia Linos, State Rep Jeff Roy, Chris Woolf, and Nick Remissong host a round table discussion on current events and American politics, bringing about thoughtful conversation, compelling discourse, and a look at what the future might hold for the United States

• Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = MONDAY

8:00 am SAFE Coalition: Task Force

9:00 am FHS Theater Company: Cinderella

12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Tai Salad

12:30 pm Sandhya: Donuts

1:00 pm Cooking Thyme: Appetizers

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Healthy Pizza Crusts

2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Fall 2019 Show 1

3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Show 11

5:00 pm Senior Center Christmas 2022

6:00 pm Addressing Hate in School Sports

7:30 pm Frank Presents: Jack Boyland

9:00 pm The Black Box: Beth Leavel

• Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = MONDAY

8:30 am Pack 92 Pinewood Derby 2022

10:30 am Public School Concert: Horace Mann Winter Music 2022

12:00 pm FHS Boys Varsity Basketball: v Foxboro 12-20-22

2:00 pm SAFE Coalition: Task Force

3:00 pm FHS Band

4:30 pm FHS Girls Varsity Basketball: v Carlsbad 12-28-22

6:30 pm Battleship Cove: Inside The History Pt. 6

7:00 pm FHS Boys Varsity Hockey: v St. John's Shrewsbury 12-20-21

9:30 pm FHS Girls Varsity Hockey: v Canton 12-21-22

• Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = MONDAY

8:00 am Planning Board: 12-19-22

12:00 pm Economic Development: 12-14-22

2:00 pm Planning Board: 12-19-22

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf  

Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm)

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2023!

The "watch list" of Franklin topics will get updated for 2023 as we close out calendar year 2022. Storm water has been on the list for a couple of years. 

• Will storm water remain on the watch list? 
• What else should be on the watch list? 

---------------

** Please respond to the survey to add your items to the "Watch List" for 2023 **

Share this link with your friends & neighbors -> https://forms.gle/btGoikjpCydB3dmXA

And if you haven't already subscribed for the one email you receive daily with all the Franklin news, please consider doing so ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html

Storm water fee information  https://www.franklinma.gov/stormwater-division 

The map of the impervious area for each property

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e45452a3047e4c83b27170a8f4f79aa5

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Meeting Agenda for Jan 4, 2023

FRANKLIN TOWN COUNCIL

Agenda & Meeting Packet

January 4, 2023 - 7:00 PM

Meeting will be held at the Municipal Building - 2nd floor, Council Chambers

355 East Central Street

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIR

a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.

b. Chair to identify members participating remotely.

2. CITIZEN COMMENTS

a. Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to three minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

a. November 30, 2022

b. December 14, 2022

4. PROCLAMATIONS / RECOGNITIONS

a. Proclamation: Franklin Chargers 4th Grade Football Team

5. APPOINTMENTS - None Scheduled.

6. HEARINGS - 7:00 pm - None Scheduled.

7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS - None Scheduled.

8. PRESENTATIONS / DISCUSSION

a. National Register Historic Districts in Franklin - Vicki Earls, Franklin Public Library https://youtu.be/KdGHozDRa1E

b. Town Council Goals Update - Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/8b._goals.pdf

9. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

a. Bylaw Amendment 22-888: Chapter 170, Vehicles And Traffic, Section 170-22, Subsection A, Location of Stop Signs - Second Reading (Motion to Approve Bylaw Amendment 22-888 - Majority Roll Call Vote)   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9a._22-888_stop_signs_0.pdf

b. Resolution 23-01: Authorization for Inter-Municipal Agreement with Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School for Franklin to provide it with a School Resource Officer (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-01 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9b._23-01_tri_county_sro.pdf

c. Resolution 23-02: Ratification of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Franklin Police Association employees and the Town of Franklin (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-02 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9c._23-02_police_association.pdf

d. Resolution 23-03: Ratification of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Franklin Police Sergeants Union employees and the Town of Franklin  (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-03 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9d._23-03_police_sergeants_contract.pdf

e. Resolution 23-04: Ratification of the Memorandum of Agreement Between the Professional Firefighters of Franklin and the Town of Franklin (Motion to approve Resolution 23-04 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9e._23-04_firefighters_contract.pdf

f. Resolution 23-05: Police Station Building Committee Charge (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-05 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9f._23-05_police_station_building_committee.pdf

g. Resolution 23-06: Subcommittee for Arts and Cultural Initiatives (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-06 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9g._23-06_subcommittee_for_cultural_initiatives.pdf

h. Resolution 23-07: Master Plan Update Committee (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-07 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9h._23-07_master_plan_update_comm.pdf

i. Resolution 23-08: Davis-Thayer Building Reuse Advisory Committee Charge (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-08 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9i._23-08_davis_thayer_reuse_comm.pdf

j. Resolution 23-09: Town Administrator Evaluation Subcommittee

(Motion to Approve Resolution 23-09 - Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9j._23-09_ta_eval_subcomm.pdf

k. Resolution 23-10: Gift Acceptance - Police Dept. ($5,050), Veterans’ Services Dept. ($2,600)  (Motion to Approve Resolution 23-10- Majority Vote)  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9k._23-10_gifts.pdf 

10. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

11. SUBCOMMITTEE & AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Capital Budget Subcommittee

b. Economic Development Subcommittee

c. Budget Subcommittee

d. GATRA Advisory Board

12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

13. COUNCIL COMMENTS

14. EXECUTIVE SESSION - None Scheduled.

15. ADJOURN

Note: Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes

Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting

The agenda doc contains the remote participation information

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/jan_4_2023_tc_agenda.pdf

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Meeting Agenda for Jan 4, 2023

Franklin.TV: Putter Day 2023

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 01/01/2023

The last time January 1st landed on a Sunday was in 2017, six years ago. Today, we look back on those long years with some regret. We still have to contend with a war that began in 2022 in Ukraine, a pandemic that began in 2019, and the big lie from an administration that began its deceptions in 2017. Mentally exhausting.

So, here we are. Another New Year. Instead of leaping forward, it can feel more like we’re limping forward. Somewhere in all of this I suppose I’m obligated to type something vaguely positive – like ‘hope springs eternal’. However, although hope, like ‘thoughts and prayers’ is a sweet sentiment. It’s not an action.

Without action, major events can slip sadly from hope to thoughts and prayers.

We see New Year’s Day as a fresh start, but an imaginary one. It’s just a number.

Putter Day is also a start – a call to action. Putter Day is about making that start tangible in some small way by acting to make something in your life (or a friend’s life) better. It doesn’t matter what that positive action is, or even how small it is. It’s a real start – in the right direction.

Then, after a good start, what’s next?

Just keep it rolling.

Imagine every household in America, all of us – improving, fixing or acting on something positive (no matter how small) on Putter Day.

Father Time

Then, if we keep it rolling, perhaps Father Time would be more considerate of our new year.

May 2023 smile warmly, kindly upon us all.

Thanks for listening to 102.9 wfpr●fm. 

And – as always – thanks for watching.

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf   

Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm)

Beaver St. Interceptor Rehabilitation/Replacement and New Beaver St. Pump Station - Invitation for Bids

Under MGL c. 30-39m, the Town of Franklin seeks bids for the Beaver Street Interceptor Rehabilitation/Replacement and New Beaver Street Pump Station.  Pre-bid conference and site walk through on 1/12/2023 at 11:00 AM at the Franklin Municipal Building.

The project includes but is not limited to: - Installation of approximately 8,000 lf of 8" to 24" sanitary sewer using open-cut excavation and/or jack and bore; - Rehabilitation of approximately 6,000 lf of 16" to 24" sanitary sewer using cured-in-place pipe lining; - Installation of approximately 4,000 lf of 18" sanitary sewer force main by open-cut excavation and construction of associated sanitary sewer pump station; - Installation of approximately 900 lf of new water main; - Associated work including new manholes, manhole rehab., trench and roadway pavement, traffic controls, and utility abandonment and relocation. 

Additional Information:  Beaver Street Interceptor Rehabilitation/Replacement and New Beaver Street Pump Station 

Shared from Town of Franklin pages ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/purchasing/bids/beaver-st-interceptor-rehabilitationreplacement-and-new-beaver-st-pump-station

Beaver St. Interceptor Rehabilitation/Replacement and New Beaver St. Pump Station - Invitation for Bids

Chief Justice's Year-End Reports on the Federal Judiciary

"It was one of the most controversial terms in Supreme Court history, with the shocking leak of a draft opinion that eventually overturned a half century of abortion rights, public polls that showed record disapproval of the court’s work and biting dissension among the justices themselves about the court’s legitimacy.

But Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. chose not to address those or any other controversies in his annual “Year-end Report on the Federal Judiciary,” issued Saturday. Instead, he focused on a high mark of the judiciary’s past — a federal district judge’s efforts to implement school desegregation at Little Rock’s Central High School after the Supreme Court’s landmark 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education.

“The law requires every judge to swear an oath to perform his or her work without fear or favor, but we must support judges by ensuring their safety,” Roberts wrote in his nine-page report. “A judicial system cannot and should not live in fear. The events of Little Rock teach about the importance of rule by law instead of by mob.”

Continue reading the article online at the Washington Post ->

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/31/supreme-court-roberts-leak-report/

The year end report for 2022 -> https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/year-end/2022year-endreport.pdf

Prior year end reports can be found online ->    https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/year-end/year-endreports.aspx

 

https://www.supremecourt.gov/

CommonWealth Magazine: "DPU approves wind farm contracts despite financing concerns"

"THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES  on Friday approved 20-year power purchase agreements between the state’s three major utilities and the offshore wind developers behind Commonwealth Wind and Mayflower Wind, rejecting claims and concerns raised by the developers that the contracts are no longer adequate to finance their projects.

Avangrid, the developer behind Commonwealth Wind, had asked the DPU to dismiss its power purchase agreements because rising inflation and interest rates as well as supply chain disruptions and the war in Ukraine had driven up costs to a point where the existing pricing was no longer sufficient to finance and build the project."

Continue reading the article online -> 

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/energy/dpu-approves-wind-farm-contracts-despite-financing-concerns/

Listen to the Making Sense of Climate episode discussion the wind contracts

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/11/hear-about-green-banking-and-more-in.html

CommonWealth Magazine: "DPU approves wind farm contracts despite financing concerns"

Polling strategy study by New York Times: "partisan polls tend to be more inaccurate"

"Not for the first time, a warped understanding of the contours of a national election had come to dominate the views of political operatives, donors, journalists and, in some cases, the candidates themselves.

The misleading polls of 2022 did not just needlessly spook some worried candidates into spending more money than they may have needed to on their own races. They also led some candidates — in both parties — who had a fighting chance of winning to lose out on money that could have made it possible for them to do so, as those controlling the purse strings believed polls that inaccurately indicated they had no chance at all.

In the election’s immediate aftermath, the polling failures appeared to be in keeping with misfires in 2016 and 2020, when the strength of Donald J. Trump’s support was widely underestimated, and with the continuing struggles of an industry that arose with the corded home telephone to adapt to the mass migration to cellphones and text messaging. Indeed, some of the same Republican-leaning pollsters who erred in 2022 had built credibility with their contrarian, but accurate, polling triumphs in recent elections.

But a New York Times review of the forces driving the narrative of a coming red wave, and of that narrative’s impact, found new factors at play."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/us/politics/polling-election-2022-red-wave.html

    

Source: New York Times analysis of Washington Senate race polls aggregated by FiveThirtyEight

Notes: Trends are calculated with a 14-day average. Polling groups considered Republican-aligned include those identified by The New York Times and FiveThirtyEight. Polling groups considered nonpartisan are those not known to be aligned with or funded by a political party.

By Jason Kao

GBH Forum Network: "Meme Wars: how the internet changed politics from Occupy to the insurrection"

GBH Forum Network (@GBHForumNetwork) tweeted

Just published! 👉 https://t.co/kXqZEphvrK  or https://forum-network.org/lectures/meme-wars-how-internet-changed-politics-occupy-insurrection/ 

A talk with @ShorensteinCtr @BostonJoan and @brianfriedberg moderated by @BostonGlobe @anissagardizy8 on meme wars and their impact on American democracy. https://t.co/w7BAfa3fe3

Shared from Twitter ->   https://twitter.com/GBHForumNetwork/status/1604964817072279582