According to aides who were present when Trump discussed the issue, but who choose to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, Trump said he was sick of Vance and wanted to fire him. “I wanted him to be my attack dog,” said Trump, “but he appears foolish on television. He dropped the college football trophy. He met with Pope Francis and the next day the pope died. Vance is toxic, and I don’t want him to come near me. He just doesn’t look as good on television as I thought he would.”   read more

What could be scarier than a statue of Lucille Ball that was so hated it was dubbed "Scary Lucy"? Being the sculptor hired to replace it. "It was completely intimidating," said Carolyn Palmer, whose new Lucy is to be unveiled today in the actress's hometown. Dave Poulin's 2009 version was heavily panned for looking nothing like the comic actress. Poulin said he ended up receiving hundreds of angry emails and even death threats for his piece, blasted by critics for its zombie-like face.   read more

In 2007, Groser was accused by his by-now ex-wife of smoking marijuana while on the job as Ambassador in Jakarta. Groser denied the accusation and the controversy died down. Groser was being touted in 2013 to be the next Director General of the WTO. He was not given the post, but it was later found in documents leaked by Edward Snowden that New Zealand’s intelligence service had used U.S. National Security Agency facilities to spy on the other candidates for the position on behalf of Groser.   read more

The drones would look for questionable activity, scan faces of suspects and compare them against a database for prior criminal history. Drones already operate along the border but currently don't use facial recognition technology, which remains controversial. ``There can be questions about how accurate that is and legitimate questions about how someone's picture got into a database,'' said John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog. Donald Trump said he wants to expand drones' border use.   read more

For most algorithms, people are expected to read fine-print privacy policies to determine whether their data might be used against them in a way that they wouldn’t expect. “We urgently need more due process with the algorithmic systems influencing our lives,” says Kate Crawford. “If you are given a score that jeopardizes your ability to get a job, housing or education, you should have the right to see that data, know how it was generated, and be able to correct errors and contest the decision.”   read more

Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in the voting-rights case, critics argue, the blatant efforts to keep minorities from voting have been supplanted by a blizzard of more subtle changes. Most conspicuous have been state efforts such as voter ID laws or cutbacks in early voting periods, which critics say disproportionately affect minorities and the poor. Less apparent, but often just as contentious, have been numerous voting changes enacted in towns across the South and elsewhere in the U.S.   read more

The latest rules took aim at a planned $152 billion merger of Pfizer with Ireland-based Allergan. Both Pfizer and Allergan are members of the Chamber of Commerce. By filing in Texas rather than in Washington, where the Chamber of Commerce is based, the business groups may be betting they have a better chance of finding a sympathetic judge. The lawsuit targets the Treasury’s multiple acquisition rule, which is aimed at serial inverters.   read more

The agency said it realized it might be an inconvenience for some people. The shift may create hurdles, especially for older Americans, who are less likely to use mobile phones. Comments were largely negative. “Please rethink this security change,” a woman posted. “So many of us can’t afford a cellphone... Please find another way..." Other comments suggested that older Americans do not want to pay for spam messages. Some privacy advocates question use of texted codes.   read more

Studies indicate the benefits of marijuana treatment could mean the difference between life and death in some instances, and even help control Medicare spending. Researchers concluded U.S. taxpayers could save more than $500 million a year in Medicare spending if medical marijuana was legal in every state. And states with medical marijuana laws had a 25% lower average annual opioid overdose death rate, while mortality rates improve each year after implementation of the laws.   read more

With an estimated 74.9 million baby boomers, the biggest market opportunity for startups is older Americans rather than hip millennials. As members of the generation that defined rock ‘n’ roll grow older, they are adding a wide range of goods and services to their lifestyles. New business ideas that cater to boomers are nearly endless, and include chefs, online dating sites and yoga instructors for people with health issues.   read more

Some 5,000 U.S. Marines are slated to be relocated from Okinawa and train on the Mariana Islands using artillery, mortars, rockets, amphibious assaults, attack warplanes and naval bombardment. The complaint claims the Navy acknowledges this would destroy native wildlife, forests and reefs. Families who aspired to return to Pagan island, evacuated during volcanic eruptions, "would be forever banished from returning to their home island, which would be turned into a militarized wasteland."   read more

The complaint describes the experiences of individual plaintiffs who were each found incompetent to stand trial. Joseph Ward was found incompetent to stand trial and ordered committed to a mental health facility to attain competency. But the department did not allow the county to transfer Ward to a state mental health facility, so he remained in the county jail. Ward has been waiting to be transferred to a mental health facility for competency treatment for over 22 weeks, the complaint says.   read more

The microphones — in a sprinkler, planter and a backpack — recorded 214 hours of audio. Judge Breyer ruled that federal authorities "utterly failed to justify the warrantless electronic surveillance program that recorded private conversations spoken in hushed tones by judges, attorneys, and court staff entering and exiting the courthouse." Also captured were private conversations of two women "discussing details of their personal lives that ranged from the private to the salacious."   read more

The CDC has repeatedly expressed concern that use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. CDC's Dr. Robert Tauxe said that research had demonstrated that antibiotic use in animals that produce food has a negative impact on public health. Five large U.S. poultry producers are reducing their reliance on antibiotics. But not Sanderson, which calls its competitors’ efforts a “marketing gimmick” aimed at charging higher prices.   read more

The call for paid family leave on the Democratic party platform is the most ambitious attempt by a major party in years to reverse the U.S.'s status as the only industrialized nation without any standard for paid time off for new parents. But recently a handful of states and industries have been increasing this benefit. "It's taken on an inevitability," said Ellen Bravo. Some states and several competitive industries have slowly been bolstering paid parental leave laws and policies.   read more

The proposal is controversial within the biking community and opposed by conservationists who say bikes would erode trails and upset the five-decade notion of wilderness as primitive spaces. While mountain biking wasn't a popular sport when the law was passed, they will alter the character of those spaces and are tough on trails, said Alan Rowsome of The Wilderness Society. Rowsome said that only about 10 to 12% of all U.S. public lands are protected under the Wilderness Act.   read more

Like other voter-ID laws that have been challenged, the North Dakota statute was passed by a Republican-led legislature that asserted stronger measures were needed to curb voter fraud. Democratic legislators said it was intended solely to suppress voting among traditionally Democratic constituencies. “The record is replete with concrete evidence of significant burdens imposed on Native American voters attempting to exercise their right to vote,” Hovland wrote.   read more