'San Francisco Pulls Back on Facial Recognition Ban' - Waters Down Ban
Legislation to ban the use of facial recognition with police body cameras has been watered down as it makes its way through the state assembly, in response to the objections of numerous law enforcement groups, CalMatters reports.

Assemblyman Phil Ting recently revised the bill to a three-year ban, after previously amending it from a permanent ban to one lasting seven years. “We talked to a number of senators and they had a concern with the length of time, so we decided to shorten the length of time,” says Ting.

Ting also suggested that his concerns are largely based on the apparent inaccuracy of the technology in law enforcement deployments.

“Huge events such as the annual Coachella Music and Arts Festival, the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics, World Cup Soccer Tournament, Rose Bowl, Disneyland and scores of popular tourist attractions should have access to the best available security-including the use of body cameras and facial recognition technology,” the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association argued in a submission. “By banning this technology, California will be announcing to the nation and world that it doesn’t want our law enforcement officers to have the necessary tools they need to properly protect the public and attendees of these events.”

Ting represents a riding in the San Francisco area. San Francisco was the first major city in the U.S. to ban the use of public facial recognition by public agencies earlier this year. biometricsupdate.com

FMI Partners with SABER on Business Status Reporting System for Crisis Management
Arlington, VA – Food Marketing Institute (FMI) today announces it has joined forces with SABER, the Single Automated Business Exchange for Reporting, to offer food retailers a streamlined system for identifying a store’s business status following a natural disaster or other crisis event.

“When a food retailer goes into response mode after a natural disaster, one of the first steps is to assess which stores are open and which stores are closed,” Doug Baker, FMI vice president of industry relations, said. “This essential information helps federal and local government agencies direct assistance so that grocery stores can re-open their doors and serve the community in need.”

Baker recommended a partnership with SABER because their system saves FMI members time; improves timeliness and accuracy of information; and reduces gaps, overlaps, and inconsistencies in the critical information that governments use to prioritize response decisions. Several retailers including Wakefern Corporation, Associated Grocers, Target, Costco, Walmart, Sears, Lowes, Macy’s and Walgreens are already a part of the SABER network.

“The mission of SABER is to help businesses in an emergency stay open longer and to get businesses back in business faster,” said James W. Morentz, Ph.D., executive director of SABER. “We offer this complimentary service to retailers so there can be a more coordinated and efficient response after a natural disaster.” SABER Status Map fmi.org

Former KPMG Executive Gets 1 Yr & 1 Day For Scheme To Steal Confidential PCAOB Information
DAVID MIDDENDORF, the former head of KPMG’s National Office, also known as the Department of Professional Practice (the “DPP”), was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for participating in a scheme to defraud the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) by obtaining, disseminating, and using confidential lists of which KPMG audits the PCAOB would be reviewing so that KPMG could improve its performance in PCAOB inspections. Middendorf was convicted of wire fraud charges in March 2019 following a month-long trial before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, who imposed today’s sentence.

KPMG is one of the largest accounting firms in the world. In recent years, KPMG fared poorly in PCAOB inspections and in 2014 received approximately twice as many comments as its competitor firms. By at least in or about 2015, KPMG was engaged in efforts to improve its performance in PCAOB inspections, including but not limited to recruiting and hiring former PCAOB personnel. At the time, MIDDENDORF was head of KPMG’s DPP, which was broadly responsible for the quality of KPMG’s audits and KPMG’s performance in PCAOB inspections. justice.gov

Biggest Coordinated Global Law Enforcement BEC Operation Ever
281 Arrested Worldwide in Business Email Compromise Schemes
Operation reWired, a coordinated law enforcement effort by the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Department of State, was conducted over a four-month period, resulting in 281 arrests in the United States and overseas, including 167 in Nigeria, 18 in Turkey and 15 in Ghana. Arrests were also made in France, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom (UK). The operation also resulted in the seizure of nearly $3.7 million.

BEC, also known as “cyber-enabled financial fraud,” is a sophisticated scam often targeting employees with access to company finances and businesses working with foreign suppliers and/or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments.

“In this latest four-month operation, we have arrested 74 people in the United States and 207 others have been arrested overseas for alleged financial fraud. The coordinated efforts with our domestic and international law enforcement partners around the world has made these most recent actions more successful. justice.gov

Editor's Note: You can't keep shutting down dozens of cities and companies aroun the world without expecting law enforcement to come through the door. And in four months that's exactly what they've done. The issue is - its like the vast majority of these crimes - it's like playing wack-a-mole. But at least now they'll start hearing and seeing the consequences.
 

The Cannabis Industry is Reacting
Black Market Vape Products - The 21st Century version of “bathtub gin”
Your Vape Policy Better Be Pretty Strong - As "Vape Lung" Takes Nation By Storm
Not that anyone seems to have a full understanding of the situation. We are all seeking answers. At present, signs point to a dangerous additive used in black market vaping products as responsible for causing what’s come to be known as “vape lung”. As of this writing, reported cases have spread to over thirty US states and nearly five hundred patients, including at least five fatalities. Yet no one common cause has been identified.

On Monday, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo ordered the state health department to subpoena three companies known to produce and market vitamin E acetate as a diluting agent.

A report published Friday in The New England of Journal of Medicine identified 53 patients in the Midwest recently treated for the vaping illness. (Including the death of an adult Illinois resident, the first in the country.) No one understands how adding compounds such as CBD or THC to the mix might interact with other ingredients nor did anyone (to our knowledge) anticipate homebrew mixtures of e-liquids and cannabis.

A box of Dank Vapes’ “Banana OG” sold in Wisconsin may have been shipped from California but the actual contents could have been literally brewed in a basement in what has become the 21st Century version of “bathtub gin”. cannabisbusinessexecutive.com

     Trump seeks ban on flavored e-cigarettes

Statement from the Cannabis Trade Federation on Reports of an Outbreak of Pulmonary-related Illnesses Associated with the Use of Vaporization Products
WASHINGTON — The Cannabis Trade Federation released the following statement Wednesday regarding reports of an outbreak of pulmonary-related illnesses associated with the use of vaporization products. squarespace.com
 

Cashierless C-Stores Spreading Globally
ING teams with Aifi, Dutch grocer on cashierless concept c-store
The concept store, located in front of Albert Heijn's headquarters in Zaandam, uses computer vision and weight sensor technologies to let customers enter the 14-square-meter store with a debit or credit card and walk out with their purchases, which are automatically scanned without the need to use a POS checkout.

The customer payment method is registered at a kiosk-like device when the customer enters the store and when the customer selects the items ready to purchase and stands in front of the exit, the purchases are automatically recorded up to about $28 (25 euros) and the customer gets a notification of the purchase and can then just walk out of the store. There is no need for advanced registration or a mobile app download to use the store. retailcustomerexperience.com

Editor's Note: Convenience stores seems to be the prevalent store of choice for cashierless operations and makes since. Let's see when it transitions to mid-size stores. retailcustomerexperience.com

Deputy AG, Jeffrey A. Rosen Delivers Remarks on the 18th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks
The events of September 11, 2001, transformed our entire nation – and touched each of our lives. 18 years after the most deadly terrorist attack ever carried out on American soil, we remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives that were taken – joining together to mourn their loss, to remember their lives, and to embrace their legacy.

Today we are better equipped to face the challenges of ever evolving global threats. However, there is always more work to be done as our adversaries sustain their goals to silence our proud nation.

On this day of remembrance, may we bring to mind the brave men and women who were lost 18 years ago and honor their sacrifice by continuing our great mission in service to the American people. I thank each of you for what you have done to make our nation stronger, safer against unrelenting enemies, and more just.

God bless those who were lost on September 11, 2011. God bless our American families. And God bless you all. justice.gov

What to do if your coworker or even your boss is a psychopath
To put it simply, psychopathy is a spectrum of behaviors that can lead people to do things that are good for themselves and bad for others.

In almost any workplace, there are people you want to watch out for. There are always going to be folks who care more about lifting themselves up than about helping others (or the organization as a whole) to succeed. There are going to be those who want to appear productive but also find clever ways to get you to do a significant chunk of their work for them. And finally, there are people who will brag about their accomplishments and may even try to take credit for things that were actually accomplished by others.

But, the people you want to really be careful of are the psychopaths.

Though a lot has been written about psychopaths, and the differences between psychopaths and sociopaths, a simple way to think about it is this: A psychopath is someone who has no empathy for others. They focus on the ends they will achieve rather than the means, so they do not feel guilt at actions that affect others negatively. They also are quite willing to manipulate the people around them to get what they want.

To put it simply, psychopathy is a spectrum of behaviors that can lead people to do things that are good for themselves and bad for others. Here are a few things you can do if you think you’re dealing with a psychopath at work.

Cool Senior Job:
Program Manager, Global Security, Protective
Operations Posted for Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, WA
BMGF’s Global Security Operations team is primarily responsible for high risk journey management, Seattle Campus security, Global Security Operations Center, regional/subsidiary security integrations, Hostile Environment Awareness Training, emergency medical support, emergency communications, and special missions as assigned by the Chief Security Officer. Additionally, the Operations team is responsible for identifying opportunities to enhance and improve the broader Global Security organization’s strategies, processes, business analytics, and procedures through cross team support, creative inquiry, and critical thinking. myworkdayjobs.com

Game Stop to Close 180 - 200 Stores Globally - With More Coming
Biggest Q2 Loss in this current round of results.  chainstoreage.com

J.C. Penney Opening 100 In-Store Men's Outdoor Apparel Shops

Uber lays off 435


Quarterly Results
Game Stop Q2 comp's down 11.6%, total sales down 14.3% (Biggest Loss so far in quarter results this round)

Langley, BC: Homicide team investigates McDonald's shooting
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has been called in after a shooting Tuesday night at a McDonald's in Aldergrove, according to Langley RCMP. Video and photographs from the scene show a shattered window at the fast food restaurant. "We had shots fired at a location here in Langley," said a spokesperson with the RCMP. "The IHIT team has been deployed and that's about all I can say at this point." Langley RCMP declined to provide more details, including the extent of injuries or how many people were involved. cbc.ca

Ontario's cargo theft 'epidemic' is costing you money and seems to be getting worse
The truth is cargo theft costs money. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), there's estimated to be approximately $5 billion worth of cargo theft in Canada every year. Only a fraction of the stolen goods, which range from lobsters, to steaks, to shoes, are ever recovered.

The IBC said only $52.7 million worth of cargo thefts were recovered last year, compared to $23.6 million worth of goods recovered in the first eight months of 2019. The IBC says the vast majority of what thieves take go unreported, either because of high deductibles or a company's fear of harming their reputation. Either way, insurance companies say Ontario is a hot bed for stolen cargo – and unless police choose to do more about it, that's not going to change anytime soon.

Jim Langeveld, who runs Country Cargo, said his business was hit hard over the summer when thieves stole a trailer loaded with nearly $500,000 in footwear. It means he'll have to raise his rates, a cost that ultimately gets passed on to consumers, he said. cbc.ca

Winnipeg, MB: 38-year-old man arrested after string of robberies; drugs seized
"Officers arrested the male and seized $1,475 in cash, 16 grams of a white powder (believed to be cocaine) with an estimated street value of $1350, 2 baggies of a substance (believed to be crystal methamphetamine) with an estimated street value of $5350, and an UZI-style BB-gun which qualified as a firearm," says WPS. chvnradio.com

Thunder Bay, ON: Man arrested over summer $8,000 electronics heist, police say