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“How to crop an image is a decision best made by people.”

Twitter scraps image-cropping algorithm after allegations of racial bias

After social media exploded with allegations that Twitter’s image-cropping algorithm had a racial bias, the company said it decided to drop automated cropping.

Hamas supporters declare ‘victory’ in a Gaza City celebration.

As a cease-fire took effect, thousands of Palestinians gathered under a night sky free from the threat of Israeli airstrikes. Some wondered what the fighting had achieved.

GAZA CITY — As the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas took effect at 2 a.m. local time on Friday, thousands of Palestinians gathered in the streets of Gaza City to celebrate what Hamas supporters were calling a defeat of the Israeli forces.

NYT

Biden hails ceasefire as a “genuine opportunity for peace”.

The Washington Post, which broke the news Thursday afternoon, reported that Cuomo encouraged his brother against resigning during strategy sessions with the governor’s communications team and lawyers.

CNN

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/05/20/media/chris-cuomo-andrew-cuomo-strategy-sessions/index.html?__twitter_impression=true&s=09

“Investigation finds Martin Bashir used ‘deceitful’ methods to secure 1995 Panorama interview with Princess Diana”

Books: Basil’s War, by Stephen Hunter. A daredevil British agent goes behind enemy lines to search for a religious text that might hold the key to ending the Second World War.

Rokna News Agency reported that the parents had confessed to killing their son and dumping his body. They also confessed to murdering their daughter and son-in-law years ago. Both are now in custody

Film director murdered and dismembered by family after marriage row

The body of Babak Khorramdin was found chopped up in bins and in a suitcase in Ekbatan, a planned neighborhood in West Tehran, on Sunday.

The post Biden/Trump world will be a swinging pendulum, each stroke oscillating past an elusive mean. This like water sloshing inside a ship called the free surface effect can cause it to lose stability and capsize.

Oregon Counties Vote to Secede Into Idaho

Several counties in Oregon on May 18 voted to consider joining the state of Idaho, which is part …

The basic message of the Biden administration is “I’m quietly fixing things.” The lack of visible improvement is explained by the assurance that invisible mechanics are hard at work.

Kremlinology at the White House. Who’s on first?

The US has said it “expected” an immediate de-escalation, however, Israel responded that it would continue military operations until its “aim is met.”

DW

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that the Trump administration didn’t do ‘anything constructive’ to bring peace to the Middle East.

In Israel geopolitics keeps redefining morality every few decades, argues George Friedman.

Gaza: Morality and Reality | Geopolitical Futures

Fighting is intensifying between Israelis and Palestinians, though it would be a mistake to think of this as another war. The war had been waged before

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) proposed that U.S. leaders not attend the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing over China’s alleged human rights violations, saying taking part in the Games would make the U.S. “complicit.”

Forbes

Pelosi Calls For ‘Diplomatic Boycott’ Of 2022 Beijing Olympics Over China’s Human Rights Violations

“We cannot proceed as if nothing is wrong about the Olympics going to China,” Pelosi said.

Moral hazard. Generally speaking war, pestilence and famine favor the rich. This has been true through history.

The billionaire boom: how the super-rich soaked up Covid cash / Twitter

The face mask, beyond its purpose as a sanitary appliance, has become a political symbol, a banner, a sign of whose side you’re on.

Still another made an ominous, baffling prediction: “We will know who the real vaccinated people are – they will be wearing their masks. The unmasked will be the unvaccinated.”

Will Democrats mask America forever? – UnHerd

The Covid political posturing is reminiscent of reactions to 9/11

According to Caniglia v Strom, a lower court had previously determined that police confiscating the guns without a warrant fell under the Fourth Amendment’s “community caretaking” exception, but a 9-0 vote from the nation’s top court struck down that ruling.

Supreme Court rules warrantless home gun confiscation is unconstitutional in 9-0 vote

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that warrantless gun confiscation from Americans’ homes is unconstitutional, voting unanimously on the side of a Rhode Island man whose firearms were taken by law enforcement without a warrant after his wife expressed concerns that he might hurt himself. According to C…