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The big bump: The airlines likely to oversell and what passengers should…

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Bumps happen. In this case, we're addressing the airline kind that often leave passengers scratching their heads over voluntary rebooking — which may bring points, money or free flights in exchange for surrendering a seat. But we are also looking at involuntary bumps — such as the forced removal of a passenger in 2017 from a United Airlines Express flight out of Chicago. These cases are more common than one would think — and are on the uptick. And while getting bumped from a flight is always a risk for flyers, some airlines are better at managing their passenger loads than others.

Does Facebook’s anti-censorship policy ignore violence?

Michelle R. Matisons Communications

Facebook's political ad policy has been recently clarified. It retains an anti-censorship position in relationship to political ads while claiming to ban hate speech, but this remains an unclear distinction with many loopholes. CEO Mark Zuckerberg presents his ad policy as securing free expression and allowing users to make decisions. This denies Facebook’s centrality as a U.S. and global news source. It also ignores how remote communications technologies uniquely foment hatred and need to be approached with that awareness.

Infographic: Breaking up Big Tech

Brian Wallace Science & Technology

Are tech companies growing "too big to fail?" In 2018, five tech companies — Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Google — earned a combined $800 billion in revenues. In March, Elizabeth Warren released a campaign ad calling for the breakup of big tech companies. Facebook removed the ad, sparking bipartisan backlash. Today, 2 in 3 Americans — regardless of political party — support the breakup of Big Tech. This infographic outlines why so many are calling for the tech giants to be broken up and the laws that might make it happen.

Tips for surviving your deposition in employment-related litigation

D. Albert Brannen Business Management, Services & Risk Management

If you are a human resources professional, chances are that you will have the "opportunity" to be deposed in some form of litigation during your career. Depositions are where attorneys for the parties to the litigation get to ask questions of witnesses "on the record." Testimony is then typed up in a nice, neat transcript that the attorneys use as part of the evidence to help them prevail in the litigation. This article contains some practical tips on how to conduct yourself if you are ever called upon to be deposed.

Infographic: Is the future of security biometric?

Brian Wallace Science & Technology

More than 85% of Americans want to use biometric security to verify their identity or to authorize payments. Since Apple first introduced Touch ID in 2013, the global market for mobile biometrics has grown to over $14 billion. So, are PINs and passwords becoming a thing of the past, and are biometrics really better than traditional security? This infographic outlines the realities of biometric security.

Is Paris still safe to visit? Recommendations from a recent theft victim

Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

I was in Paris on a leisure trip last week. It would have been a perfect getaway if I was not the victim of theft. Such an incident significantly affected my travel plans and my well-being even though I tried my best not to let it bother me. Leaving the incident behind, I am sharing the lessons I learned from my own experience. I am hoping my recommendations will help prevent people from being other victims of theft.

Historic inmate commutation in Oklahoma calls for new approach after release

Michelle R. Matisons Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

Early November saw conservative Oklahoma release 462 people serving sentences for non-violent and drug offenses in the largest commutation in U.S. history. This is a case study, if you will. These former inmates are now working residents, sharing demands with people in the working class: fair wages; the right to unionize; affordable housing/healthcare/child care; quality public education/scholarships; and continuity of safety-net services, among others. There are competing visions of prison reform that render post-release obstacles part of a fledgling "release/rehabilitation state-industrial complex" of sorts.

Will climate relief meet prison closures in California’s budget?

Michelle R. Matisons Civil & Government

As the upcoming holiday season promises a new year and new budget proposals, Northern California’s PG&E remains in limbo, with wildfire victims remaining largely uncompensated. The saga involves mismanagement distributing an essential commodity, power, to 16 million people. As climate disasters mount, the world's fifth-largest economy may adopt a publicly owned utility. PG&E remains court-ordered to pay past wildfire victims — customers and insurance companies — back, but company and state officials share the view that customers should pay for (at least some) future damages.

Domestic violence cases can create acute danger for police

Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

Approximately 10 million women and men are victims of domestic violence in the U.S. each year. Law enforcement officers are on the front lines of these cases as first responders to these assaults and are often vulnerable to sudden attacks themselves. In many domestic violence assault incidents, alcohol and drugs are key factors that make the situation even more unpredictable. Earlier this month, a Pittsburgh man opened fire on police officers when they responded to a report of a domestic disturbance. Officers had no choice but to return fire.

Avoid this dummy drill and turn it into a ‘smart’ drill

Mike Ox Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

One of the most popular range drills is the "ball and dummy" drill. The way it typically works is that someone loads your magazine with mostly live rounds and one dummy round with the expectation that, when you get to it, you’ll press the trigger and flinch to manage recoil that didn’t happen. It's a "gotcha!" Sometimes, the simple fact that the instructor is telling the student that it's a test to see if they flinch will create enough anticipatory stress to cause them to flinch. It's a horrible drill for most shooters and you should do your best to avoid it until a very specific time in your training.

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