Hello, everyone. For the first issue, comprising the news of early this week, see here. (Or see the post below.) This is the second issue of my virus newsletter, The Antidote. PDF is here. The idea is for you to be able to spend 8-10 minutes every day or two reading one of these ***instead … Continue reading The Antidote Issue Two
journalism
The Antidote – a virus newsletter
Hi, all. I'm starting a newsletter on the day's virus news. I haven't started an account at one of the newsletter providers but if you want on the list, send me an email at hey@brandonsmith.com. Also, if you'd rather have a PDF of the newsletter that follows, here's that for you. I wrote the first … Continue reading The Antidote – a virus newsletter
Set up a tiny monthly contribution to join in my stories and learn the craft
Police watch protesters on the University of Chicago campus. Photo by Sydney Combs. (sydneycombs.com) I set up a "Patreon" page this week. I'm telling my family, friends, and supporters around the country to check it out. I hope you do, too. It allows you to set up a small recurring monthly contribution to my work. … Continue reading Set up a tiny monthly contribution to join in my stories and learn the craft
The video out, the officer charged, the problem persists
A press conference to discuss what we are working toward with the release of the Laquan McDonald video. Me at left, William Calloway at the podium, and Dorothy Holmes, right, mother of Ronald Johnson, who was killed by police a week before Laquan McDonald. Thanks to ABC7 for the screengrab. A lot has happened in … Continue reading The video out, the officer charged, the problem persists
We won. Epically. Now we wait.
Attorney Matt Topic, myself, and activist William Calloway answer questions from reporters at the Daley Center courthouse Nov. 19 after winning our lawsuit against the city. (Obscured is the other attorney on the case, Craig Futterman.) We sought the release of a video that allegedly shows police shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times on a … Continue reading We won. Epically. Now we wait.
My case gets air time on WGN
My attorney Matt Topic and I discuss our court case against the city for a WGN news crew Oct. 28. Thanks to Andy Thayer for the photo. Just wanted to make you aware that our case against the city continues. We brought a civil suit against the police department (the city of Chicago, really) because … Continue reading My case gets air time on WGN
Why I’m suing the Chicago Police Department
Justin Kaufmann, host of WGN Radio's evening show "The Download," poses for a quick shot with me after our live segment August 12 about FOIA fails and transparency in Chicago. In case you weren't aware, I'm all for transparency, particularly when it concerns police misconduct. As such, I'm suing the Chicago Police Pepartment. It's an … Continue reading Why I’m suing the Chicago Police Department
Whistleblowers and electronics no longer mix: my story
My story for In These Times' July edition revealed some tactics that whistleblowers of a national security bent might have to use in case they want to remain anonymous. It appeared on the back cover, where the nonprofit that runs the magazine prints stories, not ads.
Tales from the crypt(-oparty)
My story on Chicago's CryptoParty scene appeared on the cover of the Chicago Reader last week. Thanks for reading, folks. It's a long piece, so if you get through it, kudos to you. And bravo if you somehow manage to not get lost as you go, with all the techno-terminology. We tried to make it as friendly … Continue reading Tales from the crypt(-oparty)
A glimpse at the ideas re-shaping building design from the science up
I wrote the cover story to the special September edition of "Green Building + Design," a design-porn glossy that doesn't shy away from hard questions about its subjects. (I, for one, balk at the consumerist trend to "be green.") I wrote about the mantra--and standards--called Passive House, which uses modelling and analysis to incorporate remarkable … Continue reading A glimpse at the ideas re-shaping building design from the science up
Protected: Chicago police and their wobbly definition of “search”
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
I helped break who Chicago police were spying on
Kristiana Rae Colón, center with the red scarf, leads a "Brown Friday" protest in a Chicago shopping district. This reporter broke the news that Colón, daughter of an Alderman, likely had her phone surveilled by Chicago police trying to learn where the protest was headed. Photo credit: Bryant Cross. This story of mine, published on … Continue reading I helped break who Chicago police were spying on
The past few months in photos, minus all the computers
Roadblocks en route to the world’s thinnest watch
Chicagoan Jerry O'Leary, wearing the watch he designed and helped engineer—the world's thinnest. His company is called Central Standard Timing. Photo by Zbigniew Bzdak, used with permission from Chicago Tribune. A year ago, when I read news stories on the Kickstarter hardware phenomenon of the millimeter-thin watch, I latched onto the catchy company name and the … Continue reading Roadblocks en route to the world’s thinnest watch
eBay entrepreneur could make the powerful and corrupt shiver
If the stories are saying what I think they are, one of the biggest barriers to doing important journalism—heavy security protecting your sources and research—will soon be less about cobbling together your own ragtag system and more about buying into a proven solution. Let's just hope they open the source code. I'm excited about Greenwald … Continue reading eBay entrepreneur could make the powerful and corrupt shiver
A judge rules
It's not the last word, but a hint of rulings to come. Below are excerpts from the Times' story about a federal judge ruling against one NSA data-siphoning program. In a statement distributed by the journalist Glenn Greenwald, who was a recipient of leaked documents from Mr. Snowden and who wrote the first article about … Continue reading A judge rules
Business cards
I'm excited about my new business cards, created with design help by my friend Matt Albacete. Here's the back: My name is set in different versions of the typeface ZXX, all designed by a former NSA staffer to thwart optical character recognition. And yes, it's purely for show. But the security suggestions aren't. With some … Continue reading Business cards
SecureDrop in my house? You’d never know.
I'm well on my way to the prerequisites to install SecureDrop, the new anonymous submission system for those who would receive and publish things that might endanger the sender. Originally coded by the late Aaron Swartz with help from Kevin Poulsen, the Freedom of the Press Foundation has taken up the mantle, updated the code … Continue reading SecureDrop in my house? You’d never know.
Blue Sky innovation; work for Chicago Tribune
Take note: graph the number of tech startups in Chicago the past five years and you'll very nearly get a parabolic function. (No, this isn't an actual graph of it, but it does closely represent the data.) Most startups employ just one or two people full-time. Maybe the more-developed ones have a third person part-time. … Continue reading Blue Sky innovation; work for Chicago Tribune
Adversarial journalism part 2
Did you see the New York Times op-ed debate between Bill Keller and Glenn Greenwald? It's about "the future of journalism," and the Times doesn't use that language lightly. If you're interested in the press, you should at least read a short commentary, like this one. But for a more thorough selection, see my relevant … Continue reading Adversarial journalism part 2
Brandon Smith 