Martin Kaste

Tech Companies Have A Lot At Stake With Immigration Bill

Martin Kaste — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:41:00 +0000

The tech industry is getting a lot in the Senate's immigration overhaul bill. It increases the number of temporary worker visas for skilled technical workers but the industry is pushing for more, including the end of provisions meant to protect American tech workers from unfair competition. The industry's goals and tactics are antagonizing other groups that want to see the bill pass.

Take Your Seat, The 'No Photography' Sign Is Lit

Martin Kaste — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:39:00 +0000

You probably saw this bit of Internet virality earlier this week — showing a woman getting kicked off an American Airlines flight for channeling Whitney Houston.

What caught our attention was the sound of flight attendants repeatedly ordering passengers not to take pictures or (presumably) videos.

Apparently, it's an official rule at American Airlines:

"The use of still and video cameras, fil

Facebook Joins Lobby For Overhauling Immigration

Martin Kaste — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:55:00 +0000

Some progressive groups are angry with Facebook for running ads supporting GOP lawmakers on board with the immigration overhaul bill. The left-wing groups have turned a blind eye to what Facebook gets out of the overhaul measure, and what it may cost American tech workers.

'Bertha' Does The Heavy Lifting In Seattle Tunnel Project

Martin Kaste — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:11:00 +0000

The world's largest tunnel boring machine in a few months will begin digging a new double-decker highway tunnel under downtown Seattle. If all goes according to plan, Bertha will start digging this summer. It'll emerge again late next year on the other side of downtown, not far from the Space Needle.

Will Bureaucracy Keep The U.S. Drone Industry Grounded?

Martin Kaste — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:19:00 +0000

Americans are suspicious of drones. Reports of the unmanned aerial vehicles' use in war zones have raised concerns about what they might do here at home. For instance, in Seattle earlier this year, a public outcry forced the police department to abandon plans for eye-in-the-sky UAV helicopters.

The backlash worries Paul Applewhite, an aerospace engineer with 10 years of experience at companies like McDonnell Douglas and Sikorsky.

Senate Moves To Update Federal Online Privacy Laws

Martin Kaste — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:17:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Yesterday, the Senate took a step toward updating the federal online privacy law. It's a law that dates back to a time when most people had never heard of the Internet.

NPR's Martin Kaste reports.

MARTIN KASTE, BYLINE: The 1986 law says investigators don't need a warrant for anything you keep online more than six months. But in practice, these days, many judges and tech companies do require warrants.

Who's Hiring H1-B Visa Workers? It's Not Who You Might Think

Martin Kaste — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:40:00 +0000

The tech industry wants more skilled workers — from overseas.

Cyberattack Against Spam-Fighting Organization One Of The Largest Ever

Martin Kaste — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:33:00 +0000

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Police in Europe are investigating a large-scale cyberattack. Some are even calling it the largest of its kind. As NPR's Martin Kaste reports, the attack's target is an organization called Spamhaus, but the effects have spilled out into the broader Internet.

MARTIN KASTE, BYLINE: Spamhaus doesn't send spam. It fights it. It identifies the sources and helps companies filter what gets to your inbox. There are some people out there that don't like Spamhaus and they show their displeasure by attacking its website.

Yes, Your New Car Has A 'Black Box.' Where's The Off Switch?

Martin Kaste — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:44:00 +0000

If you're a vehicle owner and happen to have a car accident in the near future (we hope you don't), it's likely the crash details will be recorded. Automotive "black boxes" are now built into more than 90 percent of new cars, and the government is considering making them mandatory.

Dave Wells, a detective at the King County Sheriff's Office in Washington state, specializes in accident reconstruction. That means he's often crouched under steering wheels, looking for the connector that mechanics use to get diagnostic codes.

Court To Sentence AT&T Hacker Andrew Auernheimer

Martin Kaste — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:06:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with a hacking sentence.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MONTAGNE: This morning, a federal court in New Jersey is scheduled to sentence Andrew for his much-publicized exposure of a security flaw on AT&T's iPad service. That was back in 2010.

As NPR's Martin Kaste reports, the sentencing of Andrew Auernheimer will be closely watched by those who believe federal prosecutors have become overly zealous about punishing certain kinds of hackers.

MARTIN KASTE, BYLINE: Auernheimer is not a pleasant person, at least not online.

Even Where It's Legal, Pot Producers Weigh The Business Risks

Martin Kaste — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 21:30:00 +0000

Attorney General Eric Holder appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday to answer questions on everything from gun control to the Department of Justice's failure to prosecute Wall Street. But he was also asked about an issue proponents of marijuana legalization have been following closely: what the DOJ plans to do about Colorado and Washington state, which have defied federal law by legalizing recreational use of the drug.

Holder said the department is still mulling its options.

As Police Drones Take Off, Washington State Pushes Back

Martin Kaste — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Last year, Seattle became one of the nation's first cities to buy unmanned drones for use by the police department. Public reaction was less "Gee-whiz" than "What the heck?"

The phrase "unmanned drones" typically conjures images of places like Afghanistan. But the Federal Aviation Administration says it wants to start testing the civilian use of aerial drones here in the U.S. and has already issued special permits to a few police departments interested in trying them out.

But after a raucous Seattle City Council hearing earlier this month, the mayor killed the drone program.

Follow Report on H-1B Visa Story

Martin Kaste — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:43:00 +0000

Two days ago, Morning Edition aired a story about the H-1B program which grants temporary work visas to foreigners with special skills like computer programming. In the story, it was reported that employers have to show they tried to recruit Americans first. But as it turns out, many companies bypass American applicants.

Older Tech Workers Oppose Increasing H-1B Visas

Martin Kaste — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:41:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Now, a look at one part of the immigration debate in Congress: a proposed increase in H1-B visas. Those are the visas that allow companies to hire skilled foreign workers.

Cyber Security Proposals Worry Civil Libertarians

Martin Kaste — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:44:00 +0000

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish.

President Obama has signed an executive order intended to shore up the nation's defenses against cyberattacks. The president acted yesterday.

From Oil Fields To REI, Interior Nominee Has Outdoorsy Cred

Martin Kaste — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:27:00 +0000

President Obama's choice to take over at the Department of the Interior comes from the business world. Sally Jewell is the CEO of outdoor equipment supplier REI.

"For Sally, the toughest part of this job will probably be sitting behind a desk," the president said when introducing his nominee Wednesday. "I suspect she'll want to get out of the office quite a bit."

Before Jewell took the reins at REI, she worked in the financial industry at Washington Mutual.

Armed 'Good Guys' And The Realities Of Facing A Gunman

Martin Kaste — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:03:00 +0000

As the nation ponders how to stop the next mass shooting, the gun rights movement offers a straight-forward formula, laid out famously by NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre.

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," LaPierre said last month, as his group responded to the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn.

One Man's Story

In Washington state, one such "good guy" — a private citizen who drew his gun in defense of others — paid a heavy price.

Dan McKown is a comedian.

Google Posts How It Handles Requests For Users' Data

Martin Kaste — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:34:00 +0000

Google wants you to know you're being watched. Or rather, the company wants you to know how and when the police get to watch what you do online.

For the first time, the company has posted its policies for when it gives up users' information to the government.

Is It Morally Wrong For U.S. To Export Coal?

Martin Kaste — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:18:00 +0000

The Seattle area is seeing widespread, well-organized opposition to an export industry: coal. Thousands of people have turned out to express their disgust with a plan to build export terminals on Puget Sound to ship American coal to Asia. Opponents cite noise, traffic delays, coal dust and global warming.

Legalized Pot Creates Quandary For Adults In Wash.

Martin Kaste — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 22:18:00 +0000

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

In Washington State, parents and drug counselors are in a quandary.

Daniel Inouye Was Senate's Most Senior Member

Martin Kaste — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:07:00 +0000

Hawaii Democrat Daniel Inouye, the Senate's senior member, died at a Bethesda, Md., hospital Monday. He was 88 years old and was suffering from a respiratory ailment. The Japanese-American was known for his heroism in World War II and for breaking racial barriers.

Born to Japanese immigrants in Hawaii in 1924, the young Inouye dreamed of becoming a surgeon, but world events intervened as he was listening to the radio on Sunday morning, Dec.

FTC: Apps For Children Raise Privacy Concerns

Martin Kaste — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:36:00 +0000

The Federal Trade Commission has released a report taking to task the makers of mobile apps for children. It says apps are not transparent enough about the personal information they collect. It's the latest sign the Obama administration is concerned about children's privacy online.

Pot's Legal In Washington State, But Don't Drive High

Martin Kaste — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 07:23:00 +0000

Marijuana is legal in Washington state as of 12:01 a.m. Thursday, but the ballot initiative that made it legal last month contained a new DUI standard — a deal-sweetener for hesitant voters — that may actually make life riskier for regular pot users.

The new law makes it legal for adults to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but illegal for that same adult to drive if the THC content of his blood reaches 5 nanograms per milliliter.

Steve Sarich, who uses medical marijuana for back pain, says he wakes up at four to five times the legal limit.

Senate Committee OKs Electronic Privacy Measure

Martin Kaste — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 10:04:00 +0000

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to make it a little harder for police to read people's old emails. It's something privacy groups and tech companies have wanted for years, but law enforcement groups are less pleased.

Senate Committee Approves Stricter Email Privacy

Martin Kaste — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:25:00 +0000

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation to make old emails a little more private on Thursday. The legislation also applies to old Facebook posts, Google documents and anything else you might be hiding online behind a password.

Post-Petreaus, Net Privacy Backers Hope For A Boost

Martin Kaste — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 23:05:00 +0000

The tech industry has been lobbying hard for an update to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the 1986 law governing online privacy.

Under an umbrella group calling itself Digital Due Process, companies and civil liberties groups have argued that the law is too loose with the privacy of data stored online, especially Web-based email and other documents on the cloud.

For instance, the law considers data that's more than six months old to be "abandoned" — not deserving

Left Homeless, Storm Victims Turn To Internet To Find Shelter

Martin Kaste — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:29:00 +0000

Housing is always in short supply in New York City, and Superstorm Sandy just made things much worse. The government is paying hotel costs for many of those displaced, while others are staying with friends and family.

That still leaves many people still looking for a spare bedroom, and some are now turning to the social networking website Airbnb – a site that matches people seeking vacation rentals — to find a place to stay.

Michael Bhagwandin lives in a top-floor apartment on a leafy street in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood.

Hotel Rooms: A Precious Commodity Along N.J. Coast

Martin Kaste — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 10:40:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Another storm hits the same region today. This one is a nor'Easter, less dramatic than a hurricane, but severe nonetheless, and authorities are warning of possible flooding. They've ordered evacuations in some low lying neighborhoods. As NPR's Martin Kaste reports, this storm means more demand for one of the region's scarcest resources - hotel rooms.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Go on up. We got somebody coming through, bub.

MARTIN KASTE, BYLINE: Utility workers are stringing up the lines again in Brick Township.

Sandy Victims Struggle To Find Temporary Housing

Martin Kaste — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:17:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

New York's Mayor Bloomberg has hired a former FEMA official with experience in Hurricane Katrina to direct the city's housing recovery. NPR's Martin Kaste reports it's another sign of the seriousness of the housing shortage caused by the storm.

MARTIN KASTE, BYLINE: There are no hard numbers on how many people have been displaced in New York and New Jersey. But you do get a sense of the scale by looking at what the department of housing and urban development has undertaken so far.

Thousands Of New Yorkers Homeless After Sandy

Martin Kaste — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 22:25:00 +0000

Tens of thousands of people have been forced out of their homes as a result of superstorm Sandy. Melissa Block talks with Martin Kaste about the situation and the government's response.