"Google has nothing to hide," says Google

In an attempt to assuage public fears that it has not been granting the National Security Agency "unfettered access" to user data, Google has penned an open letter asking the United States government for permission to disclose information about the secret court orders the king of search receives.

David Drummond, Google's chief legal officer, writes that "Google has worked tremendously hard over the past fifteen years to earn [its] users' trust," and that it has "consistently pushed back on overly broad government requests" for user data.

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Assertions in the press that our compliance with these requests gives the U.S. government unfettered access to our users' data are simply untrue. However, government nondisclosure obligations regarding the number of FISA national security requests that Google receives, as well as the number of accounts covered by those requests, fuel that speculation.

We therefore ask you to help make it possible for Google to publish in our Transparency Report aggregate numbers of national security requests, including FISA disclosures — in terms of both the number we receive and their scope. Google's numbers would clearly show that our compliance with these requests falls far short of the claims being made. Google has nothing to hide. [Google]

The PR blitz comes on the heels of reports from the Guardian and the Washington Post trumpetingthat the NSA has had "direct access" to the servers of Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, and several other internet companies as part of its PRISM surveillance program, which gathers emails, videos, and online chats to ostensibly protect the country against terrorist threats. The Post latersoftened its language to suggest the NSA's access wasn't as unrestricted as initially indicated.

SEE MORE: Today in history: June 12

(Related: 6 reasons you should, and shouldn't, freak out about the NSA data-mining)

Over at Wired, Kim Zetter reports that instead of relying on direct access to servers, Google transmits FISA information to the government either by hand or via secure FTP — not some open cookie jar like The Post initially suggested. "When required to comply with these requests, we deliver that information to the U.S. government — generally through secure FTP transfers and in person," Google spokesman Chris Gaither tells Wired. "The U.S. government does not have the ability to pull that data directly from our servers or network."

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The FBI and the DoJ have the authority to prohibit companies from talking about user-data requests they receive from the government — a law Google hasn't exactly been vocal about opposing till now.

"You have to wonder, then, why Google has never tried to change this law, when there have been opportunities — these FISA amendments have faced reauthorization every year since their introduction in 2008," argues Sam Biddle at Valleywag:

But despite, according to federal disclosure data, spending over $44 milion on general lobbying to date and enjoying 37 employees on federal advisory committees, Google has not once lobbied regarding FISA when it's faced congressional reauthorization. Why not try to change the law with part of your war chest? [Valleywag]

... the perception of complicity is something Google and the rest must fight. Whether or not the federal government complies with requests for more transparency almost doesn't matter. The companies need to at least look like they want to shed light on their involvement and the extent of the data mining. And the letters achieve that goal. [GigaOm]

SEE MORE: Why Americans — including many Democrats — are warming up to George W. Bush

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More Americans now view Goerge W. Bush favorably than unfavorably, according to a Gallup poll. It's typical for ex-presidents to see their ratings rise, but Mr. Bush's jump is significant.

Former president George W. Bush’s popularity is ticking up. For the first time since 2005, Americans’ opinions of him are more positive than negative.

A Gallup poll released Wednesday found 49 percent of Americans view him favorably and 46 percent unfavorably.

Mr. Bush has chosen to remain largely out of the public eye since leaving the White House. He told CNN last year that “Eight years was awesome, and I was famous and I was powerful but I have no desire for fame and power any more.”

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When Bush left office in January 2009, he had a 40 percent favorable and 59 percent unfavorable ranking. His approval rating hit its lowest point in April 2008 at 32 percent. At the time the economy was in recession, gas prices approached record highs, and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were jostling for the Democratic Party presidential nomination.

The recovery in Bush's image is not unexpected, given that Americans generally view former presidents positively. Favorable ratings for Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton all exceeded 60 percent when Gallup last measured.

Yet “Bush left office with decidedly negative favorability ratings as well as approval ratings, so the recovery in his image is notable,” Gallup writes.

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The dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in April thrust the 43rd president briefly back in the spotlight and sparked a flurry of commentary about his legacy.

Supporters, such as conservative writer Charles Krauthammer, suggested a parallel to Harry Truman, saying views will improve with time and that Bush "... did not just keep us safe. He created the entire anti-terror infrastructure that continues to keep us safe." Others, like Eugene Robinson in The Washington Post penned, "In retrospect, George W. Bush's legacy doesn't look as bad as when he left office. It looks worse."

The latest Gallup poll, conducted June 1-4, found that despite the uptick in his popularity, opinions of Bush remain sharply polarized. He has a 60-point gap in favorable ratings from Republicans versus Democrats.

Bush’s job approval ratings are the most polarized for a president prior to President Obama. Mr. Obama’s approval ratings during his first term continued the severe party polarization trend.

During his fourth year in office, an average of 86 percent of Democrats and 10 percent of Republicans approved of the job Obama did as president. That 76 percentage-point gap ties George W. Bush's fourth year as the most polarized years

“The list of most polarized years makes it clear that Obama's highly polarized ratings may be as much a reflection of the era in which he is governing as on Obama himself. The last nine presidential years – the final five for Bush and Obama's first four – all rank in the top 10. Thus, it appears that highly polarized ratings are becoming the norm, as Americans aligned with both parties are apparently not looking much beyond the president's party affiliation to evaluate the job he is doing,” Gallup wrote in a January 2013 press release.

Transgender student suit goes to Maine high court

BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Maine's highest court heard arguments Wednesday over whether transgender students can use the bathroom of their choice, and the girl at the heart of the case said she hoped justices would recognize the right of children to attend school without being "bullied" by peers or administrators.

Nicole Maines, now 15, watched lawyers argue over whether her rights were violated when the Orono school district required her to use a staff bathroom after there was a complaint about her using the girls' bathroom.

Maines said after the hearing in Bangor that she hopes the Supreme Judicial Court will ensure no one else experiences what she went though.

"I hope they understood how important it is for students to be able to go to school and get an education and have fun and make friends, and not have to worry about being bullied by students or the administration, and to be accepted for who they are," said Maines, who now attends a high school in southern Maine.

Her family and the Maine Human Rights Commission sued in 2009 over the school's actions, but a state judge ruled that the school district acted within its discretion. Maines is a biological male who from an early age identified as a girl.

At issue is whether the school violated the Maine Human Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on sex or sexual orientation. State law also requires separate bathrooms for boys and girls in schools.

Melissa Hewey, lawyer for the school and school district, said afterward it should be up to the Legislature to clarify the issue.

"To the extent that the people in Maine decide that this law in Maine should be changed, then that should be done. But right now the law is what it is, and our school district didn't violate it," she said.

The case goes beyond just the bathroom issue to the broader question of what's best for transgender students, said Jennifer Levi, director of Transgender Rights Project for the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.

"At the core of this case is whether the promise of equal educational opportunities for transgender students is realized," she said.

It's a topic that school administrators are grappling with nationwide. A similar lawsuit is playing out in Colorado, where the parents of a 6-year-old transgender girl are suing their school district for trying to make her use a separate bathroom.

Policies about transgender adults are still evolving, and the thinking about how to handle children who identify with the gender opposite of the one they're born with is even more complex.

Last year, the American Psychiatric Association removed "gender identity disorder" from its list of mental health ailments. And the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics filed a brief urging that transgender children be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice.

School officials initially allowed Nicole Maines to use the girls' bathroom in her school, but the policy was altered after the grandfather of a fifth-grade boy complained to school officials. Maines' attorneys said she felt like she was singled out by having to use the staff bathroom.

"In her owns words, she said it was like being picked out of a crowd of students and being told, 'They're the normal students, and you're not,'" said Levi, who argued the case for the family.

Outside court, Maines' father struggled to maintain his composure as he gave a brief statement.

"It has been extremely difficult, but I'm pleased to be here and to have our case heard, and I'm very hopeful for a good outcome," Wayne Maines said.

___

Quote:

Transgender student suit goes to Maine high court

By DAVID SHARP | Associated Press – 38 mins ago

Associated Press/Robert F. Bukaty - Transgender student Nicole Maines, center, with her father Wayne Maines, left, and brother Jonas, speaks to reporters outside the Penobscot Judicial Center, Wednesday, June 12, 2013, in Bangor, Maine. The state supreme court heard arguments on Wednesday over a school district’s handling of Nicole Maine's restroom needs. The lawsuit accuses the school district of breaking a state law in 2007 when it stopped letting the Maines use the girls bathroom and required to her use a staff bathroom after a student's grandfather complained.(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Maine's highest court heard arguments Wednesday over whether transgender students can use the bathroom of their choice, and the girl at the heart of the case said she hoped justices would recognize the right of children to attend school without being "bullied" by peers or administrators.

Nicole Maines, now 15, watched lawyers argue over whether her rights were violated when the Orono school district required her to use a staff bathroom after there was a complaint about her using the girls' bathroom.

Maines said after the hearing in Bangor that she hopes the Supreme Judicial Court will ensure no one else experiences what she went though.

"I hope they understood how important it is for students to be able to go to school and get an education and have fun and make friends, and not have to worry about being bullied by students or the administration, and to be accepted for who they are," said Maines, who now attends a high school in southern Maine.

Her family and the Maine Human Rights Commission sued in 2009 over the school's actions, but a state judge ruled that the school district acted within its discretion. Maines is a biological male who from an early age identified as a girl.

At issue is whether the school violated the Maine Human Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on sex or sexual orientation. State law also requires separate bathrooms for boys and girls in schools.

Melissa Hewey, lawyer for the school and school district, said afterward it should be up to the Legislature to clarify the issue.

"To the extent that the people in Maine decide that this law in Maine should be changed, then that should be done. But right now the law is what it is, and our school district didn't violate it," she said.

The case goes beyond just the bathroom issue to the broader question of what's best for transgender students, said Jennifer Levi, director of Transgender Rights Project for the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.

"At the core of this case is whether the promise of equal educational opportunities for transgender students is realized," she said.

It's a topic that school administrators are grappling with nationwide. A similar lawsuit is playing out in Colorado, where the parents of a 6-year-old transgender girl are suing their school district for trying to make her use a separate bathroom.

Policies about transgender adults are still evolving, and the thinking about how to handle children who identify with the gender opposite of the one they're born with is even more complex.

Last year, the American Psychiatric Association removed "gender identity disorder" from its list of mental health ailments. And the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics filed a brief urging that transgender children be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice.

School officials initially allowed Nicole Maines to use the girls' bathroom in her school, but the policy was altered after the grandfather of a fifth-grade boy complained to school officials. Maines' attorneys said she felt like she was singled out by having to use the staff bathroom.

"In her owns words, she said it was like being picked out of a crowd of students and being told, 'They're the normal students, and you're not,'" said Levi, who argued the case for the family.

Outside court, Maines' father struggled to maintain his composure as he gave a brief statement.

"It has been extremely difficult, but I'm pleased to be here and to have our case heard, and I'm very hopeful for a good outcome," Wayne Maines said.

___

Follow David Sharp at http://twitter.com/David_Sharp_AP

Quote:

You have to decide on the definition of normal you wish to use. Her argument is she wants to be treated as normal when her anatomy that some creator gave her is opposite of that claim.

Did GOD make mistakes well a platypus is enough proof of that but are they normal? Do they fit into the main population who were only following the law?

Another good question without an answer as to where your FAITH (Moral Code) System lies then decide if our laws fits that system of governance we have chosen. Or are we creations from some mad scientist and this is a "normal" mistake?

Quote:

Transgender student suit goes to Maine high court

By DAVID SHARP | Associated Press – 38 mins ago

Associated Press/Robert F. Bukaty - Transgender student Nicole Maines, center, with her father Wayne Maines, left, and brother Jonas, speaks to reporters outside the Penobscot Judicial Center, Wednesday, June 12, 2013, in Bangor, Maine. The state supreme court heard arguments on Wednesday over a school district’s handling of Nicole Maine's restroom needs. The lawsuit accuses the school district of breaking a state law in 2007 when it stopped letting the Maines use the girls bathroom and required to her use a staff bathroom after a student's grandfather complained.(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Maine's highest court heard arguments Wednesday over whether transgender students can use the bathroom of their choice, and the girl at the heart of the case said she hoped justices would recognize the right of children to attend school without being "bullied" by peers or administrators.

Nicole Maines, now 15, watched lawyers argue over whether her rights were violated when the Orono school district required her to use a staff bathroom after there was a complaint about her using the girls' bathroom.

Maines said after the hearing in Bangor that she hopes the Supreme Judicial Court will ensure no one else experiences what she went though.

"I hope they understood how important it is for students to be able to go to school and get an education and have fun and make friends, and not have to worry about being bullied by students or the administration, and to be accepted for who they are," said Maines, who now attends a high school in southern Maine.

Her family and the Maine Human Rights Commission sued in 2009 over the school's actions, but a state judge ruled that the school district acted within its discretion. Maines is a biological male who from an early age identified as a girl.

At issue is whether the school violated the Maine Human Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on sex or sexual orientation. State law also requires separate bathrooms for boys and girls in schools.

Melissa Hewey, lawyer for the school and school district, said afterward it should be up to the Legislature to clarify the issue.

"To the extent that the people in Maine decide that this law in Maine should be changed, then that should be done. But right now the law is what it is, and our school district didn't violate it," she said.

The case goes beyond just the bathroom issue to the broader question of what's best for transgender students, said Jennifer Levi, director of Transgender Rights Project for the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.

"At the core of this case is whether the promise of equal educational opportunities for transgender students is realized," she said.

It's a topic that school administrators are grappling with nationwide. A similar lawsuit is playing out in Colorado, where the parents of a 6-year-old transgender girl are suing their school district for trying to make her use a separate bathroom.

Policies about transgender adults are still evolving, and the thinking about how to handle children who identify with the gender opposite of the one they're born with is even more complex.

Last year, the American Psychiatric Association removed "gender identity disorder" from its list of mental health ailments. And the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics filed a brief urging that transgender children be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice.

School officials initially allowed Nicole Maines to use the girls' bathroom in her school, but the policy was altered after the grandfather of a fifth-grade boy complained to school officials. Maines' attorneys said she felt like she was singled out by having to use the staff bathroom.

"In her owns words, she said it was like being picked out of a crowd of students and being told, 'They're the normal students, and you're not,'" said Levi, who argued the case for the family.

Outside court, Maines' father struggled to maintain his composure as he gave a brief statement.

"It has been extremely difficult, but I'm pleased to be here and to have our case heard, and I'm very hopeful for a good outcome," Wayne Maines said.

___

Follow David Sharp at http://twitter.com/David_Sharp_AP