Jeff Cassman

The State of State AI Laws: 2023

By Katrina Zhu, EPIC IPIOP Clerk

The 2023 legislative session has seen a surge in state AI laws proposed across the U.S., surpassing the number of AI laws proposed or passed in past legislative sessions. Ten states included AI regulations as part of larger consumer privacy laws that were passed or are going into effect in 2023, and even more states have proposed similar bills. Several states proposed task forces to investigate AI, and others expressed concern about AI’s impact on services like healthcare, insurance, and employment. Below is a list of state laws going into effect, passed, or proposed for the current legislative session.

Laws going into effect in 2023
Of the AI-related laws going into effect in 2023, most of them are part of comprehensive consumer privacy laws. These laws regulate AI and automated decision-making by allowing users to opt-out of profiling and requiring impact assessments. One law in New York City stands out as it “blazes a path for A.I. regulation” in hiring, attracting national attention.

State/City	Name	Date passed	Date in effect	Description
California	California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)	November 3, 2020	January 1, 2023	CPRA amends the California Consumer Privacy Act, introducing provisions impacting AI like additional limitations on data retention, data sharing, and use of sensitive personal information.
Colorado	Colorado Privacy Act (CPA)	July 7, 2021	July 1, 2023	The CPA gives consumers the right to opt-out of profiling in furtherance of automated decisions. It also requires a data protection assessment for activities that pose a “heightened risk of harm,” including targeted advertising and some types of profiling.
Connecticut	Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA)	May 10, 2022	July 1, 2023	The CTPA gives consumers the right to opt-out of profiling in furtherance of automated decisions. It also requires a data protection assessment for activities that pose a “heightened risk of harm,” including targeted advertising and some types of profiling.
New York City	Automated Employment Decision Tools	December 11, 2021	January 1, 2023	AEDT regulates the use of AI in hiring. It requires employers to notify candidates about the use of such tools, allows candidates to request what data is used, and requires an annual audit to evaluate the tool for bias.
Virginia	Virginia Consumer Data Privacy Act (VCDPA)	March 2, 2021	January 1, 2023	The VCDPA gives consumers the right to opt-out of profiling in furtherance of automated decisions. It also requires a data protection assessment for activities that pose a “heightened risk of harm,” including targeted advertising and some types of profiling.
Utah	Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA)	March 24, 2022	December 31, 2023	The UCPA gives consumers the ability to opt-out of profiling using personal data. Notably, it does not require impact assessments for data controllers.

This legislative session, Montana, Indiana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas passed comprehensive consumer privacy laws that includes provisions regulating AI, mirroring laws that California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Virginia have previously passed. Most notably, the law (1) gives consumers the right to opt out of automated profiling and (2) mandates data protection assessments if the automated decision-making poses a heightened risk of harm. Iowa also passed a consumer privacy law, but it does not grant…

How to Make Penicillin at Home (Just in Case SHTF)

One of the hottest topics in the prepper and survivalist world is how to make penicillin at home.

Considering how expensive healthcare is, I wouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t some DIY types also wanting to learn how to make penicillin.

Because penicillin is “just mold bread” and was discovered by accident, it might seem pretty easy to make penicillin. Yes, it is – but it is really hard to make penicillin safely. If you want to learn how to make DIY penicillin, here’s what you need to know.

Even in SHTF Situations, Homemade Penicillin Probably Isn’t a Good Solution

Before I even get into the (complex) instructions on how to make penicillin at home, I want to emphasize that it isn’t as straightforward as many prepper sites would have you think.

Penicillin doesn’t treat superbugs: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a huge problem. Already many bacterial strains are resistant to penicillin. So, don’t count on penicillin to save you from every infection!
Penicillin doesn’t treat all infections: Penicillin can be used in many throat, respiratory, and skin infections. It won’t treat tooth infections or UTIs (amongst others).
It requires strange ingredients: Most people won’t have these things at home if SHTF. That’s an insane level of preparedness. Even if you do have the supplies, it’s still very complicated to safely make penicillin.

When Would I Recommend Learning to Make Penicillin?

I think learning any skill is a good use of time. However, I personally think that this one only makes sense if you plan on becoming an expert. I mean REAL EXPERT.

Why?

Because you could make penicillin as a SHTF bartering item. You’ll become much more valuable to your survival community if you know this too. Otherwise, you are spending a lot of time on this skill when simpler alternatives exist.

Alternatives to Homemade Penicillin

Most doctors won’t give out prescriptions for antibiotics “just in case.” Even if they did, those antibiotics can be really expensive!

A better alternative is to use fish antibiotics, which currently don’t require a prescription, are cheap, and easy to get.

But, just in case you still want to learn to make penicillin, here are the instructions!

Good luck!!!

Step 1. Isolating Penicillin Bacteria

Put a piece of bread, cantaloupe, or citrus fruit in a container in a dark place at 70 degrees F. It should be in a closed (but not airtight) container. It helps to add a few drops of water to the container and leave all but one corner closed to keep in moisture.

It can take weeks for the mold to start growing. Hopefully, you aren’t trying to treat gangrene with your DIY penicillin because your patient will likely be dead before you get any usable spores.

The bread or fruit will start getting a gray mold. This gray mold will eventually turn a bluish-green color. This is the…

17 Cold Weather Plants That Can Survive Winter Outside

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The 17 Best Homesteading Books to Grow Your Knowledge

Questions come up daily on a homestead.

You need solid advice on how to build, grow, and manage your land. Luckily, you aren’t alone. There are tons of books available for homesteaders, covering everything from organic gardening to home medicine.

Remember, information is power. No matter where you are in your journey to self-sufficiency, you can develop your skill set and improve your quality of life with these 17 homesteading books.

Gardening and Growing

How to Create Your Garden: Ideas and Advice for Transforming Your Outdoor Space

By Adam Frost | 256 pages

This book is an excellent reference for those starting a garden from scratch. Rather than focusing on inspiration or ideas, Frost lays out actionable plans for designing and constructing garden space.

You’ll discover step-by-step instructions for mapping, layout, materials, and strategies for building hardscapes and raised beds. With full-page photographs and detailed drawings, the book helps transform homesteading daydreams into food-producing realities.

The Family Garden Plan: Grow a Year’s Worth of Sustainable and Healthy Food

By Melissa K. Norris | 224 pages

This book aims to teach beginner homesteaders how to grow a year’s worth of food sustainably. It’s chocked full of tips for choosing what to plant, when to plant, how to harvest, and even how to protect your garden from pests. It features charts and worksheets for a practical approach, including region-specific details and outlines on how to keep soil healthy for next year’s garden.

The Resilient Farm and Homestead

By Ben Falk | 368 pages

This comprehensive guide to whole-system permaculture designs is based on Falk’s real-world knowledge and hard practice of sustainable gardening. It gives detailed explanations on building and developing regenerative agriculture anywhere, including colder climates where many deem it impractical or impossible.

You’ll discover concrete plans and solid advice in these pages, coming away with a hopeful outlook for your homestead and our planet’s future.

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible

By Edward C. Smith | 352 pages

This practical handbook covers productive food gardening across every region of the US. It lays out a roadmap to achieve high-yield results in any growing zone, advising on soil depth, timing, temperature, germination, and best practices for over 70 herbs and…

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USA Today: NYC subways join airports, police in using AI surveillance. Privacy experts are worried.

The new policy has drawn many critics. Data and privacy experts said MTA’s new initiative doesn’t address the underlying problem that causes fare evasion, which is related to poverty and access.

Instead, the program tries “to use technology to solve a problem in a way that is more or less a Band-Aid,” said Jeramie Scott, senior counsel and director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy, litigation and research center.

Read the full article here.

7 Genius Seedling Greenhouses You Can Make Today

With this idea, all you need is a clear plastic food container with a lid. Then you can use tissue paper cores or cardboard rolls to complete the greenhouse for your seedlings.

For more ideas on seedling greenhouses, check out this full tutorial video from OikoEco:

Of course, if you want the faster route to growing seedlings, you can buy a full-sized greenhouse. It’s already available in Amazon, and you can choose among the different sizes and even designs.

There’s something nice about upcycling old items, though. Besides, turning them into something useful such as seedling greenhouses is a valuable skill.

Benefits of Seedling Greenhouses

The benefits of seedling greenhouses are numerous and can greatly aid in the successful growth of plants. Some of the key advantages include:

Controlled Environment: Seedling greenhouses provide a controlled environment, allowing growers to regulate temperature, humidity, and light levels. This ensures optimal conditions for seed germination and early plant growth.

Extended Growing Season: With seedling greenhouses, you can start your plants earlier in the year and extend the growing season well into the fall or even year-round. This enables you to grow crops that would not survive in harsh outdoor conditions.

Protection from Weather and Pests: Greenhouses shield seedlings from extreme weather events, such as frost, hail, or heavy rains, which can damage or destroy young plants. They also serve as a physical barrier against pests and diseases, reducing the need for chemical interventions.

Faster Growth: Seedling greenhouses provide an environment with optimized conditions for plant growth, leading to faster and healthier development. This can result in earlier and more abundant harvests.

Water Efficiency: Greenhouses often incorporate efficient irrigation systems, reducing water usage and minimizing wastage compared to outdoor cultivation.

Reduced Weeding: Since seedlings are started in a controlled environment, there is less competition from weeds, saving time and effort in manual weeding.

Experimentation and Research: Greenhouses allow for experimentation with different plant varieties, growing techniques, and environmental conditions, making them valuable for agricultural research and development.

Environmental Benefits: Growing seedlings in a controlled greenhouse environment can lead to reduced pesticide and fertilizer use, as well as lower overall resource consumption, contributing to a more sustainable agricultural practice.

Portability and Flexibility: Some seedling greenhouses are portable and modular, offering flexibility in terms of location and setup. This versatility is beneficial for hobbyists and urban growers with limited space.

These ideas are a good start. With some ingenuity and creativity, you can come up with even more!

These tips will also inspire you to start a cheap but effective garden. You don’t need to spend a lot — or any — money on greenhouse accessories and greenhouse equipment.

You can also create this homemade weed killer to protect the seedlings further. The most important thing is these seeds will grow and serve their purpose.

Loading … Do you have other seedlings greenhouses ideas you can recommend? Do share them in the comments section below!

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How to Gain Financial Freedom While Homesteading

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Homestead Layout Plans on 1 Acre or Less

You want to start homesteading but don’t have a lot of land? Lack of land is one of the biggest excuses I hear from people who’d like to become more self-sufficient but don’t get started.

I hear you because I also used to believe that homesteading required tons of land! That’s why I want to share these tiny homestead layouts with you. The homestead layout plans are 1 acre or under and help their owners achieve a considerable degree of self-sufficiency and even some income!

Read: What is homesteading?

1/3 Acre Homestead Layout

This homestead layout plan is from Lindsey at Chickadeehomestead.com. Yes, it is only 1/3 of an acre – but that is enough for the family to raise and grow 80% of their food and most of their personal care items!

How have they done it? Focusing on food sources that don’t take up a lot of space, for example, raising chickens and rabbits instead of cattle and sheep.

1/8 Acre Urban Homestead Layout

Melissa at Evergrowingfarm.com has a truly impressive homestead layout – particularly because it is an urban farm.

What started as a “postage stamp of dead earth” amongst busy streets soon became an oasis. There are:

165 sq. feet raised bed garden
260 sq. feet ground-level growing space
Strawbale compost pile
A dog run
Chicken coop and two brooders
Rainwater barrels that can hold 175 gallons
5 chickens (which later grew to 20 chickens)

How did they do it? It was all about smart practices like crop rotation and utilizing the space smartly. You can learn more about the urban homestead here.

½ Acre Homestead Layout

This ½ acre homestead layout comes from a 1950s brochure made by the California Agricultural Extension Service.

You’ll see that the home and living area haven’t been significantly reduced (you could put more garden space or chickens where those evergreens are!). Yet, there is still a lot of food to be reaped from the orchard and garden. Like with the first tiny homestead, rabbits and chickens have been chosen for their efficiency.

Other Tiny Homestead Layout Plans

The owners of these websites didn’t get back to me with permission to share their images. So, you’ll have to click on the website to see the tiny homestead layouts yourself. It just shows that there are many ways to improve your self-sufficiency through homesteading, even in a small space!

The Myth that You Need a Lot of Land to Be Self-Sufficient

Before starting my homesteading journey, I…

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Vox: The tricky truth about how generative AI uses your data

Simply put, generative AI systems need as much data as possible to train on. The more they get, the better they can generate approximations of how humans sound, look, talk, and write. The internet provides massive amounts of data that’s relatively easy to gobble up through web scraping tools and APIs. But that gobbling process doesn’t distinguish between copyrighted works or personal data; if it’s out there, it takes it.

“In the absence of meaningful privacy regulations, that means that people can scrape really widely all over the internet, take anything that is ‘publicly available’ — that top layer of the internet for lack of a better term — and just use it in their product,” said Ben Winters, who leads the Electronic Privacy Information Center’s AI and Human Rights Project and co-authored its report on generative AI harms.

Read the full article here.

The Best Stockman Knife for Any Adventure: From Farm to Wilderness

I’ve been using Stockman knives for almost half a century. They are extremely versatile and capable of performing a variety of tasks. While not a heavy-duty workhorse, it’s the perfect fit for everyday carry and everyday tasks.

From day-to-day tasks on the homestead to fishing, hunting, camping, and hiking, I have several of these handy tools tucked in various places around my home. From pockets to vehicles to bug-out bags, this is one knife I never leave home without.

If you’re looking for an all-around utility knife to perform a variety of light-duty tasks, you can’t go wrong with the Stockman pattern. They’re discreet, lightweight, and versatile. Here are some of my favorite Stockman knives on the market today.

Reviews of the Best Stockman Knives

Best Overall

Hen & Rooster HR313DS-BRK Stockman, One Size

Clip-point blade: 2 ¼” | Sheepsfoot blade: 1 ⅝” | Spey blade: 1 ⅝” | Weight: 3.2 oz

The Hen & Rooster Stockman features a classic Stockman blade configuration with two back springs sandwiched between two brass liners. On one end, you have a clip blade paired with a sheepsfoot blade. At the opposite end is a spey blade.

The handle scales are made from authentic deer stag and are pinned to the liners with three brass pins. The serpentine handle is flanked with smooth and nicely rounded nickel-silver bolsters and features a Hen & Rooster logo inlay.

The stag scales are rather thick in the middle and taper down towards the bolsters, for a nice, contoured feel. I like the beefy 4″ handle, which is larger than your average Stockman, providing a full four-finger grip. The full handle helps offset the smooth scale grip.

All three blades are made of Solingen stainless steel, which is commonly used in commercial cutlery. It is well known for its edge retention, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. The stainless-steel blades are easy to sharpen but do require frequent sharpening with routine use and may require some touch-ups out of the box.

All the tangs are stamped and display a full flat grind, giving it excellent versatility. Each blade has an easily accessible nail nick opening mechanism and a smooth satin finish that reduces its glare.

The walk and talk of the blade is smooth, but snappy, with little to no blade rub. The larger size of this knife gives it a slight edge over the others and makes it the perfect general-purpose pocket knife that is more suitable for heavier workloads, albeit limited.

Its size is large enough for gutting, skinning, and cleaning small fish and game in the field, or cutting through hay bail twine, rope, hoses, and other unmentionables around the farm. But it’s also lightweight and fits very comfortably in both the hand and the pocket.

Hen & Rooster is a trusted company with over 160 years of experience, and it’s…