NEW RESOURCES

KRQE: New website connects New Mexicans to jobs, training opportunities. “Ready NM allows people to browse current job openings, learn about career fields, find career training and education programs near them, and access information about other resources such as scholarships and grants, childcare, and adult education services.”

State of Connecticut: Governor Lamont Launches Website Providing Updated Information on the Legalization of Cannabis in Connecticut. “Although the portion of the law permitting adults to possess and consume cannabis went into effect on July 1, there are several components that do not go into effect for another one to two years, most notably the establishment of retail sales, which are expected to begin toward the end of 2022 and will have a very specific licensing process and social equity requirement. The governor explained that this website is intended as a resource to provide Connecticut residents with the most up-to-date information about this ongoing process.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

Opera Blogs: Meet the world’s first alternative browser optimized for Chromebooks. “We’re proud to announce that Opera is now the world’s first alternative browser optimized for Chromebooks. The Opera Browser brings many unique features previously unavailable on the Chrome OS platform, including a free, unlimited, no-log browser VPN, ad blocker, cookie dialog blocker and color themes.”

Tubefilter: YouTube TV Unveils $20 ‘4K Plus’ Add-On Package, Sports-Specific Features Ahead Of Olympics. “Ahead of the Olympics kickoff next month, YouTube TV is releasing a series of new features, including a 4K add-on package, as well as 5.1 Dolby Audio, which is gradually rolling out for free to all members.”

The Verge: Riot made some chill beats for creators to stream to. “League of Legends developer Riot is making something new — and very chill. The company just released an album called Sessions: Vi, which is packed with 37 lo-fi tracks from producers like Chromonicci, Junior State, Laxcity, and Tennyson. The idea, the company says, is to offer ‘stream-safe’ music that creators on platforms like YouTube and Twitch can use, without having to worry about copyright strikes.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

New York Times: Who Is rg_bunny1: An Instagram Whodunit. “It is the parlor game of the pandemic. Among a certain segment of the scrolling classes, art and literary division, firing up their tablets and smartphones each morning has taken on aspects of a whodunit. Rifling through Instagram feeds, they register with half yawns the sponsored posts and thirst traps, the Throwback Thursday selfies and banal memes of cats. All the while they are waiting to happen upon the latest clue from a particular account.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Wall Street Journal: Facebook, Twitter, Google Threaten to Quit Hong Kong Over Proposed Data Laws. “Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc., and Alphabet Inc.’s Google have privately warned the Hong Kong government that they could stop offering their services in the city if authorities proceed with planned changes to data-protection laws that could make them liable for the malicious sharing of individuals’ information online.”

Associated Press: Microsoft exec: Targeting of Americans’ records ‘routine’. “Federal law enforcement agencies secretly seek the data of Microsoft customers thousands of times a year, according to congressional testimony Wednesday by a senior executive at the technology company. Tom Burt, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for customer security and trust, told members of the House Judiciary Committee that federal law enforcement in recent years has been presenting the company with between 2,400 to 3,500 secrecy orders a year, or about seven to 10 a day.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

Next City: LEARN-ing to Sustain a City’s Culture and Character. “The following is an adapted excerpt of ‘Sustaining a City’s Culture and Character,’ by Charles R. Wolfe with Tigran Haas, published by Rowman & Littlefield. In it, the authors lay out a comprehensive method (heavily dependent on context) for assessing how and why certain places are considered successful, authentic, or unique. As the world, and cities, respond to and grapple with climate change threats, public health crises, and powerful calls for social justice, understanding the through lines that connect a city to its past, to its essence, will be more important than ever.”

Ubergizmo: This App Scans Your Lego Bricks And Tells You What To Build . “If you’ve been collecting Lego for years, chances are you might be sitting on a box or two of random leftover bricks. What you want to build using those bricks is entirely up to you, but if you’re open to suggestions, then maybe you might want to take a look at the Brickit app that uses augmented reality to help give you some suggestions.” Good afternoon, Internet…

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