NEW RESOURCES

Fox43: New website marks the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Agnes, highlights efforts to prepare for future storms. “As the 50th anniversary of the storm nears, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and emergency management leaders from several states affected by the hurricane have teamed up to create a new website that chronicles the history of Hurricane Agnes and highlights efforts to prepare for future storms.”

University of North Carolina: University Libraries releases guide to conscious editing for finding aids and catalog records. “The guide compiles practices that staff at the Wilson Special Collections Library have refined as they update, edit and create new archival finding aids. Finding aids are documents that describe the contents of archival collections. They help researchers identify materials of potential interest.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

ABC News: Yubo app allegedly used by Uvalde gunman adds new ‘safety features’ following shooting. “Representatives of the social media app Yubo said on Tuesday that the platform is adding new safety features and updating its usage guidelines following news that the accused Robb Elementary School gunman allegedly used the app to send disturbing messages that appear to have gone unnoticed in the days leading up to the deadly shooting.”

Engadget: Google adds auto-transcription and simplified grading to its education tools. “Many students have returned to in-person classes, but that isn’t stopping Google from making online education more viable. The company has updated Classroom and Workspace for Education with a host of features that improve life for teachers and students alike.”

USEFUL STUFF

MakeUseOf: 7 Apps That Let You Stream Local News for Free. “If you have cut the cord, accessing local news through your TV can be complicated. The good news is you don’t need a costly cable package to stay on top of what’s happening in your neighborhood. Nowadays, there are plenty of free sites and apps that let you stream local news directly to your TV or smartphone. Here are our top picks if you’d like to stream local news channels for free.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Rolling Stone: The Jan. 6 Committee Wants Twitter’s Internal Slack Messages. Twitter Is Fighting It. “Twitter is fighting a Jan. 6 committee request for its employees’ internal communications — including Slack messages about moderating Tweets related to the Capitol attack, three sources familiar with the matter tell Rolling stone.”

New York Times: How ‘Trustless’ Is Bitcoin, Really?. “In myth, the cryptocurrency is egalitarian, decentralized and all but anonymous. The reality is very different, scientists have found.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

Ars Technica: Making blockchain stop wasting energy by getting it to manage energy. “One of the worst features of blockchain technologies like cryptocurrency and NFTs is their horrific energy use. When we should be wringing every bit of efficiency out of our electricity use, most blockchains require computers to perform pointless calculations repeatedly. The obvious solution is to base blockchains on useful calculations—something we might need to do anyway…. A paper released this week adds another option to this list.”

PR Newswire: Deep Analytics Opens EOD Data Hub for Beta Testing by Explosive Ordnance Disposal Experts (PRESS RELEASE). “Deep Analytics LLC, a leading developer of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the DoD, has completed initial development of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) image data hub where experts can share photographs and details of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The EOD Data Hub is now open for beta testing by military ordnance disposal personnel and public safety bomb technicians.”

OTHER THINGS I THINK ARE COOL

CFB Esquimalt Lookout Navy News: Electronics technician establishes digital library in the Congo. “The digital library employs [Nzolantima] Swasisa’s high-tech invention called Lokole – a tiny black box of computer components that harnesses free satellite internet signals available in Africa. It can provide web and email access within a 25-metre radius for 100 users. Swasisa notes only 18 per cent of Congo’s 90 million citizens have internet access.” Good afternoon, Internet…

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