NEW RESOURCES

ScienceDaily: New database to support conservation. “The database presents a valuable tool for planning conservation actions at any spatial scale and preventing species extinctions globally. This represents a large volume of literature that captures a wide variety of threats such as the collection of medicinal plants, hunting, pollution, and alien invasive species, that are particularly difficult to account for in global datasets.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

Wolfram Blog: Wolfram|Alpha, Now in Español!. “The Spanish version includes all the math topics available in the English version. The wide diversity of math topics included in Wolfram|Alpha allows it to answer almost any question, from elementary math to differential equations and elliptic functions.”

AccessWire: FestivalNet(R) Updates Largest Database of Festivals and Fairs in North America (PRESS RELEASE). “From spring to winter, FestivalNet® covers 18,000 events around North America, each of which attracts hundreds or thousands of patrons, vendors, and visitors, creating opportunities in each host city, and a chance to experience new and exciting exhibits, games, food, and entertainment.”

USEFUL STUFF

KnowTechie: PicWish is one of the best image background removers out there. “This free image background remover and photo editor has a solid number of features. And even better, there are bulk editing options for those large jobs. Previously, you’d have to spend hours in Photoshop or offload the bulk work to someone on Fiverr.”

Gizmodo AU: Your Complete Guide to Google’s Best Time Waster, Google Earth. “Google Earth feels like a mixture between a mapping application and an educational tool, letting you pull off some really neat things with a render of the globe. What can you do with Google’s 3D world exploration tool, I hear you ask? Well, let’s explain.”

AROUND THE INTERNET WORLD

9to5Google: Carbon, a new programming language from Google, aims to be C++ successor. “Carbon, the latest programming language to be built within Google, was unveiled today as an experimental successor to C++.”

California State University San Marcos: Photographer’s Donated Collection Helps Preserve History of Region. “Thanks to the wisdom of [Bill] Dendle, the diligence of [Dan] Rios and the help of some history-loving friends, Rios’ life’s work as a photojournalist now belongs to the Cal State San Marcos library in perpetuity. Donated in 2018, the Dan Rios Papers, as the library’s Special Collections department has coined it, consists of an estimated one million images that were originally stashed in more than 40,000 envelopes and almost 200 boxes. The collection also contains large- and medium-format prints, contact sheets and hundreds of letters that Rios received over the years from readers who were affected by his photos.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

NBC News: Neopets says its website was hacked. “Neopets, a website where users take care of virtual made-up species of ‘pets,’ was hacked this week. On Wednesday, the Neopets Twitter account said it is aware that ‘customer data may have been stolen’ and that it’s launched an investigation ‘assisted by a leading forensics firm.'”

US Department of Justice: Man Arrested For Leading Role In $10 Million Tech Support Fraud Scheme That Exploited Elderly Victims . “Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced charges against VINOTH PONMARAN for participating in a conspiracy that for several years exploited elderly victims by remotely accessing their computers and convincing victims to pay for computer support services they did not need, and which were never actually provided. In total, the conspiracy generated more than $10 million in proceeds from at least approximately 7,500 victims.”

Reuters: Uber admits covering up 2016 hacking affecting 57 million passengers and drivers. “Uber Technologies Inc on Friday accepted responsibility for covering up a 2016 data breach that affected 57 million passengers and drivers, as part of a settlement with US prosecutors to avoid criminal charges.” Good afternoon, Internet…

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