EVENTS

Lifehacker: You Can Attend Sundance Without Going to Utah. “The 2023 Sundance Film Festival returns to Park City, Utah this week, but you don’t have to travel to enjoy a packed schedule of movie screenings. After several years of partly virtual (or virtual-only) programming, it seems like online showings are here to stay.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

The Verge: CNET pauses publishing AI-written stories after disclosure controversy. “In a staff call on Friday, CNET leadership told staff it was pausing all AI-generated content for now. Top executives at Red Ventures, the firm that owns CNET and other websites, also offered more details on the company’s AI tool.”

Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog: BIG NEWS from the Illinois State Archives- Death Certificates Database Updated to 1971!. “ISGS has just heard fantastic news from the Illinois State Archives Director, Dr. David Joens- The Illinois Death Certificates searchable database at ilsos.gov has been updated to include death certificate entries for the years 1951-1971!”

AROUND THE INTERNET WORLD

Wall Street Journal: Forget Google Maps: Why Paper Map Sales Are Booming. “Digital maps, while powerful, aren’t perfect navigational tools: Phone batteries die, cell signals fail. And though a smartphone can easily direct you to the quickest route, taking it often means you’ll miss the best scenery. A paper map, more like those made by early humans, can provide a bigger picture…. Perhaps that’s why paper maps are regaining popularity.”

Nevada Humanities: Nevada Humanities Awards More Than $194,000 in Major Project Grants (this link is to a PDF file.) “Thirty cultural organizations across Nevada have been awarded $194,110 in Major Project Grants by Nevada Humanities. These grants fund humanities projects across the state and benefit nonprofit organizations and government and tribal entities, including libraries, museums, and schools to fund public and educational programs in the humanities.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Bleeping Computer: Hackers push malware via Google search ads for VLC, 7-Zip, CCleaner. “Hackers are setting up fake websites for popular free and open-source software to promote malicious downloads through advertisements in Google search results. At least one prominent user on the cryptocurrency scene has fallen victim to the campaign, claiming it allowed hacker hackers steal all their digital crypto assets along with control over their professional and personal accounts.”

WIRED: A Sneaky Ad Scam Tore Through 11 Million Phones. “Security researchers today revealed a new widespread attack on the online advertising ecosystem that has impacted millions of people, defrauded hundreds of companies, and potentially netted its creators some serious profits. The attack, dubbed Vastflux, was discovered by researchers at Human Security, a firm focusing on fraud and bot activity. The attack impacted 11 million phones, with the attackers spoofing 1,700 app and targeting 120 publishers. At its peak, the attackers were making 12 billion requests for ads per day.”

Ars Technica: Twitter hired experts for case against Musk—now Musk won’t pay them, lawsuit says . “Twitter was sued yesterday by a consulting firm that says it was never paid for work it did on the lawsuit that forced Elon Musk to complete his purchase of the company. Charles River Associates (CRA) says it was hired by Twitter in August 2022, shortly after Twitter sued Musk over his refusal to complete their $44 billion merger agreement. Musk finally completed the purchase in late October after it became clear that he was likely to lose in court.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

University of Wyoming: UW Professors Develop Dashboard to Drive Education Decision-Making. “University of Wyoming College of Education faculty members have published a paper in the journal PLOS ONE describing the development of an interactive dashboard that combines data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

Search Engine Journal: GPT-4 Is Coming: A Look Into The Future Of AI. “GPT-4, is said by some to be ‘next-level’ and disruptive, but what will the reality be CEO Sam Altman answers questions about the GPT-4 and the future of AI.” Good afternoon, Internet…

Do you like ResearchBuzz? Does it help you out? Please consider supporting it on Patreon. Not interested in commitment? Perhaps you’d buy me an iced tea. Check out Search Gizmos when you have a minute. I love your comments, I love your site suggestions, and I love you.