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Americans Are Using the Dumbest Possible Passwords

Gizmodo: “Just about everyone knows at this point that it’s important to use a strong password. But that hasn’t stopped a lot of people from using the dumbest passwords imaginable. NordPass just published its annual lists of the most popular easy-to-crack passwords, and there are quite a few bad ones, as well as some head-scratchers. The people behind NordPass, a password manager, have been compiling these lists for six years now, analyzed from sets of passwords stolen by malware and exposed in data leaks. The latest batch of lists include not just personal credentials like in previous years, but also corporate passwords. This year’s lists include data from 44 countries, and it’s interesting to see how the most common bad passwords vary by country. For instance, the most common bad password in Canada is “qwerty123,” while in the U.S. it’s “secret.” But overall across the 44 countries analyzed, the most common password is “123456.” Below, we’ve got the top 20 most common passwords overall across 44 countries, along with the top 20 lists for a few other countries like the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. You can find all the lists at NordPass…”

Undercover investigation reveals the deception of “humane”-certified farms

Vox: “An overwhelming majority of Americans say they’re concerned about the treatment of animals raised for meat, and many believe they can help by simply selecting from one of the many brands that advertise their chicken or pork as “humane.” But such marketing claims have long borne little resemblance to the ugly reality of raising… Continue Reading

Hourly retail workers are now wearing police-like body cameras

CNN – “…Retail giant TJX, the parent of TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, said it’s equipping some store employees with body cameras to thwart shoplifting and keep customers and employees safe. TJX finance chief John Klinger disclosed the body-camera initiative on an earnings call last month. “It’s almost like a de-escalation, where people are less… Continue Reading

Social Media Fact Sheet

Pew Research – “Many Americans use social media to connect with one another, engage with news content, share information and entertain themselves. Explore the patterns and trends shaping the social media landscape. Which social media platforms are most common? YouTube and Facebook are the most-widely used online platforms. Half of U.S. adults say they use… Continue Reading

Google Maps just got 5 big upgrades in time for the holidays

Tom’s Guide – “Today, Google announced the arrival of several new features meant to help with your holiday plans. The features cover everything from traveling on public transit to planning trips with your electric vehicle or a trailer. Most of the features are built around making travel easier and to help you get around without… Continue Reading

How did Trump win the election?

New interactive tool takes deep dive into voter demographics, Northeastern Global News – Demographic Vote Prediction Tool. “The tool developed by Northeastern University Distinguished Professor David Lazer allows users to select for demographics including gender, race, income, education, age and voting preference in 2020 and 2024. Trump secured victories in the key swing states of… Continue Reading

United States International Trade Commission annual datasets of US import tariffs

Data is Plural: “The United States International Trade Commission maintains annual datasets of US import tariffs going back to 1997. The datasets include each impacted product’s eight-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule code, a brief description, the duty rate, rate type, effective and ending dates, and more. The commission also publishes a tariff search tool and data… Continue Reading

Genetic Discrimination Is Coming for Us All

The Atlantic: [unpaywalled] “Insurers are refusing to cover Americans whose DNA reveals health risks. It’s perfectly legal…Studies have shown that people seek out additional insurance when they have increased genetic odds of becoming ill or dying. “Life insurers carefully evaluate each applicant’s health, determining premiums and coverage based on life expectancy,” Jan Graeber, a senior… Continue Reading

100 Most Powerful People in Business

Fortune: “How do you measure power, exactly? Revenue alone doesn’t define it, nor does seniority. Who is more powerful: the CEO who oversees a $20 billion enterprise? Or the AI genius who leaves that bureaucratic behemoth to found a nimble, paradigm-shifting startup? The farsighted venture capitalist who inks a term sheet to fund said startup?… Continue Reading