Quartz: “The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have hidden an undisclosed number of covert surveillance cameras inside streetlights around the country, federal contracting documents reveal. According to government procurement data, the DEA has paid a Houston, Texas company called Cowboy Streetlight Concealments LLC roughly $22,000 since June 2018 for “video recording and reproducing equipment.” ICE paid out about $28,000 to Cowboy Streetlight Concealments over the same period of time. It’s unclear where the DEA and ICE streetlight cameras have been installed, or where the next deployments will take place. ICE offices in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio have provided funding for recent acquisitions from Cowboy Streetlight Concealments; the DEA’s most recent purchases were funded by the agency’s Office of Investigative Technology, which is located in Lorton, Virginia…”
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Daily Archives: November 11, 2018
The history of the toy library
The Atlantic – Every city should have a toy library. “In the 1930s, the idea of the “toyery,” a public place for children to play with toys, gained some traction in the US. For the Atlantic, Alexandra Lange explains their history and argues for more of them, noting: “Spaces in which to play, and a… Continue Reading
1912 List of Books for Home Reading – High School Pupils
“A List of Books for Home Reading of High-School Pupils” was published in 1912 by the National Council of Teachers of English, a group that formed the year before and still makes recommendations to teachers today. Forerunners to the NCTE list include the NEA’s report on college entrance requirements (1899), Franklin T. Baker’s “Bibliography of… Continue Reading
52,438 High-Definition Images of Artworks Into the Public Domain
Kottke: “The Art Institute of Chicago has placed high-definition images of 52,438 public-domain artworks onto its website (with magnification tools) under a CC0 license (no rights reserved), including The Great Wave, A Sunday on La Grand Jette (unfortunately not magnifiable to this extent), Nighthawks, Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait, Warhol’s Mao, and Two Sisters on the Terrace…” Continue Reading
Many Turn to YouTube for Children’s Content, News, How-To Lessons
“An analysis of videos suggested by the site’s recommendation engine finds that users are directed toward progressively longer and more popular content…A majority of Americans across a wide range of demographic groups are YouTube adopters, with younger Americans standing out as especially avid users of the site. A new Pew Research Center survey of U.S.… Continue Reading
EY explores belonging in the workplace, with new Belonging Barometer study
Ernst & Young: “Research uncovers that workers prefer check-ins and personal connections over facetime with senior leadership While today’s social climate has been associated with controversy and disagreements, it also seems to be banding people together in a more positive way – surprisingly at work. Regardless of background, gender, sexual orientation or race, individuals are… Continue Reading
Women and representation
“Even with a few races yet to be concluded, one clear winner emerged from the latest US election: representation. Specifically, female representation. Nearly 4,000 women ran in federal and state races—an unprecedented number. In the House, 102 women have already been confirmed, with seven more still in the running. In the Senate, 23 women will… Continue Reading
Facebook, Social Media May Add to Depression, Loneliness
University of Pennsylvania: “Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram may not be great for personal well-being. The first experimental study examining use of multiple platforms shows a causal link between time spent on these social media and increased depression and loneliness. The link between the two has been talked about for years, but a causal connection had… Continue Reading
The executive’s AI playbook
McKinsey – The executive’s AI playbook – “It’s time to break out of pilot purgatory and more effectively apply artificial intelligence and advanced analytics throughout your organization. Our interactive playbook can help…” Continue Reading
The Time Capsule That’s as Big as Human History
GQ: “When the apocalypse comes, survivors (and aliens!) will be happy that Martin Kunze built this place…The act of creating that first tablet alone felt absolutely freeing. The ensuing tablets—roughly the size of bathroom tiles—were laser-engraved with personal recollections and global news, texts of books and scientific studies. By starting to build the collection himself… Continue Reading
