Mail-in genetic tests offer a wealth of information about your ancestry and insight into medical risks — in exchange for a lot of data. Here’s where that data goes, and how to delete it. “Consumer DNA testing kits like those from 23andMe, Ancestry.com and MyHeritage promise a road map to your genealogy and, in some… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: June 2019
Dogs may have evolved ‘puppy-dog eyes’ to tug at our hearts
Washington Post – “The mournful, pleading, eyebrows-up expression dogs make is so familiar that we have made it into an idiom: puppy-dog eyes. A study suggests it’s yet another example of dogs’ remarkable ability to communicate with people, one that evolved as the animals were domesticated from ancient wolves at least 15,000 years ago. A… Continue Reading
The Impeachment Process in the House of Representatives
CRS Report via LC – The Impeachment Process in the House of Representatives. June 14, 2019: “Under the U.S. Constitution, the House of Representatives has the power to formally charge a federal officer with wrongdoing, a process known as impeachment. The House impeaches an individual when a majority agrees to a House resolution containing explanations… Continue Reading
The One Percent Have Gotten $21T Richer Since 1989. The Bottom 50% Have Gotten Poorer.
New York Magazine – The Intelligencer: “…The Federal Reserve just released some data that makes the state of this alignment easier to gauge. In its new Distributive Financial Accounts data series, the central bank offers a granular picture of how American capitalism has been distributing the gains of economic growth over the past three decades.… Continue Reading
AP report – Spy used AI-generated face to connect with targets
AP – “Katie Jones sure seemed plugged into Washington’s political scene. The 30-something redhead boasted a job at a top think tank and a who’s-who network of pundits and experts, from the centrist Brookings Institution to the right-wing Heritage Foundation. She was connected to a deputy assistant secretary of state, a senior aide to a… Continue Reading
The Beginner’s Guide to Google Docs
How-to-Geek: “If you’re just getting started with Google Docs, its extensive features and add-ons can be a little overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you get started with this powerful alternative to Microsoft Word. What is Google Docs? If you’ve heard of Google Docs before, feel free to skip ahead. If you’ve never heard… Continue Reading
FOIA to DOJ Seeking Legal Analysis Used By Treasury to Withhold Tax Return Info from Congress
American Oversight – Trump’s Tax Returns: “According to the Treasury Department, Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s refusal to comply with a House committee’s request for the president’s tax returns is based on a Justice Department legal analysis — even though the IRS issued a memorandum concluding that such documents must be produced unless there is a claim of… Continue Reading
How to Improve Your iPhone’s Battery Life
iFixit: If you’re worried you’re not getting the battery life you should, the battery may just be old. Over time, batteries degrade, leading to lower and lower life after a couple years—meaning you might be able to solve your problem with an inexpensive battery replacement. Apple rates iPhone batteries at 500 charge cycles, or about… Continue Reading
How librarians, pirates, and funders are liberating the world’s academic research from paywalls
Vox – The war to free science. “The 27,500 scientists who work for the University of California generate 10 percent of all the academic research papers published in the United States. …The University of California decided it doesn’t want scientific knowledge locked behind paywalls, and thinks the cost of academic publishing has gotten out of… Continue Reading
Knowledge Isn’t Neutral: On Radical Librarianship
Teachers & Writers Magazine, Jehan Roberson, May 28, 2019: “That titular truism is one that led many of us to teach, to write, and to examine critically the power held by stewards of “things worth knowing.” At every turn we must question not only the why’s, but the how’s and the who’s. How was this… Continue Reading
How to Read an Aircraft Seat Map
the Points Guy: “If you’ve checked in online for a flight or selected your seat in advance, you may have been presented with a visual seat map — either allowing you to choose which available seat you would like or showing you where on the plane you will be sitting. Some seat maps are very… Continue Reading
Killer Apps: Vanishing Messages, Encrypted Communications, and Challenges to FOIA Laws
Daxton R. Stewart, Killer Apps: Vanishing Messages, Encrypted Communications, and Challenges to Freedom of Information Laws When Public Officials “Go Dark”, 10 Case W. Res. J.L. Tech. & Internet [1] (first article) (2019) “Government officials such as White House staffers and the Missouri governor have been communicating among themselves and leaking to journalists using apps… Continue Reading
