“Americans’ views of China have continued to sour, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Today, 73% of U.S. adults say they have an unfavorable view of the country, up 26 percentage points since 2018. Since March alone, negative views of China have increased 7 points, and there is a widespread sense that China… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: August 2020
Americans Who Mainly Get Their News on Social Media Are Less Engaged, Less Knowledgeable
Those who rely on social media for news are less likely to get the facts right about the coronavirus and politics and more likely to hear some unproven claims – “The rise of social media has changed the information landscape in myriad ways, including the manner in which many Americans keep up with current events.… Continue Reading
The Sticky Service Challenge for Law Libraries
Via LLRX – The Sticky Service Challenge for Law Libraries – As a law librarian, law and technology expert, professor, writer and speaker, with significant work experience in multiple sectors, David Whelan is uniquely positioned to discuss the critical question – What does it take to make a service sticky enough for people to stay? Continue Reading
ABA Profile of the Legal Profession
“The state of the legal profession changes every year. The 2020 ABA Profile of the Legal Profession is a snapshot of the profession at a moment in time – a 150-page compilation of statistics and trends in 10 areas: Legal deserts, demographics, lawyer pay, legal education, judges, pro bono work, women in the profession, legal… Continue Reading
Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, August 1, 2020
Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, August 1, 2020: Privacy and security issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly… Continue Reading
Not even scientists can tell these birds apart. But now, computers can
Science – “It’s a fact of life for birders that some species are fiendishly difficult to tell apart—in particular, the sparrows and drab songbirds dubbed “little brown jobs.” Distinguishing individuals is nearly impossible. Now, a computer program analyzing photos and videos has accomplished that feat. The advance promises to reveal new information on bird behaviors…So… Continue Reading
Colleges Seek Waivers From Risk-Taking Students
Inside Higher Education: “As fall semester approaches, students are increasingly opposing liability waivers and “informed consent” agreements required by colleges as a condition of returning to campus…” Via a rising junior at Bates College in Maine, the text of the agreement is as follows – “I am voluntarily assuming any and all risks that notwithstanding… Continue Reading
Nobody Accurately Tracks Health Care Workers Lost to COVID-19. So She Stays Up At Night Cataloging the Dead
ProPublica – “Anesthesiologist Claire Rezba started tracking lost health workers almost instinctively. Researchers and industry professionals say the lack of good official data on these deaths is “scandalous” and is putting lives in danger.. Rezba’s exercise in psychological self-protection evolved into a bona fide mission. Soon she was spending a couple of hours a day… Continue Reading
How Internet Archive and controlled digital lending can help course reserves this fall
Chris Freeland – Director of Open Libraries at Internet Archive: “I host regular webinars about the Internet Archive’s Open Libraries program, helping librarians and others understand how controlled digital lending works, and how their library can make their print collections available to users online. The question of how to safely handle course reserves is clearly… Continue Reading
What the 15 biggest US school districts are planning for reopening
CNN: “Of the 15 biggest school districts in the country, only one is offering schools the option of in-person instruction, and 10 of them have opted to begin the school year with online learning only. Three have opted for a hybrid: New York City, Chicago and Hawaii Public Schools. Hillsborough County, Florida, the eighth-biggest district… Continue Reading
Study – Lifestyle changes could delay or prevent 40% of dementia cases
The Guardian UK: “Excessive drinking, exposure to air pollution and head injuries all increase dementia risk, experts say in a report revealing that up to 40% of dementia cases worldwide could be delayed or prevented by addressing 12 such lifestyle factors. Around 50 million people around the world live with dementia, including about 850,000 people… Continue Reading
Humans are notoriously bad at assessing their risk. In a pandemic, that’s a problem
San Francisco Chronicle: “In the first few weeks of the pandemic, the familiar options of everyday life narrowed to almost nothing. The Bay Area largely hunkered down and stayed home while the coronavirus numbers climbed. Decisions had been made for us: School and work were closed, travel and socializing designated unsafe by health officials. The… Continue Reading
