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Daily Archives: October 17, 2023

How to Get Past a Paywall to Read Some Articles for Free

Lifehacker: “Over the past several years, countless websites have added paywalls: If you want to read their articles, you have to sign up and pay a monthly fee. Some sites have a “metered” paywall—meaning you can read a certain number of articles for free before they ask for money—and others have a hard paywall, where you’ll have to pay to read even one article. It’s mostly news websites that have paywalls, largely because relying on advertising income alone just isn’t viable anymore, and news companies are pursuing more direct revenue sources like monthly subscriptions. And, of course, we’re not against paywalls—and you probably aren’t either. If you can afford to pay to read articles, you absolutely should. But whether you lost your password, haven’t saved it on your phone, are in a rush, or are just strapped for cash and promise yourself that you’ll subscribe later, there are several ways to bypass paywalls on the internet. You may be able to use some of these methods successfully today, but that could change in the future as websites clamp down on bypass methods. I hope that you support the websites that you read by signing up for memberships—especially your friendly local news outlet—but if you can’t right now, here are some of the best ways to bypass paywalls online…”

Climate-exacerbated wildfires cost the U.S. between $394 to $893 billion each year in economic costs, damages

Joint Economic Committee, Democrats – Report [PDF]: “Wildfires represent a growing threat to the health and well-being of communities across the country. The United States has already seen a devastating string of catastrophic wildfires this year in places like Maui, the western United States, and Louisiana as these disasters become more and more damaging due… Continue Reading

Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics

65% say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics: “Americans have long been critical of politicians and skeptical of the federal government. But today, Americans’ views of politics and elected officials are unrelentingly negative, with little hope of improvement on the horizon. Majorities say the political process is dominated by special interests,… Continue Reading

How standards editors are sorting through graphic images from Israel and Gaza

Via Poynter: How to avoid misinformation about the war in Gaza When journalists find demonstrators’ views personally offensive Amid images and news of actual war, false and misleading claims about Israel-Hamas thrive How standards editors are sorting through graphic images from Israel and Gaza The basics on Israel, Gaza, Palestine and Hamas for local journalists… Continue Reading

Supreme Court’s very brief, very revealing new decision about guns, explaine

Vox: “Late Monday afternoon [October 16, 2023], the Supreme Court handed down a very brief order establishing that sellers of “ghost guns,” weapons that are sold dismantled in ready-to-assemble kits, must comply with the same gun safety laws and anti-crime laws as any other gun seller. At this point you may be experiencing déjà vu,… Continue Reading

Google just changed how you log in to your account

Washington Post [read free]: “Google is changing how you log into your account, but don’t worry — it’ll make your life easier. This month, Google said it’s making “passkeys” the default log-in option for Google accounts. That means that instead of typing in a password, you’ll log into your Google account and Google apps with… Continue Reading

How to Search for a Better Deal on Broadband

The MarkUp: “One of the first things I did upon moving into a new apartment last November was get a better deal on my broadband internet.  To discover what other internet service providers (ISPs) offered service to my building, I used a handy resource that the Federal Communications Commission had just released to the public… Continue Reading

Novavax Finder

Katelyn Jetelina from Your Local Epidemiologist: “Novavax is a small company based in Maryland and has never brought a vaccine to market. This company has a fascinating rollercoaster history; I highly recommend googling over coffee. Their Covid-19 vaccine contains a coronavirus protein that prompts the immune system. (This differs from Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines,… Continue Reading

IRS advances innovative Direct File project for 2024 tax season

IRS -“As part of larger transformation efforts underway, the Internal Revenue Service announced today key details about the Direct File pilot for the 2024 filing season with several states planning to join the innovative effort. The IRS will conduct a limited-scope pilot during the 2024 tax season to further assess customer support and technology needs.… Continue Reading