PopSci: “In the last decade direct-to-consumer genetic tests like those from Ancestry.com and 23andMe have become ubiquitous in the US. These services cater to Americans looking for distant relatives, a missing piece of their history, or insight into their health. But if you can’t wait to swab your cheeks or spit into a plastic tube… Continue Reading
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Author Archives: Sabrina I. Pacifici
PDFgear supercharges your workflows for iPhone, iPad, and Mac with AI Copilot
9to5Mac: “Wish you could find a PDF editor with all the features you need without paying for another subscription or an expensive upfront purchase? PDFgear is a cross-platform app that’s truly free with no catches like watermarks, page limits, or in-app purchases. Here’s what’s included with the impressive PDFgear iOS, Mac, and Windows apps, including… Continue Reading
23andMe confirms hackers stole ancestry data on 6.9 million users
TechCrunch: “On Friday [December 1, 2023], genetic testing company 23andMe announced that hackers accessed the personal data of 0.1% of customers, or about 14,000 individuals. The company also said that by accessing those accounts, hackers were also able to access “a significant number of files containing profile information about other users’ ancestry.” But 23andMe would… Continue Reading
LLRX November 2023
The November 2023 issue of LLRX has 9 new articles and 6 new columns: AI in Banking and Finance, November 30, 2023 ; AI in Banking and Finance – November 16, 2023 – This semi-monthly column by Sabrina I. Pacifici highlights news, government reports, industry white papers, academic papers and speeches on the subject of AI’s… Continue Reading
Does your home’s drinking water contain lead?
Fast Company: “Millions of Americans are at risk of lead exposure in their drinking water. Last week, in an effort to reduce that risk, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to require water systems across the country to replace lead service lines—the pipes that carry water from a city’s main line into a home… Continue Reading
How to Keep Time: How to Waste Time
Via The Atlantic [no paywall] – “Co-hosts Becca Rashid and Ian Bogost explore our relationship with time and how to reclaim it. Why is it so important to be productive? Why can it feel like there’s never enough time in a day? Why are so many of us conditioned to believe that being more productive… Continue Reading
The best books of 2023
The Economist – This year’s picks transport readers to mountain peaks, out to sea and back in time Continue Reading
CDC revamps wastewater COVID data reporting
CIDRIP: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently unveiled new wastewater data tracking dashboard to make it easier to track local and national trends, even by variant. Wastewater tracking is one of the early indicators health officials use to gauge the activity of SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. Called the National Wastewater Surveillance Program,… Continue Reading
Privacy First: A Better Way to Address Online Harms
EFF: “State, federal, and international regulators are increasingly concerned about the harms they believe the internet and new technology are causing. The list is long, implicating child safety, journalism, access to healthcare data, digital justice, competition, artificial intelligence, and government surveillance, just to name a few. The stories behind them are important: no one wants… Continue Reading
2022 Country Reports on Terrorism
“The Department of State issued the 2022 Country Reports on Terrorism (CRT). Each year, the CRT provides insight on important issues in the fight against terrorism and helps the United States make informed decisions about policies, programs, and resource allocations as we seek to build counterterrorism capacity and resilience around the globe. As the United… Continue Reading
Over One Million Card Catalog Records Digitized in Copyright Public Records System Pilot
Library of Congress Blogs – Copyright: “This summer, the Copyright Office reached a new milestone in our modernization efforts: surpassing one million card catalog records digitized with searchable metadata and added to the Office’s Copyright Public Records System (CPRS) pilot. As the number of card catalog entries in CPRS continues to grow, now is a… Continue Reading
The Medicare Advantage Trap
The American Prospect: In 46 states, once you choose Medicare Advantage at 65, you can almost never leave. “…Sixty-five million seniors are in Medicare open enrollment from October 15 until December 7. Nearly 32 million of those patients are enrolled in Medicare Advantage, a set of privately run plans that have come under fire for… Continue Reading
