New researches

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Black Owned Maine, Talking About Race, Prabhakar Raghavan, More: Tuesday ResearchBuzz, June 9, 2020

Black Owned Maine, Talking About Race, Prabhakar Raghavan, More: Tuesday ResearchBuzz, June 9, 2020
By ResearchBuzz

NEW RESOURCES

News Center Maine: New website helps Mainers support minority-owned businesses. “One way people can show support for the movement for equality is to support Maine’s diverse business owners. To help you find those businesses there’s a new website called Black Owned Maine. The site already includes a wide variety of businesses, from barbershops and beauty salons to law offices.”

Smithsonian: National Museum of African American History and Culture Releases “Talking About Race” Web Portal. “The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture today launched Talking About Race, a new online portal designed to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

Search Engine Journal: Google’s New Head of Search – Prabhakar Raghavan. “Prabhakar Raghavan has a PhD, has authored books and research papers, is a member and leader of various computer science organizations and so on. But what we in the search community are interested in is who is this guy and how will he impact search?”

BetaNews: You will soon be able to request Twitter verification. “Having used a secretive system to determine whether an account is deemed worthy of being verified or not, Twitter is now going to bring a ‘Request verification’ option into its apps. The feature is currently undergoing development, but Twitter confirms that there is a new system in the works.”

USEFUL STUFF

TechRepublic: How to get free AI training and tools. “Even if you don’t have a large training budget, you can still democratize your AI. Here are ways to get the AI training and resources your staff needs.”

Forbes: Image Scrubber Lets Protestors Post Photos Without Fear Of Reprisals. “Digital photographs carry what’s known as EXIF data, a stash of hidden technical information that is embedded in every digital image file. This data can include sensitive details such as the precise date, time and location at which the picture was taken, the make and model of the camera/smartphone it was taken with, and even the serial number of camera lenses… The online Image Scrubber allows users to quickly upload photos, remove any identifying EXIF data and also blur or paint over parts of the image, masking the faces of people in the photograph, for instance.” I think AI can deblur things which have been blurred, so painting is better if you’re going for privacy.

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

WWD: Leading Black Female Figures Take Over Celebrity Instagram Accounts in Social Media Action. “A new social media campaign focused on magnifying black women’s voices is launching Wednesday. Actress and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and a number of other white celebrities will be handing over their Instagram accounts for the day to prominent black women, including Teen Vogue editor Lindsay Peoples Wagner and Endeavor chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John, for #sharethemicnow.”

9to5 Mac: Apple should acquire DuckDuckGo to put pressure on Google Search, analyst argues. “One analyst has a suggestion for how Apple could put pressure on Google: acquire DuckDuckGo. Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi says that an acquisition of privacy-focused DuckDuckGo would allow Apple to put pressure on Google and tap into lucrative advertising revenue.” ick.

The Nation: ‘Archives tell us different stories about how things were’: Inside the journey to document Modern Arab art. “On a most basic level, archives help establish what happened, when. For Arab art history, the problems facing a precise or exhaustive chronicle are double: existing archives are often incomplete, damaged or inaccessible, because of conflict in the region. And the analysis made by canonical art history of what was happening in the Middle East and Turkey – written primarily by US academics – views art of the region through the prism of its engagement with western art.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

TechCrunch: IBM ends all facial recognition business as CEO calls out bias and inequality. “IBM CEO Arvind Krishna announced today that the company would no longer sell facial recognition services, calling for a ‘national dialogue’ on whether it should be used at all. He also voiced support for a new bill aiming to reduce police violence and increase accountability.”

Wired: Protests Renew Scrutiny of Tech’s Ties to Law Enforcement. “THE COLLECTIVE OUTRAGE over the murder of George Floyd has led to nationwide protests, renewed calls for police reform, and uncharacteristically swift support for racial equity from Silicon Valley leaders. The backlash has been swift as well. Critics are calling out many companies now pledging support for Black Lives Matter, accusing them of failing to stop racist language on their platforms and, in some cases, enabling the over-policing and surveillance that protesters now march against.”

OneZero: Google Purged Almost 1,000 Abusive ‘Creeperware’ Apps. Now Some Are Coming Back.. “In June 2019, a group of cybersecurity researchers notified Google of more than 1,000 potentially malicious apps on the company’s Play Store that can be used to surveil, monitor, and harass users. Their findings, which have not previously been reported, eventually led to one of the largest ever mass removals of Android apps. Less than a year later, there are signs that the ‘creeperware,’ as the researchers called it, is returning.” Good morning, Internet…

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June 9, 2020 at 05:17PM
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Monday, June 8, 2020

Black-Owned Bookstores, Google Maps, Bing, More: Monday Evening ResearchBuzz, June 8, 2020

Black-Owned Bookstores, Google Maps, Bing, More: Monday Evening ResearchBuzz, June 8, 2020
By ResearchBuzz

NEW RESOURCES

CTV News: Google map highlights Black-owned bookstores across North America. “One of the many ways people are showing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement is by supporting Black-owned businesses. One Canadian publisher is making this especially easy for book lovers across North America. Don Gorman, the publisher of Rocky Mountain Books, has created a map displaying more than 250 bookstores across Canada and the United States that are Black-owned and operated.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

95.5 WSB: Google Maps adds ‘Black Lives Matter Plaza’ after giant mural completed in Washington. “Users of Google Maps will be able to find the newly named ‘Black Lives Matter Plaza’ after it was added to the popular web mapping service.”

Search Engine Journal: Bing ‘Site Scan’ Tool Audits Sites For Technical SEO Issues. “Bing’s new Site Scan tool gives site owners an easy way to check for technical issues that may be negatively impacting performance in search engines. Bing is launching Site Scan as an upgrade to Bing Webmaster Tools, making it convenient to access the tool alongside other data that can assist with improving site performance.”

USEFUL STUFF

Social Media Examiner: How to Make Videos People Will Watch on Social Media. “Want your videos to make a bigger impact on social platforms? Wondering how to create videos that grab and hold people’s attention? In this article, you’ll discover three techniques to produce video people will watch on social media.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

Sightlines: As Austin museums react to the Black Lives Matter movement, bigger issues emerge. “After the #BlackoutTuesday campaign kicked off a social media frenzy, many cultural institutions and museums reacted to pressure from protestors on social media to release public statements of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. It prompted national museum leaders to react. ‘As a community, I do not think art museums have done enough,’ wrote Chris Anagnos executive director of Association of Art Museum Directors, in a statement issued June 1. ‘We have dabbled around the edges of the work, but in our place of privilege we will never live up to the statement that “museums are for everyone” unless we begin to confront, examine and dismantle the various structures that brought us to this point.'”

BetaNews: More tech companies issue statements about George Floyd’s death and the continuing protests. “Obviously, unless you’ve just returned from hiking the Appalachian Trail, you know the current events in the world. If you haven’t been absent from society then the news has been hard to avoid. Now two more tech companies have added their voices to the incident in Minneapolis that involved four law enforcement officers and one citizen, George Floyd, and resulted in his death. Protests, some peaceful others violent, have broken out in cities across the US, including in small towns not accustomed to such events. They have even somewhat spread to other parts of the world, including London and Paris.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Vanity Fair: Hackers Are Already Screwing With the 2020 Election. “The vulnerabilities of online voting underscore the broader concerns about this year’s election. Observers already warned that Russia, which meddled in the 2016 election on Trump’s behalf, and other bad actors are seeking to interfere with this cycle.”

TorrentFreak: Project Gutenberg Public Domain Library Blocked in Italy For Copyright Infringement. “Project Gutenberg, the world’s oldest digital library, has been blocked by ISPs in Italy under the orders of the Court of Rome. The platform, which focuses on public domain books, appears to have been erroneously labeled a pirate site in an action targeting 28 domains and several Telegram channels.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

ArXiv Blog: arXiv staff to participate in the #strike4blacklives. “The arXiv staff is deeply saddened and angered by the recent killings of George Floyd, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others. We recognize that Black people live with the injustices of systemic racism every day — and have for centuries — in North America and around the world. We acknowledge that in research, as in life, people often perpetuate bias and systemic racism, both consciously and unconsciously. Members of arXiv’s own physics community asked us to pause business-as-usual this week and join scientists participating in the #strike4blacklives. Our US-based staff agreed.”

University of Minnesota: Facebook studies reveal science mistrust winning on vaccine messaging. “Facebook groups that fuel mistrust of health guidance, such as those that air anti-vaccine views, have gained the upper hand over groups with reliable information from health agencies, a team led by George Washington University reported yesterday in Nature. Meanwhile, a separate study showed that Facebook posts about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine were largely negative.”

OTHER THINGS I THINK ARE COOL

June 9, 2020 at 05:46AM
via ResearchBuzz https://ift.tt/2A6vTmQ

Power block MOSFET increases efficiency in a smaller package

Diodes’ half-bridge power block, integrating dual MOSFETs in a single 3.3 x 3.3-mm package, offers increased efficiency while reducing board space requirement by up to 50% compared to a two-chip solution.

from Electronic Products Technology Center Articles https://ift.tt/2MCwYW2

Tiny capacitor targets high-density applications

Murata offers a MLCC in a 008004 package size with a capacitance of 0.1µF for compact electronic devices, such as 5G smartphones and wearables.

from Electronic Products Technology Center Articles https://ift.tt/37nZ6WB

Power block MOSFET increases efficiency in a smaller package

source http://www.electronicproducts.com/Discrete_Semiconductors/Transistors_Diodes/Power_block_MOSFET_increases_efficiency_in_a_smaller_package.aspx

Tiny capacitor targets high-density applications

Murata offers a MLCC in a 008004 package size with a capacitance of 0.1µF for compact electronic devices, such as 5G smartphones and wearables.

source http://www.electronicproducts.com/Passive_Components/Capacitors/Tiny_capacitor_targets_high_density_applications.aspx

World Refugee Day, Police Violence, Editorial Practices, More: Monday Afternoon ResearchBuzz, June 8, 2020

World Refugee Day, Police Violence, Editorial Practices, More: Monday Afternoon ResearchBuzz, June 8, 2020
By ResearchBuzz

NEW RESOURCES

The Bookseller: Free ‘global voices’ anthology released to coincide with World Refugee Day. “Commissioned by Counterpoints Arts for Refugee week, the Imagine Anthology is a collaboration between Counterpoints Arts, publishing consultant Jessica Jackson, who edited the anthology, creative agency Visual Editions and Nina Jua Klein Studio. The anthology will be available as a free e-book on 15th June, ahead of World Refugee Day. Imagine features a compilation of non-fiction, flash fiction, poetry and essays written by writers such as Mohsin Hamid, Edmund de Waal, Dina Nayeri and Rupi Kaur.”

Vice: Police Violence at Protests Is Undeniable. All the Videos Are Right Here. “Filming police brutality is always dangerous. But during these protests, the sheer volume of it that has been caught on camera and circulated online speaks to the fact that Americans are fed up and ready to press record, whatever the risk. Lawyer T. Greg Doucette and mathematician Jason Miller are working on compiling these clips and images of violence in a public Google Sheet, titled ‘GeorgeFloyd Protest – police brutality videos on Twitter.'”

Nature: Hundreds of journals’ editorial practices captured in database. “Funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development, and created with the Leiden Centre for Science and Technology Studies, the platform currently hosts a database of 387 journals. It evaluates these journals’ peer-review procedures according to 12 criteria, including: the level of anonymity afforded to authors and reviewers; the use of digital tools such as plagiarism scanners; and the timing of peer review in the research and publication process (see S. P. J. M. Horbach and W. Halffman Scientometrics 118, 339–373; 2019). The platform displays the procedures used by each journal, along with aggregate statistics on the various editorial practices.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

CNN: Zuckerberg posts ‘Black lives matter’ and pledges to review Facebook’s policies. “Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook will review its policies concerning the state use of force, voter suppression and content moderation, as the company faces a backlash from many of its own workers over its inaction on controversial posts by President Donald Trump.”

CNET: Microsoft CEO pledges to fight racism through hiring, purchasing, donations. “Microsoft will work to improve the lives of African Americans by pushing for a better justice system, focusing on its own hiring, donating funds to groups tackling racial inequality and buying from more-diverse suppliers, Chief Executive Satya Nadella said in an all-employee email the company published late Friday. And Nadella is looking more closely at his own attitudes and behavior, he said.”

USEFUL STUFF

NPR: How To Identify Misinformation (And Disinformation) About The Protests. “In the 1960s, as news of protests broke, Americans were glued to their television screens. Now, when something significant happens, many people open their Twitter, Facebook or Instagram feed. An engaged democracy requires information. But what effect does it have when some of the information citizens receive is false?” This is 34 minutes of audio but unfortunately I don’t see a transcript.

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

Salon: After Twitter’s pushback, a dam is breached among social media companies defying Trump. “Since long before he took office, President Donald Trump has relied on social media to popularize his message, divide his enemies from his followers, and sow his specific brand of populist xenophobia around the world. Trump’s success owes a lot to the nature of the medium, but it is a two-way street: as Trump rose to prominence via Twitter — and to a lesser extent Facebook and Reddit — those platforms in turn profited from the increase in eyeballs. Yet just in the past month, there has been a sea change among social media companies in how they treat the president’s propaganda spread via these platforms. Suddenly, some (but not all) are pushing back.”

Jerusalem Post: National Library of Israel to open access to 2,500 rare Islamic books. “The National Library of Israel, in coordination with the Arcadia Fund, has announced a major initiative to open digital access to over 2,500 rare Islamic manuscripts and books, according to a press release from library on Monday.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Business Insider: Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkley propose creating a national database of cops with a record of misconduct. “The National Police Misconduct Database and Transparency in Hiring Act, introduced by Merkley with support from Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, calls for creating a publicly searchable repository of law enforcement officers who engaged in misconduct. That includes the inappropriate use of force or discrimination.”

Der Spiegel: Database Exposes Offshore Holdings of Prominent Germans. “A group of internet activists has posted data from a Bahamas corporate registry online. Searches of the database have turned up a number of prominent Germans whose offshore holdings weren’t previously known to the public.” Good afternoon, Internet…

June 9, 2020 at 01:24AM
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