Stifling Scams

Kristie Canegallo writes about her efforts as a Google executive to takedown scams and illegal content which might be indexed by Google products.

-DD

Sans Forgetica

Amelia Harris writes about the development of a new typeface, "Sans Forgetica " which is designed to foster memorization.

-DD

Liability for Data Breaches

Joanna Grama reports that Ohio has given corporations (including universities) a statutory defense against liability in the event of a data breach . The corporation must have a "cybersecurity program in place that conforms with industry standards."

-DD

Android Features That Have Yet to Be Implemented

J.R. Raphael muses about Android features which have been announced a while ago, but which have yet to appear in implementations.

-DD

Employee Retention

Ashley Whillens suggests that appreciation is more important than high wages in retaining employees.

-DD

Social Media and Information Overload

Zachary Crockett suggests that social media, which was seen as a liberal social force during the Arab Spring, has been used effectively by authoritarian candidates from around the globe.

Crockett cites an essay from scholar Ronald J. Deibert (2019), who muses that "social media must bear some of the blame for the descent into neo-fascism" (p. 35).

Crockett summarizes the issue by saying: " The deluge of information on social media overwhelms current platforms’ potential to spread important information."

-DD

Routines Bring Order

Jory MacKay says that establishing routines is vital to productivity.

-DD

Lunar Exploration

Mike Wall reports that NASA is seeking contractors to ferry goods to the moon .

-DD

Dentures for the Young

According to one source, in Victorian times it was common to get dentures at a young age to eliminate the cost of later dental bills.

I have to believe this was true, as my mother grew up in poverty, and her teeth were removed before she reached 20 years of age.

-DD

Bing Custom Search

Microsoft has developed Bing Custom Search which can index a corporate website. Fees are waived until a site reaches 1,000 searches each month.

-DD

Cursive Handwriting and Learning

Kevin Dickinson notes that Ohio and Louisiana have mandated cursive writing in public school curricula. He reviews the educational arguements for and against cursive handwriting. Dickinson cites a number of research pieces, as well as a brief history of handwriting.

Dickinson's concluding paragraph states:

In this light, Ohio and Louisiana's legislation is far too sweeping. It may be worth introducing students to cursive, and students who find it appealing can certainly master it, but requiring legible cursive by fifth grade—let alone mandating it until twelfth—says more about the legislative's desire to polish the patina off a cultural artifact than an understanding of child development.

-DD

Google Search Tips

Kim Komando shares Google tips .

-DD

Bing Search Operators

Jerri Collins provides a list of Bing search operators . There is a slightly different list on the Microsoft website that has less explanation of their functions.

-DD

European Link Tax

Greg Sterling reports on the European Union's new copyright directive which is slated to include a link tax or licensing fee when third-party text is used.

-DD

Speed Up Windows 10

Preston Gralla provides methods to streamline your Windows 10 experience by stopping processes which are often unneeded.

-DD

The Demise of Windows Mobile

Rob Enderle writes about the botched efforts to promote the use of Windows Mobile . Microsoft has announced that it is dropping support for the Windows Mobile operating system, and Enderle says that the lack of support (especially for the developer community) doomed the platform.

-DD

Disclosure: I have a special interest in Windows phones, as years ago I bought every member of my family Windows 6 phones, on the assumption that this mobile platform would rule as Microsoft rules the desktop environment. We discovered a lot of "glitches" with the phone, and the lack of developer support mentioned both in the Enderle article and in the videos. I was very disappointed with Microsoft when the firm shut down the "store" for Windows 6 mobile, as if a phone was reset only the old default applications were available to the user.

Android Phones and "Dark Mode"

J. R. Raphael shares some notable options for Google's "dark mode " display setting. Dark mode is available on Google-branded phones, and will be implemented on the phones from other firms over time. It allows better battery life, wasting less energy in a dark room.

-DD

Google Chromebook Operating System

J.R. Raphael supplies a list of links of interest to those using a "Google Chromebook ."

-DD

P2PU in Libraries

Grif Peterson discusses the obstacles for public libraries attempting to offer peer to peer university courses , and proposes open education resources that will meet the needs of adult learners.

-DD

Smart Hearing Aids and Smart Glasses

Rob Enderle suggests how smart glasses and smart hearing aids could improve productivity in the near future.

-DD

Spear Phishing

Dan Swinhoe provides examples of targeted "spear " phishing.

-DD

Coping With Winter

Matt Berical interviews Sharon Schilling about coping with winter weather using household products such as kitty litter, alcohol, and hand sanitizer.

-DD

Google Fi

Ken Mingis talks about Google Fi , a mobile network plan that is now available to iphone users .

-DD

Green Tea and Liver Damage

According to the EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS), the primary active ingredient of green tea (EGCG) is not toxic in normal amounts, which typically do not exceed 300mg/day. However, supplements which provide over 800mg/day may affect the liver. It is possible to have a fatal overdose with very high doses of green tea supplements, as high doses can be toxic to the human liver.

-DD

DNA Testing Is a Mix of Art and Science

Charlsie Agro and Luke Denne write about a pair of twins who submitted DNA samples to a number of genetic testing firms . The results varied from firm to firm, and the same firms gave differing interpretations of the history or region of origin for each individual.

-DD

A Knowledgeable Electorate

Jared McDonald reports that a significant number of voters are misinformed about biographical leaders such as the U.S. President. Writing for Politico McDonald writes:

Our research shows that the basic information plugged-in elites take for granted is not known by many Americans, and can be consequential in political evaluations. After all, a 2016 poll showed that more Americans under age 30 could identify Pikachu than Joe Biden, suggesting that even well-vetted politicians must be reintroduced to an ever-changing electorate.

-DD

Open Access Textbooks

Beth McMurtrie reports on the quality concerns professors have about open access textbooks.

-DD

Philosophical Arguements for Online Education

Joshua Kim provides an opinion piece with philosopnical arguements for online education.

-DD

Women's Groups on Campus

Sarah Brown mourns the disappearance of female clubs from the Harvard campus.

-DD

Affective Presence

Julie Beck writes about the personality trait of affective presence , the ability to put people at ease.

-DD

Entrepreneurial Advice

Thirty piece of entrepreneurial advice.

-DD

The Nature of Light

Quora has an interesting set of posts about the nature of light .

-DD

Sharing a Windows Computer

Preston Gralla provides instructions for sharing a computer among several people.

-DD