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Daily Archives: July 15, 2020

Inclusivity Considerations For Law Firms Reopening Offices

Law360: “As states begin to lift restrictions and people emerge from the shutdown, law firms are developing their strategies for reopening offices after weeks of remote working. Many firms will find that it’s not as simple as it sounds, and there are countless intricacies to consider before employees return. While most firms will focus on ensuring physical spaces are as safe as possible, it’s equally important to consider the impact reopening decisions will have on your firm’s culture of inclusivity moving forward. Firms will clearly focus on safety measures such as social distancing guidelines, the use of masks and gloves, plexiglass dividers, temperature checks, bathroom and cafeteria limits, and frequent sanitization. Additionally, many offices will choose to bring employees back in phases or have them alternate days in the office. However, even with all the protective measures in place, experts agree that nowhere will be 100% safe from the virus until there is a vaccine or cure. Consequently, firm leaders are facing extremely difficult decisions regarding how and when to reopen the office and who should return. When contemplating these significant questions, firms should consider the following tips to maintain fairness and support a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion…”

Biased algorithms on platforms like YouTube hurt people looking for information on health

NiemanLab: “YouTube hosts millions of videos related to health care. The Health Information National Trends Survey reports that 75% of Americans go to the internet first when looking for information about health or medical topics. YouTube is one of the most popular online platforms, with billions of views every day, and has emerged as a… Continue Reading

Gmail redesign turns it into a one-stop productivity suite

arstechnica: “It looks like big changes are coming to Gmail. Twitter user Tahin Rahman posted leaked slides (first spotted by 9to5Google) detailing a merger between Gmail, Google Docs, Google Chat, and Google Meet that looks to be coming to the Web and mobile soon. Google’s “Cloud Next 2020” conference kicked off yesterday and will be… Continue Reading

The states where face coverings are mandatory

Axios: “Alabama’s Republican Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statewide mask mandate on Wednesday as coronavirus cases continued to soar across the South, saying at a press conference: “We’re pleading with the people of Alabama to wear a mask.” The big picture: Montana is now the 26th state, in addition to the District of Columbia, that has… Continue Reading

Here are some digital tools for a more productive and fun summer

Poynter: “Welcome! I’m Jeremy Caplan, a guest contributor with some new tools and resources. I’m director of teaching and learning for CUNY’s Newmark Grad School of Journalism in New York City and a former Time Magazine reporter. I explore new stuff and write about the most useful tools I find in a free newsletter called… Continue Reading

Trump weakens environmental law to speed up permits for pipelines and other infrastructure

CNBC: “President Donald Trump on Wednesday finalized a rollback to the country’s landmark environmental law, the National Environmental Policy Act, by speeding up approval for federal projects like pipelines, highways and power plants.  NEPA was signed into law by President Richard Nixon 50 years ago and requires federal agencies to consider the environmental consequences of infrastructure projects before… Continue Reading

Google launches hieroglyphics translator powered by AI

BBC News: “Google has launched a hieroglyphics translator that uses machine learning to decode ancient Egyptian language. The feature has been added to its Arts & Culture app. It also allows users to translate their own words and emojis into shareable hieroglyphs. Google says Fabricius is the first such tool to be trained via machine… Continue Reading

Va. Adopts Nation’s First COVID-19 Workplace Safety Mandate

Law360: ” Virginia on Wednesday [July 14, 2020] became the first state to adopt an emergency workplace safety standard addressing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which Gov. Ralph Northam said is necessary to fill a gap created by federal inaction Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said the state’s new COVID-19 workplace safety standard comes “in the absence of federal… Continue Reading

Your Car Is Spewing Microplastics That Blow Around the World

Wired – “When you drive, tiny bits of plastic fly off your tires and brakes. Now scientists have shown how all that road muck is blowing into “pristine” environments like the Arctic. “…Today in the journal Nature Communications, researchers model how microplastics from our cars are traveling from densely populated regions into the environment. These… Continue Reading

America Should Prepare for a Double Pandemic

The Atlantic – COVID-19 has steamrolled the country. What happens if another pandemic starts before this one is over? – Ed Yong – “…Certain traits increase a pathogen’s pandemic potential. Those that spread via bodily fluids (Ebola), contaminated food and water (norovirus), or insect bites (Zika) are slower to spread around the world. By contrast,… Continue Reading

The growing scientific evidence for masks to fight Covid-19, explained

Vox – It’s true the evidence for masks was weak before. That’s changed. “…The research increasingly favors both individual mask-wearing and policies requiring universal masking. It suggests that masks not only help stop the spread of the coronavirus — by preventing the spread of virus-containing droplets that people spit out when they talk, sing, laugh,… Continue Reading