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Daily Archives: November 25, 2021

This New Tool Lets You See Floods From Around the World, Dating Back to 1985

Smithsonian Magazine: An innovative interactive map could aid future disaster planning, especially for vulnerable countries in the developing world. “Last month, the United Nations University released a free tool that generates high resolution maps of floods worldwide since 1985. The new resource comes after a year of historic water-related disasters, including severe floods in Western Europe and the northeastern United States. Experts hope the online tool will aid in disaster readiness and future planning, especially for vulnerable countries with limited access to reliable flood maps.  The tool allows scientists, organizations and curious members of the public to adjust variables to see where floods have occurred in the past. Users can select a location and timeframe, and the tool, which draws on decades of data from remote-sensing satellites, produces a flood map at a 30-meter—about 100-foot—resolution. Viewers can see water inundation images down to street level. Similar mapping tools have been developed to assess floods by type and region, “but you don’t see anything happening at a global scale,” says Hamid Mehmood, a remote-sensing specialist at UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UN-INWEH) in Hamilton, Canada, and the tool’s lead developer…”

Digitized Data as a Political Object

“Digitized data is used as a powerful tool: national security actors see it as a surveillance tool, and the Information, Communications, and Technology (ICT) sector treats it as an economic commodity with great financial value. Fundamental to the findings in this book, data is now tied to your personal identity, and is therefore worthy of… Continue Reading

The Best Dark Web Websites You Won’t Find on Google By Dan Price Updated May 03, 2021 The dark web isn’t for everyone, but some of it is worth exploring. Here are the best dark web websites worth checking out.

MakeUseOf (MUD) – “You’ve heard of it before: the mysterious dark web. You’re probably equally curious and apprehensive about the whole thing. But what is the dark web? And more importantly, what cool dark web sites are out there Here’s our list of the best dark web websites to visit… DuckDuckGo is one of the… Continue Reading

As Calls to Ban Books Intensify, Digital Librarians Offer Perspective

Internet Archive Blogs: “From Texas to Virginia to Pennsylvania, there is a growing movement to challenge books in schools that some suggest are inappropriate for students. Concern goes beyond explicit content; it now includes opposition to LGBTQIA material, the history of racism, and material that may cause discomfort to readers. While efforts to ban books… Continue Reading

Practicing gratitude makes people happier, according to science. Here’s how to make it a habit

Fast Company: “Research shows that grateful people tend to be healthy and happy. They exhibit lower levels of stress and depression, cope better with adversity and sleep better. They tend to be happier and more satisfied with life. Even their partners tend to be more content with their relationships. Perhaps when we are more focused… Continue Reading

Mapping Thanksgiving

Brought to you by Google Maps and Google News Initiative – “Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, and Google Maps is here to help make celebrating a breeze. Using data from 2018’s holiday season, we’re giving you a closer look at the places people visit during the holidays, when to visit them, and the… Continue Reading

DC Fall Foliage Map

Casey Trees: “Check out our Fall Showstoppers of DC Map and see what trees you can spot on your walk or while you’re hanging in the park and see what color-changing trees you may find along the way. This map highlights the five showstopper fall color trees, as well as trees with significant fall color… Continue Reading

Librarians, Educators Warn of ‘Organized’ Book Banning Efforts

Publisher Weekly – “…New headlines virtually every day tell the story: across the country, there is an unprecedented spike in attempts to ban books from schools and libraries. And while efforts to remove books from schools and library collections are not uncommon, librarians and freedom to read advocates warn that this current spike in challenges… Continue Reading