These pages are a modest attempt to provide up-to-date news that is relevant to the areas of mathematics, education, computer science or information technology. Reader should keep in mind that old links often disappear.
6/24/16
TechNews for the week: June 24; June 22; June 20;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
UK voters choose Brexit, Cameron to step down; These nations could be the next to depart; Financial markets hit a tailspin;
British Millennials have themselves to blame for what happened; The British are frantically Googling what the E.U. is, hours after voting to leave it;
Scottish leader says she will push for a second independence referendum; Anger that fueled Brexit similar to resentment shaking core of U.S. politics;
Islamic State launches counter-attacks on U.S.-backed forces, Syrian army; Iraqis flee combat in Fallujah, only to find another nightmare;
Hezbollah has suffered its heaviest losses yet in a critical battle in Syria;
Israel Approves $18M Extra Funding for West Bank Settlements; Israel's water cuts: West Bank 'in full crisis mode';
Secret Deal Exposed Between Israeli Opposition Leader Yitzhak Herzog and Abbas; Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International Have a Problem With Israel;
Venezuelans Ransack Stores for food amid drastic supplies shortage;
Divided Supreme Court once again decides a case without settling it; Court revives $2M fees dispute in copyright case over resold textbooks;
Obama immigration plan blocked by 4-4 tie at Supreme Court; Report: Conservative Justice Thomas Considers Retirement;
Supreme Court refuses to hear challenge to Connecticut's ban on 'assault weapons'; Says Police May Use Evidence Found After Illegal Stops;
State Supreme Court: Law Protects Detroit Officers Who Lied; In Alabama death penalty cases, judges' opinions are routinely written by prosecutors;
Senate votes down 4 gun-control amendments;
Study projects U.S. will spend $2.6 trillion less on health care than expected;
Amid scandals, Oakland loses its third police chief in just over a week;
John Kasich vetoes Republican-backed voting bill; Kansas to Borrow $900 Million to Cover Next Fiscal Year;
A rare dissent on corporate exemptions by Gov. John Bel Edwards, Louisiana politicians;
The power that gerrymandering has brought to Republicans; Stop underestimating Trump. 'Brexit' vote shows why he can win;
Donald Trump's poll numbers have fallen off a cliff; Trump abruptly parts ways with campaign manager Corey Lewandowski;
Trump's terrible fundraising report should really worry GOP donors; campaign cycles $6 million into Trump companies;
In move to reassure donors, Trump converts $50 million in campaign loans to donations; What is Left Hand Enterprises and why did campaign pay it $730,000?
Trump Flip-Flops on Boeing's Multibillion Dollar Deal With Iran; Inside Trump's financial ties to Russia and unusual flattery of Putin;
Trump's top example of foreign experience: A Scottish golf course losing millions;
Trump: Profiling Muslims already in U.S. is 'common sense'; Trump knew pig blood story was false but told it anyway; Trump vows to lift ban on churches' politicking;
Cruz pokes GOP establishment with return to campaign trail; endorses anti-establishment Senate candidate in Colorado;
Clinton Email Scandal: Imminent Document Leak Enough To Indict Her;
Pennsylvania Rep. Chaka Fattah convicted of racketeering, fraud, money laundering;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
CIA Director John Brennan Pretends Foreign Cryptography Doesn't Exist; Security Behavior of Pro-ISIS Groups on Social Media;
Breaches From Malicious or Criminal Attacks More Costly Than Average; Chinese cybersecurity breaches drop 90%, but expert warns not to let guard down;
Clinton Foundation Breached by Russian Hackers;
Issues Regarding Lone-Wolf Terrorism Prevention; Senate rejects FBI bid for warrantless access to internet browsing histories;
Situational Awareness and Crime Prevention; OECD Report Warns About Limits on Online Speech; Using Social Media to Discover Hidden Wealth;
Comparing Messaging Apps;
Math and science
NASA spots a strange new asteroid playing "leap frog" with Earth;
Scientists crack mystery of Venus's vanished water; Evidence mounts for a liquid ocean on Pluto; Neptune Has a New Dark Spot and It's as Big as the U.S.;
Pentagon Works Towards Technological Upgrade To Handle Evolving Arms Race;
China Retains Supcomputing Lead, World's Fastest Supercomputer Run On Chinese Chips;
Solar panels have gotten thinner than a human hair;
Scientists have discovered an ancient city that may be a terrible omen for modern civilization;
Voter behavior not as malleable as some results suggested;
Adam Savage: Don't let science scare you;
Web and computing issues
5 Android shortcuts you'll wish you knew; 10 features of Google Docs you should be using;
SC Politics
Developers and city reach settlement over Sgt. Jasper;
Don't let Nikki Haley's transformation fool you;
Finance and Economics
US low-skill males drop out of job market; Millennials are obsessed with the 'style of life' - and it's killing retailers;
Of Course U.S. Inequality Is Rising, It Was Meant To; Wall Street has been rocked by an $8 billion hedge fund's implosion;
What tech firms are worried about Brexit; 5 ways the UK leaving the EU will affect tech firms;
This election could help make or break your retirement; Military retirees have a revolving door to civilian Pentagon jobs;
Feds announce largest Medicare, Medicaid fraud takedown in history;
'Flash Boys plan for a slower stock market gets green light from the SEC;
NASA Announces Plans For All-Electric Planes; Grid-scale Batteries Gaining Ground As Costs Decline;
White House rolls out long-anticipated rules for drone operations; More Older Drivers Pursue High-Tech Safety Features For Extra Driving Years;
DOE Releases Report Detailing Plans To Double US Nuclear Capacity; Local Governments Urged To Back Clean Power Plan, Energy Transition;
Wyoming's Wind Industry Leads To Lost Jobs In Coal Industry; California Power Grid Tested By Heat Wave; Data Centers Increasingly Look to Efficiency And Renewables;
Federal Judge Strikes Down Administration's Fracking Rules; One Way To Solve Fracking's Water Problem: Don't Use Water;
Study Estimates US Healthcare Industry Emits More Greenhouse Gases Than The UK;
Trump's Plan To Revive Keystone XL Has "Glaring Problem";
Partners Begin Work To Develop Israel's Leviathan Gas Field;
Costco's New Citi Visa Cards Are Making Customers Furious;
Apple starts to shell out $400 million to customers in e-book settlement;
Other news
How to defend your home from bugs this summer;
How Dividend-Paying ETFs Work;
Abraham Lincoln's Tough-Love Letter to His Step-Brother About Laziness and Work Ethic;
Education:
Does Higher Education Perpetuate Inequality? ACT Plans Center to Help Underserved Students Succeed in College and Work Force;
Epidemic Grade Inflation Is Undermining The Grade System; Does Reading on Computer Screens Affect Student Learning;
Study: Remedial College Math May Not Be Best Option; New York Math Lab Allows Math Teachers To Collaborate, Learn;
How to Prepare Professors Who Thought They'd Never Teach Online; King Calls For Increased Use Of Maker Spaces In Schools;
Taking Six Years To Graduate Can Raise Tab To $300,000; Supreme Court Upholds Use of Race-Conscious Admissions at U. of Texas;
As U. of Louisville's President Steps Down, Kentucky Governor Seeks to Upend Its Board; Kentucky AG Sues Governor Over U. of Louisville Shake-Up;
Wyoming's President Declares Financial Crisis; Grambling State President Resigns After Less Than a Year in Office;
Algeria Blocks Access to Facebook, Twitter to Stop Exam Cheating;
South Carolina Proposes to Abolish Fraternity Pledging;
Controversial 'Sports University' Draws Scrutiny From 2 North Carolina Agencies;
6/17/16
TechNews for the week: June 17; June 15; June 13;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
Iraqi forces take Falluja government building from Islamic State; Dozens of U.S. diplomats urge military strikes against Syria's Assad;
Israel removes key sites from Jerusalem's Old City Map; Israel 'cuts off water supply to West Bank' during Muslim holy month;
$40 billion aid to Israel is 'largest ever' to any country; Are Democrats finally ready for a real debate on U.S.-Israel policy;
Russian track and field team barred from Rio Olympics;
Supreme Court rules Puerto Rico can't restructure debt;
Has the Second Amendment Been Twisted by Conservatives? A new federal report discusses an unexpected theory for why murders are rising in U.S. cities;
Appeals court ruling will let some Kansas voters register, for now; Judge stands by ruling that Kobach can't encumber voting in Kansas elections;
Cook County made YUUUGE error on Trump Tower tax bill; As Illinois' credit rating nears junk status, governor praises his 'heroic' administration;
North Dakota primary voters turn aside GOP establishment;
Terrorism moves to heart of US election; House Republicans Seek Blanket Ban on All Refugees;
Trump's 'America First' has ugly echoes from U.S. history;
Trump says he's revoking press credentials for The Washington Post; Tells GOP Leadership: Sit Down and Shut Up;
Trump suggests President Obama allowed Orlando attack because he sympathizes with Muslim terrorists;
New Evidence Trump Didn't Pay Taxes; As its stock collapsed, Trump's first public company gave him huge bonuses and paid for his jet;
Marco Rubio flip-flops on hating the Senate;
Bernie Sanders offers a concession-style speech - without a concession;
Russian government hacks DNC, steals research on Trump;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
Crypto-Gram June newsletter, security claims, airport security, and more;
NSA admits why it couldn't hack San Bernardino shooter's iPhone; NSA Using Insecure Word Macros;
House lawmakers vote to reject ban on tech backdoors, warrantless spying on Americans; FBI has 411 million photos in its facial recognition system;
Home Depot Sues Visa, Mastercard for Security;
ISIS Supporter Claims Stealing Info on 1,300 U.S. Military Members;
Computer Science Education Is Security Education;
Math and science
Archaeologists Find Massive Medieval Cities Hidden Under the Cambodian Jungle;
Scientists discover a giant planet that orbits two suns - and could have habitable moons;
LIGO Scientists Detect Second Gravitational Wave;
WHO: Coffee itself isn't cancerous, but watch out for 'very hot' beverages;
GE Healthcare To Unveil Two New Molecular Imaging Systems;
The world's oldest computer is still revealing its secrets;
Web and computing issues
5 apps for editing photos; Ways to Protect Social Media Passwords From Hackers; How to log in to Windows 10 with your face;
SC Politics
Dysfunction of South Carolina government;
Finance and Economics
76 Million Americans Are Struggling Financially: And It Doesn't Matter A Darn;
Fed's Interest Rate Decision Shows the Central Bank is Trapped in a Box; Congressman Proposes Dodd-Frank Amendments Exempting CLOs From Risk Retention;
U.S. banks are making big bucks from overdraft fees; Pimco plans layoffs as investors continue to pull out;
A promising start-up revolution, and Wall Street pushed back;
The interesting thing that happened when Kansas cut taxes and California hiked them;
FCC's sweeping net neutrality rules upheld in federal court;
Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Blocking A 2007 Minnesota Clean Energy Law; GOP AGs Warn Democrats On Prosecuting Climate Change Dissenters;
Average Global Cost Of Solar, Wind Could Fall To 59 Percent By 2025; Report: Crop-based Biofuels No Threat To Food Security;
FAA Engineers Complained Of Pressure From Boeing To Approve 787 Dreamliner;
Other news
If Islam Is a Religion of Violence, So Is Christianity;
Education:
40% Of US Colleges Enroll Fewer Than 1,000; Same Time, Many Locations: Online Education Goes Back to Its Origins;
Many Colleges Don't Put Testing Requirements to the Test; What Are College Governing Boards Getting From Their Search Firms;
38 Community Colleges to Begin Replacing Textbooks With Free Educational Resources;
Kansas University Ramping Up Tuition Hike Proposal In Face Of State Cuts; U. Louisville President Will Resign as Ky. Governor Pledges Shake-Up;
Georgia's Paine College Loses Accreditation Over Financial Concerns; Call to Shut Down a Controversial Accreditor Could Shake For-Profit Higher Ed;
Hundreds of colleges had zero rape reports in 2014. And that could be worrisome;
A 'Sports University' Gives Student-Athletes a Chance to Play but Outsources Their Education;
6/10/16
TechNews for the week: June 10; June 8; June 6;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
Can the U.S. Control Iran's Militias in the Fight for Fallujah? After more than $1.6 billion in U.S. aid, Iraq's army still struggles;
Assad pledges more bloodshed in Syria, says the peace process has failed;
Israel escalates forced transfer of Palestinians; 'Palestinians, not Israel, need security guarantees'; Report slams Israel's 'squandering' of aid to Palestine;
Is confederation a solution to end the Israeli occupation; Israeli minister wants to annex half of West Bank and kick out the Palestinians;
Israel Says It Has Uncovered New Information on Gaza Tunnels; Shooting attack kills three in Tel Aviv;
Israeli move on Palestinian permits may be collective punishment;
Israel's Netanyahu frequents Russia as U.S. influence in Mideast recedes; Controversy deepens over French tycoon's payments to Netanyahu;
Saudi Arabia Threatened to Break Relations With U.N. Over Human Rights Criticism in Yemen;
U.S. Supreme Court deals blow to Puerto Rico sovereignty claim;
Supreme Court takes case claiming racial gerrymandering in Virginia; Ohio Politics Now: Judge 'deeply troubled by the flurry of voting-related legislation';
Senate GOP Drops Push to 'Defund Obamacare';
Clinton wins vigorously contested California as Sanders vows to continue; AP count: Clinton has delegates to win Democratic nomination;
Sanders supporters take aim at Israel-Palestinian conflict;
From schools to roads, fallout of Illinois budget feud grows;
A battle royal shaping up for open Senate seat in Nevada; The 5 House seats that could signal a Democratic majority in 2016;
Who is Gonzalo Curiel? The 'Mexican' judge denounced by Trump fought the drug cartels; The Trump University judge was just following the law;
Trump says his criticism of judge was "misconstrued"; Ex-Texas official: Trump U probe dropped due to politics;
Florida AG Asked Donald Trump for Donation Before Nixing Fraud Case; Probe into Trump donation to Florida attorney general;
Tale of Trump and partner in Azerbaijan real estate project; Trump wanted Moammar Gaddafi's money;
Trump could be president and still run his businesses; Donald Trump's business plan left a trail of unpaid bills; Trump has testy relationship with accountability;
Trump's corporate targets face tricky task in fending off his attacks;
Republicans once opposed to Trump are coming around; At Romney summit, anti-Trump Republicans ponder party's future;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
FBI wants access to Internet browser history without a warrant in terrorism and spy cases ; Email privacy update at 'impasse' in Senate;
Social Media, Apps Used to Spread Malware to ISIS; Hijacking the PC Update Process;
NY Fed first rejected cyber-heist transfers, then moved $81 million; Financial Cyber Risk Is Not Systemic Risk;
How the Police Identify Threats on Social Media; Ways to Protect Social Media Passwords From Hackers;
Snowden's Attempts to Raise His Concerns Inside the NSA;
Inherent Bias in Recidivism Algorithm;
Math and science
TOP Secret Things about Mathematics you didn't Know; Golden State Warriors use tech to their on-court advantage;
"Metamaterial Lens" 100,000 Times Thinner Than Similar Lenses;
Research On Gene Drive Technology Has Potential To Eliminate Entire Populations Of Zika-Carrying Mosquitoes;
A new intersection design eliminates the dreaded left turn into traffic;
MIT, Harvard Researchers Develop Black Hole Imaging Algorithm;
The race is on to excavate Israel's Cave of Skulls;
Web and computing issues
Commerce Dep't Approves Dropping U.S. Role at ICANN;
What's the Difference Between All These Running Apps? How Accurately Do Running Apps Track Your Distance?
Best travel-planning apps; Tips for Adding YouTube Videos To Your Website;
SC Politics
The incredible dysfunction of South Carolina government;
Finance and Economics
Fed's Yellen sees rate hikes ahead, but few hints on when; Economists, Tech Experts Divided On Why Technology Isn't Spurring Growth;
Undocumented immigrants pay billions in taxes;
Top Republican outlines plans to rip up Dodd-Frank; How a scorned industry of lenders plans to keep the 400 percent loan around;
GE Reviews Idea of Annual Pay Raise;
Regulators Concerned Bankrupt Coal Companies Won't Pay For Clean-Up; Developers Bypassing Environmental Laws Via California Ballot Initiatives;
Company Says Wind Tax Discussion In Wyoming Creates "Uncertainty" For Projects; Businesses ask Maine To Protect Solar Net Metering Policy;
Plutonium From Japan Arrives In US;
Other news
How an Outsider President Killed a Party; We May Have Had A Gay President Already;
9 genius ways to open a beer bottle;
Education:
Most High School Graduates Go On To Some Form Of Postsecondary Education; When Vocational Education Spurs Students to Strive for College;
Study Suggests High School GPA Is A Better Predictor Of College Readiness Than Standardized Tests;
Liberal-Arts Majors Have Plenty of Job Prospects, If They Have Some Specific Skills, Too;
Spending Bill Could Revive Year-Round Pell Grants; Small, Rural Colleges Grapple With Their Geography;
Report Slams Accreditor as 'Incapable' of Assessing College Quality; Embattled Accreditor Announces Membership Freeze;
Trade Group of For-Profit Colleges Once Again Changes Its Name; Defunct ACI Admits To Defrauding Students;
S.C. Fraternities and Sororities May Soon Face Wide Publicity for Misconduct;
Ohio State Accuses 85 Students of Cheating on Online Tests;
Another day, another disturbing situation surfaces at Baylor;
6/3/16
TechNews for the week: June 3; June 1;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
Support for ISIS in Fallujah poses risk to Iraqi forces in key urban fight; US-backed Syrian force targets Isis stronghold on Turkish border;
U.S. jet strikes target Islamic State from Mediterranean;
Netanyahu's newly expanded coalition already threatened; American Jews Warn Israeli Leader of Possible 'Rupture'; Analysis: Israel can sigh relief at parve Paris communique;
Ex-employee of Israeli PM's wife wins abuse case against her; Police recommend indicting Netanyahu's wife;
The sting that exposed the corruption of the U.S. navy in Asia;
Eric Holder: Edward Snowden performed a 'public service';
'Unprecedented': Chicago releases evidence from 101 investigations into police shootings, uses of force;
Native Americans move to frontlines in battle over voting rights; Alabama Judge Loves States' Rights, Till He Doesn't;
Gun Advocate Says Only Voter ID Can Prevent Right-Wing Armed Insurgencies;
Kansas revenues fall $74.5 million short in May; Several incumbent Kansas lawmakers bow out just before filing deadline;
N.H. Supreme Court rejects agency-imposed limits on concealed-carry permits for out-of-state residents;
Libertarians pick ex-New Mexico Gov. Johnson for president; GOP chair calls third-party run by David French a 'suicide mission';
Will 'tea party' use McCain re-election race to avenge 2014 loss?
Rubio called Trump a 'con man' but now thinks he should be president;
Trump lambastes 'Mexican' judge as protesters storm streets in San Diego; Trump's personal, racially tinged attacks on federal judge alarm legal experts;
Judge bashed by candidate orders release of internal Trump University records; Controversial Trump University ads were created with mogul's input;
N.Y. Attorney General Calls Trump University a 'Fraud From Beginning to End,' Says Trump Could Be Brought into Court Even as President;
People Defending Trump University Depend on Donald Trump for Business;
Donald Trump Details Charitable Contributions to Veterans' Groups; Trump-endorsing Hannity has financial relationship with one of Donald's shady veterans' groups;
Trump can't stop airing his grievances; Is Donald Trump's Biggest Leaker Donald Trump?
Surge Of Trump-Fueled Anti-Semitism Is Hitting Jewish Reporters Who Cover Him; The Ugly Reality of American Anti-Semitism;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
US court says cops don't need a warrant for cell location data; The FBI wants to exempt its fingerprint, phone data from privacy rules, stirring objections;
Stuxnet-Like Malware Discovered; 'Irongate' Malware Can Disrupt Energy, Chemical Plants; Countries Creating, Acquiring Hacking Tools for Own Use;
The Fallibility of DNA Evidence; Arresting People for Walking Away from Airport Security;
How Web Giants' Adoption of EU Rules Seeks to Rein In Hate Speech;
The Snowden effect: Privacy is good for business;
Math and science
Universe is expanding up to 9% faster than we thought; Mars makes closest approach to Earth for 11 years ;
Researchers think they've solved a Stonehenge mystery; 2,000-year-old handwritten documents found in London mud;
Schrodinger's cat just got even weirder (and even more confusing);
Web and computing issues
17 life hacks will change the way you use Gmail; Stop Facebook tracking you across the web, change these settings;
Bill Would Delay U.S. Transition of Internet Role; EU Regulatory Guidelines Aim to Boost Net Neutrality;
How to use Spotify: Building your library, downloading music and more;
Raspberry Pi: The smart person's guide;
SC Politics
$12M of S.C. State's debt to be forgiven, $6M must be repaid; Altered state: Border redraw moves 19 homes in the Carolinas;
Capt. Sam's compromise approved by Legislature; delay could aid Kiawah project;
Push to tell more African-American history in public gains momentum; Confederate monuments in public places;
"Conservative" Doesn't Really Mean Much Anymore;
Finance and Economics
US job gains just 38K jobs, fewest in 5 years; rate at 4.7 pct.; OPEC Skips Output Limit, Finds Unity in Oil Price Optimism;
Societe Generale Predicts Three Economic Black Swans for This Year;
Landowners Win at U.S. Supreme Court in Wetlands-Development Case; Supreme Court Declines Trump Resorts Case That Stripped Workers' Benefits;
Supreme Court to hear State Farm case over Hurricane Katrina fraud claim;
Will Lawsuits Overturn The New Fiduciary Rule;
Replacing Flint Water Pipes Will Cost Double Original Estimate;
Artificial "Leaf" Mimics Photosynthesis To Produce Liquid Fuel;
Other news
11 Books To Become Better Leaders;
The life-changing magic of tidying: The KonTechie Method;
Education:
Study: Students Earning Vocational Certificates At For-Profit Colleges Earn Less Than They Did Before Attending; Why Black Students Leave College with More Debt;
Use Of International Recruiting Agents On The Rise Among Colleges, Universities;
Illinois Still Hasn't Passed a Budget. What That Means for Its Public Universities; Chicago Public Schools won't open in Fall without state funding;
3 Small Colleges Close; Free College Courses Cost Ohio School Districts Too Much;
Education Department Appoints New Attorney In Corinthian Colleges Case; Federal Sexual-Assault Investigations Tracker;
UNC Press to Offer Publishing Services for Professors' DIY Textbooks;
The NCAA way: students pay; coaches (and everyone else) get paid; Big 12 unanimously votes to reinstate title game in 2017;
Baylor athletic director resigns, effective immediately; Watch Ken Starr Get Mangled in His PR Machine;