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.
5/31/13
TechNews for the week: May 31; May 29;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
E.U. agrees to allow a ban on arms deliveries to Syria’s rebels to lapse; Russia Sending Air Defense Missiles to Syria; Syrian rebels warn Hezbollah;
U.S. Relaxes Iran Sanctions, Allowing Tech Trade; Iran’s presidential candidates begin campaign sprint; Obama administration to help Iranians beat government censors;
Suspected U.S. drone kills 4 in first strike since Pakistani elections;
List of the U.S. weapons designs and technologies compromised by hackers;
The Republican Party’s big squeeze; Conservative attempts to block immigration reform fails, for now;
S.C. congressman sees budget cuts’ impact — but not a backlash; U.S. contractors soon can get nearly $1 million a year each;
Another perspective on the press and the First Amendment;
Judge rules that Ariz. sheriff’s office profiles Latinos;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
Judge orders Google to comply with FBI's secret NSL demands; Justice Department to force Google to hand over user data;
Iranian Hackers Launching Cyber-Attacks on U.S. Energy Firms;
The Politics of Security in a Democracy; Are We Finally Thinking Sensibly About Terrorism? Risk Perception; Why We Lie;
Is uncovering digital vulnerabilities doing more harm than good? Stacked Security Tools Detect Less Malware Than Predicted;
Math and science
How 3D printing could take over the manufacturing industry; The international space station to get a 3D printer next year;
Geologists Chip Away at Climate’s Influence on Volcanoes; Huge asteroid buzzing Earth has its own moon;
Unapproved genetically modified wheat from Monsanto found in Oregon field;
Web and Computing issues
The Internet of Things: What you need to know;
Five alternatives to Microsoft Office 365; 10 Android Apps to Bring With You When You Travel;
New Gmail look blings up your inbox with tabs; How to use Gmail's new auto-sort feature;
Shrink photos and clear up some hard drive space with JPEGmini; YouTube now lets you add slow motion effect to your videos;
Finance and Economics
Health Law Spared Young Adults From High Hospital Bills; Immigrants Subsidize, Rather Than Drain, Medicare;
N.Y. attorney general lays out complaints against Wells Fargo, Bank of America;
Yawning deficits force Dutch pension funds to cut payouts;
Canada faces US and EU hurdles over Keystone XL pipeline;
Other news
Boy Scouts: Will anti-gay troops emerge?
Bob Dole Says He, Reagan Might Not Win in Today's GOP, Thinks Party Should Close for Repairs;
Education:
Master’s Degree Programs Increase At Universities; Coursera Bids for Role in Credit Courses;
Could Flipping the Curriculum Lead to More Jobs and Better Educated Students? Many Colleges Reluctant To Recruit Poor;
AAUP Urges Direct Talks Between Colleges' Boards and Faculties;
Sallie Mae Announces Plan to Split Into 2 Companies;
Tea party groups mobilizing against Common Core education overhaul;
Cheating Lessons: Part 1, Do your job better;
Paterno Family Sues NCAA to Overturn Penn State Sanctions;
5/24/13
TechNews for the week: May 24; May 22; May 20;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
Syrian army and Hezbollah fighters launch assault on rebel stronghold; In Iran, opponents use age to attack Rafsanjani campaign;
N. Korea fires 3 missiles into sea;
U.S. acknowledges killing of four U.S. citizens in drone strike; Obama's Speech on Drone Policy;
How the IRS seeded the clouds in 2010 for a political deluge three years later; At Cincinnati IRS office, surprise over claims of partisan villainy;
Justice IG criticizes former U.S. attorney for leak to Fox News;
U.S. court rejects Arizona law imposing new curbs on abortion;
Shareholders press companies to disclose more about political spending;
Saudi man investigated after Boston Marathon speaks out;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
Risks of Too Much Security; The press and national security; One-Shot vs. Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma;
Surveillance and the Internet of Things; Training for optimal performance; How to Handle Website Attacks;
US Company Sells “Self-Aiming” Rifle; Video surveillance over power lines;
FBI Arrests NYPD Detective On Hacking Charges;
Math and science
7 Tricks to Make Running More Fun;
Hurricane season comes with plan for better forecast; Early-Warning Flash Flood System Using Drones;
NASA asks: Could 3-D printed food fuel a mission to Mars? Physicians Use 3-D Printer To Create Airway Splint;
3 Planets Performing Rare Night Sky Show;
Web and Computing issues
How Google is overhauling its maps; How to send money via Gmail; Malware in the Google Play Store;
Mozilla Firefox delays patch to block third-party cookies; How to block in-app purchases on your Android tablet;
What happens when the clock stops on support?
SC Politics
SCSU contract among tops for S.C. presidents;
Finance and Economics
'There's A Storm Coming' In The TIPS Market; Low interest rates are the final straw for many company pensions;
In Calif. likely health-plan rates under new law lower than expected; Did California Just Expose a Major Flaw in Obamacare?
Increase in doctors’ pay for Medicaid services off to a slow start;
This country needs another financial crisis;
US Midwest farmland values up 15 pct in 1st quarter;
Rupert Murdoch plans to 'poison' News Corp takeover bids;
Other news
Get Ready for Millennial Workers; 13 Ways to Determine a Candidate's Soft Skills;
Do Poor Career Prospects Radicalize Imams?
Boy Scouts vote to allow openly gay scouts;
Education:
Study: Students Might Not Be 'Academically Adrift' After All; Graduation Rates: Flawed as a Measure of Colleges, but Still Useful;
Engineering Schools “Redshirting” Students;
House Passes Bill Tying Student-Loan Interest Rates to the Market; Obama Pledges Veto for House GOP Bill;
Education Dept. Releases New Data on College Tuition Across Sectors; 2-Year Colleges Are at Risk of 'Separate and Unequal' Future;
Relief and Confusion Mingle as State-Authorization Rules Are Delayed; U.S. Won’t Appeal Decision on Controversial Gainful-Employment Rule;
MOOC Provider edX More Than Doubles Its University Partners; MOOC Professors Claim No Responsibility for How Courses Are Used;
Harvard Professors Call for Greater Oversight of MOOCs;
State education chiefs oppose delay in high-stakes test repercussions;
Do students who are issued tablets miss the benefits of experiential learning?
Governor Cuomo Seeks to Turn SUNY Campuses Into Tax-Free Zones;
Randolph Community College hopes to build 3-D printing lab;
Charter Flights for Athletes Aren't Always What They Seem; NCAA Dismisses Concerns Over Safety on Charter Flight;
Many prospective athletes are not aware of multiyear athletic scholarships;
U. Wisconsin-Green Bay Coach Keeps Job After Investigation of Alleged Abuse;
5/17/13
TechNews for the week: May 17; May 15; May 13;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
White House releases Benghazi emails; e-mails show clash between State Department, CIA; Obama spokesman says Republicans leaked falsified Benghazi e-mail;
Russia says no plans to sell advanced missiles to Syria; Assad forces gaining ground in Syria; Israel grounds fleet of drones after crash;
Pakistan’s Sharif claims victory in historic vote;
Voters return the parties that led Iceland into its economic meltdown;
Arctic Council Adds 6 Observer States, Including China;
Pentagon Spec Ops Chief Sees 'War on Terror' lasting 10 to 20 More Years;
Pentagon grapples with sex crimes by military recruiters; Hagel orders immediate retraining of sexual-assault prevention officers;
IRS field office singled out groups that ‘criticize how the country is being run’; IRS, union mum on employees held accountable in targeting scandal;
Attorney General says FBI, Justice Dept. to investigate IRS; IRS tax-exempt unit described as bureaucratic mess in report; the Report;
Acting director of IRS resigns; Second IRS official to resign after scandal; Obama names OMB official to lead Internal Revenue Service;
Big election spenders run free of US tax agency’s reins;
Budget surpluses spur tension in some GOP states;
Secret U.S. Trawl of AP Calls Decried by Press Groups;
House readies to vote on yet another bill to repeal health-care law;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
May Crypto-Gram Newsletter, Terrorist Attacks, Transparancy, Surveillance and more;
How the Syrian Electronic Army Hacked The Onion; Boston fallout: Transparency and Accountability;
Math and science
Astronauts will venture out of space station to try to solve coolant leak;
Earth's Rotating Inner Core Shifts Its Speed;
Breakthrough Would Make Data Transmission Hundreds Of Times Faster;
Scientists make human cloning breakthrough;
Funnel Wind Turbine Generates Cheap Power; Tiles Harvest Marathon Runners' Energy;
Reasons Not to Stretch;
NSF Turns Down Congressman’s Request for Reviewer Comments;
Web and Computing issues
8 Free, Must-Have Windows 8 Apps; Time-saving autofill shortcuts for Excel;
Secret NSA Google Search Tips - nothing new!; Migrate to Gmail the easy way; Google unveils new look for Maps;
Three methods for transferring files to and from your Android tablet; How to access Microsoft Office 365 from an Android tablet;
Your Twitter account: A recruiter's perspective;
Finance and Economics
U.S. Deficit Falls Faster Than Expected;
Bernanke: ‘Shadow banking,’ other sectors still pose risks; Credit-rating agencies poised to avoid overhaul;
Derivatives rule for banks eased; US Probing Legality Of Vast Number Of Commodities Trades; Installment Loans and the Shifting Debt Industry;
Proxy-advisory firm says Goldman Sachs Investors Should Oppose Pay Plan; SEC pressed to abandon corporate political spending disclosures petition;
Euro zone in longest recession; Wells Fargo again hit with overdraft penalty;
Chinese Companies A Growing Presence In US Auto Industry; China’s Corporate Debt Market Set to Challenge US;
About ProPublica’s Part D data; Using Prescriber Checkup to compare Medicare Part D providers;
Labor Dept. may require employers to give retirement income estimates;
Supreme Court Sides With Monsanto in Seed-Patent Case; Federal Circuit Issues Divided Opinion on Software Patents;
Internet Companies Push Against European Data Law;
Other news
Judge scolds Trump, attorney during testimony;
The false god of ‘narrative’;
Education:
Majors That Employers Look For The Most; College Enrollment Fell by 2.3 Percent This Spring;
Former Secretary of Education: Only 150 of 3500 U.S. Colleges Are Worth the Investment; the 2012 ROI Rankings;
Lack of Financial Literacy Complicates Student-Aid Process; The Truth about Grade Inflation;
What Public-College Presidents Make; 4 pass $1-Million Mark in Pay; Homes Don't Count in Pay Packages;
Florida Official’s Report Urges Standards for College Presidents’ Pay;
U.S. News Removes 2 More Colleges From Its Rankings; Panel Recommends Reaccrediting U. of Phoenix, but Notes Concerns;
Texas Bill To Restrict Board of Regents’ Powers; Texas Lawmaker Grills Regent Over E-Mails From Governor;
U. of Wisconsin's Surplus Could Cost It as State Sets Budget; Ohio Republicans Seek to Tie Tuition Rates to Students’ Voter Registrations;
Pearson flubs test scoring for gifted-and-talented programs;
Senate Panel Amends Immigration Bill to Close Student-Visa Loopholes;
MOOCs Meet Resistance From Professors;
5/10/13
TechNews for the week: May 10; May 8; May 6;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
Obama virtually rules out sending U.S. ground troops into Syrian conflict; Israel bombs outskirts of Damascus for second time in recent days;
Israeli airstrikes in Syria could accelerate U.S. decision-making; Western officials fear retaliation for airstrikes in Syria attributed to Israel;
On Syria, impetus for direct U.S. role; Syria threatens ‘all options’ after Israeli airstrikes; Israel tries to lower tensions with Syria after reports of airstrikes;
Karzai acknowledges CIA payments;
State Dept. disputes charges by diplomat, a Benghazi critic;
State-run Bank of China cuts ties with North Korean foreign-trade entity; Pentagon: Chinese government, military behind cyberspying;
Lawmakers seek details of possible sequester cuts to defense budget next year; Why does military need 10 types of camouflage?
Returning vets face a higher chance of dying behind the wheel;
Pentagon releases terrifying statistics of sexual assaults in the military; Female general’s promotion is on hold over dismissal of sex-assault verdict;
NRA, arms dealer played key role in growing market for military-style guns; Glenn Beck at NRA Rally: 'Freedom of All Mankind Is at Stake';
Kansas Gov. Insists it’s OK to Ignore Federal Gun Laws;
Funds to help uninsured choose health-care options could affect how many get coverage;
Senior State Dept. jobs sit vacant; Republican senators’ boycott blocks action to confirm EPA nominee;
How ‘political intelligence’ can come from Congress itself; D.C. law firm finds itself at the center;
As red ink recedes, pressure fades for budget deal; Child’s play with the budget as Democrats and Republicans battle;
IRS apologizes for inappropriately targeting conservative political groups;
White House Rolls Out New Rules to Open Up Government Data;
A new recipe for election reform;
Jim DeMint and Robert Rector: What amnesty for illegal immigrants will cost America;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
U.S. Aims to Force Web Services to Compromise Message Encryption; FBI says it doesn't need a warrant to snoop on private email, social network messages;
Is the U.S. Government Recording and Saving All Domestic Telephone Calls?; Warrants Not Needed for E-mail says DOJ, FBI;
How hackable is your password? How to improve security in Firefox, Chrome, and IE; Reidentifying Anonymous Data;
Intelligence Analysis and the Connect-the-Dots Metaphor;
The Economist on Guantanamo;
Cyberthieves Accused of Stealing $45 Million from Banks;
Math and science
17-year cicadas to swarm from Georgia to New York;
Artist 3D-prints portraits from DNA left in public places; State Department Orders 3D Gun Plans Offline;
Mystery of Abraham Lincoln's Funeral Train Solved by Chemist;
Web and Computing issues
Three essential security add-ons for Firefox, Chrome, and IE; Improve security in Firefox, Chrome, and IE; Create and share a Google Calendar;
Appeals Court Affirms Ruling Against ‘Copyright Troll’;
Adobe’s subscription model and the future of software;
Know your users: Web analytics tools;
SC Politics
GOP rifts exposed in South Carolina; Sanford beats Colbert Busch in special House election;
Finance and Economics
US Sees Slow Gains In Productivity; Fed Council Warned of Credit Risk, Asset Price Bubble; Lessons from the Reinhart-Rogoff error;
Fed governor calling for stronger capital at megabanks; Support grows for higher bank capital ratios; Borrowers shorted on mortgage relief checks;
401k’s are so Yesterday: Cash Balance Plans are a New Retirement Player; U.S. Derivatives Regulator Keeping Eye on Bitcoin;
More political intelligence is under scrutiny in connection with Medicare funding decision;
European carbon market in trouble; Chinese dream is smothered by toxic smog; Japan’s GDP errors overstated weakness;
Ruling May Help Internet Firms Get Access to Stock Data; French Official Backs Off Control of Video-Sharing Site;
Pension Funds Sue BP Over Gulf Oil Spill; California suing JPMorgan over debt-collection practices;
Tech Sector Opposes Proposal To Favor US Citizens Over Foreign Nationals;
New ProPublica Tool Digs Into Nonprofit Tax Forms;
Colony’s $2bn bid for IMG rejected in favour of auction;
Other news
4 Big Problems With Social Security Numbers;
Americans Are Too Stupid To Own Guns;
Hackers: From innocent curiosity to illegal activity;
Donald Trump Slams Jon Stewart After Comedian Reveals His "Real Name";
Education:
Report: High Schools Set Up Community-College Students to Fail; What Do U.S. College Graduates Lack? Professionalism;
Low-Income Students Pay High Net Prices at Many Colleges; Colleges using financial aid to lure rich students while shortchanging poor;
Small Private Colleges Lose More Students Despite Rise in Discounting; Strayer U.’s Discounts Reflect Shifts in For-Profit-College Sector;
Lawmakers Propose Long-Term Solutions for Student-Loan Interest Rates;
Berkeley Will Improve Access to Course Materials for Disabilities Groups; As MOOC Debate Simmers at San Jose State, American U. Calls a Halt;
Companies Finance University Efforts to Improve Science Education;
U.S. Customs Is Ordered to Verify Student Visas; Police Response to Off-Campus Party Draws Fire at U. of Southern California;
Davidson Faculty Criticizes Decision to Reaffirm College’s Religious Ties;
Professors Suggest How to Improve NCAA's Judicial Process; Deadspin asks: Is Your State’s Highest-Paid Employee a Coach?
College Golfers Bet on Sports Far More Often Than Other Athletes;
5/3/13
TechNews for the week: May 3; May 1; April 29;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
Jordan: Syria is sliding toward ‘failed state’ that could imperil region; U.S. striving to find political resolution to Syrian conflict; Obama: no rush to judgment on Syria;
CIA delivers millions to Afghan president;
U.S. military should put religious freedom at the front; Army says no to more tanks, but Congress insists; Budget cuts could reshape the country’s ship supply;
Virginia has one of nation’s most lax ethics laws for politicians;
Senate foes of gun bill suffer in polls;
Three arrested for helping suspect after Boston bombings; Ron Paul Slams ‘Military-Style Occupation’ Following Bombing: More Frightening Than Attack Itself;
FBI: Miss. man arrested in investigation of poisoned letters sent to Obama, others;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
Panel seeks to fine tech companies for noncompliance with wiretap orders; House Fumbles Privacy Again;
Update to 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act would require police to obtain warrants before intercepting email or cloud data;
Tech Firms Criticized Over Protecting Users’ Rights; The Public/Private Surveillance Partnership; Dutch Police May Get Right to Hack;
More Links on the Boston Terrorist Attacks; Surveillance After the Boston Bombing;
Google outlaws Android app updates that don't come from its Play store;
Risks of Networked Systems;
Math and science
10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies; How data is changing the car game for Ford;
Engineers Develop Camera That Acts Like A Bug's Eye; Engineers Build Bug-Sized Flying Robot;
New study doubles estimate of oil in northern Plains formation;
NASA's Fermi telescope dodges a 3,100-pound bullet;
Researchers Use 3D Printer To Make Bionic Ear;
Web and Computing issues
Google Maps API Brings the World to You; Five applications that Protect your privacy;
Windows XP: If it ain't broke...; BlackBerry CEO: Tablets Have No Future;
Build a simple timesheet in Excel; How to prepare for your last log-off;
SC Politics
Mark Sanford is down, But he’s not out; Sanford, Colbert-Busch have spirited debate in SC congressional race;
Audience: Sanford Overused Pelosi Reference, Colbert Busch Crowd Was Rude; Former South Carolina Governor 'Didn't Hear' Affair Jab;
New SC State president could earn $326,000; Controversy Marches On as S.C. State;
Lawmakers oust S.C. State incumbents in college board elections; New board won’t end dysfunction at SC State University;
Finance and Economics
U.S. economy added 165,000 jobs in April; unemployment rate at 7.5 percent;
‘Political intelligence’ firms face insider trading inquiry; SEC subpoenas firm, individuals in a case of leaked information;
In several states, Medicaid expansion remains in limbo as time runs short; Medicare proposes changes to hospital admission rules;
Other news
How much is a Facebook friend worth?
Comment: 'Nothing changes anything'; Interview with David Frum; transcript;
Michele Bachmann Tries, Fails To Quote Shakespeare During House Debate; the debate;
Education:
College Confidential: a Field Guide; 25 Universities with the Worst Professors; Disadvantaged Students Are More Influenced by College Marketing;
Report: Top-Paying Jobs In The Engineering Sector; New Graduates Have Unrealistic Expectations for Pay;
Per-student pre-K spending lowest in decade; Same-Sex and Unmarried Parents' Assets and Income Will Be Considered on Fafsa;
Major Players in the MOOC Universe; Why Professors at San Jose State Won't Use a Harvard Professor's MOOC;
MOOC Teaches How to Cheat in Online Courses, With Eye to Prevention;
Duke U.'s Undergraduate Faculty Derails Plan for Online Courses for Credit; English Teachers Reject Use of Robots to Grade Student Writing;
Making Board Games in the Classroom;
California Faculty Union Accuses College Accreditor of Violating Laws; Oklahoma State U. Drops Legal Fight Over Life-Insurance Program;
Marshall U. Faculty Members Vote No Confidence in President;
NCAA's Easing of Eligibility Standards Concerns Some Professors;
Big Ten announces football division alignments, nine game schedule set for 2016;