Group items tagged

" a new paradigm in humanitarian work. The old paradigm was one-to-many: foreign journalists and aid workers jet in, report on a calamity and dispense aid with whatever data they have. The new paradigm is many-to-many-to-many: victims supply on-the-ground data; a self-organizing mob of global volunteers translates text messages and helps to orchestrate relief; journalists and aid workers use the data to target the response."

Detailed description of the use of technology in law enforcement. Mapping of crime locations etc. Department officials say a new commitment to technology is a key factor behind police statistics that show a 40.2% drop in reported violent crime in Milwaukee for the first quarter of 2010 when compared with the first quarter three years ago.

"Facebook has been nudging its users - first gently, then firmly - to review and update their privacy settings."

"The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, has accused Google of launching "the single greatest breach in the history of privacy". Includes a video.

"The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, has attacked the social networking site Facebook and its former college student founder for what he says is its ''complete disregard'' for privacy."

Lots of information, from basic to technical, on SSL and web security.

"Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have brought together Queenslanders hunting for up-to-the-minute information on the devastating floods afflicting the sunshine state. As Queensland Police work around the clock to keep the public informed on the movement of flood waters, they have also turned to these popular sites to publish updates and combat myths and rumours, as citizens post photos, updates and words of encouragement to one another. Although Queensland is issuing information through its State Disaster Management Service website, some web services have been disrupted with Brisbane City Council's flood flag map unable to cope with the high demand for updates on road closures and evacuations. Advertisement: Story continues below As a consequence, Facebook and Twitter have become a crucial lifeline as Queensland Police publish regular bulletins about the flood waters, warnings of road closures, and evacuation procedures."

"A growing number of schools across the nation are embracing the iPad as the latest tool to teach Kafka in multimedia, history through "Jeopardy"-like games and math with step-by-step animation of complex problems. "

Ants foraging for food: I also use this as example of how a model can help develop theories. One story (which I am sure is not scientifically accurate, but serves the purpose) is that the simulation was set up and run but found that even after the food source was depleted, in the simulation the ants still continued to return to the site of the food source whereas in real life, once the source had been depleted, the ants moved on. So clearly there was something missing from the simulator - and this lead to a possible theory that the ants secrete a hormone/chemical on the path back to the 'nest' (or some chemical) that indicates/communicates to the other ants that that particular food is finished.