#publicgood — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #publicgood, aggregated by home.social.
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New York Times: Want to Fight Back Against Big Tech? Start Here.. This link goes to a gift article. “All of the speculation and hype around A.I. is hiding the fact that the technology isn’t just large language models or agents or data centers. It is the backbone of a superstructure that merges regressive politics with unchecked economic power in the guise of technological innovation. Put […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/08/04/new-york-times-want-to-fight-back-against-big-tech-start-here/ -
New York Times: Want to Fight Back Against Big Tech? Start Here.. This link goes to a gift article. “All of the speculation and hype around A.I. is hiding the fact that the technology isn’t just large language models or agents or data centers. It is the backbone of a superstructure that merges regressive politics with unchecked economic power in the guise of technological innovation. Put […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/08/04/new-york-times-want-to-fight-back-against-big-tech-start-here/ -
Beyond the Map: Surveying Then and Now | Ordnance Survey [UK]
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https://youtu.be/RkOkapW66OU?si=1jLLwWqT1MATSQd9 <-- shared video
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H/T @Ordnance Survey
“Britain's map has changed a lot over the years - and so has the way it's made.
Meet Brian and Will, OS Surveyors from different generations, sharing how surveying has evolved and what it means to help map Great Britain. Here's part one of their story.
From long days in the field with paper maps and handwritten notes to modern GPS and digital technology, surveying has come a long way. But one thing hasn't changed: the people behind the map…”
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“Will's grandfather Brian helped map Britain. Today, Will does the same job with very different technology.
Together, they reflect on their careers as Ordnance Survey surveyors, sharing stories from different eras of surveying.
From paper field books to GPS and digital mapping, discover how surveying has evolved, how maps are made, and the technology behind the data millions rely on every day.
Whether you're interested in mapping, surveying, geography, cartography, or the history of Ordnance Survey, this is a fascinating insight into the people and processes that help put Britain on the map…”
#UK #OS #survey #history #GIS #spatial #mapping #Britian #surveyors #GreatBritian #family #technology #oldschool #cartography #geography #careers #publicservice #publicgood #publiclands #civilservice #UK
#OrdnanceSurvey -
Beyond the Map: Surveying Then and Now | Ordnance Survey [UK]
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https://youtu.be/RkOkapW66OU?si=1jLLwWqT1MATSQd9 <-- shared video
--
H/T @Ordnance Survey
“Britain's map has changed a lot over the years - and so has the way it's made.
Meet Brian and Will, OS Surveyors from different generations, sharing how surveying has evolved and what it means to help map Great Britain. Here's part one of their story.
From long days in the field with paper maps and handwritten notes to modern GPS and digital technology, surveying has come a long way. But one thing hasn't changed: the people behind the map…”
--
“Will's grandfather Brian helped map Britain. Today, Will does the same job with very different technology.
Together, they reflect on their careers as Ordnance Survey surveyors, sharing stories from different eras of surveying.
From paper field books to GPS and digital mapping, discover how surveying has evolved, how maps are made, and the technology behind the data millions rely on every day.
Whether you're interested in mapping, surveying, geography, cartography, or the history of Ordnance Survey, this is a fascinating insight into the people and processes that help put Britain on the map…”
#UK #OS #survey #history #GIS #spatial #mapping #Britian #surveyors #GreatBritian #family #technology #oldschool #cartography #geography #careers #publicservice #publicgood #publiclands #civilservice #UK
#OrdnanceSurvey -
The Conversation: Meta‑backed research finds exposure to ‘untrustworthy’ social media is rare. The fine print is less reassuring. “A new study published today in Science Advances offers the most rigorous answers yet. It comes from a collaboration between Meta and academic researchers who studied the 2020 United States election. It was run from inside the machine – on the live feeds of […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/31/the-conversation-meta-backed-research-finds-exposure-to-untrustworthy-social-media-is-rare-the-fine-print-is-less-reassuring/ -
The Conversation: Meta‑backed research finds exposure to ‘untrustworthy’ social media is rare. The fine print is less reassuring. “A new study published today in Science Advances offers the most rigorous answers yet. It comes from a collaboration between Meta and academic researchers who studied the 2020 United States election. It was run from inside the machine – on the live feeds of […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/31/the-conversation-meta-backed-research-finds-exposure-to-untrustworthy-social-media-is-rare-the-fine-print-is-less-reassuring/ -
#Anthropic does not advocate for a ban on #OpenWeightAI, recognising their value as a #publicgood. Instead, the focus should be on preventing #authoritariangovernments from accessing powerful #chips and cracking down on industrial-scale #distillation operations. Additionally, mandatory #safetytesting for all sufficiently capable models, regardless of origin or openness, is crucial to address concerns about misuse and alignment problems. https://www.anthropic.com/news/position-open-weights-models?AIagents.at #AIagent #AI #ML #NLP #LLM #GenAI
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#Anthropic does not advocate for a ban on #OpenWeightAI, recognising their value as a #publicgood. Instead, the focus should be on preventing #authoritariangovernments from accessing powerful #chips and cracking down on industrial-scale #distillation operations. Additionally, mandatory #safetytesting for all sufficiently capable models, regardless of origin or openness, is crucial to address concerns about misuse and alignment problems. https://www.anthropic.com/news/position-open-weights-models?AIagents.at #AIagent #AI #ML #NLP #LLM #GenAI
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New York Times: What Happened When Meta Used A.I. to Ban Accounts on Facebook and Instagram. This link goes to a gift article. “What happened to the Hansons was a case of artificial intelligence gone wrong. The technology is increasingly responsible for deciding which accounts broke Meta’s content rules while also managing the appeals for those decisions. Adding to people’s distress, it is […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/25/new-york-times-what-happened-when-meta-used-a-i-to-ban-accounts-on-facebook-and-instagram/ -
New York Times: What Happened When Meta Used A.I. to Ban Accounts on Facebook and Instagram. This link goes to a gift article. “What happened to the Hansons was a case of artificial intelligence gone wrong. The technology is increasingly responsible for deciding which accounts broke Meta’s content rules while also managing the appeals for those decisions. Adding to people’s distress, it is […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/25/new-york-times-what-happened-when-meta-used-a-i-to-ban-accounts-on-facebook-and-instagram/ -
NOAA’s SOLAR-1 Enters New Era Of Space Weather Monitoring
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https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaas-solar-1-enters-new-era-of-space-weather-monitoring <-- shared technical article
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https://www.spaceweather.gov/ <-- shared NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) home page
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https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/our-satellites/future-programs/swfo/space-weather-observations-l1-advance-readiness-solar-1 <-- shared SOLAR-1 overview and details page
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https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/our-environment/space-weather <-- shared overview of space weather and its risk, hazards & impacts
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[I was lucky enough to see the launch from the Kennedy Space Center of GOES-19/U, my first launch - and love reading about the ‘ongoing story’…]
#spaceweather #solar #monitoring #risk #hazard #impacts #humanimpacts #SOLAR1 #SOLAR-1 #SpaceWeatherPredictionCenter #NOAA #NESDIS #earlywarningsystem #monitoring #risk #hazard #mitigation #infrastructure #satellites #electric #powergrid #blackouts #brownouts #transformers #utilities #energy #aviation #nationalsecurity #defence #missileguidance #agriculture #farming #precisionagriculture #GPS #vanigation #transportation #spaceflight #LaGrange #L1 #protection #coronagraph #SWPC #NESDIS #opendata #publicgood #fedservice #fedscience
#NOAA -
NOAA’s SOLAR-1 Enters New Era Of Space Weather Monitoring
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https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaas-solar-1-enters-new-era-of-space-weather-monitoring <-- shared technical article
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https://www.spaceweather.gov/ <-- shared NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) home page
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https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/our-satellites/future-programs/swfo/space-weather-observations-l1-advance-readiness-solar-1 <-- shared SOLAR-1 overview and details page
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https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/our-environment/space-weather <-- shared overview of space weather and its risk, hazards & impacts
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[I was lucky enough to see the launch from the Kennedy Space Center of GOES-19/U, my first launch - and love reading about the ‘ongoing story’…]
#spaceweather #solar #monitoring #risk #hazard #impacts #humanimpacts #SOLAR1 #SOLAR-1 #SpaceWeatherPredictionCenter #NOAA #NESDIS #earlywarningsystem #monitoring #risk #hazard #mitigation #infrastructure #satellites #electric #powergrid #blackouts #brownouts #transformers #utilities #energy #aviation #nationalsecurity #defence #missileguidance #agriculture #farming #precisionagriculture #GPS #vanigation #transportation #spaceflight #LaGrange #L1 #protection #coronagraph #SWPC #NESDIS #opendata #publicgood #fedservice #fedscience
#NOAA -
New York Times: Where U.S. Government Data Is Disappearing. This link goes to a gift article. “Ordinarily, much federal data is the domain of a niche network of wonks. When a federal report goes missing or loses key information, think tanks, advocacy organizations and researchers may sound the alarm, but the broader public might never know. But the sprawling federal data apparatus has an even […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/23/new-york-times-where-u-s-government-data-is-disappearing/ -
New York Times: Where U.S. Government Data Is Disappearing. This link goes to a gift article. “Ordinarily, much federal data is the domain of a niche network of wonks. When a federal report goes missing or loses key information, think tanks, advocacy organizations and researchers may sound the alarm, but the broader public might never know. But the sprawling federal data apparatus has an even […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/23/new-york-times-where-u-s-government-data-is-disappearing/ -
Cal Matters: White House admits it used keywords to kill billions worth of California research grants. “Federal agencies that terminated more than a thousand research grants at the University of California last year admitted that they used keywords related to diversity, gender, vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 to screen for projects that ran afoul of the Trump administration’s priorities.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/22/cal-matters-white-house-admits-it-used-keywords-to-kill-billions-worth-of-california-research-grants/ -
Cal Matters: White House admits it used keywords to kill billions worth of California research grants. “Federal agencies that terminated more than a thousand research grants at the University of California last year admitted that they used keywords related to diversity, gender, vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 to screen for projects that ran afoul of the Trump administration’s priorities.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/22/cal-matters-white-house-admits-it-used-keywords-to-kill-billions-worth-of-california-research-grants/ -
The Guardian: The fight against AI datacenters is important – but it’s just a starting point . “Opposition to AI datacenters has emerged as a primary theme in US politics, one that – surprisingly – doesn’t fall along party lines. We applaud people coming together for constructive debate on any issue, and agree that communities need to evaluate whether any economic benefits these […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/21/the-guardian-the-fight-against-ai-datacenters-is-important-but-its-just-a-starting-point/ -
The Guardian: The fight against AI datacenters is important – but it’s just a starting point . “Opposition to AI datacenters has emerged as a primary theme in US politics, one that – surprisingly – doesn’t fall along party lines. We applaud people coming together for constructive debate on any issue, and agree that communities need to evaluate whether any economic benefits these […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/21/the-guardian-the-fight-against-ai-datacenters-is-important-but-its-just-a-starting-point/ -
New Digital Tool Helps Farmers Boost Biodiversity In Scotland [spatial]
(The app is underpinned by trusted data from [UK] Ordnance Survey)
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https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/news/new-biodiversity-tool-in-scotland <-- shared technical article
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https://biodiversity.scot/ <-- shared Farm Biodiversity Scotland (FarmBioScot) home page
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https://www.nature.scot/ <-- shated NatureScot home page
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H/T @Ordnance Survey
“Most of us use maps to find places. Farmers in Scotland are now using them to help restore nature. 🌿
A new tool from NatureScot powered by Ordnance Survey data, is being tested with farmers and crofters and helps them map habitats, record wildlife observations and track biodiversity improvements across their land.
By turning trusted location data into practical insights, FarmBioScot makes it easier to understand the environmental value of the land they manage, support nature recovery and meet requirements for The Scottish Government support schemes.
It's a great example of how geospatial data can help people make better decisions - benefiting both rural businesses and the natural environment…”
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“NatureScot, Scotland’s nature agency, is testing a new digital tool with farmers and crofters across Scotland to help them consider nature in their business management. The new platform, powered by Ordnance Survey (OS) data, will also make it easier for them to meet requirements for government support schemes.
Farm Biodiversity Scotland (FarmBioScot) enables users to map habitats, record wildlife observations and track biodiversity improvements on their land through a simple platform, available via both app and web. The tool supports the Scottish Government’s wider ambitions to restore nature while helping farmers demonstrate the environmental value of the land they manage…”
#GIS #spatial #mapping #biodiversity #digitaltool #usecase #farming #crofters #agriculture #UK #Scotland #NatureScot #habitat #survey #monitoring #wildlife #FarmBioScot #FarmBiodiversityScotland #environment #value #return #funding #records #metrics #rural #business #farm #management #opendata #opensource #publicgood
#NatureScot | #OrdnanceSurvey -
New Digital Tool Helps Farmers Boost Biodiversity In Scotland [spatial]
(The app is underpinned by trusted data from [UK] Ordnance Survey)
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https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/news/new-biodiversity-tool-in-scotland <-- shared technical article
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https://biodiversity.scot/ <-- shared Farm Biodiversity Scotland (FarmBioScot) home page
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https://www.nature.scot/ <-- shated NatureScot home page
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H/T @Ordnance Survey
“Most of us use maps to find places. Farmers in Scotland are now using them to help restore nature. 🌿
A new tool from NatureScot powered by Ordnance Survey data, is being tested with farmers and crofters and helps them map habitats, record wildlife observations and track biodiversity improvements across their land.
By turning trusted location data into practical insights, FarmBioScot makes it easier to understand the environmental value of the land they manage, support nature recovery and meet requirements for The Scottish Government support schemes.
It's a great example of how geospatial data can help people make better decisions - benefiting both rural businesses and the natural environment…”
--
“NatureScot, Scotland’s nature agency, is testing a new digital tool with farmers and crofters across Scotland to help them consider nature in their business management. The new platform, powered by Ordnance Survey (OS) data, will also make it easier for them to meet requirements for government support schemes.
Farm Biodiversity Scotland (FarmBioScot) enables users to map habitats, record wildlife observations and track biodiversity improvements on their land through a simple platform, available via both app and web. The tool supports the Scottish Government’s wider ambitions to restore nature while helping farmers demonstrate the environmental value of the land they manage…”
#GIS #spatial #mapping #biodiversity #digitaltool #usecase #farming #crofters #agriculture #UK #Scotland #NatureScot #habitat #survey #monitoring #wildlife #FarmBioScot #FarmBiodiversityScotland #environment #value #return #funding #records #metrics #rural #business #farm #management #opendata #opensource #publicgood
#NatureScot | #OrdnanceSurvey -
Alex Turner: Why I Left Google DeepMind. “I wanted AI ethics commitments to hold under pressure. In particular, I wanted Google DeepMind (GDM) to maintain its existing commitment against supporting killer robots. Over several months, I asked many people to act. I asked senior people—respected people—people with reputations silvered by their concern about AI ethics and […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/17/alex-turner-why-i-left-google-deepmind/ -
Alex Turner: Why I Left Google DeepMind. “I wanted AI ethics commitments to hold under pressure. In particular, I wanted Google DeepMind (GDM) to maintain its existing commitment against supporting killer robots. Over several months, I asked many people to act. I asked senior people—respected people—people with reputations silvered by their concern about AI ethics and […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/17/alex-turner-why-i-left-google-deepmind/ -
Associated Press: YouTube joins Meta in appealing a jury verdict that faulted them for users’ social media addiction. “YouTube has appealed the verdict of a landmark social media addiction lawsuit in Los Angeles, seeking to challenge the jury’s determination that the company designed its platform to hook young users without concern for their well-being.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/17/associated-press-youtube-joins-meta-in-appealing-a-jury-verdict-that-faulted-them-for-users-social-media-addiction/ -
Associated Press: YouTube joins Meta in appealing a jury verdict that faulted them for users’ social media addiction. “YouTube has appealed the verdict of a landmark social media addiction lawsuit in Los Angeles, seeking to challenge the jury’s determination that the company designed its platform to hook young users without concern for their well-being.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/17/associated-press-youtube-joins-meta-in-appealing-a-jury-verdict-that-faulted-them-for-users-social-media-addiction/ -
@fightingliberal.bsky.social Education is a #publicGood. Or should be.
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Costco’s simple retail model could be the key to making a public option in grocery stores work.
#groceries #publicgoodhttps://thewalrus.ca/costco-is-the-anti-amazon-and-its-thriving/
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Costco’s simple retail model could be the key to making a public option in grocery stores work.
#groceries #publicgoodhttps://thewalrus.ca/costco-is-the-anti-amazon-and-its-thriving/
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@ben This is exactly right.
But it requires an acknowledgement that news is a public good, not a public equity plaything that should be squeezed dry like a lemon.
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@ben This is exactly right.
But it requires an acknowledgement that news is a public good, not a public equity plaything that should be squeezed dry like a lemon.
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The Conversation: It may be almost impossible to make data centers pay their ‘fair share’ of electricity costs. “So while every state’s consumer advocate is concerned with keeping the utility’s costs as low as possible, they may be barred by law from adopting a position on how those costs should be allocated. This lack of representation in this aspect of rate-setting for average […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/14/the-conversation-it-may-be-almost-impossible-to-make-data-centers-pay-their-fair-share-of-electricity-costs/ -
The Conversation: It may be almost impossible to make data centers pay their ‘fair share’ of electricity costs. “So while every state’s consumer advocate is concerned with keeping the utility’s costs as low as possible, they may be barred by law from adopting a position on how those costs should be allocated. This lack of representation in this aspect of rate-setting for average […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/14/the-conversation-it-may-be-almost-impossible-to-make-data-centers-pay-their-fair-share-of-electricity-costs/ -
Watching A #NOAA #Webinar on Flash Droughts
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https://noaaresearch.webex.com/wbxmjs/joinservice/sites/noaaresearch/meeting/download/9b3e684d45ca47fc9469070eabd9a142?MTID=m2fa4a8af7bd8647fc48619af5eeecb5a <-- shared NOAA Summer Science Series individual webinar
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https://www.drought.gov/what-is-drought/flash-drought <-- shared NOAA overview technical article
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https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/NOAAScienceSeminars.php <-- subscribe to the NOAA Summer Science Series
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-024-00618-0 <-- shared paper
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https://communities.springernature.com/posts/the-prevalent-life-cycle-of-agricultural-flash-droughts <-- shared technical article (derived from paper above)
H/T @Jeffrey Basara PhD, MBA | Chair and Professor - Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell | Co-Founder - American Prime Sustainable Solutions
[Flash floods? not TOO hard to conceptualise.
Flash drought? harder to 'get my head around', but H/T / presenter does an excellent job!]
"Not all droughts are the same. In some cases, drought rapidly intensifies at subseasonal to seasonal scales with significant impacts to agriculture and water resources along with the increased propensity for heatwaves and wildfires. Like all droughts, flash drought begins with a precipitation deficit. However, both evaporative demand and soil moisture are critical flash drought variables, and identifying and monitoring the desiccation of the terrestrial surface is key for determining flash drought development and associated impacts. While recent advances in knowledge and monitoring of flash drought have occurred, fundamental questions remain in the state of the science. What are the overall mechanistic relationships between atmospheric demand, evaporative stress, terrestrial desiccation, and precipitation that drive the progression of flash drought? Do regional characteristics of the environment impact the evolution of flash drought? What are the scales of predictability for flash drought? Finally, how will flash drought frequency and intensity evolve in a changing climate system"
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"Flash drought intensifies rapidly due to changes in precipitation, temperature, wind, and radiation. These changes in the weather increase evapotranspiration and lower soil moisture. Flash droughts can cause extensive damage to agriculture, economies, and ecosystems if they are not predicted and discovered early..."
#water #hydrology #fedscience #publicgood #hydrologicdrought #waterdeficit #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #watersecurity #risk #hazard #humanimpacts #streamflow #riverflow #groundwater #surfacewater #climate #weather #climatechange #extremeweather #atmosphere #metrology #regional #global #farming #agriculture #fluvial #pluvial #rainfall #precipitation #cloudcover #energy #heat #temperature #ET #evapotranspiration #farming #agriculture #foodsecurity #waterresources #dynamicsystems #watermanagement #flashdrought #drought #susceptibility #monitoring #prediction #model #modeling
@noaa -
Watching A #NOAA #Webinar on Flash Droughts
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https://noaaresearch.webex.com/wbxmjs/joinservice/sites/noaaresearch/meeting/download/9b3e684d45ca47fc9469070eabd9a142?MTID=m2fa4a8af7bd8647fc48619af5eeecb5a <-- shared NOAA Summer Science Series individual webinar
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https://www.drought.gov/what-is-drought/flash-drought <-- shared NOAA overview technical article
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https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/NOAAScienceSeminars.php <-- subscribe to the NOAA Summer Science Series
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-024-00618-0 <-- shared paper
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https://communities.springernature.com/posts/the-prevalent-life-cycle-of-agricultural-flash-droughts <-- shared technical article (derived from paper above)
H/T @Jeffrey Basara PhD, MBA | Chair and Professor - Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell | Co-Founder - American Prime Sustainable Solutions
[Flash floods? not TOO hard to conceptualise.
Flash drought? harder to 'get my head around', but H/T / presenter does an excellent job!]
"Not all droughts are the same. In some cases, drought rapidly intensifies at subseasonal to seasonal scales with significant impacts to agriculture and water resources along with the increased propensity for heatwaves and wildfires. Like all droughts, flash drought begins with a precipitation deficit. However, both evaporative demand and soil moisture are critical flash drought variables, and identifying and monitoring the desiccation of the terrestrial surface is key for determining flash drought development and associated impacts. While recent advances in knowledge and monitoring of flash drought have occurred, fundamental questions remain in the state of the science. What are the overall mechanistic relationships between atmospheric demand, evaporative stress, terrestrial desiccation, and precipitation that drive the progression of flash drought? Do regional characteristics of the environment impact the evolution of flash drought? What are the scales of predictability for flash drought? Finally, how will flash drought frequency and intensity evolve in a changing climate system"
--
"Flash drought intensifies rapidly due to changes in precipitation, temperature, wind, and radiation. These changes in the weather increase evapotranspiration and lower soil moisture. Flash droughts can cause extensive damage to agriculture, economies, and ecosystems if they are not predicted and discovered early..."
#water #hydrology #fedscience #publicgood #hydrologicdrought #waterdeficit #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #watersecurity #risk #hazard #humanimpacts #streamflow #riverflow #groundwater #surfacewater #climate #weather #climatechange #extremeweather #atmosphere #metrology #regional #global #farming #agriculture #fluvial #pluvial #rainfall #precipitation #cloudcover #energy #heat #temperature #ET #evapotranspiration #farming #agriculture #foodsecurity #waterresources #dynamicsystems #watermanagement #flashdrought #drought #susceptibility #monitoring #prediction #model #modeling
@noaa -
If Acts Happened Today, Would We Call It Communism?
For many, "communism" has become less a political philosophy and more a conversation stopper. But is every effort to use our shared resources to care for the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable really communism? This article examines the difference between political labels and biblical principles, comparing the teachings of the early Church with today's political rhetoric. -
If Acts Happened Today, Would We Call It Communism?
For many, "communism" has become less a political philosophy and more a conversation stopper. But is every effort to use our shared resources to care for the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable really communism? This article examines the difference between political labels and biblical principles, comparing the teachings of the early Church with today's political rhetoric. -
If Acts Happened Today, Would We Call It Communism?
For many, "communism" has become less a political philosophy and more a conversation stopper. But is every effort to use our shared resources to care for the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable really communism? This article examines the difference between political labels and biblical principles, comparing the teachings of the early Church with today's political rhetoric. -
If Acts Happened Today, Would We Call It Communism?
For many, "communism" has become less a political philosophy and more a conversation stopper. But is every effort to use our shared resources to care for the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable really communism? This article examines the difference between political labels and biblical principles, comparing the teachings of the early Church with today's political rhetoric. -
If Acts Happened Today, Would We Call It Communism?
For many, "communism" has become less a political philosophy and more a conversation stopper. But is every effort to use our shared resources to care for the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable really communism? This article examines the difference between political labels and biblical principles, comparing the teachings of the early Church with today's political rhetoric. -
The ideology is strong @Old_IT_geek but cracks are forming. The edifice is collapsing too slowly. How can we give it a nudge?
#AusPol #telecommunications #PublicGood #DePrivatisation -
The ideology is strong @Old_IT_geek but cracks are forming. The edifice is collapsing too slowly. How can we give it a nudge?
#AusPol #telecommunications #PublicGood #DePrivatisation -
In 1989, the Australian Telecommunications Commission was restructured into a corporation. That's when the rot set in.
“The world is gradually recovering from the mania for privatisation …”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/09/telstras-triple-zero-failure-is-a-result-of-prioritising-neoliberal-competition-and-reaping-none-of-its-benefits
#AusPol #telecommunications #PublicGood #DePrivatisation -
In 1989, the Australian Telecommunications Commission was restructured into a corporation. That's when the rot set in.
“The world is gradually recovering from the mania for privatisation …”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/09/telstras-triple-zero-failure-is-a-result-of-prioritising-neoliberal-competition-and-reaping-none-of-its-benefits
#AusPol #telecommunications #PublicGood #DePrivatisation -
National Water Availability Assessment Data Companion Launches Interactive Map
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https://water.usgs.gov/nwaa-data/ <-- shared USGS resource link
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https://water.usgs.gov/nwaa-data/interactive-map/ <-- shared USGS webmap
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H/T @USGS NWDC
“The National Water Availability Assessment Data Companion (NWDC) delivers national-scale modeled water data underlying the National Water Availability Assessment Report. The NWDC will be continuously updated to include new data used in future National Water Availability Assessment Reports, with planned reports in 2026 and 2030.
The NWDC also serves information on underlying model methodologies, strengths, and limitations to enable proper use of the data…
USGS scientific teams develop NWDC models to analyze and represent the complexities of water systems. These models fill gaps where USGS observations are unavailable, covering the conterminous United States (lower 48 states) and soon extending to Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
All NWDC datasets currently cover past conditions over multiple decades, and are standardized to 12-digit [WBD] hydrologic unit code (HUC12) watersheds and monthly timesteps…”
#opendata #monitoring #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #fedscience #publicgood #water #hydrology #waterresources #watermanagement #change #model #modeling #USA #NationalWaterAvailabilityAssessment #NWDC #CONUS #USGS #USGS_water
@USGS -
National Water Availability Assessment Data Companion Launches Interactive Map
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https://water.usgs.gov/nwaa-data/ <-- shared USGS resource link
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https://water.usgs.gov/nwaa-data/interactive-map/ <-- shared USGS webmap
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H/T @USGS NWDC
“The National Water Availability Assessment Data Companion (NWDC) delivers national-scale modeled water data underlying the National Water Availability Assessment Report. The NWDC will be continuously updated to include new data used in future National Water Availability Assessment Reports, with planned reports in 2026 and 2030.
The NWDC also serves information on underlying model methodologies, strengths, and limitations to enable proper use of the data…
USGS scientific teams develop NWDC models to analyze and represent the complexities of water systems. These models fill gaps where USGS observations are unavailable, covering the conterminous United States (lower 48 states) and soon extending to Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
All NWDC datasets currently cover past conditions over multiple decades, and are standardized to 12-digit [WBD] hydrologic unit code (HUC12) watersheds and monthly timesteps…”
#opendata #monitoring #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #fedscience #publicgood #water #hydrology #waterresources #watermanagement #change #model #modeling #USA #NationalWaterAvailabilityAssessment #NWDC #CONUS #USGS #USGS_water
@USGS -
The gap opened when John Howard privatised Australia's #telecommunications infrastructure. While maximising revenue from the privatisation of Telstra, that betrayed the nation. The only solution is #DePrivatisation
"Nor does it mean governments should run telecommunications networks."
I disagree. The #PublicGood dictates the the public control vital infrastructure.
#AusPol
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/telstra-outage-reveals-a-dangerous-gap-in-australias-digital-resilience,21275 -
The gap opened when John Howard privatised Australia's #telecommunications infrastructure. While maximising revenue from the privatisation of Telstra, that betrayed the nation. The only solution is #DePrivatisation
"Nor does it mean governments should run telecommunications networks."
I disagree. The #PublicGood dictates the the public control vital infrastructure.
#AusPol
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/telstra-outage-reveals-a-dangerous-gap-in-australias-digital-resilience,21275 -
United Nations: When AI hurts people, who’s to blame? Global experts grapple with accountability. “Who is legally responsible when Artificial Intelligence causes harm? The issue took centre stage on Tuesday – day two of the first ever UN summit on AI governance, where leading experts warned of mounting evidence of human rights violations linked to the revolutionary technology.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/08/united-nations-when-ai-hurts-people-whos-to-blame-global-experts-grapple-with-accountability/ -
United Nations: When AI hurts people, who’s to blame? Global experts grapple with accountability. “Who is legally responsible when Artificial Intelligence causes harm? The issue took centre stage on Tuesday – day two of the first ever UN summit on AI governance, where leading experts warned of mounting evidence of human rights violations linked to the revolutionary technology.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/08/united-nations-when-ai-hurts-people-whos-to-blame-global-experts-grapple-with-accountability/ -
Internet Archive Blog: Preserving the First Draft of History: Reflections from the National Summit on Local News Preservation. “According to the Pew Research Center, 38% of webpages that existed in 2013 are already gone and nearly a quarter of news webpages contain at least one broken link. The local record of our communities is vanishing in real time. This urgent challenge is what brought two […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/01/preserving-the-first-draft-of-history-reflections-from-the-national-summit-on-local-news-preservation-internet-archive-blog/ -
Internet Archive Blog: Preserving the First Draft of History: Reflections from the National Summit on Local News Preservation. “According to the Pew Research Center, 38% of webpages that existed in 2013 are already gone and nearly a quarter of news webpages contain at least one broken link. The local record of our communities is vanishing in real time. This urgent challenge is what brought two […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/01/preserving-the-first-draft-of-history-reflections-from-the-national-summit-on-local-news-preservation-internet-archive-blog/ -
TechSpot: Big Tech’s $8 trillion AI bet is making consoles, cars, and electricity more expensive for everyone else. “The rapid build-out of artificial-intelligence infrastructure is no longer just a software story; it is increasingly a supply-chain story, and it is beginning to show up in higher costs. As tech giants pour hundreds of billions into AI infrastructure, higher hardware, power, and […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/01/techspot-big-techs-8-trillion-ai-bet-is-making-consoles-cars-and-electricity-more-expensive-for-everyone-else/ -
TechSpot: Big Tech’s $8 trillion AI bet is making consoles, cars, and electricity more expensive for everyone else. “The rapid build-out of artificial-intelligence infrastructure is no longer just a software story; it is increasingly a supply-chain story, and it is beginning to show up in higher costs. As tech giants pour hundreds of billions into AI infrastructure, higher hardware, power, and […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/01/techspot-big-techs-8-trillion-ai-bet-is-making-consoles-cars-and-electricity-more-expensive-for-everyone-else/ -
Ars Technica: Trump’s plan to redesign every .gov website leads to AI-designed horrors. “Last August, Trump created the National Design Studio, or NDS, by executive order. A temporary DOGE-like entity that answers only to the president, NDS was tasked with creating new standards to update the US Web Design System (USWDS) and overhaul 27,000 dot-gov websites in just three years…. Most people […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/01/ars-technica-trumps-plan-to-redesign-every-gov-website-leads-to-ai-designed-horrors/ -
Ars Technica: Trump’s plan to redesign every .gov website leads to AI-designed horrors. “Last August, Trump created the National Design Studio, or NDS, by executive order. A temporary DOGE-like entity that answers only to the president, NDS was tasked with creating new standards to update the US Web Design System (USWDS) and overhaul 27,000 dot-gov websites in just three years…. Most people […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/01/ars-technica-trumps-plan-to-redesign-every-gov-website-leads-to-ai-designed-horrors/ -
A 22-year-old engineer 3D prints dentures for low-income Americans | CNN
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Wall Street Journal: What AI can’t—or shouldn’t—do for you. “Overuse of today’s AI models isn’t going to lead to a massive plume of radioactive fallout, but it could have a number of far-reaching consequences that will seem obvious in retrospect. These include mass layoffs, angry and alienated customers, and the destruction of a huge amount of value at companies that are misapplying it.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/06/28/wall-street-journal-what-ai-cant-or-shouldnt-do-for-you/ -
American Library Association: American Library Association launches national advocacy campaign to fight FCC attack on library funding. “The American Library Association (ALA), along with Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition partners, announced a national advocacy campaign today after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to advance a proposal that asks whether the […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/06/28/american-library-association-american-library-association-launches-national-advocacy-campaign-to-fight-fcc-attack-on-library-funding/