Latest news with #CatherinePorter
Irish Times
14-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Maps and globes of a world that no longer exists up for auction
Historical ordnance survey maps and their ancillary notebooks carry a wealth of local information that will be of interest to people tracing old family homesteads, deceased relatives or even topographical features that no longer exist. In the first half of the 1800s, Ireland became the first place in the world to have detailed ordnance survey maps for an entire country. In 2024 these six-inches-to-a-mile maps, books of placenames (Irish placenames with their first recorded anglicised forms), memoirs and letters of surveyors were digitalised in the OS200 project, led by Dr Keith Lilley, professor of historical geography at Queen's University Belfast, and Dr Catherine Porter, associate professor of geography at the University of Limerick. Now, members of the public can search this digital archive while also consulting the original bound books of ordnance survey maps in the Royal Irish Academy on Dawson Street, Dublin, with the assistance of librarians there. But some people prefer to own such materials, and collecting maps, manuscripts, books on local history and even globes remains a specialist area of sales, that auction houses and rare book dealers delight in seeking out the right buyers for. READ MORE De Búrca Rare Books in Dublin is highlighting its collection of maps of various parts of Ireland that come from the Down Survey, the 17th Century survey of estates of Irish landowners carried out by Sir William Petty De Búrca Rare Books in Dublin is highlighting its collection of maps of various parts of Ireland that come from the Down Survey, the 17th-century survey of estates of Irish landowners carried out by Sir William Petty. The survey, which reportedly took 1,000 men 13 months to complete, resulted in the publication of Hiberniae Delineatio, then deemed to be a milestone in Irish cartography. The maps for sale via De Búrca Rare Books include those for the provinces of Leinster, Connought (sic), Munster and Ulster (€575 each). There are also historical maps of Kildare, Wexford, Wicklow and other counties, printed in Dublin in 1732 from the original copperplates of the 1685 first edition of Hiberniae Delineatio. Irlandaie Accurata Descriptio (€75), a rare map of Ireland published in 1609 by Baptista Boazio, is another collector's item in the current catalogue. And then there are those who prefer old globes, which are fascinating for their snapshot of the knowledge of the world of the time of their making. Antique globes are also relatively scarce, as most surviving ones are held in museums and private collections. Early-19th-century terrestrial and celestial globes on stands A pocket terrestrial globe with a celestial globe depicted on the inside of its shark skin case Fonsie Mealy's Chatworth Summer Fine Art Sale on Wednesday and Thursday, June 18th and 19th, from 10.15am in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, has a rare pair of large early-19th-century terrestrial and celestial globes on stands (€15,000-€20,000) among the 1,000-plus lots. Terrestrial globes cover the earth, while celestial globes represent the constellations of the night sky. Made by John and William Newton in London in 1818, these globes were published in partnership with contemporaneous map engravers. The Mealy auction also has a pocket terrestrial globe with a celestial globe depicted on the inside of its sharkskin case (€15,000-€20,000). On this globe, made by Nataniel Hill in 1754, North America bears only the names of some British colonies with the northwest coasts of the continent marked as unknown parts. Australia is still named New Holland, and much of central and southern Africa is empty. Enthusiasts will be able to date a specific globe with their knowledge of colonial voyages of discoveries and shifting geopolitical boundaries. One of a series of 25 hand-coloured prints of Dublin city following the style of James Malton One of a series of 25 hand-coloured prints of Dublin city following the style of James Malton One of a series of 25 hand-coloured prints of Dublin city following the style of James Malton The Mealy auction, which has lots of antique silver, jewellery, Japanese, Chinese and Tibetan ornaments, also features a series of 25 hand-coloured prints of Dublin city (€6,000-€7,000), following the style of James Malton. Once a staple of Georgian Dublin decor, these prints will now be more of interest to architectural history enthusiasts. Georgian Dublin fans may also be interested in checking out a new exhibition in the City Assembly House, Irish Georgian Society headquarters on South William Street, Dublin 2. The Patrick Earley Collection: 18th and 19th Century views of Dublin and Wicklow has Irish topographical art portraying views of Dublin and Wicklow from 1770-1870. A view of Tinnehinch and Powerscourt, Co Wicklow, by John Henry Campbell (1757-1828) The Powerscourt Waterfall, Grafton Street in Dublin, the Victorian seafront in Bray, Co Wicklow, and the Georgian splendour of College Green in front of Trinity College Dublin are among the views included. The works were completed by artists such as William Sadler, John Henry Campbell and Patrick Vincent Duffy. The Dublin collector Patrick Earley spent more than 50 years amassing the works, which he gave to the State earlier this year through section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, which allows people who donate heritage items to credit 80 per cent of the value of these items against various tax liabilities. The collection, whose long-term destination is Kilmacurragh House and Gardens in Co Wicklow, will be on show at the IGS headquarters until August 27th. ; ; What did it sell for? Incoming Tide by Paul Henry Incoming Tide by Paul Henry Estimate €90,000-€130,000 Hammer price Not sold Auction house Dolan's Man Running by Jack B Yeats Man Running by Jack B Yeats Estimate €100,000-€150,000 Hammer price €100,000 Auction house Dolan's A Word in Confidence, Tallow Horse Fair by Arthur K Sanderson A Word in Confidence, Tallow Horse Fair by Arthur K Sanderson Estimate €1,600-€1,800 Hammer price €1,600 Auction house Dolan's Japanese silver bowl Japanese silver bowl Estimate €1,500-€2,500 Hammer price €1,400 Auction house Sheppard's
New York Times
29-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Trump's Flurry of Pardons, and Musk's Goodbye
Catherine Porter is an international reporter for The Times, covering France. She is based in Paris.
Forbes
12-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
AI-Driven Fraud Demands Modern Identity Verification
Finger print Scanning Identification System. Biometric Authorization and Business What are the core security challenges organizations currently have when protecting their customers and users against fraud? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Catherine Porter, Chief Business Officer at Prove, on Quora: As fraud attacks become increasingly sophisticated, organizations face significant vulnerabilities in their security systems. Fraudsters can now leverage AI to execute large-scale attacks such as account takeovers, identity fraud, and deepfakes. According to research from PYMNTS Intelligence, 83% of companies reported being targeted by cybercriminals using tactics like phishing, deepfakes and hacking, with 66% of businesses expecting these risks to rise. This surge highlights how fraudsters are no longer relying solely on brute force tactics or basic scams; they are refining their techniques to exploit system weaknesses, often targeting industries like finance and healthcare where personal data is highly valuable. The rapid evolution of these threats has left many organizations scrambling to respond in real-time, often without the necessary tools or expertise. Despite the escalating threat landscape, many organizations still rely on outdated identity verification methods, which fail to address the new vulnerabilities. Traditional identity verification methods, such as static passwords and knowledge-based authentication, are easy targets for attackers who exploit massive caches of stolen credentials circulating on the dark web. These methods leave organizations exposed and can erode customer trust when breaches occur. Outdated systems persist partly due to a reluctance to invest in modernization, whether because of budget constraints, rigid infrastructure, or a lack of awareness about the risks posed by new fraud tactics. For industries handling sensitive information, reliance on antiquated methods creates a ticking time bomb that fraudsters are eager to exploit. Adding to these challenges, companies face difficulty implementing robust identity verification measures without compromising customer experience. While solutions like multi-factor authentication (MFA) and biometric verification can serve as guardrails, they may also introduce friction that deters valuable users from engaging with services. For example, a user required to undergo multiple authentication steps might abandon their cart during an online purchase. Research from Morgan Stanley found that 77% of U.S. consumers surveyed cited convenience—in terms of comfort, speed, accessibility, and availability—as a key factor when making purchasing decisions. Organizations are now under constant pressure to simplify processes without sacrificing security, with factors like user behavior further complicating the security landscape. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.
Forbes
11-04-2025
- Forbes
Fighting Deepfakes: Building Trust And Security In The Age Of AI Scams
Conversational AI Concept - Natural Language Processing - NLP - Computational Linguistics Concept - ... More AI-based Virtual Assistant Generating Voice as a Soud Wave With the proliferation of scams, bots, and sophisticated deepfakes on social media, how can we discern trustworthy content and individuals from fraudulent people and misinformation? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Catherine Porter, Chief Business Officer at Prove, on Quora: As scams, bots, and sophisticated deepfakes become more prevalent on social media, distinguishing between organic, trustworthy content and individuals from misinformative sources is increasingly challenging. Social media users can use widely available tools like deepfake detectors and reverse image search engines to help identify AI-manipulated content on their timelines and verify the origins of a piece of content to determine whether it was used misleadingly or out of context. However, it is crucial for all consumers to familiarize themselves with the textbook signs of a deepfake or digital scam. Today, some of the most common fraud attacks are hyper-personalized to encourage real-time action, and skirt biometrics through the use of AI for tone replication and falsifying statements. However, by examining the uniquely human elements of a piece of content, such as monotonous tone in text, warped anatomical features in images and video, and robotic voiceovers, consumers can identify the telltale signs of AI-generated content. As AI continues to evolve and create new opportunities for bad actors online, consumers must utilize security and authentication tools that can combat scams or phishing bait. Despite growing awareness of these tools, the responsibility to identify deepfakes should not fall onto the consumer. Social media platforms must develop the infrastructure to verify and moderate legitimate versus fraudulent users. Threats like scammers, impersonators, identity theft, and fraud are increasing on social media, making robust identity verification crucial in protecting both platforms and their customers from harm. By accurately verifying a user, platforms can mitigate risks, prevent fraudulent activities, and foster a more secure environment for users. Social media platforms need to prioritize trust and safety, specifically in the form of trustworthiness indicators, to reassure users that they can safely transact and engage on the platform. To provide this increased assurance and verification – without adding additional friction to the user experience – platforms can use instant verification processes that require as little as a user's phone number. Verified Users tools use badges and checkmarks to signal a legitimate user, offering highly accurate results through phone number-based validation. Phone number verification gives social media platforms the ability to embed validation checks at critical user touchpoints, such as account registration, transaction authorizations, and password recoveries, securing the platform community and increasing brand reputation, reducing scam opportunities, and lowering operations costs related to fraud prevention. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.
