The Desk — Edition 67

Welcome to the 67th issue of The Desk — my weekly roundup of newly published content, project updates, and recommendations. Whether you're following along for tutorials, blog posts, GitHub projects, or curated reads, there’s something for everyone building or exploring in tech, content, and open-source spaces.

New Blog Posts

This week’s posts content focused on solo travelers:

Solo Hiking: Essential Tips to Hike Alone and Love It

Discover essential solo hiking tips, from must-have gear and safety advice to 12 great trail suggestions. Learn how to pack light, stay safe, and embrace the freedom of hiking alone with confidence.

Solo TravelerBrandon Himpfen

Why It’s Important for Women to Travel Alone

Discover why solo travel is so powerful for women. From self-discovery to confidence-building, explore 7 life-changing benefits for women who travel alone and why the journey is just as important as the destination.

Solo TravelerBrandon Himpfen

Brandon’s Curated Shortlist of Trips for Solo Travelers - Issue 3

Discover curated trips for solo travelers with Brandon’s Shortlist! Explore unique adventures, no/low single supplements, and destinations tailored for independent explorers. Your gateway to affordable, exciting solo travel experiences starts here.

Solo TravelerBrandon Himpfen

Stay tuned as I continue publishing more posts each week across Bold Outlook, Solo Traveler, Brandon on Crypto, Travel Bloggers Network and Digital Nomads.

New GitHub Repos

I launched new GitHub repositories as part of ongoing open-source initiatives:

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-carbon-accounting-offsets

Contribute to awesomelistsio/awesome-carbon-accounting-offsets development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - brandontravel/awesome-canada-travel: A curated list of resources, apps, communities, guides, and tools for traveling in Canada — especially helpful for solo travelers, digital nomads, and independent explorers.

A curated list of resources, apps, communities, guides, and tools for traveling in Canada — especially helpful for solo travelers, digital nomads, and independent explorers. - brandontravel/awesome…

GitHubbrandontravel

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-cybersecurity: A curated list of high-quality cybersecurity resources, tools, frameworks, and communities to protect systems, networks, and data.

A curated list of high-quality cybersecurity resources, tools, frameworks, and communities to protect systems, networks, and data. - awesomelistsio/awesome-cybersecurity

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-threat-intelligence: A curated list of high-quality threat intelligence resources, feeds, platforms, and tools to help detect, analyze, and respond to cybersecurity threats.

A curated list of high-quality threat intelligence resources, feeds, platforms, and tools to help detect, analyze, and respond to cybersecurity threats. - awesomelistsio/awesome-threat-intelligence

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-malware-analysis: A curated list of tools, resources, labs, and communities for analyzing, dissecting, and understanding malicious software.

A curated list of tools, resources, labs, and communities for analyzing, dissecting, and understanding malicious software. - awesomelistsio/awesome-malware-analysis

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-nft-development: A curated list of tools, frameworks, standards, tutorials, and platforms for developing NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens).

A curated list of tools, frameworks, standards, tutorials, and platforms for developing NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). - awesomelistsio/awesome-nft-development

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-climate-tech: A curated list of high-quality resources, startups, tools, and frameworks driving innovation in climate technology.

A curated list of high-quality resources, startups, tools, and frameworks driving innovation in climate technology. - awesomelistsio/awesome-climate-tech

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-global-development: A curated list of high-quality resources, organizations, data platforms, and tools related to international development, humanitarian work, poverty alleviation, and global equity.

A curated list of high-quality resources, organizations, data platforms, and tools related to international development, humanitarian work, poverty alleviation, and global equity. - awesomelistsio/…

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-github-actions: A curated list of high-quality resources, actions, tools, and workflows for GitHub Actions.

A curated list of high-quality resources, actions, tools, and workflows for GitHub Actions. - awesomelistsio/awesome-github-actions

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-ci: A curated list of awesome Continuous Integration (CI) tools, services, workflows, and resources for building, testing, and deploying code with confidence.

A curated list of awesome Continuous Integration (CI) tools, services, workflows, and resources for building, testing, and deploying code with confidence. - awesomelistsio/awesome-ci

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-devops: A curated list of awesome tools, resources, and best practices in DevOps.

A curated list of awesome tools, resources, and best practices in DevOps. - awesomelistsio/awesome-devops

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-testing: A curated list of awesome testing frameworks, tools, libraries, and resources for all levels of software testing

A curated list of awesome testing frameworks, tools, libraries, and resources for all levels of software testing - awesomelistsio/awesome-testing

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-osint: A curated list of high-quality open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools, resources, and techniques for investigations, journalism, cybersecurity, and more.

A curated list of high-quality open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools, resources, and techniques for investigations, journalism, cybersecurity, and more. - awesomelistsio/awesome-osint

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-digital-rights: A curated list of resources, organizations, tools, and readings focused on digital rights, freedom of expression, privacy, access to information, and internet governance.

A curated list of resources, organizations, tools, and readings focused on digital rights, freedom of expression, privacy, access to information, and internet governance. - awesomelistsio/awesome-d…

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-privacy: A curated list of tools, resources, and knowledge to protect your digital privacy and maintain online anonymity.

A curated list of tools, resources, and knowledge to protect your digital privacy and maintain online anonymity. - awesomelistsio/awesome-privacy

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-openai: A curated list of OpenAI tools, APIs, research, SDKs, and community resources.

A curated list of OpenAI tools, APIs, research, SDKs, and community resources. - awesomelistsio/awesome-openai

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-langchain: A curated list of resources, tools, examples, and projects using LangChain.

A curated list of resources, tools, examples, and projects using LangChain. - awesomelistsio/awesome-langchain

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-geoengineering: A curated list of projects, research, organizations, tools, and resources related to geoengineering.

A curated list of projects, research, organizations, tools, and resources related to geoengineering. - awesomelistsio/awesome-geoengineering

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-sustainability: curated list of tools, projects, frameworks, communities, and resources for building a more sustainable world.

curated list of tools, projects, frameworks, communities, and resources for building a more sustainable world. - awesomelistsio/awesome-sustainability

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-chatgpt-prompts: A curated list of high-quality ChatGPT prompts for productivity, creativity, learning, development, and fun.

A curated list of high-quality ChatGPT prompts for productivity, creativity, learning, development, and fun. - awesomelistsio/awesome-chatgpt-prompts

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-mlops: A curated list of tools, frameworks, platforms, and resources for Machine Learning Operations (MLOps).

A curated list of tools, frameworks, platforms, and resources for Machine Learning Operations (MLOps). - awesomelistsio/awesome-mlops

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-internet-freedom: A curated list of tools, platforms, organizations, and resources that support free, open, and secure access to the internet.

A curated list of tools, platforms, organizations, and resources that support free, open, and secure access to the internet. - awesomelistsio/awesome-internet-freedom

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-e-government: A curated list of tools, platforms, policies, and projects that enable digital transformation in public services and governance.

A curated list of tools, platforms, policies, and projects that enable digital transformation in public services and governance. - awesomelistsio/awesome-e-government

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-ai-art: A curated list of tools, platforms, datasets, and resources for creating, exploring, and understanding AI-generated art.

A curated list of tools, platforms, datasets, and resources for creating, exploring, and understanding AI-generated art. - awesomelistsio/awesome-ai-art

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-llmops: > A curated list of tools, frameworks, platforms, and resources for Large Language Model Operations (LLMOps).

> A curated list of tools, frameworks, platforms, and resources for Large Language Model Operations (LLMOps). - awesomelistsio/awesome-llmops

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-generative-ai: A curated list of tools, models, datasets, papers, and resources related to generative artificial intelligence.

A curated list of tools, models, datasets, papers, and resources related to generative artificial intelligence. - awesomelistsio/awesome-generative-ai

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-chatgpt: A curated list of tools, extensions, prompts, projects, and resources for ChatGPT and the OpenAI ecosystem.

A curated list of tools, extensions, prompts, projects, and resources for ChatGPT and the OpenAI ecosystem. - awesomelistsio/awesome-chatgpt

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-prompt-engineering: A curated list of resources, tools, papers, and platforms for prompt engineering in large language models (LLMs) and generative AI.

A curated list of resources, tools, papers, and platforms for prompt engineering in large language models (LLMs) and generative AI. - awesomelistsio/awesome-prompt-engineering

GitHubawesomelistsio

These are all part of my broader GitHub ecosystem (e.g., BrandonTravel, BrandonLearn, AwesomeListsIO). Contributions welcome!

Updated GitHub Repos

Here are notable updates to existing GitHub repositories:

GitHub - brandontravel/awesome: A collection of awesome travel-related lists.

A collection of awesome travel-related lists. Contribute to brandontravel/awesome development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHubbrandontravel

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome: A collection of awesome lists that are about a variety of different topics.

A collection of awesome lists that are about a variety of different topics. - awesomelistsio/awesome

GitHubawesomelistsio

GitHub - brandonhimpfenmedia/brandonhimpfenmedia.com

Contribute to brandonhimpfenmedia/brandonhimpfenmedia.com development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHubbrandonhimpfenmedia

GitHub - solotravelsociety/solotravelsociety.com

Contribute to solotravelsociety/solotravelsociety.com development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHubsolotravelsociety

GitHub - digitalnomadsnetwork/digitalnomadsnetwork.org

Contribute to digitalnomadsnetwork/digitalnomadsnetwork.org development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHubdigitalnomadsnetwork

GitHub - awesomelistsio/awesome-list: Template to create your own awesome list.

Template to create your own awesome list. Contribute to awesomelistsio/awesome-list development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHubawesomelistsio

I’m constantly improving my GitHub repositories to make them more useful for both contributors and end users.

New Web Pages

New pages went live this week across my network of websites:

Solo Traveler CLI

Manage your solo travels from the terminal with the Solo Traveler CLI. Plan trips, track expenses, pack smart, and journal your adventures — all in one free, privacy-first command-line tool designed for independent travelers.

Solo TravelerBrandon Himpfen

SoloTraveler.org vs SoloTravelerWorld.com

A detailed comparison between SoloTraveler.org and SoloTravelerWorld.com, highlighting differences in pricing, tools, advocacy, transparency, and overall mission.

Solo TravelerBrandon Himpfen

Updated Web Pages

The following pages have been significantly updated:

HTML Template

HTML Template is a professional front-end template for building fast, robust, and adaptable web apps or sites, and is available for AMP, Bootstrap, AngularJS, Material Design Lite and more front-end frameworks.

Brandon HimpfenBrandon Himpfen

Where to Next? Travel, Anywhere.

Go farther, travel smarter, and embrace freedom through solo journeys and global exploration. Discover the world on your own terms through solo adventures, long-term stays, and the freedom of location-independent living. Whether you’re planning a weekend escape or building a full-time nomadic lifestyle, you’ll find destination guides, travel tips,

Brandon HimpfenBrandon Himpfen

I aim to keep evergreen content accurate and relevant. If something feels out of date, let me know — I welcome feedback!

Recommended Reading

Here are a few standout articles and blog posts I recommend checking out this week:

Intuit’s AI-Powered QuickBooks: A Strategic Pivot to Dominate SME Fintech Through Multi-Agent Automation

Intuit’s AI-Powered QuickBooks: A Strategic Pivot to Dominate SME Fintech Through Multi-Agent Automation

Julian West·FollowThe AI yield hunter in your corner: equal parts dividend detective and sustainable income strategist.

PayPal-Backed Pine Labs Files India IPO Riding on Fintech Boom

Digital payments provider Pine Labs Ltd. filed for an initial public offering in India, as the government’s digitization push fuels a boom in the financial technology space.

BloombergAshutosh Joshi

Intuit launches AI agents and fintech platform

Inc. (Nasdaq: INTU), the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, today announced a transformative set of proactive Intuit AI agents that will dramatically improve how businesses run and grow.

FinextraEditorial Team

Meta reportedly hires four more researchers from OpenAI | TechCrunch

Looks like Meta isn’t done poaching talent from OpenAI.

TechCrunchAnthony Ha

OpenAI hires team behind AI recommendation startup Crossing Minds | TechCrunch

Crossing Minds, a startup that provides AI recommendation systems to e-commerce firms, said its team is leaving the company to join OpenAI.

TechCrunchIvan Mehta

Hackers stole data on 2.2 million people in cyberattack affecting American grocery chains

The Dutch conglomerate behind Hannaford, Stop & Shop and other major grocery brands informed state regulators of the scope of a November cyberattack that hampered online orders and leaked sensitive data.

The RecordJonathan Greig

Bluetooth flaws could let hackers spy through your microphone

Vulnerabilities affecting a Bluetooth chipset present in more than two dozen audio devices from ten vendors can be exploited for eavesdropping or stealing sensitive information.

BleepingComputerIonut Ilascu

Google launches Doppl, a new app that lets you visualize how an outfit might look on you | TechCrunch

Google is launching a new experimental app called Doppl that uses AI to visualize how different outfits might look on you.

TechCrunchAisha Malik

Apple Sports app redesigned with new personalized sections, adds tennis scores just in time for Wimbledon - 9to5Mac

The Apple Sports app for iPhone has just got a big new update. The home screen layout has been revamped,…

9to5MacBenjamin Mayo

Amazon Route 53 Resolver endpoints now support DNS delegation for private hosted zones - AWS

Discover more about what’s new at AWS with Amazon Route 53 Resolver endpoints now support DNS delegation for private hosted zones

Amazon Web Services, Inc.

TikTok Launches Bulletin Boards for Broadcast Messaging From Creator and Brand Profiles

The option is similar to Instagram’s Broadcast Channels.

Social Media TodayAndrew Hutchinson

Glasgow Council services remain offline a week after cyber attack | Computer Weekly

Disruption continues a week after core services at Glasgow City Council were forced offline following a cyber attack on a third-party IT services provider.

ComputerWeekly.comAlex Scroxton,

Announcing Rust 1.88.0 | Rust Blog

Empowering everyone to build reliable and efficient software.

Rust BlogJune 26, 2025 · The Rust Release Team

Google begins rolling out AI search in YouTube

The feature is only available as a test for Premium members for now.

Ars TechnicaRyan Whitwam

New WordPress Malware Hides on Checkout Pages and Imitates Cloudflare

Follow us on Bluesky, Twitter (X), Mastodon and Facebook at @Hackread

Hackread - Latest Cybersecurity, Hacking News, Tech, AI & CryptoDeeba Ahmed

Chainlink, Mastercard Tie-Up to Let Nearly 3B Cardholders Buy Crypto On-Chain

The partnership is part of Mastercard’s expanding efforts in the cryptocurrency space, following recent collaborations with Moonpay and Kraken.

CoinDeskFrancisco Rodrigues

Sam Altman open to ads on ChatGPT, calls Instagram ads ‘kinda cool’

It’s not happening yet, but the OpenAI CEO is ‘not totally against’ putting ads on ChatGPT

MashableChance Townsend

These are curated for developers, creators, travelers, and digital professionals — with an eye on quality and depth.

Thanks for reading The Desk – Edition 67! If you found something valuable, feel free to share it or subscribe to keep up with future updates.

👉 Catch up on previous editions or explore projects.