News gathered 2024-01-05

(date: 2024-01-05 10:57:33)

Is Santa Barbara’s Bird Population Dwindling?

date: 2024-01-05, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

The Christmas Bird Count, examining a study of the population trends.

The post Is Santa Barbara’s Bird Population Dwindling?  appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/05/is-santa-barbaras-bird-population-dwindling/ Save to Pocket

What’s Your Go-to Comfort Media?

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/whats-your-go-to-comfort-media Save to Pocket

Mailbag: Washington as “flash in the pan,” ACC risks for Stanford and Cal, next moves for the ‘Pac-2’ and more

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

The Huskies are one of seven teams to make multiple appearances in the CFP. Will the success continue?

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/mailbag-washington-as-flash-in-the-pan-acc-risks-for-stanford-and-cal-next-moves-for-the-pac-2-and-more/ Save to Pocket

Google illegally refused to bargain with YouTube workers union, says federal labor board

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

After a group of Texas-based contract workers for YouTube Music unanimously voted last April to join the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU), Google refused to bargain over return to office complaints, a move the NLRB deemed illegal.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/google-illegally-refused-to-bargain-with-youtube-workers-union-says-federal-labor-board/ Save to Pocket

Looking back at 2023

date: 2024-01-05, from: Alex Schroeder’s Blog

Looking back at 2023

We played at least 65 games in 2023 on the Grenzland Discord server! Some more were played offline. But those 65 games were open tables in one form or another.

I played in 11 of these games and I ran 31 of them.

“Play Games 🤝 Run Games”

Of games I ran:

On the German ADDCON Server I ran:

I also played in two sessions by @settembrini and one session by the @ghoul.

All in all, for the games I played in:

#RPG #Life

https://alexschroeder.ch/view/2024-01-01-looking-back Save to Pocket

Welcome to 2024, Looking Ahead

date: 2024-01-05, from: Stephen Smith’s blog

Introduction This article will look at some of the forces that are at work defining and driving the high-tech world. This includes various geo-political conflicts currently unfolding as well as following the money where all the venture capitalists are funneling all the money. These are in no particular order and as with any predictions they […]

https://smist08.wordpress.com/2024/01/05/welcome-to-2024-looking-ahead/ Save to Pocket

Tesla’s latest Autopilot safety patch hits 1.6M Chinese vehicles

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Perfect timing – now BYD can rub that in Tesla’s face along with stealing the global EV sales crown

A hot new Tesla import has arrived in China in the form of a pair of forced software updates for nearly every car the US EV maker has sold in the Middle Kingdom. …

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/teslas_latest_autopilot_safety_patch/ Save to Pocket

Storm damage forces closure of Pacifica Pier for three weeks

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

The Pacifica Pier faces at least a three-week closure after recent storms caused damage to the structure, officials said.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/storm-damage-forces-closure-of-pacifica-pier-for-three-weeks/ Save to Pocket

Three-bedroom home in Palo Alto sells for $4.3 million

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

A house built in 1955 located in the 2600 block of Elmdale Court in Palo Alto has new owners. The 1,240-square-foot property was sold on Dec. 11, 2023. The $4,300,000 purchase price works out to $3,468 per square foot.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/three-bedroom-home-in-palo-alto-sells-for-4-3-million/ Save to Pocket

VIA Seeks Hosts for After Five Networking Mixers

date: 2024-01-05, from: SCV New (TV Station)

The Valley Industry Association is currently looking for enthusiastic hosts for upcoming After Five Networking Mixer events

https://scvnews.com/via-seeks-hosts-for-after-five-networking-mixers/ Save to Pocket

Join the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Unity Walk

date: 2024-01-05, from: City of Santa Clarita

JOIN THE ANNUAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY UNITY WALK This Year’s Theme Is: It Starts with Me: Shifting the Cultural Climate Through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence The City of Santa Clarita invites the community to come together for a Unity Walk in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day […]

The post Join the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Unity Walk appeared first on City of Santa Clarita.

https://santaclarita.gov/blog/2024/01/05/join-the-annual-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-day-unity-walk/ Save to Pocket

Body found in freezer at California home may have been woman missing for years, police say

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones may have been missing or dead for up to nine years based on the investigation so far, according to the San Diego Police Department

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/body-found-in-freezer-at-san-diego-home-may-have-been-woman-missing-for-years-police-say/ Save to Pocket

ON the Beat | Year-End List-omania Strikes, in and Beyond the 805

date: 2024-01-05, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

As 2024 dawns, the columnist thinks backwards to the riper fruits of 2023, in music, film and art.

The post ON the Beat | Year-End List-omania Strikes, in and Beyond the 805 appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/05/on-the-beat-year-end-list-omania-strikes-in-and-beyond-the-805/ Save to Pocket

Sheriff’s Log: Dec. 28, 2023 to Jan. 3, 2024

date: 2024-01-05, from: Catalina Islander

The following is the Avalon’s Sheriff’s Stations significant incidents report for the period of Dec. 28, 2023 to Jan. 3, 2024. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Many people who are arrested do not get prosecuted in the first place and many who are prosecuted do not get […]

https://thecatalinaislander.com/sheriffs-log-dec-28-2023-to-jan-3-2024/ Save to Pocket

For the people out there who really miss their Blackberrys, Clicks is…

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043732-for-the-people-out-there Save to Pocket

NASA Astronauts to Speak with North Carolina, Virginia Students

date: 2024-01-05, from: NASA breaking news

Students from North Carolina and Virginia will have separate opportunities next week to each hear from a NASA astronaut living and working aboard the International Space Station. The two Earth-to-space calls will air live Tuesday, Jan. 9, on NASA+, NASA Television, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social […]

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-astronauts-to-speak-with-north-carolina-virginia-students/ Save to Pocket

Navigating the Virtual Reality Universe of Tomorrow

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

Welcome to the dawn of the Metaverse, a concept that has surged to the forefront of technological innovation, promising to redefine our digital existence. Just as the Metaverse represents a digital playground and a transformative force, Hit’n’Spin Casino embodies the thrill and excitement in the virtual gaming world, offering a glimpse into the kind of […]

The post Navigating the Virtual Reality Universe of Tomorrow  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/navigating-the-virtual-reality-universe-of-tomorrow/ Save to Pocket

Metrolink employee pepper-sprayed in station altercation

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

An altercation at the Vista Canyon Metrolink Station on Thursday night resulted in a Metrolink conductor being transported to the hospital after being pepper-sprayed and one person arrested, according to officials.   Law enforcement personnel received two calls describing an altercation with approximately 15 people involved at about 7:15 p.m., but only one person was arrested, […]

The post <strong>Metrolink employee pepper-sprayed in station altercation</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/metrolink-employee-pepper-sprayed-in-station-altercation/ Save to Pocket

Lompoc Unified School District Celebrates School Board Recognition Month

date: 2024-01-05, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

January is time to acknowledge the school board and its role in supporting student achievement.

The post Lompoc Unified School District Celebrates School Board Recognition Month appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/05/lompoc-unified-school-district-celebrates-school-board-recognition-month/ Save to Pocket

Behind the Blog: Face-Scanning Kids, Epstein Documents, and Internet Bike Fandoms

date: 2024-01-05, from: 404 Media Group

This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss Google face-scanning children, accessing the Epstein documents, and a viral Peloton moment.

https://www.404media.co/behind-the-blog-january-5-pacer-google-peloton/ Save to Pocket

We need more talk of progress

date: 2024-01-05, from: Marginal Revolution blog

Here is the underlying John-Burn Murdoch FT piece, pointer here.  And a text excerpt: Ruxandra Teslo, one of a growing community of progress-focused writers at the nexus of science, economics and policy, argues that the growing scepticism around technology and the rise in zero-sum thinking in modern society is one of the defining ideological challenges […]

The post We need more talk of progress appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

Comments

• In reply to M. Well, she is not an economist, and people who … by Restless carrot
• That Ruxandra person is kind of odd; she thought that a Tory MP … by M
• It is actually bewildering, and just a complete failure of our … by Crusader
• There’s an excellent article in today’s NYT about Europe’s … by rayward

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Knock down these 5 roadblocks to improving credit

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

A NerdWallet survey finds that half of Americans have barriers to improving their credit. Here’s how to get past them.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/knock-down-these-5-roadblocks-to-improving-credit/ Save to Pocket

Former top San Jose city staffer files defamation lawsuit against mayor and chief of staff

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Stacey Katz Brown, who briefly served as budget director for Mayor Matt Mahan, says she was fired after being falsely accused of leaking information about the nomination of the vice-mayor.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/former-top-san-jose-city-staffer-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-mayor-and-chief-of-staff/ Save to Pocket

Terry, Darwin, Joe B. & Scott

date: 2024-01-05, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Gorgeous pup, Guinea pig and bunnies need a home!

The post Terry, Darwin, Joe B. & Scott appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/05/terry-darwin-joe-b-scott/ Save to Pocket

From the NY Times’ Melissa Clark, a primer on salt and when…

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043734-from-the-ny-times-melissa Save to Pocket

Bay Point man arrested in ridiculous crossbow theft

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

The 39-year-old man was accused of stealing a crossbow from his friend of 10 years, by running away with the item while the victim’s back was turned.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/bay-point-man-arrested-in-ridiculous-crossbow-theft/ Save to Pocket

49ers Lynch hopeful Arik Armstead returns for playoffs; Trent Williams to start Sunday

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

While the 49ers are expected to start Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams in Sunday’s regular-season finale, general manager John Lynch says Arik Armstead is making great progress in his foot rehabilitation.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/49ers-lynch-hopeful-arik-armstead-returns-for-playoffs-trent-williams-to-start-sunday/ Save to Pocket

It’s been two decades since Spirit landed on the red sands of Mars

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Decades, gone in a flash: Longlived mission was almost derailed by file system whoopsie

It is 20 years this week since NASA’s Spirit rover landed on Mars, kicking off years of exploration before ending its mission stuck in the sand.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/it_is_20_years_since/ Save to Pocket

San Quentin prison project’s $360 million price tag should be slashed, governor’s advisory group says

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

An advisory council hand-picked by Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended that the governor slash by at least a third the cost of a project to remake San Quentin, and use the saved money to improve living conditions at the facility.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/san-quentin-prison-projects-360-million-price-tag-should-be-slashed-governors-advisory-group-says/ Save to Pocket

Prominent Americans Named in Newly Released Epstein Documents

date: 2024-01-05, from: VOA News USA

This week the United States Department of Justice unsealed formerly confidential documents pertaining to convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein. Some of the documents mention big names, including former U.S. Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, Britain’s Prince Andrew and others. Aron Ranen reports on the story from New York City.

https://www.voanews.com/a/prominent-americans-named-in-newly-released-epstein-documents/7428092.html Save to Pocket

25+ Bay Area beer and wine events to enjoy in early 2024

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

A new year is upon us, and while that may be daunting for some, there’s nothing like a little liquid courage to help you hit the ground running in 2024. From wine tastings and festivals to educational events and delectable dinners, here’s a sampling of local beer and wine events to check out in the […]

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/25-bay-area-beer-and-wine-events-to-enjoy-in-early-2024/ Save to Pocket

An Octopus vs an Underwater Maze

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/an-octopus-vs-an-underwater-maze Save to Pocket

Stuck in a Tokyo Hotel, the Beatles Divided a Canvas Into Quarters and Started Painting

date: 2024-01-05, from: Smithsonian Magazine

“Images of a Woman,” signed by all four members of the band, could fetch as much as $600,000 at auction

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/painting-created-and-signed-by-all-four-beatles-goes-to-auction-180983533/ Save to Pocket

Inglewood Secures More Than $1 Billion For A New Transit Connector Between Sports And Entertainment Venues

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The LAist

The Inglewood Transit Connector is slated to be completed in time for the 2028 L.A. Olympics.

https://laist.com/news/inglewood-secures-more-than-1-billion-for-a-new-transit-connector-between-sports-and-entertainment-venues Save to Pocket

7 days of rain: How much did your city get during new year’s storms?

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

About 5 inches of rain was recorded in the wettest areas of the Bay Area during a week of on-and-off precipitation.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/7-days-of-rain-how-much-did-your-city-get-during-new-years-storms/ Save to Pocket

Empty and neglected San Jose office building faces foreclosure as property woes widen

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

An empty San Jose office building that has tumbled into neglect faces receivership and a loan foreclosure.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/san-jose-office-real-estate-loan-default-economy-tech-foreclose-build/ Save to Pocket

The Cultural Imprint of Snoop Dogg’s “Death Row” Era

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

In the mid-90s, the music industry witnessed a seismic shift as hip-hop soared to unprecedented heights of popularity. It was during this time that Death Row by Snoop Dogg emerged as more than just a set of tracks; it became a cultural movement, influencing everything from music to fashion. Snoop’s smooth flow and unmistakable style, combined with […]

The post The Cultural Imprint of Snoop Dogg’s “Death Row” Era appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/the-cultural-imprint-of-snoop-doggs-death-row-era/ Save to Pocket

Indulge in Opulence with these Exquisite upscale dining restaurant chairs that are Fit for Fine Dining!

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

You walk into a high-end restaurant, greeted by an ambiance that oozes sophistication and luxury. As you settle into your seat, you can’t help but marvel at the sheer beauty of the chair beneath you – a masterpiece crafted with meticulous attention to detail and designed for your utmost comfort. These exquisite upscale dining restaurant […]

The post <strong>Indulge in Opulence with these Exquisite upscale dining restaurant chairs that are Fit for Fine Dining! </strong> appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/indulge-in-opulence-with-these-exquisite-upscale-dining-restaurant-chairs-that-are-fit-for-fine-dining/ Save to Pocket

Televising the Revolution

date: 2024-01-05, from: Digital Antiquarian

When we finished Broken Sword, the managing director of Virgin [Interactive] called me into his office and showed me a game from Argonaut [Software] called Creature Shock. He said, “These are the games you should be writing, not adventure games. These are the games. This is the future.” — Charles Cecil, co-founder of Revolution Software […]

https://www.filfre.net/2024/01/televising-the-revolution/ Save to Pocket

NanoPi R2S Plus is a tiny RK3328 router board with dual Ethernet ports for $30

date: 2024-01-05, from: Liliputing

The NanoPi R2S Plus is a single-board computer designed for use as a router, firewall, or other networking applications. It measures just 58 x 58mm (2.3″ x 2.3″) and has no dedicated video output, but it features two Gigabit Ethernet ports, multiple USB ports, and an M.2 connector for an optional wireless card. Available now for […]

The post NanoPi R2S Plus is a tiny RK3328 router board with dual Ethernet ports for $30 appeared first on Liliputing.

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Fatal Truck Crash Closes Southbound 101 at Gaviota

date: 2024-01-05, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

One person died in a pickup truck versus semi-truck accident on Highway 101 early Friday morning at 2:48 a.m. that closed the southbound lanes in Gaviota.

The post Fatal Truck Crash Closes Southbound 101 at Gaviota appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/05/fatal-truck-crash-closes-southbound-101-at-gaviota/ Save to Pocket

Huawei finally gives up on US schmoozing efforts

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

So long, and thanks for all the sanctions as PR and government relations teams decamp

Chinese tech giant Huawei has reportedly stood down much of its public and government relations teams in the US and Canada, in a sign it may have given up trying to persuade Washington to soften its stance.…

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Friday assorted links

date: 2024-01-05, from: Marginal Revolution blog

1. Problems with U.S. shipyards. 2. Satellite imaging shows there is a lot more industry in the ocean than we had thought. 3. My podcast episode with Will Bachman, most of all about talent see also the Show Notes at the link. 4. Bravo NYT, glad they signaled their intent was not to insult my […]

   The post Friday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

          

   Comments

   • In reply to Reason. “In the context of an article on the … by Lord Action
   • In reply to Hazel Meade. Do you have cites for both of these … by M
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Wife of billionaire Bill Ackman is accused of plagiarizing part of her doctoral dissertation

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Ackman has become one of the most prominent critics amplifying a series of accusations, including plagiarism, against Harvard’s leader, who resigned this week.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/wife-of-billionaire-bill-ackman-is-accused-of-plagiarizing-part-of-her-doctoral-dissertation/ Save to Pocket

A 1-dimensional version of Pac-Man….

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043723-a-1-dimensional-version-o Save to Pocket

Actor David Soul, one half of ‘Starsky and Hutch,’ dies at 80

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

The performer also topped the music charts in 1976 with the ballad “Don’t Give Up on Us.”

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/actor-david-soul-one-half-of-starsky-and-hutch-dies-at-80/ Save to Pocket

New details on woman found dead 3 days after Northern California car crash

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

After her family reported her missing, the body was found in the impounded van.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/new-details-on-woman-found-dead-3-days-after-northern-california-car-crash/ Save to Pocket

NASA, SpaceX Invite Media to Crew-8 Mission Launch to Space Station

date: 2024-01-05, from: NASA breaking news

Media accreditation now is open for the launch of NASA’s eighth rotational mission of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon Endeavour spacecraft that will carry astronauts to the International Space Station for a science expedition. This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission is targeted for no […]

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-spacex-invite-media-to-crew-8-mission-launch-to-space-station/ Save to Pocket

MSI Claw handheld gaming PC with Intel Meteor Lake processor leaked

date: 2024-01-05, from: Liliputing

That didn’t take long. Just a few hours after MSI started teasing an upcoming handheld gaming PC, details have emerged about its name, processor, and physical design. Say hello to the Intel Meteor Lake-powered MSI Claw. The name and design come courtesy of an image posted to Chinese retail site JD.com, and spotted by IT […]

The post MSI Claw handheld gaming PC with Intel Meteor Lake processor leaked appeared first on Liliputing.

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Chatting With a Whale Named Twain

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: One Foot Tsunami

https://onefoottsunami.com/2024/01/05/chatting-with-a-whale-named-twain/ Save to Pocket

Happy jobs day to all who celebrate!

date: 2024-01-05, from: Marketplace Morning Report

Turns out, businesses kept on hiring in spite of predictions. The Labor Department reports that 216,000 new jobs were added in December, and the unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%. We’ll look at longer-term trends and parse out which sectors saw hiring booms. Then, gadget-makers head to CES in Las Vegas. We’ll preview what to expect. And later, Texas is revamps how it funds community colleges.

https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/happy-jobs-day-to-all-who-celebrate Save to Pocket

NASA Features New Discoveries at American Astronomical Society Meeting

date: 2024-01-05, from: NASA breaking news

Experts will discuss new research from NASA missions at the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), on topics ranging from planets outside our solar system to fleeting, high-energy explosions in the universe. The meeting will take place Jan. 7-11 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. In press […]

https://science.nasa.gov/directorates/smd/astrophysics-division/nasa-features-new-discoveries-at-american-astronomical-society-meeting/ Save to Pocket

China Foreign Minister: Healthy US-China Ties ‘No Longer a Choice’

date: 2024-01-05, from: VOA News USA

https://www.voanews.com/a/china-foreign-minister-healthy-us-china-ties-no-longer-a-choice-/7428007.html Save to Pocket

Goodbye Swear Clock

date: 2024-01-05, from: Bloonface Blog

As they say, all absolutely fucking terrible things must come to an end. I started up an ersatz “Swear Clock” on Mastodon in November 2022, primarily because I missed it from Twitter (particularly the sessions where I’d just sit and dump a bunch of intrusive thoughts into the submission form, most of which I used […]

http://blog.bloonface.com/2024/01/05/goodbye-swear-clock/ Save to Pocket

California housing costs at 7-year low, relatively speaking

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

California housing costs ran 60% above the US norm in 2022, by this math. That’s the smallest premium since 2015’s 58%.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/california-housing-costs-at-7-year-low-relatively-speaking/ Save to Pocket

SpaceX snaps back at US labor board’s complaint, calling it ‘unconstitutional’

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Remember when Microsoft said that about FTC (and then walked it back)?

SpaceX has sued America’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), an independent federal agency responsible for protecting private sector employees’ rights, just 24 hours after the body accused Elon Musk’s company of treating employees unfairly.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/spacex_nlrb_lawsuit/ Save to Pocket

Mathematicians Identify the Best Versions of Iconic Shapes

date: 2024-01-05, from: Quanta Magazine

The post Mathematicians Identify the Best Versions of Iconic Shapes first appeared on Quanta Magazine

https://www.quantamagazine.org/mathematicians-identify-the-best-versions-of-iconic-shapes-20240105/ Save to Pocket

The Wind Workers of West Texas

date: 2024-01-05, from: Heatmap News

If one were to go looking for a Permian Basin of wind — a wind energy superregion waiting to be born — the actual Permian Basin wouldn’t be a bad place to start.

Wind potential is everywhere in the U.S., off the coasts and in the Mountain West especially, and the Inflation Reduction Act is expected to catalyze 127 gigawatts of onshore wind by 2030, some of which has already been built. It’s Texas, however, that produces more wind power than any other state in the country. And while neighboring New Mexico has fewer turbines, it was one of the country’s leading installers of utility-scale wind in 2021; last month, Pattern Energy announced it had closed financing on SunZia, a long-awaited 3.5 GW wind farm about three hours northwest of the Permian Basin’s New Mexico portion. Once it’s completed, the project will make the state a national leader in installed capacity.

Texas and New Mexico have, respectively, the most and third-most potential wind capacity in the country. While the bulk of jobs created by wind farms come during their construction, turbines still require long-term maintenance and operation — “Jiffy Lube 300 feet in the air,” Andy Swapp, a faculty member at Mesalands Community College’s Wind Energy Technology program in Tucumcarie, New Mexico, called it. According to data from Revelio Labs, a workforce tracking company, more than 20% of wind jobs created in the past year were in Texas.

There’s no comprehensive estimate of how many wind technicians will be necessary to serve America’s wind farms by 2030, but we can make some educated guesses. In 2022, 11,200 Americans worked as wind technicians, with just under half of them in Texas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, servicing a total of 144 GW of capacity (including a negligible amount of offshore wind) — about 0.08 jobs per megawatt. (Other estimates range from 0.1-10.8 permanent jobs per megawatt.)

By that math, just for the buildout of onshore wind spurred by the IRA — and leaving aside the 30 GW of offshore wind that the Biden administration has pledged to build by 2030 — the U.S. will need nearly 10,000 new wind technicians, a fair chunk of whom will be living, spending, and paying taxes in New Mexico and Texas.

Regardless of how the actual numbers shake out (many technicians travel between sites, almost everyone who I spoke with for this story told me), they raise a thorny question: How can the nascent wind industry nearly double the size of its workforce in a matter of years — especially where the industry is already strong?

In and around the Permian Basin, onshore wind is primed for a breakout. SunZia’s turbines will sit about 200 miles away from New Mexico’s Lea and Eddy counties, which account for 29% of the Permian Basin’s oil production. Slightly northwest of Lea is the Oso Grande Project, with 247 MW of wind power; Sweetwater, Texas, is surrounded by wind projects ranging from around 40 to 420 MW. The Permian Basin itself has plentiful wind — more than 2 GW — but there is broad agreement that much more of the area is ripe for wind projects.

All of these wind farms, of course, will need technicians, along with managers and operations and maintenance personnel. Pattern, a spokesperson told me, will “prioritize local vendors, suppliers and workforce,” and is building out its own GWO — short for Global Wind Organisation training, which has become an industry standard certification for working at heights — with training partners for SunZia, which promises more than 100 full-time jobs.

To work as an entry-level wind technician, the company asks for a one-year college or technical school certificate, or else a similar amount of experience in wind-power or other related training programs, or some combination of the two. Other employers in the area make similar asks, though a handful require just a high school diploma.

When more wind farms arrive, locals in West Texas looking for local training programs will have a handful of options, including a course at Texas Tech, a paid training institution, and a few community colleges with wind training, four of which are west of San Antonio.

As of summer 2023, roughly 200 students were enrolled in Texas State Technical College programs, Jones told me, and around 75% of them are on some form of financial aid to cover the $13,000 tuition for the 20-month course. Texas’s powerhouse for creating technicians doesn’t always serve its own state, or even the wind industry. Jones’s students don’t always go into wind — some even go into oil and gas — and they don’t always stay in Texas.

Texas Tech’s wind energy program is robust, Suhas Pol, the director of the university’s renewable energy programs, told me, but it’s primarily aimed at sending students into project management, development and engineering. As of this year, he estimated around 100 students are majoring in renewables, but he thinks awareness on campus is low. Pol and his fellow administrators have conjectured that “many folks are not aware that there is such a program available,” he said.

By next academic year, the university is planning to launch a course that offers additional qualifications for students who want to expand on their associates’ degrees, Pol added. Still, he thinks the field as a whole suffers from a lack of faculty to teach students — because so few people enter the industry, not enough can teach others how to join.

Adrian Cadena’s career path is pretty typical of wind technicians in the U.S., at least according to the BLS. Cadena, a former paramedic in San Antonio, was exhausted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While on a road trip in Texas, he wound up pulling over and walking into the middle of a wind farm, where he took out a cell phone and called his wife. “I said, ‘I think I’m done with medicine,’” Cadena told me. “My wife said, ‘I think you’ve lost your mind.’”

While working at a local hospital, Cadena completed a wind training program at a community college. At a clean energy career fair, he landed a job in safety at a small firm based near Houston. That firm paid for his GWOs. Soon after, an opportunity came up at Vestas Wind Systems — one of the industry’s giants — to work as a traveling safety contractor. Then last summer, the call came from another contractor to serve as a project manager on the safety side for Vineyard Wind, one of the country’s first large-scale offshore wind farms, which began delivering electricity just this week.

The federal government is also considering laying its own paths, as evidenced by the launch of the American Climate Corps in September; its first cohort could start as soon as this summer. Other roads leading to wind farms can pass through union-based apprenticeships, although those generally create “well-rounded electricians,” not necessarily wind specialists, according to Bo Delp, executive director of the Texas Climate Jobs Project.

Still, people who understand electronics are in high demand. Many job openings on Indeed across Texas this summer noted that a certification or degree in wind energy is preferred, while experience with mechanics and electronics is typically required, even for entry-level positions. George Jackiewicz, a safety coordinator currently based in Long Island who has worked around the country, told me that “if you’ve got common sense, some mechanical skills, a little bit of electrical, you can get in with zero experience.”

Companies, he explained, will train their own workers, including through their own apprenticeships. In conjunction with Vestas, Sky Climber Renewables runs TOP Technicians,. The program finishes out three weeks of training with an assignment at a Vestas wind project. As Jones said, in earlier times “you just came in off the street, they gave you an electrical test and an aptitude test. If you could pass both of those, they could find a place for you. Now there’s more to it.”

In New Mexico, three institutions teach future wind technicians, but only Mesalands has a dedicated wind program and turbine, graduating roughly 20 students each semester, Andy Swapp told me. Unlike TSTC, Mesalands doesn’t give students their GWO certifications, though climbing towers is part of the curriculum.

While TSTC’s Jones doesn’t have much of a recruiting operation, Swapp runs a full-court press, including online ads and trips to high schools for “kid wind” competitions to design turbines, on top of word-of-mouth recruiting from previous students.

“The hardest part of this job is filling the classroom,” Swapp said. “I think if we could fill our classroom every semester, we could meet the need.”

In Lea County, 180 miles away from Mesalands, wind training is scarce, said Jennifer Grassham, president and CEO of the local economic development corporation. She thinks it has to do with demand — too few projects nearby to spur the need for trained technicians.

Meanwhile, a well-coordinated economic engine brings people into oil and gas in Hobbs, the county’s largest city, with 5,808 residents employed in the industry. New recruits can easily find training through company-sponsored programs (the industry norm, according to Grassham); New Mexico Junior College, located conveniently in town; or even the city’s technical high school, which offers “very specific oil and gas training,” Grassham explained.

Individuals interested in entering the field can also easily get a certification ahead of time. One method is to take an online course for around $600 from the University of Texas’s Petroleum Extension, which includes about a week’s worth of work.

“To get a job on a rig is fairly easy,” John Scannell, PETEX’s operations manager, said. “The companies that hire for those jobs, they don’t expect a lot of existing knowledge, so I know a lot of the drilling companies will hire people if they just take our basic overview of working on a rig.”

Lea County’s economic development council is thinking about wind and solar development, Grassham noted, but conversations about the workforce haven’t begun. If more wind farms like SunZia pop up offering hundreds of jobs, that might spur those conversations. “I think we still respond to supply and demand,” she said. “If there was a density around the demand for wind-related job training, the junior college would stand up a wind program almost overnight.”

Even when the demand arrives, workers may still face challenges. Some wind industry workers I spoke to for this story told me they struggled to secure raises, even with years of training and experience. “We really have to take a step back and think about how this transition is going to happen in a way that produces a more resilient economy,” Delp said. “If we build this transition on the backs of workers, we are going to be dealing with the political and economic consequences of that for decades.”

But presuming the industry can train enough people and keep them happy, every person I spoke to emphasized the same thing: Wind jobs are good jobs, especially if working at heights is a thrill and not a deterrent.

Jackiewicz — skeptical that the labor force as a whole will meet the moment at the pace required — is still a booster. “This is the only place I know that where someone without a high school education can earn six digits a year,” he said. “People I meet, I encourage them — ‘hey if you’ve got common sense, you can make a lot of money.’ I would recommend it as long as it’s here. Clean money, dirty hands.”

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The Study Guide, corrected reprint

date: 2024-01-05, from: Logic Matters blog

There is now a corrected update of the Beginning Mathematical Logic Study Guide. The list of known typos for the 2022 printing was getting embarrassingly long; so I’ve taken the opportunity to correct these plus the one thinko noted on the corrections page. Otherwise little has changed, apart from some minor rephrasing here and there. […]

The post The Study Guide, corrected reprint appeared first on Logic Matters.

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NASA Sets Coverage for X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft Rollout

date: 2024-01-05, from: NASA breaking news

NASA will provide live coverage as it reveals its X-59 aircraft at 4 p.m. EST on Friday, Jan. 12, as part of the agency’s Quesst mission to make commercial supersonic flight possible. For the first time, the public will see the painted aircraft, which will be unveiled during a ceremony hosted by prime contractor Lockheed […]

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The 24 sexiest new hotels for 2024

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

This is the time when we start thinking of travels for 2024. Will we go back to our old favorites? Try somewhere new? Or strike out towards somewhere we’d never imagined going, purely to stay in a new hotel we like the look of?

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/05/the-sexiest-new-hotels-for-2024/ Save to Pocket

BreachForums boss busted for bond blunders – including using a VPN

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Fitzpatrick faces potentially decades in prison later this month, so may as well get some foreign Netflix in beforehand

The cybercriminal behind BreachForums was this week arrested for violating the terms of his pretrial release and will now be held in custody until his sentencing hearing.…

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@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-01-05, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

Happy 40th birthday to Matt Mullenweg. Many happy returns! 😄

http://scripting.com/2024/01/05.html#a141426 Save to Pocket

NASA/JAXA XRISM Mission Reveals Its First Look at X-ray Cosmos

date: 2024-01-05, from: NASA breaking news

The Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) observatory has released a first look at the unprecedented data it will collect when science operations begin later this year. The satellite’s science team released a snapshot of a cluster of hundreds of galaxies and a spectrum of stellar wreckage in a neighboring galaxy, which gives scientists […]

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/xrism/nasa-jaxa-xrism-mission-reveals-its-first-look-at-x-ray-cosmos/ Save to Pocket

Las leyendas de los pilotos de pruebas de la NASA se reúnen

date: 2024-01-05, from: NASA breaking news

Lee esta historia en inglés aquí. Nils Larson, ingeniero aeroespacial y piloto de pruebas del avión X-59 de la NASA, se reunió con su antiguo alumno, el astronauta de Artemis II Victor Glover, el sábado 21 de octubre durante una visita a las instalaciones del Centro de Investigación Langley de la NASA en Hampton (Virginia). […]

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The 6th Annual Mariana Islands Conservation Conference to be held in Saipan

date: 2024-01-05, from: Guam Daily Post

For its sixth year, the Mariana Islands Conservation Conference will be held in Saipan, with this year’s focus on protecting and restoring marine resources through presentations and activities. The conference, held by Tåno, Tåsi yan Todu, will be held from…

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/the-6th-annual-mariana-islands-conservation-conference-to-be-held-in-saipan/article_f7f8fa8e-ab80-11ee-9fac-438d11be2521.html Save to Pocket

Bill 175-37 draws concern, support

date: 2024-01-05, from: Guam Daily Post

Certain provisions within Bill 175-37, the measure proposing changes to Guam’s Toilet Facilities and Sewage Disposal Act, drew various concerns from the Guam Environmental Protection Agency, while real estate agents and landowners testified in support of the measure during an…

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/bill-175-37-draws-concern-support/article_81f1148c-ab69-11ee-a975-c7ae85ed133a.html Save to Pocket

Governor launches Collaborative Summit for disaster preparedness

date: 2024-01-05, from: Guam Daily Post

After Typhoon Mawar put a spotlight on the challenges of dealing with physical damage and the shortage of health and social service professionals, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero signed Executive Order No. 2023-10, establishing the Guam Health and Social Services Workforce…

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/governor-launches-collaborative-summit-for-disaster-preparedness/article_240ab60a-a9d1-11ee-8ff1-3bdc0d3f3799.html Save to Pocket

Letter: Rules issue shouldn’t cripple Legislature

date: 2024-01-05, from: Guam Daily Post

As currently written, the standing rules of the 37th Guam Legislature automatically terminate all legislative appointments a year earlier than intended. A resolution from the Committee on Rules proposes to rectify the issue, but even if it doesn’t pass, that…

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/letter-rules-issue-shouldnt-cripple-legislature/article_8df894e0-a9f6-11ee-ba10-1722d6e84aa2.html Save to Pocket

Fatal shooting of tourist prompts manhunt

date: 2024-01-05, from: Guam Daily Post

An islandwide manhunt is underway for two male individuals suspected to be involved in the robbery on Thursday night of two tourists from Korea, and the fatal shooting of one of the tourists.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/fatal-shooting-of-tourist-prompts-manhunt/article_c9213b2a-ab7d-11ee-8a11-932059f3d752.html Save to Pocket

US Employers Add Surprisingly Strong 216,000 Jobs in Sign of Continued Economic Strength

date: 2024-01-05, from: VOA News USA

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-employers-add-surprisingly-strong-216-000-jobs-in-sign-of-continued-economic-strength/7427894.html Save to Pocket

John Boston | Again I Win the Most Boring Xmas Contest

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

My Best Pal in the Whole World is Phil Lanier. For 60-plus years, we use Woke Math and identify as 8-year-olds. Christmas can’t officially commence without our phone call. We just concluded a playful argument about who had the most boring Christmas Day.  Lanier confessed he had to feed his cat, which required opening a […]

The post John Boston | Again I Win the Most Boring Xmas Contest appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/john-boston-again-i-win-the-most-boring-xmas-contest/ Save to Pocket

La NASA te invita a enviar tu nombre en el rover lunar de Artemis

date: 2024-01-05, from: NASA breaking news

Read this story in English here. La NASA invita al público a enviar su nombre a la superficie de la Luna a bordo del primer rover lunar robótico de la agencia, el Vehículo de Exploración Polar para Investigación de Volátiles (VIPER, por sus siglas en inglés). Este vehículo explorador se embarcará en una misión al […]

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/la-nasa-te-invita-a-enviar-tu-nombre-en-el-rover-lunar-de-artemis/ Save to Pocket

Lois Eisenberg | Will Never Forget the ‘Day of Infamy’

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

I have been busy with my family and I have been remiss in not writing sooner about Pearl Harbor Day, Thursday, Dec. 7. On this day on a Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese, in a surprise attack, bombed Pearl Harbor, “a date which will live in infamy,” relentlessly killing 2,403 people and wounding 1,000 […]

The post Lois Eisenberg | Will Never Forget the ‘Day of Infamy’ appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/lois-eisenberg-will-never-forget-the-day-of-infamy/ Save to Pocket

Rob Kerchner | A Sharp Contrast

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

As Donald Trump was for Hillary Clinton in 2016, so Joe Biden was considered the antidote to Trump in 2020. But after three years, the actual contrast is amazing. Trump had peace and record-setting prosperity by 2019. By 2023 Biden has two wars, retreat in Afghanistan, inflation, debt, economic malaise, record crime, record murder, a […]

The post Rob Kerchner | A Sharp Contrast appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

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Microsoft pulls the plug on WordPad, the world’s least favorite text editor

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Throwback word processor ditched from clean installs, soon to be removed on upgrade

Microsoft has begun ditching WordPad from Windows and removed the editor from the first Canary Channel build of 2024.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/wordpad_off_windows_11/ Save to Pocket

The New News Business

date: 2024-01-05, from: Doc Searls (at Harvard), New Old Blog

Back when I was on the board of my regional Red Cross chapter (this one), I learned four lessons about fund raising: People are glad to pay value for value. People are most willing to pay when they perceive and appreciate the value they get from a product or service. People are also most willing […]

https://doc.searls.com/2024/01/05/the-new-news-business/ Save to Pocket

Predictions for 2024

date: 2024-01-05, from: Marginal Revolution blog

Bari Weiss interviews myself, Niall Ferguson, John McWhorter, Peter Attia, Nate Silver, and others about the year to come.  I am not so pessimistic!

The post Predictions for 2024 appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

Comments

• if hes best president of all time credit will be Russias and … by if elect trump will have health transfer from you to anti trump
• In reply to Stephen J Gould’s Gourd. Yes, implicit subject … by Rebes
• In reply to Moral Panic. Also, I chuckled at Niall Ferguson … by Moral Panic
• In reply to Linguist. So do I or do I not need to discard … by peri
• In reply to blue jay. Well, I learned that there is a trend … by Moral Panic
• Plus 10 more…

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We’re Predicting These 10 Food Trends For LA In 2024

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The LAist

How will the world of food change in L.A. in 2024? We’re making some forecasts.

https://laist.com/news/food/10-trends-in-restaurant-and-dining-in-2024-in-la Save to Pocket

At La Sureñita Bakery In Boyle Heights, Rosca De Reyes Are In Demand For Three Kings Day

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The LAist

The days leading to Jan. 6 are the busiest for Bernardo Cortez and his family, owners of La Sureñita Bakery in Boyle Heights

https://laist.com/news/food/at-la-surenita-bakery-in-boyle-heights-rosca-de-reyes-are-in-demand-for-three-kings-day Save to Pocket

Người Mỹ thế hệ thứ hai: Làm gì khi người thân lan truyền những tin tức không đúng

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Markup blog

Đừng tranh cãi chuyện chính trị. Mà hãy nói về những tin tức không đúng

https://themarkup.org/languages-of-misinformation/2024/01/05/nguoi-my-the-he-thu-hai-lam-gi-khi-nguoi-than-lan-truyen-nhung-tin-tuc-khong-dung Save to Pocket

Just Accept the Dang Software Update

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Markup blog

Installing patches right away will help keep you safe from hackers

https://themarkup.org/gentle-january/2024/01/05/just-accept-the-dang-software-update Save to Pocket

Final Suspect in 20-Year Art Heist Case Turns Himself In

date: 2024-01-05, from: Smithsonian Magazine

Nicholas Dombek is one of nine individuals accused of stealing millions of dollars worth of artwork, sports memorabilia and cultural artifacts

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/final-suspect-in-20-year-art-heist-case-turns-himself-in-180983538/ Save to Pocket

AM Briefing: Snow, or No?

date: 2024-01-05, from: Heatmap News

Current conditions: More than 300 flood warnings are in place across England • Hazardous waves up to 16 feet tall are slamming into the California coast • Rain and snow is expected this weekend in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture, where rescuers are racing against time to find earthquake survivors.

THE TOP FIVE

1. Northeast braces for first major winter storm of the season

It’s been almost 700 days since Central Park received an inch of snow, and it doesn’t look like that snowless streak will end any time soon. A winter storm is targeting the Northeast this weekend but forecasters think major coastal cities including New York, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia will see mostly rain. Up to 12 inches of snow could fall farther inland, though, and the same system could bring heavy rainfall – and possibly ice – to the South and Southeast today before heading north. Meanwhile, much of the West remains in a severe snow drought, with California registering its lowest snowpack in a decade.

Expected preciptation totals over the next 72 hours.NOAA

The warm winter weather trend – caused by a combination of man-made climate change and the El Niño weather pattern – has become impossible to ignore, promting somber reflections on how the seasons aren’t what they used to be. “There’s this sort of existential offness,” Heather Hansman, author of the book Powder Days: Ski Bums, Ski Towns, and the Future of Chasing Snow, told Vox. “My body knows that this isn’t right.”

2. Wisconsin’s largest solar farm comes online

A massive solar farm in Wisconsin became fully operational this week. The 300 megawatt Badger Hollow Solar Farm spans 3,500 acres and has 830,000 solar panels capable of powering about 90,000 homes. It is the state’s largest solar farm, and one of the biggest in the Midwest region. The project’s panels are bifacial, meaning they can capture solar energy on both sides. This is important in areas with lots of snowfall because the panels can absorb solar energy reflected off the ground.

3. Azerbaijan names COP29 president

Azerbaijan, which is the host country for next year’s COP29, has appointed its environment minister Mukhtar Babayev as president of the climate summit. There isn’t a lot of public information available about Babayev, but according to Climate Home News, he spent 26 years working for the country’s state-owned oil and gas company Socar where his job involved trying to “reverse the environmental damage caused by the company.” One source told Climate Home News that Babayev was “nice” and “soft” but added “you don’t feel the authority and status like from [COP28 president] Sultan [Al-Jaber], I don’t feel he is an independent person able to push for phasing out fossil fuels globally.”

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4. Study: Logging has decimated Canada’s boreal forests

A new study published in the journal Land found that 35.4 million acres of Canada’s evergreen forests in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec have been effectively lost to logging since 1976. And the government-approved methods used to regenerate those forests — which require loggers to replant cleared areas or show that the region will recover on its own — have had a devastating result. While 56 million acres of older trees remain across the two provinces, that acreage is now interspersed with patchworks of newly planted trees chosen for their future suitability for logging, not for purposes of ecological diversity or wildfire prevention, explains Heatmap’s Jacob Lambert. “So while Canada may not have widespread deforestation, what it does have are swaths of newer trees that are far less effective than their forebears when it comes to carbon capture, species diversity, and wildfire prevention.”

5. Germany’s emissions drop to 70-year low

Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions dropped about 10% in 2023 to a 70-year low, according to analysis from think tank Agora Energiewende. Last year’s dip is “largely attributable to a strong decrease in coal power generation,” Agora says. At the same time, renewables accounted for more than 50% of the country’s electricity generation. Germany is Europe’s largest economy, and it aims to cut emissions by at least 65% by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2045. Agora warns last year’s emissions cuts aren’t entirely sustainable, and calls for policy changes and greater investment in climate solutions to maintain momentum.

THE KICKER

Arizona just got its first all-electric firetruck, the Vector:

REV Group/E-ONE

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Mobileye shares crash after warning of automotive customers’ chip glut

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Self-driving car biz says Q1 orders to drop 50% amid widening operating losses

Mobileye shares tanked by up to 27 percent yesterday in pre-market trading after the self-driving tech biz surprised Wall Street by warning that customers are chewing over excess inventory and cutting orders.…

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What should reparations look like?

date: 2024-01-05, from: Marketplace Morning Report

Lawmakers in California are gearing up to debate reparations for slavery. But if reparations are politically unviable, what’s the next best thing? In part three of our Golden Promises series, we’ll unpack alternatives, including ones that could help address racial disparities in education, housing, health care and credit scores. Also on the show, the cost of borrowing for a home has gone down sharply.

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Carrefour to halt Pepsi sales over price hikes

date: 2024-01-05, from: Marketplace Morning Report

From the BBC World Service: Grocery giant Carrefour will stop selling Pepsi products in France, citing “unacceptable price increases.” Then, ground staff at the Spanish airline Iberia are staging a four-day strike after the collapse of talks between unions and the company. And Elvis lives! At least an AI-powered hologram version does, as a new London show promises an immersive experience through the life of the music legend.

https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/carrefour-to-halt-pepsi-sales-over-price-hikes Save to Pocket

Improving Shor’s Algorithm

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2023-12-28, from: Bruce Schneier blog

We don’t have a useful quantum computer yet, but we do have quantum algorithms. Shor’s algorithm has the potential to factor large numbers faster than otherwise possible, which—if the run times are actually feasible—could break both the RSA and Diffie-Hellman public-key algorithms.

Now, computer scientist Oded Regev has a significant speed-up to Shor’s algorithm, at the cost of more storage.

Details are in this article. Here’s the result:

The improvement was profound. The number of elementary logical steps in the quantum part of Regev’s algorithm is proportional to …

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Report: Trump Businesses Received Millions From ‘Unsavory Regimes’

date: 2024-01-05, from: Dan Rather’s Steady

According to a report released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, Donald Trump’s businesses allegedly received millions of dollars from 20 foreign governments, including “some of the world’s most unsavory regimes,” while the former president was in office. The report, “White House For Sale: How Princes, Prime Ministers, and Premiers Paid Off President Trump

https://steady.substack.com/p/report-trump-businesses-received Save to Pocket

P&B: Arun Venkatesan

date: 2024-01-05, from: Manu - I write blog

This is the 19th edition of People and Blogs, the series where I ask interesting people to talk about themselves and their blogs. Today we have Arun Venkatesan and his blog, arun.is

Arun was suggested as a potential guest by Victor Kernes—who also happen to have a lovely newsletter focused on style, menswear, and fashion—and the suggestion was spot on.

To follow this series subscribe to the newsletter. A new interview will land in your inbox every Friday. Not a fan of newsletters? No problem! You can read the interviews here on the blog or you can subscribe to the RSS feed.

This was the 19th edition of People and Blogs. Hope you enjoyed this interview with Arun. Make sure to follow his blog (RSS) and get in touch with him if you have any questions.

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https://manuelmoreale.com/@/page/DvVxOEcwE8gGVRnJ Save to Pocket

Hubble Views a Vast Galactic Neighborhood

date: 2024-01-05, from: NASA breaking news

This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features a richness of spiral galaxies: the large, prominent spiral galaxy on the right side of the image is NGC 1356; the two apparently smaller spiral galaxies flanking it are LEDA 467699 (above it) and LEDA 95415 (very close at its left) respectively; and finally, IC 1947 sits along the […]

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubble-views-a-vast-galactic-neighborhood/ Save to Pocket

Code archaeologist digs up oldest known ancestor of MS-DOS

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

86-DOS version 0.1-C found and archived – all nine files of it

An intrepid code archaeologist has found and uploaded an early ancestor of what became MS-DOS, which later sparked the IBM PC-compatible computer industry.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/oldest_ancestor_of_msdos_recovered/ Save to Pocket

How America’s oligarchy has paved the road to fascism (Why American capitalism is so rotten, Part 7)

date: 2024-01-05, from: Robert Reich on Substack

Concentrated wealth and power are undermining democracy. Here’s what Joe Biden ought to be saying and doing about it.

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-american-oligarchy-why-is-american Save to Pocket

Expert sounds alarm bells over upcoming NHS data platform

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Research warns not to make the same mistakes as other electronic patient record systems

A leading expert has warned that the value of the NHS’s Federated Data Platform (FDP) will depend on usability testing if it is to improve patient safety and efficiency in the UK health service.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/health_services_safety_fdp/ Save to Pocket

Hilo native Kai Correa discusses return to Cleveland, grandfather and more on podcast

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p><em>Editor&#8217;s note: this article is comprised of quotes clipped from a 4,133 word transcript of a podcast &#8212; abridged for brevity.</em></p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/sports/hilo-native-kai-correa-discusses-return-to-cleveland-grandfather-and-more-on-podcast/ Save to Pocket

UH-Hilo softball signs 14, including Kealakehe alum

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Aisha Sueda, third-year head UH-Hilo softball coach, announced Thursday the addition of 14 newcomers for the upcoming 2024 season &#8212; nine freshmen and five transfers.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/sports/uh-hilo-softball-signs-14-including-kealakehe-alum/ Save to Pocket

BIIF basketball action back in full swing

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p><strong>KOHALA 57 - HILO 21</strong></p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/sports/biif-basketball-action-back-in-full-swing/ Save to Pocket

This year’s Sentry will have special meaning to Collin Morikawa

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>KAPALUA, Maui &#8212; Collin Morikawa already knows this will be one of the most memorable weeks of his golf life, regardless of what occurs on the course starting with today&#8217;s first round of The Sentry.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/sports/this-years-sentry-will-have-special-meaning-to-collin-morikawa/ Save to Pocket

US, Sweden will play for world junior gold after US beats Finland and Sweden tops Czech Republic

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>GOTHENBURG, Sweden (AP) &#8212; The United States will face host Sweden on Friday for gold at the IIHF world junior championship. </p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/sports/us-sweden-will-play-for-world-junior-gold-after-us-beats-finland-and-sweden-tops-czech-republic/ Save to Pocket

Obituaries for January 5

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Kendall Kenichi Hakkei, 70, of Kealakekua died Dec. 28 at home. Born in Honolulu, he was a retired bellman at the former Sheraton Waikoloa Beach Resort. Services at a later date. Survived by wife, Marella Hakkei of Kealakekua; son, David (Hygeia) Hakkei of Kaneohe, Oahu; daughter, Katrina Hakkei of Kailua-Kona; stepson, Tante (Bernadette) Urban Jr. of Kailua-Kona; stepdaughter, Bernadette (Kauhane) Smith of Kailua-Kona; brothers, Kelvin Hakkei and Norman Hakkei of Kaneohe; sister, Naomi (Bill) Matsuzaki of Kaneohe; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, and cousins. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/obituaries/obituaries-for-january-5-10/ Save to Pocket

Your Views for January 5

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Thomas must recuse&#0010;himself in Jan. 6 case</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/opinion/your-views-for-january-5-8/ Save to Pocket

Hydrogen isn’t clean if it adds to climate pollution. Biden’s rules are a good start

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>The Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Joe Biden more than a year ago, is a game-changing law that invests hundreds of billions of dollars to fight climate change and boost renewable energy.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/opinion/hydrogen-isnt-clean-if-it-adds-to-climate-pollution-bidens-rules-are-a-good-start/ Save to Pocket

Dismantle the teacher accreditation cartel

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Twenty years ago, when I was hiring teachers for the private K-12 school I founded, I knew better than to recruit certified teachers. That&#8217;s right&#8212;I didn&#8217;t want to hire certified teachers. Why?</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/opinion/dismantle-the-teacher-accreditation-cartel/ Save to Pocket

Judge rejects injunction in ACLU case against Oahu homeless sweeps

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>The City and County of Honolulu has announced it has prevailed in its legal fight against a preliminary injunction the American Civil Liberties Union Hawaii brought last year over the city&#8217;s use of homeless sweeps.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/hawaii-news/judge-rejects-injunction-in-aclu-case-against-oahu-homeless-sweeps/ Save to Pocket

Sunset Beach homeowner fined for illegal beach reinforcement

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>A North Shore, Oahu homeowner must pay $77,000 in fines after he was found responsible for pouring concrete on the beach to protect his oceanfront property.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/hawaii-news/sunset-beach-homeowner-fined-for-illegal-beach-reinforcement/ Save to Pocket

Houthis launch sea drone to attack ships hours after US, allies issue final warning

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>WASHINGTON &#8212; An armed unmanned surface vessel launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen got within a &#8220;couple of miles&#8221; of U.S. Navy and commercial vessels in the Red Sea before detonating on Thursday, just hours after the White House and a host of partner nations issued a final warning to the Iran-backed militia group to cease the attacks or face potential military action.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/houthis-launch-sea-drone-to-attack-ships-hours-after-us-allies-issue-final-warning/ Save to Pocket

Police say 17-year-old killed a sixth grader and wounded five in Iowa school shooting

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>PERRY, Iowa &#8212; A 17-year-old opened fire at a small-town Iowa high school on the first day of school after the winter break, killing a sixth-grader and wounding five others Thursday as students barricaded in offices, ducked into classrooms and fled in panic.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/police-say-17-year-old-killed-a-sixth-grader-and-wounded-five-in-iowa-school-shooting/ Save to Pocket

Blinken heads to the Mideast again as fears of regional conflict surge

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>WASHINGTON &#8212; As the Biden administration grapples with an increasingly tense and unstable situation in the Middle East, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to the region this weekend for the fourth time in three months on a tour expected to focus largely on easing resurgent fears that the Israel-Hamas war could erupt into a broader conflict.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/blinken-heads-to-the-mideast-again-as-fears-of-regional-conflict-surge/ Save to Pocket

Supreme Court rejects prosecutor’s push to fast-track ruling in Trump election subversion case

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>WASHINGTON &#8212; The Supreme Court said Friday it will not immediately take up a plea by special counsel Jack Smith to rule on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted for his actions to overturn the 2020 election results.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/supreme-court-rejects-prosecutors-push-to-fast-track-ruling-in-trump-election-subversion-case-2/ Save to Pocket

Two companies will attempt the first US moon landings since the Apollo missions a half-century ago

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. &#8212; China and India scored moon landings, while Russia, Japan and Israel ended up in the lunar trash heap.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/two-companies-will-attempt-the-first-us-moon-landings-since-the-apollo-missions-a-half-century-ago/ Save to Pocket

Trump ballot challenges advance, varying widely in strategy and sophistication

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>CONCORD, N.H. &#8212; John Anthony Castro, a 40-year-old Texan, long-shot Republican presidential candidate and the most prolific challenger of Donald Trump&#8217;s eligibility to be president, has gone to court in at least 27 states trying to remove the former president from the ballot.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/trump-ballot-challenges-advance-varying-widely-in-strategy-and-sophistication/ Save to Pocket

Young Thug trial, longest in Georgia history, started one year ago today

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Thursday marked one year since jury selection began in the sweeping Fulton County gang and racketeering trial against Grammy winning rapper Young Thug and several of his alleged accomplices.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/young-thug-trial-longest-in-georgia-history-started-one-year-ago-today/ Save to Pocket

Hawaii population growth to come from U.S. mainland, world

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Hawaii will see more deaths than births over the next four to five years, and any population growth across the islands will be driven by new arrivals from the U.S. mainland and other places around the world, the state House Finance Committee was told Wednesday.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/hawaii-news/hawaii-population-growth-to-come-from-u-s-mainland-world/ Save to Pocket

‘We are one step ahead’: Airport bust part of wider investigation

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>A man and woman from Kailua-Kona who were returning from California were arrested and charged Dec. 29 at the Kona airport with fentanyl possession.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/hawaii-news/we-are-one-step-ahead-airport-bust-part-of-wider-investigation/ Save to Pocket

Ex-presidents, celebrities and a prince: Epstein document takeaways

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>The highly anticipated release of hundreds of documents tied to the Jeffrey Epstein saga offer fresh insight into the people who surrounded him. The names of two former presidents, a member of the UK royal family and celebrities were among the unredacted information. The material was filed in a lawsuit brought by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. </p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/ex-presidents-celebrities-and-a-prince-epstein-document-takeaways/ Save to Pocket

Islamic State group claims responsibility for Iran suicide bombings killing at least 84 people

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates &#8212; The Islamic State group claimed responsibility Thursday for two suicide bombings targeting a commemoration for an Iranian general slain in a 2020 U.S. drone strike, the worst militant attack to strike Iran in decades as the wider Middle East remains on edge.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/islamic-state-group-claims-responsibility-for-iran-suicide-bombings-killing-at-least-84-people/ Save to Pocket

South Korea views the young daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as his likely successor

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>SEOUL, South Korea &#8212; The young daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seen as her father&#8217;s likely heir apparent, South Korea&#8217;s spy agency said Thursday, its first such assessment on the preteen who was unveiled to the outside world a little more than a year ago.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/south-korea-views-the-young-daughter-of-north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-as-his-likely-successor/ Save to Pocket

SpaceX rival’s new rocket is finally ready. Bezos is watching

date: 2024-01-05, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>When the Vulcan rocket lifts off for the first time as soon as next week, multiple billionaires are sure to be watching.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/05/nation-world-news/spacex-rivals-new-rocket-is-finally-ready-bezos-is-watching/ Save to Pocket

Duke University becomes PeerJ Member, providing unlimited, APC-free publishing for their faculty

date: 2024-01-05, from: PeerJ blog

PeerJ welcomes Duke University to the AIMs program, meaning unlimited, fee-free publishing We are thrilled to announce Duke University as our newest Institutional Member. Thanks to Duke joining our AIMs program, their faculty, staff and students can publish in any PeerJ journal without have to pay an APC. Any corresponding or admin/submitting author who submits […]

https://peerj.com/blog/post/115284888730/duke-university-becomes-peerj-member-providing-unlimited-apc-free-publishing-for-their-faculty/ Save to Pocket

The Register’s 2023 in gaming had one final boss: Baldur’s Gate 3

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

But we also have a bit to say about Dark Souls, Starfield, Foxhole, and more

The RPG  Greetings, traveler, and welcome back to our occasional gaming column The Register Plays Games.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/2023_in_gaming/ Save to Pocket

Tech support done bad sure makes it hard to do tech support good

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Read the manual, they said. If only they’d said it about the right manual

On Call  2024 has commenced, but in today’s edition of On Call – The Register’s reader-contributed tales of tech support strife – a reader we’ll Regomize as “Stuart” shared a tale caused by a temporal anomaly.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/on_call/ Save to Pocket

How to build a Pico-powered Hull Pixelbot

date: 2024-01-05, from: Raspberry Pi News (.com)

Make a Pico-powered pixel packing robot you can program from your browser in ‘Python-ish’.

The post How to build a Pico-powered Hull Pixelbot appeared first on Raspberry Pi.

https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/how-to-build-a-pico-powered-hull-pixelbot/ Save to Pocket

Glynis Johns, ‘Mary Poppins’ Star, Dies at 100

date: 2024-01-05, from: VOA News USA

NEW YORK — Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie Mary Poppins and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be Send in the Clowns by Stephen Sondheim, has died. She was 100.

Mitch Clem, her manager, said she died Thursday at an assisted living home in Los Angeles of natural causes. “Today’s a sad day for Hollywood,” Clem said. “She is the last of the last of old Hollywood.”

Johns was known to be a perfectionist about her profession — precise, analytical and opinionated. The roles she took had to be multifaceted. Anything less was giving less than her all.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m not interested in playing the role on only one level,” she told The Associated Press in 1990. “The whole point of first-class acting is to make a reality of it.  To be real. And I have to make sense of it in my own mind in order to be real.”

Johns’ greatest triumph was playing Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, for which she won a Tony in 1973. Sondheim wrote the show’s hit song Send in the Clowns to suit her distinctive husky voice, but she lost the part in the 1977 film version to Elizabeth Taylor.

“I’ve had other songs written for me, but nothing like that,” Johns told the AP in 1990. “It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever been given in the theater.”

Others who followed Johns in singing Sondheim’s most popular song include Frank Sinatra, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan and Olivia Newton-John. It also appeared in season two of Yellowjackets in 2023, sung by Elijah Wood. 

Back when it was being conceived, A Little Night Music had gone into rehearsal with some of the book and score unfinished, including a solo song for Johns. Director Hal Prince suggested she and co-star Len Cariou improvise a scene or two to give book writer Hugh Wheeler some ideas. 

“Hal said ‘Why don’t you just say what you feel,’” she recalled to the AP. “When Len and I did that, Hal got on the phone to Steve Sondheim and said, ‘I think you’d better get in a cab and get round here and watch what they’re doing because you are going to get the idea for Glynis’ solo.’”

Johns was the fourth generation of an English theatrical family. Her father, Mervyn Johns, had a long career as a character actor, and her mother was a pianist. She was born in Pretoria, South Africa, because her parents were visiting the area on tour at the time of her birth.

Johns was a dancer at 12 and an actor at 14 in London’s West End. Her breakthrough role was as the amorous mermaid in the title of the 1948 hit comedy Miranda.

“I was quite an athlete, my muscles were strong from dancing, so the tail was just fine; I swam like a porpoise,” she told Newsday in 1998. In 1960’s The Sundowners, with Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum, she was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar. (She lost out to Shirley Jones in Elmer Gantry.)

Other highlights include playing the mother in Mary Poppins, the movie that introduced Julie Andrews and where she sang the rousing tune Sister Suffragette. She also starred in the 1989 Broadway revival of The Circle, W. Somerset Maugham’s romantic comedy about love, marriage and fidelity, opposite Rex Harrison and Stewart Granger.

“I’ve retired many times. My personal life has come before my work. The theater is just part of my life. It probably uses my highest sense of intelligence, so therefore I have to come back to it, to realize that I’ve got the talent. I’m not as good doing anything else,” she told the AP.

To prepare for A Coffin in Egypt, Horton Foote’s 1998 play about a grand dame reminiscing about her life on and off a ranch on the Texas prairie, she asked the Texas-born Foote to record a short tape of himself reading some lines and used it as her coach.

In a 1991 revival of A Little Night Music in Los Angeles, she played Madame Armfeldt, the mother of Desiree, the part she had created. In 1963, she starred in her own TV sitcom, Glynis. 

Johns lived all around the world and had four husbands. The first was the father of her only child, the late Gareth Forwood, an actor who died in 2007.

https://www.voanews.com/a/glynis-johns-mary-poppins-star-dies-at-100-/7427677.html Save to Pocket

Today in SCV History (Jan. 5)

date: 2024-01-05, from: SCV New (TV Station)

1875 – Tiburcio Vasquez murder trial opens in San Jose. [story

https://scvnews.com/today-in-scv-history-jan-5/ Save to Pocket

UCSB Men’s Basketball Suffers Third Straight Loss to Open Big West Conference Play

date: 2024-01-05, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

The Gauchos will travel to Cal Poly on Saturday, beginning at 7 p.m.

The post UCSB Men’s Basketball Suffers Third Straight Loss to Open Big West Conference Play appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/05/ucsb-mens-basketball-suffers-third-straight-loss-to-open-big-west-conference-play/ Save to Pocket

Sandworm’s Kyivstar attack should serve as a reminder of the Kremlin crew’s ‘global reach’

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

‘Almost everything’ wiped in the telecom attack, says Ukraine’s top cyber spy

Russia’s Sandworm crew appear to have been responsible for knocking out mobile and internet services to about 24 million users in Ukraine last month with an attack on telco giant Kyivstar.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/sandworm_kyivstar_hack/ Save to Pocket

Transmission line failure causes outages

date: 2024-01-05, from: Guam Daily Post

A failure along a transmission line that serves the Pagat Substation resulted in emergency outages late Friday morning to early afternoon, according to a release from the Guam Power Authority.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/transmission-line-failure-causes-outages/article_17309b26-ab97-11ee-9be3-5fda519e86f0.html Save to Pocket

You Will Not Stampede Me: Essays on Non-Conformism

date: 2024-01-05, from: Marginal Revolution blog

That is the new book by my colleague Bryan Caplan, collected largely from his previous blog writings.  Bryan emails to me: I just released a new book of essays on Amazon, entitled You Will Not Stampede Me: Essays on Non-Conformism.  Emerson and Thoreau were right: Excessive conformity is a major impediment to living a full […]

The post You Will Not Stampede Me: Essays on Non-Conformism appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

Comments

• I like Bryan Caplan, and I agree with his ideas on … by Hazel Meade
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Deputies investigating fatal crash in Valencia  

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies are investigating a fiery fatal crash that happened around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, according to officials.  A white, four-door sedan was traveling west on Valencia Boulevard, heading toward Interstate 5, where it crashed into a tree on the north side of the road, according to Lt. Luis Molina of the […]

The post Deputies investigating fatal crash in Valencia   appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/deputies-investigating-fatal-crash-in-valencia/ Save to Pocket

Everyone wants better web search – is Perplexity’s AI the answer?

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

‘Conversational engine’ still hallucinates, cites its sources at least

AI search engine startup Perplexity has raised $73.6 million in a series-B funding round led by Nvidia, Jeff Bezos, and other investors.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/perprexity_ai_search_engine/ Save to Pocket

My podcast with Brink Lindsey

date: 2024-01-05, from: Marginal Revolution blog

He is starting a new podcast and I am perhaps the first episode?  There is video and text and audio.  Here is an excerpt: Lindsey: Did they recognize early on that you were different and that they had a job to do to push you, or no? Cowen: Well, my father thought I was weird, so he […]

The post My podcast with Brink Lindsey appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

Comments

• In reply to The truth is Tyler likes the smell of his own … by no boundaries
• In reply to The truth is Tyler likes the smell of his own … by Basically agree
• “Bergen County libraries” Grew up in Bergen County, the … by Aladdin
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• Tyler thinks he’s something special and interviews people who … by The truth is Tyler likes the smell of his own farts
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January 4, 2024

date: 2024-01-05, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog

The Democrats on the House Oversight Committee today released a 156-page report showing that when he was in the presidency, Trump received at least $7.8 million from 20 different governments, including those of China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Malaysia, through businesses he owned.

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-4-2024 Save to Pocket

Valencia freshman wrestler makes instant impact, wins first tournament 

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

The Valencia Vikings wrestling program added a big name to the roster a couple of weeks ago, and the results are already showing.  Slater Hicks, who grew up in the Santa Clarita Valley, transferred from St. John Bosco to Valencia in December. Hicks and the rest of the Vikings competed at the Tournament of Champions […]

The post <strong>Valencia freshman wrestler makes instant impact, wins first tournament</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/valencia-freshman-wrestler-makes-instant-impact-wins-first-tournament/ Save to Pocket

Infidelity claim leads to investigation, arrest  

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies arrested a 21-year-old Canyon Country man on suspicion of two sex crimes after responding to a domestic disturbance and then investigating claims of infidelity that involved a minor and a sex tape, according to officials.   Due to the age of the alleged victim, who is under 18, the allegations […]

The post Infidelity claim leads to investigation, arrest   appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/infidelity-claim-leads-to-investigation-arrest/ Save to Pocket

Lancashire Heeler Newest Breed to Join American Kennel Club

date: 2024-01-05, from: VOA News USA

NEW YORK — It’s small in stature, big on activity and known for a “smile,” and it’s ready to compete with 200 other dog breeds.

Say hello to the Lancashire heeler, the latest breed recognized by the American Kennel Club. The organization announced Wednesday that the rare herding breed is now eligible for thousands of U.S. dog shows, including the prominent Westminster Kennel Club show.

With long bodies and short coats that are often black and tan, the solidly built dogs are shaped a bit like a downsized corgi, standing around 30 centimeters at the shoulder and weighing up to about 7.7 kilograms. Historically, they were farm helpers that could both drive cattle and rout rats, and today they participate in an array of canine sports and pursuits.

“They’re gritty little dogs, and they’re very intelligent little dogs,” says Patricia Blankenship of Flora, Mississippi, who has bred them for over a decade. “It’s an enjoyable little breed to be around.”

Their official description — or breed standard, in dog-world parlance — calls for them to be “courageous, happy, affectionate to owner,” and owners say contented heelers sometimes pull back their lips in a “smile.”

They’re “extremely versatile,” participating in everything from scent work to dock diving contests, says United States Lancashire Heeler Club President Sheryl Bradbury. But she advises that a Lancashire heeler “has to have a job,” whether it’s an organized dog sport or simply walks and fetch with its owners.

The dogs benefit from meeting various different people and canines, added Bradbury, who breeds them in Plattsmouth, Nebraska.

Lancashire heelers go back centuries in the United Kingdom, where they’re now deemed a “vulnerable native breed” at risk of dying out in their homeland. Britain’s Kennel Club has added an average of just 121 Lancashire heelers annually to its registry in recent years, and the American Kennel Club says only about 5,000 exist worldwide.

Founded in 1884, the AKC is the United States’ oldest purebred dog registry and functions like a league for many canine competitions, including sports open to mixed-breeds and purebreds. But only the 201 recognized breeds vie for the traditional “best in show” trophies at Westminster and elsewhere.

To get recognized, a breed must count at least 300 pedigreed dogs, distributed through at least 20 states, and fanciers must agree on a breed standard. Recognition is voluntary, and some breeds’ aficionados approach other kennel clubs or none at all.

Adding breeds, or even perpetuating them, bothers animal rights activists. They argue that dog breeding powers puppy mills, reduces pet adoptions and accentuates canine health problems by compressing genetic diversity.

The AKC says it promotes responsibly “breeding for type and function” to produce dogs with special skills, such as tracking lost people, as well as pets with characteristics that owners can somewhat predict and prepare for. The club has given over $32 million since 1995 to a foundation that underwrites canine health research.

https://www.voanews.com/a/lancashire-heeler-newest-breed-to-join-american-kennel-club-/7427612.html Save to Pocket

From the DF Archive: Mobile Phone Keyboards, Circa 2009

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Daring Fireball

https://daringfireball.net/2009/07/mobile_phone_keyboards Save to Pocket

Court orders arbitration for Wipro and ex-CFO who left for Cognizant

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

India’s IT outsourcers have an exec poaching problem

A Bengaluru civil court has ordered Indian IT outsourcer Wipro to go into arbitration with its former CFO, Jatin Dalal, over accusations the latter violated a non-compete clause by joining competitor Cognizant.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/05/court_orders_arbitration_for_wipro/ Save to Pocket

South Africa to Take Israel to Top UN Court on Genocide Claim in Gaza

date: 2024-01-05, from: VOA News USA

white house — South Africa is taking the war in Gaza to a top global court, accusing Israel of genocide in a lengthy court filing that the International Court of Justice is preparing to hear next week.  

Israel says the filing constitutes “blood libel,” and the White House dimisses it as “meritless.”  

More than 22,000 Palestinians have perished since the start of Israel’s offensive on Gaza, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. U.S. officials have previously cast doubt on those figures, noting that the ministry is run by Hamas, the group that was elected to govern Gaza and whose armed wing launched the October 7 attack on Israel that killed more than 1,200 people. 

Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and some of its allies, lists the killing of Jews and the elimination of the Jewish state as its main objectives. 

South Africa’s 84-page submission, filed last week, says that Israel’s actions in its Gaza offensive “are genocidal in character, as they are committed with the requisite specific intent … to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group.”

Israel’s use of state organs and agents to do this, they say, is a violation of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention.  

Alarms over possible war crimes

International organizations, including United Nations agencies, have raised alarms over possible war crimes, with the U.N.’s human rights agency calling in November for “prompt, transparent and independent investigations into allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, perpetrated in Israel and in the Occupied Palestinian Territory on 7 October 2023 and thereafter.”  

Israel’s government has slammed the move as a “decision to play advocate for the devil” and accused South Africa of “blood libel.” The accusation that Jewish people use the blood of Christians in religious rituals has been touted for centuries — notably by the genocidal Nazi regime, which oversaw the extermination of some 6 million Jews — to justify targeting Jews.  

“History will judge South Africa for its criminal complicity with the bloodiest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and it will judge it without mercy,” said Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy. 

The White House, when asked by VOA, dismissed South Africa’s argument.  

“We find this submission meritless, counterproductive and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever,” said John Kirby, director of strategic communications for the National Security Council.  

South Africa’s Foreign Affairs Ministry did not respond to requests for comment, but spokesperson Clayson Monyela said on the social media platform X that this is an example of his nation’s decision to “flex its diplomatic muscle in defense of humanity.”  

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress has historically supported the Palestinian cause, with the nation’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, saying, “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”  

In the court application, South Africa argues that the treatment of Palestinians also bears strong resemblance to South Africa’s own racially motivated apartheid regime, which ended in 1994 with Mandela’s election.  

“It is important,” the submission reads, “to place the acts of genocide in the broader context of Israel’s conduct towards Palestinians during its 75-year-long apartheid, its 56-year-long belligerent occupation of Palestinian territory and its 16-year-long blockade of Gaza, including the serious and ongoing violations of international law associated therewith, including grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and other war crimes and crimes against humanity.” 

The grassroots Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says it supports South Africa’s submission, which has also been endorsed by Muslim-majority nations Turkey and Malaysia.  

Robert McCaw, government affairs department director for CAIR, notes that while the group has “condemned the killing of Palestinians and Israelis alike” and the actions of both Hamas and Israel’s government, it believes South Africa’s case “fits the definition of genocide.” 

“When you are systematically erasing Palestinians from Gaza, that is a genocide,” he said. “And you can, you know, use whatever terms you want to dismiss this claim, but it’s a genocide.” 

But can it stop the war? South Africa, in its submission, asks the court to immediately call upon Israel to halt attacks, but it’s not clear whether such a ruling would stick.  

“It can’t enforce its verdicts, but members of the United Nations, which are all the world’s government, they can accept its findings, and that impacts the types of policies that are put out by the U.N.,” McCaw said. 

“So, this can have a significant impact in how we might be able to get a cease-fire or to hold Israel accountable by other means for its ongoing genocide of Palestinians. Also, it’s a very good way to legally document the crimes that are occurring.” 

Proceedings begin January 11 and will be streamed live on the United Nations’ web-based TV site.

https://www.voanews.com/a/south-africa-to-take-israel-to-top-un-court-on-genocide-claim-in-gaza-/7427539.html Save to Pocket

Ryan Seacrest Tried Making an iPhone Hardware Keyboard Case 10 Years Ago

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Daring Fireball

https://www.engadget.com/2013-12-06-typo-keyboard.html?guccounter=1 Save to Pocket

The world’s smallest PNG

date: 2024-01-05, from: OS News

The smallest PNG file is 67 bytes. It’s a single black pixel. Here’s what it looks like, zoomed in 200×: The rest of this post describes this file in more detail and tries to explain how PNGs work along the way. There’s a big twist at the end, if that excites you. But I hope you’re just excited to learn about PNGs. ↫ Evan Hahn I know way too much about PNGs now, information I won’t ever need but am glad to have.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138206/the-worlds-smallest-png/ Save to Pocket

What should we know about APFS special files?

date: 2024-01-05, from: OS News

We may have been using APFS for nearly seven years, but some of its features remain thoroughly opaque. On Christmas Day, I posed the puzzle of 60 TB of snapshots being removed from a 2 TB disk. While we all accept that may be “technically correct”, for ordinary users it makes no sense. Suggestions that they should be “educated” miss the point that the Finder has to be accessible to all users, whether or not they have a degree in Computer Science. If my eleven year-old granddaughter can’t make sense of it, then the Finder is a failure. Today I turn to another thorny issue raised by the ingenuity of APFS: the size of its special file types, sparse and ‘clone’ files. As usual, I start with a practical demonstration. ↫ Howard Oakley I feel like I should ring a little bell while posting a link to this article.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138204/what-should-we-know-about-apfs-special-files/ Save to Pocket

Installing FreeBSD 14.0 on a USB drive

date: 2024-01-05, from: OS News

Having re-discovered my love for FreeBSD on the desktop for the past month or so, I embarked in yet another adventure with it: creating a portable installation of it a USB drive so I could carry it with me on the go. This would be a great addition to my everyday carry, and would also again put the OS in test against many situations I have not had faced yet with it. ↫ Klaus Zimmermann Always a useful tool to have.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138202/installing-freebsd-14-0-on-a-usb-drive/ Save to Pocket

Couture to join Sharks’ upcoming road trip with expectation that he might play

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture has missed the entire season with a lower-body injury but has made significant progress with his health in recent weeks.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/sharks-couture-expected-to-return-to-lineup-during-upcoming-road-trip/ Save to Pocket

No Whining

date: 2024-01-05, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

We have just finished reading Nick Welsh’s latest column “No Whine Before Its Time.”

The post No Whining appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/04/no-whining/ Save to Pocket

‘Do you want me to shoot them?’ Five months after acquittal in murder case, Richmond man charged with home invasion robbery in San Pablo

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Anthony Timmons, 26, allegedly pointed a gun at one of the three victims and asked a second robber, “Do you want me to shoot them?”

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/do-you-want-me-to-shoot-them-five-months-after-acquittal-in-murder-case-richmond-man-charged-with-home-invasion-robbery-in-san-pablo/ Save to Pocket

City invites community to Unity Walk on MLK Day

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

News release   The city of Santa Clarita is inviting the community to come together for a Unity Walk in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Central Park, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, on Monday, Jan. 15, at 9 a.m.   The event will kick off with a brief program focusing on King’s […]

The post City invites community to Unity Walk on MLK Day appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/city-invites-community-to-unity-walk-on-mlk-day/ Save to Pocket

Fake Epstein documents already circulating on social media

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Two people singled out in viral false claims containing images made to look like snippets from court documents were late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018. In both cases, the images were used in an effort to tie the men to illicit activities involving Epstein.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/fake-epstein-documents-already-circulating-on-social-media/ Save to Pocket

Late model: OpenAI GPT Store may debut next week

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Devil is in the as-yet-undisclosed revenue sharing details

OpenAI’s GPT Store – a one-stop shop for customized chatbot models – is expected to start business next week, after missing its planned debut last month amid boardroom turmoil at the startup.…

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Sharks’ Hertl selected to play in reformatted NHL All-Star Game

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Tomas Hertl will represent the San Jose Sharks at the NHL All-Star Game next month in Toronto

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/sharks-hertl-selected-to-play-in-reformatted-nhl-all-star-game/ Save to Pocket

January 2024: This Month at TMU

date: 2024-01-05, from: SCV New (TV Station)

The Master’s University has released the lineup of upcoming events for January

https://scvnews.com/january-2024-this-month-at-tmu/ Save to Pocket

Gilroy residents rally against order for removal of controversial parklet

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Braving Tuesday evening’s rain, a few dozen Gilroy residents gathered outside of Station 55 Mexican Restaurant downtown to rally against city orders to remove a parklet that has become the center of an ongoing dispute. When the Gilroy City Council ordered the removal by the end of December, the restaurant refused to comply. Many Gilroy […]

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/gilroy-citizens-rally-against-order-for-removal-of-controversial-parklet/ Save to Pocket

Clicks: New Hardware Keyboard for iPhone

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Daring Fireball

https://www.clicks.tech/ Save to Pocket

Public health encourages testing to reduce COVID-19 spread

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

News release   With higher COVID-19 transmission levels in Los Angeles County – along with other respiratory viruses – and many residents returning to school and work after the holidays, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is encouraging residents to test if they have COVID-19 symptoms to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Free at-home […]

The post Public health encourages testing to reduce COVID-19 spread appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/public-health-encourages-testing-to-reduce-covid-19-spread/ Save to Pocket

Discovery of body in Hercules triggers death investigation

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

The person was found early Thursday morning in the 600 block of Alfred Nobel Drive.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/discovery-of-body-in-hercules-triggers-death-investigation/ Save to Pocket

Doom, Dark Compute, and AI

date: 2024-01-05, from: Peter Warden

Back in 2020 Foone Turing caused a sensation when she showed Doom running on a pregnancy test. For anyone who remembered desktop computers from the 90’s, it was amazing to see a disposable device run something that used to take thousands of dollars worth of hardware. It’s not a fluke either – calculators, ATMs, fridges, […]

https://petewarden.com/2024/01/05/doom-dark-compute-and-ai/ Save to Pocket

COC Foundation creates endowment fund in Jenkins’ memory

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

News release  The College of the Canyons Foundation has created an endowment fund in honor of Michele Jenkins, who died on Feb. 6, 2023, after nearly 40 years of service as a COC board of trustees member.  The Michele R. Jenkins Leadership Endowment will support Bridging the Canyons, the Michele R. Jenkins Scholarship, and faculty […]

The post COC Foundation creates endowment fund in Jenkins’ memory appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/coc-foundation-creates-endowment-fund-in-jenkins-memory/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-05, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

New York Knicks Trade RJ Barrett, Ultimate Consolation Prize.

https://www.si.com/nba/knicks/news/new-york-knicks-rj-barrett-trade-ultimate-consolation-prize-toronto-raptors Save to Pocket

49ers QB Sam Darnold sees season-ending showcase as meaningful

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Sam Darnold will start in place of Brock Purdy as the 49ers close out the regular season Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams before taking the No. 1 seed into the NFC playoffs.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/49ers-brock-purdy-yields-for-sam-darnolds-season-ending-showcase/ Save to Pocket

College Briefs for Jan. 4

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

Local students named to dean’s list at Washington University in St. Louis The following local students were named to the dean’s list for the spring 2023 semester at Washington University in St. Louis:   • Krista Semaan, of Newhall, and Natalia Pilpil, of Santa Clarita, were named to the dean’s list in the McKelvey School of […]

The post College Briefs for Jan. 4 appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/college-briefs-for-jan-4/ Save to Pocket

Letters: Football option | Wages over tips | Verify Trump

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for Jan. 5, 2023

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/letters-1555/ Save to Pocket

Years after successful appeal, Vallejo man convicted once again in Hayward murder

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Dereak Turner, 34, was convicted again of murdering Thomas Cunningham in a 2009 shooting.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/years-after-successful-appeal-vallejo-man-convicted-once-again-in-hayward-murder/ Save to Pocket

CalArts Alum Releases Second Novel in Steampunk Trilogy

date: 2024-01-05, from: SCV New (TV Station)

California Institute of the Arts alum Noah Lemelson (Critical Studies MFA 19) returned with his latest work, “The Lioness and the Rat Queen,” the second novel in his steampunk-apocalyptic-noir trilogy.

https://scvnews.com/calarts-alum-releases-second-novel-in-steampunk-trilogy/ Save to Pocket

US Prosecutors Can Now Charge Foreign Officials With Bribery

date: 2024-01-05, from: VOA News USA

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-prosecutors-can-now-charge-foreign-officials-with-bribery-/7427506.html Save to Pocket

LA Region’s COVID Cases Are Up As New Variant Sweeps The US

date: 2024-01-05, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The LAist

The post-holiday surge continues, according to the latest data.

https://laist.com/news/health/la-regions-covid-cases-are-up-as-new-variant-sweeps-the-us Save to Pocket

Family of ex-East Bay detective arrested on attempted murder charges thanks police who resolved standoff

date: 2024-01-05, from: San Jose Mercury News

Chunliam Saechao pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him at his arraignment Thursday.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/04/family-of-ex-east-bay-detective-arrested-on-attempted-murder-thanks-police-who-resolved-standoff/ Save to Pocket

Amid Fears of a Wider War, Blinken Returns to Middle East

date: 2024-01-05, from: VOA News USA

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading back to the Middle East late Thursday to visit multiple countries, including Israel, amid rising fears that the conflict is spreading. Tensions have surged between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah after a deputy Hamas leader was killed in Beirut on Tuesday. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.

https://www.voanews.com/a/amid-fears-of-a-wider-war-blinken-returns-to-middle-east-/7427511.html Save to Pocket

Kidnapping report turns out to be a false alarm

date: 2024-01-05, from: The Signal

A report of a possible kidnapping on Thursday afternoon turned out to be a false alarm, as the man who was reported as having abducted a child was actually the child’s father, according to an L.A. County Sheriff’s Department source.   The report of a possible kidnapping had been under investigation by sheriff’s deputies on Thursday […]

The post Kidnapping report turns out to be a false alarm appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/possible-kidnapping-under-investigation/ Save to Pocket

Santa Barbara Police Officer Rescues Woman on Train Tracks with Help of Amtrak Employee

date: 2024-01-05, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

A woman “acting erratically” was pulled to safety after jumping onto the tracks ahead of an approaching train.

The post Santa Barbara Police Officer Rescues Woman on Train Tracks with Help of Amtrak Employee appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/04/santa-barbara-police-officer-rescues-woman-on-train-tracks-with-help-of-amtrak-employee/ Save to Pocket

Friday 5 January, 2024

date: 2024-01-05, from: John Naughton’s online diary

Van Gogh inverted This lovely photograph by Natalya Saprunova in yesterday’s Washington Post stopped me in my tracks. It shows bubbles of carbon dioxide and methane — released by permafrost melting — floating to the surface of a stream in … Continue reading →

https://memex.naughtons.org/friday-5-january-2024/38987/ Save to Pocket

Jan. 15: Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Unity Walk

date: 2024-01-05, from: SCV New (TV Station)

The city of Santa Clarita invites the community to come together for a Unity Walk in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Central Park Monday, Jan. 15, at 9:00 a.m

https://scvnews.com/jan-15-annual-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-day-unity-walk/ Save to Pocket

The News Business

date: 2024-01-05, from: Doc Searls (at Harvard), New Old Blog

How does the news business see itself? Easy: ask an AI. Or a lot of them.* That’s what I’ve been doing. Unless otherwise noted, all the following respond to the same three-word prompt: the news business. Here goes… Microsoft Bing (Full name: Microsoft Bing Image Creator from Designer), which uses DALL-E 3: Dream Studio by […]

https://doc.searls.com/2024/01/04/the-news-business/ Save to Pocket

Regulation and functions of the NLRP3 inflammasome in RNA virus infection

date: 2024-01-05, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology

Virus infection is one of the greatest threats to human life and health. In response to viral infection, the host’s innate immune system triggers an antiviral immune response mostly mediated by inflammatory processes. Among the many pathways involved, the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has received wide attention in the context of viral infection. The NLRP3 inflammasome is an intracellular sensor composed of three components, including the innate immune receptor NLRP3, adaptor apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC), and the cysteine protease caspase-1. After being assembled, the NLRP3 inflammasome can trigger caspase-1 to induce gasdermin D (GSDMD)-dependent pyroptosis, promoting the maturation and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18). Recent studies have revealed that a variety of viruses activate or inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome via viral particles, proteins, and nucleic acids. In this review, we present a variety of regulatory mechanisms and functions of the NLRP3 inflammasome upon RNA viral infection and demonstrate multiple therapeutic strategies that target the NLRP3 inflammasome for anti-inflammatory effects in viral infection.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1309128 Save to Pocket

Zinc acquisition and its contribution to Klebsiella pneumoniae virulence

date: 2024-01-05, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a World Health Organization priority pathogen and a significant clinical concern for infections of the respiratory and urinary tracts due to widespread and increasing resistance to antimicrobials. In the absence of a vaccine, there is an urgent need to identify novel targets for therapeutic development. Bacterial pathogens, including K. pneumoniae, require the d-block metal ion zinc as an essential micronutrient, which serves as a cofactor for ~6% of the proteome. During infection, zinc acquisition necessitates the use of high affinity uptake systems to overcome niche-specific zinc limitation and host-mediated nutritional immunity. Here, we report the identification of ZnuCBA and ZniCBA, two ATP-binding cassette permeases that are highly conserved in Klebsiella species and contribute to K. pneumoniae AJ218 zinc homeostasis, and the high-resolution structure of the zinc-recruiting solute-binding protein ZniA. The Znu and Zni permeases appear functionally redundant with abrogation of both systems required to reduce K. pneumoniae zinc accumulation. Disruption of both systems also exerted pleiotropic effects on the homeostasis of other d-block elements. Zinc limitation perturbed K. pneumoniae cell morphology and compromised resistance to stressors, such as salt and oxidative stress. The mutant strain lacking both systems showed significantly impaired virulence in acute lung infection models, highlighting the necessity of zinc acquisition in the virulence and pathogenicity of K. pneumoniae.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1322973 Save to Pocket

Zoonosis and zooanthroponosis of emerging respiratory viruses

date: 2024-01-05, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology

Lung infections in Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) are triggered by a variety of respiratory viruses. All human pandemics have been caused by the members of two major virus families, namely Orthomyxoviridae (influenza A viruses (IAVs); subtypes H1N1, H2N2, and H3N2) and Coronaviridae (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS−CoV−2). These viruses acquired some adaptive changes in a known intermediate host including domestic birds (IAVs) or unknown intermediate host (SARS-CoV-2) following transmission from their natural reservoirs (e.g. migratory birds or bats, respectively). Verily, these acquired adaptive substitutions facilitated crossing species barriers by these viruses to infect humans in a phenomenon that is known as zoonosis. Besides, these adaptive substitutions aided the variant strain to transmit horizontally to other contact non-human animal species including pets and wild animals (zooanthroponosis). Herein we discuss the main zoonotic and reverse-zoonosis events that occurred during the last two pandemics of influenza A/H1N1 and SARS-CoV-2. We also highlight the impact of interspecies transmission of these pandemic viruses on virus evolution and possible prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. Based on information available and presented in this review article, it is important to close monitoring viral zoonosis and viral reverse zoonosis of pandemic strains within a One-Health and One-World approach to mitigate their unforeseen risks, such as virus evolution and resistance to limited prophylactic and therapeutic interventions.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1232772 Save to Pocket

Platelets promote human macrophages-mediated macropinocytosis of Clostridioides difficile

date: 2024-01-05, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology

Clostridioides difficile is the main causative agent of hospital-acquired diarrhea and the potentially lethal disease, C. difficile infection. The cornerstone of the current therapy is the use of antibiotics, which is not fully effective. The molecular mechanisms, inflammatory conditions and host-immune responses that could benefit the persistence or elimination of C. difficile remain unclear. Macrophages perform different ways of endocytosis as part of their immune surveillance functions and platelets, classically known for their coagulatory role, are also important modulators of the immune system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the endocytosis of vegetative C. difficile by human macrophages and the involvement of platelets in this process. Our results showed that both macrophages and platelets interact with live and heat-killed C. difficile. Furthermore, platelets form complexes with human monocytes in healthy donor’s fresh blood and the presence of C. difficile increased these cell-cell interactions. Using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, we show that macrophages can internalize C. difficile and that platelets improve this uptake. By using inhibitors of different endocytic pathways, we demonstrate that macropinocytosis is the route of entry of C. difficile into the cell. Taken together, our findings are the first evidence for the internalization of vegetative non-toxigenic and hypervirulent C. difficile by human macrophages and highlight the role of platelets in innate immunity during C. difficile infection. Deciphering the crosstalk of C. difficile with immune cells could provide new tools for understanding the pathogenesis of C. difficile infection and for the development of host-directed therapies.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1252509 Save to Pocket

Corrigendum: Molecular pathogenesis of Chlamydia trachomatis

date: 2024-01-05, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1358553 Save to Pocket

Lilbits: MSI teases a handheld gaming PC, Kioxia retires the Plextor storage brand, and the beginning of the end for MS WordPad

date: 2024-01-04, from: Liliputing

CES 2024 officially kicks off next week, but some companies aren’t waiting until then to make big announcements. Today Dell unveiled its new line of XPS-branded thin and light laptops, Microsoft announced that Windows PC makers will begin including a dedicated Window Copilot button on their keyboards, and Qualcomm announced a new chip for higher-performance […]

The post Lilbits: MSI teases a handheld gaming PC, Kioxia retires the Plextor storage brand, and the beginning of the end for MS WordPad appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/lilbits-msi-teases-a-handheld-gaming-pc-kioxia-retires-the-plextor-storage-brand-and-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-ms-wordpad/ Save to Pocket

Feds Recover $1.1 Million For Garment Workers After Sewing Contractors Allegedly Withheld Overtime Pay

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The LAist

Federal regulators say the settlement is the biggest to date for California garment workers.

https://laist.com/news/feds-recover-1-1-million-for-garment-workers-after-sewing-contractors-allegedly-withheld-overtime-pay Save to Pocket

Microchip nabs $162M to keep chips for washing machines – and missiles – flowing

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Uncle Sam: Nothing goes together quite like a well-pressed uniform and weapons of mass destruction

Microchip will receive $162 million of US CHIPS and Science Act funding to bolster domestic production of microcontrollers used in both commercial and military applications.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/microchip_nabs_162m_to_keep/ Save to Pocket

The Talk Show: ‘Halos and Harps’

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Daring Fireball

https://daringfireball.net/thetalkshow/2024/12/31/ep-392 Save to Pocket

The Greatest Gift is Time

date: 2024-01-04, from: Om Malik blog

Matt Mullenweg’s 40th birthday is coming up — and as a gift, I was going to buy him 40 types of cables. However, for a gift, he wants everyone to blog — especially on WordPress. So, that’s what I will do!  I mean, I already blog. So, not that much of a stretch. However, for Matt, I am going to …

https://om.co/2024/01/04/the-greatest-gift-is-time/ Save to Pocket

Proxying Ethernet in HTTP

date: 2024-01-04, from: Tilde.news

Comments

https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-ietf-masque-connect-ethernet-01.html Save to Pocket

CDPH Warns Consumers Not to Eat Shemshad’s Mulberry Molasses and Mulberry Jam Due to Risk of Illness

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers not to eat Shemshad’s Mulberry Molasses and Mulberry Jam food products due to potential Clostridium botulinum contamination. Products were sold at grocery stores in southern California including Woodland Hills Market in Woodland Hills, Q Market in Van Nuys, and Wholesome Choice Market in Irvine.

The post CDPH Warns Consumers Not to Eat Shemshad’s Mulberry Molasses and Mulberry Jam Due to Risk of Illness appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/04/cdph-warns-consumers-not-to-eat-shemshads-mulberry-molasses-and-mulberry-jam-due-to-risk-of-illness/ Save to Pocket

‘Anti-Religious’ Zionism Is Not Anti-Semitism

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

The original political Zionism aimed to establish a safe haven for Jews all over the globe, and fully achieved in 1948.

The post ‘Anti-Religious’ Zionism Is Not Anti-Semitism appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/04/anti-religious-zionism-is-not-anti-semitism/ Save to Pocket

Ventura County Is Asking You To Not Share Or Move Your Homegrown Fruit

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The LAist

The urgent agricultural alert is meant to warn people about the Queensland fruit fly and Huanglongbing disease.

https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/ventura-county-is-asking-you-to-not-share-or-move-your-homegrown-fruit Save to Pocket

Laurene Weste: Trail Etiquette in 2024

date: 2024-01-04, from: SCV New (TV Station)

As we step into the new year, I find myself eagerly anticipating the adventures that lie ahead

https://scvnews.com/laurene-weste-trail-etiquette-in-2024/ Save to Pocket

CSUN’s Bostick Earns Big West Player of the Week

date: 2024-01-04, from: SCV New (TV Station)

California State University, Northridge men’s basketball Dionte Bostick picked up his first career Big West Player of the Week award, the league office announced on Monday

https://scvnews.com/csuns-bostick-earns-big-west-player-of-the-week/ Save to Pocket

Renewables Enter an Older and Wiser Phase

date: 2024-01-04, from: Heatmap News

Last year showed that renewables are not fated to always and everywhere get steadily cheaper. But if 2023 was a year when the industry was hampered by inflation, high interest rates, and lingering supply chain issues, then maybe 2024 could be a year of normalization — when governments, utilities, and energy companies have at least started to figure things out.

“There’s optimism going into 2024,” Allegra Dawes, an associate fellow at the Center for Center for Strategic and International Studies, told me.

The difficulties of 2023 were nowhere more obvious than in offshore wind, where rising costs led to cancellations of projects as states and developers couldn’t agree on new contracts. This year already has seen the scrubbing of one New York offshore wind project, Empire Wind 2, although developers Equinor and BP will likely rebid under a new system that better accounts for the possibilities of costs rising.

At (nearly) the same time, though, power customers on New York’s Long Island were the first in the U.S. to receive utility-scale offshore wind power at the end of last year, while New Englanders enjoyed their first offshore wind power just this week. The turmoil of 2023 doesn’t mean that offshore wind — or any other part of the energy transition — is completely off track, just that it’s entering a different, more mature phase.

“What we’re all learning is that building out renewable sources will likely be more expensive,” Dawes said. Repeated and rapid cost declines in solar — far beyond experts’ annual projections — may have lulled investors and policymakers into thinking that all renewable energy sources would forever follow the same trajectory. If so, the awakening was a rude one. “Those cost declines we saw in solar are not going to be easily replicable in all technologies,” Dawes said.

High interest rates have particularly bedeviled renewable projects, as they typically need a large amount of upfront financing for years before they can start generating power. This, at least, is one place the industry can expect relief: Federal Reserve officials have predicted that the central bank will cut rates three times in 2024, which could bring partial relief to renewable developers. Traders, meanwhile, predict a much faster pace of easing. And as laws like the infrastructure bill and Inflation Reduction Act are further implemented, meaning that funding for specific provisions begins to flow in earnest and newly written rules come into effect, investors and businesses will be able to make informed decisions as to how best to take advantage.

“We have massive amounts of projects in the queue,” Dawes said. “Announcements of solar and wind continue.” Just in solar, the Energy Information Administration expects 37 gigawatts of new capacity, on top of the 23 gigawatts it expects when the figures for 2023 are tallied up. Solar and wind, the EIA projects, will, all-told, generate more power than coal for the first time ever.

All this renewable energy will need new transmission capacity to meaningfully affect the carbon intensity of electricity generation in the United States. The difficulties of building new transmission — especially long-distance transmission — and the never-ending queue of new projects waiting to be connected to the grid have long been considered a major hold-up in the decarbonization process. While the nation’s grid and transmission problems won’t be solved in 2024, incremental progress will likely be made, with billions of dollars in federal funds available for grid planning and investment. One massive transmission project to bring wind power from New Mexico and Arizona that’s been in the works for literally decades finally started construction late last year, indicating that these types of projects can get financed.

And there are signs that, despite the rocky recent past, investors are beginning to believe in the long-term future of renewables. “The impact of unprecedented investment in renewable infrastructure will likely become more apparent in 2024,” Deloitte analysts said in a report. “Regulatory boosts to renewable energy and transmission buildout could help address grid constraints.”

There are still any number of bottlenecks beyond financing and costs. One is actually getting federal government programs to begin to build. As of early December, the $7.5 billion allotted for building out an electric vehicle charging network, for instance, had produced precisely zero chargers. But that, too, could begin to change this year, with Ohio breaking ground on chargers.

If we were to say any one thing about the energy transition story in 2024, it’s that it won’t be all about huge new laws or policies, but instead about steadily chipping away at implementation. That’s not fun or sexy, but it is what grown-ups do.

https://heatmap.news/climate/renewables-enter-an-older-and-wiser-phase Save to Pocket

Man fatally shot in Tumon Thursday night

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

This morning the Office of the Governor, Guam Police Department and Guam Visitor’s Bureau will be making a statement regarding reports of a robbery and fatal shooting of a Korean tourist on Thursday evening.

https://www.postguam.com/news/man-fatally-shot-in-tumon-thursday-night/article_6c07a3c6-ab54-11ee-b16d-835cec96c410.html Save to Pocket

Former Santa Barbara City College Football Star Pleads Guilty to Felony Assault

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Brandon Tyree Smith had committed to Oregon State the day he was arrested.

The post Former Santa Barbara City College Football Star Pleads Guilty to Felony Assault appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/04/former-santa-barbara-city-college-football-star-pleads-guilty-to-felony-assault/ Save to Pocket

AMD talks up car chips it hopes will join you for a ride some time soon

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

‘New’ ADAS and infotainment parts powered by older FPGAs and earlier cores. It’s good enough for Tesla

+Comment  Just in time for CES, which has become just as much a car show as an electronics event in recent years, AMD has revealed its newest chips for the automotive market: a processor powered by a nearly five-year-old core architecture, and a 2.5-year-old FPGA with some Arm cores and AI accelerators baked in.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/amd_car_chips/ Save to Pocket

‘Like I Said Many Years Ago, I Never Had a Problem With Drugs, Only With Cops.’

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Daring Fireball

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2023/12/19/keith-richards-80#update Save to Pocket

White House Hopes for Free, Safe Polls in Taiwan

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

white house — The Biden administration hopes that Taiwan’s voters can freely choose their next leader when the island votes next week in a general election, says John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, in an interview with VOA’s White House Correspondent Paris Huang on Thursday.

Kirby also reiterated that President Joe Biden and his administration are “all in” on cooperation with the African continent in the coming year.

The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

VOA: Let’s start with Taiwan’s elections. According to the Taiwanese government, China has been interfering in the election, including spreading disinformation and misinformation. Taiwanese prosecutors are investigating allegations that China bribed Taiwanese officials with travel and money to influence the election. When they met in San Francisco, President Biden told President Xi Jinping not to interfere with the Taiwan election. Is President Xi is ignoring his advice?

John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications: I can’t confirm these individual reports of interference with the electoral process in Taiwan. We’ve been very clear that we respect Taiwan’s democratic institutions. We respect the will of the people of Taiwan to make these sorts of decisions in terms of their own governance. And we don’t want any other actor, be it a nation state or otherwise, to interfere in this election.

VOA: Will the United States have confidence in Taiwan’s election results if there’s hard evidence that China did influence the election?

Kirby: Look, that’s a hypothetical. I’m just not willing to speculate at this point. We want these elections to be free and fair and transparent. We want the will of the people of Taiwan to be respected. We’ll just monitor this as closely as we can.

VOA: This year, China has sent at least nine fighter jets, four navy ships and at least six balloons over Taiwan. What is the White House’s message to China regarding rising tension in the region before the Taiwan election?

Kirby: Again, it’s important that as the people of Taiwan go to the polls to cast their ballots, that they can do so with a feeling of safety and security and comfort in the knowledge that their vote matters, and that it’s going to be appropriately tallied. And that’s really what we’re focused on. That’s what we want to see happen.

VOA: Moving on to the South China Sea. The United States and the Philippines recently had a joint exercise in the South China Sea. Now China is holding a rival exercise in the same region. And recently, China finally appointed a new defense minister, Navy Admiral Dong Jun. Is the White House watching this? Does this mean that China could be more aggressive in the South China Sea region in the future? And has Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reached out to the admiral?

Kirby: You’d have to talk to Secretary Austin. I don’t know whether he’s reached out to the new nominee for defense secretary. I think we should be careful before drawing conclusions over somebody’s nomination to a job and how they’re going to execute that job based on the jobs that they’ve had in the past. We’ll have to judge this individual as we would judge any leader around the world by their actions, not merely by their resume.

We don’t seek a conflict with the [People’s Republic of China]. We don’t want to see conflict in the South China Sea. We do want to make sure that our national interests and the national interests of our allies and partners are respected in the South China Sea and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific, which is why we have a robust military capability there. It’s why the president felt it was so important to get military-to-military communications back up and running between the United States and the PRC, and they have, and that’s a good thing.

I’m sure Secretary Austin, at the appropriate time, will speak to the new defense minister. And it’s our hope that that relationship, while we don’t expect to agree on everything, can at least provide yet another layer of insulation in terms of preventing miscalculation and misunderstanding between our two countries. The PRC has made some unfounded maritime claims when it comes to the South China Sea. We expect that we’re going to maintain the capability for our allies and partners there to be able to manage their own national security and to protect the free flow of international commerce there.

VOA: Moving on to Africa. What is next for U.S.-Africa engagement? Could we see more military cooperation or some high-level trips this year?

Kirby: I think you’re going to see us continue to be all-in when it comes to Africa. We have already made terrific progress on many of the commitments that we made in the Africa Leaders Summit, and there have been visits by some 17 senior-level officials of the United States government. I fully expect that those high-level engagements will continue.

VOA: The U.S. has imposed sanctions on individuals in several African countries that are experiencing conflict, like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. President Biden also recently revoked [African Growth and Opportunity Act] access over human rights issues in the Central African Republic, Gabon, Niger and Uganda. Is this type of economic statecraft the main lever that the United States has for managing its relationship with the continent? And is this enough to counter China’s rising influence and massive expenditures on the continent?

Kirby: Well, first of all, these actions we’re taking, these economic actions you’re talking about, were designed to express our deep concern and to do it tangibly about some of the practices by leaders in these countries. It has nothing to do with trying to counter China. It’s about leading our foreign policy with a strong focus on human and civil rights and doing what’s right and making it clear what we will and what we won’t stand for.

We have other tools at our disposal, which, again, I’m not in a position to speculate about right at this time, but it’s not about China. These countries all get to decide for themselves what kind of relationship they want with the United States and what kind of relationship they want with China. That’s up to them. We’re comfortable that we’ve got a strong network of relationships across the continent. We’re comfortable that we’re taking real action to give African nations and African leaders alternatives in terms of financing, transparent, healthy, vibrant financing opportunities that won’t push their countries further into debt the way that other financial relationships with other countries outside the continent have caused to our African friends.

We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing, meeting the commitments that we made during the Africa Leaders Summit, offering opportunities for infrastructure growth and development and investment that are sound and viable and transparent, and continuing to honestly put our money where our mouth is when it comes to standing up for shared principles and values.

https://www.voanews.com/a/7427137.html Save to Pocket

New Data Show Racial Disparities In Local Law Enforcement Stops

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The LAist

Black people were stopped at a higher rate disproportionate to their population size.

https://laist.com/news/politics/new-data-show-racial-disparities-in-local-law-enforcement-stops Save to Pocket

Canada’s Zombie Forests

date: 2024-01-04, from: Heatmap News

Although Canada has developed a reputation as a responsible steward of its massive — and environmentally crucial — boreal forests, a new study published in the journal Land calls that reputation into question. The analysis, by researchers at Australia’s Griffith University, found that 35.4 million acres of the country’s evergreen forests in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec have been effectively lost to logging since 1976. The government-approved methods used to regenerate those forests — which require loggers to replant cleared areas or show that the region will recover on its own — have had a devastating result, as similar practices have had in many other parts of the world.

Overview of logged forest within the study area from 1976 to 2020.Climate Action Beacon, Griffith University

While 56 million acres of older trees remain across the two provinces, that acreage is now interspersed with patchworks of newly planted trees chosen for their future suitability for logging, not for purposes of ecological diversity or wildfire prevention. “The Canadian government claims to have managed the forest according to the principles of sustainable forest management,” Brendan Mackey, the study’s lead author, told The New York Times. “But its notion of sustainability is really tied to maintaining and maximizing wood production and ensuring the regeneration of commercially desirable trees. That has a lot of implications for biodiversity.”

Canada’s forest managers say that “At 0.02% of its forested area, [the rate of] deforestation in Canada is among the world’s lowest,” which sounds impressive until this caveat: “an area with very young trees is still a forest. The term ‘deforestation’ refers to land that has been cleared of trees and permanently converted to another use.” It’s a bit like claiming that a zombie is a healthy, normal person, simply because it seems to be alive. So while Canada may not have widespread deforestation, what it does have are swaths of newer trees that are far less effective than their forebears when it comes to carbon capture, species diversity, and wildfire prevention. “Forest degradation is the more important metric for Canada because it really captures more of what’s actually happening,” Peter Wood, of the University of British Columbia, told the Times. “Canada has downplayed the impact of the forest industry.”

https://heatmap.news/sparks/canada-forests-logging-land-griffith-university Save to Pocket

Valencia boys’ soccer draws with Canyon

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Signal

Despite numerous chances on both sides of the field, Valencia Vikings boys’ soccer ended Tuesday’s home league match with the Canyon Cowboys in a draw.  Valencia and Canyon both had excellent chances at a go-ahead goal but the Foothill League match ended with just a 1-1 score.  After Canyon won the possession battle in the […]

The post Valencia boys’ soccer draws with Canyon  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/valencia-boys-soccer-draws-with-canyon/ Save to Pocket

Two years, 400 journalists and 50 climate experts: Here’s what we learnt…

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043731-two-years-400-journalists Save to Pocket

Why Republicans Are Going After Sunnova (And Jigar Shah)

date: 2024-01-04, from: Heatmap News

If Republicans have their way, Sunnova and Solyndra are about to have more in common than just being solar companies with Pokémon-sounding names.

More than 12 years after conservatives targeted Solyndra — a scandal-plagued, now-defunct solar company that received a $535 million loan from the Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office under President Barack Obama — Republicans are attempting to run the same playbook on the rooftop solar company Sunnova, Bloomberg reported Thursday. They’ve literally said as much: “Solyndra is going to look like chump change compared to the amount of money that’s been wasted by this administration,” Wyoming Republican John Barrasso, who is leading the charge with his Senate colleague Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, bragged in comments to reporters last month.

The Solyndra fiasco of 2011 effectively shut down the Energy Department’s loan program, which aims to finance the U.S. energy transition by backing emerging technology companies that otherwise might be considered too risky for traditional lenders. At the time, Republicans had zeroed in on Obama’s Energy Department over its approval of a loan to Solyndra, which went insolvent shortly afterward and was later discovered to have misled the department during its application process. The whole ordeal effectively gave the Loan Programs Office “Solyndra PTSD,” Jigar Shah, the current director of the office, told The Wall Street Journal last year. It wasn’t until Biden revived the LPO as one of the three pots of money fueling his climate agenda that it really started loaning in earnest again. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, its loan authority grew to over $400 billion.

And despite the high-profile failed project and goal of helping high-risk businesses, the LPO has been mostly a major success: around the same time it was backing Solyndra, the office also gave a $465 million loan to Tesla, which in turn paid back the loan with interest a full nine years early. The LPO has actually made the government almost $5 billion in interest payments, Bloomberg adds, while LPO-supported projects were responsible for producing enough clean energy to power 900,000 homes and enough fuel-efficient vehicles to displace 2.1 million gallons of gasoline in 2022, the Department of Energy reports.

All this brings us to Sunnova Energy. A rooftop solar company based out of Houston, Sunnova was approved for a $3 billion loan guarantee by the LPO last April. Since then, the company has become a target of conservatives and right-wing media personalities, who seem intent on finding a Solyndra-shaped scandal “that would aid their efforts to repeal President Joe Biden’s landmark Inflation Reduction Act and its historic $369 billion in climate and energy provisions,” Media Matters writes. The Washington Free Beacon, citing customer complaints, has alleged Sunnova scammed elderly dementia patients, while Fox News’ Jesse Watters has repeatedly gone after the company for supposedly handing away “$3 billion — billion — of your money.” (Sunnova only has a loan guarantee; money has not been distributed yet, E&E News reports).

In December, Barrasso and Rodgers wrote a letter citing the scam allegations and demanding related documents from Shah, professing a desire to learn more about “the approval of DOE’s loan guarantee.” The pair have also asked the Energy Department’s inspector general to look into whether Shah has shown favoritism to companies linked to the Cleantech Leaders Roundtable, the renewable energy organization he founded and led until he left for the Department of Energy in 2021. (Shah has denied the accusations and said he has “no role to play whatsoever in choosing who gets a loan” and that the decisions are in the hands of staff).

Beyond all this being an obvious and stated Solyndra rerun, the “increased scrutiny of the [loans] program could deter potential applicants for funding,” Bloomberg further notes, pointing out that shares of Sunnova dipped 16% in December after Barrasso and Rodgers singled the company out in their letter.

However, while analysts generally agreed that the whole situation shows the risk of becoming a political target, Pavel Molchanov of Raymond James & Associates wrote in a research note on the day of the Republicans’ December letter that “we envision minimal risk of any consequences for [Sunnova] in a substantive sense, and view today’s move as an overreaction.”

https://heatmap.news/sparks/sunnova-loan-program-office-jigar-shah-solyndra-republicans Save to Pocket

COC Names Aaliyah Garcia, Raz Orbach Athletes of the Week

date: 2024-01-04, from: SCV New (TV Station)

College of the Canyons student-athletes Aaliyah Garcia (women’s basketball) and Raz Orbach (football) have been named the COC Athletic Department’s Women’s & Men’s Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running Dec. 26-

https://scvnews.com/coc-names-aaliyah-garcia-raz-orbach-athletes-of-the-week/ Save to Pocket

City of Goleta Grant Funds Available for Local Non-Profits

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

GOLETA, CA, January 4, 2024 – Local non-profits serving Goleta residents are reminded to apply for some of the $250,000 available

The post City of Goleta Grant Funds Available for Local Non-Profits appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/04/city-of-goleta-grant-funds-available-for-local-non-profits/ Save to Pocket

DARPA’s air-steered X-65 jet heads into production with goal of flying by 2025

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Moving parts on a plane? What is this, Kitty Hawk?

The latest experimental DARPA aircraft, which is designed to maneuver without the need for moving parts, is headed to the manufacturing stage and could be flying as soon as next year.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/darpas_airsteered_x65_jet_heads/ Save to Pocket

Shaunzi, LA Zoo’s 53-Year-Old Female Asian Elephant, Has Died

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The LAist

After Shaunzi was discovered down and unable to get up, even with help, the zoo decided to sedate and euthanize her.

https://laist.com/news/shaunzi-la-zoo-asian-elephant-dies Save to Pocket

How Media Help Change Conversation on Mental Health

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

WASHINGTON — At a time when growing numbers of young Americans are diagnosed with mental health conditions, media are looking at ways to cover the issue more responsibly.

Data shows a rise in young adults being diagnosed with conditions such as depression or anxiety. But media reports of public incidents involving mental health sometimes use damaging language, experts say.

Terms such as “unhinged” or “erratic” — language used to describe a homeless man killed on the New York subway last year — are held up as poor examples of coverage.

Reporters on the health beat and experts who specialize in mental health say that such terms are damaging for those who have a medical condition and that they can be misleading.

“Media plays an important role in shaping public perception of many things, including mental illness,” said Christine Herman, a freelancer journalist.

Coverage can make it appear as if the illness is a moral failing or lack of character, Herman told VOA.

“Sometimes mental health issues are criminalized in our society,” she said, citing how some news outlets still use terms such as “commit suicide” when reporting on someone who has taken their own life.

The term dates to when suicide was still criminalized in the United States.

“The language we use and the way we describe and talk about mental health conditions can really contribute and shape perception,” Herman said.

Rebecca Brendel, a medical doctor and former president of the American Psychiatric Association, said she believes media plays an important role in explaining health conditions.

“We know that to get treatment and to be healthy, we need to have health literacy,” she told VOA. “We need to have an awareness. We need to have reliable information as consumers of health care and mental health care.”

The late first lady Rosalynn Carter was an early advocate for responsible reporting on mental health. Through the Carter Center, she created a fellowship that offers training to journalists on how to better cover the issue.

“Informed journalists can have a significant impact on public understanding of mental health issues as they shape debate and trends with the words and pictures they convey,” Carter said, as cited by the Center.

When Carter died in November, staff at the Center paid tribute to her legacy.

“She taught generations of journalists how to report about behavioral health in a way that reduces stigma and stimulates understanding and equitable treatment,” a statement read.

Since the fellowship started in 1996, more than 250 journalists have benefited from the program — including Herman.

“It’s important because the type of coverage we do … people in our communities read it, or people across the country read this coverage,” said Herman, who started her career in public radio.

Based in Champaign, Illinois, Herman said that as she started to cover health issues more regularly, her interest in mental health grew.

Her reporting on the obstacles for families trying to access mental health care was recognized with an award last year.

Herman, who serves on the board of the Association of Health Care Journalists, said the most effective reporting is accurate, based on science and puts a focus on the person not the condition.

She advocates for compassionate coverage that includes the voices and perspectives of the people affected.

“These are all things that can help contribute to dismantling stigma and ending discrimination toward people who have mental health conditions in our society,” she said.

Data from the American Psychiatric Association shows 1 in 5 Americans experiences a mental health disorder.

“We know that Americans are struggling with their mental health now more than ever before, following the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Brendel of the American Psychiatric Association. “In fact, in mental health circles, we’ve even called it a twin pandemic, a pandemic of mental health.”

She and Herman say they have seen an improvement in how media reports on mental illness, due in part to the Carter fellowship program.

Having the skills to report in a way “that is both accurate and actionable,” Herman said, ensures coverage that contributes to “better public understanding of these issues and ideally to dismantling stigma.”

https://www.voanews.com/a/how-media-help-change-the-conversation-on-mental-health/7427089.html Save to Pocket

For Shame, 23andMe

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: One Foot Tsunami

https://onefoottsunami.com/2024/01/04/for-shame-23andme/ Save to Pocket

Santa Barbara Public Library Awarded Grant for Sustainability Initiatives

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

SANTA BARBARA, CA – January 4, 2024 Santa Barbara Public Library (SBPL) is one of fifteen California local library systems

The post Santa Barbara Public Library Awarded Grant for Sustainability Initiatives appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

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Transición de temporada de alto riesgo de incendios a una temporada de  preparación en el invierno

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

CONDADO DE SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — El 3 de enero, el Departamento de Bomberos del Condado de  Santa Bárbara pasó

The post Transición de temporada de alto riesgo de incendios a una temporada de  preparación en el invierno appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

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Transition from a High Fire Season to a Winter Preparedness Level

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. — On January 3, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department transitioned from a High Fire Season

The post Transition from a High Fire Season to a Winter Preparedness Level appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/04/transition-from-a-high-fire-season-to-a-winter-preparedness-level/ Save to Pocket

Scientists Uncover the Earliest Fossil Evidence of Photosynthesis

date: 2024-01-04, from: Smithsonian Magazine

Ancient cyanobacteria contained structures for producing oxygen around 1.75 billion years ago, according to a new study

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-uncover-earliest-fossil-evidence-of-photosynthesis-180983534/ Save to Pocket

When she was 19, Henn Kim stopped speaking for two years. “Growing…

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043730-when-she-was-19-henn Save to Pocket

COC Foundation Creates Endowment Honoring Michele Jenkins

date: 2024-01-04, from: SCV New (TV Station)

The College of the Canyons Foundation has created an endowment fund in honor of Michele Jenkins, who passed away on Feb. 6, 2023, after nearly 40 years of service as a COC Board of Trustees member

https://scvnews.com/coc-foundation-creates-endowment-honoring-michele-jenkins/ Save to Pocket

Google illegally refusing to bargain with employee union, says NLRB

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Search giant told yet again that contractors still employees, must be bargained with

Updated  The US National Labor Relations Board has decided that Google’s contractors are still its employees, thus Google is violating US labor laws by refusing to bargain with their chosen union.…

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Solving Time Machine’s iCloud Drive Blockage

date: 2024-01-04, from: TidBITS blog

https://tidbits.com/2024/01/04/solving-time-machines-icloud-drive-blockage/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

I always have multiple tabs open in my outliner. This tab, the one I’m writing into now, is for Scripting News. I have one for my development work, general notes, not project-specific. And tabs for all the projects I’ve been working on in the last few days or in some cases weeks or months. From a writing standpoint, it doesn’t matter whether they’re on different sites, the idea of a site is not even in the user interface of my editor. In WordPress it’s everything. The usual caveat: unless I’m missing something. I imagine people use browser tabs to work on more than one document at a time? I keep thinking there’s a lot of stuff we can do to make WordPress work better for writers, I’m trying to be nice about this, but it doesn’t work at all for me as a writer. I want it to work. I still can’t believe there aren’t a dozen different approaches to writing in WordPress. Seems like a fair amount of innovation is possible. I’m a writer who also is a developer. This has been bugging me for the last year or so. Why do I think WordPress is so important? 1. Obviously it has a huge installed base. If there’s an opportunity to create something that even a small number of them would like, it’s worth doing. 2. WordPress is the only product out there that supports all the features of textcasting. So If I want lots of outlets for basic text writing, you have to start somewhere. Luckily there’s WordPress, sitting there, ready to be recast as a social media app. If you know me, you know I love puzzles like this. 😄

http://scripting.com/2024/01/04.html#a212251 Save to Pocket

This 1,200-Year-Old Artifact Is Stunning—but Nobody Knows What It Is

date: 2024-01-04, from: Smithsonian Magazine

The intricately decorated silver object was likely created by a highly skilled craftsperson in England

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-lovely-anglo-saxon-artifact-has-baffled-experts-180983536/ Save to Pocket

Apple’s classic Pascal poster, remade as a nice clean vector image

date: 2024-01-04, from: Tilde.news

Comments

http://www.danamania.com/print/Apple%20Pascal%20Poster/PascalPosterV3%20A1.pdf Save to Pocket

Watch Peloton Instructor Dunk on ‘Tenet’ to Christopher Nolan’s Face

date: 2024-01-04, from: 404 Media Group

Director Christopher Nolan apparently sweated through Peloton instructor Jenn Sherman calling his 2020 film impossible to understand during a workout class.

https://www.404media.co/watch-peloton-instructor-dunk-on-tenet-christopher-nolan/ Save to Pocket

Paul Ford: To Own the Future, Read Shakespeare. “The interdisciplinarian is essentially…

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043729-paul-ford-to-own-the Save to Pocket

AI-generated bug reports are seriously annoying for developers

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Hallucinated programming flaws vex curl project

Generative AI models like Google Bard and GitHub Copilot have a user problem: Those who rely on software assistance may not understand or care about the limitations of these machine learning tools.…

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What We Got Right, What We Got Wrong

date: 2024-01-04, from: Rob Pike’s blog

This is my closing talk (video) from the GopherConAU conference in Sydney, given November 10, 2023, the 14th anniversary of Go being launched as an open source project. The text is interspersed with the slides used in the presentation.

What We Got Right, What We Got Wrong

INTRODUCTION

Hello.

Let me start by thanking Katie and Chewy for the giving me the honor of presenting the closing talk for the conference. And apologize for reading this from my script but I want to get the words right.

November 10, 2009

Today is November 10, 2023, the 14th anniversary of the launch of Go as an open source project.

That day, at 3pm California time if memory serves, Ken Thompson, Robert Griesemer, Russ Cox, Ian Taylor, Adam Langley, Jini Kim and I watched expectantly as the site went live and the world learned what we had been up to.

Fourteen years later, there is much to look back on. Today I’d like to take the opportunity to talk about some of the larger lessons learned since that day. Even the most successful projects have things that, upon reflection, could have been done better. And of course, things that in hindsight seem to have been key to their success.

Up front I must make clear that I am speaking only for myself, not for the Go team and not for Google.  Go was and still is a huge effort by a dedicated team and a huge community, so if you agree with anything I say, thank them. If you disagree, blame me but please keep it to yourself 😃.

Given the title of this talk, many people might expect I’m going to be analyzing good and bad things in the language. Of course I’ll do some of that, but much more besides, for several reasons.

First, what’s good and bad in a programming language is largely a matter of opinion rather than fact, despite the certainty with which many people argue about even the most trivial features of Go or any other language.

Also, there has already been plenty of discussion about things such as where the newlines go, how nil works, using upper case for export, garbage collection, error handling, and so on.  There are certainly things to say there, but little that hasn’t already been said.

But the real reason I’m going to talk about more than the language is that that’s not what the whole project was about. Our original goal was not to create a new programming language, it was to create a better way to write software. We had issues with the languages we were using—everyone does, whatever the language—but the fundamental problems we had were not central to the features of those languages, but rather to the process that had been created for using them to build software at Google.

The first gopher on a t-shirt

The creation of a new language provided a new path to explore other ideas, but it was only an enabler, not the real point. If it didn’t take 45 minutes to build the binary I was working on at the time, Go would not have happened, but those 45 minutes were not because the compiler was slow, because it wasn’t, or because the language it was written in was bad, because it wasn’t. The slowness arose from other factors.

And those factors were what we wanted to address: The complexities of building modern server software: controlling dependencies, programming with large teams with changing personnel, ease of maintainability, efficient testing, effective use of multicore CPUs and networking, and so on.

In short, Go is not just a programming language. Of course it is a programming language, that’s its definition, but its purpose was to help provide a better way to develop high-quality software, at least compared to our environment 14 plus years ago.

And that’s still what it’s about today. Go is a project to make building production software easier and more productive.

A few weeks back, when starting to prepare this talk, I had a title but little else.  To get me going, I asked people on Mastodon for input. A fair few responded, and I noticed a trend in the replies: people thought the things we got wrong were all in the language, but those we got right were in the larger story, the stuff around the language like gofmt and deployment and testing. I find that encouraging, actually. What we were trying to do seems to have had an effect.

But it’s worth admitting that we didn’t make clear early on what the true goals were. Perhaps we felt they were self-evident.  To address that shortcoming, in 2013 I gave a talk at the SPLASH conference entitled, Go at Google: Language Design in the Service of Software Engineering.

Go at Google

That talk and associated blog post are perhaps the best explanation of why Go happened.

Today’s talk is something of a follow-on to the SPLASH talk, looking back on the lessons learned once we got past building the language and could apply ourselves to the bigger picture more broadly.

And so… some lessons.

First, of course, we have:

The Gopher

It may seem an odd place to start, but the Go gopher is one of the earliest factors in Go’s success.  We knew long before the launch that we wanted a mascot to adorn the schwag - every project needs schwag - and Renee French offered to create one for us. We got that part absolutely right.

Here is a picture of the very first instance of the gopher plushie.

The gopher

And here is a picture of the gopher with the less successful first prototype.

The gopher with his less evolved ancestor

The Gopher is a mascot who serves as a badge of honor, even an identifier for Go programmers everywhere.  At this moment you are in a conference, one of many, called GopherCon.  Having a recognizable, funny creature ready to share the message from day one was vital to Go’s growth.  Its goofy yet intelligent demeanor—he can build anything!

Gophers building a robot (drawing by Renee French)

—sets the tone for the community’s engagement with the project, one of technical excellence allied with real fun. Most important, the gopher serves as a banner for the community, a flag to rally around, especially in the early days when Go was still an upstart in the programming world.

Here’s a picture of gophers attending a conference in Paris some years back. Look how excited they are!

Gopher audience in Paris (photo by Brad Fitzpatrick)

All that said, releasing the Gopher design under a Creative Commons Attribution license was perhaps not the best choice.  On the one hand, it encouraged people to remix him in fun ways, which in turn helped foster community spirit.

Gopher model sheet

Renee created a “model sheet” to help artists work with him while keeping him true to his spirit.

Some artists had fun playing with these characteristics and making their own versions of him; Renee and my favorites are the ones by the Japanese designer @tottie:

@tottie’s gophers

and game programmer @tenntenn:

@tenntenn’s gopher

But the “attribution” part of the license often resulted in frustrating arguments, or in false credit given to Renee for creations that were not hers and not in the spirit of the original. And, to be honest, the attribution was often honored only reluctantly or not at all. For instance, I doubt @tenntenn was compensated or even acknowledged for this use of his gopher illustration.

gophervans.com: Boo!

So if we were doing it over, we’d think hard about the best way to make sure the mascot stays true to his ideals. It’s a hard problem, maintaining a mascot, and the solution remains elusive.

But on to more technical things.

Done Right

Here is a list of things that I think we got objectively right, especially in retrospect.  Not every language project has done these things, but each was crucial to the ultimate success of Go. I’ll try to be brief, because they will all be familiar topics.

1. Specification. We started with a formal specification. Not only does that lock down behavior when writing a compiler, it enables multiple implementations to coexist and agree on that behavior. A compiler alone is not a specification. What do you test the compiler against?

The specification, as seen on the web

Oh and by the way, the first draft of the specification was written here, on the 18th floor of a building on Darling Harbour in Sydney. We are celebrating Go’s birthday in Go’s home town.

2. Multiple implementations. There are multiple compilers, all implementing the same spec. Having a spec makes this much easier to achieve.

Ian Taylor surprised us when he sent mail one day informing us that, having read our draft spec, he’d written a compiler himself.

    Subject: A gcc frontend for Go

    From: Ian Lance Taylor

    Date: Sat, Jun 7, 2008 at 7:06 PM

    To: Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, Ken Thompson

    One of my office-mates pointed me at http://…/go_lang.html .  It

    seems like an interesting language, and I threw together a gcc

    frontend for it.  It’s missing a lot of features, of course, but it

    does compile the prime sieve code on the web page.

That was mind-blowing, but many more have followed, all made possible by the existence of a formal specification.

Lots of compilers

Having multiple compilers helped us refine the language and polish the specification, as well as providing an alternative environment for others less enamored with our Plan-9-like way of doing business.

(More about that later.)

Today there are lots of compatible implementations, and that’s great.

3. Portability. We made cross-compilation trivial, which allowed

programmers to work on whatever platform they liked, and ship to whatever platform was required. This may be easier with Go than with any other language.  It’s easy to think of the compiler as

native to the machine it runs on, but it has no reason to be.

Breaking that assumption is powerful and was news to many developers.

Portability

4. Compatibility. We worked hard to get the language in shape for

version 1.0, and then locked it down with a compatibility guarantee. Given what a dramatic, documented effect that made on Go’s uptake, I find it puzzling that most other projects have resisted doing this.  Yes, there’s a cost in maintaining strong compatibility, but it blocks feature- itis and, in a world in which almost nothing else is stable, it’s delightful not to have to worry about new Go releases breaking your project.

The Go compatibility promise

5. The library. Although it grew somewhat as an accident, as there was no other place to install Go code at the beginning, the existence of a solid, well-made library with most of what one needed to write 21st century server code was a major asset. It kept the community all working with the same toolkit until we had experience enough to understand what else should be made available. This worked out really well and helped prevent variant libraries from arising, helping unify the community.

The library

6. Tools. We made sure the language was easy to parse, which enabled tool-building. At first we thought we’d need an IDE for Go, but easy tooling meant that, in time, the IDEs would come to Go. And along with gopls, they have, and they’re awesome.

Tools

We also provided a set of ancillary tools with the compiler, such as automated testing, coverage, and code vetting. And of course the go command, which integrated the whole build process and is all many projects need to build and maintain their Go code.

Fast builds

Also, it didn’t hurt that Go acquired a reputation for fast builds.

7. Gofmt. I pull gofmt out as a separate item from tools because it is the tool that made a mark not only on Go, but on the programming community at large. Before Robert wrote gofmt (which, by the way, he insisted on doing from the very beginning), automated formatters were not high quality and therefore mostly unused.

Gofmt proverb

Gofmt showed it could be done well, and today pretty much every language worth using has a standard formatter. The time saved by not arguing over spaces and newlines is worth all the time spent defining a standard format and writing this rather difficult piece of code to automate it.

Also, gofmt made countless other tools possible, such as simplifiers, analyzers and even the code coverage tool. Because gofmt’s guts became a library anyone could use, you could parse a program, edit the AST, and just print byte-perfect output ready for humans to use as well as machines.

Thanks, Robert.

Enough with the congratulations, though. On to some more contentious topics.

Concurrency

Concurrency is contentious? Well, it certainly was in 2002, the year I joined Google. John Ousterhout had famously written that threads were bad, and many people agreed with him because they seemed to be very hard to use.

John Ousterhout doesn’t like threads

Google software avoided them almost always, pretty much banning them outright, and the engineers doing the banning cited Ousterhout. This bothered me. I’d been doing concurrency-like things, sometimes without even realizing it, since the 1970s and it seemed powerful to me. But upon reflection it became clear that Ousterhout was making two mistakes. First, he was generalizing beyond the domain he was interested in using threads for, and second, he was mostly complaining about using them through with clumsy low-level packages like pthread, and not about the fundamental idea.

It’s a mistake common to engineers everywhere to confuse the solution and the problem like this. Sometimes the proposed solution is harder than the problem it addresses, and it can be hard to see there is an easier path. But I digress.

I knew from experience that there were nicer ways to use threads, or whatever we choose to call them, and even gave a pre-Go talk about them.

Concurrency in Newsqueak

But I wasn’t alone in knowing this; a number of other languages, papers, and even books had been written about concurrent programming that showed it could be done well. It just hadn’t caught on as a mainstream idea yet, and Go was born partly to address that. In that legendary 45-minute build I was trying to add a thread to a non-threaded binary, and it was frustratingly hard because we were using the wrong tools.

Looking back, I think it’s fair to say that Go had a significant role in convincing the programming world that concurrency was a powerful tool, especially in the multicore networked world, and that it could be done better than with pthreads. Nowadays most mainstream languages have good support for concurrency.

Google 3.0

Also, Go’s version of concurrency was somewhat novel, at least in the line of languages that led to it, by making goroutines unflavored.  No coroutines, no tasks, no threads, no names, just goroutines. We invented the word “goroutine” because no existing term fit. And to this day I wish the Unix spell command would learn it.

As an aside, because I am often asked about it, let me speak for a minute about async/await.  It saddens me a bit that the async/await model with its associated style is the way many languages have chosen to support concurrency, but it is definitely a huge improvement over pthreads.

Compared to goroutines, channels, and select, async/await is easier and smaller for language implementers to build or to retrofit into existing platforms. But it pushes some of the complexity back on the programmer, often resulting in what Bob Nystrom has famously called “colored functions”.

What Color is Your Function?

I think Go shows that CSP, which is a different but older model, fits perfectly into a procedural language without such complication. I’ve even seen it done several times as a library. But its implementation, done well, requires a significant runtime complexity, and I can understand why some folks would prefer not to build that into their system. It’s important, though, whatever concurrency model you provide, to do it exactly once, because an environment providing multiple concurrency implementations can be problematic. Go of course solved that issue by putting it in the language, not a library.

There’s probably a whole talk to give about these matters, but that’s enough for now.

[End of aside]

Another value of concurrency was that it made Go seem like something new.  As I said, some other languages had supported it before, but they were never mainstream, and Go’s support for concurrency was a major attractor that helped grow early adoption, pulling in programmers that hadn’t used concurrency before but were intrigued by its possibilities.

And that’s where we made two significant mistakes.

Whispering gophers (Cooperating Sequential Processes)

First, concurrency is fun and we were delighted to have it, but the use cases we had in mind

were mostly server stuff, meant to be done in key libraries such as net/http, and not everywhere in every program.  And so when many programmers played with it, they struggled to work out how it really helped them.  We should have explained up front that what concurrency support in the language really brought to the table was simpler server software.  That problem space mattered to many but not to everyone who tried Go, and that lack of guidance is on us.

The related second point is that we took too long to clarify the difference between parallelism - supporting multiple computations in parallel on a multicore machine - and concurrency, which is a way to structure code to do that well.

Concurrency is not parallelism

Countless programmers tried to make their code faster by parallelizing it using goroutines, and were often baffled by the resulting slowdown. Concurrent code only goes faster when parallelized if the underlying problem is intrinsically parallel, like serving HTTP requests. We did a terrible job explaining that, and the result baffled many programmers and probably drove some away.

To address this, in 2012 I gave a talk at Waza, Heroku’s developer conference, called, Concurrency is not Parallelism. It’s a fun talk but it should have happened earlier.

Apologies for that. But the good point still stands: Go helped popularize concurrency as a way to structure server software.

Interfaces

It’s clear that interfaces are, with concurrency, a distinguishing idea in Go. They are Go’s answer to objected-oriented design, in the original, behavior-focused style, despite a continuing push by newcomers to make structs carry that load.

Making interfaces dynamic, with no need to announce ahead of time which types implement them, bothered some early critics, and still irritates a few, but it’s important to the style of programming that Go fostered.  Much of the standard library is built upon their foundation, and broader subjects such as testing and managing dependencies rely heavily on their generous, "all are welcome" nature.

I feel that interfaces are one of the best-designed things in Go.

Other than a few early conversations about whether data should be included in their definition, they arrived fully formed on literally the first day of discussions.

A GIF decoder: an exercise in Go interfaces (Rob Pike and Nigel Tao 2011)

And there is a story to tell there.

On that famous first day in Robert’s and my office, we asked the question of what to do about polymorphism. Ken and I knew from C that qsort could serve as a difficult test case, so the three of us started to talk about how our embryonic language could implement a type-safe sort routine.

Robert and I came up with the same idea pretty much simultaneously: using methods on types to provide the operations that sort needed. That notion quickly grew into the idea that value types had behaviors, defined as methods, and that sets of methods could provide interfaces that functions could operate on. Go’s interfaces arose pretty much right away.

sort.Interface

That’s something that is not often not acknowledged: Go’s sort is implemented as a function that operates on an interface. This is not the style of object-oriented programming most people were familiar with, but it’s a very powerful idea.

That idea was exciting for us, and the possibility that this could become a foundational

programming construct was intoxicating.  When Russ joined, he soon pointed out how I/O would fit beautifully into this idea, and the library took place rapidly, based in large part on the three famous interfaces: empty, Writer, and Reader, holding an average of two thirds of a method each.  Those tiny methods are idiomatic to Go, and ubiquitous.

The way interfaces work became not only a distinguishing feature of Go, they became the way we thought about libraries, and generality, and composition. It was heady stuff.

But we might have erred in stopping the conversation there.

You see, we went down this path at least in part because we had seen too often how generic programming encouraged a way of thinking that tended to focus on types before algorithms. Early abstraction instead of organic design. Containers instead of functions.

We defined generic containers in the language proper - maps, slices, arrays, channels - without giving programmers access to the genericity they contained. This was arguably a mistake. We believed, correctly I still think, that most simple programming tasks could be handled just fine by those types. But there are some that cannot, and the barrier between what the language provided and what the user could control definitely bothered some people.

In short, although I wouldn’t change a thing about how interfaces worked, they colored our thinking in ways it took more than a decade to correct. Ian Taylor pushed us, from early on, to face this problem, but it was quite hard to do given the presence of interfaces as the bedrock of Go programming.

Critics often complained we should just do generics, because they are “easy”, and perhaps they can be in some languages, but the existence of interfaces meant that any new form of polymorphism had to take them into account. Finding a way forward that worked well with the rest of the language required multiple attempts, several aborted implementations, and many hours, days, and weeks of discussion. Eventually we roped in some type theorists to help out, led by Phil Wadler.  And even today, with a solid generic model in the language, there are still lingering problems to do with the presence of interfaces as method sets.

Generic sort specification

The final answer, as you know, was to design a generalization of interfaces that could absorb more forms of polymorphism, transitioning from “sets of methods” to “sets of types”. It’s a subtle but profound move, one that most of the community seems to be fine with, although I suspect the grumbling will never stop.

Sometimes it takes many years to figure something out, or even to figure out that you can’t quite figure it out. But you press on.

By the way, I wish we had a better term than “generics”, which originated as the term for a different, data-structure-centric style of polymorphism. “Parametric polymorphism” is the proper term for what Go provides, and it’s an accurate one, but it’s an ugly mouthful. But “generics” is what we say, even though it’s not quite right.

The Compiler

One of the things that bothered the programming language community was that the early Go compiler was written in C. The proper way, in their opinion, was to use LLVM or a similar toolkit, or to write the compiler in Go itself, a process called self-hosting.  We didn’t do either of these, for several reasons.

First, bootstrapping a new language requires that at least the first steps towards its compiler must be done in an existing language. For us, C was the obvious choice, as Ken had written a C compiler already, and its internals could serve well as the basis of a Go compiler. Also, writing a compiler in its own language, while simultaneously developing the language, tends to result in a language that is good for writing compilers, but that was not the kind of language we were after.

The early compiler worked. It bootstrapped the language well. But it was a bit of an odd duck, in effect a Plan 9-style compiler using old ideas in compiler writing, rather than new ones such as static single assignment.  The generated code was mediocre, and the internals were not pretty.  But it was pragmatic and efficient, and the compiler code itself was modest in size and familiar to us, which made it easy to make changes quickly as we tried new ideas. One critical step was the addition of segmented stacks that grew automatically. This was very easy to add to our compiler, but had we been using a toolkit like LLVM, the task of integrating that change into the full compiler suite would have been infeasible, given the required changes to the ABI and garbage collector support.

Another area that worked well was cross-compilation, which came directly from the way the original Plan 9 compiler suite worked.

Doing it our way, however unorthodox, helped us move fast. Some people were offended by this choice, but it was the right one for us at the time.

The Go compiler architecture post Go 1.5

For Go version 1.5, Russ wrote a tool to translate the compiler semi-automatically from C to Go. By then the language was complete, and concerns about compiler-directed language design were irrelevant. There are talks online about this process that are worth a look. I gave one talk at GopherCon in 2016 about the assembler, which is something of a high point in my lifelong quest for portability.

The Design of the Go Assembler (GopherCon 2016)

We did the right thing by starting in C, but eventually translating the compiler to Go has allowed us to bring to its development all the advantages that Go has, including testing, tooling, automatic rewriting, performance analysis, and so on. The current compiler is much cleaner than the original and generates much better code. But, of course, that is how bootstrapping works.

Remember, our goal was just not a language, but much more.

Our unusual approach was in no way an insult to LLVM or anyone in the language community. We just used the tool that best suited our task. And of course, today there is an LLVM-hosted compiler for Go, and many others, as there should be.

Project Management

We knew from the start that to succeed, Go had to be an open source project. But we also knew that it would be more productive to develop in private until we had the key ideas figured out and a working implementation. Those first two years were essential to clarifying, free of distraction, what we were trying to achieve.

The transition to open source was a huge change, and educational. The input from the community was overwhelming. Engaging with the community took a lot of time and effort, especially for Ian, who somehow found time to answer every question anyone asked. But it also brought so much more. I still marvel at how quickly the Windows port arrived, done entirely by the community under the guidance of Alex Brainman. That was amazing.

It took us a long time to understand the implications of the switch to an open source project, and how to manage it.

In particular, it’s fair to say it took us too long to understand the best way to work with the community. A theme throughout this talk is poor communication on our part - even as we thought we were communicating well - and a lot of time was wasted due to misunderstandings and mismatched expectations. It could have been better done.

In time, though, we convinced the community, at least the part that stayed with us, that some of our ideas, although different from the usual open source way, were valuable. The most important were around our insistence on maintaining high code quality through mandatory code review and exhaustive attention to detail.

Mission Control (drawing by Renee French)

Some projects work differently, accepting code quickly and then cleaning up once it’s been committed. The Go project works the other way around, trying to get the quality first. I believe that’s the more efficient way, but it pushes more work back on the community and they need to understand the value or they will not feel as welcome as they should. There is still much to learn here, but I believe things are much better these days.

By the way, there’s a historical detail that’s not widely known. The project has had 4 different content management systems: SVN, Perforce, Mercurial and then Git. Russ did a Herculean job of keeping all the history alive, so even today the Git repo contains the earliest changes as they were made in SVN. We all believe it’s valuable to keep the history around, and I thank him for doing the heavy lifting.

One other point. People often assume Google tells the Go team what to do. That’s simply not true. Google is incredibly generous in its support for Go, but does not set the agenda. The community has far more input. Google has a huge internal Go code base that the team uses to test and verify releases, but this is done by importing from the public repo into Google, not the other way around. In short, the core Go team is paid by Google but they are independent.

Package Management

The process of developing package management for Go was not done well. The package design in the language itself was excellent, I believe, and consumed a large amount of time in the first year or so of our discussions. The SPLASH talk I mentioned earlier explains in detail why it works the way it does if you’re interested.

A key point was the use of a plain string to specify the path in an import statement, giving a flexibility that we were correct in believing would be important. But the transition from having only a “standard library” to importing code from the web was bumpy.

Fixing the cloud (drawing by Renee French)

There were two issues.

First, those of us on the core Go team early on were familiar with how Google worked, with its monorepo and everyone building at head. But we didn’t have enough experience using a package manager with lots of versions of packages and the very difficult problems trying to resolve the dependency graph. To this day, few people really understand the technical complexities, but that is no excuse for our failure to grapple with those problems from the start. It’s especially embarrassing because I had been the tech lead on a failed project to do something similar for Google’s internal build, and I should have realized what we were up against.

deps.dev

My work on deps.dev was a something of a penance.

Second, the business of engaging the community to help solve the dependency management problem was well-intentioned, but when the final design came out, even with plenty of documentation and writing about the theory, many in the community felt slighted.

pkg.go.dev

This failing was a lesson to the team in how engagement with the community should really work, and much has improved since as a result.

Things are settled now, though, and the design that emerged is technically excellent and appears to be working well for most users. It just took too long and the road was bumpy.

Documentation and Examples

Another thing we didn’t get right up front was the documentation. We wrote a lot of it, and thought we did a good job, but it soon became clear that the community wanted a different level of documentation than we expected.

Gophers fixing a Turing machine (drawing by Renee French)

The key missing piece was examples of even the simplest functions. We thought that all you needed to do was say what something did; it took us too long to accept that showing how to use it was even more valuable.

Executable examples

That lesson was learned, though. There are plenty of examples in the documentation now, mostly provided by open source contributors. And one thing we did very early was make them executable on the web. I gave a talk at Google I/O in 2012 that showed concurrency in action, and Andrew Gerrand wrote a lovely bit of web goo that made it possible to run the snippets right from the browser. I doubt that was the first time it had ever been done, but Go is a compiled language and many in the audience had never seen that trick before. The technology was then deployed to the blog and to the online package documentation.

The Go playground

Perhaps even more important was its deployment to the Go playground, a freely available open sandbox for people to try things out, and even develop code.

Conclusion

We have come a long way.

Looking back, it’s clear many things were done right, and they all helped Go succeed. But much could have been done better, and it’s important to own up to those and learn from them. There are lessons on both sides for anyone hosting a significant open source project.

I hope that my historical tour of the lessons and their causes will be helpful, and perhaps serve as a sort of apology/explanation for those who objected to what we were doing and how we were doing it.

GopherConAU 2023 mascot by Renee French

But here we are, 14 years after the launch. And it’s fair to say that overall it’s a pretty good place.

Largely because of the decisions made through the design and development of Go as a way to write software - not just as a programming language - we have arrived somewhere novel.

We got here in part because of:

• a strong standard library that implements most of the basics needed for server code
• concurrency as a first-class component of the language
• an approach based on composition rather than inheritance
• a packaging model that clarifies dependency management
• integrated fast build and testing tools
• rigorous consistent formatting
• a focus on readability over cleverness
• a compatibility guarantee

And, most of all, because of the support of an unbelievably helpful and diverse community of Gophers.

A diverse community (drawings by @tenntenn)

Perhaps the most interesting consequence of these matters is that Go code looks and works the same regardless of who’s writing it, is largely free of factions using different subsets of the language, and is guaranteed to continue to compile and run as time goes on. That may be a first for a major programming language.

We definitely got that right.

Thank you.

https://commandcenter.blogspot.com/2024/01/what-we-got-right-what-we-got-wrong.html Save to Pocket

What Can I Do About the Climate Emergency?

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/what-can-i-do-about-the-climate-emergency Save to Pocket

X-ploited: Mandiant restores hijacked Twitter account after attempted crypto heist

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Miscreants mock Google-owned security house: ‘Change password please’

Miscreants took over security giant Mandiant’s Twitter account for several hours on Wednesday in an attempt to steal cryptocurrency, then trolled the Google-owned security shop, telling its admins to change the password.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/mandiant_restores_hijacked_x_account/ Save to Pocket

Dept. of Uh-Oh

date: 2024-01-04, from: Marginal Revolution blog

So pleased to see my paper out in the BU Law Review! This paper surveys 50+ years of randomized control trials in criminal justice and shows that almost no interventions have lasting benefit — and the ones that do don't replicate in other settings. 1/ https://t.co/xIvIcCseGL pic.twitter.com/Duj4ybbbS6 — Megan Stevenson (@MeganTStevenson) January 2, 2024

The post Dept. of Uh-Oh appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

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Evaluating New Features in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 9, and AirPods Pro

date: 2024-01-04, from: TidBITS blog

https://tidbits.com/2024/01/04/evaluating-new-features-in-the-iphone-15-pro-max-apple-watch-series-9-and-airpods-pro/ Save to Pocket

Houthis Show ‘No Signs’ of Heeding US Warnings

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

pentagon — Houthi militants appear to be ignoring U.S. warnings about their repeated attacks on ships in the Red Sea, launching a naval drone Thursday that came within “a couple of miles” of merchant ships and American combat vessels before detonating.

U.S. naval officials said the so-called unmanned surface vessel was launched from Houthi territory in Yemen and traveled about 50 miles into busy shipping lanes before exploding. They said it is unclear who or what the Houthis were trying to target, adding the explosion did not cause any damage or injuries.

“There are no signs that their irresponsible behavior is abating,” Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Navy operations in the Middle East, told reporters.

“Shipping lanes in this region are dense,” Cooper said. “These Houthi attacks are, for sure, destabilizing and contrary to international law and clearly, as have as has been articulated by many, must stop immediately.”

Twenty-five attacks since November

Since November, the Iranian-backed Houthis have launched 25 attacks on vessels sailing through the Red Sea, claiming the ships are linked to Israel and that the attacks are in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

In response, the United States, along with France, Britain and nearly 20 other countries launched Operation Prosperity Guardian in mid-December to protect ships from Houthi attacks.

So far, about 1,500 vessels have passed safely through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with the U.S. and its partners shooting down 11 Houthi drones, six anti-ship ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles. U.S. forces also sunk three Houthi boats Sunday after they attacked a container ship.

“We now have the largest surface and air presence in the southern Red Sea in years,” Cooper said. “And in the coming weeks, we expect additional countries to contribute, which will only strengthen our ability to deter.”

But Cooper also said the five warships and other assets taking part in Operation Prosperity Guardian are “entirely defensive in nature” and are separate from any capabilities that might be used to strike at the Houthis.

US, allies warn Houthis

On Wednesday, the U.S. and 12 allies issued a statement warning the Houthis of unspecified consequences if their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea continue.

“Let our message now be clear: We call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews,” the statement said.

Signatories on the statement include Britain, which on Monday issued its own warning to the Houthis of “direct action,” as well as Australia, Canada, Germany and Japan.

Late Wednesday, a senior U.S. administration official —briefing reporters on the condition of anonymity — said the Houthis should “not anticipate another warning” from the U.S. or its partners.

https://www.voanews.com/a/houthis-show-no-signs-of-heeding-us-warnings/7426871.html Save to Pocket

Daily Deals (1-04-2023)

date: 2024-01-04, from: Liliputing

The Epic Games Store is giving away Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy PC game for free this week. Several mini PC makers continue to offer dirt cheap systems with Intel Alder Lake-N processors. And Woot is running a sale on refurbished, previous-gen Fire tablets and Kindle eReaders. While I normally wouldn’t recommend picking up a […]

The post Daily Deals (1-04-2023) appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/daily-deals-1-04-2023-2/ Save to Pocket

Identity Released of Man Fatally Shot by Lompoc Police at Circle K

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

The 20-year-old Lompoc resident was killed by officers responding to a reported carjacking and robbery attempt at the convenience store last week.

The post Identity Released of Man Fatally Shot by Lompoc Police at Circle K appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/04/identity-released-of-man-fatally-shot-by-lompoc-police-at-circle-k/ Save to Pocket

Dismal Start to 2024 California Snow Survey

date: 2024-01-04, from: SCV New (TV Station)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — The Golden State’s first test of the season’s snowpack left experts underwhelmed at the chances for another wet winter year, with California measuring well below average for rain and snowfall so far

https://scvnews.com/dismal-start-to-2024-california-snow-survey/ Save to Pocket

The Great Lakes Reached a Record Low for Ice Cover on New Year’s Day

date: 2024-01-04, from: Smithsonian Magazine

The ‘extreme’ lack of ice follows warm temperatures in December and calls attention to recent downward trends in ice coverage on the lakes

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-great-lakes-reached-record-low-ice-cover-new-years-day-180983535/ Save to Pocket

“There should be lots of different, human-scale alternative experiences on the internet…

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043728-there-should-be-lots-of Save to Pocket

@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-01-04, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

Ok, I decided to start a blog series on the design decisions and technical challenges of adapting Godot to the iPad using SwiftUI and SwiftGodot:

https://blog.la-terminal.net/igodot/

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Former Adobe software engineering leader convicted of insider trading

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Another Silicon Valley Icarus flies too close to the Sun

A former Adobe software engineer was this week sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in an insider trading scheme that earned him millions before the feds caught on.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/adobe_engineer_insider_trading/ Save to Pocket

Purchased for $25, This Bargain Brooch Could Sell for $19,000—Thanks to ‘Antiques Roadshow’

date: 2024-01-04, from: Smithsonian Magazine

The piece is part of a rare collection by the Victorian-era designer and architect William Burges

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bargain-brooch-is-now-valued-at-19000-thanks-to-antiques-roadshow-treasure-hunt-180983528/ Save to Pocket

Funding Future Tech: NASA Names 2024 Innovative Concept Studies

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

NASA selected the 2024 Phase I awardees for its program to fund ideas that could  innovate for the benefit of all and transform future agency missions. From proposals to explore low Earth orbit to the stars, the 13 concepts chosen stem from companies and institutions across the United States. The NIAC (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) […]

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/funding-future-tech-nasa-names-2024-innovative-concept-studies/ Save to Pocket

Niklaus Wirth, RIP

date: 2024-01-04, from: Michael Tsai

Bertrand Meyer (Hacker News, Slashdot, Reddit): We lost a titan of programming languages, programming methodology, software engineering and hardware design. Niklaus Wirth passed away on the first of January. We mourn a pioneer, colleague, mentor and friend. David M Williams: Wirth is well-remembered for his pioneering work in programming languages and algorithms. For these achievements, […]

https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/01/04/niklaus-wirth-rip/ Save to Pocket

How to Be Optimistic About Technology Now

date: 2024-01-04, from: Michael Tsai

Nick Heer: If you measure your level of optimism by how much course-correction has been working, then 2023 was a pretty hopeful year. In the span of about a decade, a handful of U.S. technology firms have solidified their place among the biggest and most powerful corporations in the world, so nobody should be surprised […]

https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/01/04/how-to-be-optimistic-about-technology-now/ Save to Pocket

Doom at 30

date: 2024-01-04, from: Michael Tsai

Wouter Groeneveld: On 10 December 1993, John Carmack, John Romero, Sandy Petersen, and the rest of the id Software crew completely changed the world by releasing the most violent and satisfying DOS shooter ever created. Hundreds of so-called “DOOM clones” followed, frantically trying to join in on the cash grabbing fun. Several controversial lawsuits and […]

https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/01/04/doom-at-30/ Save to Pocket

Apple’s Mac Gaming Push

date: 2024-01-04, from: Michael Tsai

Raymond Wong (MacRumors, Slashdot): No doubt “losing” in gaming for decades has not been fun for Apple. It’s certainly painful and disappointing for Mac users both new and old, who have to buy a separate PC or console to play AAA games. But in 2023, the winds of change began to blow.[…]Gaming on the Mac […]

https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/01/04/apples-mac-gaming-push/ Save to Pocket

David Feldman, RIP

date: 2024-01-04, from: Michael Tsai

Legacy: He earned a BS in Computer Science from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. In 2023, he served as Distinguished Visiting Technologist at the MIT Center for Art, Science & Technology, and received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the Maine College of Art and Design for developing the technology […]

https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/01/04/david-feldman-obituary-rip/ Save to Pocket

Carlos Orozco to Serve as JCI Santa Clarita’s 27th President

date: 2024-01-04, from: SCV New (TV Station)

Happy new year! My name is Carlos Orozco and I will be serving as the 27th President of JCI Santa Clarita for

https://scvnews.com/carlos-orozco-to-serve-as-jci-santa-claritas-27th-president/ Save to Pocket

Amazonian Leaders Visit “Space for Earth”

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

Amazonian leaders visit “Space for Earth,” an immersive audio-visual installation that draws from near real-time satellite data and images, in NASA’s Earth Information Center at the NASA Headquarters Mary W. Jackson Building in Washington on Nov. 17, 2023. The leaders, joined by University of Richmond faculty and NASA representatives, gathered to discuss how NASA’s data […]

https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/amazonian-leaders-visit-space-for-earth/ Save to Pocket

Infosec experts divided over 23andMe’s ‘victim-blaming’ stance on data breach

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Users apparently at fault after reusing credentials the company didn’t check were already compromised

23andMe users’ godawful password practices were supposedly to blame for the biotech company’s October data disaster, according to its legal reps.…

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The Man Who Invented Fifteen Hundred Necktie Knots. “He established or articulated…

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043719-the-man-who-invented-fift Save to Pocket

Banana Pi BPI-M6 single-board PC with quad-core ARM Cortex-A73 CPU and NPU for on-device AI features

date: 2024-01-04, from: Liliputing

The Banana Pi BPI-M6 is a credit card-sized computer that looks like a Raspberry Pi at first glance. But this little computer has a few special tricks up its sleeve. Among other things, it has an integrated NPU with up to 6.75 TOPS of performance for AI tasks, two micro HDMI ports (one for output and […]

The post Banana Pi BPI-M6 single-board PC with quad-core ARM Cortex-A73 CPU and NPU for on-device AI features appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/banana-pi-bpi-m6-single-board-pc-with-quad-core-arm-cortex-a73-cpu-and-npu-for-on-device-ai-features/ Save to Pocket

NIAC 2024 Selections

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

Phase I Matthew McQuinnSolar System-Scale VLBI to Dramatically Improve Cosmological Distance MeasurementsUniversity of Washington, SeattleSeattle, Washington 98195-10002024 Phase I Kenneth CarpenterA Lunar Long-Baseline Optical Imaging Interferometer: Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI)NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, MD 20771-24002024 Phase I Alvaro Romero-CalvoMagnetohydrodynamic Drive for Hydrogen and Oxygen Production in Mars TransferGeorgia Tech Research CorporationAtlanta, Georgia 30332-00012024 Phase […]

https://www.nasa.gov/general/niac-2024-selections/ Save to Pocket

Electro-luminescently Cooled Zero-boil-off Propellant Depots Enabling Crewed Exploration of Mars

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

Aaswath Pattabhi RamanUniversity of California, Los Angeles Exploration of Mars has captivated the public in recent decades with high-profile robotic missions and the images they have acquired seeding our collective imagination. NASA is actively planning for human exploration of Mars and laid out some of the key capabilities that must be developed to execute successful, […]

https://www.nasa.gov/general/electro-luminescently-cooled-zero-boil-off-propellant-depots/ Save to Pocket

A Revolutionary Approach to Interplanetary Space Travel: Studying Torpor in Animals for Space-health in Humans (STASH)

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

Ryan SprengerFauna Bio Inc. The use of non-model organisms in medical research is an expanding field that has already made a significant impact on human health. Insights gleaned from the study of unique mammalian traits are being used to develop novel therapeutic agents. The remarkable phenotype of mammalian hibernation confers unique physiologic and metabolic benefits […]

https://www.nasa.gov/general/studying-torpor-in-animals-for-space-health-in-humans/ Save to Pocket

LIFA: Lightweight Fiber-based Antenna for Small Sat-Compatible Radiometry

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

Zhang, Beijia Zhang, BeijiaMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Lincoln Lab Very large space-based RF antennas can be large and expensive to manufacture and deploy. These problems become more challenging for cases when an array of antennas are needed such as for correlation interferometers that provide high spatial resolution of Earth and space. The proposal will […]

https://www.nasa.gov/general/lifa-lightweight-fiber-based-antenna-for-small-sat-compatible-radiometry/ Save to Pocket

Swarming Proxima Centauri: Coherent Picospacecraft Swarms Over Interstellar Distances

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

Thomas EubanksSpace Initiatives, Inc. Tiny gram-scale interstellar probes pushed by laser light are likely to be the only technology capable of reaching another star this century. We presuppose availability by mid-century of a laser beamer powerful enough (~100-GW) to boost a few grams to relativistic speed, lasersails robust enough to survive launch, and terrestrial light […]

https://www.nasa.gov/general/swarming-proxima-centauri/ Save to Pocket

Detoxifying Mars: the biocatalytic elimination of omnipresent perchlorates

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

Lynn RothschildNASA Ames Research Center (ARC) Water is the lifeblood of human survival and civilization and is critical for our sustained exploration beyond Earth. Fortunately, Mars has plenty of water to sustain our aspirations in the form of subsurface ice. Unfortunately, it is not clean water – it is contaminated by toxic perchlorates. Perchlorate and […]

https://www.nasa.gov/general/detoxifying-mars/ Save to Pocket

Add-on to Large-Scale Water Mining Operations on Mars to Screen for Introduced and Alien Life

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

Steven BennerFoundation For Applied Molecular Evolution As noted at NASA’s 2019 Carlsbad Conference we have good reason to think that: The purpose of this NIAC project is to change this view, and to do so before human arrival planned by NASA, the Chinese National Space Agency, and SpaceX, “by 2040”, “in 2033”, and “before 2030”, […]

https://www.nasa.gov/general/large-scale-water-mining-operations-on-mars/ Save to Pocket

Mars Aerial and Ground Global Intelligent Explorer (MAGGIE)

date: 2024-01-04, from: NASA breaking news

Ge-Cheng ZhaCoflow Jet, LLC We propose to develop a novel global mobility Mars exploration platform , Mars Aerial and Ground Intelligent Explorer (MAGGIE). MAGGIE is a compact fixed wing aircraft with ultra-high productivity efficiency powered by solar energy to fly in the Martian atmosphere with vertical take-off/landing (VTOL) capability, which is enabled by advanced deflected […]

https://www.nasa.gov/general/mars-aerial-and-ground-global-intelligent-explorer/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Fear of MAGA “backlash” is no reason to let Donald Trump make an illegal run for president.

https://www.salon.com/2024/01/04/fear-of-maga-backlash-is-no-reason-to-let-donald-make-an-illegal-run-for/ Save to Pocket

RIP: Software design pioneer and Pascal creator Niklaus Wirth

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-05, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Evangelist of lean software and devisor of 9 programming languages and an OS was 89

Obit  Swiss computer scientist Professor Niklaus Wirth died on New Year’s Day, roughly six weeks before what would have been his 90th birthday.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/niklaus_wirth_obituary/ Save to Pocket

Learn How to Dance Like David Byrne (From Byrne Himself)

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/learn-how-to-dance-like-david-byrne-from-byrne-himself Save to Pocket

Safe Trails in the New Year

date: 2024-01-04, from: City of Santa Clarita

Safe Trails in the New Year By Councilmember Laurene Weste As we step into the new year, I find myself eagerly anticipating the adventures that lie ahead. As a long-time resident and former parks commissioner of the City of Santa Clarita, I have always been captivated by the simple joy of hiking and embracing the […]

The post Safe Trails in the New Year appeared first on City of Santa Clarita.

https://santaclarita.gov/blog/2024/01/04/safe-trails-in-the-new-year-2/ Save to Pocket

Police Say 17-year-old Killed a Sixth-Grader and Wounded Five in Iowa School Shooting

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

Perry, Iowa — A 17-year-old opened fire at a small-town Iowa high school on the first day of school after the winter break, killing a sixth-grader and wounding five others as students barricaded in offices and fled in panic.

The suspect, a student at the school in Perry, died of what investigators believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and at least one of the victims is a school administrator, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Perry has about 8,000 residents and is about 64 kilometers northwest of Des Moines, on the edge of the state capital’s metropolitan area. It is home to a large pork-processing plant, and low-slung, single-story homes spread among trees now shorn of their leaves by winter. The high school and middle school are connected, sitting on the east edge of town.

Perry High School senior Ava Augustus said she was waiting in a counselor’s when she heard three shots. She and other people barricaded the door, preparing to throw things, if necessary, with a window being too small for an escape.

“And then we hear ‘He’s down. You can go out,’” Augustus said through tears. “And I run, and you can just see glass everywhere, blood on the floor. I get to my car and they’re taking a girl out of the auditorium who had been shot in her leg.”

Three gunshot victims were taken by ambulance to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, a spokesperson for its health system said. Some other patients were transported to a second hospital in Des Moines, a spokesperson for MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center confirmed, declining to comment on the number of patients or their statuses.

Vigils were planned Thursday evening at a park and a local church. A post on the high school’s Facebook page said it would be closed Friday, with counseling services planned at the public library Friday and Saturday.

In Washington, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting. FBI agents from the Omaha-Des Moines office are assisting with the investigation led by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

The shooting occurred in the backdrop of Iowa’s first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses. Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy had a campaign event scheduled in Perry at 9 a.m. about 2.4 kilometers from the high school but canceled it to have a prayer and intimate discussion with area residents.

Mass shootings across the U.S. have long brought calls for stricter gun laws from gun safety advocates, and Thursday’s did within hours. But that idea has been a non-starter for many Republicans, particularly in rural, GOP-leaning states like Iowa.

As of July 2021, Iowa does not require a permit to purchase a handgun or carry a firearm in public, though it mandates a background check for a person buying a handgun without a permit.

Ramaswamy said the shooting is a sign of a “psychological sickness” in the country. In Des Moines, Republican rival and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that gun violence “is more of a local and state issue” in an interview with the Des Moines Register and NBC News.

The high school in Perry is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. The town is more diverse than Iowa as a whole, with census figures showing that 31% of the residents are Hispanic, compared to less than 7% for the state. Those figures also show that nearly 19% of the town’s residents were born outside the U.S.

An active shooter was reported at 7:37 a.m. Thursday, and officers arrived seven minutes later, Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said. Emergency vehicles surrounded the middle and high school.

Zander Shelley, 15, was in a hallway when he heard gunshots and dashed into a classroom, according to his father, Kevin Shelley. Zander was grazed twice and hid in the classroom before texting his father at 7:36 a.m.

Kevin Shelley, who drives a garbage truck, told his boss he had to run.

“It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life,” he said.

Rachael Kares, an 18-year-old senior, was wrapping up jazz band practice when she and her bandmates heard what she described as four gunshots, spaced apart.

“We all just jumped,” Kares said. “My band teacher looked at us and yelled, ‘Run!’ So, we ran.”

Kares and many others from the school ran out past the football field, as she heard people yelling, “Get out! Get out!” She said she heard additional shots as she ran but didn’t know how many. She was more concerned about getting home to her 3-year-old son.

“At that moment, I didn’t care about anything except getting out, because I had to get home with my son,” she said.

https://www.voanews.com/a/police-say-multiple-people-shot-at-high-school-in-iowa-suspect-dead/7426729.html Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Trump Received Millions From Foreign Governments as President.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/04/us/politics/trump-hotels-foreign-business-report.html Save to Pocket

Your Journey, Your Schedule: How to Modify Flight Dates with Qatar Airways

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Signal

Travel plans are often subject to change, and flexibility is key when it comes to adapting to unforeseen circumstances or shifting schedules UK-Bangla Airlines. Qatar Airways understands the dynamic nature of travel, and they offer a seamless process for modifying flight dates to ensure that your journey aligns perfectly with your schedule. In this guide, […]

The post Your Journey, Your Schedule: How to Modify Flight Dates with Qatar Airways appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/your-journey-your-schedule-how-to-modify-flight-dates-with-qatar-airways/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Happy Birthday, Jabber!

https://discourse.igniterealtime.org/t/happy-birthday-jabber/93463 Save to Pocket

Importance of corporate advisory services

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Signal

Introduction   Corporate advisory services involve advice relating to mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, and capital raising. Corporate restructuring provides strategic and financial guidance to management by skilled professionals. There is a wide range of corporate advisory services that involve selling, buying a business, acquiring, demerger, splitting off, etc. Head over to Nash Advisory to find […]

The post Importance of corporate advisory services appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/importance-of-corporate-advisory-services/ Save to Pocket

New Jersey Police Seek Killer of Newark Mosque Leader

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

https://www.voanews.com/a/new-jersey-police-seek-killer-of-muslim-leader-outside-newark-mosque-/7426718.html Save to Pocket

@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-01-04, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

Baby steps on my quest to ipadify Godot.

Here I show a SwiftUI panel that will replace the Godot version (they run concurrently right now).

Perhaps I should start a blog series on these design decisions - native iPad menus:

https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111698762223897003 Save to Pocket

What if Microsoft had given us Windows XP 2024?

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Modern life is rubbish. What if your favorite tech giant had stopped trying to reinvent the wheel?

A brave hero has given us a glimpse at an alternative universe, where Microsoft evolved the Windows XP design language. And isn’t that a better use of time than coming up with the Copilot key?…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/windows_xp_reimagined/ Save to Pocket

Rolling Stone picks The 150 Greatest Science Fiction Movies of All Time….

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043725-rolling-stone-picks-the-1 Save to Pocket

Thursday assorted links

date: 2024-01-04, from: Marginal Revolution blog

1. Jeffrey Paller 19 books to read on Africa. 2. Making the micropipette. 3. Miss America supports nuclear power. 4. “We found that living standards generally predicted and temporally preceded variations of romantic love in the Early Modern Period.” 5. Why is the Dominican Republican incumbent popular? 6. Very good Douthat column on higher education […]

   The post Thursday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

          

   Comments

   • In reply to Mark Bahner. It’s pretty funny that “The Good … by Mark Bahner
   • In reply to andrew97. “To be fair, you routinely generate … by Mark Bahner
   • In reply to RAD. The North American nuclear industry needs to … by Mark Bahner
   • In reply to Dinwar. > Your comment boils down to “Science … by PHinton
   • In reply to Doug. If you like engineering, check out … by Dinwar
   • Plus 10 more…

    

https://feeds.feedblitz.com/_{/858773717/0/marginalrevolution}Thursday-assorted-links.html Save to Pocket

These Ants Can Diagnose and Treat Their Comrades’ Infected Wounds

date: 2024-01-04, from: Smithsonian Magazine

Matabele ants in sub-Saharan Africa often sustain injuries while hunting termites—and their survival strategy may help humans fight infections, too

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-ants-can-diagnose-and-treat-their-comrades-infected-wounds-180983526/ Save to Pocket

Facebook’s new old way to follow you around!

date: 2024-01-04, from: Om Malik blog

The company pitches Link History as a useful tool for consumers “with your browsing activity saved in one place,” rather than another way to keep tabs on your behavior. With the new setting you’ll “never lose a link again,” Facebook says in a pop-up encouraging users to consent to the new tracking method. The company …

https://om.co/2024/01/04/facebook-doing-facebook-things/ Save to Pocket

HPE’s Hotard hits the hot seat at Intel’s datacenter and AI biz

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Outsider brought in to rule crucial unit will play key part in AI strategy

Intel has hired Justin Hotard to head up its Data Center and AI (DCAI) Group, poaching the exec from HPE where he lead its High Performance Computing business.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/intel_hires_new_dc_chief/ Save to Pocket

Jim Courtney, RIP

date: 2024-01-04, from: Om Malik blog

Nothing quite reminds you of the passage of time as the passing of people you have met on your journey. Today I learned from Andy Abramson that Jim Courtney, a long-time blogger who wrote about all things voice telephony and Skype, had recently passed away. Andy knew him much more closely than I did. He was a lively presence in the “VoIP” …

https://om.co/2024/01/04/jim-courtney-founder-of-skype-journal-rip/ Save to Pocket

What should I ask Jonathan Haidt?

date: 2024-01-04, from: Marginal Revolution blog

Yes, I will be doing another Conversation with him.  Here is my previous Conversation with him, almost eight years ago.  As many of you will know, Jonathan has a new book coming out, namely The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.  But there is much more […]

The post What should I ask Jonathan Haidt? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

Comments

• In reply to Hazel Meade. Or on authority and loyalty, … by M
• In reply to Hazel Meade. This may be useful to review from … by M
• In reply to Hazel Meade. Islam is a highly universal religion … by M
• In reply to M. I’m thinking mostly of how Western culture is … by Hazel Meade
• Question: How does psychology drive history? by John
• Plus 10 more…

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Paul Hollywood & Prue Leith Judge the Best American Snacks

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/paul-hollywood-prue-leith-judge-the-best-american-snacks Save to Pocket

Microsoft and Windows OEMs to put dedicated “AI” Copilot key on keyboards

date: 2024-01-04, from: OS News

The introduction of the Copilot key marks the first significant change to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly three decades. We believe it will empower people to participate in the AI transformation more easily. The Copilot key joins the Windows key as a core part of the PC keyboard and when pressed, the new key will invoke the Copilot in Windows experience to make it seamless to engage Copilot in your day to day*. Nearly 30 years ago, we introduced the Windows key to the PC keyboard that enabled people all over the world to interact with Windows. We see this as another transformative moment in our journey with Windows where Copilot will be the entry point into the world of AI on the PC. ↫ Yusuf Mehdi on the official Windows blog Your next laptop will come with an “AI” key next to the spacebar. Yes, Microsoft and Windows OEMs are really going to be doing this. Your laptop will come with a dedicated copyright infringement key that will produce utter nonsense and misinformation at the push of a key. This is pure and utter insanity.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138199/microsoft-and-windows-oems-to-put-dedicated-ai-copilot-key-on-keyboards/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

2017: Bootstrap Demos by Dave.

http://bootstrapdemos.scripting.com/ Save to Pocket

“Let the writer decide”

date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News

A simple rule for designers of social web systems.

• Let the writer decide if a post needs a title.

It isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some posts will have titles, others won’t.

PS: I think “Let the writer decide” has real potential as a slogan. 😄

http://scripting.com/2024/01/04/153601.html?title=letTheWriterDecide Save to Pocket

Putting all this job data together

date: 2024-01-04, from: Marketplace Morning Report

Private-sector hiring was stronger than expected in December, according to ADP, and we learned yesterday that there were slightly fewer job openings nationwide in November. But the official government jobs report for December doesn’t come out until tomorrow. What can we expect and what should we make of it all? Also on the show: More consumers opted for cars that are cheaper to buy and operate, and young people in China grapple with a high unemployment rate.

https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/putting-all-this-job-data-together Save to Pocket

SpaceX accused of firing employees critical of free speech fan Elon Musk

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Rule 1: You do not criticize the boss. Rule 2: You do NOT criticize the boss

The US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued a complaint against SpaceX, alleging it dismissed workers for being critical of the company’s boss, Elon Musk, among 37 other unfair labor practices.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/spacex_nlrb_complaint/ Save to Pocket

Deep Beneath Earth’s Surface, Clues to Life’s Origins

date: 2024-01-04, from: Quanta Magazine

The post Deep Beneath Earth’s Surface, Clues to Life’s Origins first appeared on Quanta Magazine

https://www.quantamagazine.org/deep-beneath-earths-surface-clues-to-lifes-origins-20240104/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

A discussion about whether a feed reader should support titleless items. It should, without question. The spec is very clear. “All elements of an item are optional, however at least one of title or description must be present.” It’s how social media sites like Bluesky, Mastodon, et al hook up to the RSS network. Their posts not only don’t require titles, they don’t allow them, something I’d like to see them ease up on, per textcasting. Let the writer decide if a post needs a title.

http://scripting.com/2024/01/04.html#a152714 Save to Pocket

Win32Emu/DIY WOW: run RISC Win32 binaries on x86 Windows

date: 2024-01-04, from: OS News

When the AXP64 build tools for Windows 2000 were discovered back in May 2023, there was a crucial problem. Not only was it difficult to test the compiled applications since you needed an exotic and rare DEC Alpha machine running a leaked version of Windows, it was also difficult to even compile the programs, since you needed the same DEC Alpha machine to run the compiler; there was no cross-compiler. As a result, I began writing a program conceptually similar to WOW64 on Itanium (or WX86, or FX-32), only in reverse, to allow RISC Win32 programs to run on x86. ↫ CaptainWillStarblazer People with this much skill just exist.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138197/win32emu-diy-wow-run-risc-win32-binaries-on-x86-windows/ Save to Pocket

Start 2024 Off Right, Get Your REAL ID Today

date: 2024-01-04, from: SCV New (TV Station)

Nearly 16.9 million Californians now have a REAL ID – an increase of 121,501 from the previous month – according to California Department of Motor Vehicles data

https://scvnews.com/start-2024-off-right-get-your-real-id-today/ Save to Pocket

How S Group, a cooperative company, became Finland’s dominant retailer. “For one…

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/01/0043720-how-s-group-a-cooperative Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

The usage of news.scripting.com keeps going up. All elements of an item are optional, however at least one of title or description must be present. I’m interested in knowing what you think, what you like, what could be improved, does it give you ideas, how can we help. Here’s a place for comments.

http://scripting.com/2024/01/04.html#a151046 Save to Pocket

The Next Turn of the Wheel

date: 2024-01-04, from: Ayjay blog

This is the novelist Janet Burroway, writing about her experience making a fifth edition of a textbook for creative writing classes: Unusually, this time around my publisher asked for no refreshing of my ideas, no major swaths of rewriting, only that I conform to the new sensibility. I was asked to change the binary “he/she,” […]

https://blog.ayjay.org/the-next-turn-of-the-wheel/ Save to Pocket

Semiconductor scene set for AI-led recovery in 2024, and China will be in front

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

That’s what happens when Uncle Sam tries to curb your chip sector

Global semiconductor capacity is tipped to grow in 2024, despite the doom and gloom, with China forecast to lead the way and expand its share of global chip production as it tries to become more self sufficient.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/china_semiconductor_recovery/ Save to Pocket

More city hall coverage won’t be enough to revive local news

date: 2024-01-04, from: Nieman Journalism Lab

Whether it’s a new round of journalist layoffs or further consolidation into the hands of a few owners, the problems confronting local media in the U.S. are easy to see. We are political scientists who study how the decline of local news affects American politics. In past work, we showed that these changes hamper the ability of local newspapers and television…

https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/01/more-city-hall-coverage-wont-be-enough-to-revive-local-news/ Save to Pocket

Google Contractor Pays Parents $50 to Scan Their Childrens’ Faces

date: 2024-01-04, from: 404 Media Group

Google is having parents film their children wearing hats and sunglasses, with the collected data to include eyelid shape and skin tone.

https://www.404media.co/google-telus-pays-50-to-scan-childrens-eyelid-shape-and-skin-tone/ Save to Pocket

Polish Hackers Say Manufacturer’s Repair DRM Killed Train’s Power, Broke Compressor

date: 2024-01-04, from: 404 Media Group

They found code that killed power to the train and broke a train’s compressor: “We are 100% certain of our findings.”

https://www.404media.co/polish-hackers-explain-exactly-how-they-fixed-trains-that-the-manufacturer-bricked/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Why Trump wants you to compare him to Hitler. Because then you’re not calling him a loser

https://framelab.substack.com/p/why-trump-wants-you-to-compare-him Save to Pocket

“Find your mango,” and 13 other things we’ve learned about how to report on climate change

date: 2024-01-04, from: Nieman Journalism Lab

What could you learn if you put more than 400 journalists and editors from all across the world together over the course of nearly two years to talk about climate change? Quite a lot. Since the Oxford Climate Journalism Network (OCJN) kicked off in January 2022, reporters, editors, photographers and fact-checkers alike have gathered week…

https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/01/find-your-mango-and-13-other-things-weve-learned-about-how-to-report-on-climate-change/ Save to Pocket

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 can power 4K headsets

date: 2024-01-04, from: Liliputing

Qualcomm’s newest flagship processor for virtual and augmented reality headsets promises a 2.5X improvement in GPU performance, 8X better AI performance than the company’s XR2 Gen 1 chip, enabling support for 4K headsets (with up to 4.3K resolution per eye at up to 90 frames per second). The chip maker says the first device with Qualcomm […]

The post Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 can power 4K headsets appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/qualcomms-snapdragon-xr2-gen-2-can-power-4k-headsets/ Save to Pocket

Podcast: Inside a $7 Million Airbnb Scam

date: 2024-01-04, from: 404 Media Group

On this week’s episode of the 404 Media Podcast, we go into a massive, nationwide Airbnb scam; talk about Pornhub cutting off access to Montana and North Carolina; and finish up with the death of Wickr.

https://www.404media.co/404-media-podcast-inside-a-7-million-airbnb-scam/ Save to Pocket

Windows keyboards to get a Copilot key – but how quickly will users jump?

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Pushing your buttons: Microsoft’s AI assistant is going so well that it’s going to have its very own spot

Microsoft says a Copilot key will be coming to Windows 11 PCs, oddly exciting fanatics but confounding some others.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/windows_keyboards_copilot/ Save to Pocket

Evidence still being tested in rape case

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

The trial on sexual assault charges of the partner of a foster parent may be delayed pending further testing of evidence.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/evidence-still-being-tested-in-rape-case/article_c20b3018-aa9a-11ee-b4ee-eb6148cd1fcc.html Save to Pocket

34 GWA wells may need PFAS treatment with new regulations

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

The Guam Waterworks Authority has identified about 34 water wells that may require treatment for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, after proposed federal regulations come into effect.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/34-gwa-wells-may-need-pfas-treatment-with-new-regulations/article_110df2ae-aabe-11ee-8538-fb35d8838add.html Save to Pocket

GWA: 1 year to place systems to treat wells with highest dieldrin

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

It will likely take about a year to install granulated activated carbon filtration systems at water wells that yielded the highest concentrations of dieldrin, a banned pesticide, Guam Waterworks Authority General Manager Miguel Bordallo said Thursday during an oversight hearing…

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/gwa-1-year-to-place-systems-to-treat-wells-with-highest-dieldrin/article_527c928e-aacf-11ee-8c27-a3416de9a50e.html Save to Pocket

Fisher seeks to disqualify OAG contracted lawyer in DOC case

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

Sen. Thomas Fisher has asked the Superior Court of Guam to disqualify a private attorney contracted with the Office of the Attorney General from handling a case involving contraband at the Department of Corrections.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/fisher-seeks-to-disqualify-oag-contracted-lawyer-in-doc-case/article_b51b0982-a9d2-11ee-90fa-57c879e3946c.html Save to Pocket

Assault suspect: ‘I did it all. Arrest me!’

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

A man accused of assaulting a woman known to him told police upon being arrested, “I did it all. Arrest me!”

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/assault-suspect-i-did-it-all-arrest-me/article_c92f1ca0-aa8c-11ee-bd04-47813a29184b.html Save to Pocket

Suspect in Mangilao stabbing being held on $100K cash bail

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

A man accused in the fatal stabbing of his cousin was confined in prison on $100,000 cash bail.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/suspect-in-mangilao-stabbing-being-held-on-100k-cash-bail/article_9b943b3c-aa95-11ee-905a-2790d9e3e12e.html Save to Pocket

Lamorena is disqualified from Public Health corruption case

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

Superior Court of Guam Presiding Judge Alberto Lamorena III has been disqualified as the sitting judge in the Department of Public Health and Social Services corruption case.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/lamorena-is-disqualified-from-public-health-corruption-case/article_5fd28810-aa9f-11ee-9bab-cf7e106c4c7f.html Save to Pocket

Pellet gun found on GDOE school bus

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

George Washington High School students were searched Wednesday morning after administrators were informed that a student may be carrying a gun on a school bus headed for the school.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/pellet-gun-found-on-gdoe-school-bus/article_370c4880-aaa4-11ee-9d1e-4f361b05e5bd.html Save to Pocket

Ready or not, Windows PC keyboards are getting a dedicated Copilot key for Microsoft’s AI assistant

date: 2024-01-04, from: Liliputing

Microsoft has been betting big on AI over the last few years. But if you haven’t had much use for features like the company’s new Windows Copilot AI assistant, it’s been pretty easy to ignore. It’s going to be a little harder soon though, because Microsoft has been working with PC makers to include a […]

The post Ready or not, Windows PC keyboards are getting a dedicated Copilot key for Microsoft’s AI assistant appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/windows-pc-keyboards-are-getting-a-dedicated-copilot-key-for-microsofts-ai-assistant/ Save to Pocket

PeerJ Award Winners at CCS 2023

date: 2024-01-04, from: PeerJ blog

Davi Alves Oliveira University of Bahia State, Brazil.  Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your research interests? I am a doctoral candidate in the multidisciplinary and multi-institutional Postgraduate Program in Knowledge Diffusion (Programa de Pós-Graduação em Difusão do Conhecimento – PPGDC), affiliated with the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), the University of […]

https://peerj.com/blog/post/115284888738/peerj-award-winners-at-ccs-2023/ Save to Pocket

Infostealer malware, weak password leaves Orange Spain RIPE for plucking

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

No 2FA or special characters to prevent database takeover and BGP hijack

Updated  A weak password exposed by infostealer malware is being blamed after a massive outage at Orange Spain disrupted around half of its network’s traffic.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/orange_spain_outage_breach/ Save to Pocket

You Can Soon Take a Private Tour of the Acropolis—For a Steep Price

date: 2024-01-04, from: Smithsonian Magazine

Scheduled to begin April 1, the off-hours visits will cost €5,000 ($5,500) per group

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/greece-to-offer-private-guided-tours-of-the-acropolis-180983529/ Save to Pocket

Use a Browser That Blocks Tracking

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Markup blog

Surf the web in peace

https://themarkup.org/gentle-january/2024/01/04/use-a-browser-that-blocks-tracking Save to Pocket

As California mulls reparations, who should be eligible?

date: 2024-01-04, from: Marketplace Morning Report

A bill in the California Legislature would create a first-of-its-kind agency in charge of administering economic reparations for slavery, which could be voted on this year. Recommendations start “with those folks who are clearly descendants of 250 years of wage theft in this country,” said Sen. Steven Bradford, who introduced the legislation. Also, some shipping rates have more than doubled for routes in the Red Sea.

https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/as-california-mulls-reparations-who-should-be-eligible Save to Pocket

AM Briefing: ‘Bigger Than the Hoover Dam’

date: 2024-01-04, from: Heatmap News

Current conditions: The western U.S. is in the midst of a severe “snow drought” • The Great Lakes began 2024 with their smallest amount of ice cover in 50 years • Finland’s Enontekiö airport recorded the country’s coldest January temperature since 2006: -44 degrees Fahrenheit.

THE TOP FIVE

1. Offshore wind sees a turbulent start to 2024

“The rollercoaster that is the U.S. offshore wind industry is already racing in 2024,” says Canary Media’s Maria Gallucci. Indeed, after missing an end-of-year deadline to start sending energy to the U.S. grid, the nation’s first large-scale offshore wind farm came online at 11:52 p.m. on Tuesday, delivering five megawatts of power to the New England grid. The Vineyard Wind 1 project, located near Martha’s Vineyard, will eventually consist of 62 turbines capable of powering 400,000 homes in Massachusetts.

“The arrival of Vineyard Wind is a welcome tonic to a nascent offshore wind industry that has struggled in the US in recent months,” writes Oliver Milman at The Guardian. But on Wednesday, BP and Equinor abandoned a contract to sell offshore wind energy to the state of New York, citing the familiar headwinds of rising costs, interest rates, and supply chain problems. Last October the companies tried to negotiate with the state for higher rates for selling renewable energy credits. Their request was turned down, only for the state to open the floor to new project proposals, including from BP and Equinor. “The agreement is the latest evidence of the malaise engulfing the fledgling offshore US wind industry,” writes Myles McCormick at the Financial Times, “but also illustrates the willingness of state authorities to provide flexibility to prevent projects from being abandoned.”

2. Construction goes ahead on SunZia clean energy transmission line

Some important renewable energy news went under the radar this week: Pattern Energy’s SunZia Transmission line secured $11 billion in financing, which means construction can continue on the “largest clean energy infrastructure project in U.S. history.” The 550-mile high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line will run between central New Mexico and south-central Arizona, delivering power to western states from the SunZia Wind facility being built in New Mexico. “The size and scale of both the SunZia project and this multifaceted financing show that the renewable energy space can secure attractive capital at levels previously only seen in traditional generation,” says Daniel Elkort, executive vice president at Pattern Energy.

Upgrading transmission systems will be key to meeting the Biden administration’s goal of eliminating carbon emissions from the power sector by 2035: By one estimate, transmission systems will need to expand by 60% by 2030. The SunZia Transmission line will be able to move 3,000 megawatts of wind power to 3 million people and has been called “bigger than the Hoover Dam.” But its progress has been rocky: Indigenous groups have expressed concerns about the line’s impact on religious and cultural sites, and environmentalists worried it could harm wildlife habitat.

3. New maps show hidden extent of industrial activity at sea

Incredible new maps published in the journal Nature expose the great extent to which human activity has pervaded the world’s oceans. For the project, researchers led by Google-backed nonprofit Global Fishing Watch used artificial intelligence to analyze huge amounts of offshore data from satellite imagery. They found that many industrial vessels aren’t publicly tracked, exposing a potential blindspot for conservation efforts. The data also showed that offshore wind turbines now outnumber oil structures:

Nature

Nature

4. GOP climate advocate John Curtis launches Senate bid

Utah Rep. John Curtis announced this week he is running for the Senate seat left vacant by retiring Sen. Mitt Romney. The primary field is likely to be crowded, but Curtis’s entry is interesting because he is “one of the GOP’s leading voices on fighting climate change,” says E&E News. He launched and chairs the Conservative Climate Caucus, has supported some of the Biden administration’s policies on solar, and attended COP28 to push for permitting reform. But it will be interesting to see whether climate change features prominently in his campaign: Curtis didn’t mention environmental issues in his first campaign video but pledged to “work to make America not just energy independent, but energy dominant.”

5. Researchers hope volcanic magma could provide ‘quantum leap’ in geothermal energy

Researchers in Iceland have plans to drill into a magma chamber beneath a volcano in an attempt to better understand the hot molten rock and eventually even “make a quantum leap in geothermal energy production,” reports New Scientist. The Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) project will start drilling in 2026, focusing on a volcano called Krafla in north-east Iceland. The researchers hope to develop near-magma geothermal energy technology that would allow wells to trap hot, pressurized water to drive turbines and produce cheap, clean electricity. “There are endless opportunities,” says Hjalti Páll Ingólfsson at the Geothermal Research Cluster (GEORG) in Reykjavík. “The only thing we need to do is to learn how to tame this monster.”

THE KICKER

A company called Moolec Science has been inserting pig genes into soy plants to produce beans that are pink and taste meaty.

https://heatmap.news/climate/am-briefing-bigger-than-the-hoover-dam Save to Pocket

How The 2008 Financial Crisis Led To ‘The Squad’

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Lever News

The Intercept’s Ryan Grim explores how crises during the Obama administration formed the politics of the Squad.

https://www.levernews.com/the-squad-part-2-from-obama-to-bernie-crisis-and-a-crossroads/ Save to Pocket

New cars bought in the UK must be zero emission by 2035 – it’s the law

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Meanwhile, finding a public charge point that works and doesn’t require a second mortgage remains a challenge

All new cars and vans bought in the UK must be zero emission by 2035, according to the latest legal mandate updated this week.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/new_cars_ev_2035/ Save to Pocket

New iPhone Exploit Uses Four Zero-Days

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2023-12-28, from: Bruce Schneier blog

Kaspersky researchers are detailing “an attack that over four years backdoored dozens if not thousands of iPhones, many of which belonged to employees of Moscow-based security firm Kaspersky.” It’s a zero-click exploit that makes use of four iPhone zero-days.

The most intriguing new detail is the targeting of the heretofore-unknown hardware feature, which proved to be pivotal to the Operation Triangulation campaign. A zero-day in the feature allowed the attackers to bypass advanced hardware-based memory protections designed to safeguard device system integrity even after an attacker gained the ability to tamper with memory of the underlying kernel. On most other platforms, once attackers successfully exploit a kernel vulnerability they have full control of the compromised system…

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/01/new-iphone-exploit-uses-four-zero-days.html Save to Pocket

Radical reforms in Argentina derailed by judges

date: 2024-01-04, from: Marketplace Morning Report

From the BBC World Service: Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei, is trying to introduce a radical financial agenda but has been met with wide-scale protests. Now courts have blocked changes to labor laws. Then, a joint statement has warned Houthi rebels in Yemen against carrying out further attacks in the Red Sea. And millions of young people in China are struggling to find a job.

https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/radical-reforms-in-argentina-derailed-by-judges Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Apple Could Acquire Peloton This Year, Fund Manager Forecast Suggests.

https://www.macrumors.com/2024/01/04/apple-could-acquire-peloton-this-year/ Save to Pocket

Worse Than a “Do Nothing” Congress

date: 2024-01-04, from: Dan Rather’s Steady

For the past several decades of divisive American politics, there has been a game played by pundits and politicians alike: Is this Congress the least productive ever? I know it has been said before, but this 118th Congress may actually be the worst one yet. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Republican from North Carolina who is calling it quits, labeled it “a very actively stupid political environment.”

https://steady.substack.com/p/worse-than-a-do-nothing-congress Save to Pocket

As lawmakers mull outlawing poor security, what can they really do to tackle online gangs?

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Headline-grabbing takedowns are nice, but long-term solutions require short-term sacrifices

Comment  In some ways, the ransomware landscape in 2023 remained unchanged from the way it looked in previous years. Vendor reports continue to show a rise in attacks, major organizations are still getting hit, and the inherent issues that enable it as a business model remain unaddressed.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/feds_stole_the_ransomware_limelight/ Save to Pocket

@Jessica Smith’s blog (date: 2024-01-04, from: Jessica Smith’s blog)

I swear, every time I actually start making good progress on my novel, it’s like I completely tunnel-vision on it and am completely incapable of remembering to do anything else 😅 I forgot to make anything for dinner tonight… but luckily Viv shoved a plate of skewers in front of my face. Oh well, on the bright side, this section of my novel I’m working on is coming along nicely!

https://www.jayeless.net/2024/01/tunnel-visioned-on-writing.html Save to Pocket

Welcoming Virginia Tech as a new Institutional Member, meaning APC-free publishing for the faculty

date: 2024-01-04, from: PeerJ blog

Virginia Tech become our latest Institutional Member We’re thrilled to share that Virginia Tech has joined the AIMs program. Via their Annual Institutional Membership (AIM), faculty, staff, and students affiliated with Virginia Tech can publish their work in any PeerJ journal without incurring article processing charges (APCs). Affiliated authors should complete this short form before […]

https://peerj.com/blog/post/115284888733/welcoming-virginia-tech-as-a-new-institutional-member-meaning-apc-free-publishing-for-the-faculty/ Save to Pocket

The “I won’t vote for the lesser of two evils” rubbish

date: 2024-01-04, from: Robert Reich on Substack

Recalling a discussion I had with Chris Hedges in 2016

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-i-wont-vote-for-the-lesser-of Save to Pocket

Dell XPS laptop gets a 2024 overhaul with XPS 13, XPS 14, and XPS 16 laptops coming soon

date: 2024-01-04, from: Liliputing

Dell’s XPS line of laptops have been around for over a decade, offering premium features and portable designs. The company shook up the lineup in 2022 with the introduction of the Dell XPS 13 Plus featuring a new (and kind of weird) keyboard and trackpad design, as well as a cheaper, lower-performance Dell XPS 13 […]

The post Dell XPS laptop gets a 2024 overhaul with XPS 13, XPS 14, and XPS 16 laptops coming soon appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/dell-xps-laptop-gets-a-2024-overhaul-with-xps-13-xps-14-and-xps-16-laptops-coming-soon/ Save to Pocket

Fujitsu wins flood contract extension despite starring in TV drama about its failures

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Deal expanded from £4.5M to £19.5M over 7 years as critics point to shortcomings

The UK’s Environment Agency has awarded Fujitsu – the tech biz embroiled in the high-profile Post Office scandal – a £2 million contract extension to run the flood warning system after apparent delays to finding a replacement supplier.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/fujitsu_flood_contract_extension/ Save to Pocket

Jim de Bree | A Congressional Ethics Dilemma

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Signal

Last year I wrote two columns expressing concerns about the Supreme Court’s lack of formal ethics standards and whether certain justices should recuse themselves from various cases before the court. Since then, that issue has garnered significant national attention. However, SCOTUS is not the only governmental branch whose ethical standards require scrutiny. In November 2011, […]

The post Jim de Bree | A Congressional Ethics Dilemma appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/jim-de-bree-a-congressional-ethics-dilemma/ Save to Pocket

Three Chinese balloons float near Taiwanese airbase

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Also: Remember that balloon over the US last February? It might have used a US internet provider

Four Chinese balloons have reportedly floated over the Taiwan Strait, three of them crossing over the island’s land mass and near its Ching-Chuan-Kang air base before disappearing, according to the Taiwan’s defense ministry.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/three_chinese_balloons_float_near/ Save to Pocket

Vulcans split doubleheader against CUI

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>IRVINE, Calif. &#8212; UH-Hilo&#8217;s basketball teams tipped off a brief, Pacific West Conference action California road trip, splitting a doubleheader against Concordia University Irvine on Tuesday.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/sports/vulcans-split-doubleheader-against-cui/ Save to Pocket

Waikoloa man charged with attempted murder after allegedly firing shotgun on highway

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>A 39 year-old Waikoloa man has been charged with numerous offenses following a shooting incident in Kawaihae in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 30.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/hawaii-news/waikoloa-man-charged-with-attempted-murder-after-allegedly-firing-shotgun-on-highway/ Save to Pocket

Iran says at least 95 were killed in blasts at a ceremony honoring slain general

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates &#8212; Two bombs exploded and killed at least 95 people at a commemoration for a prominent Iranian general slain by the U.S. in a 2020 drone strike, Iranian officials said, as the Middle East remains on edge over Israel&#8217;s war with Hamas in Gaza.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/iran-says-at-least-95-were-killed-in-blasts-at-a-ceremony-honoring-slain-general/ Save to Pocket

Native Hawaiian salt makers combat climate change and pollution to protect a sacred tradition

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>HANAPEPE, Kauai &#8212; On a warm summer afternoon, Tina Taniguchi was on her hands and knees scraping dirt off an oblong depression in the ground. Thick brown hair peeked out from her coconut leaf hat. Splotches of mud stuck to her T-shirt and speckled her smiling face.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/hawaii-news/native-hawaiian-salt-makers-combat-climate-change-and-pollution-to-protect-a-sacred-tradition/ Save to Pocket

Rescuers race against time in search for survivors in Japan after powerful quakes leave 78 dead

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>SUZU, Japan &#8212; Rescuers braved the cold in a race against time as they searched for survivors along Japan&#8217;s western coastline Thursday after a powerful earthquake earlier in the week smashed homes and left at least 78 people dead and 51 missing.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/rescuers-race-against-time-in-search-for-survivors-in-japan-after-powerful-quakes-leave-78-dead/ Save to Pocket

County hopes to complete Keawe St. improvements by April

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>After a slight pause during the holidays, nighttime roadwork will restart on Keawe Street beginning Monday.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/hawaii-news/county-hopes-to-complete-keawe-st-improvements-by-april/ Save to Pocket

Apparent New Year’s Day murder victim had been granted restraining order

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>A 42 year-old Kealakekua woman who was shot in an apparent New Year&#8217;s Day murder-suicide had been granted a temporary restraining order on Dec. 29 against her ex-boyfriend, 43 year-old Garret Kaleohano of Captain Cook.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/hawaii-news/apparent-new-years-day-murder-victim-had-been-granted-restraining-order/ Save to Pocket

Nelson Ho, environmental activist, dies at 73

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Nelson Ho, a prominent Hawaii Island environmental and political activist, died after a long illness Tuesday at Hilo Medical Center. He was 73.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/hawaii-news/nelson-ho-environmental-activist-dies-at-73/ Save to Pocket

Here’s who will sit during Week 18 of NFL

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p><strong>LAMAR JACKSON</strong></p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/sports/heres-who-will-sit-during-week-18-of-nfl/ Save to Pocket

Michigan QB McCarthy says sign-stealing saga masked work of players who ‘did things the right way’

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>The sign-stealing scandal that has hung over Michigan&#8217;s season has overshadowed the work the team has put in to go unbeaten and reach the College Football Playoff championship game, quarterback J.J. McCarthy said Wednesday. </p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/sports/michigan-qb-mccarthy-says-sign-stealing-saga-masked-work-of-players-who-did-things-the-right-way/ Save to Pocket

Firefighters put out large fire at the home of Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. &#8212; Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill and his family are safe after fire rescue crews responded to a large fire at his South Florida home Wednesday afternoon. </p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/sports/firefighters-put-out-large-fire-at-the-home-of-miami-dolphins-receiver-tyreek-hill/ Save to Pocket

Obituaries for January 4

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>John Hastings, 45, of Hawaii Island died June 11. No known family. Survivors are asked to call Hilo Medical Center at (808) 932-3500, option 4.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/obituaries/obituaries-for-january-4-9/ Save to Pocket

Prosecutors accuse Rays shortstop Wander Franco of commercial sexual exploitation, money laundering

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic &#8212; Dominican prosecutors on Wednesday accused Wander Franco of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering following allegations that the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop had a relationship with a minor whose mother also faces the same charges. </p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/sports/prosecutors-accuse-rays-shortstop-wander-franco-of-commercial-sexual-exploitation-money-laundering/ Save to Pocket

Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang shakes up his staff

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker, co-defensive coordinator Eti Ena and cornerbacks coach Steve Irvin will not be retained on the University of Hawaii football team&#8217;s coaching staff, head coach Timmy Chang announced on Tuesday.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/sports/hawaii-head-coach-timmy-chang-shakes-up-his-staff/ Save to Pocket

Nevada judge attacked by defendant during sentencing in Vegas courtroom scene captured on video

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>LAS VEGAS &#8212; A Nevada judge was attacked Wednesday by a defendant in a felony battery case who leaped over a defense table and the judge&#8217;s bench, landing atop her and sparking a bloody brawl involving court officials and attorneys, officials and witnesses said.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/nevada-judge-attacked-by-defendant-during-sentencing-in-vegas-courtroom-scene-captured-on-video/ Save to Pocket

New PGA Tour season starts with renewed emphasis on charity with Lahaina in mind

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>KAPALUA, Maui &#8212; Collin Morikawa is making his fifth trip to Kapalua to start a new year on the PGA Tour at The Sentry. This was the first time he wore an apron and was shivering from cold. </p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/sports/new-pga-tour-season-starts-with-renewed-emphasis-on-charity-with-lahaina-in-mind/ Save to Pocket

Unsealed court records offer new detail on old sex abuse allegations against Jeffrey Epstein

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>NEW YORK &#8212; Amid great hype, a court began to release a new batch of previously secret court documents late Wednesday related to Jeffrey Epstein, the jet-setting financier who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/unsealed-court-records-offer-new-detail-on-old-sex-abuse-allegations-against-jeffrey-epstein/ Save to Pocket

Israel’s Mossad chief vows to hunt down Hamas members a day after senior figure killed in strike

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>The chief of Israel&#8217;s Mossad intelligence service vowed Wednesday that the agency would hunt down every Hamas member involved in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, no matter where they are. His pledge came a day after the deputy head of the Palestinian militant group was killed in a suspected Israeli strike in Beirut.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/israels-mossad-chief-vows-to-hunt-down-hamas-members-a-day-after-senior-figure-killed-in-strike/ Save to Pocket

US, Philippines hold fresh sea drills amid China tensions

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>The Philippine and U.S. militaries on Wednesday began their second maritime drills in the South China Sea in less than two months amid continuing tensions with China in the disputed waters.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/us-philippines-hold-fresh-sea-drills-amid-china-tensions/ Save to Pocket

COVID has resurged, but scientists see a diminished threat

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>The holidays have come and gone, and once again Americans are riding a tide of respiratory ailments, including COVID-19. But so far, this winter&#8217;s COVID uptick seems less deadly than last year&#8217;s, and much less so than in 2022, when the omicron surge ground the nation to a halt.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/covid-has-resurged-but-scientists-see-a-diminished-threat/ Save to Pocket

UH president won’t say if he was drinking before crash

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>The president of the University of Hawaii system declined to say whether he was drinking at a New Year&#8217;s Eve dinner before he hit a parked car and flipped his 2021 Toyota Rav4 early Monday.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/hawaii-news/uh-president-wont-say-if-he-was-drinking-before-crash/ Save to Pocket

Speaker Johnson demands hard-line policies during a border visit as Ukraine aid hangs in the balance

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>EAGLE PASS, Texas &#8212; U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson led about 60 fellow Republicans in Congress on a visit Wednesday to the Mexican border to demand hard-line immigration policies in exchange for backing President Joe Biden&#8217;s emergency wartime funding request for Ukraine. He expressed serious doubts about whether he would support a bipartisan compromise.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/speaker-johnson-demands-hard-line-policies-during-a-border-visit-as-ukraine-aid-hangs-in-the-balance/ Save to Pocket

Russia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners of war in biggest release so far

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>(AP) &#8212; Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in the biggest single release of captives since Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion in February 2022.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/russia-and-ukraine-exchange-hundreds-of-prisoners-of-war-in-biggest-release-so-far/ Save to Pocket

Trump urges US Supreme Court to reverse Colorado ruling barring him from state’s ballot

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>WASHINGTON &#8212; Former President Donald Trump appealed to the Supreme Court Thursday and urged the justices to quickly reverse a Colorado state court decision that would keep him off the ballot there on the grounds that he engaged in insurrection against the United States.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/trump-urges-us-supreme-court-to-reverse-colorado-ruling-barring-him-from-states-ballot/ Save to Pocket

It took decades, but San Francisco finally installs nets to stop suicides off Golden Gate Bridge

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>SAN FRANCISCO &#8212; Kevin Hines regretted jumping off San Francisco&#8217;s Golden Gate Bridge the moment his hands released the rail and he plunged the equivalent of 25 stories into the Pacific Ocean, breaking his back.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/it-took-decades-but-san-francisco-finally-installs-nets-to-stop-suicides-off-golden-gate-bridge/ Save to Pocket

Ohtani strikes out California’s tax bureaucracy

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Tax rates do matter. Consider the financial implications of baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani&#8217;s new contract.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/opinion/ohtani-strikes-out-californias-tax-bureaucracy/ Save to Pocket

Your Views for January 4

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Point-by-point&#0010;counter to letter</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/opinion/your-views-for-january-4-6/ Save to Pocket

The Supreme Court of Israel protects the independent judiciary

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>That the Supreme Court of Israel issued its decisive opinion knocking down the narrow governing coalition of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu&#8217;s terrible plan to undermine the country&#8217;s independent judiciary in the midst of a national mobilization for a war with Hamas is exactly what independent judges are supposed to do.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/opinion/the-supreme-court-of-israel-protects-the-independent-judiciary/ Save to Pocket

Maunakea Observatories’ Maunakea Coin Contest is now open

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Hawaii Island students can have a chance at immortality if their design is chosen for minting a keepsake coin as part of the annual Maunakea Observatories&#8217; Maunakea Coin Contest.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/community/maunakea-observatories-maunakea-coin-contest-is-now-open/ Save to Pocket

County names interim administrator for newly created office

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Bethany Morrison has been selected as the interim administrator of the newly established Hawaii County Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity and Resilience, or OSCER. She will assume her new role in early 2024.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/community/county-names-interim-administrator-for-newly-created-office/ Save to Pocket

Hawaii State FCU announces call for 2024 scholarship applications

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Hawaii State Federal Credit Union announced the application period for its 2024 student scholarship program is now open through Feb. 29.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/community/hawaii-state-fcu-announces-call-for-2024-scholarship-applications/ Save to Pocket

Taking flight: Registration open for annual Amelia Earhart Girls in Engineering Day

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>Registration is now open for the 8th Annual Amelia Earhart Girls in Engineering Day, which will be held 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27 at Waiakea High School. Sign ups for the free event are available for the first 50 girls from Hawaii Island in grades 4-8.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/community/taking-flight-registration-open-for-annual-amelia-earhart-girls-in-engineering-day/ Save to Pocket

State tax cutting trend faces headwinds from declining revenues and tighter budgets

date: 2024-01-04, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

            <p>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. &#8212; Income, sales, property and gas taxes: Almost every U.S. state cut at least one such broad-based tax as budget surpluses soared over the past three years.</p>
        

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/04/nation-world-news/state-tax-cutting-trend-faces-headwinds-from-declining-revenues-and-tighter-budgets/ Save to Pocket

Retro-style homebrew computer (with VERY neat wiring)

date: 2024-01-04, from: Raspberry Pi News (.com)

Shane Mason wanted to create a retro-looking computer using modern microcontrollers to better understand how his work as a software engineer translates in the real world of computing.

The post Retro-style homebrew computer (with VERY neat wiring) appeared first on Raspberry Pi.

https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/retro-style-homebrew-computer-with-very-neat-wiring/ Save to Pocket

Laurene Weste | Safe Trails in the New Year

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Signal

As we step into the new year, I find myself eagerly anticipating the adventures that lie ahead. As a long-time resident and former parks commissioner of the city of Santa Clarita, I have always been captivated by the simple joy of hiking and embracing the great outdoors. Our beloved city is a treasure trove of […]

The post Laurene Weste | Safe Trails in the New Year appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/laurene-weste-safe-trails-in-the-new-year/ Save to Pocket

How the Xbox Series X fridge chilled our holiday spirits

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

But not enough sodas

Christmas has been and gone. Were you a good techie? Did you get a Raspberry Pi 5? Or were you more like this vulture, who became the proud owner of an Xbox Series X … fridge?…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/xbox_series_x_fridge/ Save to Pocket

December 2023 – Volume 64 Issue 5

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)

Letter from the Editor: Issue 5 Volume 64 Yesterday’s News: CSUN’s road to sustainability Technology: Electric cars in California Power in Numbers: Pollution in Los Angeles The Menu: The price of palm oil The Metro migraine: How CSUN is working to improve transportation emissions If the mess fits: Making garments from garbage at Manzanita Hall…

https://sundial.csun.edu/177789/print-editions/december-2023-volume-64-issue-5/ Save to Pocket

GovGuam payroll may see delay due to AS400 error

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

Government of Guam payroll may be delayed Friday due to a critical system error that occurred in the AS400 system, according to a release from the Department of Administration.

https://www.postguam.com/news/govguam-payroll-may-see-delay-due-to-as400-error/article_ec94dd2a-aad6-11ee-a6c1-5758385d6667.html Save to Pocket

Google to start third-party cookie cull for 30 million Chrome users

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

One of the ad APIs that will fill the void – Protected Audience – arguably may offer better privacy anyway

From today there will be a great disturbance in Chrome – as if millions of browser cookies suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/google_set_to_start_cookie/ Save to Pocket

January 3, 2023

date: 2024-01-04, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog

If yesterday was a news storm, today was a lot of follow-up. Tensions in the Middle East continue to tighten with the explosion of two bombs at a ceremony today honoring prominent Iranian general Qassem Soleimani on the fourth anniversary of his death from a U.S. drone strike in Iraq. At least 95 people were killed. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombings. Iran-backed militias, including Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon, are aligned against Israel.

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-3-2023-56e Save to Pocket

Pepsi Guam reaches $132k settlement in OSHA case

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement agreement with Pepsi Guam Bottling after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the company exposed employees to amputation and other injuries, a release from USDOL stated.

https://www.postguam.com/news/pepsi-guam-reaches-132k-settlement-in-osha-case/article_48a0ad7a-aad1-11ee-9673-db355857cf13.html Save to Pocket

Why Britain’s economy is failing

date: 2024-01-04, from: Marginal Revolution blog

In the past five years, the number of applications to connect to the electricity grid — many of them for solar energy generation and storage — has increased tenfold, with waits of up to 15 years. The underinvestment is restricting the flow of cheap energy from Scottish wind farms to population centers in England and adding to […]

The post Why Britain’s economy is failing appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

Comments

• In reply to Heedless. Offering a competing analogy; Brexit … by M
• In reply to Scoop. If you mean that the MPs from parties are … by M
• In reply to Jon. They don’t even call themselves that, so … by M
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Cabras 1 offline, possible partial implementation of outage schedule

date: 2024-01-04, from: Guam Daily Post

The Guam Power Authority is notifying residents that a partial implementation of its rotating outage schedule may happen at 4 p.m. today, due to limited generation capacity.

https://www.postguam.com/news/cabras-1-offline-possible-partial-implementation-of-outage-schedule/article_ec6df120-aac6-11ee-ba7a-6b60efc199f9.html Save to Pocket

The rate of return on exercise

date: 2024-01-04, from: Marginal Revolution blog

These are illustrative numbers, not definitive estimates: Let’s make some base-case assumptions. The most important assumptions are: A 50 year old male who doesn’t exercise can expect to live to age 80 That same male who puts in 8 hours per week of exercise can expect to live to age 88. We will measure investment […]

The post The rate of return on exercise appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

Comments

• In reply to OGWiseman. Also, the disutility of exercise can … by Ian
• In reply to Marshall. Kirkegaard’s Fifth Law of Behavioral … by Allonda
• In reply to Todd K. I find it hard to imagine how it is … by Widmerpool
• In reply to Moral Panic. Google Pay Work $45ooo Are you … by Anne
• In reply to Gert Daza. Perhaps, but with a feedback loop you … by Sure
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13-Year-Old Gamer First to Beat ‘Unbeatable’ Tetris

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

SAN FRANCISCO — The falling-block video game Tetris has met its match in 13-year-old Willis Gibson, who has become the first player to officially “beat” the original Nintendo version of the game — by breaking it.

Technically, Willis — aka “blue scuti” in the gaming world — made it to what gamers call a “kill screen,” a point where the Tetris code glitches, crashing the game. That might not sound like much of a victory to anyone thinking that only high scores count, but it’s a highly coveted achievement in the world of video games, where records involve pushing hardware and software to their limits. And beyond.

It’s also a very big deal for players of Tetris, which many had long considered unbeatable. That’s partly because the game doesn’t have a scripted ending; those four-block shapes just keep falling no matter how good you get at stacking them into disappearing rows. Top players continued to find ways to extend their winning streaks by staying in the game to reach higher and higher levels, but in the end, the game beat them all.

Until, that is, Willis managed on Dec. 21 to trigger a kill screen on Level 157, which the gaming world takes as a victory over the game — something along the lines of pushing the software past its own limits.

The makers of Tetris agree. “Congratulations to ‘blue scuti’ for achieving this extraordinary accomplishment, a feat that defies all preconceived limits of this legendary game,” Tetris CEO Maya Rogers said in a statement. Rogers noted that Tetris will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year and called Willis’ victory a “monumental achievement.”

It’s been a very long road. Early on, “the Tetris scene people didn’t even know how to get to these higher levels,” said David Macdonald, a gaming YouTuber who has chronicled the gaming industry for years. “They were just stuck in the 20s and 30s because they just didn’t know techniques to get any further.” Level 29 posed an especially tough roadblock because the blocks began falling more quickly than the in-game controller could respond.

Eventually players found ways to make progress, as Macdonald chronicled in his detailed video on Willis victory. In 2011, one got to Level 30 using a technique called “hypertapping,” in which a player could rhythmically vibrate their fingers to move the game controller faster than the game’s built-in speed. That technique took players to level 35 by 2018, after which they hit a wall.

The next big thing came in 2020 when a gamer combined a multifinger technique originally used on arcade video games with a finger positioned on the bottom of the controller to push it against another finger on the top. Called “rolling,” this much speedier approach helped one player reach Level 95 in 2022.

Then other obstacles arose. Because the original Tetris developers had never counted on players pushing the game’s limits so aggressively, bizarre quirks began to crop up at higher levels. One particularly difficult issue arose with the game’s color palette, which traditionally cycled through 10 easily distinguished patterns. Starting at level 138, though, random color combinations began to appear — some of which made it much harder to distinguish the blocks from the game’s black background.

Two particularly devilish patterns — one a dim combination of dark blues and greens later dubbed “Dusk,” the other composed of black, gray and white blocks called “Charcoal” — proved taxing for players. When combined with the strain of increasingly longer games, which could run 40 minutes or more, progress slowed again. It took a Tetris-playing AI program dubbed StackRabbit to break that logjam by helping map out just where players might happen across a glitch resulting in a kill screen, and finally beat the game.

StackRabbit, which managed to make it all the way to Level 237 before crashing the game, ran on a modified version of Tetris, so its achievements aren’t strictly comparable to those of human players. And its findings weren’t immediately applicable to the human-played game, either. But its runs clearly demonstrated that game-ending glitches could be triggered by very specific events, such as which block pieces were in play or how many lines a player cleared at once.

That let human players take over the task of mapping all possible scenarios that could cause such crashes in the original game. These typically resulted when the game’s decade-old code lost its place and began reading its next instructions from the wrong location, generally resulting in garbage input.

A massive effort spurred by StackRabbit’s experience eventually led to the compilation of a large spreadsheet that detailed which game levels and which specific conditions were most likely to lead to a crash.

That’s what compelled Willis to make his run for the record.

Yet even he appeared shocked when he crashed the game at Level 157. In his livestream video, he appears to hyperventilate before barely gasping “Oh my God” several times, clutching his temples and worrying that he might be passing out. After cupping his hands over his mouth in an apparent attempt to regulate his breathing, he finally exclaims, “I can’t feel my fingers.”

https://www.voanews.com/a/year-old-gamer-first-to-beat-unbeatable-tetris/7426148.html Save to Pocket

Justice Department Sues Texas, Says Immigration Law Unconstitutional

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

AUSTIN, Texas — The Justice Department on Wednesday sued Texas over a new law that would allow police to arrest migrants who enter the U.S. illegally, taking Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to court again over his escalating response to border crossers arriving from Mexico.

The lawsuit draws Texas into another clash over immigration at a time when New York and Chicago are pushing back on buses and planes carrying migrants sent by Abbott to Democrat-led cities nationwide. Texas is also fighting separate court battles to keep razor wire on the border and a floating barrier in the Rio Grande.

But a law Abbott signed last month poses a broader and bigger challenge to the U.S. government’s authority over immigration. In addition to allowing police anywhere in Texas to arrest migrants on charges of illegal entry, the law — known as Senate Bill 4 — also gives judges the authority to order migrants to leave the country.

The lawsuit asks a federal court in Austin to declare the Texas law unconstitutional. It calls the measure a violation of the Supremacy Clause, which establishes that federal laws in most cases supersede state law. 

“Texas cannot run its own immigration system,” the Justice Department states in the lawsuit. “Its efforts, through SB 4, intrude on the federal government’s exclusive authority to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens, frustrate the United States’ immigration operations and proceedings, and interfere with U.S. foreign relations.”

Abbott’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment.

“Biden sued me today because I signed a law making it illegal for an illegal immigrant to enter or attempt to enter Texas directly from a foreign nation.” Abbott said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “I like my chances.”

The law is scheduled to take effect in March. Civil rights organizations and officials in El Paso County, Texas, filed a lawsuit last month that similarly described the new law as unconstitutional overreach.

The Justice Department sent Abbott a letter last week threatening legal action unless Texas reversed course. In response, Abbott posted on X that the Biden administration “not only refuses to enforce current U.S. immigration laws, they now want to stop Texas from enforcing laws against illegal immigration.”

On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson and about 60 fellow Republicans visited the Texas border city of Eagle Pass, which has been the center of Abbott’s $10 billion border initiative known as Operation Lone Star. Johnson suggested he could use a looming government funding deadline as further leverage for hard-line border policies.

President Joe Biden has expressed willingness to make policy compromises because the number of migrants crossing the border is an increasing challenge for his 2024 reelection campaign. Johnson praised Abbott, who was not in Eagle Pass, and slammed the lawsuits that seek to undo Texas’ aggressive border measures.

“It’s absolute insanity,” Johnson said.

Illegal crossings along the southern U.S. border topped 10,000 on several days in December, a number that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Troy Miller called “unprecedented.” U.S. authorities closed cargo rail crossings in Eagle Pass and El Paso for five days last month, calling it a response to a large number of migrants riding freight trains through Mexico to the border.

Authorities this week also resumed full operations at a bridge in Eagle Pass and other crossings in San Diego and Arizona that had been temporarily closed.

Legal experts and opponents say Texas’ new law is the most far-reaching attempt by a state to police immigration since a 2010 Arizona law that was partially struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. That law had made it a state crime to be in the U.S. without legal status and gave police some immigration enforcement powers. A Supreme Court ruling in 2012 affirmed that immigration enforcement is solely within the authority of the federal government.

Under the Texas law, migrants could either agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Migrants who don’t leave could face arrest again under more serious felony charges.

Those ordered to leave would be sent to ports of entry along the border with Mexico, even if they are not Mexican citizens. The law can be enforced anywhere in Texas but some places are off-limits, including schools and churches.

For more than two years, Texas has run a smaller-scale operation on the border to arrest migrants on misdemeanor charges of trespassing. Although that was also intended to stem illegal crossings, there is little indication that it has done so.

https://www.voanews.com/a/justice-department-sues-texas-says-immigration-law-unconstitutional-/7426146.html Save to Pocket

FBI Calls Bomb Threats Leading to Brief Lockdowns a Hoax

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

https://www.voanews.com/a/fbi-calls-bomb-threats-leading-to-brief-lockdowns-a-hoax/7426145.html Save to Pocket

Black Box From US Osprey Found Off Japan

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

Tokyo — The black box from an Osprey military aircraft that crashed off Japan in November with eight people on board has been recovered, the US military said Thursday, five weeks after the accident.

“Critical equipment identified by investigation officials has been recovered, including the Voice and Data Recorder, often called the black box,” U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command spokesperson Rebecca Heyse said.

“The equipment will be transported to laboratories for data retrieval with follow analysis of the data at AFSOC. We expect the analysis process to take several weeks,” Heyse said by email.

Seven bodies had previously been recovered and Heyse said the search for the eighth crewmember was ongoing.

The aircraft crashed in waters off southern Japan on November 29.

The Osprey, which can operate like a helicopter or a fixed-wing turboprop plane, has suffered a string of fatal accidents in recent years.

https://www.voanews.com/a/black-box-from-us-osprey-found-off-japan-/7426132.html Save to Pocket

US Imam Shot Outside New Jersey Mosque Dies

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

NEW YORK — An imam who was shot Wednesday outside a mosque in New Jersey has died, the US state’s attorney general said, adding that the killing did not initially appear to be driven by “bias” or domestic terrorism.

Hassan Sharif was shot multiple times near a mosque in Newark, just west of New York, before being taken to hospital where he later died, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said.

“We do not yet know the motivation for this crime (but) the evidence collected thus far does not indicate that this was an act motivated by bias, or an act of domestic terrorism,” said Platkin.

He added that “in light of global events, and with a rise in bias that many communities are experiencing across our state — particularly the Muslim community — there are many in New Jersey right now who are feeling a heightened sense of fear.”

The state is home to 300,000 Muslim Americans, he said.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, there has been an increase in Islamophobic and anti-Semitic attacks across the United States.

The Essex County prosecutor, Ted Stephens, confirmed Sharif was shot more than once, and that “it does not appear the imam was the victim of a bias crime or that this is related to terrorism.”

“We are dedicated to bringing justice for the imam’s family,” said Stephens, who called it a “dastardly crime.”

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration earlier confirmed that Sharif had worked as a security screener at Newark airport since 2016.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing and send our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” said Lisa Farbstein, a TSA spokeswoman.

Images published by the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) showed police vehicles deployed outside the Masjid Muhammad-Newark, a two-story yellow and green complex.

In a statement, CAIR described Sharif as “a beacon of leadership and excellence.”

“As always, and irrespective of this specific incident, we advise all mosques to keep their doors open but remain cautious especially given the recent spike in anti-Muslim bigotry,” the organization said.

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-imam-shot-outside-new-jersey-mosque-dies/7426125.html Save to Pocket

More US Hospitals Requiring Masks as Flu, COVID-19 Cases Surge

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

NEW YORK — More U.S. hospitals are requiring masks and limiting visitors as health officials face an expected but still nasty post-holiday spike in flu, COVID-19 and other illnesses.

While many experts say this season likely won’t prove to be as deadly as some other recent winters, it still could mean hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and many thousands of deaths across the country.

New York City last week instituted a mask mandate for the city’s 11 public hospitals. Similar measures were ordered last week at some hospitals in Los Angeles and Massachusetts. Some hospitals reinstated masking rules for employees months ago, in anticipation of a seasonal rush of sick people.

Flu and COVID-19 infections have been increasing for weeks, with high levels of flu-like illness reported in 31 states just before Christmas. Updated national numbers are to be released Friday, but health officials predict infections will grow in many states well into January.

“What we’re seeing right now, in the first week of January, is really an acceleration — of flu cases, in particular,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There is some good news. Flu and COVID-19 cases may peak by the end of the month and then drop, Cohen said. Though the flu has been skyrocketing, this year’s cases are being caused by a strain that usually doesn’t cause as many deaths and hospitalizations as some other versions. What’s more, signs suggest current flu vaccines are well-matched to the strain.

“I don’t think it’s going to be overwhelming,” said Dr. William Schaffner, Vanderbilt University infectious diseases expert. He deemed the current season “moderately severe.”

The CDC is pointing the public to an agency website where people can look up their county, which can help them make decisions about whether to wear masks or take other precautions. Cohen urged people to get vaccinated and to seek treatment for flu and COVID-19.

Vaccinations are down this year, officials say. About 44% of U.S. adults had gotten flu shots by Dec. 23, according to the most recently available CDC vaccination survey data. Only about 19% of U.S. adults were reported to have received an updated COVID-19 shot as of early December.

COVID-19 cases are causing more severe disease than the flu but have been rising less dramatically. Health officials are keeping an eye on JN.1, a new version of the ever-evolving coronavirus. The omicron variant was first detected in the U.S. in September and just before Christmas accounted for an estimated 44% of COVID-19 cases.

The JN.1 variant may spread easier or be better at evading our immune systems, but there is no evidence that it causes more severe disease than other recent variants, health officials say. Current evidence indicates vaccines and antiviral medications work against it.

The CDC also has reported disappointing vaccination rates against another seasonal bug, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. That is a common cause of mild cold-like symptoms, but it can be dangerous for infants and older people. RSV cases rose in the fall but appear to have plateaued and are even going down in some places, according to the latest data.

At Hillsdale Hospital in southern Michigan, a 65% increase in respiratory illness activity in late December triggered a limitation to visitors in the birthing center. Only a spouse, a support person and grandparents can visit. They all must wear a mask and not show symptoms of sickness.

The restriction is common for the hospital around this time of year, said Dr. Nichole Ellis, a pediatrician who is the hospital’s medical chief of staff. But it’s more difficult this season, she added.

“In the past, we would have one … disease that we were tracking or monitoring at one time,” Ellis said. “But now, babies and children will have multiple diseases at the same time. It’s not that they just have RSV … but they’re getting RSV and COVID at the same time, or influenza and RSV at the same time because all of the diseases are prevalent in our community.”

https://www.voanews.com/a/more-us-hospitals-requiring-masks-as-flu-covid-19-cases-surge-/7426123.html Save to Pocket

White House Urges Congress to Fund Ukraine Fight

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

Russia and Ukraine rang in 2024 by attacking each other, as Ukraine continues its quest to push invading Russian forces out. But much of the drama around this conflict is centered in Washington, where Republicans are reluctant to grant President Joe Biden’s increasingly urgent request for tens of billions in funding for Ukraine. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House.

https://www.voanews.com/a/white-house-urges-congress-to-fund-ukraine-fight/7426100.html Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-04, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Niklaus Wirth, Inventor of Pascal, Dies At 89.

https://developers.slashdot.org/story/24/01/04/0126247/niklaus-wirth-inventor-of-pascal-dies-at-89 Save to Pocket

Maestro: UNIX-like kernel and operating system written in Rust, compatible-ish with Linux

date: 2024-01-04, from: OS News

Maestro is a lightweight Unix-like kernel written in Rust. The goal is to provide a lightweight operating system able to use the safety features of the Rust language to be reliable. ↫ Maestro’s GitHub page The state of this project is actually kind of amazing – roughly 31% of Linux systemcalls are more or less already implemented, and it also comes with a daemon manager, a package manager, and can already run musl, bash, various core GNU utilities, and so on. It has kernel modules, a VGA text mode terminal, virtual memory, and a lot more.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138192/maestro-unix-like-kernel-and-operating-system-written-in-rust-compatible-ish-with-linux/ Save to Pocket

Here’s a list of thousands of artists Midjourney’s AI is ripping off, creatives claim

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Draw a picture of a smoking gun in the style of Sarah Andersen

A spreadsheet submitted as evidence in a copyright lawsuit against Midjourney allegedly lists thousands of artists whose images the startup’s AI picture generator “can successfully mimic or imitate.”…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/midjourney_artists_spreadsheet/ Save to Pocket

OpenBSD workstation hardening

date: 2024-01-04, from: OS News

I wanted to share a list of hardening you can do on your OpenBSD workstation, and explaining the threat model of each change. Feel free to pick any tweak you find useful for your use-case, many are certainly overkill for most people, but depending on the context, these changes could make sense for others. ↫ Solène Rapenne Writte by OpenBSD developer Solène Rapenne.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138186/openbsd-workstation-hardening/ Save to Pocket

Meet ‘Link History,’ Facebook’s new way to track the websites you visit

date: 2024-01-04, from: OS News

Facebook recently rolled out a new “Link History” setting that creates a special repository of all the links you click on in the Facebook mobile app. You can opt out if you’re proactive, but the company is pushing Link History on users, and the data is used for targeted ads. As lawmakers introduce tech regulations and Apple and Google beef up privacy restrictions, Meta is doubling down and searching for new ways to preserve its data harvesting empire. The company pitches Link History as a useful tool for consumers “with your browsing activity saved in one place,” rather than another way to keep tabs on your behavior. With the new setting you’ll “never lose a link again,” Facebook says in a pop-up encouraging users to consent to the new tracking method. The company goes on to mention that “When you allow link history, we may use your information to improve your ads across Meta technologies.” The app keeps the toggle switched on in the pop-up, steering users towards accepting Link History unless they take the time to look carefully. ↫ Thomas Germain at Gizmodo As more and more people in the technology press who used to be against Facebook have changed their tune since the launch of Facebook’s Threads – the tech press needs eyeballs in one place for ad revenue, and with Twitter effectively dead, Threads is its replacement – it’s easy to forget just what a sleazy, slimy, and disgusting company Facebook really is.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138182/meet-link-history-facebooks-new-way-to-track-the-websites-you-visit/ Save to Pocket

Unsealed Records Offer New Detail on Jeffrey Epstein Sex Abuse Allegations

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

NEW YORK — Amid great hype, a new batch of previously secret court documents was unsealed late Wednesday related to Jeffrey Epstein, the jet-setting financier who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Social media has been rife in recent weeks with posts speculating the documents amounted to a list of rich and powerful men who were Epstein’s “clients” or “co-conspirators.”

There was no such list. The first 40 documents in the court-ordered release largely consisted of already public material revealed through nearly two decades of newspaper stories, TV documentaries, interviews, legal cases and books about the Epstein scandal.

Still, the records — including transcripts of interviews with some Epstein’s victims and old police reports — contained reminders that Epstein surrounded himself with famous and powerful figures, including a few who have also been accused of misconduct.

There were mentions of Epstein’s past friendship with Bill Clinton — who is not accused of any wrongdoing — and of Britain’s Prince Andrew, who previously settled a lawsuit accusing him of having sex with a 17-year-old girl who traveled with Epstein.

Epstein accuser Johanna Sjoberg testified in a newly released deposition that she once met Michael Jackson at Epstein’s Palm Beach, Florida, home, but that nothing untoward happened with the late pop icon.

The documents being unsealed are related to a lawsuit filed in 2015 by one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre.

She is one of dozens of women who sued Epstein for abusing them at his homes in Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Mexico. This suit was against Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison term for helping recruit and abuse Epstein’s victims.

Epstein, a millionaire known for associating with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and academic stars, killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Giuffre’s lawsuit was settled in 2017, but the court had kept some documents blacked-out or sealed because of concerns about the privacy rights of Epstein’s victims and others whose names had come up during the legal battle. More documents were to be released in coming days.

Among newly unsealed records were court memos in which Giuffre’s lawyers complained that some women who had worked for Epstein were proving difficult to serve with subpoenas, as was Epstein himself. Two of those women had invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when questioned in other lawsuits about whether they had helped procure young women for Epstein to abuse.

Maxwell, in her deposition, chaffed at being asked about Giuffre’s allegations that she had arranged for her to have sexual encounters with Prince Andrew. She also reacted angrily to being asked about whether she had purchased sex toys or revealing outfits, or seen young, topless women at Epstein’s home.

One former member of Epstein’s domestic staff said in a deposition that he felt uncomfortable with the number of young women showing up at the house, and felt threatened by Maxwell to stay quiet after he quit.

Other documents included legal arguments over whether Giuffre should be allowed more time to depose potential witnesses, including Clinton. Giuffre never alleged he was involved in illegal behavior, but her attorneys said the former president was a “key person who can provide information about his close relationship” with Maxwell and Epstein.

Maxwell’s attorneys countered that Clinton testimony was not relevant and that Giuffre’s attorneys didn’t diligently try to subpoena him to testify.

The records included depositions of several Epstein victims, many of whom have told their stories publicly previously.

In her May 2016 deposition, Sjoberg described going to a dinner at one of Epstein’s homes with the magician David Copperfield.

She said Copperfield did magic tricks before asking if she was aware “that girls were getting paid to find other girls.” One of the key allegations against Epstein and Maxwell was that some of the girls he paid for sex acts then acted as recruiters to find him other victims. Sjoberg said Copperfield didn’t get more specific about what he meant.

A publicist for Copperfield did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Sjoberg also shed new light on an April 2001 trip to New York in which she said Prince Andrew touched her breast while they posed for a photo at Epstein’s Manhattan town house.

In the testimony, some of which appeared as excerpts in previous court filings, Sjoberg said she and Giuffre had flown with Epstein to New York on his private jet. Maxwell and Prince Andrew met them there, she said.

At one point, she testified, Maxwell called her to an upstairs closet where they pulled out a puppet of Prince Andrew that had been made for a television program.

“It looked like him,” Sjoberg said. “And she brought it down and presented it to him; and that was a great joke, because apparently it was a production from a show on BBC.”

“And they decided to take a picture with it, in which Virginia and Andrew sat on a couch. They put the puppet on Virginia’s lap, and I sat on Andrew’s lap, and they put the puppet’s hand on Virginia’s breast, and Andrew put his hand on my breast, and they took a photo.”

On the way to New York, Sjoberg testified, Epstein’s jet diverted to Atlantic City, New Jersey, and spent a few hours at one of Donald Trump’s casinos, because of bad weather.

Upon hearing the change of plans, Sjoberg recalled Epstein saying, “Great, we’ll call up Trump and we’ll go to” the casino. Sjoberg wasn’t asked if they’d met up with Trump that night. Later in her testimony, she said she was never asked to give Trump a massage.

Sjoberg also testified that though she never met Clinton, Epstein once remarked to her that “Clinton likes them young,” a remark she took as a reference to young women or girls.

In her deposition, Giuffre said the summer she turned 17, she was lured away from a job as a spa attendant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club to become a “masseuse” for Epstein — a job that involved performing sexual acts.

She settled a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in 2022 in which she claimed he had sexually abused her during a trip to London. That same year, Giuffre withdrew an accusation she had made against Epstein’s former attorney, law professor Alan Dershowitz, saying she “ may have made a mistake ” in identifying him as an abuser.

The records released Wednesday included many references to Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent close to Epstein who was awaiting trial on charges that he raped underage girls when he killed himself in a Paris jail in 2022. Giuffre was among the women who had accused Brunel of sexual abuse.

Clinton’s name also came up because Giuffre was questioned by Maxwell’s lawyers about inaccuracies in newspaper reports about her time with Epstein, including a story quoting her as saying she had ridden in a helicopter with Clinton and flirted with Trump. Giuffre said neither of those things actually happened.

The judge said a handful of names should remain blacked out in the documents because they would identify people who were sexually abused. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they decide to tell their stories publicly, as Giuffre has done.

Even before the documents were released, misinformation about what was in them abounded. Social media users wrongly claimed that late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s name might appear in the documents, spurred by a crack New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers made Tuesday on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show.”

Kimmel said in a response on X that he had never met Epstein and that Rodgers’ “reckless words put my family in danger.”

https://www.voanews.com/a/first-set-of-jeffrey-epstein-court-records-are-released/7426053.html Save to Pocket

CalArts Alums Capture Emmys at Children’s, Family Awards

date: 2024-01-04, from: SCV New (TV Station)

More than a dozen graduates of California Institute of the Arts were nominated for the second annual National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. CalArtians were nominated across the 50 categories

https://scvnews.com/calarts-alums-capture-emmys-at-childrens-family-awards/ Save to Pocket

American Victims of Hamas Attack on Israel Plan to Sue North Korea

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

Tel Aviv/Washington, DC — Families of Americans killed and injured in Hamas’ October 7 terror attack in Israel are contemplating a lawsuit against North Korea for indirectly supplying the Palestinian militant group with weapons, according to an Israeli attorney representing the families.

Weapons that Hamas used in its surprise attack on Israel were provided by North Korea “knowingly and intentionally,” said Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, an Israeli attorney and human rights activist who spoke with VOA’s Korean Service in Tel Aviv on December 27.

“North Korea knows its weapons go to Iran, and Iran gives the weapons to Hamas,” Darshan-Leitner continued, adding that Pyongyang “never once warned Iran not to send the weapons to Hamas.”

This makes North Korea “liable,” she said, explaining that she and her legal associates are considering filing a lawsuit in U.S. court against those countries that supported Hamas, such as Iran and North Korea, on behalf of American victims of the October 7 attack and their families. 

More than 30 Americans, many of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, were killed in the attack that initiated the latest round of violence between Hamas and Israel.

Darshan-Leitner is representing 10 Americans, including family members who lost their loved ones, as well as U.S. citizens who were injured or who incurred property damage in the attack.

VOA’s Korean Service contacted the North Korean mission to the U.N. seeking a response to a possible lawsuit against the regime by the American victims of the Hamas attack, but it did not respond.

The attorney said she expects more U.S. victims to join the suit, including hostages seized in October if they return safely.

“The burden is on us, the plaintiffs, to prove the case,” Darshan-Leitner said. “We are using experts who know a lot about North Korea, know how North Korean weapons wound up in the hands of Hamas.”

North Korean weapons have been found in Israel and Gaza since the attack on October 7. An Israeli military official said during a media tour in October that about 10% of the Hamas weapons recovered after the attack were made in North Korea.

Lieutenant Colonel Idan Sharon-Kettler, deputy commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) enemy equipment collection unit, told VOA’s Korean Service on December 28 in Tzrifin, Israel, that Hamas modified North Korea’s rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) to make them more powerful.

“We see supplies coming from different countries, among them, North Korea,” said Sharon-Kettler at an IDF facility where recovered weapons were displayed.

“The rockets that we find, even the ones that are produced inside Gaza or the ones that are produced in Iran — all of the RPG-7s, for example — are using parts that come from North Korea,” said Sharon-Kettler.

He said the rockets were assembled with North Korean rocket engines, which give them capabilities to “penetrate heavy armor” and cause greater damage.

Darshan-Leiter said the rockets give Hamas the ability to attack civilians without being inside Israel.

“Once Israel built a fence around Gaza, Hamas terrorists can no longer go into Israel and carry out attacks inside,” she said. Before Hamas breached the border fence on October 7, “the only way that Hamas could kill Israeli people is by these rockets.”

Normally, foreign states are immune from being sued in a U.S. court under the Foreign Service Immunities Act, unless an exception applies. But if a foreign state is listed as a state-sponsored terrorist group, U.S. citizens can bring a lawsuit against that country.

In November 2017, North Korea was redesignated as a state sponsor of terrorism after being taken off the list in 2008. It was first designated in 1988 for blowing up a Korean Airline passenger flight in mid-air the previous year, killing all 115 people aboard.

North Korea was sued a number of times over the past several years. The most notable was a suit brought against the regime by the parents of Otto Warmbier, an American student who in 2017 died shortly after returning to the U.S. in a vegetative state following detention in North Korea.

A judge from a D.C. federal court ruled in 2018 that Cindy and Fred Warmbier were entitled to $500 million in damages from North Korea.

In October, a federal court in New York ordered the New York Mellon Bank to turn over to Cindy and Fred Warmbier approximately $2.2 million in frozen funds originally owned by a sanctioned Russian bank where North Korea’s Air Koryo kept an account.

In another case, Americans who were injured and the family members of U.S. citizens killed in an attack at the Lod Airport in 1972 — now Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv — filed a complaint against North Korea in 2022.

According to court documents, they are seeking damages from North Korea for its role in sponsoring the attack.

The attack killed 26 people and injured 80 and was carried out by three members of the Japanese Red Army who were reportedly recruited by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The U.S. designated the group as a terrorist organization in 1997 but revoked the designation in 2001 when the group disbanded.

https://www.voanews.com/a/american-victims-of-hamas-attack-on-israel-plan-to-sue-north-korea/7426028.html Save to Pocket

Letters: No compassion | Reagan’s ‘ideals’

date: 2024-01-04, from: San Jose Mercury News

East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for Jan. 4, 2024

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/03/letters-1553/ Save to Pocket

Steamboat Willie Wall Art

date: 2024-01-04, from: Tilde.news

Comments

https://www.printables.com/model/701756-steamboat-willie-wall-art Save to Pocket

Biden’s Unfinished Climate Agenda

date: 2024-01-04, from: Heatmap News

If President Biden chose to sit on his hands for the remainder of his term, he would already have done far more to address climate change than any of his predecessors. But he still has a bunch of unfinished business — half-completed rules that will need to be finalized — that could go a long way toward making sure his initial achievements pay off. And he’s only got a few more months to get it done.

The most consequential items on his to-do list are finalizing two sets of regulations that his administration proposed last spring. The first would require most new cars sold in the U.S., and one-quarter of new heavy-duty trucks, to be electric by 2032; the second would drive more rapid reductions of emissions from the power sector and encourage a shift to renewables. The problem is that if the rules aren’t finalized by the end of this spring, they will be vulnerable to repeal if Republicans win a trifecta in Washington in the fall.

Biden’s biggest climate wins to date have been in the form of incentives, not requirements. The Inflation Reduction Act, the crowning achievement of his presidency, has made hundreds of billions of dollars available to build renewable energy and lower the cost of electric vehicles. Economic modeling by the Rhodium Group, a clean energy research firm, shows that these voluntary incentives make renewable energy so cost-effective that electricity-related emissions could decline by up to 75% from today’s levels by 2035 and transportation emissions could drop by up to 32%.

The operative word, however, is “voluntary.” Just because clean energy and electric vehicles are cheaper doesn’t mean they’ll be adopted with any urgency. Models assume the world optimizes for the best economic outcome, when in reality, there are many non-monetary factors at play — including, simply, resistance to change. The EPA’s rules are a backstop — they are the “sticks” to complement the “carrots” of the IRA.

“The incentives and the standards reinforce one another,” David Doniger, director of the climate and clean energy program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told me. “You can’t be sure you’ll get the results with just the incentives. And at the same time, the incentives buy down the costs of the standards that lock in the results. So it’s a very good combination.”

Many environmental groups say the EPA proposals need to be strengthened before they are finalized. “Even if Biden gets elected into the second term, we won’t have the opportunity to open up these rules again,” Rachel Patterson, the deputy policy director of Evergreen Action, told me. For example, only certain kinds of new natural gas plants are covered by the rules, whereas the group wants to see all new fossil fuel plants covered. It is also pushing the agency to require a more rapid transition to electric heavy duty trucks — or at least one in line with rules already in place in California.

Patterson said these rules aren’t just urgent from a climate perspective. “Getting dirty vehicles off the road is going to improve people’s lives through cleaner air, through reduced pollution and health impacts. The same goes for clean power rules.”

The EPA’s most recent timetable shows the agency finalizing the car and truck standards in March and the power plant rules in April.

There’s a number of other ways that Biden could cement his climate legacy in the coming months. His Securities and Exchange Commission, led by Gary Gensler, has proposed climate reporting standards that would require public companies to disclose information to investors about their emissions and vulnerabilities to climate-related risks — these have yet to be finalized.

The number of programs in the Inflation Reduction Act is vast and the money is barely out the door. Patterson said Evergreen wants to see the administration getting the word out about the funding and providing technical assistance to states and communities to make sure these programs get fully taken advantage of.

It has also become increasingly clear that a transformation of the power sector is contingent on reforms to permitting processes and better planning for transmission infrastructure. Biden will need the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to finalize rules that require electric grid operators to incorporate clean energy policies into their planning.

At stake is not just Biden’s legacy, but the country’s commitment to the rest of the world to halve emissions by 2030 — a goal that will help prevent the most disastrous climate outcomes.

“You can see the price we’re paying,” Doniger said. “2023 was the hottest year ever, filled with climate driven disasters which killed people and cost gazillions of dollars. There’s no reason not to expect more of the same in 2024 and looking out ahead unless we finally clamp down on emissions.”

https://heatmap.news/politics/bidens-unfinished-climate-agenda Save to Pocket

Download the Newly Unsealed Jeffrey Epstein Documents Here

date: 2024-01-04, from: 404 Media Group

Hundreds of pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were unsealed Wednesday. Here they are.

https://www.404media.co/download-the-jeffrey-epstein-documents/ Save to Pocket

Did Pamela Price recall group exploit Oakland officer’s murder with fundraising thread?

date: 2024-01-04, from: San Jose Mercury News

A war of words between Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price’s campaign and the group pushing for her ouster has raised questions about the ethics of exploiting violence in Oakland for political purposes, and the increasingly tense recall effort.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/03/did-pamela-price-recall-group-exploit-oakland-officers-murder-with-fundraising-thread/ Save to Pocket

AVISO GENERAL DE LLUVIA PARA LAS PLAYAS DE TODO EL CONDADO EMITIDO POR LOS SERVICIOS DE SALUD AMBIENTAL

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

(SANTA BÁRBARA, California) – Debido a las lluvias durante la noche, los Servicios  de Salud Ambiental del Condado de Santa

The post AVISO GENERAL DE LLUVIA PARA LAS PLAYAS DE TODO EL CONDADO EMITIDO POR LOS SERVICIOS DE SALUD AMBIENTAL  appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/03/aviso-general-de-lluvia-para-las-playas-de-todo-el-condado-emitido-por-los-servicios-de-salud-ambiental/ Save to Pocket

Stockton man suspected of murdering Oakland officer had killed before as a teen; third suspect arrested

date: 2024-01-04, from: San Jose Mercury News

Mark Demetrious Sanders, 27, was on probation for a Contra Costa County burglary that he committed alongside two men also suspected in the cannabis burglary and fatal shooting of Oakland Officer Tuan Le.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/03/stockton-man-suspected-of-murdering-oakland-officer-had-killed-before-as-a-teen-third-suspect-arrested/ Save to Pocket

GENERAL RAIN ADVISORY FOR COUNTYWIDE BEACHES ISSUED BY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – Due to overnight rainfall, Santa Barbara County  Environmental Health Services (EHS) wants to remind residents about

The post GENERAL RAIN ADVISORY FOR COUNTYWIDE BEACHES ISSUED BY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/03/general-rain-advisory-for-countywide-beaches-issued-by-environmental-health-services-2/ Save to Pocket

Nordic countries shiver in extreme cold as western Europe floods

date: 2024-01-04, from: San Jose Mercury News

Temperatures fell below minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Nordic region for a second day in a row Wednesday. In Kvikkjokk-Årrenjarka in Swedish Lapland, the mercury dropped to minus 43.6 C (minus 46.5 F), the lowest January temperature recorded in Sweden in 25 years, Sweden’s TT news agency reported.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/03/nordic-countries-shiver-in-extreme-cold-as-western-europe-floods/ Save to Pocket

Blinken Heads to Middle East As Risk of Broader Conflict Grows

date: 2024-01-04, from: VOA News USA

State Department — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to the Middle East late Thursday amid intense diplomatic efforts to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, amid increasing international pressure on Israel to reduce civilian casualties among Palestinians.

Blinken’s fourth visit to the Middle East since October 7 comes as Israel’s war with Hamas militants approaches its three-month mark. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and others.

“The secretary will visit Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank and Egypt for meetings with foreign counterparts and others,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller announced during Thursday’s briefing.

Blinken will discuss immediate measures to increase humanitarian assistance to Gaza, such as increasing the number of trucks allowed to enter Gaza to deliver food, water, medicine and commercial goods, according to the State Department. The chief U.S. diplomat also will pursue ongoing efforts to bring home the remaining hostages.

“You will see us pushing additional steps on what Gaza should look like at the end of the conflict,” Miller told reporters.

US making post-war roadmap

Israel began its military campaign to wipe out Hamas after Hamas fighters crossed into southern Israel on October 7. Israel said about 1,200 people were killed and about 240 captives taken in the terror attack. Gaza health officials say at least 22,000 Palestinians — a large percentage of them women and children — have been confirmed killed in Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The United States has stated its opposition to forcibly removing Palestinians from Gaza. The U.S. also is working on a post-war road map for the Palestinian territories.

“Gaza cannot, once again, serve as a launching pad for terrorist attacks against Israel,” State Department spokesperson Miller told VOA on Wednesday. “What we ultimately want to see is Gaza and the West Bank reunited under Palestinian leadership,” and “certainly there’s no role for Hamas in that.”

Israel plans more targeted strategy

On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant outlined the country’s plans for the next stage of its operations in Gaza. The new approach involves a more targeted strategy in northern Gaza and a continued pursuit of Hamas leaders in the south.

Gallant said in a statement that after the war, Gaza would no longer be under Hamas control. While Israel retains operational freedom, there won’t be any Israeli civilians present in the Gaza Strip.

Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to U.S. President Joe Biden, also will travel to Israel to work toward calming tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told reporters Blinken will hold meetings with Turkish officials on Saturday, according to local media.

Senior U.S. officials’ meetings in the Middle East come at a time when the risk of a broader regional conflict is escalating, despite the collective efforts of Western and regional powers to confine the Israel-Hamas war to the Gaza Strip.

The State Department said the United States remains “incredibly concerned” about the risk of the conflict spreading into other fronts, after the killing Tuesday of senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut.

The Israeli army said it was on high alert for attacks by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. This follows a drone strike in Beirut that killed al-Arouri, who was closely associated with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

In a televised speech, Nasrallah said there would be a “response and punishment,” but he did not clearly declare that his forces would escalate attacks against Israel.

US sends ‘direct message’

The U.S. has sent a “very direct message to Hezbollah” and other entities in the region that “now is not the time to think of escalating further,” according to the State Department.

“You’ve seen us take deterrence steps to deliver that message. You’ve seen us take diplomatic steps to deliver it. We’ll continue to deliver it,” Miller, the State Department spokesperson, told reporters during a briefing on Wednesday.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon also has voiced concern over the potential for escalation, while urging all parties to exercise restraint.

Earlier this week, Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, condemned the strike that resulted in the death of al-Arouri, calling it a crime deliberately aimed at dragging Lebanon into a new phase of confrontations.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah are backed by Iran, whose militant allies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen also have been carrying out longer-range attacks against Israel.

Humanitarian aid

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that Gaza is becoming a public health disaster and that recent mass displacement across southern Gaza is fueling disease outbreaks.

More than 400,000 cases of infectious diseases have been reported since October 7, with about 180,000 people suffering from upper respiratory infections. There have also been more than 136,000 cases of diarrhea reported, half among children younger than 5, according to OCHA.

“Humanitarian workers need safe, sustained and unhindered access now to deliver urgently needed life-saving assistance,” OCHA said.

Efforts to release hostages continue

Meanwhile, intense diplomatic efforts to retrieve the remaining hostages held in Gaza by Hamas militants continue. There are believed to be 129 people held by Hamas and other militants in Gaza.

Last week, Egypt proposed a plan to end the military conflict involving a cease-fire, a phased hostage release, and the formation of a Palestinian government of experts to administer the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Details of the plan were reportedly worked out with the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar and presented to Israel, Hamas, the United States and European governments. But the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, stated on Tuesday that the hostages will be released only on Hamas’ terms.

The State Department said it’s a “top priority” for the U.S. government to bring all hostages home but declined to comment publicly on the negotiations.

Some material for this report came from Reuters.

https://www.voanews.com/a/blinken-heads-for-israel-other-middle-east-countries-thursday/7425640.html Save to Pocket

SEE International Partners with Savie Health for Vision Clinic in North County

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

January 2, 2024- Santa Barbara, CA – SEE International is honored to announce the opening of a new vision clinic

The post SEE International Partners with Savie Health for Vision Clinic in North County  appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/03/see-international-partners-with-savie-health-for-vision-clinic-in-north-county/ Save to Pocket

Iffy Books Permacomputing Meetup – January 14th at 1:00 PM EST

date: 2024-01-04, from: Tilde.news

Comments

https://iffybooks.net/event/permacomputing-jan-14/ Save to Pocket

SCV Water OKs purchasing recycled water from Vista Canyon

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Signal

The city of Santa Clarita and the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency entered into an agreement to have SCV Water purchase recycled water from the city for irrigation purposes, according to a SCV Water news release. The recycled water would come from the city’s Vista Canyon Water Factory, which can produce up to 371,000 gallons […]

The post <strong>SCV Water OKs purchasing recycled water from Vista Canyon</strong> appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/scv-water-oks-purchasing-recycled-water-from-vista-canyon/ Save to Pocket

Friendship Center to host 25th Annual Festival of Hearts Luncheon

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Santa Barbara, CA, January 2, 2024 – Friendship Center returns to Rosewood Miramar Beach this February to host the 25th Annual Festival

The post Friendship Center to host 25th Annual Festival of Hearts Luncheon appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/03/friendship-center-to-host-25th-annual-festival-of-hearts-luncheon/ Save to Pocket

Microsoft kills off Windows app installation from the web, again

date: 2024-01-04, updated: 2024-01-04, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Unpleasant Christmas package lets malware down the chimney

Microsoft has disabled a protocol that allowed the installation of Windows apps after finding that miscreants were abusing the mechanism to install malware.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/microsoft_windows_app_installation/ Save to Pocket

Jan. 19-21: ‘Through the Years’ at The MAIN

date: 2024-01-04, from: SCV New (TV Station)

“Through the Years” presented by Off Book Theatre and Eclipse Theatre LA is a funny and poignant coming of age story that follows three best friends, Jack, Julie and Tess from age 5 as they share a lifetime of highs and lows

https://scvnews.com/jan-19-21-through-the-years-at-the-main/ Save to Pocket

Local Grassroots Organization Endorses Slate of Candidates Committed to Immigrant Worker Power, Environmental and Housing Justice for California’s Central Coast

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

CENTRAL COAST, CA  – Ahead of the statewide primary on March 5, 2024, CAUSE Action endorses a slate of regional, statewide, and

The post Local Grassroots Organization Endorses Slate of Candidates Committed to Immigrant Worker Power, Environmental and Housing Justice for California’s Central Coast appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/03/local-grassroots-organization-endorses-slate-of-candidates-committed-to-immigrant-worker-power-environmental-and-housing-justice-for-californias-central-coast/ Save to Pocket

Letters: Biden presidency

date: 2024-01-04, from: San Jose Mercury News

Mercury News Letters to the Editor for Jan. 4, 2024

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/03/letters-1552/ Save to Pocket

Book Review | ‘Piranesi’ by Susana Clarke

date: 2024-01-04, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Novel inspired by the life of 18th century Italian artist and architect.

The post Book Review | ‘Piranesi’ by Susana Clarke appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/01/03/book-review-piranesi-by-susana-clarke/ Save to Pocket

U-Haul report cites California as No. 1 again — for exodus

date: 2024-01-04, from: The Signal

An annual report by one of the country’s largest moving companies again puts California as No. 1 in the nation — for people leaving the state on one-way trips.  Or, put another way, No. 50 on the U-Haul Growth Index.  The index, a report from the moving giant analyzing more than 2.5 million rental transactions, indicates […]

The post U-Haul report cites California as No. 1 again — for exodus  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/01/u-haul-report-cites-california-as-no-1-again-for-exodus/ Save to Pocket

Decoding the multifaceted interventions between human sirtuin 2 and dynamic hepatitis B viral proteins to confirm their roles in HBV replication

date: 2024-01-04, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology

The human sirtuin 2 gene (SIRT2) encodes a full-length Sirt2 protein (i.e., the Sirt2 isoform 1), which primarily functions as a cytoplasmic α-tubulin deacetylase, and which promotes the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication itself, or HBV X (HBx) protein-mediated transcriptional transactivation, enhances Sirt2.1 expression; therefore, Sirt2.1 itself is capable of positively increasing HBV transcription and replication. Sirt2.1 is linked to liver fibrosis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and, consequently, augments the risk of HCC. The Sirt2.1 protein enhances the HBV replication cycle by activating the AKT/glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β)/β-catenin pathway. It also activates the transcription of the viral enhancer I/HBx promoter (EnI/Xp) and enhancer II/HBc promoter (EnII/Cp) by targeting the transcription factor p53. The Sirt2 isoform 2 (Sirt2.2) is mainly localized in the cytoplasm, and the N-terminus is shorter by 37 amino acids than that of Sirt2.1. Despite the truncation of the N-terminal region, Sirt2.2 is still capable of enhancing HBV replication and activating the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. The Sirt2 isoform 5 (Sirt2.5) is primarily localized to the nucleus, it lacks a nuclear export signal (NES), and the catalytic domain (CD) is truncated. Upon HBV replication, expression of the Sirt2 isoforms is also enhanced, which further upregulates the HBV replication, and, therefore, supports the vicious cycle of viral replication and progression of the disease. Sirt2 diversely affects HBV replication such that its isoform 1 intensely augments HBV replication and isoform 2 (despite of the truncated N-terminal region) moderately enhances HBV replication. Isoform 5, on the other hand, tends to protect the cell (for smooth long-term continued viral replication) from HBV-induced extreme damage or death via a discrete set of regulatory mechanisms impeding viral mRNAs, the hepatitis B core/capsid protein (HBc), core particles, replicative intermediate (RI) DNAs, and covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) levels, and, consequently, limiting HBV replication. In contrast to Sirt2.1 and Sirt 2.2, the Sirt2.5-mediated HBV replication is independent of the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling cascade. Sirt2.5 is recruited more at cccDNA than the recruitment of Sirt2.1 onto the cccDNA. This recruitment causes the deposition of more histone lysine methyltransferases (HKMTs), including SETDB1, SUV39H1, EZH2, and PR-Set7, along with the respective corresponding transcriptional repressive markers such as H3K9me3, H3K27me3, and H4K20me1 onto the HBV cccDNA. In HBV-replicating cells, Sirt2.5 can also make complexes with PR-Set7 and SETDB1. In addition, Sirt2.5 has the ability to turn off transcription from cccDNA through epigenetic modification via either direct or indirect interaction with HKMTs.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1234903 Save to Pocket

Spatial profiling of the placental chorioamniotic membranes reveals upregulation of immune checkpoint proteins during Group B Streptococcus infection in a nonhuman primate model

date: 2024-01-04, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology

Resolving dependencies...
Error: cabal: Could not resolve dependencies:
[__0] trying: postgrest-9.0.1 (user goal)
[__1] next goal: optparse-applicative (dependency of postgrest)
[__1] rejecting: optparse-applicative-0.18.1.0 (conflict: postgrest =>
optparse-applicative>=0.13 && <0.17)
[__1] skipping: optparse-applicative-0.17.1.0, optparse-applicative-0.17.0.0
(has the same characteristics that caused the previous version to fail:
excluded by constraint '>=0.13 && <0.17' from 'postgrest')
[__1] trying: optparse-applicative-0.16.1.0
[__2] next goal: directory (dependency of postgrest)
[__2] rejecting: directory-1.3.7.1/installed-1.3.7.1 (conflict: postgrest =>
base>=4.9 && <4.16, directory => base==4.17.2.1/installed-4.17.2.1)
[__2] trying: directory-1.3.8.2
[__3] next goal: base (dependency of postgrest)
[__3] rejecting: base-4.17.2.1/installed-4.17.2.1 (conflict: postgrest =>
base>=4.9 && <4.16)

...