News gathered 2024-01-12
(date: 2024-01-12 07:58:43)
2 men rescued and 1 believed dead after avalanche hits Idaho back country
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
A rescue effort began shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday when law enforcement received a GPS alert of a possible fatality in an avalanche near Stevens Peak close to the Montana border.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/2-men-rescued-and-1-believed-dead-after-avalanche-hits-idaho-back-country/ Save to Pocket
AYA Neo Next Lite is a handheld gaming PC for $299 and up (with Ryzen 4000U and a 3rd-party SteamOS build)
date: 2024-01-12, from: Liliputing
The AYA Neo Next Lite is a budget handheld gaming PC with a starting price under $299, making it the cheapest x86 handheld from AYA Neo to date. But after teasing the handheld earlier this week, the company has now revealed the full spec sheet… and I’m not sure it’s worth even that much money. Don’t get […]
The post AYA Neo Next Lite is a handheld gaming PC for $299 and up (with Ryzen 4000U and a 3rd-party SteamOS build) appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/aya-neo-next-lite-is-a-handheld-gaming-pc-for-299-and-up-with-ryzen-4000u-and-a-3rd-party-steamos-build/ Save to Pocket
The Mathematician Who Finds the Poetry in Math and the Math in Poetry
date: 2024-01-12, from: Quanta Magazine
The links between math, music and art have been explored for thousands of years. Sarah Hart is now turning a mathematical eye to literature.The post The Mathematician Who Finds the Poetry in Math and the Math in Poetry first appeared on Quanta Magazine
https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-theorist-who-sees-math-in-art-music-and-writing-20240112/ Save to Pocket
Going green Hertz: Rental giant axes third of EV fleet over lack of demand
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Company expects $245 million hit due to depreciation
Rental giant Hertz is backing away from electric vehicles (EVs) and plans to sell off a third of its global fleet of battery-powered cars.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/hertz_electric_vehicle_cuts/ Save to Pocket
A year after the death of California lawyer in Mexico, mystery remains but healing begins
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Elliot Blair’s widow still believes he was murdered, but is resigned to the fact that she may never know how he died and who was responsible.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/a-year-after-the-death-of-oc-lawyer-elliot-blair-in-mexico-mystery-remains-but-healing-begins/ Save to Pocket
Blinken Meets Top China Foreign Minister Candidate Before Taiwan Elections
date: 2024-01-12, from: VOA News USA
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is holding one-hour talks with veteran Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao Friday morning, a day before Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections — a test for efforts to stabilize tensions between the United States and China.
Washington has cautioned Beijing against using the elections as a pretext for instability in the Taiwan Strait.
Liu, who heads the Chinese Communist Party’s International Liaison Department, is the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit the United States since U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit south of San Francisco on November 15.
A source familiar with the meeting said that in diplomacy, it is crucial to convey messages directly to China on “the importance of peace and stability in the region ahead of the Taiwan elections, and in light of recent PRC provocations in the South China Sea.”
This week, the Biden administration announced it would send a high-level unofficial delegation to Taipei after the elections, citing a longstanding precedent. The move is perceived as an effort to preempt a strong reaction from Beijing.
A Chinese spokesperson said Thursday that Taiwan’s elections are “purely China’s internal affairs” and that China firmly opposes any form of official contact between the United States and Taiwan.
The winner of Taiwan’s presidential election will be inaugurated May 20. The transition period is seen as sensitive in cross-strait relations.
Liu is seen as a leading contender to be China’s next foreign minister, according to some media reports and analysts.
It is unusual for the minister of the International Liaison Department, a unit under the Communist Party’s Central Committee, to visit the United States, according to Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund.
“The most likely explanation for this visit, and the reason that he is being received by Blinken, is that Liu is likely to be China’s next foreign minister. The visit provides an opportunity for the U.S. to take his measure in advance of his formal appointment, likely at the upcoming National People’s Congress” in early March, Glaser told VOA.
Senior U.S. officials attending Friday’s meeting include the State Department’s top diplomat on East Asian and Pacific affairs, Daniel Kritenbrink, and its China coordinator, Mark Lambert.
Communication between the world’s two largest economies will continue after Taiwan’s elections, as senior U.S. and Chinese officials are to attend next week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Blinken and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the annual economic meetings at the Swiss mountain resort.
Blinken’s talks with Chinese officials are described as ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication, responsibly manage differences between the two nations and address various issues. These include global and regional security concerns, such as Russia’s war against Ukraine, as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
According to some estimates, about half of all global trade flows through the Taiwan Strait, and its stability is critical to the global economy.
VOA’s Cindy Saine contributed to this report.
https://www.voanews.com/a/blinken-meets-top-china-foreign-minister-candidate-before-taiwan-election/7437408.html Save to Pocket
California is facing a budget mess. It’s not alone.
date: 2024-01-12, from: Marketplace Morning Report
California, home of the fifth largest economy in the world, has a budget deficit of between $38 billion and $68 billion, depending on the estimate. But even with the economy doing pretty well across the country, other states have budget woes as well, many of which were papered over by federal pandemic aid. Also on the program: a look at falling wholesale prices and increased oversight of Boeing.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/california-is-facing-a-budget-mess-its-not-alone Save to Pocket
Russia, Turkey, Iran Condemn Attack on Yemeni Houthis
date: 2024-01-12, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/russia-turkey-iran-condemn-attack-on-yemeni-houthis/7437363.html Save to Pocket
TikTok owner eyes big San Jose office deal in potential tech expansion
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
The owner of the TikTok video service is eyeing a big office deal in San Jose.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/san-jose-tech-tiktok-bytedance-real-estate-office-rent-china-roku/ Save to Pocket
Pac-12 recruiting: WSU, OSU land impact transfers while Washington secures top in-state player (for the first time in years)
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
The Cougars and Beavers hit the portal hard to replenish their rosters and secured several former Pac-12 players.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/pac-12-recruiting-wsu-osu-land-impact-transfers-while-washington-secures-top-in-state-player-for-the-first-time-in-years/ Save to Pocket
Widespread, prolific rainstorm headed to Northern California on Saturday
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Widespread rainfall is in Saturday’s forecast across the Bay Area, according to the National Weather Service.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/widespread-prolific-rainstorm-headed-to-northern-california-on-saturday/ Save to Pocket
Bay Area high school basketball: What to know about MLK showcases
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Miramonte, Bishop O’Dowd, De La Salle among the schools that will play host to MLK basketball games.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/bay-area-high-school-basketball-what-to-know-about-mlk-showcases/ Save to Pocket
NASA Volunteers Shine at American Astronomical Society Meeting
date: 2024-01-12, from: NASA breaking news
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) met in New Orleans this week, attended by thousands of astronomers and reporters, and NASA volunteers were in the spotlight. Wow! Big congratulations to everyone involved!
https://science.nasa.gov/get-involved/citizen-science/nasa-volunteers-shine-at-american-astronomical-society-meeting/ Save to Pocket
Media experts cry foul over AI’s free lunch of copyrighted content
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
US senators want to know how chatbots represent an existential crisis to journalism and democracy
Tech companies should compensate news publishers for training AI models on their copyrighted content, media experts told senators in a hearing this week.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/senate_committee_ai_journalism/ Save to Pocket
Cop pleads no contest to soliciting prostitute in Daly City
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Bakersfield police Officer Nghia Hieu Duong will serve six months of probation.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/cop-pleads-no-contest-to-soliciting-prostitute-in-daly-city/ Save to Pocket
Our Attentive Supervisor
date: 2024-01-12, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
I am so happy to have Joan Hartmann as the County Supervisor representing Lompoc. She listens and takes action.
The post Our Attentive Supervisor appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/12/our-attentive-supervisor/ Save to Pocket
How Threads Will Integrate with the Fediverse, some notes by Tom Coates…
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/0043774-how-threads-will-integrat Save to Pocket
This Week on The Analog Antiquarian
date: 2024-01-12, from: Digital Antiquarian
The Sistine Chapel, Chapter 20: The Artist’s Return
https://www.filfre.net/2024/01/this-week-on-the-analog-antiquarian-2/ Save to Pocket
Prep roundup: Clayton Valley boys rally down stretch, beat Campolindo
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Elijah Perryman leads Clayton Valley to a big DAL win. Madalyn Kanazawa helps Salesian girls edge St. Patrick-St. Vincent. Christopher girls bounce back to win a league game over Leland.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/prep-roundup-clayton-valley-boys-rally-down-stretch-beat-campolindo/ Save to Pocket
My night at the Dean campaign
date: 2024-01-12, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News
I’d love to tell you a story about the time I had the authority to post to the Dean campaign home page, and they deleted a post I wrote on the night of the famous Dean Scream that might have saved the campaign, but they were trying to make the story go away. As we know the story didn’t go away.
2008: “The campaign had video that showed clearly that the press was actively trying to kill his candidacy. They had a website, and they had enough money to pay for the bandwidth to run it. They knew what the press was trying to do. They could have fought it. But they didn’t.”
That
night I became friends with Nicco Mele, he was the webmaster at Dean who
gave
me the power. I was in their Burlington headquarters at the moment the
whole thing imploded, the night of the Iowa caucus. I’ve also become
friends with Joe Trippi, the campaign manager for Dean in 2008. They
probably accelerated the adoption of online media in American politics
by a decade or more. However, a lot of the ideas from that time are
gone, but hopefully not forever.
The biggest idea was that it gave people a sense of belonging, that they weren’t powerless to influence or even control the US government. We all felt that the war in Iraq was wrong, Dean gave Americans a way to say that clearly, with their own actions. I think if we want to achieve our destiny in the 2024 election, we need to get some of that into the campaign, or democracy won’t prevail.
There’s a story about how Trump makes people feel like they belong in the Washington Post written by Philip Bump that Joe and Nicco should read if they haven’t. This is something Trump gets that the Democrats have forgotten they know. People don’t vote on policy, they vote to belong to something they believe might fix things, whatever that means to them.
PS: I also blogged about my adventure at the Dean campaign headquarters in January 2004 before and during the Iowa caucus and the Dean campaign implosion.
PPS: A picture of the blogging room in Burlington the night of the Iowa caucus in 2004.
PPPS: In February 2004, I wrote a piece summing up what we learned from Dean. “In a virtual sense, the Internet was looking for a candidate, and Howard Dean fit the bill. He was bloggable.”
http://scripting.com/2024/01/12/142825.html?title=myNightAtTheDeanCampaign Save to Pocket
More Americans will get their student loans canceled in February as President Biden accelerates his new plan
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
The accelerated forgiveness drew fire from Republicans, who called it an attempt to win voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/some-americans-will-get-their-student-loans-canceled-in-february-as-biden-accelerates-his-new-plan/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-01-12, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)
Fixed a bug in news.scripting.com that caused it to display only the All tab, leaving the other tabs inaccessible. Glad to get it fixed now and sorry for the breakage. Please keep the error reports coming.
http://scripting.com/2024/01/12.html#a141637 Save to Pocket
With climate change, king tides could be the new normal
date: 2024-01-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
King tides returned to the San Francisco Bay this week, though flooding across the region was mild.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/12/with-climate-change-king-tides-could-be-the-new-normal/ Save to Pocket
@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-01-12, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)
SwiftUI-ficating Godot on iPad is the ultimate Yak Shaving exercise.
Yesterday I figured “quick win, remove the menu” and that turned into “wire up the Godot new scene” and that turned into “oh but that needs to use my new dialog”, “this needs a general purpose bridge” and realized I needed to finish my general callout framework rather than registering callbacks everywhere.
But I think I got it! Expect a blog post soon.
https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111743370178388224 Save to Pocket
Microsoft suggests command line fiddling to get faulty Windows 10 update installed
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Unhelpful error codes, complex fixes … When did Windows turn into Linux?
Microsoft sent yet another problematic patch into the wild this week in the form of KB5034441. However, rather than deal with a BitLocker vulnerability, the patch is failing to install for some users.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/microsoft_update_for_bitlocker_vuln/ Save to Pocket
UOG, local organizations host financial webinar and fair
date: 2024-01-12, from: Guam Daily Post
The start of a new semester is coming for the Tritons at the University of Guam and the university hosted a three-day webinar and fair focusing on financial management for incoming students.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/uog-local-organizations-host-financial-webinar-and-fair/article_b680285e-b042-11ee-8b8f-130d30498404.html Save to Pocket
UOG breaks ground for Dr. Lucio Chua Tan Student Success Center
date: 2024-01-12, from: Guam Daily Post
The University of Guam and its partners held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for the university’s fourth new facility, the Dr. Lucio Chua Tan Student Success Center.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/uog-breaks-ground-for-dr-lucio-chua-tan-student-success-center/article_139127cc-b035-11ee-8c5b-77d046f9b7ec.html Save to Pocket
1 hospitalized with minor injuries after scooter-car collision
date: 2024-01-12, from: Guam Daily Post
A patient was taken to the hospital with minor injuries after a car collided with a scooter in Tamuning on Thursday evening.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/1-hospitalized-with-minor-injuries-after-scooter-car-collision/article_1419e7a8-b0e2-11ee-b699-b3c2ea13f56f.html Save to Pocket
Competing hospital location measures on session agenda
date: 2024-01-12, from: Guam Daily Post
Two measures competing to determine the location of a new public hospital or medical complex on Guam will be up for debate during this month’s legislative session.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/competing-hospital-location-measures-on-session-agenda/article_475926e8-b0fa-11ee-82a9-47a37e2a415d.html Save to Pocket
Fisher continues push for ban on flavored tobacco products
date: 2024-01-12, from: Guam Daily Post
Sen. Thomas Fisher is not backing down on efforts to ban flavored tobacco products on Guam, and has introduced updated legislation he says should be heard in early February.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/fisher-continues-push-for-ban-on-flavored-tobacco-products/article_6bb04756-af88-11ee-a5d1-4b94a1221e94.html Save to Pocket
Camacho could face life without parole plus 77 years in Tumon shooting
date: 2024-01-12, from: Guam Daily Post
A man charged in connection to the death of a Korean tourist could face life in prison plus 77 years if convicted of all the charges.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/camacho-could-face-life-without-parole-plus-77-years-in-tumon-shooting/article_0c7046be-b0e7-11ee-80e3-8762db20faf9.html Save to Pocket
Complaint: Victim shot with BB gun by man who owed money
date: 2024-01-12, from: Guam Daily Post
A man allegedly shot his neighbor with a BB gun after the victim went to collect money owed to him.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/complaint-victim-shot-with-bb-gun-by-man-who-owed-money/article_eb540d8e-b0dd-11ee-a65e-c7f965c63eec.html Save to Pocket
Man accused of intent to deal meth said he ‘just found’ drugs, paraphernalia
date: 2024-01-12, from: Guam Daily Post
A man allegedly told police he “just found” a pouch which contained resealable bags of methamphetamine, a glass pipe, a digital scale and syringes.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/man-accused-of-intent-to-deal-meth-said-he-just-found-drugs-paraphernalia/article_91e382aa-b0da-11ee-91f8-f37fcf79b981.html Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-12, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
2022: Substack, interop and the philosophy of blogging.
http://scripting.com/2022/12/30/173742.html?title=substackLockin Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-01-12, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)
It’s
good that people are thinking of
leaving
Substack. I
didn’t
like what
they
were doing because they were yet another place that
requires
you to use their editor to publish through their platform, probably
because their business model requires a fair amount of lock-in. I like
using the editor that I do all my writing in, and I don’t see why I
can’t just post directly from there. Even if they don’t have an API,
it’s pretty easy to set it up so it posts from a
feed. If you’re thinking about
leaving Substack, good for you. Please insist that your new platform
lets you post via a feed. If they say it’s too hard, give them my email
address, and I’ll show them how to do it.
http://scripting.com/2024/01/12.html#a134140 Save to Pocket
Human Rights Watch Accuses Israel of War Crimes, Criticizes ‘Selective Outrage’ of Allies
date: 2024-01-12, from: VOA News USA
In its annual report published Thursday, Human Rights Watch accused Israel of war crimes and said many governments were expressing “selective outrage” over atrocities committed in the conflict in Gaza. Henry Ridgwell reports
https://www.voanews.com/a/human-rights-watch-accuses-israel-of-war-crimes-criticizes-selective-outrage-of-allies/7437214.html Save to Pocket
The Ferris Bueller Finale With Music From Inception
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/the-ferris-bueller-finale-with-music-from-inception Save to Pocket
So, are we going to talk about how GitHub is an absolute boon for malware, or nah?
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Microsoft says it’s doing its best to crack down on crims
The popularity of Github has made it too big to block, which is a boon to dissidents ducking government censors but a problem for internet security.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/github_malware_popularity/ Save to Pocket
What The Displacement Of A Storied Restaurant Means For Little Tokyo
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The LAist
The move of Suehiro Cafe to Downtown LA is yet another example of local businesses leaving the neighborhood, nibbling away at its cultural identity
https://laist.com/news/what-the-displacement-of-a-storied-restaurant-means-for-little-tokyo Save to Pocket
Iconic Pea Soup Andersen’s Has Closed. Here Are Your Memories
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The LAist
We share memories from staff and others about visiting Pea Soup Andersen’s in Buelton, which closed this week.
https://laist.com/news/food/iconic-pea-soup-andersens-has-closed-here-are-your-memories Save to Pocket
I Ate 100 Iconic LA Sandwiches In 2023. Here’s What I Learned
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The LAist
From tortas to tuna melts, all sandwiches tell a unique story as they celebrate Los Angeles’ diverse tapestry of flavors with each bite.
https://laist.com/news/food/i-ate-100-iconic-la-sandwiches-in-2023-heres-what-i-learned Save to Pocket
‘Squeezed From All Sides’: Why 2023 Shuttered So Many LA Eateries
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The LAist
Food and labor costs, pandemic pressures, and strike impacts slashed revenue for L.A. restaurants last year. Many of them closed shop.
https://laist.com/news/food/squeezed-from-all-sides-why-2023-shuttered-so-many-la-eateries Save to Pocket
Sign Up for a Simple Burner Phone Number
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Markup blog
Give a Google Voice number whenever you sign up for a store’s loyalty program—or go on a first date
https://themarkup.org/gentle-january/2024/01/12/sign-up-for-a-simple-burner-phone-number Save to Pocket
Tesla’s New Supply Chain Woes
date: 2024-01-12, from: Heatmap News
Current conditions: An “Arctic outbreak” will bring bitter cold to much of the U.S. this weekend • 109 weather stations in China have broken mid-January heat records • Nearly a quarter of humanity now lives in drought conditions.
THE TOP FIVE
- Red Sea tensions hit Tesla Berlin factory
Tesla will suspend operations at its Berlin gigafactory for two weeks – from January 29 through February 11 – due to supply chain problems caused by the escalating tensions in the Red Sea, Reuters reported. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who support Hamas in its conflict with Israel have been attacking vessels in the region, disrupting trade in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. “Tesla is the first company to disclose a resulting interruption to output,” Reuters noted. Other companies, including Ikea and China’s Geely, have hinted at possible delivery delays. On Thursday a U.S.-led coalition launched strikes against the militants in Yemen. President Biden said he “will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
- Hertz suggests its EV rentals are in more accidents than gas
guzzlers
Car-rental company Hertz is making a “dramatic about-face” on electric vehicles, reports Bloomberg Green. The firm will sell off 20,000 EVs – about a third of its EV fleet – and use the money to buy gas-powered cars. One analyst suggested the sell-off could boost Hertz’s cashflow by up to $300 million over the next year or so. The company has given several reasons for the move:
- Lack of demand from customers
- Unexpected loss in resale value due to Tesla’s steep price cuts (most of the vehicles in Hertz’s EV fleet are Teslas)
- Increased collisions and higher repair costs
Why more accidents? Perhaps customers who rent EVs don’t understand how the driving experience differs from that of a gasoline vehicle, posited Stephen Scherr, Hertz’s chief executive. EVs are much heavier, after all, and they accelerate more quickly. While some schools are starting to incorporate EVs into their driver’s ed courses, a small learning curve still exists for most Americans, and a road trip probably isn’t the best time to confront it.
Hertz says it isn’t abandoning EVs entirely, but wants to let the market develop. The upshot for anyone looking to buy a cheap EV is that “now would be a really good time to pop over to Hertz’s sales page and start browsing,” wrote Andrew J. Hawkins at The Verge. Tesla Model 3s are going for as little as $20,000.
- California budget cuts hit state climate programs
State funding for California’s climate goals could be cut by 11% – down to $48.3 billion from $54 billion – in the year to come, the Los Angeles Times reported. “Climate crusader” Governor Gavin Newsom needs to close a $37.9-billion budget deficit and is eyeing climate programs. The initiatives on the chopping block include clean transportation, forest maintenance, watershed resilience, and coastal protection. The state’s Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program would be trimmed by $40.1 million, and wildfire reduction programs could see $100.7 million in cuts. Environmentalists lamented the news; Newsom’s office insisted the state’s climate goals were still a priority, noting that more than $10 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will help soften the blow.
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- Natural gas investments on the rise
Global investment in natural gas infrastructure is growing even as green energy pledges mount and renewable technologies gain momentum, reported Gavin Maguire at Reuters, citing data from Global Energy Monitor (GEM). Natural gas is a fossil fuel energy source, albeit one the International Energy Agency says emits less carbon than other sources. Many see it as a “bridge fuel” in the clean energy transition. More than $720 billion is slated to go toward building natural gas pipelines worldwide, and another $190 billion will fund import facilities, according to GEM. “Once completed, the pipelines and LNG import terminals will extend the use of natural gas for years to come, and guarantee that fossil fuels will retain a critical role in key power systems well beyond 2030,” Maguire said.
- The case for naming heatwaves
A report from Australian nonprofit Renew suggests countries take a lesson from the Spanish city of Seville, which began naming heatwaves in 2022 to create a “heat culture” in which the public is more aware of and prepared for looming dangerous temperatures. “Naming heatwaves is about letting people know that this is a serious issue,” said Rob McLeod, a policy manager at Renew and author of the report. His recommendation is targeted mainly at Australia, but could be applied to many other regions where climate change is making extreme heatwaves more common.
THE KICKER
“Now that Stanley has helped show that relatively ecofriendly products can become wildly popular, the next milestone in nondisposable drinkware should be to prove that a mass consumer trend doesn’t inevitably lead to waste and excessive consumption.” –Elana Klein at Wired, The Big Problem With the Giant Stanley Cup
https://heatmap.news/electric-vehicles/red-sea-tesla-hertz-ev Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-12, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Zyns are filled with nicotine and are meant to be placed under your lip like tobacco dip. No spitting is required, so nicotine pouches are even less visible than vaping.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/12/opinion/children-nicotine-zyn-social-media.html?smid=tw-share Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-12, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
I rode in a Hyundai Ioniq 5 with wheels that go sideways.
https://www.theverge.com/24035050/hyundai-mobis-e-corner-system-ioniq-5-crab-drive-360 Save to Pocket
How far will an additional $40 a month go?
date: 2024-01-12, from: Marketplace Morning Report
A new Summer EBT program that provides an extra $40 per month per kid per month will feed millions of children over summer vacation. But with grocery prices high and still rising, that money can only go so far. Also on the show: The shockwaves of war in the Middle East expand, and the economy remains on the minds of Taiwanese voters.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/how-far-will-an-additional-40-a-month-go Save to Pocket
Michael Molacek | More Distortions and Half-Truths
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Signal
Re: Response to Gary Horton column, Jan 3, “Are We Who We Think We Are?” Never ceases to amaze, the distortions and half truths. Almost immediately after rambling on about a painting, which is called “Am I Who I think I Am,” then his Donald Trump derangement syndrome starts: “Again, we find ourselves with a […]
The post Michael Molacek | More Distortions and Half-Truths appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/michael-molacek-more-distortions-and-half-truths/ Save to Pocket
P&B: Rachel Smith
date: 2024-01-12, from: Manu - I write blog
This is the 20th edition of People and Blogs, the series where I ask interesting people to talk about themselves and their blogs. Today we have Rachel Smith and her blog, rachsmith.com
Rachel is an Australian developer, working at CodePen and she’s been suggested by three of the previous guests so I had to get her on P&B.
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Let's start from the basics: can you introduce yourself?
I’m Rach, a 37 year old from Australia. I’m a mum to two little ones and I work as a developer at CodePen.
I always loved computers as a kid and the internet as a teen, but I struggled to find a place for me until I discovered front-end development as a profession in 2011.
I spent the first half of my career working in digital advertising, allowing me to live abroad working for agencies in the UK and USA, and the second half working on a single product (CodePen). Working for CodePen has allowed me to expand my skills far beyond the front end, and now I do a bit of everything.
What's the story behind your blog?
This is actually somewhere around the seventh attempt at keeping a blog. I had two LiveJournals and a Blogspot as a teen. Since I started my career as a developer I’ve had maybe three different self-hosted blogs, that I tore down and started again, as well as a now-defunct CodePen blog that had code-tutorial style posts. This iteration is the one that has stuck the longest.
What does your creative process look like when it comes to blogging?
Something that has been really helpful with my blog was actually to stop thinking about it in terms of a “blog”, and more of a “digital garden”. I can default to perfectionistic thinking if I’m not careful, and I used to treat blog posts like a finished piece that needed to be polished until it was just right before publishing. By changing my “blog posts” to “notes”, it changes the way I think about writing them and gets me to publish far more often.
I do all of my writing in an Obsidian vault. It keeps my personal notes as well as the published ones. When I want to publish a note I run a script that copies the note content to the directory holding my website’s content.
Do you have an ideal creative environment? Also do you believe the physical space influences your creativity?
Before having kids, I could be quite precious about needing a specific environment to get any work done. Now, it is certainly nice to be able to write in a peaceful setting, but I’m also able to do it from anywhere - on the phone in my car, at the kitchen bench with Paw Patrol playing in the background.
One thing I will say is by far the biggest environmental factor that influences my creativity is how much I am on my phone. If I’m on my phone consuming all the time, there is no space for having thoughts about what to write. If I put the phone away, the ideas arrive.
A question for the techie readers: can you run us through your tech stack?
I write all my posts in Markdown and use Astro to publish them on the web. All the content is kept in a GitHub repository with the site’s code. The site is hosted for free with Netlify.
Given your experience, if you were to start a blog today, would you do anything differently?
If I were to do it all again, I think I would make an effort to save more of the old posts I had on previous versions of this blog. I’m like the opposite of a hoarder - I think nothing of tossing things away as I love the idea of a fresh start. But sometimes I think it would be nice to go back and read what I wrote 10 years ago.
Financial question since the web is obsessed with money: how much does it cost to run your blog? Is it just a cost or does it generate some revenue? And what's your position on people monetising personal blogs?
All I have to pay for in the running of my blog is the analytics (Plausible) and the domain registration.
I’ve had a couple of ad networks offer to place ads on my blog but I’ve always turned them down. My audience is quite small, but very engaged and loyal. Annoying my regular readers wouldn’t be worth the small amount income I’d make from an attempt at monetisation.
Time for some recommendations: any blog you think is worth checking out? And also, who do you think I should be interviewing next?
I love reading blogs via RSS and am subscribed to about 30 personal blog feeds, including many of the people you’ve featured in this series already, so it is hard to choose favourites. I intend to add a blogroll to my site soon.
Speaking of blogrolls, I would suggest you interview Stefan Judis. His website is goals.
Final question: is there anything you want to share with us?
If you desire to write on your own blog but something is holding you back I would say: don’t make assumptions about what people will or won’t find interesting or useful. Every time I think I’m sharing something “too niche” I am surprised at the interest from readers.
This was the 20th edition of People and Blogs. Hope you enjoyed this interview with Rachel. Make sure to follow her blog (RSS) and get in touch with her if you have any questions.
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https://manuelmoreale.com/@/page/SWnJphyBFS3ysULy Save to Pocket
Tesla puts the brakes on German production over Red Sea attacks
date: 2024-01-12, from: Marketplace Morning Report
From the BBC World Service: Tesla is suspending manufacturing at its only European electric car factory as attacks in the Red Sea disrupt supplies. The company said longer delivery times created a gap in its supply chains as shipping companies avoid the route. And as Taiwan prepares to go the polls, its tense relationship with Beijing dominates campaigns — yet for many residents, the economy is among the biggest issues.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/tesla-puts-the-brakes-on-german-production-over-red-sea-attacks Save to Pocket
It’s uncertain where personal technology is heading, but judging from CES, it smells
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Our vulture spent a week in Las Vegas for CES 2024 – here are his key takeaways
Column Every January in Las Vegas a few hundred thousand folks gather to learn about the latest innovations from an ever-broadening range of gadget makers, appliance manufacturers, automobile companies – and, these days, an ever-growing number of “wellness” purveyors.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/ces_analysis/ Save to Pocket
On IoT Devices and Software Liability
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Bruce Schneier blog
New law journal article:
Smart Device Manufacturer Liability and Redress for Third-Party Cyberattack Victims
Abstract: Smart devices are used to facilitate cyberattacks against both their users and third parties. While users are generally able to seek redress following a cyberattack via data protection legislation, there is no equivalent pathway available to third-party victims who suffer harm at the hands of a cyberattacker. Given how these cyberattacks are usually conducted by exploiting a publicly known and yet un-remediated bug in the smart device’s code, this lacuna is unreasonable. This paper scrutinises recent judgments from both the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Ireland to ascertain whether these rulings pave the way for third-party victims to pursue negligence claims against the manufacturers of smart devices. From this analysis, a narrow pathway, which outlines how given a limited set of circumstances, a duty of care can be established between the third-party victim and the manufacturer of the smart device is proposed…
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/01/on-iot-devices-and-software-liability.html Save to Pocket
TRAVESTY
date: 2024-01-12, from: Howard Jacobson blog
Guilty about the Holocaust? Here’s how not to be -
https://jacobsonh.substack.com/p/travesty Save to Pocket
The Corporations Weaponizing Trust To Obstruct Climate Action
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Lever News
Edelman, the world’s largest PR firm, used its authoritative research on consumer trust to help fossil fuel companies fight climate action.
https://www.levernews.com/the-corporations-weaponizing-trust-to-obstruct-climate-action/ Save to Pocket
Data regulator fines HelloFresh £140K for sending 80M+ spams
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Messaging menace used text and email to bombard people
Food delivery company HelloFresh is nursing a £140,000 ($178k) fine by Britain’s data privacy watchdog after a probe found it had dispatched upwards of a staggering 79 million spam email and one million texts in just seven months.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/data_regulator_fines_hellofresh_140k/ Save to Pocket
‘It’s Really Terrifyingly Good Satire’: A New Mexico Passive Home Builder on Showtime’s ‘The Curse’
date: 2024-01-12, from: Heatmap News
Edie Dillman lives in the first certified passive house in New Mexico. She and her architect husband, Jonah Stanford, are founders of a company called B.Public Prefab that builds and supplies prefabricated panels for highly energy efficient homes.
So when The Curse began to air on Showtime this past fall, following an aspiring HGTV host couple Asher and Whitney Siegel, played by Canadian awkwardness spelunker and conceptual comic Nathan Fielder alongside America’s sweetheart Emma Stone, who are trying to get their show, “Flipanthropy” — during which they build and sell passive homes in Española, a town half an hour north of Santa Fe — picked up by the network, Dillman and her husband found out about it.
“I was aware the second it launched,” Dillman told me. “There’s some very obvious correlations of a husband and wife team doing passive homes in northern New Mexico, for sure. So people started texting saying, ‘are you watching this? This is horribly painful.’ They were right.”
The show plumbs new depths of discomfort for Fielder, who before this was best known for his conceptual reality shows Nathan For You and The Rehearsal. The Curse opens with a producer dabbing the eyes of an elderly woman dying of cancer with water and even blowing menthol on them to get her to cry when the Siegels offer her son a job at the upscale coffee shop they’ve brought into town. And it only gets more uncomfortable from there: Asher takes a $100 bill away from a young girl after giving it to her on camera and spills a Powerade on a former coworker in order to steal from his computer; the poor little girl’s father, meanwhile, goes through what might be the most uncomfortable chiropractor appointment of all time (some viewers thought he had died), courtesy of Whitney.
Dillman seemed good-natured about the whole thing, even acknowledging that “any press is good press” and that the show was probably the most media attention the passive house community has ever gotten.
She was also refreshingly forthright about her own position — literally.
“I think it’s fair to tell you, as a journalist writing about this, I’m
sitting in my own home that is a certified passive house and has the
plaque that is almost identical to the plaque they have in the show, so
it’s a little too close to home,” she said. “Be kind in your
reporting.”
The Curse is not a broadside against the passive house movement, which began in Germany in the 1980s and is based on using advanced building techniques — namely lots of insulation and thick windows that eliminate “thermal bridging,” where big differences in temperature create air flows that lead to inefficient air loss — to minimize the amount of energy needed to heat and cool a home. The target of the show is more the narcissism of do-gooders, how publicly virtuous behavior can mask and enable private avarice (the couple at the center of the show have an ultimate plan to goose the value of property they own in the town; Stone’s character is also the daughter of notorious Santa Fe slum lords) and how reality TV warps everything it touches.
But the vehicle The Curse chooses for its narcissistic, selfish, and emotionally damaged protagonists is nevertheless an oddly specific one. Not only have Whitney and Asher explicitly ripped off the design of their passive homes from artist Doug Aitken, whose designs famously feature mirrored exteriors, there’s even a German character clearly based on Passive House founder Wolfgang Feist who is brought in to explain the principles of passive homes.
The show does correctly identify some of the precise anxieties of the passive house movement. Any number of FAQs and guides to passive houses address the exact issues that come up in The Curse, such as whether you can open windows and doors or how homes are cooled in hot weather.
One buyer on the show tosses out an induction stove because he wants to be able to stir-fry, while in perhaps the series’s cringiest scene, another prospective buyer couple pulls out of a deal in part because of how long it takes for their prospective home to cool when a door is opened. The male half of the couple is already sweating when he enters the house and almost immediately asks for a glass of water. While trying to air himself out, he asks if there’s enough wattage for some air conditioning units.
“The answer to that is you don’t need one,” Whitney says, explaining that because the home “functions like a thermos,” it will never go below 65 degrees Fahrenheit or above 78.
“But 78 is sweltering,” the man says, before Whitney and Asher explain that because they had opened the door, it will take five to seven hours for the temperature to adjust.
The scene, Dillman said, “was a really funny exaggeration, and what’s painful is we often use the thermos analogy.”
But, she told me in a follow-up email, “I just want to say that opening doors and windows does not create hours of discomfort. My teenagers were horrified by that scene, as they have lived in a passive house for 12 years and have never experienced anything like that.”
Dillman noted that passive homes can have air conditioning and gas ranges, although for maximum carbon reduction and air quality, electrified cooking is best. The way the show depicts perfectionism, meanwhile, is “rightly satirized,” she said. Still, the idea of “a perfect home that you can’t open windows and doors,” was “really damaging and inaccurate — funny, but inaccurate.”
Dillman said few of the projects her company works on actually clear the passive house certification bar. “People are interested in the benefits, but not necessarily the gold star,” she told me.
Those benefits and how they’re achieved are explained at great length in The Curse — to the point that the third main character, an unctuous reality TV producer Dougie played by Benny Safdie, just about loses it. “This shit sucks, alright,” he says. “And it’s boring — really boring. I’m watching a guy talk about air for four minutes.”
But The Curse also milks drama from some of the thornier facets of the passive house movement, especially where it intersects with politics. When the couple drops out of buying the sweltering home, Asher calls another prospective buyer, who rolls up in a pickup truck sporting a pro-cop Blue Lives Matter decal. He loves the home — other “eco” homes he’s looked at “don’t even consider” thermal bridging, and he “love[s] that they’re basically off the grid.”
Instead of accepting that sustainable building practices can be appealing to people besides liberal do-gooders, Whitney — whose own goals of getting “Flipanthropy” picked up by HGTV, increasing the value of the real estate she and her husband own, and, most importantly, getting people to like and respect her are only glancingly associated with sustainability per se — goes near-catatonic with Asher.
“I actually loved that,” Dillman said. While she acknowledged that the stereotypical buyer of a passive home is a “white, liberal, do-gooder sustainability nut,” she also recognized that the energy independence a passive house offers might just as obviously appeal across the political spectrum. “It’s where the right and left somewhat come together and really agree,” Dillman told me.
While some of the downsides of passive home construction depicted on The Curse were “super inaccurate,” Dillman said, “I think seeing the humor in it and the morality is important.”
“I mean,” she added, “it’s really terrifyingly good satire.”
Read more about climate-related home design:
The
Deadly Mystery of Indoor Heat
How to
Prepare Your House for a Hotter Future
https://heatmap.news/culture/the-curse-showtime-finale-passive-house Save to Pocket
SNES controller for giants
date: 2024-01-12, from: Raspberry Pi News (.com)
SNES XL is a gigantic Super Nintendo controller with functioning buttons and a Raspberry Pi hidden inside so you can play retro games and pretend you’re a borrower at the same time.
The post SNES controller for giants appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/snes-controller-for-giants/ Save to Pocket
All the world’s a garden centre
date: 2024-01-12, from: Status-Q blog
All the world’s a garden centre And all the men and women merely customers.They have their checkouts and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts,His visits being seven ages. First, the Continue Reading
https://statusq.org/archives/2024/01/12/11916/ Save to Pocket
US, Britain Blast Houthi Targets in Yemen, Killing at Least 5 Fighters
date: 2024-01-12, from: VOA News USA
the pentagon — The United States, Britain and a handful of other allies answered dozens of Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with a series of powerful airstrikes designed to severely degrade the Iranian-backed group’s capabilities.
U.S. Central Command late Thursday said the series of strikes hit more than 60 targets at 16 locations in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, including command and control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, and production facilities.
“We hit them pretty hard, pretty good,” a U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss details of the operation, told VOA, adding the strikes also targeted Houthi radar installations and air defense systems which did not fire back.
A spokesperson for the Houthi rebel group said the strikes killed at least five fighters and wounded six others, without specifying the targets that were hit.
The U.S. and British strikes, carried out with the help of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Bahrain, were launched from fighter jets, surface vessels and submarines, the defense official said.
The U.S. alone, dropped more than 100 precision guided munitions on the Houthi installations, officials said, with the naval vessels and submarines firing Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles to take out the intended targets.
The official also said the targets were chosen both because of their threat to shipping and the lack of a civilian presence.
In a statement from the White House late Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden called the strikes a “direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks” on international shipping, saying they were necessary after attempts at diplomacy were ignored.
“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes,” Biden said. “I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak likewise condemned the Houthi attacks as destabilizing, confirming the participation of British fighter jets in Thursday’s strikes.
“Their reckless actions are risking lives at sea and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen,” Sunak said in a statement. “This cannot stand.”
It is the first time Houthi targets inside Yemen have been struck since the militants began attacking ships in the Red Sea following Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7.
U.S. officials late Thursday were still studying the impact of the strikes against the Houthis, but an initial assessment suggested the damage to Houthi capabilities is “significant.”
“We were going after very specific capability in very specific locations with precision munitions,” said a senior U.S. military official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the operation.
“This was a significant action,” added a senior U.S. administration official. “[We have] every expectation that it will degrade in a significant way, the Houthis, a capability to launch exactly the sorts of attacks that they have conducted over the period of recent weeks.”
There have been 27 attacks launched from Houthi-held areas of Yemen since mid-November, impacting citizens, cargo and vessels from more than 50 countries, according to the U.S.
U.S. officials said in one instance last month, U.S. defensive action prevented a Houthi attack from hitting and likely sinking a commercial ship full of jet fuel.
The most recent Houthi attack, involving the launch of an anti-ship ballistic missile, took place earlier Thursday. The missile landed in the Gulf of Aden near a commercial vessel, causing no injuries or damage.
On Tuesday, U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East and South Asia, said the Houthis launched a complex attack using 18 one-way attack drones, two cruise missiles and one ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward Red Sea shipping lanes where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting.
U.S. combat jets, along with U.S. and British military vessels, responded by shooting down the drones and missiles, averting any damage to ships or injuries to their crews in the area.
The senior U.S. administration official said it was Tuesday’s massive attack by the Houthis that prompted Biden to order Thursday strikes.
Before the U.S. and British-led strikes late Thursday, multiple U.S. officials warned both the Houthis and Iran against what they described as reckless and illegal behavior.
“There will be consequences,” Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder said Thursday in response to a question from VOA.
“The Houthis are funded, trained, equipped by Iran to a large degree. And, so, we know that Iran has a role to play in terms of helping to cease this reckless, dangerous and illegal activity,” he said.
Last week, the United States and 12 allies issued a statement warning the Houthis of unspecified consequences if their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea continued.
“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 included Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany and Japan.
The statement followed the launch in mid-December of Operation Prosperity Guardian by the United States, Britain and nearly 20 other countries to protect ships from Houthi attacks.
Since the launch of Prosperity Guardian, at least 1,500 vessels have passed safely through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The commander of U.S. Navy operations in the Middle East last week called it “the largest surface and air presence in the southern Red Sea in years.”
The U.N. Security Council issued its own resolution Wednesday, calling on the Houthis to stop the attacks immediately.
There are questions, however, as to whether the statements, backed now by the U.S. and British strikes against the Houthis, will do anything to deter Tehran.
“Iran has the luxury of really fighting a, what I would call, a hidden-hand operation with very few Iranians on the ground,” the former commander of U.S. Central Command, retired General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, told a webinar on Wednesday.
“They’re choking world shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb [Strait] at a very low, very low price for Iran,” he said.
But McKenzie argued that even if Iran continues to encourage the Houthis, the risk of a wider regional escalation is slim.
“I do not believe the escalation ladder leads out of Yemen. I believe it stays in Yemen,” he said. “And I believe Iran will leave their partners down there, their proxies down there, to their fate.”
U.S. officials said while they were bracing for the Houthis to try to mount some sort of response to the strikes, a slew of initial claims of attacks late Thursday appeared to be nothing more than disinformation.
This is not the first time the U.S. military has targeted Houthi launch sites in Yemen in response to militant attacks against vessels in nearby waters. In October 2016, the American destroyer USS Nitze launched Tomahawk cruise missiles at three radar sites along Yemen’s Red Sea coast in order to degrade the Houthi’s ability to track and target ships.
Ostap Yarysh with VOA’s Ukrainian Service contributed to this report.
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-britain-blast-houthi-targets-in-yemen-killing-at-least-5-fighters-/7437034.html Save to Pocket
Professionals discuss impacts of climate change to Hawaii at briefing
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Several professionals gathered at the state capitol Thursday for an informational briefing to alert people to the immediacy and magnitude of the threat that climate change poses to Hawaii.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/hawaii-news/professionals-discuss-impacts-of-climate-change-to-hawaii-at-briefing/ Save to Pocket
Roth to run for reelection: Mayor cites successes, challenges of first term while gearing up to fight for a second
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Mitch Roth will seek a second term as mayor.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/hawaii-news/roth-to-run-for-reelection-mayor-cites-successes-challenges-of-first-term-while-gearing-up-to-fight-for-a-second/ Save to Pocket
Police: Fentanyl arrests, seizures in December
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>As part of its continuing community outreach about the dangers of fentanyl, the Hawaii Police Department provides monthly updates about the number of fentanyl-related arrests, whether possession or distribution, in Hawaii County and the quantity of fentanyl recovered for the preceding month.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/hawaii-news/police-fentanyl-arrests-seizures-in-december/ Save to Pocket
Hilo woman agrees to plea deal in stabbing
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>A 32-year-old Hilo woman accused of stabbing her 79-year-old former father-in-law during a custody dispute more than 16 months ago has changed her plea in the case.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/hawaii-news/hilo-woman-agrees-to-plea-deal-in-stabbing/ Save to Pocket
Council passes bill targeting flavored tobacco products
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Victory is sweet for health advocates after the Hawaii County Council passed a pending ban on flavored tobacco products, but the battle will continue at the state capitol.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/hawaii-news/council-passes-bill-targeting-flavored-tobacco-products/ Save to Pocket
Battle for Abigail Kawananakoa’s estate comes to an end
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>HONOLULU — In life, Abigail Kawananakoa embodied the complexities of Hawaii: Many considered her a princess — a descendant of the royal family that once ruled the islands.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/battle-for-abigail-kawananakoas-estate-comes-to-an-end/ Save to Pocket
A cluster of lost cities in Ecuadorian Amazon that lasted 1,000 years has been mapped
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WASHINGTON — Archeologists have uncovered a cluster of lost cities in the Amazon rainforest that was home to at least 10,000 farmers around 2,000 years ago.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/a-cluster-of-lost-cities-in-ecuadorian-amazon-that-lasted-1000-years-has-been-mapped/ Save to Pocket
BIIF soccer: Warriors sweep Dragons, KSH edges HPA
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p><strong>KSH 2 - HPA 1</strong></p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/sports/biif-soccer-warriors-sweep-dragons-ksh-edges-hpa/ Save to Pocket
US set to push Zelenskyy at Davos for clearer war plan
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>The U.S. wants Ukraine to sharpen its plan for fighting Russia’s invasion as the war heads into its third year and is expected to raise the issue with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos next week.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/us-set-to-push-zelenskyy-at-davos-for-clearer-war-plan/ Save to Pocket
Astrobotic successfully powers on all payloads on damaged Peregrine lander
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p> Astrobotic’s damaged Peregrine lander managed to send data back from all nine of its interfacing payloads over the three days it’s been hurtling through space, the company said Thursday.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/astrobotic-successfully-powers-on-all-payloads-on-damaged-peregrine-lander/ Save to Pocket
Tua Tagovailoa: ‘Very, very, very, very grateful to have been able play under Nick Saban’
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Thirty-four of the 72 former Alabama players who appeared during the NFL’s 2023 regular season are on the 14 playoff teams. All were coached by Nick Saban while with the Crimson Tide.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/sports/tua-tagovailoa-very-very-very-very-grateful-to-have-been-able-play-under-nick-saban/ Save to Pocket
NCAA takes step toward determining if new tier of Division I where athletes can be paid is possible
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>PHOENIX — The NCAA on Thursday took the first step toward determining whether President Charlie Baker’s idea to create a new subdivision in which schools directly pay athletes can become a reality. </p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/sports/ncaa-takes-step-toward-determining-if-new-tier-of-division-i-where-athletes-can-be-paid-is-possible/ Save to Pocket
BIIF hoops: Konawaena defeats Waiakea, Kohala triumphs over Honoka‘a
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p><strong>KONAWAENA 61 - WAIAKEA 52</strong></p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/sports/biif-hoops-konawaena-defeats-waiakea-kohala-triumphs-over-honokaa/ Save to Pocket
South Africa tells top UN court Israel is committing genocide in Gaza as landmark case begins
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>THE HAGUE, Netherlands — In a case that strikes at the heart of Israel’s national identity, South Africa formally accused the country of committing genocide against Palestinians and pleaded Thursday with the United Nations’ top court to order an immediate halt to Israeli military operations in Gaza.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/south-africa-tells-top-un-court-israel-is-committing-genocide-in-gaza-as-landmark-case-begins/ Save to Pocket
US, British militaries launch massive retaliatory strike against Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WASHINGTON — The U.S. and British militaries bombed more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday, in a massive retaliatory strike using warship and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, U.S. officials said. The military targets included logistical hubs, air defense systems and weapons storage and launching locations, they said.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/us-british-militaries-launch-massive-retaliatory-strike-against-iranian-backed-houthis-in-yemen/ Save to Pocket
US investigating if Boeing made sure a part that blew off a jet was made to design standards
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether Boeing failed to make sure a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week was safe and manufactured to meet the design that regulators approved.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/us-investigating-if-boeing-made-sure-a-part-that-blew-off-a-jet-was-made-to-design-standards/ Save to Pocket
Patriots’ ‘partnership’ with Bill Belichick comes to an end after 24 seasons, 6 Super Bowl titles
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Bill Belichick had a vision of building the kind of sustained championship football team that had rarely been seen before in the NFL when he was hired by the New England Patriots. </p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/sports/patriots-partnership-with-bill-belichick-comes-to-an-end-after-24-seasons-6-super-bowl-titles/ Save to Pocket
In his 1st interview, friend who warned officials of Maine shooter says ‘I literally spelled it out’
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>LEWISTON, Maine — Sean Hodgson watched and worried as his best friend of nearly two decades unraveled. His former roommate and fellow U.S. Army reservist’s anger and paranoia were mounting, he had access to guns, and he refused to get help. So Hodgson did the hardest thing of his life: He sent a text about Robert Card to their Army supervisor.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/in-his-1st-interview-friend-who-warned-officials-of-maine-shooter-says-i-literally-spelled-it-out/ Save to Pocket
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal tax charges after an earlier deal imploded
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>LOS ANGELES — President Joe Biden’s son pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal tax charges filed after the collapse of a plea deal that could have spared him the spectacle of a criminal trial during the 2024 campaign.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/hunter-biden-pleads-not-guilty-to-federal-tax-charges-after-an-earlier-deal-imploded/ Save to Pocket
there’s no ‘mission accomplished’ in Florida
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>The last two legislative sessions in Florida have been frenetic. If there was a cultural grievance Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed as he vied to become president, lawmakers were ready to cement it into law.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/opinion/theres-no-mission-accomplished-in-florida/ Save to Pocket
Your Views for January 12
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Response to letter
about immigration</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/opinion/your-views-for-january-12-8/ Save to Pocket
Trump’s attempt to intimidate a federal appeals court could ensure his defeat
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>During arguments Tuesday, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit expressed appropriate skepticism about Donald Trump’s claim of immunity from charges that he attempted to overturn the 2020 election. But what happened afterward may have been even worse for Trump than the hearing itself: The former president refused to rule out violence if the appeals court’s decision goes against him, as he appears to think it will.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/opinion/trumps-attempt-to-intimidate-a-federal-appeals-court-could-ensure-his-defeat/ Save to Pocket
Kim relishes his debut at the Sony Open
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>It took Chan Kim a decade longer than he had hoped, but today he is exactly where he dreamed golf would take him someday. The fact that it is just a couple of miles from where he grew up is a bonus.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/sports/kim-relishes-his-debut-at-the-sony-open/ Save to Pocket
Donald Trump defies judge, gives courtroom speech on tense final day of New York civil fraud trial
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>NEW YORK —</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/donald-trump-defies-judge-gives-courtroom-speech-on-tense-final-day-of-new-york-civil-fraud-trial/ Save to Pocket
Pentagon inspector general will probe Austin hospitalization
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>The Pentagon’s internal watchdog announced it will probe the circumstances around Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization, after he suffered complications from prostate surgery but didn’t tell the White House for days.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/pentagon-inspector-general-will-probe-austin-hospitalization/ Save to Pocket
Illegal tunnel under New York City synagogue destabilized nearby buildings, officials say
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — The illegal tunnel discovered under a historic Brooklyn synagogue compromised the stability of several structures surrounding the religious complex, prompting an order to vacate as well as citations against its owners, city officials said.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/nation-world-news/illegal-tunnel-under-new-york-city-synagogue-destabilized-nearby-buildings-officials-say/ Save to Pocket
Obituaries for January 12
date: 2024-01-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Helen Hart Aganus, 89, of Papaaloa died Dec. 14 at North Hawaii Community Hospital. Born in Paauilo, she was a retired secretary for Hamakua Medical Center and member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Visitation 9-10 a.m. Saturday (Jan. 20) at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Honokaa. Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Burial to follow at Honokaa Catholic Cemetery. Casual attire. Survived by husband, Gary Aganus of Honokaa; daughter, Garolyn Aganus Akiona of Kona; son, Stacy Aganus of Honokaa; sisters-in-law, Caroline Hart and Kazue Hart of Honokaa, Charlene (Michael) Sohriakoff of Kona, Jane Aganus of Waimea; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; nephews and nieces. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/12/obituaries/obituaries-for-january-12-11/ Save to Pocket
How the oligarchy shrank America’s middle class (Why American capitalism is so rotten, Part 8)
date: 2024-01-12, from: Robert Reich on Substack
I saw it happen.
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-declining-power-of-the-middle Save to Pocket
Your pacemaker should be running open source software
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Using embedded medical technology, such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, or insulin pump? What’s running inside is a complete mystery
Opinion Software Freedom Conservancy’s (SFC) Executive Director Karen Sandler was last year awarded an honorary doctorate by Belgium’s Katholieke Universiteit Leuven for her work for open source and software freedom.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/column/ Save to Pocket
January 11, 2024
date: 2024-01-12, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
“Today, at my direction,” President Joe Biden said this evening, “U.S. military forces—together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands—successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways.”
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-11-2024 Save to Pocket
Mission Opera to present ‘Madama Butterfly’ Feb. 23-25
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Signal
News release The nonprofit Mission Opera is scheduled to perform Giacomo Puccini’s classic opera, “Madama Butterfly,” in February at Canyon High School. The timeless tale of unrequited love, set against the backdrop of Nagasaki, Japan, will be sung in the original Italian, with English supertitles projected above the stage, Feb. 23-25 at the Canyon […]
The post Mission Opera to present ‘Madama Butterfly’ Feb. 23-25 appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/mission-opera-to-present-madama-butterfly-feb-23-25/ Save to Pocket
USC researchers look to clean up social media
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Researchers are analyzing harmful online content to inform future moderation.
The post USC researchers look to clean up social media appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/12/usc-researchers-look-to-clean-up-social-media/ Save to Pocket
No more RSOs: University pausing acceptances until Fall semester
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Some organizations say USC has not been transparent regarding registration.
The post No more RSOs: University pausing acceptances until Fall semester appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/12/no-more-rsos-university-pausing-acceptances-until-fall-semester/ Save to Pocket
While we fire the boss, can you lock him out of the network?
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
And he would have got away with it, too, if it weren’t for this one tiny backdoor
On Call Welcome once more, dear reader, to On Call, The Register’s weekly reader-contributed column detailing the delights and dangers of working in tech support.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/on_call/ Save to Pocket
Classifieds – January 12, 2024
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The Daily Trojan features Classified advertising in each day’s edition. Here you can read, search, and even print out each day’s edition of the Classifieds.
The post Classifieds – January 12, 2024 appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/12/classifieds-january-12-2024/ Save to Pocket
China, Russia Trade Soared In 2023 As Commerce with US Sank
date: 2024-01-12, from: VOA News USA
BEIJING — Trade between China and Russia hit a record high in 2023, official data from Beijing showed on Friday, as commerce with the United States fell for the first time in four years on the back of geopolitical tensions.
China-Russia trade reached more than $240 billion, customs figures showed, overshooting a goal of $200 billion set by the neighbors in bilateral meetings last year.
The figure is a record for the two countries, who have grown closer politically and economically since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Beijing has drawn criticism from Western countries for its stance on the Ukraine war, on which China insists it is neutral.
It has refused to criticize Moscow’s invasion.
The trade figures represented a year-on-year increase of 26.3%, according to the data.
In contrast, trade between the U.S. and China fell for the first time since 2019.
Commerce with the United States was valued at $664 billion last year, down 11.6% from 2022.
Wang Lingjun, vice minister of the General Administration of Customs, told a news conference that the country’s trade would face more hurdles in 2024.
“The complexity, severity and uncertainty of the external environment are on the rise, and we need to overcome the difficulties and make more efforts to further promote the growth of foreign trade,” he said.
The figures also showed China’s exports fell 4.6% over the year, the first retreat since 2016, while imports were down 5.5%.
Friday also saw gloomy economic figures on the domestic front, with data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showing deflation in China continued for the third straight month in December.
The consumer price index (CPI) fell 0.3% on-year.
China slipped into deflation in July for the first time since 2021 and following a brief rebound the following month, prices have been in constant decline since September.
Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expected a drop of 0.4% last month, having sunk 0.5% in November.
While deflation suggests goods were cheaper, it poses a threat to the broader economy as consumers tend to postpone purchases, hoping for further reductions.
A lack of demand can then force companies to cut production, freeze hiring or lay off workers, while potentially also having to discount existing stocks – dampening profitability even as costs remain the same.
By way of comparison, inflation in the United States stood at 3.4% in December.
Inflation in China for the whole of 2023 rose by an average of 0.2%, in contrast to other major economies, which saw prices soar once again.
The NBS also said producer prices sank 2.7%, the 15th consecutive month of declines.
The PPI index, which measures the cost of goods leaving factories and provides an insight into the health of the economy, fell 3% in November.
https://www.voanews.com/a/china-russia-trade-soared-in-2023-as-commerce-with-us-sank-/7437001.html Save to Pocket
emails I received, the collection
date: 2024-01-12, from: Daniel Stenberg Blog
I have since at least 2009 posted occasional emails I received on this blog. Often they are emails from people who found my email address somewhere, thinking I am involved in the product or service where they found me. In cars, games, traces after breaches, apps and more. They range from plain weird to fun … Continue reading emails I received, the collection
https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2024/01/12/emails-i-received-the-collection/ Save to Pocket
Today in SCV History (Jan. 12)
date: 2024-01-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
1937 – Boeing 247 crashes at Santa Clara Divide; 5 dead, 8 injured. [story
https://scvnews.com/today-in-scv-history-3/ Save to Pocket
A case for believing
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The practice of using celestial objects for predictions dates back to ancient Mesopotamia.
The post A case for believing appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/12/a-case-for-believing/ Save to Pocket
Women’s golf season back in full swing
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The Trojans get early start with sights set on a fourth national championship.
The post Women’s golf season back in full swing appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/12/womens-golf-season-back-in-full-swing/ Save to Pocket
A tribute to Pete Carroll’s timeless energy
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The USC great’s Seahawks career may be ending, but his legacy is unforgettable.
The post A tribute to Pete Carroll’s timeless energy appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/12/pete-carroll-tribute/ Save to Pocket
TikTok should not be making you buy it
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Social media’s promotion of product overconsumption spells danger for the public.
The post TikTok should not be making you buy it appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/12/tiktok-should-not-be-making-you-buy-it/ Save to Pocket
We need to support non-Spanish speaking Latines
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Dividing Latines based on their Spanish-speaking ability is counterproductive.
The post We need to support non-Spanish speaking Latines appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/12/we-need-to-support-non-spanish-speaking-latines/ Save to Pocket
Senior A&E staff on the Emmys
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will be held Monday at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
The post Senior A&E staff on the Emmys appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/12/senior-ae-staff-on-the-emmys/ Save to Pocket
Drivers: We’ll take that plain dumb car over a flashy data-spilling internet one, thanks
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Now that’s a smart move
CES Despite all the buzz around internet-connected smart cars at this year’s CES in Las Vegas, most folks don’t want vehicle manufacturers sharing their personal data with third parties – and even say they’d consider buying an older or dumber car to protect their privacy and security.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/smart_cars_data_privacy/ Save to Pocket
San Marcos Girls’ Basketball Pulls Away in Second Half for 49-36 Victory Over Rival Santa Barbara
date: 2024-01-12, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Natasha Bender knocked down five three-pointers in the first half.
The post San Marcos Girls’ Basketball Pulls Away in Second Half for 49-36 Victory Over Rival Santa Barbara appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/san-marcos-girls-basketball-pulls-away-in-second-half-for-49-36-victory-over-rival-santa-barbara/ Save to Pocket
Webcurios 12/01/24
date: 2024-01-12, from: Web Curios blog
Reading Time: 32 minutes NEW YEAR, NEW CURIOS! Or, more accurately, EXACTLY THE SAME TIRED OLD FORMAT YOU KNOW AND ARE LARGELY INDIFFERENT TO! Yes, while other newsletters may start the year with grandiose talk of ‘projects’ and ‘plans’ and ‘changes and improvements’, you can rest safe in the knowledge that the only thing that is likely to change…https://webcurios.co.uk/webcurios-12-01-24/ Save to Pocket
Disease X fever infects Davos: WEF to plan response to whatever big pandemic is next
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Heads up, this isn’t about Elon
When the World Economic Forum meets in Davos next week, global leaders are set to discuss how to prevent a future unknown “Disease X” the World Health Organization predicts could kill 20 times more people than the recent coronavirus outbreak. …
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/disease_x_wef/ Save to Pocket
US, Britain Blast Dozens of Houthi Targets in Yemen in Retaliatory Strikes
date: 2024-01-12, from: VOA News USA
the pentagon — The United States, Britain and a handful of other allies answered dozens of Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with a series of powerful airstrikes designed to severely degrade the Iranian-backed group’s capabilities.
U.S. Central Command late Thursday said the series of strikes hit more than 60 targets at 16 locations in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, including command and control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, and production facilities.
“We hit them pretty hard, pretty good,” a U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss details of the operation, told VOA, adding the strikes also targeted Houthi radar installations and air defense systems which did not fire back.
The U.S. and British strikes, carried out with the help of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Bahrain, were launched from fighter jets, surface vessels and submarines, the defense official said.
The U.S. alone, dropped more than 100 precision guided munitions on the Houthi installations, officials said, with the naval vessels and submarines firing Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles to take out the intended targets.
The official also said the targets were chosen both because of their threat to shipping and the lack of a civilian presence.
In a statement from the White House late Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden called the strikes a “direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks” on international shipping, saying they were necessary after attempts at diplomacy were ignored.
“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes,” Biden said. “I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak likewise condemned the Houthi attacks as destabilizing, confirming the participation of British fighter jets in Thursday’s strikes.
“Their reckless actions are risking lives at sea and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen,” Sunak said in a statement. “This cannot stand.”
It is the first time Houthi targets inside Yemen have been struck since the militants began attacking ships in the Red Sea following Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7.
U.S. officials late Thursday were still studying the impact of the strikes against the Houthis, but an initial assessment suggested the damage to Houthi capabilities is “significant.”
“We were going after very specific capability in very specific locations with precision munitions,” said a senior U.S. military official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the operation.
“This was a significant action,” added a senior U.S. administration official. “[We have] every expectation that it will degrade in a significant way, the Houthis, a capability to launch exactly the sorts of attacks that they have conducted over the period of recent weeks.”
There have been 27 attacks launched from Houthi-held areas of Yemen since mid-November, impacting citizens, cargo and vessels from more than 50 countries, according to the U.S.
U.S. officials said in one instance last month, U.S. defensive action prevented a Houthi attack from hitting and likely sinking a commercial ship full of jet fuel.
The most recent Houthi attack, involving the launch of an anti-ship ballistic missile, took place earlier Thursday. The missile landed in the Gulf of Aden near a commercial vessel, causing no injuries or damage.
On Tuesday, U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East and South Asia, said the Houthis launched a complex attack using 18 one-way attack drones, two cruise missiles and one ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward Red Sea shipping lanes where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting.
U.S. combat jets, along with U.S. and British military vessels, responded by shooting down the drones and missiles, averting any damage to ships or injuries to their crews in the area.
The senior U.S. administration official said it was Tuesday’s massive attack by the Houthis that prompted Biden to order Thursday strikes.
Before the U.S. and British-led strikes late Thursday, multiple U.S. officials warned both the Houthis and Iran against what they described as reckless and illegal behavior.
“There will be consequences,” Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder said Thursday in response to a question from VOA.
“The Houthis are funded, trained, equipped by Iran to a large degree. And, so, we know that Iran has a role to play in terms of helping to cease this reckless, dangerous and illegal activity,” he said.
Last week, the United States and 12 allies issued a statement warning the Houthis of unspecified consequences if their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea continued.
“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 included Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany and Japan.
The statement followed the launch in mid-December of Operation Prosperity Guardian by the United States, Britain and nearly 20 other countries to protect ships from Houthi attacks.
Since the launch of Prosperity Guardian, at least 1,500 vessels have passed safely through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The commander of U.S. Navy operations in the Middle East last week called it “the largest surface and air presence in the southern Red Sea in years.”
The U.N. Security Council issued its own resolution Wednesday, calling on the Houthis to stop the attacks immediately.
There are questions, however, as to whether the statements, backed now by the U.S. and British strikes against the Houthis, will do anything to deter Tehran.
“Iran has the luxury of really fighting a, what I would call, a hidden-hand operation with very few Iranians on the ground,” the former commander of U.S. Central Command, retired General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, told a webinar on Wednesday.
“They’re choking world shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb [Strait] at a very low, very low price for Iran,” he said.
But McKenzie argued that even if Iran continues to encourage the Houthis, the risk of a wider regional escalation is slim.
“I do not believe the escalation ladder leads out of Yemen. I believe it stays in Yemen,” he said. “And I believe Iran will leave their partners down there, their proxies down there, to their fate.”
U.S. officials said while they were bracing for the Houthis to try to mount some sort of response to the strikes, a slew of initial claims of attacks late Thursday appeared to be nothing more than disinformation.
This is not the first time the U.S. military has targeted Houthi launch sites in Yemen in response to militant attacks against vessels in nearby waters. In October 2016, the American destroyer USS Nitze launched Tomahawk cruise missiles at three radar sites along Yemen’s Red Sea coast in order to degrade the Houthi’s ability to track and target ships.
Ostap Yarysh with VOA’s Ukrainian Service contributed to this report.
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-uk-strike-back-at-several-houthi-sites-in-yemen-/7436954.html Save to Pocket
GRMC to reinstate mask mandate
date: 2024-01-12, from: Guam Daily Post
Following the decision from Guam Memorial Hospital Authority to reinstate a temporary mask mandate in light of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases on island, the Guam Regional Medical City has now also decided to reinstate its own mask mandate,…
https://www.postguam.com/news/grmc-to-reinstate-mask-mandate/article_30326e5c-b109-11ee-9f44-e337179bfed6.html Save to Pocket
Cold Spell Hits Northwest US; Storm Forecast Cancels Flights, Classes Across Nation
date: 2024-01-12, from: VOA News USA
PORTLAND, Ore. — Tyrone McDougald wore a long-eared, leopard-print hat as he sorted through racks of warm clothes at a homeless service center in Portland, Oregon. He was already wearing multiple layers, but with no roof of his own, he grabbed two more coats to help him face a bitter cold snap arriving in the Northwest.
“I’m hoping that I can get in a shelter,” he said. “That would relieve a lot of the burden.”
An approaching storm was expected to deliver snow to Portland, a city more accustomed to winter rain, by Saturday. It’s one of a number of sprawling storms bringing everything from what the National Weather Service called “life-threatening wind chills” in South Dakota to the possibility of tornadoes in the South.
School and flights were canceled in advance in parts of the South and Midwest. Republican candidates campaigning ahead of Monday’s Iowa caucuses were contending with a blizzard warning covering most of the state, and Nikki Haley’s campaign canceled three Friday events and said it would be hosting “telephone town halls.”
Advocates were particularly worried about homeless people as well as older residents who might be snowed or iced in, especially in the Pacific Northwest, where the winters are typically mild.
In one hour Thursday, during the lunch service at Blanchet House, a homeless services nonprofit in Portland, about 165 warm clothing items were claimed — including the coats McDougald grabbed.
Julie Showers, the nonprofit’s spokesperson, said people were desperate for dry clothes and shoes after days of cold rain.
“We worry about frostbite, hypothermia,” she said. “There are a lot of people experiencing homelessness in Portland that are in mental health crisis … and slowly become hypothermic laying on the street because they don’t understand how cold it’s getting.”
McDougald said he’s spent the past two years unhoused: “I’m hoping I don’t have to do another whole winter out here.”
In the Chicago area, which could see more than 15 centimeters of snow by Saturday, advocates also worried for the growing population of migrants sent up from the U.S.-Mexico border. Hundreds are staying in eight parked “warming buses” to avoid sleeping outside while they await space in city-run shelters.
Among them was Angelo Travieso, a Venezuelan bused up from Texas. He wore a light jacket and sandals with socks.
“I slept sitting because there is almost no space left,” he said. “The buses are also small and you practically have to stay inside because of the heating, because it is deadly cold outside.”
In Portland and Seattle, temperature highs were expected to hover around zero to -3.3 Celsius and lows in the low 20s and about -5 C to -7.7 C from Friday through at least Monday.
The homelessness agency in King County, home to Seattle, activated its highest tier of severe weather operations through at least Tuesday, working with cities to open 24/7 shelters and with transit partners to provide transportation to shelters.
Seattle City Hall served as a shelter for up to 40 people Thursday night.
Multnomah County, home to Portland, provided outreach groups earlier in the week with clothing and cold weather supplies to distribute to people living outside, including wool blankets, tarps, tents and sleeping bags, said spokesperson Denis Theriault.
Cold spells in the past have been deadly for Portland’s homeless population. Two people died of cold in 2022, an annual county report on homeless deaths found. That was down from eight deaths from hypothermia in 2021 — the same year four people also died of overheating during the unprecedented and devastating “heat dome” that saw temperatures soar to an all-time high of 46.7 Celsius in Portland and smashed heat records across the region. The heat wave killed hundreds across Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
Portland winters do not include regular or extended periods of snow, so the city’s transportation department only salts or de-ices about a third of the street grid.
Past snow and ice storms have effectively paralyzed the city, including in 2017 and in 2021, when freezing rain coated roads in dangerous ice and many ice-laden trees snapped and fell on power lines, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of people.
Last February, nearly 28 centimeters fell in what amounted to the second snowiest day in the city’s history, taking drivers by surprise and stranding them on freeways for hours.
Norman Chusid, owner of the Ankeny Hardware in southeast Portland, said he had to keep his store open two hours past closing on Wednesday to serve all the customers. The store has been selling 3 to 5 tons of ice melt every day, he said.
“Snow shovels have been going like crazy,” he said.
At higher elevations, heavy snow, high winds and whiteout conditions were expected to envelop the Cascade Mountains and make travel “very difficult to impossible,” the weather service said. Fresh snow already blanketed the Cascades earlier in the week.
An avalanche at a ski resort near Lake Tahoe in California on Wednesday swept up four people, killing one.
Outside a tent in Seattle’s International District on Thursday, David Dodds said he had lots of experience in the cold: He’d been homeless in Alaska.
“During the cold snaps, maybe that’d be time to make a new friend or two,” he said. “Two warm bodies under the same blanket will go a long ways. … This cold, when temperature drops, it’s no joke, and you can wind up dead.”
https://www.voanews.com/a/cold-spell-hits-northwest-us-storm-forecast-cancels-flights-classes-across-nation-/7436952.html Save to Pocket
June 8: SCV Book Festival Makes Inaugural Debut
date: 2024-01-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The Inaugural Santa Clarita Valley Book Festival is set to make its debut on June 8, at College of the Canyons
https://scvnews.com/june-8-scv-book-festival-makes-inaugural-debut/ Save to Pocket
White House Sidesteps Questions About Bypassing Congress on Israel Arms
date: 2024-01-12, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/white-house-sidesteps-questions-about-bypassing-congress-on-israel-arms-/7436947.html Save to Pocket
Happy Birthday Matt
date: 2024-01-12, from: Om Malik blog
In San Fran’s bay, where dreams take flight,Ma.tt’s the name, shining oh so bright.Crafting internet fame, in the WordPress game.Jazz in his soul, coding’s his art,Like a sax, soaring high and low,Crafting WordPress, with a soft, mellow flow.Ma.tt’s the maestro!Remote is his style, from café to shore,Global miles, open doors galore.In the web’s grand play, …
https://om.co/2024/01/11/happy-birthday-matt-2/ Save to Pocket
From the DF Archive: Are There Any Tetris Games for Mac?
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: Daring Fireball
https://daringfireball.net/linked/2018/03/28/tetris-mac Save to Pocket
Niklaus Wirth: ‘A Plea for Lean Software’
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: Daring Fireball
https://liam-on-linux.dreamwidth.org/88032.html Save to Pocket
Nvidia can’t sell its best chips to China, but India is more than happy to take them
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Datacenter biz plans to deploy 32,000 Nvidia H100 and H200s next year
Nvidia may not be able to sell its top-specced GPUs in China, but across the border in India, datacenter operators are buying up tens of thousands of accelerators to bolster their AI capabilities.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/nvidia_india_gpu/ Save to Pocket
Platformer, the tech news site, is leaving Substack. “We’ve seen this movie…
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/0043772-platformer-the-tech-news- Save to Pocket
A 26 bit build of RISC OS
date: 2024-01-12, from: OS News
This is a Rom Image and hard disc image of RISC OS, built from the open ROOL sources, but compiled up in 26bit compatible mode. It mostly uses code from approx 2000-2002, compiled up with a set of contempory tools. It should be compatible with Acorn RiscPCs, A7000s, A7000+, and the emulator RPCEmu. ↫ Peter Howkins I’m not particularly well-versed in the world of RISC OS, but I think this build is targeting older machines that use 26bit ARM processors.
https://www.osnews.com/story/138289/a-26-bit-build-of-risc-os/ Save to Pocket
GNU Hurd’s 64bit port progress, porting started to Aarch64, POWER9
date: 2024-01-12, from: OS News
While GNU Hurd predates the Linux kernel, its hardware support has been woefully behind with very limited and dated hardware support compared to modern PC/server hardware. Not only that, its been largely x86 limited but during Q4’2023 the developers involved have made progress on x86_64 support and begun tackling AArch64 porting. Developer Samuel Thibault shared that the GNU Hurd 64-bit port now has enough packages in the debian-ports archive to be able to bootstrap a chroot. A 64-bit Debian + GNU Hurd build daemon is getting setup and the other infrastructure work is coming along. ↫ Michael Larabel In addition, work has started to port Hurd to POWER9, and someone is working on bringing the Ladybird web browser to Hurd, for a more modern browsing experience, among many other points of progress.
https://www.osnews.com/story/138286/gnu-hurds-64bit-port-progress-porting-started-to-aarch64-power9/ Save to Pocket
Feds accuse Valencia man, Nigerian national of bribery
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Signal
A local man who was running a Koreatown-based immigration and injury law practice is facing a federal five-count felony indictment for his alleged role in a $2.1 million international bribery scheme, according to a Department of Justice news release issued Thursday. Paulinus “Pollie” Iheanacho Okoronkwo was identified as a 67-year-old Valencia resident in a federal […]
The post Feds accuse Valencia man, Nigerian national of bribery appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/feds-accuse-valencia-man-nigerian-national-of-bribery/ Save to Pocket
COSMIC: the road to alpha
date: 2024-01-12, from: OS News
Happy New Year, and welcome to 2024! We’re on the home stretch putting together COSMIC DE, the new desktop environment made for Pop!_OS and other distros. Basically, it’s the look, feel, and customizations. The goal for the COSMIC DE alpha is to feel like a complete product, albeit with features still to come. With a more stable alpha, we can better collect feedback on usability and focus on completing the Settings panels. From here, we can work towards an eventual 24.04 release over the summer. ↫ System76’s blog I’m very excited to try this out once it’s available.
https://www.osnews.com/story/138283/cosmic-the-road-to-alpha/ Save to Pocket
Daughter of George Carlin horrified someone cloned her dad with AI for hour special
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Seven words you can’t say – This won’t backfire and ruin art forever
The makers of an hour-long AI-generated comedy special mimicking the late and great American comedian and actor George Carlin have been criticized for, apparently, not obtaining explicit permission from his family to impersonate his voice and style for the vid.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/george_carlin_comedian_cloned/ Save to Pocket
CalArts Alum M. David Mullen Wins 2023 Creative Arts Emmy
date: 2024-01-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
After a postponement due to last year’s writers’ and actors’ strikes, the Television Academy returned to recognize excellence in television from June 2022 to May 2023 in a two-part ceremony for the Creative Arts Emmy Awards this past weekend
https://scvnews.com/calarts-alum-m-david-mullen-wins-2023-creative-arts-emmy/ Save to Pocket
Assessor to host homeowner resource fair in SCV
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Signal
News release Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang is scheduled Jan. 20 to host the next in-person Homeowners’ Resource Fair in Santa Clarita, where residents will get the latest information on vital Assessor Office and County services such as property tax savings, Proposition 19 and what to do after a natural disaster, among numerous other resources. […]
The post Assessor to host homeowner resource fair in SCV appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/assessor-to-host-homeowner-resource-fair-in-scv/ Save to Pocket
Massive Shortfall In Blood Donations Prompts Calls For SoCal To Step Up
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The LAist
The Red Cross says that the number of people donating blood has dropped by 40% over the last two decades
https://laist.com/news/health/massive-shortfall-in-blood-donations-prompts-calls-for-socal-to-step-up Save to Pocket
Nikki Haley Helped Boeing Kill Dark Money Disclosure Initiative
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Lever News
Following 737 crashes, the GOP presidential hopeful helped crush a proposal to force more disclosure of Boeing’s spending to influence safety regulators.
https://www.levernews.com/nikki-haley-helped-boeing-kill-dark-money-disclosure-initiative/ Save to Pocket
Cougars Take Down Cuesta College 83-71
date: 2024-01-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
College of the Canyons picked up an important road win in its final non-conference contest, taking down host Cuesta College 83-71 while seeing four Cougars finish in double digits
https://scvnews.com/cougars-take-down-cuesta-college-83-71/ Save to Pocket
Taiwanese Americans Fly From SoCal To Help Pick Taiwan’s Next President
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The LAist
A three-way race for Taiwan’s presidency has lured thousands of Taiwanese Americans back to vote
https://laist.com/news/politics/taiwan-presidential-election-los-angeles-california-taiwanese-americans Save to Pocket
Lady Cougars Fall to Cypress College 41-51
date: 2024-01-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
College of the Canyons fell in a 51-41 road contest at Cypress College, dropping to an even .500 in the team’s final non-conference game of the schedule.
https://scvnews.com/lady-cougars-fall-to-cypress-college-41-51/ Save to Pocket
Former Sheriff Alex Villanueva Set To Testify About Deputy Gangs
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The LAist
After defying several subpoenas over the years, Villanueva is slated to speak under oath before the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission on Friday.
https://laist.com/news/politics/former-sheriff-alex-villanueva-set-to-testify-about-deputy-gangs Save to Pocket
Las Vegas impersonators, the Edwards Twins, return to SCV
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Signal
News release Anthony and Eddie Edwards spent part of their early lives in the Santa Clarita Valley and attended college locally. They went on to study the art of impersonation and ended up as one of the most famous Las Vegas duos ever. They began to tour the country and performed over 400 […]
The post Las Vegas impersonators, the Edwards Twins, return to SCV appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/las-vegas-impersonators-the-edwards-twins-return-to-scv/ Save to Pocket
COC earns national recognition for community engagement
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Signal
News release College of the Canyons is the only California community college to receive the 2024 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, an elective designation that indicates institutional commitment to community engagement awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Granted to 40 U.S. colleges and universities as part […]
The post COC earns national recognition for community engagement appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/coc-earns-national-recognition-for-community-engagement/ Save to Pocket
What to make of Google backing Right-to-Repair in Oregon? ‘It gives me hope’
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Anything to slow down the tech trash treadmill welcome at this point
Google on Thursday voiced support for pending Right to Repair legislation in the US state of Oregon, calling it “a compelling model for other states to follow.”…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/google_endorses_right_to_repair/ Save to Pocket
Jan. 18: SCV Water Public Outreach, Legislation Committee Meeting
date: 2024-01-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency’s Public Outreach and Legislation Committee is holding an in-person meeting Thursday, Jan. 18, at 5:30 p.m
https://scvnews.com/jan-18-scv-water-public-outreach-legislation-committee-meeting/ Save to Pocket
The SUPERs
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/the-supers Save to Pocket
Santa Barbara Unified School Board Appoints New Member to Fill Vacancy
date: 2024-01-12, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
New school boardmember Dr. Sunita Beall says, “Teachers need to have a living wage.”
The post Santa Barbara Unified School Board Appoints New Member to Fill Vacancy appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/santa-barbara-unified-school-board-appoints-new-member-to-fill-vacancy/ Save to Pocket
A life of preferences
date: 2024-01-12, from: Dave Rupert blog
It’s a secret to everyone! This post is for RSS subscribers only. Read more about RSS Club.
I think about this tweet a lot.
Being a billionaire must be insane. You can buy new teeth, new skin. All your chairs cost 20,000 dollars and weigh 2,000 pounds. Your life is just a series of your own preferences. In terms of cognitive impairment it's probably like being kicked in the head by a horse every day
— Thing Bad (@Merman_Melville) January 24, 2019
Casual ableism aside, that phrase “Your life is just a series of your own preferences” cuts like a knife. Wealth reshapes your relationship with hardships and grants access to leisure and luxuries that not everyone can afford.
I’ve had some recent experiences with people wealthier than me where I felt this acutely. Nothing malicious, but a realization of “Oh, that’s not a concern for you.” You or your kids want some expensive thing but it’d be fun? Buy now. Don’t like paying taxes and want a workaround? Buy now. Don’t like something about your house or car or body? Buy now.
To be fair, I see this effect of wealth in my own life too. Don’t want to make dinner or drive to a restaurant? Then don’t! That’s for the plebeians. I would prefer not to so I’ll use my tech salary to have a person on a gig app do that for me. I will – for a moment – have an on demand butler to cater to my whims.
Life, according to your own preferences.
https://daverupert.com/2024/01/life-of-preferences/ Save to Pocket
US, UK Strike Back at Several Houthi Sites in Yemen
date: 2024-01-12, from: VOA News USA
pentagon — The United States and Britain have launched a massive attack against Iranian-backed Houthis inside Yemen in retaliation for more than two dozen recent attacks against vessels transiting international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press, said American and British military assets struck more than a dozen Houthi targets Thursday, ranging from radar systems and airfields to drone and missile storage sites.
“We hit them pretty hard, pretty good,” a U.S. defense official, likewise talking on the condition of anonymity, told VOA, adding the strikes also targeted Houthi radar installations and air defense systems which did not fire back.
The U.S. and British strikes, carried out with the help of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Bahrain, were launched from fighter jets, surface vessels and submarines, the defense official said.
The official also said the targets were chosen both because of their threat to shipping and the lack of a civilian presence.
In a statement from the White House late Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden called the strikes a “direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks” on international shipping, saying they were necessary after attempts at diplomacy were ignored.
“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes,” Biden said. “I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak likewise condemned the Houthi attacks as destabilizing, confirming the participation of British fighter jets in Thursday’s strikes.
“Their reckless actions are risking lives at sea and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen,” Sunak said in a statement. “This cannot stand.”
It is the first time Houthi targets inside Yemen have been struck since the militants began attacking ships in the Red Sea following Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7.
U.S. officials late Thursday were still studying the impact of the strikes against the Houthis, but an initial assessment suggested the damage to Houthi capabilities is “significant.”
“We were going after very specific capability in very specific locations with precision munitions,” said a senior U.S. military official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the operation.
“This was a significant action,” added a senior U.S. administration official. “[We have] every expectation that it will degrade in a significant way, the Houthis, a capability to launch exactly the sorts of attacks that they have conducted over the period of recent weeks.”
There have been 27 attacks launched from Houthi-held areas of Yemen since mid-November, impacting citizens, cargo and vessels from more than 50 countries, according to the U.S.
U.S. officials said in one instance last month, U.S. defensive action prevented a Houthi attack from hitting and likely sinking a commercial ship full of jet fuel.
The most recent Houthi attack, involving the launch of an anti-ship ballistic missile, took place earlier Thursday. The missile landed in the Gulf of Aden near a commercial vessel, causing no injuries or damage.
On Tuesday, U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East and South Asia, said the Houthis launched a complex attack using 18 one-way attack drones, two cruise missiles and one ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward Red Sea shipping lanes where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting.
U.S. combat jets, along with U.S. and British military vessels, responded by shooting down the drones and missiles, averting any damage to ships or injuries to their crews in the area.
The senior U.S. administration official said it was Tuesday’s massive attack by the Houthis that prompted Biden to order Thursday strikes.
Before the U.S. and British-led strikes late Thursday, multiple U.S. officials warned both the Houthis and Iran against what they described as reckless and illegal behavior.
“There will be consequences,” Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder said Thursday in response to a question from VOA.
“The Houthis are funded, trained, equipped by Iran to a large degree. And, so, we know that Iran has a role to play in terms of helping to cease this reckless, dangerous and illegal activity,” he said.
Last week, the United States and 12 allies issued a statement warning the Houthis of unspecified consequences if their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea continued.
“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 included Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany and Japan.
The statement followed the launch in mid-December of Operation Prosperity Guardian by the United States, Britain and nearly 20 other countries to protect ships from Houthi attacks.
Since the launch of Prosperity Guardian, at least 1,500 vessels have passed safely through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The commander of U.S. Navy operations in the Middle East last week called it “the largest surface and air presence in the southern Red Sea in years.”
The U.N. Security Council issued its own resolution Wednesday, calling on the Houthis to stop the attacks immediately.
There are questions, however, as to whether the statements, backed now by the U.S. and British strikes against the Houthis, will do anything to deter Tehran.
“Iran has the luxury of really fighting a, what I would call, a hidden-hand operation with very few Iranians on the ground,” the former commander of U.S. Central Command, retired General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, told a webinar on Wednesday.
“They’re choking world shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb [Strait] at a very low, very low price for Iran,” he said.
But McKenzie argued that even if Iran continues to encourage the Houthis, the risk of a wider regional escalation is slim.
“I do not believe the escalation ladder leads out of Yemen. I believe it stays in Yemen,” he said. “And I believe Iran will leave their partners down there, their proxies down there, to their fate.”
U.S. officials said while they were bracing for the Houthis to try to mount some sort of response to the strikes, a slew of initial claims of attacks late Thursday appeared to be nothing more than disinformation.
This is not the first time the U.S. military has targeted Houthi launch sites in Yemen in response to militant attacks against vessels in nearby waters. In October 2016, the American destroyer USS Nitze launched Tomahawk cruise missiles at three radar sites along Yemen’s Red Sea coast in order to degrade the Houthi’s ability to track and target ships.
Ostap Yarysh with VOA’s Ukrainian Service contributed to this report.
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-uk-strike-back-at-several-houthi-sites-in-yemen-/7436803.html Save to Pocket
Story Poles on Carpinteria Bluffs Reignite Concerns over Proposed 99-Room Resort and Farmhouse
date: 2024-01-12, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Community members say they plan to fight the proposal, while the developers say the project would make 14 acres of privately owned property available for public use and create 40 units of affordable housing.
The post Story Poles on Carpinteria Bluffs Reignite Concerns over Proposed 99-Room Resort and Farmhouse appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/story-poles-on-carpinteria-bluffs-reignite-concerns-over-proposed-99-room-resort-and-farmhouse/ Save to Pocket
County approves updated outdoor dining ordinance
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Signal
Restaurants in unincorporated areas can now operate along public sidewalks, streets, alleys so long as public right-of-way is not impeded The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the updated outdoor dining ordinance for unincorporated areas of the county at Tuesday’s meeting, allowing for a broader range of businesses to use public right-of-way areas for […]
The post <strong>County approves updated outdoor dining ordinance</strong> appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/county-approves-updated-outdoor-dining-ordinance/ Save to Pocket
The ultimate outdoor adventure: Exploring Placerita Canyon State Park and Nature Center
date: 2024-01-12, from: The Signal
Just outside Santa Clarita city limits and a short drive from Old Town Newhall, visitors can experience the beauty of nature and appreciate the biodiversity just minutes away from the city. The Placerita Canyon State Park and Nature Center offers scenic views, a chance to witness hummingbirds and other wildlife in their natural habitat, and […]
The post <strong>The ultimate outdoor adventure: Exploring Placerita Canyon State Park and Nature Center</strong> appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/the-ultimate-outdoor-adventure-exploring-placerita-canyon-state-park-and-nature-center/ Save to Pocket
Adios, dead zones: Starlink relays SMS in space for unmodified phones on Earth
date: 2024-01-12, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Now you’ll never have an excuse for missing that weekend work text or call
SpaceX’s Starlink has confirmed a successful test of its Direct to Cell (DTC) technology with a two-way text conversation held earlier this week. …
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/12/starlinks_satellite_cellular/ Save to Pocket
Dropout
date: 2024-01-12, from: Dave Rupert blog
Have you heard about Dropout? Spun off from College Humor, Dropout is a paid streaming service with hours and hours of high quality improv content. For $6/month (less than half a Netflix) you get access to a large swath of independently produced shows that are a guaranteed laugh.
Here’s five shows I love on Dropout and chances are if you’re reading this, you’d like them too.
Game Changer
Game Changer is a game show where the contestants don’t know what game they’re playing until the show starts. The contestants are all College Humor talent and have comedy and improv skills in spades.
The series has reached new heights in the last two seasons with even more ambitious games, including but not limited to: a The Bachelor clone, a Survivor clone, an improvised musical, a surprise escape room, an improvised Shakespearean play, and many more.
Make Some Noise
A spin-off of Game Changer, this show is pure improv in the exact style of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” This is my favorite of all the shows. Pure, corny, improv games. There’s even an improv karaoke episode with Wayne Brady from the US version of Whose Line to tie up the head nod perfectly.
Just when you think you’ve seen all the goofs to be goofed, newer cast members like Jake Wysocki and Vic Michaelis show up to inject new life and take it even further over the top.
Play It By Ear
Another Game Changer spin-off, Play It By Ear is a 30-minute five act improv musical. All you fellow thespians out there will love it.
Dimension 20
Say hi, intrepid heroes! Dimension 20 is an “actual play” series where comedians play DnD. It’s got great set pieces, funny goofs and top tier DMs like Brennan Lee Mulligan and Aabria Iyengar. I started with Tiny Heist featuring the McElroy Brothers (and their dad) from The Adventure Zone podcast and would recommend that as a starting point, but they’re all fun and have different settings, stories, and players. I’m sure you can find one you like.
Total Forgiveness
Now for something completely different. Total Forgiveness is a show about how far two people would go to forgive their student loans. Grant and Ally subject each other to weekly dares that prey on each other’s fears and insecurities approaching Jackass levels of impropriety.
Supporting small production companies
Production on new Dropout content stopped during to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Being web content, Dropout was technically exempt from the strike but decided to stand in solidarity with their writers and actors. That’s an admirable move for a small production company.
It’s fun to support smaller media ventures and Dropout feels like one of the chaotic good ones. You can even gift a subscription to someone in your life who likes TTRPGs or improv comedy (or both). Highly recommend. There’s also a lot of free episodes on YouTube, so hopefully this post has already blessed your algorithm.
https://daverupert.com/2024/01/dropout/ Save to Pocket
April 20, 21: Countdown to Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival Begins
date: 2024-01-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The city of Santa Clarita’s Cowboy Festival is set to return for its 28th year and is now 100 days away!
https://scvnews.com/april-20-21-countdown-to-santa-clarita-cowboy-festival-begins/ Save to Pocket
Tackling strong biofilm and multi-virulent vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus via natural alkaloid-based porous nanoparticles: perspective towards near future eradication
date: 2024-01-12, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
As a growing direction, nano-based therapy has become a successful
paradigm used to address the phytogenic delivery-related problems in
overcoming multivirulent vancomycin-resistant
Hence, our aim was to develop and assess a novel nanocarrier system
(mesoporous silica nanoparticles, MPS-NPs) for free berberine (Free-BR)
as an antimicrobial alkaloid against strong biofilm-producing and
multi-virulent VRSA strains using
Our outcomes demonstrated vancomycin resistance in 13.7% of
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1287426 Save to Pocket
Mucosal microbiome of surgically treated terminal ileal Crohn’s disease
date: 2024-01-12, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Crohn’s disease (CD) is associated with changes in the microbiome. The
role of these changes and their precise association with disease course
and activity remain ambiguous. In this prospective single-center study,
the mucosal microbiome of surgical CD and non-CD patients was compared
at the time of surgery. Microbial analyses were individually performed
for ileal and colonic tissue samples obtained during surgery using
16S-rRNA-gene amplicon sequencing. Three groups out of the 46 included
patients were formed: 1) a study group of CD of patients who received
ileocecal resection due to CD involvement (CD study, n=10); 2) a control
group of non-CD of patients who received intestinal resection due to
indications other than CD (non-CD control, n=27); and 3) a second
control group of CD who underwent resection of the intestine not
affected by CD (CD non-affected control, n=9). Species richness and
Shannon diversity were not different between all formed groups and
regions analyzed (p>0.05). Several significant taxonomic differences
were seen at the phylum-, order-, and genus-levels between the formed
groups, such as a decrease of
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1324668 Save to Pocket
Dissecting EXP2 sequence requirements for protein export in malaria parasites
date: 2024-01-12, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Apicomplexan parasites that reside within a parasitophorous vacuole
harbor a conserved pore-forming protein that enables small-molecule
transfer across the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). In
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1332146 Save to Pocket
Characteristics of the gut microbiota of patients with symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques positive for bacterial genetic material
date: 2024-01-12, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
The gut microbiota (GM) is believed to be closely associated with symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis (SCAS), yet more evidence is needed to substantiate the significant role of GM in SCAS. This study, based on the detection of bacterial DNA in carotid plaques, explores the characteristics of GM in SCAS patients with plaque bacterial genetic material positivity, aiming to provide a reference for subsequent research.
We enrolled 27 healthy individuals (NHF group) and 23 SCAS patients (PFBS group). We utilized 16S rDNA V3-V4 region gene sequencing to analyze the microbiota in fecal samples from both groups, as well as in plaque samples from the carotid bifurcation extending to the origin of the internal carotid artery in all patients.
Our results indicate significant differences in the gut microbiota (GM) between SCAS patients and healthy individuals. The detection rate of bacterial DNA in plaque samples was approximately 26%. Compared to patients with negative plaques (PRSOPWNP group), those with positive plaques (PRSOPWPP group) exhibited significant alterations in their GM, particularly an upregulation of 11 bacterial genera (such as Klebsiella and Streptococcus) in the gut, which were also present in the plaques. In terms of microbial gene function prediction, pathways such as Fluorobenzoate degradation were significantly upregulated in the GM of patients with positive plaques.
In summary, our study is the first to identify significant alterations in the gut microbiota of patients with positive plaques, providing crucial microbial evidence for further exploration of the pathogenesis of SCAS.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1296554 Save to Pocket
Comparative genomic analysis of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes in Staphylococcus aureus isolates from patients and retail meat
date: 2024-01-12, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
A total of 136
Antibiotic resistance genes were prevalent in both meat and patient
Our study established a genetic connection between
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1339339 Save to Pocket
Functional characterization of Plasmodium vivax hexose transporter 1
date: 2024-01-12, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1321240 Save to Pocket
Old people hacks: tips for those of us over 40/50/etc
date: 2024-01-11, from: Matt Haughey blog
Time keeps marching on as we collectively age, so I thought it’d be helpful to drop a few tips I’ve learned after being on this planet for over 50 years, and using a computer for most of them. In no particular order, here they are: Get the largest screen possible, but run a lower resolution …Continue reading “Old people hacks: tips for those of us over 40/50/etc”
https://a.wholelottanothing.org/2024/01/11/old-people-hacks-tips-for-those-of-us-over-40-50-etc/ Save to Pocket
Cameron Smyth | Day of Unity Honoring the Dream
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a visionary leader whose courage and commitment to justice changed the course of history
https://scvnews.com/cameron-smyth-day-of-unity-honoring-the-dream/ Save to Pocket
Henry Mayo chief medical officer resigns
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
Dr. Robert Pretzlaff moving to be closer to family, says he couldn’t pass up ‘really exciting’ opportunity Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital will be looking for a new chief medical officer after Dr. Robert Pretzlaff submitted his resignation this week. The news comes less than three years after Pretzlaff was hired as the hospital’s vice president […]
The post <strong>Henry Mayo chief medical officer resigns</strong> appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/henry-mayo-chief-medical-officer-resigns/ Save to Pocket
US Lawmakers Question Whether Aid Is Benefiting Taliban
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
washington — U.S. officials overseeing assistance to Afghanistan told U.S. lawmakers Thursday that aid is rigorously monitored to prevent financial benefits from reaching the Taliban.
“We remain extremely vigilant against attempts to divert and interfere with assistance delivery. USAID takes its duty as a steward of U.S. taxpayer dollars extremely seriously, and we hold implementing partners to the highest standards,” said Michael Schiffer, assistant administrator, Bureau for Asia, U.S. Agency for International Development.
Assurances from the U.S. State Department and USAID came after the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in a January 8 letter that there were still unanswered questions about $3.5 billion in funds controlled by the Switzerland-based Afghan Fund.
SIGAR told Congress that more than a year after the Afghan Fund’s creation it had not made any disbursements for its intended purpose of benefiting the Afghan people.
According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, “an estimated 23.7 million people — more than half of Afghanistan’s population — will require humanitarian assistance to survive in 2024.”
The Taliban took back control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the chaotic U.S. evacuation of Kabul that ended the 20-year conflict. The United States has provided more than $2 billion in aid since that takeover.
“The Taliban is benefiting more than ever from U.S. taxpayer dollars,” said Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “They steal from NGOs to enrich their fighters and to solidify their power.”
McCaul said the Taliban demand payoffs from NGOs, create fake NGOs to receive aid money and embed Taliban officials within U.N. agencies.
An October 2023 SIGAR report found evidence of that infiltration, leading to lawmaker concerns about potential corruption in the Afghan Fund.
McCaul said Thursday that SIGAR has 30 outstanding requests awaiting an answer from the State Department regarding the disbursement of aid in Afghanistan.
Thomas West, special representative for Afghanistan and deputy assistant secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the U.S. State Department, told the House panel that the State Department has spent more than 13,000 hours cooperating with SIGAR on its requests about aid oversight.
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-lawmakers-question-whether-aid-is-benefiting-taliban-/7436456.html Save to Pocket
Port Hueneme Man Arrested in Goleta for Attempted Homicide, Assault with Attempt to Rape
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Sheriff’s deputies apprehended suspect Michael Nolan Medina, 33, following an incident at a Best Western on Calle Real.
The post Port Hueneme Man Arrested in Goleta for Attempted Homicide, Assault with Attempt to Rape appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/port-hueneme-man-arrested-in-goleta-for-attempted-homicide-assault-with-attempt-to-rape/ Save to Pocket
8 Officers Put On Leave After Alleged Misconduct At Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The LAist
Commissioner on the civilian oversight body calls for more details to be released.
https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/8-officers-put-on-leave-after-alleged-misconduct-at-los-padrinos-juvenile-hall Save to Pocket
Let the Countdown Begin: Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival 100 Days Away
date: 2024-01-11, from: City of Santa Clarita
LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN: SANTA CLARITA COWBOY FESTIVAL 100 DAYS AWAY The Hometown Favorite Event Returns to William S. Hart Park April 20-21 The City of Santa Clarita’s Cowboy Festival is set to return for its 28th year and is now 100 days away! The renowned event and resident favorite, which showcases the essence of […]
The post Let the Countdown Begin: Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival 100 Days Away appeared first on City of Santa Clarita.
https://santaclarita.gov/blog/2024/01/11/let-the-countdown-begin-santa-clarita-cowboy-festival-100-days-away/ Save to Pocket
EARTHQUAKE BRACE + BOLT GRANTS NOW AVAILABLE TO MORE ELIGIBLE CALIFORNIA HOMEOWNERS
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
The EBB Program celebrates its 10th anniversary with more than 23,000 homeowners receiving seismic retrofit grants over the past decade
The post EARTHQUAKE BRACE + BOLT GRANTS NOW AVAILABLE TO MORE ELIGIBLE CALIFORNIA HOMEOWNERS appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/earthquake-brace-bolt-grants-now-available-to-more-eligible-california-homeowners/ Save to Pocket
Fruit Stripe Gum Discontinued
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Daring Fireball
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/business/fruit-stripe-gum-discontinued.html Save to Pocket
I’m an Ultrarunner. Taylor Swift’s Treadmill Workout Wrecked Me. “I’ve done one-mile…
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/0043771-im-an-ultrarunner-taylor- Save to Pocket
La ciudad anuncia las ofertas de campamentos de verano 2024 y la fecha de inscripción
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Las familias pueden
inscribirse en las docenas de campamentos del
Departamento de Parques y Recreación a partir del viernes 2 de febrero.
The post La ciudad anuncia las ofertas de campamentos de verano 2024 y la fecha de inscripción appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/la-ciudad-anuncia-las-ofertas-de-campamentos-de-verano-2024-y-la-fecha-de-inscripcion/ Save to Pocket
City Announces 2024 Summer Camp Offerings and Registration Date
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Families can register for dozens of Parks and Recreation Department camps starting Friday, February 2.
The post City Announces 2024 Summer Camp Offerings and Registration Date appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/city-announces-2024-summer-camp-offerings-and-registration-date/ Save to Pocket
SCV Water Releases 2024 Gardening Workshops Schedule
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
SCV Water is thrilled to announce its 2024 Landscape and Gardening Workshops, designed to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills to create sustainable, vibrant landscapes
https://scvnews.com/scv-water-releases-2024-gardening-workshops-schedule/ Save to Pocket
Federal Trade Commission Sanctions Location Data Broker X-Mode
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Markup blog
The company is prohibited from selling sensitive location data and is ordered to put consumer privacy protections in place
https://themarkup.org/privacy/2024/01/11/federal-trade-commission-sanctions-location-data-broker-x-mode Save to Pocket
La Ciudad de Santa Bárbara Sostendrá Reuniones de Participación Comunitaria para el Proyecto de Aplicación del Plan de Gestión del Transporte en los Barrios del Westside y Lower WestLa Ciudad de Santa Bárbara Sostendrá Reuniones de Participación Comunitaria
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
SANTA BARBARA, CA – 10 de enero de 2024 La ciudad de Santa Bárbara sostendrá una reunión pública en línea
The post La Ciudad de Santa Bárbara Sostendrá Reuniones de Participación Comunitaria para el Proyecto de Aplicación del Plan de Gestión del Transporte en los Barrios del Westside y Lower WestLa Ciudad de Santa Bárbara Sostendrá Reuniones de Participación Comunitaria appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/la-ciudad-de-santa-barbara-sostendra-reuniones-de-participacion-comunitaria-para-el-proyecto-de-aplicacion-del-plan-de-gestion-del-transporte-en-los-barrios-del-westside-y-lower-westla-ciudad-de-santa/ Save to Pocket
City of Santa Barbara to Hold Community Engagement Meetings for the Westside and Lower West Neighborhoods Transportation Management Plan Implementation Project
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
SANTA BARBARA, CA – January 10, 2024 The City of Santa Barbara will hold both an online and an open
The post City of Santa Barbara to Hold Community Engagement Meetings for the Westside and Lower West Neighborhoods Transportation Management Plan Implementation Project appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/city-of-santa-barbara-to-hold-community-engagement-meetings-for-the-westside-and-lower-west-neighborhoods-transportation-management-plan-implementation-project/ Save to Pocket
LA County Landlords Dealing With COVID Losses Face Deadline To Apply For Rent Relief Funds
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The LAist
Friday is the last day for landlords to apply to the county’s $69-million rent relief program.
https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/los-angeles-county-rent-relief-program-application-deadline-landlord-tenant-covid-debt-how-to-apply-friday-january-12 Save to Pocket
Suit accuses Harvard of violating civil rights of Jewish students
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
Fallout from the Israel-Hamas war has roiled campuses across the U.S. and reignited a debate over free speech. College leaders have struggled to define the line where political speech crosses into harassment and discrimination, with Jewish and Arab students raising concerns that their schools are doing too little to protect them.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/suit-accuses-harvard-of-violating-civil-rights-of-jewish-students/ Save to Pocket
PEA SOUP ANDERSEN’S INN IS OPEN
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
BUELLTON, CA – Pea Soup Andersen’s Inn located in Buellton, California is open and welcoming guests. The neighboring restaurant with
The post PEA SOUP ANDERSEN’S INN IS OPEN appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/pea-soup-andersens-inn-is-open/ Save to Pocket
Bundle Up for ‘Snow Much Fun’ at the Santa Barbara Zoo’s Snow Leopard Festival!
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
The community is invited to enjoy 80 tons of snow, sledding, and learn about snow leopards!
The post Bundle Up for ‘Snow Much Fun’ at the Santa Barbara Zoo’s Snow Leopard Festival! appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/bundle-up-for-snow-much-fun-at-the-santa-barbara-zoos-snow-leopard-festival/ Save to Pocket
County’s Community Care Grant Applications Opening Jan. 22
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, the Los Angeles County Development Authority and Brilliant Corners are excited to announce the launch of the Community Care Expansion Preservation Capital Projects Grant Program, which will fund physical rehabilitation improvements for licensed adult residential facilities, residential care facilities for the elderly, and residential care facilities for… https://scvnews.com/countys-community-care-grant-applications-opening-jan-22/ Save to Pocket
Cal State faculty union vows to strike over the university’s final pay offer
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
By Mikhail Zinshteyn CalMatters Writer The faculty union of the California State University is planning a week of strikes across the 23 campuses, including Cal State Northridge, Jan. 22-26 after the system said this week that it would provide 5% raises to members, far below what the union is seeking. The California Faculty Association is asking […]
The post Cal State faculty union vows to strike over the university’s final pay offer appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/cal-state-faculty-union-vows-to-strike-over-the-universitys-final-pay-offer/ Save to Pocket
‘Trump Has Taken Presidential Immunity to Its Illogical Extreme’
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-12, from: Daring Fireball
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/01/trump-presidential-immunity-trial/677068/ Save to Pocket
NanoRaptor’s Apple Pascal Poster Recreation
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Daring Fireball
https://bitbang.social/@NanoRaptor/111699576526610669 Save to Pocket
Bicyclist killed by train in Fremont is identified
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
Authorities said a Milpitas man was riding his bicycle on the tracks when he was struck by an ACE train Jan. 2 near Auto Mall Parkway and Nobel Drive.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/bicyclist-killed-by-train-in-fremont-is-identified/ Save to Pocket
Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce to Celebrate Regional Business Excellence
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, from Goleta to Carpinteria, is pleased to announce the recipients of the
The post Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce to Celebrate Regional Business Excellence appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/santa-barbara-south-coast-chamber-of-commerce-to-celebrate-regional-business-excellence/ Save to Pocket
What Caused the Mysterious Extinction of ‘Giganto,’ the World’s Largest Ape?
date: 2024-01-11, from: Smithsonian Magazine
The massive primates were unable to shift their diet to keep pace with a changing climate, according to a new study, forcing them to eat less nutritious bark and twigs
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-caused-mysterious-extinction-giganto-worlds-largest-ape-180983582/ Save to Pocket
Daily Deals (1-11-2024)
date: 2024-01-11, from: Liliputing
Humble Bundle is offering a deal that lets you pick up 38 DRM-free eBooks from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series for $18. Not $18 each… $18 for the whole bundle, which includes almost every book in this fantastic series. Theoretically this is one of those name-your-price deals. You can get the first three books in the series […]
The post Daily Deals (1-11-2024) appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/daily-deals-1-11-2024/ Save to Pocket
BBEdit 15 Adds ChatGPT, Minimap, Cheat Sheets, and More
date: 2024-01-11, from: TidBITS blog
The latest major update to the venerable text editor BBEdit brings connections with ChatGPT, new navigational and reference aids, and a plethora of helpful refinements.
https://tidbits.com/2024/01/11/bbedit-15-adds-chatgpt-minimap-cheat-sheets-and-more/ Save to Pocket
COC Names Vanessa Zavala, Jacob Gonzalez Athletes of the Week
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
College of the Canyons student-athletes Vanessa Zavala (women’s basketball) and Jacob Gonzalez (basketball) have been named the COC Athletic Department’s Women’s & Men’s Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running Jan. 2-
https://scvnews.com/coc-names-vanessa-zavala-jacob-gonzalez-athletes-of-the-week/ Save to Pocket
Relay For Life of SCV celebrates ‘First Lap’ and regional/national awards
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
News release Relay For Life of the Santa Clarita Valley celebrated the kickoff of the 2024 Relay For Life season recently by taking a ceremonial “First Lap” in Central Park. This year’s SCV Relay For Life signature event will again be held in Central Park on May 4, with the Disney/Star Wars theme, “May […]
The post Relay For Life of SCV celebrates ‘First Lap’ and regional/national awards appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/relay-for-life-of-scv-celebrates-first-lap-and-regional-national-awards/ Save to Pocket
Santa Barbara Public Library Invites Applications for Teen Advisory Board
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Santa Barbara Public Library (SBPL) is excited to announce the relaunch of the library’s Teen Advisory Board (T.A.B.) in January
The post Santa Barbara Public Library Invites Applications for Teen Advisory Board appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/santa-barbara-public-library-invites-applications-for-teen-advisory-board/ Save to Pocket
Home remodel: Expert offers tips on choosing the perfect faucet
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
How much do you know about the faucet on your sink? Here are pro tips for buying a faucet that will stand the test of time.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/home-remodel-expert-offers-tips-on-choosing-the-perfect-faucet/ Save to Pocket
USC collapses late in loss to Washington State
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The injury-laden Trojans just cannot turn their season around.
The post USC collapses late in loss to Washington State appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/usc-collapses-late-in-loss-to-washington-state/ Save to Pocket
Man killed in Alameda traffic crash is identified
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
Police said the man was driving a car that crashed into a tree about 11:35 a.m. Dec. 31 in the 1300 block of Marina Village Parkway, near the Posey Tube. He died at the scene.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/man-killed-in-alameda-traffic-crash-is-identified/ Save to Pocket
Jan. 16: SCV Water Scheduled to Discuss Honby Tank Project
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency regular board meeting will be held Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 6 p.m. at the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant boardroom, 27234 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
https://scvnews.com/jan-16-scv-water-scheduled-to-discuss-honby-tank-project/ Save to Pocket
City of Goleta Grant Funds Available for Local Non-Profits
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Apply by January 26 and attend a grant application workshop
on
January 9.
The post City of Goleta Grant Funds Available for Local Non-Profits appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/city-of-goleta-grant-funds-available-for-local-non-profits-2/ Save to Pocket
eBay to cough up $3M after cyber-stalking couple who dared criticize the souk
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Staff sent live cockroaches, porno – and more – in harassment campaign to silence pair
eBay will pay $3 million to settle criminal charges that its security team stalked and harassed a Massachusetts couple in retaliation for their website’s critical coverage of the online tat bazaar.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/ebay_3m_penalty_stalking/ Save to Pocket
Joe Manchin Will Help You Sue the Biden Administration
date: 2024-01-11, from: Heatmap News
It’s not often you hear a sitting U.S. senator invite the public to sue the federal government — especially when the president is a member of their own party. But most sitting senators aren’t Joe Manchin.
Manchin continued his crusade against the Biden administration’s implementation of the electric vehicle subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act on Thursday in a hearing of the Senate Natural Resources Committee to discuss the EV supply chain. Since the law’s passage, the Democrat from West Virginia has become obsessed with the idea that President Biden is trying to weaken rules around domestic content in order to allow more EVs to qualify for subsidies and therefore speed adoption.
The law requires that the final assembly of EVs — as well as the manufacture and processing of their components and critical minerals — be done largely in the United States or any of its free trade partners to qualify for subsidies.
Though the timelines for compliance are spelled out in the law, the Treasury Department has been tasked with releasing guidance to clarify certain aspects of the rules. For example, over the past year, the department has proposed interpretations of what exactly is considered a “battery component” and under what circumstances a component or mineral will be considered to have been produced by a “foreign entity of concern,” like China. Though those may both sound like straightforward questions, the guidance clarifies myriad gray areas, such as what happens when a U.S. company licenses Chinese technology.
But at the hearing on Thursday, Manchin used his opening remarks to accuse Treasury officials of extending timelines for compliance with certain aspects of the law and watering down domestic content requirements.
“The administration is delaying deadlines we wrote into the law to remove China completely from the battery supply chain,” he said. “Vehicles that contain battery minerals and components from China and other adversaries can qualify for years longer than the law allows.”
Manchin warned that the administration’s “unlawful rules are bound to get struck down in court.” He then vowed to “support any entity that goes to court to correct the illegal liberalization of this law with an amicus brief.”
It’s true that the Treasury has taken some liberties. For one, it has proposed temporarily exempting certain minerals that are currently very hard to trace from the foreign entity of concern rules. But during the hearing, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyomo maintained that the rules were strict. He noted that the list of electric vehicles that are eligible for the federal tax credit has shrunk from more than 40 when the IRA was signed into law down to just 13 as of the beginning of this year.
Automakers have largely supported Treasury’s rulemaking. For example, the lobbying group the Alliance for Automotive Innovation welcomed the clarity provided by the proposed foreign entity of concern rules in December, saying that they struck a “pragmatic balance.” Autos Drive America, another trade group that represents foreign automakers operating in the country, also reacted positively.
Adeyomo testified that automakers have told Treasury the rules are tough but achievable. In response to a question about the need to deploy more electric vehicle chargers, he also noted that the administration will be releasing guidance on a tax credit for charging stations in the coming weeks.
To be clear: Manchin maintained that he was proud of passing the IRA and stood by its goals. His problem wasn’t with EVs, but rather that the Biden administration was “willing to bend and break the law” to implement its “radical climate agenda.”
Republicans, meanwhile, used the hearing to raise concerns broader about the risks EVs pose to the electric grid. Senator John Barasso of Wyoming cited a recent report that warned of waning supply reliability over the next decade due to a sharp rise in demand caused in part by electric vehicles, as well as the retirement of fossil fuel generators.
But David Turk, the Deputy Secretary of Energy, responded that EVs can actually be a solution for the grid because they add new energy storage capacity and are a flexible source of demand. “The fact that we’re going to have a whole bunch more batteries out there, that we can determine when those batteries are charged,” he said, “that’s actually going to be a more resilient grid if we incorporate that.”
This is unlikely to be the last we hear from Manchin about the EV tax credit. In December, he asked the Government Accountability Office to issue a legal opinion on whether Congress could overturn the Treasury’s guidance under the Congressional Review Act.
https://heatmap.news/sparks/manchin-ev-tax-credit-rules Save to Pocket
50 Years Ago: Skylab 4 Astronauts Begin Record-Breaking Third Month in Space
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
In space since their launch on Nov. 16, 1973, Skylab 4 astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue began the new year of 1974 roughly halfway through their planned 84-day mission. By the end of January, the three rookies held the records for the longest single space flight and the most […]
https://www.nasa.gov/history/50-years-ago-skylab-4-astronauts-begin-record-breaking-third-month-in-space/ Save to Pocket
Long Beach Now Accepting Applications For Guaranteed Income Program
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The LAist
Under the Long Beach Pledge pilot, 200 more eligible families will receive $500 a month for one year.
https://laist.com/news/long-beach-applications-guaranteed-income-program Save to Pocket
Media advisory: The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County 2024 Volunteer recruitment
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County is seeking volunteers to help support our public programs! Informational sessions are being
The post Media advisory: The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County 2024 Volunteer recruitment appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/media-advisory-the-land-trust-for-santa-barbara-county-2024-volunteer-recruitment/ Save to Pocket
Trump Assails Prosecutor, Judge at Business Fraud Trial
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-assails-prosecutor-judge-at-business-fraud-trial-/7436354.html Save to Pocket
“THEY COUNT, WILL YOU?”
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Volunteers are needed for the 2024 Homeless Point-In-Time Count
The post “THEY COUNT, WILL YOU?” appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/they-count-will-you/ Save to Pocket
ASUS’ new graphics cards and motherboards replace 12VHPWR connector with a 600W PCIe
date: 2024-01-11, from: OS News
At CES 2024, ASUS unveiled a new standard for motherboards, graphics cards, and cases. Called BTF (short for Back-to-The-Future), it offers much cleaner cable management with power connectors at the back of a motherboard. More importantly, it fully ditches the ill-fated 12VHPWR plug in favor of a much tidier (and probably safer) 600W PCIe connector. ASUS claims computers with BTF components are easier to assemble since all plugs and connectors are located at the back side of the motherboard tray without other components obstructing access to power, SATA, USB, IO, and other connectors. Therefore, “you won’t have to reach as far into the depth of your chassis to plug things in.” BTF should also make cable management much more elegant, resulting in a tidy, showcase-ready build. ↫ Taras Buria at NeoWin The interior of PCs effectively hasn’t changed since the ’80s, and it feels like it, too. Many of the connectors and plugs are unwieldy, in terrible places, hard to connect/disconnect, difficult to route, and so on. A lot more needs to be done than putting the connectors on the back of the motherboard and integrating GPU power delivery into the PCIe slot, but even baby steps like these are downright revolutionary in the conservative, change-averse, anti-user world of PC building. I don’t say this very often, but basically, look at the last Intel Mac Pro. That’s what a modern PC should look and work like inside.
https://www.osnews.com/story/138281/asus-new-graphics-cards-and-motherboards-replace-12vhpwr-connector-with-a-600w-pcie/ Save to Pocket
Greece Reopens the Palace Where Alexander the Great Was Crowned
date: 2024-01-11, from: Smithsonian Magazine
The 2,300-year-old Palace of Aigai—the largest building in classical Greece—had been under renovation for 16 years
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/greece-reopens-the-palace-where-alexander-the-great-was-crowned-180983574/ Save to Pocket
Riverside County Will Get More EV Charging Stations With Federal Funding Boost
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The LAist
Some of the funds in California will create chargers for long-haul freight trucks and electric vehicles.
https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/riverside-county-will-get-more-ev-charging-stations-with-federal-funding-boost Save to Pocket
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal tax charges
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
Prosecutors say Hunter Biden falsely claimed some of these expenses, including payments to escorts, as deductions on his taxes. He has since paid the IRS back what he owes in taxes and penalties.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/hunter-biden-pleads-not-guilty-to-federal-tax-charges/ Save to Pocket
Bay Area’s Dungeness commercial crab season can start officially Jan. 18 — with caveats
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
State officials, fishing fleets agree to a 50 percent reduction in traps
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/bay-areas-dungeness-commercial-crab-season-can-start-officially-jan-18-with-caveats/ Save to Pocket
Honoring the Dream: A Day of Unity
date: 2024-01-11, from: City of Santa Clarita
Honoring the Dream: A Day of Unity By Mayor Cameron Smyth Dr. King was a visionary leader whose courage and commitment to justice changed the course of history. His dream of a Nation free from racial injustice and discrimination continues to inspire us. As we approach Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 15, it […]
The post Honoring the Dream: A Day of Unity appeared first on City of Santa Clarita.
https://santaclarita.gov/blog/2024/01/11/honoring-the-dream-a-day-of-unity/ Save to Pocket
The Science of Snowflakes
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/the-science-of-snowflakes Save to Pocket
DUOONE is a dual-screen portable monitor with Smart KVM support and multiple inputs
date: 2024-01-11, from: Liliputing
This week Asus unveiled a portable monitor with foldable OLED display that lets you use the Zenscreen Fold MQ17QH as a single 17.3 inch display or two 12.5 inch screens. But with a $2000 price tag, this foldable monitor is going to be a pretty tough sell. There may be a cheaper option though… if you […]
The post DUOONE is a dual-screen portable monitor with Smart KVM support and multiple inputs appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/duoone-is-a-dual-screen-portable-monitor-with-smart-kvm-support-and-multiple-inputs/ Save to Pocket
Henry Mayo Newhall Primary Care Welcomes Carissa Bencito
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
Carissa Bencito, FNP-C, a certified family nurse practitioner, has joined Henry Mayo Newhall Primary Care
https://scvnews.com/henry-mayo-newhall-primary-care-welcomes-carissa-bencito/ Save to Pocket
CHP: No closures on I-5 after snow in Frazier Park
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
There were no road closures as of midday Thursday on Interstate 5 after Frazier Park received snow due to record low temperatures, according to California Highway Patrol officials. According to Officer Garcia, a spokesman for the CHP Tejon division, who declined to provide his first name, said that there are currently no road closures on […]
The post CHP: No closures on I-5 after snow in Frazier Park appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/chp-no-closures-on-i-5-after-snow-in-frazier-park/ Save to Pocket
@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-01-11, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)
This Q&A is so clear, simple and easy to understand that it would be a crime for you not to take this economics crash course.
It will take you 10 minutes, and it will feel like upgrading from doing accounting on clay tablets to using Excel:
Non paywall version: https://archive.is/2024.01.11-185719/https://www.ft.com/content/5a7297a0-7ee9-4be0-882b-617d8d9b0cef
https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111739371079188609 Save to Pocket
Why Google is waiving egress fees for disgruntled customers ditching GCP
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Hint: US, UK, European antitrust police are on the hunt
Analysis Data egress fees aren’t going away, but if you really want to ditch Google Cloud and take your data somewhere else, the search giant is willing to cut you a break.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/google_cloud_egress_fees/ Save to Pocket
Why Google is waiving egress fees for disgruntled customers ditching GCP
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Hint: US, UK, European antitrust police are on the hunt
Data egress fees aren’t going away, but if you really want to ditch Google Cloud and take your data somewhere else, the search giant is willing to cut you a break.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/google_says_itll_wave_egress/ Save to Pocket
Google will chop 700-plus Bay Area jobs as tech firms start 2024 in grim fashion
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
Google has sketched out plans for a fresh bout of Bay Area job cuts by detailing its intention to chop more than 700 jobs in the South Bay.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/google-job-cut-layoff-tech-economy-unity-block-mountain-view-sunnyale/ Save to Pocket
Grand jury declines to charge Ohio woman who miscarried at home
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
Brittany Watts had visited Mercy Health-St. Joseph’s Hospital, a Catholic facility in working-class Warren, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) southeast of Cleveland, twice in the days leading up to her miscarriage. Her doctor had told her she was carrying a nonviable fetus and to have her labor induced or risk “significant risk” of death, according to records of her case.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/grand-jury-declines-to-charge-ohio-woman-who-miscarried-at-home/ Save to Pocket
The Riviera Ridge School Welcomes Community to Create and Innovate at Annual Maker Fair
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Santa Barbara, CA. (January 2023) – The entire Santa Barbara Community is invited to The Riviera Ridge School’s mountain-view campus on Saturday,
The post The Riviera Ridge School Welcomes Community to Create and Innovate at Annual Maker Fair appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/the-riviera-ridge-school-welcomes-community-to-create-and-innovate-at-annual-maker-fair/ Save to Pocket
US Regulator: No Evidence Yet Linking Weight-Loss Drugs to Suicidal Thoughts
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-fda-finds-no-evidence-yet-linking-weight-loss-drugs-to-suicidal-thoughts/7436290.html Save to Pocket
Sheriff’s Office Announces New Chief Administrative Officer
date: 2024-01-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Santa Barbara, Calif. – The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office proudly announces the selection of Gary Warkentin as its new Chief
The post Sheriff’s Office Announces New Chief Administrative Officer appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/01/11/sheriffs-office-announces-new-chief-administrative-officer/ Save to Pocket
Travel: How you can sail around the Caribbean on a superyacht
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
Emerald Sakara, a 100-guest vessel, delivers understated elegance and luxurious perks.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/travel-how-you-can-sail-around-the-caribbean-on-a-superyacht/ Save to Pocket
St. Paul, Minn., makes history with all-female city council
date: 2024-01-11, from: San Jose Mercury News
Experts who track women in politics said St. Paul, with a population of about 300,000 people, is the first large U.S. city they know of with an all-female city council. But even as the council members celebrate the milestone, they are expressing more excitement about what the all-female council can accomplish in the coming year.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/11/st-paul-minn-makes-history-with-all-female-city-council/ Save to Pocket
Niklaus Wirth, Titan of Computer Science and Creator of Pascal, Dies at 89
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Daring Fireball
https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/niklaus_wirth_obituary/ Save to Pocket
You can cry, you can smile at the same time
date: 2024-01-11, from: Bloonface Blog
Yukihiro Takahashi, Yellow Magic Orchestra’s drummer and (usual) lead singer, died a year ago today of pneumonia. Most of my followers are bored to fucking tears hearing about my undying love for his album Neuromantic, and specifically the track “Drip Dry Eyes” from that album, but I’m going to talk about it anyway because I […]
http://blog.bloonface.com/2024/01/11/you-can-cry-you-can-smile-at-the-same-time/ Save to Pocket
LEVER TIME: Amid Boeing Crisis, Is It Still Safe To Fly?
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Lever News
David Sirota and guests explore how the air travel industry — including manufacturers like Boeing — sacrificed quality for profit.
https://www.levernews.com/lever-time-amid-boeing-crisis-is-it-still-safe-to-fly/ Save to Pocket
Pentagon Inspector General to Review Defense Secretary’s Hospitalization
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/pentagon-inspector-general-to-review-defense-secretary-s-hospitalization/7436252.html Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Trump’s Lawyers Argue Biden Can Assassinate Him. (I know what you’re thinking.)
https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/trump-lawyers-argue-biden-can-assassinate-him Save to Pocket
Iron Age Moat Discovered in Jerusalem Parking Lot
date: 2024-01-11, from: Smithsonian Magazine
The structure’s purpose is unclear, but researchers think it may have been used to divide the city in two
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-a-gigantic-ditch-bisecting-jerusalem-is-changing-perceptions-of-the-ancient-city-180983571/ Save to Pocket
NASA to Brief Media on Climate Mission to Study Ocean Life, Air
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
NASA will host a media teleconference at 12 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Jan. 17, to discuss the upcoming launch and science objectives of the agency’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission. Once in orbit above Earth, the satellite will shed light on the impact of tiny things – microscopic life in water and microscopic particles […]
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-brief-media-on-climate-mission-to-study-ocean-life-air/ Save to Pocket
The Soulless George Carlin AI
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: One Foot Tsunami
https://onefoottsunami.com/2024/01/11/the-soulless-george-carlin-ai/ Save to Pocket
Keeping it ‘661 Local’ at the SCAA Gallery
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
News release The Santa Clarita Artists Association Gallery is keeping it “661 Local” with its first art show of 2024, opening next week and featuring multiple local artists. “661 Local,” an art show where gallery guests will take a tour through Santa Clarita and surrounding 661 areas, launches on Jan. 19 and runs through […]
The post Keeping it ‘661 Local’ at the SCAA Gallery appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/keeping-it-661-local-at-the-scaa-gallery/ Save to Pocket
Local iLEAD Students Perform Real-World, Post-Flight Analysis
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
On Saturday, Dec. 30, while their classmates were on winter break, teams of students from three area tuition-free public charter schools gathered in the science lab at Santa Clarita Valley International (SCVi) Charter School to open packages sent to them from space
https://scvnews.com/local-ilead-students-perform-real-world-post-flight-analysis/ Save to Pocket
@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-01-11, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)
My next Godot on iPad task is to kill the top menu bar and move all its functionality to iPad-blessed locations.
https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111739046645954925 Save to Pocket
California Grizzlies Weren’t as Big—or Bloodthirsty—as People Once Thought
date: 2024-01-11, from: Smithsonian Magazine
The now-extinct bears were mostly vegetarians and measured about the same size as today’s North American grizzlies
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/california-grizzlies-werent-as-big-or-bloodthirsty-as-people-thought-180983578/ Save to Pocket
After 96 days of conflict, 79 journalists covering Israel-Gaza have been killed. Others are feeling the toll.
date: 2024-01-11, from: Nieman Journalism Lab
Seventy-nine journalists and media workers have been killed covering the Israel-Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, according to numbers released Thursday by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Of the 79, CPJ says, 72 were Palestinian, four were Israeli, and three were Lebanese. Another 21 journalists have been arrested, 16 injured, and three have been…
https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/01/after-96-days-of-conflict-79-journalists-covering-israel-gaza-have-been-killed-others-are-feeling-the-toll/ Save to Pocket
BBEdit 15
date: 2024-01-11, from: Michael Tsai
Bare Bones Software (Mastodon): A new Minimap palette shows a high-level overview of the active text document. This facilitates visualization of the document’s overall structure, as well as navigation within larger documents. I love the minimap in recent versions of Xcode, but I’ve not found myself using the BBEdit version much. It’s in a floating […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/01/11/bbedit-15/ Save to Pocket
AirDrop Log Dehashing
date: 2024-01-11, from: Michael Tsai
Lawrence Abrams (MacRumors): A Chinese state-backed research institute claims to have discovered how to decrypt device logs for Apple’s AirDrop feature, allowing the government to identify phone numbers or email addresses of those who shared content.[…]To get around censorship in the country, people turned to Apple’s AirDrop feature, which doesn’t require cellular service and uses […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/01/11/airdrop-log-dehashing/ Save to Pocket
Displaying Progress Is Hard
date: 2024-01-11, from: Michael Tsai
Howard Oakley: When I copied some files from iCloud Drive, instead of seeing a progress indicator reporting that they were being downloaded from iCloud, the dialog claimed that it was “preparing to move” the document in question. These preparations took some considerable time, during which the Finder’s status bar revealed what was actually taking the […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/01/11/displaying-progress-is-hard/ Save to Pocket
Easier Mac Audio App Installs
date: 2024-01-11, from: Michael Tsai
Paul Kafasis: As a result of changes Apple made back in MacOS 11, our apps have been stuck with a setup process that’s much more complicated than we’d like. Currently, an annoying restart is required to get going on Intel-based Macs. Setup is even more burdensome on Apple’s newest M Chip-based Macs, with multiple restarts […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/01/11/easier-mac-audio-app-installs/ Save to Pocket
The Stunning Winners of the 2024 Close-Up Photographer of the Year Contest
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/the-stunning-winners-of-the-2024-close-up-photographer-of-the-year-contest Save to Pocket
OpenWrt developers consider launching their first hardware design
date: 2024-01-11, from: Liliputing
OpenWrt is an open source, Linux-based operating system designed for embedded devices like routers. The project has been around for two decades at this point, and can now be installed on thousands of routers and other devices. Now some of the developers behind the project have put together a proposal for the first hardware designed […]
The post OpenWrt developers consider launching their first hardware design appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/openwrt-developers-consider-launching-their-first-hardware-design/ Save to Pocket
College Briefs for Jan. 11
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
Local student named to Newman University dean’s list Newman University has released its 2023 fall dean’s list, which includes Danielle Rodriguez, of Santa Clarita. A total of 413 undergraduate students achieved the qualifications required, completing at least 12 credit hours and achieving a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Newman University, in Wichita, Kansas, […]
The post College Briefs for Jan. 11 appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/college-briefs-for-jan-11/ Save to Pocket
[Sponsor] It’s Meh
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Daring Fireball
https://meh.com/?utm_source=daringfireball&utm_medium=sponsor&utm_campaign=dontwant Save to Pocket
US FAA Investigating Boeing 737 Max 9 After Mid-Air Panel Incident
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration is launching a formal investigation into the Boeing 737 Max 9 after a cabin panel blew off an Alaska Airlines ALK.N flight while in mid-air last week, forcing an emergency landing, the regulator said Thursday.
The FAA grounded 171 Boeing jets installed with the same panel after the landing, most of which are operated by U.S. carriers Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, pending safety inspections.
It is still unclear when the planes will be cleared to fly again, and the incident is the latest in a series of events that have shaken the industry’s confidence in the aircraft manufacturer.
The FAA said the Alaska Airlines Max 9 incident “should have never happened and it cannot happen again.” It told Boeing of the investigation in a letter on Wednesday “to determine if Boeing failed to ensure completed products conformed to its approved design and were in a condition for safe operation in compliance with FAA regulations” and after learning of “additional discrepancies.”
“We will cooperate fully and transparently with the FAA and the NTSB on their investigations,” Boeing said in a statement about the investigation.
Boeing did not respond to a request for comment. Its shares were down 1.2% on Thursday.
Both Alaska and United said on Monday they had found loose parts on multiple grounded aircraft during preliminary checks, raising new concerns about how Boeing’s best-selling jet family is manufactured. The two carriers have canceled numerous flights with the planes grounded.
The carriers still need revised inspection and maintenance instructions from Boeing that must be approved by the FAA before they can begin flying the planes again.
Boeing on Tuesday told staff the findings were being treated as a “quality control issue” and checks were under way at Boeing and supplier Spirit AeroSystems SPR.N, Reuters reported previously.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun told CNBC on Wednesday that a “quality escape” was at issue in the Max 9 cabin blowout.
The Alaska Airlines flight had taken off from Portland, Oregon, on Friday and was flying at 16,000 feet (4,900 meters) when the panel tore off the plane, which had been in service for only eight weeks. Pilots returned the full jet to Portland, with only minor injuries suffered by people on board.
Boeing’s manufacturing practices “need to comply with the high safety standards they’re legally accountable to meet,” the FAA added.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg declined to say on Wednesday when the FAA may allow the planes to resume flights but said it would only be when safe.
“The only consideration on the timeline is safety,” Buttigieg told reporters. “Until it is ready, it is not ready. Nobody can or should be rushed in that process.”
In 2019, global authorities subjected all Max planes to a wider grounding that lasted 20 months after crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia linked to poorly designed cockpit software killed a total of 346 people.
Boeing ended 2023 in second place behind rival Airbus in aircraft deliveries for the fifth year running, after seeing its roughly 50% share of the market eroded by the earlier crisis. Airbus posted record annual jet orders on Thursday, booking nearly 2,100 net new orders in 2023, while Boeing booked 1,314 net new orders.
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-faa-investigating-boeing-737-max-9-after-mid-air-panel-incident-/7436088.html Save to Pocket
All the Types of Science Fiction. Incl. “3. Technology creates problems 😕…
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/0043767-all-the-types-of-science Save to Pocket
Officials Reverse Plans to Remove William Penn Statue From a Philadelphia Park
date: 2024-01-11, from: Smithsonian Magazine
The National Park Service had proposed replacing the statue with public resources showcasing the city’s Native American history
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-backlash-william-penn-statue-will-remain-standing-in-philadelphia-180983573/ Save to Pocket
NFL’s Patriots Part Ways with Coach Bill Belichick, Who Led Team to 6 Super Bowl Championships
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Six-time National Football League champion Bill Belichick agreed to part ways as the coach of the New England Patriots, ending his 24-year tenure as the architect of the most decorated dynasty of the league’s Super Bowl era.
Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft announced the move to the media Thursday at Gillette Stadium. They didn’t take questions, though Kraft scheduled an availability for later in the day.
Belichick, 71, is just the third coach in NFL history to reach 300 career regular-season victories earlier this season, joining Hall of Famers Don Shula and George Halas. With 333 wins including the playoffs, Belichick trails only Shula (347) for the record for victories by a coach.
But the Patriots ended this season 4-13, Belichick’s worst record in 29 seasons as an NFL head coach. It supplanted the 5-11 mark he managed in his last year in Cleveland in 1995 and again in his first year in New England in 2000. Including the playoffs, he ends his Patriots tenure with a 333-178 overall record.
With his cutoff hoodies and ever-present scowl, Belichick teamed with quarterback Tom Brady to lead the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories, nine AFC titles and 17 division championships in 19 years. During a less successful — but also tumultuous — stint with the original Cleveland Browns, Belichick earned 37 of his career victories.
It’s not immediately clear who Kraft will tap to replace the future Hall of Famer.
Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo won a Super Bowl ring playing under Belichick and has interviewed for multiple head coaching vacancies since becoming a New England assistant in 2019. Mayo turned down a few interviews last offseason before signing a contract extension to remain with the Patriots.
Mike Vrabel, who was fired earlier this week by the Tennessee Titans and won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, is also expected to be a candidate for the head coaching job.
Belichick had been grooming offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to replace him before McDaniels left following the 2021 season to become the coach of the Raiders. He has since been fired by Las Vegas. Belichick’s two sons, Steve and Brian, are also on the coaching staff.
Belichick’s exit from the Patriots comes just a day after another legendary coach and his longtime friend Nick Saban announced he’d retire after winning seven college national championships. Saban worked for Belichick’s father, Steve, in the 1980s as a coach at Navy, and Bill Belichick hired Saban as his defensive coordinator when he became Cleveland’s head coach in 1991.
The six Super Bowl wins tie Belichick with pre-merger mentors Halas and Curly Lambeau for the most NFL championships. Belichick also won two rings as Bill Parcells’ defensive coordinator with the New York Giants.
But the Patriots have stumbled to a 29-38 record since Brady departed following the 2019 season and missed the playoffs in three of those four seasons. Beginning in 2001 when Brady became the starting quarterback, the Patriots missed the playoffs only once (2008) when Brady was injured. This marked New England’s fifth consecutive season without a playoff victory.
Belichick’s subsequent solutions at quarterback haven’t panned out.
Brady’s initial replacement, Cam Newton, didn’t resemble the player who won the 2015 MVP award and was cut after a 7-9 finish in 2020. Meanwhile Brady won his seventh Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that same season.
Potential long-term replacement Mac Jones, a 2021 first-round draft choice, was a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie and led New England to the playoffs. But he regressed in Year 2 when Belichick put longtime defensive assistant Matt Patricia in charge of the offense. Jones didn’t fare much better this season when Bill O’Brien returned as offensive coordinator. He was benched four times before being replaced as starter by backup Bailey Zappe for the final six games.
That left the Patriots looking at a lengthy rebuild, with no candidate on the roster to bring stability to the sport’s most important position.
Belichick, who also served as the de facto general manager with final say on personnel decisions, was celebrated for his ingenuity managing the salary cap during the run of Super Bowl success. It included getting stars like Brady and others to accept cap-friendly contracts or adjust their deals to accommodate the signing of other players.
But that acclaim has waned in the years since Brady left, as a run of draft picks and high-priced free agents didn’t live up to expectations. In addition, Belichick has seen several members of his personnel and scouting departments leave for other jobs. The list includes his former player personnel director, Nick Caserio, who was hired as Houston’s general manager in 2021.
Now it won’t be Belichick making the decisions for the Patriots on or off the field.
The only child of a World War II veteran who spent three decades as a Navy assistant coach, Belichick is a football historian with an encyclopedic knowledge of strategy from the sport’s early days to current NFL trends. His players said his attention to detail never left them unprepared.
Belichick has been a master of the NFL rule book, unearthing loopholes in clock operations and offensive line formations that – though entirely legal – cemented his reputation as a mad genius.
But his legacy in New England also includes two major cheating investigations — and other, minor ones — that cost him and the team draft picks and more than $1 million in fines. Opponents accused the Patriots of everything from hacking their headsets to cutting corners on injury reports.
His friendship with former President Donald Trump, which Belichick insisted was not political, landed the coach on the list to receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom in the waning days of the administration. After the outcry against the U.S. Capitol siege, Belichick announced “the decision has been made not to move forward.”
https://www.voanews.com/a/nfl-s-patriots-part-ways-with-coach-bill-belichick-who-led-team-to-6-super-bowl-championships/7436055.html Save to Pocket
Miners Discover Seven-Foot Mammoth Tusk in North Dakota
date: 2024-01-11, from: Smithsonian Magazine
After coal mine workers found the 50-pound specimen, paleontologists studied the site and uncovered more than 20 additional bones
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/miners-discover-seven-foot-mammoth-tusk-in-north-dakota-180983569/ Save to Pocket
Google Formally Endorses Right to Repair, Will Lobby to Pass Repair Laws
date: 2024-01-11, from: 404 Media Group
Google says repair should be easy and “parts pairing” should be illegal.
https://www.404media.co/google-formally-endorses-right-to-repair-will-lobby-to-pass-strong-repair-laws/ Save to Pocket
Silicon Valley weirdo’s quest to dodge death – yours for $333 a month
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Wonder when he’s going to give that 28-year-old their skin back
We’re born, we work, we die. That biological injustice just doesn’t mesh with the Silicon Valley mindset.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/bryan_johnson_health_subcription/ Save to Pocket
Techdirt on Substack: “A site that caters to Nazis is not a…
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/0043766-techdirt-on-substack-a-si Save to Pocket
NASA’s PACE To Investigate Oceans, Atmospheres in Changing Climate
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
Earth’s oceans and atmosphere are changing as the planet warms. Some ocean waters become greener as more microscopic organisms bloom. In the atmosphere, dust storms born on one continent affect the air quality of another, while smoke from massive wildfires can blanket entire regions for days. NASA’s newest Earth-observing satellite, called PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean […]
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/nasas-pace-to-investigate-oceans-atmospheres-in-changing-climate/ Save to Pocket
Albany’s Afghan Americans Help Afghan Refugees Resettle
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
Albany, New York — A group of Afghan Americans in Albany, New York, have opened a community center to help resettle newly arrived Afghans in the United States.
The Afghans, who fled their country after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, received help navigating the U.S. immigration system and starting a new life in the United States.
“[When] the [Afghan] government collapsed and more Afghans came to the U.S., the [U.S.] government could not handle [the cases], so we considered it necessary to support them,” Yousaf Sherzad, vice president of the Afghan American Community Center, told VOA. “We rented this office to help the newly arrived Afghans begin their new life here [in the U.S.].”
The center, which mostly serves families and single men, was launched in 2021, the same year the United States and its allies left Afghanistan, evacuating some 130,000 people from Kabul in the chaotic last weeks of August.
Through Operation Allies Welcome, about 88,500 Afghan nationals arrived in the U.S. and resettled in communities across the country. Operation Allies Welcome was a program that coordinated efforts to resettle vulnerable Afghans.
But those left behind are still making their way to the U.S., and there are limited immigration paths available for those hoping to come to the United States.
One way is to apply for a visa, but that requires them to travel to a U.S. embassy for an interview. The closest U.S. embassies to Afghanistan are in Qatar, Pakistan, or the United Arab Emirates.
Another way is to apply for humanitarian parole on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, but that is a lengthy process. And although it approves only a few hundred people annually, it does lead to permanent U.S. residency.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services receives fewer than 2,000 requests for humanitarian parole overall from all nationalities over the course of a typical year. Of those requests, approximately 500 to 700 are approved.
Since July 1, 2021, the USCIS has received more than 50,420 requests for humanitarian parole for Afghan nationals, of which they have denied about 11,020.
“USCIS has conditionally approved humanitarian parole for approximately 480 Afghan nationals outside the U.S.,” a Biden official wrote to VOA in an email on last August.
A third option for Afghans is to travel to the U.S.-Mexico border and request asylum protection. The center also helps those who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization and ended up in Albany.
And that is what newly arrived Afghan, Shakor, who did not want to give his last name for security reasons, decided to do.
“It has been 15 days since we came from Mexico,” Shakor said. “One of my friends guided me and brought me to the Afghan community.”
Most people working at the center are volunteers who arrived in the U.S. before August 2021. They went through immigration procedures themselves and want to help refugees and asylum-seekers because of their own experience.
“Based on what we have learned, listened and experienced, we want to make things easier for them by providing them with addresses, translation and filing their forms,” Sherzad said.
Volunteers at the center say that every day they see and help three to five Afghans who entered the United States at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Roshan Noorzai contributed to this report.
https://www.voanews.com/a/albany-s-afghan-americans-help-afghan-refugees-resettle/7435233.html Save to Pocket
Afghan Americans in New York’s Capital Help Afghan Refugees Resettle
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
In 2021, a group of Afghan Americans in Albany, New York opened a community center to help resettle newly arrived Afghans in the United States. Zafar Bamyani recently visited the site to see how their efforts are working, with Roshan Noorzi contributing. Aline Barros narrates the story.
https://www.voanews.com/a/afghan-americans-in-new-york-s-capital-help-afghan-refugees-resettle-/7435984.html Save to Pocket
Brr, It’s Cold in Here! NASA’s Cryo Efforts Beyond the Atmosphere
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
Establishing sustained operations at the Moon and Mars presents a multitude of opportunities and challenges NASA has yet to encounter. Many of these activities require new technologies and processes to ensure the agency is prepared for its ambitious Artemis missions and those beyond. One of those challenges is working with cryogenic fluids, meaning fluids existing […]
https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/glenn/brr-its-cold-in-here-nasas-cryo-efforts-beyond-the-atmosphere/ Save to Pocket
NASA Sets Coverage for Axiom Mission 3 Briefing, Events, Broadcast
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
Editor’s Note: This advisory was updated Jan. 12, 2024 to reflect a change in start time for docking coverage. NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff of Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) is scheduled for 5:11 […]
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-axiom-mission-3-briefing-events-broadcast/ Save to Pocket
@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-01-11, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)
Almost there!
https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111738562765952674 Save to Pocket
NASA Astronaut, Congresswoman Discuss STEM Careers with Students
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
NASA astronaut Nicole Mann and U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren talk with students and families at Youth Alliance, a community organization in Hollister, California, on Jan. 5. Mann, who was born in another small California community, spoke about her parents’ work as an auto mechanic and a manicurist and her own path to becoming a colonel in the […]
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/nicole-aunapu-mann/nasa-astronaut-congresswoman-discuss-stem-careers-with-students/ Save to Pocket
Ryan Broderick of Garbage Day: It’s time to leave Substack. “If only…
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/0043765-ryan-broderick-of-garbage Save to Pocket
Arm cooking up powerful Cortex-X CPU to beat iPhone performance, says industry watcher
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Plus: Analyst believes Samsung might give up on own cores and use Arm designs instead
Arm has confirmed it is working on a CPU core expected to deliver a jump in performance, thus taking aim at the closing the gap between its own chips and those produced by Apple.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/arm_cooking_up_powerful_cortexx/ Save to Pocket
Evolving Risk Management in the Banking Sector
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
In today’s dynamic and ever-evolving business environment, the banking sector is no exception to the winds of change. One area that has undergone significant transformation in recent years is risk management. Banks, once known for their cautious and conservative approach, are now embracing innovative strategies and technologies like LEI Lookup to adapt to the changing […]
The post Evolving Risk Management in the Banking Sector appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/evolving-risk-management-in-the-banking-sector/ Save to Pocket
Asus ExpertCenter PN65 is a Meteor Lake mini PC with 2.5 GbE Ethernet, quad display support and tool-free upgradeability
date: 2024-01-11, from: Liliputing
Asus may have acquired Intel’s NUC business and unveiled three new NUC-branded mini PCs at CES this week, including the first ROG NUC gaming PC. But Asus has been making its own mini PCs for years, and it looks like the company is still planning to release at least some models under the old branding. […]
The post Asus ExpertCenter PN65 is a Meteor Lake mini PC with 2.5 GbE Ethernet, quad display support and tool-free upgradeability appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/asus-expertcenter-pn65-is-a-meteor-lake-mini-pc-with-2-5-gbe-ethernet-quad-display-support-and-tool-free-upgradeability/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
People want to be part of something outside of themselves.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/11/trump-dishonesty-presidential-election/ Save to Pocket
COC’s Community Engagement Earns National Recognition
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
College of the Canyons is the only California community college to receive the 2024 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, an elective designation that indicates institutional commitment to community engagement awarded by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
https://scvnews.com/cocs-community-engagement-earns-national-recognition/ Save to Pocket
Which rights do AI and journalists have in common?
date: 2024-01-11, from: Nieman Journalism Lab
I have been a journalist for fifty years and a journalism professor for the last eighteen. I. History I would like to begin with three lessons on the history of news and copyright, which I learned researching my book, The Gutenberg Parenthesis: The Age of Print and its Lessons for the Age of the Internet…
https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/01/which-rights-do-ai-and-journalists-have-in-common/ Save to Pocket
Anil Dash: “The NYT is now just Facebook. The platform dictates narrative…
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/0043764-anil-dash-the-nyt-is Save to Pocket
Pluralistic: The REAL AI automation threat to workers (11 Jan 2024)
date: 2024-01-11, from: Cory Doctorow’s blog
Today’s links The real AI automation threat to workers: The robot can’t replace you, but it CAN replace your shitty boss. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. This day in history: 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023 Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading The real AI automation threat to workers (permalink) Long before the current wave of AI hype, we were being groomed for automation panics with misleading stories. Remember this one? “‘Truck driver’ is the most common job in America. Self-driving trucks are just around the corner. How can we prevent America’s army of truckers from turning into a howling mob when the robots steal their jobs?” https://futurism.com/millions-of-jobs-are-at-risk-but-their-loss-could-be-for-the-greater-good It was absolute nonsense. First of all, “truck driver” isn’t a particularly common job in America! The BLS lumps together all cargo vehicle drivers under a single classification. The category error here was thinking that every delivery van driver, furniture mover, and courier is behind the wheel of a big rig, cracking wise on a CB radio as they tear up the interstate. But what about automation threats? It’s possible that if we redesigned the interstates to give 18 wheelers their own separated lanes, and then set them to following one another, that they could traverse long distances in that way. Congratulations, you’ve just invented a shitty, failure-prone train. “Shitty train AI” does not threaten the job of the vast number of people the BLS classifies as “truck drivers.” For one thing, “shitty train AI” isn’t going to pilot a UPS van around the streets of a busy city with other road users. Sure, a few robotaxi companies have bamboozled city governments into conscripting the city’s residents into an uncontrolled murderbot experiment. These are not going well: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/9-key-leaders-depart-gms-cruise-amid-ongoing-investigation-into-san-francisco-incident/ More than $100b has been set on fire chasing the robotaxi dream, and the result is most charitably described as a technological curiosity, requiring 1.5 high-waged remote technicians to replace each low-waged driver: https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/09/herbies-revenge/#100-billion-here-100-billion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money But even if we could perfect this technology, robots still wouldn’t replace all those “truckers” who drive delivery vans (to say nothing of moving vans!). The hard part of driving a UPS van isn’t just getting it from place to place – it’s getting the parcel into the place. The robo-van would still need at least one person to get the parcel from the back of the van and into the reception desk, porch, or other delivery zone. It’s not going to fire those parcels at your door with a catapult. It’s also not going to deliver them by drones. Drone delivery is another one of those historical curiosities, capable of delivering a very narrow range of parcels, under even narrower circumstances: https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/05/comprehensive-sex-ed/#droned If all UPS delivered was lightweight, non-fragile rectangular parcels ordered by people with large, unobstructed back yards, then sure. Congrats, you’ve just created the world’s least-useful parcel delivery service! https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/06/amazon-drone-delivery-service-seeks-faa-approval-to-launch-in-2022/ All that said, the big rig drivers probably don’t need to worry about robots stealing their jobs. It’s not even clear that “shitty train” is within our technological grasp, but even if it is, there’s yet another problem with the AI automation trucker jobpocalypse: “trucker” is already one of the worst jobs in America: https://www.usatoday.com/pages/interactives/news/rigged-forced-into-debt-worked-past-exhaustion-left-with-nothing/ It’s hard to overstate just how fucking terrible it is to be a trucker. Truckers are trapped in abusive debt holes by their employers – who misclassify their workforce as “contractors” in a bid to sidestep labor law. Shriven of any labor rights, truckers are forced into the most ghastly, body-destroying, family-wrcking, financially precarious existence imaginable. You can drive a truck for years, give almost all of the money you earn back to your employer (who denies that you’re their employee) to pay back the usurious loan for your truck. Then, your employer can underschedule for shifts so that you miss a loan payment, and they can repo your truck and keep the six-figure repayment you’ve already made to them, leaving you destitute. They can force you to work for hours – days! – without pay while you wait for loading and dispatch. They can make you drive long past the point of safety, then, if (when) you get into a wreck, they can fine you for not taking the mandated rest breaks. Now, these drivers aren’t about to be replaced by AI – but that doesn’t mean that AI won’t affect their jobs. Commercial drivers are among the most heavily surveilled workers in the country. Amazon’s drivers (whom Amazon misclassifies as subcontractors) have their eyeballs monitored by AI; https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/17/revenge-of-the-chickenized-reverse-centaurs/ AIs monitor the voices of the (primarily Black, primarily female) workforce at Arise – homeworkers who field customer service calls for blue-chip companies like Carnival Cruises and Disney. They’re listening for unruly children or pets in the background, and workers who fail to muffle these dependents lose the contracts they have to pay to train for: https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/22/paperback-writer/#toothless And AI monitors the conduct of workers on temp-work apps. If a worker is dispatched to a struck workplace and refuses to cross the picket-line, the AI boss fires you and blacklists you from future jobs for refusing to robo-scab: https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/30/computer-says-scab/#instawork Writing in The Guardian, Steven Greenhouse describes the AI-enabled workplace, where precarious, often misclassified workers are monitored, judged, and fined by algorithms: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/jan/07/artificial-intelligence-surveillance-workers Whether it’s the robot that gets you disciplined for sending an email with the word “union” in it or the robot that takes money out of your paycheck if you take a bathroom break, AI has come for the workplace with a vengeance. Here’s a supreme irony: nearly all of the beneficial applications for AI require that AI be used to help workers, not replace them, which is absolutely not how AI is used in the workplace. An AI that helps radiologists by giving them a second opinion might help them find tumors on x-rays, but that’s a tool that reduces the number of scans a radiologist processes in a shift, by making them go back and reconsider the scans they’ve already processed: https://locusmag.com/2023/12/commentary-cory-doctorow-what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai/ But AI’s sales pitch is not “Buy an AI tool and increase your costs while increasing your accuracy.” The pitch for AI is “buy and AI and save money by firing workers.” Given how bad AIs are at replacing humans, this is a bad deal all around, both for the worker who loses their job and the customer who gets the substandard product the AI makes. There is a very limited slice of applications where an AI could make a lot of money for a company that deploys it, without costing that company anything when the AI screws up. For example, AI is a really good tool for fraud! Rather than paying people to churn out millions of variations on a phishing email, you can get an AI to do it. If the AI writes a bad phishing email, it’s OK, since nearly all recipients of even good phishing emails delete them. What’s more, no one will fine you or publish an op-ed demanding that your board of directors fire you if you buy an incompetent AI to commit fraud. Fraud is a high-value, low-consequence environment for using AI. Another one of those applications is managing precarious workers who don’t have labor rights. If the AI unfairly docks your worker’s wages, or forces them to work until they injure themselves or others, or decides that their eyeball movements justify firing them, those workers have no recourse. That’s the whole point of pretending that your employees are contractors: so you can violate labor law with impunity! But that’s not the ironic part. The ironic part is that “being a shitty boss” is the one AI application that companies are willing to increase their net spending on. No one buys an eyeball-monitoring AI so they can fire a manager. This is the one place where AI is there to augment, rather than replace, an employee. This makes AI-based bossware subtly different from other forms of Taylorism, the “scientific management” fad of the early 20th century that saw management consultants choreographing the postures and movements of workers to satisfy the aesthetic fetishes of their employers: https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/24/gwb-rumsfeld-monsters/#bossware The pseudoscientific cod-ergonomics of the 1900s was demeaning and even dangerous, but it wasn’t automated, and if it increased worker output, this was incidental to the real purpose of making workers move like the machine-cogs their bosses reassured themselves they were: https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/21/great-taylors-ghost/#solidarity-or-bust Every AI panic is a way of deflecting attention from the real, grimy, here-and-now ways that AI is destroying our lives by demanding that we entertain nonsensical science fiction claims about large, shiny existential risks that AI might present in the future. The “X-risk” of the spicy autocomplete chatbot waking up and using its newfound sentience to turn us all into paperclips is nonsense. Adding words to the plausible sentence generator doesn’t turn it into a superintelligence for the same reason that selectively breeding faster horses doesn’t lead to locomotives: https://locusmag.com/2020/07/cory-doctorow-full-employment/ But there is a way that AI could destroy the human race! The carbon footprint and water consumption associated with training and operating large-scale models are significant contributors to the climate emergency, which threatens the habitability of the only planet in the known universe capable of sustaining human life: https://www.forbes.com/sites/federicoguerrini/2023/04/14/ais-unsustainable-water-use-how-tech-giants-contribute-to-global-water-shortages/ Likewise, AI isn’t going to replace you at work. But it’s already augmenting your shitty boss’s ability to rip you off, torment you, maim you and even kill you in order to eke out a few more basis points for the next shareholder report. Science fiction is a fun and useful way to tell parables about our current technologies. But it’s not a roadmap for the future. The fact that sf writers like me found AIs as useful measures to describe Earth’s dominant artificial life form – the limited liability corporation – doesn’t mean that superhuman AIs should – or can – be created. (Image: Cryteria, CC BY 3.0, modified) Hey look at this (permalink) The Obscure Google Deal That Defines America’s Broken Privacy Protections https://www.wired.com/story/google-consent-decree-ftc-broken-privacy-protections/ Beeper – Moving Forward https://blog.beeper.com/p/beeper-moving-forward Donald Knuth’s 2023 Christmas Lecture: Making the Cells Dance https://thenewstack.io/donald-knuths-2023-christmas-lecture-make-the-cells-dance/ (h/t Destinyland) This day in history (permalink) #15yrsago Pneumatic tube-based postal systems of the late 19th century https://web.archive.org/web/20081229162245/http://www.activesocialplastic.com/2008/12/postal_services_and_pneumatic.html #15yrsago Another London photographer arrested for “terrorism” (i.e. “taking a picture of a public building”) https://arbroath.blogspot.com/2009/01/photographers-criminalised-as-police.html #10yrsago Trans-Pacific Partnership: how the US Trade Rep is hoping to gut Congress with absurd lies https://www.techdirt.com/2014/01/10/lies-ustr-is-spreading-about-fast-track-authority-to-push-tpp-through-congress/ #10yrsago Baybrook Remodelers sue (and sue and sue) people who give them negative reviews https://www.techdirt.com/2014/01/08/remodeler-sues-woman-over-negative-reviews-helps-force-another-critic-out-her-own-home/ #10yrsago Chronology of Canadian Tories’ war on science libraries https://scienceblogs.com/confessions/2014/01/10/the-canadian-war-on-science-a-chronological-account-of-chaos-consolidation-at-the-department-of-fisheries-oceans-libraries #5yrsago Vizio exec: we’d have to charge a premium on “dumb” TVs to make up for the money we’ll lose by not spying on you https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/7/18172397/airplay-2-homekit-vizio-tv-bill-baxter-interview-vergecast-ces-2019 #5yrsago Big Data’s “theory-free” analysis is a statistical malpractice https://www.wired.com/story/the-exaggerated-promise-of-data-mining/ #5yrsago Court strikes down Iowa’s unconstitutional ag-gag law https://shadowproof.com/2019/01/10/iowa-ag-gag-law-aimed-at-suppressing-journalism-against-agribusiness-is-ruled-unconstitutional/ #5yrsago McGingerbread Hell: bakers celebrate McMansion Hell with delicious monster houses https://mcmansionhell.com/post/181789811736/2018-mcgingerbread-hell-competition-winners #5yrsago Bird Scooter tried to censor my Boing Boing post with a legal threat that’s so stupid, it’s a whole new kind of wrong https://memex.craphound.com/2019/01/11/bird-scooter-tried-to-censor-my-boing-boing-post-with-a-legal-threat-thats-so-stupid-its-a-whole-new-kind-of-wrong/ #1yrago Deena Mohamed’s ‘Shubiek Lubiek’ https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/11/your-wish/#is-my-command Colophon (permalink) Today’s top sources: Currently writing: A Little Brother short story about DIY insulin PLANNING Picks and Shovels, a Martin Hench noir thriller about the heroic era of the PC. FORTHCOMING TOR BOOKS JAN 2025 The Bezzle, a Martin Hench noir thriller novel about the prison-tech industry. FORTHCOMING TOR BOOKS FEB 2024 Vigilant, Little Brother short story about remote invigilation. FORTHCOMING ON TOR.COM Spill, a Little Brother short story about pipeline protests. FORTHCOMING ON TOR.COM Latest podcast: The Internet’s Original Sin https://craphound.com/news/2023/12/17/the-internets-original-sin/) Upcoming appearances: Speculating Our AI Future with Cory Doctorow, Ken Liu, and Martha Wells https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ssyUYErCTB-rzEz_Vhc7cw#/registration Internet Con (Peculiar Book Club), Jan 11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5UvzuJ1R4I Books & Books (Coral Gables, Florida), Jan 22 https://www.booksandbooks.com/event/in-person-an-evening-with-cory-doctorow/ Marshall McLuhan Lecture 2024 (Berlin), Jan 29 https://transmediale.de/en/2024/event/mcluhan-2024 The Lost Cause at Otherland (Berlin), Jan 30 https://www.otherland-berlin.de/de/event-details/autor-innenabend-mit-cory-doctorow.html Recent appearances: What the Future will Bring (Homeless Romantic) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Vq8qW2A8I Talking “The Lost Cause” with Warren Mosler (MMT Podcast) https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-182-cory-95211955 Words of the Week https://youtu.be/mq0kSdzSjfc?si=zFMDsrXpHVqNGcb8&t=5232 Latest books: “The Lost Cause:” a solarpunk novel of hope in the climate emergency, Tor Books (US), Head of Zeus (UK), November 2023 (http://lost-cause.org). Signed, personalized copies at Dark Delicacies (https://www.darkdel.com/store/p3007/Pre-Order_Signed_Copies%3A_The_Lost_Cause_HB.html#/) “The Internet Con”: A nonfiction book about interoperability and Big Tech (Verso) September 2023 (http://seizethemeansofcomputation.org). Signed copies at Book Soup (https://www.booksoup.com/book/9781804291245). “Red Team Blues”: “A grabby, compulsive thriller that will leave you knowing more about how the world works than you did before.” Tor Books http://redteamblues.com. Signed copies at Dark Delicacies (US): and Forbidden Planet (UK): https://forbiddenplanet.com/385004-red-team-blues-signed-edition-hardcover/. “Chokepoint Capitalism: How to Beat Big Tech, Tame Big Content, and Get Artists Paid, with Rebecca Giblin”, on how to unrig the markets for creative labor, Beacon Press/Scribe 2022 https://chokepointcapitalism.com “Attack Surface”: The third Little Brother novel, a standalone technothriller for adults. The Washington Post called it “a political cyberthriller, vigorous, bold and savvy about the limits of revolution and resistance.” Order signed, personalized copies from Dark Delicacies https://www.darkdel.com/store/p1840/Available_Now%3A_Attack_Surface.html “How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism”: an anti-monopoly pamphlet analyzing the true harms of surveillance capitalism and proposing a solution. https://onezero.medium.com/how-to-destroy-surveillance-capitalism-8135e6744d59?sk=f6cd10e54e20a07d4c6d0f3ac011af6b) (signed copies: https://www.darkdel.com/store/p2024/Available_Now%3A__How_to_Destroy_Surveillance_Capitalism.html) “Little Brother/Homeland”: A reissue omnibus edition with a new introduction by Edward Snowden: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250774583; personalized/signed copies here: https://www.darkdel.com/store/p1750/July%3A__Little_Brother_%26_Homeland.html “Poesy the Monster Slayer” a picture book about monsters, bedtime, gender, and kicking ass. Order here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626723627. Get a personalized, signed copy here: https://www.darkdel.com/store/p2682/Corey_Doctorow%3A_Poesy_the_Monster_Slayer_HB.html#/. Upcoming books: The Bezzle: a sequel to “Red Team Blues,” about prison-tech and other grifts, Tor Books, February 2024 Picks and Shovels: a sequel to “Red Team Blues,” about the heroic era of the PC, Tor Books, February 2025 Unauthorized Bread: a graphic novel adapted from my novella about refugees, toasters and DRM, FirstSecond, 2025 This work – excluding any serialized fiction – is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. That means you can use it any way you like, including commercially, provided that you attribute it to me, Cory Doctorow, and include a link to pluralistic.net. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Quotations and images are not included in this license; they are included either under a limitation or exception to copyright, or on the basis of a separate license. Please exercise caution. How to get Pluralistic: Blog (no ads, tracking, or data-collection): Pluralistic.net Newsletter (no ads, tracking, or data-collection): https://pluralistic.net/plura-list Mastodon (no ads, tracking, or data-collection): https://mamot.fr/@pluralistic Medium (no ads, paywalled): https://doctorow.medium.com/ Twitter (mass-scale, unrestricted, third-party surveillance and advertising): https://twitter.com/doctorow Tumblr (mass-scale, unrestricted, third-party surveillance and advertising): https://mostlysignssomeportents.tumblr.com/tagged/pluralistic “When life gives you SARS, you make sarsaparilla” -Joey “Accordion Guy” DeVilla
https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/11/robots-stole-my-jerb/ Save to Pocket
June 8: Inaugural Santa Clarita Valley Book Festival
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The inaugural Santa Clarita Valley Book Festival is set to make its debut on June 8, at College of the Canyons, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m
https://scvnews.com/june-8-inaugural-santa-clarita-valley-book-festival/ Save to Pocket
Mandiant’s brute-forced X account exposes perils of skimping on 2FA
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Speculation builds over whether a nearly year-old policy change was to blame
Google-owned security house Mandiant’s investigation into how its X account was taken over to push cryptocurrency scams concludes the “likely” cause was a successful brute-force password attack.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/mandiant_x_account_brute_forced/ Save to Pocket
First NASA Mars Analog Crew Passes Mission Halfway Mark
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
The first crew to take part in a yearlong NASA Mars analog mission reached the 200 day mark of its mission Jan. 11. The four person analog crew, entered the CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on June 25, 2023, and is scheduled to complete its […]
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/analog-field-testing/chapea/first-nasa-mars-analog-crew-passes-mission-halfway-mark/ Save to Pocket
Tips for Secretly Browsing Instagram Stories Anonymously
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
Take a sneak peek at the stealthy Instagram story viewer by InstaNavigation. Learn tips for secret browsing, ethical practices, potential risks, and alternative strategies for anonymously enjoying IG Stories. The Art of Anonymous IG Story Viewing Mastering the art of anonymous IG story viewing involves understanding tips and tricks for secret browsing. This section explores […]
The post Tips for Secretly Browsing Instagram Stories Anonymously appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/tips-for-secretly-browsing-instagram-stories-anonymously/ Save to Pocket
Garth Brooks’ New, Bass Pro Shops-Exclusive CD: The 404 Media Review
date: 2024-01-11, from: 404 Media Group
With ‘Time Traveler,’ Garth Brooks created the most memorable album in recent memory by making me go to a Bass Pro Shop.
https://www.404media.co/garth-brooks-new-bass-pro-shops-exclusive-cd-the-404-media-review/ Save to Pocket
Acton Agua Dulce Arts Council hosts ‘Winner’s Circle’ show
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
News release The Acton Agua Dulce Arts Council is hosting a Winner’s Circle Art Show at the Acton Agua Dulce Public Library now through Feb. 25. Artists who placed first, second, or third at the recent Adult Fine Art Show held in November were invited to display a selection of their artwork. The gallery, in […]
The post Acton Agua Dulce Arts Council hosts ‘Winner’s Circle’ show appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/acton-agua-dulce-arts-council-hosts-winners-circle-show/ Save to Pocket
MDX with Web Components Part II
date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Rupert blog
In a recent post I covered how to get MDX-style posts with web components and people come to me every day, tears in their eyes, and ask me to go into more detail.
Seriously, tho it’s just regular markdown…
blah blah blah
<script type="module" src="path/to/my-cool-component.js"></script>
<my-cool-component></my-cool-component>
blah blah blah
And it’ll pretty much work.
https://daverupert.com/2024/01/mdx-with-web-components-part-ii/ Save to Pocket
OpenAI rolls out Team tier because not everyone has enterprise-deep pockets
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Benefits include no snacking on your sensitive data
OpenAI is updating its subscription plans to add a “Team” tier for businesses to sit below its existing Enterprise level.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/openai_adds_team_tier/ Save to Pocket
AYA Neo Next Lite is a cheap(er) handheld gaming PC that ships with Linux (Updated)
date: 2024-01-11, from: Liliputing
Over the past few years handheld gaming PC maker AYA has largely been focused on the premium end of the market. But the company is positioning its next device as a “budget friendly choice.” The AYA Neo NEXT Lite features a 7 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel display rather than a 1080p or higher resolution screen. […]
The post AYA Neo Next Lite is a cheap(er) handheld gaming PC that ships with Linux (Updated) appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/aya-neo-next-lite-is-a-cheaper-handheld-gaming-pc-that-ships-with-steamos/ Save to Pocket
California Students to Hear from NASA Astronauts Aboard Space Station
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
Students from Emblem Academy in Santa Clarita, California, will have an opportunity to hear from NASA astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will stream live at 11:35 a.m. EST Tuesday, Jan. 16, on NASA+, NASA Television, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms […]
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/california-students-to-hear-from-nasa-astronauts-aboard-space-station-3/ Save to Pocket
Cutting through the noise of today’s inflation report
date: 2024-01-11, from: Marketplace Morning Report
Overall inflation ticked up to 3.4% year over year in December, which is higher than November’s inflation rate. But, if you take out food and energy prices (which are notoriously volatile), inflation actually slowed down slightly. We look at how to slice today’s inflation report. Then, wage growth has been slowing, an IRS watchdog report shows mixed grades, and the SEC approves a bitcoin ETF.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/cutting-through-the-noise-of-todays-inflation-report Save to Pocket
AI Robot Bests Marble Maze Game
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/ai-robot-bests-marble-maze-game Save to Pocket
Legal Sauce for the Legal Goose
date: 2024-01-11, from: Ayjay blog
From an an interview with Jill Lepore: I’m working on a long book about the history of attempts to amend the Constitution. And on the one hand, we have a Constitution that has a provision that allows for generativity and invention and adjustment and improvement and alteration and remedy and making amends, and all of […]
https://blog.ayjay.org/sauce-goose-gander-2/ Save to Pocket
NASA’s Fermi Detects Surprise Gamma-Ray Feature Beyond Our Galaxy
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
Astronomers analyzing 13 years of data from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have found an unexpected and as yet unexplained feature outside of our galaxy. “It is a completely serendipitous discovery,” said Alexander Kashlinsky, a cosmologist at the University of Maryland and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, who presented the research at the […]
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/fermi/nasas-fermi-detects-surprise-gamma-ray-feature-beyond-our-galaxy/ Save to Pocket
NASA Scientists Discover a Novel Galactic ‘Fossil’
date: 2024-01-11, from: NASA breaking news
Researchers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, have discovered X-ray activity that sheds light on the evolution of galaxies. The X-rays outline giant clouds of cold gas in the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 4945. The gas appears to have blasted through the galaxy after its central supermassive black hole erupted some 5 […]
https://science.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/goddard/nasa-scientists-discover-a-novel-galactic-fossil/ Save to Pocket
The Year’s Biggest Gadget Conference Is All About Electric Cars Now
date: 2024-01-11, from: Heatmap News
The consumer electronics show in Las Vegas formally known as CES has evolved beyond a showcase for ever-larger screens, laptops, and niche gadgets looking to make it into big box retailers. CES is now, among other things, a full-fledged auto show, with the world’s largest automakers announcing ambitious products alongside — and sometimes in partnership with — their tech counterparts.
In recent years, new electric concepts from Chevrolet, BMW, and Ram have each captured attention. This year, it was Honda’s turn to make a splash.
After two decades of dipping its toes into the electric vehicle market, the Japanese carmaker announced the new 0 Series (as in zero emissions) with two concepts that show what Honda wants to bring to the U.S. market in 2026.
The flagship Saloon sedan’s sleek, swept-back design is a material manifestation of what Honda calls its man maximum/machine minimum packaging concept (in case you’re looking for an acronym, it’s M/M*1), which boils down to making the car’s footprint as small as possible while still keeping passengers comfortable. On the other end of the svelte-practical spectrum is the Space-Hub, which applies the venerable minivan concept in an EV format with extra space and seating that swivels to create a rolling lounge.
Honda was also at CES in partnership with Sony, which showed the latest iteration of its Afeela prototype, the electronics company’s first foray into the automotive world. Sony’s Playstation division clearly got its hands on the concept, which means augmented reality displays built on the game development platform Unreal Engine that feature eye-popping 3D graphics. If you want, you can have a monster magically appear on the roadway as you’re driving. You can also visualize yourself driving underwater. On stage at least, the car could be steered with a Playstation controller.
Kia was back in Las Vegas to announce its hyper-modular, commercial-focused Platform Beyond Vehicle strategy. Showing five models in three sizes all based on the platform, the new lineup will begin with the PV5 and focus on delivery, ride-hailing, and smaller commercial work (think your local electrician) thanks to its Lego-like “life modules” and powertrains.
This being 2024, AI is everywhere at CES, even in car world, with Volkswagen incorporating ChatGPT into its Ida voice assistant, Mercedes updating its MBUX Virtual Assistant with a new “empathetic” AI, and Intel designing a new family of AI-infused systems-on-chips to monitor drivers and passengers in an autonomous future.
While most CES concepts aren’t headed for roads anytime soon, one thing you might be able to buy is the latest offering from Vietnamese EV maker VinFast. While its U.S. launch is off to a rocky start, the ultra-compact VF3 might be cute enough to keep the critics at bay, with its bulldog stance and incredibly diminutive size. Measuring in at just a little under 10.5 feet, the VF3 is nearly two feet shorter than the new Fiat 500E or about the same size as a Smart car. Coupled with its off-roader looks and a claimed 125-mile range, the VF3 could be the smallest, affordable, and most adorable EVs for sale in the U.S.
https://heatmap.news/sparks/ces-2024-honda-sony-kia-vw Save to Pocket
Ideas for Reading Lists
date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News
A reading list is a list of feeds you can subscribe to.
The author of the list can add or remove feeds. When they do, people who subscribe to the list are subscribed to the new feeds and unsubbed from the ones that leave.
Reading lists are not a new topic, I and others have been writing about them for years. But they’ve not been used seriously in the past because they weren’t widely supported in feed readers. FeedLand, my latest feed manager, has reading list support built-in. And we’re serious about starting new communities of feeds and users with this feature.
If you’re a feed reader user, you probably know about using OPML to move your subscriptions from one app to another, or to share lists with friends.
Reading lists take it one step further, you can subscribe to a reading list, so you can control one app from another.
Say I had a reading list with my favorite podcasts and my podcasting client could subscribe to it. Then when I add a feed to that list on my desktop computer, the podcast client would automatically be subscribed to it. Or if I used two or more podcast clients (say one on Android and one on iOS), I could control both from the same subscription list.
It factors out subscribing. Now you can use one app to manage subscriptions and use lots of apps to read them.
What’s cool about this is that it opens up the possibility for lots of viewer apps. A podcast client is a special kind of feed reader. I’m sure others are possible. But first, to make this practical we need to do better with subscriptions. That’s what reading lists are for.
Another idea. Suppose we wanted to put together a big list of great blogs about Major League Baseball (just an example). I might know a few about the Mets, and my friend Scott who lives in Mountain View, CA, would have a bunch about the Giants. We could put together a group of 100 avid baseball fans, and one of us could put out a reading list for all of our feeds merged into one list. It’s not so far-fetched, FeedLand can do that today.
I could see a similar “big blogroll” for the IndieWeb, or for Bluesky developers – or really anything. We just have to get started, prime the pump, and learn how this works.
I felt it was really important to get reading lists built into FeedLand in the current release, because now we’re in a position, with the improvements in scaling, to act as a organizing node for new activities with feeds.
This is another form of federation, it’s more ad hoc, and doesn’t require very much technical knowledge. If you know how to use a feed reader, and move around OPML files, you can do all of what I describe in this piece.
http://scripting.com/2024/01/11/160744.html?title=ideasForReadingLists Save to Pocket
The Curious About Everything Newsletter #34
date: 2024-01-11, from: Curious about everything blog
The many interesting things I read in December 2023.
https://jodiettenberg.substack.com/p/thirty-four Save to Pocket
Chinese company’s rocket debut makes waves by launching from the sea
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Real-life Kerbal Space Program?
A Chinese startup has launched its first rocket from a sea-based platform, sending three satellites into orbit.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/china_solid_fuelled_rocket_sea/ Save to Pocket
King Tides Are Heading To Southern California’s Coast
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The LAist
The California Coastal Commission wants you to document them.
https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/king-tides-are-heading-to-southern-californias-coast Save to Pocket
Hackers Break into AI Hiring Chatbot, Could Hire and Reject Fast Food Applicants
date: 2024-01-11, from: 404 Media Group
Chat logs sent to 404 Media show the chatbot automatically denying at least one applicant on certain criteria.
https://www.404media.co/hackers-break-into-hiring-ai-chat-bot-chattr/ Save to Pocket
@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-01-11, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)
Can't get enough of this cute animation:
https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111738130167042209 Save to Pocket
Langlaufen im Goms
date: 2024-01-11, from: Alex Schroeder’s Blog
Langlaufen im Goms
Es ist wieder mal soweit…
https://alexschroeder.ch/view/2024-01-10-langlaufen Save to Pocket
Elon Musk made 1 in 3 Trust and Safety staff ex-X employees, it emerges
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Oz online safety czar receives evidence of cull despite platform reinstating hundreds of banned accounts
Twitter, the social media service now calling itself X, executed a 30 percent reduction in its Trust and Safety staff globally after Elon Musk’s acquisition in October 2022.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/elon_musk_twitter_safety_cull/ Save to Pocket
Ecosia
date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Rupert blog
Last year I switched my default search engine twice. First from Bing to Duck Duck Go. It felt different but during my Bing de-listing fiasco I learned that Duck Duck Go and lots of other smaller search engines use the Bing Index. One of the more interesting engines I learned about was Ecosia, a green search engine that I switched to a couple months ago.
Ecosia’s twist on the search engine game is that for every ~50 searches you do, they plant 1 tree. They serve you ads and that revenue pays for trees. It seems gimmicky or unbelievable, but Ecosia posts all their financials are on their website. I find that to be a refreshing amount of transparency from a search engine. According to the website, in October they financed the planting of ~2.5 million trees in 12 different countries. That’s admirable.
Getting rewarded by a search engine for searching isn’t new to me. I switched to Bing in 2015 as part of #davegoeswindows and one neat side effect was that I got “Bing Bucks” for my searches which I could convert into gift cards to use at real stores; paid to play. For years I ran a grift of converting Bing Bucks into Robux for the kids. Now I’m doing that same grift, but for trees for my children’s future. In a couple months since switching I’ve funded 20 trees which feels nice.
How big of a difference can a “green” search engine make? Good question and I spent a dumb amount of time looking into this. Based on some research Ecosia calculates that one search offsets 50kg of CO₂.
“The tree planting that we’re doing, with each search, you’re actually removing around 50 kilograms of CO₂.” Source: PCMag
Is 50kg a lot? It sounds like a lot, but I need that in terms I understand. This summer I learned that a gallon of gas weighs 6.3lbs (2.8kg) yet produces 20lbs (9kg) of CO₂. Gas is a form of carbon emissions I understand, so let’s use that as a baseline.
If my math is correct and every search removes 50kg of CO₂… that’s equal to offsetting 5.5 gallons of gas… or about one jerrycan.
According to FuelEconomy.gov, the average non-hybrid/non-electric SUV in 2024 gets an average of ~20.6 MPG1. One search then offsets ~113 miles of driving in an SUV2. Making that specific to my life, it takes three searches to offset a tank of gas in my Volvo and seven for my F-150. Those numbers are good enough to make me a bit skeptical.
Planting trees isn’t a climate silver bullet3. Trees take years to grow and a gallon of gas burns in less than an hour. Trees will struggle to grow in hotter climates as well. There’s no replacement for carbon reduction…but —as we say in Texas— it’s not nothing? Tree planting is potentially a 220 gigaton opportunity and currently the only viable form of carbon capture and storage.
I looked into how much planting a tree costs and the prices vary from $1 to $3 dollars. The Arbor Day Foundation costs $1/tree, The Nature Conservancy and Trees, Water, People both cost ~$2/tree. And Ecosia’s own Ecosia Tree Store comes in at the highest at $3/tree. That means by searching I’ve planted anywhere from $20-$60 worth of trees. It might be more effective if I donated a lump sum and installed an ad blocker; but Ecosia’s trees are an entirely passive benefit and that makes it sustainable for me. I think about it like putting a solar panel on my air conditioner.
Ecosia’s use of the Bing Index might be a dealbreaker for some, but all that might be changing! Due to a price hike in the Bing Index, Ecosia announced that in certain locales they’re switching to the Google Index. I’ve used Bing’s Index for years so this isn’t a problem for me, but I understand people are picky about their search results. I’d also call out that the entire SEO ecosystem is changing with the advent of AI and the reliability of search results will experience a tectonic shift. Speaking of AI… at the end of that same announcement post, Ecosia says they’re piloting an experimental AI Chat feature.
Ecosia is a feel-good search engine and I love the idea of a benefit-corp style search engine. I want my “behavioral exhaust” (Zubhoff, 2019) to replenish the environment rather than fund the techno-monopoly war chest. Ecosia is a welcome change in my online life. It’s well-designed compared to other search engines and planting 20 trees feels good. If we all pointed our search bars at Ecosia for a while, what kind of difference could we make. Alone, we will never make a dent in the climate but together we stand a chance.
And that’s where I wanted to end this review but…
I wanted this to be a review of a new’ish search engine that I enjoy, but I need to address the LLM in the room. In short, the AI feature seems off-brand for Ecosia –like Captain Planet getting into Bitcoin. At 500ml of water for every 20 prompts or 1.7 billion gallons of water to train GPT, LLMs use a lot of energy and resources. Ecosia claims they are able to offset the carbon costs of LLMs – I’d love to see more data on this – but when every search engine is experimenting in this space, it’d be nice to have an option that’s taking a different path.
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Methodology: Go to a fuel economy page and enter this snippet in the console. ↩︎
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More calculations: You’d need 28.3 billion searches to offset the 3.2 trillion miles driven in the US every year and 3.4 billion searches to offset California’s 390 billion miles per year. For comparison, Google makes 8.5 billion searches per day and Bing sees 900 million searches per day. ↩︎
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There’s good criticism on why planting trees isn’t the solution (Bloomberg 2023, PBS 2023, TEDed 2023, Vox 2021, BioScience 2020) but I don’t think a handful of failed naive attempts means we should write the whole project off. We’re learning that native species > non-native species, reforestation > afforestation, pastoralists > industrialists, and long-term natural regrowth > plantations. Climate justice is also entangled with economic justice so we need to empower local communities. ↩︎
https://daverupert.com/2024/01/ecosia/ Save to Pocket
Infoseccers think attackers backed by China are behind Ivanti zero-day exploits
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Customers currently left patchless while attacks are expected to increase
Security experts believe Chinese nation-state attackers are actively exploiting two zero-day vulnerabilities in security products made by Ivanti.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/china_backed_ivanti_exploits/ Save to Pocket
@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-01-11, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)
Last night @marquiskurt suggested this new style of menu, and @Naxum pointed me in the right direction.
Here is what it looks like:
Before and After:
https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111737885311753573 Save to Pocket
The Houston Landing’s board is backing CEO Peter Bhatia over his controversial firings
date: 2024-01-11, from: Nieman Journalism Lab
Yesterday, we told you about the tumult at the Houston Landing, where the newsroom’s journalists are protesting Monday’s surprise firing of editor-in-chief Mizanur Rahman and investigative reporter Alex Stuckey. Later on Monday, staffers sent a letter to the Landing’s six-member board decrying CEO Peter Bhatia‘s moves, which he said were necessary for a still-vague “reset”…
https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/01/the-houston-landings-board-is-backing-ceo-peter-bhatia-over-his-controversial-firings/ Save to Pocket
Not even poor Notepad is safe from Microsoft’s AI obsession
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Power user excavates evidence of experimental ‘Cowriter’ feature
Windows Notepad is set to be the next recipient of Microsoft’s AI attentions judging by screenshots posted by a Windows Insider user.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/microsoft_notepad_ai/ Save to Pocket
VOA Exclusive: Blinken to Meet Chinese Foreign Minister Candidate Before Taiwan Election
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to meet with Liu Jianchao, a veteran Chinese diplomat and a top contender to be China’s next foreign minister, in Washington on Friday, a day before Taiwan’s elections, as the United States continues to caution China against using the elections as a pretext for instability.
Communication between the world’s two largest economies will continue after Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections on Saturday, as senior officials from the United States and China are slated to attend next week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
On Friday, Blinken will hold talks at the U.S. State Department with Liu, who heads the Chinese Communist Party’s international department responsible for maintaining relations with foreign political parties.
“Liu is a trusted member of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s inner circles of advisers. He is a leading candidate for foreign minister,” according to former CIA top China analyst Dennis Wilder, now a professor at Georgetown University.
Wilder told VOA on Thursday that Liu’s visit is “designed in part to make sure Washington and Beijing understand each other before the new Taiwan leader is elected.”
Daniel Kritenbrink, the State Department’s top diplomat on East Asian and Pacific affairs, will join the hourlong meeting, according to people familiar with the planning.
“Liu has taken on a more active diplomatic role and has been performing tasks typically handled by China’s foreign minister,” said Chechuan Lee, a research fellow at the Taipei-based quasi-official Institute for National Defense and Security Research.
Lee told VOA that “it is not unimaginable” that Liu could be selected as China’s next top diplomat, and his meetings in Washington this week with senior U.S. officials may be paving the way for his next position.
Next week, Blinken and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the annual economic meetings at the Swiss mountain resort.
The State Department said in a statement that Blinken would discuss issues of global concern, including the U.S. commitment to the rules-based international order, while attending meetings in the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Blinken’s talks with Chinese officials are described as ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication, responsibly manage differences between the two nations and address a host of issues. These include global and regional security concerns such as tensions on the South China Sea. Taiwan will also be among the topics.
Washington has voiced its opposition to “outside interference or malign influence” in Taiwan’s elections.
On Thursday, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said the U.S. has “a deep confidence in Taiwan’s democratic process and believe it is for Taiwan voters to decide their next leader, free from outside interference.”
The winner of Taiwan’s presidential election will be inaugurated on May 20. The transition period in the upcoming months is seen as sensitive in cross-strait relations.
A senior U.S. administration official told reporters late Wednesday that Beijing would be “the provocateur” if it chose to respond to Taiwan’s election results with additional military pressure or coercion.
“Throughout this election and transition period, we will ensure that channels of communication remain open with Beijing, including diplomatic and the recently reopened military-to-military channels, in keeping with past precedent and our unofficial relationship with Taiwan,” said the U.S. official.
A number of meetings
This week, U.S. and Chinese officials are holding numerous meetings. The U.S. principal deputy national security adviser, Jon Finer, held lengthy talks with Liu on Wednesday.
The White House said the two sides discussed the ongoing implementation of key outcomes from last November’s summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Xi, challenges in the Middle East and Russia’s war against Ukraine. Finer stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas held virtual talks on Wednesday with Chinese Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, discussing the combating of the illicit flow of synthetic drugs.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo also held a call with China’s Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao late Wednesday to follow up on leveraging the working group that the two sides have established to address commercial issues of concern.
Science and technology agreement
At the State Department, officials from the two countries discussed the extension of the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement, or STA, which is due to expire next month. Officials will meet again during the week of January 22 to discuss the extension.
Late last August, Washington agreed to extend the agreement with China for six months. The short-term extension came as several Republican congressional members voiced concern that China has previously leveraged the agreement to advance its military objectives and may continue to do so.
At that time, the State Department stated the brief extension would maintain the STA’s validity while the U.S. negotiated with China to amend and strengthen the agreement.
A call for reciprocity
Some former U.S. officials are skeptical about whether frequent talks can fundamentally change Beijing’s behaviors, which are deemed as harming Washington’s national interests. They also advocate for reciprocity.
“Every time a People’s Republic of China emissary is allowed to address the American people, an American emissary needs to be able to directly address the Chinese people. If the PRC won’t accept this, then we are foolish to keep giving people like Liu direct access,” said David Stilwell, a former assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.
Liu delivered a speech on Tuesday during an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations.
https://www.voanews.com/a/voa-exclusive-blinken-to-meet-veteran-chinese-diplomat-liu-before-taiwan-election/7435622.html Save to Pocket
Trump’s New York Civil Fraud Trial Heads to Closing Arguments After Bomb Threat
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
New York — Donald Trump ’s New York civil fraud trial is back in session Thursday for closing arguments after authorities responded to a bomb threat at the home of the judge who moved this week to prevent the former president from delivering his own closing statements.
Authorities responded to the threat at Judge Arthur Engoron’s home on Long Island, a court official said. The proceedings are not expected to be delayed as a result.
Trump, the leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination, had angled to deliver his own closing remarks in the courtroom, in addition to summations from his legal team, but a judge nixed that unusual plan Wednesday.
That will leave the last words to the lawyers in a trial over allegations that Trump exaggerated his wealth on financial statements he provided to banks, insurance companies and others.
“There was a threat. I can confirm a bomb threat,” said Al Baker, a court spokesperson. “As of now we are going forward as scheduled and the court proceedings and closing arguments are going ahead as planned.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, wants the judge to impose $370 million in penalties. Trump says he did nothing wrong, didn’t lie about his fortune and is the victim of political persecution.
The former president had hoped to make that argument personally, but the judge — initially open to the idea — said no after a Trump lawyer missed a deadline for agreeing to ground rules. Among them, Judge Engoron warned that Trump couldn’t use his closing remarks to “deliver a campaign speech” or use the opportunity to impugn the judge and his staff.
Trump is still expected to be in court as a spectator, despite the death of his mother in-law, Amalija Knavs, and the launch of the presidential primary season Monday with the Iowa caucus.
Since the trial began Oct. 2, Trump has gone to court nine times to observe, testify and complain to TV cameras about the case, which he called a “witch hunt and a disgrace.”
He clashed with Engoron and state lawyers during 3½ hours on the witness stand in November and remains under a limited gag order after making a disparaging and false social media post about the judge’s law clerk.
Thursday’s arguments are part of a busy legal and political stretch for Trump.
On Tuesday, he was in court in Washington, D.C., to watch appeals court arguments over whether he is immune from prosecution on charges that he plotted to overturn the 2020 election — one of four criminal cases against him. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
James sued Trump in 2022 under a state law that gives the state attorney general broad power to investigate allegations of persistent fraud in business dealings.
Engoron decided some of the key issues before testimony began. In a pretrial ruling, he found that Trump had committed years of fraud by lying about his riches on financial statements with tricks like claiming his Trump Tower penthouse was nearly three times its actual size, or valuing his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida at more than $612 million based on the idea that the property could be developed for residential use, when he had signed an agreement surrendering rights to develop it for any uses but a club.
The trial involves six undecided claims, including allegations of conspiracy, insurance fraud and falsifying business records.
Trump’s company and two of his sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., are also defendants.
Besides monetary damages, James wants Trump and his co-defendants barred from doing business in New York.
State lawyers say that by making himself seem richer, Trump qualified for better loan terms from banks, saving him at least $168 million.
Trump contends his financial statements actually understated his net worth. He said the outside accountants that helped prepare the statements should’ve flagged any discrepancies and that the documents came with disclaimers that shield him from liability.
Engoron said he is deciding the case because neither side asked for a jury and state law doesn’t allow for juries for this type of lawsuit. He said he hopes to have a decision by the end of the month.
Last month, in a ruling denying a defense bid for an early verdict, the judge signaled he’s inclined to find Trump and his co-defendants liable on at least some claims.
“Valuations, as elucidated ad nauseam in this trial, can be based on different criteria analyzed in different ways,” Engoron wrote in the Dec. 18 ruling. “But a lie is still a lie.”
https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-new-york-civil-fraud-trial-heads-to-closing-arguments-after-bomb-threat/7435627.html Save to Pocket
Google rings in 2024 with sweeping layoffs
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Cuts are a continuation of late-2023 redundancies to help teams better ‘align their resources’
The 2024 layoff season appears to have only begun, with Google cutting hundreds of employees across multiple divisions yesterday. …
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/google_rings_in_2024_with/ Save to Pocket
@Tomosino’s Mastodon feed (date: 2024-01-11, from: Tomosino’s Mastodon feed)
Oh I see. I’m having one of THOSE days, where I’m at the computer and work adjecent, but nothing is gonna get done. Well well well.
https://tilde.zone/@tomasino/111737763252572138 Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Did Trump try to overturn an election or overthrow the government?
http://scripting.com/2024/01/10/140854.html?overturnAnElection=undefined Save to Pocket
How Republicans Are Trying to Kill One of Biden’s Most Successful Climate Programs
date: 2024-01-11, from: Distilled Earth blog
Republicans are on the hunt for “the next Solyndra.” But what does that mean?
https://www.distilled.earth/p/how-republicans-are-trying-to-kill Save to Pocket
HP’s new Fortis laptops & Chromebooks are compact Alder Lake-N computers for business and education
date: 2024-01-11, from: Liliputing
HP is launching four new budget laptops designed for business and education customers. The new HP Fortis series laptops are all powered by Intel Alder Lake-N processors and feature support for up to 16GB of LPDDR5 memory, WiFi 6E and optional support for 4G LTE in some regions. HP says three new HP Fortis Chromebook models […]
The post HP’s new Fortis laptops & Chromebooks are compact Alder Lake-N computers for business and education appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/hps-new-fortis-laptops-chromebooks-are-compact-alder-lake-n-computers-for-business-and-education/ Save to Pocket
Archaeologists Unearth Ancient Egyptian Tomb and Stunning Trove of Artifacts
date: 2024-01-11, from: Smithsonian Magazine
Excavations at Saqqara revealed burials, colorful masks and statues of the goddess Isis
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-4000-year-old-tomb-in-egypt-contains-funerary-goods-spanning-centuries-180983570/ Save to Pocket
Senator to Waterworks: Homes waiting ‘while we play politics’
date: 2024-01-11, from: Guam Daily Post
Following an inquiry from The Guam Daily Post regarding the $13 million figure cited in a release calling for the Guam Waterworks Authority to connect homes to sewer lines, Sen. Chris Dueñas’ office stated that “new findings” show figures similar…
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/senator-to-waterworks-homes-waiting-while-we-play-politics/article_e6d52860-b01f-11ee-a522-9feea8562217.html Save to Pocket
GDOL: Prepare for enforcement of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
date: 2024-01-11, from: Guam Daily Post
The Guam Department of Labor is reminding employers of an antidiscrimination law regarding employees who are pregnant or have given birth, and has announced that it is preparing to enforce the law once rules and regulations regarding compliance and violations…
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/gdol-prepare-for-enforcement-of-pregnant-workers-fairness-act/article_02da9fea-af49-11ee-9e6b-c32647efc939.html Save to Pocket
Inetnon Gefpå’go honored as recipient of the Lewis Prize for Music Accelerator Awards
date: 2024-01-11, from: Guam Daily Post
The Lewis Prize for Music – a philanthropic music arts organization advancing systems change through creative youth development – has named Inetnon Gefpå’go Cultural Arts Program as one of its 2024 Accelerator Awards recipients, the organization announced in a press…
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/inetnon-gefp-go-honored-as-recipient-of-the-lewis-prize-for-music-accelerator-awards/article_b21c1a54-ae97-11ee-83f6-d397eb94da78.html Save to Pocket
GPD looking for missing woman
date: 2024-01-11, from: Guam Daily Post
The Guam Police Department is seeking assistance in the search for a missing woman.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/gpd-looking-for-missing-woman/article_e0e93e36-b016-11ee-bc3c-7fe6e1565348.html Save to Pocket
Tenorio addresses Tumon shooting arrest
date: 2024-01-11, from: Guam Daily Post
Acting Gov. Josh Tenorio gave an address to the island regarding the apprehension of a man suspected to be involved in the fatal shooting of a Korean tourist on Jan. 4.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/tenorio-addresses-tumon-shooting-arrest/article_e2953af0-b01b-11ee-82d5-17f4083134a8.html Save to Pocket
GVB: $50K to be awarded after conviction
date: 2024-01-11, from: Guam Daily Post
The Guam Visitors Bureau will award $50,000 for information in the Tumon investigation after there is a conviction in the Superior Court of Guam, according to the agency’s spokesperson.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/gvb-50k-to-be-awarded-after-conviction/article_304d5d86-b017-11ee-ad04-732eaa16944d.html Save to Pocket
Tumon shooting suspects allegedly planned to ‘snatch someone’s purse’
date: 2024-01-11, from: Guam Daily Post
Two men suspected to be involved in a fatal shooting in Tumon last week allegedly went to Tumon with the intention to “snatch someone’s purse.”
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/tumon-shooting-suspects-allegedly-planned-to-snatch-someones-purse/article_ec08c9f2-b03a-11ee-b9e3-cfdf88b2118a.html Save to Pocket
@Tomosino’s Mastodon feed (date: 2024-01-11, from: Tomosino’s Mastodon feed)
I’m glad South Africa is addressing the International Court of Justice. It’s so frustrating it has taken so long. Let the proceedings begin.
https://x.com/Ntuli_Lindo_/status/1745393363430318205?s=20
https://tilde.zone/@tomasino/111737648988460642 Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Anti-Abortion Lawmakers Are Death Panels for Women.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2024/01/anti-abortion-lawmakers-are-death-panels-for-women.html Save to Pocket
The IEA’s Optimistic Renewables Report
date: 2024-01-11, from: Heatmap News
Current conditions: The parade of winter storms continues today across much of the U.S. • The Congo River is at its highest level in more than 60 years after intense rains • This weekend’s NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins could be the coldest game in franchise history.
THE TOP FIVE
- IEA report shows renewables expansion gaining momentum
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is feeling optimistic about the green energy transition. In its new Renewables 2023 report, released today, the agency says the world added 50% more renewable capacity last year than in 2022. This kind of momentum could get us close to the COP28 goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030, but governments must do more to get us across the finish line, the IEA concluded.
Share
of rewnewable electricity generation by technology
IEA
Renewable capacity hit almost 510 gigawatts (GW) in 2023, with China
seeing the most explosive growth, but the U.S., Europe, and Brazil also
hit all-time highs. Solar was the real workhorse, accounting for 75% of
the expansion. The report includes this quite astonishing statistic:
“The world is on course to add more renewable capacity in the
next five years than has been installed since the first commercial
renewable energy power plant was built more than 100 years
ago.”
The current growth rate puts the world on
course to increase renewable capacity by two-and-a-half times by 2030,
said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. He calls on governments to
prioritize policy changes that speed up renewables development, and
highlights the need for more financing in developing countries to help
them with the energy transition. “Success in meeting the tripling goal
will hinge on this,” Birol
said.
- Biden funnels $623 million into EV charging network buildout
The Biden administration has announced the recipients of infrastructure grants amounting to $623 million focused heavily on expanding the national electric vehicle charging network. The administration has a goal of installing at least 500,000 public chargers by 2030 – a Department of Energy report put the number at around 140,000 at the end of 2022, installed across 53,000 stations. Huge gaps in coverage remain across the country, fueling range anxiety among would-be EV buyers. The new grants are split between 22 states and Puerto Rico and will support 47 infrastructure projects, including 7,500 charging ports. About half of the money will go to “community” projects in urban and rural communities. The other half will go to “corridor” projects along roadways that are expected to “fill gaps in the core national charging and alternative-fueling network,” according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s press release.
- GOP presidential candidates pile on Biden for ‘green’ policies
It appears that Republicans have a new favorite
boogeyman buzzword this election season, writes
Heatmap’s
Charu Sinha. The word? “Green.” It was on every Republican
presidential hopeful’s lips on Wednesday, both at CNN’s debate in Iowa
between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki
Haley, and at former President Donald Trump’s competing town hall on Fox
News. DeSantis reiterated his promise to reverse President Biden’s clean
energy policy, facetiously calling it the “Green New Deal.” Haley took
her own stab at Biden’s “green subsidies” while answering a question
about funding Ukraine and Israel. And for his part, Trump said Biden
should “go into the energy business instead of this green new scam
business that they’re in.”
Sinha notes that “at no point during
the fifth Republican presidential debate or Trump’s town hall was the
Inflation Reduction Act mentioned by name.”
- Bird flu found in mammals in Antarctica
Bird flu strain H5N1 has been transmitted to seals in Antarctica, scientists have confirmed, an alarming development that raises concerns about how easily the virus can spread among mammals. The virus, which has killed millions of birds across the world, was detected in elephant seals and fur seals on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. Researchers believe migrating birds from South America brought the virus with them. Last week officials in Alaska confirmed a polar bear had died from the disease. “If a bird is weakened by avian influenza, or succumbs to it, polar bears aren’t fussy about what eat,” Andrew Derocher, a polar bear biologist at the University of Alberta, told Reuters. “If it’s dead and it’s edible they’ll probably eat it. There is a high likelihood of an interaction between climate change, avian influenza, bird mortality, and polar bears.”
- Study: Snowpack worryingly low in parts of Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is seeing less snowpack due to human-caused climate change, according to a new study published in Nature. The researchers examined data from hundreds of river basins across the U.S. and Europe and found that about 20% of them saw a decline in snowpack – which is the total mass of snow that accumulates on the ground – over the last 40 years. “We see a pattern of snow change that is only consistent with human emissions,” Alex Gottlieb, a graduate student at Dartmouth College and lead author on the new study, told The Washington Post. The researchers also seem to have discovered a snow “cliff” – a tipping point temperature of 17 degrees Fahrenheit – at which snow loss accelerates very quickly. They say more than 2 billion people who rely on snow melt as a source of water are near the cliffedge.
THE KICKER
The cost of charging an EV in the U.S. is roughly equivalent to a gasoline price of $1 to $2 per gallon, with the national average being $1.41 per eGallon, according to Yale Climate Connections.
https://heatmap.news/climate/iea-renewables-report-ev-chargers Save to Pocket
@Tomosino’s Mastodon feed (date: 2024-01-11, from: Tomosino’s Mastodon feed)
day 2 of using new keyboard. it’s lovely. the extra attention to accoustics is really appreciated. it’s quiet and feels wonderful. even bottoming out the keys has a soft feel from the baseplate being on gaskets.
Travel distance to the arrow keys is about 2cm different than my last keyboard, so i’m adjusting. But I once again have a glorious numpad!
8675309!
https://tilde.zone/@tomasino/111737591524439838 Save to Pocket
PC ‘price hike’ coming as cost of memory soars – analysts
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Scores are on the doors for Q4, as after 2 years shipments grow again… by 0.3%
The PC industry has ended a two-year run of declining shipments, by growing 0.3 percent in Q4 of 2023, amid a warning that the cost of components will rise this year, as will the cost of laptops and desktops.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/pc_price_hike_coming_as/ Save to Pocket
How governments become addicted to suppliers like Fujitsu
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Interest in Japanese’s firm’s public sector deals – worth $15B in the UK alone since 2012 – spikes
Analysis Since the broadcast of a television drama telling the story of the Post Office Horizon scandal — one of the most serious miscarriages of justice in British legal history — calls have mounted for those responsible to be held to account.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/fujitsu_public_procurement/ Save to Pocket
Get a New Wireless Router
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Markup blog
If you haven’t upgraded your wireless router since 2020, it’s time for a new one
https://themarkup.org/gentle-january/2024/01/11/get-a-new-wireless-router Save to Pocket
Just a Sample of What We Accomplished in 2023
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Markup blog
Last year, The Markup’s investigations spurred Congress, prompted companies to stop sending sensitive information to Facebook, and got cited in multiple new class action lawsuits
https://themarkup.org/year-in-review/2024/01/11/just-a-sample-of-what-we-accomplished-in-2023 Save to Pocket
How flight attendants are feeling after the Alaska Airlines accident
date: 2024-01-11, from: Marketplace Morning Report
The fallout continues from the Alaska Airlines accident last week. More airlines are cancelling Boeing 737 Max 9 flights, but it’s also affecting the first responders involved: flight attendants. We speak with Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, about flight attendants’ main concerns and the pandemic-era strains on flight crews that still persist. Plus, OpenAI is in content licensing deal talks with major news organizations.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/how-flight-attendants-are-feeling-after-the-alaska-airlines-accident Save to Pocket
Office gossips beware – chitchat could choke your career chances
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Study of workplace blabbermouths reveals the consequences
If you’re the type of office blabbermouth who loves to stand at the water cooler and tell anyone who’ll listen that Pete in accounts has bad breath, or John and Jill in tech are sleeping together, don’t expect a promotion anytime soon.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/workplace_gossip_study/ Save to Pocket
GitHub Universe attendees treated to custom RP2040 Badgers
date: 2024-01-11, from: Raspberry Pi News (.com)
GitHub Universe 2023 attendees were treated to custom RP2040-powered conference badges by Pimoroni.
The post GitHub Universe attendees treated to custom RP2040 Badgers appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/github-universe-attendees-treated-to-custom-rp2040-badgers/ Save to Pocket
Pharmacies Giving Patient Records to Police without Warrants
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-05, from: Bruce Schneier blog
Add pharmacies to the list of industries that are giving private data to the police without a warrant.
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/01/pharmacies-giving-patient-records-to-police-without-warrants.html Save to Pocket
Hundreds wrongly convicted in one of the U.K.’s biggest miscarriages of justice
date: 2024-01-11, from: Marketplace Morning Report
From the BBC World Service: It’s taken a TV series to move the United Kingdom’s government into action over a scandal at the state-owned Post Office. Hundreds of workers were wrongly convicted of theft and fraud, when the real problem was faulty software from a system known as Horizon. Also: Taiwan votes this weekend in a presidential election. The consequences for Asia’s eighth largest economy could be dramatic.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/uk-government-post-office-scandal Save to Pocket
Republican Politics In Iowa, Served Chilled
date: 2024-01-11, from: Dan Rather’s Steady
I love politics and I love this country, but I don’t love cold weather. To this Texan, there’s cold, and there’s Iowa cold. For me, it’s the wind, the bitter wind blowing across the plains that just cuts you. I’ve spent my fair share of Januaries in the Hawkeye State reporting on the Iowa caucuses, and I can safely say there is no such thing as too much clothing. But stand by, because forecasters say this coming Monday may be the coldest ever for a caucus, with temperatures predicted to be below zero — all for an event that requires Iowans to leave the warm confines of their homes to participate in a presidential nominating contest.
https://steady.substack.com/p/republican-politics-in-iowa-served Save to Pocket
A Sublime Solution to Climate’s Hardest Problem
date: 2024-01-11, from: Heatmap News
Over the past several months, in the sleepy city of Holyoke, Massachusetts, bulldozers have been tearing down a former paper mill. The newly leveled ground on the western banks of the Connecticut River is on its way to becoming the home of a big, industrial bet. If it pays off, what was once known as the Paper City could soon become the Clean Cement Capital — of the country, at least. Sublime Systems, a startup that has developed a process for producing the ubiquitous building material without releasing any carbon emissions, has chosen the site for its first commercial factory.
“It’s poetic justice,” Sublime’s CEO and co-founder, Leah Ellis, told me. “We’re excited about bringing clean technology to this community which has been damaged by a legacy of pollution from the old industry that used to happen there.”
The word cement is often used interchangeably with concrete, but it’s actually a key ingredient in the stuff that gets mixed and poured and hardened into sidewalks, roads, buildings. It is the glue that binds together sand, water, and gravel to form the fabric of our built environment. It’s also a major source of carbon emissions — 8% of the global total. And these aren’t like other kinds of emissions.
Scientists often split the climate problem into two categories. There’s the carbon that we know how to eliminate, like from power generation, home heating, and cars. And then there’s a group called the “hard to decarbonize” stuff — mostly emissions from industrial activities where clean solutions are still in early stages and not cost competitive. Cement is the poster child.
That’s because more than half of the emissions from cement come from a chemical reaction that’s intrinsic to its production. Cement consists of lime, silica, and water. It’s made by first heating up limestone in a kiln to more than 1,400 degrees Celsius (2,550 degrees Fahrenheit) — a level of heat that can typically be achieved only by burning coal or natural gas — to produce reactive lime. The bigger problem, though, is that limestone contains carbon, and as it heats up, that carbon is released as a gas. So even if you could heat the kiln with clean electricity instead of coal, there would still be carbon emitted by the process.
But Sublime has found another way. Ellis and her cofounder Yet-Ming Chiang — a serial entrepreneur who is also behind the buzzy battery startup Form Energy — developed a new way to make reactive lime that does not require limestone. Instead of heating up rocks in a kiln, they drive the chemical process with electric currents. This enables the company to avoid limestone and use a variety of other raw materials that do not contain carbon to produce lime.
When Ellis described her breakthrough to me, it sounded incredibly simple, like it might be obvious to anyone with a background in electrochemistry. “Why didn’t anyone else think of this?” I wanted to know.
“I believe this way of making cement is going to be obvious in retrospect, in a post-carbon world where you don’t use fossil fuels, where you’re penalized for CO2 emissions,” she told me. But she said there were three factors that led to this innovation in this moment.
First, we’ve reached a tipping point in figuring out how to decarbonize the electric grid. “That is the one key enabler. Once you’ve got a clean grid, that’s the tool to decarbonizing everything else.”
Second, Ellis happened to be in the right place at the right time. She started her career as a battery scientist and founded Sublime while completing a postdoc at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The interdisciplinary nature of the school, where she could collaborate with other departments, enabled her to expand the bounds of what she could do with her expertise.
And third, the technology Sublime uses to drive its chemical process — a device called an electrolyzer — has become much cheaper. Though electrolyzers have been around for a long time, they’ve recently benefited from increased economies of scale as interest in using them for applications like clean hydrogen production has grown.
For the past year, Sublime has been honing its process at a small pilot plant in Somerville, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The new plant in Holyoke is designed to be many times larger — producing up to 30,000 tons of cement per year — though still smaller than the million tons per year that an average cement plant produces. The site is about half a mile down the river from a hydroelectric dam — a key consideration for the company, since it needs to power the plant with clean electricity.
The project is not yet fully financed, but Sublime has received $1 million in tax credits from the state of Massachusetts and is holding out hope for a federal grant from the Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
There are a number of other emerging methods to reduce emissions from cement, including alternative chemical combinations and installing carbon capture equipment on cement plants, but it’s far from being removed from the “hard to decarbonize” club. The question, as always, is whether Sublime and others will be able to produce a high-quality product — one that passes the strength and durability tests required for the construction industry — at scale, and at a competitive price.
Sublime’s product is certainly more expensive than conventional cement today. But its solution is cheaper than using carbon capture, Ellis said. Capturing the carbon from a cement plant generally requires a big increase in energy use. And while the technology has been under development for decades, it’s so far failed to be applied economically outside the natural gas processing industry. In a world where builders are required to use lower-carbon materials, or where there’s a price on carbon, Ellis thinks Sublime will have an advantage. Governments at various levels in the U.S. have already started to implement “buy clean” programs that require the use of lower-carbon cement for state and federal construction projects, so Sublime may have an edge in some markets once its Holyoke plant is up and running.
“Our process is true zero,” she said. “It just doesn’t emit.”
https://heatmap.news/technology/sublime-carbon-cement-electrolyzer Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
On this day in 2001: Payloads for RSS, which would eventually be known as “podcasting.”
https://web.archive.org/web/20010202144800/http://www.thetwowayweb.com/payloadsForRss Save to Pocket
AI flips the script on fingerprint lore – maybe they’re not so unique after all
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Discovery could have implications for the field of forensics
The belief that all fingerprints are unique is so well accepted that crime novels and TV shows riff on it. Recent AI research has challenged this notion, at least regarding the fingerprints on different fingers of the same person.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/ai_fingerprints_unique/ Save to Pocket
Ayaneo Next Lite handheld announced with SteamOS Linux
date: 2024-01-11, from: OS News
inally we’re seeing another handheld vendor jump in with Linux. The AYANEO NEXT LITE was announced today and much like the Steam Deck, they plan to ship it with SteamOS! AYANEO are one of the top brands when it comes to PC handhelds, so it’s really interesting to see them be one of the first to jump in like this. If Linux is a success for them, no doubt they will do more and other vendors will follow along. ↫ Liam Dawe It was inevitable for SteamOS to spread beyond just the Steam Deck, but an important note to make here is that Ayaneo is not working together with Valve. Instead, they’re using HoloIso, one of the community-maintained variants of SteamOS anyone can use and install. I’m a bit surprised by this, since moving SteamOS beyond just Valve products in an official capacity seems like a no-brainer for Valve; they’re not really in it for the hardware money, after all, and instead earn their money from Steam game sales. I’m fairly convinced this isn’t the last time we’re seeing a non-Valve product with SteamOS, but I’d rather have Valve involved in the process before spending any money on one of these.
https://www.osnews.com/story/138266/ayaneo-next-lite-handheld-announced-with-steamos-linux/ Save to Pocket
Memtest86+, the little RAM tester, flexes FOSS muscles with v7.0
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Essential tool for PC troubleshooting, even if you never run anything but Windows
The revival in development of open source RAM-testing tool Memtest86+ continues with version 7.0 – and it’s not just for Linuxy types.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/memtest86_70_released/ Save to Pocket
Teaching about AI explainability
date: 2024-01-11, from: Raspberry Pi (.org)
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, students are increasingly interacting with AI-powered applications when listening to music, writing assignments, and shopping online. As educators, it’s our responsibility to equip them with the skills to critically evaluate these technologies. A key aspect of this is understanding ‘explainability’ in AI and machine learning (ML) systems. The explainability…
The post Teaching about AI explainability appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/teaching-ai-explainability/ Save to Pocket
Does More Renewable Energy Lead to More Political Support? Not in Texas.
date: 2024-01-11, from: Heatmap News
One of the central conceits of the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden’s landmark climate legislation, is that green investment will eventually lead to bipartisan support for the law. No Republican may have crossed the aisle to support the IRA in 2022, but when money flows into red districts, conservatives will come around. Or so the thinking goes.
The reality is proving more complicated. Some academic research has indeed suggested that investments in the climate economy can lead to positive political feedback. There have also been notable examples of conservative politicians supporting factories that produce batteries and solar panels. But our home state of Texas provides a more cautionary tale, particularly when it comes to the generation of renewable energy itself.
At the University of Texas at Austin, we recently conducted a study that investigated how unprecedented investment in the state’s clean energy industry has affected legislation. To put it bluntly, the results were the opposite of what renewable advocates would hope to see.
After winter storm Uri battered Texas in 2021, leading to major power outages, Republicans in the Texas state legislature introduced numerous bills to address what they claimed was the major culprit: renewable energy. (Democrats blamed fossil fuels.) Wind and solar had grown exponentially in recent years, turning Texas into the first and second largest state for their provision respectively. Nevertheless, along with bills to increase gas power production and reliability, Republicans targeted renewable energy for increased regulation, higher fees, and outright construction bans. Labeled the “War on Renewables”, some of these policies were called “industry killers” by renewable energy advocates. The majority of these bills were introduced in the Texas Senate.
Senate Bill 7 and Senate Bill 1287 both proposed new fees for wind and solar projects. Senate Bill 2012 would lead to charges on renewable projects to help fund the building of gas plants, and Senate Bill 2015 would require half of all generation in Texas to come from non-renewable sources. Perhaps the most damaging of bills would have led to a new permitting process that only applied to renewable energy generation (SB 624). Most of these bills passed the Texas Senate but didn’t receive a vote in the Texas House.
We analyzed the relationship between voting on these Senate bills and renewable energy investments in legislators’ districts. Of the 31 Texas Senate districts, seven have considerable wind investments and 12 have solar projects built or proposed.
Interestingly, many of the urban Democratic districts have little or no renewable energy projects. That’s probably because utility-scale wind and solar requires not only wind and sun, but available land. This land is often found in rural areas that are the strongholds of the Republican Party.
First, we present the major renewable energy bills and the partisan voting on this legislation. The pattern is clear. SB 258, one of the few pro-renewable bills, received full support from Democratic senators. Anti-renewable bills were introduced by Republican senators and they received overwhelming support from their party. Conversely, few Democrats supported these bills in what amounts to extremely partisan voting.
This partisan pattern is unsurprising on the surface, but economic interests can also drive voting on renewable energy policy. How did renewable energy investment shape voting on these bills?
The Advanced Power Association, arguably the most powerful renewable energy association in Texas, provides a map on their website of renewable energy investments by Senate and House district in Texas. This underlying data, complied by IdeaSmiths and shared with us by Josh Rhodes, is the same data that can be accessed by legislators on the impact of renewable energy in their districts. This data includes solar, wind, and renewable energy story investments, proposed investments, and estimated local tax revenues from these projects. For simplicity we present total megawatts of proposed, under construction, and built wind and solar projects, but we note the patterns we identify are consistent with different codings of this data.
The lack of correlation between renewable energy investment and voting
on renewable legislation is striking. Politicians voting against
renewable energy here actually had more wind and solar investment and
greater estimated tax revenues from renewables in their districts. In
fact, many of the authors of the anti-renewable bills have some
of the largest renewable investments in the state. Meanwhile, SB 258,
one of the few pro-renewable bills, received greater support from
districts with fewer renewable energy projects. Our interpretation is
simply that renewable energy investment has no impact on renewable
energy voting.
How can that be? We offer three possible explanations.
The first, and most unlikely, is that fossil fuel interests are driving this war on renewables. While plausible, this explanation is forced to confront the fact that the majority of renewable energy projects in these areas are actually owned by fossil fuel owners. In a roundtable recapping this previous legislative session, renewable energy advocates, including the Advanced Power Alliance, directly stated that they didn’t think this legislation was driven by fossil fuel interests.
The second, which feels more likely, is that renewable energy generation isn’t leading to the kinds of jobs or government revenue that can insulate it from danger. Most of these projects have received considerable tax abatements from cities, counties, and local school districts, limiting their positive fiscal impact. They also employ relatively few workers once construction is complete. For example, the most recent Texas application for school tax abatements is Skull Creek Solar’s $147-million solar energy project. In their application for school tax abatements, they propose the creation of one job. If these projects are generating little tax revenue and few jobs, of course skeptical politicians might be indifferent to their fates. In contrast, other green investments, such as electric vehicle assembly and supply chains, can create thousands of jobs.
The third, and most likely of all, is that renewable energy has simply become another front in America’s ever-widening culture war. And the partisan passage of the IRA may have exacerbated the divide.
Now, our data analysis examines one state and alternative dynamics might be at play in other places. But given the depth of renewable energy investment in Texas and the waves of anti-renewable legislation in renewable energy districts, our analysis suggests limits to the relationship between renewable energy investment and politics.
Hopes that green energy investments in Republican districts will lead to changes in voting on renewable energy are inconsistent with our findings in Texas.
https://heatmap.news/politics/renewable-energy-texas-senate-voting Save to Pocket
Michael Dell: Don’t worry about AGI, after all we solved that ozone layer thing
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Budget, schmudget, when it comes to AI-enabled productivity gains, says exec
Any dangers associated with artificial general intelligence (AGI) can easily be countered through action, similarly to how humans resolved the depletion of the ozone layer, according to namesake and founder of Dell Technologies Inc, Michael Dell.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/micheal_dell_says_dont_worry/ Save to Pocket
‘The Big I Do’ returns on Valentine’s Day
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
News release The city of Santa Clarita’s The Big I Do returns on Valentine’s Day, offering a wedding experience in which multiple couples get married at the same time, followed by a wedding reception, all at the Canyon Country Community Center. Couples will receive a catered brunch, wedding décor, floral arrangements, wedding cakes, a DJ, […]
The post <strong> ‘The Big I Do’ returns on Valentine’s Day</strong> appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/the-big-i-do-returns-on-valentines-day/ Save to Pocket
More details emerge in HCCC overdoses
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>The Hawaii Community Correctional Center inmate who survived a fentanyl overdose in the facility on Jan. 4 was revived by a dose of naloxone, also known as Narcan.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/hawaii-news/more-details-emerge-in-hccc-overdoses/ Save to Pocket
Wife of dead HCCC inmate speaks out, recalls generous side of her husband
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Lori Delgado sat outside the Hilo courtroom Wednesday after a brief hearing for Izaiah Shields, the man accused of smuggling the fentanyl into Hawaii Community Correctional Center that killed her husband, Steve Delgado.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/hawaii-news/wife-of-dead-hccc-inmate-speaks-out-recalls-generous-side-of-her-husband/ Save to Pocket
Bill to fund study of Puna alternate route postponed
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>A study investigating possibilities for a new roadway into Puna has been put off a little longer after questions about how to protect Hawaiian homestead land.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/hawaii-news/ill-to-fund-study-of-puna-alternate-route-postponed/ Save to Pocket
Alaska Airlines cancels flights on certain Boeing planes through Saturday for mandatory inspections
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Alaska Airlines is canceling through Saturday all flights on Boeing 737 Max 9 planes like the one that suffered an in-flight blowout of a fuselage panel last week as it waits for new instructions from Boeing and federal officials on how to inspect the fleet.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/alaska-airlines-cancels-flights-on-certain-boeing-planes-through-saturday-for-mandatory-inspections/ Save to Pocket
Legislators attempt to revive election reform
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>State legislators on Wednesday announced plans to reintroduce a bill calling for full public financing of elections in Hawaii.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/hawaii-news/legislators-attempt-to-revive-election-reform/ Save to Pocket
Bill allows county to fix private roads
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>After months of revisions and rewrites, the Hawaii County Council finally passed a measure that will allow county funds to be used to repair private subdivision roads.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/hawaii-news/bill-allows-county-to-fix-private-roads/ Save to Pocket
NWS: Cold front expected to bring high winds, high surf
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>A cold front will move in from the northwest early this morning that will create weather conditions similar to those that occurred Monday and Tuesday.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/hawaii-news/nws-cold-front-expected-to-bring-high-winds-high-surf-2/ Save to Pocket
BIIF Soccer: Hilo, Kealakehe split doubleheader
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p><strong>GIRLS: HILO 9 - KEALAKEHE 0</strong></p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/sports/biif-soccer-hilo-kealakehe-split-doubleheader/ Save to Pocket
BIIF hoops: Dragons clobber Cougars, Daggers stomp Canefire
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p><strong>PAHOA 60 - CLA 4</strong></p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/sports/biif-hoops-dragons-clobber-cougars-daggers-stomp-canefire/ Save to Pocket
Pro Picks: NFL’s wild-card weekend filled with reunions and rematches
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Matthew Stafford vs. the Lions. Mike McCarthy vs. the Packers. Tyreek Hill vs. the Chiefs.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/sports/pro-picks-nfls-wild-card-weekend-filled-with-reunions-and-rematches/ Save to Pocket
Victor Wembanyama has 1st NBA triple-double for Spurs in 130-108 against Pistons
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>DETROIT (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double in the NBA, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 130-108 victory over the Detroit Pistons. </p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/sports/victor-wembanyama-has-1st-nba-triple-double-for-spurs-in-130-108-against-pistons/ Save to Pocket
Alabama’s Nick Saban retiring after 7 national titles, most in major college football history
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Nick Saban’s coaching reign has come to an end. His dominance over college football, however, will forever linger in the lore of the sport. </p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/sports/alabamas-nick-saban-retiring-after-7-national-titles-most-in-major-college-football-history/ Save to Pocket
Lets play ball! Kona Legends host another successful tournament
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>KAILUA-KONA — The second-annual Kona Legends Kupuna Softball Classic was played last weekend at Old Airport Field, and was won by Scrubs, a team from Kona.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/sports/lets-play-ball-kona-legends-host-another-successful-tournament/ Save to Pocket
Bills fan killed near Dolphins’ stadium after last weekend’s game, police say
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Police in South Florida say a man fatally shot a 30-year-old Buffalo Bills fan during an altercation near Hard Rock Stadium after the Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins in the final regular season game. </p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/sports/bills-fan-killed-near-dolphins-stadium-after-last-weekends-game-police-say/ Save to Pocket
Sony Open in Hawaii brings a level of stress in the reshaped PGA Tour model
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>HONOLULU — Justin Rose is among 39 players at the Sony Open who started the new PGA Tour season last week at Kapalua, one of the eight signature events for the elite that offer $20 million in prize money and more FedEx Cup points than regular tournaments.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/sports/sony-open-in-hawaii-brings-a-level-of-stress-in-the-reshaped-pga-tour-model/ Save to Pocket
North Kohala center names new director
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>The North Kohala Community Resource Center has named Leelen Park as its new executive director effective Jan. 16.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/community/north-kohala-center-names-new-director/ Save to Pocket
Kaumana Caves to reopen on Tuesday
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Kaumana Caves in Hilo will reopen to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 16, following a temporary closure due to a partial collapse.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/community/kaumana-caves-to-reopen-on-tuesday/ Save to Pocket
Grants offered for Arbor Day 2024
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Arbor Day is one day formally designated across the United States to honor, plant and enjoy trees.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/community/grants-offered-for-arbor-day-2024/ Save to Pocket
HEART stages ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ at EHCC
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>The first East Hawaii theater production of 2024 opens this weekend with performances of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” beginning Friday.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/entertainment/heart-stages-one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest-at-ehcc/ Save to Pocket
5 power sources linked to blackouts
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Hawaiian Electric avoided a second straight evening of rolling blackouts across Oahu on Tuesday, but the power shutoffs Monday substantiated prior concerns about the company’s shift to more renewable energy.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/hawaii-news/5-power-sources-linked-to-blackouts/ Save to Pocket
Judge says Donald Trump won’t give own closing argument at civil fraud trial after disputing rules
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>NEW YORK — Donald Trump won’t make his own closing argument after all in his New York civil business fraud trial after his lawyers objected to the judge’s insistence that the former president stick to “relevant” matters and “not deliver a campaign speech.”</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/judge-says-donald-trump-wont-give-own-closing-argument-at-civil-fraud-trial-after-disputing-rules/ Save to Pocket
Kremlin foe Navalny, smiling and joking, appears in court via video link from an Arctic prison
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A smiling and joking Alexei Navalny appeared in court Wednesday via video link from the Arctic penal colony where he is serving a 19-year sentence, the first time the Russian opposition leader has been shown on camera since his transfer to the remote prison.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/kremlin-foe-navalny-smiling-and-joking-appears-in-court-via-video-link-from-an-arctic-prison/ Save to Pocket
Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa settle divorce, bringing their slow split to a speedy end
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>LOS ANGELES — Well, that was fast.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/lisa-bonet-and-jason-momoa-settle-divorce-bringing-their-slow-split-to-a-speedy-end/ Save to Pocket
Obituaries for January 11
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Mildred Hisae Hara, 91, of Hilo died Dec. 31 at home. Born in Honolulu, she was a retired secretary to the dean at Hawaii Community College. Private services held. Survived by sons, Chris (Kristi Kubo) Hara of Hilo and Brent (Heather) Hara of Tigard, Ore.; daughter, Lisanne Hara of Beaverton, Ore.; sister, Ethel Kakimoto of Honolulu; brothers, Walter (Betty Jane) Matsumoto and Mitchell (Denise) Matsumoto of Honolulu; five granddaughters; aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, sisters- and brother-in-law. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/obituaries/obituaries-for-january-11-9/ Save to Pocket
Republicans push ahead with Hunter Biden contempt charge after his surprise visit to Capitol Hill
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WASHINGTON — Republicans on Wednesday took the first step toward holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena. They advanced the charge to a full House vote just hours after the president’s son sparked a momentary political frenzy by appearing in the front row for part of the debate.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/republicans-push-ahead-with-hunter-biden-contempt-charge-after-his-surprise-visit-to-capitol-hill/ Save to Pocket
1 dead, 1 injured following avalanche at California ski resort as storm moves in, official says
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>RENO, Nev. (AP) — An avalanche roared through a section of expert trails at a California ski resort near Lake Tahoe on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring another, as a major storm with snow and gusty winds moved into the region, authorities said.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/1-dead-1-injured-following-avalanche-at-california-ski-resort-as-storm-moves-in-official-says/ Save to Pocket
Secrecy surrounding the defense secretary’s hospitalization has put the White House on the defensive
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s administration pledged from Day One to restore truth and transparency to the federal government — but now it’s facing a maelstrom of criticism and credibility questions after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization was kept secret for days, even from the White House.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/secrecy-surrounding-the-defense-secretarys-hospitalization-has-put-the-white-house-on-the-defensive/ Save to Pocket
Christie ends his presidential bid in an effort to blunt Trump’s momentum before Iowa’s GOP caucuses
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WINDHAM, N.H. — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday suspended his Republican presidential bid just days before Iowa’s leadoff caucuses, ceding to growing pressure to drop out of the race from those desperate to deny Donald Trump a glidepath to the nomination.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/christie-ends-his-presidential-bid-in-an-effort-to-blunt-trumps-momentum-before-iowas-gop-caucuses/ Save to Pocket
Video appears to show the Israeli army shot 3 Palestinians, killing 1, without provocation
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>BEIT RIMA, West Bank — Security camera video from a West Bank village shows a young man standing in a central square when he is suddenly shot and drops to the ground. Two others rushing to his aid are also hit, leaving a 17-year-old dead, moments before Israeli military jeeps roll in.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/video-appears-to-show-the-israeli-army-shot-3-palestinians-killing-1-without-provocation/ Save to Pocket
US inflation is set to fade in 2024 as goods prices keep falling
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>U.S. inflation is set to further recede in 2024, ending the year near the Federal Reserve’s 2% target as economic disruptions from the pandemic fade further and prices of some goods even decline.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/us-inflation-is-set-to-fade-in-2024-as-goods-prices-keep-falling/ Save to Pocket
Engine maker Cummins to repair 600,000 Ram trucks in $2 billion emissions cheating scandal
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>DETROIT — Engine maker Cummins Inc. will recall 600,000 Ram trucks as part of a settlement with federal and California authorities that also requires the company to remedy environmental damage caused by illegal software that let it skirt diesel emissions tests.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/engine-maker-cummins-to-repair-600000-ram-trucks-in-2-billion-emissions-cheating-scandal/ Save to Pocket
California proposal to ban youth tackle football clears first legislative hurdle
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California lawmakers who want to ban tackle football for kids under 12 to reduce brain injuries gained ground Wednesday in the Legislature but still face a very long field and a clock that is ticking. </p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/sports/california-proposal-to-ban-youth-tackle-football-clears-first-legislative-hurdle/ Save to Pocket
Don’t be surprised if Trump starts attacking the Fed
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Interest rates are heading down. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of this year (at least). </p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/opinion/dont-be-surprised-if-trump-starts-attacking-the-fed/ Save to Pocket
Your Views for January 11
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Trump dangerous
to public health</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/opinion/your-views-for-january-11-5/ Save to Pocket
Can divided Washington unite? The fractured GOP is the biggest obstacle
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Faced with looming deadlines to produce a federal budget, the top Republican in Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and the top Democrat, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, agree that Pentagon funding for the fiscal year that started Oct. 1 should be $886 billion. </p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/opinion/can-divided-washington-unite-the-fractured-gop-is-the-biggest-obstacle/ Save to Pocket
Robots learn, chatbots visualize: How 2024 will be AI’s ‘leap forward’
date: 2024-01-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>SAN FRANCISCO — At an event in San Francisco in November, Sam Altman, CEO of artificial intelligence company OpenAI, was asked what surprises the field would bring in 2024.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/11/nation-world-news/robots-learn-chatbots-visualize-how-2024-will-be-ais-leap-forward/ Save to Pocket
What Trump’s lawyer is really advocating
date: 2024-01-11, from: Robert Reich on Substack
America is not the Weimar Republic in its final days and Trump is not Hitler, but …
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-enabling-act-of-1933 Save to Pocket
Cameron Smyth | Honoring the Dream: A Day of Unity
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Signal
Martin Luther King was a visionary leader whose courage and commitment to justice changed the course of history. His dream of a nation free from racial injustice and discrimination continues to inspire us. As we approach Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 15, it is both an honor and a responsibility to reflect on […]
The post Cameron Smyth | Honoring the Dream: A Day of Unity appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/01/cameron-smyth-honoring-the-dream-a-day-of-unity/ Save to Pocket
It’s a preview party at Microsoft, but do you really want an invite?
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Developers are not alone in losing track of which platform to back
Microsoft has a very long history, but the company’s attention span seems to be shrinking, which is making it difficult to decide which products have a future and which might be shot behind the shed.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/microsoft_preview_habit/ Save to Pocket
Researchers tackle ovarian cancer
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
USC researchers developed a blood test with the ability to identify cancerous and benign pelvic masses with up to 91% accuracy.
The post Researchers tackle ovarian cancer appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/researchers-tackle-ovarian-cancer/ Save to Pocket
Environmental Student Assembly calls on USC to cut ties with fossil fuel industry
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
USC has committed to divesting from fossil fuels. But some students argue the University must take more drastic action.
The post Environmental Student Assembly calls on USC to cut ties with fossil fuel industry appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/usc-criticized-for-fossil-fuel-ties/ Save to Pocket
Competing hospital location measures on session agenda
date: 2024-01-11, from: Guam Daily Post
Two measures competing to determine the location of a new public hospital or medical complex on Guam will be up for debate in this month’s legislative session.
https://www.postguam.com/news/competing-hospital-location-measures-on-session-agenda/article_4fe82430-b04b-11ee-803f-1b8f4fc7bf74.html Save to Pocket
January 10, 2024
date: 2024-01-11, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
The Republican-dominated U.S. House of Representatives was back in session for business today. The day’s events did not bode well for the House’s managing to accomplish more in 2024 than it did in 2023. Top on the list of things that must get done, and done fast, is funding the government. The continuing resolution currently in place to fund the government expires in two phases: one on January 19 and the other on February 2. The far-right Freedom Caucus Republicans have refused to agree to funding measures without far deeper cuts than former House speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) agreed to in a long-ago deal with President Joe Biden as part of a package to raise the debt ceiling until 2025. They also want to attach far-right cultural demands to the measures, although traditionally appropriations are kept clean.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-10-2024 Save to Pocket
Classifieds – January 11, 2024
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The Daily Trojan features Classified advertising in each day’s edition. Here you can read, search, and even print out each day’s edition of the Classifieds.
The post Classifieds – January 11, 2024 appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/classifieds-january-11-2024/ Save to Pocket
Quantum computing eggheads throw some other qubits at the wall to see what sticks
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Just keep the cold clammy hand of Fujitsu away from it
Japan’s government scientific research institute Riken is hedging its bets on quantum computing with the deployment of Quantinuum’s trapped-ion H1 systems at its facility in Wako, Saitama.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/riken_ion_qubits_quantinuum/ Save to Pocket
Trump Poised to Dominate Republicans’ Kickoff Contest in Iowa
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-poised-to-dominate-republicans-kickoff-contest-in-iowa/7435239.html Save to Pocket
Today in SCV History (Jan. 11)
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
1963 – Abandoned SPRR Newhall Depot burns down; chilly hobos blamed [story
https://scvnews.com/today-in-scv-history-2/ Save to Pocket
Best film and television tracks of 2023
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
These are the top under-the-radar tracks used in movies and series last year.
The post Best film and television tracks of 2023 appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/best-film-and-television-tracks-of-2023/ Save to Pocket
Off to Iowa, where presidential hopefuls are born and buried
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The small Midwestern state may determine Trump’s main GOP challenger.
The post Off to Iowa, where presidential hopefuls are born and buried appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/197176/ Save to Pocket
Michigan provides USC with blueprint
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The Trojans have to adapt as they transition into the Wolverines’ conference.
The post Michigan provides USC with blueprint appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/michigan-provides-usc-with-blueprint/ Save to Pocket
The resolution to break up with my closet
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
A letter to the clothes I didn’t try and won’t buy because of my resolution.
The post The resolution to break up with my closet appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/the-resolution-to-break-up-with-my-closet/ Save to Pocket
Jo Koy’s writers deserve better
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Following the year of “Barbie” (2023) and the Hollywood writers strike, the Golden Globes monologue was a poor joke.
The post Jo Koy’s writers deserve better appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/jo-koys-writers-deserve-better/ Save to Pocket
No. 9 women’s basketball seeks revenge against rival No. 2 UCLA
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The undefeated Bruins pose a difficult challenge to the talented Trojans once again.
The post No. 9 women’s basketball seeks revenge against rival No. 2 UCLA appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/01/11/no-9-womens-basketball-seeks-revenge-against-rival-no-2-ucla/ Save to Pocket
Blinken Wraps Up Latest Middle East Tour; Says Gaza Conflict Has to End
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
STATE DEPARTMENT — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday Israel working with Arab neighbors in the Middle East region to pave the way for a Palestinian state is the most effective way to isolate Iran.
Before leaving Cairo, where he held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Blinken said, “There’s a path that brings Israel’s needs and desires for integration in the region and genuine security with, as well, Palestinian aspirations for a state of their own.”
“That’s the single best way – this integration, security, a Palestinian state – to isolate and marginalize Iran and the kinds of actions it’s taking through its proxies,” Blinken said. “I think that vision is clear but for us to move on it, for it to really get started, the conflict in Gaza has to end. That’s critical.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly rejected the two-state solution.
Cairo was the 10th and final stop on Blinken’s seven-day diplomatic mission, focused on containing the Gaza war, increasing humanitarian assistance, ensuring the protection of civilians, and securing the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas militants.
Earlier on Thursday, Blinken expressed appreciation for Egypt’s partnership in assisting the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.
“Secretary Blinken and President El Sissi discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages. The secretary reiterated U.S. commitment to ensuring Palestinians in Gaza are not forcibly displaced and to achieving regional peace that ensures Israel’s security and advances the establishment of a Palestinian state,” according to the State Department.
Egypt played a key role in mediating an earlier temporary cease-fire during which Hamas released more than 100 hostages and Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners. Egypt is trying to revive hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Retired General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, former commander of U.S. Central Command, expressed pessimism during a webinar on Wednesday.
“I think it’s going to be very hard to get the remaining hostages back. … They’re the last thing Hamas has,” he said. “I am not optimistic that we’re going to get a lot of these hostages back.”
Thursday’s talks in Cairo come a day after Blinken met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, and Abbas held subsequent talks with Sissi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
The Jordanian, Egyptian and Palestinian leaders issued a joint statement calling for the international community to maintain pressure for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and for the protection of Palestinian civilians. The leaders also highlighted the need for displaced Palestinians to be able to return to their homes in Gaza, and they rejected any attempt by Israel to reoccupy parts of the territory after the war.
Netanyahu said during televised remarks late Wednesday that Israel “has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population.”
“Israel is fighting Hamas terrorists, not the Palestinian population, and we are doing so in full compliance with international law,” he said.
Israel has agreed to allow a United Nations mission to evaluate the situation in war-ravaged northern Gaza for the safe return of displaced Palestinians.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said Wednesday that the mission is “contingent on security guarantees” from Israel.
The U.N. hopes to carry it out as soon as possible, as it is critical to a planned increase in humanitarian aid for northern Gaza.
Diplomats said Israel has invited U.N. Security Council members to visit the country later this month.
A U.N. special envoy is also set to conduct a mission to Israel and the West Bank at the end of January to gather information on sexual violence against hostages, reportedly committed by Hamas militants during the October 7 attacks in southern Israel, and the aftermath.
More than 85% of Palestinians have been displaced across the Gaza Strip since October 7, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Red Sea attacks
Blinken on Wednesday warned of “consequences” after Yemen-based Houthi rebels launched their largest yet aerial attack on the Red Sea.
“We had the biggest attack — UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] missiles — just yesterday,” Blinken told reporters at Bahrain International Airport in Manama on Wednesday. “These attacks have been aided and abetted by Iran with technology, equipment, intelligence, information, and they are having a real-life impact on people.”
More than 20 countries, including Bahrain, have pledged to preserve freedom of navigation and freedom of shipping in the Red Sea, Blinken said after holding talks with Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
“If these attacks continue as they did yesterday, there will be consequences,” Blinken added. He urged Iran to stop its assistance to Houthis but declined to elaborate on what specific consequences there would be.
On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council adopted a U.S.-drafted resolution condemning and demanding an end to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
The Iran-backed Houthis said the attacks target ships affiliated with or bound for Israel, and that they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza health officials say more than 23,400 Palestinians, a large percentage of them women and children, have been killed in Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Israel began its military campaign to wipe out Hamas after Hamas fighters crossed into southern Israel in October. Israel said about 1,200 people were killed and about 240 captives taken in the terror attack.
Some material for this report came from Reuters, Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press.
https://www.voanews.com/a/blinken-sissi-to-discuss-israel-hamas-war/7435338.html Save to Pocket
‘Green’ Is the New Republican Dirty Word
date: 2024-01-11, from: Heatmap News
Our condolences to “woke.” It appears that Republicans have a new favorite boogeyman buzzword this election season: “green.” The word was on every Republican presidential hopeful’s lips on Wednesday, both at CNN’s debate in Iowa between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and at former President Donald Trump’s competing town hall on Fox News.
To start, DeSantis reiterated his promise to reverse President Biden’s clean energy policy – without, of course, actually calling it by its real name. After explaining that energy independence is “good to reduce inflation,” DeSantis continued, “So we’ll do that on day one and we’re going to reverse Biden’s Green New Deal and the electric vehicle mandates.” DeSantis is of course facetiously referring to the Inflation Reduction Act here — Biden has not supported the actual Green New Deal as proposed in a resolution by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Edward Markey in 2019.
It’s also not the first time DeSantis has made this particular reference. The Florida governor, who once said that “humans contribute to what goes on around us” while running for governor in Florida in 2018, promised that he’d be “taking all the Biden regulations, the Green New Deal, ripping it up and throwing it in the trash can where it belongs,” at November’s primary debate. DeSantis’s environmental flip-flopping has not gone unnoticed by his opponents – least of all Haley, who called out DeSantis’s pledge to ban fracking during Wednesday’s debate, as she did in September and November as well.
Haley took her own stab at Biden’s energy policy shortly after DeSantis at Wednesday’s debate. Biden’s “green subsidies” caught a stray during Haley’s answer to a question about funding Ukraine and Israel during their respective ongoing wars. “Supporting Ukraine is 3.5% of our budget,” Haley said. “If we support Ukraine and Israel, that’s only 5% of our defense budget […] If we support Ukraine, Israel, and secure the border, that’s less than 20% of Biden’s green subsidies. You do not have to choose when it comes to national security.”
For his part, Trump trotted out a predictably insane “green” reference during his live town hall on Fox News. While answering a question about contributing to the national debt during his term, Trump said, “You had to inject money. … If I didn’t do that, you would have had a depression in this country.” He continued, “That was a very good investment. And now what they should be doing instead of the kind of debt that they’re building at record levels, they should be paying down their debt and they ought to go into the energy business instead of this green new scam business that they’re in.”
It’s perhaps redundant to note that at no point during the fifth Republican presidential debate or Trump’s town hall was the Inflation Reduction Act mentioned by name. We’ll have to tune into the next debate (January 18 in New Hampshire) to find out if the green verbal tic holds up.
https://heatmap.news/sparks/donald-trump-nikki-haley-ron-desantis-green-fox-news-cnn-debate Save to Pocket
How Boeing Bought Washington
date: 2024-01-11, from: The Lever News
Before the recent Boeing disaster, the company and its parts supplier Spirit AeroSystems spent years lobbying to boost production and weaken safety regulations.
https://www.levernews.com/how-boeing-bought-washington/ Save to Pocket
House Republicans Aim to Impeach US Homeland Secretary
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
Washington — House Republicans held their first impeachment hearing Wednesday against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of what they called the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
In a 20-minute opening statement, Mark Green, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, shared what he said was evidence that supports impeaching a Cabinet secretary.
“Secretary Mayorkas has brazenly refused to enforce the laws passed by Congress that knowingly made our country less safe,” he said.
Republicans blame Mayorkas for the high numbers of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border and said the Republican Party has undertaken a yearlong investigation into the secretary’s work.
During the hearing, Green said Mayorkas’ failure to adhere to the law provides ample justification for initiating impeachment proceedings. The lawmaker said the framers of the constitution did not envision impeachment solely for criminal acts but also for individuals displaying significant incompetence, jeopardizing fellow Americans, breaching public trust, or neglecting their duties.
“What we are seeing here is a willful violation of his oath of office by Secretary Mayorkas,” Green said.
Democrats dismissed the impeachment efforts.
Representative Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the committee, said Republicans want to “throw political red meat to their base,” adding that Republicans have “absolutely no basis” to impeach Mayorkas.
“You cannot impeach a Cabinet secretary because you don’t like a president’s policies — that’s not what impeachment is for,” he said.
US-Mexico border
Meanwhile, Mayorkas has carried on with his duties. On Monday, he visited the border at Eagle Pass, Texas, to see Southwest border enforcement efforts.
His visit came after federal border officials reported a record 11,000 apprehensions a day at the southern border in December alone. These encounters dropped sharply with the beginning of the new year.
“It coincided with the time when Mexican enforcement was no longer implemented. The immigration enforcement agency in Mexico was not funded, which prompted President [Joe] Biden to reconnect with [Mexican] President [Andres Manual Lopez] Obrador …” Mayorkas told reporters.
The high numbers of migrants encountered at the southern border is one of the Republicans’ arguments to impeach the DHS secretary.
In year 2023, about 2.5 million migrants were encountered by border patrol officers. Out of those, 564,380 were expelled under Title 42, a public health code that expired on May 11, 2023. It was used during the pandemic and allowed U.S. immigration officials to quickly expel migrants to their country of origin or Mexican border towns and denied them a chance at asylum.
But it did not ban them from trying again, and migrants were counted multiple times under Title 42.
According to DHS, the department repatriated about 469,000 migrants in fiscal 2023, while about 909,450 more were processed by border patrol officials and received a document to present themselves at an Immigration Customs Enforcement office. Some of those were paroled into the U.S. and allowed to stay temporarily or paroled into the alternative to detention program. And 311,343 more migrants were transferred to an ICE detention facility.
Since the end of Title 42, everyone is again processed under Title 8, the federal code of laws dealing with immigration. Those arriving at the border without documents or trying to enter between ports of entry can be removed without their case being decided by an immigration court through a process known as expedited removal, and they are banned from entering the U.S. for at least five years.
While in Texas, Mayorkas said that migrants encountered at the border who do not have a legal basis to stay in the U.S. will be removed.
Next steps
Impeaching the Homeland Security secretary would be a rare occurrence. In U.S. history, only one Cabinet official, Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876, has been impeached.
The committee is expected to host more hearings as part of the impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas. Once concluded, the panel is expected to conduct a markup on articles of impeachment that will culminate in a committee vote, setting the stage for the articles to be subsequently forwarded to the full House for consideration.
Mayorkas, however, is not expected to be removed by the Senate.
https://www.voanews.com/a/house-republicans-aim-to-impeach-us-homeland-secretary-/7435301.html Save to Pocket
US to Send Delegation After Taiwan Election
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-to-send-delegation-after-taiwan-election/7435299.html Save to Pocket
House Republicans Launch Impeachment Inquiry Into Biden’s Top Immigration Official
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday launched impeachment proceedings against a top immigration official in the Biden administration. The unusual move comes as a bipartisan group of senators negotiates a deal that would rework immigration laws in exchange for votes authorizing more aid to Ukraine and Israel. VOA’s congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson reports.
https://www.voanews.com/a/house-republicans-launch-impeachment-inquiry-into-biden-s-top-immigration-official/7435270.html Save to Pocket
State Superintendent Breakdown of Proposed 2024 State Education Budget
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today issued the following statement in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed education budget for fiscal year 2024–
https://scvnews.com/state-superintendent-breakdown-of-proposed-2024-state-education-budget/ Save to Pocket
Trying to be the ideal American family with a small fridge
date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Rupert blog
I’m coming to the realization when you’re a family with a small fridge you cannot be all these platonic ideals at the same time:
- The buy in bulk Costco family
- The big weekly shopping trip family
- The cook/order extra and eat leftovers family
- The cook extra and freeze it family
- The meal prep family
- The freezer full of frozen smoothie ingredients family
- The buy one-off condiments, sauces, or pickles family
- The keep fresh fruits and veggies on hand family
- The make my kids lunches family
At best you can be one of these or buy a garage fridge. People with two fridges seem content. Some industrious folks keep a whole deer or half a cow in there. I’m not going that overboard, I need a home for a bag of chicken nuggies, tamales from Arizona, and some ice cream.
Interesting predicament, small fridges. Instagram Reel-esque lifehacks could save my family some real money, reduce waste, and make food choices more healthy or interesting. I don’t want an extra fridge humming in the garage getting slimy, but I also don’t want to go to the store every other day. Good grief, Charlie Brown.
https://daverupert.com/2024/01/small-fridge/ Save to Pocket
Pennsylvanians, your government workers are now powered by ChatGPT
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
We’ve heard of bored penpushers hallucinating at their desks, but this is something else
Pennsylvania has signed up for a ChatGPT Enterprise plan, allowing the commonwealth’s government employees to use OpenAI’s generative artificial intelligence to complete day-to-day tasks, or so Governor Josh Shapiro hopes.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/pennsylvania_openai_chatgpt/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-01-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
US verges on vaccination tipping point, faces thousands of needless deaths: FDA.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/01/anti-vaccine-nonsense-will-likely-kill-thousands-this-season-fda-officials-say/ Save to Pocket
Election Countdown: 300 Days to Go.
date: 2024-01-11, from: James Fallows, Substack
In a courtroom, the modern version of the ‘Rose Mary Stretch.’ On the airwaves, some lessons unlearned.
https://fallows.substack.com/p/election-countdown-300-days-to-go Save to Pocket
Latest tech layoffs: Twitch, Duolingo, Citrix parent ditch hundreds of workers
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Happy New Year!
Last year’s tech layoff spree isn’t over, with live-streaming site Twitch announcing today that it’s laying off 500 employees, around a third of its staff. The biz isn’t alone in letting people go.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/twitch_employee_layoff/ Save to Pocket
Jan. 25: Schiavo, Wilk Host Cash for College Webinar
date: 2024-01-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, in partnership with Senator Scott Wilk, is excited to invite the community to the upcoming Cash for College webinar
https://scvnews.com/jan-25schiavo-wilk-host-cash-for-college-webinar/ Save to Pocket
Stem Cell Donor’s Visa Denied Again
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: The LAist
L.A. cancer patient depends on stem cell donation from his cousin, but he is not being allowed into the U.S. from the Philippines.
https://laist.com/news/stem-cell-donors-visa-denied-again Save to Pocket
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/01/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga Save to Pocket
Trump Critic Christie Says He’s Ending Presidential Bid
date: 2024-01-11, from: VOA News USA
WINDHAM, New Hampshire — Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said Wednesday that he was ending his Republican presidential bid just days before Iowa’s leadoff caucuses.
“My goal has never been to be just a voice against the hate and division and the selfishness of what our party has become under Donald Trump,” Christie said at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire.
“I’ve always said that if there came a point in time in this race where I couldn’t see a path to accomplishing that goal, that I would get out,” he said. “And it’s clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination, which is why I’m suspending my campaign tonight for president of the United States.”
It wasn’t clear whether Christie would be immediately endorsing one of his rivals, but he was overheard criticizing former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley on a livestream set up by his campaign ahead of the event.
“She’s going to get smoked,” he said. “She’s not up to this.”
He said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called him, petrified he would endorse Haley, but the hot mic was cut before Christie finished speaking.
Counting on New Hampshire
The dropout came as a surprise, given that Christie had staked the success of his campaign on New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary, which is less than two weeks away. He had insisted as recently as Tuesday night that he had no plans to leave the race, continuing to cast himself as the only candidate willing to directly take on the former president.
“I would be happy to get out of the way for someone who is actually running against Donald Trump,” he said at a town hall session in Rochester, New Hampshire, while arguing that none of his rivals had taken on the former president.
But Christie faced a stark reality: While recent polls showed him reaching the double digits in New Hampshire, Haley shows signs of momentum. A CNN/University of New Hampshire poll conducted in the state this week found Trump’s lead down to the single digits, with four in 10 likely Republican primary voters choosing Trump and about one-third choosing Haley.
Allies of Haley, including New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and other anti-Trump Republicans, had been urging Christie to exit, hoping a large portion of his supporters would flock to Haley, giving her a chance to turn the race into a two-candidate contest with Trump, the overwhelming favorite for the nomination.
The New Hampshire poll — which showed Christie at 12% — found about two-thirds of his supporters would select Haley as their second choice.
Christie had run as the race’s fiercest critic of the former president. He warned voters against nominating a candidate who has been criminally indicted four times and could very well be a convicted felon by the November general election. And he argued Trump would lose in a rematch with President Joe Biden, the likely Democratic nominee.
While his anti-Trump message attracted much media attention and helped bring in waves of small-dollar donations that kept him in the race — and on the debate stage — far longer than many expected, Christie was plagued by high unfavorability ratings in a party that remains deeply loyal to Trump.
He also remained mired in the single digits in national polling.
Frugal campaign
Nonetheless, Christie managed to outlast far better-known and better-funded candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, in part because he ran a frugal campaign. Instead of flying by private jet and hiring a litany of expensive consultants, he relied on a tight-knit staff of just over a dozen people and spent far lower per day than rivals like DeSantis.
And just as he did when he ran in 2016, Christie banked his campaign on New Hampshire, believing his brash “tell it like it is” style would resonate with the state’s more independent-leaning voters, including those who are unaffiliated with a party and can vote in the Republican primary.
He also campaigned in South Carolina and hoped to emerge as the last man standing against Trump after the early state contests.
Christie had long insisted that he had no plans to leave the race before New Hampshire’s primary on January 23 and appeared on track to perform better than he had in 2016, when he finished in sixth place with just 7% of the vote.
At the town hall Tuesday, he delivered a sharply worded rebuttal to those calling on him to drop out to clear the path for Haley, arguing that she wasn’t even trying to beat the front-runner.
“I have no interest in being a spoiler for someone who wants to beat Donald Trump,” he said. “But if you’d be willing to be his vice president? If you’d pardon him if you became president? If you’d vote for him even if he’s a convicted felon … I mean, geez, really?”
Christie asked the crowd to imagine what would happen if he dropped out to support Haley and then she agreed to serve as Trump’s running mate.
“What will I look like? What will all the people who supported her at my behest look like?” he asked. “You know, I made that mistake once eight years ago. I made an endorsement decision based on politics eight years ago when I supported Trump. I’m not going to make the same mistake again. Can’t do it.”
Once a Trump asset
The campaign in many ways felt like a mission of redemption for the former governor, who arguably did more than any other Republican to help Trump win the presidency when they faced each other in 2016.
During that contest, Christie delivered a fatal blow to rival candidate Marco Rubio during a debate that came just as the Republican establishment appeared to be coalescing around the senator from Florida as a Trump alternative. No other candidate ever emerged in his place.
Then, after Christie dropped out, he became the first major Republican figure to endorse Trump during a surprise press conference. He went on to lead Trump’s White House transition operation — before he was unceremoniously fired — and to serve as an on-again-off-again adviser, including preparing Trump for the debates against Biden.
It was during one of their 2020 debate prep sessions that Christie believes Trump gave him COVID-19, putting Christie in the hospital in intensive care.
But it wasn’t until the night of the 2020 election that Christie, who had been friends with Trump and his wife for 20 years, broke with the then-president after Trump falsely claimed victory long before all the votes had been counted. Christie later penned a book that was deeply critical of the former president.
Beyond his focus on Trump, Christie had argued that abortion restrictions should be left to the states until there is broader consensus on the issue, and he had advocated for continued U.S. support for Ukraine in its efforts to stave off Russia’s invasion. He visited both Ukraine and Israel, where he toured a kibbutz that was ravaged in the October 7 rampage by Hamas militants and said the U.S. must stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Israel.
https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-critic-christie-says-he-s-ending-bid-for-republicans-presidential-nod/7434862.html Save to Pocket
GPD seeks help in search for missing woman
date: 2024-01-11, from: Guam Daily Post
The Guam Police Department is seeking assistance in the search for a missing woman.
https://www.postguam.com/news/gpd-seeks-help-in-search-for-missing-woman/article_ee33cdcc-b011-11ee-bab0-cf039dd7281c.html Save to Pocket
Application Phishing
date: 2024-01-11, updated: 2024-01-11, from: Tom Kellog blog
http://timkellogg.me/blog/2024/01/11/application-phishing Save to Pocket
The effect and mechanism of Fushen Granule on gut microbiome in the prevention and treatment of chronic renal failure
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Fushen Granule is an improved granule based on the classic formula Fushen Formula, which is used for the treatment of peritoneal dialysis-related intestinal dysfunction in patients with end-stage renal disease. However, the effect and mechanism of this granule on the prevention and treatment of chronic renal failure have not been fully elucidated.
A 5/6 nephrectomy model of CRF was induced and Fushen Granule was administered at low and high doses to observe its effects on renal function, D-lactate, serum endotoxin, and intestinal-derived metabolic toxins. The 16SrRNA sequencing method was used to analyze the abundance and structure of the intestinal flora of CRF rats. A FMT assay was also used to evaluate the effects of transplantation of Fushen Granule fecal bacteria on renal-related functional parameters and metabolic toxins in CRF rats.
Gavage administration of Fushen Granule at low and high doses down-regulated creatinine, urea nitrogen, 24-h urine microalbumin, D-lactate, endotoxin, and the intestinal-derived toxins indophenol sulphateand p-cresol sulphate in CRF rats. Compared with the sham-operated group in the same period, CRF rats had a decreased abundance of the firmicutes phylum and an increased abundance of the bacteroidetes phylum at the phylum level, and a decreasing trend of the lactobacillus genus at the genus level. Fushen Granule intervention increased the abundance of the firmicutes phylum, decreased the abundance of the bacteroidetes phylum, and increased the abundance of the lactobacillus genus. The transplantation of Fushen Granule fecal bacteria significantly reduced creatinine(Cr), blood urea nitrogen(Bun), uric acid(UA), 24-h urinary microalbumin, D-lactate, serum endotoxin, and enterogenic metabolic toxins in CRF rats. Compared with the sham-operated group, the transplantation of Fushen Granule fecal bacteria modulated the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla and the Lactobacillus genus.
Fushen Granule improved renal function and intestinal barrier function by regulating intestinal flora, inhibiting renal fibrosis, and delaying the progression of chronic renal failure.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1334213 Save to Pocket
Will previous antimicrobial therapy reduce the positivity rate of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in periprosthetic joint infections? A clinical study
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a culture-independent massively parallel DNA sequencing technology and it has been widely used for rapid etiological diagnosis with significantly high positivity rate. Currently, clinical studies on evaluating the influence of previous antimicrobial therapy on positivity rate of mNGS in PJIs are rarely reported. The present study aimed to investigate whether the positivity rate of mNGS is susceptible to previous antimicrobial therapy.
We performed a prospective trial among patients who undergone hip or knee surgery due to periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) to compare the positivity rate of culture and mNGS between cases with and without previous antimicrobial therapy, and the positivity rates between cases with different antimicrobial-free intervals were also analysed.
Among 131 included PJIs, 91 (69.5%) had positive cultures and 115 (87.8%) had positive mNGS results. There was no significant difference in the positivity rate of deep-tissue culture and synovial fluid mNGS between cases with and without previous antimicrobial therapy. The positivity rate of synovial fluid culture was higher in cases with previous antimicrobial therapy. The positivity rates of mNGS in synovial fluid decreased as the antimicrobial-free interval ranged from 4 to 14 days to 0 to 3 days.
mNGS is more advantageous than culture with a higher pathogen detection rate. However, our data suggested that antimicrobial agents may need to be discontinued more than 3 days before sampling to further increase the positivity rate of mNGS for PJIs.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1295962 Save to Pocket
Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying the blaNDM-1 gene in IncX3 plasmids and the rare In1765 in an IncFIB-IncHI1B plasmid
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Today, the
The determination of class A beta-lactamase, class B and D
carbapenemases was performed according to the recommendations of the
Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Antimicrobial
susceptibility testing was performed using both the BioMerieux VITEK2
system and antibiotic paper diffusion methods. Plasmid transfer was then
evaluated by conjugation experiments and plasmid electroporation assays.
To comprehensively analyze the complete genome of
Our findings revealed that
This study demonstrated that complex combinations of transposons and integron overlaps, along with the synergistic effects of different drug resistance and virulence genes, led to a lack of effective therapeutic agents for strain F11, therefore its dissemination and prevalence should be strictly controlled.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1324846 Save to Pocket
Transcriptional profiling specifies the pathogen-specific human host response to infectious keratitis
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Corneal infections are a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide. Here we applied high-resolution transcriptomic profiling to assess the general and pathogen-specific molecular and cellular mechanisms during human corneal infection.
Clinical diagnoses of herpes simplex virus (HSV) (n=5) and bacterial/fungal (n=5) keratitis were confirmed by histology. Healthy corneas (n=7) and keratoconus (n=4) samples served as controls. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) human corneal specimens were analyzed using the 3’ RNA sequencing method Massive Analysis of cDNA Ends (MACE RNA-seq). The cellular host response was investigated using comprehensive bioinformatic deconvolution (xCell and CYBERSORTx) analyses and by integration with published single cell RNA-seq data of the human cornea.
Our analysis identified 216 and 561 genes, that were specifically overexpressed in viral or bacterial/fungal keratitis, respectively, and allowed to distinguish the two etiologies. The virus-specific host response was driven by adaptive immunity and associated molecular signaling pathways, whereas the bacterial/fungal-specific host response mainly involved innate immunity signaling pathways and cell types. We identified several genes and pathways involved in the host response to infectious keratitis, including CXCL9, CXCR3, and MMP9 for viral, and S100A8/A9, MMP9, and the IL17 pathway for bacterial/fungal keratitis.
High-resolution molecular profiling provides new insights into the human corneal host response to viral and bacterial/fungal infection. Pathogen-specific molecular profiles may provide the foundation for novel diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic approaches that target inflammation-induced damage to corneal host cells with the goal to improve the outcome of infectious keratitis.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1285676 Save to Pocket
Potential roles of Culicoides spp. (Culicoides imicola, Culicoides oxystoma) as biological vectors of bluetongue virus in Yuanyang of Yunnan, P. R. China
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
The midges were collected from cattle (
A total of 6,300
The study reveals variations in the species distribution, community
composition, blood sucking rate, and blood-feeding sources of
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1283216 Save to Pocket
Endogenous retroviruses Suppressyn and Syncytin-2 as innovative prognostic biomarkers in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Emerging evidence has proven that human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), whereas the specific HERVs influencing the prognosis of AML patients have yet to be fully understood.
In this study, a systematic exploration was achieved to identify potential prognostic HERVs for AML, sourced from TCGA and GTEx database. Differential analysis and functional enrichment studies were conducted using GO, KEGG, GSEA, and GSVA. The ESTIMATE algorithm was applied to explore the immune infiltration of HERVs in AML. A prognostic risk-score model was evaluated with predicted yearly accuracy using ROC analysis.
Two HERVs Suppressyn and Syncytin-2, were identified as promising prognostic biomarkers, with high discrimination ability based on ROC analysis between AML and healthy cohorts from TCGA. Their expression was notably higher in AML patients compared to those in healthy individuals but correlates with favorable clinical outcomes in sub-groups such as white race, lower WBC counts, favorable and intermediate risks, and NPM1 or IDH1 mutation. Suppressyn and Syncytin-2 participated in immune-related pathways and exhibited correlations with multiple immune infiltration cells, such as T cells, mast cells, and tumor-associated macrophages. Finally, we developed a prognostic risk-scoring model combining Suppressyn and Syncytin-2, where a high risk-score is associated with better prognosis.
Collectively, our findings revealed that Suppressyn and Syncytin-2 may act as valuable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for individuals with AML, while highlighting links between HERV activation, immunogenicity, and future therapeutic targets.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1339673 Save to Pocket
A guide to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia virulence capabilities, as we currently understand them
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
The Gram-negative pathogen
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1322853 Save to Pocket
DNA damage response coregulator ddrR affects many cellular pathways and processes in Acinetobacter baumannii 17978
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
For this project, we combined our earlier single-end read RNAseq data
with the
New DESeq2 analyses verified previous differentially expressed genes
(DEGs) but also found 339 genes in 17978 JH that were not annotated or
physically present in the older genome assembly. Sixty-three were
differentially expressed after DNA damage, and 182 had differential
basal expression when comparing
The
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1324091 Save to Pocket
Urine microbiome in individuals with an impaired immune system
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
With the advent of next generation sequencing, it is now appreciated that human urine is not sterile. Recent investigations of the urinary microbiome (urobiome) have provided insights into several urological diseases. Urobiome dysbiosis, defined as non-optimal urine microbiome composition, has been observed in many disorders; however, it is not clear whether this dysbiosis is the cause of urinary tract disorders or a consequence. In addition, immunologically altered disorders are associated with higher rates of urinary tract infections. These disorders include immunoproliferative and immunodeficiency diseases, cancer, and immunosuppressant therapy in transplant recipients. In this review, we examine the current state of knowledge of the urobiome in immunologically altered diseases, its composition and metabolomic consequences. We conclude that more data are required to describe the urobiome in immune altered states, knowledge that could facilitate understanding the role of the urobiome and its pathophysiological effects on urinary tract infections and other disorders of the urinary tract.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1308665 Save to Pocket
Streptomyces albireticuli lung infection managed as a pulmonary air cyst: a case report and literature review
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1296491 Save to Pocket
Lysosomal trafficking regulator restricts intracellular growth of Coxiella burnetii by inhibiting the expansion of Coxiella-containing vacuole and upregulating nos2 expression
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1336600 Save to Pocket
Genetic evidence on the causality between gut microbiota and various asthma phenotypes: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Asthma is a multifarious disease that manifests in various phenotypes. Among the various factors that contribute to the development of asthma, the gut microbiota has recently emerged as a compelling area of investigation. This study aims to investigate the causal relationships between gut microbiota and distinct asthma phenotypes.
The genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for 211 gut microbial taxa were used as study exposure. Five traits pertaining to various asthma phenotypes (asthma, allergic asthma, childhood asthma, suggestive for eosinophilic asthma and obesity-related asthma) were included as study outcome. We conducted Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and sensitivity analysis for each bacterial taxa and asthma phenotypes.
We discovered a total of 58 associations that exhibited evidence of
causality. Out of these, 4 associations remained significant even after
applying multiple correction. An increased risk of asthma was causally
associated with higher abundance of genus
Our research has provided genetic evidence that establishes multiple causal relationships between the gut microbiota and distinct asthma phenotypes, supporting the role of the gut microbiota in various asthma phenotypes. It is possible that different taxa play a role in the development of distinct asthma phenotypes. The causal relationships identified in this study require further investigation.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1270067 Save to Pocket
Gut microbiome-based noninvasive diagnostic model to predict acute coronary syndromes
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Previous studies have shown that alterations in the gut microbiota are closely associated with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) development. However, the value of gut microbiota for early diagnosis of ACS remains understudied.
We recruited 66 volunteers, including 29 patients with a first diagnosis of ACS and 37 healthy volunteers during the same period, collected their fecal samples, and sequenced the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Functional prediction of the microbiota was performed using PICRUSt2. Subsequently, we constructed a nomogram and corresponding webpage based on microbial markers to assist in the diagnosis of ACS. The diagnostic performance and usefulness of the model were analyzed using boostrap internal validation, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA).
Compared to that of healthy controls, the diversity and composition of
microbial community of patients with ACS was markedly abnormal.
Potentially pathogenic genera such as
Our study is the first to characterize the composition and function of the gut microbiota in patients with ACS and healthy populations in Southwest China and demonstrates the potential effect of the microbiota as a non-invasive marker for the early diagnosis of ACS.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1305375 Save to Pocket
A novel enemy of cancer: recent investigations into protozoan anti-tumor properties
date: 2024-01-11, from: Frontiers in Cellar and Infection Microbiology
Cancer remains a significant global health issue, despite advances in
screening and treatment. While existing tumor treatment protocols such
as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and
immunotherapy have proven effective in enhancing the prognosis for some
patients, these treatments do not benefit all patients. Consequently,
certain types of cancer continue to exhibit a relatively low 5-year
survival rate. Therefore, the pursuit of novel tumor intervention
strategies may help improve the current effectiveness of tumor
treatment. Over the past few decades, numerous species of protozoa and
their components have exhibited anti-tumor potential via immune and
non-immune mechanisms. This discovery introduces a new research
direction for the development of new and effective cancer treatments.
Through
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1325144 Save to Pocket
PGConf.dev 2024 - CFP Closing & Registration Open!
date: 2024-01-11, from: PostgreSQL News
PGConf.dev 2024 (May 28 - 31, 2024, Vancouver, CA), aka PostgreSQL Development Conference 2024, is an event focused on PostgreSQL development and contributing to the PostgreSQL community. The successor to PGCon, PGConf.dev offers a collaborative and fun environment to discuss future development for PostgreSQL!
Want to submit a talk, or waiting to the last minute to submit a talk? The last minute is here! The call for papers is closing very soon! You can submit a talk through Jan 15, 2024.
We’re looking for talk submissions focused on PostgreSQL development and contributing to the community: upcoming PostgreSQL features, recently committed work, and community-building focused talks. The audience ranges from new to longtime PostgreSQL contributors, and we expect many talks to be more intermediate to advanced level on technical topics. We will also have introductory talks on how to get started contributing to PostgreSQL!
Even if you’ve never presented at a PostgreSQL event before, we’d love to hear your ideas and can provide help on getting your presentation ready!
You can submit your talk ideas here:
PGConf.dev 2024 is not possible without the generous support of our sponsors. PGConf.dev is the premier worldwide gathering of PostgreSQL contributors, and is a chance to collaborate on upcoming PostgreSQL development. Your sponsorship helps directly with the ongoing development of PostgreSQL. Sponsorship info is available on the sponsorship page, or you can contact us at sponsors@pgconf.dev:
https://2024.pgconf.dev/sponsor-levels/
Can’t wait to participate in PGConf.dev 2024? Registration is now open! You can register for the conference here:
https://2024.pgconf.dev/registration/
We look forward to seeing you in Vancouver in May!
https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/pgconfdev-2024-cfp-closing-registration-open-2787/ Save to Pocket
pg_dumpbinary v2.14 released
date: 2024-01-11, from: PostgreSQL News
Zurich, Switzerland - January 10th, 2024
pg_dumpbinary
pg_dumpbinary dumps a PostgreSQL database to a binary
format. The resulting dump must be restored using
pg_restorebinary, which is provided.
pg_dumpbinary 2.14 was released today, it adds two new options and fixes some bugs reported by users since last release.
-
Add new option
–with-child, when-tor-Toptions are used, to include or exclude child and partition tables. pg_dump will be used instead with options–table-and-childrenor–exclude-table-and-children. It requires PostgreSQL >= 16. -
Add
-V, –verboseoption that lists tables included in the dump. -
Add
-A, –attach SNAPSHOTto be able to attach pg_dumpbinary to an existing snapshot instead of creating a dedicated one. - Fix dump failure when sequences name have spaces.
A full list of changes and acknowledgments can be found here
pg_dumpbinary is useful when:
-
You have bytea that can not be exported by
pg_dumpbecause the total size of the escape/hex output exceeds 1Gb. -
You have custom type that stores
\0internally in bytea but data are exported by pg_dump as char/varchar/text. In this case pg_dump truncates all data after the first ‘\0’, resulting in data loss. - Other cases where a binary output format is useful.
In these kinds of cases pg_dumpbinary helps by dumping the
PostgreSQL database in a binary format. In all other cases the
pg_dump/pg_restore commands distributed with PostgreSQL are preferred.
See the documentation for a more complete description of available features.
Links & Credits
pg_dumpbinary is an Open Source project from LzLabs GmbH. Contributions and ideas are welcome. Send your ideas, features requests, or patches using GitHub’s tools.
Links :
- Documentation: https://github.com/lzlabs/pg_dumpbinary/blob/master/README.md
- Download: https://github.com/lzlabs/pg_dumpbinary/releases/
- Support: use GitHub report tool at https://github.com/lzlabs/pg_dumpbinary/pg_dumpbinary/issues
https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/pg_dumpbinary-v214-released-2784/ Save to Pocket
Greenmask v0.1.0 Release
date: 2024-01-11, from: PostgreSQL News
PostgreSQL Dump and Obfuscation Tool
We are excited to announce the release of Greenmask v0.1.0, marking the first production-ready version. This release addresses various bug fixes, introduces improvements, and includes documentation refactoring for enhanced clarity.
Greenmask overview
Key Features
- Cross-Platform Support: Developed in Go, Greenmask is free of platform dependencies.
- Type-Safe Database Operations: Ensures data validation and encoding, maintaining integrity.
- Transformation Validation: Guarantees correct and maintainable data transformations.
- Partitioned Table Support: Eases configuration for partitioned tables.
- Stateless and Backward Compatible: Compatible with standard PostgreSQL utilities.
- Parallel Execution: Boosts efficiency in dumping and restoration processes.
- Multiple Storage Options: Offers support for both local and remote storage solutions.
Use Cases
- Perfect for routine backup and restoration tasks.
- Aids in anonymization and data masking for staging environments and analytics.
Release notes
Improvements
- Improved verbosity in custom transformer interaction, accumulating stderr data and forwarding it in batches instead of writing it one by one.
-
Added positional arguments for the list-transformers command, allowing
specific transformer information retrieval (e.g.,
greenmask list-transformers RandomDate). - Added version parameter –version that prints greenmask utility version
- Added Numeric parameters support for Int and Float transformers, with the caveat that in a few cases, it may lead to out-of-range errors.
Changes
- Updated dependencies to newer versions.
- Enhanced the stability of the JSON line interaction protocol by utilizing the stdlib JSON encoder/decoder.
- Modified the method for sending table metadata to custom transformers; now, it is sent via stdin in the first line in JSON format instead of providing it via command arguments.
- Refactored template functions naming.
- Rewritten NoiseDate transformer implementation for improved stability and predictability.
- Changed the default value for the Dict transformer fail_not_matched parameter to true.
- Rewritten Hash transformer, now providing a salt parameter and receiving a base64 encoded salt. If a salt is not provided, it generates one randomly.
- Added validator for NoiseDate and RandomDate transformers for the truncate parameter, issuing a warning if the provided value is invalid.
- Increased verbosity of parameter validation warnings, now properly forwarding warnings to stdout.
Fixes
- Resolved pgx driver connection leakage issue.
- Fixed deletion failure of dumps for S3 storage.
- Corrected cobra autocompletion for the Greenmask utility.
- Fixed NOT NULL constraint validation.
- Addressed JSON API interaction issues that previously caused deadlocks and timeouts.
- Fixed encode-decoding for binary parameters, ensuring accurate forwarding of values to custom transformers.
- Fixed the RandomChoice transformer to correctly marshal and unmarshal values during validation.
- Introduced the Nullable property for the SetNull transformer to enhance NOT NULL constraint validation.
- Resolved text wrapping issues for the validate command.
- Fixed build failures on Windows due to Linux platform dependencies.
- Corrected stdout readline buffer reading during interaction with custom transformers.
- Fixed integration tests.
Ecosystem Changes
- Implemented CI/CD for the entire project.
- Established a user-friendly playground in Docker-compose, including:
- Deployed Minio storage container.
- PostgreSQL container containing both the original database (Adventure Works) and the transformed (empty DB).
- Greenmask container itself.
- Refactored current readme files.
Community Participation
We highly value feedback and suggestions from the PostgreSQL community. Your insights and testing are crucial for enhancing Greenmask’s robustness and utility.
Useful Links
https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/greenmask-v010-release-2785/ Save to Pocket