News gathered 2024-02-08

(date: 2024-02-08 19:11:15)

Christian McCaffrey named Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

In his first full season in San Francisco, McCaffrey helped lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/christian-mccaffrey-named-associated-press-offensive-player-of-the-year/ Save to Pocket

Quick Charge Podcast: February 8, 2024

date: 2024-02-09, from: Electrek Feed

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from Electrek. Quick Charge is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/quick-charge-podcast-february-8-2024/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-09, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

Later, when I was a grad student in Madison, I lived in a house with nine roommates. We shared lots of stuff, including our record collections and all of a sudden new music worlds opened to me, including (memorably) Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, Talking Heads and Saturday Night Fever (which I’m listening to as I write this).

http://scripting.com/2024/02/08.html#a030508 Save to Pocket

Election Countdown, 271 Days to Go: ‘Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game?’

date: 2024-02-09, from: James Fallows, Substack

That’s what manager Casey Stengel asked about the hapless 1962 Mets. It’s a question worth asking about the 2024 GOP.

https://fallows.substack.com/p/election-countdown-271-days-to-go Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-09, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Climate change drives world to first 12-month spell over 1.5C. #boom

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/january-was-worlds-warmest-record-eu-scientists-say-2024-02-08/ Save to Pocket

Uncle Sam sweetens the pot with $15M bounty on Hive ransomware gang members

date: 2024-02-09, updated: 2024-02-09, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Honor among thieves about to be put to the test

The US government has placed an extra $5 million bounty on Hive ransomware gang members – its second such reward in a year. And it also comes a little over 11 months since the FBI said it had shut down the criminal organization’s network.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/09/hive_leaders_bounty/ Save to Pocket

Hart district teachers putting pressure on as contract negotiations continue 

date: 2024-02-09, from: The Signal

Teachers and other certificated personnel within the William S. Hart Union High School District are putting increased pressure on the district as the Hart District Teachers Association is working through month eight without a contract.  As part of an organized effort, 73 representatives from all schools within the district walked out of Wednesday’s governing board […]

The post <strong>Hart district teachers putting pressure on as contract negotiations continue</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/hart-district-teachers-putting-pressure-on-as-contract-negotiations-continue/ Save to Pocket

Hart district showcasing student artwork at Black History Month art show 

date: 2024-02-09, from: The Signal

Student artwork celebrating Black History Month is scheduled to be on display at the William S. Hart Union High School District office on Tuesday.  The Hart district is set to put on its third annual Black History Month Art Show at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in the district board room. Students from across the district […]

The post <strong>Hart district showcasing student artwork at Black History Month art show</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/hart-district-showcasing-student-artwork-at-black-history-month-art-show/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-09, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Bused From Texas to Manhattan, an Immigrant Struggles to Find Shelter.

https://www.propublica.org/article/bused-from-texas-to-nyc-immigrant-struggles-to-find-shelter Save to Pocket

Hot-prowl, assault suspect held on $1M bail

date: 2024-02-09, from: The Signal

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies Thursday arrested a man they said is responsible for an early-morning break-in at his neighbor’s home the previous day.  A Canyon Country woman living in the 16000 block of Goodvale Street in Sand Canyon called 911 around 5:25 a.m. Wednesday to report she had awoken to a man standing […]

The post Hot-prowl, assault suspect held on $1M bail  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/hot-prowl-assault-suspect-held-on-1m-bail/ Save to Pocket

Steph Curry goes ballistic from 3, Warriors complete 4-1 road trip with win in Indy

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

Golden State Warriors complete strong five-game road trip

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/steph-curry-goes-ballistic-from-3-warriors-complete-4-1-road-trip-with-win-in-indy/ Save to Pocket

Citing the economy, more Republicans back child care spending

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

More Republicans have pledged to tackle the child care crisis this year. In Missouri, Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, a Republican, said he hoped the Statehouse would focus less on culture war issues — like criminalizing drag shows and censoring library books — and more on expanding access to child care and school choice.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/citing-the-economy-more-republicans-back-child-care-spending/ Save to Pocket

Mitchell Baker logs off for good as CEO of Firefox maker Mozilla

date: 2024-02-09, updated: 2024-02-09, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

HTTP 301 Moved Permanently

Mitchell Baker announced on Thursday she’s stepping down as CEO of Firefox maker Mozilla Corporation to resume her role as executive chair of the not-for-profit software house.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/09/mozilla_ceo_mitchell_baker_departs/ Save to Pocket

US Defends Airstrikes as Iraqi Anger Mounts

date: 2024-02-09, from: VOA News USA

Pentagon — The United States is giving no indication of relenting after its latest airstrike in Iraq — targeting an Iranian-backed militia commander in downtown Baghdad — sparked renewed anger and fresh calls for the removal of U.S. troops from the country.

Instead, officials in Washington on Thursday defended Tuesday’s strike and warned that the U.S. would not hesitate to act again should its forces come under further attacks.

“We fully respect Iraq’s sovereignty,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. “But, look, if there were no attacks on our troops, who are there at the invitation of the Iraqi government, there would be no need for retaliatory strikes.”

Multiple U.S. military officials sent a similar message from the Pentagon. 

“If you attack and you hurt our people, we know who you are, and we will find you,” said General Daniel Hokanson, the U.S. National Guard bureau chief, regarding the U.S. response to last month’s attack on a base in Jordan that killed three soldiers and injured 40 National Guard troops.

“There will be a bill to pay much greater than anything that was left on us,” he added.

The U.S. has blamed Iranian-backed militias, operating under the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, for the deadly attack on the Tower 22 base in Jordan, as well as for many of the 168 attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria dating to mid-October.

Washington’s gaze, in particular, has fallen on Kataib Hezbollah, with some Pentagon officials going as far as to say that the attack in Jordan “bears the hallmarks” of the prominent Iranian-backed group.

Tuesday’s airstrike targeted senior Kataib Hezbollah commander Wisam Mohammad al-Saedi.

Initial U.S. statements said al-Saedi was “responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on U.S. forces in the region.” But a U.S. official said Thursday that he was the top Kataib Hezbollah official for Syria, overseeing all operations in the country.

The strike killing al-Saedi followed a wave of airstrikes last Friday on seven locations used by the Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq.

U.S. defense officials now believe those strikes destroyed more than 80 individual targets and killed or wounded 40 militia members.

Yet the repeated strikes have stoked growing anger among Iraqi officials.

Iraqi military spokesman Yehia Rasool early Thursday called the strike that killed al-Saedi “a blatant assassination” that showed “no regard for civilian lives or international laws.” 

“The trajectory compels the Iraqi government more than ever to terminate the mission of this coalition, which has become a factor for instability and threatens to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict,” he said in a statement posted on social media.

A social media post from the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani likewise indicated it was time for U.S. troops, and those from the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State terror group, to leave.

The prime minister “highlighted Iraq’s enhanced capabilities in combating terrorism, leading to the decision to end the coalition’s mission as ISIS terrorist remnants no longer pose a threat to Iraq,” the post said, using an acronym for the Islamic State, also known as IS or Daesh.

The U.S. has about 2,500 troops in Iraq tasked with advising and assisting Iraqi Security Forces as they pursue the remnants of IS. Another 900 U.S. forces are stationed in Syria, charged with the same mission.

And while the U.S. has been in talks with Iraq about eventually reducing the U.S. military footprint and transitioning from the counter-IS mission, officials suggested Thursday that the time has not yet come.

“In Iraq and Syria, they are down, but they’re not out,” said Pentagon press secretary Major General Patrick Ryder. “And so, again, this work by an international coalition continues to try to prevent a resurgence.”

Ryder further called IS “insidious” when it comes to taking advantage of turmoil, adding, “It’s obviously not helpful when you have things like Iranian proxies attacking your forces that are there for that mission.”

U.S. counterterrorism and intelligence officials have estimated there are fewer than 2,000 IS fighters across Iraq and Syria, though some key allies have recently warned the terror group is resurging, carrying out more attacks while seeing its ranks grow.

It is a warning the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, repeated Thursday.

“We have seen a spike in movements of ISIS,” said SDF commander General Mazloum Abdi, talking to reporters in Washington by video link from his headquarters in northeastern Syria.

Abdi also warned that the group is “taking a benefit” from the constant attacks by the Iranian-backed militias, who have started targeting SDF positions in addition to their drone and missile attacks on U.S. forces.

“We do not have any protection measures against them,” he said through a translator, adding that the SDF has requested anti-drone defense systems from Washington.

One attack, against the SDF base at the Omar Oil Field this past Sunday, killed six SDF fighters.

Abdi said another drone attack came close to hitting a prison in Hasakah, one of dozens of facilities holding a total of about 9,000 captured IS fighters. He said one drone hit the prison’s roof, but that fortunately, U.S. forces downed the other three before they could do more serious damage.

Despite the precarious situation, the SDF commander said he was not worried U.S. forces would be leaving in the short term.

“We have been reassured by United States officials … there’s not going to be any withdrawal [from Syria] anytime soon,” Abdi said, warning that should the U.S. change course, the result would be chaos. 

“Many actors, forces, will be trying to take advantage,” he said. “U.S. presence on the ground is a main factor maintaining balance here.”

VOA Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb and White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report.

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-defends-airstrikes-as-iraqi-anger-mounts/7480564.html Save to Pocket

Super Bowl: Brock Purdy ‘pumped up’ after 49ers’ biggest practice of week

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

Here is the latest news from the 49ers’ headquarters following Thursday’s practice for the Super Bowl against the Chiefs.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/super-bowl-brock-purdys-pumped-up-after-49ers-biggest-practice-of-week/ Save to Pocket

SBIFF Writers Panel to Feature Writers From ‘American Fiction’, ‘Maestro’, ‘Anatomy of a Fall’, ‘May December’, ‘Poor Things’, ‘Past Lives’, and ‘The Holdovers’

date: 2024-02-09, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Event takes place Feb. 13 at the Arlington in Santa Barbara.

The post SBIFF Writers Panel to Feature Writers From ‘American Fiction’, ‘Maestro’, ‘Anatomy of a Fall’, ‘May December’, ‘Poor Things’, ‘Past Lives’, and ‘The Holdovers’ appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/sbiff-writers-panel-to-feature-writers-from-american-fiction-maestro-anatomy-of-a-fall-may-december-poor-things/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-09, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Can America Survive a Party of Saboteurs?

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/opinion/trump-republicans-border-ukraine.html Save to Pocket

LastPass Rip-Off Named ‘LassPass’ Made It Into the App Store

date: 2024-02-09, updated: 2024-02-09, from: Daring Fireball

https://blog.lastpass.com/2024/02/warning-fraudulent-app-impersonating-lastpass-currently-available-in-apple-app-store/ Save to Pocket

Funds to Counter China in Pacific Missing From Senate Spending Package

date: 2024-02-09, from: VOA News USA

Key funding to counter China in the Pacific is missing from a spending package under consideration on Capitol Hill. After weeks of being included in a tranche of emergency supplemental funding, $7 billion for the Compacts of Free Association was dropped from the bill. VOA’s Jessica Stone reports.

https://www.voanews.com/a/funds-to-counter-china-in-pacific-missing-from-senate-spending-package-/7480506.html Save to Pocket

SBIFF Honors Martin Scorsese and Justine Triet as Outstanding Directors of the Year

date: 2024-02-09, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Santa Barbara International Film Festival adds two more Academy Award standouts to the offerings.

The post SBIFF Honors Martin Scorsese and Justine Triet as Outstanding Directors of the Year appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/sbiff-honors-martin-scorsese-and-justine-triet-as-outstanding-directors-of-the-year/ Save to Pocket

Supreme Court Seems Skeptical of Colorado Effort to Remove Trump From Ballot

date: 2024-02-09, from: VOA News USA

https://www.voanews.com/a/supreme-court-seems-skeptical-of-colorado-effort-to-remove-trump-from-ballot-/7480525.html Save to Pocket

Google silences Bard, restrings it as Gemini with optional $20-a-month upgrade

date: 2024-02-09, updated: 2024-02-09, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Say Gemini again, I dare you. I double dare you. Say Gemini one more goddamn time

Google on Thursday said it is bringing Gemini Ultra – its most powerful large language model yet – to the world in the form of a rebranded subscriber-only Bard.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/09/google_gemini_ultra_llm/ Save to Pocket

Haley stumps for votes in California after Nevada snub

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m in this for the long haul,” Haley said to cheers during an indoor rally in Los Angeles’ historic Hollywood neighborhood, where she did not mention the embarrassing Nevada outcome.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/haley-stumps-for-votes-in-california-after-nevada-snub/ Save to Pocket

Multics + AS400: DPS8M on IBM PASE for i (OS/400)

date: 2024-02-09, from: OS News

Finally, you can run dozens of multiprocessing Multics instances along side your mission-critical IBM AIX (PASE) and IBM i (OS/400) workloads on IBM Power Systems hardware! This is the virtualization solution your IT department has been waiting for… well, perhaps it isn’t — but supporting this platform is a great demonstration of both the capabilities of the IBM PASE for i (Portable Application Solutions Environment) runtime for enabling OSS on IBM i, and the excellent compatibility and portability of the DPS8M simulator software. ↫ Jeffrey H. Johnson I understand some of this stuff. Some.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138558/multics-as400-dps8m-on-ibm-pase-for-i-os-400/ Save to Pocket

Santa Clarita man gets 20 years in child pornography case 

date: 2024-02-09, from: The Signal

A former Navy SEAL from Santa Clarita was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison Thursday for three counts of production of child pornography.   Robert Quido Stella, 51, who previously was identified as a former chief of a Navy SEAL intelligence unit, was convicted of three counts last May that he used high-tech surveillance equipment […]

The post Santa Clarita man gets 20 years in child pornography case  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/santa-clarita-man-gets-20-years-in-child-pornography-case/ Save to Pocket

Laurene Weste | Find ‘Furever’ Friend at Castaic Animal Care Center

date: 2024-02-09, from: SCV New (TV Station)

Animals have always been a pivotal part of my life

https://scvnews.com/laurene-weste-find-furever-friend-at-castaic-animal-care-center/ Save to Pocket

Mozilla names new CEO as it pivots to data privacy

date: 2024-02-09, from: OS News

Mozilla Corp., which manages the open-source Firefox browser, announced today that Mitchell Baker is stepping down as CEO to focus on AI and internet safety as chair of the nonprofit foundation. Laura Chambers, a Mozilla board member and entrepreneur with experience at Airbnb, PayPal, and eBay, will step in as interim CEO to run operations until a permanent replacement is found. Baker, a Silicon Valley pioneer who co-founded the Mozilla Project, says it was her decision to step down as CEO, adding that the move is motivated by a sense of urgency over the current state of the internet and public trust. “We want to offer an alternative for people to have better products,” says Baker, who wants to draw more attention to policies, products and processes to challenge business models built on fueling outrage. “What are the connections between this global malaise and how humans are engaging with each other and technology?” ↫ Diane Brady for Fortune Mozilla is in such a tough spot. They basically have zero consumer appeal, have no recognisable products other than Firefox, and effectively exist by the grace of Google, of all companies. If Mozilla gets in even more trouble, a lot of OSNews readers are going to feel it – and the internet as whole will feel the repercussions even if they don’t realise it. Hearing so much talk about “AI” from Mozilla doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138556/mozilla-names-new-ceo-as-it-pivots-to-data-privacy/ Save to Pocket

49ers talk team hotel fire alarm that disrupted Thursday morning

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

“If you didn’t want to wake up at 6:00 in the morning, you sure did today,” Gipson said.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/49ers-talk-team-hotel-fire-alarm-that-disrupted-thursday-morning/ Save to Pocket

The Microsoft Graveyard

date: 2024-02-09, from: OS News

Microsoft Graveyard is the virtual graveyard for all products killed by Microsoft; a free and open source collection of dead Microsoft products built by a passionate and nostalgic community. Our objective as a community is to provide factual, historic information for the products listed here. If something is missing, inaccurate, or you have a suggestion, visit and contribute to the project on GitHub. ↫ Victor Frye Heavily inspired by Killed by Google, but definitely incomplete for now, especially the further back in time you go.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138554/the-microsoft-graveyard/ Save to Pocket

Jerome Powell: The fate of our economy is in his hands

date: 2024-02-09, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)

We have narrowly avoided a severe inflation crisis, but the struggle to prevent dire economic conditions for Americans is ongoing. All eyes are on Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chairman,…

https://sundial.csun.edu/178292/opinions/jerome-powell-the-fate-of-our-economy-is-in-his-hands/ Save to Pocket

Prominent LA Eviction Lawyer Loses Defamation Trial Over Parody Twitter Account

date: 2024-02-09, updated: 2024-02-09, from: The LAist

One of L.A. County’s busiest tenant law firms prevailed this week when a jury ruled in their favor.

https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/los-angeles-dennis-block-daniel-bramzon-basta-eviction-attorney-tenant-twitter-libel-defamation-parody-verdict Save to Pocket

Donald Trump clinches win at US Virgin Islands caucus, which defied Republican Party rules

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

The caucus is the third Republican contest held this election season with delegates at stake, with Trump receiving 73.98% of the votes and Nikki Haley 26.02%.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/donald-trump-clinches-win-at-us-virgin-islands-caucus-which-defied-republican-party-rules/ Save to Pocket

VirtualBox KVM public release

date: 2024-02-09, from: OS News

For the past few months we have been working hard to provide a fast, reliable and secure KVM backend for VirtualBox. VirtualBox is a multi-platform Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) with a great feature set, support for a wide variety of guest operating systems, and a consistent user interface across different host operating systems. Cyberus Technology’s KVM backend allows VirtualBox to run virtual machines utilizing the Linux KVM hypervisor instead of the custom kernel module used by standard VirtualBox. Using KVM comes with a number of benefits. ↫ Florian Pester, Markus Partheymüller Excellent news. Dealing with the VirtualBox and VMware kernel modules can be a hassle if you’re using newer or custom kernels, and having the VirtualBox UI for kvm instead of things virt-manager is not something I’m unhappy about.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138552/virtualbox-kvm-public-release/ Save to Pocket

West Ranch basketball advances, beats Edison

date: 2024-02-09, from: The Signal

For the fourth straight year, West Ranch Wildcats boys’ basketball won its playoff opener.   The Wildcats took down the visiting Edison Chargers, 57-42, on Wednesday in the opening round of the CIF Division 1 playoffs.   West Ranch (15-13) got off to a hot start in both halves and led 9-2 right out of the gate. […]

The post <strong>West Ranch basketball advances, beats Edison</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/west-ranch-basketball-advances-beats-edison/ Save to Pocket

Following senior night, ice hockey heads to playoffs

date: 2024-02-09, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)

Saturday night was an emotional one for CSUN ice hockey seniors. Prior to hosting UC Santa Barbara, the Matadors celebrated their senior night, which consisted of a celebration of the…

https://sundial.csun.edu/178287/sports/following-senior-night-ice-hockey-heads-to-playoffs/ Save to Pocket

Microsoft formally announces sudo for Windows

date: 2024-02-09, from: OS News

After earlier sightings, Microsoft has now formally announced sudo for Windows. We’re excited to announce the release of Sudo for Windows in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26052! Sudo for Windows is a new way for users to run elevated commands directly from an unelevated console session. It is an ergonomic and familiar solution for users who want to elevate a command without having to first open a new elevated console. We are also excited to announce that we are open-sourcing this project here on GitHub! We’re working hard to add more information about the project in the GitHub repo and will be sharing more details about our plans in the coming months! If you’re looking for additional functionality that Sudo for Windows does not provide, check out Gerardo Grignoli’s gsudo which has a number of additional features and configuration options. ↫ Jordi Adoumie on the official Windows blog In response to sudo coming to Windows, Theo de Raadt announced that Word is coming to OpenBSD.

https://www.osnews.com/story/138546/microsoft-formally-announced-sudo-for-windows/ Save to Pocket

Castaic boys’ basketball wins program’s first playoff game

date: 2024-02-09, from: The Signal

While Castaic Coyotes boys’ basketball will have to wait another year for its first Foothill League win, the program can now celebrate something even greater.  Castaic won its first-ever playoff game on Wednesday, defeating the hosting Cal Lutheran C-Hawks, 56-48, in the CIF Division 5AA opening round.  Castaic head coach Dominique Butler thought his team […]

The post <strong>Castaic boys’ basketball wins program’s first playoff game  </strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/castaic-boys-basketball-wins-programs-first-playoff-game/ Save to Pocket

Israeli strikes kill 13 in southern Gaza town of Rafah

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

“I wish we could collect their whole bodies instead of just pieces,” said Mohammed Abu Habib, a neighbor who witnessed the strike.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/israeli-strikes-kill-13-in-southern-gaza-town-of-rafah/ Save to Pocket

Feb.13: City Council Scheduled to Discuss Storage Services, Sidewalk Repairs

date: 2024-02-09, from: SCV New (TV Station)

The Santa Clarita City Council will hold a special meeting Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 5 p.m., followed immediately by the city council’s regular meeting at 6 p.m

https://scvnews.com/feb-13-city-council-scheduled-to-discuss-storage-services-sidewalk-repairs/ Save to Pocket

Letters: Garvey’s popularity | Measures A and B

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for Feb. 9, 2024

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/letters-1602/ Save to Pocket

Friday 9 February, 2024

date: 2024-02-09, from: John Naughton’s online diary

Writing by candlelight In memory of E.P. Thompson. Quote of the Day I loathe writing. On the other hand I’m a great believer in money. S. J. Perelman Musical alternative to the morning’s radio news Handel | Violin Sonata, Op.1 … Continue reading →

https://memex.naughtons.org/friday-9-february-2024/39110/ Save to Pocket

FBI: Give us warrantless Section 702 snooping powers – or China wins

date: 2024-02-09, updated: 2024-02-09, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Never mind the court orders obtained to thwart Volt Typhoon botnet

Analysis  The FBI’s latest PR salvo, as it fights to preserve its warrantless snooping powers on Americans via FISA Section 702, is more big talk of cyberattacks by the Chinese government.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/09/fbi_volt_typhoon_section_702/ Save to Pocket

USC community holds vigil for Palestinians killed, urges University to divest from Israel

date: 2024-02-09, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

The event comes as Israel’s war in Gaza enters its fourth month.

The post USC community holds vigil for Palestinians killed, urges University to divest from Israel appeared first on Daily Trojan.

https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/vigil-memory-killed-palestinians-urges-usc-divest-israel/ Save to Pocket

Lady Cougs Remain Unbeaten with 5-3 Win at Bakersfield

date: 2024-02-09, from: SCV New (TV Station)

BAKERSFIELD — College of the Canyons had to beat the weather just to play its road match at Bakersfield College on Tuesday, finding just enough sunshine to emerge with a 5-3 conference victory and remain undefeated on the season

https://scvnews.com/lady-cougs-remain-unbeaten-with-5-3-win-at-bakersfield/ Save to Pocket

Letters: Swim center

date: 2024-02-09, from: San Jose Mercury News

Mercury News Letters to the Editor for Feb. 9, 2024

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/letters-1601/ Save to Pocket

AT&T seeks to shed landline obligations  

date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

  After more than 140 years, Ma Bell — or, rather, Ma Bell’s successor — is looking to move on from landline service in most of California, and nearly all of the Santa Clarita Valley, according to a California Public Utilities Commission application from AT&T that compared the twisted copper wire-service to Kodak film and […]

The post AT&T seeks to shed landline obligations   appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/att-seeks-to-shed-landline-obligations/ Save to Pocket

VIA gears up for Active Shooter Preparedness Update luncheon 

date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

The Valley Industry Association Active Shooter Preparedness Update luncheon is scheduled to provide discussions regarding community safety and preparedness at the Hyatt Regency Valencia on Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.  Presenters will include Jenny Ketchepaw, a vice president of talent engagement in the banking industry, as well as Capt. Justin Diez […]

The post VIA gears up for Active Shooter Preparedness Update luncheon  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/via-gears-up-for-active-shooter-preparedness-update-luncheon/ Save to Pocket

Disney Buys Partial Stake in Epic Games for $1.5 Billion

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Daring Fireball

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-and-epic-games-fortnite/ Save to Pocket

Caltrans Wants To Ban Storing Flammable Materials Under Overpasses After The 10 Freeway Fire

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-09, from: The LAist

The recommendations come after Caltrans undertook a review of the sites following the 10 Freeway fire.

https://laist.com/news/transportation/caltrans-flammable-materials-under-freeways-recommendations Save to Pocket

macOS 14.3.1, iOS 17.3.1, and iPadOS 17.3.1 Fix WebKit Text Bug

date: 2024-02-08, from: TidBITS blog

Apple has released a set of updates that address the maddening WebKit text bug that caused lines of text to duplicate or overlap while typing. 

What to Do If Your iPad Gets Disabled By Too Many Passcode Entries

https://tidbits.com/2024/02/08/macos-14-3-1-ios-17-3-1-and-ipados-17-3-1-fix-webkit-text-bug/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-08, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

There was also a local station that was like KFOG in the Bay Area, can’t remember its name. And of course like everyone everywhere I listened to Dr Demento.

http://scripting.com/2024/02/08.html#a231729 Save to Pocket

The Storm Left Behind Lots Of Potholes (Shocker). Here’s How You Can File A Claim For Car Damage

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The LAist

If your car gets damaged by one of these asphalt craters, you could get money back for repairs.. But you’ll have to pay out of pocket first.

https://laist.com/news/transportation/los-angeles-pothole-storm-repair-fix-car-damage-claim Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-08, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

When I was your age, if you’re in your late teens or early 20s, there was nothing remotely like Apple Music or Spotify. If we wanted to listen to a specific album we’d have to buy a copy of the vinyl record at a music store. I used to go to a store called Mushroom Too, on Broadway and Zimpel in New Orleans. It was kind of like a head shop, smelled of incense, and they had a great sound system and they were always playing good music. It was on the second floor above a bar called The Boot that had the usual college stuff, beer, burgers, pinball. The record store had rows of racks of albums, like a library in a way, and you’d wander around looking for bands you knew or had heard about, and you’d stare at album covers, front and back and try to decide. Looking for “something good to listen to.” And you could only afford a certain number every year, so you listened to each album a lot. I don’t know if it works that way for young folk today. In 50 years when you’re looking back will you know the songs in the order they appeared on the album? I never bought singles, by the time I came along “album rock” was the thing, stations like WNEW and WPLJ in New York. I’d listen to the student station at Tulane, WTUL. They’d play longer songs, and not always the most popular song on an album. You got the sense that the DJ was being creative with the songs they chose. BTW, both Mushroom and The Boot are still there. What a trip.

http://scripting.com/2024/02/08.html#a230054 Save to Pocket

Our Missed Head Start on the Climate Crisis

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/02/our-missed-headstart-on-the-climate-crisis Save to Pocket

The world’s first semi electric truck with 1,000 kWh capacity is plowing snow in Norway like a boss

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

For the first time, Norway has used a semi electric truck with 1,000 kWh battery capacity to clear heavy snow on challenging mountain passes.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/worlds-first-semi-electric-truck-1000-kwh-battery-snow-norway/ Save to Pocket

Is 2024 The Year Of Dirt Domination For Triumph, Ducati, And Honda?

date: 2024-02-08, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

Three manufacturers are all trying something new in different dirt championships. How will they fare?

https://www.rideapart.com/news/708016/triumph-ducati-honda-dirt-2024/ Save to Pocket

Lemon v2

date: 2024-02-08, from: mrusme blog

After nearly five years of inactivity, I decided to breath in new life into Lemon: Meet Lemon v2, a complete rewrite in Go!

https://xn–gckvb8fzb.com/lemon-v2/ Save to Pocket

Hoops: Saugus explodes in fourth quarter, beats Valley Christian

date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

Saugus Centurions boys’ basketball had trailed for the majority of the game, and was dealing with some streaky shooting and tough defense in its playoff opener with the Valley Christian Defenders.   However, the Centurions turned the tides in the fourth quarter, exploding on both sides of the court en route to a 64-52 victory in […]

The post <strong>Hoops: Saugus explodes in fourth quarter, beats Valley Christian </strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/hoops-saugus-explodes-in-fourth-quarter-beats-valley-christian/ Save to Pocket

Former TMU Standout Stephanie Soares Signs WNBA Contract

date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

Former Lady Mustang Stephanie Soares has signed a contract with the Dallas Wings of the WNBA  to begin her professional career.

https://scvnews.com/former-tmu-standout-stephanie-soares-signs-wnba-contract/ Save to Pocket

Abarth unveils the 600e – its most powerful vehicle to date, in a limited ‘Scorpionissima’ edition

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Italian performance car specialist Abarth has just debuted a new all-electric model called the 600e as its bright purple “Scorpionissima” launch edition undergoes final testing ahead of a commercial shoot. Abarth shared its first image of the 600e, which promises to be its most powerful vehicle to date.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/abarth-unveils-600e-most-powerful-vehicle-to-date-limited-scorpionissima-edition/ Save to Pocket

Jaguar Land Rover delays two EVs as first electric Range Rover rolls out this year

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Jaguar Land Rover is pushing back the launch of two key electric models amid “surprising” demand for its plug-in hybrids. The announcement comes as the company is seeing strong interest in the first electric Range Rover after orders opened in December.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/jaguar-land-rover-delays-range-rover-discovery-evs/ Save to Pocket

A Short History of AMW by Fred Coury

date: 2024-02-08, from: Asilomar Microcomputer Workshop News

This article by Fred Coury (Advanced Architecture and Applications of Microcomputers) appeared in the January 1976 issue of Computer. Fred Coury was one of the 4 founders of AMW and originator of the notorious RAT session. We look forward to hearing from Fred at the AMW #50 in April 2024. Read here: Advanced Architecture and … Read more

https://amw.org/a-short-history-of-amw-by-fred-coury/ Save to Pocket

Project Lifesaver: Providing Peace of Mind for Families of Individuals Prone to Wandering

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Santa Barbara, Calif. – A missing man with dementia was recently reunited with his family after being missing for almost an

The post Project Lifesaver: Providing Peace of Mind for Families of Individuals Prone to Wandering appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/project-lifesaver-providing-peace-of-mind-for-families-of-individuals-prone-to-wandering/ Save to Pocket

La Biblioteca Pública de Santa Bárbara está organizando la Feria Eastside de Empleo para aquellos hispanos hablantes y bilingües que están en busca de empleo

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

La Biblioteca Pública de Santa Bárbara invita a todos aquellos que están en busca de empleo a la Feria Eastside

The post La Biblioteca Pública de Santa Bárbara está organizando la Feria Eastside de Empleo para aquellos hispanos hablantes y bilingües que están en busca de empleo appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/la-biblioteca-publica-de-santa-barbara-esta-organizando-la-feria-eastside-de-empleo-para-aquellos-hispanos-hablantes-y-bilingues-que-estan-en-busca-de-empleo/ Save to Pocket

Brilliant Labs Frame smart glasses are like Google Glass for the generative AI era (pre-order for $350)

date: 2024-02-08, from: Liliputing

The wearable computing space has changed a lot in the decade since Google Glass first debuted. While Google’s computer for your face never really took off, these days smartwatches are everywhere and the idea of sticking a device in front of your eyeballs is more mainstream than ever, thanks to the efforts of Meta, Apple, […]

The post Brilliant Labs Frame smart glasses are like Google Glass for the generative AI era (pre-order for $350) appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/brilliant-labs-frame-smart-glasses-are-like-google-glass-for-the-generative-ai-era-pre-order-for-350/ Save to Pocket

Santa Barbara Public Library Hosts the Eastside Job Fair for Spanish and Bilingual Job Seekers

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

SANTA BARBARA, CA – February 8, 2024 Santa Barbara Public Library invites job seekers to the Eastside Job Fair on

The post Santa Barbara Public Library Hosts the Eastside Job Fair for Spanish and Bilingual Job Seekers appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/santa-barbara-public-library-hosts-the-eastside-job-fair-for-spanish-and-bilingual-job-seekers/ Save to Pocket

Hart boys’ soccer wins playoff opener, beats Carter

date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

Hart Indians boys’ soccer was just a few minutes away from heading into overtime of its Division 1 playoff opener with the hosting Carter Lions on Wednesday.   Hart midfielder Marcos Garza opted to end the game in regulation and netted the game-winning goal in the 77th minute, breaking the scoreless tie of the defensive battle.  […]

The post <strong>Hart boys’ soccer wins playoff opener, beats Carter  </strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

https://signalscv.com/2024/02/hart-boys-soccer-wins-playoff-opener-beats-carter/ Save to Pocket

Rivian R1T And R1S Get New Standard, Standard+ Battery Options

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

The new range options lower the prices of entry-level Rivian R1 models.

https://insideevs.com/news/708015/rivian-r1t-r1s-get-more-range-options/ Save to Pocket

Teen Boy Arrested for Possession of Gun Near Carpinteria High School

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

An unloaded revolver was found in the backpack of a 15-year-old parked outside the campus on Wednesday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Office says.

The post Teen Boy Arrested for Possession of Gun Near Carpinteria High School appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/teen-boy-arrested-for-possession-of-gun-near-carpinteria-high-school/ Save to Pocket

Rivian adds Standard battery pack option for R1T and R1S, plus a new option for even more range

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

One month from debuting its second all-electric line of vehicles, Rivian is expanding the configurator of its flagship R1T and R1S trucks to now allow the Standard pack as a selectable option to customers. Additionally, Rivian has introduced a fourth pack called Standard+, delivering more range at less cost. Here’s the latest.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/rivian-adds-standard-battery-pack-option-r1t-r1s-new-option-more-range/ Save to Pocket

Laurel Canyon Continues To Be A Sore Spot When It Rains

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The LAist

Historical photos show a pattern of damage during Southern California’s rain storms.

https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/laurel-canyon-rainfall-impact Save to Pocket

NASA Awards Inaugural Grants to Support Emerging Research Institutions

date: 2024-02-08, from: NASA breaking news

NASA has awarded $3.7 million to 11 teams to support new collaborations between the agency and United States institutions not historically part of the agency’s research enterprise. These are the first awards given through a new program from the agency’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the science and […]

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-inaugural-grants-to-support-emerging-research-institutions/ Save to Pocket

Fake LastPass lookalike made it into Apple App Store

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

No walled garden can keep out every weed, we suppose

LastPass says a rogue application impersonating its popular password manager made it past Apple’s gatekeepers and was listed in the iOS App Store for unsuspecting folks to download and install.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/lastpass_lookalike_apple_app_store/ Save to Pocket

Patterns in philanthropy leave small newsrooms behind. Can that change?

date: 2024-02-08, from: Nieman Journalism Lab

Before helping found the nonprofit Sierra Nevada Ally in 2020, Joe McCarthy had lived many lives — from serving in the Army, to running an arts center, to working as education director for the Nevada State Prison. At both the arts center and the Ally, where he’s publisher and chief revenue officer, McCarthy has had…

https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/02/patterns-in-philanthropy-leave-small-newsrooms-behind-can-that-change/ Save to Pocket

Microsoft releases preview of Sudo for Windows (run commands that require elevated privileges)

date: 2024-02-08, from: Liliputing

Microsoft is bringing another Linux feature to Windows… although it’s an optional feature aimed at power users. Sudo for Windows is a command line tool that works a lot like its Linux counterpart, allowing users to run commands that require elevated permissions on a case-by-case basis. In other words, you don’t need to right-click and […]

The post Microsoft releases preview of Sudo for Windows (run commands that require elevated privileges) appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/microsoft-releases-preview-of-sudo-for-windows-run-commands-that-require-elevated-privileges/ Save to Pocket

First Cinematic Dance: Santa Barbara International Film Festival Opens with Heartwarming Doc ‘Madu’

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Opening-night film screens at the Arlington Theatre, kicking off 10 days’ worth of world cinema, celebrity galas, and more.

The post First Cinematic Dance: Santa Barbara International Film Festival Opens with Heartwarming Doc ‘Madu’ appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/first-cinematic-dance-santa-barbara-international-film-festival-opens-with-heartwarming-doc-madu/ Save to Pocket

Old Gambler Yells at Clouds

date: 2024-02-08, from: Dave Karpf’s blog

Or, why I think we were better off in the shady days before DraftKings and FanDuel

https://davekarpf.substack.com/p/old-gambler-yells-at-clouds Save to Pocket

California Hammered by Heavy Rains, Mudslides in Devastating Atmospheric River Storms

date: 2024-02-08, from: Smithsonian Magazine

Some areas received as much as 13 to 15 inches of rain over a five-day period as storms felled trees, destroyed homes and killed nine people

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/california-hammered-by-heavy-rains-mudslides-in-devastating-atmospheric-river-storms-180983763/ Save to Pocket

Monumental Sculpture Reimagines ‘The Last Supper’ With Black Historical Figures

date: 2024-02-08, from: Smithsonian Magazine

Tavares Strachan’s “The First Supper” took four years to sculpt and is now on display at an exhibition in London

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/monumental-sculpture-reimagines-the-last-supper-with-black-historical-figures-180983756/ Save to Pocket

California Wine Festival Returns in 2024 at Four Picturesque Coastal Destinations

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Over two decades of golden grapes - a wine sampling extravaganza showcasing the finest wines the golden state has to offer.

The post California Wine Festival Returns in 2024 at Four Picturesque Coastal Destinations appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/california-wine-festival-returns-in-2024-at-four-picturesque-coastal-destinations/ Save to Pocket

Today’s Senate Hearing Was a Pretty Great Example of Climate Policy-Making

date: 2024-02-08, from: Heatmap News



In the sort of happy coincidence that is only possible in Washington, D.C., two consequential linguistic debates unfolded on Thursday morning within half a mile of each other. The first, in the Supreme Court of the United States, commanded the attention of major TV networks and political pundits, warranted a live blog from The New York Times, and aimed, in part, to differentiate between what constitutes an “insurrection” versus a mere “riot.”

A five-minute walk away, in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, a similar debate was unfolding — albeit after some live-stream technical difficulties and a brief protest by the climate group Third Act. The event didn’t elicit quite the same level of national intrigue as the hullabaloo on the other side of Constitution Avenue; in fact, I never saw more than 173 other people watching the feed along with me at any given point. The senators’ debate, though, was an important one, and it centered largely on the meaning of the word “pause.”

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Republicans on the House Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee had a similar debate earlier this week about the Biden administration’s pause on approving new permits for facilities to export liquified natural gas. But while that hearing had been a silly (and at times, infuriating) example of the GOP’s contorted defenses of the oil and gas industry, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing on the LNG pause felt a little more meaningful. Ironically, that’s partially because nothing really was said.

Called by cantankerous West Virginia Democrat and committee Chairman Joe Manchin, the Senate hearing took place in two parts: The first and most interesting saw Deputy U.S. Energy Secretary David Turk make the first on-the-record defense of the export terminal pause by a Biden administration official. In contrast, the second part called as witnesses a European gas executive and an LNG industry advocate, each of whom made predictable noises about the threat of energy volatility in the face of revanchist Russia.

Though Manchin, in his opening remarks, said he “strongly” urged the Biden administration to reverse the export terminal permitting pause “immediately,” he and other skeptical senators appeared to be at least partially open to Turk’s opinion on everything from whether “it is wise to give our allies and partners and neutral parties across the world an excuse to do business with our enemies” to how long the DOE’s re-evaluation of what it means for a new export terminal to be “in the public interest” would take.

They appeared less satisfied with Turk’s unwillingness to give them firm answers, however. Regarding LNG export terminals supporting European energy security, Turk explained, “We need to look at how much we’ve already authorized, how much we’re already in the process of authorizing, and compare that to what our allies absolutely need.” When pressed about a timeline for the length of the pause and the DOE’s decision-making, he committed to “months, not years” but stressed “there are a lot of questions,” and rigorous analysis takes time. Later, James Watson, a witness and executive of Eurogas, suggested Turk had been unforthcoming because he’d been “asked to explain the unexplainable, which is not easy to do.”

In fact, Turk’s deferrals underscored why a pause is so necessary, something further drawn out during a rare back-and-forth between senators following a comment by Manchin. “If we were talking about considering a pause, this is a great, great panel for it. But you have an executive order doing a pause: that’s the difference,” Manchin said.

“I think it’s just the opposite, Mr. Chairman,” Maine Democrat Angus King pushed back. The DOE is “doing their job and their job is to see that these projects are in the public interest. There’s no way to do that without the data.”

“You can’t do the pause first, though,” Manchin said.

“Why not?” King responded. If you don’t pause first, “then you’re approving projects when you find out, five years from now, that it was a disaster.”

There are a lot of valid and complicated questions about LNG, which will take time to answer. But hot air loves a vacuum, especially in Washington, and Republicans have seized the opportunity to spin the pause as a “ban” or a “stop” — as in, “basically, you’re stopping things,” in the words of Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski. But “nobody’s talking about stopping,” King later pointed out during the second witness panel after Turk had left. “We’re talking about taking a period of time in order to do the necessary research.”

That, after all, is the unsexy truth of climate policymaking: It isn’t exciting. There aren’t cameras waiting outside for shouted questions. It’s not covered by liveblogs or cable news chyrons. Maybe only 173 people will even bother to take time out of their mornings to troubleshoot where the live stream has migrated to when it doesn’t appear on the committee website. So, while “pause” is an easy word to throw around and even easier to exaggerate, what it should mean in practice is to do the math and do it right.

Turk repeatedly said the DOE welcomes debate, including with a forthcoming public comment period on its findings. Even Manchin seemed to embrace the disagreements and nuances of the topic at hand. “I enjoyed that!” he exclaimed on a hot mic after Turk’s testimony and his back-and-forth with King.

That doesn’t mean anyone changed anyone else’s mind on Thursday; I don’t think Manchin was more dissuaded than when he woke up this morning that the Biden administration had “put the cart before the horse” even in simply taking a break on LNG approvals. But in a rare absence of political theater on the Hill, a government official said there’s still more to learn and debate, and everyone seemed to agree.

https://heatmap.news/politics/senate-lng-hearing-manchin-turk-debate Save to Pocket

YouTube Says a VisionOS App Is ‘On the Roadmap’, but I’m Not Sure I Care

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Daring Fireball

https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/5/24062425/youtube-vision-pro-app-360-vr-video Save to Pocket

Iconic ‘Love Boat’ Cast Reuniting for Princess Cruises

date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

Princess Cruises, known for its integral role as the ocean-going co-star in the iconic “The Love Boat” series, has officially unveiled a second themed cruise, reuniting cast members from the original show

https://scvnews.com/iconic-love-boat-cast-reuniting-for-princess-cruises/ Save to Pocket

Juno: Christian Selig’s YouTube App for VisionOS

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Daring Fireball

https://christianselig.com/2024/02/introducing-juno/ Save to Pocket

Komatsu 3 ton electric mini excavator set for European debut in Paris

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Komatsu has announced plans to debut its new PC33E-6 3-ton class electric mini excavator to European equipment buyers at the Intermat 2024 fair in Paris this April.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/komatsu-3-ton-electric-mini-excavator-set-for-european-debut-in-paris/ Save to Pocket

Barger Urges Relocation Aid for Those Affected by Chiquita Canyon Landfill Odors

date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes the Santa Clarita Valley, called on Chiquita Canyon Landfill Thursday to provide relocation assistance services to residents from surrounding communities who request it. 

https://scvnews.com/barger-urges-relocation-aid-for-those-affected-by-chiquita-canyon-landfill-odors/ Save to Pocket

Tesla Cybertruck Owners Are Flipping Them For $200,000 Or More

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

$275,000 for a Cybertruck? Maybe someone will bite.

https://insideevs.com/news/707815/tesla-cybertruck-flippers-are-here/ Save to Pocket

Santa Barbara Man Pleads Not Guilty to Multiple Sex Crimes

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

The Sheriff’s Office has released a photo of suspect William Trautwein Jr., 21, to aid survivors in identification.

The post Santa Barbara Man Pleads Not Guilty to Multiple Sex Crimes appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/santa-barbara-man-pleads-not-guilty-to-multiple-sex-crimes/ Save to Pocket

Iowa High School Students Visit China on Invitation of Xi Jinping

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

Muscatine, Iowa — Muscatine, Iowa, High School student Cole Loos had never traveled beyond the United States when the question put before him in January was, “Would you like to go to China?”

“I was lucky I had my passport to go,” Loos explained to VOA. 

The invitation, he learned, wasn’t for a date in the distant future. If he and 24 other students from his high school were to make the trip, they had less than 10 days to commit and prepare to fly.

“It was very spontaneous,” Loos said.

Spontaneous, but by no means an accident.

In 1985, Sarah Lande hosted a group from China visiting Muscatine for several days on an agricultural research tour of the United States. One of the participants was Xi Jinping, now president of the People’s Republic of China. Then, Xi was party committee secretary of Zhengding County, Hebei Province.  Lande helped organize his stay in Muscatine.

“Good things happen when you are a good friend to people, I guess,” Lande said during a recent interview in her Muscatine home, where in 2012, Xi — by then vice president of China — returned to visit his “old friends” from Iowa. 

“Old friend” is a common phrase China’s communist party uses as a tribute to foreigners considered helpful to their interests. It’s also an expression of nostalgia for longtime companions or acquaintances.

During Xi’s 2012 reunion with the “old friends” he met during his first trip to the U.S., they spent an evening in front of a warm fire in Lande’s living room remembering their eventful visit some 30 years earlier.

Then last November, Lande was invited to a dinner on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. In his remarks at the event, Xi expressed his desire to welcome thousands of American students to China, prompting Lande to follow up with a letter to her “old friend.” 

“And I got a reply to that letter,” she explained.

So, Lande took the opportunity to advocate for Muscatine.

“I hope Muscatine could be a part of this. So, that probably was the incentive for this invite,” she said.

In January, the China Daily reported that Xi was extending a personal invitation for students and staff from Muscatine High School to come to China. 

The invitation came with few strings attached to the all-expenses paid trip. They spent eight days visiting with local students, touring the Great Wall of China and other landmarks and cities, and participated in a conference for students learning the Mandarin language.

The trip comes amid increased tensions between the United States and China in the wake of tariffs imposed on the communist country during the Trump administration; the overflight of a Chinese observation balloon across the United States in early 2023; China’s warming relations with Russia’s Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing war in Ukraine; and the country’s ongoing human rights abuses of the predominately Muslim Uyghur minority in China’s western territories.

“Both of our countries, you could say, are trying to be number one,” Lande says. “I think our challenge is to grow a curiosity and understanding and find ways to work together.”

She believes trips and culture exchanges build bridges and encourage dialogue that could lead to change.

“I hope if there are ways that we find that China is really transgressing, we can at least bring that up, so it will not lead to conflict,” she said.

Loos said it was hard to find any sign of U.S.- China tensions during their trip.

“You felt very special over there,” said Loos, who is in his second year of Mandarin language studies at Muscatine High School.  

“Actually, I’m very, very proud of them. Seems like they grew super-fast in a few days,” said Heidi Kuo, Loos’ Mandarin teacher. 

Kuo is originally from Taiwan and accompanied the students on the trip.  Of the many lessons they learned, she hopes one stands out. 

“The world is super big, not only us here,” she said.

Ann Edkin grew up in Muscatine, which has a population of about 23,000 and is situated along the banks of the Mississippi River. She now teaches physical education at Muscatine High School and was one of four staff members who made the trip to China. 

She thinks the connection between her small town and China’s leader is a baffling but welcome relationship.

“The fact that he came here, that’s cool,” she told VOA.  “But to have that ongoing relationship, it’s not just a blip, but a continuing relationship that makes it so unique and special.”

As more students prepare for more trips to China, Lande’s next goal is to encourage her “old friend” to return to Muscatine, which she thinks is a perfect location for a future summit with U.S. President Joe Biden. 

“We’re open,” she said. “Xi Jinping is open. He might be willing to come here. I think Biden would. Muscatine would welcome it!”

A potential venue could be the Muscatine home where Xi stayed in 1985, now preserved as a museum — mostly visited by Chinese tourists.

https://www.voanews.com/a/iowa-high-school-students-visit-china-on-invitation-of-xi-jinping-/7480000.html Save to Pocket

L.A. County Begins Initial Steps Toward Recovery Following Recent Storms

date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

Los Angeles County is preparing to begin the initial activities to support residents with their individual recovery efforts following the recent storms

https://scvnews.com/l-a-county-begins-initial-steps-toward-recovery-following-recent-storms/ Save to Pocket

Acer Chromebox Mini fanless mini PC with Intel Jasper Lake supports up to three 4K displays

date: 2024-02-08, from: Liliputing

The Acer Chromebox Mini is a new compact computer from Acer’s business division that’s marketed as a solution for digital signage. But with a 6-watt Intel Jasper Lake processor, support for up to 16GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and support for up to three 4K displays, it could […]

The post Acer Chromebox Mini fanless mini PC with Intel Jasper Lake supports up to three 4K displays appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/acer-chromebox-mini-fanless-mini-pc-with-intel-jasper-lake-supports-up-to-three-4k-displays/ Save to Pocket

Dos Pueblos High School Student Wins Congressional App Challenge Award 2023

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Dos Pueblos High School student Eamon Gordon has been honored with the Congressional App Challenge Award 2023 by Congressman Salud

The post Dos Pueblos High School Student Wins Congressional App Challenge Award 2023 appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/dos-pueblos-high-school-student-wins-congressional-app-challenge-award-2023/ Save to Pocket

Tesla adopts UWB connectivity on iPhone to improve Phone Key performance

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Tesla now supports the iPhone’s Ultra Wideband chip for improved Phone Key performance, at least on some cars. Apple started including the Ultra Wideband chip with the iPhone 11, allowing for better nearby interaction between an iPhone and other devices equipped with UWB technology.

more…

https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/08/tesla-ultra-wideband-iphone-phone-key/ Save to Pocket

The great list of all the blog platforms

date: 2024-02-08, from: Manu - I write blog

Pretentious title, I know. It’s obviously tongue-in-cheek but it’s at least partly what I’m gonna try to do with this post. Blogs are back. They never went anywhere but still, they’re back. Many people will—hopefully—ditch social media and start a blog in the near future. Almost as many people will ask themselves which tool/platform/incantation they should use to start said blog. I’m gonna do my part and try to collect here all the possible alternatives. I am 100% certain that this list won’t be exhaustive but it’s a start. If you have suggestions to improve it, email me.

As always, if you find what I do here useful or entertaining in any way you can hop on the 1$/mo bandwagon.

The following is a list of tools and platforms that are primarily designed to run blogs. Now, it goes without saying that you can build a blog using pretty much every CMS out there. Hell, you can make a blog without a CMS and just upload html files on a server. This is not going to be a list of all the possible ways you can make a blog, it’s a list of tools and services designed with blogs in mind. The list is in no particular order.

A note on the prices: most services usually offer a limited free plan. I decided to ignore those and list the price for the lowest tier available, paid monthly.

Micro.blog

Ghost

I’m linking to the GitHub repo because even though Ghost does have a self-hosted version the official site is heavily focused on the Pro, hosted version so things are a bit confusing.

Ghost(Pro)

Wordpress

Wordpress.com

Substack

Write.as

WriteFreely

Bear Blog

Pika

Mataroa

Smol Pub

Blogger

Medium

Tumblr

Prose.sh

Svbtle

Blogkit

Blot

Hey

Hey is a bit of an odd product because it’s primarily an email service but it also comes with a blog so it’s worth mentioning here.

This is all I have for now. Again, if you have suggestions send me an email and I’ll happily update this list.

https://manuelmoreale.com/@/page/VHRhhuSJod33rsgs Save to Pocket

DEFCON 17: Failure (2009)

date: 2024-02-08, from: Tilde.news

Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1825zkmJVuE Save to Pocket

This Chinese electric truck will be as quick as Tesla’s Cybertruck with heavy loads

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Chinese EV maker Geely is launching a 4WD version of its Radar RD6 electric truck that will rival the Cybertruck. According to the brand’s CEO, it will have similar acceleration to Tesla’s Cybertruck while carrying heavy loads.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/chinese-electric-truck-quick-tesla-cybertruck/ Save to Pocket

With $1B to burn on green tech, HSBC seeks Google’s help

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

The clock’s ticking on those 2030 net zero climate goals

Europe’s largest bank, HSBC, has tapped Google Cloud to make sure a proposed $1 billion in investments go to green tech startups and don’t end up in the hands of scammers.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/hsbc_google_climate_fund/ Save to Pocket

Pluralistic: Big Tech disrupted disruption (08 Feb 2024)

date: 2024-02-08, from: Cory Doctorow’s blog

Today’s links Big Tech disrupted disruption: We don’t have to care, we’re the phone company. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023 Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading Big Tech disrupted disruption (permalink) Before “disruption” turned into a punchline, it was a genuinely exciting idea. Using technology, we could connect people to one another and allow them to collaborate, share, and cooperate to make great things happen. It’s easy (and valid) to dismiss the “disruption” of Uber, which “disrupted” taxis and transit by losing $31b worth of Saudi royal money in a bid to collapse the world’s rival transportation system, while quietly promising its investors that it would someday have pricing power as a monopoly, and would attain profit through price-gouging and wage-theft. Uber’s disruption story was wreathed in bullshit: lies about the “independence” of its drivers, about the imminence of self-driving taxis, about the impact that replacing buses and subways with millions of circling, empty cars would have on traffic congestion. There were and are plenty of problems with traditional taxis and transit, but Uber magnified these problems, under cover of “disrupting” them away. But there are other feats of high-tech disruption that were and are genuinely transformative – Wikipedia, GNU/Linux, RSS, and more. These disruptive technologies altered the balance of power between powerful institutions and the businesses, communities and individuals they dominated, in ways that have proven both beneficial and durable. When we speak of commercial disruption today, we usually mean a tech company disrupting a non-tech company. Tinder disrupts singles bars. Netflix disrupts Blockbuster. Airbnb disrupts Marriott. But the history of “disruption” features far more examples of tech companies disrupting other tech companies: DEC disrupts IBM. Netscape disrupts Microsoft. Google disrupts Yahoo. Nokia disrupts Kodak, sure – but then Apple disrupts Nokia. It’s only natural that the businesses most vulnerable to digital disruption are other digital businesses. And yet…disruption is nowhere to be seen when it comes to the tech sector itself. Five giant companies have been running the show for more than a decade. A couple of these companies (Apple, Microsoft) are Gen-Xers, having been born in the 70s, then there’s a couple of Millennials (Amazon, Google), and that one Gen-Z kid (Facebook). Big Tech shows no sign of being disrupted, despite the continuous enshittification of their core products and services. How can this be? Has Big Tech disrupted disruption itself? That’s the contention of “Coopting Disruption,” a new paper from two law profs: Mark Lemley (Stanford) and Matthew Wansley (Yeshiva U): https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4713845 The paper opens with a review of the literature on disruption. Big companies have some major advantages: they’ve got people and infrastructure they can leverage to bring new products to market more cheaply than startups. They’ve got existing relationships with suppliers, distributors and customers. People trust them. Diversified, monopolistic companies are also able to capture “involuntary spillovers”: when Google spends money on AI for image recognition, it can improve Google Photos, YouTube, Android, Search, Maps and many other products. A startup with just one product can’t capitalize on these spillovers in the same way, so it doesn’t have the same incentives to spend big on R&D. Finally, big companies have access to cheap money. They get better credit terms from lenders, they can float bonds, they can tap the public markets, or just spend their own profits on R&D. They can also afford to take a long view, because they’re not tied to VCs whose funds turn over every 5-10 years. Big companies get cheap money, play a long game, pay less to innovate and get more out of innovation. But those advantages are swamped by the disadvantages of incumbency, all the various curses of bigness. Take Arrow’s “replacement effect”: new companies that compete with incumbents drive down the incumbents’ prices and tempt their customers away. But an incumbent that buys a disruptive new company can just shut it down, and whittle down its ideas to “sustaining innovation” (small improvements to existing products), killing “disruptive innovation” (major changes that make the existing products obsolete). Arrow’s Replacement Effect also comes into play before a new product even exists. An incumbent that allows a rival to do R&D that would eventually disrupt its product is at risk; but if the incumbent buys this pre-product, R&D-heavy startup, it can turn the research to sustaining innovation and defund any disruptive innovation. Arrow asks us to look at the innovation question from the point of view of the company as a whole. Clayton Christensen’s “Innovator’s Dilemma” looks at the motivations of individual decision-makers in large, successful companies. These individuals don’t want to disrupt their own business, because that will render some part of their own company obsolete (perhaps their own division!). They also don’t want to radically change their customers’ businesses, because those customers would also face negative effects from disruption. A startup, by contrast, has no existing successful divisions and no giant customers to safeguard. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain from disruption. Where a large company has no way for individual employees to initiate major changes in corporate strategy, a startup has fewer hops between employees and management. What’s more, a startup that rewards an employee’s good idea with a stock-grant ties that employee’s future finances to the outcome of that idea – while a giant corporation’s stock bonuses are only incidentally tied to the ideas of any individual worker. Big companies are where good ideas go to die. If a big company passes on its employees’ cool, disruptive ideas, that’s the end of the story for that idea. But even if 100 VCs pass on a startup’s cool idea and only one VC funds it, the startup still gets to pursue that idea. In startup land, a good idea gets lots of chances – in a big company, it only gets one. Given how innately disruptable tech companies are, given how hard it is for big companies to innovate, and given how little innovation we’ve gotten from Big Tech, how is it that the tech giants haven’t been disrupted? The authors propose a four-step program for the would-be Tech Baron hoping to defend their turf from disruption. First, gather information about startups that might develop disruptive technologies and steer them away from competing with you, by investing in them or partnering with them. Second, cut off any would-be competitor’s supply of resources they need to develop a disruptive product that challenges your own. Third, convince the government to pass regulations that big, established companies can comply with but that are business-killing challenges for small competitors. Finally, buy up any company that resists your steering, succeeds despite your resource war, and escapes the compliance moats of regulation that favors incumbents. Then: kill those companies. The authors proceed to show that all four tactics are in play today. Big Tech companies operate their own VC funds, which means they get a look at every promising company in the field, even if they don’t want to invest in them. Big Tech companies are also awash in money and their “rival” VCs know it, and so financial VCs and Big Tech collude to fund potential disruptors and then sell them to Big Tech companies as “aqui-hires” that see the disruption neutralized. On resources, the authors focus on data, and how companies like Facebook have explicit policies of only permitting companies they don’t see as potential disruptors to access Facebook data. They reproduce internal Facebook strategy memos that divide potential platform users into “existing competitors, possible future competitors, [or] developers that we have alignment with on business models.” These categories allow Facebook to decide which companies are capable of developing disruptive products and which ones aren’t. For example, Amazon – which doesn’t compete with Facebook – is allowed to access FB data to target shoppers. But Messageme, a startup, was cut off from Facebook as soon as management perceived them as a future rival. Ironically – but unsurprisingly – Facebook spins these policies as pro-privacy, not anti-competitive. These data policies cast a long shadow. They don’t just block existing companies from accessing the data they need to pursue disruptive offerings – they also “send a message” to would-be founders and investors, letting them know that if they try to disrupt a tech giant, they will have their market oxygen cut off before they can draw breath. The only way to build a product that challenges Facebook is as Facebook’s partner, under Facebook’s direction, with Facebook’s veto. Next, regulation. Starting in 2019, Facebook started publishing full-page newspaper ads calling for regulation. Someone ghost-wrote a Washington Post op-ed under Zuckerberg’s byline, arguing the case for more tech regulation. Google, Apple, OpenAI other tech giants have all (selectively) lobbied in favor of many regulations. These rules covered a lot of ground, but they all share a characteristic: complying with them requires huge amounts of money – money that giant tech companies can spare, but potential disruptors lack. Finally, there’s predatory acquisitions. Mark Zuckerberg, working without the benefit of a ghost writer (or in-house counsel to review his statements for actionable intent) has repeatedly confessed to buying companies like Instagram to ensure that they never grow to be competitors. As he told one colleague, “I remember your internal post about how Instagram was our threat and not Google+. You were basically right. The thing about startups though is you can often acquire them.” All the tech giants are acquisition factories. Every successful Google product, almost without exception, is a product they bought from someone else. By contrast, Google’s own internal products typically crash and burn, from G+ to Reader to Google Videos. Apple, meanwhile, buys 90 companies per year – Tim Apple brings home a new company for his shareholders more often than you bring home a bag of groceries for your family. All the Big Tech companies’ AI offerings are acquisitions, and Apple has bought more AI companies than any of them. Big Tech claims to be innovating, but it’s really just operationalizing. Any company that threatens to disrupt a tech giant is bought, its products stripped of any really innovative features, and the residue is added to existing products as a “sustaining innovation” – a dot-release feature that has all the innovative disruption of rounding the corners on a new mobile phone. The authors present three case-studies of tech companies using this four-point strategy to forestall disruption in AI, VR and self-driving cars. I’m not excited about any of these three categories, but it’s clear that the tech giants are worried about them, and the authors make a devastating case for these disruptions being disrupted by Big Tech. What do to about it? If we like (some) disruption, and if Big Tech is enshittifying at speed without facing dethroning-by-disruption, how do we get the dynamism and innovation that gave us the best of tech? The authors make four suggestions. First, revive the authorities under existing antitrust law to ban executives from Big Tech companies from serving on the boards of startups. More broadly, kill interlocking boards altogether. Remember, these powers already exist in the lawbooks, so accomplishing this goal means a change in enforcement priorities, not a new act of Congress or rulemaking. What’s more, interlocking boards between competing companies are illegal per se, meaning there’s no expensive, difficult fact-finding needed to demonstrate that two companies are breaking the law by sharing directors. Next: create a nondiscrimination policy that requires the largest tech companies that share data with some unaffiliated companies to offer data on the same terms to other companies, except when they are direct competitors. They argue that this rule will keep tech giants from choking off disruptive technologies that make them obsolete (rather than competing with them). On the subject of regulation and compliance moats, they have less concrete advice. They counsel lawmakers to greet tech giants’ demands to be regulated with suspicion, to proceed with caution when they do regulate, and to shape regulation so that it doesn’t limit market entry, by keeping in mind the disproportionate burdens regulations put on established giants and small new companies. This is all good advice, but it’s more a set of principles than any kind of specific practice, test or procedure. Finally, they call for increased scrutiny of mergers, including mergers between very large companies and small startups. They argue that existing law (Sec 2 of the Sherman Act and Sec 7 of the Clayton Act) both empower enforcers to block these acquisitions. They admit that the case-law on this is poor, but that just means that enforcers need to start making new case-law. I like all of these suggestions! We’re certainly enjoying a more activist set of regulators, who are more interested in Big Tech, than we’ve seen in generations. But they are grossly under-resourced even without giving them additional duties. As Matt Stoller points out, “the DOJ’s Antitrust Division has fewer people enforcing anti-monopoly laws in a $24 trillion economy than the Smithsonian Museum has security guards.” https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/congressional-republicans-to-defund What’s more, Republicans are trying to slash their budgets even further. The American conservative movement has finally located a police force they’re eager to defund: the corporate police who defend us all from predatory monopolies. (Image: Cryteria, CC BY 3.0, modified) Hey look at this (permalink) ‘Enshittification’ is coming for absolutely everything https://www.ft.com/content/6fb1602d-a08b-4a8c-bac0-047b7d64aba5 Proposed Wage Theft Legislation Would Strip Violators of Their Ability to Do Business in New York https://www.propublica.org/article/wage-theft-law-new-york-violators-doing-business Bias, Skew and Search Engines Can Explain Online Toxicity https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1eangnb2s8fj5ssb4bscf/cacm-22-05-4261.pdf?rlkey=sdaad0vmnxfv2s4n7vn1bx907&dl=0 (h/t Henry Farrell) This day in history (permalink) #20yrsago Leveraging RSS at Disney ETCON talk https://craphound.com/rssetcon04.txt #20yrsago Tim O’Reilly’s Emerging Technology keynote https://craphound.com/timetcon04.txt #15yrsago Trough of No Value: the period when objects aren’t new and aren’t collectible https://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/02/the-trough-of-no-value.html #15yrsago Making a toaster from scratch, mining the raw materials https://web.archive.org/web/20090212194252/https://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2009/02/-thomas-thwaites-the-toaster.php #10yrsago NYT vs wget: technologically illiterate Snowden coverage https://www.techdirt.com/2014/02/10/new-york-times-uses-scare-quotes-to-highlight-how-they-dont-understand-how-snowden-copied-documents/ #5yrsago Vast majority of Americans and Europeans believe ad-targeting and feed customization are immoral https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2019/02/09/83-of-consumers-believe-personalized-ads-are-morally-wrong-survey-says/?sh=5d08570819f5 #5yrsago Trump’s properties routinely employed (and abused) undocumented Latino workers, including dozens from a single Costa Rican town https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/my-whole-town-practically-lived-there-from-costa-rica-to-new-jersey-a-pipeline-of-illegal-workers-for-trump-goes-back-years/2019/02/08/8cdbc1dc-2971-11e9-97b3-ae59fbae7960_story.html #1yrago Poor people pay higher time tax https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/10/my-time/#like-water-down-the-drain 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: What kind of bubble is AI? https://craphound.com/news/2024/01/21/what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai/ Upcoming appearances: The Bezzle at Weller Book Works (Salt Lake City), Feb 21 https://www.wellerbookworks.com/event/store-cory-doctorow-feb-21-630-pm The Bezzle at Third Place Books (Seattle), Feb 26 https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/cory-doctorow Tucson Festival of Books, Mar 9/10 https://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/?id=676 Enshittification: How the Internet Went Bad and How to Get it Back (virtual), Mar 26 https://libcal.library.ubc.ca/event/3781006 Media Ecology Association keynote, Jun 6-9 (Amherst, NY) https://media-ecology.org/convention American Association of Law Libraries keynote, Jul 21 (Chicago) https://www.aallnet.org/conference/agenda/keynote-speaker/ Recent appearances: Decentralization, Digital Rights, and the Future of the Internet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsQuNbWbByA Enshittification: The Rise and Fall of Big Tech (Crash Course Economics) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7AxrFQ7jIM Generation of Lost Causes with Vass Bednar (Toronto Public Library) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rGj5VaJSDQ 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/2024/02/08/permanent-overlords/ Save to Pocket

Archaeologists Discover Rare Roman Funerary Bed Buried Beneath London

date: 2024-02-08, from: Smithsonian Magazine

The wooden bed was likely dismantled IKEA-style before being buried alongside a high-status individual

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-just-found-a-rare-roman-funerary-bed-buried-beneath-london-180983754/ Save to Pocket

Iowa High School Students Visit China on Invitation of Xi Jinping

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

A hastily arranged all-expenses-paid trip to China for students from the Iowa town of Muscatine is the start of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s effort to welcome as many as 50,000 U.S. students to his country. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh explores Muscatine’s historic connection to China’s leader.

https://www.voanews.com/a/iowa-high-school-students-visit-china-on-invitation-of-xi-jinping/7478996.html Save to Pocket

Speed Reads: January Sales Numbers And Ducati Commemorative Coins

date: 2024-02-08, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

Harley Q4 sales down; Royal Enfield January 2024 sales up; European 2023 new bike sales up; Brivio joins Trackhouse; Ducati art coins.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/708002/harley-enfield-europe-2023-sales/ Save to Pocket

US Regulator Bans AI-Generated Voices in Robocalls

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

Washington — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday outlawed robocalls that contain artificial intelligence-generated voices, citing their capacity to misinform voters.

The ruling, which takes effect immediately, targets robocalls made with AI voice-cloning tools under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The 1991 law regulates junk calls that use artificial and prerecorded voice messages.

“Bad actors are using AI-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls to extort vulnerable family members, imitate celebrities, and misinform voters. We’re putting the fraudsters behind these robocalls on notice,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement announcing the unanimous decision.

The ruling will give state attorneys general new tools to target perpetrators behind these calls “and ensure the public is protected from fraud and misinformation,” Rosenworcel said in the statement.

The ruling comes after AI-generated robocalls that impersonated President Joe Biden sought to discourage people from voting in the New Hampshire primary election last month. The New Hampshire attorney general announced this week that the calls were traced to companies in Texas.

“We need to protect voters from deepfake AI technology disenfranchising them or manipulating their thought processes,” Theresa Payton, CEO of cybersecurity company Fortalice Solutions, told VOA.

“This is a step in the right direction, and I would like to see more debate and open discussion on what the guard rails for the usage of this technology should be,” added Payton, who previously served as the White House’s Chief Information Officer during the George W. Bush administration.

Under the new regulation, the FCC can fine companies that use AI voices in their calls or block the service providers that carry the calls.

The agency has previously used the law to hold robocallers accountable for election interference, including imposing a $5 million fine on two conservative hoaxers who used robocalls to try to reduce Black voter turnout in the 2020 presidential election.

Deepfake AI technology has also been used in attempts to influence voters around the world.

Just days before elections in Slovakia in September 2023, for instance, a deepfake audio circulated online imitating a politician who appeared to be discussing how to rig the election.

The FCC had been considering banning AI voices in robocalls due to a rise it saw in these types of calls. In January, a bipartisan group of 26 state attorneys general urged the FCC to go ahead with a ruling.

While the ruling is a positive development, according to Payton, she added that there still may be the threat of foreign forces using AI-generated robocalls in attempts to influence elections.

“This is going to be helpful as it relates to American political operatives, but I am not clear how this would be enforced against non-Americans that may choose to abuse this technology and interfere in our political process,” she said.

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-regulator-bans-ai-generated-voices-in-robocalls/7479925.html Save to Pocket

Earth Clocks Hottest January on Record, Marking 12 Months Above 1.5 Degree Celsius Warming Threshold

date: 2024-02-08, from: Smithsonian Magazine

Though the world has not officially breached the Paris Agreement, the historic heat on land and at sea is a “significant milestone”

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earth-clocks-hottest-january-on-record-marking-12-months-above-paris-agreement-threshold-180983759/ Save to Pocket

The New Vocabulary of Cocktails, including “snaquiri” (a small daiquiri shot), “Bro-Nar”…

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/02/0043932-the-new-vocabulary-of-coc Save to Pocket

Is The Tesla Cybertruck Better Than A Home-Made Humvee EV?

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

YouTuber JerryRigEverything puts the two zero-emissions behemoths to the test. Sort of…

https://insideevs.com/news/707908/tesla-cybertruck-vs-diy-humvee-ev-video/ Save to Pocket

NASA, SpaceX Join Forces to Study Earth’s Environment

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

Two titans of space travel team up to study our planet’s health. Plus, a Russian cosmonaut breaks the record for the most time in space, and sky gazers in North America will get a treat in coming months. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space.

https://www.voanews.com/a/nasa-spacex-join-forces-to-study-earth-environment/7479900.html Save to Pocket

Four NATO Defense Priorities for the Upcoming Washington Summit

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: RAND blog

The upcoming NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., offers an opportunity for the alliance to prioritize new and transformational capabilities. With them, NATO can continue to provide deterrence and defense for its member state populations into the future, just as it has done for the past seventy-five years.

https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2024/02/four-nato-defense-priorities-for-the-upcoming-washington.html Save to Pocket

Tesla to greatly expand Supercharging in Iceland with partnership with gas stations

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Tesla announced plans to greatly expand the Supercharger network in Iceland through a partnership with a gas station chain.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/tesla-expand-supercharging-iceland-partnership-gas-stations/ Save to Pocket

USC announces $59 million Institute for Public Policy and Government Service

date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

Dana Goldman, dean of the Price School of Public Policy, will step down July 1 to become the director of the institute.

The post USC announces $59 million Institute for Public Policy and Government Service appeared first on Daily Trojan.

https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/usc-announces-institute-for-public-policy-and-government-service/ Save to Pocket

@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-02-08, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

When I was competing with Swift, it drove me crazy just how good the brand was.

The name “Swift” alone carried much of the work: fast, nimble, out of your way.

I always go back to Lessig saying, “if you are explaining, you are losing, and we are doing a lot of explaining”

https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111897579354367743 Save to Pocket

@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-02-08, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

The problem with the Gemini/Bard brand is that they are not match for “Copilot”.

The word “Copilot” already does a lot of the heavy lifting for you and sets expectations.

Google is launching a Zune “welcome to the social” in an iPod world.

https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111897577961471194 Save to Pocket

Tucker Carlson Visit Gets Intense Coverage by Russian Media

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

News that American media personality Tucker Carlson was in Russia to interview President Vladimir Putin has received intense news coverage in Russia. Some have described it as a frenzy, one that’s giving insight into how the Russian state handles foreign and domestic journalists. Elizabeth Cherneff narrates this report from VOA’ Moscow bureau.

https://www.voanews.com/a/tucker-carlson-visit-gets-intense-coverage-by-russian-media/7479821.html Save to Pocket

IUU Fishing: A Maritime Security Threat Requiring Unique Solutions

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: RAND blog

Fish depreciate, have tighter profit margins than drugs, and have a consumer base that can impact demand. Using the weak points in illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing business models to decrease profitability will not solve IUU fishing worldwide but it can decrease IUU fishing.

https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2024/02/iuu-fishing-a-maritime-security-threat-requiring-unique.html Save to Pocket

T-Pain has written a lot of country songs but doesn’t want to…

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/02/0043946-t-pain-has-written-a-lot Save to Pocket

This modular ‘pop-up solar canopy’ charges EVs off-grid

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Meet PairTree – a solar-powered canopy that charges EVs off-grid – that’s made by US-based solar charging infrastructure manufacturer Paired Power.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/this-modular-pop-up-solar-canopy-charges-evs-off-grid/ Save to Pocket

US Senate Advances Stand-Alone $95 Billion Foreign Aid Bill

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-senate-advances-stand-alone-95-billion-foreign-aid-bill/7479825.html Save to Pocket

January 2024 – Volume 64 Issue 6

date: 2024-02-08, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)

Letter from the Editor: Issue 6 Volume 64 Yesterday’s News: Clippings capsule Power in Numbers: Calculating the quake The Essentials: How to be ready to rumble Technology: How Northridge rebuilt…

https://sundial.csun.edu/178269/print-editions/january-2024-volume-64-issue-6/ Save to Pocket

Yesterday’s News: Clippings capsule

date: 2024-02-08, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)

These newspaper clippings were published by The Daily Sundial following the 1994 Northridge earthquake. A reported 56 people, including two California State University, Northridge students, lost their lives that night….

https://sundial.csun.edu/178170/print-editions/print-stories/clippings-capsule/ Save to Pocket

New Sanlorenzo superyacht first to use Volvo Penta electric ready powertrain

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Superyacht builder Sanlorenzo will become the first ship-builder to integrate the new Volvo Penta “electric-ready” marine powertrain system into two new upcoming customer yachts.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/new-sanlorenzo-superyacht-first-to-use-volvo-penta-electric-powertrain/ Save to Pocket

We Breached 1.5 Degrees Celsius of Warming — Sort Of

date: 2024-02-08, from: Heatmap News



Somewhat fittingly, Heatmap’s first year in existence coincided with the planet’s first 12-month period with an average temperature more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to a new report from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. This might not come as a surprise if you’ve been reading us for any amount of time. But still, the number is striking — it’s the target we’ve long heard about, the threshold that the Paris Agreement is trying to keep us under.

It might be easy, then, to look at this report with a bit of despair. I am here to tell you otherwise. Some things to keep in mind:

If anything, think of today’s number news as a call to action. The last year was a preview of what life could be like above 1.5 degrees C; the next few years will likely also be incredibly hot compared to pre-industrial levels, and we must do our best to mitigate the pain and loss to come.

We’ll be covering those efforts at Heatmap, as we always do, but if you’d like an idea of the various paths available to us for decarbonization, this Carbon Brief interactive is a good place to start.

https://heatmap.news/sparks/1-5-degrees-celsius-paris-record Save to Pocket

COC Names Aaliyah Garcia, Oscar Patron Athletes of the Week

date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

College of the Canyons student-athletes Aaliyah Garcia (women’s basketball) and Oscar Patron (baseball) have been named the COC Athletic Department’s Women’s & Men’s Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running Jan. 29 to Feb. 

https://scvnews.com/coc-names-aaliyah-garcia-oscar-patron-athletes-of-the-week/ Save to Pocket

EcoFlow flash sale takes up to $948 off power stations, Pace 500.2 e-bike now $924, more

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Headlining today’s lineup of deals is the final 24-hour flash sale to closeout EcoFlow’s home backup sale for disaster preparedness, taking up to $948 off power stations, an expansion battery, and a solar panel. It is joined by Aventon’s Pace 500.2 Cruiser e-bike at $924, as well as a Greenworks 1,900 PSI Electric Pressure Washer at $120. Plus, all of today’s other best new Green Deals.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/ecoflow-flash-sale-takes-up-to-948-off-power-stations-pace-500-2-e-bike-now-924-more/ Save to Pocket

Meet Venus’s Newly Named Quasi-Moon: Zoozve

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/02/meet-venuss-newly-named-quasi-moon-zoozve Save to Pocket

Graffiti Artists Tag 27 Floors of Abandoned Skyscraper in Los Angeles

date: 2024-02-08, from: Smithsonian Magazine

The street art brought new attention to a $1 billion project that’s been stalled since 2019

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/graffiti-artists-tag-27-floors-of-an-empty-skyscraper-development-in-los-angeles-180983749/ Save to Pocket

AI Deepfakes Pose Threat to Elections Worldwide

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

Four billion people worldwide have voted or are scheduled to do so in national elections through 2024. While the candidates and issues differ in each country, one common concern is the use of generative artificial intelligence in disinformation campaigns. VOA’s Valdya Baraputri has the story.

https://www.voanews.com/a/ai-deepfakes-pose-threat-to-elections-worldwide/7479738.html Save to Pocket

Daily Deals (2-08-2024)

date: 2024-02-08, from: Liliputing

Just in time for the Super Bowl, Paramount+ is offering a 1-month free subscription to new or returning customers who use the coupon JUNE at signup. If you opt for the Paramount+ with Showtime option you’ll be able to stream CBS for free, which will let you watch the game. Plus you can catch up […]

The post Daily Deals (2-08-2024) appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/daily-deals-2-08-2024/ Save to Pocket

County Regional Parks, Nature Centers Under Hard Closure Through Friday

date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

Due to the recent storms, Los Angeles County regional parks and nature centers, including Placerita Canyon Nature Center, Vasquez Rocks and Castaic Lake, will continue to be under a hard closure this week through Friday

https://scvnews.com/county-regional-parks-nature-centers-under-hard-closure-until-friday/ Save to Pocket

The world’s longest onshore wind turbine blade makes its debut

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

SANY Renewable Energy, a wind turbine manufacturer in China, has built the world’s longest onshore wind turbine blade.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/worlds-longest-onshore-wind-turbine-blade-sany/ Save to Pocket

Hyundai IONIQ T10 emerges as a potential electric pickup option

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Is the Hyundai IONIQ T10 the electric truck we’ve been waiting for? A new trademark filing for an IONIQ T10 suggests Hyundai could be aiming for Ford’s F-150 Lightning.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/hyundai-ioniq-t10-f-150-lightning-rival/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-08, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

What tool would you use to create and edit a blogroll?

https://github.com/scripting/Scripting-News/issues/292 Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-08, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

What tool would you use to create and edit a blogroll?

http://scripting.com/2024/02/08.html#a181604 Save to Pocket

Who Can Be US President? Here’s What the Constitution Says

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

Casting doubts on his political rivals’ eligibility to run for the U.S. presidency is one of Republican frontrunner and former President Donald Trump’s key campaign strategies. Fellow candidate Nikki Haley is the latest target of what is known as “birtherism.” VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias explains how the Constitution lays out who can run for America’s top job.

https://www.voanews.com/a/who-can-be-us-president-here-s-what-the-constitution-says/7479756.html Save to Pocket

Sorry, scammers: The FCC says AI robocalls are definitely illegal

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Existing telemarketing abuse laws apply to AI voices, too, says Commission

The US Federal Communications Commission has finally formally declared AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal, and it didn’t even need a new law to get the job done.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/sorry_scammers_the_fcc_says/ Save to Pocket

Have Your Kids ‘Read to a Dog’ at Santa Clarita Public Library

date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

Foster your child’s love of reading with a ‘paws-itive’ activity and join the Santa Clarita Public Library for “Read to a Dog!”

https://scvnews.com/have-your-kids-read-to-a-dog-at-santa-clarita-public-library/ Save to Pocket

Special Counsel: Biden ‘Willfully’ Disclosed Classified Materials, But No Criminal Charges Warranted

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden “willfully” retained and disclosed highly classified materials when he was a private citizen, including documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and other sensitive national security matters, according to a Justice Department report that nonetheless says no criminal charges are warranted for him or anyone else. 

The report from special counsel Robert Hur, released Thursday, represents a harshly critical assessment of Biden’s handling of sensitive government materials but also details the reasons why he should not be charged with the crime. 

The findings will likely blunt his ability to forcefully condemn Donald Trump, Biden’s likely opponent in November’s presidential election, over a criminal indictment charging the former president with illegally hoarding classified records at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. 

“Our investigation uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen,” Hur wrote. 

Hur’s report says evidence suggests that many of the classified documents recovered by investigators at the Penn Biden Center, in parts of Biden’s Delaware home and in his Senate papers at the University of Delaware were retained by “mistake.” 

Biden said in a statement that he was “pleased” the special counsel had “reached the conclusion I believed all along they would reach — that there would be no charges brought in this case and the matter is now closed.” 

He made a point of saying that he sat for five hours of in-person interviews over two days on October 8 and 9, “even though Israel had just been attacked on October 7th and I was in the middle of handling an international crisis.” 

“I just believed that’s what I owed the American people so they could know no charges would be brought and the matter closed,” Biden said. 

The report comes after a yearlong investigation into the improper retention of classified documents by Biden, from his time as a senator and as vice president, that were found at his Delaware home, as well as at a private office that he used in between his service in the Obama administration and becoming president. 

The investigation into Biden is separate from special counsel Jack Smith’s inquiry into the handling of classified documents by Trump after Trump left the White House. Smith’s team has charged Trump with illegally retaining top secret records at his Mar-a-Lago home and then obstructing government efforts to get them back. Trump has said he did nothing wrong. 

After Biden’s lawyers uncovered classified documents at his former office, Biden’s representatives promptly contacted the National Archives to arrange their return to the government. The National Archives notified the FBI, which opened an investigation. Biden made his homes available to agents to conduct thorough searches, and that is how the most sensitive documents came to the attention of the Justice Department. 

Hur assessed that the evidence did not support that Biden willfully retained some of the classified documents that were recovered — including the ones at the Penn Biden Center that sparked the probe. 

Biden could not have been prosecuted as a sitting president, but Hur’s report states that he would not recommend charges against Biden, regardless. 

“We would reach the same conclusion even if Department of Justice policy did not foreclose criminal charges against a sitting president,” the report said. 

Part of the report centers on Biden’s handling of classified documents about Afghanistan — specifically, the Obama administration’s decision to send additional troops there — that he retained in is Delaware home after he left office as vice president. Biden preserved materials documenting his opposition to the troop surge, including a 2009 classified handwritten memo to then-President Barack Obama. 

“These materials were proof of the stand Mr. Biden took in what he regarded as among the most important decisions of his vice presidency,” the report said. 

The documents have classification markings up to the Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information Level and were found in a box in Biden’s Delaware garage “that contained other materials of great significance to him and that he appears to have personally used and accessed.” 

Photographs included in the report showed some of the classified Afghanistan documents in a worn cardboard box stored in his garage, apparently in a loose collection with other household items, including a ladder and a wicker basket. 

Classified documents from the Obama administration were also found in Biden’s basement den, according to the report. Classified documents from his time in the Senate in the 1970s and 1980s were also found in his garage. 

Despite signs that Biden knowingly retained and disclosed classified materials, Hur’s report said criminal charges were not merited for multiple reasons. Those include the fact that as vice president, and during his subsequent presidency when the Afghanistan records were found, “he had the authority to keep classified documents at his home.” 

As part of the probe, investigators reviewed a recording of a February 2017 conversation between Biden and his ghostwriter in which, referring to the 2009 memo to Obama, Biden said he had “just found all the classified stuff downstairs.” Biden was renting a home in Virginia at the time and consolidated his belongings in Delaware when he moved out in 2019. Prosecutors believe Biden’s comment was a reference to the same classified records that FBI agents later found in his Delaware home. 

Although the best case for charges could involve his possession of the Afghanistan documents as a private citizen, prosecutors said, it was possible that Biden could have found those records at his Virginia home in 2017 and then forgotten about them soon after. 

“This could convince some reasonable jurors that he did not retain them willfully,” the report. 

The report said there was some evidence to suggest that Biden knew he could not keep classified handwritten notes at home after leaving office, citing his deep familiarity “with the measures taken to safeguard classified information and the need for those measures to prevent harm to national security.” Yet he kept notebooks containing classified information in unlocked drawers at home. 

“He had strong motivations to do so and to ignore the rules for properly handling the classified information in his notebooks,” the report said. “He consulted the notebooks liberally during hours of discussions with his ghostwriter and viewed them as highly private and valued possessions with which he was unwilling to part.” 

While the report removes legal jeopardy for the president, it is nonetheless an embarrassment for Biden, who placed competency and experience at the core of his rationale to voters to send him to the Oval Office. 

“Mr. Biden was known to remove and keep classified material from his briefing books for future use, and his staff struggled — and sometimes failed — to retrieve those materials,” the report states. “And there was no procedure at all for tracking some of the classified material Mr. Biden received outside of his briefing books.” 

In declining to prosecute Biden, Hur’s office also cited what it said was Biden’s “limited memory” both during his 2017 recorded conversations with the ghostwriter and in an interview with investigators last year. 

“Given Mr. Biden’s limited precision and recall during his interviews with his ghostwriter and with our office, jurors may hesitate to place too much evidentiary weight on a single eight-word utterance to his ghostwriter about finding classified documents in Virginia, in the absence of other, more direct evidence. 

There is recent Justice Department precedence for criminal charges against individuals accused of sharing classified information with biographers or ghostwriters. General David Petraeus pleaded guilty to doing exactly that in 2015 and was sentenced to probation. 

Yet in this instance, prosecutors say, Biden could have plausibly believed that the notebooks were his personal property and belonged to him, even if they contained classified information. 

In an interview with prosecutors, the report said, Biden was emphatic with investigators that the notebooks were “my property” and that “every president before me has done the exact same thing.” 

White House lawyer Richard Sauber said Biden takes classified information seriously and “strives to protect it,” but making mistakes when packing documents at the end of an administration can be a common occurrence, as the report noted. 

“We disagree with a number of inaccurate and inappropriate comments in the special counsel’s report. Nonetheless, the most important decision the special counsel made — that no charges are warranted — is firmly based on the facts and evidence,” Sauber said. 

Biden’s personal attorney Bob Bauer accused the special counsel of violating “well-established’ norms and”trashing” the president. 

“The special counsel could not refrain from investigative excess, perhaps unsurprising given the intense pressures of the current political environment. Whatever the impact of those pressures on the final report, it flouts department regulations and norms,” he said in a statement. 

Trump responded to the report in a statement as he traveled to Nevada for Thursday evening’s Republican caucuses. “THIS IS A TWO-TIERED SYSTEM OF JUSTICE!” he said in a statement, claiming the Biden case was “100 times different and more severe than mine.” 

“I did nothing wrong, and I cooperated far more. What Biden did is outrageously criminal - He had 50 years of documents, 50 times more than I had, and”WILLFULLY RETAINED” them,” Trump added, once again claiming “ELECTION INTERFERENCE!” 

White House lawyers and Biden’s personal attorney were given the opportunity to review and comment on the report. Biden chose not to assert executive privilege over any portion of the report, White House counsel’s office spokesman Ian Sams said. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland in January 2023 named Hur, a former U.S. attorney for Maryland, to handle the politically sensitive Justice Department inquiry in an attempt to avoid conflicts of interest. It is one of three recent Justice Department investigations into the handling of classified documents by politically prominent figures.

https://www.voanews.com/a/biden-won-t-seek-redactions-in-report-on-classified-documents/7479686.html Save to Pocket

Apple and Samsung tussle over whose gizmos are hardest to fix

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Chromebooks earn ‘Least Likely to Survive a Screwdriver’ award

The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) has published a study showing that Apple has work to do to make its laptops more easily repairable. At the same time, Samsung snatched the bottom place when it comes to cellphone repairability.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/pirg_reparability_research/ Save to Pocket

Cheap solar panels from China are all over Europe – and everyone is freaking out

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed


Europe is installing more solar panels than ever before, thanks to a flood of cheap Chinese solar panels, driving installations by 40% last year. But it comes at a hefty cost: Local solar manufacturers are on the brink of a total collapse that could happen within weeks.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/cheap-solar-panels-from-china-are-all-over-europe/ Save to Pocket

On the Bulletpointization of Books. “A wide swath of the ruling class…

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/02/0043944-on-the-bulletpointization Save to Pocket

Find Your Furever Friend at the Castaic Animal Care Center!

date: 2024-02-08, from: City of Santa Clarita

Find Your Furever Friend at the Castaic Animal Care Center! By Councilmember Laurene Weste “Dogs don’t make judgments about physical appearance or abilities, and they don’t care how big your house is or what you can do for a living. They care about the quality of your character and your capacity to love.” – Elizabeth […]

The post Find Your Furever Friend at the Castaic Animal Care Center! appeared first on City of Santa Clarita.

https://santaclarita.gov/blog/2024/02/08/find-your-furever-friend-at-the-castaic-animal-care-center/ Save to Pocket

Matador motorsports host Spring Fest

date: 2024-02-08, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)

CSUN FSAE hosted a Spring Fest in the Plaza Del Sol on January 25, to showcase their senior projects.

https://sundial.csun.edu/178267/multimedia/watch/matador-motorsports-host-spring-fest/ Save to Pocket

Returning to Monkey Island - Noclip Documentary

date: 2024-02-08, from: Tilde.news

Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdWzlDwxBmQ Save to Pocket

Apple hasn’t killed iTunes for Windows yet… but would rather you use Apple Music or TV for everything but podcasts and audiobooks

date: 2024-02-08, from: Liliputing

Apple’s iTunes hasn’t been a thing on Mac computers for years, but iTunes for Windows is still a thing. But Apple would clearly rather have you use its other apps for most of the functions that used to be exclusive to iTunes. Last year Apple released Apple Music, TV, and Devices apps to the Microsoft […]

The post Apple hasn’t killed iTunes for Windows yet… but would rather you use Apple Music or TV for everything but podcasts and audiobooks appeared first on Liliputing.

https://liliputing.com/apple-hasnt-killed-itunes-for-windows-yet-but-would-rather-you-use-apple-music-or-tv-for-everything-but-podcasts-and-audiobooks/ Save to Pocket

Raspberry Robin devs are buying exploits for faster attacks

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

One of most important malware loaders to cybercrims who are jumping on vulnerabilities faster than ever

Researchers suspect the criminals behind the Raspberry Robin malware are now buying exploits for speedier cyberattacks.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/raspberry_robin_bought_exploits/ Save to Pocket

@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-08, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

Pistons trade Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks to Knicks.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39484645/sources-pistons-finalizing-trade-alec-burks-knicks Save to Pocket

Can The Tesla Cybertruck Handle A 2,500-Pound Load In Its Truck Bed?

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

Let’s load it up to find out.

https://insideevs.com/news/707645/tesla-cybertruck-2500-payload-test-video/ Save to Pocket

The Wrath of Steinbeck: John Steinbeck on the Press in Vietnam, 1967

date: 2024-02-08, from: National Archives, Text Message blog

On February 8, 1967, famed American author John Steinbeck, then in Bangkok, Thailand, sent Secretary of State Dean Rusk a letter.  In it, Steinbeck excoriated the performance of the press in Vietnam and criticized anti-war protesters.  Steinbeck is the author of major American literary classics such as Tortilla Flat (1935), Of Mice and Men (1937), … Continue reading The Wrath of Steinbeck: John Steinbeck on the Press in Vietnam, 1967

https://text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2024/02/08/the-wrath-of-steinbeck-john-steinbeck-on-the-press-in-vietnam-1967/ Save to Pocket

Gov. Gavin Newsom sending DOJ, National Guard attorneys to Alameda County to beef up prosecutions

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

The governor framed the move as a partnership in the same vein as his April 2023 decision to send prosecutors into San Francisco to combat fentanyl trafficking.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/gov-gavin-newsom-sending-doj-national-guard-attorneys-to-alameda-county-to-beef-up-prosecutions/ Save to Pocket

Anti-Noise Crusaders In Paris Want A Partial Motorcycle Ban

date: 2024-02-08, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

It’s just the latest battle over combustion-powered two-wheelers in the French capital.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/707970/paris-motorcycle-scooter-ban-noise/ Save to Pocket

Europe’s deepest mine to become Europe’s deepest battery

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

2 MWh of energy storage using dirt, winches, and cables set to be installed in Finland

The deepest metal mine in Europe, unused since 2022, is set to host a giant underground gravity battery.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/europe_deepest_mine_battery/ Save to Pocket

GM taps former Tesla battery expert to help it deliver low-cost EVs at scale

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

As GM looks to deliver on its promise of EVs for everyone, the automaker is recruiting talent from the best. GM announced Thursday that it has hired Kurt Kelty, former Tesla executive and recognized battery expert, as it aims to launch low-cost EVs.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/gm-tesla-battery-expert-low-cost-evs/ Save to Pocket

Skylab 4 Recovery Ends Program

date: 2024-02-08, from: NASA breaking news

The crewmen of the third and final manned Skylab mission relax on the USS New Orleans, prime recovery ship for their mission, about an hour after their Command Module splashed down at 10:17 a.m. (CDT), Feb. 8, 1974. The splashdown, which occurred 176 statute miles from San Diego, ended 84 record-setting days of flight activity […]

https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/skylab-4-recovery-ends-program/ Save to Pocket

Social Media Sites Are Metaphorical Aquariums

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/02/social-media-sites-are-metaphorical-aquariums Save to Pocket

Geely Plans To Introduce Zeekr to Mexico. Is The U.S. Next?

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

Mexico could just be the first step, with the rest of Central and South America coming after. Could the US be on Zeekr’s long-term list?

https://insideevs.com/news/707832/zeekr-mexico-plans-china-geely/ Save to Pocket

NASA’s New Experimental Antenna Tracks Deep Space Laser

date: 2024-02-08, from: NASA breaking news

Capable of receiving both radio frequency and optical signals, the DSN’s hybrid antenna has tracked and decoded the downlink laser from DSOC, aboard NASA’s Psyche mission. An experimental antenna has received both radio frequency and near-infrared laser signals from NASA’s Psyche spacecraft as it travels through deep space. This shows it’s possible for the giant […]

https://www.nasa.gov/technology/space-comms/deep-space-network/nasas-new-experimental-antenna-tracks-deep-space-laser/ Save to Pocket

How to Watch the Spectacular Total Solar Eclipse in April 2024

date: 2024-02-08, from: Smithsonian Magazine

The moon will appear to completely block the sun’s light across parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada on April 8—here’s how to make the most of this rare celestial phenomenon

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-watch-the-spectacular-total-solar-eclipse-in-april-2024-180983732/ Save to Pocket

Reruns

date: 2024-02-08, from: Innessential (Brint Simmons’ blog)

It’s not a bug in your RSS reader if recent articles in this feed all suddenly appeared as unread. You may even have seeming duplicates.

Sorry about that! It’s due to my changing settings in my blog generator. Pages now have a .html suffix where before they had none. This change impacts permalinks, which also changes the guids in my RSS feed — and NetNewsWire and other RSS readers use the guid property to identify articles, which means these will show up as new articles.

(Note: I’ve created redirects so that old links pointing in will still work.)

https://inessential.com/2024/02/08/reruns.html Save to Pocket

High heat harms workers in Southeast Asia

date: 2024-02-08, from: Marketplace Morning Report

Thousands of workers in Southeast Asia are forced to work in scorching temperatures. A recent study showed dangerous effects of constant heat on at-risk workers, including health problems. We’ll visit Cambodia’s brick kilns to learn more. Plus, Sen. Amy Klobuchar talks child internet safety, and KPMG’s Diane Swonk dissects the job market.

https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/high-heat-harms-workers-in-southeast-asia Save to Pocket

Leaked memo: Microsoft employees should be using Copilot too

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

It’s all part of a push to get more devs using AI tools

While blasting customers with the promise of AI, Microsoft is now telling its employees to tiptoe into the brave new world too.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/microsoft_copilot_internal_teams/ Save to Pocket

Protected: HH&P Document Page

date: 2024-02-08, from: NASA breaking news

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

https://www.nasa.gov/general/hhp-document-page/ Save to Pocket

Jury duty is self-government

date: 2024-02-08, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News

Jury duty is an intensive bootcamp for American democracy.

The great thing about jury duty is you get a very clear sense of what self-government is about. It makes you feel empowered which can be even more uncomfortable than feeling powerless.

So much of the frenetic activity online is about that sense of powerlessness. So we give money to causes or we join in boycotts, but these aren’t as powerful as participating in governing. Jury duty is a very quick way to do that.

We have to act more like citizens and less like subjects. I think that’s the real message of the election of 2016. Subjects elect someone like Trump. People who think like citizens would elect someone very different.

I wrote this on Facebook on this day in 2017.

http://scripting.com/2024/02/08/161214.html?title=juryDutyIsSelfgovernment Save to Pocket

GM Just Poached Tesla’s All-Time-Great Battery Chief

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

Plus, China pledges to help globalization of its domestic EVs and the UAW calls for higher import tariffs.

https://insideevs.com/news/707924/gm-poaches-tesla-battery-chief/ Save to Pocket

LIVE: Supreme Court sounds broadly skeptical of efforts to kick Trump off ballot over Capitol attack

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

Arguments are underway at the Supreme Court in former President Donald Trump’s appeal to remain on the 2024 ballot.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/supreme-court-arguments-begin-in-landmark-case-seeking-to-kick-trump-off-ballot-over-capitol-attack/ Save to Pocket

Elon Musk’s brother Kimbal is not as optimistic about Tesla’s Full Self-Driving

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Elon Musk’s brother Kimbal, who is also a board member at Tesla, is not as optimistic as his brother about Tesla delivering ‘Full Self-Driving’. He says: “maybe 5 years”.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/elon-musk-brother-kimbal-not-as-optimistic-tesla-full-self-driving/ Save to Pocket

Electrify America’s First Flagship Indoor Charging Station Has 20 Hyper-Fast Stalls

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

It can provide up to 350 kW for each connected car and it might just be the solution apartment dwellers were looking for.

https://insideevs.com/news/707860/electrify-america-indoor-charging-station-san-francisco/ Save to Pocket

Larry Magid: Microsoft Copilot and the AI Super Bowl

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

Advertisements about and created by artificial intelligence will be on display

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/larry-magid-microsoft-copilot-and-the-ai-super-bowl/ Save to Pocket

Tracing The Pig Butchers

date: 2024-02-08, from: David Rosenthal’s blog

“Vicky”
Chapter 18 of Zeke Faux’s Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall is entitled “Pig Butchering”. It starts when he receives a supposed wrong-number text from a “Vicky”:
I showed my phone to my friend and explained that I was stringing Vicky along because I’d heard about a new kind of investment fraud that often started with a random text message. I had a hunch that this was why “Vicky” was texting me. The scam was called “pig butchering” because the scammers liked to build up the victim’s confidence with a pretend romantic relationship and made-up investment gains before stealing all their money in one fell swoop—like how hogs are fattened up before their slaughter.
This is a romance- and cryptocurrency-enabled version of the “Wee Forest Folk” scam we described in our 2003 SOSP paper.

Below the fold, I look into the details of pig-butchering scams, and how the tracing techniques I discussed in Criming On The Blockchain are being applied to identify the cryptocurrency companies facilitating it.

Source
Faux strung “Vicky” along and:
My short-lived texting flirtation with Vicky confirmed something that I had suspected: The scammers were using Tether to move the money. I spoke with several other pig-butchering victims, and they said they’d been asked to send Tether too.
…
From the scammer’s perspective, Tether was a clear improvement on bribing bankers or money mules. It was instant, there was no recourse for refunds, and it didn’t ask for anyone’s name or address. And unlike other cryptocurrencies, its value didn’t fluctuate from hour to hour, making it less scary for potential victims and easier to manage for criminals.
How much Tether are we talking?:
News stories revealed that people were losing huge amounts of money. A project finance lawyer in Boston with terminal cancer handed over $2.5 million. A divorced mother of three in St. Louis was defrauded of $5 million. A twenty-four-year-old social media producer in Tennessee lost $300,000 she inherited from the sale of her childhood home.
…
I came across a group that claimed to be raising money dedicated to helping victims. It was called the Global Anti-Scam Organization. The group said it had helped a huge number of pig-butchering victims: 1,483 worldwide, who’d lost more than $250 million combined.
Despite Tether’s ability to freeze wallets, Faux writes:
Icetoad and other volunteers from the Global Anti-Scam group told me that Tether refused to help them by freezing accounts or seizing stolen money, even when presented with evidence that an account held the proceeds of fraud.
…
In another exchange provided by Global Anti-Scam, Tether told a Hong Kong police official that it did have the ability to intervene. But the company still refused, saying the case was too small. “We must sometimes decline fraud cases involving relatively small amounts of stolen USDT,” the Tether representative wrote, using the ticker symbol for the cryptocurrency. It said they would only intervene if the case was “directly connected to acts of violence.”
Faux got Rich Sanders of CipherBlade to trace his payment to “Vicky”:
a small dark circle represented Vicky Ho’s wallet. This was where I’d sent the eighty-one Tethers. Sanders explained that the wallet was active for about two months and received many deposits from addresses that were known to be associated with U.S. and Canadian Canadian crypto exchanges. There were transfers of $3,600, $180, $400, $500, and $9,774, always in Tether. These were other people who’d been scammed by the same operation, Sanders said. In other words, I wasn’t Vicky’s only love interest. Once Vicky Ho had collected the money, they sent it to another numbered address, represented on the screen by a larger white circle. This one was likely controlled by the scammers too, Sanders said, and it held $9.4 million in Tethers. From there, many of the Tethers were sent to addresses associated with the crypto exchange Binance, and to others that belonged to Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX.
Global Anti-Scam told Faux that:
most butchering scams were orchestrated by gangsters based in Cambodia or Myanmar. These bosses would lure young men and women from across Southeast Asia to move abroad with the promise of well-paying jobs in customer service or online gambling. Then, when the workers arrived, they’d be held captive and forced to work on online scams. Icetoad and his colleagues told me there were thousands of people who’d been tricked this way. Entire office towers were filled with floor after floor of people forced to send spam messages around the clock, under threat of torture or death. These were the people using Tether to move their money.
His next chapter recounts his trip to Cambodia to see the pig-butchering campuses. Like the rest of the book, it is well worth reading. Conditions in these campuses were horrific:
Workers who missed quotas were beaten, starved, made to hit one another. One said he’d seen people forcibly injected with methamphetamine to increase productivity. Two others said they’d seen workers murdered, with the deaths passed off as suicides. They said the bosses would buy and sell captive laborers like livestock.
…
Local news reports described a string of suspicious deaths near Chinatown—one body was found hanging at a construction site, and another corpse was dug up handcuffed from a shallow grave in a field nearby. A local vendor told a Cambodian outlet that there had been many suicides at the complex. “If an ambulance doesn’t go inside at least twice a week, it is a wonder,” he said.
Wang and cybercrime cop>
Faux wasn’t alone in reporting on the pig-butchers. Poppy McPherson and Tom Wilson of Reuters published a special report entitled Crypto scam: Inside the billion-dollar ’’pig-butchering‘‘ industry. They traced funds flowing to Wang Yicheng in Bangkok:
At a Thai police headquarters in October 2022, Chinese businessman Wang Yicheng congratulated one of Bangkok’s most senior cybercrime investigators on his recent promotion, presenting the official with a large bouquet of flowers wrapped in red paper and a bow.

Wang, the vice president of a local Chinese trade group, wished the new cybercrime investigator “smooth work and new achievements,” according to the group’s website, which displays photographs of the event.

Over the past two years, Wang has forged relationships with members of Thailand’s law-enforcement and political elite, the trade group’s online posts show. During that time, a cryptocurrency account registered in Wang’s name was receiving millions of dollars linked to a type of cryptocurrency investment scam known as pig butchering, a Reuters investigation has found.

In total, crypto worth more than $90 million flowed into the account between January 2021 and November 2022, according to registration documents and transaction logs reviewed by Reuters. Of that, at least $9.1 million came from a crypto wallet that U.S. blockchain analysis firm TRM Labs said was linked to pig-butchering scams. Two other major crypto-tracking firms also said the account received funds linked to such scams.
…
Lisa Wolk, a blockchain intelligence analyst at TRM, said the crypto account in Wang’s name “is a node in a money laundering network and not necessarily the ultimate recipient of funds.” Reuters was unable to determine whether anyone else benefited from the account or used Wang’s identity to open it.
Where was Wang’s account?:
The crypto account registered to Wang was held at Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, according to three blockchain analysis firms. Asked about the account, Binance spokesperson Jessica Jung declined to comment on individual users or Reuters’ findings. In an August post on its website, the company said the number of reports of pig-butchering scams it had received this year was double that of 2022, an increase it attributed to an influx of inexperienced crypto investors and scammers looking to exploit them.
…
In April, the U.S. Department of Justice said it seized about $112 million worth of crypto linked to pig-butchering scams, without identifying suspects. A warrant that resulted in the seizure of more than half that amount specified a Binance account registered in Thailand.
Wang’s account moved a lot of Tether:
The crypto account in Wang’s name was registered in November 2020, according to the financial records Reuters reviewed. The three blockchain-analysis firms determined the account was with Binance. The documents, which relate to the Binance account, span two years to November 2022. They show that the account was accessed mostly from Bangkok.

Deposits started arriving in the account in early 2021 and quickly increased in size to include sums of more than $100,000, the financial records show.
…
In 2022, the volume of crypto reaching the account in Wang’s name mushroomed to almost $79 million, a near six-fold increase on the previous year, the account records seen by Reuters show.

Coinfirm, the blockchain analysis firm that reviewed the transaction records for Reuters, said deposits from funds linked to pig-butchering scams it previously investigated began entering the account as early as February 2022. Stolen crypto was moved to the account via a “complex layering scheme,” involving multiple different wallets, Coinfirm’s then-head of fraud investigations Roman Bieda told Reuters in May. The crypto moved between “dozens” of wallets and was mixed with funds from other sources, he said.

More than $102,000 originating from fraudsters’ wallets that the California man identified were deposited into the account in Wang’s name between June 26 and Oct. 23, 2022, according to Coinfirm.

Nearly all of the crypto deposited in the Wang-registered account was moved to other wallets, the transaction records reviewed by Reuters show. Between January 2021 and October 2022, about $87.5 million was transferred to almost 50 other crypto wallets, including at least five registered at regionally based crypto exchanges, Coinfirm said.
The pigs weren’t butchered in Bangkok:
Several scams connected to deposits made into the account in Wang’s name were run from an industrial park on the Myanmar-Thai border, one of the blockchain analysis firms told Reuters. Workers are trafficked to the area, known as KK Park, by gangs that force them to con people online, according to two former workers and groups that support workers or scam victims.
This was clearly a different pig abattoir from the Cambodia-based one Faux investigated.

A more detailed account of tracing the money flows of the pig butchers can be found in Connecting Chinese and American Scam Victims, a collaboration betwween Jonathan Reiter’s company ChainArgos and BitTrace, a Chinese blockchain tracing company. The abstract reads:
The world is experiencing an epidemic of online scams with at least tens of billions of dollars lost across dozens of countries. One particular class of scam known as “pig butchering” has grown dramatically and often involves the use of cryptocurrency both to collect funds from victims and to launder the proceeds. Here we are going to explore the use of cryptocurrency in pig butchering scams beginning with victims in both the People’s Republic of China and United States of America, and demonstrating the remarkable degree of similarity for cases that have no reason a priori to be similar at all.

Specifically we will show that scammers with victims in both these countries share cryptocur- rency addresses, use overlapping sets of money-laundering services, and are therefore likely parts of the same group or syndicate. Our analysis begins with reports from victims in both countries where we find source victim and scam wallet addresses. From there we are able to trace scam proceeds through the cryptocurrency ecosystem to prove these connections. Finally, a range of exchanges and other service providers are identified through a combination of on-chain and documentary research, to demonstrate the cross-border nature of modern scams leveraging cryptocurrencies, and highlight the challenges facing law enforcement agencies globally when it comes to such scams.
The two teams use press accounts of two cases with victims in China and legal filings from two cases with victims in Florida and California. They provide detailed traces, including wallet addresses, of flows from the victims to exchanges including Binance, Bitkub, FTX, OKX, Coinbase, Huboi, Maskex, Paribu and Peatio amounting to $635M. In particular, one of the Binance wallets was one of those identified in Reuters’ reporting. The paper concludes:
  1. Similar simultaneously-run scams have victims in both China and the United States.
  2. Funds taken from both jurisdictions flow through common service providers.
  3. The sums involved range from the tens to possibly hundreds of millions of dollars.
The ChainArgos team followed up with Laundering the Proceeds of Crime: Crypto’s Killer App?:
Now we are going to connect a few more dots to argue that scamming and the laundering of scam proceeds was not just a use case for cryptocurrencies in Asia, but likely a major driver of flows through several well-known industry players.

This may well even be, empirically, crypto’s killer app.
They note that Genesis Block, whose Charles Yang admitted maintaining bank accounts in South-East Asia under false pretences, appears to have been the on- and off-ramp for FTX in the region. The earlier paper showed that:
FTX was involved in processing over US$250 million in flows downstream from scams and Bitkub, Thailand’s largest crypto exchange, was involved in over US$100 million.
Could this be “banking Cambodia’s unbanked”?:
Cambodia’s population is only 16 million, with a per capita GDP of about US$1,600 — it’s hard to imagine Cambodia driving hundreds of millions of dollars worth of stablecoin flows.
They refer to the interview with Charles Yang and note that:
Genesis Block’s head trader explicitly talks about scam proceeds leading to bank account freezes and how they actively manage this problem.

So Genesis Block were clearly a downstream service provider and knew that at least some of their clients were, or at least were dealing with, criminals.

With regards to Genesis Block’s Chinese client base, in a different interview the same person says:
We’ve been seeing a lot of our partners pretty much disappear…a lot of our friends over there are kind of in big trouble…it’s not really about crypto it’s more about the source of the RMB… [which was] a lot of pyramid schemes, a lot of scams.
Genesis Block were clearly dealing with people who were either criminals themselves, or service providers to criminals, and Genesis Block appeared comfortable talking about such activities on camera.
Genesis Block was plugged in to the top level of cryptocurrency infrastructure:
Genesis Block OTC was on the Signet client list, as were many of the other exchanges referenced in our earlier work.

A service provider that talked openly about dealing with criminals was active on a platform another commentator described as “a walled garden filled with snakes.”

That service provider (Genesis Block) was integrated with FTX/Alameda Research), which was both the largest recipient of new USDT and a major exchange operator with myriad, sometimes-remarkably-creative, schemes to access fiat currency.
This leads ChainArgos to argue that:
it is entirely plausible that:
and this isn’t just plausible, it’s provable, because the illicit flows documented in our prior work were laundered by someone.

If it wasn’t this route it means there is at least one more multi-billion-dollar laundering pipeline connected to this activity we know nothing about.

That is possible of course, but seems unlikely.

Certainly the simplest explanation is that no second as-yet-undiscovered group of scammers or criminals exists and it’s all the same organization.

Now remember these actors specifically mentioned that the traditional financial system was blocking them and freezing their accounts.
Thus ChainArgos concludes:
We are looking at a gigantic amount of bad flow that was caught by banks and how cryptocurrencies were used to circumvent those controls.

The contents of those frozen accounts could have been, and at least partially would have been, sent back to the victims instead of being irreversibly exfiltrated.

So this may well be crypto’s real killer app — irreversible cross-border transfers for criminals.
Taken together, what these documents show is lives being wrecked, both by the scams themselves leading to suicides, and by the human trafficing that provides the scammers workforce, leading to beatings, imprisonment and suicides. Pillars of the cryptocurrency community are enabling this:

Thus these businesses cannnot claim ignorance of the flow of pig-butchering funds, or of their scale. But they are clearly motivated to turn a blind eye to them whenever possible.

https://blog.dshr.org/2024/02/tracing-pig-butchers.html Save to Pocket

2024-02-03 Wieder im Wallis

date: 2024-02-08, from: Alex Schroeder’s Blog

2024-02-03 Wieder im Wallis

Hier oben ist der Schnee nicht schlecht. #Pictures

Sonnenuntergang Alpenpanorama

The next day we went running but it was so steep that we rarely did run. It was more of a speed hike. 😅

Claudia looking into the valley Looking into the valley Claudia is happily back from the speed hike Alex is drinking a glass of wine Wonderful evening lights captured by Claudia

We went skiing again. The view from Cry d’Er is amazing if you ignore the people, buildings, cables and masts that I conveniently cut off in these pictures.

Mountains Mountains Mountains Mountains

We went down to the valley floor and walked from Salgesch to Sierre (and ate Raclette, there).

Claudia in front of a village Vineyards in winter A gully A bit of water in the gully Claudia walking Vineyards Claudia Claudia and Alex

We went skiing again. It was colder, today.

A valley filled with clouds

https://alexschroeder.ch/view/2024-02-03-wallis Save to Pocket

Oral surgery at today’s Supreme Court

date: 2024-02-08, from: Robert Reich on Substack

They will dissect Section 3 of the 14th Amendment during oral argument

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/oral-surgery-at-todays-supreme-court Save to Pocket

Yay, Disney+ renewed Percy Jackson and the Olympians for a second season….

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/02/0043942-yay-disney-renewed-percy- Save to Pocket

This $1b EV nickel plant will be North America’s largest

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

Canada Nickel Co. is looking to spend US $1 billion to build a nickel processing plant in Ontario, which would be North America’s largest once it is completed.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/this-1b-ev-nickel-plant-will-be-north-americas-largest/ Save to Pocket

Cough? Sore throat? More US schools suggest mildly sick kids attend anyway

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

California, where 25% of students last year missed 10% of the school year, took a new approach to sick-day guidance this fall.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/cough-sore-throat-more-schools-suggest-mildly-sick-kids-attend-anyway/ Save to Pocket

Forget Super Bowl LIV — 49ers take lessons from last season’s blowout loss to Chiefs

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

Humbled in their own stadium by Kansas City in Week 7 of 2022, the 49ers reeled off 10 straight wins to close out the regular season.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/decisive-home-loss-to-chiefs-last-season-is-still-on-the-minds-of-49ers/ Save to Pocket

Work to resolve binary babble from Voyager 1 is ongoing

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

You think your latency is bad? How about 45 hours to see if a command worked?

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has confirmed that work to resolve a data issue aboard Voyager 1 continues, almost two months since the spacecraft began spouting gibberish.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/engineers_work_to_revive_voyager/ Save to Pocket

Introducing Deno Deploy onboarding tutorials

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Deno blog

We revamped Deno Deploy’s onboarding to show you how easy it is to use Deno’s cloud primitives in your projects.

https://deno.com/blog/deploy-onboarding-tutorials Save to Pocket

@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-02-08, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

Scott Chacon talk on Git tips and tricks from fosdem:

youtube.com/watch?v=aolI_Rz0Zq

https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111896567755829642 Save to Pocket

The Good and the Bad for Biden in Southeast Asia

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: RAND blog

Since entering office in 2021, one of the Biden administration’s foreign-policy priorities has been a more effective Indo-Pacific strategy to compete with China, especially in Southeast Asia. Three years on, the administration’s policy has bright spots, but still lacks a clear strategy for the region.

https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2024/02/the-good-and-the-bad-for-biden-in-southeast-asia.html Save to Pocket

Ryan Gosling finally summited the iconic WB water tower. “For whatever reason,…

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

https://kottke.org/24/02/0043941-ryan-gosling-finally-summ Save to Pocket

Scientists Find Optimal Balance of Data Storage and Time

date: 2024-02-08, from: Quanta Magazine

Seventy years after the invention of a data structure called a hash table, theoreticians have found the most efficient possible configuration for it.

The post Scientists Find Optimal Balance of Data Storage and Time first appeared on Quanta Magazine

https://www.quantamagazine.org/scientists-find-optimal-balance-of-data-storage-and-time-20240208/ Save to Pocket

There Must be Some Misunderstanding

date: 2024-02-08, from: Gary Marcus blog

There must be some misunderstanding There must be some kind of mistake – Phil Collins / Genesis Great example last night from Denis O. on LinkedIn, that connects with pretty much everything have been writing about, from elephants on beaches to the lack of understanding in large language models

https://garymarcus.substack.com/p/there-must-be-some-misunderstanding Save to Pocket

Listeria outbreak: What to know and how to protect yourself

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

In the United States, listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness, killing about 260 a year, according to the CDC.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/listeria-outbreak-what-to-know-and-how-to-protect-yourself/ Save to Pocket

BYD’s upcoming EV plans leak showing new Seal and Tesla Model Y rivaling SUV launching

date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

BYD is rolling out new electric models in different segments as it looks to stay on top of the EV sales market. BYD’s latest EV plans leaked, showing a new electric SUV rolling out in April to compete with Tesla’s top-selling Model Y.

more…

https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/byd-ev-plans-leak-tesla-model-y-rivaling-suv/ Save to Pocket

Telescopes Show the Milky Way’s Black Hole is Ready for a Kick

date: 2024-02-08, from: NASA breaking news

This artist’s illustration depicts the findings of a new study about the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy called Sagittarius A* (abbreviated as Sgr A). As reported in our latest press release, this result found that Sgr A is spinning so quickly that it is warping spacetime — that is, time and the three dimensions of space […]

https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/telescopes-show-the-milky-ways-black-hole-is-ready-for-a-kick/ Save to Pocket

Campbell, San Francisco restaurants make Yelp’s Most Romantic 100 list

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

Three Northern California restaurants have scored spots on the list – in the country – for Valentine’s Day (or anniversary dinners or date nights).

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/campbell-sf-restaurants-make-yelps-most-romantic-100-list/ Save to Pocket

Microsoft embraces its inner penguin as sudo sneaks into Windows 11

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Linux users have enjoyed such functionality for decades

Microsoft has accidentally announced the arrival of sudo in Windows, bringing to an end fervent industry chatter about the tool emerging in the company’s flagship operating system.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/windows_11_sudo/ Save to Pocket

BYD Global Plug-In Car Sales Exceeded 200,000 In January 2024

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

The company increased its plug-in car sales by 34% year-over-year.

https://insideevs.com/news/707816/byd-global-plugin-car-sales-january2024/ Save to Pocket

NASA’s Hubble Traces ‘String of Pearls’ Star Clusters in Galaxy Collisions

date: 2024-02-08, from: NASA breaking news

Contrary to what you might think, galaxy collisions do not destroy stars. In fact, the rough-and-tumble dynamics trigger new generations of stars, and presumably accompanying planets. Now NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has homed in on 12 interacting galaxies that have long, tadpole-like tidal tails of gas, dust, and a plethora of stars. Hubble’s exquisite sharpness […]

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/nasas-hubble-traces-string-of-pearls-star-clusters-in-galaxy-collisions/ Save to Pocket

Nearly 13,000 Pacific Gas and Electric customers still without power across Bay Area after punishing weekend storm

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

The storm brought strong winds that toppled trees across the Bay Area.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/nearly-13000-pacific-gas-and-electric-customers-still-without-power-across-bay-area-after-punishing-weekend-storm/ Save to Pocket

@Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-02-08, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

I am in awe at how beautifully written this book review by @molly0xfff is. On my second reading, just to try to capture all those perfectly crafted phrases.

citationneeded.news/review-rea

I would like one day to write something as perfect as this:

https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111896395357174686 Save to Pocket

Tesla-Swapped Minivan Vs. Porsche 911 Turbo S Race Is Closer Than You Think

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

The Plaidessey goes against Cleetus McFarland and his upgraded 911 at the Freedom Factory.

https://insideevs.com/news/707929/tesla-swapped-minivan-vs-porsche-911-turbo-s-race-video/ Save to Pocket

Taste of Tri-Valley Restaurant Week starts Feb. 23

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

For 10 days starting later this month, restaurants in Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, Danville and San Ramon will take the spotlight at the fourth annual Taste of Tri-Valley Restaurant Week celebration.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/taste-of-tri-valley-restaurant-week-starts-feb-23/ Save to Pocket

Fintech engineer grounded by crypto fraud caper, including $300m spoof trades

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Fourth conviction in South Africa-linked scheme

The head of financial engineering at fintech platform Hydrogen Technology has been convicted of manipulating the price of a security and scheming to defraud investors in the company’s cryptocurrency, HYDRO.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/hydrogen_technology_engineer_convicted/ Save to Pocket

7 awesome Bay Area things to do over Super Bowl weekend, Feb. 9-11

date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

We have some awesome ideas for Super Bowl Sunday, and other fun stuff, too.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/7-awesome-bay-area-things-to-do-over-super-bowl-weekend-feb-9-11/ Save to Pocket

Hartmann Has Experience

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

I am writing to express my wholehearted support for Joan Hartmann for reelection as 3rd District representative to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

The post Hartmann Has Experience appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/hartmann-has-experience-2/ Save to Pocket

E-Bike Brand Velo De Ville Has Four New Models For The 2024 Riding Season

date: 2024-02-08, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

Cruise around in style with these premium urban runabouts.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/707841/velo-de-ville-2024-ebikes-launch-europe/ Save to Pocket

Arts & Lectures Donors Dine with Renée Fleming

date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

Timothy Fisher lauds Arts & Lectures Programming

The post Arts & Lectures Donors Dine with Renée Fleming appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/arts-lectures-donors-dine-with-renee-fleming/ Save to Pocket

Our T Level resources to support vocational education in England

date: 2024-02-08, from: Raspberry Pi (.org)

You can now access classroom resources created by us for the T Level in Digital Production, Design and Development. T Levels are a type of vocational qualification young people in England can gain after leaving school, and we are pleased to be able to support T Level teachers and students. With our new resources, we…

The post Our T Level resources to support vocational education in England appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/t-level-resources-support-vocational-education-england/ Save to Pocket

This Guy Has Built an Open Source Search Engine as an Alternative to Google in His Spare Time

date: 2024-02-08, from: 404 Media Group

“I found it very weird that there essentially is no way to browse the web in an open manner. So that’s what I am trying to build,” the founder of Stract said.

https://www.404media.co/this-guy-is-building-an-open-source-search-engine-in-real-time/ Save to Pocket

Nonprofit news site Chalkbeat gets a shoutout on ABC’s hit show “Abbott Elementary”

date: 2024-02-08, from: Nieman Journalism Lab

Sometimes we can just have nice little things. Like this! Nonprofit education news site Chalkbeat got a shoutout in last night’s season 3 premiere of the ABC hit comedy “Abbott Elementary.” Did that really just happen? Yes, yes it did. Thank you @AbbottElemABC for the shoutout! We’re excited for potentially more people to “read about…

https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/02/nonprofit-news-site-chalkbeat-gets-a-shoutout-on-abcs-hit-show-abbott-elementary/ Save to Pocket

Toyota Says It’s Not ‘Anti-EV,’ It’s ‘Just Being Real’

date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

Toyota is keeping diesels around in its global markets until EVs can match their prowess (or until regulations force them out).

https://insideevs.com/news/707794/toyota-not-anti-ev-australia/ Save to Pocket

Cybercrime duo accused of picking $2.5M from Apple’s orchard

date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

Security researcher buddies allegedly tag team a four-month virtual gift card heist at Cupertino tech giant

A cybersecurity researcher and his pal are facing charges in California after they allegedly defrauded an unnamed company, almost certainly Apple, out of $2.5 million.…

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/security_research_apple_fraud/ Save to Pocket

In Plain Sight / Shadowsmith

date: 2024-02-08, from: Care

            <p>Two poems by Shivangi Mariam Raj where she “gather[s] shards of ceramic washed under my scream and forgive” and where “Shadow precedes presence.”</p>

https://logicmag.io/policy/in-plain-sight-and-shadowsmith Save to Pocket

‘I did not kill Ed. He’s my friend’

date: 2024-02-08, from: Guam Daily Post

During the trial of Jamie John Nededog, who is accused of murdering Edwin Pirando, 54, in October 2023, Nedeog’s mother, Jessica Nededog, testified Thursday morning in the Superior Court of Guam as a witness.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/i-did-not-kill-ed-hes-my-friend/article_1020279a-c620-11ee-a91c-3f49dbff9a4a.html Save to Pocket

University releases new 2024 calendars for fishers, gardeners

date: 2024-02-08, from: Guam Daily Post

The University of Guam has launched two calendars for this year, focusing on facts and tips for fishing and planting.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/university-releases-new-2024-calendars-for-fishers-gardeners/article_9824c668-bb40-11ee-b41c-93e2ad87f0e4.html Save to Pocket

Typhoon recovery program to help those with ‘unmet needs’

date: 2024-02-08, from: Guam Daily Post

The Office of Homelessness and Poverty Prevention has secured $1.8 million to help people who still need help to recover from Typhoon Mawar, according to its director.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/typhoon-recovery-program-to-help-those-with-unmet-needs/article_235ffcd0-c62b-11ee-9c08-c735c2634286.html Save to Pocket

Grass fire closes Cross Island Road

date: 2024-02-08, from: Guam Daily Post

Guam Fire Department units responded to a grass fire on Cross Island Road by Our Lady of Peace Memorial Gardens cemetery at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/grass-fire-closes-cross-island-road/article_bbbcf4aa-c631-11ee-957b-036d5a0c3cb9.html Save to Pocket

Ex-football league owner who recruited local athletes arrested by FBI, indicted

date: 2024-02-08, from: Guam Daily Post

A woman who announced she would start a professional women’s adult football league in the U.S., which prompted women football players on the island to relocate, is facing 38 federal counts of fraud in California.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/ex-football-league-owner-who-recruited-local-athletes-arrested-by-fbi-indicted/article_1556dcfe-c62a-11ee-bef3-ff9d9924daf2.html Save to Pocket

Speaker to seek reconsideration of hospital location, mining bills

date: 2024-02-08, from: Guam Daily Post

Speaker Therese Terlaje said she will attempt to place Bill 116-37, Bill 184-37 and Bill 185-37 onto the agenda for reconsideration in the upcoming session. The speaker announced her intentions on Wednesday, as the legislative Committee on Rules began to…

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/speaker-to-seek-reconsideration-of-hospital-location-mining-bills/article_898786d8-c59d-11ee-8eb8-0bd625439ab7.html Save to Pocket

Lawmakers discuss increased taxes, fees for vaping products

date: 2024-02-08, from: Guam Daily Post

Increases to proposed taxes and licensing fees were among the recommendations given to lawmakers Thursday morning during a public hearing on legislation proposing tax and licensing requirements for electronic nicotine delivery systems, or ENDS products, also known as vaping products.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/lawmakers-discuss-increased-taxes-fees-for-vaping-products/article_0484ce96-c61a-11ee-8eac-af4ef30abbef.html Save to Pocket

New Pacific islands publication seeks submissions from writers

date: 2024-02-08, from: Guam Daily Post

A new publication focused on the Pacific is looking for submissions for its inaugural issue, the Pacific Islands Development Program’s Pacific Islands Report announced in a press release.

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/new-pacific-islands-publication-seeks-submissions-from-writers/article_41a0c0d6-c562-11ee-82e0-6f809a74eac3.html Save to Pocket

5 Marines Aboard Helicopter That Went Down Outside San Diego Confirmed Dead, Military Says

date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

San Diego, California — Five U.S. Marines aboard a helicopter that went down during stormy weather in the mountains outside of San Diego are confirmed dead, military said.

Authorities say the CH-53E Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night while returning to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego after training at Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas.

“It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines from 3d Marine Aircraft Wing and the”Flying Tigers,” Maj. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, commander of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, said in a statement.

The names of the Marines were not immediately released.

The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley, an hour’s drive from San Diego.

https://www.voanews.com/a/marines-aboard-helicopter-that-went-down-outside-san-diego-confirmed-dead-military-says/7479321.html Save to Pocket

Disney is (re)entering its video game era

date: 2024-02-08, from: Marketplace Morning Report

Disney announced it will take a $1.5 billion stake in Epic Games — the creator of popular game platform Fortnite — in an effort to diversify while its linear media struggles. The partnership means we can expect Epic-created games featuring Disney characters in the not-too-distant future. Plus, Federal Reserve higher-ups signal they will take their time on rate cuts and U.S. imports of Chinese goods fell last year.

https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/disney-is-reentering-its-video-game-era Save to Pocket

Earth Spent 12 Months Above the 1.5C Warming Limit

date: 2024-02-08, from: Heatmap News



Current conditions: Forest fires are under control in Chile’s Viña del Mar, but continue to burn in other parts of the country • Los Angeles recorded at least 475 mudslides due to the atmospheric river • It’s 75 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny in Naples, Florida, where a 9-acre beachfront retreat just hit the housing market for a record-breaking $295 million.

THE TOP FIVE

  1. World exceeds 1.5C in warming for a full year

Temperatures on Earth have been more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for a year, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). New data shows that from February 2023 through January 2024, the average global temperature was 1.52 degrees Celsius higher than the 1850-1900 baseline. Last month was also the warmest January ever recorded, C3S confirmed. In 2015, 196 nations adopted the legally binding Paris Agreement with the long-term goal of limiting the global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally below 1.5 degrees. A one-year breach doesn’t mean the target is bust, because it “refers to long-term warming – the IPCC uses 20 to 30 years – not annual temperatures that include the short-term influence of natural fluctuations in the climate, such as El Niño,” explained Carbon Brief. However, some experts, including the new chief of the World Meteorological Organization, believe the rate of warming is speeding up.

C3S

  1. New EPA air pollution rules could save thousands of lives

In case you missed it: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rolled out new air pollution rules yesterday, cracking down on dangerous particulate matter. Previously, the EPA’s annual standard for concentrations of particulate matter was 12 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). Based on epidemiological research showing that this standard did not adequately protect public health, the agency has now lowered the standard to 9 µg/m3. The rules are expected to prevent 4,500 premature deaths per year by 2032. The EPA also updated its Air Quality Index in conjunction with the new rules, which could mean that even as the air gets cleaner, you might get more air quality alerts, reported Heatmap’s Emily Pontecorvo.

  1. Monarch butterfly numbers drop sharply

Heat, drought, and pesticides and herbicides are taking a toll on the monarch butterfly population. Numbers of the iconic orange butterflies in Mexico, where they spend the winter, fell by 59% this year to their second lowest level ever recorded, The Associated Press reported. Extreme weather, logging, and chemical treatments are all hurting the insects’ natural habitat and killing the milkweed plant on which they lay their eggs. “It has a lot to do with climate change,” said Gloria Tavera, director of Mexico’s Commission for National Protected Areas. The monarchs’ migration path is the longest of any insect species known to science: They winter in Mexico and then head north to Canada. No single butterfly survives the entire trek; instead their offspring finish it for them, before turning around and heading back to Mexico to start the process over again.

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    1. Orsted had a no good, very bad year

    Danish energy developer Orsted said yesterday that it had lost a ton of money on its experiment trying to build wind farms in the United States, and planned to take on way less risk going forward. The figures are pretty grim, as Heatmap’s Matthew Zeitlin reported: Orsted had 9.6 billion Danish kroner worth of fees (about $1.4 billion) related to one New Jersey project, Ocean Wind 1, and had booked $4 billion of losses, most of which were due to Ocean Wind 1’s cancellation. Overall, it reported a loss of almost $3 billion in 2023. Orsted also said it was pulling out of Norway, Spain, and Portugal. In a call with analysts, the company’s chief executive Mads Nipper said that Orsted will spend far less money on projects before making the final approval to go forward with construction.

    1. Study suggests thinking about future generations moves people to support climate policy

    Convincing people to change their habits and beliefs is very hard, but when it comes to the climate crisis, widespread behavioral shifts are essential. A new “global megastudy” of more than 59,000 participants across 63 countries attempted to figure out which “interventions” can be most effective at shifting beliefs and getting people to support climate policy. The results, published in Science Advances, show that the act of writing a letter to future generations was “one of the top interventions tested.” Participants had to pen a note to a hypothetical child who will be turning 30 in the year 2055, detailing what they’re doing now to help keep the planet healthy. This exercise was the most effective intervention at nudging people toward supporting climate mitigation policies.

    THE KICKER

    Nima Sarikhani / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

    “Ice Bed,” by Nima Sarikhani, is the winner of the 2023 Wildlife Photographer of the Year 59 People’s Choice Award. The picture shows a male polar bear drifting off to sleep on a small iceberg off the Svalbard archipelago. “I hope that this photograph also inspires hope,” Sarikhani said. “There is still time to fix the mess we have caused.” The competition is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.

    https://heatmap.news/climate/year-warming-paris-agreement Save to Pocket

    Heat pumps outsold gas furnaces in 2023—Here’s why

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Distilled Earth blog

    Five reasons and a whole lot of charts

    https://www.distilled.earth/p/heat-pumps-outsold-gas-furnaces-in Save to Pocket

    5G network slicing finally shown to be more than pipe dream

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Telcos demonstrate configuration in action at research facility. Now to find customers that want to buy one

    Telco BT has demonstrated network slicing, long slated as a key element for providing full fat 5G networks promised to subscribers.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/bt_5g_network_slicing/ Save to Pocket

    Watch this electric motorcycle ride battery deep through California flood waters

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

    As Californians brace for record-setting rain and flooding in many areas, drivers are forced to be extra cautious on flooded roadways. In what may be a first for this particular bike though, we’re getting a look at a Ryvid Anthem electric motorcycle that was ridden battery-deep through flood waters and lived to ride back out.

    The entire exercise underscores just how waterproof electric motorcycles can be, even riding underwater.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/electric-motorcycle-rides-battery-deep-through-california-flood-waters/ Save to Pocket

    Google’s Gemini Advanced: Tasting Notes and Implications

    date: 2024-02-08, from: One Useful Thing

    And then there were two.

    https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/google-gemini-advanced-tasting-notes Save to Pocket

    Volvo Global All-Electric Car Sales Improved In January Thanks To EX30

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Inside EVs News

    Plug-in hybrid car sales continued to decrease year-over-year for the fourth consecutive month.

    https://insideevs.com/news/707646/volvo-global-electric-car-sales-january2024/ Save to Pocket

    Category Six

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: One Foot Tsunami

    https://onefoottsunami.com/2024/02/08/category-six/ Save to Pocket

    Was This Villa Pliny the Elder’s Front-Row Seat to Mount Vesuvius’ Eruption?

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Smithsonian Magazine

    Researchers are wondering whether a newly discovered villa in southern Italy could be linked to the celebrated scholar

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-mansion-may-have-been-pliny-the-elders-front-row-seat-to-mount-vesuvius-eruption-180983736/ Save to Pocket

    Dr. Gene Dorio | A Youngster Among Giants

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

    The city of Santa Clarita is a youngster among giants. At only 36 years old, we are already the third largest city in Los Angeles County and still growing. As a longtime resident and practicing physician, I know I’ve been around for a while when I drive on roads and see buildings and parks named […]

    The post Dr. Gene Dorio | A Youngster Among Giants appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/dr-gene-dorio-a-youngster-among-giants/ Save to Pocket

    HackSpace magazine meets VEEB Projects

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Raspberry Pi News (.com)

    Design duo Vanessa Bradley and Martin Spendiff, known as VEEB, create devices sometimes simple, sometimes complicated, but always beautifully clean.

    The post HackSpace magazine meets VEEB Projects appeared first on Raspberry Pi.

    https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/hackspace-magazine-meets-veeb-projects/ Save to Pocket

    European cloud providers locked in talks with Microsoft over licensing complaint

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Redmond has until end of this quarter to make ‘substantive progress’

    A trade group representing 27 cloud businesses is back at the negotiating table in a bid to resolve the lawsuit it filed over Microsoft’s alleged anti-competitive licensing policies.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/microsoft_cispe_dispute_talks/ Save to Pocket

    Prices fall in China

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Marketplace Morning Report

    From the BBC World Service: Consumer prices in China have seen their steepest fall since 2009, adding to deflation woes. In Pakistan, millions are heading to the polls to vote in a new government. And a study on working conditions in Cambodia’s garment and brick industries highlights the risks climate change poses to those already struggling in hot countries.

    https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/prices-fall-in-china Save to Pocket

    CFMoto Ibex 450 Ventures Into The US Market

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    It’s scheduled for availability in the fall of 2024.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707839/cfmoto-ibex450-launch-usa/ Save to Pocket

    @Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-02-08, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

    La Terminal on Product Hunt:

    producthunt.com/posts/la-termi

    https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111895754423193999 Save to Pocket

    On Software Liabilities

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Bruce Schneier blog

    Over on Lawfare, Jim Dempsey published a really interesting proposal for software liability: “Standard for Software Liability: Focus on the Product for Liability, Focus on the Process for Safe Harbor.”

    Section 1 of this paper sets the stage by briefly describing the problem to be solved. Section 2 canvasses the different fields of law (warranty, negligence, products liability, and certification) that could provide a starting point for what would have to be legislative action establishing a system of software liability. The conclusion is that all of these fields would face the same question: How buggy is too buggy? Section 3 explains why existing software development frameworks do not provide a sufficiently definitive basis for legal liability. They focus on process, while a liability regime should begin with a focus on the product—­that is, on outcomes. Expanding on the idea of building codes for building code, Section 4 shows some examples of product-focused standards from other fields. Section 5 notes that already there have been definitive expressions of software defects that can be drawn together to form the minimum legal standard of security. It specifically calls out the list of common software weaknesses tracked by the MITRE Corporation under a government contract. Section 6 considers how to define flaws above the minimum floor and how to limit that liability with a safe harbor…

    https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/02/on-software-liabilities.html Save to Pocket

    #SuperbOwl: The Wise Owl Club

    date: 2024-02-08, from: National Archives, Pieces of History blog

    Today’s post is an oldie but a goodie from our very own public affairs specialist Hilary Parkinson. While searching for images of owls in the National Archives Catalog for #SuperbOwl, I came across this curious photo of an owl wearing safety goggles. In the same search I found photographs of men shaking hands and showing off tiny owl … Continue reading #SuperbOwl: The Wise Owl Club

    https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2024/02/08/superbowl-the-wise-owl-club/ Save to Pocket

    LEVER TIME: The Anxious Generation, Brought To You By Smartphones

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Lever News

    David Sirota speaks with researcher Zach Rausch about the myriad ways modern technology is rewiring childhood development.

    https://www.levernews.com/lever-time-the-anxious-generation-brought-to-you-by-smartphones/ Save to Pocket

    Microsoft seeks patent for tech to put words into your mouth

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Remember that satnav that spoke like Homer Simpson? Now imagine AI doing that in any language, on any device

    Microsoft has filed a patent application for an “automatic dubbing” system that strips speech from media and inserts new voices in its place.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/microsoft_patent_speach/ Save to Pocket

    Los Angeles Is Probably Too Good at Preventing Big Floods

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Heatmap News



    For the past few days, Southern Californians have found themselves living with a kind of weather one doesn’t typically associate with the region: rain. Days of rain. The kind of rain that, in the worst cases, causes flooding and landslides, and in the best cases enforces a kind of unwilling solitude. (A friend in the Los Angeles area recently sent me a video of her German Shepherd, yowling discontentedly at the falling water.) One gauge at the University of California, Los Angeles recorded more than a foot of rain in 24 hours, making it what the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration calls a “thousand-year” rainfall event.

    The cause is a slow-moving atmospheric river that has essentially parked itself over the region. And yet, even with all that rain, California still won’t be able to escape the drought that’s gripped the West for years. California, it turns out, might be a bit too good at flood control.

    Undeveloped floodplains act like natural speed bumps for fast-moving floods — the water spreads out over the plain, slows down, and eventually seeps into the dirt to become groundwater. But land is at a premium in Southern California, especially in the L.A. area, and for decades the prevailing wisdom was to contain rivers with concrete so they wouldn’t flood, opening the floodplains to housing development. What we still call the L.A. River is now, essentially, a concrete drain.

    This creates two problems. First, there’s no natural barrier that can slow down flood waters during events like this week’s storms. And second, there’s nowhere for that water to go other than into the rivers and out to sea.

    “Most of the rivers in Southern California are channelized, or concrete-lined, and most of the floodplains are developed,” Jay Famiglietti, a hydrologist at Arizona State University’s Global Futures Lab and a former member of the California State Water Board in Santa Ana and Los Angeles, told me. “When we built all that infrastructure, we really were thinking more about flooding and not thinking about saving that water.”

    That’s because California has historically been pretty well-supplied with water from the Colorado River and Sierra Nevada snowpack that would melt in the spring and summer, delivering water through mountain streams. But as Ian James wrote in the Los Angeles Times last week, California is in a “snow drought,” with about only about half the historical average snowpack for this point in the season. While the storms might help shore up the Sierra Nevada snowpack a bit, it still won’t be enough.

    Warmer air carries more water, but it also means that less snow falls at lower elevations than before — where once we might have seen a few inches of snow, we now see a few inches of rain. During an atmospheric river in particular, so much water is dumped over such a short time period that protecting people from flooding becomes the primary concern.

    “It’s a difficult balance between protecting people against flooding, which I think we do a really good job at, and replenishing groundwater,” Famiglietti said. But, he told me, Californians need to start having some difficult conversations about the possibility of moving people off the floodplains — what planners called “managed retreat” — and returning riverbanks to their natural state so that floodwaters can spread out into the plains, slow down, and refill aquifers that the state can rely on throughout the year.

    Managed retreat is a difficult topic — nobody ever wants to leave their home. And then there’s the problem of money; local, state, and federal government agencies would probably have to fund all those moves and the subsequent restoration of the rivers and floodplains. “We need to be spending a lot more money,” Famiglietti told me. “We’re talking trillions of dollars. And who pays for it, the federal government or the state? I don’t have the answer.”

    There are some plans to reshape the L.A. River, spearheaded by none other than Frank Gehry — but Famiglietti says that instead of restoring the river’s banks and opening up floodplains, the plans call for even more development. A coalition of environmental groups opposes the plan, saying Gehry’s idea, which includes the construction of “platform parks” that would span over the canal, saying that it “stands to do particular ecological harm, create real estate speculation, and precludes future opportunities for climate resilience.”

    Going in the opposite direction — less development and less concrete — is sort of antithetical to our ideas of progress. But the atmospheric rivers will keep coming, Famiglietti stressed, and it’s difficult to plan a city around unpredictable rain events.

    “We did the right thing at the time [when we built flood infrastructure],” Famiglietti told me. “But now, in a sense, we have to be thinking about moving backwards.”

    https://heatmap.news/climate/los-angeles-river-california-rain Save to Pocket

    A Death Sentence: Native Americans Shut Out of the Nation’s Liver Transplant System

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Markup blog

    Despite being more likely to die of liver disease, Native Americans are far less likely to make the transplant list than White people

    https://themarkup.org/organ-failure/2024/02/08/a-death-sentence-native-americans-shut-out-of-the-nations-liver-transplant-system Save to Pocket

    How We Investigated Racial Disparities in Liver Transplants

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Markup blog

    We found Native Americans were listed for a transplant significantly less often than other racial groups compared with their number of deaths from liver disease

    https://themarkup.org/show-your-work/2024/02/08/how-we-investigated-racial-disparities-in-liver-transplants Save to Pocket

    US Political Campaigns Weigh Artificial Intelligence

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    The 2024 U.S. presidential election may look a lot like the 2020 vote, with the two major party nominations likely going to the same men, Joe Biden and Donald Trump. One big difference will be the use of artificial intelligence, which is playing a growing role in American politics.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/us-political-campaigns-weigh-artificial-intelligence-/7479043.html Save to Pocket

    Saturnian moon Mimas: Crunchy on the outside, sub-surface ocean on the inside

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Data from Cassini suggests hidden depths beneath crater-ridden body

    Mimas, a moderate-sized moon orbiting Saturn, is likely to possess liquid oceans hidden under its icy surface, according to a research paper published this week.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/mimas_subsurface_ocean/ Save to Pocket

    Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona is the 2023 USAA Salute to Service award winner

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>LAS VEGAS &#8212; New England Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona is the USAA 2023 Salute to Service award winner. </p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/sports/patriots-long-snapper-joe-cardona-is-the-2023-usaa-salute-to-service-award-winner/ Save to Pocket

    Boys basketball BIIF championship matchups set

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>The stage is set for Friday&#8217;s KTA/BIIF boys basketball championship &#8212; where Hilo High and Kamehameha Schools - Hawai&#8216;i will settle their season-long rivalry in a fight for the BIIF Division I title, and reigning Division II state champion Kohala will take on underdog challenger Pahoa High for the BIIF DII crown.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/sports/boys-basketball-biif-championship-matchups-set/ Save to Pocket

    BIIF football: Konawaena dominates All-Hawaii football awards

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>KAILUA-KONA &#8212; Football players from four Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) schools &#8212; Konawaena, Kamehameha Schools-Hawa&#8216;i, Hawaii Prep and Kea&#8216;au &#8212; were named to the ScoringLive Division I and II All-Hawaii first and second teams on Wednesday for their exceptional performances during the 2023 season.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/sports/biif-football-konawaena-dominates-all-hawaii-football-awards/ Save to Pocket

    Kentucky WR transfer making smooth transition to Warriors football team

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>After signing the bulk of the 2024 recruiting class in December, the Hawaii football team will gain official commitments today from an offensive lineman, a defensive lineman and a linebacker.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/sports/kentucky-wr-transfer-making-smooth-transition-to-warriors-football-team/ Save to Pocket

    Waiakea senior Ryder Ng signs with Linfield

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>With the BIIF golf season just around the corner, Waiakea High senior golfer Ryder Ng signed a letter of intent to golf for Linfield University on Tuesday.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/sports/waiakea-senior-ryder-ng-signs-with-linfield/ Save to Pocket

    Las Vegas, where the party never ends, prepares for its biggest yet: Super Bowl 58

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>LAS VEGAS &#8212; Las Vegas proposed to the NFL in December 2021.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/las-vegas-where-the-party-never-ends-prepares-for-its-biggest-yet-super-bowl-58/ Save to Pocket

    2024 starts off drier than normal for large swath of the island

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>In terms of precipitation, the Big Island in January was a tale of two halves. </p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/hawaii-news/2024-starts-off-drier-than-normal-for-large-swath-of-the-island/ Save to Pocket

    From Uber Eats’ ‘Friends’ reunion to Bud’s Clydesdales, here are the buzziest Super Bowl ads so far

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>NEW YORK &#8212; If you watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, you no longer have to wait until the big game to see what advertisers have in store for viewers.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/from-uber-eats-friends-reunion-to-buds-clydesdales-here-are-the-buzziest-super-bowl-ads-so-far/ Save to Pocket

    Settlement reached in Hilo case involving DLNR officer: Assault will cost state $1.25M

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Companion bills in the state Legislature that appropriate money to settle claims against the state and its employees contain $1.25 million for a Hilo woman who was sexually assaulted when she was a teenager on a Hilo beach by a Department of Land and Natural Resources enforcement officer.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/hawaii-news/settlement-reached-in-hilo-case-involving-dlnr-officer-assault-will-cost-state-1-25m/ Save to Pocket

    Proposal to establish shaka as state gesture clears committee

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>A proposal to establish the shaka as Hawaii&#8217;s state gesture made progress through the state Legislature on Wednesday after winning the approval of its first House committee.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/hawaii-news/proposal-to-establish-shaka-as-state-gesture-clears-committee/ Save to Pocket

    Actor Gina Carano sues Lucasfilm and Disney over her firing from ‘The Mandalorian’

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>LOS ANGELES (AP) &#8212; Actor Gina Carano on Tuesday sued Lucasfilm and its parent The Walt Disney Co. over her 2021 firing from &#8220; The Mandalorian,&#8221; saying she was let go for expressing right-wing views on social media.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/actor-gina-carano-sues-lucasfilm-and-disney-over-her-firing-from-the-mandalorian/ Save to Pocket

    Trump has edge over Biden in nationwide FAU poll. Many voters looking for an alternative

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Former President Donald Trump is slightly ahead of President Joe Biden in a nationwide poll released Wednesday by Florida Atlantic University.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/trump-has-edge-over-biden-in-nationwide-fau-poll-many-voters-looking-for-an-alternative/ Save to Pocket

    Experts mixed on impact of Crumbley verdict, but some see message for parents

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>An Oakland County jury broke new ground Tuesday by holding the mother of a school shooter criminally responsible for her child&#8217;s actions, but Metro Detroit legal experts had mixed opinions about how the guilty verdict might influence other cases.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/experts-mixed-on-impact-of-crumbley-verdict-but-some-see-message-for-parents/ Save to Pocket

    Hawaii lawmakers consider overruling regulator on solar energy program rates

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>The price that most Hawaii electrical utility customers pay for, or in some cases receive payment for, grid stability is being wrestled over at the state Legislature.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/hawaii-news/hawaii-lawmakers-consider-overruling-regulator-on-solar-energy-program-rates/ Save to Pocket

    We Americans neglect our children

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Individually, we adore and pamper our children. We shuttle them from soccer practice to music lessons and then organize their play dates with meticulous fanaticism.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/opinion/we-americans-neglect-our-children/ Save to Pocket

    Your Views for February 8

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Homelessness needs&#0010;to be addressed</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/opinion/your-views-for-february-8-5/ Save to Pocket

    No time to govern: A Senate border deal worth taking, but far-right House GOP only cares of politics

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>After months of protracted negotiations, the Senate has finally unveiled a bipartisan border deal that the GOP had tied to Democrats&#8217; other legislative priorities, including needed funding for Ukraine. Speaker Mike Johnson immediately announced its status in the House: dead on arrival.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/no-time-to-govern-a-senate-border-deal-worth-taking-but-far-right-house-gop-only-cares-of-politics/ Save to Pocket

    Willis seeks to kill subpoenas as battle over alleged wrongdoing continues

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>ATLANTA &#8212; District Attorney Fani Willis Wednesday sought to quash subpoenas that would require her and members of her staff to testify as part of a hearing to determine whether she committed misconduct and should be barred from prosecuting Fulton County&#8217;s election interference case.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/willis-seeks-to-kill-subpoenas-as-battle-over-alleged-wrongdoing-continues/ Save to Pocket

    Supreme Court could toss Trump eligibility dispute to Congress

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Supreme Court oral arguments Thursday could shed light on what&#8217;s at stake for Congress in a case about a Colorado decision to bar Donald Trump from appearing on the state primary ballot based on the 14th Amendment.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/supreme-court-could-toss-trump-eligibility-dispute-to-congress/ Save to Pocket

    FTC, Amazon spar over antitrust lawsuit that could ‘alter’ the company

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>In the months since the Federal Trade Commission sued Amazon over allegations of anti-competitive and monopolistic behavior, the two parties have debated the schedule, the scope and the rationale of the case itself.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/ftc-amazon-spar-over-antitrust-lawsuit-that-could-alter-the-company/ Save to Pocket

    US drone strike in Baghdad kills high-ranking militia leader linked to attacks on American troops

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>BAGHDAD &#8212; A U.S. drone strike blew up a car in the Iraqi capital Wednesday night, killing a high-ranking commander of the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia who is responsible for &#8220;directly planning and participating in attacks&#8221; on American troops in the region, the U.S. military said Wednesday.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/us-drone-strike-in-baghdad-kills-high-ranking-militia-leader-linked-to-attacks-on-american-troops/ Save to Pocket

    Senate Republicans block bipartisan border package, scuttling deal they had demanded from Democrats

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>WASHINGTON &#8212; Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan border package Wednesday, scuttling months of negotiations with Democrats on legislation intended to cut back record numbers of illegal border crossings.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/senate-republicans-block-bipartisan-border-package-scuttling-deal-they-had-demanded-from-democrats/ Save to Pocket

    Nikki Haley is trounced by the ‘none of these candidates’ option in Nevada’s Republican primary

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>LAS VEGAS &#8212; Nikki Haley was swamped in Nevada&#8217;s symbolic Republican presidential primary as GOP voters resoundingly picked the &#8220;none of these candidates&#8221; option on the ballot in a repudiation of the former U.N. ambassador who is the last remaining major rival to front-runner Donald Trump.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/nation-world-news/nikki-haley-is-trounced-by-the-none-of-these-candidates-option-in-nevadas-republican-primary/ Save to Pocket

    Obituaries for February 8

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>William Clovis Hudman, 74, of Kailua-Kona, Feb. 4 at home. Born in Amarillo, Texas, he was a retired superintendent for the former Hawaii Electric Light Co., U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran and member of American Legion. Visitation 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Kona Stake Center in Kailua-Kona. Funeral service at 7 p.m. Burial 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, at West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery. Casual attire. Survived by his wife, Arlene Hudman; daughters, Penny-Lee (Walter) Cho, Patty-Lin Medeiros, Paulene Choy, Pamela (Michael Jr.) Sanchis, Leaianuenue O&#8217;Callaghan, Aumekealoha Ha&#8216;awi okapuuwaikapuapauloa (Kalei) Pea; sons, Frank Choy and Joshua (Leesa) Hudman; brother, Ronald Hudman Sr.; sister-in-law, Crestita Hudman; 28 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, and cousins. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/08/obituaries/obituaries-for-february-8-8/ Save to Pocket

    Iraq Criticizes US Strikes After Baghdad Attack Killed Iran-Backed Militant Group Commander

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    Pentagon — Iraq Thursday sharply criticized a U.S. drone strike that the U.S. military said killed a leader of an Iranian-backed militant group, with an Iraqi spokesman calling the attack “a blatant assassination” that showed “no regard for civilian lives or international laws.”

    Yehia Rasool, a spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister, said the U.S.-led coalition that has operated in Iraq to counter the Islamic State group “consistently deviates from the reasons and objectives for its presence on our territory.”

    “The trajectory compels the Iraqi government more than ever to terminate the mission of this coalition, which has become a factor for instability and threatens to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict,” Rasool said in a statement.

    U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East, said the strike on Tuesday killed a commander of the militant group Kataib Hezbollah who was “responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on U.S. forces in the region.”

    Two U.S. officials confirmed to VOA that the commander was operations officer Wisam Mohammad al-Saedi. Photos on social media allegedly showed his Iraqi identification card that was pulled from his body.

    VOA had earlier reported the U.S. military was involved in an airstrike against a high-value target in the Middle East but had not identified al-Saedi by name.

    Video shared on social media shows a vehicle engulfed in flames on a Baghdad highway.

    The U.S. strike was in response to the almost 170 drone, rocket and missile attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East since mid-October, one of which killed three U.S. service members and wounded dozens more in northern Jordan last week.

    A wave of U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria on Friday pounded targets associated with Iranian-backed militias responsible for the attacks. The strikes targeted three locations in Iraq, as well as another four in Syria, and they destroyed more than 80 individual targets, ranging from command-and-control centers and intelligence hubs to missile and drone storage facilities, according to the latest U.S. assessments.

    But while U.S. officials have defended the strikes as necessary following a drone attack that killed three U.S. soldiers at a base in Jordan last month, Iraqi officials have voiced increased anger, summoning the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Baghdad to protest. They have charged that some of the U.S. strikes hit elements of Iraq’s own security forces.

    The U.S. State Department said Monday that Iraq was not given any warning but added the U.S. strikes should not have come as a surprise.

    Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder said Monday the U.S. had no plans for a long-term military campaign against the militias in Iraq and Syria, but he noted the U.S. response to the killing of its service members was “not complete.”

    The U.S. has about 2,500 troops in Iraq tasked with advising and assisting Iraqi security forces as they pursue the remnants of the Islamic State terror group, also known as ISIS or Daesh.

    And while talks between the U.S. and Iraq are under way to eventually reduce the U.S. military footprint and transition from the counter-IS mission to what officials describe as more traditional military-to-military relationship with Baghdad, the process has been complicated by the attacks.

    The United States has also been carrying out strikes in response to attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen who have threatened key Red Sea shipping lanes.

    U.S. Central Command, which overseas U.S. forces in the region, said Thursday it conducted two separate strikes late Wednesday against Houthi cruise missiles that were prepared to launch.

    A CENTCOM statement said the missiles “presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.”

    The Houthis have said their Red Sea attacks are in solidarity with the people of Gaza and have vowed to continue them.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/iraq-criticizes-us-strikes-after-baghdad-attack-killed-iran-backed-militant-group-commander/7479154.html Save to Pocket

    Blinken Heads Home Without Israeli-Hamas Cease-Fire or Hostage Release

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    State Department  — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to Washington from the Middle East on Thursday with no new deal in hand for a cease-fire in the four-month Israel-Hamas war in Gaza or release of any more hostages held by the militants.

    Blinken and other U.S. officials said they remained optimistic a halt in the fighting can be achieved and 100 or so remaining hostages freed. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu derided a Hamas plan that would leave the militants in control of the Gaza Strip as “delusional” and said Israeli forces would fight to win “absolute victory.”

    Meanwhile, the White House announced that President Joe Biden would host Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Washington on Monday for talks on resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict.

    Blinken wrapped up a four-nation Mideast trip by meeting with Netanyahu’s war cabinet, including former military chiefs Benny Gantz and Gabi Eisenkot. The top U.S. diplomat said he would focus on “the hostages and the strong desire that we both have to see them returned to their families, the work that’s being done to that end.”

    But late Wednesday, Blinken acknowledged sharp differences between a cease-fire plan offered by Israel, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt that would last several weeks and free hostages and Hamas’ response calling for an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, an end to its bombardment of Gaza and the right for Hamas to govern the territory and rebuild its military capability.

    “Clearly there are things that Hamas sent back that are absolute non-starters,” Blinken said at a news conference. “But, at the same time, we see space to continue to pursue an agreement.”

    “And these things are always negotiations,” he said. “It’s not flipping a light switch. It’s not ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ There’s invariably back and forth.”

    A senior Hamas official said a Hamas delegation was in Cairo on Thursday to continue negotiations with Egyptian and Qatari officials. 

    The United States has been Israel’s staunchest ally in its fight against Hamas following the militants’ shock October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people. But Netanyahu was dismissive of Blinken’s assessment that the Hamas’ plan could at least serve as a starting point for cease-fire discussions.

    “We are on the way to an absolute victory. There is no other solution,” Netanyahu said at a news conference after meeting with Blinken. He said Israel’s war effort would take months, not years. 

    The Israeli leader also appeared to dismiss concerns from the U.S. and others about expanding Israel’s military operations in southern Gaza, particularly in Rafah on the Egyptian border, where more than a million Palestinians have fled at Israel’s demand to escape fighting further to the north.

    Blinken said, “On all of my previous visits here and pretty much every day in between, we have pressed Israel in concrete ways to strengthen civilian protection, to get more assistance to those who need it. And over the past four months, Israel has taken important steps to do just that,” he said. “And yet … the daily toll that its military operations continue to take on innocent civilians remains too high.”

    In rejecting the Hamas cease-fire plan, Netanyahu also called for the dismantlement of the United Nations relief agency for Palestinians, the main distributor of international humanitarian assistance in Gaza, after allegations that a dozen of its employees took part in the Hamas October attack. 

    Blinken appealed to Netanyahu and other Israelis not to let vengeance dictate their continued response.

    “Israelis were dehumanized in the most horrific way on October 7,” he said. “And the hostages have been dehumanized every day since. But that cannot be a license to dehumanize others.”  

    The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry says Israel’s counter-offensive has killed more than 27,500 people and displaced about 2 million Palestinians in Gaza from their homes. 

    In its proposal, Hamas called for three 45-day phases, first releasing all remaining women and children, as well as older and sick men, in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. 

    The Hamas plan calls for Israel to withdraw from populated areas and end its aerial bombardment while also allowing far more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and permitting Palestinians to return to their homes, including in devastated northern Gaza. 

    The second phase, to be negotiated during the first, would include the release of all remaining hostages, mostly soldiers, in exchange for all Palestinian detainees over the age of 50, including senior militants, to be freed by Israel.

    Israel would release an additional 1,500 prisoners, 500 of whom would be specified by Hamas, and complete its withdrawal from Gaza. 

    In the third phase, the sides would exchange the remains of hostages and prisoners. Israel says it believes more than two dozen of the remaining 130 or so hostages in Gaza have already died or been killed. 

    Blinken’s trip to the Mideast was his fifth since the war started.

    He has reiterated the U.S, stance that creation of a Palestinian state is the best way to ensure lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike, and greater integration for the region. According to the State Department, Blinken also emphasized the urgent need to lower tensions in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and prevent the conflict from expanding. 

    Critics have attacked Netanyahu for having no definitive plan for governing Gaza after the war ends. 

    He said Wednesday, “The day after is the day after Hamas. All of Hamas.”

    Netanyahu has rejected any arrangement that would leave Hamas in full or partial control of Gaza. He also said Israel is the “only power” capable of guaranteeing security in the long term.

    Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/blinken-israeli-officials-discuss-efforts-to-free-hostages-held-in-gaza-/7479145.html Save to Pocket

    When red flags are just office decoration: Edinburgh Uni’s Oracle IT disaster

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Management either weren’t told about risks or ignored them, report finds

    Before Edinburgh University went live with its disastrous Oracle finance and HR system rollout, senior managers either didn’t get the message about “red” risks or ignored it, an independent report has found.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/edinburgh_university_oracle_report/ Save to Pocket

    Getting Wall Street out of our houses

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Robert Reich on Substack

    The Street is a major buyer of single-family housing — driving up prices. Here’s a way to get our houses back.

    https://robertreich.substack.com/p/getting-wall-street-out-of-our-houses Save to Pocket

    Einride partners with Heineken to support electric trucks moving precious beer through Europe

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

    Einride has announced it is helping world-renowned brewery Heineken electrify its freight operations between the Netherlands and Germany. Heineken put several electric trucks into operation last month as it looks to deploy Einride’s entire ecosystem across its fleet operations in the future.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/08/einride-partners-heineken-electric-trucks-moving-beer-through-europe/ Save to Pocket

    Classifieds – February 8, 2024

    date: 2024-02-08, 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 – February 8, 2024 appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/classifieds-february-8-2024/ Save to Pocket

    In its tantrum with Europe, Apple broke web apps in iOS 17 beta, still hasn’t fixed them

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    PWAs demoted to OWB: Operating Within Browser

    Apple has argued for years that developers who don’t want to abide by its rules for native iOS apps can always write web apps.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/apple_web_apps_eu/ Save to Pocket

    Happy 97th birthday to Les Tanner

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

    Submitted by the family of Les Tanner  Although to many, this might not seem like a milestone, but to us, every year is a milestone birthday with our dad.  He turned 97 on Feb. 5 and has been an avid reader of The Signal and part of this community since 1963.  Many have known him […]

    The post Happy 97th birthday to Les Tanner appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/happy-97th-birthday-to-les-tanner/ Save to Pocket

    Laurene Weste | Find Your Furever Friend at the Castaic Animal Care Center!

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

    “Dogs don’t make judgments about physical appearance or abilities, and they don’t care how big your house is or what you can do for a living. They care about the quality of your character and your capacity to love.” – Elizabeth Eiler  Animals have always been a pivotal part of my life. As someone who […]

    The post Laurene Weste | Find Your Furever Friend at the Castaic Animal Care Center! appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/laurene-weste-find-your-furever-friend-at-the-castaic-animal-care-center/ Save to Pocket

    Research Collection only partially available

    date: 2024-02-08, from: ETH Zurich Research Archives

    Currently there are problems with the Research Collection.We are working urgently on solving the problem. Thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please contact research-collection@library.ethz.ch.

    https://rc-blog.ethz.ch/en/research-collection-only-partially-available/ Save to Pocket

    Today in SCV History (Feb. 8)

    date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    1990 – Rock ‘n’ Roller Del Shannon, whose hit “Runaway” topped the charts in April 1961, found dead at home in Sand Canyon. [story

    https://scvnews.com/today-in-scv-history-feb-8/ Save to Pocket

    914 Olive Street: A Home Full of Mysteries

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    The name engraved in the concrete near this home tells a story from its past.

    The post 914 Olive Street: A Home Full of Mysteries appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/08/914-olive-street-a-home-full-of-mysteries/ Save to Pocket

    Women’s basketball looks to exorcize Sun Devils

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    Coming off of two wins in Northern California, USC will face the Pac-12’s worst.

    The post Women’s basketball looks to exorcize Sun Devils appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/200274/ Save to Pocket

    Free STI testing to roll out next week at Engemann

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    Testing will coincide with Wellness Week activities and informational booths.

    The post Free STI testing to roll out next week at Engemann appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/free-sti-testing-to-roll-out-next-week-at-engemann/ Save to Pocket

    P1Harmony’s new album is ‘Killin’ It’

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    K-pop band P1Harmony released its first full-length album with a smashing music video.

    The post P1Harmony’s new album is ‘Killin’ It’ appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/p1harmonys-new-album-is-killin-it/ Save to Pocket

    Shane Gillis and the myth of cancellation

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    The once-canceled comedian is now set to host “Saturday Night Live” Feb. 24.

    The post Shane Gillis and the myth of cancellation appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/shane-gillis-and-the-myth-of-cancellation/ Save to Pocket

    Women’s golf looks to continue its momentum into spring

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    USC fought hard in a match play format at the Therese Hession Regional Challenge.

    The post Women’s golf looks to continue its momentum into spring appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/200268/ Save to Pocket

    ‘Pretentiousness’ is often misused

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    ‘Pretentious’ is taking on a new meaning, discouraging us from being passionate.

    The post ‘Pretentiousness’ is often misused appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/pretentiousness-is-often-misused/ Save to Pocket

    Downey Way Entrance closed Thursday

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    USC expects traffic at the Watt Way and McClintock Avenue entrances to rise.

    The post Downey Way Entrance closed Thursday appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/downey-way-entrance-closed-thursday/ Save to Pocket

    Delegates, conventions and Nikki Haley’s uphill battle

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    Presidential party nominations require delegates, and most are still up for grabs.

    The post Delegates, conventions and Nikki Haley’s uphill battle appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/delegates-conventions-and-nikki-haleys-uphill-battle/ Save to Pocket

    A champion on and off the tennis court

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    Billie Jean King’s influence on women’s sports and gender equality is unmatched.

    The post A champion on and off the tennis court appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/08/200279/ Save to Pocket

    Yamaha Invests In EV Startup River To Boost Presence In India

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    The move is part of Yamaha’s goal of achieving carbon-neutrality by 2050.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707838/yamaha-invests-river-electric-scooters-india/ Save to Pocket

    Boys Basketball Playoffs: Santa Barbara Advances to Second Round with 72-48 Victory Over Viewpoint

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    The Santa Barbara supporting cast shined against Viewpoint.

    The post Boys Basketball Playoffs: Santa Barbara Advances to Second Round with 72-48 Victory Over Viewpoint appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/boys-basketball-playoffs-santa-barbara-advances-to-second-round-with-72-48-victory-over-viewpoint/ Save to Pocket

    NASA Launches New Climate Mission to Study Ocean, Atmosphere

    date: 2024-02-08, from: NASA breaking news

    NASA’s satellite mission to study ocean health, air quality, and the effects of a changing climate for the benefit of humanity launched successfully into orbit at 1:33 a.m. EST Thursday. Known as PACE, the Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, ocean Ecosystem satellite, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-launches-new-climate-mission-to-study-ocean-atmosphere/ Save to Pocket

    Rust can help make software secure – but it’s no cure-all

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Security is a process, not a product. Nor a language

    Memory-safety flaws represent the majority of high-severity problems for Google and Microsoft, but they’re not necessarily associated with the majority of vulnerabilities that actually get exploited.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/rust_software_memory_safety/ Save to Pocket

    Arm share price bulges after AI pumped revenue to a new record

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Smartphones surge, but chip design champ isn’t ready to predict its cloudy future

    Brit chip designer Arm has posted its highest-ever quarterly revenue and seen its share price soar, thanks to a little tech that readers may recall having read the occasional story about of late: Artificial intelligence.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/arm_q3_2023/ Save to Pocket

    CERN is training robot dogs to spot radiation hazards at Large Hadron Collider

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    CERNquadbot can go off the rails – unlike science org’s existing inspector bots

    Vid  A four-legged robot dog has successfully performed a radiation protection test at CERN by patrolling and inspecting equipment in a small section of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/cern_is_training_robot_dogs/ Save to Pocket

    February 7, 2024

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog

    Amidst the Republican meltdown in Washington, a disturbing pattern is emerging. Under pressure from former president Donald Trump, Republican senators today killed the $118 billion Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act that provided funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan and humanitarian assistance for Gaza and also included protections for the border that Republicans themselves had demanded.

    https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-7-2024 Save to Pocket

    Alibaba Cloud posts modest growth, mostly thanks to other Alibaba business units

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Customers from beyond the Chinese giant are being let go if they’ve signed for low-margin contracts

    Chinese tech giant Alibaba revealed on Wednesday its own operations are a better source of growth for its public cloud business than third-party customers.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/alibaba_q3_2023/ Save to Pocket

    The French Revvie, Part V: Off With Her Head!

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Margaret Atwood’s substack

    You thought the “Left” was always in favour of the Rights of Women? Not in the French Revvie.

    https://margaretatwood.substack.com/p/the-french-revvie-part-v-off-with Save to Pocket

    China-Linked Hackers Lurk in Critical US Systems

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    washington — China-linked hackers targeting key sectors of the U.S. economy appear to have been hiding in key computer systems and networks for at least five years, according to a new warning from the United States and key allies, who urge companies to take urgent action to mitigate the risk. 

    The cybersecurity advisory issued Wednesday by multiple U.S. agencies, including the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), states that a cyberthreat group known as Volt Typhoon has been “positioning itself to launch destructive cyberattacks that would jeopardize the physical safety of Americans.” 

    In particular, the advisory warns that China-linked Volt Typhoon hackers have successfully infiltrated the computer networks of private companies linked to critical sectors of the U.S. economy, including communications, energy, water and wastewater, and transportation. 

    The advisory further warns that Volt Typhoon hackers have been “maintaining access and footholds within some victim IT environments for at least five years.” And CISA acknowledged the penetrations may be more extensive than is currently known. 

    Officials said other industries, including construction, information technology and education are also being targeted. 

    “What we’ve found to date is likely the tip of the iceberg,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said in a statement. “CISA teams have found and eradicated Volt Typhoon intrusions into critical infrastructure across multiple sectors.” 

     

    In addition to the FBI and CISA, the advisory — and its findings — were endorsed by the U.S. National Security Agency, as well as cyber officials from Canada, Australia and New Zealand, who said that their own critical infrastructure could also be at risk. 

    One CISA official called the advisory “a stark warning to critical infrastructure organizations.” 

    “The information that we are releasing with this advisory is reflecting a strategic shift in PRC [People’s Republic of China] malicious cyber activity from a focus on espionage and IT theft,” said Eric Goldstein, CISA executive assistant director for cybersecurity. 

    “Our evidence strongly suggests that these PRC actors are positioning to launch future disruptive or destructive cyberattacks that could cause impact to national security, economic security or public health and safety,” he told reporters, adding he expects the number of victims to grow. 

    Goldstein and other U.S. officials said that so far, there are no indications that hackers with Volt Typhoon have attempted to launch any sort of disruptive attacks on critical infrastructure. But they also said the way the Chinese-linked cyber actors infiltrated critical networks means it is likely just a matter of time. 

    “This stealthy access increases our concern that they are lurking, waiting for the right moment to cause devastating impacts,” said FBI Deputy Assistant Director Cynthia Kaiser.  

    Kaiser also warned that Volt Typhoon “is certainly not the only Chinese group conducting this type of activity.” 

    She said the FBI has identified additional threats by using surveillance capabilities authorized under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, a controversial law that allows the FBI and U.S. intelligence agencies to gather electronic data of non-Americans without first obtaining a warrant.

    “In fact, we only know about many critical infrastructure entities compromised by the Chinese because of FBI FISA 702 collection,” she said.

    The latest warning comes just a week after top U.S. law enforcement and cyber officials told lawmakers that they are bracing for a “cyber onslaught” from China. 

    “The risk that poses to every American requires our attention — now,” FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party last Wednesday. “China’s hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities, if or when China decides the time has come to strike.” 

    China has repeatedly denied such allegations. 

    “The Chinese government has been categorical in opposing hacking attacks and the abuse of information technology,” Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told VOA via email after last week’s hearing. “We urge the U.S. side to stop making irresponsible criticism against other countries on the issue of cyber-security.”

    But officials in Washington have been steadfast in their warnings, saying they believe Beijing would have few reservations about carrying out an attack on U.S. critical infrastructure in the event of a conflict. 

    Specifically, they cite the possibility of such attacks in the event China decides to invade Taiwan as a way to damage Washington’s ability to provide military assistance. 

     

    The just-released U.S. cybersecurity advisory urges companies to fix security vulnerabilities that could allow hackers, like those with Volt Typhoon, to infiltrate and hide — a tactic known as “living off the land.” 

    It also encourages companies to search their systems in case hackers have already broken through. 

    But officials admit there are significant challenges, pointing to a just-disrupted Volt Typhoon malware campaign, which targeted common computer routers used by homes and small businesses across the United States to access critical infrastructure. 

    “These devices were no longer patched by the manufacturers, making them vulnerable,” said the FBI’s Kaiser. “That’s why the FBI recommends that network owners remove and replace any end-of-life devices to minimize the risk of the device being compromised again by Volt Typhoon or other malicious cyber actors.”

    https://www.voanews.com/a/china-linked-hackers-lurking-in-us-systems-for-years/7479048.html Save to Pocket

    Residents question county Public Health report on Chiquita Canyon  

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

    A consultant hired by L.A. County Public Health shared his firm’s report Wednesday on its study of air quality samples taken in and around Chiquita Canyon Landfill.   The information on a six-week study between the end of October and the middle of December was shared with the community in a Wednesday evening meeting at College […]

    The post Residents question county Public Health report on Chiquita Canyon   appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/residents-question-county-public-health-report-on-chiquita-canyon/ Save to Pocket

    With trade rumors swirling, Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson deliver in Philadelphia

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    “See Steph Curry, see Draymond. Go home, check our playoff record as a trio and what we have. Champions. I believe.”

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/with-trade-rumors-swirling-andrew-wiggins-and-klay-thompson-deliver-in-philadelphia/ Save to Pocket

    Take A Look At Benelli’s 2024 Offerings In The US Market

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    The TRK 702 is yet another enticing offering in the middleweight ADV segment.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707837/benelli-2024-models-us-market/ Save to Pocket

    Man arrested in connection with Gilroy bank robbery

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    Authorities identified the suspect as a 53-year-old resident of Garden Grove.

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/man-arrested-in-connection-with-gilroy-bank-robbery/ Save to Pocket

    Grass fire closes Cross Island Road

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Guam Daily Post

    The Guam Fire Department responded to a grass fire by Our Lady of Peace cemetery on Thursday morning.

    https://www.postguam.com/news/grass-fire-closes-cross-island-road/article_7d704282-c63c-11ee-acfd-6ffdb404dd44.html Save to Pocket

    Children rally for a ceasefire in Gaza

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)

    Nearly 400 people gathered at Oceanview Park in Santa Monica to rally for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The event was led by Palestinian-American kids and teens in…

    https://sundial.csun.edu/178243/multimedia/watch/children-rally-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza/ Save to Pocket

    @Jessica Smith’s blog (date: 2024-02-08, from: Jessica Smith’s blog)

    The only thing I don’t like about the song “Julia Take Your Man Home”  (external link) is that the line I could’ve sworn is “…and some guy he keeps saying is middle class” is apparently “…and some guy he keeps saying is made of glass”. The line is a million times funnier if you assume he’s singing “middle class”. Or am I the only one who spent all of uni hanging out with people who denounced the middle class at every turn?

    https://www.jayeless.net/2024/02/julia-take-your-man-home.html Save to Pocket

    Vikings get nine wrestlers past league finals 

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

    Valencia High School wrestling coach Brian Peterson couldn’t have asked for a better start to the postseason for his Vikings.  Saturday at Camarillo High School, four Vikings earned titles at the Coastal Canyon League finals and nine total are moving on to the next stage of the individual postseason.  “We definitely performed,” Peterson said in […]

    The post <strong>Vikings get nine wrestlers past league finals</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/vikings-get-nine-wrestlers-past-league-finals/ Save to Pocket

    Japan’s second-ranked mobile telco to buy convenience store chain from Mitsubishi

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    KDDI wants to snack on data about who buys what at which of Lawson’s 14,600 stores

    Japan’s second-largest convenience store will be taken private by its second-largest mobile carrier, which will operate it as a joint venture with Mitsubishi and try to cash in on a combination of shopping and location data.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/kddi_lawson_acquisition_mitsubishi/ Save to Pocket

    Sulphur Springs district ‘remains committed’ to Skyline Ranch school site 

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

    The Sulphur Springs Union School District wants a new school built in Skyline Ranch and is completing all of the necessary paperwork to do so, but the land has yet to be transferred to the district, according to district Superintendent Catherine Kawaguchi.  The district first discussed the new school site, meant to be built along […]

    The post <strong>Sulphur Springs district ‘remains committed’ to Skyline Ranch school site</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/sulphur-springs-district-remains-committed-to-skyline-ranch-school-site/ Save to Pocket

    Golden Oak hosting info session on phlebotomy class 

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

    Golden Oak Adult School is offering a free information session on Monday for anyone interested in learning about the new phlebotomy class being offered at the school.  The online session is scheduled to run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and the registration form can be found at tinyurl.com/2uujywtv. Attendees will learn about the program, course […]

    The post <strong>Golden Oak hosting info session on phlebotomy class</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/golden-oak-hosting-info-session-on-phlebotomy-class/ Save to Pocket

    Why the 49ers use this type of formation more than anyone

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    Kyle Shanahan has leaned on condensed formations in 2023 more than ever

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/why-the-49ers-use-this-type-of-formation-more-than-anyone/ Save to Pocket

    US High Court to Hear Arguments on Trump’s Eligibility to Regain Presidency

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    The United States Supreme Court hears oral arguments Thursday to determine whether former president and likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is ineligible for the office and must be excluded from states’ ballots because of his role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara brings this preview.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/us-high-court-to-hear-arguments-on-trump-s-eligibility-to-regain-presidency-/7479066.html Save to Pocket

    Stars, Athletes Plan to Flock Las Vegas for Super Bowl Events

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    LOS ANGELES — Las Vegas will be flooded with so many pre- Super Bowl events that Shaquille O’Neal lowered the prices to his popular carnival-themed “Shaq’s Fun House.”

    Instead of raising the rate, O’Neal decided to offer potential attendees more bang for their buck to the NBA legend’s sixth annual event planned for Friday in Sin City. He made the decision to lower the rates after purchasing an expensive suite at the Formula One that cost nearly five times more than normal to watch the racing event in Las Vegas last year.

    “We’re not going to do that to the people,” said O’Neal, who said the going rate for Fun House starts at $99 but will increase as the event nears. He’ll bring back Lil Wayne, Diplo and himself under his name DJ Diesel to perform during his over-the-top festival — which features several attractions including a Ferris wheel, circus performers and premium bar.

    “We could’ve done $200, $250 or $300,” said O’Neal whose event will take place XS Nightclub at the Wynn — a hotel that will host Rob Gronkowski ’s Gronk Beach in Encore on Saturday afternoon and Sports Illustrated’s The Party in XS Nightclub later that night. “But I don’t like taking advantage of people. We want to have the best party with the best rides, performers and just hanging out.”

    Along with O’Neal’s event, the days leading up to the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will include concerts from some of the biggest stars including Travis Scott, Green Day, Killer Mike, Kelly Clarkson, Ice Spice, Future and David Guetta. The week will include some comedy too.

    Here’s a look at some of the invite-only and public events during a busy Super Bowl week:

    Fanatics Party

    Michael Rubin is known for his exclusive summer bashes in the Hamptons — which bring out stars like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck and Kendall Jenner.

    Now, Rubin, the founder and CEO of Fanatics, will host his invite-only daytime event at Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan the day before the Super Bowl. His event will feature performances by Travis Scott, The Chainsmokers, Ice Spice, A$AP Ferg, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, Fabolous, Ludacris, Ne-Yo and Kid Laroi.

    Madden Bowl

    After Killer Mike collected three Grammys during his arrest-shortened night, the Atlanta-based rapper is expected to be one of the performers at the EA Sports’ The Madden Bowl.

    Rock group Green Day will headline the Friday night event at House of Blues. It will also feature Big Boi of OutKast and Breland.

    “Las Vegas isn’t ready for the show we’re about to bring,” Big Boi said.

    In addition to the music performances, the event will include the Madden NFL 24 Championship Series in front of a live audience — where two of the world’s best players will travel to Las Vegas for their share of the $1 million prize pool and title of Ultimate Madden Bowl champion.

    Kevin Hart and O’Neal’s production companies will hold a star-studded, stand-up comedy showcase.

    Actor Deon Cole will host the two-night show called the All Star Comedy Jam with performances by D.L. Hughley, Earthquake, Desi Banks and Aida Rodriguez. The event will be held inside the Resorts World Theatre’ 5,000-capacity venue on Friday and Saturday night.

    Gospel Celebration

    Cedric the Entertainer and Tichina Arnold will help bring the gospel to Sin City.

    The stars of the CBS show The Neighborhood will host the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration at the Palms Casino Resort on Wednesday night. The lineup includes some of gospel’s best from Earth, Wind & Fire, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Robin Thicke and the NFL Players Choir including Tully Banta-Cain and Bryan Scott, who played in the league.

    “I want people to feel empowered walking away from this show,” Arnold said. “You should never walk way feeling drained. You should walk way feeling loved.”

    CBS Mornings co-host Nate Burleson, a former NFL player, will receive the Lifetime of Inspiration award. He will be the sixth person to receive the honor the show’s 25-year history.

    Previous recipients include Tony Dungy, Ray Lewis, Tim Brown, Troy Vincent and Deion Sanders.

    Gronk Beach

    Despite being retired, Rob Gronkowski keeps making his presence felt during the NFL’s championship week. 

    The four-time Super Bowl winner — who views himself the “MVP of Fun” — will host a music festival called “Gronk Beach” the day before the big game. The beach-themed party will feature a performance by DJ Afrojack.

    “It’s all about going there and having a good time. Just losing your mind in a great and positive way,” Gronkowski said. “You can dance free, be yourself freely and just enjoy yourself with great company around you.”

    Gronkowski placed his tickets starting at $74.

    Billy Idol

    Instead of riding his motorcycle on Super Bowl Sunday, Billy Idol will be strolling on stage a few hours before kick off to perform during a pre-game concert.

    The legendary British rocker will perform Sunday just outside Allegiant Stadium, where the NFL’s two best teams face off. He’s expected to perform a 35-minute set on two different stages at On Location’s Club 67 and Touchdown Club in front of nearly 9,000 guests.

    Idol said he’s stoked about the setup being arranged by One Location — a premium hospitality provider of the NFL. The hospitality company offers various packages including Idol’s performance, attendance at NFL Honors and postgame field access.

    Maluma & SiriusXM

    Colombian superstar Maluma will take his vibrant Latin music vibes into Las Vegas with the help of SiriusXM.

    Maluma will headline a special concert at The Theater at Virgin Hotels on Thursday night for SiriusXM subscribers and Pandora listeners. He’s expected to perform songs from his latest album Don Juan including Según Quién and COCO LOCO along with other fan favorites such as Hawái.

    Future and David Guetta are expected to perform at the invite-only h.wood Homecoming Weekend pop up bash on Friday followed by another show with Jack Harlow and Kaytranada performer the next night at a custom venue on the Las Vegas Strip across from the Wynn.

    On Saturday night, Zach Bryan will headline the Bud Light Backyard Tour.

    Tiësto will headline a show at LIV at Fontainebleau on Saturday while 21 Savage and 50 Cent are expected to perform the same night.

    Lil Wayne will hit the stage once again but this time with T-Pain as a co-headliner at the Alex Morgan and Dan Marino-hosted Michelob ULTRA Country Club at Topgolf on Saturday night. Bryan and Leon Bridges will perform at The Chelsea in The Cosmopolitan on Friday.

    On Sunday, Guy Fieri will host his Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate, a free and family-friendly event that he expects will draw more than 10,000. Diplo will perform.

    GQ will hold Super Bowl party Friday at the The Nomad Library and sports agent Leigh Steinberg will host an event Saturday morning at Ahern Luxury Boutique Hotel.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/stars-athletes-plan-to-flock-las-vegas-for-super-bowl-events-/7479064.html Save to Pocket

    $118 Billion Bipartisan Security Agreement Fails in US Senate

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    The US Senate considered a $95 billion foreign aid bill Wednesday after Senate Republicans earlier blocked a $118 billion bipartisan agreement on border security and aid to Ukraine and Israel. VOA congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson reports.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/billion-bipartisan-security-agreement-fails-in-us-senate/7479065.html Save to Pocket

    Mayor pledges to work toward public investment in clean energy, reject fossil fuels

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    Hernandez-Thorpe said other mayors must join together to fight climate change at the city level.

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/mayor-pledges-to-work-toward-public-investment-in-clean-energy-reject-fossil-fuels/ Save to Pocket

    County Releases Findings of Community Air Quality Impacts from Chiquita Canyon Landfill Odor Incident

    date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    Los Angeles County today released findings from an independent health risk evaluation of the short, and potential long-term health impacts to nearby residents from exposure to landfill gases created by the odor incident at Chiquita Canyon Landfill

    https://scvnews.com/county-releases-findings-of-community-air-quality-impacts-from-chiquita-canyon-landfill-odor-incident/ Save to Pocket

    Chinese-Born Man Arrested in California for Theft of Trade Secrets

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    WASHINGTON — A Chinese-born U.S. researcher has been arrested on charges of stealing trade secrets, including technology used to detect nuclear missile launches, the Justice Department said Wednesday. 

    Chenguang Gong, 57, of San Jose, California, was arrested on Tuesday, the department said in a statement.

    Gong, who became a US citizen in 2011, is accused of transferring more than 3,600 files from the research and development company where he briefly worked to personal storage devices.

    The company was not identified.

    According to court documents, the files included blueprints for infrared sensors used in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles.

    The files also allegedly included blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures.

    U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said Gong “had previously sought to provide the People’s Republic of China with information to aid its military.”

    “We know that foreign actors, including the PRC, are actively seeking to steal our technology, but we will remain vigilant against this threat by safeguarding the innovations of American businesses and researchers,” Estrada said.

    According to court documents, Gong worked at the unidentified company from January 2023 to April 2023 as a circuit design manager for infrared sensors.

    The Justice Department said meanwhile that two Iranians have been charged in another case involving sensitive technology.

    Abolfazi Bazzazi, 79, and his son Mohammad Resa Bazzazi, 43, were indicted in New York on charges of violating export laws by conspiring between 2008 and 2019 to export equipment used in the aerospace industry to Iran.

    “The Bazzazis devised an intricate scheme to evade US export laws in obtaining U.S. equipment and technology to be exported to Iran and for the Government of Iran,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said.

    “The defendants allegedly attempted to obtain commercial and military aircraft items from multiple U.S. companies that supply the military, aerospace and firefighting industries,” Peace said.

    The Bazzazis reside in Iran and remain at large.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/chinese-born-man-arrested-in-california-for-theft-of-trade-secrets/7479063.html Save to Pocket

    Marianne Williamson suspends presidential campaign, ending long-shot challenge to Biden

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    She won just 2% of the vote in South Carolina and about 3% in Nevada.

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/marianne-williamson-suspends-presidential-campaign-ending-long-shot-challenge-to-biden/ Save to Pocket

    Further Trouble in Hinton City

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Gary Marcus blog

    More on storage and the shallow understanding of Generative AI

    https://garymarcus.substack.com/p/further-trouble-in-hinton-city Save to Pocket

    Oakland police launch investigation into racist statements allegedly made by probationary officer

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    Authorities said the person has been released from their duties and is no longer employed by the city.

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/oakland-police-launch-investigation-into-racist-statements-allegedly-made-by-probationary-officer/ Save to Pocket

    Wiggins, Thompson bounce back as Warriors drub Philadelphia 76ers

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    Golden State Warriors rout Philadelphia 76ers playing without Joel Embiid

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/wiggins-thompson-bounce-back-as-warriors-drub-philadelphia-76ers/ Save to Pocket

    Israel Rejects Hamas Hostage Proposal, Calling It ‘Delusional’

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    After holding talks with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected as “delusional” a counterproposal by Hamas to a hostage deal brokered by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from the U.S. State Department.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/israel-rejects-hamas-hostage-proposal-calling-it-delusional-/7479022.html Save to Pocket

    CFB National Signing Day: Why Bay Area’s top running back chose Utah State over SEC, Big 12, Air Force and Army

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    Herschel Turner signs with Aggies over a slew of other offers: “They checked all the boxes.”

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/cfb-national-signing-day-why-bay-areas-top-running-back-chose-utah-state-over-sec-big-12-air-force-and-army/ Save to Pocket

    Mexico Overtakes China as Leading Source of Goods Imported to US

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    WASHINGTON — For the first time in more than two decades, Mexico last year surpassed China as the leading source of goods imported to the United States. The shift reflects the growing tensions between Washington and Beijing as well as U.S. efforts to import from countries that are friendlier and closer to home.

    Figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Commerce Department show that the value of goods imported to the United States from Mexico rose nearly 5% from 2022 to 2023, to more than $475 billion. At the same time, the value of Chinese imports imports tumbled 20% to $427 billion.

    The last time that Mexican goods imported to the United States exceeded the value of China’s imports was in 2002.

    Economic relations between the United States and China have severely deteriorated in recent years as Beijing has fought aggressively on trade and made ominous military gestures in the Far East.

    The Trump administration began imposing tariffs on Chinese imports in 2018, arguing that Beijing’s trade practices violated global trade rules. President Joe Biden retained those tariffs after taking office in 2021, making clear that antagonism toward China would be a rare area of common ground for Democrats and Republicans.

    As an alternative to offshoring production to China, which U.S. corporations had long engaged in, the Biden administration has urged companies to seek suppliers in allied countries (“friend-shoring’‘) or to return manufacturing to the United States (“reshoring’‘). Supply-chain disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic also led U.S. companies to seek supplies closer to the United States (“near-shoring’’).

    Mexico has been among the beneficiaries of the growing shift away from reliance on Chinese factories. But the picture is more complicated than it might seem. Some Chinese manufacturers have established factories in Mexico to exploit the benefits of the 3-year-old U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, which allows for duty-free trade in North America for many products.

    Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said this week that the trade status gives Mexico new leverage, saying it would make it hard for the U.S. to close the two countries’ border to limit immigration, as suggested in negotiations on a border bill in the U.S. Senate.

    “The negotiation is proposing closing the border,” he said. “Do you think Americans, or Mexicans, but especially the Americans, would approve that? The businesses wouldn’t take it, maybe one day, but not a week.”

    Some industries — especially auto manufacturers — have set up plants on both sides of the border that depend on each for a steady supply of parts.

    Derek Scissors, a China specialist at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, noted that the biggest drops in Chinese imports were in computers and electronics and chemicals and pharmaceuticals — all politically sensitive categories.

    “I don’t see the U.S. being comfortable with a rebound in those areas in 2024 and 2025,” Scissors said, predicting that the China-Mexico reversal on imports to the United States likely “is not a one-year blip.’’

    Scissors suggested that the drop in U.S. reliance on Chinese goods partly reflects wariness of Beijing’s economic policies under President Xi Jinping. Xi’s draconian COVID-19 lockdowns brought significant swaths of the Chinese economy to a standstill in 2022, and his officials have raided foreign companies in apparent counterespionage investigations.

    “I think it’s corporate America belatedly deciding Xi Jinping is unreliable,” he said.

    Overall, the U.S. deficit in the trade of goods with the rest of the world — the gap between the value of what the United States sells and what it buys abroad — narrowed 10% last year to $1.06 trillion.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/mexico-overtakes-china-as-leading-source-of-goods-imported-to-us-/7479038.html Save to Pocket

    What is B-right/V release 4.5?

    date: 2024-02-08, from: OS News

    What if I told you there is an immensely popular operating system that you likely used it at least once, but did not realise what it was? In fact, it is so popular and important there is an IEEE standard based on it. It is uncanny how immensely popular AND immensely obscure this system is. It is scary that until today I have never even heard of its reference desktop implementation. The system is called “TRON”. ↫ Nina Kalinina This Mastodon thread is OSNews bait. Delicious.

    https://www.osnews.com/story/138543/what-is-b-right-v-release-4-5/ Save to Pocket

    @Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-08, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

    Freshly Baked NYC Debuts Legal Weed Delivery in Long Island City, Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn.

    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/freshly-baked-nyc-debuts-legal-161800799.html Save to Pocket

    OpenAI latest to add ‘Made by AI’ metadata to model work

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Content Credentials: It’s better than nothing™

    Images emitted by OpenAI’s generative models will include metadata disclosing their origin, which in turn can be used by applications to alert people to the machine-made nature of that content.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/openai_is_adding_a_watermark/ Save to Pocket

    Beyond the 1 MB barrier in DOS

    date: 2024-02-08, from: OS News

    Last month, we covered Julio Merino’s article about going from 0 to 1 MB in DOS, and now they’re back for breaking beyond that 1 MB barrier. I know I promised that this follow-up article would be about DJGPP, but before getting into that review, I realized I had to take another detour to cover three more topics. Namely: unreal mode, which I intentionally ignored to not derail the post; LOADALL, which I didn’t know about until you readers mentioned it; and DOS extenders, which I was planning to describe in the DJGPP article but they are a better fit for this one. So… strap your seat belts on and dive right in for another tour through the ancient techniques that DOS had to pull off to peek into the memory address space above the first MB. And get your hands ready because we’ll go over assembly code for a step-by-step jump into unreal mode. ↫ Julio Merino What’s amazing is that I don’t even remember having to deal with any of this while using MS-DOS back in the day. Games tended to use DOS extenders automatically (DOS/4G!), but I don’t remember if I ever had to set up any of the DOS above-640k stuff manually.

    https://www.osnews.com/story/138541/beyond-the-1-mb-barrier-in-dos/ Save to Pocket

    Special Counsel Completes Biden Classified Documents Investigation

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    washington — The Justice Department special counsel investigating President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents has completed his inquiry and is expected to make a report soon to Congress and the public, Attorney General Merrick Garland told lawmakers in a letter Wednesday. 

    Garland did not detail the conclusions of the report from special counsel Robert Hur, but said he was committed to disclosing as much of the document as possible once the White House completes a review for potential executive privilege concerns. That process is expected to be completed by the end of the week, said Ian Sams, a spokesman for the White House counsel’s office. 

    The yearlong investigation centered on the improper retention of classified documents by Biden from his time as a U.S. senator and as vice president. Sensitive records were found at his Delaware home and at a private office that he used in between his service in the Obama administration and becoming president. 

    The resolution of the investigation arrives in a pivotal year for the president as he pursues reelection in a deeply polarized political time. Though the probe’s outcome is expected to lift a legal cloud over Biden, criticism of his handling of classified records could blunt his ability to attack Donald Trump - his presumptive opponent in November - over a pending indictment charging the former president with hoarding top-secret files at his Mar-a-Lago estate and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back. 

    Challenge likely

    Trump and other Republicans are likely to challenge the legitimacy of the investigation by noting that it was launched by the Biden Justice Department. 

    But Garland sought to insulate the department from claims of bias and conflicts of interest by last year appointing Hur, a former U.S. attorney for Maryland during the Trump administration, to handle the Biden investigation and by naming a different special counsel, Jack Smith, to oversee investigations into Trump. 

    While the Trump investigation resulted in dozens of felony charges against the ex-president last year, the outcome of the Biden probe is expected to be different. Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president and, unlike in the Trump investigation, no evidence has emerged to suggest that Biden engaged in comparable conduct or willfully held on to records he wasn’t supposed to have. 

    Even so, the White House’s response to the discovery of classified documents early last year was delayed and incomplete. 

    The White House did not disclose the Justice Department’s investigation until January 2023, when it acknowledged the discovery two months earlier of a “small number” of classified documents by Biden lawyers as they closed an office at the Penn Biden Center, a think tank affiliated with the Ivy League school. Biden has said he was surprised by the initial trove discovered by his lawyers. 

    The FBI subsequently conducted a 13-hour, top-to-bottom check of his Wilmington, Delaware, home, where agents located documents with classified markings from his time as a vice president and senator and took possession of some of his handwritten notes. Biden’s personal lawyers have also revealed that they had found a document bearing classified markings while searching the Wilmington property but said they had not found others during a separate inspection of his Rehoboth Beach home. 

    The looming conclusion of the investigation had been foreshadowed last fall when Biden sat for a voluntary interview at the White House with Hur’s team. Interviews of key subjects in an investigation are often done near the end. 

    Justice Department regulations require Congress to be notified of any investigative steps or proposed actions by a special counsel that were rejected by department leadership. There were no such actions, Garland wrote.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/special-counsel-completes-biden-classified-documents-investigation/7479021.html Save to Pocket

    Bishop Diego Football Stars Sign Letters of Intent to Play at Cal Poly

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    Seniors Misa Paiau and Tristan Fui accept full scholarships in a Signing Day ceremony on Wednesday.

    The post Bishop Diego Football Stars Sign Letters of Intent to Play at Cal Poly appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/bishop-diego-football-stars-sign-letters-of-intent-to-play-at-cal-poly/ Save to Pocket

    Assault in Antioch parking lot ends in gunfire, car crash

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    At least one person was injured in the collision Tuesday at East 18th Street and Hillcrest Avenue.

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/assault-in-antioch-parking-lot-ends-in-gunfire-car-crash/ Save to Pocket

    AG: Investigation into Biden document handling is done

    date: 2024-02-08, from: San Jose Mercury News

    Justice Department regulations require Congress to be notified of any investigative steps or proposed actions by a special counsel that were rejected by department leadership. There were no such actions, Garland wrote.

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/07/ag-investigation-into-biden-document-handling-is-done/ Save to Pocket

    The Greenfield in-browser Wayland compositor is fast enough for gaming

    date: 2024-02-08, from: OS News

    While there are a lot of Wayland compositors out there that aren’t too different from each other in terms of features, one of the more unique ones is Greenfield. The Greenfield Wayland compositor has been out there for a few years now as an in-browser HTML5-based solution that is continuing to prove itself capable and even fast enough for handling Linux gaming. ↫ Michael Larabel A rather genius idea for a Wayland compositor.

    https://www.osnews.com/story/138539/the-greenfield-in-browser-wayland-compositor-is-fast-enough-for-gaming/ Save to Pocket

    Microsoft uses giant four-page popup to push Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11

    date: 2024-02-08, from: OS News

    Windows 10 users started seeing full-screen pop-ups after installing a cumulative update release in May 2023. Now, the pop-up is back again on our Windows 10 PC after installing the optional update released in January 2024, and it gouges the eyes. No one expects a gigantic multi-slide advert using their PCs (web browsers are a different story). ↫ Abhishek Mishra Windows is an advertising platform first, operating system second. You should be expecting ads.

    https://www.osnews.com/story/138537/microsoft-uses-giant-four-page-popup-to-push-windows-10-users-to-upgrade-to-windows-11/ Save to Pocket

    My “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” Dream

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Jessica Smith’s blog

    A few months ago I had this funny dream, which has come back into my mind a few times since and I figure I might as well share. Basically I was back at high school, but Penny Wong was our dictatorial principal, and I was in her office getting castigated for something stupid (probably shooting my mouth off in class; that would’ve been very in-character for me at that time). Anyway, she assigned me to some cleaning detail in punishment for what I’d done, which is where I think you can see the influence of my novel coming in because that’s a pretty standard punishment in the world of that story.1

    So, there I was, miserably scrubbing windows and removing cobwebs and whatnot, when I looked into one of the buildings and saw another detention going on, an in-classroom detention, and who should I see in detention but VIVIAN, my now-partner, mucking around with some mates. But it wasn’t Vivian as I know him now, it was Vivian as I’ve seen him in photos of his high school days, packing a bit too much weight and sporting a crazy afro. So I decided to sneak away from my detention, and went up to him in class, where he turned to me with a blank, confused look in his eyes.

    “You don’t know me in this universe, do you?” I asked.

    “Yes,” he said. “Uh, I mean, that’s correct, I don’t know you.” (This is exactly how he answers negative tag questions in real life; it’s so annoying.)

    “Well,” I said, “in another universe, you know me very well.”

    And I walked away again, leaving it at that. As I did, he kind of went back to mucking around with his mates, but it was with half an eye on me as I went, wondering what could’ve been.

    1. Actually, I had one detention in year 12 where I was supposed to do this, as well. I say “supposed to” because I was so annoyed I even HAD detention (basically I’d been like ten seconds late to school, and then five minutes later there was a fire drill and everyone had to congregate outside, so if I’d come FIVE MINUTES LATE instead of TEN SECONDS no one would’ve known I was late and I wouldn’t have been given a detention. I remember venting my frustration to my classmates that I was being PUNISHED for TRYING to be on time, which they found hilarious.) that I just flat-out refused to do it, and the teacher was so thrown (I was mostly a good kid, just a smart ass) that she just went, “Okay then,” and let me. So not quite the way my dream turned out, then. ↩︎

    https://www.jayeless.net/2024/02/my-everything-everywhere-all-at-once-dream.html Save to Pocket

    Budget uncertainty prompts layoffs at JPL 

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

    The director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena this week shared bad news with her team regarding layoffs being forced upon the rocket science facility and its contractors.  The news is expected to have at least some impact in the Santa Clarita Valley, where past reports have indicated that hundreds of JPL employees live […]

    The post <strong>Budget uncertainty prompts layoffs at JPL</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/budget-uncertainty-prompts-layoffs-at-jpl/ Save to Pocket

    Cool tools to boost your browser

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Om Malik blog

    I gave up on Google’s Chrome a long time ago and switched to Brave before it started getting flak for doing questionable things. Then Josh Miller, the co-founder of The Browser Company (whom I met during his Branch.com days), offered me a chance to try out Arc, their new, clean, and refreshing take on a …

    https://om.co/2024/02/07/tools-to-boost-your-browser/ Save to Pocket

    US High Court Hears Arguments on Trump’s Eligibility to Regain Presidency

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    washington — The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Thursday about whether likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is ineligible for the office and must be excluded from states’ ballots because of his role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

    On that day, a mob of the former president’s supporters who believed his rhetoric that the November 2020 election was stolen stormed the Capitol to try to prevent lawmakers from certifying Joe Biden’s victory.

    Earlier this week, a federal appeals court rejected Trump’s claim that he has “absolute immunity” from prosecution on criminal charges in a separate election interference case, United States of America v. Trump.

    That case was brought by special counsel Jack Smith in U.S. District Court in Washington, resulting in four indictments in connection with Trump’s widespread efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

    Trump is likely to also appeal this case to the Supreme Court. He maintains the various criminal and civil lawsuits brought against him are part of Biden’s “witch hunt” to eliminate a political opponent — a claim the White House and Democrats deny.

    Trump v. Anderson

    Trump v. Anderson, to be brought before the Supreme Court on Thursday, addresses whether Trump must be barred from participating in the Colorado primary election under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

    The case began as Anderson v. Griswold, filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington on behalf of Norma Anderson, a former Republican lawmaker in Colorado, with five other Republican and independent voters, against Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.

    Both cases look at whether Trump is an insurrectionist who tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power and whether under Section 3 he should be barred from holding office again.

    Section 3 was written in 1866 after the end of the Civil War to keep former Confederates — officials from the 11 Southern states that seceded from the United States to protect the institution of slavery — from returning to power.

    It provides: “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.”

    Trump’s lawyers argue that Section 3 does not apply to presidents, that January 6 was not an insurrection, and that Trump was only exercising his free-speech rights.

    In November, a Colorado judge ruled that Trump engaged in insurrection. But she ruled against blocking him from the state’s 2024 presidential primary ballot, finding that Section 3 did not apply to the president. That part of her ruling was appealed and later reversed by the Colorado Supreme Court.

    Amicus briefs

    Various scholars, election officials, lawmakers and other political figures have filed amicus — “friend of the court” — briefs to share their views in support of or against Trump.

    One of them is Mark Graber, Regents professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and a leading expert in constitutional law on insurrections and the 14th Amendment. His brief argues that the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling is consistent with how the legal community understood insurrection at the time Section 3 was framed, and that it correctly ruled an insurrection occurred.

    “Donald Trump incited that insurrection,” Graber told VOA.

    “He was told his tweets were inspiring violence against election workers. He responded by intensifying his tweets. He was told there were people in the crowd with weapons who intended to invade Congress. He responded by saying, ‘When there’s fraud, you don’t use the usual means. You fight — you fight like hell,’” he said. “A reasonable person could say given Trump’s behavior, he intended to inspire an insurrection and participate.”

    In response to another central question in this case — whether the 14th Amendment applies to the president — Graber said the answer was “obvious.”

    “Every member of Congress who used the phrase ‘officer of the United States’ in the 39th Congress said that the president was included,” he underscored.

    Others argue that enforcement of the 14th Amendment is for Congress to determine, including Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, who filed a brief with 26 other Republican attorneys general.

    “Section 3 is not self-executing textually,” he said during a Wednesday event hosted by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. He argued that under Section 5 that provides, “Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article,” lawmakers should determine how the 14th Amendment is to be enforced.

    Alan Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter professor of law at Harvard Law School who defended Trump during his Senate impeachment trial, supports this argument.

    “In the absence of congressional action, I don’t believe the 14th Amendment is self-enforcing,” he told VOA. “Otherwise, why would you need Article 5 of the 14th Amendment that explicitly gives Congress the power to make these decisions?”

    A group of 25 leading historians, including Allan J. Lichtman, distinguished professor of history at American University, argued in their brief that Section 3 covers Trump and does not “require another act of Congress or a conviction” of insurrection.

    Lichtman told VOA it’s clear that Section 3 is designed to guard against “not just ex-Confederates but future insurrectionists.”

    “They wanted an amendment that would last in perpetuity and couldn’t be tampered with by future congresses because it’s part of the Constitution,” Lichtman said.

    Legal questions aside, the American people should have the right to choose their president, not judges, said Rokita. “Voters will lose all confidence if judges decide that voters cannot even consider one of our nation’s two leading presidential candidates,” he warned.

    Far-reaching impact

    Although the Supreme Court will only decide on the Colorado case, the impact would be far-reaching, including for the state of Maine, whose secretary of state ruled in December that Trump should be taken off the state’s primary ballot, and pending cases in 11 other states that challenge his electoral eligibility, as well as others in the future.

    The Supreme Court could uphold the Colorado ruling, which would be a devastating blow to Trump’s reelection bid. Or it could rule that Trump cannot be disqualified under Section 3 and put him back on the ballot.

    The justices could also decline to make a final decision and leave it to lawmakers - for example, let Congress decide whether to certify Trump’s victory should he win in November.

    Six of the nine Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republican presidents, including three by Trump. But since the question has almost no legal precedent, it’s difficult to predict the justices’ individual rulings based on their ideology.

    It will be difficult for the justices to “contradict the historical evidence,” said Lichtman. However, given the political magnitude, the Supreme Court is likely to “take a technical off-ramp” and “punt on this issue.”

    Dershowitz agreed, predicting the justices would either “say the 14th Amendment just doesn’t apply absent congressional action, or they will figure out some way of putting off the ultimate issue.”

    He underscored the importance of a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court.

    “A split decision would keep the country very divided,” he said. “That means we’re likely to see a narrow decision that doesn’t decide broad issues.”

    It is unclear how long the Supreme Court will take to rule. In the coming months, the high court also will likely deliberate on Trump’s appeal of the election interference case prosecuted by Smith, which was rejected Tuesday by a federal appeals court.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/us-high-court-to-hear-arguments-on-trump-eligibility-to-regain-presidency/7478991.html Save to Pocket

    Huntington Beach Librarians Begin Reviewing Kids’ Books For ‘Sexual Content’

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The LAist

    Librarians moved books out of the children’s section Wednesday to comply with a city council resolution to restrict access to books deemed to have sexual content. Some of the books are about subjects such as puberty.

    https://laist.com/news/politics/huntington-beach-library-sexual-content-review Save to Pocket

    Cisco, Nvidia expand collab to push Ethernet into AI clusters

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    InfiniBand dominates in GPU-boosted servers while Big E gains steam

    At Cisco Live in Amsterdam on Tuesday, the enterprise networking goliath announced a series of hardware and software platforms in collaboration with Nvidia tailored to everyone’s favorite buzzword these days: AL/ML.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/cisco_nvidia_expand_collab/ Save to Pocket

    County Launches Homeless Services Division To Reduce Veteran Homelessness

    date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    The Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs  will officially launch its Homeless Services Division

    https://scvnews.com/county-launches-homeless-services-division-to-reduce-veteran-homelessness/ Save to Pocket

    Feb. 11: Anti-Racism Coalition Hosts Sunday Forum with Santa Clarita NAACP

    date: 2024-02-08, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    As part of its celebration of Black History Month, the Anti-Racism Coalition of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church will welcome members of Santa Clarita’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to their 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday, Feb. 

    https://scvnews.com/feb-11-anti-racism-coalition-hosts-sunday-forum-with-santa-clarita-naacp/ Save to Pocket

    Tesla improves Cybertruck handling, charging, and more in new update

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Electrek Feed

    Tesla has released the first major software update for the Cybertruck, and it improves the electric pickup’s handling, charging, and more.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/tesla-improves-cybertruck-handling-charging-new-update/ Save to Pocket

    Journalists Criticize Tucker Carlson Over Putin Interview

    date: 2024-02-08, from: VOA News USA

    Washington — Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlon’s announcement on Tuesday that he interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin has been met with disapproval from an array of journalists, some of whom say the Kremlin may use the interview for propaganda purposes.

    In a video posted on the social media platform X, Carlson said he wanted to interview the longtime Russian leader because “Americans have a right to know all they can about a war they are implicated in.”

    In mid-March, Russia is set to hold presidential elections, which Putin is all but guaranteed to win. Putin likely agreed to the interview with Carlson because he thinks it will help his campaign, according to Mikhail Rubin, deputy editor-in-chief of the Russian investigative outlet Proekt Media.

    Carlson “needs to understand that he’s a part of the presidential election campaign, and he’s going to help [Putin], unfortunately,” Rubin told VOA.

    Rubin added that Carlson’s interview is likely to be used to paint Moscow in a positive light.

    “The most important is to show that Putin is open and that American journalists can work inside Russia because Russia is an open and free country,” Rubin said.

    But that narrative is plainly false, said Rubin, who fled the country in 2021 for safety reasons.

    “If I go to Russia, as far as I understand, I will be arrested the next day,” said Rubin, who is now based in Washington. “I’m not sure that I will ever see my father again.”

    Other Russian journalists shared similar critiques on social media.

    “I am like hundreds of Russian journalists who have had to go into exile to keep reporting about the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine. The alternative was to go to jail,” said Russian journalist Yevgenia Albats on X. Meanwhile, Carlson was “shooting from the $1,000 Ritz suite in Moscow,” she said.

    Carlson also drew criticism for appearing to ignore the poor state of press freedom in Russia, which has led to the arrests of scores of reporters inside the country and forced many others into exile.

    “Quite something to complain about how not enough American journalists are reporting on the Russian side of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine when two of them — Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva — are in jail right now for doing just that,” Max Seddon, Moscow bureau chief for the Financial Times, said in a post on X.  

    The Wall Street Journal’s Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 on espionage charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government vehemently deny.

    Kurmasheva, an editor at VOA’s sister outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was jailed in October 2023 and is facing charges for failing to register as a “foreign agent” and spreading false information about the Russian military. She and her employer reject the charges.

    Besides Kurmasheva and Gershkovich, at least 20 other journalists were jailed in Russia as of the end of 2023, according to data from the Committee to Protect Journalists.

    Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the interview was recorded on Tuesday.

    The interview will likely be published Thursday, according to the Wall Street Journal. Carlson said it will be uploaded live and unedited to X, where he launched a show after he was abruptly fired from the conservative channel Fox News last year.

     

    The right-wing television personality hosted a prime-time show on Fox News from 2016 until his firing in 2023. Carlson’s departure came shortly after Fox News agreed to pay over $787 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle a defamation lawsuit over false election claims, many of which Carlson himself propagated.

    The Tucker Carlson Network did not immediately reply to VOA’s email requesting comment.

    After accusing U.S. media of “fawning pep session” interviews with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Carlson went on to claim that “not a single Western journalist has bothered to interview the president of the other country in this conflict, Vladimir Putin.”

    Journalists took to social media to criticize that claim, as well.

    “Does Tucker really think we journalists haven’t been trying to interview President Putin every day since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine?” CNN’s Christiane Amanpour said in a post on X. “It’s absurd — we’ll continue to ask for an interview, just as we have for years now.”

    Even the Kremlin fact-checked that claim from Carlson.

    “No, Mr. Carlson is wrong. In fact, he cannot know this,” Peskov, the spokesperson, said, adding that the Kremlin receives many requests for interviews with Putin.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/journalists-criticize-tucker-carlson-over-putin-interview/7478972.html Save to Pocket

    Honda Stylo 160 Is Team Red’s New Modern Classic Scooter

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    You want that 160cc engine with a classic look? Say no more.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707835/honda-stylo-160-scooter-introduced/ Save to Pocket

    Representing the 3rd

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    We are so fortunate to have Joan Hartmann as our representative; she has consistently proven herself to be honest, creative, hard-working, and responsive to all of the 3rd District.

    The post Representing the 3rd appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/representing-the-3rd/ Save to Pocket

    Canyon girls soccer wins in PKs, advances out of wildcard

    date: 2024-02-08, from: The Signal

    The Canyon Cowboys girls’ soccer season came down to the wire in the wildcard round of the CIF Division 3 playoffs on Tuesday.   The Cowboys went through two scoreless halves and a pair of overtime periods before heading to penalty kicks with the hosting Valley View Eagles. Canyon coach Leonardo Neveleff knew his team could […]

    The post Canyon girls soccer wins in PKs, advances out of wildcard  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/canyon-girls-soccer-wins-in-pks-advances-out-of-wildcard/ Save to Pocket

    IT suppliers hacked off with Uncle Sam’s demands in aftermath of cyberattacks

    date: 2024-02-08, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Plan says to hand over keys to networks – and report intrusions within eight hours of discovery

    Organizations that sell IT services to Uncle Sam are peeved at proposed changes to procurement rules that would require them to allow US government agencies full access to their systems in the event of a security incident.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/08/us_tech_industry_changes/ Save to Pocket

    John Densmore Opens the Door on the Real Story at Santa Barbara Museum of Art

    date: 2024-02-08, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    The Doors drummer riffs on his new book, ‘The Doors Unhinged.’

    The post John Densmore Opens the Door on the Real Story at Santa Barbara Museum of Art appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/john-densmore-opens-the-door-on-the-real-story-at-santa-barbara-museum-of-art/ Save to Pocket

    Replication Data for White Paper on Acceptance of Swiss Urban Densification

    date: 2024-02-08, from: ETH Zurich, recently added

    Wicki, Michael; Wehr, Malte; Kaufmann, David

    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/658389 Save to Pocket

    PostgreSQL 16.2, 15.6, 14.11, 13.14, and 12.18 Released!

    date: 2024-02-08, from: PostgreSQL News

    The PostgreSQL Global Development Group has released an update to all supported versions of PostgreSQL, including 16.2, 15.6, 14.11, 13.14, and 12.18. This release fixes one security vulnerability and over 65 bugs reported over the last several months.

    If you use GIN indexes, you may need to reindex after updating to this release. Please see the release notes for more information.

    For the full list of changes, please review the release notes.

    Security Issues

    CVE-2024-0985: PostgreSQL non-owner REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW CONCURRENTLY executes arbitrary SQL

    CVSS v3 Base Score: 8.0

    Supported, Vulnerable Versions: 12 - 15.

    One step of a concurrent refresh command was run under weak security restrictions. If a materialized view’s owner could persuade a superuser or other high-privileged user to perform a concurrent refresh on that view, the view’s owner could control code executed with the privileges of the user running REFRESH. The fix for the vulnerability makes is so that all user-determined code is run as the view’s owner, as expected.

    The PostgreSQL project thanks Pedro Gallegos for reporting this problem.

    Bug Fixes and Improvements

    This update fixes over 65 bugs that were reported in the last several months. The issues listed below affect PostgreSQL 16. Some of these issues may also affect other supported versions of PostgreSQL.

    This release also updates time zone data files to tzdata release 2024a for DST law changes in Greenland, Kazakhstan, and Palestine, plus corrections for the Antarctic stations Casey and Vostok. Also historical corrections for Vietnam, Toronto, and Miquelon.

    Updating

    All PostgreSQL update releases are cumulative. As with other minor releases, users are not required to dump and reload their database or use pg_upgrade in order to apply this update release; you may simply shutdown PostgreSQL and update its binaries.

    If you use GIN indexes, you may need to reindex after updating to this release. Please see the release notes for more information.

    Users who have skipped one or more update releases may need to run additional post-update steps; please see the release notes from earlier versions for details.

    For more details, please see the release notes.

    Links

    If you have corrections or suggestions for this release announcement, please send them to the pgsql-www@lists.postgresql.org public mailing list.

    https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/postgresql-162-156-1411-1314-and-1218-released-2807/ Save to Pocket

    Feb. 23: WEWIL Collaborative “Hosts Mastering Your Business Through Authenticity and an Open Mind”

    date: 2024-02-07, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    WeWil Collaborative, a local organization that empowers women with professional development, growth, and connections through workshops and community, is thrilled to announce their next online workshop

    https://scvnews.com/feb-23-wewil-collaborative-hosts-mastering-your-business-through-authenticity-and-an-open-mind/ Save to Pocket

    Apple Vision Pro has densest display iFixit’s ever seen, and almost-OK repairability

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    You can fit more than 50 Virgin Bro pixels into a single iPhone one while angular resolution remains a little low

    Teardown artists iFixit have pried open the Vision Pro and awarded the device a “pretty impressive” provisional repairability score given the device is Apple’s first foray into such gear.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/apple_vision_pro_ifixit/ Save to Pocket

    Goleta Achieves Certification of Its Housing Element

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    The City Council applauded and cheered when City Manager Robert Nisbet announced the good news.

    The post Goleta Achieves Certification of Its Housing Element appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/goleta-achieves-certification-of-its-housing-element/ Save to Pocket

    Applications for ‘The Big Idea SCV’ Closing Soon

    date: 2024-02-07, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    The re-launch of “The Big Idea SCV,” is fast approaching and applications for students is closing soon later this month. 

    https://scvnews.com/applications-for-the-big-idea-scv-closing-soon/ Save to Pocket

    ‘The Last Daughter’ Earns ADL Award at Santa Barbara International Film Festival

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    This Australian documentary has its North American premiere on February 13 at SBIFF.

    The post ‘The Last Daughter’ Earns ADL Award at Santa Barbara International Film Festival appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/the-last-daughter-earns-adl-award-at-santa-barbara-international-film-festival/ Save to Pocket

    Theater Review | ‘Meteor Shower’

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    Ojai Arts Center production of play by Steve Martin is an absurd take on couples interactions.

    The post Theater Review | ‘Meteor Shower’  appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/theater-review-meteor-shower/ Save to Pocket

    US Drone Strike in Iraq Kills Iran-Backed Militant Group Commander

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    Pentagon — The United States military says it carried out a drone strike on a vehicle in Baghdad, killing a leader of an Iranian-backed militant group.

    U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East, said the strike on Tuesday killed a commander of the militant group Kataib Hezbollah who was “responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on U.S. forces in the region.”

    Two U.S. officials confirmed to VOA that the commander was operations officer Wisam Mohammad al-Saedi. Photos on social media allegedly showed his Iraqi identification card that was pulled from his body.

    VOA had earlier reported the United States military was involved in an airstrike against a high-value target in the Middle East but had not identified al-Saedi by name.

    Video shared on social media showed a vehicle engulfed in flames on a Baghdad highway.

    The U.S. strike was in response to the almost 170 drone, rocket and missile attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East since mid-October, one of which killed three U.S. service members and wounded dozens more in northern Jordan last week.

    A wave of U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria on Friday pounded targets associated with Iranian-backed militias responsible for the attacks. The strikes targeted three locations in Iraq, as well as another four in Syria, and they destroyed more than 80 individual targets, ranging from command-and-control centers and intelligence hubs to missile and drone storage facilities, according to the latest U.S. assessments.

    But while U.S. officials have defended the strikes as necessary following a drone attack that killed three U.S. soldiers at a base in Jordan last month, Iraqi officials have voiced increased anger, summoning the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Baghdad to protest. They have charged that some of the U.S. strikes hit elements of Iraq’s own security forces.

    The U.S. State Department said Monday that Iraq was not given any warning but added the U.S. strikes should not have come as a surprise.

    Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder said Monday the U.S. had no plans for a long-term military campaign against the militias in Iraq and Syria, but he noted the U.S. response to the killing of its service members was “not complete.”

    The U.S. has about 2,500 troops in Iraq tasked with advising and assisting Iraqi security forces as they pursue the remnants of the Islamic State terror group, also known as ISIS or Daesh.

    And while talks between the U.S. and Iraq are underway to eventually reduce the U.S. military footprint and transition from the counter-IS mission to what officials describe as more traditional military-to-military relationship with Baghdad, the process has been complicated by the attacks.

    On Tuesday, Iranian-backed Houthi militants once again ignored U.S. calls to stop attacking international shipping lanes or face consequences, this time firing six anti-ship missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

    U.S. Central Command said late Tuesday that one of the missiles caused minor damage to the Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek owned-and-operated bulk carrier MV Star Nasia in the Gulf of Aden, while another missile landed in the water near the ship. U.S. forces shot down a third missile in the area.

    There were no reported injuries, and the ship was able to continue toward its destination, CENTCOM said in a statement.

    In the southern Red Sea, CENTCOM said three missiles likely targeting the Barbados-flagged, U.K.-owned cargo ship MV Morning Tide landed in the water without causing any damage.

    The latest Houthi launches came as an unclassified Defense Intelligence Agency report released Tuesday confirmed that Houthi militants in Yemen were using various missiles and drones of Iranian origin in its recent attacks across the region. The report compares publicly available images of Iranian weapons to those employed by the Houthis and highlights the strengthening relationship between the Houthis and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

    Earlier Tuesday, the U.S. military said it conducted its latest self-defense strikes against two Houthi kamikaze drone boats that were laden with explosives.

    CENTCOM, which oversees U.S. forces in the region, said the vessels “presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.”

    The Houthis have said their Red Sea attacks are in solidarity with the people of Gaza and have vowed to continue them, despite the U.S. and British strikes.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/us-involved-in-strike-that-hit-high-value-target-in-iraq-official-tells-voa/7478554.html Save to Pocket

    Full Belly Files | Searching for Chanterelles and Satisfaction

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    Foraging for wild mushrooms with Bob Cummings and Gainey winemaker Jeff LeBard; plus, stories you may have missed.

    The post Full Belly Files | Searching for Chanterelles and Satisfaction appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/full-belly-files-searching-for-chanterelles-and-satisfaction/ Save to Pocket

    It’s Valen-time to Upgrade to a REAL ID

    date: 2024-02-07, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    More than 17 million Californians now have a REAL ID, an increase of 138,835 from the previous month, according to California Department of Motor Vehicles  data

    https://scvnews.com/its-valen-time-to-upgrade-to-a-real-id/ Save to Pocket

    @Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-07, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

    These are the podcasts I follow in FeedLand. I want more in this list. But not too many.

    https://feedland.com/?username=davewiner&catname=podcasts Save to Pocket

    All-new electric Lancia Ypsilon shown weeks ahead of schedule

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Storied Italian car brand Lancia revealed its first new car — electric or otherwise — in over a decade, and it did so without warning, without fanfare, and weeks ahead of schedule.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/all-new-electric-lancia-ypsilon-shown-weeks-ahead-of-schedule/ Save to Pocket

    Children’s Bureau Seeking Foster Families for Local Children

    date: 2024-02-07, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption

    https://scvnews.com/childrens-bureau-seeking-foster-families-for-local-children/ Save to Pocket

    Why Ford Needed A Skunkworks Team To Create Its Low-Cost EV Platform

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Inside EVs News

    Creating a startup within Ford may help the automaker out-innovate Tesla and other EV newcomers.

    https://insideevs.com/news/707831/ford-cheap-ev-tesla-skunkworks/ Save to Pocket

    Kobe Bryant Statue To Be Unveiled Thursday At Crypto.com Arena

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The LAist

    The unveiling of the statue will the prelude to the Lakers donning their “Black Mamba” uniforms against the Denver Nuggets.

    https://laist.com/news/los-angeles-activities/kobe-bryant-statue-to-be-unveiled-thursday-at-crypto-com Save to Pocket

    LASD official retires while under investigation

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Signal

    By Signal Staff  A high-ranking captain in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, who was relieved of duty on Sept. 11 pending the outcome of a criminal investigation, has retired while the investigation continues, according to LASD sources and county retirement records available online.  The captain, a Stevenson Ranch resident who was not working in […]

    The post LASD official retires while under investigation appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/lasd-official-retires-while-under-investigation/ Save to Pocket

    Volt Typhoon not the only Chinese crew lurking in US energy, critical networks

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Presumably American TLAs are all over Beijing’s infrastructure, too … right?

    Volt Typhoon isn’t the only Chinese spying crew infiltrating computer networks in America’s energy sector and other critical organizations with the aim of wrecking equipment and causing other headaches, the US government has said.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/its_not_just_volt_typhoon/ Save to Pocket

    Deputies seeks suspect in hot-prowl burglary 

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Signal

    Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials are investigating a report of a hot-prowl burglary after a woman reported being woken up by a man who had broken into her home, stood over her bed and put his hand over her mouth, according to the report from a 911 call.   The SCV Sheriff’s Station received the […]

    The post Deputies seeks suspect in hot-prowl burglary  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/deputies-seeks-suspect-in-hot-prowl-burglary/ Save to Pocket

    Wow, this drone footage of an erupting Icelandic volcano. It gets right…

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/0043935-wow-this-drone-footage-of Save to Pocket

    Lilbits: Disney’s Epic $1.5 billion bet on gaming, Pixel Fold 2 leaks, and more

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Liliputing

    Disney is already a behemoth in the movies & TV space, but now the company wants a slice of the gaming pie. The company has announced plans to collaborate with Epic Games to bring Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and other content and characters to Fortnite and other games and experiences powered by Epic’s Unreal […]

    The post Lilbits: Disney’s Epic $1.5 billion bet on gaming, Pixel Fold 2 leaks, and more appeared first on Liliputing.

    https://liliputing.com/lilbits-disneys-epic-1-5-billion-bet-on-gaming/ Save to Pocket

    Israeli Survivors of Hamas’s October 7 Attack Tell Their Story

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    Eighty neighbors were murdered, 18 were kidnapped, and their kibbutz was burned.

    The post Israeli Survivors of Hamas’s October 7 Attack Tell Their Story appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/israeli-survivors-of-hamass-october-7-attack-tell-their-story/ Save to Pocket

    It’s Movie Magic Time in Santa Barbara

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    Santa Barbara International Film Festival is looking SPIFF-y once again.

    The post It’s Movie Magic Time in Santa Barbara appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/its-movie-magic-time-in-santa-barbara/ Save to Pocket

    Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Secret Sauce

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News

    Programming Director Claudia Puig takes us behind the scenes of the Film Festival’s program puzzle.

    The post Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Secret Sauce appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

    https://www.independent.com/2024/02/07/santa-barbara-international-film-festivals-secret-sauce/ Save to Pocket

    City shares outlook in budget talk 

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Signal

    Santa Clarita kicked off the first budget study session for the 2024-25 fiscal year with a slightly more optimistic tone than last year but with a call to try and stick to the capital improvement plans in Santa Clarita 2025, as the city’s costs are expected to grow with a significant number of projects in […]

    The post <strong>City shares outlook in budget talk</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/city-shares-outlook-in-budget-talk/ Save to Pocket

    US Senate Rejects Border Security Measure Linked to Ukraine, Israel Aid

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    https://www.voanews.com/a/us-senate-rejects-border-security-measure-linked-to-ukraine-israel-aid/7478502.html Save to Pocket

    Interim LAPD Chief Picked To Replace Michel Moore

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The LAist

    The interim appointment of Dominic H. Choi, a longtime LAPD veteran, comes less than a month after outgoing chief Michel Moore announced his retirement.

    https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/interim-lapd-chief-named Save to Pocket

    Legacy Christian Academy holds grand opening for new turf

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Signal

    News release   Legacy Christian Academy held a grand opening ceremony for its new athletic turf on Jan. 25. The kindergarten and first-grade students officially opened the field with a short celebration ceremony.  The new athletic turf is a state-of-the-art playing surface that will provide a safe and enjoyable place for students to participate in […]

    The post Legacy Christian Academy holds grand opening for new turf appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

    https://signalscv.com/2024/02/legacy-christian-academy-holds-grand-opening-for-new-turf/ Save to Pocket

    New Research Conducted by CSUN Prof Reveals Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reefs

    date: 2024-02-07, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    A years-long study focused on the climate effects on coral reefs by California State University, Northridge marine biologists Peter Edmunds and Robert Carpenter reveals concerns for their future survival

    https://scvnews.com/new-research-conducted-by-csun-prof-reveals-impacts-of-ocean-acidification-on-coral-reefs/ Save to Pocket

    AMD crams five compute architectures onto a single board

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    What an Arm-ful of x86, Vega graphics, XDNA AI, and FPGA circuitry

    With the launch of its Embedded+ architecture yesterday, AMD effectively posed the question: Why choose one compute architecture when you can have five?…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/amd_compute_systems/ Save to Pocket

    Quick Charge Podcast: February 7, 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from Electrek. Quick Charge is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/quick-charge-podcast-february-7-2024/ Save to Pocket

    “The Unspoken Racial Politics of ‘Fast Car’ at the Grammys”

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/the-unspoken-racial-politics-of-fast-car-at-the-grammys Save to Pocket

    Your Guide To Coaxing Your Pooch To Poop Next Time A Once-In-A-Century Storm Hits

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The LAist

    From doggie accessories to training tips before the next big storm, we’ve got you covered.

    https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/your-guide-to-coaxing-your-pooch-to-poop-next-time-a-once-in-a-century-storm-hits Save to Pocket

    @Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-07, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

    A university president who blogs.

    https://roth.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2024/02/05/access-education-and-practicing-freedom/ Save to Pocket

    Los Angeles Museum Returns Artifacts to Ghana That Were Taken by British Forces in 1874

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Smithsonian Magazine

    Museum officials traveled to the city of Kumasi to return the objects on the 150th anniversary of their seizure

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/uclas-fowler-museum-returns-artifacts-taken-from-asante-kingdom-to-ghana-180983741/ Save to Pocket

    NASA Sets Coverage for SpaceX, Intuitive Machines First Moon Mission

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    Editor’s Note: This advisory was updated Feb. 8, 2024, to reflect an updated date and time for the lunar delivery readiness media teleconference. As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, SpaceX is targeting no earlier than 12:57 a.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 14, for a Falcon 9 launch of Intuitive […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-spacex-intuitive-machines-first-moon-mission/ Save to Pocket

    DACC Celebrates Spay and Neuter Awareness Month and Responsible Pet Owners Month

    date: 2024-02-07, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    The County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control is excited to announce its participation in two significant awareness campaigns: Spay and Neuter Awareness Month and Responsible Pet Owners Month

    https://scvnews.com/dacc-celebrates-spay-and-neuter-awareness-month-and-responsible-pet-owners-month/ Save to Pocket

    Ford will unveil its all-electric Puma Gen-E later this year

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    The UK’s best-selling car is going electric. Ford said it will reveal the all-electric Puma Gen-E later this year as it expands its European EV lineup.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/ford-unveil-all-electric-puma-gen-e/ Save to Pocket

    After Police Kill Unarmed Black People, Black Americans Lose Sleep, Study Finds

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Smithsonian Magazine

    New research draws a link between unequal exposure to police violence and lack of sleep for Black adults

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-police-kill-unarmed-black-people-black-americans-lose-sleep-study-finds-180983751/ Save to Pocket

    Housing Advocates Sue City Of LA Again For Denying Affordable Housing Near Single-Family Homes

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The LAist

    A pro-housing group has filed a second lawsuit challenging the city’s retroactive ban of fast-tracked affordable housing in lower-density neighborhoods.

    https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/los-angles-city-ed1-yimby-law-lawsuit-wilbur-reseda-affordable-housing-single-family-mayor-bass Save to Pocket

    First Look: Spaceplane Stacked and Shaken at NASA Test Facility

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    Nose-up and bathed in soft blue lights, Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane and its Shooting Star cargo module cast dramatic shadows onto the walls of NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, as members of the media got their first glimpse of the towering 55-foot-tall stack on Feb. 1. The spaceplane and its cargo […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/glenn/first-look-spaceplane-stacked-and-shaken-at-nasa-test-facility/ Save to Pocket

    NASA Selects Agencywide Acquisition Support Services Contractor

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    NASA has selected 8(a) vendor Seventh Sense Consulting LLC of Woodbridge, Virginia, to provide acquisition support services for non-inherently governmental functions across the agency. The contractor will provide services agencywide, including document development support, procurement administrative services, acquisition policy support, procurement operations support, procurement source selection support, cost/pricing support, and contract closeout support. The latter […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-agencywide-acquisition-support-services-contractor/ Save to Pocket

    ARL Letter Opposing Pro Codes Act

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Association of Research Libraries News

    Last Updated on February 7, 2024, 3:57 pm ET On February 7, 2024, ARL sent a letter to Senators explaining why we oppose the Pro Codes Act. Extending copyright to…

    The post ARL Letter Opposing Pro Codes Act appeared first on Association of Research Libraries.

    https://www.arl.org/our-priorities/advocacy-public-policy/partner-letters/copyright/arl-letter-opposing-pro-codes-act/ Save to Pocket

    John Cage’s composition Organ^2/ASLSP will play continuously in a German church until…

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/0043938-john-cages-composition-or Save to Pocket

    SoCal Coastline Erodes During Heavy Storm, Delaying Trains

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The LAist

    Our coastline is susceptible to erosion especially during heavy rains.

    https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/coastal-erosive-storms-pch-train-delays Save to Pocket

    2024-02-07 Apple killed music on the move, for me

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Alex Schroeder’s Blog

    2024-02-07 Apple killed music on the move, for me

    I was thinking about joining the Tangara crowdfunding. It’s a kind of iPod, but better in that it is all open. Yay!

    But then I realized something: Having an iPhone made listening to music such a shit show that I basically stopped and switched my entire phone-based audio entertainment to podcasts. Because podcast clients are great (at least iCatcher is) where as Apple Music is a pain. Having used iTunes when it was cool until it was unusable, and then realizing what a pain the weird AAC formats on the files were, and the DRM on some of them, preventing me from playing them on other machines I owned. I was so angry.

    In a fit of hate I decided I was going to move all my pictures out of iPhotos and all my music out of iTunes and never go back. And I did. And so the Apple Music app died, and I guess no alternatives were allowed on the App Store because Apple is great like that, and so when the iPod classic I had with Rockbox installed finally died, all I was left with was podcasts on the iPhone.

    And so now I don’t even know whether I want to listen to music any more while I’m on the move.

    Apple killed music on the move, for me.

    At home it’s a different story, of course, but Tangara is a portable music player.

    I wish Tangara the best of luck.

    #Apple #Copyright #DRM

    https://alexschroeder.ch/view/2024-02-07-tangara Save to Pocket

    Electrify America set to open its first indoor EV charging station to the public this week

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    EV charging network Electrify America will soon offer the public an EV charging experience safe from the elements, where drivers can pull in, plug in, and chill out while their vehicle replenishes. This flagship indoor charging station kicks off a potential future in which you don’t have to wait in your car or outside while you charge… It also has complimentary Wi-Fi.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/electrify-america-to-open-first-indoor-ev-charging-station-to-the-public/ Save to Pocket

    Tesla to restart Gigafactory Berlin production next week

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Tesla confirmed that it plans to restart production at Gigafactory Berlin next week after shutting it down due to supply issues.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/tesla-restart-gigafactory-berlin-production-next-week/ Save to Pocket

    The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Introduces the New Interactive RIPA Dashboard

    date: 2024-02-07, from: SCV New (TV Station)

    Recently, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department introduced a dashboard about the Racial and Identity Profiling Act.  

    https://scvnews.com/the-los-angeles-county-sheriffs-department-introduces-the-new-interactive-ripa-dashboard/ Save to Pocket

    Existing telecom infrastructure can put L2 charging everywhere, FAST

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Britain’s largest telecom service provider has put forward a plan to ensure that EVs are always within range of a charger. To do that, they’re planning to retrofit their existing street cabinets into publicly accessible L2 chargers.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/existing-telecom-infrastructure-can-put-l2-charging-everywhere-fast/ Save to Pocket

    Honda’s New E-Clutch: CBR650R And CB650R Get First Pricing Information

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    It’s nice to see that new tech doesn’t always have to come with a prohibitively high price tag.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707824/honda-eclutch-cbr650r-cb650r-pricing/ Save to Pocket

    Half of polled infosec pros say their degree was less than useful for real-world work

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    The other half paid attention in class?

    Half of infosec professionals polled by Kaspersky said any cybersecurity knowledge they picked up from their higher education is at best somewhat useful for doing their day jobs. On the other hand, half said the know-how was at least very useful. We’re a glass half-empty lot.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/kaspersky_infosec_cso/ Save to Pocket

    The Marshall Star for February 7, 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    NASA Administrator Announces New Marshall Space Flight Center Director NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Feb. 5 named Joseph Pelfrey director of the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center, effective immediately. Pelfrey has served as acting center director since July 2023. “Joseph is a respected leader who shares the passion for innovation and exploration at NASA Marshall. […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/marshall/the-marshall-star-for-february-7-2024/ Save to Pocket

    What did the students think of the CSU strike and its quick end?

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)

    Two weeks ago, thousands of California State University students were left confused and disappointed after the supposed five-day strike ended after its first day. The system-wide strike took place Monday,…

    https://sundial.csun.edu/178232/news/what-did-the-students-think-of-the-csu-strike-and-its-quick-end/ Save to Pocket

    Review: Cyrusher Ripple electric snowboard actually works! (mostly)

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Cyrusher, a Chinese company known for its burly electric bikes, surprised many in the snowboarding community when it announced its electric snowboard in December. Part snowboard and part snowmobile/e-skateboard/scooter, the Cyrusher Ripple mounts a jagged 3kW hub motor-wheel in a rear hole on a snowboard and puts the battery in a backpack that the rider must wear. Cyrusher states that the Ripple can go 30+ miles at speeds up to 30 miles per hour.

    To our surprise, they actually had some review models and sent us one that we took up to Vermont to put through the paces. Would it actually work, and more importantly, would it be a fun form of transportation?

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/review-cyrusher-ripple-electric-snowboard-actually-works-mostly/ Save to Pocket

    What do Dartmouth basketball and Tennessee’s VW plant have in common?

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Robert Reich on Substack

    They’re both part of a sea change in labor

    https://robertreich.substack.com/p/improbable-signs-of-union-ferment Save to Pocket

    @Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-07, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

    Social networks and RSS. We really should be on the case for all social media networks to support RSS feeds outbound at least (inbound nice too). And also add features to make interop really useful. I’ve enumerated them here. I am making software that builds on this feature in social networks. And yes we do have some examples of that, thinking of WordPress and competitors. I think they are perfectly good bases for social networks.

    http://scripting.com/2024/02/07.html#a201729 Save to Pocket

    @Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-07, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)

    I went skiing today at Belleayre. First time in five years. It was great. I’ve been working out to get ready for it, and was concerned maybe I’m finally too old, but it’s good. My body remembers how to ski. And being in shape makes the difference. No doubt at some point I will be too old for it. But not yet. And the snow was really good, for the east. Packed powder, very little ice. No lift lines. Sometimes a little crowded on the slopes but about the same as any ski area in the west. It pays to go on weekdays if you can. Here’s a trail map and some stats on the area.

    http://scripting.com/2024/02/07.html#a201616 Save to Pocket

    Reading Too Much into Pong Wars

    date: 2024-02-07, from: TidBITS blog

    This mashup of Pong and Breakout provides a sort of hyperactive digital lava lamp that’s surprisingly mesmerizing.

    macOS Hidden Treasures: Quick Look

    https://tidbits.com/2024/02/07/reading-too-much-into-pong-wars/ Save to Pocket

    A greener buzz?

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Status-Q blog

    When I was young, electric toothbrushes were something we laughed at.  Imagine being too lazy even to wiggle a toothbrush up and down without powered assistance! But as an adult, I discovered that most dentists now thought they were rather good, and recommended them.   Electric toothbrushes did a better job of cleaning in general, Continue Reading

    https://statusq.org/archives/2024/02/07/11943/ Save to Pocket

    Black History in Two Minutes (or so)

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/black-history-in-two-minutes-or-so Save to Pocket

    Digitizing the Past: Videographer Archives Northridge Earthquake Footage

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)

    George Johnson is no stranger to earthquakes. He grew up all over the San Fernando Valley, moving from West Hills to Northridge to Mission Hills and back to Northridge again….

    https://sundial.csun.edu/178141/print-editions/print-stories/digitizing-the-past-videographer-archives-northridge-earthquake-footage/ Save to Pocket

    Many small news nonprofits feel overlooked by funders. A new coalition is giving them a voice

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Nieman Journalism Lab

    Here’s a question I bet you can’t answer without Googling: What’s Didelphis virginiana? And what does Didelphis virginiana have to do with local news? I couldn’t have answered either question five months ago. But last fall, when I interviewed Corinne Colbert, she introduced me to her publication, the Athens County Independent. That’s how I learned…

    https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/02/many-small-news-nonprofits-feel-overlooked-by-funders-a-new-coalition-is-giving-them-a-voice/ Save to Pocket

    The Viral Smart Toothbrush Botnet Story Is Not Real

    date: 2024-02-07, from: 404 Media Group

    “FortiGuard Labs has not observed Mirai or other IoT botnets target toothbrushes or similar embedded devices.”

    https://www.404media.co/the-viral-toothbrush-ddos-botnet-story-almost-certainly-isnt-real/ Save to Pocket

    CGPDFService

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Michael Tsai

    Howard Oakley: CGPDFService turns out to be quite a small background XPC process inside the CoreGraphics framework, located on the System volume (SSV) in the path /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/XPCServices/CGPDFService.xpc. The executable is around 313 KB, and is currently in version and build number 1, as it shipped with the first release of Sonoma.[…]CGPDFService processes reset their user […]

    https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/02/07/cgpdfservice/ Save to Pocket

    Inside Code Signing: Certificates

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Michael Tsai

    TN3161 (via Quinn): To condense this into plain English, this certificate says that “Apple certifies that this developer is associated with this public key, and the matching private key can be used to sign Mac code.” This is clearly a simplification—it doesn’t touch on the valid date range, serial number, or even how Apple identified […]

    https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/02/07/inside-code-signing-certificates/ Save to Pocket

    Bluesky Opens to the Public

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Michael Tsai

    Bluesky (Hacker News): Bluesky is building an open social network where anyone can contribute, while still providing an easy-to-use experience for users. For the past year, we used invite codes to help us manage growth while we built features like moderation tooling, custom feeds, and more. Now, we’re ready for anyone to join.[…]To learn more […]

    https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/02/07/bluesky-opens-to-the-public/ Save to Pocket

    Flickr and Facebook at 20

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Michael Tsai

    Flickr: To celebrate this huge milestone, we’re taking a trip down memory lane to explore all of the technological and structural moments that have shaped Flickr into what it is now. Mark Zuckerberg: 20 years ago I launched a thing. Along the way, lots of amazing people joined and we built some more awesome things. […]

    https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/02/07/flickr-and-facebook-at-20/ Save to Pocket

    Yours Truly on ‘Big Technology’

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Daring Fireball

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-mega-episode-w-daring-fireballs-john-gruber-ai/id1522960417?i=1000644472738 Save to Pocket

    BYD takes 20% of Japan’s EV imports in January after launching just last year

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Watch out, Toyota. BYD continues its dominant overseas expansion after accounting for over 20% of Japan’s EV imports last month. After launching just last year, BYD is already making its presence known as Japan lags behind the auto industry’s shift to electric.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/byd-20-japans-ev-imports/ Save to Pocket

    Astronaut Bruce McCandless Performs the First Untethered Spacewalk

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    Astronaut Bruce McCandless II approaches his maximum distance from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Challenger in this 70mm photo from Feb. 7, 1984. While testing out the nitrogen-propelled, hand-controlled back-pack device called the manned maneuvering unit (MMU) for the first time, McCandless’s fellow crewmembers aboard the reusable vehicle photographed him. The MMU allowed crews to move […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/astronaut-bruce-mccandless-performs-the-first-untethered-spacewalk/ Save to Pocket

    @Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-02-07, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

    In this blog post, I cover the work to make Godot on iPadOS viable.

    This describes what I did get the editor and the game to play well with each other:

    blog.la-terminal.net/making-go

    https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111891779662435060 Save to Pocket

    US says China’s Volt Typhoon is readying destructive cyberattacks

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    12 international govt agencies sound the alarm, critical infrastructure at the heart of threats

    The US government today confirmed China’s Volt Typhoon crew comprised “multiple” critical infrastructure orgs’ IT networks in America – and Uncle Sam warned that the Beijing-backed spies are readying “disruptive or destructive cyberattacks” against those targets.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/us_chinas_volt_typhoon_attacks/ Save to Pocket

    “The basic problem with the conservative discourse around ‘parents’ rights’ is that…

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/0043937-the-basic-problem-with-th Save to Pocket

    macOS 14.3 Sonoma Text Display Bug to Be Fixed Soon

    date: 2024-02-07, from: TidBITS blog

    If you’ve noticed weird text display problems in macOS 14.3 Sonoma, you’re not alone. The bug has been fixed in WebKit and should appear in a new version of macOS soon.

    Art Authority Museum: Free Pre-Opening Tour — Grand Opening This Spring. Only on Vision Pro!

    https://tidbits.com/2024/02/07/macos-14-3-sonoma-text-display-bug-to-be-fixed-soon/ Save to Pocket

    See Detailed New Images of Io From Another NASA Flyby of the Solar System’s Most Volcanic World

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Smithsonian Magazine

    The stunning views show lava flows and volcanic plumes, as scientists seek to learn what causes such volatile conditions on the moon of Jupiter

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-new-detailed-images-of-io-from-another-nasa-flyby-of-the-solar-systems-most-volcanic-world-180983748/ Save to Pocket

    Why You May Soon Be Getting More Air Quality Alerts

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Heatmap News



    The Environmental Protection Agency finalized new air pollution rules on Wednesday, strengthening standards that had not been updated in over a decade. Somewhat counterintuitively, the change could mean that even as the air gets cleaner, you might get more air quality alerts.

    As part of the rule change, the EPA updated its Air Quality Index, that colorful scale that many Americans grew intimately familiar with last summer, as wildfire smoke went from being a West Coast problem to a hazard for almost the entire country, seemingly overnight.

    The AQI is both easy to interpret, with a color code that goes from a healthy green to a perilous purple, and esoteric. The colors correspond with numbers from zero to upwards of 300, and those numbers correspond with measures of five different pollutants — particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

    The Clean Air Act tasks the EPA with setting standards for each of these pollutants. If local concentrations of any one of them tick up above those protective standards, the AQI will jump from green to a more alarming color. The higher the level of pollution is, the higher the AQI and the darker the color will be.

    Previously, the EPA’s annual standard for concentrations of particulate matter was 12 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). Based on epidemiological research showing that this standard did not adequately protect public health, the agency has now lowered the standard to 9 µg/m3.

    Air quality has improved immensely since the 1970s when the Clean Air Act was passed, preventing hundreds of thousands of premature deaths. But thousands of people still die early, are rushed to the emergency room, develop asthma, or miss work due to air pollution.

    The new AQI scale doesn’t mean you need to rethink how you make decisions about when to spend time outdoors or whether to wear a mask. But it does mean that if and when people make decisions based on the AQI, they will be more informed by the science and, in aggregate, contribute to lower all of these public health costs. The rules are expected to prevent 4,500 premature deaths per year by 2032.

    Table of new AQI values. All AQI scores above 300 are considered hazardous, but identifying a top value for the scale helps the EPA determine the actual score.Environmental Protection Agency

    Some parts of the country could start to see more days with “moderate air quality,” the yellow category. “People who live in places that have frequent flips over nine — those will be people who have environmental justice issues or live near traffic and industries and big cities and so forth — they are going to get warned a little more,” John Bachmann, a former associate director in EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation told me. “Which is a positive thing.” The agency considers moderate air quality to be “acceptable,” but there may still be a risk for people who are particularly sensitive to pollution.

    Also, during major air quality events like wildfires or chemical fires, impacted areas could now be deemed “hazardous” when previously they may have been “very unhealthy,” or deemed “very unhealthy” when before they would have been simply “unhealthy.” This will affect when and how public health officials respond to these kinds of events.

    “This is for everybody, not just the most exposed or the most sensitive people. So on both ends of it, this is a step in the right direction,” Bachmann said.

    As part of the changes, the agency will also now require cities with more than 350,000 people to report the AQI seven days a week, up from five — a rule that’s been in place since 1999. However, the agency said that most states and cities are already doing this.

    The new AQI scale will take effect in 60 days, in early April.

    https://heatmap.news/sparks/air-quality-index-what-you-need-to-know Save to Pocket

    Save $600 on Juiced RipRacer e-bike at $899, Snow Joe electric snow blower now $300, more

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Headlining today’s best deals is a $600 discount on Juiced Bikes’ RipRacer e-bike that returns costs to the $899 all-time low that we haven’t seen since August. It is joined by Snow Joe’s 24V 21-inch Electric Snow Blower for $300, as well as a notable sale on a few Amazon Basics rechargeable battery packs, with the 12-pack of AAA batteries leading at $14. Plus, all of today’s other best new Green Deals.

    Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/juiced-ripracer-e-bike-snow-joe-snow-blower-and-more/ Save to Pocket

    The World’s Biggest Offshore Wind Developer Had a Horrible 2023, and It’s America’s Fault

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Heatmap News



    The Danish energy developer Orsted delivered a withering verdict on its experiment trying to build wind farms in the United States: Bad. It’s lost a ton of money, the company said Wednesday, so it’s going to do less of that going forward, and take on way less risk.

    That Orsted had struggled in the U.S. offshore wind market was no secret — late last year, it cancelled two projects in New Jersey — but its earnings report put some grim figures on it.

    The company said that it had 9.6 billion Danish kroner worth of fees (about $1.4 billion) related to one New Jersey project, Ocean Wind 1, and had booked $4 billion of losses, most of which were due to Ocean Wind 1’s cancellation. Overall, it reported a a loss of almost $3 billion in 2023, entirely due to the fees and impairments it reported. Otherwise, the company would have had a more than $2 billion profit.

    The company’s offshore wind misadventure won’t just weigh on its balance sheet or stock price. Investors, including the Danish government, will miss out on the company’s dividend for three years, through 2025. And the company’s chairman, Thomas Thune Andersen, said he would step down next month.

    All this also meant that the company expects to have far less installed renewable capacity developed by the end of the decade than it had previously targeted, down to 35 to 28 gigawatts from the 50 GW it had projected as recently as last year. (It has just under 16 GW at the moment.) The company will cut its planned investment by more than half, according to Morningstar analyst Tancrede Fulop.

    Orsted and other wind developers have blamed a combination of supply chain issues, high interest rates, and inflexibility in the contracts signed with state governments for the failures, delays, and cancellations of projects up and down the East Coast last year. In New York, Orsted and other developers failed to get their contracts adjusted to account for higher costs, and so were forced to cancel and, in some cases, re-bid.

    The company said in a presentation to investors that it was “now focused predominantly on the Northeast,” essentially throwing in the towel on anywhere south of New York, having withdrawn from the New Jersey project and declaring that its Maryland project, Skipjack, will continue development “with minimal spend.”

    The trouble wasn’t just in the United States, though — Orsted also said it was pulling out of Norway, Spain, and Portugal, while it was “deprioritising development in other markets including Japan.” It does, however, seem committed to maintaining some presence here, having submitted a new bid for Sunrise Wind, a planned wind farm off the east coast of Long Island.

    In a call with analysts, the company’s chief executive Mads Nipper said that Orsted will spend far less money on projects before making the final approval to go forward with construction. The company also said that it will “pursue offtake opportunities where attractive with low pre-FID commitments and inflation protection” — in other words, bid for projects with low upfront costs and someone else around to absorb rising costs.

    https://heatmap.news/sparks/orsted-earnings-bad-us-2023 Save to Pocket

    @Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-07, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

    CJ Rossitano on Winning the SNL Ticket Lottery.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AUdOrZXhReU Save to Pocket

    50 Years Ago: Skylab 4 Astronauts Return From Record-Breaking Spaceflight

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    The longest spaceflight up to that time ended on Feb. 8, 1974, when Skylab 4 astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after their 84-day mission aboard Skylab, America’s first space station. During their stay, they carried out a challenging research program, including biomedical investigations […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/history/50-years-ago-skylab-4-astronauts-return-from-record-breaking-spaceflight/ Save to Pocket

    Ford pulls the plug on EV strategy as losses pile up

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    ‘Our Gen 2 vehicles won’t launch unless we can get to a profit’

    The reality of electric vehicle prices has finally caught up with the venerable US automaker Ford, which said yesterday that it’s rethinking its loss-making EV strategy.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/ford_ev_strategy/ Save to Pocket

    Rubble From Bone by Tom Stevenson for the London Review of Books….

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/0043936-rubble-from-bone-the-war Save to Pocket

    Could GPT-5 revolutionize military strategy?

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Gary Marcus blog

    Sam Altman is a fantastic strategic thinker. Satya Nadella is a fantastic strategic thinker. Demis Hassabis is one of the greatest all-around games players of all time. ChatGPT, not so much. It’s notorious for making illegal moves in chess. How about something easier?

    https://garymarcus.substack.com/p/could-gpt-5-revolutionize-military Save to Pocket

    The New York Times made more than $1 billion from digital subscriptions in 2023

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Nieman Journalism Lab

    The New York Times ended 2023 with 10.36 million subscribers, including 9.7 digital-only subscribers, according to an end-of-year report presented to investors on Wednesday. The Times added 300,000 new digital-only subscribers in the last months of 2023, more than it added in any quarter for the previous year. The Times now makes more than twice…

    https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/02/the-new-york-times-made-more-than-1-billion-from-digital-subscriptions-in-2023/ Save to Pocket

    Reform the Budget Process to Strengthen U.S. Global Leadership

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: RAND blog

    As the U.S. government confronts two near-peer challengers in China and Russia, along with mounting conflict in the Middle East, ensuring stability, predictability, and some measure of flexibility in the U.S. defense budget is more important than ever. Yet the U.S. budgeting system is in a state of disarray.

    https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2024/02/reform-the-budget-process-to-strengthen-us-global-leadership.html Save to Pocket

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Daring Fireball

    https://www.infos-app.com/?dftxt Save to Pocket

    Fisker Ocean OTA Update Brings Brake Disk Wiping But ACC Is Still Missing

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Inside EVs News

    Ocean OS 2.0 will begin rolling out to Fisker’s EV next week.

    https://insideevs.com/news/707709/fisker-ocean-v2-ota-no-adaptive-cruise-control/ Save to Pocket

    How to Comment on Social Media

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/how-to-comment-on-social-media Save to Pocket

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Manu - I write blog

    I was listening to the most recent Vergecast episode last night and an interview with Josh Miller, CEO of The Browser Company, makers of the ARC Browser and the new ARC Search app. I found the whole interview baffling.

    Josh is rightfully complaining about the state of the web, specifically the mobile web, but the solution he’s proposing is so stupidly naive that I’m not entirely sure whether he’s just fucking with us.

    His whole point is that search engines are not the best way to surface information. You search for something, you’re presented with a list of links, and you have to click through them and actively look for the thing you were searching for. The proposed solution is AI—who would have thought—that essentially googles for you, “reads” a bunch of the links, and then creates a summary page.

    All this is obviously done by stripping away all the tracking and ads that are part of today’s web.

    You’re smart and so you probably spotted the issue with this approach already. Firstly, without a search engine in the mix, the AI has no way to search for anything. So if the goal is to replace the traditional search engine then we’re already failing. Because we’re not replacing anything, we’re just hiding it behind some AI tool.

    Maybe this is a problem that can be solved by maintaining a new dedicated index but then you just have a search engine with a different UI in front of it.

    The second issue is one of trust. Should I just trust ARC Search? Who can guarantee that the sources used by ARC are not just companies that have paid ARC to be used as such? “But Manu, ARC Search doesn’t just provide the answer to your query, it also provides links to the sources.“ Well then congratulations, you just recreated an AI-nerfed SERP with fewer links and more extra layers.

    Now, let’s ignore all this and imagine this approach does work. Let’s imagine we all get on board with this stupid idea of having an AI searching for you. What happens to the web as a whole? Why should I keep creating content for the web if I’m a content creator who relies on traffic to run my creative business? No one will visit my site because the relevant content will be consumed by some boring ass generated pages. And without content on the web, products like ARC Search are pointless.

    What would happen, if something like this were to go mainstream, is that more and more content would go behind a paywall, kept away from AI. And for good reason.

    I’m very unimpressed by this interview. I’m also very unimpressed by most AI products these days.

    The problem with search is not the UI. Having an AI search for me won’t solve the issue of the sea of garbage content out there.

    But hey, the product is here so let’s take it for a spin and see if it’s any good. I just downloaded ARC Search on my phone and searched for “books on Japanese aesthetics”.

    This is what a “regular” search looks like inside ARC search and yes, that’s a Google search, because it obviously is.

    The first thing I see is a books section with 4 suggested books and 42 more 1 click away. If I’m looking for a book, that’s probably a good enough starting point. Below that section, there are a bunch of sites, related queries, the usual stuff.

    Let’s do the same thing, using this revolutionary way to browse the web powered by AI. Conveniently, ARC tells me the AI is reading 6 web pages.

    There are probably 700-billion-trillion pages out there but ARC has picked 6. Why those 6? No idea. Have those 6 paid to be there? No idea. Should I just trust that those 6 are reputable sources? Yup. A couple of seconds later this is what I get:

    5 books recommended to me in a somewhat compact list. Then I have 3 Top Search Results that are just the top 3 links in Google search. After that I get a completely pointless repetition of the initial list but this time with some more information and worse information density. At the end, I get a bunch of more links.

    Can you tell me in what way this is better than a normal search results page? The problem with search is that it’s full of fucking spam and ads. That’s the problem with search. The solution to search is not to “reinvent the browser” or to use AI to power searches for you. The solution to search is a search engine that is aligned with the users.

    I’d much rather support Kagi and Marginalia than The Browser Company.

    https://manuelmoreale.com/@/page/cdXJ5HNGVkqYrnRN Save to Pocket

    Fairphone 5 schematics, repair, and recycling documentation is now available

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Liliputing

    Fairphone has been putting an emphasis on the repairability and sustainability of its phones for much of the past decade. The company has a long track record of delivering software updates for old phones, offering phones with user-replaceable batteries, and selling spare parts for users that want to perform their own repairs. Starting with the […]

    The post Fairphone 5 schematics, repair, and recycling documentation is now available appeared first on Liliputing.

    https://liliputing.com/fairphone-5-schematics-repair-and-recycling-documentation-is-now-available/ Save to Pocket

    You’re not imagining things – USB memory sticks are getting worse

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    It’s all down to recommissioned kit, claim techies tasked with retrieving data from busted gear

    A German data recovery specialist has confirmed what many Reg readers will have suspected: USB memory sticks are getting less reliable. The cause, as you might have guessed, is inferior memory chips, while the move to storing multiple bits per flash cell also plays a part.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/failed_usb_sticks/ Save to Pocket

    These Photos Capture Every First and Last Subway Stop in New York City

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Smithsonian Magazine

    Photographer Rita Nannini traveled across 665 miles of track and snapped some 8,000 images

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-photo-book-captures-every-first-and-last-subway-stop-in-new-york-city-180983744/ Save to Pocket

    Tesla appears to be preparing for a round of layoffs

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Tesla is seemingly preparing for a round of layoffs as it asks its manager to identify critical members of their teams.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/tesla-appears-preparing-round-of-layoffs/ Save to Pocket

    BMW introduces gorgeous i5 Touring, its first all-electric luxury wagon, but not in the US

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    BMW is launching its first all-electric luxury wagon, the i5 Touring, with up to 348 miles (560 km) WLTP range. The luxury BMW wagon is more advanced than ever. It’s now more sporty, has new features, and is available in an all-electric form for the first time.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/bmw-introduces-i5-touring-first-all-electric-luxury-wagon/ Save to Pocket

    Apollo Go unveiled as fast, dual-motor entry-level electric scooter you can still carry

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    You may be more familiar with Apollo’s fancier electric scooters, which the Canadian company has designed largely from the ground up, eschewing traditional industry practices of compiling a hodge-podge of off-the-shelf parts. But the company’s newest model, the Apollo Go, is shedding some serious poundage in an attempt to become the best portable, entry-level scooter that still packs a punch.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/apollo-go-unveiled-as-fast-dual-motor-entry-level-electric-scooter-you-can-still-carry/ Save to Pocket

    Stripe Cuts Off Platform Used by Dominatrixes

    date: 2024-02-07, from: 404 Media Group

    Stripe gets even more anti-sex by kicking off wishlist platform Wishtender, while AI porn sites, which are also against the payment processor’s rules, are still using it.

    https://www.404media.co/stripe-cuts-off-platform-used-by-dominatrixes-wishtender/ Save to Pocket

    “Wherever you get your podcasts” is a radical statement. Podcasting is “not…

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/0043928-wherever-you-get-your-pod Save to Pocket

    Choice Hotels Across The U.S. Will Install Universal Chargers For EV Drivers

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Inside EVs News

    Hotel brands like Radisson, Cambria, and Comfort can add four or more Tesla Wall Chargers for guests, according to the deal.

    https://insideevs.com/news/707693/choice-hotels-ev-chargers-united-states/ Save to Pocket

    Geely Auto inks deal with ZEEKR to sell its EVs in Mexico, hints at expansion to South America

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Geely Holding Group subsidiary Geely Auto has announced a vehicle purchase agreement with fellow marque brand ZEEKR to sell its EVs and aftermarket parts in Mexico. With the agreement, Geely hopes to fast-track ZEEKR’s line of advanced new energy vehicles to Mexican consumers hungry for more sustainable alternatives to combustion models as a stepping stone to further expansions South to Latin America.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/geely-auto-inks-deal-zeekr-sell-evs-mexico-hints-expansion-south-america/ Save to Pocket

    An extensive collection of vintage Japanese hotel and ryokan luggage tags. You…

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/0043931-an-extensive-collection-o Save to Pocket

    @Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-02-07, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

    “Because Android is such a sewer of scams, Google is trialing blocking all unverified apps at the Singapore level.

    Every other day in Singapore, there is a story about unsophisticated users scanning QR codes to get a discount from a shop, getting tricked into installing an app which ends up draining their bank accounts.”

    Via: threads.net/@davidjrainey/post

    Article:
    straitstimes.com/tech/android-

    https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111891159621196612 Save to Pocket

    Iran’s cyber operations in Israel a potential prelude to US election interference

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Tactics are more sophisticated and supported in greater numbers

    Iran’s anti-Israel cyber operations are providing a window into the techniques the country may deploy in the run-up to the 2024 US Presidential elections, Microsoft says.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/irans_cyber_operations_in_israel/ Save to Pocket

    Raspberry Pi Pico feeds Píkíta the chihuahua twice a day

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Raspberry Pi News (.com)

    Riciery Penques’s chihuahua, Píkíta, needs feeding twice a day. He built a Raspberry Pi Pico-powered pet food dispenser to make sure she never misses a meal.

    The post Raspberry Pi Pico feeds Píkíta the chihuahua twice a day appeared first on Raspberry Pi.

    https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/raspberry-pi-pico-feeds-pikita-the-chihuahua-twice-a-day/ Save to Pocket

    Class Notes: Two Renewals

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Ayjay blog

    In my Christian Renaissance of the Twentieth Century class, we’re reading, back-to-back, passages from Jacques Maritain’s Art and Scholasticism (1920) and Karl Barth’s 1922 lecture “The Word of God and the Task of Theology” (reprinted in this excellent collection of writings by Barth, edited by Keith Johnson). It’s interesting to compare these two vital figures, […]

    https://blog.ayjay.org/two-renewals/ Save to Pocket

    Nuevos astronautas de Artemis se gradúan y la NASA hará la cobertura

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    Read this release in English here. La NASA rendirá homenaje a la nueva generación de candidatos a astronautas para el programa Artemis durante su acto de graduación, a las 10:30 a.m. hora del este del miércoles 5 de marzo en el Centro Espacial Johnson de la agencia en Houston. Después de completar más de dos años de […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nuevos-astronautas-de-artemis-se-graduan-y-la-nasa-hara-la-cobertura/ Save to Pocket

    Woman Got Cremation Ads in the Mail After Getting Chemotherapy

    date: 2024-02-07, from: 404 Media Group

    “This matter has brought to light the close interplay between data brokers and data analytics firms in the digital marketing landscape.”

    https://www.404media.co/woman-got-cremation-ads-in-the-mail-after-getting-chemotherapy/ Save to Pocket

    Maze Proof Establishes a ‘Backbone’ for Statistical Mechanics

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Quanta Magazine

    Four mathematicians have estimated the chances that there’s a clear path through a random maze.

    The post Maze Proof Establishes a ‘Backbone’ for Statistical Mechanics first appeared on Quanta Magazine

    https://www.quantamagazine.org/maze-proof-establishes-a-backbone-for-statistical-mechanics-20240207/ Save to Pocket

    New Artemis Generation Astronauts to Graduate, NASA Sets Coverage

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    Lee esta nota de prensa en español aquí. NASA will honor the next generation of Artemis astronaut candidates to graduate at 10:30 a.m. EST Tuesday, March 5, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. After completing more than two years of basic training, these candidates will earn their wings and become eligible for spaceflight, including […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/new-artemis-generation-astronauts-to-graduate-nasa-sets-coverage/ Save to Pocket

    For Your Processing Pleasure: The Sharpest Pictures of Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io in a Generation

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    NASA’s Juno spacecraft just made the closest flybys of Jupiter’s moon Io that any spacecraft has carried out in more than 20 years. An instrument on this spacecraft called “JunoCam” returned spectacular, high-resolution images—and raw data are now available for you to process, enhance, and investigate. On Dec. 30th, 2023, Juno came within about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) of […]

    https://science.nasa.gov/get-involved/citizen-science/for-your-processing-pleasure-the-sharpest-pictures-of-jupiters-volcanic-moon-io-in-a-generation/ Save to Pocket

    Authorities Search for Helicopter Carrying 5 Marines From Nevada to California

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    SAN DIEGO — Crews were searching for a Marine Corps helicopter carrying five troops from Nevada to California that was reported overdue early Wednesday, a watch commander said. 

    The Marines were flying a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from Creech Air Force Base in Clark County, Nevada, to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. 

    The five U.S. Marines were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Miramar, the military said in a statement. 

    The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Miramar Air Station in San Diego is coordinating search and rescue efforts with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the Civil Air Patrol. 

    The Sheriff’s Department was notified at 1 a.m. that the craft was overdue for arrival at Miramar and was last seen in the area of Pine Valley, a mountainous region about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of downtown San Diego, said Lt. Matthew Carpenter. 

    Carpenter did not have any details on the type of helicopter or number of people aboard. 

    Calls to Miramar were not immediately answered. 

    Waves of heavy downpours hit the area throughout the night from an historic storm that has drenched California this week.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/authorities-search-for-helicopter-carrying-5-marines-from-nevada-to-california-/7477953.html Save to Pocket

    Tesla Increased China-Made EV Wholesale Sales In January 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Inside EVs News

    The Shanghai factory achieved its best January ever.

    https://insideevs.com/news/707651/tesla-china-made-ev-wholesale-sales-january2024/ Save to Pocket

    AMD Embedded+ architecture combines AMD Embedded with Versal Adaptive chips

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Liliputing

    AMD is launching a new platform called Ryzen Embedded+ that combines two of the chip maker’s existing technologies into a “single integrated board” for products that leverage AI features for on-device processing from sensors, cameras, and other hardware. In a nutshell, Embedded+ boards combine an AMD Ryzen Embedded processor with an AMD Versal adaptive, software-programmable […]

    The post AMD Embedded+ architecture combines AMD Embedded with Versal Adaptive chips appeared first on Liliputing.

    https://liliputing.com/amd-embedded-architecture-combines-amd-embedded-with-versal-adaptive-chips/ Save to Pocket

    Pluralistic: The CHIPS Act treats the symptoms, but not the causes (07 Feb 2024)

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Cory Doctorow’s blog

    Today’s links The CHIPS Act treats the symptoms, but not the causes: Monopoly destroyed America’s high-tech capacity. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023 Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading The CHIPS Act treats the symptoms, but not the causes (permalink) There’s this great throwaway line in 1992’s Sneakers, where Dan Aykroyd, playing a conspiracy-addled hacker/con-man, is feverishly telling Sydney Poitier (playing an ex-CIA spook) about a 1958 meeting Eisenhower had with aliens where Ike said, “hey, look, give us your technology, and we’ll give you all the cow lips you want.” Poitier dismisses Aykroyd (“Don’t listen to this man. He’s certifiable”). We’re meant to be on Poitier’s side here, but I’ve always harbored some sympathy for Aykroyd in this scene. That’s because I often hear echoes of Aykroyd’s theory in my own explanations of the esoteric bargains and plots that produced the world we’re living in today. Of course, in my world, it’s not presidents bargaining for alien technology in exchange for cow-lips – it’s the world’s wealthy nations bargaining to drop trade restrictions on the Global South in exchange for IP laws. These bargains – which started as a series of bilateral and then multilateral agreements like NAFTA, and culminated in the WTO agreement of 1999 – were the most important step in the reordering of the world’s economy around rent-extraction, cheap labor exploitation, and a brittle supply chain that is increasingly endangered by the polycrisis of climate and its handmaidens, like zoonotic plagues, water wars, and mass refugee migration. Prior to the advent of “free trade,” the world’s rich countries fashioned debt into a whip-hand over poor, post-colonial nations. These countries had been bankrupted by their previous colonial owners, and the price of their freedom was punishing debts to the IMF and other rich-world institutions in exchange for loans to help these countries “develop.” Like all poor debtors, these countries were said to have gotten into their predicament through moral failure – they’d “lived beyond their means.” (When rich people get into debt, bankruptcy steps in to give them space to “restructure” according to their own plans. When poor people get into debt, bankruptcy strips them of nearly everything that might help them recover, brands them with a permanent scarlet letter, and subjects them to humiliating micro-management whose explicit message is that they are not competent to manage their own affairs): https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/07/hr-4193/#shoppers-choice So the poor debtor nations were ordered to “deregulate.” They had to sell off their state assets, run their central banks according to the dictates of rich-world finance authorities, and reorient their production around supplying raw materials to rich countries, who would process these materials into finished goods for export back to the poor world. Naturally, poor countries were not allowed to erect “trade barriers” that might erode the capacity of this North-South transfer of high-margin goods, but this was not the era of free trade. It wasn’t the free trade era because, while the North-South transfer was largely unrestricted, the South-North transfer was subject to tight regulation in the rich world. In other words, poor countries were expected to export, say, raw ore to the USA and reimport high-tech goods, with low tariffs in both directions. But if a poor country processed that ore domestically and made its own finished goods, the US would block those goods at the border, slapping them with high tariffs that made them more expensive than Made-in-the-USA equivalents. The argument for this unidirectional trade was that the US – and other rich countries – had a strategic need to maintain their manufacturing industries as a hedge against future geopolitical events (war, but also pandemics, extreme weather) that might leave the rich world unable to provide for itself. This rationale had a key advantage: it was true. A country that manages its own central bank can create as much of its own currency as it wants, and use that money to buy anything for sale in its own currency. This may not be crucial while global markets are operating to the country’s advantage (say, while the rest of the world is “willingly” pricing its raw materials in your country’s currency), but when things go wrong – war, plague, weather – a country that can’t make things is at the rest of the world’s mercy. If you had to choose between being a poor post-colonial nation that couldn’t supply its own technological needs except by exporting raw materials to rich countries, and being a rich country that had both domestic manufacturing capacity and a steady supply of other countries’ raw materials, you would choose the second, every time. What’s not to like? Here’s what. The problem – from the perspective of America’s ultra-wealthy – was that this arrangement gave the US workforce a lot of power. As US workers unionized, they were able to extract direct concessions from their employers through collective bargaining, and they could effectively lobby for universal worker protections, including a robust welfare state – in both state and federal legislatures. The US was better off as a whole, but the richest ten percent were much poorer than they could be if only they could smash worker power. That’s where free trade comes in. Notwithstanding racist nonsense about “primitive” countries, there’s no intrinsic defect that stops the global south from doing high-tech manufacturing. If the rich world’s corporate leaders were given free rein to sideline America’s national security in favor of their own profits, they could certainly engineer the circumstances whereby poor countries would build sophisticated factories to replace the manufacturing facilities that sat behind the north’s high tariff walls. These poor-country factories could produce goods ever bit as valuable as the rich world’s shops, but without the labor, environmental and financial regulations that constrained their owners’ profits. They slavered for a business environment that let them kill workers; poison the air, land and water; and cheat the tax authorities with impunity. For this plan to work, the wealthy needed to engineer changes in both the rich world and the poor world. Obviously, they would have to get rid of the rich world’s tariff walls, which made it impossible to competitively import goods made in the global south, no matter how cheaply they were made. But free trade wasn’t just about deregulation in the north – it also required a whole slew of new, extremely onerous regulations in the global south. Corporations that relocated their manufacturing to poor – but nominally sovereign – countries needed to be sure that those countries wouldn’t try to replicate the American plan of becoming actually sovereign, by exerting control over the means of production within their borders. Recall that the American Revolution was inspired in large part by fury over the requirement to ship raw materials back to Mother England and then buy them back at huge markups after they’d been processed by English workers, to the enrichment of English aristocrats. Post-colonial America created new regulations (tariffs on goods from England), and – crucially – they also deregulated. Specifically, post-revolutionary America abolished copyrights and patents for English persons and firms. That way, American manufacturers could produce sophisticated finished goods without paying rent to England’s wealthy making those goods cheaper for American buyers, and American publishers could subsidize their editions of American authors’ books by publishing English authors on the cheap, without the obligation to share profits with English publishers or English writers. The surplus produced by ignoring the patents and copyrights of the English was divided (unequally) among American capitalists, workers, and shoppers. Wealthy Americans got richer, even as they paid their workers more and charged less for their products. This incubated a made-in-the-USA edition of the industrial revolution. It was so successful that the rest of the world – especially England – began importing American goods and literature, and then American publishers and manufacturers started to lean on their government to “respect” English claims, in order to secure bilateral protections for their inventions and books in English markets. This was good for America, but it was terrible for English manufacturers. The US – a primitive, agricultural society – “stole” their inventions until they gained so much manufacturing capacity that the English public started to prefer American goods to English ones. This was the thing that rich-world industrialists feared about free trade. Once you build your high-tech factories in the global south, what’s to stop those people from simply copying your plans – or worse, seizing your factories! – and competing with you on a global scale? Some of these countries had nominally socialist governments that claimed to explicitly elevate the public good over the interests of the wealthy. And all of these countries had the same sprinkling of sociopaths who’d gladly see a million children maimed or the land poisoned for a buck – and these “entrepreneurs” had unbeatable advantages with their countries’ political classes. For globalization to work, it wasn’t enough to deregulate the rich world – capitalists also had to regulate the poor world. Specifically, they had to get the poor world to adopt “IP” laws that would force them to willingly pay rent on things they could get for free: patents and other IP, even though it was in the short-term, medium-term, and long-term interests of both the nation and its politicians and its businesspeople. Thus, the bargain that makes me sympathetic to Dan Aykroyd: not cow lips for alien tech; but free trade for IP law. When the WTO was steaming towards passage in the late 1990s, there was (rightly) a lot of emphasis on its deregulatory provisions: weakening of labor, environmental and financial laws in the poor world, and of tariffs in the rich world. But in hindsight, we all kind of missed the main event: the TRIPS (Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights). This actually started before the WTO treaty (it was part of the GATT, a predecessor to the WTO), but the WTO spread it to countries all over the world. Under the TRIPS, poor countries are required to honor the IP claims of rich countries, on pain of global sanction. That was the plan: instead of paying American workers to make Apple computers, say, Apple could export the “IP” for Macs and iPhones to countries like China, and these countries would produce Apple products that were “designed in California, assembled in China.” China would allow Apple to treat Chinese workers so badly that they routinely committed suicide, and would lock up or kill workers who tried to unionize. China would accept vast shipments of immortal, toxic e-waste. And China wouldn’t let its entrepreneurs copy Apple’s designs, be they software, schematics or trademarks. Apple isn’t the only company that pursued this strategy, but no company has executed it as successfully. It’s not for nothing that Steve Jobs’s hand-picked successor was Tim Cook, who oversaw the transfer of even the most exacting elements of Apple manufacturing to Chinese facilities, striking bargains with contractors like Foxconn that guaranteed that workers would be heavily – lethally! – surveilled and controlled to prevent the twin horrors of unionization and leaks. For the first two decades of the WTO era, the most obvious problems with this arrangement was wage erosion (for American workers) and leakage (for the rich). China’s “socialist” government was only too happy to help Foxconn imprison workers who demanded better wages and working conditions, but they were far more relaxed about knockoffs, be they fake iPods sold in market stalls or US trade secrets working their way into Huawei products. These were problems for the American aristocracy, whose investments depended on China disciplining both Chinese workers and Chinese businesses. For the American people, leakage was a nothingburger. Apple’s profits weren’t shared with its workforce beyond the relatively small number of tech workers at its headquarters. The vast majority of Apple employees, who flogged iPhones and scrubbed the tilework in gleaming white stores across the nation, would get the same minimal (or even minimum) wage no matter how profitable Apple grew. It wasn’t until the pandemic that the other shoe dropped for the American public. The WTO arrangement – cow lips for alien technology – had produced a global system brittle supply chains composed entirely of weakest links. A pandemic, a war, a ship stuck in the Suez Canal or Houthi paramilitaries can cripple the entire system, perhaps indefinitely. For two decades, we fought over globalization’s effect on wages. We let our corporate masters trick us into thinking that China’s “cheating” on IP was a problem for the average person. But the implications of globalization for American sovereignty and security were banished to the xenophobic right fringe, where they were mixed into the froth of Cold War 2.0 nonsense. The pandemic changed that, creating a coalition that is motivated by a complex and contradictory stew of racism, environmentalism, xenophobia, labor advocacy, patriotism, pragmatism, fear and hope. Out of that stew emerged a new American political tendency, mostly associated with Bidenomics, but also claimed in various guises by the American right, through its America First wing. That tendency’s most visible artifact is the CHIPS Act, through which the US government proposes to use policy and subsidies to bring high-tech manufacturing back to America’s shores. This week, the American Economic Liberties Project published “Reshoring and Restoring: CHIPS Implementation for a Competitive Semiconductor Industry,” a fascinating, beautifully researched and detailed analysis of the CHIPS Act and the global high-tech manufacturing market, written by Todd Achilles, Erik Peinert and Daniel Rangel: https://www.economicliberties.us/our-work/reshoring-and-restoring-chips-implementation-for-a-competitive-semiconductor-industry/# Crucially, the report lays out the role that the weakening of antitrust, the dismantling of tariffs and the strengthening of IP played in the history of the current moment. The failure to enforce antitrust law allowed for monopolization at every stage of the semiconductor industry’s supply-chain. The strengthening of IP and the weakening of tariffs encouraged the resulting monopolies to chase cheap labor overseas, confident that the US government would punish host countries that allowed their domestic entrepreneurs to use American designs without permission. The result is a financialized, “capital light” semiconductor industry that has put all its eggs in one basket. For the most advanced chips (“leading-edge logic”), production works like this: American firms design a chip and send the design to Taiwan where TSMC foundry turns it into a chip. The chip is then shipped to one of a small number of companies in the poor world where they are assembled, packaged and tested (AMP) and sent to China to be integrated into a product. Obsolete foundries get a second life in the commodity chip (“mature-node chips”) market – these are the cheap chips that are shoveled into our cars and appliances and industrial systems. Both of these systems are fundamentally broken. The advanced, “leading-edge” chips rely on geopolitically uncertain, heavily concentrated foundries. These foundries can be fully captured by their customers – as when Apple prepurchases the entire production capacity of the most advanced chips, denying both domestic and offshore competitors access to the newest computation. Meanwhile, the less powerful, “mature node” chips command minuscule margins, and are often dumped into the market below cost, thanks to subsidies from countries hoping to protect their corner of the high-tech sector. This makes investment in low-power chips uncertain, leading to wild swings in cost, quality and availability of these workhorse chips. The leading-edge chipmakers – Nvidia, Broadcom, Qualcomm, AMD, etc – have fully captured their markets. They like the status quo, and the CHIPS Act won’t convince them to invest in onshore production. Why would they? 2022 was Broadcom’s best year ever, not in spite of its supply-chain problems, but because of them. Those problems let Broadcom raise prices for a captive audience of customers, who the company strong-armed into exclusivity deals that ensured they had nowhere to turn. Qualcomm also profited handsomely from shortages, because its customers end up paying Qualcomm no matter where they buy, thanks to Qualcomm ensuring that its patents are integrated into global 4G and 5G standards. That means that all standards-conforming products generate royalties for Qualcomm, and it also means that Qualcomm can decide which companies are allowed to compete with it, and which ones will be denied licenses to its patents. Both companies are under orders from the FTC to cut this out, and both companies ignore the FTC. The brittleness of mature-node and leading-edge chips is not inevitable. Advanced memory chips (DRAM) roughly comparable in complexity to leading-edge chips, while analog-to-digital chips are as easily commodified as mature-node chips, and yet each has a robust and competitive supply chain, with both onshore and offshore producers. In contrast with leading-edge manufacturers (who have been visibly indifferent to the CHIPS incentives), memory chip manufacturers responded to the CHIPS Act by committing hundreds of billions of dollars to new on-shore production facilities. Intel is a curious case: in a world of fabless leading-edge manufacturers, Intel stands out for making its own chips. But Intel is in a lot of trouble. Its advanced manufacturing plans keep foundering on cost overruns and delays. The company keeps losing money. But until recently, its management kept handing its shareholders billions in dividends and buybacks – a sign that Intel bosses assume that the US public will bail out its “national champion.” It’s not clear whether the CHIPS Act can save Intel, or whether financialization will continue to hollow out a once-dominant pioneer. The CHIPS Act won’t undo the concentration – and financialization – of the semiconductor industry. The industry has been awash in cheap money since the 2008 bailouts, and in just the past five years, US semiconductor monopolists have paid out $239b to shareholders in buybacks and dividends, enough to fund the CHIPS Act five times over. If you include Apple in that figure, the amount US corporations spent on shareholder returns instead of investing in capacity rises to $698b. Apple doesn’t want a competitive market for chips. If Apple builds its own foundry, that just frees up capacity at TSMC that its competitors can use to improve their products. The report has an enormous amount of accessible, well-organized detail on these markets, and it makes a set of key recommendations for improving the CHIPS Act and passing related legislation to ensure that the US can once again make its own microchips. These run a gamut from funding four new onshore foundries to requiring companies receiving CHIPS Act money to “dual-source” their foundries. They call for NIST and the CPO to ensure open licensing of key patents, and for aggressive policing of anti-dumping rules for cheap chips. They also seek a new law creating an “American Semiconductor Supply Chain Resiliency Fee” – a tariff on chips made offshore. Fundamentally, these recommendations seek to end the outsourcing made possible by restrictive IP regimes, to undercut Wall Street’s power to demand savings from offshoring, and to smash the market power of companies like Apple that make the brittleness of chip manufacturing into a feature, rather than a bug. This would include a return to previous antitrust rules, which limited companies’ ability to leverage patents into standards, and to previous IP rules, which limited exclusive rights chip topography and design (“mask rights”). All of this will is likely to remove the constraints that stop poor countries from doing to America the same things that postcolonial America did to England – that is, it will usher in an era in which lots of countries make their own chips and other high-tech goods without paying rent to American companies. This is good! It’s good for poor countries, who will have more autonomy to control their own technical destiny. It’s also good for the world, creating resiliency in the high-tech manufacturing sector that we’ll need as the polycrisis overwhelms various places with fire and flood and disease and war. Electrifying, solarizing and adapting the world for climate resilience is fundamentally incompatible with a brittle, highly concentrated tech sector. Pluralizing high-tech production will make America less vulnerable to the gamesmanship of other countries – and it will also make the rest of the world less vulnerable to American bullying. As Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman describe so beautifully in their 2023 book Underground Empire, the American political establishment is keenly aware of how its chokepoints over global finance and manufacturing can be leveraged to advantage the US at the rest of the world’s expense: https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/10/weaponized-interdependence/#the-other-swifties Look, I know that Eisenhower didn’t trade cow-lips for alien technology – but our political and commercial elites really did trade national resiliency away for IP laws, and it’s a bargain that screwed everyone, except the one percenters whose power and wealth have metastasized into a deadly cancer that threatens the country and the planet. (Image: Mickael Courtiade, CC BY 2.0, modified) Hey look at this (permalink) DEF CON 32 Was Canceled. We Un-Canceled it https://forum.defcon.org/node/248360 Taking Stock of the New Antimonopoly Movement https://lpeproject.org/blog/taking-stock-of-the-new-antimonopoly-movement/ Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid In the Omelas Hole https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/kim_02_24/ (h/t Super Punch) This day in history (permalink) #20yrsago Disney bans Segways in the parks https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4217573 #15yrsago Dubai airport clogged with cars abandoned by fleeing construction workers https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/3-000-cars-abandoned-at-dubai-airport.100423/ #10yrsago “A reason to hang him”: how mass surveillance, secret courts, confirmation bias and the FBI can ruin your life https://memex.craphound.com/2014/02/09/a-reason-to-hang-him-how-mass-surveillance-secret-courts-confirmation-bias-and-the-fbi-can-ruin-your-life/ #10yrsago Oakland’s tech startups are reportedly being gentrified out of their spaces by deep-pocketed marijuana growers https://twitter.com/chr1sa/status/1093959332461330432 5yrsago HP’s ink DRM instructs your printer to ignore the ink in your cartridge when you cancel your subscription https://www.howtogeek.com/403346/hps-ink-subscription-has-drm-that-disables-your-printer-cartridges/ #1yrago Copyright won’t solve creators’ Generative AI problem https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/09/ai-monkeys-paw/#bullied-schoolkids 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: What kind of bubble is AI? https://craphound.com/news/2024/01/21/what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai/ Upcoming appearances: The Bezzle at Weller Book Works (Salt Lake City), Feb 21 https://www.wellerbookworks.com/event/store-cory-doctorow-feb-21-630-pm The Bezzle at Third Place Books (Seattle), Feb 26 https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/cory-doctorow Tucson Festival of Books, Mar 9/10 https://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/?id=676 Enshittification: How the Internet Went Bad and How to Get it Back (virtual), Mar 26 https://libcal.library.ubc.ca/event/3781006 Media Ecology Association keynote, Jun 6-9 (Amherst, NY) https://media-ecology.org/convention Recent appearances: Enshittification: The Rise and Fall of Big Tech (Crash Course Economics) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7AxrFQ7jIM Generation of Lost Causes with Vass Bednar (Toronto Public Library) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rGj5VaJSDQ Low-Key Clippy (This Week In Tech) https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech/episodes/963 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

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    Letter to the Editor: Settler Colonialism Cannot Explain Israel. Worse, It Cannot Promote Peace

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    Some of my colleagues write in their Letter to the Editor (LTE) of Nov. 15, 2023 that I am wrong to claim, in my reservations about their “Statement of Concern” (SOC), that settler colonial theory as applied to Israel is both inaccurate and dangerous. I agree with much that is in the LTE and I […]

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    College hosts Interfaith America

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    Interfaith America, an organization that works with both secular and religious colleges to solve challenges with interfaith cooperation, hosted listening sessions at Occidental College Jan. 25-26 “to provide neutral and welcoming spaces for reflection on campus tensions, and to promote bridge-building through facilitated dialogue,” according to an email addressed to all Occidental students. Sent Jan.16, […]

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    The billion dollar solution: how the Dodgers’ historic spending spree could revive baseball

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    For generations, people have fantasized about the assembly of a super team. From the Greek gods congregating on Mount Olympus to the formation of Marvel’s Avengers, it’s safe to say that the idea of a super team in some medium has crossed most people’s minds at least once. For thousands of years, such ideas have […]

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    Demystifying Raftr, the new community engagement app

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    After launching Aug. 2023, Raftr, an app used to strengthen and track community engagement in higher education, labor unions and nonprofit, boasts a 75 percent adoption rate, according to Sabrina Willison, the associate director of Student Leadership, Involvement, and Community Engagement (SLICE). However, Raftr is primarily being used by the class of 2027 who were […]

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    SoCal record storm drenches college

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    Feb. 4 California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that eight Southern California counties were in a state of emergency as a result of incoming storms, according to the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper outlet said the storm started Sunday afternoon, and is expected to last through Tuesday — potentially dropping at least eight inches of rain […]

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    L.A. Al Fresco is here to stay

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    The city of Los Angeles launched L.A. Al Fresco in May 2020, a temporary program which allowed restaurants to have outdoor dining amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants could obtain permits for outdoor dining on sidewalks, private property and the streets next to their business. As of Feb. 1, L.A. Al Fresco is no longer temporary […]

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    Eagle Rock responds to council approval of increased LAPD foot patrol

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    Between Dec. 28 and Jan. 6, four small businesses along Colorado Boulevard fell victim to burglaries, prompting Council member Kevin de León to approve a $100,000 budget to enhance foot patrolling in the Eagle Rock neighborhood. Malbec Market, an Argentinian restaurant and market with locations in Eagle Rock and Pasadena, recently suffered a break-in Jan. […]

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    Occidental Glee Club returns from Italy

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    Three days a week, the voices of 37 students harmonize and travel through Booth Hall; but just a few weeks ago, the enchanting sound echoed through the halls of Italian churches and cathedrals, according to the Director of Choral and Vocal Activities Désirée LaVertu. Since 1906, the Glee Club has been one of Occidental’s musical […]

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    https://theoccidentalnews.com/culture/2024/02/07/occidental-glee-club-returns-from-italy/2910943 Save to Pocket

    Ainsley Shelsta and Lou Martineau are starting the semester strong

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    Ainsley Shelsta Following a 72-54 win against the University of La Verne Saturday Jan. 27, women’s basketball team center Ainsley Shelsta (sophomore) said that she’s confident in her team’s ability to make it to the post-season tournament, despite a previous loss to La Verne earlier in the season. Shelsta said that the game was very close but she came away […]

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    Opinion: Apps like Fizz are antithetical to our community

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Occidental News (Occidental College Student Newspaper)

    My name is at the top of this article, or maybe at the bottom but I’ll write it again, just to make it clear. My name is William White. Some of you may know me, have seen me on the Quad, or in a class. I’ve got brown hair and blue eyes and a silly […]

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    MINISFORUM V3 is a 14 inch Windows tablet with Ryzen 8040, pre-orders begin in March, 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Liliputing

    The MINISFORUM V3 is a Windows tablet with a big, high-resolution display, support for a pressure-sensitive pen and detachable keyboard, two full-function USB4 40 Gbps ports and a third USB-C port that acts as a DisplayPort input, allowing you to use the tablet as a display for other devices. It’s also one of the first tablets announced […]

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    “What Relationships Would You Want if You Believed They Were Possible?”

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/what-relationships-would-you-want-if-you-believed-they-were-possible Save to Pocket

    The Messy Truth of America’s Natural Gas Exports

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Heatmap News



    Late last month, Joe Biden made what has been hailed as one of the biggest climate policy decisions of the past year.

    He announced that the federal government would temporarily stop approving new export terminals for liquified natural gas. The move was celebrated as a victory by climate activists and lamented by fossil-fuel companies; Donald Trump promised that, if elected, he will reverse the move.

    But what will the pause really mean for the climate? Will it stop exports from rising in the near-term, and can we say with any certainty whether it will make carbon emissions go up or down? How should we even think about this decision?

    In this inaugural episode of Shift Key, Heatmap’s new podcast, my co-host Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems expert and professor at Princeton University, and I unpack the president’s decision and try to figure out what — if anything — it means for the climate.

    Here’s an excerpt from our conversation:

    Robinson Meyer: Since this news came out, I think there’s been a lot of discussion online about whether this is necessarily the optimal choice. Could we be using that gas to do something else? How should we be managing it? And I just want to make a point before we go on that this is literally what climate policy means.

    There’s a sense I see from some places, which is like, well, “Is cutting off fossil fuel exports at this very arbitrary place, the optimal policy?” And I just want to make the point that like, number one, we are not on an optimal policy pathway at all. And in the absence of a policy that I think both you and I think is very unlikely to pass, which is a globally normalized carbon price that’s imposed evenly in all jurisdictions and is priced at a level that we can attain the 1.5C or 1.6C, whatever end temperature goal we want to achieve –

    Jesse Jenkins: Yeah, I’m going to go ahead and say that’s unlikely.

    Meyer: Yes, in the absence of a global carbon price that is uniformly enforced across all jurisdictions, we are going to make suboptimal decisions. And not only are we going to make suboptimal decisions, but we are going to stop investing in fossil fuels below what would be economically optimal if climate change didn’t exist. That’s literally what climate change means.

    And at the same time, we are going to invest above what would be economically optimal in all of these fossil fuels if you take climate change into account, because that is the signal failure of global climate policy, is that we keep plowing money into fossil fuels and under-investing in alternatives and in scaling up alternatives. We’ve underinvested in those things for at least 20 years. That’s a different show about whether we’re still doing it or how much we’re still doing it.

    I just want to get into this whole discussion by saying when we talk about whether we’re fiddling knobs in the right way, or enough this way, or enough that way, or whether we’re taking all these things into account, we are never going to do this perfectly. And the whole point of climate change is at some point you just have to stop investing in the fossil fuel system.

    Jenkins: Yeah, economists call this the second best policy or third best policy. I just call it “the real world.” We’re all just muddling through all the time and how we’re going to make progress or not is whether we muddled through better or worse.

    So I agree, it’s theoretically helpful to think about what an economically ideal rationalized policy would be. But we’re so far from that world that I think the question is, “is this better than the alternative decision you could make about this particular thing right here?”

    And hopefully, that’s the view that the Department of Energy is taking when they think about the public interest here. It’s not like, well, could we have had some more ideal climate policy that meant we were doing something else over in this other part of the economy instead of doing this?

    That’s an interesting conversation to have on Twitter, but maybe not the core of the question that the DOE and the Biden administration are grappling with right here.

    Find the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and elsewhere. You can access the show’s RSS feed here.

    The full transcript is available here.

    This episode of Shift Key was initially sponsored by …

    KORE POWER: Headquartered in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho with clients on every continent, KORE Power provides functional solutions that push the front line of the transition to clean energy and form the backbone of the decarbonized future worldwide. As a fully integrated provider of battery cells and clean energy technology and solutions, KORE Power drives the energy transition through direct access to superior tech, clean energy manufacturing, and unmatched support for clean energy jobs and resilient, sustainable communities worldwide. KORE Power’s manufacturing capabilities and robust portfolio of products provide the commercial, industrial, utility and defense markets with next-generation battery cells, advanced energy storage systems that scale to grid+, intuitive asset management, and EV power and charging infrastructure support. KORE Power - the future of clean energy is here.

    Learn more at Korepower.com

    ADVANCED ENERGY UNITED: Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy. We work with decision makers at every level of government as well as regulators of energy markets to achieve this goal. The businesses we represent are lowering consumer costs, creating thousands of new jobs every year, and providing the full range of clean, efficient, and reliable energy and transportation solutions. The U.S. market for advanced energy products and services reached nearly $375 billion in 2022. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in the United States.

    Learn more at info.advancedenergyunited.org/heatmap

    Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow.

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    The Ford Focus is over, and so are thousands of jobs

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Ford is laying off some 3,500 workers in Germany as the automaker ends the production of the Focus – the once crazily popular car that never managed to get off the ground with its electric version – in 2025.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/the-ford-focus-is-over-and-so-are-thousands-of-jobs/ Save to Pocket

    Polestar’s incoming Phone spotted on Google Play’s list of supported devices

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    A few months after sharing initial details and images, Polestar’s flagship smartphone, developed by Meizu in China, has been spotted on Google’s API website as a device compatible with the Play Store. Details of the incoming Polestar Phone remain relatively light, but we can confirm it will run on Android and support Google Play.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/polestar-incoming-phone-spotted-on-google-plays-list-of-supported-devices/ Save to Pocket

    Raspberry Pi Pico cracks BitLocker in under a minute

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Windows encryption feature defeated by $10 and a YouTube tutorial

    We’re very familiar with the many projects in which Raspberry Pi hardware is used, from giving old computers a new lease of life through to running the animated displays so beloved by retailers. But cracking BitLocker? We doubt the company will be bragging too much about that particular application.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/breaking_bitlocker_pi_pico/ Save to Pocket

    Tesla Semi electric truck spotted handling closed icy road

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    The California Highway Patrol has shared a video of a Tesla Semi electric truck handling a closed icy road.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/tesla-semi-electric-truck-spotted-handling-closed-icy-road/ Save to Pocket

    A unified theory of fucks. “Give a fuck about yourself, about your…

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Jason Kittke’s blog

    https://kottke.org/24/02/0043929-a-unified-theory-of-fucks Save to Pocket

    Ford is building a low-cost EV platform with some of the ‘best EV engineers’ to rival Tesla

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Ford (F) assembled a “super-talented skunk works team” to build a low-cost EV platform. The small team consisted of “some of the best EV engineers in the world,” according to Ford’s CEO Jim Farley. It will be used to launch several new software-defined electric models.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/ford-buildin-low-cost-ev-platform-tesla/ Save to Pocket

    Call it “manageable”

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Marketplace Morning Report

    At least Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen did when describing banks with souring commercial real estate investments. Stock in New York Community Bancorp, a regional bank with commercial real estate loans, fell nearly 30% on Tuesday, and Moody’s downgraded the bank’s credit grade to “junk” status. We examine. Also on the program: why some college athletes are looking to unionize, and why people in India are lining up for work in Israel.

    https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/call-it-manageable Save to Pocket

    Some Kia EV6 And Niro EVs Get Recalled Because One Of The Driveshafts Might Break

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Inside EVs News

    In total, 1,243 cars in the United States are potentially affected by the issue.

    https://insideevs.com/news/707768/kia-ev6-niro-ev-recall-drive-shaft/ Save to Pocket

    NASA’s Roman to Use Rare Events to Calculate Expansion Rate of Universe

    date: 2024-02-07, from: NASA breaking news

    Astronomers investigating one of the most pressing mysteries of the cosmos – the rate at which the universe is expanding – are readying themselves to study this puzzle in a new way using NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Once it launches by May 2027, astronomers will mine Roman’s wide swaths of images for gravitationally […]

    https://www.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/nasas-roman-to-use-rare-events-to-calculate-expansion-rate-of-universe/ Save to Pocket

    A Waymo robotaxi hit a cyclist in San Francisco – here’s what happened

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    An autonomous Waymo car hit a cyclist in San Francisco yesterday – but luckily the cyclist had only minor injuries. Still, it’s bad news for urban cyclists, and for Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle division, which is already having a tough time shaking off all the bad buzz from the Cruise disaster.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/a-waymo-robotaxi-hit-a-cyclist-in-san-francisco-heres-what-happened/ Save to Pocket

    TSMC to build second fab in Japan, backed by local investment

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Plus: SMIC said to be building new lines to make 5nm process chips designed by Huawei

    TSMC is set to build a second semiconductor manufacturing plant in Japan with investment from Toyota and other local corporations. The move is being portrayed as a success for Japan’s efforts to boost chip production in the country.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/tsmc_to_build_second_fab/ Save to Pocket

    Ford Plays The Long Game As EVs May Wait For ‘Breakthrough’ Moment

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Inside EVs News

    Plus, GM signs a big new deal with South Korea’s LG Chem.

    https://insideevs.com/news/707779/ford-ev-costs-critical-materials/ Save to Pocket

    Spanish farmers join Europe-wide protests

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Marketplace Morning Report

    From the BBC World Service: Spanish farmers have joined a wave of protests sweeping Europe. They’re demanding more support from the EU and their government and say they’re fed up with high costs and stringent environmental standards. Then, thousands of Indian men have lined up to apply for construction jobs in Israel, which relies heavily on migrant labor — especially since revoking Palestinian work permits since the war in Gaza.

    https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/spanish-farmers-join-europe-wide-protests Save to Pocket

    Security Researcher Allegedly Hacked Apple’s Backend, Scammed $2.5 Million

    date: 2024-02-07, from: 404 Media Group

    Staggeringly, Apple thanked the defendant, Noah Roskin-Frazee, in a security update less than two weeks after he was arrested.

    https://www.404media.co/security-researcher-allegedly-hacked-apples-backend-scammed-2-5-million/ Save to Pocket

    Volvo U.S. Plug-In Car Sales Slow Down In January 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Inside EVs News

    The first month of 2024 brings a strange decrease in Volvo all-electric car sales.

    https://insideevs.com/news/707635/volvo-us-plugin-car-sales-january2024/ Save to Pocket

    Hundreds of workers to space out from NASA’s JPL amid budget black hole

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Launch windows do not respect political squabbling

    NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has confirmed that substantial budget cuts are inbound, with over 500 staffers affected – approximately 8 percent of the workforce.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/nasa_jpl_layoffs/ Save to Pocket

    Podcast: Inside a Fraud Factory

    date: 2024-02-07, from: 404 Media Group

    This week we have fake IDs at the click of a mouse; AI audio porn; a low tech response to the wave of deepfake abuse; and the Instagram ad to investment scam pipeline. A packed episode!

    https://www.404media.co/404-media-podcast-inside-a-fraud-factory-onlyfake/ Save to Pocket

    Judge orders OAG employees to testify in DPHSS corruption case evidentiary hearing

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Guam Daily Post

    A judge ordered employees of the Office of the Attorney General to testify about the investigation into a Department of Public Health and Social Services corruption case in an evidentiary hearing.

    https://www.postguam.com/news/local/judge-orders-oag-employees-to-testify-in-dphss-corruption-case-evidentiary-hearing/article_8554f4b0-c548-11ee-bd5b-93d90f5eba2b.html Save to Pocket

    More audits coming, Cruz will run again

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Guam Daily Post

    The Office of Public Accountability has a lot on its plate this year, including multiple audits anticipated to be released by the end of the month and the audit on the government of Guam anticipated later this year. Moreover, the…

    https://www.postguam.com/news/local/more-audits-coming-cruz-will-run-again/article_668de3ae-c56e-11ee-a0cd-7bf9a2fab2e7.html Save to Pocket

    23 new IT positions proposed for GMH, $4M needed to staff

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Guam Daily Post

    The Guam Memorial Hospital Authority information technology and communications department has not seen any change to the positions in the staffing pattern and, according to a hospital official, the creation of 23 new positions is needed to bring the department…

    https://www.postguam.com/news/local/23-new-it-positions-proposed-for-gmh-4m-needed-to-staff/article_6f247b18-c3f2-11ee-8df4-43435115e79d.html Save to Pocket

    Sånta Rita-Sumai murder trial begins

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Guam Daily Post

    About two months after he was indicted on murder charges in connection to the death of Edwin Pirando, Jamie John Nededog started trial in the Superior Court of Guam on Wednesday.

    https://www.postguam.com/news/local/s-nta-rita-sumai-murder-trial-begins/article_b72fde32-c561-11ee-bba9-3b3c1ff78224.html Save to Pocket

    5th Susuico murder suspect pleads not guilty

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Guam Daily Post

    The fifth suspect facing charges in connection to the death of Jason Susuico pleaded not guilty Wednesday.

    https://www.postguam.com/news/local/5th-susuico-murder-suspect-pleads-not-guilty/article_8ab1e14a-c55f-11ee-9934-73f89b6da479.html Save to Pocket

    Man pleads guilty to possession, intent to distribute meth found in ‘crotch area’

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Guam Daily Post

    A man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after drugs were found in his “crotch area.”

    https://www.postguam.com/news/local/man-pleads-guilty-to-possession-intent-to-distribute-meth-found-in-crotch-area/article_1c538d7a-c4a1-11ee-bebf-17ccb1984f20.html Save to Pocket

    Man pleads guilty before verdict reached

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Guam Daily Post

    A man who went to trial for drug possession, resisting arrest and eluding police pleaded guilty before a verdict could be reached.

    https://www.postguam.com/news/local/man-pleads-guilty-before-verdict-reached/article_979a1012-c49c-11ee-b164-eff3fe97d65b.html Save to Pocket

    @Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-02-07, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

    This article is precious, read and share.

    By Jeremy Scahill, friend of the show, “Since October 7, Israel has systematically flooded the public discourse on Gaza with a stream of false, unsubstantiated, & unverifiable allegations.

    My new article on Israel’s propaganda warfare and how the White House has laundered the lies“

    theintercept.com/2024/02/07/ga

    https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111890537425243573 Save to Pocket

    Keep Your My Wifi’s Name Out Your Fucking Mouth

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: One Foot Tsunami

    https://onefoottsunami.com/2024/02/07/keep-your-my-wifis-name-out-of-your-fucking-mouth/ Save to Pocket

    @Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-07, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)

    2014: Interop means that I can give you a text file, and you will have a program that can open it. Interop means you can pull into any gas station and put fuel in your car. Interop means you can give me $100 and I'll give you my Knicks ticket, and when you go to the arena, they will let you in.

    http://scripting.com/2014/03/21/theWebIsMadeOfInterop.html Save to Pocket

    @Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed (date: 2024-02-07, from: Miguel de Icaza Mastondon feed)

    What Israel has Where civilians
    bombed: live in Gaza:

    https://mastodon.social/@Migueldeicaza/111890418317107426 Save to Pocket

    Major BMW, Ford, and Chevy supplier to make its US plant ‘flexible’ for ICE and EVs

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Major German car parts maker ZF Friedrichshafen is investing a hefty $500 million into its transmission plant in South Carolina – all to transform it into a “flexible manufacturer of parts” for both ICE and plug-in hybrids, and for both passenger cars and large commercial vehicles by launching production of its PowerLine transmission in the US.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/major-bmw-ford-and-chevy-supplier-to-make-its-us-plant-flexible-for-ice-and-evs/ Save to Pocket

    Is MV Agusta Getting Ready To Launch The Superveloce 1000?

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    Let’s take a look at why this bike might just be the most important bike in MV Agusta’s stable.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707682/mv-agusta-superveloce-1000-type-approval-documents/ Save to Pocket

    Where California Universities Go Quiet On Abortion, Students Fill In The Silence

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The LAist

    In the absence of more consistent messaging from campus administrators, students say they feel a need to step in to inform other students about their rights.

    https://laist.com/news/education/california-universities-medication-abortion-student-advocacy Save to Pocket

    NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge Is Back — With A Fourth-Grade Edition!

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The LAist

    The 2024 national podcasting contest for middle and high school students is open for entries. It will close on May 3.

    https://laist.com/news/education/student-podcast-challenge-contest-npr-2024 Save to Pocket

    Should State Government Jobs Require A College Degree? Why California Is Rethinking Its Rules

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The LAist

    California is removing degree requirements from jobs, but state leaders differ about the right approach.

    https://laist.com/news/education/state-government-jobs-college-degree Save to Pocket

    These Pits Carved Into Rocks in Kenya Might Be Ancient Game Boards

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Smithsonian Magazine

    An archaeologist thinks the small, carved holes were used by herders for games of mancala up to 5,000 years ago

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-carved-pits-on-a-kenyan-rock-ledge-may-be-ancient-game-boards-180983745/ Save to Pocket

    Ocean Sponge Skeletons Suggest a More Significant History of Global Warming Than Originally Thought

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Smithsonian Magazine

    Analysis of the sea creatures’ skeletal chemistry suggests the world’s temperatures have increased by 1.7 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ocean-sponge-skeletons-suggest-a-more-significant-history-of-global-warming-than-originally-thought-180983742/ Save to Pocket

    It’s a Big Week for Carbon Removal

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Heatmap News



    Current conditions: Winter storm warnings are in effect across parts of the American Southwest • Huge waves washed jellyfish onto the streets of Havana • It’s snowy and cold in Tokyo, where Taylor Swift is kicking off the second leg of her Eras Tour.

    THE TOP FIVE

    1. ‘World’s largest carbon removal plant’ will soon be up and running

    One to watch for this week: A Bill Gates-backed startup called Graphyte plans to begin operations at its Arkansas carbon removal plant by Friday, E&E News reported. The facility, which has been dubbed the “world’s largest carbon removal plant,” relies on biomass matter like sawdust and farming waste that, if left to decompose, would release a lot of carbon. Graphyte wants to stop the decomposition process by drying the waste out, shaping it into bricks, and burying the bricks underground for years and years, thus keeping the carbon from ever reaching the atmosphere.

    Biomass bricks that sequester carbon. Graphyte

    Last year Graphyte’s CEO claimed the company’s process keeps the cost of carbon removal below $100 per ton, a key benchmark for scalability. Graphyte hopes to remove 15,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by the end of 2024 and continue scaling quickly from there.

    1. Republicans play ‘Opposite Day’ during LNG hearings

    Americans got a good preview yesterday of the Republican Party’s fossil fuel defense strategy, reported Heatmap’s Jeva Lange. In the first of two hearings this week concerning the White House’s pause on approving new permits for facilities to export liquified natural gas, Republicans on the House Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee raised traditionally liberal talking points to undermine the Biden administration’s order. “By their topsy-turvy logic,” Lange wrote, “the administration should not pause approving new export terminals because natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel, and thus our best bet for fighting climate change — an argument that is still under considerable debate in the scientific community, and coming from these folks is especially weird.” At one point an argument broke out over the meaning of the words “pause” versus “ban.” Ranking member Diana DeGette of Colorado perhaps encapsulated the hearing best in her opening round of questioning. “I can’t help sitting here thinking that the silly season has begun,” she told her colleagues.

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    1. UK watchdog bans ‘zero emissions’ from EV ads

    Carmakers in the United Kingdom can no longer use the words “zero emissions” in ads to describe their electric vehicles. The U.K.’s advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), says the claim is misleading for consumers because it ignores emissions from manufacturing and charging. If carmakers want to use the term, they must find a way to explain this nuance. The precedent-setting move is part of a bigger crackdown on greenwashing – the ASA has also banned misleading ads from oil groups and airlines, the Financial Times reported. But it comes at a time when carmakers are striving to increase their EV sales to avoid hefty fines: As of this year, fully-electric cars must make up at least 22% of new cars sales in the U.K. If a company misses that target, it will be fined £15,000 for every non-compliant vehicle. So the question is how much the words “zero emissions” really matter for sales. BMW, for example, uses the term in Google ads. But a quick look at Google Trends shows “EVs” (in red) is a far more popular search term than “zero emissions” (in blue), at least in the U.K.:

    Google searches for “EVs” (red) compared to “zero emissions” (blue) in the U.K. over one yearGoogle Trends

    As EV options flood the market, a much more reliable way to boost sales than touting emissions reductions is by introducing cutting edge smart features, like lidar sensors, according to Bloomberg. Chinese manufacturers “are deploying lidars in order to provide features that can help differentiate their offerings from competitors.”

    1. EU power-sector emissions drop as renewables take over

    The European Union’s power sector is undergoing a “monumental shift” away from fossil fuels before our eyes, according to a new report from energy think-tank Ember. In 2023, wind power generation in the bloc surpassed that of gas plants for the first time. Compared to 2022, fossil fuel power generation fell by almost 20% overall, with electricity from coal plants plummeting by 26% and gas down 15%. Greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector fell by 19% as a result, more than the huge reduction seen during the pandemic. Ember added that the EU’s power-sector emissions are now almost half their 2007 peak levels. “Fossil fuels are playing a smaller role than ever as a system with wind and solar as its backbone comes into view,” said Sarah Brown, Ember’s Europe program director.

    Ember

    1. Taylor Swift threatens legal action against man tracking her private jet emissions

    Taylor Swift threatened to sue a 21-year-old college student that has been tracking her private jet activity and the resulting emissions, The Washington Post reported. Jack Sweeney uses publicly available FAA data to monitor celebrities’ flying habits and then posts about it on social media. Private jet use has been criticized by climate advocates – by one estimate, a private jet passenger emits 10 to 20 times as much carbon pollution as a commercial airline passenger. A 2022 analysis identified the globe-trotting Swift as the biggest offender among celebrities, but she insists her plane is often loaned out. Her attorneys say Sweeney’s posts have caused her to fear for her personal safety.

    THE KICKER

    More than 7,000 yogis have backed a petition calling for Lululemon to convert its supply chain to 100% renewable energy.

    https://heatmap.news/climate/graphyte-carbon-removal-plant Save to Pocket

    “Diversity is simply good business”

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Marketplace Morning Report

    A new national survey finds that a majority of c-suite executives say diversity initiatives are important for positive business outcomes. The findings come as recent headlines and high-profile business leaders have criticized diversity, equity and inclusion (or DEI) work, and the support comes from across the political spectrum. Also: new SEC oversight for firms like hedge funds and a one-stop shop for sports streaming.

    https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/diversity-is-simply-good-business Save to Pocket

    JetBrains urges swift patching of latest critical TeamCity flaw

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Cloud version is safe, but no assurances offered about possible on-prem exploits

    JetBrains is encouraging all users of TeamCity (on-prem) to upgrade to the latest version following the disclosure of a critical vulnerability in the CI/CD tool.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/jetbrains_teamcity_critical_vuln/ Save to Pocket

    Americans on the Coast Actually Love Offshore Wind, a New Poll Shows

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Heatmap News



    Last year, I got two kinds of stories about offshore wind in my inbox. One was about the industry’s struggle with inflation and higher interest rates. The other was about rampant claims that the industry was killing whales — an idea for which there is no evidence, and which was found to be spread by groups with ties to the fossil fuel industry.

    But while both narratives have set the industry back to some extent, neither appears to have damaged public support for building wind farms in the ocean. Americans living on the coasts largely support offshore wind and want to see the industry continue to grow, according to a new poll.

    The poll was conducted in November 2023 by Climate Nexus, a climate change strategic communications group, and Turn Forward, an offshore wind advocacy nonprofit that says it does not receive funding from wind farm developers.

    A representative sample of 2,038 adults living in coastal counties along the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and Gulf of Mexico were asked about their views of offshore wind. More than two-thirds responded that they support offshore wind farm construction, and 63% responded favorably when asked specifically whether they supported offshore wind farms near where they lived. Nearly 60% endorsed the U.S. government selling more leases to expand the industry’s development.

    Public sentiment, for the most part, was positive across party lines. The majority of Republican respondents also said they supported offshore wind, both in general (57%), and near where they live (52%).

    A more polarizing question was whether respondents preferred offshore wind development to expanding offshore oil and gas, with 71% of Democrats opting for wind but only 33% of Republicans. (26% of Republicans said they had no preference.)

    One of the more intriguing parts of the poll tried to suss out what people had heard and read about offshore wind, and where they were getting information about the emerging industry. Local opposition groups like Protect Our Coast New Jersey have developed large followings on Facebook, where members share their fears that wind turbines will harm marine mammals, tourism, and property values — and also argue against the basic facts of climate change. Several grassroots groups, including Protect Our Coast New Jersey, have been found to have financial relationships with fossil fuel-funded think tanks like the Caesar Rodney Institute.

    Conservative outlets like Fox News have also fueled the narrative that offshore wind development is killing whales. Media Matters, a media watchdog, found that Fox has “aired at least 54 segments suggesting that offshore wind development is causing whale deaths.” A report published last year by researchers at Brown University that mapped out the networks of anti-offshore wind groups in the U.S. suggested that social networks and conservative news outlets like Fox function as “a feedback loop of opposition and misinformation.”

    According to the new poll, 53% of coastal Americans have received information about offshore wind on TV news, and 48% have seen posts about it on social media. Those were the two top sources of information, followed by newspapers, family and friends, and TV ads. But even so, most respondents — 56% — said that everything they have seen, read, or heard about offshore wind has been more positive than negative.

    But while the poll may be a good temperature check on public sentiment, it doesn’t necessarily change some of the headwinds that offshore wind development faces. An earlier report from Columbia University researchers found that local opposition to renewable energy projects, including offshore wind projects, is growing. The report specifically documents instances where community groups have passed laws to block projects or filed lawsuits against developers or local officials.

    There are currently four lawsuits pending in federal court against Vineyard Wind, a project that is already under construction, from a group called Nantucket Residents Against Turbines. In New Jersey, at least two communities passed resolutions last year calling on state and federal officials to impose a moratorium on offshore wind projects, citing whale deaths. And last October, a group called Protect Our Coast LINY celebrated a victory when New York Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that would have greenlit placing an offshore wind transmission cable under the sand in Long Beach, which the group had been fighting.

    Even if the majority of coastal citizens support an American offshore wind industry, a vocal minority can still wield a lot of power to hold it back — especially when they have the backing of fossil fuel money.

    https://heatmap.news/climate/americans-love-offshore-wind-poll Save to Pocket

    Teaching LLMs to Be Deceptive

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-06, from: Bruce Schneier blog

    Interesting research: “Sleeper Agents: Training Deceptive LLMs that Persist Through Safety Training“:

    Abstract: Humans are capable of strategically deceptive behavior: behaving helpfully in most situations, but then behaving very differently in order to pursue alternative objectives when given the opportunity. If an AI system learned such a deceptive strategy, could we detect it and remove it using current state-of-the-art safety training techniques? To study this question, we construct proof-of-concept examples of deceptive behavior in large language models (LLMs). For example, we train models that write secure code when the prompt states that the year is 2023, but insert exploitable code when the stated year is 2024. We find that such backdoor behavior can be made persistent, so that it is not removed by standard safety training techniques, including supervised fine-tuning, reinforcement learning, and adversarial training (eliciting unsafe behavior and then training to remove it). The backdoor behavior is most persistent in the largest models and in models trained to produce chain-of-thought reasoning about deceiving the training process, with the persistence remaining even when the chain-of-thought is distilled away. Furthermore, rather than removing backdoors, we find that adversarial training can teach models to better recognize their backdoor triggers, effectively hiding the unsafe behavior. Our results suggest that, once a model exhibits deceptive behavior, standard techniques could fail to remove such deception and create a false impression of safety…

    https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/02/teaching-llms-to-be-deceptive.html Save to Pocket

    Bank boss has pay slashed after presiding over tech outages in 2023

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Singapore’s DBS wants accountability for digital dropouts

    Singapore banking group DBS has slashed its CEO’s variable pay by 30 percent as an accountability measure after digital disruptions hit the organization in 2023.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/dbs_ceo_pay_docked/ Save to Pocket

    @Tomosino’s Mastodon feed (date: 2024-02-07, from: Tomosino’s Mastodon feed)

    I have a podcast about Solarpunk for writers called Solarpunk Prompts. It’s about halfway through season 2. The episode released today is called The Tower:

    Displaced people are moved into a new sustainable climate-controlled tower designed to help them find community. For some it’s a dream come true, for others a culture shock. How will this setting come to life as a vision for a Solarpunk future? How can we envision a better way of living by focusing on their humanity?

    podcast.tomasino.org/@Solarpun

    The podcast is based around the idea of providing a new writing prompt each episode that explores some of the themes of the Solarpunk genre and activist movement. We discuss some inspirations, considerations, and various ways to tell the story.

    While the subject matter is focused on writing, the audience is quite diverse. Many non-writers enjoy it simply to learn more about Solarpunk in general.

    Have a listen! You can find it at the link above, or by searching in your favorite podcast app. If you don’t know what Solarpunk is at all, you might try listening to Episode 1 of Season 1 for an overview of the genre and movement, and the reasons why this podcast came into being.

    Most episodes are around 10 minutes long. The Tower is our longest at just over 16 minutes.

    https://tilde.zone/@tomasino/111890023601684348 Save to Pocket

    PeerJ Awards Winners at IBS 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, from: PeerJ blog

    The 11th Biannual Conference of the International Biogeography Society, held in Prague last January, drew over 400 scientists from more than 40 countries across four continents. This truly global gathering allowed participants to present and discuss groundbreaking contributions of Biogeography to major societal challenge in the plenary symposia. Topics ranged from the impact of urban […]

    https://peerj.com/blog/post/115284888826/peerj-awards-winners-at-ibs-2024/ Save to Pocket

    PiStorm - The evolution of an open source Amiga accelerator

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Tilde.news

    Comments

    https://fosdem.org/2024/schedule/event/fosdem-2024-1742-pistorm-the-evolution-of-an-open-source-amiga-accelerator/ Save to Pocket

    Porsche upgrades the 2025 Taycan with more range, performance, and fast charging

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Porsche’s electric sports received a major upgrade for the 2025 model year. The new Porsche Taycan features longer range, more performance, and fast charging capabilities.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/07/porsche-upgrades-2025-taycan-more-range-fast-charging/ Save to Pocket

    HoRNDIS MacGyvers your Mac to get online with Androids

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Apple makes this harder every macOS release, but there are ways nonetheless

    FOSS Fest  These days, Macs will only talk to Apple phones to get online out of the box, but you can get around the restrictions if you’re determined enough.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/horndis_android_mac/ Save to Pocket

    Landslides Continue In Hillsides After Record-Breaking Storms Leave The Southland Saturated

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The LAist

    The worst of the atmospheric storms have passed, but officials say potential landslides and other hazards will remain.

    https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/atmospheric-river-la-storm-evacuations-damage-los-angeles-orange-riverside-san-bernardino-santa-barbara-updates Save to Pocket

    @Jessica Smith’s blog (date: 2024-02-07, from: Jessica Smith’s blog)

    My partner’s aunt just called him to ask if she could call him in five minutes. I feel like Lady Gaga had some words of wisdom  (external link) to impart on this topic…

    https://www.jayeless.net/2024/02/stop-telephoning-me.html Save to Pocket

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    ‘Pro-innovation’ but perhaps not for the folks whose data was trained on

    The UK government is to spend over £100 million ($125 million) to support regulators and researchers as it publishes its response to the AI Regulation White Paper consultation.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/uk_government_plans_ai/ Save to Pocket

    Grandmother pleads no contest to manslaughter in child starvation case

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>A 66-year-old Hilo woman has pleaded no contest to manslaughter for the 2016 starvation death of her 9-year-old granddaughter.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/hawaii-news/grandmother-pleads-no-contest-to-manslaughter-in-child-starvation-case/ Save to Pocket

    Officers praised for responses to incidents at two E. Hawaii schools

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>A high-ranking police official is crediting school resource officers for their quick actions that kept a pair of serious incidents this week at East Hawaii public schools from getting worse.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/hawaii-news/officers-praised-for-responses-to-incidents-at-two-e-hawaii-schools/ Save to Pocket

    Council once again considers funding for Puna road study

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>State funding for a study of potential alternate traffic routes into Puna is once again on the table.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/hawaii-news/council-once-again-considers-funding-for-puna-road-study/ Save to Pocket

    Ronna McDaniel, RNC chair, plans to step down

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>The chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, Ronna McDaniel, has told former President Donald Trump she is planning to step down shortly after the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24, according to two people familiar with the plans.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/nation-world-news/ronna-mcdaniel-rnc-chair-plans-to-step-down/ Save to Pocket

    Two remain in custody in separate drug cases

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>A Hilo judge maintained $215,000 bail Monday for a 36-year-old Mountain View woman accused of numerous drug offenses and assaulting a police officer.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/hawaii-news/two-remain-in-custody-in-separate-drug-cases/ Save to Pocket

    Bail reduced in Hilo domestic assault case

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>A judge reduced bail Tuesday for a 60-year-old Hilo man accused of assaulting his former girlfriend and breaking her nose in a Puueo Street hotel room.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/hawaii-news/bail-reduced-in-hilo-domestic-assault-case/ Save to Pocket

    Make the shaka the official state gesture? Measure to be heard today aims to do exactly that

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>The state Legislature will be hangin&#8217; loose today as lawmakers discuss whether to make the shaka the official &#8220;state gesture&#8221; of Hawaii.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/hawaii-news/make-the-shaka-the-official-state-gesture-measure-to-be-heard-today-aims-to-do-exactly-that/ Save to Pocket

    Trump is not immune from prosecution in his 2020 election interference case, US appeals court says

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>WASHINGTON &#8212; A federal appeals panel ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump can face trial on charges that he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election, sharply rejecting the former president&#8217;s claims that he is immune from prosecution while setting the stage for additional challenges that could further delay the case.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/nation-world-news/trump-is-not-immune-from-prosecution-in-his-2020-election-interference-case-us-appeals-court-says/ Save to Pocket

    Trump fraud trial’s Judge Engoron eyeing whether CFO Allen Weisselberg lied on stand

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>NEW YORK &#8212; The judge presiding over Donald Trump&#8217;s civil fraud case &#8212; set to issue a potentially earth-shattering verdict against him any day &#8212; wants to know if it&#8217;s true that the former president&#8217;s longtime finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, is preparing to admit he lied on the stand.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/nation-world-news/trump-fraud-trials-judge-engoron-eyeing-whether-cfo-allen-weisselberg-lied-on-stand/ Save to Pocket

    Jury finds Jennifer Crumbley, the Michigan school shooter’s mother, guilty of manslaughter

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>PONTIAC, Mich. &#8212; A Michigan jury convicted a school shooter&#8217;s mother of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday in the killings of four students in 2021, making her the first parent in the U.S. to be held responsible for a child carrying out a mass school attack.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/nation-world-news/jury-finds-jennifer-crumbley-the-michigan-school-shooters-mother-guilty-of-manslaughter/ Save to Pocket

    Police: Missing California man may be on Big Island

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Hawaii Island police, in collaboration with the Belmont Police Department in California, is requesting the public&#8217;s assistance in locating 44-year-old Chritoph Litschke of Belmont, Calif. He was last seen in Belmont on June 19, 2023, but may be on Hawaii Island.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/hawaii-news/police-missing-california-man-may-be-on-big-island/ Save to Pocket

    Testifiers overwhelmingly support BAC reduction, committee vote deferred

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>A parade of testifiers Tuesday urged the state House Transportation Committee to lower the legal intoxication threshold for motorists from 0.08% blood alcohol content to 0.05%.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/hawaii-news/testifiers-overwhelmingly-support-bac-reduction-committee-vote-deferred/ Save to Pocket

    Your Views for February 7

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Unusual strategy&#0010;for the homeless</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/opinion/your-views-for-february-7-8/ Save to Pocket

    The right numbers: Against the odds, the economy is humming

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Good news came Friday morning with the release of the latest Department of Labor statistics showing another period of wage and job gains and low unemployment &#8212; with 3.7% as of last month, it has stayed under the 4% threshold for two years for the first time in a generation.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/opinion/the-right-numbers-against-the-odds-the-economy-is-humming/ Save to Pocket

    California could legalize psychedelic therapy after rejecting ‘magic mushroom’ decriminalization

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>SACRAMENTO, Calif. &#8212; A pair of California lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday to allow people 21 and older to consume psychedelic mushrooms under professional supervision as part of an agenda to tackle the state&#8217;s mental health and substance use crises.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/nation-world-news/california-could-legalize-psychedelic-therapy-after-rejecting-magic-mushroom-decriminalization/ Save to Pocket

    Border security and Ukraine aid collapses despite Biden’s plea for Congress to ‘show some spine’

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>WASHINGTON &#8212; A Senate deal on border enforcement measures and Ukraine aid suffered a swift and total collapse Tuesday as Republicans withdrew support despite President Joe Biden urging Congress to &#8220;show some spine&#8221; and stand up to Donald Trump.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/nation-world-news/border-security-and-ukraine-aid-collapses-despite-bidens-plea-for-congress-to-show-some-spine/ Save to Pocket

    Two Hawaii Island students given AlohaCare scholarships

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Two students from Hawaii Island have received $5,000 scholarships from AlohaCare to support their educational goals.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/community/two-hawaii-island-students-given-alohacare-scholarships/ Save to Pocket

    Hilo presentation will help celebrate Black History Month

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>February is Black History Month &#8212; a time to honor and celebrate the rich heritage, achievements and contributions of Black Americans throughout history.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/community/hilo-presentation-will-help-celebrate-black-history-month/ Save to Pocket

    Artist challenges viewers to confront the fragility of social fabric

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>A new exhibition at the East Hawaii Cultural Center takes an unsparing look at white privilege, the mythology of American identity, and the need to move past simplistic symbols in order to understand the complexities of our fractured American landscape.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/entertainment/artist-challenges-viewers-to-confront-the-fragility-of-social-fabric/ Save to Pocket

    One-man play explores father-son relationship, family and gender issues

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>One man will take the stage Thursday to tell a story about gender and family dynamics.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/entertainment/one-man-play-explores-father-son-relationship-family-and-gender-issues/ Save to Pocket

    How two US presidents helped Iran

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Through the misuse of terrorist buddies, that old, old civilization that is today called Iran is out to make itself something new, the leader of the world, and is taking an early step through the attempted destruction of Israel. This could be a major goal-enhancing accomplishment, but understand that it is hardly the beginning of a destructive Iranian march helped considerably by Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/opinion/how-two-us-presidents-helped-iran/ Save to Pocket

    In Nevada, split contests are causing confusion. And ‘none of these candidates’ is on the ballot.

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>LAS VEGAS &#8212; Nevada&#8217;s dueling presidential caucuses and primaries this week are creating confusion among voters, and those casting ballots in the first contest Tuesday have the option of supporting &#8220;none of these candidates.&#8221;</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/nation-world-news/in-nevada-split-contests-are-causing-confusion-and-none-of-these-candidates-is-on-the-ballot/ Save to Pocket

    Obituaries for February 7

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Elton Kiyoshi Endo, 73, of Hilo died Jan. 24 at home. Born in Hilo, he was a retired co-owner of the former Sewing Unlimited, U.S. Air Force veteran and member of Hilo Trap and Skeet Club. No services. No flowers or koden (monetary gifts). Survived by life partner, Marlene Tomi of Hilo; brothers, Elliot Endo of Washington state and Francis Endo of Keaau; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/obituaries/obituaries-for-february-7-9/ Save to Pocket

    Ethics experts back up Fulton DA in Trump conflict-of-interest dispute

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>ATLANTA &#8212; District Attorney Fani Willis does not have any conflicts that warrant her disqualification from the Fulton County election interference case, according to a group of 17 ethics experts, former prosecutors and defense attorneys.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/nation-world-news/ethics-experts-back-up-fulton-da-in-trump-conflict-of-interest-dispute/ Save to Pocket

    Lawmakers frustrated by deficiency in handling mentally ill defendants

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Some legislators openly expressed their frustrations at state mental health experts for their lack of data and specifics on how to best deal with mentally ill criminal defendants and keep them out of Hawaii&#8217;s jails and prisons during a briefing Monday at the state Capitol.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/hawaii-news/lawmakers-frustrated-by-deficiency-in-handling-mentally-ill-defendants/ Save to Pocket

    House vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas fails, thwarted by Republican defections

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>WASHINGTON &#8212; In a dramatic setback, House Republicans failed Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, forced to shelve a high-profile priority &#8212; for now &#8212; after a few GOP lawmakers refused to go along with the party&#8217;s plan.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/nation-world-news/house-vote-to-impeach-homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-fails-thwarted-by-republican-defections/ Save to Pocket

    NBA roundup: Kyrie Irving scores 36 in return to Brooklyn, teams with Doncic to lead Mavs past Nets

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>NEW YORK (AP) &#8212; Kyrie Irving scored 36 points in a dazzling return to Brooklyn exactly one year after he was traded to Dallas, leading the Mavericks to a 119-107 victory over the Nets on Tuesday night. </p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/sports/nba-roundup-kyrie-irving-scores-36-in-return-to-brooklyn-teams-with-doncic-to-lead-mavs-past-nets/ Save to Pocket

    UH-Hilo men’s soccer ID Camp set for March

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>The University of Hawai&#8217;i at Hilo Men&#8217;s Soccer program is hosting its Spring 2024 ID Camp on March 2 at the Vulcan Soccer Field.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/sports/uh-hilo-mens-soccer-id-camp-set-for-march/ Save to Pocket

    Stephen Tsai: Recruiting getting more challenging for Rainbow Warriors

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Back in the day, college football recruiting could be practical.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/sports/stephen-tsai-recruiting-getting-more-challenging-for-rainbow-warriors/ Save to Pocket

    Waiakea routs Moanalua, advances to quarterfinals

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>Waiakea High&#8217;s girls varsity basketball team notched one last victory on its home court ahead of this week&#8217;s state playoffs, crushing visiting Moanalua High 61-44 on Monday night in Hilo.</p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/sports/waiakea-routs-moanalua-advances-to-quarterfinals/ Save to Pocket

    The Super Bowl is expected to smash betting records. Nearly 68M US adults plan to wager

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. &#8212; Nearly 68 million American adults &#8212; about 1 in 4 &#8212; plan to bet on this year&#8217;s Super Bowl, setting a record by a wide margin, according to the gambling industry&#8217;s national trade association. </p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/sports/the-super-bowl-is-expected-to-smash-betting-records-nearly-68m-us-adults-plan-to-wager/ Save to Pocket

    Judge keeps NCAA’s restrictions on NIL in place for now, denying request by Tennessee and Virginia

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>A judge on Tuesday kept in place for now the NCAA&#8217;s rules prohibiting name, image and likeness compensation from being used as a recruiting inducement, denying a request for a temporary restraining order by the states of Tennessee and Virginia. </p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/sports/judge-keeps-ncaas-restrictions-on-nil-in-place-for-now-denying-request-by-tennessee-and-virginia/ Save to Pocket

    Everyone hopes the Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl won’t come down to an officiating call

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York was asked the other day what comes to mind when he thinks back to his team&#8217;s Super Bowl loss to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs four years ago, and he quipped: &#8220;I mean, I remember Nick Bosa getting held on third-and-long &#8212; and that not getting called.&#8221; </p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/sports/everyone-hopes-the-chiefs-49ers-super-bowl-wont-come-down-to-an-officiating-call/ Save to Pocket

    ESPN, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery announce plans to launch sports streaming platform in the fall

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold

                <p>ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans on Tuesday to launch a sports streaming platform in the fall that will include offerings from at least 15 networks and all four major professional sports leagues. </p>

    https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/07/sports/espn-fox-warner-bros-discovery-announce-plans-to-launch-sports-streaming-platform-in-the-fall/ Save to Pocket

    Contingency planning for me and curl

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Daniel Stenberg Blog

    This is a frequently asked question: how will I handle the situation if/when I step away from the curl project? What happens if I get run over by a bus go on a permanent holiday tomorrow? What’s the contingency plan? You would perhaps think that it could affect a few more things that I work … Continue reading Contingency planning for me and curl →

    https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2024/02/07/contingency-planning-for-me-and-curl/ Save to Pocket

    Speaker to try for reconsideration of hospital location and mining bills

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Guam Daily Post

    Speaker Therese Terlaje said she will attempt to place Bill 116-37, Bill 184-37 and Bill 185-37 onto the agenda for reconsideration in the upcoming session. The speaker announced her intentions on Wednesday, as the legislative Committee on Rules began to…

    https://www.postguam.com/news/speaker-to-try-for-reconsideration-of-hospital-location-and-mining-bills/article_ee9521d6-c582-11ee-9c5d-af082efc0e44.html Save to Pocket

    The Hole In Boeing’s Inspection Program

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Lever News

    Whistleblowers and regulators say Boeing’s self-inspection program helped lead to safety problems, including a recent catastrophic door plug malfunction.

    https://www.levernews.com/the-hole-in-boeings-inspection-program/ Save to Pocket

    How Neuraspace aims to clean up orbital clutter with AI

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Can tech and regulations beat the great satellite landgrab?

    Interview  Debris speeding along in orbit is becoming an increasing hazard for spacecraft. We can either ignore the problem and hope it resolves itself or accept there is an issue and learn to deal with it.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/neuraspace/ Save to Pocket

    Office Hours: What kind of presidential candidate — and supporters — would cause opponents to fear for their lives?

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Robert Reich on Substack

    And what should be America’s response?

    https://robertreich.substack.com/p/what-kind-of-presidential-candidate Save to Pocket

    The spyware business is booming despite government crackdowns

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-08, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    ‘Almost zero data being shared across the industry on this particular threat,’ we’re told

    Updated  The commercial spyware economy – despite government and big tech’s efforts to crack down – appears to be booming.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/spyware_business_booming/ Save to Pocket

    Classifieds – February 7, 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, 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 – February 7, 2024 appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/classifieds-february-7-2024/ Save to Pocket

    Myths versus reality for undocumented immigrants

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    Unveiling the truth behind misconceptions about the undocumented community sheds light on the undocumented struggle.

    The post Myths versus reality for undocumented immigrants appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/myths-versus-reality-for-undocumented-immigrants/ Save to Pocket

    We need more complex female villains

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    I am tired of women having to maintain their sanity, even in fictional stories.

    The post We need more complex female villains appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/we-need-more-complex-female-villains/ Save to Pocket

    Man on the Frozen Red Carpet

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    Brendan Brisson is living his hockey destiny.

    The post Man on the Frozen Red Carpet appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/man-on-the-frozen-red-carpet/ Save to Pocket

    Not Marc, but art by Marc Jacobs

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    Marc Jacobs’ doll-inspired collection may hint at a fresh attempt to inspire collections by the art and architectural world.

    The post Not Marc, but art by Marc Jacobs appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/unbox-your-different-personalities-2-2/ Save to Pocket

    Women’s lacrosse aims to score back-to-back Pac-12 titles

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    USC looks to build on last season’s success and become national title contenders.

    The post Women’s lacrosse aims to score back-to-back Pac-12 titles appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/200147/ Save to Pocket

    Women’s swim and dive takes a shot at history against Bruins

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    USC aims for an undefeated regular season in a critical showdown against UCLA.

    The post Women’s swim and dive takes a shot at history against Bruins appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/womens-swim-and-dive-takes-a-shot-at-history-against-bruins/ Save to Pocket

    Student drag performers embrace pageantry in ‘The Freak Show’

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    QuASA’s 14th annual drag show was a hit at Bovard Auditorium Sunday night.

    The post Student drag performers embrace pageantry in ‘The Freak Show’ appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/student-drag-performers-embrace-pageantry-in-the-freak-show/ Save to Pocket

    Price hosts Lunar New Year celebration

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    The Cultural Compass event highlighted Asian American Pacific Islander traditions.

    The post Price hosts Lunar New Year celebration appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/price-hosts-lunar-new-year-celebration/ Save to Pocket

    USG senate meeting moves to Zoom amid storm

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)

    President Divya Jakatdar presented on the upcoming USG presidential debate.

    The post USG senate meeting moves to Zoom amid storm appeared first on Daily Trojan.

    https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/07/usg-senate-meeting-moves-on-zoom-due-to-rain/ Save to Pocket

    Alaska Airlines’ door-dropping flight was missing bolts

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Preliminary investigation confirms pilot chat was overwritten but doesn’t mention attempts to recover data

    The door plug that fell out of Alaska Airlines flight 1282 last month wasn’t properly bolted into place, according to a preliminary investigation.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/alaska_airlines_doordropping_flight_lost_cvr/ Save to Pocket

    IBM Japan and NTT think they can make datacenter aircon adjust to different workloads

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    They’re measuring server exhaust temperatures to detect power consumption

    Datacenters make a lot of hot air, and IBM Japan and NTT Group’s in-house integrator NTT Comware think they can use it to calculate power consumption and CO2 emissions – and maybe reduce both.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/ntt_ibm_datacenter_heat_ai/ Save to Pocket

    In tech, magic becomes mundane!

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Om Malik blog

    Hello from somewhere over the Philippine Sea! My watch just nudged me to get up and walk around. My phone tells me that I am connected at roughly 10 Mbps. I am having a WhatsApp conversation with family members while receiving some email updates. The book I was reading on my iPhone is synced with …

    https://om.co/2024/02/06/in-tech-magic-becomes-mundane-fast/ Save to Pocket

    February 6, 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog

    MAGA Republicans appear to have killed the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, after senators and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas spent four months writing the border security piece of the bill that the House MAGA Republicans themselves demanded. House Republicans insisted that border security be added to the supplemental national security bill that provided additional assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan and provided humanitarian aid to Gaza.

    https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-6-2024 Save to Pocket

    Nikki Haley Trounced by ‘None of These Candidates’ in Nevada Republican Primary

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    LAS VEGAS — Nikki Haley was swamped Tuesday in Nevada’s symbolic Republican presidential primary as GOP voters resoundingly picked the “none of these candidates” option on the ballot in a repudiation of the former U.N. ambassador who is the last remaining major rival to front-runner Donald Trump.

    Trump, the former president, didn’t compete in the primary, which doesn’t award any delegates needed to win the GOP nomination. He’s instead focused on caucuses that will be held Thursday and will help him move closer to becoming the Republican standard-bearer.

    That leaves the Republican results on Tuesday technically meaningless. But they still amount to an embarrassment for Haley, who has sought to position herself as a candidate who can genuinely compete against Trump. Instead, she became the first presidential candidate from either party to lose a race to “none of these candidates” since that option was introduced in Nevada in 1975.

    Haley had said beforehand she was going to “focus on the states that are fair” and did not campaign in the western state in the weeks leading up to the caucuses. Her campaign wrote off the primary results with a reference to Nevada’s famous casino industry.

    “Even Donald Trump knows that when you play penny slots the house wins,” spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas said. “We didn’t bother to play a game rigged for Trump. We’re full steam ahead in South Carolina and beyond.”

    Trump joked on his social media network, “Watch, she’ll soon claim Victory!”

    Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, had announced beforehand that he would vote for “none of these candidates” on Tuesday. Several Republicans interviewed heading to the polls said they intended to do the same.

    Washoe County Republican Party Chair Bruce Parks, who pushed for the GOP to hold caucuses, said that he told voters who called his office — and Trump supporters — to participate in the primary by voting for “none of these candidates” over Haley.

    “They basically told us they don’t care about us,” Parks said in an interview after the race was called. “By marking ‘none of these candidates,’ we respond in kind — we don’t care about you either.”

    The Associated Press declared “None of these candidates” the winner at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday based on initial vote results that showed it with a significant lead over Haley in seven counties across the state, including in the two most populous counties.

    There was also a Democratic primary on Tuesday that President Joe Biden easily won against author Marianne Williamson and a handful of less-known challengers. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota was not on the ballot.

    Biden issued a statement thanking Nevada voters for their support and, with an eye toward an expected matchup in November, warned that Trump is trying to divide America.

    “I want to thank the voters of Nevada for sending me and Kamala Harris to the White House four years ago, and for setting us one step further on that same path again tonight. We must organize, mobilize, and vote. Because one day, when we look back, we’ll be able to say, when American democracy was a risk, we saved it — together,” Biden said.

    Nevada lawmakers added “none of these candidates” as an option in all statewide races as a way post-Watergate for voters to participate but express dissatisfaction with their choices. “None” can’t win an elected office, but it came in first in primary congressional contests in 1976 and 1978. It also finished ahead of both George Bush and Edward Kennedy in Nevada’s 1980 presidential primaries.

    The caucuses on Thursday are the only Nevada contest that count toward the GOP’s presidential nomination. But they were seen as especially skewed in favor of Trump because of the intense grassroots support they require from candidates and new state party rules that benefitted him further.

    Trump is expected to handily win the caucuses, which should deliver him all 26 of the state’s delegates. Delegates are party members, activists and elected officials who vote at the national party conventions to formally select the party’s nominee.

    “If your goal is to win the Republican nomination for president, you go where the delegates are. And it baffles me that Nikki Haley chose not to participate,” Trump’s senior campaign adviser Chris LaCivita said in an interview before the primary.

    Nevada, the third state in the field after Iowa and New Hampshire, was set to hold a state-run primary election instead of party-run caucuses after Democrats controlling the Legislature changed the law to try to boost participation.

    Caucuses typically require voters to show up for an in-person meeting at a certain day or time, while elections can offer more flexibility to participate, with polls open for most of the day on Election Day, along with absentee or early voting.

    But Nevada Republicans chose to hold party-run caucuses instead, saying they wanted certain rules in place, like a requirement that participants show a government-issued ID.

    The caucuses require a candidate to intensely organize supporters around the state to be competitive, a feat that Trump, the former president and prohibitive front-runner, was easily positioned to do.

    The Nevada GOP also restricted the involvement of super PACs like the one Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was relying on to boost his now-suspended campaign. And the party barred candidates from appearing both on the primary ballot and in the caucuses.

    Former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott also signed up to compete in Nevada’s primary instead of the caucuses before ending their presidential campaigns.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/nikki-haley-trounced-by-none-of-these-candidates-in-nevada-republican-primary/7477375.html Save to Pocket

    India to launch android into space to test crewed launch capability

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Vyommitra, your multitasking, bilingual, female space friend, will fly before the long-delayed Gaganyaan launch in 2025

    India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will send a humanoid robot astronaut into this space this year, then send it back alongside actual humans in 2025 on its long-delayed Gaganyaan orbital mission.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/india_humanoid_space/ Save to Pocket

    Beta’s 2024 Evo Factory Trials Bikes Are Ready For Action

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    Refinements to the engine, suspension, and chassis make for more compliant machines across the board.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707673/2024-beta-evo-factory-trials-bikes/ Save to Pocket

    68% of US coastal residents support offshore wind farms – here’s why

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    A poll released today reveals that a clear majority of US coastal residents support offshore wind development.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/06/coastal-residents-support-offshore-wind-farm-construction-poll/ Save to Pocket

    Tax Agency’s Modernization Could Mean More Federal Revenue

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    https://www.voanews.com/a/tax-agency-s-modernization-could-mean-more-federal-revenue/7477356.html Save to Pocket

    India probes SAP and IBM over ancient Air India ERP tender

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Procurement process in 2011 deal raises suspicions

    Indian authorities want to ask IBM and SAP about potentially criminal actions that saw the two tech giants engaged for a 2011 ERP project at Air India.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/air_india_sap_ibm_investigation/ Save to Pocket

    Here’s How Much You’ll Have To Pay For The New Alpinestars Supertech R10 Helmet

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    The Supertech R10 represents the pinnacle of Alpinestars’ racing technology.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707672/alpinestars-supertech-r10-price-specs/ Save to Pocket

    Storm Triggers Nearly 400 Mudslides During Southern California Storm

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    https://www.voanews.com/a/storm-triggers-nearly-400-mudslides-during-storm-in-us/7477335.html Save to Pocket

    Annette Bening Honored as Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Annette Bening, a two-time Golden Globe winner who recently received her fifth Oscar nomination, was feted Tuesday with a raucous parade full of colorful costumes and drag performers as part of festivities honoring her as Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals 2024 Woman of the Year.

    A few hours later, Benning endured a celebrity roast before attending a performance of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 175th production, “Heist Heist Baby.”

    She joined a group of synchronized swimmers on stage doing swim strokes to the song “Pump Up the Jams,” a reference to her role in the swimming movie “Nyad.” Then, she cut the hair of a volunteer in an effort to give him her signature look. And then she donned a seagull costume and acted out the role of the sea bird, a reference her role in the movie version of Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” squawking and waiving her arms.

    “I did it all myself with no one’s help,” Benning joked, after accepting the traditional pudding pot and trying to start a speech by thanking her kindergarten teacher. Her husband, Warren Beatty, won the man of the year award in 1975.

    The Pudding is the oldest theatrical organization in the nation and one of the oldest in the world. Since 1951, it has bestowed this award annually on women “who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment.” Other winners have included Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Coolidge.

    Festivities began with the parade at Harvard. Bening, wearing a brown coat, hat and sunglasses, blew kisses to the crowd, and at one point, was pecked on both cheeks by drag performers. As the parade ended, she launched into a can-can dance with several other people.

    “We’re absolutely thrilled to honor Annette Bening in this milestone 175th anniversary year for the Hasty Pudding,” said Josh Hillers, the organization’s president. “Hot off her Oscars nomination for Best Actress, we’re excited to present her with the most prestigious award in the entertainment industry.”

    Bening, who also has won a Screen Actors Guild Award and starred in “The Grifters” and “American Beauty,” earned her fifth Oscar nomination, this one for best actress, for playing the prickly long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad in the movie “Nyad.”

    Barry Keoghan, best known for his roles in “Saltburn,” “Dunkirk,” “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “Eternals” and “The Banshees of Inisherin,” is the recipient of its 2024 Man of the Year Award. He will be honored Friday night.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/annette-bening-honored-as-harvard-s-hasty-pudding-woman-of-the-year/7477337.html Save to Pocket

    Schwalbe’s Green Marathon Bike Tires Are Made Out Of Recycled Materials

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    Schwalbe is working towards reducing the carbon footprint of bike tires throughout their entire life cycle.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707669/schwalbe-green-marathon-tires/ Save to Pocket

    Biden’s Approval Sinks in Poll, Reflecting Voters’ Economic Worries

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    A new poll says Americans are concerned over U.S. President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy, despite the administration’s touting of positive economic figures. The survey puts Biden’s approval at 38% in January and predicts a tight race with challenger Donald Trump. Anita Powell reports.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/biden-s-approval-sinks-in-poll-reflecting-voters-economic-worries-/7477306.html Save to Pocket

    Biden Celebrates Black History Amid African Americans’ Anger Over Gaza

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden celebrated Black History Month Tuesday at the White House amid slipping support from Black voters distressed by the administration’s stance on the war in Gaza and disillusioned by what they see as a lack of progress on Biden’s racial justice agenda.

    “Tonight, let’s reflect on how we make history, not erase history,” Biden said Tuesday evening, taking a jab at Republican-controlled state legislatures that have introduced bills that would limit what schools can teach about race and American Black history.

    Vice President Kamala Harris, who spoke before Biden, was more direct.

    “Across our nation, we have witnessed extremists try to erase our history,” she said during the White House reception with Black leaders. “They censor history textbooks and cancel history classes.”

    In a statement, the White House touted legislative victories and executive orders promoting racial equity that has seen a 60% increase in Black wealth since the pandemic, record levels of entrepreneurship, and significant reductions in child poverty. They highlighted support for Black-owned businesses, expanded access to affordable housing, improved educational opportunities and efforts to address health care and educational disparities.

    Yet polls suggest support for the president among Black voters is slipping. A USA Today/Suffolk University poll released in January shows Biden carrying the support of just 63% of Black voters, a steep decline from the 87% he had in 2020.

    Troubled by Gaza

    As images of death and destruction in Gaza mobilized activists, a coalition of more than 1,000 Black faith leaders pressed Biden to call for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

    The campaign grew organically from the congregation, said the Rev. Timothy McDonald III, one of the first pastors who signed the open letter.

    “They pushed us to make that statement,” said McDonald, founder of the African American Ministers Leadership Council and senior pastor of the First Iconium Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

    “Young people were saying, ‘You’re all supposed to be faith leaders, and you’re doing nothing about all of this?’” McDonald told VOA. He noted that just as with the civil rights movement, the distress and anger felt by younger parishioners quickly spread to older members of the congregation.

    Community leaders say that Black Americans who support Palestinian rights see the conflict through the lens of racial justice, with the solidarity of a minority group that knows how it feels to be oppressed, displaced and deprived.

    Steve Phillips, author and founder of Democracy in Color, a political media organization, pointed to Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1967 “A Time to Break Silence” speech. In it, King denounced U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War as morally unjust and said it diverted Americans’ attention from racism and poverty at home.

    “There’s just so much resonance and similarity to this same kind of a moment,” Phillips told VOA.”

    Responding to international and domestic pressures, Biden has shown a more sympathetic tone toward Palestinians, saying last week he sees “the trauma, the death and destruction,” and understands “the pain and passion felt by so many here in America and around the world.”

    The administration says a permanent cease-fire will only benefit Hamas at this point. But it is pushing for a deal that would secure a temporary halt in fighting in return for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and release of Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

    Waning enthusiasm

    Even before the October 7 Hamas attack, there were signs of waning Black enthusiasm for Biden and frustration over the lack of progress on issues that emerged alongside the Black Lives Matter movement.

    “There was a fairly high-profile announcement about efforts to look at racial justice when the president first came in. And then you never heard much follow-up after that,” Phillips said.

    A bill designed to ensure that minority voters can participate equally in the electoral process, and a bill to prevent racial profiling by law enforcement have been languishing in Congress. 

    Only 50% of Black adults said they approve of Biden in a December AP-NORC poll, down from 86% in July 2021. Biden’s opponent is eager to capitalize.

    “Joe Biden no longer has a base,” said Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary for the campaign of leading Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump. 

    “Key Democrat constituencies, such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans and women, are supporting President Trump because they are sick and tired of Crooked Joe’s record-high inflation, open borders, crime and chaos,” she told VOA.

    With most polls showing Biden having a comfortable lead over Trump among Black voters, the bigger threat is not Black voters shifting to Trump but low voter turnout that could sway results in the most competitive states, including Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

    Disinformation

    Efforts to discourage voters of color from going to the polls are being fueled by voter suppression efforts, including through social media disinformation, said Atiba Ellis, a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

    “This has a long history,” Ellis told VOA, pointing to intimidation in the 1860s by white supremacist groups to prevent recently freed enslaved people from participating in the political process and Jim Crow laws in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that prevented Black people from voting.

    A source close to the Biden campaign, who asked not to be identified as is customary when discussing electoral strategy, said the campaign is combating disinformation with “early and substantial investments,” including $25 million in television and digital ad spending in August in top battleground states focusing on Black and Hispanic media.

    “Making sure that the right and the correct information is out there,” the source said. “That’s how we can better combat the wrong information, with the right information.”

    Black Americans, a group the president calls the “backbone of the Democratic Party,” number about 34.4 million and account for 14.0% of eligible voters in November, according to Pew Research Center projections.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/biden-celebrates-black-history-amid-african-americans-anger-over-gaza/7477327.html Save to Pocket

    $118 Billion Bipartisan Security Agreement in Jeopardy in US Senate

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    U.S. President Joe Biden is calling on lawmakers to support the U.S. Senate’s $118 billion bipartisan agreement on border security that would also provide aid to Israel and Ukraine. But a growing number of Republicans say they plan to withhold their support for the measure. VOA’s congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson has more.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/billion-bipartisan-security-agreement-in-jeopardy-in-us-senate/7477297.html Save to Pocket

    Republican senators try to outlaw rules that restrict Wall Street’s use of AI

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Everyone should be free to trust AI to make their financial decisions, without knowing if it’s also used against them

    Republican senators are attempting to block the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposal to restrict financial investment firms’ use of AI.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/republican_sec_ai_finance/ Save to Pocket

    US Considers Hamas’ Response to Proposed Hostage Deal, Says Blinken

    date: 2024-02-07, from: VOA News USA

    Hamas leaders have responded to a hostage deal proposal that would pause hostilities, says U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The U.S. is studying the response and will discuss it in Israel on Wednesday, says Blinken. VOA’s Cindy Saine reports from the U.S. State Department.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/us-considers-hamas-response-to-proposed-hostage-deal-says-blinken/7477271.html Save to Pocket

    New Michelin Power And Anakee Tires Now In US Dealers

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News

    The new sport, road, and adventure-touring tires are offered in a wide selection of sizes.

    https://www.rideapart.com/news/707664/2024-michelin-power-anakee-tires-us-dealers/ Save to Pocket

    Here’s how WhatsApp plans to interoperate with other messaging apps

    date: 2024-02-07, from: OS News

    As noted by Wired, WhatsApp wants the messaging services it connects with to use the same Signal Protocol to encrypt messages. Meta is also open to apps using alternate encryption protocols so long as companies can prove “they reach the security standards that WhatsApp outlines in its guidance.” The third-party services will also have to sign a contract with Meta before they plug into WhatsApp, with more details about the agreement coming in March. ↫ Emma Roth at The Verge They way this should work is that these megacorporations create free and open APIs any instant messaging application can tap into. I’m not looking to bring other services into WhatsApp; I’m looking to bring all services together in one unified application that respects my platform’s conventions and integrates properly with the operating systems I use. I feel like this contractual interoperability Facebook (and Apple) is offering is not interoperability at all, and does not reflect the spirit of the Digital Markets Act.

    https://www.osnews.com/story/138533/heres-how-whatsapp-plans-to-interoperate-with-other-messaging-apps/ Save to Pocket

    Thou shalt follow these vintage computing commandments

    date: 2024-02-07, from: OS News

    Since vintage computing is supposed to be a spiritual experience, I point out that today, February 3, 2024, the Torah reading for this week is the Ten Commandments. Regardless of your religious tradition or lack thereof, I think we can all agree on these. ↫ Old Vintage Computing Research Amen.

    https://www.osnews.com/story/138527/thou-shalt-follow-these-vintage-computing-commandments/ Save to Pocket

    DEF CON is canceled! No, really this time – but the show will go on

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Longtime host Caesars ends relationship at short notice

    It’s an annual meme that DEF CON infosec conference has been canceled, but this time it actually happened, ish.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/def_con_canceled/ Save to Pocket

    Think tank funded by Big Tech argues AI’s climate impact is nothing to worry about

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)

    Sure, datacenters consume lots of energy. But maybe they’ll invent stuff that helps

    It’s well established that the tens of thousands of GPUs used to train large language models (LLMs) consume a prodigious amount of energy, leading to warnings about their potential impact on Earth’s climate.…

    https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/ai_climate_impact/ Save to Pocket

    Wednesday 7 February, 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, from: John Naughton’s online diary

    The Barbican in Winter For a special friend who happens to live there. Quote of the Day “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” Louis Brandeis … Continue reading →

    https://memex.naughtons.org/wednesday-7-february-2024/39103/ Save to Pocket

    Quick Charge Podcast: February 6, 2024

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Electrek Feed

    Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from Electrek. Quick Charge is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

    more…

    https://electrek.co/2024/02/06/quick-charge-podcast-february-6-2024/ Save to Pocket

    ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Announce Super-Sports Streaming Bundle

    date: 2024-02-07, updated: 2024-02-07, from: Daring Fireball

    https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/02/espn-fox-and-warner-bros-discovery-forming-joint-venture-to-launch-streaming-sports-service-in-the-u-s/ Save to Pocket

    Ukraine: Meinungsumfragen in Kriegszeiten

    date: 2024-02-07, from: ETH Zurich, recently added

    Rickard, Kit Merz, Fabien

    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/658125 Save to Pocket

    Best SEO spam 2024 reddit

    date: 2024-02-07, from: Marginallia log

    One of the great joys of working on a search engine is that you get to reverse engineer SEO spam, and overall study how it evolves over time. I’ve been noticing the search engine spam strategy of adding ‘reddit’ to page titles for a few years now, but it feels like it’s been growing a lot recently. I don’t think it’s actually working, but it’s so cute that they are trying.

    https://www.marginalia.nu/log/a_100_reddit_spam/ Save to Pocket

    US-RSE Black History Month Spotlight - Annie Easley

    date: 2024-02-07, from: The United States Research Software Engineer Association

    US-RSE’s DEI working group (DEI-WG)is proud to help US-RSE celebrate and participate in Black History Month. Each week during Black History Month, the US-RSE will spotlight Black/African Americans who have been involved in computing, science, engineering, and/or math, and have inspired our members through their accomplishments in their careers and…

    https://us-rse.org/2024-02-07-black-history-spotlight-annie-easley/ Save to Pocket