News gathered 2024-02-12
(date: 2024-02-12 08:27:16)
Enhanced attention-related alertness following right anterior insular cortex neurofeedback training
date: 2024-02-16, from: ETH Zurich, recently added
Popovova, Jeanette; Mazloum, Reza; Macauda, Gianluca; Stämpfli, Philipp; Vuilleumier, Patrik; Frühholz, Sascha; Scharnowski, Frank; Menon, Vinod; Michels, Lars
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/657634 Save to Pocket
Three-dimensional modelling of cavitation bubble collapse using non-orthogonal multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method
date: 2024-02-15, from: ETH Zurich, recently added
Peng, Haonan; Fei, Linlin; He, Xiaolong; Carmeliet, Jan; Churakov, Sergey V.; Prasianakis, Nikolaos I.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/657636 Save to Pocket
France pauses EV subsidy program for 2024 citing an unexpected influx of applicants
date: 2024-02-12, from: Electrek Feed
Just four months after France’s Prime Minister announced a new EV subsidy program to incentivize drivers to go all-electric, the government is putting a halt to the savings, at least for the rest of the year.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/12/france-pauses-ev-subsidy-program-2024-citing-unexpected-influx-of-applicants/ Save to Pocket
Chevy expects its Equinox EV to be the most affordable model under $35K with 319 mi range
date: 2024-02-12, from: Electrek Feed
The new Chevy Equinox EV will officially start at $34,995 (including destination fee) as dealers gear up to begin orders. GM expects the Equinox EV to be “the most affordable” electric vehicle that offers 319 miles range.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/12/chevy-equinox-ev-prices-start-35000-319-mi-range/ Save to Pocket
CalArts Faculty Swapan Chaudhuri Receives California Arts Council Award
date: 2024-02-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The California Arts Council announced the recipients of the Individual Artist Fellowship grant awards in December. Among the 35 selected artists is Swapan Chaudhuri, longtime faculty in the Herb Alpert School of Music at the California Institute of the Arts.
https://scvnews.com/calarts-faculty-swapan-chaudhuri-receives-california-arts-council-award/ Save to Pocket
2024 Begins With More Record Heat Worldwide. The daily sea temperatures graph…
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/02/0043953-2024-begins-with-more-rec Save to Pocket
Tech CEO calls for Tesla boycott over self-driving capabilities in Super Bowl ad campaign
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Tech entrepreneur Dan O’Dowd, a fierce critic of Tesla, isn’t pumping the brakes on his campaign against the automaker’s self-driving software.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/tech-ceo-calls-for-tesla-boycott-over-self-driving-capabilities-in-super-bowl-ad-campaign/ Save to Pocket
Tesla confirms no Model Y refresh coming this year
date: 2024-02-12, from: Electrek Feed
Tesla has told employees to communicate to buyers that there’s no Model Y refresh coming this year.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/12/tesla-confirms-no-model-y-refresh-coming-this-year/ Save to Pocket
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Bring Accountability to Transportation Investments
date: 2024-02-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo has announced the introduction of the Transportation Accountability Act, AB 2086, which will create needed transparency and accountability in California’s transportation investments, paving the way for a more efficient and equitable transportation system
https://scvnews.com/schiavo-introduces-bill-to-bring-accountability-to-transportation-investments/ Save to Pocket
Jill On Money: January jobs jump
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Report catches many by surprise
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/jill-on-money-january-jobs-jump/ Save to Pocket
Six months in, journalist-owned tech publication 404 Media is profitable
date: 2024-02-12, from: Nieman Journalism Lab
Until January, most stories from 404 Media were available to read for free. But after the four cofounders discovered — through their own reporting — that their stories were being scraped, paraphrased by AI text “spinners,” and published on other websites, they decided to start requiring readers to provide their email addresses to access stories,…
https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/02/six-months-in-journalist-owned-tech-publication-404-media-is-profitable/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-12, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)
The SuperBowl last night was an excellent sports game. I could totally do without all the bullshit, but it was good sport. However it’s all about gambling. I bet it’s ruining a lot of lives. A way of sucking the last pennies from people who are already struggling. And it’s so easy, just get an app for your phone, add your credit card, and give them all your money.
http://scripting.com/2024/02/12.html#a154949 Save to Pocket
Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club joins Extreme E, but Nascar champ will miss the first X Prix
date: 2024-02-12, from: Electrek Feed
Ahead of the start of Season 4 this week, Extreme E has closed out its competitive grid with the addition of its final team, led by seven-time Nascar Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson. Legacy Motor Club will make its Extreme E debut at the upcoming Desert X Prix event in Saudi Arabia, but Johnson won’t be there… but he has a pretty decent excuse.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/12/jimmie-johnson-legacy-motor-club-joins-extreme-e-nascar-champ-x-prix/ Save to Pocket
Drowning in code: The ever-growing problem of ever-growing codebases
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
The speedier computing cake is a lie… so we got software bloat instead
FOSDEM 2024 The computer industry faces a number of serious problems, some imposed by physics, some by legacy technology, and some by inertia. There may be solutions to some of these, but they’re going to hurt.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/drowning_in_code/ Save to Pocket
Pac-12 MBB power ratings: As parity dominates, the NCAA Tournament outlook deteriorates
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Arizona remains No. 1 as WSU, UCLA rise and Utah falls.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/pac-12-mbb-power-ratings-as-parity-dominates-the-ncaa-tournament-outlook-deteriorates/ Save to Pocket
County Request Businesses, Residents Complete Damage Survey
date: 2024-02-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The county of Los Angeles needs your help to understand how much damage was done during the winter storms. Los Angeles County residents and business owners are encouraged to fill out a survey about damages, which will help determine the county’s eligibility for disaster assistance programs
https://scvnews.com/county-request-businesses-residents-complete-damage-survey/ Save to Pocket
You Don’t Quit
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: One Foot Tsunami
https://onefoottsunami.com/2024/02/12/you-dont-quit/ Save to Pocket
Economists seem to be changing their tune
date: 2024-02-12, from: Marketplace Morning Report
Recession? What recession? Many economists predicted an economic downturn last year and were wrong. More are optimistic about the economy for the year ahead, but some now think that the Fed is keeping interest rates too high. We’ll discuss. Also on the show: We’ll examine how Ireland’s government and citizens are addressing booming migration.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/economists-seem-to-be-changing-their-tune Save to Pocket
Tulpar is making an Intel-powered handheld gaming PC
date: 2024-02-12, from: Liliputing
Another day, another handheld gaming PC. This time Intel is teasing an upcoming Tulpar handheld gaming PC with a pretty standard-looking design. But under the hood it will most likely be powered by an Intel Meteor Lake processor with Intel Arc graphics, unlike most current-gen handhelds, which tend to have AMD Ryzen processors Radeon graphics. […]
The post Tulpar is making an Intel-powered handheld gaming PC appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/tulpar-is-making-an-intel-powered-handheld-gaming-pc/ Save to Pocket
Kerr attends Milojević’s funeral in Serbia, will miss Warriors’ return to Utah
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Milojevic died Jan. 17 in Salt Lake City, where he was hospitalized following a medical emergency during a private team dinner.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/warriors-assistant-coach-dejan-milojevic-buried-in-serbia-after-suffering-heart-attack-in-the-us/ Save to Pocket
Air Pollution Makes Flowers Smell Less Appealing to Pollinators, Study Suggests
date: 2024-02-12, from: Smithsonian Magazine
Nocturnal hawk moths are less likely to visit primroses in air polluted by nitrate radicals, which break down important wild fragrances, researchers find
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/air-pollution-makes-flowers-smell-less-appealing-to-pollinators-study-suggests-180983766/ Save to Pocket
How to make sure your ballot gets counted first in California’s primary
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
It’s a common complaint that it takes so long for election officials to finish counting votes. But there are ways to get your ballot to count in the first round of results.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/how-to-make-sure-your-ballot-gets-counted-first-in-californias-primary/ Save to Pocket
Tesla Faces A ‘What Now?’ Moment As Distractions Add Up
date: 2024-02-12, from: Inside EVs News
Plus, a Waymo robotaxi gets torched and Nissan faces some of its biggest problems yet.
https://insideevs.com/news/708344/tesla-criticial-materials-nissan-waymo/ Save to Pocket
GM Confirms 2024 Chevy Equinox EV To Start At $34,995
date: 2024-02-12, from: Inside EVs News
The Chevrolet Equinox EV could be the most affordable EV with 319 miles of range.
https://insideevs.com/news/708358/gm-confirms-chevy-equinox-ev-prices-availability/ Save to Pocket
BYD takes aim at Hyundai and Kia with plans to launch EVs in South Korea
date: 2024-02-12, from: Electrek Feed
As BYD expands overseas, its latest target could spell trouble for Hyundai and Kia. BYD plans to sell electric cars in South Korea within the first half of this year. Its affordable EVs will compete with the Hyundai IONIQ 5, Kona Electric, and Kia EV6 on the South Korean automaker’s home turf.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/12/byd-launching-evs-hyundai-home-turf/ Save to Pocket
East Bay buildings flop into default as Bay Area office woes persist
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Two East Bay office buildings have flopped into separate loan defaults and face foreclosure by their lenders.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/oakland-berkeley-east-bay-real-estate-office-build-loan-economy-bank/ Save to Pocket
The Refreshed Tesla Model Y Isn’t Coming To America This Year
date: 2024-02-12, from: Inside EVs News
The world’s best-selling car will live on without major changes until 2025, at least in the United States.
https://insideevs.com/news/708284/tesla-model-y-no-us-launch-2024/ Save to Pocket
Uncle Sam officially opens funding gates for silicon R&D
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
$5B investment part of $53B bet to reboot semiconductor industry
The US government says it will inject more than $5 billion in the CHIPS R&D program, including funds to boost skills in the semiconductor sector to form the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), a new tech development testbed.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/us_chips_act_funding/ Save to Pocket
Woman in trenchcoat opens fire at Joel Osteen’s megachurch; boy in critical condition
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Houston’s police chief said the woman entered the church with the young boy but did not describe their relationship.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/woman-in-trenchcoat-opens-fire-at-joel-osteens-megachurch-boy-in-critical-condition/ Save to Pocket
Trump Arrives in Federal Court in Florida for Closed Hearing in Classified Documents Case
date: 2024-02-12, from: VOA News USA
Fort Pierce, Florida — Former President Donald Trump arrived Monday morning at a federal courthouse in Florida for a closed hearing in his criminal case charging him with mishandling classified documents.
The hearing was scheduled to discuss the procedures for the handling of classified evidence in the case, which is currently set for trial on May 20. Trump faces dozens of felony counts accusing him of hoarding highly classified records at his Mar-a-Lago estate and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon expects to hear arguments in the morning from defense lawyers and in the afternoon from prosecutors, each outside of the other’s presence.
“Defense counsel shall be prepared to discuss their defense theories of the case, in detail, and how any classified information might be relevant or helpful to the defense,” Cannon wrote in scheduling the hearing.
Trump’s motorcade arrived at the courthouse in Fort Pierce shortly after 9 a.m. local time.
The hearing is one of several voluntary court appearances that Trump has made in recent weeks — he was present, for instance, at appeals court arguments last month in Washington — as he looks to demonstrate to supporters that he intends to fight the four criminal prosecutions he faces while also seeking to reclaim the White House this November.
https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-arrives-in-federal-court-in-florida-for-closed-hearing-in-classified-documents-case/7484049.html Save to Pocket
Microsoft’s AI Will Delete Its Own Answers Before Your Eyes
date: 2024-02-12, from: 404 Media Group
Copilot knows what a ‘badonkadonk’ is, but will delete its answer after telling you.
https://www.404media.co/microsofts-ai-will-delete-its-own-answer-before-your-eyes/ Save to Pocket
With great responsibilities
date: 2024-02-12, from: Paolo Valdemarin’s blog
Having just started a company that primarily deals with large language models I’m occasionally thinking about the responsibilities that we have when we introduce a new AI agent in the digital space. Besides preservation of the human species, a good rule that I think we should give ourselves is “avoid bullshit”, and while this rule … Continue reading “With great responsibilities”
https://val.demar.in/2024/02/with-great-responsibilities/ Save to Pocket
Travel Troubleshooter: Am I responsible for damage to my Turo even if I didn’t cause it?
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Nancy Epstein gets a repair bill for $3,000 after renting on Turo. But what’s it for? Does she have to pay up?
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/travel-troubleshooter-am-i-responsible-for-damage-to-my-turo-even-if-i-didnt-cause-it/ Save to Pocket
How much longer will Annie, Berkeley’s favorite peregrine falcon, continue to lay eggs?
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
Do peregrine falcons go through menopause?
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/how-much-longer-will-annie-berkeleys-favorite-peregrine-falcon-continue-to-lay-eggs/ Save to Pocket
Wish You Were Here: Alpine adventures in Switzerland
date: 2024-02-12, from: San Jose Mercury News
From Geneva to Zermatt, a Martinez couple’s Swiss adventures took in vast alpine landscapes.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/12/alpine-adventures-in-switzerland/ Save to Pocket
Cisco wields axe again as results season swings around
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
In an industry addicted to job cuts, 34,000 staff roles vanished in first six weeks of 2024
More than 34,000 tech staff who started 2024 in gainful employment are now looking for a new job – and that’s before networking titan Cisco reportedly pulls the plug on thousands more to lighten the payroll.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/cisco_sharpening_up_the_ax/ Save to Pocket
Woman Sues Sex Toy Retailer Adam and Eve, Claims It Shared Data About Her Dildos
date: 2024-02-12, from: 404 Media Group
Sex toy retailer Adam and Eve is being accused of violating an invasion of privacy law, with its accuser claiming that it told Google she was looking at listings for “Kingcock Strap-on Harness With 8-Inch Dildo” and showed that she added a “Pink Jelly Slim Dildo” to her cart.
https://www.404media.co/woman-sues-sex-toy-retailer-adam-and-eve-claiming-it-shared-data-about-her-dildos/ Save to Pocket
PeerJ welcomes the University of Tennessee, Knoxville as our latest Institutional Member, bringing a new fee-free Open Access option to UT
date: 2024-02-12, from: PeerJ blog
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, joins the AIMs program, providing unlimited, APC-free publishing for their faculty We are excited to announce the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT Knoxville), as our latest Institutional Member. By joining our AIMs program, UT faculty, staff, and students can now publish in any PeerJ journal without incurring an APC. Any […]
https://peerj.com/blog/post/115284888833/peerj-welcomes-the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville-as-our-latest-institutional-member-bringing-a-new-fee-free-open-access-option-to-ut/ Save to Pocket
Tire Wear Is Especially Bad For Electric Vehicles, J.D. Power Says
date: 2024-02-12, from: Inside EVs News
Rankings for electric vehicles plummeted in J.D. Power’s recent dependability study.
https://insideevs.com/news/708011/ev-reliability-jd-power-2024/ Save to Pocket
Nededog trial coming to a close
date: 2024-02-12, from: Guam Daily Post
The trial for Jamie John Nededog, who is accused of murdering Edwin Pirando, is coming to a close. Attorneys will give their closing arguments before jurors begin deliberations on Tuesday.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/nededog-trial-coming-to-a-close/article_b0f736f2-c93d-11ee-991e-2f7b386e7bc3.html Save to Pocket
Courts committed to timely magistrate hearings
date: 2024-02-12, from: Guam Daily Post
The Guam Judiciary is committed to ensure magistrate hearings, or first appearance hearings for defendants, are held in a timely manner, according to the Superior Court of Guam presiding judge.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/courts-committed-to-timely-magistrate-hearings/article_47040e8a-c935-11ee-a119-57811da6843f.html Save to Pocket
Guam contributes data to 5th National Climate Assessment
date: 2024-02-12, from: Guam Daily Post
To prevent further degradation of Pacific island ecosystems, cultural resources, infrastructure, human health and livelihoods, the University of Guam contributed to the Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment, the university announced in a press release.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/guam-contributes-data-to-5th-national-climate-assessment/article_d9c063b2-c94f-11ee-94bc-abd60fdc9b2c.html Save to Pocket
ERA II at 75% of cap, HAF closed
date: 2024-02-12, from: Guam Daily Post
The Emergency Rental Assistance program will continue to help renters keep roofs over their heads until the money runs out, while the Homeowners Assistance Fund has closed, according to the program manager.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/era-ii-at-75-of-cap-haf-closed/article_cb1f88de-c94e-11ee-8184-7f0fecc5425b.html Save to Pocket
Man allegedly threw machete at woman
date: 2024-02-12, from: Guam Daily Post
A man was accused of throwing a machete at a woman after an argument about the “nature of their relationship.”
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/man-allegedly-threw-machete-at-woman/article_94bad0da-c95f-11ee-a74f-276a68ef7802.html Save to Pocket
GPD: Mother allegedly ‘fabricated’ details in child kidnapping report
date: 2024-02-12, from: Guam Daily Post
A man who was accused of kidnapping a 2-year-old girl was discovered during an investigation to have taken custody of the child because of the “well-being and erratic state” of the child’s mother, law enforcement officials said.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/gpd-mother-allegedly-fabricated-details-in-child-kidnapping-report/article_3cd82394-c956-11ee-9594-fb8f4da0ecc4.html Save to Pocket
Ordot dump receiver, GovGuam spar over subpoena, site design
date: 2024-02-12, from: Guam Daily Post
The U.S. District Court of Guam declined to grant the request from federal receiver Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc. to limit the use of documents produced in response to a subpoena issued in the 2017 lawsuit filed by the government…
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/ordot-dump-receiver-govguam-spar-over-subpoena-site-design/article_e2eb1ba4-c953-11ee-8c20-37419f738d2d.html Save to Pocket
German Bike Brand Focus Goes Lightweight With New VAM2 SL E-MTB
date: 2024-02-12, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
In its lightest configuration, the e-MTB weighs in at just 35 pounds.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/708266/focus-vam2-sl-electric-mtb/ Save to Pocket
Humans Are Pushing Migratory Species to Extinction
date: 2024-02-12, from: Heatmap News
Current conditions: A freak hail storm hit Abu Dhabi • Beaches in Trinidad and Tobago are black after a massive oil spill • It will be another wet week in California.
THE TOP FIVE
- Study: Many migratory species face extinction
One in five migratory species are at risk of extinction, and humans are mostly to blame, according to a grim new United Nations report. The State of the World’s MIgratory Species report from the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (CMS) is the first to study the many creatures – from elephants to butterflies to birds – that travel thousands of miles every year to breed, eat, or find new climates. The report examined 1,189 of these species and found some 44% are in population decline. Perhaps the most shocking takeaway is the dire state of the world’s migratory fish species: Ninety-seven percent are facing extinction. Migratory reptiles are also in trouble, with 70% threatened. Overexploitation and habitat loss due to human activity are the largest pressures contributing to these losses. “These animals are, first and foremost, part of the ecosystems where they’re found,” CMS executive secretary Amy Fraenkel told CNN. “And we have a lot of evidence showing that if you remove these species, if they decline, it will have impacts on the ecosystems where they’re found, and not in a positive way.” Protecting migrating animals can be a challenge because it requires cross-border cooperation.
Proportion
of species classified in risk
areasCMS
- Another big U.S. oil merger will create Permian Basin drilling
giant
Diamondback Energy announced a $26 billion deal to buy Endeavor Energy Resources, the largest private oil company in America’s biggest oil field, the Permian Basin. The deal catapults Diamondback to the third spot on the list of the region’s largest oil and gas producers. This is “the latest in a flurry of large-scale merger and acquisition activity in the U.S. shale patch as companies look to snap up the best remaining drilling acreage,” explained the Financial Times. Last year saw similar acquisitions targeting the region by ExxonMobil and Chevron. Together Diamondback and Endeavor will pump the equivalent of 816,000 barrels of oil per day, Reuters reported.
- Study raises new concerns about ocean current tipping point
A new study suggests the “conveyor belt” of Atlantic Ocean currents that sends warm water north and cold water south is in danger of collapse. Climate researchers have long worried that global warming could someday cause the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) to slow or stop. This would trigger major shifts in regional climates and devastate ecosystems, but such an event has always been hard to predict, and most forecasts saw it occuring centuries in the future, if at all. For this new study, researchers used a supercomputer to run through potential warming scenarios and were able to trigger a collapse in the model AMOC, confirming there is indeed a point at which the system breaks down. While the team couldn’t pinpoint when this collapse could happen, they say the findings suggest “we are moving in the direction of the tipping point.” If AMOC were to shut down, parts of Europe, North America, and Asia could see temperatures drop, the southern hemisphere could warm, and Atlantic sea levels could rise by a meter, all within a short timespan that would make adaptation almost impossible, The Guardian reported.
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- John Deere is going electric
Tractor company John Deere plans to start making and selling fully electric farm and construction equipment by 2026, Yale Climate Connections reported. The company said its electric lineup will give farmers more flexibility and help them lower costs. “They can manage yield and plant health on a more frequent basis; enabled by the cost of that pass being so low. They are no longer exposed to fuel costs. Producers can focus on the health of the plants/animals, and truly optimize the material inputs such as fertilizers, chemicals, and feeds.” It mentions reduced CO2 emissions, too, but only briefly, suggesting John Deere thinks the key to encouraging farmers to swap out their legacy equipment is to focus on operational improvements rather than environmental benefits.
- Twisters trailer debuts
The first trailer for the disaster film Twisters debuted during the Super Bowl last night. The film, which hits theaters in July, isn’t a remake of the 1996 Twister, but more of a follow up. It promises to be just as nightmare-inducing, especially given how extreme weather has become more common in the years since the first film was released. Back in ’96, “‘climate change’ didn’t quite carry the very real, very doom-laden weight that it does now,” wrote Cheryl Eddy at Gizmodo. “Is Twisters’ apocalyptic weather even in the realm of science fiction anymore?”
THE KICKER
California is considering introducing an electric bike license for riders who do not already have a regular driver’s license. It would require e-bike drivers to take a course, pass a test, and get a state ID.
https://heatmap.news/climate/migratory-species-diamondback-endeavor Save to Pocket
Elon Musk can’t wriggle out of SEC Twitter fraud inquiry
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Lawyers argue requests for more info are tantamount to harassment
A federal judge has ruled in favor of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), ordering tech mogul Elon Musk to return for additional testimony in their investigation of his 2022 Twitter acquisition.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/musk_sec_twitter_fraud/ Save to Pocket
Get ready – California’s electric bicycle driver’s license bill is here
date: 2024-02-12, from: Electrek Feed
Electric bike riders in California who don’t already hold a traditional car driver’s license may soon have a new option (or requirement) on their hands: an electric bike license.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/12/get-ready-californias-electric-bicycle-drivers-license-bill-is-here/ Save to Pocket
The Tangled History Of Residential Hotels In DTLA
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The LAist
As Los Angeles boomed in the 20th century, more and more workers needed places to stay. Residential hotels sprung up — often offering bare bone rooms which still exist today.
https://laist.com/news/la-history/history-of-residential-hotels-in-downtown-los-angeles Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-12, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
RSS JOY.
https://rs.sjoy.lol/ Save to Pocket
The great CPA shortage
date: 2024-02-12, from: Marketplace Morning Report
Tax season is here. But if you’ve been putting off finding an accountant, good luck. Between a wave of retirees and a drop in the number of people graduating with accounting degrees, the profession is struggling to staff up — and many are turning away work. We’ll also take a look at what sorts of global risks economists are concerned about and what to make of rising mortgage debt.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/the-great-cpa-shortage Save to Pocket
Europe’s largest caravan club admits wide array of personal data potentially accessed
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Experts also put an end to social media security updates
The Caravan and Motorhome Club (CAMC) and the experts it drafted to help clean up the mess caused by a January cyberattack still can’t figure out whether members’ data was stolen.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/europes_largest_caravan_and_rv/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-12, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Complexity is a force against interop.
http://scripting.com/2024/02/11/153510.html Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-12, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
‘But His Memory’ and the slow train wreck of American democracy.
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/biden-memory-trump-supreme-court-20240211.html Save to Pocket
Ukraine claims Russian military is using Starlink
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Musk: No terminals have been sold to Russia ‘to the best of our knowledge’
SpaceX supremo Elon Musk has waded into controversy over the alleged use of Starlink by Russian forces.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/russian_military_starlink_claims/ Save to Pocket
Is Starlink in Russian hands?
date: 2024-02-12, from: Marketplace Morning Report
From the BBC World Service: It’s alleged that Starlink, the internet connection system made by Elon Musk-owned SpaceX, is being used by Russian troops. Musk has previously made assurances that Russia wouldn’t be able to use to it. Then, construction of a new ammunition factory gets underway in Germany, and Ireland’s government struggles to provide housing and other necessities for migrants.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/is-starlink-in-russian-hands Save to Pocket
How to use the real-time clock functionality in Raspberry Pi 5 | #MagPiMonday
date: 2024-02-12, from: Raspberry Pi News (.com)
In the latest issue of The MagPi, Alasdair Allan shows you how to use the real-time clock (RTC) functionality in Raspberry Pi 5.
The post How to use the real-time clock functionality in Raspberry Pi 5 | #MagPiMonday appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/how-to-use-the-real-time-clock-functionality-in-raspberry-pi-5-magpimonday/ Save to Pocket
Neural networks are reportedly helping criminals create cheap virtual fake IDs online
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Plus: Computer scientists win $700k in AI competition to decipher ancient scrolls destroyed in Mount Vesuvius eruption, and more
AI in brief A dodgy website is claiming to use AI in creating images of fake IDs that could potentially be used to trick online verification methods.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/ai_news_roundup/ Save to Pocket
PiStorm turbocharges vintage Amigas with the Raspberry Pi
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Who needs the present when you can relive the ’80s at warp speed?
FOSDEM 2024 The PiStorm is an ingenious way to make real vintage Commodore Amiga hardware not only run again, but do it over three orders of magnitude faster – using cheap, open source hardware and software.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/pistorm_accelerated_amiga_pi/ Save to Pocket
NATO leader says Trump puts allies at risk by saying Russia can ‘do whatever the hell they want’
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WARSAW, Poland — The head of the NATO military alliance warned Sunday that Donald Trump was putting the safety of U.S. troops and their allies at risk after the Republican presidential front-runner said Russia should be able to do “whatever the hell they want” to NATO members who don’t meet their defense spending targets.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/nation-world-news/nato-leader-says-trump-puts-allies-at-risk-by-saying-russia-can-do-whatever-the-hell-they-want/ Save to Pocket
Taylor Swift chugs beer, cuddles Blake Lively and gets mobbed as Chiefs beat 49ers in the Super Bowl
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>LAS VEGAS — With the run she’s having, how could Taylor Swift be on anything other than the winning side?</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/nation-world-news/taylor-swift-chugs-beer-cuddles-blake-lively-and-gets-mobbed-as-chiefs-beat-49ers-in-the-super-bowl/ Save to Pocket
Public input sought on Papaaloa Park
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Two years after the demolition of the Papaaloa Gym, residents are asked to weigh in on a plan to improve the park where the building once stood.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/hawaii-news/public-input-sought-on-papaaloa-park/ Save to Pocket
Community gathers to dedicate Rockne Freitas Way
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Rockne Freitas may have been an all-pro NFL player for 11 years, but his legacy lives on as a great leader and visionary in higher education in Hawaii. On Saturday, his legacy was honored by the dedication of Rockne Freitas Way, the entrance to Hawaii Community College at Palamanui.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/hawaii-news/community-gathers-to-dedicate-rockne-freitas-way/ Save to Pocket
Will Crumbley verdict trap good parents too?
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Oakland County, Michigan, Prosecutor Karen McDonald wanted to send the message that gun owners need to secure their firearms, and in Jennifer Crumbley she found the messenger.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/opinion/will-crumbley-verdict-trap-good-parents-too/ Save to Pocket
Obituaries for February 12
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Frank M. Baker, 66, of Pahoa died Dec. 22, 2023, at home. Born in Boulder, Colo., he was a football coach at Hilo, Waiakea and Kamehameha high schools and was set to retire as an adult correctional officer. Celebration of life 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Online condolences: homelanimemorialpark.com. Survived by son, Saya Baker of the Big Island; brothers, John Baker and Mark Baker of the Big Island, Wes Baker of Colorado. Arrangements by Homelani Memorial Park.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/obituaries/obituaries-for-february-12-9/ Save to Pocket
Israeli strikes hit Rafah after Biden warns Netanyahu to have ‘credible’ plan to protect civilians
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>RAFAH, Gaza Strip — A series of Israeli strikes early Monday hit Rafah, the city on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip where 1.4 million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting elsewhere in the four-month Israel-Hamas war.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/nation-world-news/israeli-strikes-hit-rafah-after-biden-warns-netanyahu-to-have-credible-plan-to-protect-civilians/ Save to Pocket
Senators push forward with Ukraine aid package as their leaders say the world is watching
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WASHINGTON — As former President Donald Trump and a growing number of Republicans oppose U.S. aid to Ukraine, the Senate’s leaders argued in strong terms on Sunday that the money is crucial to pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin and maintaining America’s global standing.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/nation-world-news/senators-push-forward-with-ukraine-aid-package-as-their-leaders-say-the-world-is-watching/ Save to Pocket
Defense Secretary Austin hospitalized with bladder issue, transfers powers to his deputy
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized again Sunday to address a bladder issue as he continues to recover from prostate cancer and has transferred authorities to his deputy, the Pentagon said.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/nation-world-news/defense-secretary-austin-hospitalized-with-bladder-issue-transfers-powers-to-his-deputy/ Save to Pocket
Allies fear the US is becoming less reliable, with growing concern over a possible Trump return
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>LONDON — As chances rise of a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch in the U.S. presidential election, America’s allies are bracing for a bumpy ride.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/nation-world-news/allies-fear-the-us-is-becoming-less-reliable-with-growing-concern-over-a-possible-trump-return/ Save to Pocket
Here’s how to beat the hype and overcome loneliness on Valentine’s Day
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>NEW YORK — Elise Plessis hasn’t been in a long-term relationship for 26 years. It’s by choice, yet she still suffers FOMO when Valentine’s Day rolls around.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/features/heres-how-to-beat-the-hype-and-overcome-loneliness-on-valentines-day/ Save to Pocket
Kauka ready to rally Cowboys again this postseason
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>KAPAAU — When Kohala boys basketball guard Layden Kauka won the 2023 ScoringLive Player of the Year and sank the game-winning jump shot against University in the Division II state championship as a freshman just one year ago, many were shocked at how quickly he reached stardom. But those involved in the Cowboys’ day-to-day activities have known that the current sophomore was unique for quite some time, even years before Kauka reached high school.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/sports/kauka-ready-to-rally-cowboys-again-this-postseason/ Save to Pocket
Patrick Mahomes rallies the Chiefs to second straight Super Bowl title, 25-22 over 49ers in overtime
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>LAS VEGAS — Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid have made the Kansas City Chiefs a dynasty.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/sports/patrick-mahomes-rallies-the-chiefs-to-second-straight-super-bowl-title-25-22-over-49ers-in-overtime/ Save to Pocket
49ers’ decision to take the ball first in Super Bowl overtime will be debated for a while
date: 2024-02-12, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>LAS VEGAS — It used to be one of the easiest decisions in football: If you win the toss in overtime, you take the ball.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/12/sports/49ers-decision-to-take-the-ball-first-in-super-bowl-overtime-will-be-debated-for-a-while/ Save to Pocket
Forcing AI on developers is a bad idea that is going to happen
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
We’ve still got time to make it better before it does
Opinion There is a thing that companies do, a pathological behavior that makes customers unhappy and makes things worse in general. It is so widespread and long-running that it should have its own name, much as an unpleasant medical condition. It does not, but you’ll recognize it because it has blighted your life often enough: it’s the unwanted new feature.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/opinion_column_on_forcing_ai_features_on_developers/ Save to Pocket
Government employment prohibition for official misconduct conviction vetoed over concerns with misinterpretation
date: 2024-02-12, from: Guam Daily Post
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has vetoed Bill 30-37, the measure that would prohibit employment in the government of Guam for individuals convicted of official misconduct.
https://www.postguam.com/news/government-employment-prohibition-for-official-misconduct-conviction-vetoed-over-concerns-with-misinterpretation/article_64f89fa8-c97d-11ee-9c99-877c51809547.html Save to Pocket
Who’s Vladimir Putin’s best friend in the world?
date: 2024-02-12, from: Robert Reich on Substack
The effective co-chair of the anti-democracy movement. And who’s that?
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/whos-vladimir-putins-best-friend-055 Save to Pocket
card :: IBM Watson
date: 2024-02-12, from: Ray Kurzwel’s feed
IMAGE card | project: IBM Watson banner: web: home presented by | card: IBM
https://www.thekurzweillibrary.com/card-ibm-watson Save to Pocket
Biden Welcomes King of Jordan to Discuss Hostage Deal
date: 2024-02-12, from: VOA News USA
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is hosting Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Washington Monday and the two leaders are expected to discuss the ongoing effort to free hostages held in Gaza, and growing concern over an Israeli military operation in the port city of Rafah.
It is the first meeting between the allies since three American troops were killed last month in a drone strike against a U.S. base in Jordan. Biden blamed Iran-backed militias for the fatalities, the first for the U.S. after months of strikes by such groups against American forces across the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
The meeting with King Abdullah II comes as Biden and his aides are working to broker another pause in Israel’s war against Hamas in order to send humanitarian aid and supplies into the region and get hostages out. The White House faces growing criticism from Arab-Americans over the administration’s continued support for Israel in the face of growing casualties in Gaza.
It appeared a deal for another pause in the fighting was getting close. A senior U.S. administration official said Sunday that after weeks of shuttle diplomacy and phone conversations, a framework was essentially in place for a deal that could see the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for a halt to fighting.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations, acknowledged that gaps remained but declined to specify what they are. The official said Israeli military pressure on Hamas in Khan Younis over the last several weeks has helped bring the militant group closer to accepting an agreement. The potential for an agreement took up the majority of Biden’s call Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The official said the two leaders also had a significant back and forth about the potential expansion of Israeli military operations into Rafah and that Biden reiterated U.S. opposition to the idea under the “current conditions” while more than 1.3 million people are sheltering there.
It was the most forceful language yet from the president on the possible operation. Biden, who last week called Israel’s military response in Gaza “over the top,” also sought “urgent and specific” steps to strengthen humanitarian aid. Israel’s Channel 13 television said the conversation lasted 45 minutes.
The official said the Israelis “made clear they would not contemplate an operation” in Rafah without safeguarding the civilian population. The official said the U.S. is not sure there is a feasible or implementable plan to relocate civilians out of Rafah to allow military operations to take place.
Jordan and other Arab states have been highly critical of Israel’s actions and have eschewed public support for long-term planning over what happens next, arguing that the fighting must end before such discussions can begin. They have been demanding a cease-fire since mid-October as civilian casualties began to skyrocket.
Biden had planned to visit Jordan during his trip to Israel in October shortly after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, but the trip was scrapped. On his way home from Israel, Biden announced he’d helped broker the first deal to pause fighting temporarily and to open the crossing in Rafah to humanitarian aid.
In the months since, members of his administration have made repeated trips to the region to engage with leaders there.
https://www.voanews.com/a/biden-welcomes-king-of-jordan-to-discuss-hostage-deal/7483728.html Save to Pocket
Classifieds – February 12, 2024
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The Daily Trojan features Classified advertising in each day’s edition. Here you can read, search, and even print out each day’s edition of the Classifieds.
The post Classifieds – February 12, 2024 appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/classifieds-february-12-2024/ Save to Pocket
‘Crash test dummy’ smashed VIP demo by offering a helping hand
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Sometimes you can have too many people in the room
Who, Me? Welcome once again dear reader to yet another Monday and of course yet another instalment of Who, Me? in which Reg readers confess the times when they perhaps weren’t quite so on the ball as they might have been.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/who_me/ Save to Pocket
Housekeeping
date: 2024-02-12, from: Manu - I write blog
First housekeeping post of 2024. Hope you all had a great beginning of the year. As usual, a couple of things in no particular order:
- People and Blogs is about to hit 25 interviews. There’s 52 weeks in a year so we’re almost half way through year one. I’m happy to see that people are enjoying the series. Makes me so happy.
- Running Minimalissimo is fun. I’ve already coded a few things for the site—a new navigation, a new stream section and also a new books page—and I have plenty of other things I want to do.
- My one a month experiment is a tiny success. Kind people are still out there and I think it’s important to try support a more sane web in a sustainable way.
- I’m hosting the IndieWeb Carnival this month. You can find the first 15 submissions at the link above and you have time until February 28th to send yours.
- I’m redesigning my blog. It’s not a true redesign, it will feel very familiar if you visited this site over the past 5 or 6 years. Structure will stay pretty much the same but I felt the need to tweak a few things here and there. I’m also going to reintroduce a web font. I was in my 20s the last time I used one on this site. Gonna be fun.
And that’s all I have for this February housekeeping. As always my inbox is open if you want to get in touch. Have a great day.
https://manuelmoreale.com/@/page/kGfl10NwD3Q2ITkN Save to Pocket
Breaking down the ‘brick wall’ of African American genealogy
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
New research by Professor Jazlyn Mooney brings stunning clarity to histories previously erased by hate.
The post Breaking down the ‘brick wall’ of African American genealogy appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/breaking-down-the-brick-wall-of-african-american-genealogy/ Save to Pocket
Gen Alpha goes to Sephora
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Social media’s beauty and lifestyle machine is driving today’s youngest internet users to the stores — and away from a carefree childhood.
The post Gen Alpha goes to Sephora appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/gen-alpha-goes-to-sephora/ Save to Pocket
Today in SCV History (Feb. 12)
date: 2024-02-12, from: SCV New (TV Station)
1879 – Mint Canyon School District organized. (Merged into Sulphur Springs Union in 1944.) [story
https://scvnews.com/today-in-scv-history-feb-12/ Save to Pocket
Casting people of color should be celebrated
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Representation in popular media is more important than your white fragility.
The post Casting people of color should be celebrated appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/casting-people-of-color-should-be-celebrated/ Save to Pocket
Navigating the touchscape of tomorrow
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Dive into the realm where touch reshapes our digital worlds, forging connections from virtual fantasies to tactile realities.
The post Navigating the touchscape of tomorrow appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/sensory-frontiers/ Save to Pocket
Meet the first computing school director
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The post Meet the first computing school director appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/meet-the-first-computing-school-director/ Save to Pocket
Taylor Swift is allowed to have a life, too
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Women artists like Taylor Swift are unjustly held to a higher standard than men.
The post Taylor Swift is allowed to have a life, too appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/taylor-swift-is-allowed-to-have-a-life-too/ Save to Pocket
USC Pacific Asia Museum celebrates the Lunar New Year
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The museum saw its biggest turnout at the festival since the coronavirus pandemic.
The post USC Pacific Asia Museum celebrates the Lunar New Year appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/usc-pacific-asia-museum-celebrates-the-lunar-new-year/ Save to Pocket
Lorde guided me through the twists and turns of growing up
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
“Pure Heroine” and “Melodrama” will always remind me of coming of age.
The post Lorde guided me through the twists and turns of growing up appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/lorde-guided-me-through-the-twists-and-turns-of-growing-up/ Save to Pocket
If you give a squirrel a Cheeto…
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
For better or worse, squirrels have become a staple of campus life. News editor Nathan Elias and associate managing editor Reo examine the history of these ubiquitous creatures.
The post If you give a squirrel a Cheeto… appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/if-you-give-a-squirrel-a-cheeto/ Save to Pocket
USC Kazan Taiko performs for 3,000 at the Pacific Asia Museum
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The museum saw its biggest turnout at the festival since the coronavirus pandemic.
The post USC Kazan Taiko performs for 3,000 at the Pacific Asia Museum appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/usc-kazan-taiko-performs-for-3000-at-the-pacific-asia-museum/ Save to Pocket
USC alum hired as LAPD interim chief of police
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Dominic Choi will be Los Angeles’s 58th Police Chief beginning March 1.
The post USC alum hired as LAPD interim chief of police appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/usc-alum-hired-as-lapd-interim-chief-of-police/ Save to Pocket
Women’s swim & dive rewrites history
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The Trojans stay undefeated through the regular season with a win over the Bruins.
The post Women’s swim & dive rewrites history appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/womens-swim-dive-rewrites-history/ Save to Pocket
The rise of the movie musical
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Here are some of the most recent musical theater films taking over the silver screen.
The post The rise of the movie musical appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/the-rise-of-the-movie-musical/ Save to Pocket
Men’s basketball suffers blowout loss against Stanford
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
USC suffered a demoralizing loss against the Cardinal, splitting the season series.
The post Men’s basketball suffers blowout loss against Stanford appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/mens-basketball-suffers-blowout-loss-against-stanford/ Save to Pocket
Your roommate is a local journalist and the world already depends on her
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Amid the local news crisis, students in journalism are more important than ever. They shouldn’t be.
The post Your roommate is a local journalist and the world already depends on her appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/02/12/your-roommate-is-a-local-journalist-and-the-world-already-depends-on-her/ Save to Pocket
Mon Dieu! Nearly half the French population have data nabbed in massive breach
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
PLUS: Juniper’s support portal leaks customer info; Canada moves to ban Flipper Zero; Critical vulns
Infosec In Brief Nearly half the citizens of France have had their data exposed in a massive security breach at two third-party healthcare payment servicers, the French data privacy watchdog disclosed last week.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/infosec_news_roundup/ Save to Pocket
2024 Yamaha FZ-X Is A Sporty Retro Commuter Exclusively For India
date: 2024-02-12, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
This retro-inspired machine packs the bare essentials for a capable urban commuter.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/708251/yamaha-fzx-updated-india-2024/ Save to Pocket
Japan’s space program seeks reboot with Wednesday launch
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Second test flight for failed H3 booster after a run of bad luck
Japan will on Wednesday try to reboot its space program with a second test flight for its H3 booster.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/jaxa_h3_second_test/ Save to Pocket
Angry mob trashes and sets fire to Waymo self-driving car
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
San Franciscans turn on empty robotaxi without apparent motive
An angry mob has destroyed a Waymo self-driving taxi in San Francisco.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/waymo_destroyed_san_francisco/ Save to Pocket
Chiefs Top 49ers to Win Super Bowl
date: 2024-02-12, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/chiefs-top-49ers-to-win-super-bowl/7483684.html Save to Pocket
‘Beyond Our Wildest Dreams’: Santa Barbara Unified Teachers Awarded $200,000
date: 2024-02-12, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
S.B. Education Foundation grants will fund field trips, classroom upgrades, and creative projects around the school district.
The post ‘Beyond Our Wildest Dreams’: Santa Barbara Unified Teachers Awarded $200,000 appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/02/11/beyond-our-wildest-dreams-santa-barbara-unified-teachers-awarded-200000/ Save to Pocket
Raytheon on Trial in Gender Discrimination and Harassment Case
date: 2024-02-12, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
A former finance manager at the company’s Goleta campus is seeking $4.4 million in lost earnings, plus punitive damages.
The post Raytheon on Trial in Gender Discrimination and Harassment Case appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/02/11/raytheon-on-trial-in-gender-discrimination-and-harassment-case/ Save to Pocket
Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara Awards Art Scholarships to 20 Students
date: 2024-02-12, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Best of Show Award goes to Elly Cuevas of Santa Barbara High.
The post Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara Awards Art Scholarships to 20 Students appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/02/11/scholarship-foundation-of-santa-barbara-awards-art-scholarships-to-20-students/ Save to Pocket
Beyonce is releasing a new album on March 29 called Act II….
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/02/0043960-beyonce-is-releasing-a-ne Save to Pocket
Kelvin Kiptum, the marathon world record holder, has died at the age…
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/02/0043958-kelvin-kiptum-the-maratho Save to Pocket
BMW Motorrad Days Heads Back To The Alps In 2024
date: 2024-02-12, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Mark your calendars for July 5 to 7, 2024, as BMW Motorrad celebrates the Year of the GS.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/708246/2024-bmw-motorrad-days-alps-announcement/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-12, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
I had forgotten how how exhausting Trump is.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68266447 Save to Pocket
Weather
date: 2024-02-12, from: Jirka’s blog
The first third of February was quite warm here. It means nothing as we can get some serious snow as late as in April. We will see. At least there was time (I even used my summer hat at Saturday because it was hot here… well, it was about 15C) for some hiking and biking.
http://jirka.1-2-8.net/20240212-0440_Weather Save to Pocket
February 11, 2024
date: 2024-02-12, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
On February 12, 1809, Nancy Hanks Lincoln gave birth to her second child, a son: Abraham. Abraham Lincoln grew up to become the nation’s sixteenth president, leading the country from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865, a little over a month into his second term. He piloted the country through the Civil War, preserving the concept of American democracy. It was a system that had never been fully realized but that he still saw as “the last, best hope of earth” to prove that people could govern themselves.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-11-2024 Save to Pocket
NYC Imposing Curfew at More Migrant Shelters Following Recent Violent Incidents
date: 2024-02-12, from: VOA News USA
New York — New York is expanding a curfew to additional migrant shelters after violent incidents attributed to migrant shelter residents gained national attention in recent weeks.
Mayor Eric Adams’ administration will impose an 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew at 20 migrant shelters starting Monday, after initially placing the restrictions at four other locations, spokesperson Kayla Mamelak said Sunday.
The curfew impacts about 3,600 migrants, with the largest of the emergency centers housing nearly 1,000 migrants in Long Island City, Queens, according to a listing provided by the mayor’s office.
City officials initially placed a curfew on four shelters last month in response to neighborhood complaints.
Mamelak said the curfews are in line with restrictions already in place at NYC’s traditional homeless shelters and allow for “more efficient capacity management” of migrants in the city’s care.
“New York City continues to lead the nation in managing this national humanitarian crisis, and that includes prioritizing the health and safety of both asylum seekers in our care and New Yorkers who live in the communities surrounding the emergency shelters we manage,” she said in an emailed statement.
The additional curfews come after a spate of migrant-related violence and crime has prompted increasingly dire rhetoric from city and police officials.
A 15-year-old teen from Venezuela was arrested Friday for opening fire in Times Square while fleeing from police after being stopped by security for suspected shoplifting. The shooting injured a tourist from Brazil.
A video showing a group of migrants brawling with police in Times Square last month also went viral and led to several arrests.
The total of 24 migrant shelters now subject to the restrictions represents a fraction of the more than 200 such facilities the city operates to house some 66,000 newly arrived asylum seekers.
https://www.voanews.com/a/nyc-imposing-curfew-at-more-migrant-shelters-following-recent-violent-incidents/7483659.html Save to Pocket
Stalled Legislation, Mixed Messages Spotlight Immigration as Key Election Issue
date: 2024-02-12, from: VOA News USA
The vibrant streets and towering skyscrapers of New York City are an imposing, yet promising allure for migrants around the globe. Nevertheless, conflicting messages from officials and stalled legislation in the U.S. Congress are helping to create a controversial election issue. Aron Ranen brings us the story from Manhattan.
https://www.voanews.com/a/stalled-legislation-mixed-messages-spotlight-immigration-as-key-election-issue-/7483650.html Save to Pocket
Australia passes Right To Disconnect law, including (for now) jail time for bosses who email after-hours
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Rushed law will lose criminal sanction, but debate about its utility is fierce
Australia last week passed a Right To Disconnect law that forbids employers contacting workers after hours, with penalties including jail time for bosses who do the wrong thing.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/australia_right_to_disconnect_law/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-12, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)
I’m almost rooting for KC just so Taylor can be the total dominant uncontested Queen of America.
http://scripting.com/2024/02/11.html#a025125 Save to Pocket
Brian Gillen Joins Norton Motorcycles As Chief Technology Officer
date: 2024-02-12, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Gillen has more than a decade of experience with MV Agusta, and was responsible for some of the Italian brand’s most popular models.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/708245/brian-gillen-cto-norton-motorcycles/ Save to Pocket
The Superb Owl Trailers
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: Jason Kittke’s blog
https://kottke.org/24/02/the-superb-owl-trailers Save to Pocket
SCV gears up for Super Bowl
date: 2024-02-12, from: The Signal
Sports bars across Santa Clarita were packed with football fans on Sunday as they eagerly waited for the start of the highly anticipated game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. Schooners Patio Grille on Soledad Canyon Road was dominated by 49ers fans, with the occasional Chiefs fan making an appearance. “That’s […]
The post SCV gears up for Super Bowl appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/02/scv-gears-up-for-super-bowl/ Save to Pocket
MIT’s Electric Vehicle Team Is Experimenting On Hydrogen-Powered Bikes
date: 2024-02-12, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
The goal is to push hydrogen as a mainstream energy source eventually replacing fossil fuels.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/708244/mit-hydrogen-powered-electric-motorcycle/ Save to Pocket
India weighs 18 bids to build subsidized local chip factories
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
PLUS: Rideshare mega-merger mooted; France raids Huawei; Mongolia plans first satellite
APAC in Brief India has received 18 proposals to build chipmaking facilities under its Semicon India subsidy scheme, IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar revealed last week.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/12/asia_tech_news_roundup/ Save to Pocket
Monday 12 February, 2024
date: 2024-02-12, from: John Naughton’s online diary
Everything and the kitchen sink Seen on the way back from a restaurant one night recently. Quote of the Day “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people … Continue reading
https://memex.naughtons.org/monday-12-february-2024/39122/ Save to Pocket
Open Web Search Launches Third-party Open Calls
date: 2024-02-12, updated: 2024-02-12, from: nlnet feed
https://nlnet.nl/news/2024/20240212-openwebsearch-call.html Save to Pocket
Dataset to the article: “The influence of silicon on the formation and transformation of corrosion products”
date: 2024-02-12, from: ETH Zurich, recently added
Furcas, Fabio Enrico
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/658759 Save to Pocket
Father in Gender-Reveal That Sparked Fatal California Wildfire Pleads Guilty
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
San Bernardino, California — A man whose family’s gender reveal ceremony sparked a Southern California wildfire that killed a firefighter in 2020 has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, prosecutors said Friday.
The El Dorado Fire erupted on Sept. 5, 2020, when Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr. and Angelina Jimenez and their young children staged a baby gender reveal at El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa, at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains.
A smoke-generating pyrotechnic device was set off in a field and quickly ignited dry grass on a scorching day. The couple frantically tried to use bottled water to douse the flames and called 911, authorities said.
Strong winds stoked the fire as it ran through wilderness on national forest land, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Los Angeles. Charles Morton, the 39-year-old leader of the elite Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Squad, was killed on Sept. 17, 2020, when flames overran a remote area where firefighters were cutting fire breaks. Morton had worked as a firefighter for 18 years, mostly with the U.S. Forest Service.
On Friday, the San Bernardino County district attorney announced that Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr. had pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of recklessly causing a fire to an inhabited structure. He will be taken into custody on February 23 to serve a year in jail. His sentence also includes two years of felony probation and 200 hours of community service.
Angelina Jimenez pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of recklessly causing fire to the property of another. She was sentenced to a year of summary probation and 400 hours of community service. The couple was also ordered to pay $1,789,972 in restitution.
Their attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday.
“Resolving the case was never going to be a win,” District Attorney Jason Anderson said in a news release, offering his condolences to Morton’s family. “To the victims who lost so much, including their homes with valuables and memories, we understand those are intangibles can never be replaced.”
The blaze injured 13 other people and forced the evacuations of hundreds of residents in small communities in the San Bernardino National Forest area. It destroyed five homes and 15 other buildings.
Flames blackened nearly 36 square miles (92 square kilometers) of land in San Bernardino and Riverside counties before the blaze was contained on Nov. 16, 2020.
The fire was one of thousands during a record-breaking wildfire season in California that charred more than 4% of the state while destroying nearly 10,500 buildings and killing 33 people.
Extremely dry conditions and heat waves tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight. Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.
https://www.voanews.com/a/father-in-gender-reveal-that-sparked-fatal-california-wildfire-pleads-guilty/7483281.html Save to Pocket
Audio version of Letters from an American
date: 2024-02-11, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
Hi Folks: First off: Everything that already exists will stay exactly the same! But here’s the news: after years of requests, we are finally adding audio versions of Letters from an American. The audio version will appear the morning after I post the letter. They will live on this Substack page, if you want to get them here, but they will also be available on the Apple Podcast Channel, and elsewhere, as we get our ducks in a row.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/audio-version-of-letters-from-an Save to Pocket
Body Of Missing Hiker On Mt. Baldy Found
date: 2024-02-11, updated: 2024-02-12, from: The LAist
Lifei Huang, 22, went missing near Mt. Baldy on Feb. 4 as the first of two atmospheric rivers was bearing down on the region.
https://laist.com/news/missing-hiker-mt-baldy-body-found Save to Pocket
US Defense Secretary Austin Hospitalized, Duties Transferred to Deputy
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/pentagon-us-defense-secretary-austin-hospitalized/7483241.html Save to Pocket
Memorable Interviews About Memorable Performances at SBIFF Virtuosos Awards
date: 2024-02-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Santa Barbara’s evening begins with a special surprise song by Academy Award nominee Scott George and his Osage Tribal Ensemble.
The post Memorable Interviews About Memorable Performances at SBIFF Virtuosos Awards appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/02/11/memorable-interviews-about-memorable-performances-at-sbiff-virtuosos-awards/ Save to Pocket
US Military Strikes More Missiles in Yemen
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
Washington — The U.S. military said Sunday it had struck more devices and missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea.
The strikes occurred Saturday between 4-5 p.m. (1300-1400 GMT) north of the city of Hodeida, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media.
American “forces successfully conducted self-defense strikes against two unmanned surface vessels (USV) and three mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM)… that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea,” the statement said.
The Houthi-run Al-Masirah television on Saturday night reported three strikes on the Salif port area, while an AFP correspondent in the area heard loud blasts.
The strikes are part of a series of actions taken by the United States and its allies against the Houthis, aimed at halting the Iran-backed rebels’ repeated attacks on vital Red Sea shipping lanes.
On Saturday, the Houthis confirmed that 17 of their fighters had been killed in recent strikes, following a previous announcement Thursday by the United States that it had struck missile launchers.
The Houthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen including the port of Hodeida, began their attacks in November, saying they were hitting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza, which has been ravaged by the Israel-Hamas war.
U.S. and British forces have responded with strikes against the Houthis, who have since declared the two countries’ interests to be legitimate targets as well.
On Tuesday the Houthi rebels said they had struck U.S. and British ships in two attacks in the Red Sea, causing minor damage but no casualties.
The Red Sea attacks have raised insurance premiums for shipping companies, forcing many to avoid the Red Sea, a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of global maritime trade.
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-military-strikes-more-missiles-in-yemen/7483238.html Save to Pocket
An Open Letter to Sam Altman
date: 2024-02-11, from: Gary Marcus blog
Your post on X this morning raises many questions
https://garymarcus.substack.com/p/an-open-letter-to-sam-altman Save to Pocket
February 10, 2024
date: 2024-02-11, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-10-2024-003 Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Will Knicks regret trading RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and Quentin Grimes?
https://dailyknicks.com/posts/latest-quentin-grimes-trade-rumor-relieve-knicks-fans Save to Pocket
‘Lisa Frankenstein’ Fails to Revive North American Box Office on Slow Weekend
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/lisa-frankenstein-fails-to-revive-north-american-box-office-on-slow-weekend/7483212.html Save to Pocket
There’s gonna be a Tesla ad full of lies at the Super Bowl but it isn’t Elon’s
date: 2024-02-11, from: Electrek Feed
There’s gonna be a Tesla ad full of lies that will play the Superbowl today, but it isn’t coming from Tesla.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/11/tesla-ad-full-of-lies-super-bowl-but-not-elons/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)
If the Supreme Court had an ounce of guts they would say this isn’t a state matter, it’s a federal matter, and we are the federal government, so here’s the deal. Trump tried to overthrow the government and he took an oath to protect the government, and therefore the 14th Amendment applies, and he can’t be on the ballot anywhere, including Colorado.
http://scripting.com/2024/02/11.html#a203354 Save to Pocket
Vegas Super Bowl Blockbuster Kicks Off
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
Las Vegas, Nevada — The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs kicked off a blockbuster Super Bowl showdown here Sunday as Las Vegas stages the American sporting showpiece for the first time.
The neon-lit gambling capital in the Nevada desert had reached a fever pitch of anticipation for the NFL championship game that has topped even the usual outsized levels of hype.
The romance between pop megastar Taylor Swift and the Chiefs’ charismatic Travis Kelce is just one of the storylines of a game that is expected to smash U.S. television viewing records.
Swift dashed back to the United States from the latest leg of her global tour in Tokyo on Saturday and will be among a slew of celebrities and VIPs packed into the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium to see if Kelce and the Chiefs can win a third Super Bowl crown in five seasons.
The Federal Aviation Administration says a fleet of around 500 private jets has swept into Las Vegas for the game, which kicks off at 3.30pm local time (2330 UTC).
The galaxy of VIPS is part of an invasion of more than 300,000 visitors who have descended on the city for the Super Bowl weekend, pumping an estimated $600- $700 million into the local economy, according to city officials.
The horde of tourists has flocked to nightclubs and celebrity-hosted parties and eve-of-game concerts featuring stars such as U2, Adele, Christina Aguilera and Green Day.
Those fans lucky enough to have a ticket for the game, where R&B star Usher headlines the half-time show, have paid handsomely for the privilege.
Ticket bonanza
The cheapest seats available on resale ticketing website Stubhub on Sunday came with a hefty $5,713 price tag, with the most expensive listed at a staggering $196,875.
The American Gaming Association, meanwhile, projects that a record 67.8 million Americans – around a quarter of the country’s adult population – will place a bet on the Super Bowl, generating an estimated $23.1 billion.
This year’s Super Bowl, meanwhile, has taken on political overtones due to Swift’s relationship with Kelce, with right-wing conspiracy theorists seeing it as evidence of a plot to influence the outcome of this year’s U.S. presidential election if the singer endorses Joe Biden.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner, took aim at the singer on Sunday, claiming any endorsement of Biden by Swift would be “disloyal” given that his administration passed copyright legislation in 2018 widely seen as benefiting artists and performers.
“Joe Biden didn’t do anything for Taylor, and never will,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“There’s no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President in the History of our Country, and be disloyal to the man who made her so much money.
“Besides that, I like her boyfriend, Travis, even though he may be a Liberal, and probably can’t stand me!”
Chiefs eye dynasty
The sporting dimension of the occasion, meanwhile, has all the ingredients of a classic.
The Chiefs are playing in their fourth Super Bowl in five seasons, hoping to cement their dynasty status with a third Vince Lombardi Trophy after wins in 2020 and 2023.
The franchise would also be the first team since the New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004 to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
The Chiefs conducted a final training walkthrough on Saturday which left head coach Andy Reid satisfied that his team is primed to defend their title.
“I was pleased with what I saw,” Reid said after the workout. “I think they’re ready to go play.”
The 49ers camp was similarly buoyant after their final workout. “Our guys are ready to go,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “They’re relaxed.”
Sunday’s game is a repeat of the 2020 Super Bowl, when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes led a stirring fourth-quarter comeback with 21 unanswered points to beat San Francisco 31-20.
The 49ers, meanwhile, are chasing a sixth Super Bowl and their first since 1994-1995.
San Francisco emerged from the regular season with the best record in the NFC but survived nerve-shredding playoff games against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions to book their ticket to Las Vegas.
San Francisco head coach Shanahan, meanwhile, is aiming to end his long wait to finally get his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy in his third Super Bowl.
As well as the loss to Kansas City in 2020, Shanahan was the offensive coordinator when the Atlanta Falcons blew a 28-3 lead in the 2017 Super Bowl before losing to New England.
https://www.voanews.com/a/vegas-stage-set-for-super-bowl-blockbuster/7483208.html Save to Pocket
Russian Drones Attack Ukraine as US Aid for War Faces Hurdles
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
Russia attacked Ukraine with another barrage of drones. This comes as additional U.S. funding for Kyiv’s efforts to defend itself faces hurdles in a divided U.S. Congress. As VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports, the two U.S. presidential front-runners have diametrically opposed views on Ukraine and NATO.
https://www.voanews.com/a/russian-drones-attack-ukraine-as-us-aid-for-war-faces-hurdles/7483188.html Save to Pocket
Driverless Waymo car vandalized and set on fire in San Francisco
date: 2024-02-11, from: Electrek Feed
Yesterday evening, an autonomous Waymo car was set on a fire in San Francisco. The moment was captured and recorded on social media by several bystanders.
https://9to5google.com/2024/02/11/waymo-car-set-on-fire/ Save to Pocket
Sweeping US Foreign Aid Package Advances in Senate
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-senate-debating-ukraine-israel-aid-in-rare-sunday-session/7483170.html Save to Pocket
Tesla announces a new temporary discount on Model Y
date: 2024-02-11, from: Electrek Feed
Tesla has announced a new temporary price cut on Model Y in the US – a new strategy for the automaker.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/11/tesla-announces-new-temporary-discount-on-model-y/ Save to Pocket
NetNewsWire Turns 21
date: 2024-02-11, from: NetNewsWire
Thanks so so much to everybody who’s supported the app over the years!🎩🎉 Let’s do 21 more!
https://netnewswire.blog/2024/02/11/netnewswire-turns.html Save to Pocket
Biden’s Legal Team Went to DOJ Over What They Viewed as ‘Cherry Picked’ Digs at His Memory
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
WILMINGTON, Del. — President Joe Biden’s personal attorney said Sunday he went to both the special counsel and the attorney general to register concerns over what he viewed to be pejorative and unnecessary digs at the president’s memory.
“This is a report that went off the rails,” Bob Bauer said on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday. “It’s a shabby work product.”
The special counsel was investigating whether the president mishandled classified documents during his previous positions as vice president and senator, and found this week that no criminal charges were warranted.
But in building his argument for why no charges were necessary, Special Counsel Robert Hur, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, detailed in part that Biden’s defense of any potential charges could possibly be that: “Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
And then he went on to cite examples where investigators said the president’s memory lapsed, including over when his older son Beau had died. In particular, the comments about Beau Biden enraged the president, who has been very open about his grief over his son’s death, speaking often of him.
“How the hell dare he raise that,” Biden questioned angrily following the report’s release. “Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, was it any of their damn business?”
Biden’s age has already been a concern for voters. Democrats are now answering the widespread questions about the 81-year-old president’s age and readiness by affirming that Biden is capable of being commander in chief and trying to discredit people who portray him feeble. First lady Jill Biden wrote a letter to donors Saturday questioning whether those comments were politically motivated; it fetched the most money in donations of any email since Biden launched his campaign.
Bauer, who is married to Biden’s top White House aide Anita Dunn, said he raised concerns over the inclusion of these details to both Hur and Garland, which he viewed to be a violation of the Justice Department norms that essentially work to avoid prejudicing the public against people who are not charged with a crime. But the appeal failed.
“It’s evident that he had committed to make the report public the way that the special counsel had written it,” said Bauer.
The president sat down with investigators over several hours just as the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas happened. He said he answered the questions truthfully and to the best of his knowledge.
Bauer argued that what didn’t make it into the report were moments when the president deconstructed questions by investigators and when the special counsel notes that he’d be taking Biden through “events that are many years ago,” and notes that he should just give his best recollection.
He said the special counsel made a decision “to cherry pick in a very misleading way” what references made it in and what didn’t.
Bauer, too, suggested there was political pressure on the Justice Department, which is prosecuting former President Donald Trump for refusing to turn over a trove of classified documents as well as his role in the Jan. 6 violence at the U.S. Capitol and has been excoriated by Trump and others as biased and that his prosecution represents a “two-tiered system of justice.”
Hur is a Republican, and a former U.S. attorney under Trump.
“So you have to wonder with those pressures impinging on the investigation from the outside knowing the attacks that Republicans have levied on the law enforcement process, did he decide we would have to ask that we reach the only legal conclusion possible and then toss in the rest of it to placate a certain political constituency?” Bauer asked.
The Justice Department has not commented on the criticism.
https://www.voanews.com/a/biden-s-legal-team-went-to-doj-over-what-they-viewed-as-cherry-picked-digs-at-his-memory-/7483120.html Save to Pocket
Carousel Ranch students job-shadow at Salt Creek
date: 2024-02-11, from: The Signal
Charles Stockwell and Anthony Vallenas, two Ready to Work students from the Carousel Ranch program, were ushering back and forth through the hallways of Salt Greek Grille, seating customers at their designated tables and delivering freshly cooked food during their job shadowing experience on Thursday evening. Stockwell and Vallenas were eager to learn from the […]
The post Carousel Ranch students job-shadow at Salt Creek appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/02/carousel-ranch-students-job-shadow-at-salt-creek/ Save to Pocket
Cheese, Beer and Blooms
date: 2024-02-11, from: The Signal
One of the hottest culinary tourist trends is the “culinary trail.” Regional culinary trails draw tourists, foodies and others looking for a unique and fun experience and offer a variety of unusual, unique, or hard to find fresh farm and food products and beverages. Most culinary trails offer visitors a map, or a phone app, […]
The post Cheese, Beer and Blooms appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/02/cheese-beer-and-blooms/ Save to Pocket
Incredible Overlooks Along the 12-Mile Mulholland Drive
date: 2024-02-11, from: The Signal
By Natasha Kayes Only In Your State We have said it before — one of the best ways to explore the state is by driving through it and we have so many gorgeous backroads and scenic drives here in Southern California. We have coastal highways, long winding mountain roads, desert backroads, etc. I love driving […]
The post Incredible Overlooks Along the 12-Mile Mulholland Drive appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/02/incredible-overlooks-along-the-12-mile-mulholland-drive/ Save to Pocket
Break from the Norm with These Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day
date: 2024-02-11, from: The Signal
If you’re feeling pressure to plan the perfect Valentine’s Day date, it may be time to veer away from tradition. While flowers, chocolates and dinner for two is a classic, thinking outside the box can make for just as romantic of an experience. Consider these simple date ideas to reduce stress and make your day […]
The post Break from the Norm with These Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/02/break-from-the-norm-with-these-date-ideas-for-valentines-day/ Save to Pocket
What’s New In Santa Clarita
date: 2024-02-11, from: The Signal
It seems as if every day something new is popping up in the Santa Clarita Valley. New restaurants, new businesses and new city facilities. Here’s a short rundown and status updates on a few notable “newish” SCV projects. Skyline Ranch Park The city of Santa Clarita will open Skyline Ranch Park sometime this spring. Amenities […]
The post What’s New In Santa Clarita appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/02/whats-new-in-santa-clarita/ Save to Pocket
Schiavo presents $593,000 allocation to Child and Family Center
date: 2024-02-11, from: The Signal
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, presented an allocation of $593,000 in state funding to the Child & Family Center for infrastructure and safety enhancements on Friday afternoon. Child and Family Center leadership and board members were present during the check presentation that Schiavo made to the center and personally handed to Nikki Buckstead, CEO of the […]
The post <strong>Schiavo presents $593,000 allocation to Child and Family Center</strong> appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/02/schiavo-presents-593000-allocation-to-child-and-family-center/ Save to Pocket
Shop Local This Valentine’s Day
date: 2024-02-11, from: City of Santa Clarita
Shop Local This Valentine’s Day By City Manager Ken Striplin Valentine’s Day, a celebration of love and affection, has traditionally been marked by gestures of thoughtful gifts and romantic dining experiences. This year, I encourage all of you, instead of funneling your affection into big box stores, to turn your attention to the heart and […]
The post Shop Local This Valentine’s Day appeared first on City of Santa Clarita.
https://santaclarita.gov/blog/2024/02/11/shop-local-this-valentines-day/ Save to Pocket
Tesla Cut Model Y Prices By $1,000, But This Is Not A Typical Tesla Adjustment
date: 2024-02-11, from: Inside EVs News
The manufacturer might be experimenting with a new pricing approach.
https://insideevs.com/news/708209/tesla-model-y-prices-1000usd-cut-temporary/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)
Today’s song: How Deep is Your Love?
http://scripting.com/2024/02/11.html#a165127 Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s Scripting News (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News)
Where
did RSS being D come from? The meme
was started by VCs and tech influencers in the 00s. A bunch of VCs had
RSS startups, hired people who didn’t know anything about it to run the
companies.
http://scripting.com/2024/02/11.html#a163833 Save to Pocket
HexChat 2.16.2, The Final Release
date: 2024-02-11, from: Tilde.news
Can’t post their official site due to unseen domain from new user. https://hexchat.github.io/news/2.16.2.html
<p><a href="https://tilde.news/s/wgyahb/hexchat_2_16_2_final_release">Comments</a></p>https://github.com/hexchat/hexchat.github.com/blob/55102fb/_posts/2024-02-09-2.16.2.md Save to Pocket
Sly Devil
date: 2024-02-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
President Biden may sometimes act old but remember, this is the same Joe Biden who successfully coordinated a nationwide election steal in 2020 — and without leaving a single clue he was the mastermind behind it all.
The post Sly Devil appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/02/11/sly-devil/ Save to Pocket
One way is always better than two
date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s Scripting News
Most Hacker News threads devolve into people talking about personalities, not about tech stuff. But yesterday’s thread about OPML was the rare exception, until someone who says they like me (I guess) said something personal and ugly.
I wonder why after all this time we can’t see how pointless it is to have opinions about people, esp online. Everything you hear is passed through someone else’s filters, so you’re getting a huge dose of their personality along with a sliver of insight into the person they’re talking about.
And don’t forget to factor in that sometimes when someone has put an obstacle in the way of big companies, you can earn favor inside those companies by scandalizing the person whose work they object to. There was a lot of that happening as RSS crossed paths with some very big and rich companies with lots of employees, and an interest in appearing to interop without the cost of interop.
I’ve tried to add formats, protocols and software to the mix, always trying to compromise. It’s not mentioned in the Wikipedia page on RSS that I had a format that does what RSS does, a year before it existed, but I gave it up so that Netscape and UserLand would build on the same format, RSS.
I didn’t invent RSS. I did something much greater, I compromised. We had the leading blogging software at the time, and Netscape had the feeds of four credible news orgs. When you put them together, that turned out to be huge power. We eventually pulled in all of social media and all of professional publishing into one format. Ask anyone who was active at the time. The blogging world adopted RSS in an instant, in 1999 and 2000. And in 2002, when the NYT adopted it, again, in an instant the entire news world all of a sudden all had RSS feeds. You can see it in the steady stream of announcements in the archive of this blog.
BTW there was someone brilliant at Netscape who saw our compromise and responded with more compromise. Their next version of RSS had some of the features we had left behind in our format. We never asked them to do that, they just figured it out. Collaboration is something that requires two, one person can’t collaborate on their own. I know that sounds ridiculous, but sometimes people don’t look for the other party who made compromise possible.
I don’t think even the people who were closest to it at the time understood the move. And I don’t think very many appreciate the power that comes from being the one who throws in the towel on their pet project to attain unity.
One way of doing something is always better than two. That’s just a restatement of Postel’s Postulate. Be conservative in what you send.
That doesn’t just apply to you, it applies to all of us collectively. Every time you add something that already exists we’re all going to pay for it.
If you think that saying this makes me cantankerous – well, I say okay – but you’re wrong because it’s generous and brilliant to push back when people add complexity. Of course people don’t like to hear they’re doing something wrong, but when it comes to accumulating complexity debt unnecessarily, well imho you have to listen to that. Complexity is a force against interop.
We should be looking for opportunities to work together to create something greater than anything any one of us can create.
See also: the role of prior art in design.
http://scripting.com/2024/02/11/153510.html?title=oneWayIsAlwaysBetterThanTwo Save to Pocket
Ode to the Left of Funny Haha Comedy King
date: 2024-02-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Among the high points yesterday at SBIFF were an impressive Andy Kaufman doc, a powerful immigration saga, and Lily Gladstone’s dress.
The post Ode to the Left of Funny Haha Comedy King appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/02/11/ode-to-the-left-of-funny-haha-comedy-king/ Save to Pocket
Walmart Remodels Stores To Add ‘Coast-To-Coast’ EV Fast Charging
date: 2024-02-11, from: Inside EVs News
Considering there are more than 4,700 Walmart stores within 10 miles of approximately 90% of Americans, it’s a good approach.
https://insideevs.com/news/708207/walmart-remodels-stores-adds-ev-chargers/ Save to Pocket
Joby Aviation to launch eVTOL air taxi rides in UAE, granted six years of exclusive operations in Dubai
date: 2024-02-11, from: Electrek Feed
eVTOL developer Joby Aviation has signed a definitive agreement with the government of Dubai to begin air taxi operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), sweetened by the exclusive rights to aerial operations in the country’s capitol for six years.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/11/joby-aviation-evtol-air-taxi-rides-uae-granted-exclusive-operations-dubai/ Save to Pocket
The Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini Centauro: Hand Painted Gorgeous
date: 2024-02-11, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Art in motion. Hand-painted. Literally. Centauro is a one-of-a-kind piece.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/708231/ducati-streetfighter-v4-lamborghini-centauro/ Save to Pocket
LEVER WEEKLY: What Broadcasters Don’t Want You To Know
date: 2024-02-11, from: The Lever News
From more Boeing revelations to the dark money in TV broadcasting, here’s all news from The Lever this week.
https://www.levernews.com/lever-weekly-what-broadcasters-dont-want-you-to-know/ Save to Pocket
Building an efficient server-grade Arm NAS
date: 2024-02-11, from: Jeff Geerling blog
Building an efficient server-grade Arm NAS
<div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><img width="700" height="auto" class="insert-image" src="https://www.jeffgeerling.com/sites/default/files/images/hl15-asrock-rack-motherboard-noctua-ampere-altra-fan.jpg" alt="HL15 with ASRock Rack Motherboard and Noctua Ampere Altra CPU Cooler installed"></p>It’s not cheap, but it’s efficient. At least, that’s my hope.
Over the past few months, I worked with a number of vendors to assemble what I hope will make an efficient but high-performance arm64 NAS. In the video embedded below, I’ve put together the following (some of these links are affiliate links):
<span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Jeff Geerling</span></span>
https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2024/building-efficient-server-grade-arm-nas Save to Pocket
5 UOG students set to intern in national renewable energy lab
date: 2024-02-11, from: Guam Daily Post
Five University of Guam students are headed to Washington state over the summer to intern at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, UOG announced recently in a press release.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/5-uog-students-set-to-intern-in-national-renewable-energy-lab/article_58e660c8-c7a8-11ee-bd4a-9bd9b7b0ffc0.html Save to Pocket
Okada, Sablan to lead education board
date: 2024-02-11, from: Guam Daily Post
The members of the Guam Education Board have voted on who will lead them in overseeing public education on the island.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/okada-sablan-to-lead-education-board/article_5b58a4ac-c6e4-11ee-8d33-b7371a242947.html Save to Pocket
GRMC launches TeleStroke services, 24/7 access to care
date: 2024-02-11, from: Guam Daily Post
The Guam Regional Medical City has improved care offered to stroke patients through telemedicine, the hospital announced in a press release.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/grmc-launches-telestroke-services-24-7-access-to-care/article_59c9d408-c7ac-11ee-a030-7fc421ec35e8.html Save to Pocket
OHAPP: 2 homeless shelters progressing
date: 2024-02-11, from: Guam Daily Post
The addition of two shelters for homeless people on the island is a step closer to reality, the Office of Homelessness and Poverty Prevention said, as work on the exterior of the Anigua shelter has begun and the purchase of…
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/ohapp-2-homeless-shelters-progressing/article_34aa357c-c88e-11ee-ba36-4f0e99a2ea18.html Save to Pocket
Grandmother arrested on suspicion of witness tampering in grandson’s slaying
date: 2024-02-11, from: Guam Daily Post
A grandmother is behind bars after she allegedly tampered with a witness in a case involving the death of her 1-year-old grandson.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/grandmother-arrested-on-suspicion-of-witness-tampering-in-grandsons-slaying/article_8b5e0216-c87c-11ee-9750-6b71483fabd6.html Save to Pocket
Suspect allegedly stabs man unprovoked
date: 2024-02-11, from: Guam Daily Post
Two Mangilao residents awoke to the sound of someone calling for help. They found their neighbor kneeling in his home, bloodied, and the accused standing over him.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/suspect-allegedly-stabs-man-unprovoked/article_4173fc24-c885-11ee-b2f9-4723220eaf35.html Save to Pocket
Convict charged with repeated rape of minor, failing to register as sex offender
date: 2024-02-11, from: Guam Daily Post
A convicted sex offender is behind bars after he failed to register as an offender and allegedly raped a minor girl.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/convict-charged-with-repeated-rape-of-minor-failing-to-register-as-sex-offender/article_c9896d1a-c876-11ee-a7a5-87d3bfaa1e95.html Save to Pocket
Man accused of sexually assaulting girl, 9, held on $15K cash bail
date: 2024-02-11, from: Guam Daily Post
Chao Ren, 59, is behind bars, accused of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl repeatedly since August 2023.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/man-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-girl-9-held-on-15k-cash-bail/article_17e2bc68-c7b0-11ee-8128-f33b53bf88b9.html Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Biden's age is his superpower.
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2024-02-09/joe-biden-donald-trump-nikki-haley-election-2024-age Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Media Meltdown Over Biden Report Fuels New “But Her Emails” Nightmare.
https://newrepublic.com/article/178920/biden-special-counsel-report-new-hillary-emails Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Following academic journals with RSS.
https://kingsboroughlibtech.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2024/02/11/following-academic-journals-with-rss/ Save to Pocket
’Fast Car‘
date: 2024-02-11, from: Dan Rather’s Steady
While watching the Grammys last Sunday, I was delighted by a duet performed by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs. They sang “Fast Car,” a hit for Chapman in 1988. I was not the only one so moved. As I have discovered, it was one of the most popular performances of the night. I am an old-school country music fan, so I was not aware of Combs’ cover of Chapman’s hit. It certainly is a reason to smile.
https://steady.substack.com/p/fast-car Save to Pocket
3 Everyday Household Items To Bring On Any Hike. Your Life Might Depend On It
date: 2024-02-11, updated: 2024-02-11, from: The LAist
The Sierra Madre Search and Rescue team conducts on average a hundred or so operations a year. They know what they’re talking about.
https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/3-everyday-household-items-to-bring-on-any-hike-your-life-might-depend-on-it Save to Pocket
Meet The 3 Camels And Dedicated Volunteers Bringing Joshua Trees Back To The Mojave Landscape
date: 2024-02-11, updated: 2024-02-11, from: The LAist
Since 2021, volunteers have been planting Joshua tree seedlings in the Mojave Desert burn scar. The next session is slated for later this Spring, according to the National Park Service. Just like previous times, a few camels will be tagging along.
https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/to-return-joshua-trees-to-the-scorched-mojave-landscape-volunteers-brought-in-the-camels Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
What it was like working for GitLab.
https://yorickpeterse.com/articles/what-it-was-like-working-for-gitlab/ Save to Pocket
Want a low-cost electric boat? These are the most affordable options out there
date: 2024-02-11, from: Electrek Feed
Electric boating is and exciting and growing industry, but the high price of most well-known electric boats has kept them out of reach for most of us. Get ready though, as a new wave of innovation is seeing several new low-cost electric boats starting to enter the US market. Here’s a collection of some of the most interesting and affordable electric boats for those of us without big boat money.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/11/these-are-the-cheapest-electric-boats-you-can-buy-right-now/ Save to Pocket
Western Leaders React to Trump’s Threats About Not Defending NATO
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-i-told-nato-pay-bills-or-russia-can-do-whatever-the-hell-they-want-/7482870.html Save to Pocket
Digital map created for Hilo veterans cemetery
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Visitors to East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 1 will have an easier time locating the headstones of loved ones thanks to a new digital map created by University of Hawaii at Hilo students.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/hawaii-news/digital-map-created-for-hilo-veterans-cemetery/ Save to Pocket
Adult-use marijuana legalization bill to be heard Tuesday
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>A bill that would legalize adult-use recreational marijuana in Hawaii on Jan. 1, 2026, will receive a committee hearing this week.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/hawaii-news/adult-use-marijuana-legalization-bill-to-be-heard-tuesday/ Save to Pocket
Hungary’s president resigns over a pardon to a man convicted in a child sexual abuse case
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary’s conservative president resigned Saturday amid public outcry over a pardon she granted to a man convicted as an accomplice in a child sexual abuse case, a decision that unleashed an unprecedented political scandal for the long-serving nationalist government.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/nation-world-news/hungarys-president-resigns-over-a-pardon-to-a-man-convicted-in-a-child-sexual-abuse-case/ Save to Pocket
Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s 2nd largest city, kills 7
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>KYIV, Ukraine — A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, killed seven people overnight, including three children, Kharkiv region governor Oleh Syniehubov reported Saturday. Three others sustained injuries, according to the officials.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/nation-world-news/russian-drone-strike-on-kharkiv-ukraines-2nd-largest-city-kills-7/ Save to Pocket
DLNR: Uncle Billy’s demolition still on schedule
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>The state Department of Land and Natural Resources says it expects to complete the demolition of the former Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel by November.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/hawaii-news/dlnr-uncle-billys-demolition-still-on-schedule/ Save to Pocket
Gaza mediators and others warn Israel of disaster if it launches a ground invasion on crowded Rafah
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israel’s neighbors and key mediators warned Saturday of disaster and repercussions if its military launches a ground invasion in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, where Israel says remaining Hamas strongholds are located — along with over half the besieged territory’s population.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/nation-world-news/gaza-mediators-and-others-warn-israel-of-disaster-if-it-launches-a-ground-invasion-on-crowded-rafah/ Save to Pocket
Haley challenges Trump on her home turf in South Carolina as the Republican primary looms
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>CONWAY, S.C. — With two weeks to go before the South Carolina Republican primary, Nikki Haley is challenging Donald Trump on her home turf while the former president is turning to his familiar playbook of personal attacks as he tries to quash his last major rival for the nomination.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/nation-world-news/haley-challenges-trump-on-her-home-turf-in-south-carolina-as-the-republican-primary-looms/ Save to Pocket
Obituaries for February 11
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Bertha Peleuli (Bertelmann) Dement, 94, of Waimea died Jan. 11 at home. Born in Waiohinu, Ka‘u, she was a retired lei maker for Mauna Lani Bay Hote, enjoyed lei making, quilting, lauhala and coconut weaving, and was a member of the Waimea 2nd Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Waimea Ka‘ahumanu Society, Chapter 2. Visitation 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 17) at the Waimea Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 65-1160 Kapiolani Road, Waimea. Funeral service at 11 a.m. Burial to follow at Waimea Cemetery, Mormon Section on Church Road. Aloha attire. Survived by children, Kai (Linda) Kaholokai, Bert (Darlene) Dement, Marilei (Joey) Lindsey and Ann Dement; grandchildren and great grandchildren. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/obituaries/obituaries-for-february-11-7/ Save to Pocket
How Biden and his allies are pushing back against a special counsel’s claims about his memory
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s Democratic allies are launching an aggressive defense against a special counsel’s explosive claims that the 81-year-old president couldn’t remember major milestones in his life, trying to diminish the significance of the prosecutor’s allegations that Biden was too forgetful to be charged for mishandling classified material.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/nation-world-news/how-biden-and-his-allies-are-pushing-back-against-a-special-counsels-claims-about-his-memory/ Save to Pocket
Your Views for February 11
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>It’s time for a new
Maui police chief</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/opinion/your-views-for-february-11-7/ Save to Pocket
Defense secretary must rebuild trust after unexpected absence
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last week took responsibility for not notifying the White House when he was hospitalized at the beginning of January, an important first step in rebuilding trust with President Joe Biden, Congress and the American people. </p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/opinion/defense-secretary-must-rebuild-trust-after-unexpected-absence/ Save to Pocket
Volcano Watch: Another intrusion southwest of Kilauea’s summit
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Last week, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists were closely monitoring earthquakes and ground deformation in the region southwest of Kilauea’s summit. The increased unrest prompted HVO to raise the Alert Level/Aviation Color Code for Kilauea to WATCH/ORANGE on Jan. 31 as another intrusive event began beneath the surface.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/community/volcano-watch-another-intrusion-southwest-of-kilaueas-summit/ Save to Pocket
Island Intelligencer: A year of Hawaiian spyin‘
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou!</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/opinion/island-intelligencer-a-year-of-hawaiian-spyin/ Save to Pocket
Trump says he warned NATO ally: Spend more on defense or Russia can ‘do whatever the hell they want’
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>NEW YORK — Republican front-runner Donald Trump said Saturday that, as president, he warned NATO allies that he “would encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to countries that are “delinquent” as he ramped up his attacks on foreign aid and longstanding international alliances.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/nation-world-news/trump-says-he-warned-nato-ally-spend-more-on-defense-or-russia-can-do-whatever-the-hell-they-want/ Save to Pocket
BIIF boys basketball: Kohala, KSH win titles
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>Kohala High’s boys basketball team captured a three-peat BIIF DII title and Kamehameha Schools - Hawai‘i won a repeat BIIF DI title at the KTA/BIIF championships on Friday at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/sports/biif-boys-basketball-kohala-ksh-win-titles/ Save to Pocket
BIIF girls hoops: KSH, Kona claims third at states
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>HONOLULU — Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) powerhouses Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i and Konawaena girls basketball wrapped on their seasons Friday on Oahu, both competing for third place in their respective brackets.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/sports/biif-girls-hoops-ksh-kona-claims-third-at-states/ Save to Pocket
Hilo hosts paddling state championship
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>The Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) held its canoe paddling state championship on Saturday in Hilo Bay.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/sports/hilo-hosts-paddling-state-championship-2/ Save to Pocket
Island School dethrones KS-Hawai‘i
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>WAIPAHU, O‘ahu — In its third straight visit to the HHSAA Division II state championship final round, the Kamehameha Schools - Hawai‘i boys soccer team fell 1-0 to Kauai’s Island School on Saturday night at the Waipi‘o Soccer Complex.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/sports/island-school-dethrones-ks-hawaii/ Save to Pocket
Chiefs and 49ers have high-profile offenses, but defense should decide the Super Bowl winner
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>LAS VEGAS — The Chiefs go as far as Patrick Mahomes takes them. The 49ers have Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and a star-studded group surrounding Brock Purdy.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/sports/chiefs-and-49ers-have-high-profile-offenses-but-defense-should-decide-the-super-bowl-winner/ Save to Pocket
Casual bettors placing small wagers is adding another reason to watch the Super Bowl
date: 2024-02-11, from: Hawaii Tribune Harold
<p>LAS VEGAS — After years of angst and filibustering, casual bettors strolling around Sin City are basking in the NFL’s embrace of sports gambling with the Super Bowl set to make its Las Vegas debut on Sunday.</p>
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/11/sports/casual-bettors-placing-small-wagers-is-adding-another-reason-to-watch-the-super-bowl/ Save to Pocket
Sunday caption contest: pray
date: 2024-02-11, from: Robert Reich on Substack
And last week’s winner.
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/sunday-caption-contest-pray Save to Pocket
3 Longtime Friends Have Attended Every Super Bowl
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
KENNEBUNK, Maine — As long as they still have each other, they’re still going to go to every Super Bowl.
That’s the sentiment shared by three friends who say they are the final fans who can claim membership in the exclusive “never missed a Super Bowl” club. And they’re back again for number 58 — Super Bowl 58 — this year.
The three fans, all in their 80s, are Don Crisman of Maine, Gregory Eaton of Michigan and Tom Henschel, who splits time between Florida and Pennsylvania. The three are gathering this weekend in Las Vegas for the big game, and they’re hoping they can all make it to the sixtieth edition of the game two years from now.
The fans have sat together at the Super Bowl before, and they were still trying to make last-minute arrangements to do that for this year’s game this week. At the very least, they will get together for brunch on Friday, as always.
Eaton, 84, who runs a ground transportation company in Detroit, has been especially invested in this year’s football playoffs, as his beloved Detroit Lions won playoff games for the first time in more than three decades. The Lions fell just short of qualifying for their first Super Bowl, but Eaton said getting together with retirees Crisman, 87, and Henschel, 82, is the real draw of going to the big game year after year.
“Yeah, I’m a Lions fan,” Eaton said. “But in two years, I just hope I’ll be in good shape to be there again.”
The men have attended every game since the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game, the forerunner to the modern Super Bowl, took place in Los Angeles in 1967. This year’s game is at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Crisman and Henschel first met at the 1983 Super Bowl, but they didn’t meet Eaton until the mid-2010s. The fans have said in the past that they might be getting ready to let the tradition go, but every year they make the decision to do it again.
They’re part of an ever-dwindling group of people who have attended every Super Bowl that has also included media members, football executives, groundskeepers and others. Norma Hunt, wife of late football pioneer Lamar Hunt, was the sole woman to attend every Super Bowl until she died in June.
The fans all said the one thing that could keep them from attending is if they or one of the other two was not healthy enough or mobile enough to do it. Health concerns have cropped up for all of them in recent years, but they all said they’re feeling well enough to go this year and planning on the next two.
“I think that might be the factor that would definitely tip it,” Crisman said. “I’m not looking to be the survivor. I just go for the fun, and the guys. We’ll see what this year brings and address it in December ’24.”
The three men have witnessed all of the most iconic moments in Super Bowl history, but some of their most cherished memories of the game are a little more personal than David Tyree’s “helmet catch” in Super Bowl 42 or Scott Norwood’s missed field goal in Super Bowl 25. Crisman’s home is adorned with Super Bowl ephemera, right down to a collectible hat commemorating the first Bud Bowl, a promotion about beer that ran during Super Bowl 23 in 1989.
Eaton fondly remembers he got his tickets to the first Super Bowl from a friend from Michigan State University, Herb Adderley, who played for the Green Bay Packers. Henschel recalls being especially excited for Super Bowl 3 because New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath, like himself, was from the Pittsburgh area.
Crisman hadn’t yet acquired tickets for this year’s game as of mid-January, when telecommunications giant Verizon surprised him with complementary passes for himself and his daughter, Susan Metevier. Getting to Las Vegas will be much easier than his trip to Super Bowl 2 in 1968, which involved a 24-hour train ride to Miami.
The three men reminisce fondly about the era when it was possible to get a ticket to the big game for $8. Henschel recalls getting a face value ticket to Super Bowl 3 for $12 on the day of the game. This year, the cheapest tickets available are more than $7,000.
Henschel, a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, has a friendly rivalry with Crisman, a New England Patriots fan, as the two teams have met frequently in the playoffs over the years.
This year, the Patriots failed to contend, and the Steelers made an early playoff exit. But old traditions die hard, Henschel said.
“It’s funny because Don and I, he hates the Steelers and I hate the Patriots,” Henschel said. “Every time we see each other for the first time, we give each other the finger.”
It’ll happen again this year. And they hope at least a couple more times after that.
https://www.voanews.com/a/three-longtime-friends-have-attended-every-super-bowl-/7481229.html Save to Pocket
Cancer Patients, Doctors in US Push Back Against Drugs’ Harsh Side Effects
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/cancer-patients-doctors-push-back-against-drugs-harsh-side-effects/7479092.html Save to Pocket
Today in SCV History (Feb. 11)
date: 2024-02-11, from: SCV New (TV Station)
1970 – Groundbreaking of County Civic Center in Valencia [story
https://scvnews.com/today-in-scv-history-feb-11/ Save to Pocket
Short history of all Windows UI frameworks and libraries
date: 2024-02-11, from: OS News
The official way to create user interfaces for the Windows operating system changed quite a lot of times during the last years. Microsoft created and (partially or fully) abadoned a lot of APIs which where intended to replace the respective previous ones. They changed names and ways how it’s supposed to be done a few times, and left a lof of developers confused. Here is a small historical overview. ↫ Nikolaus Gebhardt If you’re ever wondering how we ended up at a situation where, on the desktop and in Explorer, context menus have their own context menus, well, this is why.
https://www.osnews.com/story/138567/short-history-of-all-windows-ui-frameworks-and-libraries/ Save to Pocket
The state of X.org and Wayland in one paragraph
date: 2024-02-11, from: OS News
Wayland and X.org are both part of freedesktop. Whatever maintenance is still happening on X.org is mostly being done by people who primarily work on Wayland. There isn’t some kind of holy war going on between The Wayland Developers who want to kill X.org, and The X.org Developers who believe it is great and want to keep it. They’re nearly all the same people, and they all want X.org to die. AFAIK there isn’t anybody who is actually clamoring to do the work of maintaining X.org upstream. There are people who don’t want it to die because Wayland doesn’t yet have the features they need or the NVIDIA proprietary driver doesn’t work well on Wayland or whatever, but AFAIK, none of those people is actually volunteering to maintain X.org long-term. ↫ Adam Williamson There’s really no clearer summary of the current state of affairs than this.
https://www.osnews.com/story/138565/the-state-of-x-org-and-wayland-in-one-paragraph/ Save to Pocket
Introducing Fedora Atomic Desktops
date: 2024-02-11, from: OS News
We are happy to announce the creation of a new family of Fedora Linux spins: Fedora Atomic Desktops! As Silverblue has grown in popularity, we’ve seen more of our mainline Fedora Linux spins make the jump to offer a version that implements rpm-ostree. It’s reached the point where it can be hard to talk about all of them at the same time. Therefore we’ve introduced a new brand that will serve to simplify how we discuss rpm-ostree and how we name future atomic spins. ↫ Joseph Gayoso for Fedora Magazine You can get pretty much any major desktop environment as an rpm-ostree (inaccurately referred to as ‘immutable’) version of Fedora, so it makes sense to standardise the naming scheme.
https://www.osnews.com/story/138563/introducing-fedora-atomic-desktops/ Save to Pocket
Accidentally making windows vanish in my old-fashioned Unix X environment
date: 2024-02-11, from: OS News
One of the somewhat odd things about my old fashioned X Window System environment is that when I ‘iconify’ or ‘minimize’ a window, it (mostly) winds up as an actual icon on my root window (what in some environments would be called the desktop), in contrast to the alternate approach where the minimized window is represented in some sort of taskbar. I have strong opinions about where some of these icons should go, and some tools to automatically arrange this for various windows, including the GNU Emacs windows I (now) use for reading email. ↫ Chris Siebenmann Iconification should be possible in any modern desktop environment, and it’s sad that this paradigm has pretty much entirely vanished. I would love for iconified windows to be treated essentially the same way as files, so you can move them around, drop them inside directories, and even move them from one computer to another (assuming they have the application in question installed). If I’m working on a project, and I have a bunch of LibreOffice documents, spreadsheets, browser tabs, notes in a text editor, some images open, and so on, I should be able to iconify them all, keep them in the project’s directory, and de-iconify them as if nothing had ever happened. Right now, you have to use files and application states for that, which is cumbersome and annoying. Sadly, advanced window management is dying. Shame.
https://www.osnews.com/story/138561/accidentally-making-windows-vanish-in-my-old-fashioned-unix-x-environment/ Save to Pocket
February 10, 2024
date: 2024-02-11, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
A key story that got missed yesterday was that the Senate voted 64–19 to allow a bill that includes $95.34 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan to advance a step forward. In terms of domestic politics, this appears to be an attempt by those who controlled the Republican Party before Trump to push back against Trump and the MAGA Republicans.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-10-2024 Save to Pocket
Dos Pueblos Girls Basketball Suffers 72-59 Loss to Cerritos in Second Round of Playoffs
date: 2024-02-11, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Dos Pueblos Finishes the season with a 19-10 overall record.
The post Dos Pueblos Girls Basketball Suffers 72-59 Loss to Cerritos in Second Round of Playoffs appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/02/10/dos-pueblos-girls-basketball-suffers-72-59-loss-to-cerritos-in-second-round-of-playoffs/ Save to Pocket
Mexican Avocado Scarcity Affects Super Bowl Guacamole
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
MEXICO CITY — As the Super Bowl approaches, there could be problems for guacamole, a favorite game-time food in America: A lack of rain and warmer temperatures has resulted in fewer avocados being shipped from Mexico.
The western state of Michoacan, which supplies almost 90% of the creamy textured fruit for the big game, has suffered a hotter, drier climate that has led to a lack of water in growing areas.
Lakes in the state are literally drying up: Desperate avocado growers send tanker trucks down to suck up the last water, or divert streams, to feed their thirsty orchards, sparking conflicts. The state received about half the rain it normally gets last year, and reservoirs are at about 40% of capacity, with no rain in sight for months.
Meanwhile, some growers are illegally cutting down pine forests that feed the water system to plant more avocados. To top it all off, another American obsession — tequila — is starting to cause problems too.
The whole situation is not good for avocados. Last year, avocado exports from Michoacan for the Super Bowl grew by 20% to 140,000 tons. This year, that number actually declined by 2,000 tons, despite increased planting; meaning fewer of the creamy textured fruit in U.S. produce departments. Alejandro Méndez, the state secretary of the environment, estimates 30% of avocado orchards in Michoacan are now water-stressed.
Something’s got to give, and with consumers demanding more environmentally conscious produce, state officials are finally putting together a sustainable certification program.
The certification program would presumably result in growers improving their water use, enabling them to offer consumers both greener avocados and more of them.
Coming soon to a grocery store near you: fruit with a sticker saying something like “this avocado wasn’t grown on deforested land,” or “this avocado used water responsibly.”
Officials are still working on a catchy slogan for the greener avocados. But given that it’s coming from the same people who brought you years of Super Bowl ads about avocados from Mexico, a catchy slogan is highly likely.
“The idea is that there is going to be a certification sticker with a QR code that you can scan with your telephone, and that link will take you to a page with a satellite photo of the orchard … and the forest associated with the orchard,” said Méndez.
Because they use more water than pine forests, growers will have to contribute to a fund that ensures several acres of forest are preserved for each acre of orchard.
“So with that orchard, you can be assured the dollar you paid for this avocado is going to preserve this piece of forest,” said Méndez, who estimates about 70% of the orchards in place before 2011 were planted on old farmland, not forests. But the remaining 30% give the rest a bad name, he complains.
The decision to act comes not a moment too soon. The Center for Biological Diversity said Thursday that more than 28,000 people have signed an online petition calling on grocery chains to adopt more sustainable avocado-sourcing policies.
“Many people in Mexico have lost their forests and water because of the 304 million pounds [138 kilograms] of avocados we’ll be eating on Super Bowl Sunday,” said Stephanie Feldstein, the center’s director for population and sustainability. “Our obsession with avocados has a horrific hidden cost. It’s time for grocery chains to take responsibility and make sure they’re not buying avocados grown in deforested areas.”
Up to now, there hasn’t been much consumers could do. There are few certified sustainable avocados available year-round on the market, and if you want guacamole, there’s not much else you can use. That’s despite all the news coverage about how avocado growers and packers have to pay protection money to drug cartels.
Julio Santoyo, a front-line anti-logging activist in Villa Madero, Michoacan, says he’s taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the new certification program. Until then, Super Bowl this year — like every year — was “a kick in the pants,” he said.
“The growth in illegal orchards continues unabated,” Santoyo said. “We assume that more than half of the avocados consumed around the Super Bowl are from illegal planting.
“Up to now, the Mexican government has not taken practical steps to certify environmentally sustainable avocado production,” he said.
The crisis is clear in the once heavily forested, lake-dotted state. Lake Cuitzeo, Mexico’s second largest, was once a vast sheet of water reflecting blue skies near the state capital; it is now about 60% dry, exposing kilometers of dry ground and grass.
And poor Michoacan faces new threats from U.S. consumers: Part of the state next to neighboring Jalisco is certified to grow the blue Weber agave, the only plant from which true tequila can be distilled.
While agave likes drier, hotter, poorer soils than avocados, growers are still cutting down native scrub and low, thorny woods to plant the spikey-leafed seedlings, whose barrel-like centers will later be cooked down and fermented.
It’s a relatively new problem, fed by rising demand for tequila.
“In the last two years, the price for a kilo of agave went up a lot, it went up to almost 35 or 40 pesos [about $2] per kilo,” Méndez said.
“We have 50 million agave plants,” he said. “It’s grown a lot, and we have started to see deforestation as well in that area.”
https://www.voanews.com/a/mexican-avocado-scarcity-affects-super-bowl-guacamole/7482820.html Save to Pocket
CAP-X and COMP-X: how the Tandy Pocket Computers got a sucky Japanese assembler
date: 2024-02-11, from: Old Vintage Computer Research
I grew up primarily with the Commodore 64, where if you wanted to do anything really cool and useful, you had to do it in 6502 assembly language. Today I still write 6502 assembly, plus some Power ISA and even a little TMS9900. I like assembly languages and how in control of the CPU you feel writing in one. But you know what would make me not like an assembly language? One that was contrived and not actually the CPU it was running on. And you know what would make me like it even less? If it were kneecapped, convoluted and limited without even proper I/O facilities.
But this particular odd little assembler dialect had the bureaucratic weight of the Japanese government behind it, because in 1969 what was then the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI, 通商産業省) developed a completely artificial processor architecture to help ensure everyone taking the Information Technology Engineer Examination (情報処理技術者試験) would do so on an even keel. No one would have been an expert in this architecture or how to program it because we just made it up, reasoned the Ministry, so therefore no one will have an unfair advantage on the test.
In 1970 (昭和45年) the Japanese National Diet passed the Promotion of Information Technology Act (情報処理の促進に関する法律), which among other changes formalized a certification examination for “information technology engineers” (情報処理技術者). This test, in an updated form, is still administered today and is the second-most taken national exam in Japan after the driver’s license examination, with as many as half a million people sitting for it annually. Those who pass the Information Technology Engineer Examination (henceforth ITEE) receive an Information Technology Engineer Examination Certificate (情報処理技術者試験合格証書) from the Minister of what is now called the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (経済産業省), the successor to MITI. Originally created by then-MITI and today maintained by METI’s subordinate Information Technology Promotion Agency, the ITEE nowadays is administered in two halves over an entire day and comes in four skill levels. While an ITEE certificate is not a legal requirement to do IT work in Japan, it is considered very helpful and a gateway to other exams or educational opportunities, and public institutions hiring such positions will often list one or more of the levels (and/or subcategories) as a prerequisite. A smattering of countries outside Japan even accept it as a credential.
Unlike many industry certification exams, however, the ITEE doesn’t primarily deal in specific vendors or platforms; instead, it seeks to test more generalized knowledge such as strategy, project management, data structures and algorithms. There were only two tiers when the test was first established in 1969 (prior to the Act), namely class I (advanced) and class II (basic), today combined as subcategories in the modern level two exam.
As part of the test, both exam classes allowed you to select questions in the programming language you felt most competent at, which at that point consisted of Fortran, COBOL, PL/I, ALGOL and assembly language. To eliminate an examinee’s knowledge of a particular CPU as being an advantage (or disadvantage), the assembler questions instead used a simple and completely contrived virtual machine that the examinee was expected to learn on the fly. This virtual machine was called COMP-X, and its mnemonics and assembler syntax were collectively called CAP-X.
While COMP-X and CAP-X were always optional on the class II exam and you could skip it by choosing one of the other languages, in 1977 it became mandatory for the class I. The pass rate was never very high (even today it hovers around the ten percent range or so) and until 1979 there wasn’t even a reference text for COMP-X that you could study from. You only got to see it the day of, and the only computer that it ran on then was between your ears with a pencil as your co-processor. Since you were doing all the number crunching on paper, there weren’t any I/O instructions either since they wouldn’t be needed to answer the exam questions.
However, although it was completed, the 8000 couldn’t be released due to an existing joint venture arrangement with Sperry Rand (now part of Unisys), with which it would compete also. During the 8000’s ultimately doomed development Oki determined that the minicomputer market could give them another way out. The 1968 OKITAC-4300 was the first of these smaller machines, a 16-bit system supporting up to 32kW of core memory and running at about 667kHz, and retailing for the comparatively inexpensive equivalent of around US$10,000 (in 2024 about $88,000). It became a successful architecture for Oki and 4300-class systems were manufactured well into the early 1980s, the last of which being the 1980 4300c shown here in a 2010 Oki product retrospective.
This particular machine is a 1974 OKITAC-4300b, the first with an LSI CPU, offering multiplication and division instructions standard instead of an option. It was also the first OKITAC-4300 system that could use conventional RAM chips instead of core, though the core variant was noticeably faster (1.667MHz compared to 1.429MHz). As a public service, Oki Electric partnered with a study group in Akashi in October 1979 to develop a COMP-X simulator on a 4300b and allow study group members to send in answers to practice questions for execution. COMP-X and the OKITAC LSI CPU weren’t especially similar architecturally other than both being 16-bit and having some similar minicomputer idiosyncrasies — which we’ll discuss — but the CAP-X instruction set was small enough to make a full software model practical. Because there was no other way to remotely debug sample code, the simulator added unofficial read and write instructions to directly deposit and examine data in COMP-X registers.
It might be instructive first to talk about pocket computers as a class. Pocket computers and handheld computers occupied a strange niche in the 1980s and very early 1990s sandwiched between calculators and more conventional portable computers (laptops, portable workstations and so forth), largely using bespoke low-power CPUs and small, sometimes single-line LCD screens. There is somewhat of a continuum between pockets and handhelds; pockets tended towards portability at the cost of keyboard or computing power while handhelds tended towards computing power at the cost of size, so on the “definitely a pocket computer” side would be things like the Casio PB-100 and Sharp PC-1250, and on the “definitely a handheld computer” side would be things like the Kyotronic 85 family (TRS-80 Model 100, NEC PC-8201A, etc.), the Texas Instruments CC-40 and the Canon X-07. However, there were larger pocket computers powerful enough to rival handhelds such as the Sharp PC-1500, the Casio PB-2000C, the Panasonic HHC-4 and the Texas Instruments TI-74, and a few full-size handhelds that had computing capabilities more typical of pocket computers, like the VTech Laser 50. As with most computers of this era, the vast majority of both computing classes provided BASIC as their primary programming language.
While many companies made pocket-class machines, Sharp and Casio were probably the best known and most prolific, and their devices are the ones most commonly encountered in the West. They were also cloned and rebadged both domestically and abroad, and both companies made pocket computers that implemented CAP-X compatibility as a secondary feature. Sharp’s 1985 PC-1440 was a 4K device (3500 bytes free) using the 8-bit Hitachi SC61860 CPU employed in some of Sharp’s other systems. The PC-1440’s CPU could be directly programmed with BASIC PEEK, POKE and CALL, similar to their bigger and more powerful PC-1500, but the only advertised assembly language feature on the PC-1440 was CAP-X. In 1986 Sharp made a cheaper variant with slightly less memory, the PC-1416G. Both systems prominently badged their case with their CAP-X capability but neither of them was widely seen outside of Japan.
Casio’s units became much better known, however, not least of which because of who imported them. These early-generation Casio pocket computers were based around the Hitachi 8-bit HD61700 and 4-bit HD61900 microcontroller families, such as the popular PB-100 and its many relatives which used a 200kHz HD61913. The microcontrollers incorporated the CPU, mask ROM, I/O (primarily for the keyboard) and an LCD controller into a single monster IC, with most of the RAM usually in separate chip(s). Casio’s CAP-X compatible line started with the 1985 FX-770P, a clamshell folding device with 2K of RAM, expanding to the 1985 FX-780P with 4K, the FX-781P with 2K again (but with a 2K expansion option), the FX-785P also with 2K (but an 8K expansion option), the 1986 FX-790P with 8K (and the 8K option), and the FX-791P with 10K (and the 8K option also). All of these machines had exactly the same form factor and LCD with mostly the same onboard software and keyboard, differing only in Data Bank features in the FX-785P and up and memory size. Unlike Sharp’s entries, however, the Casio devices carried no mention of CAP-X or COMP-X on the case, merely that they had an “Assembler” mode.
I mentioned that both Sharp and Casio pocket computers were cloned and rebadged, and at least in the United States and for most countries that had a Radio Shack retail presence, the most significant of these rebadgers by far was the Tandy Corporation. While Tandy did have internal development resources, they generally preferred to expand their product line through aggressive badge engineering instead, selling a smattering of relabeled import consumer electronics direct to customers in Radio Shack stores. Tandy’s first pocket computer, the 1980 PC-1, was a rebadge of the Sharp PC-1211, the direct successor and upgraded RAM version of the PC-1210, the first “true” pocket computer. Tandy selected two more Sharp units to rebadge (and one more several years later) before migrating to Casio’s cheaper line in 1983 with the PC-4 (PB-100) and finally the 1985 PC-5 and 1986 PC-6 (from the FX-780P and FX-790P respectively), the units that came to puzzle young me reading about them in the Radio Shack catalogue. And that’s how CAP-X came to America.
Tandy’s interest probably most came from the FX-770P series’ laptop-like form factor (here showing the PC-5/FX-780P compared with an M1 MacBook Air), but as 2K of RAM wasn’t much of an upgrade over the 1K base PC-4 which Tandy was still selling, the company instead chose to start with the midrange 4K FX-780P. The arrangement was particularly convenient for Tandy as Casio had fitted the FX-770P series with the same I/O port as the PB-100 and relatives, so the same tape interface and printer Tandy was already selling for the PC-4 would work for the PC-5 and PC-6, though they had to use a rather clumsy link cable to connect them. The FX-780P was sold officially as the Tandy Pocket Scientific Computer PC-5 to emphasize its scientific and statistical features (as was the PC-6), and the PC-5 will be the unit we’ll concentrate on today since it was the first on these shores.
It’s also not advisable to put it totally flat because the tiny hinge covers on these things are under enormous tension, many have cracked already, and they’re exceptionally difficult to repair. Once they do crack, the hinge pin won’t stay in and starts putting pressure on the ribbon cable between the two sides (I’ve had this happen to me as well). Be sure either to put finger pressure over the hinge covers as you open it to reinforce them, or cover them with a strip of sturdy tape connecting the two halves. Don’t you keep the Commandments?
The PC-5 has 4K of RAM on board of which 3,552 bytes are available to the user (the 8K PC-6 in the base configuration has 7,520 bytes free). A memory-remaining counter appears during program entry. The 3,552 bytes can be used between the 10 BASIC program spaces, which serve more or less as a primitive fixed filesystem, or the Data Bank, which is effectively an on-board text editor where lines can also be optionally treated as records with comma-separated fields.
In the PC-5/FX-780P, the HD61747B10 on the left is the main CPU and contains the ROM for BASIC. It services the lower keyboard and maintains LCD character positions 1-6 and 13-18. The HD61747B11 on the right is the secondary CPU and contains the ROM for the calculator, CAP-X/COMP-X and the Data Bank and driving external I/O devices. It services the upper keyboard and maintains LCD character positions 7-12 and 19-24. The PC-6/FX-790P has HD61747B20/B25 CPUs which are functionally equivalent to the B10/B11 except for different ROMs; the PC-5 lacks the Data Bank search mode and obviously has a lower memory size and ceiling. (Compare with the pathetic Tandy PC-7 which has only one CPU, and thus lacks half the ROM, half the display and many of the PC-5’s built-in features — including the I/O port!)
The lower half contains RAM, interface logic, the I/O connector and the power supply circuit. In the PC-5/FX-780P, RAM is provided by four HD61914C SRAM chips containing 1K each. The HD61914 is also the RAM chip used in the 4-bit PC-4/PB-100; despite the HD61747 being an 8-bit CPU internally, it only exposes four data lines on the bus which is the same as these accept. The lower board in the PC-5 has an expansion connector that would seem to allow more RAM, probably with something like a 4K OR-4, but the connector is blocked off with a black plastic adhesive pad which also covers two of the SRAMs. I removed the pad for this photograph. The PC-6 has a different connector here for Tandy’s 8K OR-8 equivalent and uses a single Hitachi HM6264A 8K SRAM instead of eight HD61914s for its base memory.
I think I’ve tantalized you enough now with the history, so let’s finally get to the COMP-X virtual machine itself. I’ve included photographs of pages from the US domestic Tandy PC-5 manual. Amusingly it comes straight out and says that the assembler is a simulation, but nowhere does it mention where the assembly language dialect comes from — and why would it? Hardly anybody in the United States would have even heard of this exam!
Two additional 16-bit registers are really an implementation detail and aren’t observable by user programs: the instruction register (IR) contains the value of the currently executing instruction, and the operand register (OR) is internal storage for words fetched from memory prior to operation. Since this is all crap anyhow, we’ll go ahead and model these accurately in our reimplementation later, but they could just as easily be elided away.
Despite its simplicity, this set is enough to be Turing-complete and to do all standard operations (multiplication, for example, is just repeated addition, and division is repeated subtraction), though of course doing so is not necessarily efficient. One of the biggest gaps is a complete lack of register-to-register transfers, invariably requiring a trip to memory. For logical operations, the VM offers only logical-AND and exclusive-OR, which are not functionally complete by themselves and can’t compute all possible Boolean operations. With logical-NOT and logical-AND we can be functionally complete (effectively logical-NAND, which is functionally complete all on its own), and we can use exclusive-OR with a true value to implement logical-NOT, but we have to have a constant and/or burn a register for that (load it with all one bits). Likewise, comparisons can be implemented with subtraction, but that also requires burning a register to receive the result. I’ll show you some examples in a moment.
I mentioned that the architecture lacks a hardware stack, but this wasn’t unusual in minicomputer architectures of the time either, such as the famous DEC PDP-8. For subroutine calls the PDP-8 gets around this problem by depositing the return address in the first word of the destination routine, and returns jump back out through that value. COMP-X is somewhat more advanced in that the JSR opcode lets you designate any of the four GPRs as a link register; the current program counter plus one is put into the specified register and the new program counter and base register are loaded from the specified word in memory. However, also like the PDP-8, this scheme doesn’t allow a subroutine to be recursive without additional work. To return from a subroutine, the temporary link register needs to be deposited in memory somewhere so that JSR (which does double duty as the call instruction and the return instruction — in returns, the address previously stored to is provided as the branch target and the new “link register” is never stored anywhere) can branch to it, and if this location does not change between calls, it will be overwritten by later calls just like the PDP-8’s will.
Three of these instructions are unique to COMP-X. The HJ (Halt and Jump) instruction ceases execution, leaving the program counter pointing to the specified location. In some of our examples we’ll abuse this feature to serve as a return value. The other two, READ and WRITE, display and deposit the contents of the specified GPR to the screen in the radix requested (only decimal and hexadecimal were supported). On the pocket computer implementations, these instructions necessarily pause execution to either allow data entry or to make sure you can read the value on the single line LCD before it gets replaced by something else. They were the only I/O opcodes in the instruction set after their appearance in the OKITEC-4300b simulator, meaning you can’t write a COMP-X “hello world” program in the traditional sense (we’ll address this). To the best of my knowledge, the I/O instructions never actually appeared on any version of the ITEE and were only ever artifacts of the unofficial computer implementations.
You might wonder how an eight-bit address can specify a 16-bit address, and the answer is the base register. Although the base register is notionally 16 bits too, its least significant byte is always zero. Once the address is computed from the address field and the index register (or 0), then its LSB is combined with the MSB of the base register to yield the effective address. As it happens, only a jump to a subroutine with JSR can change the base register; no other instruction can modify it. This seems to be a concession to allow subroutines some sort of data protection from their callers (that is, as long as they aren’t called recursively or reentrantly), since one page can’t access another page directly without calling into that page, but it also has some important implications when we get to edge cases in the VM like when an address or the program counter wraps.
However, you won’t need much of the base register’s range anyway because the memory model in the Casio units is very constrained. Only up to 512 words’ addressing space is supported on the 4K PC-5 regardless of how many bytes are currently available (i.e., just two pages), and even the 8K PC-6 only supports up to 2048 words (eight). Plus, you’ll only get that on either machine if that much memory is actually free — if you have less than 512 bytes of free memory, the assembler will refuse to run at all! (At least memory expansion can help on the PC-6.) When we get to reimplementing the VM later in this article, you’ll be able to use a full 64kW.
Because the 8-bit load immediate instruction is unsigned and clears the MSB of the destination register, and there is no way to directly OR or EOR a second immediate value after a bitshift (a la the load upper-lower or load-shift-or pattern many RISCs use), loading a full 16-bit value or any negative value will always require a fetch from memory. In practice it’s easier just to load all but small trivial non-negative values from a separate constant pool.
Not all fields need be specified: the index GPR is optional and interpreted as zero if left out, and if the label field is left blank, no label is generated (though you still need the leading colon). As such, the particular program line in this photograph defines a label L1 at the current address and is a load instruction putting the contents of memory location M (previously defined as a label) into GR0. If there were an index register, it would follow the address in CAP-X even though it’s not encoded that way in the instruction.
CAP-X also specifies a handful of assembler pseudo-ops for setting code location (START), marking the end of subroutines and main code (END), reserving memory words (RESV), and embedding constants (CONST for literal constants, ADCON for addresses and labels) in the emitted object code. Strangely, while CONST takes its argument in hexadecimal, the other pseudo-ops take arguments in decimal.
On the Casio systems, the Data Bank is how CAP-X assembler lines are entered, using it in this case as the internal text editor (clear it in MODE 1 with NEW#; press MODE 9 to enter the editor). The assembler assumes everything in the Data Bank is program text, even after an END, so don’t store your phone numbers in the machine you’re using for your white-hot COMP-X application or your source code won’t parse.
This is a good time for some examples.
:START:0 GO :READ :0:10 :READ :1:10 :ST :1:TAD :ADD :0:TAD :WRITE:0:10 :HJ :0:GO TAD:RESV :1 :END :GO
This program begins assembly (START) at location 0. It asks the user for two signed base-10 numbers (numbers out of range or other characters don’t cause an error; the VM will just ask you again), depositing them in GR0 and GR1. Because it’s not possible to add GR1 and GR0 together directly, we store GR1 to a temporary location we’ve defined (TAD, marked by the RESV pseudo-op which inserts the specified number of zero words, here one), and then add its contents to GR0, display it to the user, and halt. The END pseudo-op provides the default starting address to the VM and indicates the end of assembly; all code must include it at the end. Once entered in the Data Bank, we can now press the Asmbl key to enter the monitor.
When the Asmbl key is pressed, all lines in the Data Bank are scanned and converted to COMP-X bytecode, and if assembly is successful then this menu will appear (Go/Dump/Source/Cal). The number at the beginning is the number of pages reserved for the VM, which on the PC-5 will always be one or two, but on the PC-6 may be up to eight. The options, in order, start execution (G key), show either memory (as words and disassembled instructions) or the state of the registers (D key), return to the Data Bank editor to rework the source (S key), or return to calculator mode (C key).
If we press G for Go, it will ask for the starting address, defaulting to zero (since the label GO is at word zero, and that’s what we provided to END), and then run the program.
Asking for the first register.
Let’s try a more substantial example. This one is a modified version of an example from the manual, computing the greatest common divisor of two values.
:START:0 L0 :READ :0:10 :READ :1:10 :ST :0:M :ST :1:N L1 :LD :0:M :SUB :0:N :JNZ :0:L2 :LD :0:M :WRITE:0:10 :HJ :0:L0 L2 :JC :2:L3 :LD :0:N :SUB :0:M :ST :0:N :JC :3:L1 L3 :ST :0:M :JC :3:L1 M :RESV :1 N :RESV :1 :END :L0
After reading the desired values into locations M and N (I use separate registers so that the prompt changes when an acceptable value is entered), the program does the equivalent of comparing M and N by a subtraction, putting the result in GR0. If GR0 ends up zero, then M == N, and no further iterations need to be made; the JNZ falls through to the following instructions in which the contents of M are shown (the greatest common divisor for both values is necessarily in both locations because they’re equal) and the program ends. If the result is 1, then they had no other divisors in common.
Otherwise, the CC flag is set from the most significant bit of the result, i.e., its sign. If the CC flag is clear (tested by option 2 to the jump conditional instruction), then the result of M - N was positive, meaning M is greater than N, and it jumps to the code at L3 storing the current value of GR0 (that is, M - N) back into M for another iteration (option 3 to the jump conditional instruction means an unconditional jump). Otherwise, M must have been less than N, so the code then computes N - M into GR0 instead and stores GR0 into N for another iteration, looping until M == N as above.
How swiftly does all this run? While the program flow seems convoluted, if the runtime was particularly efficient it should be possible to run the simpler COMP-X opcodes faster than BASIC tokens, which can sometimes be quite complex. Let’s write a version of this program that runs 100 times and time it, using a worst-case set up like 28672 and 17 (they have no common divisor other than 1).
:START:0 LI :LAI :1:100 L0 :LD :0:OM :ST :0:M :LD :0:ON :ST :0:N L1 :LD :0:M :SUB :0:N :JNZ :0:L2 :SUB :1:ONE :JNZ :1:L0 :LD :0:M :WRITE:0:10 :HJ :0:LI L2 :JC :2:L3 :LD :0:N :SUB :0:M :ST :0:N :JC :3:L1 L3 :ST :0:M :JC :3:L1 M :RESV :1 N :RESV :1 OM :CONST:7000 ON :CONST:0011 ONE:CONST:0001 :END :LI
The first time I did this I sat there for several minutes. Eventually I got impatient, stopped the program (there’s a BRK key) and changed the loop counter at LI to just 2.
1 L=2 2 M=28672:N=17 10 G=M-N:IF G≠0 THEN 20 11 L=L-1:IF L>0 THEN 2 12 PRINT M:END 20 IF G>0 THEN 30 21 G=N-M:N=G:GOTO 10 30 M=G:GOTO 10
You should be able to identify the same steps we’re taking (I’m also modeling the same idea of putting math results into an intermediate register like what COMP-X has to do) and the same sections of code. Although a relatively vanilla BASIC, Casio Pocket Computer BASIC was notable for having actual characters for not equals, greater than or equal to, etc., instead of the more typical BASIC compound operators.
Anyway, some of you will be expecting the big reveal that BASIC will run rings around COMP-X. Heck, I was expecting that. Drum roll please.
Drum roll please.
Drum roll … is this thing done yet?
That said, while both programs are interpreted, they’re both also running on a deliberately underpowered set of CPUs to eke out as much battery life as possible, so we shouldn’t be surprised their respective run times absolutely stink. If you want the answer quickly, go buy a Cray.
You’ll have noticed from this example that the CC flag is not a carry flag (it’s the sign bit), so how is overflow dealt with? Let’s answer that question.
:START:0 L :LD :0:M :ADD :0:M :WRITE:0:10 :HJ :0:L M :CONST:7FFF :END :L
I get why they did this and it eliminates a particular class of bugs, but it also makes wider sums much more difficult. If we want an unsigned add with carry so we can handle larger numbers, we’ll need to dance around those operations that could cause the VM to fault. Here’s one solution, which I don’t claim is optimal nor covers all edges. It ass-U-mes you are adding one unsigned value to another. Hold on to your ankles:
:START:0 L :READ :1:16 :ST :1:M :AND :1:BM1 :ST :1:TM1 :READ :0:16 :ST :0:N :AND :0:BM1 :ADD :0:TM1 :ST :0:TM1 :AND :0:BM1 :ST :0:TM2 :LD :0:TM1 :SFT :0:8 :ST :0:TM1 :LD :0:M :SFT :0:8 :AND :0:BM1 :ST :0:TM3 :LD :0:N :SFT :0:8 :AND :0:BM1 :ADD :0:TM3 :ADD :0:TM1 :ST :0:TM3 :AND :0:BM1 :ST :0:TM1 :SFT :0:8:1 :EOR :0:TM2 :LD :1:TM1 :AND :1:BM2 :JNZ :1:FIX X :LD :1:TM3 :SFT :1:8 :AND :1:ONE :WRITE:0:16 :WRITE:1:16 :HJ :0:L FIX:EOR :0:NEG :JC :3:X M :RESV :1 N :RESV :1 BM1:CONST:00FF BM2:CONST:0080 NEG:CONST:8000 ONE:CONST:0001 TM1:RESV :1 TM2:RESV :1 TM3:RESV :1 :END :L
We ask for the arguments in hex this time, since we’re dealing with unsigned values (if we did it in base 10, it would expect signs). This routine effectively does the addition in two steps byte by byte as we cannot directly add the numbers together. We start with the LSBs of each value by masking off their MSBs and store the sum, mask it again to generate the LSB of the answer, then shift down the MSB of the original result as the carry. We then move to adding the MSBs of each value (by shifting them down), masking them to their LSBs since the shift is signed, and also adding the carry from the LSBs at the same time.
At this point you’d think the remainder is merely a matter of then shifting the MSBs back into position and OR-ing in the 8-bit sum of the LSBs (we use an EOR, which is fine because the shift leaves a clean lower half). However, remember shifts are also signed, which would obliterate the high sign bit because these values are all “positive,” so after the shift-and-EOR we look back at what the MSB result was as a byte value. If this byte is 128 or higher, then we know we need to restore the most significant bit, which we EOR on at FIX. The routine ends with the low 16 bits of the sum in GR0 and the 17th bit in GR1, which we mask off all but the least significant bit of before displaying the two result registers.
What a pain! Other thoughts solicited in the comments. Anyway, the usual edge cases seem to work, like 8000 + 8000 correctly equals 1 0000 (as does FFFF + 0001), FFFF + FFFF = 1 FFFE, 7FFF + 1 = 0 8000 and 7FFF + 7FFF = 0 FFFE. Subtraction is left as an exercise for the supremely masochistic reader.
Since we’ve started stepping into the bloodied buzzsaw of edge cases, let’s look at some other dark corners of CAP-X/COMP-X. (I should also note that the behaviour we will document in this article is observed on the Casios, not on the less common Sharp models, and it is possible some of the edge cases could behave differently.)
We know we can change locations we reserve in the assembler source, but can we modify our own program code? It turns out we can, and although self-modifying code is understandably discouraged in modern practice, in a language this constrained the ability to do so can simplify some tasks. First, let’s see what happens with an illegal instruction. There are no COMP-X instructions with an opcode nybble of 7 or 9, but we can make one with CONST.
:START:0 L7 :CONST:7000 L9 :CONST:9000 :HJ :0:0 :END :L7
If you start this with Go to either label L7 or L9, the result is the same except for where the fault is:
:START:0 L :LD :0:OPC :ST :0:PTR PTR:CONST:7000 OPC:HJ :0:65 :END :L
:START:0 L :LD :0:OPC :ST :0:PTR PTR:HJ :0:65 OPC:CONST:7000 :END :L
This faults, as expected.
Let’s next look at the edges around effective addresses: we can modify an address with an index register, so what happens when the result wraps? That brings us back to the base register and how page segmentation is implemented. In the typical case, we start with a pointer and modify it with an index, and if it all stays in the same 256 word page, then everything occurs as expected. For example,
:START:0 NP :CONST:0001 W :CONST:0000 W2 :CONST:0000 :START:128 L :LD :1:NP :LAI :0:65 :ST :0:W:1 :HJ :0:L :END :L
(Yes, you can have multiple STARTs. You can even have them overlap: later code will overwrite previous code, which doesn’t seem like a good idea.) Recall that GR0 can never be an index. We load GR1 with the index offset (1) and GR0 with a sentinel value (65), then store GR0 to location W with GR1 added to it. At the end W remains 0 and W2, the word one up (W + 1), is 65. We can prove that by dumping that memory location from the monitor (“object” in this case refers to memory):
What if W and W2 are in separate pages? I mentioned that this is where the base register comes into play. Only the least significant byte of the computed address is used; the most significant byte comes from the base register. That means if you run
:START:0 NP :CONST:0100 W :CONST:0000 :START:128 L1 :LD :1:NP :LAI :0:65 :ST :0:1:1 :HJ :0:L1 :START:256 :CONST:0200 W2 :CONST:0000 :END :L1
you can’t use the pointer NP to access memory in the next page; the store will occur to W and not W2 even though our index is 256. The same thing happens if you do
:START:0 NP :CONST:0002 W :CONST:0000 :START:128 L1 :LD :1:NP :LAI :0:65 :ST :0:255:1 :HJ :0:L1 :START:256 :CONST:0200 W2 :CONST:0000 :END :L1
or even
:START:0 NP :CONST:00FF W :CONST:0000 :START:128 L1 :LD :1:NP :LAI :0:65 :ST :0:2:1 :HJ :0:L1 :START:256 :CONST:01FF W2 :CONST:0000 :END :L1
That brings up this interesting situation where a pointer to word 513, which should be illegal on a PC-5, actually turns into a pointer to word 1 and overwrites itself. This program terminates normally, but will have corrupted its own bytecode in the process.
:START:0 L :LD :0:PTR :ST :0:PTR :HJ :0:0 PTR:CONST:0201 :END :L
The wrapping works even if the resulting effective address is negative.
:START:0 W :CONST:0000 NP :CONST:FFFF :START:128 L :LD :1:NP :LAI :0:65 :ST :0:W:1 :HJ :0:L :START:255 W2 :CONST:0000 :END :L
This doesn’t fault either despite the fact that in signed math 65535/FFFF equals -1, making the effective address 0 + -1 == -1. The access remains clipped to the current page regardless, so at the end of execution, W2 at word 255 (that’s hex FF for everybody keeping score at home) is 65.
There is simply no way to write to (or, for that matter, read from) another page outside of the page currently executing. So … how about we make the program counter wrap? Unfortunately, we get our first clue this doesn’t make CAP-X happy when we try to simply generate code straddling a page boundary.
:START:255 L :LAI :0:0 :HJ :0:L :END :L
This variant will assemble, and has a halt-jump at 256. However, you’ll also notice that I’ve also put a halt-jump at 0 with a different SC.
:START:0 :HJ :0:63 :START:255 L1 :LAI :0:0 :START:256 :HJ :0:65 :END :L1
The program starts at word 255. If we can wrap into the next page, we should get a final SC of 65; if we can’t, the SC at 0 will be 63 (numbers picked randomly and have no significance otherwise). Wanna guess what SC will be at the end? It indeed ends cleanly, but SC is 63, not 65. This wrapping might seem inexplicable, but it was also seen on other heavily page-oriented CPUs like the Texas Instruments TMS1000, which limits execution to the page in the page buffer register.
What if we try to use an index register to springboard us into the next page? Same thing:
:START:0 :HJ :0:63 :START:253 L1 :LD :1:NP :JC :3:0:1 NP :CONST:0100 :START:256 :HJ :0:65 :END :L1
Here, we’re adding 256 to the address of zero passed to the unconditional jump (JC:3). The program terminates cleanly, but SC is still 63, not 65.
:START:0 :HJ :0:63 :HJ :0:64 :START:253 L1 :LD :1:NP :JC :3:1:1 NP :CONST:00FF :START:256 :HJ :0:65 :HJ :0:66 :END :L1
What if we just give it 255 so it all fits in the low byte and then add 255 to 1 in the unconditional jump? No dice, SC is 63 (not 64, 65 or 66 — consider why I might have put those in as checks).
This is very different from segmentation schemes like the 8086’s where you can have multiple different paths to the same memory location and segments can be continuous. In COMP-X the only way you’ll be able to access data in other pages is to execute from those other pages, and only one instruction can move execution into another page: JSR. This snippet writes a value into the correct location by calling a subroutine in the new page to do it. Notice that the address is still three!
:START:0 L :LAI :1:65 :JSR :0:NP :HJ :0:0 W :CONST:0000 NP :ADCON:NPC :START:256 NPC:ST :0:LR :ST :1:3 :JSR :0:LR W2 :CONST:0000 LR :CONST:0000 :END :L
This is our first use of ADCON to insert the address of the NPC routine, since CONST (arbitrarily?) doesn’t accept labels. Although the store NPC makes at word 257 has an address of 3, the base register is now 1 (+256) and therefore the store goes to W2 (word 259), not W (word 3).
Armed with this information, we can construct code longer than one page as long as we have this linking stanza straddling the page boundary (in bold):
:START:253 L :LAI :1:65 :JSR :0:NP NP :CONST:0100 :START:256 :HJ :0:65 :END :L
The JSR brings execution over the line to the next page, using the code pointer at NP (you’d have a different pointer and a matching START for each page boundary) and throwing away the return address in GR0, and execution ends cleanly with SC set to 65.
As inconvenient as this arrangement is, an interesting consequence is that you can almost never have an out-of-bounds access to memory except if the base register gets out of range of the allocated maximum. That can only happen with a JSR instruction that was given a bogus code pointer, such as
:START:0 L :JSR :0:DIE DIE:CONST:FFFF :END :L
Let’s tie this room together with the rug of a game. I’m going to be crass enough to advance that this may be the first game ever written for CAP-X/COMP-X. If you did one, post in the comments. I labouriously typed this into a real PC-5, so I know it works. The game itself is Rock, Paper, Scissors.
:start:200 l:jsr:0:xoi :lai:0:0 :st:0:you :st:0:me lup:read:1:10 :and:1:bit :st:1:yom :jnz:1:rps :jc:3:lup rps:jsr:0:xoj :and:3:bit :st:3:mem :jnz:3:shm :jc:3:rps shm:write:3:10 sam:eor:3:yom :jnz:3:tpa :jc:3:sho tpa:ld:3:mem :eor:3:bit :jnz:3:paa :eor:1:bio :jnz:1:paa :jc:3:lus paa:ld:3:mem :ld:1:yom :eor:1:bit :jnz:1:sco :eor:3:bio :jnz:3:sco :jc:3:win sco:ld:3:mem :sub:3:yom :jc:1:lus win:lai:0:1 :add:0:me :st:0:me :jc:3:sho lus:lai:1:1 :add:1:you :st:1:you sho:ld:0:me :ld:1:you :write:0:10 :write:1:10 :jc:3:lup you:const:0000 yom:const:0000 me:const:0000 mem:const:0000 bit:const:0003 bio:const:0001 xoi:adcon:xoc xoj:adcon:xos
This first part is the game loop. It sets up its variables and asks for your move, where 1 = paper, 2 = scissors and 3 = rock, and rock smashes scissors, scissors cut paper and paper covers rock. It then gets a random number and displays that as its move. It checks that the two moves weren’t the same (using EOR; if so, tie with no score) and that there wasn’t a paper-rock setup (if so, paper wins), and then determines which is the higher value and awards them a point. Its score is printed, followed by your score, and the game repeats.
The two pointers at the end are into this set of subroutines that compute a pseudorandom number using an Xorshift 16-bit variation. The first routine initializes state, and the second generates a number between 0 and 32767. Notice we save our return address before entering.
:start:256 rtn:resv:1 xot:resv:1 xoc:st:0:rtn :jnz:3:xod :lai:3:1 xod:st:3:xot :jsr:0:rtn xos:st:0:rtn :ld:3:xot :sft:3:7:1 :eor:3:xot :st:3:xot :sft:3:9 :eor:3:xot :st:3:xot :sft:3:8:1 :eor:3:xot :st:3:xot :jsr:0:rtn :end:l
This somewhat abuses the likelihood of GR3 having stale data in it, and as such employs it as a seed (ensuring it’s nonzero, of course). It then does all the needed shifts to return another pseudorandom number, which the game clips to the 1-3 range as its move.
That’s pretty much the breadth of CAP-X/COMP-X as implemented on the Tandy Pocket Computers, and with those kinds of bizarre limitations I think it makes a stellar unintentional esoteric programming language. So much so, in fact, that I’ve reimplemented it as a Perl-based assembler, disassembler and runtime I’ve christened “CRAP-X,” which you can find on Github. It includes full documentation of not only itself but also CAP-X/COMP-X since most of those resources are in Japanese. There are a few things I did improve upon:
- The runtime now supports an addressing space of up to a full 64 kilowords.
- If you specify a radix (base) of 0 to READ or WRITE, then it will either read an ASCII character from standard input into the register, or write an ASCII character in the register to standard output. Now we can finally write a proper hello world! Sorry, even though we could support something like UCS-2 this way, it’s currently limited to 7-bit ASCII for simplicity.
- I also added a radix (base) 1 for them as well which just shows/accepts signed decimal numbers without all the other nonsense.
- You can have comments, delimited by either ; or #.
- Labels can be more than three characters, though everything is still case-insensitive.
- You can specify hexadecimal addresses/immediates with a preceding $ to those instructions and pseudo-ops expecting a decimal argument (CONST is always hex, but the $ is accepted and politely ignored if you include it).
-
CONST can take labels now, making ADCON more or less
into a synonym.
The assembler reads a source file on standard input and emits binary bytecode on standard output, with the load address, starting address and length encoded in the first six words (all words are big-endian as divinely intended), followed by the entire program, followed by a symbol table. This compound file is what you pass to the runtime for execution. By default the runtime just runs it from the starting address and returns to your shell, but if you pass -debug, it brings up a facsimile of the FX-series monitor instead for interactive debugging. The disassembler is the most undeveloped of the three, but at least it lets you see what’s in a binary.
I’ve included a few sample scripts in the demo folder. Here’s a sample run, with two CRAP-X test scripts (hello world and a ROT-13 generator), and one of the classic CAP-X ones (add two numbers).
% perl asmbl.pl examples/hello.cap > hello.bin
% perl mon.pl hello.bin
hello world
% perl asmbl.pl examples/rot13.cap > rot13.bin
% echo 'hello world in rot13' | perl mon.pl rot13.bin
uryyb jbeyq va ebg13
% echo 'hello world in rot13' | perl mon.pl rot13.bin | perl mon.pl rot13.bin
hello world in rot13
% perl asmbl.pl examples/classic/add.cap > add.bin
% perl mon.pl add.bin
GR0 (10) 123
GR1 (10) 456
GR0 (10) 579
% perl mon.pl -debug add.bin
256:Go/Dump/Symbols/^Cal or Trace (Off) t
Trace is On
256:Go/Dump/Symbols/^Cal or Trace (On) s
0000 GO
0006 TAD
256:Go/Dump/Symbols/^Cal or Trace (On) g
Go 0
GR0 (10) 123
0:500A 123 -6000 -25203 -15365
GR1 (10) 456
1:540A 123 456 -25203 -15365
2:D406 123 456 -25203 -15365
3:A006 579 456 -25203 -15365
GR0 (10) 579
4:600A 579 456 -25203 -15365
exiting with SC = 0000
256:Go/Dump/Symbols/^Cal or Trace (On) d
Dump:Object/Register r
BR : 0000 0
GR0: 0243 579
GR1: 01C8 456
GR2: 9D8D -25203
GR3: C3FB -15365
SC : 0000 0
CC : 0000 0
256:Go/Dump/Symbols/^Cal or Trace (On) d
Dump:Object/Register o
from 0
from 0 to 10
from 0 to 10
0:500A READ 00 10
1:540A READ 10 10
2:D406 ST 10 6
3:A006 ADD 00 6
4:600A WRITE00 10
5:0000 HJ 00 0
6:01C8 HJ 01 200
7:0000 HJ 00 0
8:0000 HJ 00 0
9:0000 HJ 00 0
10:0000 HJ 00 0
256:Go/Dump/Symbols/^Cal or Trace (On) c
%
In the classic examples folder, I’ve also included PC-5 compatible versions of the Rock Paper Scissors game you just saw, the addition program from earlier (both the little “hello world” one and the unsigned adder), the GCD program from earlier, the Xorshift RNG as an endless loop of random numbers, and even a Nim misère game I adapted from the First Book of KIM. I’ve also included all our test cases in the edges folder so you can test them yourself.
In the full CRAP-X examples folder, you’ll find the hello world and ROT-13 programs, plus an enhanced Rock Paper Scissors with proper prompts and inputs. To prove at least a vague sort of Turing completeness, or at least as a bounded-storage machine, I’ve also included a Subleq machine example that implements probably the most useful of the one-instruction set computers and embeds a hello world program in Subleq that it will run. Note that for long programs you’d need to implement separate pages with their own copy of the Subleq interpreter and figure out some way to jump around on branches, an exercise left for the truly obsessed.
Let’s finish the story. Given all the architecture’s idiosyncracies, in my estimation there’s no good technical reason why Sharp included CAP-X/COMP-X, especially on units that already had an (almost certainly faster) native code execution feature. To be sure, such code is running directly on the metal, so if you screw up it could lock up the machine until reset or corrupt anything else in memory. However, Sharp had already embraced this risk for great reward, particularly with the hardcore PC-1500/Tandy PC-2, so CAP-X/COMP-X didn’t really add any new technological capabilities and native machine language programs would have had infinitely greater access to the hardware. With that in mind, Sharp’s interest in the architecture appears to have been purely for the purpose of adding just another feature.
But Casio had yet to offer support for native assembly on any of its pocket computers up to this point. What CAP-X/COMP-X gave it was a faster runtime that was fully trappable and protected, plus (like Sharp) being a public standard by then that — at least in Japan, anyway — was something their customer base would find worthwhile knowing. A COMP-X program can’t run wild and trash your BASIC programs, it can be halted with the BRK key if it gets stuck, and it can be debugged and stepped through instruction by instruction. Sure, it was cumbersome and convoluted, but Casio COMP-X programs were much swifter than Casio BASIC even if you could get more BASIC code in, and unlike naked machine code were absolutely safe to run. Now, if only Casio had allowed you to mix CAP-X code and BASIC, and/or store multiple CAP-X/COMP-X programs in memory at once like BASIC can, we could have had the best of both worlds with faster code and BASIC convenience. Plus, what modern standard do we know that offers you a contrived virtual machine but has no “I/O,” so to speak, of its own?
It should also be observed that for as dire an assembly language as CAP-X/COMP-X is, it was never intended to be anything other than a means of skill assessment, and certainly not for programming in the large. As such we really can’t blame MITI for Japanese tech companies, perceiving a potential market in a language that likely buyers might want to learn and required no licensing fees, sticking it in their products as a value-added feature. It must have been worth it to those companies, too: in 1986 MITI introduced a successor to CAP-X/COMP-X in that year’s ITEE, which was named CASL/COMET (CASL being the assembly language, allegedly for “Common Algebraic Specification Language,” and COMET being the virtual machine), and within months Sharp and Casio had introduced CASL-compatible pockets, suggesting the feature generated at least some sales. The first CASL/COMET pocket computer, the 1986 Sharp PC-1445, was virtually identical to the CAP-X/COMP-X PC-1440 otherwise, changing only the ROM and the names on the bezel and key (as was the PC-1417G, derived from the PC-1416G). Casio followed suit with the 1987 FX-840P, derived from the FX-850P, and putting the feature on the case for the first time. However, Tandy imported neither unit, and while they were sold in Japan and to some degree in Europe they are rather rare in the United States. Although Casio did release one more FX-770P-based model, the FX-795P in 1987 with 16K of RAM, the CAP-X mode was completely removed and replaced with additional specialized math operations (matrix math, calculus and even complex numbers).
CASL/COMET is similar conceptually to CAP-X/COMP-X and is also a 16-bit system, but it uses 32-bit instruction words to accommodate 23 operations, a full 16-bit address/immediate field, and an additional fourth GPR, which also serves as the stack pointer. While still not true load/store, it did have an instruction to load an effective address a la Intel lea that could add the value of the specified index GPR to the target GPR simultaneously with a constant, finally supporting limited register-to-register math (and if the index register was zero, it did double duty as a 16-bit load immediate). There was also no more base register and no more segmentation, a more useful condition field register was added, and special instructions to read and display entire strings replaced the clumsy READ and WRITE. CPUs had become less quirky, so CASL/COMET became less quirky too. That also made it much nicer to program in, though correspondingly much less interesting as an esolang.
The last CASL/COMET Casio I could find was the 1989 Casio VX-4, a Japan-only reworking of the HD61700-based FX-870P with 18K RAM (expandable to 50K with an RP-33) that supported BASIC, CASL/COMET and C all in the same unit. This machine is also notable for a “secret” built-in self-test accessible with the undocumented command SYSTEM *. Near as I can determine, Sharp never issued any others of its own.
In 2001 CASL/COMET was revised into CASL II and COMET II, adding more register-to-register operations, expanding the register file, adding an overflow condition bit, and changing the instruction mix as well as reversing the bit order (the most significant bit is now 15). Being the current dialect of the language on today’s ITEE, CASL/COMET II has several open source implementations including PyCASL2/PyCOMET2 and a Java conversion. But by then pocket computers had given way to PDAs and graphing calculators and the architecture has yet to grace a handheld from the factory again, so if you want it on your Android, I suppose you’ll have to write it yourself. That’s good enough for a passing grade, isn’t it?
One parting thought before we close: why on earth would MITI have put in all these bizarre quirks? Probably because so many other contemporary systems had similar quirks of their own and we’ve already pointed out a few. COMP-X wasn’t supposed to be an ideal CPU — it was supposed to be a real one, and real ones back then were hairy. CPUs were much more primitive and a lot of their weird edges would be unashamedly exposed to the programmer, and a competent IT professional of the era would have needed to account for them. Real world code had to work and be achievable in spite of those idiosyncrasies. Or, put more succinctly, CAP-X/COMP-X sucks because it was designed to.
The Perl “CRAP-X” reimplementation of CAP-X/COMP-X is on Github under a 3-clause BSD license.
https://oldvcr.blogspot.com/2024/02/cap-x-and-comp-x-how-tandy-pocket.html Save to Pocket
Iran Foreign Minister Says Iran, US Have Exchanged Messages in Recent Weeks
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
BEIRUT — Iran and the United States have exchanged messages throughout Israel’s 4-month-old war on Hamas in Gaza, including about Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, the Iranian foreign minister said Saturday.
“During this war and in the recent weeks, there was an exchange of messages between Iran and America,” Hossein Amirabdollahian said through a translator at a news conference capping a daylong visit to Beirut.
He said the United States had asked Tehran to request Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, “not to get widely, fully involved in this war against” Israel.
Hezbollah has exchanged near-daily fire with the Israeli military along the Lebanese-Israeli frontier to support its Palestinian ally Hamas, and it has vowed to “fight to the end” should Israel launch a full-scare war on Lebanon.
Israel launched a war it says aims to destroy Hamas after the Islamist group staged a deadly cross-border terror attack on southern Israel on October 7.
The conflict has rippled across the region and earlier this month Washington staged strikes against Iran-aligned groups in Irag, Syria and Yemen in retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. troops in Jordan.
Amirabdollahian on Saturday warned Israel against taking any steps toward a broader war against Lebanon, saying that would be Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “last day.”
He also said Iran saw a political solution as the only way to end the Gaza war.
“Iran and Lebanon confirm that war is not the solution, and that we absolutely never sought to expand it,” Amirabdollahian told a news conference earlier on Saturday alongside his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib.
He also said Tehran was in talks with Saudi Arabia on a political solution to hostilities in Gaza.
Hamas this week proposed a ceasefire of 4-1/2 months, during which remaining hostages held by Hamas would go free, Israel would withdraw its troops from Gaza and agreement would be reached on an end to the war.
Netanyahu called the Hamas terms “delusional” and vowed to fight on. But Amirabdollahian said Hamas was presenting ideas based on a “realistic view,” and that they should be widely backed in order to end the war.
Amirabdollahian met on Saturday with Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, foreign minister, speaker of parliament and Hezbollah head Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television outlet said the foreign minister and Nasrallah reviewed the latest developments in Gaza and southern Lebanon, including “the near future of the situation in Lebanon.”
Amirabdollahian is set to travel on to Syria, according to Syrian media, and will meet top officials there.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps have suffered one of their most bruising spells in Syria since arriving a decade ago to aid President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war.
Since December, Israeli strikes have killed more than half a dozen of their members, among them one of the Guards’ top intelligence generals.
https://www.voanews.com/a/iran-foreign-minister-says-iran-us-have-exchanged-messages-in-recent-weeks-/7482813.html Save to Pocket
@Jessica Smith’s blog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Jessica Smith’s blog)
Overheard Vivian sniggering behind me; turned around and asked him what was so funny. He showed me this meme… I guess it’s good to know what a positive political impact I’ve made on him, over all these years 😇
https://www.jayeless.net/2024/02/meme-viv-showed-me.html Save to Pocket
@Jessica Smith’s blog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Jessica Smith’s blog)
So, recently I’ve been rereading old journal entries, which is always playing with fire a bit, but this time I decided to try this new thing where I ONLY read the fuckin’ hilarious entries (and the sexy ones, after a certain point) and none of the traumatic ones and oh my god, this way is so much better. There’s so much shit I completely forgot about. Why is it always the bad memories that stick in your mind, and never the good ones! Feeling a bit of nostalgic sorrow now, but still, this has been good fun.
https://www.jayeless.net/2024/02/rereading-old-journal-entries.html Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Vision Pro + Drone.
https://ma.tt/2024/02/vision-pro-drone/ Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
DALL-E3 generates candy hearts.
https://www.aiweirdness.com/dall-e3-generates-candy-hearts/ Save to Pocket
Review of Chip War by Chris Miller
date: 2024-02-11, from: Stephen Smith’s blog
Introduction Last time, Jeff Hortobagyi presented his review of Chip War: The Fight For The World’s Most Critical Technology, Simon and Schuster, 2022 by Chris Miller. I agree with Jeff’s review, but thought I’d add a few observations from my personal experience. I first learned to program in 1976 in grade 10 using a 300 […]
https://smist08.wordpress.com/2024/02/10/review-of-chip-war-by-chris-miller/ Save to Pocket
Ukraine Aid Bill Inches Forward in US Senate to Uncertain Fate
date: 2024-02-11, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/ukraine-aid-bill-inches-forward-in-us-senate-to-uncertain-fate-/7482773.html Save to Pocket
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-02-11, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
The Apple ’1984’ Ad Changed the Super Bowl Forever.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/09/arts/television/super-bowl-apple-1984-ad.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Uk0.aM9t.lDMlaIlZz-U7&smid=url-share Save to Pocket