News gathered 2024-05-15
(date: 2024-05-15 13:02:48)
CSUN Gave Its Newest Graduates the Tools to Achieve Their Dreams
date: 2024-05-15, from: SCV New (TV Station)
Members of the graduating class of 2024 found a home at California State University, Northridge. It was a place that empowered them and gave them the tools to break cultural and generational barriers, and to fulfill dreams first imagined decades earlier
https://scvnews.com/csun-gave-its-newest-graduates-the-tools-to-achieve-their-dreams/
Acton church to celebrate 100th anniversary
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Signal
News release A commemorative ceremony will be held Sunday, June 9, at 1 p.m., to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Acton Community Presbyterian Church and the rededication of this […]
The post Acton church to celebrate 100th anniversary appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/acton-church-to-celebrate-100th-anniversary/
US commanders in Poland see Russian threat as ‘near-term’
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
As Russia ramps up its offensive in eastern Ukraine, officials with the U.S. command in Eastern Europe say it’s urgent for NATO to be ready for a possible confrontation. VOA’s Eastern Europe bureau chief Myroslava Gongadze talked to the U.S. and Polish commanders during a U.S. Army transfer of authority ceremony in Boleslawiec, Poland. VOA footage and video editing by Daniil Batushchak.
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-commanders-in-poland-see-russian-threat-as-near-term/7613615.html
NetBSD bans use of Copilot-generated code
date: 2024-05-15, from: OS News
The NetBSD project seems to agree with me that code generated by “AI” like Copilot is tainted, and cannot be used safely. The project’s added a new guideline banning the use of code generated by such tools from being added to NetBSD unless explicitly permitted by “core“, NetBSD’s equivalent, roughly, of “technical management”. Code generated by a large language model or similar technology, such as such as GitHub/Microsoft’s Copilot, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, or Facebook/Meta’s Code Llama, is presumed to be tainted code, and must not be committed without prior written approval by core. ↫ NetBSD Commit Guidelines GitHub Copilot is copyright infringement and open source license violation at an industrial scale, and as I keep reiterating – the fact Microsoft is not training Copilot on its own closed-source code tells you all you need to know about what Microsoft thinks about the legality of Copilot.
https://www.osnews.com/story/139698/netbsd-bans-use-of-copilot-generated-code/
CALM Celebrates Two Decades of Dedication by COO
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Santa Barbara, CA. May 2024 – CALM is celebrating a significant milestone work anniversary of Chief Operating Officer Adolfo Garcia,
The post CALM Celebrates Two Decades of Dedication by COO appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/15/calm-celebrates-two-decades-of-dedication-by-coo/
La Biblioteca Pública de Santa Bárbara recibe una subvención de la Library Innovation Lab
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
SANTA BARBARA, CA – 15 de mayo de 2024 La Biblioteca Pública de Santa Bárbara (SBPL) se complace en anunciar
The post La Biblioteca Pública de Santa Bárbara recibe una subvención de la Library Innovation Lab appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
Santa Barbara Public Library Receives Library Innovation Lab Grant Award
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
SANTA BARBARA, CA – May 15, 2024 The Santa Barbara Public Library is pleased to announce that they were selected
The post Santa Barbara Public Library Receives Library Innovation Lab Grant Award appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
Bubba
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Sweet pup needs a home!
The post Bubba appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/15/bubba/
Aghast iOS users report long-deleted photos back from the dead after update
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Apple might be hanging on to nuked iPhone snaps for a while
Some iPhone users are reportedly seeing photos they had previously deleted resurface on their devices ever since updating to the latest version of iOS.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/ios_deleted_photos/
SCV Water Wins Four Awards For Communication
date: 2024-05-15, from: SCV New (TV Station)
SCV Water received four prestigious awards from the California Association of Public Information Officials at an awards luncheon on Tuesday, May 14,
https://scvnews.com/scv-water-wins-four-awards-for-communication/
🩳 Can my script be as short as Somewhere?
date: 2024-05-15, from: Interesting, a blog on writing
How many pages does a feature really need to be taken seriously as a feature?
https://inneresting.substack.com/p/can-my-script-be-as-short-as-somewhere
Collier Returns, Goes Big and Wide
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Precocious British musical force Jacob Collier, in solo mode here last fall, returns in full-bodied, full-band mode at the Arlington.
The post Collier Returns, Goes Big and Wide appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/15/collier-returns-goes-big-and-wide/
Seinfeld slammed for once dating 17-year-old girl after Duke walkout
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
People who strongly disagree with Seinfeld’s support for Israel have taken to social media to remind him of his once ‘problematic’ relationship with a teenage girl.
What to watch: ‘Bridgerton’ is back, saucier than ever
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
And ‘Babes’ is one of the funniest films of the year so far.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/15/what-to-watch-bridgerton-is-back-saucier-than-ever/
NASA Invites Media to View NOAA’s Newest Environmental Satellite
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
NASA will host a media availability to view NOAA’s (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s) GOES-U (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite U) spacecraft Thursday June 6, at the Astrotech Space Operations payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida. NASA is targeting a two-hour launch window opening at 5:16 p.m. EDT Tuesday, June 25, for the launch of GOES-U […]
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-invites-media-to-view-noaas-newest-environmental-satellite/
Shutting Down Facebook Workplace
date: 2024-05-15, from: Michael Tsai
Ingrid Lunden: Facebook once had big ambitions to be a major player in enterprise communication and productivity, but today the social network’s parent company Meta will be closing a very significant chapter in that story. TechCrunch has learned that Meta is shuttering Workplace, a version of Facebook that had been built to enable communication among […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/05/15/shutting-down-facebook-workplace/
iOS 17.5 “Fixes” client_id But Breaks App Marketplaces
date: 2024-05-15, from: Michael Tsai
Mysk: iPhone users in the EU: DO NOT delete your alternative marketplace appsiOS 17.5 breaks alternative marketplace app re-installation. MarketplaceKit now generates a different client_id every time it is called. Now there’s no way for alternative marketplace developers to identify users who have already purchased the marketplace app.Apple addressed a security issue we reported about […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/05/15/ios-17-5-fixes-client_id-but-breaks-app-marketplaces/
Google Cloud Accidentally Deletes Customer’s Account
date: 2024-05-15, from: Michael Tsai
Richard Speed (via Hacker News): Google’s Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian has weighed in on the UniSuper fiasco and confirmed that UniSuper’s Private Cloud subscription was accidentally deleted.In a joint statement with UniSuper CEO Peter Chun, Kurian admitted that an “inadvertent misconfiguration” during the provisioning of UniSuper’s Private Cloud services resulted in the deletion of the […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/05/15/google-cloud-accidentally-deletes-customers-account/
VMware Fusion Pro 13 Free for Personal Use
date: 2024-05-15, from: Michael Tsai
Michael Potuck: Following the acquisition, Broadcom’s VMware has announced today that Fusion Pro 13 and Workstation Pro 17 have been made free for personal use. […] For commercial use, Broadcom has simplified the VMware options to a single product, which can be purchased through any “Broadcom Advantage” partner. Michael Roy: This means that everyday users […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/05/15/vmware-fusion-pro-13-free-for-personal-use/
Biochar Is Dominating the Carbon Removal Market — But No One Seems to Care
date: 2024-05-15, from: Heatmap News
Low-tech carbon removal is all the rage these days. Whether it’s spreading crushed rocks on fields or injecting sludgy biomass underground, relatively simplistic solutions have seen a boom in funding. But there’s one cheap, nature-based method that hasn’t been able to drum up as much attention from big name climate investors: biochar.
This flaky, charcoal-like substance has been produced and used as a fertilizer for millennia, and its potential to lock up the carbon contained in organic matter is well-documented. It’s made by heating up biomass such as wood or plants in a low-oxygen environment via a process called pyrolysis, thereby sequestering up to 40% to 50% of the carbon contained within that organic matter for hundreds or (debatably — but we’ll get to that) even thousands of years. Ideally, the process utilizes waste biomass such as plant material and forest residue left over from harvesting crops or timber, which otherwise might just be burned.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says biochar could store about 2.6 billion metric tons of CO2 per year. And by some metrics, this ancient method of carbon removal is already leagues ahead of the rest. Last year, biochar accounted for 94% of all carbon dioxide removal credits that were actually fulfilled, according to CDR.fyi, which tracks the CO2 removal market. That means that while corporate buyers are purchasing carbon credits that use an array of different removal methods, biochar has thus far dominated the market when it comes to actually making good on these purchases.
Some of the largest corporate buyers of CO2 removal credits have biochar in their portfolios. Microsoft, by far the most prominent player in this space, has bought over 200,000 tons of biochar credits — part of its quest to become carbon negative by 2050 — although that’s still a mere fraction of the over 6.6 million tons of CO2 removal the company has bought overall. JPMorgan Chase, which aims to match every ton of its operational emissions with carbon dioxide removal credits by 2030, has bought nearly 19,000 tons of biochar credits, representing about 26% of its CO2 removal portfolio.
But despite its technical maturity, biochar has yet to generate the same level of excitement or venture capital investment as more complex methods of carbon removal such as direct air capture, which garnered $142 million in investment last year. By comparison, biochar companies raised a cumulative total of $74 million in 2023. While that’s no small change, it doesn’t compare to the amount of capital VCs and other climate tech funders have poured even into other similarly elemental carbon removal technologies.
For example, Frontier, a collaborative fund for tech companies to catalyze emerging solutions in this space, recently announced a $58 million deal with Vaulted Deep, a startup that injects wet biomass from food waste to poop deep underground. And at the end of last year, Frontier inked a $57 million deal with Lithos Carbon, a company pursuing enhanced rock weathering. This involves spreading crushed up rocks onto fields, which react with the CO2 in the air to form bicarbonate; that’s eventually carried out to sea, where the carbon remains permanently sequestered on the ocean floor. In other words, it’s just an acceleration of the natural weathering process, which normally takes hundreds of thousands of years. VCs backing Lithos include mainstream names like Union Square Ventures, Greylock Ventures, and Bain Capital Ventures, while big-time climate tech VC Lowercarbon Capital led Vaulted Deep’s seed round.
The questions around biochar’s durability — that is, how long it can actually lock away carbon — are potentially unanswerable, and that’s at least partially driving investor reticence.
“Biochar falls in this very interesting middle ground - you create it, and then it is constantly degrading,” Freya Chay, program lead at CarbonPlan, a nonprofit that analyzes different carbon removal pathways, told me. She said that we just don’t have the scientific know-how “to predict, really clearly, how much is going to still be in your soil at 100 years or at 1,000 years.”
Frontier, for its part, only considers carbon removal “permanent” if it can sequester carbon for at least 1,000 years. Some studies indicate that a large proportion of biochar can achieve this, but it’s hard to definitively prove, and we’re far from a scientific consensus. Thus far the fund has steered clear of investing in biochar, noting that detailed protocols must be developed to measure its durability under a variety of soil and weather conditions.
Measurement, reporting and verification is often the downfall for nature-based solutions (see: the hoopla around bogus forest carbon credits). And while it is simple to measure how much of the carbon in biomass ends up sequestered in biochar, “it’s where you draw the project boundaries in terms of where the MRV falls apart,” Annie Nichols, director of operations and project management at Pacific Biochar told me. For example, one might want to ensure that trees aren’t being cut down or crops aren’t being grown just for the purpose of creating biochar, and this often falls outside the scope of traditional measurement protocols. Pacific Biochar, for its part, sources its waste biomass from forests in high fire risk areas of California, where the excessive accumulation of woody debris poses a danger.
Pacific Biochar ranks as the world’s third largest supplier of carbon removal, with over 28,000 tons of credits delivered. Biochar “got a lot of attention before there was actually much utility,” its CEO, Josiah Hunt told me, referring to the period in the late 2000s when Al Gore was heavily hyping its benefits. In his 2009 book “Our Choice,” Gore called biochar “one of the most exciting new strategies for restoring carbon to depleted soils, and sequestering significant amounts of CO2 for 1,000 years and more.” But at that time, Hunt said, “There weren’t really carbon markets ready to work with it yet.”
Prior to 2020, Pacific Biochar’s revenue relied solely on biochar fertilizer sales to farmers. It was only when the carbon credits market picked up that the company was able to scale. Today, Pacific Biochar sells most of its credits directly, as opposed to on an independent exchange, though it works with the carbon credits platform Carbonfuture to deliver credits to customers and perform the necessary verification to ensure the company’s carbon removal data is accurate.
Pacific Biochar’s credits sell for $180 per metric ton, cheaper than nearly all other removal methods and far below the weighted average of $488 for CO2 removal. That’s because producing biochar via pyrolysis requires much less energy than something like direct air capture. It’s also a more mature process than most emergent nature-based solutions such as enhanced rock weathering, meaning that comparably less money needs to be spent demonstrating that the process works as intended.
A number of biochar companies told me they think biochar has been overlooked in favor of more novel technological solutions. “There’s this fixation on trying to find the high tech solution, the SaaS app that’s going to solve climate change,” Thor Kallestad, CEO and cofounder of Myno Carbon, told me. By comparison, biochar can seem like a relic of an earlier era that never quite reached its potential.
Myno, founded by oil and gas veterans, is self-funding the buildout of a large-scale biochar and electricity co-generation facility in Port Angeles, Washington, which will source its fuel from the copious timber waste in Washington State. It’s still in the initial design phase, but the ultimate goal is to produce about 70,000 tons of biochar per year alongside 20 megawatts of power. That amounts to about 100,000 carbon dioxide removal credits, which Kallestad hopes to sell for less than $100 per metric ton. Ideally, he said, the plant will serve as a proof of concept that will help drive future investments.
While there haven’t yet been any major scandals in the biochar-sourcing world, the BBC ran an exposé in 2022 on a biomass-fueled power station in the UK that was logging old-growth forests to create wood pellets that were then burned for power. The company, Drax, had previously claimed that it was only sourcing sawdust and waste wood. While Drax maintains that its biomass is “sustainable and legally harvested,” further reporting indicates that as of last year, the company was still sourcing from old-growth forests. The worry is that something similar could happen with biochar production as demand ramps up.
Chay says the cost-benefit analysis for making biochar gets even thornier when taking into account the “counterfactual of how we otherwise could have used biomass.” After all, biomass can also be burned for energy, and if the emissions are captured and stored, that’s a carbon removal strategy too. And with many looking towards biomass-based fuels as a way to decarbonize industries such as aviation and shipping, demand for waste biomass appears set to increase alongside uncertainty regarding its best use case. “Zooming forward to 2050, I’m not sure there is anything such as waste biomass,” Chay told me.
But in the short-term at least, there’s enough to go around. A recent Department of Energy report noted that “available but unused” biomass such as logging and agricultural residue could contribute around 350 tons to the nation’s supply every year. That’s about as much biomass as the United States uses for bioenergy today
“Certainly biochar has a place,” Chay said. She’s not convinced that it will ever make sense to conceptualize biochar production as “permanent carbon removal” though. “Maybe we just let it be this kind of interstitial durability. We figure out how to value that while also optimizing for agricultural co-benefits.”
Investors may remain wary of a solution that occupies this hard-to-define space between short and long-term CO2 removal, but Hunt’s not too worried. “I don’t think that’s horribly detrimental,” he told me. He sees biochar’s strong performance in the carbon credits marketplace as enough to sustain the industry for now. “I do think the buying community is what drives our growth. And even if we’re not the unicorns, even if we’re just the work mules, that’s fine with me. I don’t mind being the mule of climate change action.”
https://heatmap.news/technology/biochar-carbon-removal-microsoft
Cantando: Asian American Songs
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)
During Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, multiple musical artists might come to mind. The following artists come from different Asian ethnic backgrounds and incorporate unique elements of their…
https://sundial.csun.edu/181632/print-editions/print-stories/cantando-asian-american-songs/
Hulking San Jose Sharks prospect sets new OHL playoff record
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Halttunen is rewriting the Ontario Hockey League’s playoff record book for import players
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/15/hulking-san-jose-sharks-prospect-sets-new-ohl-record/
Senate AI roadmap’s piecemeal legislation is ideal, says former FTC tech chief
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Smaller bills mean more fine-grained control over vastly different AI products
interview The AI legislation roadmap published this week by a bipartisan group of US senators hasn’t pleased everyone, but the Federal Trade Commission’s former chief technologist believes it takes the perfect approach. …
This dual-screen laptop has two touchscreen displays and support for height adjustments, but lacks a physical keyboard
date: 2024-05-15, from: Liliputing
The SZBOX DS16 is a notebook with 12th-gen Intel Core processor, up to 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, a 16 inch, 1920 x 1200 pixel touchscreen display and… a second 16 inch display positioned where you’d normally find a keyboard. It’s the latest in a line of dual-screen laptops we’ve seen over the past […]
The post This dual-screen laptop has two touchscreen displays and support for height adjustments, but lacks a physical keyboard appeared first on Liliputing.
Disneyland to pump beignet smells into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Disneyland visitors will smell the sweet scent of the fried dough treats in the ride queue when the attraction opens later this year.
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-15, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
More than half of US Black women aged 15-49 live under abortion bans.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/15/black-women-abortion-bans?CMP=twt_b-gdnnews
BYD just hit a new weekly EV sales record for 2024 in China ahead of key model launches
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
China’s leading electric car maker, BYD, just hit a new YTD EV sales record last week in its home country. BYD expects the momentum to continue with new EVs rolling out in key segments globally.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/15/byd-just-hit-new-weekly-ev-sales-record-2024-china/
Big 12 football outlook: Our Over/Under breakdown of the 2024 win totals for each team
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Utah and Kansas State have the highest win totals published by FanDuel but are not the best bets.
Suspect in deadly Florida laborer crash has lengthy record
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Marion County court records show Bryan Maclean Howard has had at least three crashes and numerous traffic tickets dating back to 2006, including one citation for crossing the center line. His license has been suspended at least three times, the latest in 2021 for getting too many citations within a year.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/15/suspect-in-deadly-fla-laborer-crash-has-lengthy-record/
Last Year, the Northern Hemisphere Had Its Hottest Summer in 2,000 Years
date: 2024-05-15, from: Smithsonian Magazine
Researchers used tree ring data to compare temperatures from as far back as 1 C.E. to 2023 temperatures
Maintenance on High-Speed Wind Tunnel
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
During April and May 2024, maintenance is being conducted within the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) complex at NASA Ames Research Center. One key part of this maintenance is the inspection of stators in the 3-stage compressor. Stators are fixed blades that control the flow of air, which can reach a speed of Mach 1.4 […]
https://www.nasa.gov/general/maintenance-on-high-speed-wind-tunnel/
Summer TV 2024 : ‘The Bear’ and ‘Couples Therapy,’ but few chances taken
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Maybe it’s just me, maybe it’s the times we’re living in, or maybe it’s a post-Hollywood strike malaise, but the ’24 summer TV lineup is looking unimpressive.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/15/2024-summer-tv-preview/
Clean Air Act complaint paints smoggy picture at Tesla Fremont factory
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
The cars might be zero emission, but accusers claim the paint shops aren’t
Tesla is facing a lawsuit brought under the US Clean Air Act by the Environmental Democracy Project (EDP) claiming pollution from its Fremont facility.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/clean_air_act_tesla/
Alice Munro
date: 2024-05-15, from: Margaret Atwood’s substack
I’ll soon be back to the French Revvie with New Atrocities and Scandals for You, but first…
https://margaretatwood.substack.com/p/alice-munro
These diets may reduce cancer, heart disease and early death, according to a 20-year review
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Eating a vegan, vegetarian or lacto-ovo vegetarian diet significantly reduces the overall risk of developing cancer, heart disease and dying early from cardiovascular disease, according to a new “umbrella” analysis of more than 20 years of research.
Stormy Daniels wore bulletproof vest to Trump trial, lawyer says
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
The former adult film star was ‘paralyzed’ with fear ahead of the proceedings, attorney Clark Brewster said.
NASA Honors Three Chroniclers for Helping Tell America’s Space Story
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
Through decades of hard work, three storytellers brought out of this world news down to Earth, providing a lens through which young and old could watch space exploration unfold. This week, NASA recognized the contributions of these Chroniclers during a May 15, 2024, ceremony at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA Kennedy Space […]
Massive manhunt under way in France for prison-break gang
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said “unprecedented” efforts were being deployed. Hundreds of officers were mobilized in the search for Amra and the assailants who rammed a car head-on into the prison van transporting him and opened fire on Tuesday.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/15/massive-manhunt-under-way-in-france-for-prison-break-gang/
Braving Comedy & Behind-The-Scenes
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
A new byline will often catch attention, but it’s rare that a new name on our long staff list gets
The post Braving Comedy & Behind-The-Scenes appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/15/braving-comedy-behind-the-scenes/
5 Things to Know About NASA’s Tiny Twin Polar Satellites
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
Called PREFIRE, this CubeSat duo will boost our understanding of how much heat Earth’s polar regions radiate out to space and how that influences our climate. Twin shoebox-size climate satellites will soon be studying two of the most remote regions on Earth: the Arctic and Antarctic. The NASA mission will measure the amount of heat […]
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/prefire/5-things-to-know-about-nasas-tiny-twin-polar-satellites/
Jury chosen for US Senator Menendez’s corruption trial
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
NEW YORK — A jury was chosen on Wednesday to determine whether U.S. Senator Robert Menendez broke the law in what federal prosecutors have called a yearslong bribery scheme to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar, as well as himself.
Opening statements in the trial of New Jersey’s senior senator are expected to begin later in the day before U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein in Manhattan. The trial could last into early July.
Twelve jurors and six alternates were chosen, including an investment banker, a commercial litigator, a retired economist, a doctor and multiple therapists. Jury selection took about 2½, and more than 130 prospective jurors were excused.
Menendez, 70, faces 16 criminal charges including bribery, fraud, acting as a foreign agent and obstruction.
He is being tried alongside New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes. The senator’s wife, Nadine Menendez, 57, is scheduled to be tried on July 8, with the delay resulting from what her lawyers called a serious medical condition.
All the defendants have pleaded not guilty. The bribery trial is the senator’s second. His first ended in 2017 in a mistrial after jurors deadlocked.
Prosecutors are expected to detail what they consider a complex and sordid array of corruption that lasted from 2018 to 2023.
The Menendezes are accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from Hana, Daibes and insurance broker Jose Uribe, in exchange for the senator’s providing political favors and aid to Egypt and Qatar.
Prosecutors have said the senator promised to help Egypt obtain arms sales and other aid, helped Hana obtain a lucrative monopoly on certifying that meat exports to Egypt conformed to Islamic law, and tried to help Daibes secure millions of dollars from a Qatari investment fund.
Menendez, a Democrat, also was accused of trying to interfere in a federal criminal case against Daibes in New Jersey and in state criminal cases involving two of Uribe’s associates.
Prosecutors have said FBI agents found more than $480,000 of cash in the Menendezes’ home, much stashed in clothing, closets and a safe.
Bribes also included more than $100,000 in gold bars and a $60,000 Mercedes-Benz convertible, according to prosecutors.
Uribe pleaded guilty in March to bribery and fraud, and he agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.
While Nadine Menendez is not yet on trial, her husband’s lawyers have suggested his defense might include an effort to blame her for withholding information and making him believe his activities were lawful.
Robert Menendez became a senator in 2006. Before being indicted, he would have been favored in his Democratic-leaning state to win a fourth full Senate term in November.
But any reelection bid now would be a long shot, reflecting recent polls of voters that show overwhelming disapproval of Menendez’s job performance.
Menendez has suggested that he would try if acquitted to run as an independent. Only 9% of voters polled in March by Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill said they would prefer him to another Democrat or a Republican.
The senator has resisted calls to resign made from across the political spectrum but gave up leadership of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee after his indictment last September.
Stein admonished jurors to ignore media coverage of the trial. “If something comes up,” the judge said, “switch off.”
https://www.voanews.com/a/jury-chosen-for-us-senator-menendez-s-corruption-trial/7613492.html
NASA’s X-59 Passes Milestone Toward Safe First Flight
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
NASA has taken the next step toward verifying the airworthiness for its quiet supersonic X-59 aircraft with the completion of a milestone review that will allow it to progress toward flight. A Flight Readiness Review board composed of independent experts from across NASA has completed a study of the X-59 project team’s approach to safety […]
https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-59-closer-to-safe-first-flight/
Artemis Accords Reach 40 Signatories as NASA Welcomes Lithuania
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
A milestone was reached on Wednesday as Lithuania became the 40th nation to join NASA and the international coalition in pursuit of safer space exploration by signing the Artemis Accords. The ceremony took place at the Radisson Blu Lietuva hotel in Vilnius, Lithuania, and signifies a continued push toward transparency and peace as more nations […]
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/artemis-accords-reach-40-signatories-as-nasa-welcomes-lithuania/
Lightning Dazzles Onlookers Watching the Eruption of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala
date: 2024-05-15, from: Smithsonian Magazine
Volcanic lightning is so common that it’s even earned its own nickname: dirty thunderstorms
Save $1,700 on Jackery’s Explorer 2000 Pro bundle, Pit Boss table top wood grill, Greenworks mower, and more
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
Today’s Green Deals are meant to maximize your summer adventures amongst nature, headlined by the Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro with two 200W Solar Panels that is back at its $1,899 low for your campsite power needs. For your campsite’s meal needs, there is the Pit Boss Table Top Wood Pellet Grill at $240, while none of your adventuring can begin before you finish up your chores around the house – namely shaping up your lawn with the Greenworks 40V 20-inch Cordless Electric Push Mower for $320. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals that are still alive and well.
Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.
Hyundai Motor Global EV Wholesale Sales Decreased Again In April 2024
date: 2024-05-15, from: Inside EVs News
It was the sixth consecutive month with a year-over-year decline.
https://insideevs.com/news/719711/hyundai-global-ev-wholesale-sales-april2024/
Boeing might be criminally prosecuted for 737 MAX crashes after all, says DoJ
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Aviation firm has violated 2021 deferred prosecution agreement, claims DoJ, so criminal charges could come back
Boeing avoided prosecution for a pair of 737 Max crashes thanks to a 2021 agreement with the Department of Justice, but the DoJ says the jetmaker has since violated the order and can be prosecuted. …
NASA’s Juno Provides High-Definition Views of Europa’s Icy Shell
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
Imagery from the solar-powered spacecraft shows some intriguing features on the ice-encased Jovian moon. Images from the JunoCam visible-light camera aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft supports the theory that the icy crust at the north and south poles of Jupiter’s moon Europa is not where it used to be. Another high-resolution picture of the icy moon, […]
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/juno/nasas-juno-provides-high-definition-views-of-europas-icy-shell/
Geography Teacher in England Finds Stone With 1,600-Year-Old Inscriptions in His Garden
date: 2024-05-15, from: Smithsonian Magazine
The rock is covered in ogham, an alphabet made up of parallel lines used for writing in the Irish language
Hundreds of Starving Brown Pelicans Are Turning Up on California Beaches, Puzzling Wildlife Rescuers and Scientists
date: 2024-05-15, from: Smithsonian Magazine
By all available accounts, there isn’t a lack of ocean forage
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-15, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
We’re in a pivotal moment in American history. We cannot retreat.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/15/bernie-sanders-election-biden
Photos: BSA Troop 2222 cornhole and pasta fundraiser
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Signal
Boy Scout Troop 2222 held a cornhole tournament and pasta dinner fundraiser in the Old West Masonic Lodge on Saturday to raise money for the Scouts to attend summer camp […]
The post Photos: BSA Troop 2222 cornhole and pasta fundraiser appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/photos-bsa-troop-2222-cornhole-and-pasta-fundraiser/
A timeline of territorial shifts in Ukraine war
date: 2024-05-15, from: Associated Press, World News
Russian troops have launched a ground offensive along the northeastern border with Ukraine, opening a new front in the two-year war while pushing deeper in the country’s east.
Raspberry Pi is planning an IPO
date: 2024-05-15, from: Liliputing
The company behind the Raspberry Pi line of single-board computers, accessories, and related products like the RP2040 microcontroller is planning to go public. Raspberry Pi Ltd has issued an “expected intention to float” notice indicating plans to launch an IPO on the London Stock Exchange. While the move could help the company generate revenue that […]
The post Raspberry Pi is planning an IPO appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/raspberry-pi-is-planning-an-ipo/
COMMUNITY BENEFIT FUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
date: 2024-05-15, from: Port Hueneme
The Port of Hueneme and City of Port Hueneme Announce Community Benefit Fund Scholarship Program: Download Application Port of Hueneme Contact: Adam Vega Community Outreach & Legislative Specialist Avega@Portofh.org City of Port Hueneme Contact: Brian Popovich City of Port Hueneme bpopovich@cityofporthueneme.org [Port Hueneme, CA] – The Port of Hueneme and City of Port Hueneme are Read More
https://www.portofhueneme.org/cbf-scholarship-2024/
US imposes sanctions on Nicaragua over repression, migrant smuggling
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
Washington — The United States on Wednesday imposed visa restrictions on more than 250 members of the Nicaraguan government and levied sanctions on three Nicaraguan entities in retaliation for “repressive actions” and a failure to stem migrant smuggling through the Central American country.
Senior administration officials told reporters that the officials subject to visa restrictions included police and paramilitary officials, prosecutors, judges and public higher education officials.
At the same time, the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and the Treasury issued a joint alert to notify airlines and travel agents about the ways smuggling and human trafficking networks are exploiting legitimate transportation services to facilitate illegal migration to the United States through Nicaragua.
“Actions by the Nicaraguan government are of grave concern. President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo have put in place permissive-by-design migration policies,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
The Nicaraguan government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Increasingly migrants have been flying into Nicaragua and then heading north overland to the U.S.-Mexico border as some smugglers have promoted the route through social networks.
Many migrants in recent years have started their journeys in Brazil or other South American countries, but flying into Nicaragua avoids the often perilous journey through the jungle region known as the Darien Gap on the Colombia-Panama border.
The administration of President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has struggled with record numbers of migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border and, as he runs for reelection in November, voters have increasingly said that immigration is a top concern.
Senior Biden administration officials told reporters on a Wednesday conference call that sanctions would be levied against a Russian training center operating in Managua since October 2017 that enabled anti-democratic behavior and repression.
A press release from the Treasury Department said Nicaragua was one of Russia’s “main partners” in Central America and the training center provided specialized courts to the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP), which the statement called “a repressive state apparatus, carrying out extrajudicial killings, using live ammunition against peaceful protests, and even participating in death squads.”
In addition, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two gold companies it said were “government affiliated.”
Gold is Nicaragua’s top commodity export, the Treasury announcement said, and “this action aims to degrade the ability of the Ortega-Murillo regime to manipulate the sector and profit.” Reuters was not immediately able to reach the companies for comment.
Migrant apprehensions on the border halved from December to March, according to U.S. government data, in part because of increased enforcement by Mexican authorities, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said.
Biden, Trump agree to debates in June and September
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/biden-trump-agree-to-debates-in-june-and-september/7613386.html
Qualcomm warms bed for Linux on Arm PCs
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
One eye on Windows, the other winking at penguins
Qualcomm may be leading the push for Windows on Arm systems, but the corporation also has an eye on Linux support with a roadmap for updates to enable the OS to boot on its Arm-based PC hardware.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/qualcomm_linux_support/
US slaps sanctions on Sudan paramilitary commanders over Darfur offensive
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
Washington — The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on two commanders of Sudan’s paramilitary force, vowing pressure to stop the unit from an offensive on the Darfur city of el-Fasher.
The Treasury Department said it was freezing any U.S. assets and criminalizing transactions with Ali Yagoub Gibril, Central Darfur commander of the Rapid Support Forces, and an RSF major general involved in operational planning, Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed.
“The RSF military operation to encircle and besiege el-Fasher, North Darfur, has endangered the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“We stand ready to take additional measures against those individuals and institutions that actively escalate the war — including any offensive actions on el-Fasher,” he said.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday also voiced alarm over reports of heavy fighting in densely populated areas as the RSF seeks control of el-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur not under its control.
Tens of thousands of people have died, and millions have been displaced since war broke out in April 2023 between Sudan’s army and the RSF after their head generals refused a plan to integrate.
The United States has led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting but has seen limited success and leverage, with RSF commanders unlikely to hold major assets in the West affected by sanctions.
The RSF and Sudan’s armed forces are seen as both wanting to secure a battleground victory, and each side has received support from outside players.
The U.S. special envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, is again traveling around the Middle East and Africa this week in hopes of making progress.
The United States has accused both sides of war crimes and charged that the RSF has carried out ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity against the indigenous African-origin people of Darfur.
The RSF’s predecessor, the Janjaweed militia, carried out a scorched-earth campaign in the arid western region that the United States at the time described as genocide.
Baidu talks about using Tesla Robotaxi in China
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
Baidu says that it is considering using Tesla’s upcoming Robotaxi in China as the two major companies appear to be getting closer.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/15/baidu-talks-about-using-tesla-robotaxi-in-china/
Hyundai Kona Electric With Small Battery Gets 3.5 Miles/kWh EPA Energy Consumption
date: 2024-05-15, from: Inside EVs News
The result is good, but only slightly better than in the case of the regular version.
https://insideevs.com/news/719548/hyundai-kona-electric-small-battery-epa-consumption/
Rivian introduces YouTube App and Google Cast video streaming to the R1 infotainment system
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
American automaker Rivian is upping the entertainment factor for current and future owners of its flagship R1 line of EVs. Today, Rivian shared it is integrating YouTube into its infotainment system, available for streaming on your vehicle’s center display. Additionally, the automaker is adding Google Cast capabilities, giving drivers and passengers the ability to mirror their favorite content in the EV from a smartphone or tablet.
The Rivian R1S And R1T Are Getting A YouTube App And Google Cast
date: 2024-05-15, from: Inside EVs News
After years of waiting for an in-car video streaming solution, Rivian is turning its flagship EVs into rolling Chromecasts.
https://insideevs.com/news/719590/rivian-r1s-r1t-youtube-app-google-cast-netflix-streaming/
Genesis to build first full-size luxury electric SUV next year to rival Cadillac, Range Rover
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
A new Genesis electric SUV is set for production late next year, and it’s poised to take on the Cadillac Escalade and Range Rover. Genesis expects its first full-size electric SUV to have a big impact on the brand as it looks to outpace luxury rivals.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/15/genesis-launching-first-full-size-electric-suv-range-rover-rival/
Euro vision of RISC OS welcomes all!
date: 2024-05-15, from: RiscOS Open
Now that the Eurovision contest is over for this year, the next big euro vision to eXperience is the one organised by the Big Ben Club at their annual day.
http://www.riscosopen.org/news/articles/2024/05/15/euro-vision-of-risc-os-welcomes-all
Blinken’s Kyiv song choice raises eyebrows as Ukraine fights fierce Russian attacks
date: 2024-05-15, from: Associated Press, World News
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, an amateur musician, may have thought he had the perfect upbeat song to perform with a Kyiv bar band.
https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-us-blinken-753fc09b374d14e3829346f786add4b8
GNOME OS is switching from OSTree to systemd-sysupdate
date: 2024-05-15, from: OS News
I’m pretty sure most of you are familiar with KDE Neon, the distribution KDE maintains to provide easy access to the latest KDE technologies. However, did you know GNOME has something similar, called GNOME OS? It’s been around for a while, but has a far lower profile than KDE Neon does, and it seems they want to change that and put more of a spotlight on GNOME OS. GNOME OS is an immutable distribution using OSTree, the same technology used by the various popular immutable versions from the Fedora family. It seems GNOME OS is working to leave OSTree behind, and move to systemd-sysupdate instead, which has been available since systemd 251, released in May 2022. The developers claim this will bring the following benefits: To complete the move from OSTree to systemd-sysupdate, a few things need to be completed. First, the boot process and root filesystem had to be migrated, which was done last year. Second, sysupdate needs to integrated into GNOME, as for now, you can only use it via the command line. This work is ongoing, and requires a new D-Bus service and polkit integration to allow GNOME Software to manage the update process. Of course, there’s more work that needs to be done to complete this migration, but these are the main tasks. All of this work is part of the project’s goal to make GNOME OS nightlies viable for daily-driving for quality assurance purposes, and I’m sure all this work will also make GNOME OS more attractive to people outside of the developer community. It’s basically GNOME/systemd taken to the extreme, and while that will surely make quite a few people groan, I personally find it great that this will make GNOME OS a more capable choice for everyone. That’s what open source is all about, in the end.
https://www.osnews.com/story/139696/gnome-os-is-switching-from-ostree-to-systemd-sysupdate/
Discovery Alert: An Earth-sized World and Its Ultra-cool Star
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
Our galaxy is a jewel box of red stars. More than 70% of the stars in the Milky Way are M dwarfs, also known as red dwarfs. These stars are cool and dim compared with our Sun, but they often blast orbiting exoplanets with high-energy radiation, especially early in their lives. And those ‘‘lives’’ last […]
VMware Pro apps are now free for personal use (virtualization for Windows, Mac, and Linux)
date: 2024-05-15, from: Liliputing
Cloud computing and virtualization software company VMware has announced that its flagship desktop software is now free for personal use. Individual users can now download and use VMWare Fusion Pro for Mac or VMWare Workstation Pro for PC for free. VMWare still requires commercial customers to pay for a license, but the company has vastly […]
The post VMware Pro apps are now free for personal use (virtualization for Windows, Mac, and Linux) appeared first on Liliputing.
Biden cranks up the heat on China with wall of tech tariffs
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
It’s not just EVs – semiconductors, batteries, and solar cells all hiked
The Biden administration’s Chinese tariff hikes were formally announced on Tuesday including, among other items, a doubling on semiconductors and solar cells and a more than tripling on batteries.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/us_china_tariff_hikes/
Sable Offshore Plans October Start Time for Refugio Pipeline
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Santa Barbara County permit planners are examining the transfer to ownership from ExxonMobil.
The post Sable Offshore Plans October Start Time for Refugio Pipeline appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/15/sable-offshore-plans-october-start-time-for-refugio-pipeline/
Article Spotlight: Scientists Unlock Mysteries of Orangutan Communication
date: 2024-05-15, from: PeerJ blog
Kia is offering up to $12,000 off 2024 EV6 and EV9 models with new discounts
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
If you’ve been eyeing a new Kia electric vehicle, now may be the perfect time to start shopping. Kia is offering up to $12,000 off 2024 EV6 and EV9 models with some of its biggest discounts yet.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/15/kia-offering-12000-off-ev6-ev9-models-new-discounts/
May 14, 2024
date: 2024-05-15, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-14-2024-9bc
AI Generated Hentai Is Viral All Over Facebook
date: 2024-05-15, from: 404 Media Group
While reporting this story, a 404 Media article about AI-generated porn was deleted by Facebook.
https://www.404media.co/ai-generated-hentai-is-viral-all-over-facebook/
Fashion for success
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
The post Fashion for success appeared first on .
Inspiration across creative mediums
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
Inspiration can come from almost anywhere, including the lavish appeal of cosmopolitan lifestyles and the hammer in the toolbox. One can see “inspo” manifest into
The post Inspiration across creative mediums appeared first on .
With Asmi 24.04, Ubuntu’s never looked so snappy (without the Snaps)
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Distro formerly known as Zinc cuts the fat, rather than just replacing it
The latest version of Teejeetech’s take on Ubuntu offers what many users wish Canonical did – natively packaged Firefox and the choice of whether to use Snap, Flatpak, or neither.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/asmi_2404_ubuntu_without_snap/
US will send an unofficial delegation as Taiwan’s president is sworn in
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
WASHINGTON — The White House will send an unofficial delegation to Taiwan this weekend for the inauguration of the island’s democratically elected president, the Biden administration announced Wednesday, in a move that is certain to upset China but unlikely to draw excessive responses from Beijing as the two countries try to stabilize relations.
A senior White House official said the move is in line with longstanding U.S. practice to send the delegation — which includes two former senior officials and a scholar — to the inauguration ceremony Monday. Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party will take office, succeeding Tsai Ing-wen of the same party.
Beijing, which sees Taiwan as part of Chinese territory and vows to seize the island by force if necessary to achieve unification, sees Lai as a supporter of Taiwan’s independence and has long opposed any official contact between Washington and Taipei.
“In what ways the U.S. deals with the new Taiwan authorities on May 20 and afterwards will affect (the) cross-Strait situation and also the China-U.S. relations in the future,” Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said Tuesday before the announcement, referring to the Taiwan Strait.
“So we urge the U.S. side to act on President Biden’s commitment of not supporting Taiwan independence,” he said.
The U.S. delegation will be in Taipei “to represent the American people,” the White House official told reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the trip before it was announced. The official called Taiwan “a model for democracy not only in the region but also globally.”
Despite an absence of formal relations with Taiwan, the U.S. is the island’s strongest ally and is obligated under a 1979 law to help Taiwan protect itself from invasion.
It’s unclear how Beijing would respond to an unofficial U.S. delegation at the Taiwanese inauguration, but “Beijing will be the provocateur should it choose to respond with additional military pressure or coercion,” the U.S. official said, adding that the administration is not predicting how China would respond.
Beijing has repeatedly warned Washington not to meddle with Taiwan’s affairs, which it says are a core interest for China because it is a matter of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Beijing sees Washington’s support for Taiwan as provocative.
The U.S. insists any differences be resolved peacefully and opposes any unilateral changes by either side to the status quo. “We do not support Taiwan independence,” the administration official said. “We support cross-Strait dialogue.”
Taiwan has topped the agenda in U.S.-China relations, which have soured over issues ranging from trade, cybersecurity and human rights to spying. The Biden administration, in its competition with China, has engaged in “intense diplomacy” aimed at preventing tensions from spiraling out of control.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have recently visited China in the administration’s latest effort to keep communications open and minimize misunderstanding.
Shortly after Lai was elected in January, President Joe Biden sent an unofficial delegation to Taipei to meet Lai, drawing protests from Beijing. Members of Congress also have traveled to Taiwan to meet the president-elect. Plans are underway for a congressional delegation to visit Taiwan shortly after the inauguration.
Beijing reiterated its claim over Taiwan immediately after Lai was elected and said “the basic fact that Taiwan is part of China will not change.” Days later, Nauru, a tiny Pacific nation, severed its diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which now is recognized by 12 governments, including the Vatican.
Since then, Beijing has criticized a U.S. destroyer’s passage through the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet said the USS Halsey “conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit on May 8 through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law.”
Navy Senior Capt. Li Xi, speaking for China’s Eastern Theater Command, accused the U.S. of having “publicly hyped” the passage of the ship and said the command “organized naval and air forces to monitor” the ship’s transit.
Meanwhile, in a push to avoid Taiwan’s global recognition, Beijing said this week that it would not agree to Taiwan’s participation in this year’s World Health Assembly, an annual meeting by the World Health Organization that could boost Taiwan’s visibility on the world stage.
“China’s Taiwan region, unless given approval by the central government, has no basis, reason or right to participate in the World Health Assembly,” said Wang Wenbin, speaking for the Chinese foreign ministry.
Wang also said Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, which came into power in 2016, has been “hellbent on the separatist stance” of Taiwan’s independence and that Beijing has “sufficient reason and a solid legal basis” to bar Taiwan from the global organization.
Here’s the bipartisan delegation that the White House is sending to Taiwan this weekend:
— Laura Rosenberger, chair of the American Institute in Taiwan, a nonprofit, private corporation established under a 1979 law to manage America’s unofficial relations with Taiwan.
— Brian Deese, a former director of the National Economic Council in the Biden administration.
— Richard Armitage, a former deputy secretary of state under President George W. Bush.
— Richard Bush, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who previously served as chair of the American Institute in Taiwan.
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-15, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
GM adds the ability to power your house from one of its new EVs.
The Next Full Moon is the Flower, Corn, or Corn Planting Moon
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
The Next Full Moon is the Flower, Corn, or Corn Planting Moon; the Milk Moon; the Hare’s Moon; and Vesak, Buddha Jayanti, or Buddha Purnima. The next full Moon will be on Thursday morning, May 23, 2024, at 9:53 AM EDT. This will be Friday morning from the Lord Howe Island time zone (just east […]
Au revoir to Woodland Hills, bonjour to Paris
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
Equipped with hard-earned French language skills, two Pierce College students will be landing in Paris for their first time this July. Casynee Caukin and Alexander
The post Au revoir to Woodland Hills, bonjour to Paris appeared first on .
DWeb Fellows: Where Are They Now? (Part 1)
date: 2024-05-15, from: Internet Archive Blog
Since the program kicked off in 2019, the DWeb Fellowship has welcomed 62 fellows from more than 20 countries across five continents, spanning North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania.
Recently, I had the opportunity to reconnect with some of the DWeb Fellows from previous cohorts. We caught up on how we’ve been since our last encounter, delved into our current projects, and reminisced about our shared experiences at DWeb Camp.
https://blog.archive.org/2024/05/15/dweb-fellows-where-are-they-now-part-1/
Revolutionary New Google Feature Hidden Under ‘More’ Tab Shows Links to Web Pages
date: 2024-05-15, from: 404 Media Group
If you’re looking for search results from the search engine, you’ll need to navigate to a new filter and bypass all the AI-generated junk.
https://www.404media.co/google-search-web-filter-ai-overview/
Midpen delays decision on possible closure of Bear Creek Stables
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Horse boarders speak out in favor of maintaining facility.
Lucid CEO Says Chinese Automakers Are Way Behind Tesla On EV Tech
date: 2024-05-15, from: Inside EVs News
Peter Rawlinson said that even though Chinese EVs should not be underestimated, they aren’t as advanced as Tesla.
https://insideevs.com/news/719744/lucid-ceo-chinese-ev-tech/
Students take the spotlight
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
As the lights dimmed, the first performer—a singer—took the stage. The Applied Music Program (AMP) at Pierce College held their first recital of the semester
The post Students take the spotlight appeared first on .
Family of Angelo Quinto, a man who died at hands of Antioch police officers, agrees to $7.5 million settlement with city
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Quinto passed out while being restrained by police and died three days later.
AYN Odin 2 Mini handheld game console coming soon
date: 2024-05-15, from: Liliputing
The AYN Odin 2 Mini is an upcoming handheld game console from the makers of the AYN Odin and Loki line of devices. The name suggests that this model will be a smaller version of the Odin 2 that launched last summer, but the new version also features a new body with rounded sides and […]
The post AYN Odin 2 Mini handheld game console coming soon appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/ayn-odin-2-mini-handheld-game-console-coming-soon/
Pac-12 hires executive to turn what remains of Pac-12 Networks into a profit source for next era
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Michael Molinari, a longtime producer for the Pac-12 Networks, has been tasked with find new business and preparing Pac-12 Enterprises for the next era.
Robert Fico, Slovakia’s populist prime minister, returned to power on a pro-Russian platform
date: 2024-05-15, from: Associated Press, World News
Prime Minister Robert Fico returned to power in Slovakia last year. Having previously served twice as prime minister, from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018, the 59-year-old’s third term made him the longest-serving head of government in Slovakia’s history.
https://apnews.com/article/robert-fico-slovakia-shot-prime-minister-751051f2a36391919790c62d664a5e6d
Earth’s Magnetic Field Nearly Collapsed 600 Million Years Ago. Then, Weird and Complex Life Evolved
date: 2024-05-15, from: Smithsonian Magazine
A new study suggests more solar radiation reached Earth while the magnetic field weakened, leading to a rise in oxygen that drove an explosion of multicellular organisms during the Ediacaran Period
Intel’s Thunderbolt Share lets you connect two PCs with a Thunderbolt cable for PC-to-PC features
date: 2024-05-15, from: Liliputing
Thunderbolt ports enable high-speed connections between devices. But up until now, that’s mean you could use a Thunderbolt cable to connect storage, graphics cards, or docking stations to a PC. Soon you’ll also be able to use Thunderbolt to connect one PC to another, thanks to Intel’s new Thunderbolt Share platform. This lets you quickly sync […]
The post Intel’s Thunderbolt Share lets you connect two PCs with a Thunderbolt cable for PC-to-PC features appeared first on Liliputing.
Getting the lei of the land
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
Ribbons took the form of leis as they encircled students at the Multicultural Center on May 7. More than 40 students attended the lei-making event
The post Getting the lei of the land appeared first on .
Dublin debauchery derails Portal to NYC in six days flat
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Webcam art installation quickly descended into public Chatroulette
Doomed internet cesspits Omegle and Chatroulette should have been warning enough of what happens when a webcam is placed between random strangers, yet the Portal art project linking New York City to Dublin didn’t last a week before being shut down.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/dublin_new_york_portal/
Tesla Is Going All-Out To Convince Shareholders To Approve Musk’s $56 Billion Pay
date: 2024-05-15, from: Inside EVs News
Plus, Tesla insiders reveal more on the Supercharging team layoff and Cruise will pay at least $8 million to a pedestrian it injured.
https://insideevs.com/news/719761/tesla-strategic-advisor-musk-pay/
Streetbeat: What mode of transportation do you use to get to campus, and why?
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
“I take the bus because the school was nice enough to offer a free TAP card, so now my transportation is easier and
The post Streetbeat: What mode of transportation do you use to get to campus, and why? appeared first on .
Avoid the headaches, ride public
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
Have you ever told yourself you would put gas in the morning when driving home only to regret it because you are now running late?
The post Avoid the headaches, ride public appeared first on .
Hayward: Man was killed Jan. 31 in shooting that was previously undisclosed to the public
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Shortly after the shooting, two women pulled up in a car and told police that one of them had killed the man in self-defense.
Prices went up in April, but inflation still cooled
date: 2024-05-15, from: Marketplace Morning Report
The consumer price index is up 3.4% in a year, and — setting aside volatile food and fuels costs — the CPI increase over 12 months was the lowest in three years. For people fervently hoping interest rates will go down sooner rather than later, this is good news. But can there be too much slowing? We dig in. Plus, we’ll hear how the economy of Necoclí, Colombia, has shifted to serve migrants stopping there.
The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Joe Rush of Florida. Give now and double your impact.
This Stretched and Lifted Custom Mudding ATV Is Absolutely Bonkers
date: 2024-05-15, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Tons of fab work to the frame, suspension upgrades, and a turbocharger make this thing one of a kind.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719532/custom-mudder-big-wheel-atv/
Mullen secures $150 million financing deal, production Bollinger is a go
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
Commercial EV manufacturer Mullen has scored a $150 million capital infusion that will allow it to expand its domestic and international sales efforts – and put Bollinger’s beefy electric trucks into series production.
News Briefs – May 15, 2024
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
Finals Prep Coffee & Jazz: On Monday, May 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., students can check into Room 5112 in the Multicultural Center
The post News Briefs – May 15, 2024 appeared first on .
Many master’s degrees aren’t worth the investment, research shows
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
Mercedes-Benz Cancels Next-Gen Platform For EQS, EQE EVs: Report
date: 2024-05-15, from: Inside EVs News
Poor sales of the current generation of top-spec EVs prompted the German automaker to cut back on investments.
https://insideevs.com/news/719738/mercedes-benz-cancels-next-large-ev-platform-eqs-eqe-report/
Bay Area consumer prices hop higher as pace of inflation worsens
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
The inflation rate in the Bay Area as measured by consumer prices rose at a faster pace in April compared with the last several months.
Meet Pi-CARD: Serving up a digital assistant on Raspberry Pi
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
LLMs running on a dedicated card: The final frontier as hacker makes it so
Consider your wish for an AI digital assistant that runs locally and offline officially granted. Not by a major industry player, naturally – your personal data is too enticing – but by a guy on GitHub who built one to run on a Raspberry Pi. …
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/picard_offline_digital_assistant/
Academic Senate discusses student and faculty input on budget
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
Associated Student Organization (ASO), athletic programs and learning outcomes were among the topics discussed during the May 6 Academic Senate meeting in Building 600. But
The post Academic Senate discusses student and faculty input on budget appeared first on .
Voters narrowly support upping parcel tax for Los Gatos, Saratoga high schools
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Early returns show measure barely has necessary two-thirds vote.
Good Night, Moon
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
The waning gibbous moon stands out against the dark backdrop of space in this April 26, 2024, image from the International Space Station. Waning gibbous is one of eight moon phases, occurring after the full moon. The Sun always illuminates half of the Moon while the other half remains dark, but how much we can […]
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/good-night-moon-2/
NIO undercuts Tesla Model Y with new $30,000 L60 EV, kicking off cheaper Onvo brand
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
Chinese EV maker NIO launched the first EV under its new mass-market Onvo brand Wednesday. The new Onvo L60 electric SUV will rival Tesla’s best-selling Model Y at a cheaper starting price. Starting at just $30,500 (219,900 yuan), can NIO’s new electric SUV compete with the Model Y?
https://electrek.co/2024/05/15/nio-undercuts-tesla-model-y-new-30000-onvo-brand-ev/
Old Hollywood glamour sizzles at National Portrait Gallery exhibit
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
He captured the most famous faces in 1930s and early ’40s cinema — Garbo, Crawford, Bogart and Gable. Now the work of George Hurrell, one of Hollywood’s greatest portrait photographers, is on display at Washington’s National Portrait Gallery. For VOA News, Cristina Caicedo Smit has the story. Videographer: Hakim Shammo; Video editor: Cristina Caicedo Smit
Streetbeat: What makes for a good commencement speech for graduating community college students?
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Round Up (Peirce College Student Paper)
“I think someone graduating should demonstrate how they have changed and how they work, and how they’ve grown as a worker but also
The post Streetbeat: What makes for a good commencement speech for graduating community college students? appeared first on .
After announcing more job cuts, Tesla board rallies retail investors to vote for Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Directors have hired an adviser and launched a website to secure the CEO’s compensation.
Veeam adds support for VMware alternative Proxmox to its backup software
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Another push for backup buyers uneasy about Broadcom buy
Data protection outfit Veeam has confirmed it is to add support for the open source virtualization platform Proxmox, bringing more backing behind the VMware alternative.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/veeam_adds_support_for_vmware/
Elon Musk claims Tesla’s next Full Self-Driving update drives ‘5 to 10x more miles per intervention’
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
Elon Musk claims that Tesla’s next “Supervised Full Self-Driving” (FSD) software update will result in a “5 to 10x improvement in miles per intervention.”
It would be a game changer if true.
Hubble Views the Dawn of a Sun-like Star
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
Looking like a glittering cosmic geode, a trio of dazzling stars blaze from the hollowed-out cavity of a reflection nebula in this new image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The triple-star system is made up of the variable star HP Tau, HP Tau G2, and HP Tau G3. HP Tau is known as a T […]
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubble-views-the-dawn-of-a-sun-like-star/
Space Physics and Space Weather Scientist Dr. Yihua (Eva) Zheng
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
“I grew up in China. In China, everybody talks about what they want to be [when they grow up]. Many want to grow up to be a scientist or engineer. So I aspired to be a scientist from an early age. “… For the girls or women in science — or in any profession or […]
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/space-physics-and-space-weather-scientist-dr-yihua-eva-zheng/
A Kennedy for president viewed as potential spoiler
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
There is little that the presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Joe Biden agree on. One is the presidential candidacy of an activist lawyer with a famous political pedigree: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. VOA’s chief national correspondent Steve Herman at the White House reports both the Biden and Trump camps see Kennedy as a potential spoiler in this November’s election. VOA footage and video editing by Adam Greenbaum.
https://www.voanews.com/a/a-kennedy-for-president-viewed-as-a-potential-spoiler/7613061.html
Suspect in East Bay shooting deaths charged with two counts of murder
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Authorities found the bodies May 4 during a welfare check.
Driver in 2021 fatal Contra Costa DUI crash sentenced to one year
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
Katriece Irving pleaded no contest to a drunk driving charge, and vehicular manslaughter charges were dismissed.
Northern lights may be visible across Northern California this weekend. Why are they so active right now?
date: 2024-05-15, from: San Jose Mercury News
A series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections from the sun have the potential to create dazzling auroras that may be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California but also disrupt communications on Earth tonight and over the weekend
Podcast: Why the Solar Storm Broke Tractors and GPS
date: 2024-05-15, from: 404 Media Group
A special on John Deere this week, followed by another two stories on Amazon.
https://www.404media.co/podcast-why-the-solar-storm-broke-tractors-and-gps/
Can A Motorcyclist Without Any Experience Run The World’s Largest Enduro?
date: 2024-05-15, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Are a couple of months of training enough to conquer this challenge?
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719662/gotland-enduro-race-firsttime-rider/
Tesla FSD Trial Convinced Just 2% Of Users To Pay For It, Credit Card Data Shows (UPDATE)
date: 2024-05-15, from: Inside EVs News
The company’s marketing campaign might have been a dud.
https://insideevs.com/news/719709/tesla-fsd-trial-low-conversion-rate/
OpenAI co-founder to depart ChatGPT
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Sutskever leaves behind mysterious message on next venture
Co-founder and Chief Scientist at OpenAI, Ilya Sutskever, has announced he is leaving the company and posted a mysterious message about what might be next.…
BFGoodrich’s New T/A KO3 Off-Road Tire Will Let You Go Anywhere
date: 2024-05-15, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Baja, here we come.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719659/bfgoodrich-bfg-ko3/
Thanks To Wall Street, There Goes The Neighborhood
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Lever News
Lawmakers are targeting investors’ tightening grip on the single-family housing market, but a powerful new lobbying army is fighting back.
https://www.levernews.com/thanks-to-wall-street-there-goes-the-neighborhood/
Japan may need 50% more electricity for hungry, hungry AI and chip fabs
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
While Tokyo pours billions into revitalizing chipmaking sector, it might want to check out the grid
Japan reckons it may need to generate 50 percent more electricity by 2050 because of growing local demand from chipmaking and datacenters running AI. The move follows a warning by DigitalBridge that it may run out of power within two years.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/japan_electricity/
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-15, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
A friend from Calif is visiting NYC in July. I used ChatGPT for ideas about where to stay and where to visit for food and entertainment. This is far in advance of what we had before AI.
https://chatgpt.com/share/c0ba5f6d-fa63-4ff3-99d6-22b6a6e397e8?oai-dm=1
This New e-Bike Has An Astonishing 90 Miles of Range
date: 2024-05-15, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Quietkat’s revolutions don’t stop with the Apex’s range, though.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719649/quietkat-apex-hd-ebike-bicycle-debut-price-range/
Brexit border system outage puts perishable goods transport in peril
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Saturday’s power failures toppled border-check system offline
A power outage affecting one of the IT systems used to process imports to the UK has caused delays to perishable goods crossing the border, which businesses have described as a “disaster.”…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/brexit_border_system_outage_put/
An Affordable Diarrhea Treatment Could Save Thousands of Children’s Lives
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: RAND blog
Diarrhea kills by dehydration. The discovery that salts plus glucose and water can keep patients alive has been hailed as one of the greatest medical advances of the past century. Yet health care providers from south Asia to sub-Saharan Africa don’t prescribe them enough.
Google now offers ‘web’ search — and an “AI” opt-out button
date: 2024-05-15, from: OS News
This is not a joke: Google will now let you perform a “web” search. It’s rolling out “web” searches now, and in my early tests on desktop, it’s looking like it could be an incredibly popular change to Google’s search engine. The optional setting filters out almost all the other blocks of content that Google crams into a search results page, leaving you with links and text — and Google confirms to The Verge that it will block the company’s new AI Overviews as well. ↫ Sean Hollister at The Verge I hate what the web has become.
https://www.osnews.com/story/139691/google-now-offers-web-search-and-an-ai-opt-out-button/
Honda’s Working On A Bunch Of Advanced Motorcycle Safety Aids
date: 2024-05-15, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
It’s combining the power of radar and stereo cameras for the ultimate adaptive cruise control system.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719552/honda-camera-based-adaptive-cruise-control/
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-15, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Fox News and the MAGA media are lining up their shot at American democracy.
We Want These New Vespa Scooters And Clothing Collections, Dang It!
date: 2024-05-15, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Italian drip from head to handgrips.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719654/vespa-new-primavera-sprint-china/
Grant Pays DACA Renewal Costs For Community College Students, Though Many Don’t Know
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The LAist
It currently costs $555 to renew the permit online and $605 to renew it by mail.
https://laist.com/news/education/free-daca-renewal-california-community-colleges
Why an important inflation measures leaves out borrowing costs
date: 2024-05-15, from: Marketplace Morning Report
The consumer price index comes out later this morning. It’s designed to measure inflation but ignores one of the biggest categories of price increases hitting consumers: the cost of borrowing money. We’ll unpack why that’s the case. Also, a bipartisan group of Senators wants the federal government to spend $30 billion to address artificial intelligence development. Then, school districts face tough choices as pandemic funding ends
The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Joe Rush of Florida. Give now and double your impact.
Why an important inflation measure leaves out borrowing costs
date: 2024-05-15, from: Marketplace Morning Report
The consumer price index comes out later this morning. It’s designed to measure inflation but ignores one of the biggest categories of price increases hitting consumers: the cost of borrowing money. We’ll unpack why that’s the case. Also, a bipartisan group of Senators wants the federal government to spend $30 billion to address artificial intelligence development. Then, school districts face tough choices as pandemic funding ends
The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Joe Rush of Florida. Give now and double your impact.
Google thinks AI can Google better than you can
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Multimodal models promise machines can do more – if you let them
In the future, “Google will do the Googling for you” – or so suggests Liz Reid, VP of search.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/google_ai_developer/
Bohdan Troschynsky pushed new project branch bohdan at Felix Oliver Friedrich / Oberon A2
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: Oberon A2 at CAS
Bohdan Troschynsky (42c7892f) at 15 May 13:38
Added small library and example how to use, for extending Reflectio…
https://gitlab.inf.ethz.ch/felixf/oberon/-/commits/bohdan
onX’s ‘Adventure Forever Grants’ Aim to Keep Public Lands Public
date: 2024-05-15, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Public land is under threat by state and federal governments. onX is doing its best to keep it in our hands.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719645/onx-adventure-forever-land-grants-submissions/
Blinken pledges US support for Ukraine in Kyiv visit
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/blinken-pledges-us-support-for-ukraine-in-kyiv-visit-/7612888.html
Last Summer Was the Hottest in 2,000 Years
date: 2024-05-15, from: Heatmap News
Current conditions: Wildfires continue to burn out of control in western Canada • An early season heat wave will bring record high temperatures to parts of Florida • One in eight Europeans now live in an area at risk of flooding.
THE TOP FIVE
- Study: Last summer was the hottest in 2,000 years
We already know that last summer was the hottest “on record” – but those records only really go back to the 1850s or so. A new study published in the journal Nature looks further into the past and concludes that last summer was the warmest in some 2,000 years in the Northern Hemisphere. To reach this conclusion, researchers examined thousands of tree rings, which offer clues about a year’s temperature and moisture levels. The tree ring data suggests last summer was about 4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the average temperature of the years 1 AD to 1890 AD. The study warns that summer 2024 could be even warmer than 2023.
A separate study out yesterday concluded that Southeast Asia’s intense April heat wave was fueled by man-caused climate change. In the Philippines, for example, a 15-day heat wave pushed the heat index to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, disrupting daily life and forcing many schools to close. This extreme weather would have been “impossible” without climate change, the study found.
- House Democrats launch probe into Trump’s meeting with Big Oil execs
House Democrats have launched an investigation into a recent Mar-a-Lago dinner where former President Donald Trump reportedly asked Big Oil bosses to put $1 billion toward his 2024 presidential campaign and promised to roll back some environmental rules should he win back the White House. The House oversight committee sent letters to oil executives from Cheniere Energy, Chesapeake Energy, Chevron, Continental Resources, EQT Corporation, ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, Venture Global and the American Petroleum Institute. They want the companies to list who attended the meeting, provide copies of any documents distributed, describe any policies that were discussed, and disclose any contributions made to Trump’s campaign during or after the dinner, according to The Washington Post. The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, gave the executives a deadline of May 27 to turn over information, but the committee’s investigative powers are limited by the GOP’s control of the House. “If the oil companies decline to turn over the information, Democrats will not be able to subpoena the firms, stymying their investigation,” explained the Post.
- Trump chides Biden on new Chinese EV tariffs
President Biden confirmed yesterday that he is imposing a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles, as well as tariff increases on other clean energy technologies including lithium batteries, solar cells, and critical minerals. Former President Trump, speaking from outside the New York courtroom where his hush money trial is taking place, said: “Where have they been for three-and-a-half years? They should have done it a long time ago.”
There is no equivalence between Biden’ tariffs and the 10% across the board tariff on all imported goods from all countries that Trump has proposed, wrote Heatmap’s Robinson Meyer. “Biden’s new tariffs focus on certain strategic sectors that American officials believe the country must cultivate to stay at the technological frontier, coupled with pre-existing subsidies meant to spur domestic production of those goods. Some of the tariffs only kick in beginning in 2026 — far enough in the future, policymakers hope, for the market to prepare. Trump’s tariffs, meanwhile, would intentionally and chaotically hike prices.”
Get Heatmap AM directly in your inbox every morning:
- DOE offers Plug Power $1.66 billion conditional loan for green
hydrogen plants
The Department of Energy yesterday offered Plug Power a conditional commitment of $1.66 billion in loan guarantees to build up to six clean hydrogen plants that use the company’s electrolyzer technology. The hydrogen would “power fuel cell-electric vehicles used in the material handling, transportation, and industrial sectors, resulting in an estimated 84% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional hydrogen production,” the DOE announcement said. Most hydrogen production uses fossil fuels to run an electrolyzer that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. But clean hydrogen relies on electrolyzers powered by renewable sources – or natural gas with carbon capture. The Biden administration sees clean hydrogen as a key part of its push to decarbonize heavy industry. The deal isn’t done yet – Plug will have to prove its projects will benefit local communities and “satisfy certain technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions” before the loan goes ahead. But the news sent Plug’s stock soaring nonetheless.
- California officials pause solar geoengineering study over safety
concerns
In case you missed it earlier this week (I did!), officials in California have ordered researchers to stop using an aerosol sprayer to test a potential solar geoengineering process for cooling the planet, The New York Times reported. The Cloud Aerosol Research Instrument, or CARI, sits on the flight deck of the Hornet, a decommissioned aircraft carrier in Alameda, California. It sprays sea salt aerosol particles into the air, a process that could one day be used to brighten clouds and reflect the sun’s rays. This experiment, which began in early April, marked the first time such a device had been tested outdoors in the U.S. But the city of Alameda told the scientists to stop their research until the health and environmental impacts of the experiment can be evaluated. “The city is evaluating the chemical compounds in the spray to determine if they are a hazard either inhaled in aerosol form by humans and animals, or landing on the ground or in the bay,” city officials said.
THE KICKER
Police in the U.K. could soon carry “Ghostbusters-style devices” that use electromagnetic rays to stop e-bike engines if a rider is suspected of being involved in a crime.
https://heatmap.news/climate/summer-2023-hottest-2000-years
How migration changed the economy of a Colombian town
date: 2024-05-15, from: Marketplace Morning Report
From the BBC World Service: Roughly 500,000 migrants traveled through dense jungles on the Colombia-Panama border last year, according to the United Nations. We’ll hear how businesses in a beach town have shifted their focus to cater to the new arrivals. Plus, China vowed to retaliate against President Biden’s significant tariffs on some Chinese imports. Meanwhile, Russia’s President Putin spoke of his country’s close ties to China ahead of a visit to Beijing.
The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Joe Rush of Florida. Give now and double your impact.
Amazon-Owned Zoox Self-Driving Vehicles Involved in Two Motorcycle Crashes
date: 2024-05-15, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
If you find yourself riding behind a Zoox self-driving vehicle, keep your distance. At least until the NHTSA investigation is resolved.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719665/zoox-self-driving-motorcycle-crashes/
Penske signs on to demo and sell a customized version of REE’s P7-C electric truck
date: 2024-05-15, from: Electrek Feed
Commercial EV technology developer REE Automotive has added some clout to its growing order book as global transportation provider Penske has signed on to help demonstrate the former’s PC-7 electric truck to its customers and help facilitate sales.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/15/penske-to-demo-sell-customized-version-ree-p7-c-electric-truck/
PeerJ Award Winners at the 7th International Zooplankton Production Symposium
date: 2024-05-15, from: PeerJ blog
We are living in the Anthropocene. Our oceans are warmer, more acidic, have widespread plastic and other pollution, and are subjected to increasing exploitation including overfishing. Zooplankton play a pivotal role in our oceans, as grazers of primary production, as drivers of carbon and nutrient cycles, and as prey for higher trophic level consumers including […]
Raspberry Pi prepares to boot up a London listing
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
The little computer that could gets ready for an IPO
Raspberry Pi Ltd is considering an Initial Public Offering and today published figures showing just how important commercial customers have become to the company.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/raspberry_pi_perpares_to_boot/
Miniature poodle Sage fetches top prize at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
NEW YORK — A sprightly miniature poodle named Sage was crowned “Best in Show” on Tuesday at the 148th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, winning the grand prize in the most prestigious competition among pure-bred canines in the United States.
Sage, the finalist representing 21 breeds classified as non-sporting dogs, triumphed over more than 2,500 top-ranked dogs competing in the two-day contest, held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Queens borough of New York City.
Sage, a 4-year-old black-colored female groomed in the fine, fluffy topiary style traditional for poodles, competed head to head against the winners in six other groups — terriers, hounds, herding dogs, working dogs, sporting dogs and toy dogs.
She was the first female to win the top prize at Westminster since 2020, according to commentators on the Fox Sports channel, which broadcast the event live.
And she became the fourth miniature poodle to claim the top prize in the 148-year history of the contest, with the trophy previously going to her breed in 1943, 1959 and 2002, according to kennel club records.
The larger “standard” poodle breed has been declared Best in Show five times, most recently in 2020, and the smaller “toy” poodle breed has won twice.
The poodle originated as a hunting dog in Germany and is now recognized as the national dog of France.
Sage’s handler, Kaz Hosaka, cried tears of joy and carried his prized poodle in his arms around floor of the auditorium to cheers of the crowd as he celebrated what he said was his 45th year participating at the Westminster dog show and the last of his career.
The Westminster dog show bills itself as the second-oldest U.S. sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby thoroughbred horse race. This year’s competition drew a field of contenders representing 200 breeds from all 50 U.S. states and 12 other countries.
Mercedes, a female 4-year-old German shepherd, was named runner-up for the overall contest, after first winning the top prize in the herding dog group.
Along with Sage and Mercedes, the two other finalists chosen on Monday were Comet the Shih Tzu, representing the toy group, and Louis, the Afghan hound leading the hound group.
Rounding out the finalists were three group winners chosen on Tuesday - Micah the black cocker spaniel, representing sporting dogs; Monty, the giant schnauzer, leading the working dogs; and Frankie, a colored bull terrier from the terrier group.
IMF boss warns of AI ‘tsunami’ coming for world’s jobs
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
‘A series of large ocean waves caused by a sudden and powerful disturbance,’ according to ChatGPT
International Monetary Fund managing director Dr Kristalina Georgieva has warned of a “tsunami” hitting the global labor market as businesses adopt AI technologies.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/imf_boss_ai_tsunami/
Binoculars: A Great First Telescope
date: 2024-05-15, from: NASA breaking news
Do you want to peer deeper into the night sky? Are you feeling the urge to buy a telescope? There are so many options for budding astronomers that choosing one can be overwhelming. A first telescope should be easy to use and provide good quality views while being affordable. As it turns out, those requirements […]
Jim de Bree | A Vote Based on Flawed Reasoning
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Signal
Stephen Maseda (letters, March 30) recently took exception to my comments about Rep. Mike Garcia’s vote against certifying the Arizona Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, 2021. When Mr. Maseda […]
The post Jim de Bree | A Vote Based on Flawed Reasoning appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/jim-de-bree-a-vote-based-on-flawed-reasoning/
Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ here at last with a $12 price tag
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Speedy storage for your Pi 5
The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ has finally put in an appearance, allowing Pi 5 owners to connect M.2 M-key peripherals to their computers and take advantage of NVMe drives.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/raspberry_pi_m2_hat/
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-15, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Jalen Brunson drops 44 as Knicks blow out Pacers in Game 5.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40149244/jalen-brunson-drops-44-knicks-blow-pacers-game-5
It Was a Big Week for the Power Grid
date: 2024-05-15, from: Heatmap News
Transmission has been one of the biggest obstacles of decarbonizing the power grid in America. In the past week, however, the country has taken two big steps toward finally removing it.
Last week, the Department of Energy published a list of 10 high-priority areas for grid development, called National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors, designed to help accelerate some of the most annoying aspects of the siting process. Then on Monday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission passed a new rule directing grid planners to take a longer view on what America’s future electricity needs will look like.
On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with two special guests — Maria Robinson, who leads the Energy Department’s Grid Deployment Office, and Heatmap reporter Matthew Zeitlin — about what these measures mean for the Biden administration’s climate policy and how soon we might see new power lines get built. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University.
Subscribe to “Shift Key” and find this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Here is an excerpt from our conversation:
Robinson Meyer: Wow. Okay. So basically, any — so can I just back up for a second? I think, first of all, I just want to go: Wow. So all of, the whole power we’re talking about today is very important. There’s nothing else like it in the federal government. But also, you’re going to have to do a whole NEPA process on it?
Maria Robinson: Yes, so we’re going to have to do a whole NEPA process for each one of these areas that we’re designating for NIETCs. And then the other part of this is that if they access some funding, they’re going to have to do another NEPA process. And if they access backstop siting at a FERC, you may have to do another NEPA process. And I know Congress is investigating a couple of remedies to that.
Jesse Jenkins: So that’s pretty important. Because the goal here is to try to accelerate the development of transmission, which is critical to tap into the best wind and solar resources across the country that can help lower electricity costs and help decarbonize the grid to meet the growing need for electricity. That’s coming from data centers, as listeners have heard here on Shift Key, from electrification of vehicles, hydrogen production, etc. So we’ve got a big pressure to increase the electricity supply in the country. And, you know, the cheapest resources are renewables, but we’ve got to be able to plug them into the grid.
So if this process is going to … designating these NIETCs and then ultimately getting transmission lines built out within them, with access to federal support for financing and backstop siting authority, is going to play out over a multi-year NEPA process — or several of them — how quickly could we realistically expect to start seeing transmission lines built within some of these corridors?
Maria Robinson: What’s great about the cohort — and this is just our very first cohort of those named national transmission corridors. We anticipate that we’ll open up applications again, maybe as soon as this fall, for another round, as well, depending on how many we move forward with to do full NEPA on. It really depends on our ability to get all of that NEPA done.
But some of these are really ready for prime time. Some of them are just looking for some additional financing. And are looking at construction dates as soon as, say, 2028, 2029, which in the grand scheme of things for transmission is relatively soon.
This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by…
Watershed’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com.
FischTank PR uses its decade-plus experience working in the climate tech space to introduce clients to top-tier journalists at the right time, for the right story. We don’t tire-spin — we take action and understand we are hired to get results. To learn more, visit fischtankpr.com.
Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow.
https://heatmap.news/podcast/shift-key-episode-16-ferc-nietc-grid-transmission
Mortgage Brokers Sent People’s Estimated Credit, Address, and Veteran Status to Facebook
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Markup blog
More than 200 national and regional lenders share sensitive user data with Facebook. Experts say it might be illegal
Chaos and tension at OpenAI
date: 2024-05-15, from: Gary Marcus blog
Safety seems to be taking a back seat
https://garymarcus.substack.com/p/chaos-and-tension-at-openai
Global EV sales continue to increase, but Plug-in Hybrid momentum is growing
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
PHEVs make a lot of sense for traditional automakers faced with battery-powered losses
Global passenger electric vehicle (EV) sales have continued to grow. However, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales have significantly increased year-on-year, leaving their battery-only counterparts trailing.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/global_ev_sales_continue_to/
Off-grid, offline digital libraries on Raspberry Pi 3
date: 2024-05-15, from: Raspberry Pi News (.com)
ASU engineering students designed a new charging controller for SolarSPELL’s solar-powered offline libraries.
The post Off-grid, offline digital libraries on Raspberry Pi 3 appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/off-grid-offline-digital-libraries-on-raspberry-pi-3/
Office Hours: A convicted criminal for president?
date: 2024-05-15, from: Robert Reich on Substack
Friends, In a few weeks, Donald Trump may be a convicted criminal. It’s hardly a sure thing, of course. All he needs for a mistrial is one holdout juror. But the evidence so far seems overwhelming and damning. So we have to face a daunting reality. For the first time in history, a convicted criminal may be the nominee of one of our major parties and on November’s presidential ballot.
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/office-hours-272
Ukrainian troops pull out of some areas and Zelenskyy postpones foreign trips amid Russian offensive
date: 2024-05-15, from: Associated Press, World News
Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from some parts of the country’s northeast and were battling Russian troops in other areas.
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-blinken-crimea-30c152149f68bbe03c485ce91df6e7ae
The Savvy Senior | How to Find a Good Doctor
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Signal
Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some good resources to help me locate some quality doctors in my area? I’m looking for an orthopedic doctor for my 77-year-old mother […]
The post The Savvy Senior | How to Find a Good Doctor appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/the-savvy-senior-how-to-find-a-good-doctor/
When AI helps you code, who owns the finished product?
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
It’s not settled law. And it’s going to mean trouble
Opinion I’ve been writing software for almost half a century, and my recent experiences with AI suggest that developers may soon find ourselves in a very sticky situation.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/15/ai_coding_complications/
Classifieds – May 15, 2024
date: 2024-05-15, 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 – May 15, 2024 appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/05/15/classifieds-may-15-2024/
Today in SCV History (May 15)
date: 2024-05-15, from: SCV New (TV Station)
1969 – Board of Trustees selects “College of the Canyons” name. [story
https://scvnews.com/today-in-scv-history-may-15/
No, the kids are not alright
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
It shouldn’t be Generation Z’s responsibility to save the world.
The post No, the kids are not alright appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/05/15/no-the-kids-are-not-alright/
‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is sweet, epic
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Apes battle as audiences grapple with history, supremacy and legacy in 20th Century Studios’ newest sci-fi offering.
The post ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is sweet, epic appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/05/15/kingdom-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-is-sweet-epic/
The Met Gala and menswear
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
It feels like men’s fashion always takes second place in the fashion world.
The post The Met Gala and menswear appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/05/15/the-met-gala-and-menswear/
‘Every Day is Halloween’: Cruel World brings the new wave sound to the Rose Bowl
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Fans flocked to Brookside at the Rose Bowl for Blondie, Duran Duran and Ministry.
The post ‘Every Day is Halloween’: Cruel World brings the new wave sound to the Rose Bowl appeared first on Daily Trojan.
USC spring sports breakdown
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
The Trojans experienced ups and downs to finish their final Pac-12 seasons.
The post USC spring sports breakdown appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/05/15/usc-spring-sports-breakdown/
We need radical feminism to address the issue of AI porn
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Computer-generated porn reflects a need for a shift in feminist thought.
The post We need radical feminism to address the issue of AI porn appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/05/15/we-need-radical-feminism-to-address-the-issue-of-ai-porn/
Meet Rancho Cucamonga’s emperor of the net
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Collin Delia’s hockey journey could have only started in California.
The post Meet Rancho Cucamonga’s emperor of the net appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/05/15/meet-rancho-cucamongas-emperor-of-the-net/
Bohdan Troschynsky joined project Felix Oliver Friedrich / Oberon A2
date: 2024-05-15, updated: 2024-05-15, from: Oberon A2 at CAS
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Gauchos Increase Home Winning Streak to 22 Games with 4-3 Victory over Saint Mary’s
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
The Gauchos are undefeated at home this season.
The post Gauchos Increase Home Winning Streak to 22 Games with 4-3 Victory over Saint Mary’s appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
May 14, 2024
date: 2024-05-15, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
Today the White House announced tariffs on certain products imported from China, including steel and aluminum products, semiconductors, electric vehicles, batteries and battery components, solar cells, ship-to-shore cranes, syringes and needles, and certain personal protective equipment (or PPE). According to the White House, these higher tariffs are designed “to protect American workers and businesses from China’s unfair trade practices.” Tariffs are essentially taxes on imported goods, and altogether the tariff hikes cover about $18 billion in imported goods.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-14-2024
Can solar and wind ever match the rollout rates of nuclear power in the 1970s and 1980s?
date: 2024-05-15, from: Hannah Richie at Substack
France and Sweden’s nuclear rates will be hard to beat, but solar power is getting there.
https://www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/solar-wind-nuclear-rates
ICC prosecutor faces demand for action against Israeli leaders and Russian attack over Putin warrant
date: 2024-05-15, from: Associated Press, World News
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor faced demands Tuesday for speedy action against Israeli leaders and a blistering Russian attack over the ICC’s arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin stemming from Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Budget Season Underway in City of Santa Barbara
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
The City Council tackles the projected $7.1 million general fund deficit, department by department.
The post Budget Season Underway in City of Santa Barbara appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/14/budget-season-underway-in-city-of-santa-barbara/
COC officials provide update on campus safety
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Signal
College of the Canyons officials presented an update on the campus safety department at last week’s Santa Clarita Community College District board of trustees meeting. The presentation was made by […]
The post COC officials provide update on campus safety appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/coc-officials-provide-update-on-campus-safety/
Administration sending $1 billion more in weapons to Israel, sources say
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, three congressional aides said Tuesday.
It’s the first arms shipment to Israel to be announced by the administration since it put another arms transfer — consisting of 3,500 bombs — on hold this month. The administration has said it paused that earlier transfer to keep Israel from using the bombs in its growing offensive in the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah.
The White House has come under criticism from both sides of the political spectrum in the U.S. over its military support for Israel’s now seven-month war against Hamas in Gaza. Some of President Joe Biden’s fellow Democrats have pushed him to limit transfers of offensive weapons to Israel to pressure the U.S. ally to do more to protect Palestinian civilians. Many Republicans condemn any lessening of military backing to Israel.
The package being sent includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the congressional aides said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an arms transfer that has not yet been made public.
There was no immediate indication when the arms would be sent. It’s not clear if this shipment is part of the long-delayed foreign aid package that Congress passed and Biden signed last month, a tranche from existing arms sale or a new sale.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the plans to move the package.
House Republicans were planning this week to advance a bill to mandate the delivery of offensive weaponry for Israel. Following Biden’s move to put a pause on bomb shipments last week, Republicans have been swift in their condemnation, arguing it represents the abandonment of the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East.
The White House said Tuesday that Biden would veto the bill if it were to pass Congress. The bill also has practically no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. But House Democrats are somewhat divided on the issue, and roughly two dozen have signed onto a letter to the Biden administration saying they were “deeply concerned about the message” sent by pausing the bomb shipment.
In addition to the written veto threat, the White House has been in touch with various lawmakers and congressional aides about the legislation, according to an administration official.
“We strongly, strongly oppose attempts to constrain the President’s ability to deploy U.S. security assistance consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week, adding that the administration plans to spend “every last cent” appropriated by Congress in the national security supplemental package that was signed into law by Biden last month.
Republicans advance Senate candidates in West Virginia, Maryland
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Republican voters advanced strong Senate contenders in Maryland and West Virginia on Tuesday, giving the party a big boost in its push to claim control of Congress’ upper chamber.
Former Governor Larry Hogan claimed the Republican nomination in what will be a marquee race in Maryland against Angela Alsobrooks, a top local official who could become the fourth Black woman in U.S. history to serve in the Senate.
Meanwhile, another popular Republican, Governor Jim Justice, won the Senate nomination in deep-red West Virginia, becoming the overwhelming favorite in the race that represents the Republicans’ best pickup opportunity in the nation.
In both states, which share a border but feature antithetical politics, the Republican nominees represent a serious challenge for Democrats in the general election as they cling to a 51-49 Senate majority and defend seats in other states that former President Donald Trump won four years ago.
At the same time, Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden sought to project strength in low-stakes presidential primaries. And further down the ballot, two people who were on opposite sides of the Jan. 6 insurrection lost their U.S. House bids — a former Capitol Police officer running in Maryland and a former West Virginia state lawmaker who participated in the riot.
In all, three states hosted statewide primary elections Tuesday — Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia — as Republicans and Democrats picked their nominees for a slate of November elections that will decide the presidency and control of Congress.
Maryland
In Maryland, Hogan gives Republicans a legitimate chance at picking up a Senate seat in the deep-blue state for the first time in more than four decades.
Hogan overcame his years-long criticism of Trump, a position that put him at odds with many Republican primary voters but will undoubtedly help him in the general election this fall. Maryland voters gave Biden a 33-point victory over Trump four years ago.
On the other side in the Senate contest, Democratic voters nominated Alsobrooks, the top official in Prince George’s County outside of Washington. The 53-year-old African American county executive had been endorsed by many of the state’s top officials, including Governor Wes Moore, Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer.
Alsobrooks prevailed after a contentious and expensive primary against U.S. Representative David Trone, a liquor store magnate who had invested more than $61 million into his unsuccessful bid.
Race was an issue in the Democratic primary and may be in the general election in the months ahead. Alsobrooks is trying to become the first Black senator from a state in which roughly one in three residents identifies as African American.
On the social media site X, Hogan congratulated Alsobrooks and said, “Voters have a clear and stark choice: more of the dysfunctional partisan status quo or real independent and bipartisan leadership.”
Alsobrooks, also posting on X, promised to “defeat Larry Hogan, keep Maryland blue, and keep our Senate under Democratic control.”
West Virginia
Justice won his primary against U.S. Representative Alex Mooney in the race to replace Senator Joe Manchin. With Manchin gone, the seat is almost guaranteed to turn red come November.
Justice, a former billionaire with a folksy personality, is wildly popular in the state. He also earned Trump’s endorsement. A former Democrat, Justice switched to the Republican Party in 2017, announcing the change at a Trump rally.
Mooney had tried to win over conservatives by labeling Justice as someone who would support Democratic policies. Justice did support Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, saying West Virginia couldn’t afford to turn away the money offered in the bill.
West Virginia is also deciding its candidates for governor. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the Republican nominee in the 2018 Senate race against Manchin, is running for the Republican nomination. He’s up against former state Representative Moore Capito, whose mother is Senator Shelley Moore Capito.
Presidential primary
Biden and Trump have already amassed enough delegates to claim the presidential nominations at their respective national conventions this summer. Yet voters on both sides hope to register a significant protest vote Tuesday that will demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the Biden-Trump rematch.
Both Biden and Trump won their primaries in West Virginia and Maryland.
Still, Maryland progressives especially unhappy with the Biden administration’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas had encouraged voters to select “uncommitted to any presidential candidate” instead of Biden. There was no uncommitted option in West Virginia or Nebraska.
Everett Bellamy, a Democrat who voted early in Annapolis, said he voted “uncommitted” instead of Biden as a protest against the killing of women and children and noncombatants in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Trump’s Republican critics cannot choose “uncommitted,” but they can choose his former Republican rival Nikki Haley, who will appear on the ballot in Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia despite formally suspending her campaign more than two months ago.
Derek Faux, an independent voter from Charleston, West Virginia, said he supported Haley, and in other Republican races, he said he voted for the candidates he believed were least like Trump.
Capitol attack
Tuesday’s elections also included two candidates who were intimately involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In Maryland, former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn was among nearly two dozen Democrats running in the state’s 3rd Congressional District. The 40-year-old Democrat lost to State Senator Sarah Elfreth.
In West Virginia, a former member of the House of Delegates, Derrick Evans, lost his bid to oust incumbent Republican Representative Carol Miller in the 1st Congressional District.
The 39-year-old Evans served a three-month jail sentence after livestreaming himself participating in the storming of the U.S. Capitol.
Other key races
In Nebraska, Republican Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts both face nominal opposition in their primaries, one of the rare occasions when both senators in a state are on the ballot at the same time. And in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, Republican U.S. Representative Don Bacon faces a challenge from his right flank.
In North Carolina, voters finalized their pick of the Trump-endorsed Brad Knott in what had become a one-person Republican primary in the state’s 13th Congressional District.
https://www.voanews.com/a/gop-advances-senate-candidates-in-west-virginia-maryland/7611657.html
Blinken reassures Ukrainians help is on the way
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has taken an unannounced trip to Ukraine to deliver what he called a strong message of reassurance, as Ukrainian forces face fierce attacks by Russia’s military in the east and await new weapons shipments from allies. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
https://www.voanews.com/a/blinken-reassures-ukrainians-help-is-on-the-way/7611645.html
Justice Department says Boeing could be prosecuted in 737 Max crashes
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
WASHINGTON — Boeing has violated a settlement that allowed the company to avoid criminal prosecution after two deadly crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft more than five years ago, the Justice Department told a federal judge on Tuesday.
It is now up to the Justice Department to decide whether to file charges against Boeing. Prosecutors will tell the court no later than July 7 how they plan to proceed, the department said.
New 737 Max jets crashed in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia, killing 346 people. Boeing reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the Justice Department in January 2021 to avoid prosecution on a single charge of fraud — misleading federal regulators who approved the plane. Boeing blamed the deception on two relatively low-level employees.
In a letter filed Tuesday in federal court in Texas, Glenn Leon, head of the Justice Department criminal division’s fraud section, said Boeing violated terms of the settlement by failing to make promised changes to detect and prevent violations of federal anti-fraud laws.
The determination means that Boeing could be prosecuted “for any federal criminal violation of which the United States has knowledge,” including the charge of fraud that the company hoped to avoid with the settlement, the Justice Department said.
However, it is not clear whether the government will prosecute Boeing.
“The Government is determining how it will proceed in this matter,” the Justice Department said in the court filing. Boeing will have until June 13 to respond to the government’s allegation, and department said it will consider the company’s explanation “in determining whether to pursue prosecution.”
Boeing Co., which is based in Arlington, Virginia, disputed the Justice Department’s finding.
“We believe that we have honored the terms of that agreement, and look forward to the opportunity to respond to the Department on this issue,” a Boeing spokesperson said in a statement. “As we do so, we will engage with the Department with the utmost transparency, as we have throughout the entire term of the agreement, including in response to their questions following the Alaska Airlines 1282 accident.”
Boeing has come under renewed scrutiny since that Alaska Airlines flight in January, when a door plug blew out of a 737 Max, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the jetliner. The company is under multiple investigations into the blowout and its manufacturing quality. The FBI has told passengers from the flight that they might be victims of a crime.
Prosecutors said they will meet on May 31 with families of passengers who died in the two Max crashes. Family members were angry and disappointed after a similar meeting last month.
Paul Cassell, a lawyer who represents families of passengers in the second crash, said the Justice Department’s determination that Boeing breached the settlement terms is “a positive first step, and for the families, a long time coming.”
“But we need to see further action from DOJ to hold Boeing accountable, and plan to use our meeting on May 31 to explain in more details what we believe would be a satisfactory remedy to Boeing’s ongoing criminal conduct,” Cassell said.
Investigations into the crashes pointed to a flight-control system that Boeing added to the Max without telling pilots or airlines. Boeing downplayed the significance of the system, then didn’t overhaul it until after the second crash.
After secret negotiations, the government agreed not to prosecute Boeing on a charge of defrauding the United States by deceiving regulators about the flight system. The settlement included a $243.6 million fine, a $500 million fund for victim compensation, and nearly $1.8 billion to airlines whose Max jets were grounded for nearly two years.
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-15, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Tesla workers shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars.
Developers make new plans for Main Street
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Signal
A pair of projects were proposed for the 24300 block of Main Street in Newhall last month, according to records obtained from Santa Clarita City Hall. The development group behind […]
The post Developers make new plans for Main Street appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/developers-make-new-plans-for-main-street/
Biden campaign launches new ad criticizing Trump’s family separation policy
date: 2024-05-15, from: VOA News USA
President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign has launched a digital ad aimed at Latino voters, seeking to remind them of former president Donald Trump’s controversial “zero tolerance” family separation policy at the U.S.-Mexico border. VOA’s immigration reporter Aline Barros has more.
Preparing Young Children to Learn Phonics Early in School
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
The Science of Reading is back, and software that provides individual training in phonics can improve reading proficiency dramatically.
The post Preparing Young Children to Learn Phonics Early in School appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/14/preparing-young-children-to-learn-phonics-early-in-school/
Garcia introduces bill to prevent health care fraud
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Signal
News release Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, introduced H.R. 8089, the Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act. This bipartisan legislation would enhance and improve the Medicaid validation process of all […]
The post Garcia introduces bill to prevent health care fraud appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/garcia-introduces-bill-to-prevent-health-care-fraud/
Santa Barbara County Supervisors Weigh Bed-Tax Hike Against Cannabis Tax Reform
date: 2024-05-15, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
The board will decide next month which tax proposal to put on the November ballot.
The post Santa Barbara County Supervisors Weigh Bed-Tax Hike Against Cannabis Tax Reform appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
Celebrity cake chefs teach COC’s first-ever advanced cake class
date: 2024-05-15, from: The Signal
Imagine a room of multiple cakes that resemble the lopsided “Sleeping Beauty” cake scene— except, the cakes are edible and located in College of the Canyons Institute for Culinary Education. […]
The post Celebrity cake chefs teach COC’s first-ever advanced cake class appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/celebrity-cake-chefs-teach-cocs-first-ever-advanced-cake-class/
NLnet Grant Update and Conferences
date: 2024-05-15, from: Modos Blog
NLnet Grant Update and Conferences
https://www.modos.tech/blog/nlnet-grant-update-and-conferences
Rebuilding my homelab: Suffering as a service
date: 2024-05-15, from: Ze Iaso’s blog
https://xeiaso.net/blog/2024/homelab-v2/
Valencia High’s Girls Flag Football Seeking Donations, Sponsors
date: 2024-05-14, from: SCV New (TV Station)
Valencia High School is thrilled to introduce girls flag football to its sports program, offering an inclusive and exciting opportunity for female athletes.
https://scvnews.com/valencia-highs-girls-flag-football-seeking-donations-sponsors/
The new APT 3.0 solver
date: 2024-05-14, from: OS News
A crucial but often entirely transparent feature of a modern package management system like Debian’s APT is its solver – basically the set of rules and instruction on how to handle dependencies when installing a package. APT is currently in the process of radically changing its solver, the first bits of which can be found in APT 2.9.3, referred to as solver3. Many of the changes and improvements get a little into the weeds and will mostly be transparent to users, but there is one feature the new solver will enable that many of you will be incredibly excited about. One of the core new capabilities of solver3 is the implication graph. As part of the solving phase, we also construct an implication graph, albeit a partial one: The first package installing another package is marked as the reason (A -> B), the same thing for conflicts (not A -> not B). ↫ Julian Andres Klode Seems rather innocuous at first sight, but here’s what the implication graph will make possible: The implication graph building allows us to implement an apt why command, that while not as nicely detailed as aptitude, at least tells you the exact reason why a package is installed. It will only show the strongest dependency chain at first of course, since that is what we record. ↫ Julian Andres Klode If you’ve ever dealt with packaging issues – probably when running -testing or similar unstable distributions that use APT, a command that tells you exactly why a package is installed is an absolute godsend. Sure, aptitude exists, but aptitude takes you out of your current CLI workflow, whereas this will be much easier to quickly run. There’s more features solver3 will enable, but this one is definitely one of my favourite low-level additions to APT in a long, long time.
https://www.osnews.com/story/139688/the-new-apt-3-0-solver/
A Chinese crypto farm next to a nuclear missile base? Not on my watch, says Biden
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-15, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
White House contends MineOne’s equipment could be used to for surveillance and espionage
If you’re a majority Chinese-owned company looking for cheap real estate in the US, you might want to steer clear of American missile silos and military bases.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/biden_mineone_cryptocurrency/
Community bike ride planned for Saturday
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Signal
News release The city of Santa Clarita is inviting the community to participate in the 2024 “Hit the Trail” community bike ride on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. This […]
The post Community bike ride planned for Saturday appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/community-bike-ride-planned-for-saturday/
Solar Storm Continues Following Rare Aurora Display over Weekend
date: 2024-05-14, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Santa Barbara Airport, Cox, and SoCal Edison report operations have not been affected by solar flares.
The post Solar Storm Continues Following Rare Aurora Display over Weekend appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
Santa Barbara Family Gone Viral — Again
date: 2024-05-14, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Groundbreaking 1973 PBS Doc “An American Family,” closely chronicling the then-Santa Barbara–based Loud Family, is intimately explored in a new family podcast.
The post Santa Barbara Family Gone Viral — Again appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/14/santa-barbara-family-gone-viral-again/
Valencia jazz ensemble celebrates DownBeat recognition
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Signal
Ending the school year on a high note, Valencia High School’s Two N’ Four Vocal Jazz Ensemble is celebrating winning the “Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble” high school category in DownBeat […]
The post Valencia jazz ensemble celebrates DownBeat recognition appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/valencia-jazz-ensemble-celebrates-downbeat-recognition/
Canyons Tops Field After Opening Round at 3C2A State Championships
date: 2024-05-14, from: SCV New (TV Station)
College of the Canyons Men’s Golf leads the eight-team field after the opening round of the 3C2A State Championship tournament at Sandpiper Golf Club, with Cougar freshman Hugo Boyer also leading the individual standings
https://scvnews.com/canyons-tops-field-after-opening-round-at-3c2a-state-championships/
Novelist Xochitl Gonzalez Brings Her Own Unique Take on Latinx American Culture to Santa Barbara
date: 2024-05-14, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Author of ‘Anita de Monte Laughs Last’ comes to Campbell Hall on May 17.
The post Novelist Xochitl Gonzalez Brings Her Own Unique Take on Latinx American Culture to Santa Barbara appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
Carpinteria Flimflam Man Who Targeted Church Elders Faces 24 Years Behind Bars
date: 2024-05-14, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
“Several of the victims were left homeless and destitute” by ex-insurance agent Brett Lovett, according to sentencing report.
The post Carpinteria Flimflam Man Who Targeted Church Elders Faces 24 Years Behind Bars appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
Wilk Accepts 2024 Artistic License Award
date: 2024-05-14, from: SCV New (TV Station)
In recognition of his advocacy for the arts throughout his career in Sacramento, California State Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) received a 2024 Artistic License Award from California Lawyers for the Arts at the organization’s 16th annual event held on May
https://scvnews.com/wilk-accepts-2024-artistic-license-award/
Toyota once again ranked as worst automaker on climate lobbying globally
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
Toyota has the worst climate lobbying score of any automaker, and the third-worst 2030 EV production plans, according to InfluenceMap’s annual report on climate lobbying.
Goleta Public Works Week Community Event Almost Here
date: 2024-05-14, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Join the City of Goleta to celebrate National Public Works Week (May 19 – 25) with a fun-filled interactive community event on
The post Goleta Public Works Week Community Event Almost Here appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/14/goleta-public-works-week-community-event-almost-here/
Microsoft fixes a bug abused in QakBot attacks plus a second under exploit
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Plus: Google Chrome, Apple bugs also exploited in the wild
Happy May Patch Tuesday. We’ve got a lot of vendors joining this month’s patchapalooza, which includes a handful of bugs that have been exploited — either in the wild or at Pwn2Own — and now fixed by Microsoft, Apple, Google and VMware.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/microsoft_may_patch_tuesday/
Ford set up a secret course in its backyard to fine-tune the new Mustang Mach-E Rally
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
To ensure its new Mustang Mach-E Rally car is ready to tackle any terrain, Ford set up a secret course to test it. Ford says its new electric rally car is a testament to what’s possible when you combine passion with design and engineering. Check out how the Mach-E Rally car evolved below.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/ford-set-up-secret-course-fine-tune-mustang-mach-e-rally/
Google details some of the “AI” features coming to Android
date: 2024-05-14, from: OS News
Google I/O, the company’s developer conference, started today, but for the first time since I can remember, Android and Chrome OS have been relegated to day two of the conference. The first day was all about “AI”, most of which I’m not even remotely interested in, except of course where it related to Google’s operating system offerings. And the company did have a few things to say about “AI” on Android, and the general gist is that yeah, they’re going to be stuffing it into every corner of the operating system. Google’s “AI” tool Gemini will be integrated deeply into Android, and you’ll be able to call up an overlay wherever you are in the operating system, and do things like summarise a PDF that’s on screen, summarise a YouTube video, generate images on the fly and drop them into emails and conversations, and so on. A more interesting and helpful “AI” addition is using it to improve TalkBack, so that people with impaired vision can let the device describe images on the screen for them. Google claims TalkBack users come across about 90 images without description every day (!), so this is a massive improvement for people with impaired vision, and a genuinely helpful and worthwhile “AI” feature. Creepier is that Google’s “AI” will also be able to listen along with your phone calls, and warn you if an ongoing conversation is a scamming attempt. If the person on the other end of the line claiming to be your bank asks you to move a bunch of money around to keep it safe, Gemini will pop up and warn you it’s a scam, since banks don’t ask you such things. Clever, sure, but also absolutely terrifying and definitely not something I’ll be turning on. Google claims all of these features take place on-device, so privacy should be respected, but I’m always a bit unsure about such things staying that way in the future. Regardless, “AI” is coming to Android in a big way, but I’m just here wondering how much of it I’ll be able to turn off.
https://www.osnews.com/story/139686/google-details-some-of-the-ai-features-coming-to-android/
May 19: SCV Youth Orchestra in Concert at Canyon High PAC
date: 2024-05-14, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra took California’s Disneyland and New York’s legendary Carnegie Hall by storm; now they are home. Culminating this innovative season, the multi-tiered ensembles of the SCVYO will present an exhilarating performance taking the stage at Canyon High School Performing Arts Center
https://scvnews.com/may-19-scv-youth-orchestra-in-concert-at-canyon-high-pac/
Lilbits: Google I/O Day one is all about AI, Netflix apps for Windows to disable downloads
date: 2024-05-14, from: Liliputing
Google kicked off its annual Google I/O developer conference today with a two hour keynote where pretty much the only thing the company talked about was AI. But there were a lot of AI features to talk about. In the short term, the Circle to Search feature that’s now available on 100 million Android devices now helps […]
The post Lilbits: Google I/O Day one is all about AI, Netflix apps for Windows to disable downloads appeared first on Liliputing.
Six-Year Sewer Saga Continues in Los Olivos
date: 2024-05-14, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Los Olivos district residents will vote on whether the town needs a sewer system.
The post Six-Year Sewer Saga Continues in Los Olivos appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/14/six-year-sewer-saga-continues-in-los-olivos/
Canyons to Hire Robin Hester as Next Women’s Basketball Head Coach
date: 2024-05-14, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The College of the Canyons Athletic Department has announced its intention to hire longtime Ventura College top assistant Robin Hester, as the next head coach of the Cougars’ women’s basketball program. Hester is expected to begin his new role in summer
https://scvnews.com/canyons-to-hire-robin-hester-as-next-womens-basketball-head-coach/
FCC names and shames Royal Tiger AI robocall crew
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Agency is on the lookout for a Prince among men
The US Federal Communications Commission has named its first robocall gang, dubbing the crew “Royal Tiger,” and detailed its operations in an attempt to encourage international action against the scammers.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/fcc_royal_tiger_robocalls/
VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion pro go free for personal use
date: 2024-05-14, from: OS News
After Broadcom acquired VMware, there’s been a steady stream of worrying or outright bad news for people using VMware products at home, for personal use, as enthusiasts. The biggest blow to the enthusiast market was the end of perpetual licensing, forcing people into subscriptions instead. Finally, though it seems we’re getting some good news. The most exciting part is that Fusion Pro and Workstation Pro will now have two license models. We now provide a Free Personal Use or a Paid Commercial Use subscription for our Pro apps. Users will decide based on their use case whether a commercial subscription is required. This means that everyday users who want a virtual lab on their Mac, Windows or Linux computer can do so for free simply by registering and downloading the bits from the new download portal located at support.broadcom.com. ↫ Michael Roy on the VMware blog This is definitely good news for us enthusiasts, and it means I won’t have to buy a cheap VMware license off eBay every few years anymore, so I’m quite satisfied here. However, with VMware under Broadcom focusing more and more on the enterprise and squeezing every last penny out of those customers, one has to wonder if this ‘free for personal use’ is just a prelude to winding down the development of enthusiasts’ tools altogether. It wouldn’t be the first time that a product going free for personal use was a harbinger of worse things yet to come.
https://www.osnews.com/story/139684/vmware-workstation-pro-and-fusion-pro-go-free-for-personal-use/
Will Biden’s new 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles affect e-bikes?
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
The Biden Administration announced sweeping new tariffs on imported goods from China, including increasing tariffs on electric vehicles from China. But will electric bicycles be impacted?
The show must go on: Graduates celebrate without main ceremony
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Valedictorian Asna Tabassum received long-lasting applause when she received her diploma.
The post The show must go on: Graduates celebrate without main ceremony appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/05/14/the-show-must-go-on-graduates-celebrate-without-main-ceremony/
BYD Shark, A Plug-In Hybrid Ford Ranger Rival, Launches In Mexico
date: 2024-05-14, from: Inside EVs News
The BYD Shark marks the Chinese automaker’s foray into the popular pickup truck segment. Will it ever come to the U.S.?
https://insideevs.com/news/719677/byd-shark-phev-will-it-come-to-us/
Google says its ‘Trillium’ TPUs are ready to power the next-generation of AI models
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Promises 4.7x performance boost over its older silicon
I/O Google blew the lid off its sixth tensor processing unit (TPU) codenamed Trillium, designed to support a new generation of bigger, more capable of large language and recommender models.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/google_tpu_trillium/
Porsche kicks off Macan EV production at its newly upgraded plant
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
After investing nearly $1 billion over the past several years, Porsche launched electromobility at its production site in Saxony. The investment was designed to expand the facility so Porsche could ramp up Macan EV production.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/porsche-kicks-off-macan-ev-production-newly-upgrade-plant/
Long-Distance Running May Have Evolved to Help Humans Chase Prey to Exhaustion
date: 2024-05-14, from: Smithsonian Magazine
Scientists found hundreds of recent examples from around the globe of hunters using “endurance pursuits” to tire out their prey, furthering the debate over the hunting technique
Minimum Wage Rising For Fast Food, Health Care Workers. Where Does That Leave Child Care Workers?
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The LAist
Minimum wage for many California fast workers is now $20. Those who work in child care say they feel left behind.
Advent of Computing: Episode 131 - Computer… Books?
date: 2024-05-14, from: Tilde.news
https://adventofcomputing.libsyn.com/episode-131-computer-books
This retail fueling giant is about to integrate DC fast charging at a lot of gas stations
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
Gas pump and convenience store equipment technology giant Gilbarco Veeder-Root (GVR) has launched a DC fast charging system that can be seamlessly integrated into its retailers’ gas stations.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/dc-fast-charging-gas-stations/
Tesla loses a top AI lead
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
Tesla has lost a top AI engineer in charge of “planning, imitation learning & RL team for Tesla AI” amid a broader talent exodus.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/tesla-loses-top-ai-lead/
13 Ways of Looking at Biden’s New China Tariffs
date: 2024-05-14, from: Heatmap News
The United States raised tariffs on a range of Chinese-made climate technologies on Tuesday, including electric vehicles, solar panels, and battery components.
Inspired by the poet Wallace Stevens, here are 13 ways of looking at them:
The biggest tariffs in the bunch are for Chinese-made electric vehicles. The Biden administration has more than quadrupled them, imposing a 100% tariff on all vehicle imports. That means that Chinese-made EVs now face higher tariff levels than any other imported goods.
Right now, the U.S. imports relatively few electric vehicles from China, and the few vehicles that we do import — which are made by the Chinese-owned brands Volvo and Polestar — may not be affected by these levies because of how imports are counted under tariff law. (Neither Volvo nor Polestar has commented on the new rates.)
What’s more, the White House suggested in February that it would use national security law to prevent EVs from Chinese companies from coming into the United States at all — even if the cars were made in a country with which the U.S. has a free trade agreement, such as Mexico. So despite the eye-popping headline figure, the tariffs on Chinese EVs do relatively little to change the decarbonization calculus in the United States. America wasn’t going to import Chinese-made EVs before, and it’s not going to do so now.
2.
While these EV tariffs may be more for show than anything else, that is not true for the other tariffs on clean technologies. Many of these categories already faced trade levies imposed by the Trump administration, and Biden has now raised them, effectively doubling down on his electoral rival’s policy.
Starting immediately:
- For lithium-ion EV batteries, tariffs rise from 7.5% to 25%.
- For EV battery parts, tariffs rise from 7.5% to 25%. (This closes a loophole in the Trump levies in which completed EV batteries faced a much lower tariff rate than battery components, encouraging automakers to import finished batteries.)
- For many critical minerals, tariffs rise from zero to 25%.
- For solar cells, tariffs rise from 25% to 50%.
The solar cell figure looks impressive — and has been the source of wrangling in the solar industry — but it matters less than it looks. The United States already imports more than 80% of its solar panels from Chinese companies operating in other Asian countries.
A second round of tariffs is scheduled to kick in in 2026. Even though these hikes won’t take effect immediately, they may counterintuitively matter more, because they affect sectors where China now dominates the global industry. The longer timeline suggests that the White House is trying not to disrupt the near-term market too much; in effect, it’s giving companies a deadline to diversify their supply chains. This second round includes:
- For non-EV lithium-ion batteries, such as the type you’d need for grid-scale batteries, tariffs rise from 7.5% to 25% in 2026. These batteries are already changing how the power grid works and the White House may be loath to stop the progress.
- For natural graphite and permanent magnets, tariffs will rise to 25% in 2026. China refines 90% of the world’s graphite, and it has already tried to use this as leverage in a trade dispute with the U.S., imposing export restrictions on three high-purity grades of graphite last year.
Whether you love them or hate them, you shouldn’t see these tariffs as a standalone measure. They complement the aggressive subsidies that the Biden administration has already passed on EVs, batteries, and critical minerals in the Inflation Reduction Act. It’s often lost that the IRA subsidizes EVs and their constituent parts in two ways — not only with the somewhat convoluted $7,500 personal vehicle tax credit, but with the more important 45X production tax credit, which pays companies $35 for each kilowatt-hour of EV batteries that they produce in the United States. (There are similar 45X bounties for other manufactured goods, including solar panels.)
These policies now add up to classic industrial policy in the mold of Alexander Hamilton: The U.S. is hiking tariffs on high-value imports while subsidizing their domestic production, while also providing cheap credit via the Department of Energy to companies that want to participate in these new industries. The Environmental Protection Agency has also issued new rules that will encourage U.S. consumers to buy from these new domestic producers. The one element of the classic model the U.S. has not yet adopted — except in some states — is provisioning cheap land and easy permitting for new factories.
China, it should be said, followed a similar playbook to develop its own electric vehicle industry. That should let us dispel with one foolish idea right away: the premise that tariffs never work. On the contrary, tariffs sometimes do work; as the economist Brad Setser pointed out on the social network X, America only finds itself in its current position because of how well tariffs worked. Through a range of policies including tariffs and joint ventures, China walled off its domestic market and encouraged domestic industry. That industry has now grown to challenge the world.
But they do not always work. Another important aspect of Hamiltonian industrial policy is certainty: To make forward-looking investment decisions, companies need to know policies that exist today will still be around when the production line starts whirring. This China has in gobs, and the United States lacks. You may have noticed that the front-runner in this year’s presidential election is promising to repeal many of these policies that are now rolling out — just about everything but the tariffs.
These tariff rates are unlikely to go down anytime soon. There is no party in American politics advocating for free trade with China. The choice, in the near-term, is between Biden’s vision of free trade with democracies and developing countries, plus climate and defense-driven industrial policy at the margins, versus Trump’s vision of fossil-fueled populism that aspires to autarky.
There are forces within the country that wouldn’t hate to see a return of more open trade relations with China — you can see factions within the environmental movement, the Chamber of Commerce, and Big Tech pushing for it, to name a few — but they do not control a partisan coalition.
There is no equivalence between what the Biden administration announced today and the 10% across the board tariff on all imported goods from all countries that Donald Trump has proposed. Biden’s new tariffs focus on certain strategic sectors that American officials believe the country must cultivate to stay at the technological frontier, coupled with pre-existing subsidies meant to spur domestic production of those goods. Some of the tariffs only kick in beginning in 2026 — far enough in the future, policymakers hope, for the market to prepare. Trump’s tariffs, meanwhile, would intentionally and chaotically hike prices.
We’re only here because China has won Round 1 on electric vehicles. It has created a thriving, competitive domestic EV industry that includes the BYD Seagull, an $11,000 hatchback that gets up to 250 miles of range; the Zeekr 009, a $70,000 minivan with more than 500 miles of range; and the Xiaomi SU7, a sleek $29,000 coupe. As the car journalist Kevin Williams has written, China’s EV market is far deeper, more varied, and more sophisticated than many realize. Beijing has built a Silicon Valley-style industrial cluster that produces cheap electric vehicles for the domestic market and the world — and the Biden administration can do almost nothing about that.
This dominance has emerged out of China’s economic agglomeration and its successful climb up the technological value chain. As I’ve written, China once made textiles and toys; then it made smartphones and computers; now it makes EVs and commercial jetliners. This agglomeration of economic complexity is not an academic observation; in many cases, the companies now producing China’s most competitive EVs emerged directly from its electronics industry. Xiaomi, after all, makes 15% of the world’s smartphones. CATL — now widely seen as the world’s best EV battery maker — began as a spin-off of Amperex Technology Limited, or ATL, which makes smartphone batteries. The iPhone is, in a sense, the younger sister of the Chinese-made Volvo EX30: Both are Western-designed consumer electronics that are made in Chinese factories, through Chinese engineering expertise.
Does one need to spell out precisely why American officials might care about staying even vaguely competitive with China in the EV industry? Do I need to mention the role that American-made motor vehicles have played in world history? But the motorization of war — which has now gone on for nearly a century — requires getting fossil fuels to the front lines in dangerous convoys; by one estimate, more than half of the 36,000 casualties suffered by American troops in Iraq were on fuel or water resupply missions. Wind and solar are not now so potent that they could liberate armies from these serpentine supply chains, but energy technologies can drive surprising military innovations anyway: In Ukraine and Nagorno-Karabakh, we have already seen how e-bikes and drones powered by small, lightweight batteries have transformed modern warfare.
Perhaps this kind of thinking is premature, or too dire. Nonetheless, this is what makes this moment so different from the 1970s, when Japanese-made cars changed the American car market, or the 1980s and ’90s, when the Korean brands arrived. For the first time, a country outside the American security umbrella — a country that, in fact, aims to compete as a geopolitical hegemon with the U.S. — has attained the cutting edge of motor vehicle production. Even if Michigan and Wisconsin were not so important in the Electoral College, even if climate change did not require the rapid decarbonization of the global car fleet, that fact alone would distinguish this moment from what has come before. This is why the Chinese EV industry poses such a profound challenge to American policy.
This challenge for the U.S. also requires conjuring an entire value chain from nothing. A thoroughly classic Hamiltonian industrial policy would involve reducing tariffs on commodity and low-value inputs, such as the minerals that make up batteries, while increasing them on high-value imports, such as completed batteries and cars. But China controls so much of the critical mineral supply chain — it is “the dominant player” in global minerals refining — that American officials feel like they must diversify; they must try to spin up low value supply chains for graphite, lithium, and rare earths at the same time that they encourage the construction of EV factories.
One of the most important aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act is that it pursues two simultaneous industrial policies: In some sectors (EVs, solar, batteries), it aims for America to catch up to its technological rivals; in others (carbon capture, hydrogen), it aims to preserve America’s pre-existing position at the technological frontier. Notice what industries aren’t affected by today’s tariffs — not carbon capture, not anything to do with fossil fuels, not even anything hydrogen-related, even though China makes 61% of the world’s electrolyzers. (That is because the Biden administration has shaped its hydrogen policy so it does not automatically favor the type of electrolyzer that Chinese firms make.)
It’s easy to get ahead of oneself here. Just because China has created a superior EV industry, that doesn’t mean it will have one forever; just because China makes better EVs, that doesn’t mean that America lags on all climate technologies. But make no mistake: America is trying to do something very difficult, and it has no guarantee of success.
https://heatmap.news/electric-vehicles/china-tariffs-biden-evs
US watchdog chases Waymo robocars to catch violations
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Reports of collisions with stationary objects and failing to obey traffic laws
The US National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Monday opened an investigation into self-driving car maker Waymo following reports that its robocars have not been complying with traffic laws.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/nhtsa_waymo_investigation/
The State of iPadOS in 2024
date: 2024-05-14, from: Michael Tsai
Matthew Snyder (via Steve Troughton-Smith): The iPad feels like it’s caught between being the best hardware Apple makes, alongside the most ignored software. Steve Troughton-Smith: Some of the iPad angst isn’t that we have to wait ‘till WWDC to see if the software is improved.It’s that little birdies have strongly hinted to us not to […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/05/14/the-state-of-ipados-in-2024/
No Bounty for Kernel Vulnerability
date: 2024-05-14, from: Michael Tsai
Meysam: I reported CVE-2024-27804, an iOS/macOS kernel vulnerability that leads to the execution of arbitrary code with kernel privileges. It’s fixed in iOS 17.5 and macOS 14.5, but Apple says it’s not eligible for the security bounty. Via Hacker News and Jeff Johnson. Previously: iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 macOS 14.5 Reporting a Full Disk […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/05/14/no-bounty-for-kernel-vulnerability/
Criticism of Signal
date: 2024-05-14, from: Michael Tsai
Justin Ling: Zimmermann was a hacker in the oldest sense of the word. In the preceding years, he had grown freaked out by a proposal, put forward by a still-not-young Joe Biden, to force internet companies to give the U.S. government access to their users’ communications. Zimmermann knew it was do-or-die time. Either the internet […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/05/14/criticism-of-signal/
Revamping Siri With iOS 18
date: 2024-05-14, from: Michael Tsai
Tripp Mickle, Brian X. Chen, and Cade Metz (MacRumors, Slashdot): Apple’s top software executives decided early last year that Siri, the company’s virtual assistant, needed a brain transplant. The decision came after the executives Craig Federighi and John Giannandrea spent weeks testing OpenAI’s new chatbot, ChatGPT. The product’s use of generative artificial intelligence, which can […]
https://mjtsai.com/blog/2024/05/14/revamping-siri-with-ios-18/
I tested the Tromox MC10 electric trail bike. It’s a Sur Ron/Talaria killer
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
On a recent trip to China where I met with several micromobility companies, I was fortunate enough to spend an afternoon with the electric motorcycle maker Tromox. The team gave me the chance to be one of the first Westerners to ever take a test ride on Tromox’s new MC10 TrailX.
Ahead of the bike’s upcoming US market release, I can already tell you that this thing is a blast to ride and is likely to send shockwaves through the Sur Ron and Talaria communities for its combination of performance and packaging, offering high power riding in a small-format bike.
This mini PC packs an AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor
date: 2024-05-14, from: Liliputing
AMD’s Ryzen 8040 series mobile processors are a relatively modest updated over the previous-gen Ryzen 7040 series. The new chips have virtually identical CPU and graphics specifications, but AMD has outfitted select models with higher-performance NPUs for a big boost in AI capabilities. PC makers are using the new chips for laptops, handhelds, and mini […]
The post This mini PC packs an AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/this-mini-pc-packs-an-amd-ryzen-7-8845hs-processor/
Scientists Are Investigating a Puzzling Underground ‘Anomaly’ Near the Giza Pyramids
date: 2024-05-14, from: Smithsonian Magazine
Using remote-sensing technologies, researchers have discovered two connected structures in a previously unexplored area
May 19: ‘Coexisting with Bears’ Presentation at Placerita Nature Center
date: 2024-05-14, from: SCV New (TV Station)
The Placerita Canyon Nature Center Associates will present a Community Nature Education Series program on Sunday, May 19 2-3 p.m. at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center
https://scvnews.com/may-19-coexisting-with-bears-at-placerita-nature-center/
Return to office mandates had senior employees jumping ship
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
More stringent rules led to staff to find more remote options
A study has found that return to office mandates resulted in a noteworthy number of senior employees leaving jobs at Microsoft, Apple, and SpaceX.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/return_to_office_mandates/
Unpacking the Intersection: Judaism, antisemitism and criticism of Israel
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)
On May 1, the United States House of Representatives passed a legislative bill to broaden the definition of antisemitism to include the “targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as…
Eleasa Kim: Pioneering CLDP Payload Operations and Cultural Integration
date: 2024-05-14, from: NASA breaking news
Eleasa Kim, stationed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, leads the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program (CLDP) payload operations at Johnson Space Center, with 18 years of mission support under her belt. Her roles have included biomedical engineer flight controller, payload safety engineer for Artemis I, planning and analysis branch operations discipline lead, and […]
Liberating Collectively: Committed to Uplifting Intersectionality
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)
For a community to rise, everyone must contribute. Dr. Joshua Chow, a post-doctoral counselor fellow at California State University, Northridge’s University Counseling Services, champions this idea and contributes through his…
Statistics of Sentiments: How Asian Americans feel
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)
During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, it was difficult as an Asian American health care worker to not feel an overwhelming amount of anger. While nearly 1.4 million Asian American and…
Building an inclusive campus: Why CSUN faculty and staff should have disability education training
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)
When I told my professor that I had not yet been able to inform the disability office of my deafness and get official accommodations through the school, his response was,…
These Ancient Skeletons Are Not Entwined Lovers, But a Daughter Embracing Her Mother
date: 2024-05-14, from: Smithsonian Magazine
New research found that the two women, who were buried in Austria atop a horse, were first-degree relatives who died some 1,800 years ago
SiPearl updates specs for Rhea1 processor set to power Europe’s exascale dreams
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
More cores, more memory, more delays
ISC Chip designer SiPearl has issued updated specs for its Rhea1 processor that will power Europe’s first exascale system and is working with Samsung to integrate high-bandwidth memory (HBM) into its design.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/sipearl_rhea1_specs/
Genesis is quietly outpacing luxury rivals as EV availability expands into new states
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
Genesis is making a name for itself in the US luxury market with a bold style and high-quality design. The luxury Genesis brand is outpacing rivals, closing in on Porsche and Land Rover in sales as its all-electric models expand into new states.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/genesis-quietly-outpacing-luxury-rivals-ev-availability-expands/
Biden quadruples tariffs on Chinese EVs, up from 25% to 100%
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
The US government has announced wider tariffs on several categories of Chinese goods, including various green products like solar panels and batteries, medical goods, and in particular an increase of tariffs on Chinese EVs from 25% to 100%.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/biden-quadruples-tariffs-on-chinese-evs-up-from-25-to-100/
Lenovo ThinkPad P14s laptop gets a Ryzen Pro 8040 HS upgrade
date: 2024-05-14, from: Liliputing
A few weeks after introducing a new ThinkPad P14s i laptop with support for up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada graphics, Lenovo has introduced a new AMD-powered model. The new Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 is a compact notebook with support for AMD Ryzen PRO 8040 HS processor options, up to […]
The post Lenovo ThinkPad P14s laptop gets a Ryzen Pro 8040 HS upgrade appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/lenovo-thinkpad-p14s-laptop-gets-a-ryzen-pro-8040-hs-upgrade/
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-14, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
I had a few extra minutes to spare, so I wrote a script to string together all the 550-character-wide pictures that have appeared on my blog.
http://scripting.com/images/manyInlineImages.html
Judge rejects Hunter Biden’s bid to delay his June trial on federal gun charges
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
WILMINGTON, Delaware — Hunter Biden’s federal gun case will go to trial next month, a judge said Tuesday, denying a bid by lawyers for the president’s son to delay the prosecution.
U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika rejected Hunter Biden’s request to push the trial until September, which the defense said was necessary to give the defense time to line up witnesses and go through evidence handed over by prosecutors.
President Joe Biden’s son is accused of lying about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to buy a gun that he kept for about 11 days.
Hunter Biden, who has pleaded not guilty, has acknowledged struggling with an addiction to crack cocaine during that period in 2018, but his lawyers have said he didn’t break the law.
His attorneys have argued that prosecutors bowed to pressure by Republicans, who claimed the Democratic president’s son was initially given a sweetheart deal, and that he was indicted because of political pressure.
But the judge overseeing the case last month rejected his claim that the prosecution is politically motivated along with other efforts to dismiss the case. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week said the case could move forward to trial.
Hunter Biden was supposed to plead guilty last year to misdemeanor tax charges and would have avoided prosecution on the gun charges had he stayed out of trouble for two years. It was the culmination of a yearslong investigation by federal prosecutors into the business dealings of the president’s son, and the agreement would have dispensed with criminal proceedings and spared the Bidens weeks of headlines as the 2024 election loomed.
But the deal broke down after the judge who was supposed to sign off on the agreement instead raised a series of questions about it.
Hunter Biden was indicted on three gun firearms charges in Delaware and was charged separately in California, where he lives, with tax crimes.
He’s charged in the Delaware case with two counts of making false statements, first for checking a box falsely saying he was not addicted to drugs and second for giving it to the shop for their federally required records. A third count alleges he possessed the gun for about 11 days despite knowing he was a drug user.
In California, Hunter Biden is charged with three felonies and six misdemeanors over at least $1.4 million in taxes he owed between 2016 and 2019. Prosecutors have accused him of spending millions of dollars on an “extravagant lifestyle” instead of paying his taxes. The back taxes have since been paid.
Google I/O is Google A/I as search biz goes all-in on AI
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Chrome is getting an onboard artificial intelligence model that devs can query
Google’s annual developer conference is still called Google I/O, though this year Google A/I would be equally apt.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/google_io_is_google_ai/
Juiced’s RipCurrent S e-bike is $599 off for limited-time, Traeger Pro 34 grill, Leviton level 2 EV charger, and more
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
Headlining today’s Green Deals is a surprise flash sale on Juiced Bikes’ RipCurrent S Fat-Tire e-bike that is dropping the price to $1,800 for the first 50 models sold. It is joined by an array of wood pellet grills and smokers at discounted rates, led by the Traeger Pro 34 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker at a new $500 low, as well as the Leviton Level 2 Smart EV Charger for $621. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals that are still alive and well.
Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.
How Do Elephants Say Hello? Reunions Lead to Ear Flapping, Rumbling and Trunk Swinging in Greeting
date: 2024-05-14, from: Smithsonian Magazine
New research explores how African savannah elephants use vocalizations, gestures and secretions when they meet up with companions
May 13, 2024
date: 2024-05-14, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-13-2024-415
Mission Manager Update: VIPER Rover Approved to Move into Environmental Testing!
date: 2024-05-14, from: NASA breaking news
While NASA’s VIPER team has been focused on building the flight rover that will go to the South Pole of the Moon, the team has also been making preparations for environmental testing of the rover. In April, the VIPER team passed a System Test Readiness Review, exploring the readiness of the facilities, procedures, and staff […]
Sols 4184-4185: Look Near! Look Far!
date: 2024-05-14, from: NASA breaking news
Earth planning date: Monday, May 13, 2024 Today I’ve chosen to show off a spectacular image of ‘Texoli butte,’ but I’m rather biased in my assessment of its beauty because I am currently part of the team studying it. What continues to marvel me is Curiosity’s incredible suite of instruments that can not only help us […]
https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/sols-4184-4185-look-near-look-far/
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-14, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
AI is going to solve the local news problem long before hiring more reporters will.
https://www.threads.net/@davew/post/C69RryoJfmp
Registration Open for Youth Summer Camps at COC
date: 2024-05-14, from: SCV New (TV Station)
College of the Canyons Athletics is offering three unique youth summer camp opportunities for boys and girls looking to strengthen their skills and grow their love of sports, with registration now open for sessions running in June and July
https://scvnews.com/registration-open-for-youth-summer-camps-at-coc/
NASA Tests Technology, Practices Artemis Moonwalks in Arizona Desert
date: 2024-05-14, from: NASA breaking news
To prepare for exploring the Moon during NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency is conducting a week-long field test in the lunar-like landscape of San Francisco Volcanic Field near Flagstaff, Arizona to practice moonwalk scenarios. NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas are serving as the crewmembers and wearing mockup spacesuit systems as they traverse through […]
Daily Deals (5-14-2024)
date: 2024-05-14, from: Liliputing
The new iPad Air with an M2 processor is available starting tomorrow and sells for $599 and up. Apple says it’s 50% faster than the previous-gen model with an Apple M1 processor. But that older model has one thing going for it: you can pick one up for as little as $399 today, which is […]
The post Daily Deals (5-14-2024) appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/daily-deals-5-14-2024/
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-14, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Tom Thibodeau finally found common cause with Knicks. Will it be enough?
Polestar is launching a new cheaper Polestar 3 soon: Here’s what we know so far
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
A more affordable Polestar electric SUV is set to launch by the end of the year. Polestar (PSNY) will unveil a cheaper, entry-level Polestar 3 model to compete with Tesla and Porsche. Here’s what we know so far.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/polestar-launching-new-cheaper-polestar-3-soon/
Destroying offshore wind farms is top priority for Trump if he returns to presidency
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
It’s definitely to protect the whales and not the fossil fuel industry
In a rally held on Saturday in Wildwood, New Jersey, former US President Donald Trump promised that his first day back in office would feature the destruction of offshore wind farms.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/destroying_offshore_wind_farms_is/
How ‘Glowing’ Plants Could Help Scientists Predict Flash Drought
date: 2024-05-14, from: NASA breaking news
An unusual boost in plant productivity can foreshadow severe soil water loss. NASA satellites are following the clues. Flaring up rapidly and with little warning, the drought that gripped much of the United States in the summer of 2012 was one of the most extensive the country had seen since the yearslong Dust Bowl of […]
https://www.nasa.gov/earth/how-glowing-plants-could-help-scientists-predict-flash-drought/
Qualcomm is bringing support for Snapdragon X chips to the mainline Linux kernel
date: 2024-05-14, from: Liliputing
The first PCs with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chips are expected to launch soon. And while most of the prototypes Qualcomm has shown off so far have been running Windows, the chip maker says it’s also working on bringing support for its new processors to the mainline Linux kernel. The company […]
The post Qualcomm is bringing support for Snapdragon X chips to the mainline Linux kernel appeared first on Liliputing.
OpenAI’s GPT-4o Isn’t ‘Her,’ It’s ‘Metropolis’
date: 2024-05-14, from: 404 Media Group
With OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-4 Omni, all anyone can talk about is how AI girlfriends are going to end the world. But they’ve been seen as a harbinger of chaos for a long, long time.
https://www.404media.co/openais-gpt-4o-voice/
It’s fun to do silly things
date: 2024-05-14, from: Manu - I write blog
<p>I spend my time doing things online. I design and code websites for clients, I make websites for friends, and I start—and almost always shut down—all sorts of weird side projects. It’s easy to take this online life too seriously. If you go online you’ll immediately find people discussing business strategies and ways to monetise everything they do. Which is fine but also exhausting. The web is so caught up in the hustler mentality that it’s forgetting that some things can just be hobbies.</p>I interviewed 37 people for my P&B series at this point and if I’m not mistaken, all 37 of them are just happy to have a blog they pay for and have no plans to monetise it whatsoever. It’s a hobby, they enjoy doing it and that’s absolutely fine.
In a few days, I’ll renew the domain for [theforest.link]. That site has so far generated 0$. I spent around 50$ just for the domain at this point. But should I care? Should I monetise this? Hell no. Carl and I built it because it’s fun, because the idea of helping people discover some new random wacky website is fun.
The other day I was doing some design admin on my Ko-Fi because I wanted to update a few of the graphics in there. And while I was doing that I had this completely stupid idea of creating a new membership tier called The “I have F** you money” Club. Do I expect anyone to actually subscribe? Obviously not, I did it because it’s silly, because I hope someone will laugh at the stupidity of it all. I did it because it’s fun to do silly things.
Did you make anything silly recently? If you did show it to me! Send me an email, I want to see it.
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https://manuelmoreale.com/@/page/CfDjfEh43obyBShD
Cybersec chiefs team up with insurers to say ‘no’ to ransomware bullies
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Guidebook aims to undermine the criminal business model
The latest effort to reduce the number of ransom payments sent to cybercriminals in the UK involves the country’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) locking arms with insurance associations.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/uk_ncsc_partners_with_insurance/
Raspberry Pi’s $12 M.2 HAT+ lets you add NVMe storage to a Raspberry Pi 5
date: 2024-05-14, from: Liliputing
The Raspberry Pi 5 is the first single-board computer from Raspberry Pi with a PCIe interface that allows you to connect high-speed accessories including storage devices and AI accelerators. But you need an add-on board to actually make use of that feature, because instead of a PCIe slot on the board itself, the Raspberry Pi […]
The post Raspberry Pi’s $12 M.2 HAT+ lets you add NVMe storage to a Raspberry Pi 5 appeared first on Liliputing.
https://liliputing.com/raspberry-pis-12-m-2-hat-lets-you-add-nvme-storage-to-a-raspberry-pi-5/
NASA’s DC-8 to Fly Low Altitude Over Pocatello, Idaho, for Final Flight
date: 2024-05-14, from: NASA breaking news
NASA’s DC-8 aircraft will fly at low altitude over Pocatello, Idaho, and surrounding areas during its final flight from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, to Idaho State University. After 37 years of successful airborne science missions, the DC-8 aircraft is retiring at Idaho State University, where it will be used to train […]
$59,990 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Has ‘Serious Performance On Dirt Roads’
date: 2024-05-14, from: Inside EVs News
This Mach-E variant has taller suspension and rally tires, and Ford says it can go sideways around a gravel road.
https://insideevs.com/news/719630/ford-mustang-mach-e-rally/
The Deno Standard Library is now available on JSR
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: Deno blog
The Deno Standard Library has moved to JSR, supporting SemVer ranges in imports and compatibility with Node.js, Cloudflare Workers, and more.
https://deno.com/blog/std-on-jsr
“I Trust You Will Be Able to Assist Me”: Genealogy Researchers Contact the Bureau of Indian Affairs
date: 2024-05-14, from: National Archives, Text Message blog
Today’s post is by Rose Buchanan, Archivist and Subject Matter Expert for Native American Related Records On July 20, 1964, Ida Ellen Stansbury Robinson of Merced, California, wrote to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) headquarters in Washington, DC, to request information about her family history. “For a number of years I have been aware … Continue reading “I Trust You Will Be Able to Assist Me”: Genealogy Researchers Contact the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Tesla drivers, EVgo is about to begin NACS deployments on its DC fast chargers
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
EVgo (Nasdaq: EVGO) will begin to deploy North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors on its DC fast charging network this year.
Microsoft introduces Places to make flexible working less fraught
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Hit by a return-to-office mandate? Let the Copilot Company help you find co-workers and a desk to work at
Return-to-office mandates are all the rage, and Microsoft is shoehorning AI into the conversation with Microsoft Places, a service aimed at coordinating employees heading back to their desks on a flexible basis.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/microsoft_introduces_places/
Harvard students end protest as school agrees to discuss Gaza conflict
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts — Protesters against the war between Israel and Hamas were voluntarily taking down their tents in Harvard Yard on Tuesday after university officials agreed to discuss their questions about the endowment, bringing a peaceful end to the kinds of demonstrations that were broken up by police on other campuses.
The student protest group Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine said in a statement that the encampment “outlasted its utility with respect to our demands.” Meanwhile, Harvard University interim President Alan Garber agreed to pursue a meeting between protesters and university officials regarding the students’ questions.
Students at many college campuses this spring set up similar encampments, calling for their schools to cut ties with Israel and businesses that support it.
The Israel-Hamas war began when Hamas and other militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Palestinian militants still hold about 100 captives, and Israel’s military has killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Harvard said its president and the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Hopi Hoekstra, will meet with the protesters to discuss the conflict in the Middle East.
The protesters said they worked out an agreement to meet with university officials, including the Harvard Management Company, which oversees the world’s largest academic endowment, valued at about $50 billion.
The protesters’ statement said the students will set an agenda that includes discussions on disclosure, divestment, reinvestment and the creation of a Center for Palestine Studies. The students also said that Harvard has offered to retract suspensions of more than 20 students and student workers and back down on disciplinary measures faced by 60 more.
“Since its establishment three weeks ago, the encampment has both broadened and deepened Palestine solidarity organizing on campus,” a spokesperson for the protesters said. “It has moved the needle on disclosure and divestment at Harvard.”
Volvo EX60 set to arrive as new Tesla Model Y, Porsche Macan luxury electric SUV rival
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
A new all-electric luxury SUV is set to hit the market next year to compete with Tesla’s best-selling Model Y. Volvo is joining the luxury electric SUV market with its new EX60 launching next year. The new EX60 will rival premium models from Tesla, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/volvo-ex60-rival-tesla-porsche-new-luxury-electric-suv/
US puts sanctions on Russian man, three companies for sanctions evasion scheme
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
Washington — The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday put sanctions on a Russian citizen and three Russia-based companies it said were trying to evade U.S. sanctions in a scheme that could have unfrozen more than $1.5 billion belonging to Russian metals tycoon Oleg Deripaska.
Deripaska, who himself was placed under U.S. sanctions in April 2018, branched out into metals trading as the Soviet Union crumbled, making a fortune by buying up stakes in aluminum factories. Forbes ranked his fortune this year at $2.8 billion.
The Treasury said that in June 2023 Deripaska coordinated with Russian citizens Dmitrii Beloglazov, the owner of Russia-based financial services firm Obshchestvo S Ogranichennoi Otvetstvennostiu Titul (Titul), on a planned transaction to sell Deripaska’s frozen shares in a European company.
Within weeks of this, Russia-based financial services firm Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Iliadis was set up as a subsidiary of Titul. In early 2024, Iliadis acquired Russia-based investment holding company International Company Joint Stock Company Rasperia Trading Limited (Rasperia), which holds Deripaska’s frozen shares.
The Treasury said sanctions were imposed on Beloglazov, Titul, and Iliadis on Tuesday for operating or having operated in Russia’s financial services sector. It said Rasperia was sanctioned for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act on behalf of Iliadis.
AWS CEO logs off after three years at the helm
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Adam Selipsky off on new adventures. What those are, we’ll have to wait and see
Amazon Web Services CEO Adam Selipsky is stepping down to pursue new ventures. The cloud giant’s future now rests in AWS veteran Matt Garman’s hands.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/aws_ceo_steps_down/
Agents and Managers 101
date: 2024-05-14, from: John August blog
In this compendium episode, John and Craig demystify the the relationship between writers and the people who represent them, looking at how to acquire, work with and (if necessary) fire your agents and managers. How do you get an agent or a manager? What are they looking for in a potential client? What frustrates them? […] The post Agents and Managers 101 first appeared on John August.
https://johnaugust.com/2024/agents-and-managers-101
This Is The World’s Largest Three-Wheeler Collections And It’s Wild
date: 2024-05-14, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Discovering the collection is just half the fun.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719516/worlds-largest-3-wheeler-collection/
Culinary legacy of Detroit’s Chinatown lives on
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
The US Midwestern city of Detroit once had a thriving Chinatown. And while that historic neighborhood has disappeared, one culinary legacy is well remembered and remains a favorite among locals. VOA’s Chris Casquejo introduces us to almond boneless chicken. Camera and edit: Yu Chen
https://www.voanews.com/a/culinary-legacy-of-detroit-s-chinatown-lives-on/7610590.html
Google is experimenting with running Chrome OS on Android
date: 2024-05-14, from: OS News
Now that Android – since version 13 – ships with the Android Virtualisation Framework, Google can start doing interesting things with it. It turns out the first interesting thing Google wants do with it is run Chrome OS inside of it. Even though AVF was initially designed around running small workloads in a highly stripped-down build of Android loaded in an isolated virtual machine, there’s technically no reason it can’t be used to run other operating systems. As a matter of fact, this was demonstrated already when developer Danny Lin got Windows 11 running on an Android phone back in 2022. Google itself never officially provided support for running anything other than its custom build of Android called “microdroid” in AVF, but that’s no longer the case. The company has started to offer official support for running Chromium OS, the open-source version of Chrome OS, on Android phones through AVF, and it has even been privately demoing this to other companies. At a privately held event, Google recently demonstrated a special build of Chromium OS — code-named “ferrochrome” — running in a virtual machine on a Pixel 8. However, Chromium OS wasn’t shown running on the phone’s screen itself. Rather, it was projected to an external display, which is possible because Google recently enabled display output on its Pixel 8 series. Time will tell if Google is thinking of positioning Chrome OS as a platform for its desktop mode ambitions and Samsung DeX rival. ↫ Mishaal Rahman at Android Authority It seems that Google is in the phase of exploring if there are any OEMs interested in allowing users to plug their Android phone into an external display and input devices and run Chrome OS on it. This sounds like an interesting approach to the longstanding dream of convergence – one device for all your computing needs – but at the same time, it feels quite convoluted to have your Android device emulate an entire Chrome OS installation. What a damning condemnation of Android as a platform that despite years of trying, Google just can’t seem to make Android and its applications work in a desktop form factor. I’ve tried to shoehorn Android into a desktop workflow, and it’s quite hard, despite third parties having made some interesting tools to help you along. It really seems Android just does not want to be anywhere else but on a mobile touch display.
https://www.osnews.com/story/139681/google-is-experimenting-with-running-chrome-os-on-android/
Dropped cellphone leads to felony charges against four in $54,000 Union City dispensary burglary, but cops say 13 were involved
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
Three men and a woman were charged with burglary and mass retail theft, but police are still working to identify nine others seen participating in the burglary on surveillance tapes.
Scout Will Reveal Two EVs This Summer. What Do You Want To See?
date: 2024-05-14, from: Inside EVs News
The VW Group subsidiary will soon give us the first glimpse of its retro-modern electric SUV and pickup truck.
https://insideevs.com/news/719623/scout-will-reveal-two-evs-this-summer/
NASA Teammates Recall Favorite Memories Aboard Flying Laboratory
date: 2024-05-14, from: NASA breaking news
After flying more than three decades and 158 science campaigns, just one flight remains. NASA’s DC-8 Airborne Science Laboratory will make its final flight May 15 to Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho, where it will be used to train future aircraft technicians by providing real-world experience in the college’s Aircraft Maintenance Technology Program. Before […]
Isuzu announces Cummins-powered electric F series for 2026
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
Isuzu is excited to announce the development of all-new, zero-emission Isuzu class 6 & 7 F series trucks utilizing an Accelera by Cummins battery-electric powertrain for both the US and Canada. They’re so excited, in fact, that they’re announcing it two years ahead of time!
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/isuzu-announces-cummins-powered-electric-f-series-for-2026/
Man riding scooter in East Bay dies from injuries after being hit by vehicle
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
The collision happened on May 8 near the intersection of Mission Boulevard and Orchard Avenue.
Only 2% of Tesla Full Self-Driving trial users end up buying it, credit card data show
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
According to credit card data, only about 2% of the Tesla owners who used Full Self-Driving in the free month trial ended up buying it after.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/tesla-full-self-driving-trial-users-take-rate-credit-card-data/
Nintendo Switch hacked to run Windows 11 on Arm
date: 2024-05-14, from: OS News
As Nintendo Switch unlocks and homebrew software develops, people are inclined to explore the possibilities and whether or not they actually provide a good experience. Our new prime example seems to be a full install of Windows 11 Arm on the Switch. As noted by @PatRyk on Twitter, who actually set this up, the experience is pretty grueling! The initial installation took three hours, and even basic system tasks were unresponsive. ↫ Christopher Harper at Tom’s Hardware Silly, sure, but efforts like these all contribute to emulation efforts, which will eventually be important once Nintendo drops support for this machine and they become increasingly harder to get. Give it a decade or so and we’ll need the Switch emulators to keep playing Switch games.
https://www.osnews.com/story/139679/nintendo-switch-hacked-to-run-windows-11-on-arm/
Feds charge man who was injured in Oakland shootout
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
Kenyetta Roberson was shot in the legs outside a liquor store on San Pablo Avenue, and allegedly referenced the incident when the ATF raided his home this month.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/14/feds-charge-man-who-was-injured-in-oakland-shootout/
Telegram CEO calls out rival Signal, claiming it has ties to US government
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Drama between two of the leading secure messaging services
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov issued a scathing criticism of Signal, alleging the messaging service is not secure and has ties to US intelligence agencies.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/telegram_ceo_calls_out_rival/
Two Campbell businesses each have $10,000 worth of merchandise stolen
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
Burglars do $7k worth of damage in one incident.
Is California’s unemployment rate really 9.5%?
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
Another joblesss benchmark includes the discouraged and underemployed, plus the officially unemployed.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/14/is-californias-unemployment-rate-really-9-5/
Yet another GameStop stock rally
date: 2024-05-14, from: Marketplace Morning Report
Shares of video game retailer GameStop skyrocketed nearly 75% yesterday and are poised to shoot even higher today. That comes after the trader who championed the last run-up in GameStop’s share value posted on social media for the first time since 2021. We’ll hear the latest. Also on the program: regulator concerns over election bets and a dip in medical student residency applications in states with abortion bans.
The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Joe Rush of Florida. Give now and double your impact.
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/yet-another-gamestop-stock-rally
Onetime Trump fixer testifies he wants former president convicted
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
NASA Names Deputy Station Manager, Operations Integration Manager
date: 2024-05-14, from: NASA breaking news
NASA selected Dina Contella as the deputy program manager and Bill Spetch as the operations integration manager for the agency’s International Space Station Program, effective Sunday, June 2. “Dina’s depth of experience with the complex and dynamic aspects of the space station mission will be instrumental for leading through future challenges,” said Dana Weigel, program […]
Stellantis, Leapmotor officially launch joint venture to sell Chinese EVs in Europe this fall
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
One week after reporting plans for a press event launching its new joint venture, Stellantis and Leapmotor have officially begun the new business venture together. The new JV, named “Leapmotor International,” will expand to sell Chinese EVs in Europe this fall, with additional markets to follow.
Strangely Curved Shapes Break 50-Year-Old Geometry Conjecture
date: 2024-05-14, from: Quanta Magazine
Mathematicians have disproved a major conjecture about the relationship between curvature and shape.The post Strangely Curved Shapes Break 50-Year-Old Geometry Conjecture first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Neely experiments with science of winemaking
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
Portola Valley winery releases carbonic chardonnay.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/14/neely-experiments-with-science-of-winemaking/
Ellison’s exemplar SAP-to-Oracle region rules out ditching Oracle
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Largest local authority in Europe expects to go live with re-implementation
Birmingham City Council – Europe’s largest local authority, serving over one million customers – has agreed to re-implement an Oracle Fusion system following a failed rollout that saw costs escalate by more than £100 million ($125.6 million) and the authority unable to fulfill its statutory duties.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/birmingham_city_council_oracle/
Two San Jose office buildings stabilize loan as lender cancels default
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
A lender has canceled a loan default involving two San Jose office buildings.
The Walls Are Closing in on John Deere’s Tractor Repair Monopoly
date: 2024-05-14, from: 404 Media Group
Inside the class action lawsuit bringing federal scrutiny to John Deere’s repair practices.
https://www.404media.co/the-walls-are-closing-in-on-john-deeres-tractor-repair-monopoly/
Tesla Cybertruck Chief Out, Some Supercharger Team Re-Hired
date: 2024-05-14, from: Inside EVs News
Things are up and down at Tesla. Plus, NHTSA is probing Waymo for traffic violations and new Chinese EV tariffs could impact U.S. jobs.
https://insideevs.com/news/719594/tesla-cybertruck-chief-supercharging-team/
Burglars steal $1k worth of tools from truck in Los Gatos
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
Caller reported blood left behind.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/05/14/burglars-steal-1k-worth-of-tools-from-truck-in-los-gatos/
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-14, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
That time women in NJ could vote before the 19th amendment.
https://mayarodale.substack.com/p/that-time-women-in-nj-could-vote
Kia unveils the new EV6 with more range, updated features, and a sleek new design
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
The Kia EV6 facelift is finally here. Kia revealed the new EV6 Tuesday with more range, a host of new features, and an “evolved” design for the modern era.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/kia-unveils-new-ev6-more-range-features-sleek-design/
People’s CDC COVID-19 Weather Report
date: 2024-05-14, from: Peoples CDC blog
This is the @PeoplesCDC weekly update for May 13, 2024! This Weather Report from the People’s CDC sheds light on the ongoing COVID situation in the US.
https://peoplescdc.org/2024/05/14/peoples-cdc-covid-19-weather-report-74/
Komatsu launches first ever electric drilling, bolting rigs
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
Komatsu just launched its first-ever electric underground drilling and bolting rigs, signaling a new beginning for the Japanese construction giant’s hard rock mining portfolio.
https://electrek.co/2024/05/14/komatsu-launches-first-ever-electric-drilling-bolting-rigs/
Concord teen gets 12 years, 8 months for killing 86-year-old man in hit-and-run DUI crash
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
Thomas O’Connell, 86, was killed in the hit-and-run crash after having a Thanksgiving meal with his family, and his wife suffered multiple broken bones, authorities said.
2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST Enters Production With 440 Miles Of Range
date: 2024-05-14, from: Inside EVs News
The first retail-oriented version of the all-electric Silverado is being built at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center in Michigan.
https://insideevs.com/news/719545/2024-chevrolet-silverado-rst-production-start/
When bees swarm in the Bay Area, who you gonna call? These heroes.
date: 2024-05-14, from: San Jose Mercury News
Inside the daring, ultra-competitive work of the beekeepers who race to collect loose swarms.
Google, Apple gear to raise tracking tag stalker alarm
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
After years of people being victimized, it’s about time
Google and Apple are rolling out an anti-stalking feature for Android 6.0+ and iOS 17.5 that will issue an alert if some scumbag is using a gadget like an AirTag or similar to clandestinely track the user.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/android_apple_devices_anti_stalking/
How American student journalists fill the void after private media fold
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
In the United States, each year there are fewer news organizations covering local communities, even near the nation’s capital. Some high school journalists are trying to help make up for the shortage. Robin Guess reports from Montgomery County, just outside Washington. Camera: Nazir Afzali.
These 2 Guys Tried to Fix and Ride Junked Motorcycles In 48 Hours
date: 2024-05-14, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
They didn’t need to be perfect; they just needed to run. What could possibly go wrong?
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719529/brickhouse-builds-48-hour-challenge/
Ride1Up Revv1 DRT unveiled as high performance off-road electric bike
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
Ride1Up announced the launch of its original Revv1 electric moped-style bike back in early 2023, spearheading the brand’s expansion into a wider range of e-bike models. The powerful bike was a shot across the bow of major brands like SUPER73, offering high-performance riding and moto-inspired styling for a more affordable price. Now the company is back with the first major redesign to the bike, offering the Revv1 DRT for off-road adventures.
Amazon’s Swag Store Sells Neck Fans to Prevent Workers from Overheating
date: 2024-05-14, from: 404 Media Group
Employees can buy the fans at an in-warehouse store with “Swag Bucks” they earn for good behavior and team bonding activities.
https://www.404media.co/amazons-swag-store-sells-neck-fans-to-prevent-workers-from-overheating/
How to solve ‘range anxiety’
date: 2024-05-14, from: Status-Q blog
Rory Sutherland has a nice piece with this title in The Spectator. Excerpt: As you are reading this, thousands of the world’s cleverest people are spending billions to increase the range of electric car batteries. The reason for this is to reduce a phenomenon called ‘range anxiety’. I suggest that it might be a lot Continue Reading
https://statusq.org/archives/2024/05/14/12065/
VMware giving away Workstation Pro, Fusion Pro free for personal use
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
A nice gesture among the sh!tshow of Broadcom’s acquisition
VMware has made another small but notable post-merger concession to users: the Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro desktop hypervisor products will now be free for personal use.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/vmware_workstation_pro_fusion_pro/
Cops developing Ghostbusters-esque weapon to take out e-bike thugs
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
‘Who you gonna call?’ Dunno, my phone’s been stolen
British police officers are setting their phasers to stun in response to an explosion in scooter and electric bike-based crime.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/ghostbuster_ebike_weapon/
UK Plans To Ban Gas Motorcycles Aren’t New, But There’s More To It
date: 2024-05-14, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
The Department For Transport sought public comment on a potential ICE motorbike ban in 2022. It’s 2024. Where did all the comments go?
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719521/uk-plan-combustion-motorcycle-ban/
Biden quadruples tariffs on Chinese EVs
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
WASHINGTON — In a bid to revive domestic manufacturing, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that he is imposing a drastic tariff increase on Chinese electric vehicles and new levies on computer chips, solar cells and lithium-ion batteries.
“We’re not going to let China flood our market making it impossible for American auto – auto manufacturers to compete fairly,” Biden said. “I will do it by following international trade laws.”
Tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, also known as EVs, will be quadrupled to a 100% rate. Solar cell and semiconductor imports from China will be subject to a 50% tariff, double the current rate. The rate on certain steel and aluminum imports will increase to 25%, more than triple the current level.
The tariff increase will cover $18 billion in Chinese products. Tariffs on EVs, steel and aluminum, and solar cells will take effect this year, and next year for chips.
United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the administration has provided pre-notification to Beijing.
“We have made clear this is not about escalation,” she said. “This is about the consequences of decades of economic policy and the need for the United States to defend our rights.”
The move is designed to offset “China’s unfair practices and subsidies and level the playing field for U.S. automakers and auto workers,” National Economic Adviser Lael Brainard told reporters Monday ahead of the announcement.
“China is simply too big to play by its own rules,” she said. “China is using the same playbook it has before to power its own growth at the expense of others by continuing to invest, despite excess Chinese capacity, and flooding global markets with exports that are underpriced due to unfair practices.”
China’s “forced technology transfers and intellectual property theft” have contributed to its control of the majority of global production for the critical inputs “creating unacceptable risks to America’s supply chains and economic security,” the White House said.
Responding to the U.S. announcement, China said Tuesday the move “will seriously affect the atmosphere of bilateral cooperation.”
“The U.S. is essentially using the ‘overcapacity’ narrative to kneecap other countries’ strong industries and practice protectionism and trample on market principles and international trade rules in the name of ‘fair competition.’ This is nothing but bullying,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters Tuesday in Beijing.
Tough on China
The move follows a three-year review of the policies of Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, who is the Republican presumptive presidential nominee. Both candidates have used their campaign events to compete in showing who is tougher on China ahead of the November election.
“My predecessor promised to increase American exports and boost manufacturing, but he did neither. He failed,” Biden said.
The former president said Tuesday that the Biden administration’s new tariffs will not be enough to compete against Beijing.
“China’s eating our lunch right now,” Trump said, adding that Biden should slap tariffs on “much more than electric vehicles.”
“They’ve also got to do it on other vehicles, and they have to do it on a lot of other products,” Trump told reporters as he entered court for his hush money trial in New York.
Asked by reporters on Trump’s comment about China eating America’s lunch (unfairly taking advantage of the U.S.), Biden responded, “He’s been feeding them a long time.”
The Trump campaign hit back, calling Biden’s action a “weak and futile attempt to distract from the grievous harm his insane Electric Vehicle mandate is doing to the U.S. auto industry.”
“The fact that these tariffs do not apply to gas-powered cars and trucks but only to Chinese EVs shows that this has nothing to do with protecting American Workers,” Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “It’s all about Crooked Joe’s agenda of killing gas-powered automobiles while forcing Americans into ultra-expensive Electric Vehicles they don’t want and can’t afford.”
Asked by VOA to respond to such criticism, Tai said the tariffs are “designed to be strategic and not chaotic. They are designed to be effective and not emotional.”
Preempting future increases
Currently, the U.S. imports almost no EVs from China, but the Biden administration is trying to preempt potential future increases, said Rachel Ziemba, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, or CNAS.
The tariffs hit sectors where the administration has been investing with industrial policy tools, including the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act, Ziemba told VOA, referring to Biden’s climate and energy legislation, and legislation to boost domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing.
“In a sense, these tariffs are part of a policy initiative to make sure that Chinese companies can’t benefit from that U.S. government subsidy,” he said.
The move is likely to increase friction between the world’s two largest economies and is not likely to change Beijing’s behavior.
“China opposes unilateral tariffs that violate WTO rules and will take all measures necessary to defend our legitimate rights and interests,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang said.
Biden reiterated he wants “fair competition with China, not conflict.” He said the U.S. is in a stronger position to win because of the investments his administration has made to revive domestic manufacturing.
According to a 2022 report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, China spent more on industrial policy ($248 billion) than it did on its defense spending ($240 billion) in 2019.
China spends far more supporting its industries than any other economy in the CSIS study, and more than twice as much as the U.S.
Circumventing through Mexico
On the same day Biden announced the new tariffs, Chinese automaker BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle producer, unveiled the Shark, a midsize hybrid-electric pickup truck, in Mexico. In February, BYD said it was looking for a location in Mexico for its factory.
A Mexico-made EV with sufficient North America-sourced parts could qualify for tariff-free entry into the U.S. market under the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA.
The administration said Beijing’s move to circumvent tariffs via a U.S. free trade partner is “a pattern” of “serious concern” that it’s investigating.
With Chinese EV production moving out of China, taking action against Chinese EVs in third country markets is something that the administration should deeply explore, said Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. trade negotiator who is now vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.
Blocking Beijing’s circumvention effort can be done by amending the USMCA or through supplemental agreements, or an investment screening mechanism separate from the USMCA, she told VOA. “I’m sure there are other alternatives as well that are being explored.”
Tai would only reveal that addressing the issue will “require a separate pathway,” without providing details. “I would just ask you to stay tuned,” she said.
Anita Powell contributed to this report.
The Wildfire Smoke is Back
date: 2024-05-14, from: Heatmap News
Current conditions: A giant billboard collapsed during a dust storm in Mumbai, killing at least 14 people • Tornado watches are in place across northern parts of Florida • The water is rising again in the flooded Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sol.
THE TOP FIVE
- Fires continue to burn in western Canada
Wildfires are still raging out of control in Canada, fueled by drought and strong winds. One, the Parker Lake fire, is approaching the town of Fort Nelson, where more than 4,700 people have been evacuated. The fires have sent plumes of smoke into northern states. Parts of Iowa are experiencing hazardous air quality today as a result. The skies have cleared a bit in the Twin Cities after the entire state of Minnesota was under an air quality alert on Monday
Smoke
plumes from Canadian
wildfires.AirNow
- FERC announces new transmission rule
There was quite a lot of news coming out of Washington yesterday. Here’s a quick catch-up:
FERC overhauled transmission planning – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission unveiled and approved a rule overhauling regional transmission planning to take into account the ongoing and planned transformation of the electric grid. As Heatmap’s Matthew Zeitlin explained, the new rule will require regional transmission organizations adopt the long view, extending their planning horizon over a 20-year period and calling for updates every five years. FERC is also requiring regional transmission planners to consult a specific set of economic and reliability benefits like reducing congestion on the grid and resilience against extreme weather and lower costs when selecting projects. And transmission planners will have to come up with a default method for allocating costs associated with new projects.
But Chuck Schumer downplayed the possibility of permitting reform – The Senate majority leader said a bipartisan package to overhaul permitting reform and speed up energy projects would be “virtually impossible” because Republicans have been blocking the effort.
Meanwhile, GOP attorneys challenged emissions rules – A group of Republican attorneys general launched a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the EPA’s new emissions limits for trucks, to be phased in over the next decade or so. Another lawsuit targets California for its ban on combustion trucks set to take effect in 2036.
Coming up today: President Biden is set to announce new tariffs on Chinese EVs and other imports today at 12:15 pm ET.
Get Heatmap AM directly in your inbox every morning:
- Tesla reportedly re-hiring some Supercharger workers
When Tesla abruptly laid off its entire Supercharger team a few weeks ago, a rather stunned Robinson Meyer said on Heatmap’s Shift Key podcast that the “best case scenario” for what had happened was that Elon Musk was “cutting very deeply into teams that he knows in three to six months that he’s going to hire back.” This may be exactly what’s happened, though on a much shorter timeline. Bloomberg reported yesterday that Tesla has started hiring back some of the Supercharger team, including Max de Zegher, the director of charging for North America. It wasn’t clear how many workers were being re-hired, but Meyer noted that Musk’s philosophy is that “if you don’t need to go back and hire back or build back 10% of what you cut then you didn’t cut deep enough.”
- VW unveils trims for electric ID Buzz
Volkswagen has released more details about its much-anticipated electric Microbus – aka the ID Buzz. In the U.S. it’ll come in three trims: Pro S, Pro S Plus, and 1st Edition. All of them will have a 91-kWh battery, 20-inch wheels, a 12.9-inch infotainment system, 30-color ambient lighting, and Park Assist Plus. “The colors are FUN,” wrote Michelle Lewis at Electrek. They range from Energetic Orange and Pomelo Yellow to Mahi Green and Cabana Blue, plus a few more. The vehicles will go on sale in the U.S. later this year. We don’t yet know the range or pricing.
- Vatican to host climate summit this week
The Vatican is hosting a three-day international climate summit, starting tomorrow and ending on Friday. The event will focus on building climate resilience worldwide through mitigation and adaptation. “We no longer have the luxury of relying just on mitigation of emissions,” the event organizers wrote. “We need to embark on building climate resilience so that people can bend the emissions curve, survive the climate crisis, and bounce forward to a safer, healthier, more equitable, and sustainable world.”
The event will culminate in a protocol “fashioned along the lines of the Montreal Protocol” that will “provide the guidelines for making everyone climate resilient.” The protocol will then be submitted to the UNFCCC. In written remarks ahead of the summit, Pope Francis said “the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point.”
THE KICKER
EVs accounted for 4.3% of used car sales in the first quarter of 2024, according to used car sales platform Carvana. That is up from 1.8% of used car sales in the first quarter of 2023.
https://heatmap.news/climate/canada-wildfire-smoke-iowa-minnesota
DP World and Einride to deploy the largest autonomous electric truck fleet in the Middle East
date: 2024-05-14, from: Electrek Feed
Electric and autonomous freight specialist Einride is expanding on previous plans to deploy more commercial vehicle technology and infrastructure in the Middle East. The mobility company has partnered with supply chain solutions provider DP World to help make its fleet of 100 electric trucks operate more efficiently in Dubai before potentially going autonomous soon.
Jonathan Kraut | The Pretender in Chief Is Still in Office?
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Signal
What traits do you look for in a public servant or elected leader? Are family values, being aligned with your faith, caring about others, supporting law and order, telling it […]
The post Jonathan Kraut | The Pretender in Chief Is Still in Office? appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/jonathan-kraut-the-pretender-in-chief-is-still-in-office/
The Markup Wins Six Awards of Excellence from the Society for News Design
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Markup blog
The global contest recognizes excellence in visual storytelling, design, and journalism
Dan Petkunas | A Misleading Portrayal of Inflation
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Signal
A graph from the Labor Department showing declining inflation was shown on TV, but is very misleading. Accurate, but still misleading. An item priced at $1 two years ago hit […]
The post Dan Petkunas | A Misleading Portrayal of Inflation appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/dan-petkunas-a-misleading-portrayal-of-inflation/
David Smith | Not Believing the Blatantly Obvious
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Signal
Re: Arthur Saginian, letters, May 12. Arthur, Ive been reading your comments for several years now. The first thing I learned when I became what the Bible calls born again […]
The post David Smith | Not Believing the Blatantly Obvious appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/david-smith-not-believing-the-blatantly-obvious/
Rob Kerchner | An Absurd Ruling on Absurd Claims
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Signal
A Democrat New York judge has ordered President Donald Trump to pay $364 million in the case brought by Attorney General Letitia James, as guided through White House meetings. Dunno […]
The post Rob Kerchner | An Absurd Ruling on Absurd Claims appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/rob-kerchner-an-absurd-ruling-on-absurd-claims/
Reena Newhall | Kudos to The Signal
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Signal
Here are a few past headlines that The Signal senior staff writer, Perry Smith, masterfully elaborated on recently: “County discusses tax relief, state of emergency for Chiquita Canyon.” “SCV Water […]
The post Reena Newhall | Kudos to The Signal appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/reena-newhall-kudos-to-the-signal/
Once Alibaba’s main investor, SoftBank sheds remaining stake
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
SoftBank to focus on AI, but might pick up LINE, Yahoo! holding company
SoftBank, once Alibaba’s biggest investor, has sold its stake in the Chinese tech company, it told investors on an earnings call.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/softbank_sheds_alibaba/
Rainey’s Ride To The Races Returns
date: 2024-05-14, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
A day full of riding bikes and mingling with some of the biggest names in motorcycle racing.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719382/raineys-ride-to-the-races-2024/
When patients aren’t taken to court over medical debts
date: 2024-05-14, from: Marketplace Morning Report
At Rochester Regional Health in New York, aggressive collection activities on medical debts are barred. Patients are not sued, their wages are not garnished, and unpaid bills won’t sink their credit scores. We’ll hear about the health system’s shift to the uncommon model and learn more about its impact. But first, the Biden administration is announcing increased tariffs on imports from China. And later, how can the WNBA sustain its surging popularity?
The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Joe Rush of Florida. Give now and double your impact.
Landlords Are Charging You Junk Fees For Services That Screw You
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Lever News
Tenants are paying fees to have their credit scores lowered, among other dubious services.
https://www.levernews.com/landlords-are-charging-you-junk-fees-for-services-that-screw-you/
2025 Kia EV6: Bigger Battery, Different Face, Fingerprint Reader
date: 2024-05-14, from: Inside EVs News
The facelifted EV crossover also brings extra buttons inside for the heated and ventilated seats.
https://insideevs.com/news/719554/2025-kia-ev6-facelift-bigger-battery/
Polaris’ UTV Tank Patent Is Actually an Old Military Design
date: 2024-05-14, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Folks, I think we’re getting old military tech…
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719507/polaris-rampage-utv-tank-patent/
The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education
date: 2024-05-14, from: National Archives, Pieces of History blog
70 years ago the Supreme Court issued its Brown v. the Board of Education ruling. Today’s post has been adapted from a piece by Daniel Holt, who served as the Director of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene from 1990 to 2008 and was a member of the Brown v. Board … Continue reading The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education
https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2024/05/14/the-legacy-of-brown-v-board-of-education/
Arai’s New XD-5 Can Become Three Different Helmets
date: 2024-05-14, from: Ride Apart, Electric Motorcycle News
Arai says it represents the very best the brand has to offer when it comes to ADV-focused comfort and safety.
https://www.rideapart.com/news/719385/arai-xd5-adventure-touring-helmet/
Hubble Space Telescope hasn’t had any visitors for 15 years
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
STS-125 – the Space Shuttle mission that almost never happened
It is fifteen years since the Hubble Space Telescope was captured by a Space Shuttle for the final time.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/15_years_hubble_servicing/
The fight over Georgia’s controversial “foreign agents” bill
date: 2024-05-14, from: Marketplace Morning Report
From the BBC World Service: Today, we examine the controversial law proposed by the Eastern European nation of Georgia, where organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from overseas would be classified as ’”foreign agents.” This is seen as a fork in the road for the country: Does its future lie with Europe or Russia? Then, rapid growth in the Indian tech hub of Bengaluru has put pressure on crucial water resources.
The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Joe Rush of Florida. Give now and double your impact.
PeerJ Award Winners at SCCS 2024
date: 2024-05-14, from: PeerJ blog
The Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS) series in Cambridge, Australia, Beijing, Bangalore, New York and Hungary is the only international series of conservation conferences aimed entirely at students. SCCS helps early career conservation scientists gain experience, learn new ideas and make contacts that will be valuable for their future careers. Over the past 21 […]
https://peerj.com/blog/post/115284889230/peerj-award-winners-at-sccs-2024/
EA is prototyping in-game ads even as we speak
date: 2024-05-14, from: OS News
Electronic Arts has a long, storied history of trying to wring more money out of gamers after they’ve purchased a game — now, it appears, the company’s hard at work on its next generation of in-game ads. EA CEO Andrew Wilson admitted as much on the company’s Q4 earnings call: when an analyst asked about “the market opportunity for more dynamic ad insertion across more traditional AAA games,” he said the company’s already working on it. “We have teams internally in the company right now looking at how do we do very thoughtful implementations inside of our game experiences,” said Wilson. ↫ Sean Hollister at The Verge Ads in games are definitely not new – we’ve seen countless games built entirely around brands, like Tapper for Budweiser, Pepsiman, or Cool Spot for 7-Up – and banner ads and product placement in various games has been a thing for decades, too. It seems like EA wants to take this several steps further and use things like dynamic ad insertion in games, so that when you’re playing some racing game, you’ll get an ad for your local Hyundai dealer, or an ad for a gun store when you’re playing GTA in the US. Either way, it’s going to make games worse, which is perfectly in line with EA’s mission.
https://www.osnews.com/story/139675/ea-is-prototyping-in-game-ads-even-as-we-speak/
The UK reveals it’s spending millions on quantum navigation
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
First commercial flight trials of a quantum-based system that could be a backup for GPS
The UK has just completed commercial flight trials of quantum-based navigation systems that are designed to be immune to conventional jamming and spoofing.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/uk_government_quantum_navigation/
Scoop: KQED Expects to Lay Off 18-25 Employees
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Squeeze
The News Arrives Two Years After the Bay Area NPR and PBS Member Station Completed a $90 Million Renovation
https://thisisthesqueeze.substack.com/p/scoop-kqed-expects-to-lay-off-18
NHS Digital hints at exploit sightings of Arcserve UDP vulnerabilities
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
When PoC code is released within a day of disclosure, it’s only a matter of time before attacks kick off
The UK’s NHS is warning of the possibility that vulnerabilities in Arcserve Unified Data Protection (UDP) software are being actively exploited.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/nhs_arcserve_udp/
Biden’s New 100% Tariff On Chinese EVs Shuts Out Cheap Imports
date: 2024-05-14, from: Inside EVs News
The Biden Administration hit back hard today on China’s EV industry. But will the tariffs protect automakers, or make them more complacent?
https://insideevs.com/news/719530/biden-chinese-ev-tariff/
Nix forked, but over politics instead of progress
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Aux.computer fragments the community – but doesn’t fix the technological objections
Comment Recent ructions in the Nix project over moderation, leadership, and funding, have led to a fork… but one that fails to address the technical and human issues with Nix packaging itself.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/nix_forked_but_over_politics/
How to make $50 million a year while your corporation goes down the tubes
date: 2024-05-14, from: Robert Reich on Substack
David Zaslav exemplifies socialism for the rich
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/how-to-make-50-million-a-year-while
Brit publishers beg Apple not to hurt online ad revenue
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
Breaking news, perhaps literally: AI content blocking tool in Safari for iOS
The UK News Media Association (NMA) has written to Apple, warning that its reported plan to provide AI-powered ad blocking in iOS 18 threatens the revenue of news publications.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/uk_newspaper_apple/
Today in SCV History (May 14)
date: 2024-05-14, from: SCV New (TV Station)
1874 – Outlaw Tiburcio Vasquez captured in Hollywood Hills. [story
https://scvnews.com/today-in-scv-history-may-14/
US calls on Iran to halt unprecedented weapons transfers to Yemen’s Houthis
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
M.2 HAT+ on sale now at $12
date: 2024-05-14, from: Raspberry Pi News (.com)
The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ is here! Connect M.2 M-key peripherals, such as NVMe drives and AI accelerators, to your Raspberry Pi 5, with fast (up to 500 MB/s) data transfer.
The post M.2 HAT+ on sale now at $12 appeared first on Raspberry Pi.
https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/m-2-hat-on-sale-now-for-12/
Nvidia PUE-PUEs datacenter efficiency ratings, calls for application-specific metrics
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
What good is great power use effectiveness if your DC is packed with inefficient kit?
ISC Power use effectiveness – PUE for short – has long been the spec by which datacenter efficiency has been measured. But after nearly two decades Nvidia believes it’s time for a new metric.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/nvidia_pue_datacenter/
curl user survey 2024
date: 2024-05-14, from: Daniel Stenberg Blog
Welcome to the 11th annual curl user survey. This is a once a year poll that we ask as many curl and libcurl users as possible to respond to. >> Take the survey << This is in many ways the only real way we get to know what curl users think about all sorts of … Continue reading curl user survey 2024
https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2024/05/14/curl-user-survey-2024/
UC San Diego outlasts CSUN baseball in a 10-inning thriller
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Sundail (CSUN student paper)
In a high-scoring contest on Friday afternoon, UC San Diego emerged victorious over the Matadors 11-5 after a dramatic extra-innings battle. The game was evenly poised until the 10th inning,…
https://sundial.csun.edu/181902/sports/uc-san-diego-outlasts-csun-baseball-in-a-10-inning-thriller/
What OpenAI did
date: 2024-05-14, from: One Useful Thing
A new model opens up new possibilities
https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/what-openai-did
Ryan Gallagher Named Big West Pitcher of the Week
date: 2024-05-14, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
The Gauchos will host Saint Mary’s on Tuesday, beginning at 4:35 p.m.
The post Ryan Gallagher Named Big West Pitcher of the Week appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/13/ryan-gallagher-named-big-west-pitcher-of-the-week/
Russia-Ukraine war: US delay in aid let Putin inflict more damage, ex-Ukrainian president says
date: 2024-05-14, from: Associated Press, World News
Yushchenko has backed the handling of the war by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and has asserted that no Ukrainian politician would give up territory in order to end the war.
https://apnews.com/article/viktor-yushchenko-ukraine-russia-war-857a53214e963d2c208d1b8434eafade
May 13, 2024
date: 2024-05-14, from: Heather Cox Richardson blog
Today illustrated that the Democrats have become America’s cheerleaders, emphasizing how investment in the nation’s infrastructure has created jobs and rebuilt the country. This week, the Biden-Harris administration is touting its investments in rebuilding roads and bridges, making sure Americans have clean water, getting rid of pollution, expanding access to high-speed internet, and building a clean energy economy, contrasting that success with Trump’s eternal announcements of an “Infrastructure Week” that never came.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-13-2024
Bringing Life to Santa Barbara’s Downtown by Growing Homes
date: 2024-05-14, from: Santa Barbara Indenpent News
Two events on economics and growth focused on housing downtown.
The post Bringing Life to Santa Barbara’s Downtown by Growing Homes appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.
https://www.independent.com/2024/05/13/bringing-life-to-santa-barbaras-downtown-by-growing-homes/
Child airlifted to hospital after being found face-down in pool
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Signal
A 3-year-old child was transported to Central Park and airlifted to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles after being found face-down in a pool in the 20700 block of Dan Court in […]
The post Child airlifted to hospital after being found face-down in pool appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/child-airlifted-to-hospital-after-being-found-face-down-in-pool/
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-14, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Bluesky Is Building The Decentralized Social Media Jack Dorsey Wants, Even If He Doesn’t Realize It.
Russia-Ukraine war: Blinken visits Ukraine to affirm US support for Kyiv
date: 2024-05-14, from: Associated Press, World News
The visit comes less than a month after Congress approved a long-delayed foreign assistance package that sets aside $60 billion in aid for Ukraine.
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-14, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
Battle of the AI bots: Copilot vs ChatGPT vs Gemini.
https://www.popsci.com/technology/copilot-vs-chatgpt-vs-gemini/
Texan construction workers put a rocket up Team SpaceX over ‘unpaid bills’
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
’If they were to call me today, I’d tell them to f%*k off’
Amid the hullabaloo over SpaceX building out its rocket-launching empire in Texas, there are signs it’s not all tickety-boo – in that it seems not everyone is being paid on time.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/spacex_liens_texas/
Stop the silencing: Let student voices be heard
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Daily Trojan (USC Student Paper)
Former USC Valedictorians condemn the administration’s repression of free speech on campus and call for a public apology to Asna Tabassum.
The post Stop the silencing: Let student voices be heard appeared first on Daily Trojan.
https://dailytrojan.com/2024/05/13/stop-the-silencing-let-student-voices-be-heard/
@Dave Winer’s linkblog (date: 2024-05-14, from: Dave Winer’s linkblog)
David Sanborn, Saxophonist Who Defied Pigeonholing, Dies at 78
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/13/arts/music/david-sanborn-dead.html
Washington: Negotiations have ‘ups and downs’ as Gaza conflict continues
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
Washington says it is working to resolve the many issues in the continuing conflict in Gaza as negotiations continue and Israel plans to launch a full-scale operation in the southern city of Rafah over U.S. objections. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House.
RSA Conference 2024: The good, the bad, and the downright worrying
date: 2024-05-14, updated: 2024-05-14, from: The Register (UK I.T. News)
If there’s one thing infosec needs right now, it’s a little pick-me-up
Kettle San Francisco hosted tens of thousands of computer security folk last week for 2024’s RSA Conference – and the vibe was a mix of gloom about the state of infosec and some hope for improvement.…
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/rsa_conference_kettle/
Infrastructure Week: Recognizing National Investments in Our Future
date: 2024-05-14, from: Infrastructure LA Blog
Infrastructure Week: Recognizing National Investments in Our Future The Los Angeles region is on the cusp of a monumental transformation, thanks to over $1.5 billion in federal investments allocated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. This substantial funding infusion is set to overhaul local infrastructure while prioritizing environmental sustainability, resilience, […]
https://infrastructurela.org/intel22/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=intel22
Michael Cohen: Trump ordered hush money payment to porn star
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
https://www.voanews.com/a/michael-cohen-trump-ordered-hush-money-payment-to-porn-star/7610074.html
COC employee climate survey results to be released
date: 2024-05-14, from: The Signal
After spending more than an hour at last week’s Santa Clarita Community College District board of trustees meeting on the subject, College of the Canyons officials entered into an understanding […]
The post COC employee climate survey results to be released appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
https://signalscv.com/2024/05/coc-employee-climate-survey-results-to-be-released/
Will US voters continue to care about Ukraine amid Israel-Hamas conflict?
date: 2024-05-14, from: VOA News USA
As Russia pushed into northern Ukraine this week, the U.S. presidential race between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump remained focused on another foreign policy crisis – the war in Gaza. As VOA’s congressional correspondent, Katherine Gypson, reports, keeping American attention on Ukraine could be difficult.
What Is… Earth’s Atmosphere?
date: 2024-05-14, from: NASA breaking news
When we talk about the Earth’s Atmosphere, what do we mean? Imagine a layer cake, wrapping around the Earth. That is essentially what the Earth’s atmosphere is like: layers upon layers of gas surrounding the Earth, working to protect the planet. We asked Rei Ueyama, an atmospheric scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, to explain […]
https://www.nasa.gov/general/what-is-earths-atmosphere/
2024 public data file now available, featuring new experimental formats
date: 2024-05-14, from: Crossref Blog
This year’s public data file is now available, featuring over 156 million metadata records deposited with Crossref through the end of April 2024 from over 19,000 members. A full breakdown of Crossref metadata statistics is available here.
Like last year, you can download all of these records in one go via Academic Torrents or directly from Amazon S3 via the “requester pays” method.
Download the file: The torrent download can be initiated here. Instructions for downloading via the “requester pays” method, along with other tips for using these files, can be found on the “Tips for working with Crossref public data files and Plus snapshots” page.
In January, Martin Eve announced that we had been experimenting with alternative file formats meant to make our public data files easier to use by broader audiences. This year’s file will be published alongside the tools that can be used on the public data file to produce two experimental formats: JSON-lines and SQLite (and a bonus Rust version). You can read more about our thinking behind this work in Martin’s blog post, and we are keen to hear your thoughts on these alternatives.
Our annual public data file is meant to facilitate individuals and organizations interested in working with the entirety of our metadata corpus. Starting with the majority of our metadata records in one file should be much easier than starting from scratch with our API, but because Crossref metadata is always openly available, you can use the API to keep your local copy up to date with new and updated records.
If you’re curious about what you’ll get with the public data file, we’ve also published a sample version so that you can take a peek before committing to downloading the ~212 gb file. This file includes a random sample of JSON files and is available exclusively via torrent here.
We hope you find this public data file useful. Should you have any questions about how to access or use the file, please see the tips below, or share your questions below (you will be redirected to our community forum).
Tips for using the torrent and retrieving incremental updates
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Use the public data file if you want all Crossref metadata records. Everyone is welcome to the metadata, but it will be much faster for you and much easier on our APIs to get so many records in one file. Here are some tips on how to work with the file.
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Use the REST API to incrementally add new and updated records once you have the initial file. Here is how to get started (and avoid getting blocked in your enthusiasm to use all this great metadata!).
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While bibliographic metadata is generally required, because lots of metadata is optional, records will vary in quality and completeness.
Questions, comments, and feedback are welcome at support@crossref.org.