Leftovers

• Bert Hubert ☛ A bit about me

  I prefer not to spend too much time talking about myself, but I also like to make it clear who I am and what I do, so people don’t have to guess (because they might guess wrong).

  I studied physics at Delft University of Technology, but dropped out somewhere around 40%. I still love physics though.

  Until relatively recently I was a part time ex-ante regulator of the Dutch intelligence and security services.

• Soylent News ☛ Soylent Update

  It is a long time since we issued a Meta regarding the situation of the site. Much has been happening, but nowhere near as quickly as we had imagined or had hoped. But we are now almost there.

  The handover of assets is taking place. The new Board has been instrumental in this and, when the transfer is finally complete, I know that NCommander wishes to write his own Meta to you, the community. Details of who is in which seat will happen once the handover is complete because, until that point, the current site is the one that has existed since 2014, and it is still headed by NCommander.

  New hardware is being set up which will allow us to drastically reduce the running costs of the site. Two people, fliptop and kolie, have donated the use of servers and internet connections free of charge to SoylentNews. This is an extremely generous donation on their part and one for which the new Board is extremely grateful. Contracts, where requested, are being actioned as I write this Meta. There will still be annual costs for domains etc.

  The new hardware will have a new software structure installed on it, based on Docker containers. These will provide a significantly easier system to manage and, hopefully, will also take care automatically with many of the disruptive issues that we have seen in recent months. I do not claim that there will not be any initial hiccups but the site will still be running on Rehash and will look and behave exactly as it does today. There will be issues regarding updates to software for which new procedures will have to be produced and documented, but that is a task for the future and it need not delay the transfer.

• Hackaday ☛ Strange English Teaching Computer Might Have Been Big In Japan

  [Ctrl-Alt-Rees] bought something strange on an auction site: a Japanese Cefucom-21 from 1983. No? Didn’t ring a bell for us either. The legend on the front boldly proclaims: “CCI Multipurpose SLAP Computer,” so maybe it is some kind of computer, but it is definitely strange. For one thing, the “screen” isn’t a screen at all. [Rees] has found that it has something to do with teaching English. You can see the odd beast in the video below.

• Hackaday ☛ The 1983 Clock Four Decades In The Making

  In 1983, a 14-year-old [Will] saw an LED clock in The Sharper Image store. At $250, it stayed in the store. That was a lot of money back then, especially for most teenagers. But [Will] didn’t forget. After high school, he and a friend planned to build one from scratch. They worked out how they would do it and did a little prototyping, but never really finished. Well, they never really finished at the time. Because 33 years later, [Will] decided to finally put it together. Check it out in the video below.

• Science

  • France24 ☛ Are camembert and blue cheese heading for extinction?

    The COP16 summit opens this Monday in the Colombian city of Cali, with the ambition to stimulate the still timid implementation of objectives to safeguard biodiversity by 2030. But what exactly is biodiversity and what are the drivers of the collapse of species, including fungi? FRANCE 24's Julia Sieger tells us more.

• Hardware

  • IT Jungle ☛ IBM Nears The End of the Road for Server Reliability Improvements

    Reliability has always been one of the hallmarks of I.C.B.M. big iron, the midrange and mainframe systems hundreds of thousands of companies run their businesses on around the world. These sturdy systems simply don’t go down very often, certainly less frequently than “industry-standard” (i.e. Intel-based) systems. In fact, the System z and Power systems are so reliable that, statistically speaking, there’s very little room for improvement.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • New York Times ☛ First Sickle Cell Gene Therapy Patient, 12, Leaves Hospital

    After 44 days, Kendric Cromer, 12, left the hospital. While his family feels fortunate that he was the first to receive a treatment, their difficult experiences hint at what others will be up against.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea to conduct biennial mental health check-up for young people

    The current programme allows young South Koreans to get mental health exams once every 10 years.

  • RFA ☛ Stranded worker, closed embassy offer clues to lives of North Koreans overseas

    One man left in Dakar by Kim Jong Un’s regime struggles on the edges of African society.

  • Science Alert ☛ Survey Reveals How Many People Don't Wash Their Hands After Using The Toilet

    Do you really want to know?

  • Science Alert ☛ Millions of People's DNA in Doubt as 23andMe Faces Bankruptcy

    Troves of genetic data may be at risk.

  • Science Alert ☛ Why Do People Love to Be Afraid? An Expert Explains Why Fear Feels Good

    Scary but healthy!

  • Science Alert ☛ Throat Cancer Is Becoming an Epidemic, And Oral Sex May Be Why

    A rapid increase in cases.

  • Science Alert ☛ Hearing Aids Can Delay Parkinson's Disease, New Study Suggests

    "It may be the most important modifiable risk factor."

• Defence/Aggression

  • France24 ☛ What is Hezbollah's Qard al-Hassan financial institution?

    Israeli airstrikes overnight struck branches of a Hezbollah-linked financial institution, Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association, further escalating Israel's offensive against the Iran-backed Lebanese group. FRANCE 24's Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Strikes Hezbollah-Affiliated Financial Institution in Lebanon

    Branches of Al-Qard al-Hasan, which functions as Hezbollah’s de facto banking arm but also operates as an alternative bank for Lebanese, were targeted around Beirut and across the country’s south and east.

  • New York Times ☛ Live Updates: U.S. Envoy Calls Spiraling Conflict in Lebanon ‘Out of Control’

    Amos Hochstein, a national security adviser, said the only solution to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah would be to enforce the U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the last war.

  • New Yorker ☛ The U.S. Spies Who Sound the Alarm About Election Interference

    A group of intelligence officials confers about when to alert the public to foreign meddling.

  • France24 ☛ On the ground: 'We are bracing for more strikes across Lebanon'

    Lebanese were surveying the damage on Monday after overnight Israeli strikes hit nearly a dozen branches of a Hezbollah-run financial institution that Israel says is used to fund attacks but where many ordinary people keep their savings. The strikes targeted Al-Qard Al-Hassan branches in the southern neighbourhoods of Beirut, across southern Lebanon and in the Bekaa, where Hezbollah has a strong presence.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China condemns attack on its consulate in Myanmar

    The blast on Oct 19 caused no casualties but partially damaged the consulate premises.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China ‘shocked’ after consulate in Myanmar’s Mandalay attacked with explosive device

    China said Monday it had lodged a protest with Myanmar authorities after Beijing’s consulate in the city of Mandalay was attacked with an explosive device. “China expresses its deep shock at the attack and sternly condemns it,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said of the incident that occurred Friday.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India, China reach pact to resolve border conflict, Indian foreign minister says

    The two militaries will patrol contested points along the border according to an agreed schedule.

  • The Straits Times ☛ The long road to resolving the India-China border stand-off

    India said on Monday that it had reached an agreement with China over patrolling arrangements along the disputed Himalayan border the countries share, opening the door to resolving a conflict that escalated in 2020.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China to carry out live firing operation in Taiwan Strait

    It did not say which Chinese force would be carrying out the live firing, or its objective.

  • RFA ☛ Shanghai police plan crackdown on Halloween cosplayers this year

    Costumes and scary make-up are out, as are ghosts, bats, coffins and pumpkins.

  • France24 ☛ Asia view: Vatican confirms renewal of contested accord with China

    We delve into life in Asia in our weekly “Asia View” segment with our Beijing correspondent Yena Lee. She tells us more about a controversial deal between the Vatican and Beijing on the appointment of Chinese bishops.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Fetullah Gulen, a controversial Turkish cleric, remembered for failed coup attempt

    Fetullah Gulen, an exiled cleric who died in the United States, was head of a Turkish movement its followers say spreads moderate Islam and Western-style ideas. Formerly an ally of Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan, he was later accused of a failed coup attempt.

  • France24 ☛ France grapples with male violence against women

    Saturday, October 19: This week, Erin Ogunkeye is joined by Women for Women France CEO Sarah McGrath to talk about several different stories involving violence against or accusations of violence against women. Dozens of local officials are demanding the resignation of Joël Guerriau, a French senator accused of drugging a fellow MP with the intention of sexually assaulting her. Elsewhere in France, local authorities recover the body of a teenage girl who had gone missing over a year ago, while football star Kylian Mbappé faces rape accusations in Sweden.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Top considerations for narrowing the federal cybersecurity skills gap

    Addressing the federal cybersecurity skills gap requires a multifaceted approach in coordination with the private sector.

  • Defence Web ☛ Another ATMIS base handed to Somali Security Forces

    Ahead of its replacement by AUSSOM (African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia), the current continental bloc mission ATMIS (AU Transition Mission in Somalia) continues its scheduled handover of bases to the Somali Security Forces (SSF). The Lower Juba, Kuday forward operating base (FOB) last week became the newest addition to SSF responsibilities.

  • Defence Web ☛ EU naval ops off Africa under the spotlight

    European military interests came under the microscope of the European Union Chiefs of Defence military committee meeting in Hungary last week with Africa featuring by way of naval operations.

  • Defence Web ☛ A day with the Indian Navy

    On Wednesday 16 October, the sea phase of Exercise Ibsamar VIII came to an end after six days of exercises in False Bay and towards Saldanha Bay.

  • JURIST ☛ India ex-spy charged with plotting New York assassination of Sikh activist

    The US District Court for the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment on Thursday against a former Indian intelligence officer who is accused of planning a failed assassination attempt against a Sikh-American activist in New York City known for his vocal criticism of the Indian government.

  • France24 ☛ Israel airport authority says Ben Gurion airport reopens after brief halt to flights

    Israel's airport authority on Monday resumed operations at the country's main airport, Ben Gurion, after briefly closing its airspace. The Israeli army later said in a statement that five drones had been intercepted "in the area of the Mediterranean Sea" and stressed that there were no security risks to the airport.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • New York Times ☛ How Aleksei Navalny’s Prison Diaries Got Published

      In his posthumous memoir, compiled with help from his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny faced the fact that Vladimir Putin might succeed in silencing him. The book will keep “his legacy alive,” Navalnaya said.

    • RFERL ☛ Putin To Meet UN Chief On Final Day Of BRICS Summit

      Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to hold a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov announced on October 21.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Putin to end BRICS summit with news conference on Thursday, aide says

      MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a news conference following the BRICS summit Russia is hosting in Kazan on Thursday, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on Monday.

    • New York Times ☛ Putin Brings Together Economies He Hopes Will Eclipse the West

      The Russian leader hopes to use the meeting of the so-called BRICS group, which includes China and India, as a counterweight to the West.

    • Latvia ☛ 'Crimea Platform' parliamentary summit in Rīga this week

      In order to raise awareness and support of the international community for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, the Third Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform will take place this Thursday, on October 24, in Rīga, Latvia.

    • The Strategist ☛ All together now: Southeast Asia must act collectively in the South China Sea

      The core of a coalition to oppose China in the South China Sea must be the Southeast Asian claimants themselves.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Finding security in digital public infrastructure

      As governments worldwide adopt Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), the need for robust cybersecurity and privacy protections has never been greater. This paper delves into the critical risks and opportunities associated with securing DPI systems. With examples from India, Ukraine, and other nations, it explores how governments are managing data privacy, addressing cyber threats, and building trust in digital services. The paper highlights key considerations for policymakers, including the balance between openness and security, the role of encryption, and the importance of resilience in digital systems.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian FM calls for discussions on NATO ‘boots on the ground’ in Ukraine

      Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius says NATO should consider sending troops to Ukraine, following reports that North Korea is doing it to support Russia’s war effort.

    • LRT ☛ Ukraine parliament speaker expects continued support in Lithuania’s next Seimas

      Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, said in Vilnius that he had no doubt Lithuania would continue its current support for Ukraine after the general election.

    • RFA ☛ South Korea summons Russian envoy to urge it to stop North Korean Ukraine involvement

      The comments come after Seoul demanded the immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops from Russia

    • RFERL ☛ Despite Promises, Russia Has Not Returned Body Of Ukrainian Journalist Who Died In Custody

      Russia has not returned the body of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna to her homeland, despite promising to do so, according to a rights group. Roshchyna died while in Russian captivity.

    • RFERL ☛ Kyiv Says Russian Pilot Involved In Deadly Kremenchuk Strike 'Eliminated'

      Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) announced on October 21 the "elimination" of Russian military pilot Dmitry Golenkov, a chief of staff in Russia’s 52nd heavy bomber aviation regiment who was involved in a deadly missile attack on a shopping center in Ukraine's Kremenchuk in June 2022.

    • RFERL ☛ U.S. Defense Chief In Kyiv In Show Of Support For Ukraine

      U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv on October 21 for talks with the Ukrainian leadership in a show of support for the embattled country as Russia kept up its attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure.

    • The Straits Times ☛ NATO's Rutte: North Korea sending troops to Ukraine would escalate conflict

      BRUSSELS - If North Korea were to send troops to Ukraine to fight on Russia's behalf it would significantly escalate the conflict, NATO Chief Mark Rutte said on social control media platform X on Monday.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Explainer-What we know about North Korean troops joining Russia’s war in Ukraine

      Officials in Ukraine and South Korea have accused North Korea of dispatching troops, estimated to number in the thousands perhaps, to aid Russia in the war in Ukraine.

    • New York Times ☛ Austin, in Ukraine, Announces New Arms Shipment as U.S. Election Looms

      The trip by the U.S. defense secretary comes as Russian forces steadily gain territory in eastern Ukraine.

    • Latvia ☛ Hodges: "We have an excessive fear of Russian escalation"

      Frederick Benjamin "Ben" Hodges III is a retired United States Army officer who served as commanding general, United States Army Europe (2014-2017).

    • Scoop News Group ☛ State Department offers $10 million reward for info on Russian propaganda outlet

      The outlet runs social control media channels that have been vocal on politically divisive topics in the U.S.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian FM calls to investigate alleged Russian interference in Moldovan referendum

      Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis is calling for an investigation into Russia’s possible interference in a referendum in Moldova on joining the European Union.

    • RFERL ☛ Russian Film Producer Rodnyanskiy Sentenced To 8 1/2 Years In Absentia

      Moscow's Basmanny district court on October 21 sentenced Oscar-nominated film producer Oleksandr Rodnyanskiy to 8 1/2 years jail in absentia for spreading "fake" information about the Russian military.

    • RFERL ☛ Armenia Detains Russian Activist Wanted By Moscow On 'Terrorism' Charge

      Roman Shklover, a 34-year-old activist from the Russian Diaspora of Armenia (RDA), was detained in Yerevan on the central Republic Square on October 21, the RDA said in a statement.

    • RFERL ☛ Results Show Moldovans Determined To Continue On Way To Europe, Sandu Says

      President Maia Sandu said a knife-edge vote in favor of Moldova's European integration has proven that Moldovans have chosen the European Union even while being bombarded with disinformation and manipulation.

    • RFERL ☛ Massive Pro-Europe Rally Held In Georgia Ahead Of Key Parliamentary Vote

      Tens of thousands of pro-Europe Georgians took to the streets on October 20 to rally against the ruling Georgian Dream party ahead of the parliamentary elections that could decide the direction of the South Caucasus nation’s future.

    • The Straits Times ☛ US unveils new rules to block China, Russia and Iran from accessing bulk US data

      The rule would allow the Justice Department to enforce compliance both through criminal and civil penalties.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Russian navy ships arrive in Myanmar for joint drills

      Four corvettes and a logistics vessel from Russia’s Pacific Fleet arrived at Thilawa port in Yangon on Oct 20.

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea summons Russian envoy to protest against North Korea troop dispatch

      South Korea urged the immediate withdrawal of North Korean soldiers from Russia.

    • New York Times ☛ Paul Whelan’s Life in a Russian Prison Awaiting a Hostage Swap

      The former U.S. Marine describes the moment of his arrest and the long years waiting for his release.

• Environment

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 11th Hong Kong zoo monkey dies, necropsy underway

      An 11th monkey from the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens was found dead on Sunday whilst under quarantine, the government has said. In a statement issued on Sunday evening, the government said a common squirrel monkey died while being placed under isolated surveillance.

    • Science Alert ☛ This Strange, Fleshy Blob Is One of Earth's Earliest Animals

      An incredible discovery of prehistoric life.

    • Science Alert ☛ A Radical New System Shows a Way to Grow Chickens Without Eggshells

      Fascinating!

• Finance

  • RFA ☛ North Korea warned its overseas companies to check for fake dollar bills

    The reclusive state said it found 2 counterfeits among money sent to Pyongyang.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China’s cuts two key interest rates to historic lows in latest move to help ailing economy

    China’s central bank on Monday said it had cut two key interest rates to historic lows, in the latest move by Beijing to boost sluggish spending and kickstart the world’s second-largest economy.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ China’s economic stimulus isn’t enough to overcome that sinking feeling

    Local governments are struggling under large amounts of debt, the property sector is heavily burdened, the Chinese leadership is preoccupied with just keeping the economy afloat.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • University of Michigan ☛ Kamala Harris hosts campaign rally in Oakland County

    Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, held a campaign rally in Oakland County Friday evening. Harris discussed her policy plans on the economy and manufacturing, health care and abortion rights, and the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. 

  • France24 ☛ President Paul Biya returns to Cameroon after weeks abroad amid health rumours

    Cameroonian President Paul Biya returned to the capital Yaoundé on Monday after several weeks abroad, quelling rumours about his health that had circulated during his absence.

  • France24 ☛ Biden unveils plan expanding access to contraceptive products

    The White House on Monday proposed to expand access to free contraceptive products for 52 million women of reproductive age in the United States with private health insurance, the White House said. Kamala Harris has made the issue of women’s health care access a key part of her platform in her bid for the presidency.

  • RFA ☛ Chinese protesters' megaphones ruffle feathers in Washington

    Residents have scant sympathy for Chinese outside the ambassador's house, blasting petitions through loudspeakers.

  • JURIST ☛ US lawmakers demand federal probe into ties between China and McKinsey consulting firm

    House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), along with US Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), called Friday for a federal investigation into consulting giant McKinsey.

  • JURIST ☛ Pennsylvania governor says Elon Musk effort to give money to voters signing petition raises serious concerns

    Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said Sunday that billionaire Elon Musk’s effort to give money to registered voters for signing his America PAC’s petition in support of “free speech and the right to bear arms” pursuant to the First and Second Amendments to the US Constitution is deeply concerning and warrants investigation by law enforcement [...]

  • University of Michigan ☛ 18 minutes of silence from Trump during Rally in Detroit

    Ten minutes into his campaign rally at Huntington Place in Detroit this past Friday, former President Donald Trump’s speech was interrupted by a technological issue, which cast the rally into silence for 18 minutes.

  • Stanford University ☛ Youth advocates call for tougher social control media regulation

    Facebook whistleblower Arturo Béjar and youth activist Sneha Revanur ’26 delved into the impact of social control media on young adults’ mental health.

  • New York Times ☛ Why Trump’s Chances Are Better Than They Look

    For many undecided voters, the inflation issue isn’t going away.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Latvia ☛ Security Service investigates anti-Latvian remarks by shop assistant

    The State Security Service (VDD) has carried out an investigation in connection with information on social control media about anti-Latvian remarks and refusal to serve customers in Latvian by a "Postcard" shop assistant, VDD said in a statement October 21.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Dismantles Iranian Spy Network and Arrests Seven People, Authorities Say

    The suspects, all Israeli citizens, conducted intelligence missions for two years under the direction of two Iranian agents, the authorities said.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Tortoise is ‘ideal owner’ for Observer says former editor Roger Alton

    The Scott Trust clearly wants to "wash its hands" of the Observer, writes Roger Alton.

  • JURIST ☛ Zambia urged to release journalist amid growing press freedom and human rights concerns

    Amnesty International called Friday for the immediate release of Thomas Allan Zgambo, a Zambian journalist detained since October 16 in Lusaka. Zgambo, who writes for the Zambia Whistleblower website, has been held at Ridgeway Police Station without formal charges, exemplifying rising concerns about press freedom and human rights in Zambia.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Digital Music News ☛ Jelly Roll Wants to Expose the ‘Slimy’ Music Industry and Companies Buying Fake Streams

    Jelly Roll puts the music world on blast, vowing to expose the “slimy” music business, accusing major companies of buying fake streams. “This whole thing is smoke and mirrors, y’all,” the star says on social control media.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Morgan Wallen Kicking Off His Own Music Festival in Alabama — AEG & Stagecoach Producer On Board

    Country superstar Morgan Wallen is throwing his own music festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama—borrowing the title of one of his hits. The ‘Sand In My Boots’ Festival will be produced in conjunction with AEG.

• Gemini* and Gopher

  • Personal/Opinions

    • Bikepacking Weekend Overnight Report

      Over a decade ago I had biked thousands of miles from Portland to Boise, and LA to Santa Barbara, and many other trips. I've done solo and buddy trips. I've taken weekend trips on my bike out of New York City as well. But it's been years.

      So last weekend I went on a 24hour bikepacking trip with about 10 folks new-to-me. I'm part of an informal group of bikepackers based in my city, all folks interested in camping by bike.

    • 🔤SpellBinding — DEKNOTY Wordo: CIDER

  • Politics and World Events

    • Thank You Destiny for Exposing MAGA

      Before I talk about internet streamer Destiny's work, I just want to make clear that this entry does not constitute a return to writing. I’m still taking a step back from writing. I'm just making an exception here because American democracy is at stake and publishing this after the presidential election won't do much good.