Leftovers

• Hackaday ☛ Jeff Dunham Finds A NOS 1958 Philco Predicta

  When you see a ventriloquist like [Jeff Dunham], you probably expect to see him with a puppet. This time – spoilers ahead – you won’t. Besides his fame on stage, [Dunham] is also a collector of vintage tech and a die-hard television enthusiast. In the video below, [Dunham] has gotten his hands on a rarity: an unboxed 1958 Philco Predicta TV. The original tape was still on the box. We get to follow along on his adventure to restore this sleek, retro-futuristic relic!

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Bacopa Is Trending as a Wonder Herb For Memory. Does It Live Up to The Hype?

    Here's the science.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Found The Driving Force Behind Your Darkest Impulses

    The heart of darkness is revealed.

  • Science Alert ☛ People Who Cycle to Work Take Fewer Sick Days. But Why?

    A fascinating new pattern emerges.

  • Science Alert ☛ Mysterious Blue Tree Rings Can Reveal History's Cruelest Summers

    Shiver me timbers.

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ Turn Your Phone Into A POV Hologram Display

    It seems obvious once you think about it, but if you can spin your cell phone and coordinate the display with the motion, you can create a 3D display. [Action Lab] had used such a setup to make a display that you could view from any angle. After he showed it, a viewer wrote him to mention that if you spin the picture at the same rate, it will appear in 3D. The results look great, as you can see in the video below.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ TSMC bans more chip sales to China due to stricter U.S. export sanctions

    TSMC now requires Chinese IC designers that use FinFET-based process technologies to package them at U.S. government-approved OSATs.

  • Hackaday ☛ Retrotechtacular: Point-of-Sale Through The Years

    In days gone by, a common retail hack used by some of the less honorable of our peers was the price tag switcheroo. You’d find some item that you wanted from a store but couldn’t afford, search around a bit for another item with a more reasonable price, and carefully swap the little paper price tags. As long as you didn’t get greedy or have the bad luck of getting a cashier who knew the correct prices, you could get away with it — at least up until the storekeeper wised up and switched to anti-tamper price tags.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ Demand for flu vaccine spikes in Malaysia

    Malaysia’s health ministry said there is no rising trend of influenza cases in Malaysia.

  • TwinCities Pioneer Press ☛ State health department says progress slows in reducing teen tobacco use

    The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today released new information showing that after a decade of sharp declines in tobacco use among teens, progress is slowing. In addition, more than 50 percent of high school students are still exposed to secondhand smoke, despite the passage of the Freedom to Breathe Act in 2007.

  • New York Times ☛ Dictator and Musk Bring Vast Aid Machinery to a Halt in Africa

    The collapse of U.S.A.I.D. at the hands of President Convicted Felon and Elon Musk is already leaving gaping holes in vital health care and other services that millions of Africans rely on for their survival.

  • New York Times ☛ With Aid Cutoff, Convicted Felon Severs a Lifeline for Millions

    Shock and grief rippled through the health community as lifelines for care were abruptly severed.

  • New York Times ☛ Dictator Administration Cuts Put Medical Progress at Risk, Researchers Say

    Grants from the National Institutes of Health come with additional money for overhead. A planned $4 billion cut would leave colleges with large budget gaps.

  • France24 ☛ Israeli medical officials prepare to receive hostages released from Gaza

    Reporting from Tel Aviv, FRANCE 24’s Noga Tarnopolsky speaks to Dr. Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians, who also heads the medical team for the Israeli Hostages Family Forum. Dr. Levine details some of the medical preparations in place to receive the three hostages set to be released Saturday.

  • France24 ☛ Dictator cuts US aid to South Africa over land restitution law

    US President The Insurrectionist on Friday froze US aid to South Africa, citing a law in the country that he alleges allows farm land to be seized from white farmers, despite Johannesburg's denials. The move spurred outcry from health researchers and medical workers in the country which has the highest number of people living with HIV.

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ A tale of dumb and smart phones and better days

    20 years ago, the only app was Snake. We were happy, and we didn't know it.

• Proprietary

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    • The Straits Times ☛ In China, the domestic Hey Hi (AI) race intensifies as Chinese go gaga over DeepSeek

      The Hey Hi (AI) sensation could catalyse the race in the country by drawing more investment and talent into the industry.

    • France24 ☛ Paris Hey Hi (AI) Summit: ‘Start of everything is transparency’, researcher says

      AI researcher and founding member of Climate Change Hey Hi (AI) Dr Sasha Luccioni spoke to FRANCE 24 about the upcoming summit on artificial intelligence in Paris and the technology’s impact on the climate. Luccioni called for more transparency and accountability from Big Tech and industry players, Luccioni said: “we should really be ... asking enough questions so we can make informed decisions without just believing that it’s the best and greatest”.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • SANS ☛ Crypto Wallet Scam: Not For Free, (Sat, Feb 8th)

      I did some research into multisig wallets (cfr "Crypto Wallet Scam"), and discovered that setting up such a wallet on the TRON network comes with a cost: [...]

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • France24 ☛ US states sue Convicted Felon administration over DOGE access to Treasury records

      Nineteen Democratic attorneys general sued President The Insurrectionist on Friday to stop Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury Department records that contain sensitive personal data such as Social Security and bank account numbers for millions of Americans. The case, filed in federal court in New York City, alleges the Convicted Felon administration allowed Musk's team access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system in violation of federal law.

    • New York Times ☛ Musk Team’s Treasury Access Raises Security Fears, Despite Judge’s Ordered Halt

      A judge ruled Saturday that the activities of Elon Musk’s government cost-cutting effort risk “the disclosure of sensitive and confidential information” and render them “more vulnerable than before to hacking.”

    • Marcy Wheeler ☛ It’s Still Not Clear Whether Elon’s DOGE Boys Are Reviewing, Taking, or Altering Government Networks

      It's not yet clear whether Elon's DOGE [sic] boys are reviewing, taking, or altering data in government servers. One thing is clear, however: There's not a shred of evidence these boys are doing what Elon claims they're doing.

    • dwaves.de ☛ Yes Surveillance Giant Google is officially evil and working an Hey Hi (AI) weapons and 1984 dystopia now

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vows to further develop nuclear forces

    He said US military cooperation with Japan and South Korea were inviting military imbalance in the region.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dictator aware and supportive of Aukus pact: US Defence Secretary Hegseth

    Australia on Feb 7 confirmed its first US$500 million payment under the defence pact.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean parents face charges over 2-year-old’s death; toddler fed spicy sauce, soju

    The parents allegedly fed the child buldak sauce, known for its intense spiciness.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China urges Panama to ‘make right decision’ after it announced its Belt and Road exit

    The decision is “not in the vital interests of Panama”, Beijing says.

  • The Straits Times ☛ More than 30 missing after landslide in south-west China

    The landslide hit a village in the city of Yibin in Sichuan province.

  • JURIST ☛ Sweden to tighten gun laws after Örebro mass shooting

    The Swedish government announced on Friday its plans to tighten the nation’s gun laws after 11 people were killed in a mass shooting at the Campus Risbergska adult school in Örebro earlier in the week.

  • JURIST ☛ San Francisco sues Convicted Felon administration over sanctuary city policies

    San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu announced on Friday that the City and County of San Francisco are co-leading a lawsuit with Santa Clara County against the Convicted Felon administration’s latest directives targeting sanctuary jurisdictions, aiming to protect local control and public safety.

  • New York Times ☛ Springfield, Ohio, Sues Neo-Nazi Group, Saying It Intimidated Haitians

    In the lawsuit, the city states that people associated with the group made death threats last year against those who expressed support for Haitian residents.

  • JURIST ☛ Australia enacts tough hate speech laws amid anti-semitism surge

    The Australian government on Thursday enacted a new law banning the display of hate symbols and mandating minimum sentences for certain terror offenses, as part of a broader effort to curb a surge in antisemitism across the country.

  • New York Times ☛ 3 Israeli Hostages Are Released for 183 Palestinian Prisoners

    The hostages, who were made to give public speeches thanking the Hamas militants who had held them captive, looked frail and gaunt, sparking dismay and outrage in Israel.

  • TwinCities Pioneer Press ☛ Police believe suspect in local bank robberies strikes again

    Police are saying an armed man suspected of robbing several local banks, including Prior Lake State Bank and Paragon Bank in Shakopee, robbed a TCF Bank branch in Arden Hills on Sunday, Nov. 13.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Lebanon's president forms new government as southern ceasefire holds

    Lebanon's first government in two years takes office as it rebuilds its war-torn south. The country also seeks to maintain security after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • NYPost ☛ Dictator reveals he’s spoken with Putin by phone, says Russian president ‘wants to see people stop dying’ in Ukraine war

      In an exclusive interview with The Post aboard Air Force One Friday, President The Insurrectionist spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone as he is trying to negotiate with him to end the Ukraine war.

    • France24 ☛ Slovakians protest PM Fico over govt pro-Russia policy shift

      Huge crowds gathered in dozens of cities and towns across Slovakia on Friday to mount vocal protests against the pro-Russian policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico. The latest wave of anti-government rallies was fueled by Fico’s recent trip to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a rare visit to the Kremlin by a European Union leader since Moscow’s all-out invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, 2022.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Hints At 'Intensive' Talks With Convicted Felon, Accuses Putin Of Rebuilding Forces To Continue War

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not confirmed that he will meet with U.S. President The Insurrectionist next week but said the coming weeks may be "very intensive in diplomacy."

    • France24 ☛ Baltic nations switch from Russian power grid to EU network

      The three Baltic states on Saturday cut ties with Russia's power grid to join the European Union's network, the culmination of a years-long process that gained urgency with Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – all former Soviet republics that are now in the European Union and NATO – had wanted to block Russia's ability to geopolitically blackmail them via the electricity system.

    • RFERL ☛ North Korea’s Kim Vows Continued Support For Russia’s Military Amid Heavy Losses

      North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on February 8 vowed to maintain his country’s support for Russia in its war with Ukraine and threatened to bolster his nuclear forces to counter U.S. military cooperation with Japan and South Korea in the region.

    • New York Times ☛ How War Has Wreaked Havoc on Ukraine’s Classrooms

      Students have been forced to attend classes underground or online, especially in regions near the front line. Experts say that Ukrainian children are falling behind as a result, academically and socially.

    • Latvia ☛ Saturday a success for Baltics' newly independent electricity grids

      The electricity systems of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania continue to operate independently and problem-free following their de-coupling from the electricity network that formerly linked them to Russia and Belarus.

    • Latvia ☛ Baltic states disconnected from Russian-controlled grid

      Transmission system operators in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have successfully disconnected high-voltage lines from the Russian-controlled grid, the Climate and Energy Ministry (KEM) said on February 8.

    • France24 ☛ Baltics disconnect from Russian grid: Decrease ‘vulnerability to Russian blackmail’

      Three Baltic nations – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – disconnected from Moscow's power grid to join the EU's electricity network in an attempt to decrease their "vulnerability ... to Russian blackmail", FRANCE 24 Chief Foreign Editor Rob Parsons said in an analysis.

    • LRT ☛ Baltics disconnect from Russian power grid, start isolated operation

      Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia decoupled from the Soviet-era, Russian-controlled power grid on Saturday morning and began operating in so-called “isolated mode”.

    • Meduza ☛ Economist, ‘heartthrob,’ and plagiarist Who is Dmitry Bakanov, the new head of Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos? — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ The Russian brainrot coming for your children How the viral hit ‘Sigma Boy’ won over online audiences and galvanized politicians — Meduza

• Environment/Disasters

  • The Straits Times ☛ China landslide that buried dozens caused by prolonged rain: State media

    China has been hit with extreme weather in recent months.

  • New York Times ☛ 7.6-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Caribbean Near Cayman Islands

    The 7.6-magnitude tremor struck south of the Cayman Islands on Saturday. A tsunami warning across much of the Caribbean was lifted.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Science Alert ☛ The Mysterious Network of Plants May Be Nastier Than We Thought

      Were we wrong about the wood-wide web?

• Finance

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Beyond the stigma: A sociologist’s journey into Hong Kong’s subdivided units

    To sociologist Ruby Lai, Hong Kong’s notorious subdivided flats are more nuanced than they are perceived to be.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • Thousands rally against China’s ‘mega-embassy’ in London

    Around 4,000 protestors gather amid concerns that Beijing would use the building to monitor overseas dissidents

  • New Yorker ☛ Why Convicted Felon Is Targeting Foreign Aid, with Atul Gawande

    “You cannot pause a plane in midflight and expect that everything is going to be O.K.,” Gawande says. “That’s what they were trying to do with lifesaving health and humanitarian assistance around the world.”

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • ACLU ☛ Half a Mile from the Flames: LA County’s Brush with Catastrophe Demonstrates the Urgent Need to Protect People in Jails and Prisons from Climate Change

    At least 29 people perished in the Palisades and Eaton fires. Tens of thousands have lost their homes or been displaced, and millions more have felt the trauma and disruption of these events. Still, mandatory evacuation orders saved countless lives.

  • JURIST ☛ Amnesty International welcomes release of Palestinian ‘prisoner of conscience’

    Amnesty International on Friday welcomed Israel’s release of Palestinian humanitarian aid worker and prisoner of conscience Mohammad al-Halabi. Amnesty referred to Mohammad al-Halabi’s imprisonment as a “flagrant miscarriage of justice,” and demanded the release of all hostages held in Gaza as well as all Palestinians “arbitrarily” held in Israel’s prisons.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Vaishali Udupa Resigns as Commissioner of Patents

    USPTO Commissioner of Patents Vaishali Udupa has resigned after just over two years in office. Under 35 U.S.C 2, the Commissioner is appointed by Secretary of Commerce for a term of 5-years.  For much of US history, the Commissioner of Patents was the top dog at the patent monopoly office. However, in the 1990s Congress created an additional layer of the Director and Deputy Director - both having undersecretary roles within Commerce.  The Commissioner can be removed prior to the 5-year mark by the Secretary of Commerce, but the statute suggests that there must be cause: "for misconduct or nonsatisfactory performance under the performance agreement." 

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Federal Circuit Upholds ITC Import Ban: Key Rulings on Storage Defense and Domestic Industry Requirements

    The Federal Circuit has affirmed a US International Trade Commission (ITC) determination that Wuhan Healthgen violated Section 337 through importation of clinical-grade recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) products that infringe Ventria Bioscience’s U.S. Patent No. 10,618,951. Wuhan Healthgen Biotechnology Corp. v. International Trade Commission, No. 2023-1389 (Fed. Cir. Feb. 7, 2025).

    The patentee in the case – Ventria / ExpressTec – is a small biotech company  operating out of Junction City Kansas.  Their asserted patent monopoly is directed to a cell culture media containing rHSA produced via plants genetically modified to include the human genes. The albumin is basically a protein food for growing human cells in artificial laboratory environments.  Traditionally, the albumin came from animal sources, such as blood serum, but the plant process has some easy to identify benefits.

  • Software Patents

    • Hackaday ☛ Freed At Last From Patents, Does Anyone Still Care About MP3?

      The MP3 file format was always encumbered with patents, but as of 2017, the last patent finally expired. Although the format became synonymous with the digital music revolution that started in the late 90s, as an audio compression format there is an argument to be made that it has long since been superseded by better formats and other changes. [Ibrahim Diallo] makes that very argument in a recent blog post. In a world with super fast Internet speeds and the abstracting away of music formats behind streaming services, few people still care about MP3.

• Trademarks

  • New York Times ☛ Chiefs Might Win Third Title in a Row but They Can’t Own the Phrase ‘Three-Peat’

    As sports catchphrases start to stick, savvy coaches and athletes are moving to protect them with federal trademarks. “Three-Peat” is just one of many.

• Copyrights

  • France24 ☛ Paris Hey Hi (AI) summit: 'Zero signatories' from Big Tech on copyright monopoly charter

    One of the hoped outcomes of the Hey Hi (AI) summit which would be held in Paris on February 10-11 is a charter on copyright, a contentious issue that many creators have raised with the spread of Hey Hi (AI) technology, FRANCE 24 Technology Editor Peter O'Brien said. Aimed at protecting “all that work that is scraped by these artificial intelligence models from the internet before they reproduce similar stuff”, the charter is currently being signed by a number of publishers but so far, there are “zero signatories from Big Tech or Hey Hi (AI) companies”, he added.