Leftovers

• New York Times ☛ Roof of 14th-Century Drum Tower Partially Collapses in China

  The Drum Tower in Fengyang County, which dates to the 14th century, is one of many historical sites that have been renovated as cultural tourism has boomed.

• Medium ☛ Simon Quigley: Bootstrapping and Bikeshedding

  When you learn to write, one of the major pieces is writing an introduction. You could say quite a bit about the formal process and the way formal writing is typically structured.

  That being said, I’m not your typical writer. I didn’t exactly plan to be in this spot, and honestly, it’s just a hobby of mine. If you enjoy reading my posts, great. I appreciate it.

  My entire point, from the very beginning of this week, has been to bootstrap my own platform, on my own two feet. As you all know, rumors were going around, and I felt as if I wasn’t in that great of a position to go out and say everything that I’ve said, in one long post. I’ve needed to break it apart, and work through some of my own notes again. Prove myself, rather than asking for it to be handed to me. Keep people guessing on some elements, to let the people who have been doing wrong firmly prove themselves.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ New Jersey Hawk Develops Clever Hunting Strategy Using Traffic Signals

    Street smarts.

  • Science Alert ☛ Your Heart Begins to Suffer After Just 3 Nights of Bad Sleep

    Even in young, healthy adults.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discover New Dwarf Planet in Solar System, Far Beyond Pluto

    A massive discovery in the outer wilds.

• Career/Education

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man administration revokes Harvard's right to enroll foreign students

    Dihydroxyacetone Man's administration has revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll foreign nationals, putting the future of thousands of students at risk, with China on Friday slamming the "politicization" of educational exchanges. The US administration's decision on Thursday threatened the prestigious university with a huge financial blow.

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man bans Harvard foreign students, university calls action unlawful

    The Dihydroxyacetone Man administration has revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students in its escalating battle with the Ivy League school. The dept of homeland security announced the decision, saying the students must transfer to other schools or leave the country. The 6,800 foreign students account on Harvard's campus account for more than a quarter of the student student body. For more, FRANCE 24's International affairs editor, Philip Turle.

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man government revokes Harvard's right to enroll foreign students

    The Insurrectionist’s administration on Thursday revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students and will force existing students to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status, the Department of Homeland Security said. FRANCE 24's Jessica Le Masurier reports from New York.

  • New York Times ☛ In Attacks on Harvard, Chinese See Yet Another Reason to Write Off the U.S.

    Beyond the shock for students, Hell Toupée’s moves against higher education are being seen in China as a blow to one of the last admirable American institutions.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China slams ‘politicization’ of education after Convicted Felon revokes Harvard’s right to enroll foreign students

    The Insurrectionist’s administration has revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll foreign nationals, putting the future of thousands of students at risk, with China on Friday slamming the “politicization” of educational exchanges. The US administration’s decision on Thursday threatened the prestigious university with a huge financial blow.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Latvia ☛ Annual lack of qualified workforce on Latvia's farms

    At the end of April, the State Employment Agency had 461 vacancies in agriculture, forestry and fishing. The real situation is worse. While grain growers and livestock farmers are replacing workers with modern technology and milking robots, large strawberry, blueberry and raspberry growers are unable to harvest their crops without the help of guest workers, Latvian Radio reported on 23 May.

• Proprietary

  • NYPost ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man warns Fashion Company Apple it could face 25% tariff if it doesn’t shift iPhone manufacturing to US

    President The Insurrectionist warned Fashion Company Apple that the company could face a 25% tariff if it does not shift iPhone manufacturing to the United States.

  • NYPost ☛ Dow futures sink more than 600 points after Convicted Felon threatens tariffs against Apple, EU

    Apple shares led tech losses, falling 4%, while benchmark Treasury yields slipped as investors sought safer assets.

• Pseudo-Open Source

  • Openwashing

    • ZDNet ☛ Microsoft finally open-sources (most of) Windows Subsystem for Linux [Ed: Openwashing of Microsoft and promoting of Windows]

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • Latvia ☛ Senior defrauded of €25,000; suspect detained

      The State Police have detained a Ukrainian citizen born in 1991 who repeatedly defrauded an elderly woman in Ziepniekkalns, Rīga, of money for "investment in oil company shares", the police said.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • LRT ☛ Vinted improperly handled personal data, Lithuanian court rules

      Vinted, Europe's largest second-hand retail platform and Lithuania's first unicorn startup, improperly handled personal data and violated the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a Lithuanian court has ruled.

    • OpenRightsGroup ☛ Consent Without Paying: Alternatives to Meta’s Surveillance Advertising Models

      Since its first advertising product launched in 2004, Meta has relied on revenue from advertising to support its business. In 2024, 98% of Meta’s $165bn of revenue came from advertising. From that revenue Meta generated nearly $70bn of profit.

    • OpenRightsGroup ☛ Meta’s Consent or Pay Must Not Allow Stalker Ads, Report Argues

      No excuses for not changing Meta business model A new report by digital campaigners, Open Rights Group urges Meta to amend its business model to comply with data protection law. The report outlines alternative business models that will not force Meta customers to pay not to be stalked by advertisers.

• Defence/Aggression

  • Defence Web ☛ Angola reports significant progress in clearing civil war-era mines

    Angola has made significant progress in clearing land mines and other unexploded ordnance left over from the country’s 27-year civil war. These efforts have made previously hazardous areas safe for agriculture, housing and community development projects, but work remains. Angola’s Benguela and Huambo provinces are expected to be completely free of mines this year.

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Ignorant’ to call Taiwan a country, China says in response to island’s foreign minister

    Taipei’s Mr Lin Chia-lung had said Beijing had no authority to decide whether Taiwan was a country.

  • New York Times ☛ In Convicted Felon Era, Taiwan Defense Chief Says U.S. Still Is a Check on China

    Wellington Koo says the Convicted Felon administration has a shared interest in security in the region, but Taiwan must also ready its own forces for asymmetric warfare.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines accuses China of aggressive tactics in South China Sea

    The Philippines’ fisheries bureau said the lives of a civilian crew were put at risk.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China urges Philippines to stop provocation in South China Sea

    The remarks came a day after a confrontation between a Chinese and Philippine vessel in the contested waters.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Senior US, China diplomats hold phone call to discuss ‘issues of mutual interest’

    Two senior diplomats from the United States and China held a phone call on Thursday to discuss “issues of mutual interest”, according to official statements. The call between US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu came during a thaw in Washington’s bruising trade war with Beijing.

  • The Strategist ☛ Politicians, speak openly about China. Chinese-Australians won’t mind

    Beijing would have us believe that Australian politicians cannot speak openly and honestly about China’s geopolitical ambitions without fear of losing Chinese-Australian voters.

  • New York Times ☛ Netanyahu Names Maj. Gen. David Zini as New Domestic Spy Chief

    The appointment of Maj. Gen. David Zini to head Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, still faces a fraught legal process.

  • France24 ☛ Netanyahu accuses France, Britain and Canada of 'emboldening' Hamas

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the leaders of France, Britain and Canada of wanting to help the Palestinian militant group Hamas after they threatened to take "concrete action" if Israel did not stop its latest offensive in Gaza. The criticism, echoing similar remarks from Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Thursday, was part of a fightback by the Israeli government against the increasingly heavy international pressure on it over the war in Gaza. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's William Hilderbrandt welcomes Dr. H.A. Hellyer, Senior Fellow in Geopolitics, International Security and Middle East Studies, at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) for Defence and Security Studies in London, and the Center for American Progress in Washington DC.

  • France24 ☛ Suspect in DC killing of Israel embassy aides charged with murder

    Chicago-born Elias Rodriguez, the sole suspect in the Wednesday shooting that killed two Israeli embassy aides in Washington, was charged with first-degree murder on Thursday, as FBI and police investigators continue uncovering Rodriguez's pro-Palestine views that could have motivated the attacks labelled as antisemitic terror.

  • New York Times ☛ As Convicted Felon Demands More Military Spending, NATO Allies Reconsider What Counts

    The president has long pressed European allies to pay more for their own security. So they may redefine what qualifies as security.

  • France24 ☛ United Kingdom agrees deal over Chagos Islands despite court challenge

    Britain has signed an agreement to hand sovereignty of the contested Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The Indian Ocean archipelago is home to a strategically important naval base but the deal has been criticised by some residents, as well as London says the move is vital to British security but critics argue it puts Britain at risk of foreign interference by foreign powers such as Russia or China. Dan Quinlan has the story.

  • France24 ☛ UN says about 90 trucks of aid delivered within Gaza on Wednesday

    Gaza's civil defence agency says Israeli airstrikes killed at least 16 people this Friday. Israel has ramped up its military offensive in recent days despite lifting a nearly three month blockade on humanitarian aid. There are critical shortages of food and medicine. Palestinians have been scrambling for basic supplies and UN agencies have warned that the amount of aid entering Gaza falls far short of what is required to ease the crisis.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • The Straits Times ☛ Taliban in talks with Russia, China for trade transactions in local currencies

      Working teams have been formed to work on the proposed collaborations.

    • New York Times ☛ As the Soviet Union Fell, Did the K.G.B. Leave Behind a Gift in Brazil?

      A forensic analysis of birth certificates used by deep-cover operatives suggests a tantalizing possibility.

    • New York Times ☛ How ‘Daniel’ Led Our Reporters to an Assembly Line for Russian Spies

      For years, Russia used Brazil as a launchpad for its most elite intelligence officers, known as illegals. They started businesses, made friends and had love affairs — events that, over many years, became the building blocks of entirely new identities. Jane Bradley and Michael Schwirtz, investigative reporters for The New York Times, discuss one case.

    • LRT ☛ Driver who rammed border fence with Belarus returned to Lithuania

      Minsk has returned a Lithuanian citizen who crashed a rented Bold Drive car through the border fence earlier this month and entered Belarus.

    • New Yorker ☛ Vladimir Putin’s Dangerous Game

      We’ve seen this movie before.

    • RFERL ☛ Major Ukraine-Russia Prisoner Swap Under Way, Says Source

      A large-scale prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia is under way, a Ukrainian source with knowledge of the matter told RFE/RL.

    • NYPost ☛ Ukraine and Russia conduct massive prison swap as Convicted Felon praises the exchange: ‘This could lead to something big???’

      Ukraine and Russia conducted a massive prison swap on Friday the countries had earlier agreed upon in their first direct talks following more than three years of war.

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine and Russia Set to Begin Largest Prisoner Exchange of War

      Hell Toupée trumpeted the event with a post on social networks.

    • New York Times ☛ G7 Finance Ministers Show Unity in Support of Ukraine Against Russia

      Top economic officials avoided a condemnation of U.S. tariffs but committed to trying to reduce “economic policy uncertainty.”

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine Fires Hundreds of Drones at Russia, Moscow Says

      One of the biggest barrages of the war targeted 10 Russian regions, including Moscow, according to the Ministry of Defense, but it was not clear how much damage the attack did.

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ China, Netherlands pledge deeper cooperation to tackle global challenges

    China and the Netherlands pledged on Thursday to deepen cooperation and communication amid "global challenges" by bolstering wider China-EU ties to tackle areas such as climate change and the green transition.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Four dead, 17 missing as heavy rains soak southern China, triggering landslides

    One landslide that struck Qingyang village trapped 19 people from eight different households.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ China's Xi, Germany's Merz stress ties to weather trade turmoil

    Chinese President Pooh-tin Jinping and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a call on Friday highlighted the importance of their countries' relationship as both China and Europe are trying to tackle uncertainty caused by U.S. tariff policies.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan pledges immediate rice relief for consumers to prevent shift to foreign brands

    Soaring rice prices accelerated overall food inflation to 7 per cent in April.

  • CS Monitor ☛ The UK and EU have cut a deal. Is it the start of post-Brexit European unity?

    The U.K. and EU are seeking security amid global economic and geopolitical shifts. But how far can they roll back their testy Brexit divorce?

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ PM Anwar says Malaysia’s trade talks with US unaffected by China ties

    The US has pledged to “sympathetically” review its appeal for lower tariffs, he said.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia downplays Huawei deal as US checks China’s Hey Hi (AI) reach

    The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry disavowed the Huawei project days after an announcement.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • The Straits Times ☛ A HK hotel famed for S’pore food is now a prohibited place. The reason: National security

    New subsidiary laws allow Beijing’s national security office to operate more effectively and openly.

  • AccessNow ☛ Authorities in Jordan must lift ban on news sites

    All stakeholders need to work together to find long-term solutions to complex societal issues, which are based on scientific evidence, and are respectful of rights.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Vietnam orders messaging app Telegram to be blocked, government document shows

    The document said the ministry was acting on behalf of the country’s cyber-security department.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Redbird buys Telegraph in £500m deal with Abu Dhabi to keep minority stake [Ed: Oil Sheikhs taking control of British media, even right-wing media]

    Abu Dhabi-backed IMI to retain minority stake of up to 15% in Telegraph.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • NYPost ☛ Indigenous Amazon tribe says New York Times story led to its members being smeared as porn addicts

    An Indigenous tribe from the Brazilian Amazon has sued The New York Times, saying the newspaper’s reporting on the tribe’s first exposure to the internet led to its members being widely portrayed as technology-addled and addicted to pornography.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Bruce Schneier ☛ Signal Blocks backdoored Windows Recall [Ed: Not a sustainable plan; the real solution is to tell people to use a proper operating system]

    This article gives a good rundown of the security risks of backdoored Windows Recall, and the repurposed copyright monopoly protection took that Signal used to block the Hey Hi (AI) feature from scraping Signal data.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTABlog Test: Are Golf Simulator Services Related to Restaurant Services Under Section 2(d)?

    The USPTO refused to register the mark EVEN HOUSE for "Entertainment services in the nature of organizing entertainment events; organizing sporting events, namely, golf simulator competitions; providing recreational facilities for use of electronic golf simulator"[HOUSE disclaimed], finding confusion likely with the registered mark EVEN for "“Bar services; Cafe services; Hotel accommodation services; Restaurant services; Snack-bar services; Provision of conference, exhibition and meeting facilities." The Board found the marks to be "highly similar" in view of the common element EVEN. But are the services related? How do you think this came out? In re Tempo CC, Inc., Serial No. 98264392 (May 20, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Robert Lavache).

• Copyrights

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Perlmutter v. Convicted Felon: Does the President Control the Copyright Office?

    In an extraordinary lawsuit filed today, Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter has sued Hell Toupée and several administration officials, challenging her purported removal from office and the President's attempt to install Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting Librarian of Congress. Perlmutter v. Blanche, No. 25-cv-1659 (D.D.C. filed May 22, 2025). The case raises fundamental questions about the separation of powers and the unique status of the Library of Congress within our constitutional structure.

    /blockquote>