Leftovers

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Titan's Atmosphere 'Wobbles Like a Gyroscope' – And No One Knows Why

    "A new mystery."

  • Science Alert ☛ Increased Toxicity Risk Identified For Children With ADHD, Autism

    Here's what we know.

  • Science Alert ☛ Our Atmosphere's Growing Thirst Is a Hidden Cause of Worsening Droughts

    If it sucks up all the water, there's less for the land.

  • Science Alert ☛ Worms Use Their Bodies to Build Towers as a Wild Survival Strategy

    "Natural worm towers existed only in our imaginations."

  • Science Alert ☛ Elusive LSD Fungus Finally Discovered on Flower

    "People have been looking for this fungus for years."

  • Science Alert ☛ Coffee Could Be The Secret to Healthy Aging For Women, Scientists Discover

    Not just good for the soul.

  • Science Alert ☛ We've Finally Seen The Skyscraper Tsunami That Shook Earth For 9 Days

    It's really real.

  • Science Alert ☛ A 'Crazy Idea' About Pluto Was Just Confirmed in a Scientific First

    This doesn't happen anywhere else in the Solar System.

• Career/Education

  • The Straits Times ☛ China rolls out major reforms ahead of its gaokao, or national college entrance exam

    New developments include the roll-out of exam reforms in additional provinces and expanded university enrolment.

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ A Steady Vacuum For The Fastest Cassette Tape Drive Ever

    If you think of a 1960s mainframe computer, it’s likely that your mental image includes alongside the cabinets with the blinkenlights, a row of reel-to-reel tape drives. These refrigerator-sized units had a superficial resemblance to an audio tape deck, but with the tape hanging down in a loop either side of the head assembly. This loop was held by a vacuum to allow faster random access speeds at the head, and this fascinates [Thorbjörn Jemander]. He’s trying to create a cassette tape drive that can load 64 kilobytes in ten seconds, so he’s starting by replicating the vacuum columns of old.

  • Hackaday ☛ Supercon 2024: From Consultant To Prototyper On A Shoestring Budget

    Many engineers graduate from their studies and head out into the workforce, seeking a paycheck and a project at some existing company or other. Often, it’s not long before an experienced engineer begins to contemplate striking out on their own, working as a skilled gun-for-hire that makes their own money and their own hours.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • JURIST ☛ Pennsylvania sues US Department of Agriculture over funding cuts

    Pennsylvania officials filed a federal lawsuit against the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Wednesday over its termination of the Local Food Purchase Assistance 2025 Cooperative Agreement (LFPA25 Agreement).

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Golf Club in Bedminster Racks Up Health Violations

    The general manager at the Convicted Felon National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., derided the annual health inspection, calling it “a politically motivated attack.”

  • Federal News Network ☛ Commerce Department cuts health insurance early for some recently fired employees

    Commerce employees were briefly reinstated under a federal judge’s order. But an appeals court allowed the firings to remain in effect.

• Proprietary

  • Social Control Media

    • New York Times ☛ Why a Harvard Speaker Drew a Social Media Backlash in China

      A Harvard graduate, a doctor and an actress have been at the center of social control media storms over perceived privilege. Some see economic anxiety behind it.

    • International Business Times ☛ 2025-06-03 [Older] Is A TikTok Ban Happening On June 19? Cheeto Mussolini Says He'd Extend Deadline 'If Needed'

    • Vox ☛ 2025-06-02 [Older] Is the decline of reading poisoning our politics?

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-06-03 [Older] Sana Yousaf: Pakistan TikTok star shot dead at home

    • The Straits Times ☛ Retiree in Malaysia loses $49,040 after being scammed to be a sperm donor for a ‘beautiful woman’ in HK

      The 57-year-old saw an advertisement on social control media stating that the woman wanted to bear a child.

• Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt (FUD) and Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Privacy International ☛ Summary of an Experts Consultation on Human Rights, Digital Technologies, and Elections

• Defence/Aggression

  • New York Times ☛ Video Shows Fiery Fatal Crash After Police Chase

    Francisco Guzman Parra, 31, died after crashing a stolen Honda in Upper Manhattan. Two officers chasing him drove away after the car caught fire, according to video surveillance footage.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea's warship launched after botched first attempt, KCNA says

    North Korea has launched a warship that was damaged in May upon its attempted first launch, state media KCNA reported on Friday.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines, U.S., hold joint maritime drills for seventh time

    The Philippines and United States militaries have sailed together in the South China Sea for a seventh time to boost interoperability between the two sides, Manila's armed forces said on Thursday.

  • New York Times ☛ ‘Dear Girl, Get Out!’: A Young Palestinian Escapes an Israeli Strike

    Video of a child escaping a burning building after an Israeli airstrike garnered widespread attention online. We found her in a hospital in Gaza and pieced together what had happened.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Bombs Beirut Outskirts, Citing Hezbollah Drone Workshops

    The airstrikes on the southern outskirts of the Lebanese capital, an area where Hezbollah holds sway, were some of the heaviest since a U.S.-brokered cease-fire came into effect in November.

  • France24 ☛ Israel strikes Beirut after military announces targeting Hezbollah drone factories

    Israeli airstrikes in the southern Beirut suburbs rocked the Lebanese capital on Thursday night in an attack Israel claimed targeted Hezbollah drone factories, but Lebanon and the UN describe as a violation of the November ceasefire agreement.

  • New York Times ☛ Friday Briefing: Convicted Felon and MElon Trade Insults

    Plus, tips for healthy aging.

  • New York Times ☛ How NASA Would Struggle Without SpaceX if Convicted Felon Cancels MElon’s Contracts

    If Hell Toupée cancels the contracts for MElon’s private spaceflight company, the federal government would struggle to achieve many goals in orbit and beyond.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China urges EU to stop ‘provoking trouble’ in South China Sea

    EU Vice-President Kallas had voiced concern over China's activities in the South China Sea.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • JURIST ☛ UN experts demand an end to Belarus trade union crackdown

      A group of UN human rights experts on Thursday urged the Belarusian government to stop targeting independent trade unions and comply with international labour standards.

    • Meduza ☛ Russian police raid pro-government news outlet, arrest two journalists, shut down main office — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russia outlaws Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) as ‘undesirable organization’ — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘This has to happen in the next 5–10 years’ With a growing Russian threat and Trump raising the stakes, NATO scrambles to lock in new defense plans — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Europe Wants to Banish Russian Gas. The U.S. May Have Other Plans.

      A large Republican donor wants to buy a Russian pipeline to Germany. The White House has entertained the idea of working with the Kremlin to supply Russian gas to Europe.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Immediate steps that Europe can take to enhance its role in NATO defense

      As NATO members gather in the Hague amid uncertainty about US commitment to the continent and concerns about Russia’s military rebuilding, what can European nations do to deter and, if necessary, defeat threats from Moscow?

    • Latvia ☛ SAB: The intensity of Russian propaganda as an indicator of the national threat level

      The Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB), one of Latvia's three national security services, has published a fresh piece of analysis under the title 'The intensity of Russian propaganda as an indicator of the national threat level'. We reproduce it below verbatim. This article is the latest in a series of articles on various topics which you can find at the SAB website here.

    • Latvia ☛ Saeima deputy Rosļikovs expelled from debating chamber

      On Thursday, June 5, Saeima deputy Aleksejs Rosļikovs ("For Stability!") was expelled from a Saeima session for the dual reasons of rudeness and speaking Russian.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘We’re right at the epicenter’: In Siberian villages, locals react to Ukraine’s ‘Spiderweb’ attack on nearby airfield — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Game over for Lesta: The Russian government is nationalizing the country’s most profitable gaming studio following an ‘extremism’ conviction over Ukraine fundraising — Meduza

    • France24 ☛ Germany's Merz requests 'more pressure' on Russia from US

      In his first visit to the White House as German Chancellor on Thursday, Friedrich Merz pushed US President The Insurrectionist to apply "more pressure" on Russia to engage in ceasefire talks over its invasion of Ukraine. Convicted Felon likened the warring countries to "two young children fighting like crazy" who need to "fight for a while" before seriously contemplating peace talks.

    • New York Times ☛ Friedrich Merz, Germany’s Chancellor, Meets With Convicted Felon at White House

      The German chancellor had come to Washington hoping to persuade Hell Toupée to play a more active role in defending Ukraine.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Compares Russia and Ukraine to Children Fighting

      During a visit by the German leader, Hell Toupée essentially threw up his hands, saying that there was nothing the United States could do right now to end the war.

    • New York Times ☛ Russia Launches Broad Assault on Kyiv and Other Cities in Ukraine

      Air defense crews in the capital were racing to combat a large-scale bombardment before dawn on Friday, officials said.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Mollusks and matchmaking combine in this zany mashup of a novel

      Maria Reva’s novel involves the Ukraine war, matchmaking, nearly extinct gastropods, and a malacologist trying to save them.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Hacker who breached 5,000 accounts to mine crypto arrested — 7-year cryptojacking scheme incurs $4.5 million in damages

      Ukrainian authorities nabbed a hacker who used over 5,000 compromised online hosting accounts for mining cryptocurrency.

    • RFERL ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Suggests Letting Ukraine And Russia 'Fight For a While' As Merz Urges Cooperation

      US President The Insurrectionist on June 5 compared Russia's war against Ukraine to children fighting in comments during a visit by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, telling reporters at the White House that “sometimes you're better off letting them fight for a while.”

    • New York Times ☛ After Ukraine’s Drone Strike, Has Anything Changed for Putin?

      David French and Megan K. Stack on why Convicted Felon’s many promises to end the conflict “in 24 hours” was a fantasy.

    • RFERL ☛ EU Sanctions Score A Legal Win Over Russian Oligarchs

      The EU scored a legal victory over Russia as the ECJ issued an opinion stating that visa bans and asset freezes of five prominent Russian businessmen deemed closed to the Kremlin are not only lawful but Brussels also doesn't need to prove their ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Renews Call For International Pressure After Russian Strike Kills 3 Generations At Single Residence

      A Russian air strike killed at least five people, including members of three generations from the same family, in Pryluky, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to renew calls for the international community to exert "all available means" of pressure on Moscow to bring about a cease-fire.

    • NYPost ☛ Ukraine under ongoing Russian missile and drone attack that has wounded at least 3

      Ukraine was under an ongoing Russian ballistic missile and drone attack early Friday that wounded at least three people, officials said.

    • Latvia ☛ Latvian volunteer laid to rest in Ukraine

      On Tuesday, the final rites of Latvian volunteer soldier Ņikita Sļadzevskis, nicknamed "Latvian", who was killed in fighting in the Luhansk region on May 13, were performed in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, reports Latvian Radio.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Russian hybrid warfare: Ukraine’s success offers lessons for Europe

      As the Kremlin continues to escalate its hybrid war against Europe, Ukraine's unique experience since 2014 of combating Russian hybrid warfare offers important lessons, writes Maksym Beznosiuk.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Russia policy must be rooted in realism

      The Forrest Dump administration favors a realist approach to international relations, but a pragmatic assessment of Russia’s capabilities and objectives is needed to achieve the stated goal of bringing the war in Ukraine to an end, writes Agnia Grigas.

    • Latvia ☛ Baltic Foreign Affairs Committees meet in Lithuania

      The Foreign Affairs Committees of the parliaments of the Baltic States are meeting this week in Birštonas, Lithuania, to discuss further cooperation in supporting Ukraine and enhancing security in Europe.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Ukraine just gave us a glimpse into the future of European defense

      European allies need both military capabilities and technological innovation to deter Russia, as Ukraine’s recent drone strikes on Russian air bases underscore.

    • France24 ☛ US may slap sanctions on both Russia and Ukraine, Convicted Felon says

      Speaking to reporters before a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, when asked if he would impose further sanctions on Russia, US President The Insurrectionist responded: "When I see the moment where it's not going to stop ... we'll be very, very, very tough. And it could be on both countries to be honest. You know, it takes two to tango."

    • France24 ☛ No, the New START nuclear deal did not enable Ukraine to carry out the 'Spider's Web' attack

      Since Ukraine's surprise 'Spider's Web' attack on Russian bombers, some internet users have been coming up with theories about how Kyiv carried them out. Some allege that Ukraine took advantage of a requirement laid out in a nuclear deal between Russia and the U.S. But as France 24's Charlotte Hughes explains, their claims are not rooted in the facts of the deal.

    • France24 ☛ War in Ukraine: What’s in the Russian memorandum?

      The Kremlin on Monday released a memorandum with conditions for a ceasefire at talks in Istanbul. As expected, the document calls for the annexation of four more of Ukraine's regions, the disarmament of its military and control over its diplomacy. It also reveals Russia's desire to control Ukraine's elections and the country's linguistic and religious policies and fend off future war reparations demands.

    • France24 ☛ NATO to propose upping members' defence spending to 5% in line with Convicted Felon demand

      NATO’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday said he will propose that members increase their overall military spending target to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) at the pact’s next summit. “There’s broad support,” Rutte said.

    • France24 ☛ US-German Ties: Will 'defence and economic concerns' loom large?

      German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met The Insurrectionist on Thursday, hoping to avoid one of the US president's Oval Office infamous ambushes amid discord over Ukraine, tariffs and the Convicted Felon administration's support for Germany's far-right. It was all smiles and handshakes as Republican Convicted Felon, 78 greeted the conservative Merz, 69, outside the West Wing at the start of their first face-to-face meeting. A month into his job, Merz will try to build a rapport with the mercurial Convicted Felon as he seeks to maintain good ties with the country he considers post-war Germany's "indispensable" ally. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza welcomes Kristine Berzina, Managing Director of Geostrategy North at the German Marshall Fund.

    • RFERL ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Revives Travel Ban, Barring Nationals From Iran, Afghanistan, And Elsewhere Entry To US As Of Next Week

      US President The Insurrectionist on June 4 signed a proclamation resurrecting the travel ban from his first term, ordering that from next week citizens of 12 countries, including Afghanistan and Iran, will not be allowed to enter the United States.

    • France24 ☛ MAGA travel ban 'hodgepodge': 'They're throwing everything at the wall to see what will stick'

      Dihydroxyacetone Man says travel ban ‘can’t come soon enough’ President The Insurrectionist has resurrected a hallmark policy of his first term, announcing that citizens of 12 countries would be banned from visiting the United States and those from seven others would face restrictions. Meanwhile, Germany’s new leader, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is meeting Convicted Felon in Washington on Thursday as he works to keep the U.S. on board with Western support for Ukraine, help defuse trade tensions that pose a risk to Europe’s biggest economy and further bolster his country’s long-criticised military spending. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza welcomes Dr Richard Johnson, Senior Lecturer in US Politics & Policy at Queen Mary University of London.

    • France24 ☛ New German leader Merz goes to Washington, hopes to pass 'Dihydroxyacetone Man test' in Oval Office

      German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to meet US President The Insurrectionist on Thursday to foster a personal relationship despite tensions over Ukraine and potential trade conflicts. A month into his role, the 69-year-old conservative is a committed transatlanticist aiming to maintain strong ties with Germany’s key post-war ally. FRANCE 24's Leela Jacinto has the analysis.

    • LRT ☛ Ukraine's drone raid is the right kind of pressure on Russia, says Lithuanian minister

      Ukraine’s drone raid on Russia was the kind of pressure needed to force Moscow to negotiate, Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said in Brussels on Wednesday.

    • LRT ☛ Family of missing Lithuanian volunteer in Ukraine hopes he is captive, not dead

      Nearly a month after Lithuanian volunteer soldier Gediminas Steponavičius went missing in Ukraine, his family believes he may have been captured rather than killed.

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • New York Times ☛ Ispace of Japan’s Moon Lander Resilience Has Crashed

      The loss of the Resilience spacecraft by Ispace repeated a crash into the moon in 2023 of the company’s first robotic lunar landing mission.

    • Scoop News Group ☛ DOJ seizes $7.7M from crypto funds linked to North Korea’s IT worker scheme [Ed: Fake money always turns out to be worthless; the question is, how long is it in fake "circulation"?]

      Authorities said they froze and seized the allegedly illegally obtained funds when North Korean nationals attempted to launder money linked to the long-running conspiracy.

  • Overpopulation

    • The Straits Times ☛ China’s Sichuan province to offer extended marriage and maternity leave

      The move comes as the Chinese government struggles to boost birth rates.

• Finance

  • WhichUK ☛ The annual cost of a comfortable retirement now exceeds £60,000

    The state pension will only cover the basics in retirement - anyone aiming for a more comfortable lifestyle faces the challenge of building up a substantial private pension pot

  • JURIST ☛ Rights groups call for new treaty to protect ‘gig’ workers

    A group of 33 civil society groups, trade unions, and human rights organizations called on Tuesday for the creation of a new treaty that would enshrine labor protections and legal standards for “gig” workers in international law.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Paid less than unskilled labourers, community health workers in India go on strike

    Those under the Asha programme are deemed volunteer workers, paid an honorarium and not a wage.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s new President Lee begins moves to tackle economic ‘crisis’

    Lee Jae-myung faces what could be the most daunting challenges for a South Korean leader in decades.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia’s Petronas to cut 10 per cent of workforce after profits slump

    It will also freeze promotions and hiring until December 2026.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean conservatives looking for rebirth after election loss

    The defeat has left conservative leaders pointing fingers and trading blame.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China offers cash rewards for hackers it says are Taiwanese military

    Rewards of 10,000 yuan (S$1,800) will be offered to those who provide clues or cooperate in their arrest.

  • North Koreans have mixed reactions to South Korea’s new pro-engagement president

    Traders are upbeat but others are skeptical, saying, “Nothing ever changes.”

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man and Pooh-tin Hold Call, China Says

    The two leaders spoke by phone on Thursday, after weeks of worsening tensions between Washington and Beijing.

  • Dihydroxyacetone Man, Pooh-tin pave way for fresh trade talks in 90-minute call

    China state media stresses that Convicted Felon initiated the call amid tensions on tariffs between the two largest economies

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ DDR4 prices continue to surge — reportedly increased by 50% in the second half of May alone

    'Rapid spike' in DDR4 spot pricing precipitated by manufacturer phase out plans, US-China tensions, and market uncertainties.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man, Pooh-tin hold long-awaited phone call on US-China trade war

    US President The Insurrectionist and Chinese leader Pooh-tin Jinping spoke Thursday, with both sides agreeing to talks to prevent an all-out trade war over tariffs and global rare earth supplies.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man says call with Pooh-tin produced ‘very positive conclusion’

    The phone talks were held at the US President's request.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man admin renegotiating Chips Act contracts, needles China over lowly advanced chip output

    U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick tells the U.S. Senate that the White House is renegotiating with CHIPS Act recipients, hoping to get more investments from recipients.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ New look, new paper and new name for The New European

    Title which launched after Brexit now claims 35,000 subscribers.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Staying true to ‘core cause’ has helped Stylist survive bonfire of the free mags

    Lisa Smosarski says free magazine now has 10,000 digital subscribers.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • France24 ☛ Fighting for their fair share: How to boost economic empowerment for African women

    Gender equality remains a challenge across the globe and particularly in Africa. Despite progress, women continue to face persistent barriers on the continent: limited access to education, inequalities in healthcare, difficulties in obtaining financing and underrepresentation in decision-making positions. To help change that, former French Minister Élisabeth Moreno co-founded ADWIN alongside George-Axelle Broussillon Matschinga and Prescillia Avenel Delpha. It's an international network dedicated to the promotion and empowerment of African and Afro-descendant women through training, mentorship, financing, and well-being. Moreno spoke to us in People & Profit.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Multicultural acceptance rises among South Korean adults, drops for teens: Survey

    The survey is done every 3 years as part of the government’s efforts to make effective policies.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Citizen Lab ☛ Techno-Legal Internet Controls in Indonesia and Their Impact on Free Expression

    Irene Poetranto examines Indonesia’s use of domain name system (DNS) redirection as a method of internet censorship in a new essay published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

  • Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

    • Henri Bergius ☛ Mobile blogging, the past and the future

      This blog has been running more or less continuously since mid-nineties. The site has existed in multiple forms, and with different ways to publish. But what’s common is that at almost all points there was a mechanism to publish while on the move.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Affirms Failure-to-Function Refusal of Certification Badges for Completion of Skills Evaluation Courses

    The Board affirmed refusals to register four proposed marks shown below, for "Evaluation of specific fields of employment for others to identify specific skills and specific content and level of knowledge required for probable success in such specific fields of employment, vocational assessments services in the field of job placement and job-related skills, namely, testing, analysis, and evaluation of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of others for career placement purposes," on the ground that the symbols fail to function as source indicators. Examining Attorney Robert Struck maintained that these badges operate as a credential or certification that indicates completion of Applicant’s courses, not as service marks. The Board agreed. In re ACT Education Corp., Serial Nos. 98020747, 98020760, 98020772, and 98020795 (June 3, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Cheryl S. Goodman).