Leftovers

• Standards/Consortia

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ PNG has been updated for the first time in 22 years — new spec supports HDR and animation

    The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) just released an update to the Portable Network Graphics (PNG) image format this week. The W3C introduced the initial specifications for this file format in 1996, with the group formalizing the 2003 standard in 2004. This means that it’s been over two decades since it was updated — a virtual eternity in the technological realm. According to ProgramMax, the U.S. Library of Congress, Library and Archives Canada, and the National Archives of Australia recommend PNG for archiving digital images, likely because of its lossless compression. With this amount of trust placed on the file format, it must keep up with the times and ensure that it will continue to help preserve our visual history.

  • Eric Bailey ☛ You MUST listen to RFC 2119

    I found a voice actor and hired them with the task of “Reading this very dry technical document in the most over-the-top sarcastic, passive-aggressive, condescending way possible. Like, if you think it's too much, take that feeling, ignore it, and crank things up one more notch.”

• Science

  • Hackaday ☛ Turbine Blower 3D Prints Every Part, Including Triple Planetary Gears

    There was a time when print-in-place moving parts were a curiosity, but [Tomek] shows that things are now at a point where a hand-cranked turbine blower with integrated planetary gears can be entirely 3D printed. Some assembly is needed, but there is no added hardware beyond the printed parts. The blower is capable of decent airflow and can probably be optimized even further. Have a look at it work in the video below.

  • Hackaday ☛ 19th Century Photography In Extreme Miniature

    Ever since the invention of the microscope, humanity has gained access to the world of the incredibly small. Scientists discovered that creatures never known to exist before are alive in an uncountable number in spaces as small as the head of a pin. But the microscope unlocked some interesting forms of art as well. Not only could people view and photograph small objects with them, but in the mid-nineteenth century, various artists and scientists used them to shrink photographs themselves down into the world of the microscopic. This article goes into depth on how one man from this era invented the art form known as microphotography.

  • Science Alert ☛ Solar Flare Photobombs The ISS in Perfectly Timed Photo

    An incredible moment!

  • Science Alert ☛ Physicists Catch Light in 'Imaginary Time' in Scientific First

    Here’s how it does it.

  • Science Alert ☛ One Way of Drinking Coffee Could Help You Live Longer, Study Finds

    How do you take it?

  • Science Alert ☛ First Signal of Climate Change Became Detectable 130 Years Ago

    The signs were there.

  • Science Alert ☛ A Mysterious Blob of Cold Water Defies Ocean Heat – Now We Know Why

    "People have been asking why this cold spot exists."

  • Science Alert ☛ Mediterranean Diet Could Protect Against a Common Form of Liver Disease

    One in three adults is affected.

• Hardware

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Here’s a behind the scenes look at how a CPU air cooler is made — DeepCool gives a start-to-finish tour of its main production facility

    A tour of DeepCool’s main production facility in China, showcasing how premium air coolers are made from start to finish.

  • Hackaday ☛ Break The Air Gap With Ultrasound

    In the world of information security, much thought goes into ensuring that no information can leave computer networks without expressly being permitted to do so. Conversely, a lot of effort is expended on the part of would-be attackers to break through whatever layers are present. [Halcy] has a way to share data between computers, whether they are networked or not, and it uses ultrasound.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Ruben Schade ☛ Improving mood in a few (literal) steps

    Getting out of the house and moving improves my mood, absolutely without fail. I could have had a crummy day, or a stressful day, or a day where I’ve reached blue places. It doesn’t matter.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China resumes qualified seafood imports from some Japanese regions

    China Customs said seafood products from 10 prefectures will still be banned from entering the country.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China confronts senior cancer surge with early detection, TCM

    People over the age of 60 now account for 60.7 per cent of all new cancer diagnoses in the country.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Seat belts a must on express, tour buses in Malaysia from July 1

    Both drivers and passengers found violating the rule will face a fine.

• Proprietary

  • Hackaday ☛ Windows 95 On PlayStation 2 Works As Well As You Expected

    When you hear “PS2” and “Windows 95,” you probably think someone forgot a slash and are talking about peripherals, but no — this hack is very much about the Sony PlayStation 2, the best-selling game console of all time. [MeraByte] walks us through the possibly ridiculous task of installing Windows 95 on the last hardware anyone at Microsoft would ever endorse in a video you can watch below.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Science Alert ☛ Disturbing Signs of Hey Hi (AI) Threatening People Spark Concern

      "What we're observing is a real phenomenon."

  • Social Control Media

    • JURIST ☛ Tech group sues Arkansas over social control media regulation law

      A tech industry interest group, NetChoice, sued the state of Arkansas Friday over a new social control media law, Act 901, arguing it violates the First Amendment by restricting content on social control media platforms. The act allow parents of children who committed suicide to sue these platforms.

    • Digital Music News ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Says ‘We Have a Buyer for TikTok’

      Dihydroxyacetone Man says he has found a group of “very wealthy people” to buy TikTok, just after extending the divestiture deadline by another 90 days. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, The Insurrectionist said he has found a buyer for TikTok, which he described as a group of “very wealthy people.”

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Says He’s Found Buyers for TikTok

      He didn’t say who was interested in buying the app, just that it was “a group of very wealthy people.” But the Chinese government needs to approve any sale.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • The Straits Times ☛ Telegram increases cooperation with South Korean police in criminal investigations

      The new posture towards law enforcement is believed to have begun after its CEO was detained in France.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Strategist ☛ Australia must make its research security ecosystem work smarter

    Since 2018 the Australian government has made serious strides in countering espionage and foreign interference, including introducing policy and legislative reforms aimed at protecting the research and university sector.

  • France24 ☛ Israeli court delays Netanyahu's appearance in corruption trial amid US pressure

    The Jerusalem district court postponed this week's hearings in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long-running corruption trial after he requested a delay with the support of US President The Insurrectionist on diplomatic and security grounds.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ In Pictures: One of Hong Kong’s last pro-democracy groups disbands citing ‘tremendous political pressure’

    One of Hong Kong’s last pro-democracy groups, the League of Social Democrats (LSD), announced its disbandment on Sunday after 19 years. It came on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the 2020 Beijing-imposed security law, with the left-wing group citing “tremendous political pressure.”

  • Hong Kong pro-democracy party disbands under pressure from Beijing

    One of Hong Kong's last opposition parties, the League of Social Democrats protested pro-China moves.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Hong Kong’s last active pro-democracy group says it will disband amid security crackdown

    Current chair Chan Po-ying said the group had been “left with no choice”.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Taiwan VP says not intimidated after alleged China plot

    Taiwan’s vice president said she would not be intimidated by Beijing after the government accused Chinese embassy staff of planning to ram her car during an official visit to Europe.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s envoy urges Australia to resist US pressure on military spending

    The envoy urged Canberra to cooperate with Beijing to resolve regional disputes.

  • New York Times ☛ Monday Briefing: The Toll of an Attack on an Iranian Prison

    Plus, correcting Captain Nemo.

  • France24 ☛ Iranians flee to seek safety in Turkey amid Israeli strikes

    Hundreds of Iranians have fled to Turkey over the past weeks during the war with Israel, seeking safety in the neighbouring country. FRANCE 24 met with Iranians who were forced to leave their homes behind.

  • France24 ☛ Iran could resume uranium enrichment 'in a matter of months', UN nuclear watchdog says

    Speculation over Iran’s capacity to recover from Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear and military sites during its 12-day war with Israel were put to bed on Saturday after the UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told CBS news that Iran could produce enriched uranium “in a matter of months”.

  • France24 ☛ Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza including several children

    Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli forces killed at least 37 people across the war-torn region on Saturday, including three children who died in an airstrike on a home in Jabalia, northern Gaza.

  • RFERL ☛ Suicide Bombing Kills 13 Soldiers In Northwestern Pakistan

    At least 13 soldiers were killed when a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden car into a military convoy in northwestern Pakistan.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • New York Times ☛ Russia Pounds Ukraine With Drones and Missiles in One of War’s Largest Attacks

      The overnight attack was one of the largest on Ukraine and included strikes in the western part of the country, which is hit less often.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Russia launches the biggest aerial attack since the start of the war, Ukraine says

      The strikes targeted several regions, including western Ukraine, far from the front lines. Officials confirmed three deaths and said another two died in Russian shelling.

    • RFERL ☛ Russia Fires Over 500 Missiles And Drones At Ukraine In Biggest Air Attack Since War Began, Kyiv Says

      Russian forces have launched more than 500 aerial weapons at Ukraine overnight, Kyiv said on June 29, describing the attack as the biggest air strike on the country since the war began.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Acts To Quit Global Anti-Landmine Pact, Honors Pilot As Ukraine Recovers From Massive Air Attack

      As Russia continued its relentless attack on eastern Ukrainian cities – which more than 500 missiles and drones launched the previous night -- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree to withdraw his country from an anti-landmine pact and honored a pilot who was killed in action.

    • France24 ☛ Russia ramps up attacks on Ukraine in biggest air offensive since war began

      Russia is showing no signs of de-escalating its bombardment of Ukraine after it launched its biggest aerial attack on its neighbour overnight, according to Ukrainian officials, since the three-year-conflict began.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Why should we prioritize spending on them?’: Belgorod authorities won’t repair homes of residents who left Russia until after the war ends — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Zelensky signs decree to withdraw Ukraine from landmine ban treaty — Meduza

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s scorching heat poses summer test for electricity grid

    Temperatures are poised to climb almost 3 deg C above historical averages in the first week of July.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ China’s EV battery-maker CATL starts construction of $7.5b nickel project in Indonesia

      Indonesia has attracted more than $102 billion investments in the past decade into its nickel industry.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Bangladesh orders tax officials back to work as strike cripples port operations

    The protests began after the government issued an order dissolving the National Board of Revenue.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan’s ‘death-tainted’ homes gain appeal as property prices soar

    Homes where murders, suicides or socially isolated deaths have occurred are classified as 'misfortunate properties'.

  • New York Times ☛ We Shouldn’t Have Billionaires, Mamdani Says

    Appearing on “Meet the Press” days after the mayoral primary, Zohran Mamdani defended his proposals to make New York City more affordable and to increase taxes on the wealthy.

  • The Straits Times ☛ 30-cent bubble tea, $9.9k EVs: China updates law to curb cut-throat price wars

    Unproductive competition is now in the authorities’ crosshairs as businesses compete relentlessly on price.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China rolls over $4.3 billion loans to Pakistan, say sources

    The loans are critical to shoring up Pakistan's low foreign reserves.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ Explainer: How will the Dalai Lama's successor be chosen?

    The choice of a successor to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists, is a matter of riveting interest not only for followers of his religion, but also China, India, and the United States, for strategic reasons.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Despite midterm rating uptick, Malaysian PM Anwar faces fiscal challenges, political pressures

    He faces mounting public frustration, economic strain and internal political rifts.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ ‘Soft resistance’ involves using false statements to create misunderstanding about authorities, justice sec. says

    “Soft resistance” involves using false statements to create misunderstanding about the mainland Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam has said.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Glastonbury Goes Sideways—Police Investigating Hate Speech Allegations Involving Bob Vylan, Kneecap

    The Glastonbury 2025 music festival became a flashpoint for controversy when performances by British punk duo Bob Vylan and Irish-language rap Group Kneecap led to accusations of hate speech. The show received a swift response from festival organizers and an investigation by British police is ongoing.

  • BIA Net ☛ Gay politician among 41 detained as police storm LGBTI+ event in İstanbul

    İrfan Değirmenci, a well-known journalist and a member of the Workers' Party of Turkey, was delivering a speech when police broke up the event. The detainees were released after spending the night in custody.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • JURIST ☛ Kyrgyzstan passes laws weakening media freedom and torture prevention, rights group says

    Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday reported that Kyrgyzstan’s parliament has passed two bills that allow the authorities to restrict media activities without judicial oversight and merge the country’s main anti-torture body with the ombudsman’s office, threatening both media freedom and protection from torture.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • JURIST ☛ US federal court allows lawsuit to proceed over Qatar World Cup labor conditions

    A US federal judge in Colorado on Thursday ruled that Filipino workers can proceed with forced labor claims against US-based construction companies that oversaw FIFA World Cup stadium projects in Qatar.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • James Brown ☛ No More Categories

    This site has had both "Categories" and "Tags" since it was on Blogger in 2007. It occurs to me that this doesn't really make any sense, so I'm hiding the categories and won't be populating them going forward. The old category index pages are live (because cool URIs don't change) but otherwise, it's all tags from here on out.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Software Patents

    • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Preview: Federal Circuit Oral Argument in Surveillance Giant Google v. Sonos (July 10, 2025)

      In 2020, Sonos sued Surveillance Giant Google for infringing its “zone scenes” patents, which cover techniques for grouping networked speakers into saved scenes (including overlapping groups of speakers). U.S. Patent Nos. 10,848,885 and 10,469,966.  A jury found Surveillance Giant Google liable and awarded $30 million in damages.  N.D.Cal. Judge William Alsup then took the unusual step of throwing out the verdict. Ruling on post-trial motions, Judge Alsup found the two patents unenforceable due to prosecution laches and invalid for lack of written description support. Sonos promptly appealed, and it is that appeal that is now pending.