Leftovers

• University of Michigan ☛ Virality is why films die in the cultural mind

  Is film like fashion? After reading Brett Byers’ article “Is Virality Killing Authenticity: Internet Culture is Destroying the Fashion Trend Cycle,” I’m beginning to think so. In the piece, Byers argues that social control media has affected the fashion world.

• Science

  • Hackaday ☛ Picture By Paper Tape

    The April 1926 issue of “Science and Invention” had a fascinating graphic. It explained, for the curious, how a photo of a rescue at sea could be in the New York papers almost immediately. It was the modern miracle of the wire photo. But how did the picture get from Plymouth, England, to New York so quickly? Today, that’s no big deal, but set your wayback machine to a century ago.

  • Hackaday ☛ Where There Is No Down: Measuring Liquid Levels In Space

    As you can probably imagine, we get tips on a lot of really interesting projects here at Hackaday. Most are pretty serious, at least insofar as they aim to solve a specific problem in some new and clever way. Some, though, are a little more lighthearted, such as a fun project that came across the tips line back in May. Charmingly dubbed “pISSStream,” the project taps into NASA’s official public telemetry stream for the International Space Station to display the current level of the urine tank on the Space Station.

  • Hackaday ☛ Confirmation Of Record 220 PeV Cosmic Neutrino Hit On Earth

    Neutrinos are exceedingly common in the Universe, with billions of them zipping around us throughout the day from a variety of sources. Due to their extremely low mass and no electric charge they barely ever interact with other particles, making these so-called ‘ghost particles’ very hard to detect. That said, when they do interact the result is rather spectacular as they impart significant kinetic energy. The resulting flash of energy is used by neutrino detectors, with most neutrinos generally pegging out at around 10 petaelectronvolt (PeV), except for a 2023 event.

  • Science Alert ☛ Wild Rabbits in US Show Startling 'Tentacle' Growths on Their Heads

    There's no need to panic.

  • Science Alert ☛ 'Wow!' Signal Was More Powerful Than We Thought, New Analysis Reveals

    Still a mystery.

  • Science Alert ☛ Asteroid Belt's Largest Object Could Have Once Supported Life

    Could it still?

  • Science Alert ☛ Your Pee Could Warn if You're Ill-Equipped to Handle Today's Stress

    Take a look.

  • Science Alert ☛ Your Eye Movements Could Be Hiding Signs of a Failing Memory

    A closer look.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Detected Signs of a Structure Hiding Inside Earth's Core

    A lost chapter in our planet's history.

  • Science Alert ☛ Reading For Fun Is Plummeting in The US, And Experts Are Concerned

    A 40% drop in 20 years.

  • Science Alert ☛ Skeletons Reveal an Unexpected Lineage Buried in Medieval England

    A more diverse population than we ever realized.

• Hardware

  • CNX Software ☛ Blackout Comms Cluster – A pre-configured off-grid LoRa texting and GPS system with cryptographic security

    Designed by Altware Dev Shop in the US, the Blackout Comms is an off-grid, LoRa-based encrypted mesh communication system built around ESP32 for texting and GPS location sharing without the need for any cellular networks or internet. The device uses asymmetric encryption and digital signatures for secure communication during blackouts, emergencies, or in remote areas where connectivity is unavailable. The device seemed a little bit pricey at first, but the complete kit includes two customized T-Deck communicators and one Altware Link/Node, all pre-configured and ready to use.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Enthusiast accidentally spends nearly $300 modifying 2017 Logitech MX Ergo trackball to fix flaws — appears to have missed 2024 upgrade that solved nearly all of its foibles

    Trackball enthusiast decides to build 'the mouse Logitech won’t make.'

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Core i9-14900KF overclocked to 9.13 GHz to become the highest clocked CPU of all time — 13 MHz faster than the previous record holder

    Chinese overclocker wytiwx has pushed Intel's Core i9-14900KF to 9130.33 MHz, establishing a new world record.

  • Hackaday ☛ Troubled USB Device? This Tool Can Help

    You know how it goes — some gadgets stick around in your toolbox far longer than reason dictates, because maybe one day you’ll need it. How many of us held onto ISA diagnostic cards long past the death of the interface?

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ K-pop idols halt, quit careers over health concerns while agencies post record revenues

    Financial results contrast sharply with the worsening working conditions and health issues that K-pop artists face.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Ho Chi Minh City begins campaign to prevent dengue fever, chikungunya

    Health facilities are instructed to keep a close watch for possible outbreaks to stamp them out quickly.

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ Doctors under pressure as U-M ends gender-affirming care for minors

    Under federal threat, University of Michigan to end gender-affirming care for patients under age 19. That puts pressure on other doctors, too. ‘I’m not going to jail over this,’ says one.

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ State lawmakers describe ‘lack of service’ in Michigan’s mental health system

    With too few psychiatric beds and staff to manage them, people with severe mental illness find themselves in emergency departments and county jails.

  • Federal News Network ☛ The VA says it’s streamlining through attrition — but nurses and union allies say the cuts could quietly undermine care for veterans

    "A healthy VA is fully staffed and fully funded, and the VA can serve all the vets that are in need," said Irma Westmoreland.

  • New York Times ☛ Too Old, Too Uneducated: Aging Workers in Beijing Struggle for Work

    China’s economic slowdown has fallen especially hard on older migrant workers, who often don’t have the technical skills that employers are seeking.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Concerns raised in China after deadly brain-eating amoeba kills two kids

    Health experts emphasise that the disease is uncommon and early treatment can prevent fatalities.

  • NYPost ☛ Chinese doctor accused of stealing confidential US-funded cancer research

    Court records show he was secretly conducting research for Chongqing Medical University while employed and in the US on a nonimmigrant  scholar exchange visa – and never disclosed the conflict of interest.

  • Science Alert ☛ Surprise Discovery of Elevated Cancer Risk in Elite Runners Can Be Explained

    Here's what the findings really mean.

  • Science Alert ☛ Pig Lung Transplanted Into a Human in Major Scientific First

    Here's what we know.

  • Science Alert ☛ US Has New Guidelines For High Blood Pressure. Here's What That Means.

    Know these numbers.

  • Hackaday ☛ Avocado Harvester Is A Cut Above

    For a farmer or gardener, fruit trees offer a way to make food (and sometimes money) with a minimum of effort, especially when compared to growing annual vegetables. Mature trees can be fairly self-sufficient, and may only need to be pruned once a year if at all. But getting the fruit down from these heights can be a challenge, even if it is on average less work than managing vegetable crops. [Kladrie] created this avocado snipper to help with the harvest of this crop.

  • James Brown ☛ Cooking is better than computers

    I don't have time for a lot of hobbies these days, but one of my favorites is preparing food. Whether that's cooking four courses out of Julia Child¹, grilling some meat, or just tossing a salad together, there's something deeply satisfying at turning ingredients into a meal. In some ways, it's not unlike programming; anyone can do a passable job using inferior tools and following other peoples' recipes, but there's almost infinite space to tinker, invest in better tools, and learn to make your own recipes. Also, as long as you follow some simple rules, the worst outcome you're likely to have is something that doesn't taste great.

  • Hackaday ☛ Automated Brewing

    There’s little more to making alcoholic beverages than sugar, water, yeast, and time. Of course those with more refined or less utilitarian tastes may want to invest a bit more care and effort into making their concoctions. For beer making especially this can be a very involved task, but [Fieldman] has come up with a machine that helps automate the process and take away some of the tedium.

  • Pro Publica ☛ 5 Ways Idaho Coroners Say the State Could Fix Its Flawed System

  • Silicon Angle ☛ Landmark Hey Hi (AI) wrongful death lawsuit alleges OpenAI’s Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Chaffbot played major role in teen’s suicide

    The parents of a teenage American boy who died by suicide today filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI, whose Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Chaffbot chatbot they say helped their son “explore suicide methods.”

  • New York Times ☛ A Teen Was Suicidal. Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Chaffbot Was the Friend He Confided In.

    More people are turning to general-purpose chatbots for emotional support. At first, Adam Raine, 16, used Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Chaffbot for schoolwork, but then he started discussing plans to end his life.

• Proprietary

  • Silicon Angle ☛ YouTube tests Hey Hi (AI) edits on Shorts without disclosure, sparking creator backlash

  • Microsoft Reportedly Forces Candy Crush Developers to Use AI Daily [Ed: Trying to get many of them to resign and get no severance payments]

    When your boss asks you if your work could be done by AI, you should say no, although it doesn't always help, as developers from King, the creator of Candy Crush, know very well. After the devastating layoffs in July issued by its parent Microsoft, the team was left with robots, and the tech giant wants it to use them every day.

  • Microsoft HQ locked down after protesters occupy president's office

    The incident occurred on Monday when members of the 'No Azure for Apartheid' group entered Building 34, where Smith's office is located.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Openwashing

      • SDx Central ☛ Linux Foundation extends AI model leadership with new frameworks [Ed: Openwashing in site paid by Linux Foundation to relay mindless marketing with LLM slop]

      • Dolphin Publications B V ☛ Linux Foundation welcomes agentgateway project

        The Linux Foundation has incorporated the open source agentgateway project into its organization. This AI-native proxy has been built from the ground up for AI environments, unlike existing solutions that have been adapted later. The project supports important protocols such as A2A and MCP.

  • Social Control Media

    • The Straits Times ☛ Videos ridiculing Japan’s wartime emperor posted on Chinese social control media

      The spread of images using edited photos of Japan's emperor Hirohito has triggered a complaint from Tokyo.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • The Straits Times ☛ Vietnamese police rescue three South Koreans illegally detained at apartment in suspected job scam

      The victims were promised jobs in Vietnam with a high salary.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • EDRI ☛ Denmark wants to break the Council deadlock on the CSA Regulation, but are they genuinely trying?

      Denmark made the widely-criticised CSA Regulation a priority on the very first day of their Council presidency, but show little willingness to actually find a compromise that will break the three-year long deadlock on this law. The Danish text recycles previous failed attempts and does nothing to assuage the valid concerns about mass surveillance and encryption. Not only is Denmark unlikely to be able to broker a deal, it also stands in the way of EU countries finding an alternative, meaningful, rights-respecting solution to tackling CSA online.

    • Security Week ☛ FTC Calls on Tech Firms to Resist Foreign Anti-Encryption Demands [Ed: But at the same time the US demands back doors in things, though that's considered OK by the US]

      Tech giants have received a letter from the FTC urging them not to weaken security and privacy at the request of foreign governments.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australian gunman ‘at large’ after killing two police officers

    The man has been identified as Dezi Freeman, described as a radicalised conspiracy theorist.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea opposition party picks backer of ousted president Yoon as leader

    Mr Jang Dong-hyeok has openly advocated for former president Yoon Suk Yeol.

  • JURIST ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man orders ‘specialized’ National Guard units to enforce ‘public safety and order’ in US cities

    President The Insurrectionist issued an executive order Monday establishing a “specialized unit” of the National Guard to address crime in Washington DC and other US cities “whenever the circumstances necessitate…where public safety and order has been lost.”

  • Defence Web ☛ Special Forces murder allegation makes it to Parliament

    The death of a senior Hawks investigator, purportedly at the hands of SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Special Forces (SF) operators, reached Parliament by way of a question to Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga.

  • Defence Web ☛ African countries among top sexual violence offenders – UN report

    Four African countries are on the United Nations (UN) worst five offenders’ list when it comes to sexual violence in conflict zones. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ annual report on conflict related sexual violence shows what it terms “State and non-State actors” being responsible for violations in 21 countries last year.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea media criticises South Korea’s Lee as ‘hypocrite’

    North Korean state media KCNA said Mr Lee “revealed himself as a maniac for confrontation”.

  • NYPost ☛ Michael Goodwin: NY Times chipping away at Chinese meddling in NYC elections is a welcome change – but questions remain

    In the spirit of giving the devil its due, we must salute The New York Times for its epic examination of how China is influencing New York City elections.

  • The Straits Times ☛ As China marks 80 years since war against Japan, can time heal historical wounds?

    The nations have contributed to making historical memory over WWII a continuing irritant in bilateral ties, says expert.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Tokyo ‘issues strong protest’ to Beijing over gas field in East China Sea

    Japan has lodged a protest with China after discovering what it says were efforts by Beijing to develop gas fields in disputed waters of the East China Sea.

  • The Strategist ☛ Japan’s security assistance in South Asia faces constraints. Friends can help

    Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) framework, established in 2022, is emerging as one of the most innovative military diplomacy frameworks to engage with maritime South Asia.

  • The Strategist ☛ As Taiwanese finally begin imagining war, a TV series depicts it for them

    It’s an odd thing that most Taiwanese people, threatened for decades with war by China to seize them and their island, don’t think about the possibility much. For decades, it’s just seemed unimaginable.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Links Deadly Hospital Attack in Gaza to Hamas Surveillance Camera

    The Israeli military said, without providing evidence, that its initial inquiry found that militants had placed an observation camera in the area. It said the attack killed six militants.

  • France24 ☛ Israeli strikes near Syrian capital kill at least three soldiers

    Syrian officials said Tuesday that Israeli strikes killed at least three soldiers across its southern regions, including one soldier, as Israel continues its consistent attacks on its neighbor since the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad despite pursuing talks.

  • JURIST ☛ Press group censures killing of journalists in Israel strike on Gaza hospital

    In a press release on Monday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) denounced the killing of five members of the press at Southern Gaza’s Nasser Hospital. The CPJ called for the international community to prevent further unlawful attacks on journalists with impunity.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Reuters and AP journalists among five killed in Israeli attack on hospital

    Israel has killed around 200 journalists since October 2023 according to CPJ.

  • France24 ☛ Gaza: Israel strikes hospital, killing five journalists

    Israel struck one of the main hospitals in the Gaza Strip on Monday and then hit the facility again as journalists and rescue workers rushed to the scene, killing at least 20 people and wounding scores more, local health workers said.

  • New York Times ☛ U.N. Peacekeepers in Lebanon Face Uncertain Future

    With its mission up for renewal, the U.N. force is under pressure to disband even as Israeli airstrikes continue along one of the world’s most volatile borders.

  • Defence Web ☛ Africom reaches 60 air strikes in Somalia this year

    Since assuming command of the US military’s Africa Command on 15 August, General Dagvin RM Anderson has overseen a continuation of US military activity in Somalia. By 23 August, Africom confirmed that US forces—working in close coordination with both the Somali national government and its Somali security forces—carried out nine new strikes.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Put them in their place’: Blogger known as ‘Russia’s Andrew Tate’ is arrested — not for his violent statements about women, but for ‘insulting’ WWII veterans — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian Post suspends package deliveries to the U.S. over new import duties — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Justice Dept. Broadens Inquiry Into Key Players in Russia Investigation

      It is the latest effort by Hell Toupée and his allies to impugn the Russia investigation, which the president sees as having been a partisan witch hunt.

    • RFERL ☛ Authorities Charge Second Yeltsin Center Employee With 'Discrediting' Russian Military

      Authorities charged an artistic director at the Yeltsin Center with “discrediting the Russian armed forces” -- the second employee of the library and cultural center dedicated to the late Russian president to face such charges in the past month.

    • LRT ☛ Thousands rally in Vilnius against new ruling coalition

      About 2,000 people gathered Tuesday outside the presidential office in Vilnius to protest Lithuania’s new governing coalition, accusing it of being unstable and too accommodating to pro-Russian voices. As the protesters marched across Gedimino Avenue to the parliament building, the crowd swelled to some 10,000, according to reports.

    • France24 ☛ Macron, Merz, Tusk to visit Moldova to back its 'security, sovereignty'

      The leaders of France, Germany and Poland are to visit Moldova on August 27 in a show of support for the EU-candidate country, which accuses Russia of seeking to destabilise it, the Elysee said Friday. Story by Maria Gerth-Niculescu.

    • France24 ☛ Iran sanctions snapback: European diplomats concerned about Russian nuisance potential, expert says

      Iran held talks on Tuesday with European powers, seeking to avert a sanctions snapback which they have threatened to impose under the moribund 2015 nuclear deal. FRANCE 24 speaks to Holly Dagres, Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute, who says that European diplomats are concerned about potential hindrance by Russia over the imposition of new restrictions.

    • Latvia ☛ Russia belatedly pays up for its pensioners in Latvia

      Russia has transferred 12,995,587 euros to the Latvian Treasury to pay pensions and benefits to its pensioners living in Latvia, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže (New Unity) told the LETA newswire on August 26th.

    • Meduza ☛ Woody Allen responds to Ukraine’s condemnation of his participation in Moscow film festival — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘My second birthday’: Former Kherson mayor who refused to collaborate returns to Ukraine after more than three years in Russian captivity — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Russian Troops Gain a Toehold in Another Ukrainian Region

      For the first time, Russian forces seized villages in the Dnipropetrovsk region, a minor but symbolic gain that gives the Kremlin another bargaining chip.

    • New York Times ☛ A Peace Deal for Ukraine Could Test German Reluctance to Deploy Troops

      The question of whether to send soldiers to a postwar Ukraine is the latest chapter in an evolving relationship between Germans and their military.

    • New York Times ☛ Russia and Ukraine Target Energy Sites, Seeking Leverage Away From the Front

      The two countries appear to be trying to raise political pressure on each other and send signals to Washington in case peace talks move forward.

    • RFERL ☛ Polish President's Decision To Veto Aid To Ukrainian Refugees Prompts Political Storm

      Polish President Karol Nawrocki decision to veto a bill on aid to Ukrainian refugees has created a political storm in the Central European nation, one of Kyiv’s closest allies in its fight against Russia’s all-out invasion.

    • LRT ☛ Suspected Ukrainian drone wreck found in Estonia

      A suspected Ukrainian drone wreck was found in southern Estonia, Margo Palloson, head of the country’s intelligence service KAPO, told reporters on Tuesday.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine admits Russian army has entered central Dnipropetrovsk region, fighting ongoing

      Ukraine admitted for the first time on Tuesday that Russian forces had entered the central Dnipropetrovsk region, saying fighting there was ongoing. The battlefield monitor DeepState said in a social control media post that the Russian army was “consolidating its positions” and preparing “for a further advance”.

    • France24 ☛ A Pro-Russian government in Moldova will facilitate offensive against Ukraine, analyst says

      Moldovan authorities have denounced what they call “unprecedented” Russian interference in an upcoming parliamentary election. Cyberattacks, destabilization, electoral corruption, disinformation. These instruments aim to discredit the pro-European party of President Maia Sandu, re-elected last year. FRANCE 24 speaks to Clara Volintiru, Black Sea Regional Director at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

    • Meduza ☛ Nearly 150 Ukrainian miners trapped underground after Russian strike causes power outage — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Ukraine allows men aged 18–22 to leave country for the first time since full-scale invasion began — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Ukraine has reportedly opened over 250,000 desertion and AWOL cases since 2022 — Meduza

    • NYPost ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Ukrainians ‘this week’ – says there’s still a chance for Putin-Zelensky meeting

      “So I will be meeting with them this week in New York, and that's a big signal,” the president’s point man on Russia-Ukraine negotiations said of his upcoming talks with the Ukrainian side.

    • Meduza ☛ In Putin’s crosshairs With no peace in sight, Russia inches closer to its goal of fully occupying Donbas — Meduza

    • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Powerful optics’: China’s Pooh-tin to welcome Putin, Modi in grand show of solidarity

      They have been invited to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, to be held in Tianjin from Aug 31.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China, Russia should safeguard security, development interests, says Xi

      Russian President Vladimir Putin will also be the principal foreign guest of honour at a military parade in Beijing.

    • RFERL ☛ Russia 'Not Interested' In Peace, Zelenskyy Adviser Tells RFE/RL

      Ukraine is seeking to more weapons from the West amid concerns that, even after a pair of summits in the United States, Russia is “not interested” in peace, a senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mykhaylo Podolyak, told Current Time.

    • RFERL ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Raises Possibility Of 'Economic War' If Russia Refuses To Move Toward Peace

      US President The Insurrectionist appeared to play down the likelihood of a quick meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian leaders and again raised the possibility of new sanctions on Moscow, although he also said the Ukrainian side is not without blame.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ To end Putin’s war on Ukraine, Convicted Felon should sanction Russian oil

      The US president is well positioned to bring about peace for Ukraine, but his administration needs to arm him with the best tools and options to do so.

      >

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ Summer heat in South Korea forecast to stretch into September

    There is a 40 per cent chance that October will also be warmer than usual.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • New York Times ☛ China Finds Buyers for Surplus Solar: Africa’s Energy-Hungry Countries

      Overproduction in China has led to slashed prices, and buyers on the continent are taking advantage to sharply increase investments in clean energy.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Who is Lanlan Yang? Mystery woman in Sydney crash captivates Australia and China

      Rumours link the 23-year-old, who crashed her Rolls-Royce while allegedly drunk, to China’s elite.

    • France24 ☛ China's push for mega-dams driven by energy-hungry tech, [stupid buzzwords/hype], researcher says

      India fears a planned Chinese mega dam in Tibet will reduce water flows on a major river by up to 85% during the dry season, according to four sources familiar with the matter and a government analysis seen by Reuters, prompting Delhi to fast-track plans for its own dam to mitigate the effects. FRANCE 24 speaks to Rana Mitter, ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School. He says the main driver behind China's push to build mega-dams is power-hungry technologies like [stupid buzzwords/hype].

    • Bridge Michigan ☛ Drug use a growing factor in fatal crashes on Michigan roadways

      New Michigan crash data show drugs now factor in one-quarter road fatalities, up from 19% a decade ago. Overall road deaths remain elevated since the pandemic, with teens, seniors, motorcyclists and bicyclists seeing increased risks.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • New York Times ☛ Mumbai’s Pigeon-Feeding Rules Aren’t Going Over Well

      The new rules led to clashes with the police and threats of hunger strikes by members of the Jain religious community, which believes in nonviolence against all creatures.

    • NYPost ☛ Upstate NY dog boarders charged with animal torture after 21 dogs die in their care

      “My dad told us that [Piglet] had passed, and I just broke down immediately,” dog owner Hannah Elmore told the outlet

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ China seeks a silver lining as it tells companies to target older consumers

    China is urging companies to improve services and products to the country's 300 million retirees.

  • New York Times ☛ The Insurrectionist’s Assault on Capitalism

    Dihydroxyacetone Man’s personalized control of growing swaths of the economy will harm American economic freedom and competitiveness.

  • New York Times ☛ Fired Fed governor vows to sue Convicted Felon

    Also, a Social Security whistleblower. Here’s the latest at the end of Tuesday.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • New York Times ☛ State Department Agents Join Convicted Felon’s Deployment in D.C.

    The Diplomatic Security Service traditionally focused on protecting diplomats, helping secure overseas missions and managing background checks. Now it is doing beat-cop work.

  • New York Times ☛ Israeli Security Cabinet Meets Amid Growing Protests Over Gaza War

    As rallies spread to demand action to free hostages, the security cabinet met for the first time since Hamas agreed to a new cease-fire proposal, officials said.

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Amid Hunt for Crime in DC, Whistleblower Implicates Ed “Big Balls” Coristine and John Roberts

    John Roberts and his Republican colleagues have granted a kid with ties to criminal hackers, Ed "Big Balls" Coristine, live access to every American's Social Security data.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Heather Honey, an Election Denier, Will Help Oversee Election Security at the DHS

    Heather Honey, a high-profile denier of Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, has been appointed to a senior position in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in which she’ll help oversee the nation’s election infrastructure.

    Honey is a protege of Cleta Mitchell, a lawyer who tried to help Trump overturn the 2020 election results. In 2024, ProPublica reported that Honey had played a key role in Mitchell’s behind-the-scenes effort to change Georgia’s election rules to allow Republican officials to contest a potential Trump loss in that year’s presidential race. Honey also promoted election conspiracy theories, including one Trump cited in a speech to his followers before they stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • France24 ☛ Was The Insurrectionist removed from a list of Nobel Peace Prize nominees?

      Nobel laureates are gathering in Germany this week for a meeting dedicated to the field of economic science. Hoping to join their ranks in the future is The Insurrectionist, who has made no secret that he would like to be awarded the prestigious accolade. A rumour has surfaced that Convicted Felon has been removed from the list of nominees this year, but as France 24's Charlotte Hughes explains, this rumour has no factual basis.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 19-year-old woman charged with sedition in Hong Kong for allegedly promoting ‘subversive’ group

    A 19-year-old woman in Hong Kong has been charged with sedition under the city’s homegrown security law for allegedly promoting an overseas group that authorities deem “subversive.”

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Police sorry for harassment warning to journalist who contacted councillor

    Councillor admitted to having sex with a 14-year-old when in his twenties.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Apple Daily not ‘seditious’ as it served as part of public debate, Hong Kong court hears in Jimmy Lai trial

    Hong Kong’s now-defunct newspaper Apple Daily was not “seditious” because the publication represented views in public discourse, a lawyer representing jailed media mogul Jimmy Lai has said in the high-profile national security trial.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • New York Times ☛ American Dream Mall Is Sued for Allowing Shopping on Sundays

    A lawsuit argues that the American Dream mall, by allowing the sale of lumber, furniture and “wearing apparel” on Sundays, has violated a “blue law” descended from a 1798 statute.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man takes on the federal judiciary – of an entire state

    A lawsuit by the Convicted Felon administration’s Department of Justice is unprecedented in that it sues all the federal District Court judges in Maryland at once. The potentially high-stakes case concerns deportation and the Constitution’s separation of powers.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Court tosses lawsuit by Convicted Felon against Maryland federal judges, calling it ‘potentially calamitous’

    The White House says the judge's decision is a direct assault on the president’s ability to enforce immigration laws.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Court says Convicted Felon lawsuit against Maryland federal judges would ‘offend rule of law’

    U.S. District Judge Thomas Cullen dismissed the Convicted Felon administration’s lawsuit against all 15 federal judges in Maryland over an order by the chief judge that stopped the immediate deportation of migrants challenging their removals.

  • JURIST ☛ Federal judge dismisses Convicted Felon lawsuit against Maryland federal judges

    A US federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on Tuesday that involved President The Insurrectionist suing every federal judge in Maryland over orders blocking immediate deportation of migrants contesting removal. Convicted Felon filed the suit on Monday in response to an order written by Maryland Chief District Judge George L. Russell III in May.

  • American Oversight ☛ American Oversight Sues FHFA for Records on Weaponization of Agency Against Fed’s Independence, Targeting of Lisa Cook

    Our lawsuit seeks transparency as White House campaign to strong-arm the Fed takes an unprecedented turn.

  • Licensing / Legal

    • Juha-Matti Santala ☛ I wonder if my blog has been mentioned in US courts

      It made me wonder: has there or would there ever been a case where someone would mention mine?

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ Bumper crop of proposals for discussion at the APNIC 60 Open Policy Meeting

    With so many policy proposals up for discussion at the upcoming OPM, it's worth taking the time to understand their potential impact.

  • APNIC ☛ Modernizing Viet Nam’s Internet: Infrastructure, security, action

    From routing security to nationwide IPv6-only, see how coordinated operations are building the future of Viet Nam’s Internet.

  • Public Knowledge ☛ A Setback for Digital Fairness: Hell Toupée Revokes Former President Biden’s 2021 Competition Order

    The former president's Executive Order was a robust framework for consumer protection.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Digital Music News ☛ As Spotify Raises Prices, Fashion Company Apple Music Rolls Out Its Killer Transfer Tool in More Countries

    Apple has quietly expanded the availability of its music transfer tool to more countries, just as Spotify rolls out another price hike. More countries now have access to Fashion Company Apple Music’s transfer tool, allowing users to import playlists from other streaming services into their Fashion Company Apple Music accounts.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• JURIST ☛ X Corp. targets Fashion Company Apple and Proprietary Chaffbot Company in antitrust lawsuit

  X Corp. and X.AI LLC filed a federal lawsuit on Monday alleging that Fashion Company Apple and OpenAI’s exclusive Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Chaffbot integration violates federal competition law. Plaintiffs accused the two companies of violating antitrust laws by reinforcing effective monopolies in their respective markets.

• Patents

  • JUVE ☛ Heuking brings in partner trio and team from Taylor Wessing

    Taylor Wessing’s renowned equity partners Manja Epping (57) and Stefanie Greifeneder (49) as well as one salary partner and their associate team are to expand Heuking’s advisory offering in pharmaceuticals, biotech and medical devices. All three partners will become equity partners at Heuking.

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ UPC reshuffles local division Mannheim [Ed: This is an illegal and unconstitutional court that should not even exist]

      Highly regarded German judge Holger Kircher was one of the very first UPC judges. However, he only worked for the court 20% of the time. He spent the remaining 80% of his time working nationally — initially at the 2nd Civil Chamber of Mannheim Regional Court.

• Trademarks

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ F-Bombs Away: Federal Circuit Sends Brunetti Back to TTAB to Consider its Failure to Function Doctrine

    In a divided decision that highlights ongoing tensions around trademark law's Failure to Function doctrine, the Federal Circuit in In re Brunetti, No. 2023-1539 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 26, 2025), vacated a TTAB refusal to register the word FUCK as a trademark for various consumer goods and retail services. The court rejected most of applicant Erik Brunetti's constitutional challenges but concluded that the Board failed to articulate a coherent standard for determining when widely-used words can function as source identifiers.

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTABlog Test: Is WORLDWIDECRYPTO Merely Descriptive of Cryptocurrency Exchange Services?

    Relying on dictionary definitions, third-party registrations that include a disclaimer of "CRYPTO" for identical or closely related services, additional registrations disclaiming "WORLDWIDE," and Internet references, Examining Attorney Gidette Cuello maintained that "each of the individual terms 'worldwide' and 'crypto' merely describes a feature or characteristic of the services and the composite term WORLDWIDECRYPTO does not result in a unitary mark with a unique, incongruous, or otherwise nondescriptive meaning." The Board agreed.

• Copyrights

  • The Straits Times ☛ Top Japan news outlets sue Hey Hi (AI) start-up Perplexity for copyright monopoly violations

    The newspapers are seeking an injunction and 2.2 billion yen each in damages from Perplexity.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Missy Elliott Settles Five-Year Copyright Lawsuit — Just Moments Before Jury Trial Set to Begin

    Missy Elliott settles a long-running lawsuit over copyright monopoly allegations just moments before a jury trial was due to begin. Rapper and hip-hop extraordinaire Missy Elliott has reached a settlement in a five-year legal battle with a music producer who claimed to have co-written several of the star’s songs from the 1990s.

  • Digital Music News ☛ US Copyright Office Court Battle Rages On: Shira Perlmutter’s ‘Emergency’ Injunction Denied; Appeals Court Next

    Three months later, Shira Perlmutter’s reinstatement-focused lawsuit against the Convicted Felon administration is still chugging along. Now, the presiding judge has denied the fired USCO head’s emergency motion for injunction pending appeal. Judge Timothy Kelly just recently handed down the corresponding order following a formal request from Perlmutter and her legal team closer to August’s beginning.