Leftovers

• The Straits Times ☛ Korean graffiti on Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia cathedral stirs backlash online

  A photo showed the Korean slang word ‘ppwek’, which is used online to express irritation or annoyance.

• Standards/Consortia

  • Dark Reading ☛ Electronic Warfare Puts Commercial GPS Users on Notice

    The level of interference coming from Russia is particularly significant. In early October, after documenting more than 122,000 flights affected by GNSS interference in the first four months of 2025 — and an incident involving European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's airplane on Sept. 1 — delegates attending the latest United Nation's civil aviation agency assembly voted to condemn Russia's widespread interference and spoofing of GNSS signals in the region. The assembly also condemned North Korea for similar activity.

  • SANS ☛ What time is it? Accuracy of pool.ntp.org.

    We have published a list of IP addresses in the NTP Pool for a few years. We obtain this list from DNS lookups and some from our honeypot data. NTP servers can trigger false positives with firewalls that have difficulty managing UDP "state". You can use our API to retrieve the current list we identified [5].

    A quick breakdown of the offset we detect shows that the NTP Pool is quite accurate. Clients should easily discard the few outliers.

  • Greg Morris ☛ Power Adapters And Markets

    Whilst some of the thoughts on this are measured, most if it is a non issue. Take for instance the issue above. How small is the Venn diagram cross over between: [...]

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ The Orionid Meteor Shower Is About to Peak in a Moonless Sky

    Look up!

• Career/Education

  • New York Times ☛ This School Has Taught Native Hawaiians Since 1887. Is That Discrimination?

    The admissions policy of Kamehameha Schools gives preference to Native Hawaiians. A new lawsuit calls it “blood-based discrimination.”

• Hardware

  • New York Times ☛ Amazon Plans to Replace More Than Half a Million Jobs With Robots

    Internal documents show the company that changed how people shop has a far-reaching plan to automate 75 percent of its operations.

  • New York Times ☛ The Robots Fueling Amazon’s Automation

    Meet Sparrow, Cardinal and Proteus. They’re the robots that, step by step, are replacing human workers in the company’s warehouses.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Nvidia's China presence hits zero, says CEO Jensen Huang, and companies are already working around it — Alibaba reduces reliance on H20 as U.S. and China division deepens

    Alibaba Cloud has revealed a new GPU pooling system that slashed the number of Nvidia accelerators needed for large-scale inference by more than 80%.

  • Hackaday ☛ The PDP-1 Can Sound Hauntingly Beautiful

    The chiptune music scene is largely rooted in the sounds of the original Nintendo Game Boy and the Commodore 64, while still welcoming a wide range of other hardware under its general umbrella. Still, few chip musicians show up to a gig hauling a PDP-1. That’s perhaps a shame, given that the 1950s era machine can produce beautiful music—as demonstrated by [Peter Samson] and [Joe Lynch].

  • CNX Software ☛ TechNexion unveils SO-DIMM and OSM system-on-modules based on Synaptics SL2610

    Last week, we wrote about the Synaptics SL2610 Edge Hey Hi (AI) SoC family integrating Google’s open-source Coral NPU, and the first system-on-modules have already been announced, courtesy of TechNexion. The AIOM-SL2610 is a 260-pin SO-DIMM CPU module with a Realtek RTL8211F Gigabit Ethernet transceiver, a WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 6.0 module, and an on-module JTAG debug interface, while the OSM-SL260 is a smaller, lighter, solder-down module compliant with the OSM Size S specification. Both come with up to 2GB LPDDR4 memory, 64GB eMMC flash, and Arm PSA Level 2 or 3 security.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • New York Times ☛ Inside Luigi Mangione’s Missing Months

    From beers at a Bangkok bar to a climb up Mount Omine in Japan, The Times traced the pivotal months before Mr. Mangione was charged with killing UnitedHealthcare’s C.E.O.

  • Latvia ☛ Latvian healthcare union not confident in Health Minister

    On Tuesday, 21 October, the Latvian Health and Social Care Workers' Trade Union (LVSADA) decided to express no confidence in Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri (New Unity) and the Ministry of Health, said Valdis Keris, head of the trade union, in an interview with Latvian Radio.

  • Latvia ☛ Healthcare clinic merger as VCA buys Medical Plus in Latvia

    The Competition Council (KP) has adopted a decision to allow JSC "Veselības centru apvienība (VCA)" to acquire sole decisive influence over LLC "Medical plus". The Council did not find any significant harm to competition and therefore decided to authorise the transaction.

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ Federal shutdown hits Michigan telehealth, Head Start, environment, more

    One researcher called the shutdown “a crisis in slow motion” and multiple officials said cuts will worsen if the shutdown drags on.

  • New York Times ☛ From Industry to E.P.A.: Lobbyist Now Oversees Pesticide Rules

    Kyle Kunkler fought for a restricted weed killer that can harm plants and wildlife when it drifts to nearby land. He’s now at the E.P.A., which wants to allow its use.

  • Science Alert ☛ Exercise May Actually Interfere With Weight Loss. Here's Why It's Still Critical.

    A paradox we all need to know about.

  • Science Alert ☛ Microplastics May Be Tied to Vascular Dementia Cases, Review Finds

    "We have been flying blind."

  • Science Alert ☛ 70% of US May Be Classed as Obese Under New Measures

    It's not just about your weight.

  • Science Alert ☛ 50-Year-Old Theory on Schizophrenia's 'Voices' Confirmed by Recent Study

    "The strongest and most direct test of this theory to date."

  • Science Alert ☛ Revolutionary Prosthetic Eye Chip Restores Sight in Medical First

    This could be a game-changer.

  • Science Alert ☛ Parkinson's Discovery Suggests We May Have an FDA-Approved Treatment Already

    Exciting!

  • Science Alert ☛ Strokes Are Rising Among Under 55s. Do You Know What to Look For?

    Remember, BE FAST.

• Proprietary

  • Stanford University ☛ Head in the clown(s) [iophk: Stanford used to self-host, dependency on Microsoft and AWS is a colossal step backward]

    Thankfully, the disruption in proprietary trap AWS did not prevent Jenny Ballutay from making this wonderful cartoon.

  • Futurism ☛ Oops! The proprietary trap AWS Outage Took Down Everybody’s Bored Apes

    "Cannot load image."

  • Stanford University ☛ AWS outage sparks campus-wide disruption

    On Monday, Amazon Web Services Inc. experienced latencies and outages to its nationwide services, including Canvas and Bswift (Open Enrollment).

  • PC World ☛ These smart beds began roasting their owners during AWS outage

    Owners of Eight Sleep smart beds got anything but a good night’s sleep Monday, as the beds began heating up uncontrollably while also getting frozen in position due to Amazon’s worldwide server outage.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Futurism ☛ AI Slop Now Invading Spotify’s Discover Weekly Lists

      "Discover Weekly is unusable now cause it is just full of Hey Hi (AI) slop."

    • Science Alert ☛ 'Poisoned' Hey Hi (AI) Could Be The Future of Digital Security Risks

      It doesn't take much.

    • Futurism ☛ ChatGPT Usage Has Peaked and Is Now Declining, New Data Finds

      Not good, Sam.

    • Futurism ☛ Company Churning Out Hey Hi (AI) Podcasts Filled With Bizarre Glitches They Didn’t Even Catch

      Quality control ain't the name of the game.

  • Social Control Media

    • Digital Music News ☛ Advertisers Getting Cold Feet Ahead of ‘TikTok USA’ Launch, Latest Scuttlebutt Suggests

      Advertisers aren’t confident about TikTok’s future in the US, despite the Convicted Felon administration’s insistence that a deal with China is moving forward. Some advertisers are planning to scale back spending with Fentanylware (CheeTok) next year, even as the White House continues to assert that a “TikTok USA” deal with China is on the horizon.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • The Straits Times ☛ Remains of South Korean student allegedly tortured, killed in Cambodian scam centre repatriated

      The student's exact cause of death will be determined after further analysis in South Korea.

    • Pen Test Partners ☛ Stop payroll diversion scams before they start

      In my previous job as the SOC manager for a public sector organisation, I would often see attempts from scammers trying to get some unlucky employee’s payroll details changed to their own bank account.

    • Security Week ☛ Myanmar Military Shuts Down Major Cybercrime Center and Detains Over 2,000 People

      Myanmar is notorious for hosting cyberscam operations responsible for bilking people all over the world.

  • Confidentiality

    • Hackaday ☛ Batteries Not Included: Meet The Swiss Réglette!

      Over on YouTube, [The Modern Rogue] created an interesting video showing a slide-rule-like encryption device called the Réglette. This was a hardware implementation of a Vigenère-like Cipher, technically referred to as a manual polyalphabetic substitution cipher. The device requires no batteries, is fully waterproof, daylight readable and easy to pack, making it really useful if you find yourself in a muddy trench in the middle of winter during a world war. Obviously, because it’s a slide rule.

• Defence/Aggression

  • Atlantic Council ☛ The Lake Chad Basin could power growth instead of conflict

    Despite vast oil, gas, and mineral wealth, the Lake Chad Basin remains trapped in insecurity. Transforming resources into peace requires transparent governance, community trust, and accountable partnerships that deliver real benefits for citizens across the basin.

  • The Straits Times ☛ S. Korean woman dies saving her baby from building fire sparked by neighbour trying to kill a cockroach

    The fire was sparked by a second-floor resident who tried to kill a cockroach using a lighter and aerosol spray.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia school stabbing: 14-year-old suspect to be charged with murder

    The boy will be charged on Oct 22.

  • LRT ☛ How are Lithuanian museums protecting their collections from burglars?

    After jewellery worth millions of euros – including an emerald and diamond necklace once gifted to Napoleon’s wife – was stolen from the Louvre on Sunday, Lithuanian museum directors say the incident underscores the need for continuous investment in security.

  • New York Times ☛ Paris Tour Guide Saw Stolen Louvre Jewels Just Before Heist

    Jewelry swiped from the museum played a prominent part in a private guide’s tours of Paris. Now what?

  • France24 ☛ Crown jewels stolen from the Louvre estimated at €88 million

    The jewellery stolen from the Louvre in Paris on Sunday is valued at 88 million euros, according to the Paris prosecutor citing the museum's curator.  Authorities warn the robbers not to disassemble the pieces to sell the precious stones. Elsewhere, Japan's first female prime minsiter Sanae Takaichi faces economic challenges as she hopes to spur growth with Abenomics-style economic policies, at a time of rising inflation and a weaker yen.

  • New York Times ☛ Louvre Robbery Raises Questions About Security

    Investigators were looking into the alarm systems at an institution that one expert said “wasn’t built with an obsession over security.”

  • New York Times ☛ Suspect Charged in Paris Museum Heist (No, Not That One)

    A woman from China was charged with stealing gold last month from National Museum of Natural History. It’s one of several high-profile recent thefts from French institutions.

  • New York Times ☛ Can a U.S.-Australia Deal on Rare Earths Counter China’s Dominance?

    Australia’s got reserves and mining expertise, and the United States is eager to invest in alternatives to China. But building mines, refineries and factories could take years.

  • France24 ☛ US, Australia ink rare earths deal to curb reliance on China amid rising trade tensions

    Washington and Canberra have signed a new agreement to strengthen cooperation on rare earths and critical minerals, in a bid to reduce dependence on China's supply chains. The deal, promising billions in potential investment, highlights efforts by both nations to secure vital resources amid escalating trade tensions with Beijing. Also in this edition: Amazon Web Services experienced a major outage on Monday, briefly disrupting internet traffic worldwide before the issue was resolved.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Why rare earths are China’s trump card in trade war

    Rare earths are among the most critical raw materials on the planet.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Albanese comes away from Convicted Felon meeting with lots to show

    Their meeting comes just after China announced export restrictions on rare earths.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China more interested in expansion than solving economic problems, Taiwan official says

    The official said Beijing's military parade on Sept 3 gave an impression of China still seeking global dominance.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Solomon Islands critic of China, Daniel Suidani, dies on eve of protest court ruling

    The cause of death was not disclosed.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippine navy find Chinese rocket debris, bags of cannabis floating in South China Sea

    The drugs were in 32 plastic bags and weighed 16kg in total.

  • BIA Net ☛ Conscientious objectors receive prison sentences after repeated prosecutions

    Rights advocates described the treatment of conscientious objectors as “judicial harassment that has turned into torture.”

  • New York Times ☛ Nations Hesitate to Send Troops to Gaza, Fearing Clashes With Hamas

    The Forrest Dump peace plan calls for an international security force in the Gaza Strip, but countries that might send troops are wary of danger, an unclear mission and being seen as occupiers.

  • The Straits Times ☛ 2 Myanmar nationals found dead in JB’s Mount Austin after apparent murder-suicide

    Two others were injured when they attempted to stop the attack.

  • Latvia ☛ Two found dead in Rīga flat, murder-suicide suspected

    Last Friday, 17 October, the remains of two people were found in an apartment in the Latgale suburb of Rīga, one of whom had a gunshot wound, the State Police confirmed to LETA.

  • France24 ☛ Epstein Fallout: Prince Andrew crisis has 'potential to damage institution' of British monarchy

    The British royal family is once again under intense scrutiny as a memoir by Virginia Giuffre, one of the most outspoken accusers of Prince Andrew and Jeffery Epstein has hit bookstores. “Nobody’s Girl” is being published posthumously six months after Giuffre died by suicide. Giuffre had for years accused Andrew of sexually abusing her on multiple occasions when she was under 18 years old and a victim of sexual trafficking by convicted sex offender Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. As the British monarchy seek to control the damage, Annette Young welcomes Martin Farr, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary British History at Newcastle University.

  • France24 ☛ Drone attack hits Khartoum airport area ahead of reopening

    In tonight's edition, Khartoum’s International airport's vicinity suffers a drone strike just one day before domestic flights were set to resume.

    Also, the crisis at the phosphate processing plant in the Tunisian city of Gabes deepens as workers walk off the job.

    And hundreds of Ivorians flee to Ghana, fearing potential unrest just days ahead of a critical election.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • New York Times ☛ Russia Pushes a State-Controlled ‘Super App’ by Sabotaging Its Rivals

      As the Kremlin throttles WhatsApp and Telegram, the new MAX messaging app is moving Russia closer to a restricted internet without foreign technology.

    • MIT Technology Review ☛ 25 years of research in space

      On November 2, 2000, NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd, OCE ’78, SM ’78, and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko made history as their Soyuz spacecraft docked with the International Space Station.  The event marked the start of 25 years of continuous human presence in space aboard the ISS—a prolific period for space research.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ How the US should partner with Central Asian states to avoid Russia-China dominance

      By acting now, Washington can capitalize on the desire among some Central Asian states to reduce their dependence on Moscow and Beijing.

    • NYPost ☛ Saving lives in Ukraine will require Convicted Felon to play the strong cards at his disposal

      Dihydroxyacetone Man must now use economic and military leverage to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine — just as he did this month in the Middle East.

    • New York Times ☛ Latest Convicted Felon-Zelensky Meeting Yields No Progress Toward a Cease-fire in Ukraine

      A contentious meeting between Hell Toupée and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine produced no obvious progress toward a cease-fire.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Telecom group to build new $116m undersea cable in the Black Sea, bypassing Russia — project set to connect Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey, and Ukraine

      The Vodafone Group and Vodafone Ukraine build a new undersea cable to connect Europe and Asia over the Black Sea.

    • France24 ☛ Russian bloggers publish video of drone attack on UN convoy in Ukraine

      Russian kamikaze drones struck a UN aid convoy in southern Ukraine on October 14, damaging two trucks carrying humanitarian supplies. A few hours later, Russian bloggers triumphantly published a video of the attack. We used this footage to understand the techniques used by the Russian drone operators.

    • European Commission ☛ Remarks by Commissioner Dombrovskis at the European Parliament on the next steps for the EU's support for Ukraine

      First of all, I would like to thank the European Parliament for its strong and unwavering support for Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man says did not want ‘wasted' meeting with Putin as Ukraine talks are called off

      US President The Insurrectionist said Tuesday his planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was on hold, calling it potentially a “waste of time.” The decision to delay the Budapest talks, announced last week, followed a Monday call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

    • NYPost ☛ With Putin digging in, it’s time for Convicted Felon to send Kyiv some Tomahawks

      Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made no bones about it in his call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio: Moscow’s not interested in any peace that doesn’t amount to Kyiv’s complete surrender.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Will Not Meet With Putin Soon, Official Says in a Reversal

      Hell Toupée said last week he planned to speak with Russia’s leader in “two weeks or so” about Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Says He Put Off Plans To Meet Putin To Avoid 'Wasted Meeting' Though Diplomacy Continues

      US President The Insurrectionist said on October 20 that attempts to reach an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to end the war are ongoing, and warned that if an agreement is not reached the consequences will be serious.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man says planned meeting with Putin delayed to avoid 'waste of time'

      US President The Insurrectionist said Tuesday his planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was on hold, calling it potentially a “waste of time.” The decision to delay the Budapest talks, announced last week, followed a Monday call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man-Putin summit planned for Budapest on hold, US official says

      President The Insurrectionist’s plan for a swift meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin is on hold, a U.S. official said Tuesday, the latest twist in his stop-and-go effort to resolve the war in Ukraine. FRANCE 24's Fraser Jackson reports from Washington.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Vladimir Putin’s war machine may finally be running out of fuel

      Ukraine’s deep strikes on Russia's energy industry have exposed Putin’s Achilles heel and helped demonstrate that the Russian economy is far more fragile than many in Moscow would like us to believe, writes Vladyslav Davydov .

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Budapest summit postponed as Putin rejects Convicted Felon’s ceasefire proposal

      Just days after US President The Insurrectionist announced plans for a new summit with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, their proposed Budapest meeting has been thrown into doubt by Russia's rejection of a ceasefire in Ukraine, writes Peter Dickinson.

• Environment

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ Japan sends aid to Mexico after fatal flooding

    The aid package, provided through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, includes sanitary supplies that are intended for the communities hardest hit by torrential rains and flooding.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ Sudden loss of cabin pressure on Malaysia Airlines flight from KL to Sarawak

      The aircraft then reportedly landed safely at Bintulu Airport without any further incident.

    • Hackaday ☛ British Train Departures As They Should Be Viewed

      The first generation of real-time train information screens for British railways came in the form of suspended color CRTs in familiar rounded fiberglass housings. They were a ubiquitous sight across the network for years, until of course suddenly, they weren’t. Can they be brought back? [Heliomass] has come about as close as it’s possible to be, with a modern emulation that runs from live data feeds.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • New York Times ☛ ‘Pirate Lizards’ Can Get Around on 3 Legs

      Researchers found more than a hundred lizards of nearly 60 species that survived losing a limb, with some even seeming to thrive.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Use of cruise ships show South Korea’s struggle to host global leaders

    The city was selected under former president Yoon’s administration to showcase Korea’s history and cultural heritage.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan's Takaichi calls on BOJ to pursue inflation driven by wage gains

    Japan's new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said on Tuesday she hoped the central bank would conduct monetary policy to sustainably achieve 2% inflation driven not just by rising raw material costs but also by wage gains.

  • LRT ☛ German industrial slowdown threatens Lithuania with stagnation – media

    Germany’s manufacturing output is expected to decline in November and remain only 3.7% above levels seen during the peak of the Covid-19 crisis, raising concerns for Lithuania’s closely linked industrial sector, the business daily Verslo žinios reports.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • Federal News Network ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man hosts Senate Republicans at renovated White House as the shutdown drags into fourth week

    As the government shutdown enters its fourth week, President The Insurrectionist is welcoming Senate Republicans for lunch at the White House. It's not for urgent talks on how to end the shutdown, but a celebratory display of unity as they refuse to negotiate on Democratic demands for health care funds. Convicted Felon is praising GOP leaders by name. But Senate Democrats are also expressing confidence in their strategy to keep voting against a House-passed bill that would reopen the government until Convicted Felon and other Republicans engage them. Democrats want to extend health care subsidies that are expiring. Convicted Felon says he'll discuss health care, but only after the government reopens.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea summons Vietnam envoy over sexual misconduct allegations

    Vietnam’s Deputy Defence Minister is alleged to have inappropriately touched a South Korean civil servant.

  • New York Times ☛ China, Pooh-tin and the S-word

    The Chinese president has been in office for more than a decade, but Pooh-tin Jinping’s succession is a touchy subject.

  • JURIST ☛ Tanzania utilizes voter suppression tactics ahead of election, Amnesty International finds

    Amnesty International reported Monday that Tanzanian authorities have “intensified their repression of dissent against the opposition, journalists, civil society and human rights defenders in a deliberate strategy to instill fear, suppress civic engagement and entrench power” ahead of upcoming general elections.

  • New York Times ☛ Tariffs Are Reshaping China’s Trade. This Tanzanian Sees an Opportunity.

    An interview with a 26-year-old entrepreneur, who has taken seven trips to China to buy handbags, clothes and jewelry. “China is the center of everything,” she said.

  • New York Times ☛ China Has Another Lever to Pull in Showdown With Convicted Felon: Factory Lines

    In Washington, China hawks say its economy is too weak to withstand a tariff shock. In the city of Yiwu, factories are showing why, for now, that may be a miscalculation.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China hawk Sanae Takaichi named Japan’s first woman PM

    Japan got its first woman prime minister on Tuesday after Sanae Takaichi, a China hawk and social conservative, forged an 11th-hour coalition deal. Japan’s fifth premier in as many years will lead a minority government and has a full in-tray, not least a scheduled visit by US President The Insurrectionist next week. The lower house […]

  • Federal News Network ☛ Interior Department reveals plans to lay off more than 2,000 employees

    The planned RIFs are barred by a court order for now. They have been planned for months, but were first revealed Monday as part of a union lawsuit.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Despite laws intended to prevent it, age discrimination abounds in 2025

    Almost three-quarters (74%) of older Americans think their age could be a barrier to getting a new job, according to a January 2025 survey from AARP research.  

  • Atlantic Council ☛ What Bolivia’s move to the center means for its economy, foreign policy, and security

    With center-right President-elect Rodrigo Paz taking power in November after nearly two decades of left-wing governance, there will likely be significant shifts in Bolivia’s economic, security, and foreign policies.

  • New York Times ☛ How the Democratic Brand Turned Radioactive in Rural America

    The political scientist Suzanne Mettler examines the roots of America’s urban-rural divide and how Democrats can win back rural voters.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Democrats to Investigate Immigration Agents Detaining of American Citizens

    Democrats in the House and Senate announced plans for a wide-ranging investigation into immigration agents’ detention of citizens after a ProPublica story found that more than 170 Americans have been held by immigration officials this year.

    Minority leaders of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said the joint investigation into the detention of U.S. citizens and other allegations of misconduct by immigration agents would include a hearing in Los Angeles.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Watchdog Calls for IG Ethics Probe of Border Czar Tom Homan

    A Washington-based watchdog is calling for an inspector general investigation into potential conflicts of interest and ethics violations in the office of border czar Tom Homan related to government contracting.

    This follows reporting from ProPublica revealing a web of past business relationships involving Homan, his senior adviser Mark Hall, and consultants and firms seeking Department of Homeland Security contracts.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • France24 ☛ MElon's Grok misleads internet users about anti-Dihydroxyacetone Man 'No Kings' protests

      Over the weekend, huge crowds in cities across the US gathered for demonstrations against The Insurrectionist’s policies. Some online have been alleging that the American channel MSNBC used old footage to exaggerate the scale of the protests. On X, MElon's Hey Hi (AI) chatbot Grok claimed that the footage was from 2017. But Grok's claims were false; analysis shows the footage shared by MSNBC was indeed taken at a 'No Kings' protest in Boston on 18th October 2025, as France 24's Charlotte Hughes explains.

    • Futurism ☛ Charities Using AI-Generated Photos of Starving Children to Raise Money

      Despicable.

    • NYPost ☛ Tucker Carlson ripped for peddling conspiracy theory that COVID was made to spare Jews

      Tucker Carlson was slammed this week for pushing the conspiracy theory that Covid-19 was created in a way to make Jews immune to it.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • Stanford University ☛ The last rollout: Reflections from a senior learning how to hold the door open

    As he prepares to exit many doors, Markarian addresses the significance of holding the door open for the next person.

  • AccessNow ☛ Taking stock of Big Tech: the 2025 RDR Index

    Big Tech needs to step up. We’re pushing companies in the 2025 RDR Index to do better on human rights.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ ISP tricked customers about fiber optics being used in their internet service, German court rules — 'full fiber' customers found to have 'last mile' copper connections

    German ISP 1&1 advertises its FTTC connections as fiber optic DSL, implying to the customers that they're getting a full fiber internet line despite using copper wiring for last-mile connectivity.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Unified Patents ☛ Litigation Funding and Alternative Dispute Resolution – Exploring Positives and Negatives

    George Washington University Law School and Fox Rothschild are hosting a discussion entitled "Litigation Funding and Alternative Dispute Resolution – Exploring Positives and Negatives" on Thursday, October 23,2025. Jonathan Stroud, General Counsel at Unified Patents, will join a panel of experienced litigators examining how third-party funding intersects with ADR strategies, including key benefits, potential pitfalls, and ethical considerations. Attendees will gain practical insights into leveraging litigation funding to manage risk and resolve disputes more efficiently.

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ UPC The Hague issues injunction against Black Sheep in and beyond UPC territory

      Swedish-based HL Display is an international supplier of products and solutions for in-store communication and merchandising to the food and non-food retail sectors. One of the products the company distributes in Europe is a system for securing shelf accessories, which is protected by EP 2 432 351.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Reverses VERSAMAX Section 2(d) Refusal: Applicant's Specific Tractors not Related to Trailers, Purchasers Careful

    Once in a while (one out of ten), the Board reverses a Section 2(d) refusal. Here, the Board overturned a refusal of VERSAMAX for “Tractors, namely, industrial, multifunction hydraulic prime movers for vegetation management, snow removal, street sweeping and asphalt repair,” concluding that the mark is not likely to cause confusion with the registered mark VERSAMAXX for "Trailers; Cargo trailers; Flatbed trailers; Lowbed trailers; Dump trailers; Tractor trailers; Equipment trailers; Bulk hauling trailers; Gooseneck trailers; Heavy haul transport carrier vehicles in the nature of trailers for transporting land vehicles, namely, lowboys, drop decks, double drop decks, flat decks and tag trailers." The "high degree of purchaser care," coupled with the lack of proof that applicant's specific type of tractors are related to the “trailers” identified in the cited registration, led to the result. In re ATMAX Equipment Co., Serial No. 98192874 (October 16, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Mark A. Thurmon).

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Merlin Partially Dismisses Triller Missing Payments Lawsuit Ahead of Default Judgment Hearing — As the Overarching Triller Group Stares Down Possible NASDAQ Delisting

    Merlin has dismissed its multimillion-dollar unpaid royalties lawsuit against Triller – or at least one of the entities bearing the company’s name. Meanwhile, the overarching Triller Group is still staring down a possible default judgement and NASDAQ delisting.

  • Public Domain Review ☛ A Treatise on the All-Healing Qualities of Earth Bathing (1790)

    A medical tract on the health effects of burying oneself alive in mud.