Leftovers

• New York Times ☛ China Building Fire That Killed 39 Was Caused by Construction Work

  Nine people were also injured in the blaze, which officials said was a result of workers renovating a cold storage unit in violation of regulations.

• CS Monitor ☛ How Philly’s orchestra became a rare link between China and the US

  For 50 years, the Philadelphia Orchestra has played a singular role in connecting America and China through the universal love of music.

• Tedium ☛ The YouTube Boogie

  A livestreaming pianist accidentally steps into an international incident—and nobody ends up looking particularly good.

  Brendan Kavanagh is a man who has a lucrative gimmick.

  Also known as Dr. K, Kavanagh plays boogie-woogie music on public pianos for audiences of passers-by in London train stations. He then uploads those videos as livestreams to YouTube and draws a big audience along the way.

  His playing is pretty good—he’s obviously quite talented—but his position as someone doing something interesting in a public place means he’s often capturing serendipitous moments, good and bad. Recently, a bearded guy in a floral-print shirt stopped by and did a whole dance routine to the boogie-woogie.

• MWL ☛ Las Vegas NV Gelato Meetup, 17 February 2024

  Been a while since I’ve done this. Family events are taking me to Las Vegas. The schedule’s pretty booked, but about 7PM on Saturday, 17 February, I’ll be getting gelato somewhere around the Paris hotel on the Strip.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Anomalous Moon Substance Shows Curious Magnetic And Reflective Properties

    New clues to an old mystery.

  • Science Alert ☛ Rare Psychiatric Events Linked to Ozempic Have Experts Concerned

    The picture is hazy.

  • Hackaday ☛ Random Number Generation By Brain

    If you want to start an argument in certain circles, claim to have a random number generation algorithm. Turns out that producing real random numbers is hard, which is why people often turn to strange methods and still, sometimes, don’t get it right. [Hillel Wayne] wanted to get a “good enough” method that could be done without a computer and found the answer in an old Usenet post from random number guru [George Marsaglia].

• Education

  • The Kent Stater ☛ Top universities agree to settle financial aid suit for $104.5 million

    Five universities agreed to settle a lawsuit accusing them of colluding on financial aid and admissions violations, according to new court filings.

• Hardware

  • Daniel Stenberg ☛ Logitech G915 TKL

    On December 21 2023 I started using this new keyboard as my daily driver. I have used my previous one almost daily since August 2014. Back in 2015 I counted doing almost 7 million key-presses/year.

  • New York Times ☛ T.S.M.C and the Power of a Single Company

    Replicating the chipmaking power of T.S.M.C. in the United States will be much harder than Americans realize.

  • Hackaday ☛ Robot: You Keep Using That Word But It Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means

    With many words which are commonly used in everyday vocabulary, we are certain that we have a solid grasp of what they do and do not mean, but is this really true? Take the word ‘robot’ for example, which is more commonly used wrongly rather than correctly when going by the definition of the person who coined it: [Karel Čapek]. It was the year 1920 when his play Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti was introduced to the world, which soon saw itself translated and performed around the world, with the English-speaking world knowing it as R.U.R.: Rossum’s Universal Robots.

  • Hackaday ☛ Upgrading At Least One Component Of A TI Calculator

    Even though Texas Instruments were the first company to produce an integrated circuit and a microprocessor, their success as a company in the 60s and 70s was not guaranteed. At the time there wasn’t much demand for previously non-existent products like these, so to drive some business they built the first hand-held calculator, a venture that they are still famous for today. Since then, though, they’ve become a bit of a punchline for producing calculators with decades-old technology but with modern price tags, so while this business model was quite successful if you want a calculator with a few modern features you’ll have to take a DIY approach like this calculator retrofitted with a LiPo battery.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea’s Kim warns that failure to provide food is a ‘serious political issue’

    The country has suffered serious food shortages over recent decades.

  • Meduza ☛ Cocaine shipment worth over $140 million seized at St. Petersburg port in second bust this month — Meduza

  • BIA Net ☛ Turkish Medical Association: 'COVID-19 was an example of the X disease'

    The Turkish Medical Association made a statement regarding the X disease, which the World Health Organization mentioned as "a serious international pandemic caused by an unknown pathogen": "The latest emerging X disease was caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, leading to COVID-19," the association said.

  • RFA ☛ Four years on, Wuhan remembers the first COVID-19 lockdown

    Residents say they'll never forget the trauma, yet have more pressing economic concerns these days.

  • Reason ☛ Why We Went Crazy During COVID Lockdowns

    The Things Fell Apart host Jon Ronson explains how a 1988 quack medical concept inspired George Floyd's death in 2020 and how Plandemic is basically a rewrite of Star Wars.

  • Reason ☛ Jon Ronson: Why We Went So Crazy During COVID Lockdowns

    The Things Fell Apart host explains how a 1988 quack medical concept inspired George Floyd's death in 2020 and how Plandemic rewrote Star Wars.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Don’t eat toothpicks, please: South Korean food agency warns after social control media acts go viral

    Some netizens raised concerns about consuming toothpicks; others found the idea intriguing.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea warns against social control media trend of eating fried toothpicks

    A health warning from South Korea's food ministry has urged people not to eat fried toothpicks made of starch in a shape resembling curly fries, after the practice went viral in social control media posts.

  • Happy New Year, UK Deaths Up About 10% Since 5 Years Ago (Before Covid-19)

    I HAVE just compared this morning’s weekly figures, which I certainly hope are correct and accurate. Those suggest that deaths in the UK, or at least in England and Wales, are up about 10% compared to 5 years ago.

  • Philip Davies Cites ONS Data, Highlighting Very Exceptionally High Number of Deaths

    I think this covers all the important points.

  • JURIST ☛ US federal appeals court finds providing suicide prevention literature at gun stores constitutional

    The US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals held Tuesday that a Maryland county regulation requiring firearms dealers to provide suicide prevention literature at the point of sale is constitutional under the US Constitution’s First Amendment.

  • Science Alert ☛ The Seeds of Schizophrenia Could Be Planted in The Earliest Moments of Life

    Long before we're even born.

  • Science Alert ☛ Early Human Bones Reveal Paleo Diet Favored Plants Over Meat

    We might need to rethink our ancestors' eating habits.

  • Science Alert ☛ Breakthrough: Deaf Boy Can Hear After First Gene Treatment in US

    "Literally hearing sound for the first time in his life."

  • Science Alert ☛ What Is Adenomyosis, The Little-Known Condition That Affects as Many as 1 in 5 Women?

  • Science Alert ☛ New Alzheimer's Link Points to Immune Attack And Blood-Brain Barrier

    This could be how the brain's defense breaks down.

  • Science Alert ☛ Flesh-Eating Buruli Ulcer Was an 80-Year Mystery: Scientists Reveal The Culprits

    Here's how you can protect yourself.

  • teleSUR ☛ Zambia: Africa CDC Supports Cholera Outbreak Response

    The continental public health agency further expressed its commitment to the procurement of medical supplies, including oral rehydration salts (ORS), disinfectants, and water quality monitors to support ongoing cholera response efforts in the country.

  • Federal News Network ☛ HHS launches a program to boost preventative care

    A new initiative from Health and Human Services seeks to improve preventative care in under-served communities. The HEROES Program will run through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). HEROES stands for Health Care Rewards to Achieve Improved Outcomes.

  • Latvia ☛ Schools battle against spread of e-cigarettes

    In Vidzeme region's schools, as in other parts of Latvia, the fight against the use of e-cigarettes is now almost a daily occurrence, reports LTV.

  • Latvia ☛ Flu continues to spread in Latvia

    The incidence of influenza continued to rise over the past week, according to the Disease Prevention and Control Center (SPKC) data published on January 24.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Gradiant tapped to build water treatment plant for mystery fab in Germany

    Gradiant is building a water treatment facility for an undisclosed fab in Germany — likely made by either TSMC or Intel.

• Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • TechStory Media ☛ Is Xbox Retreating? Layoffs Raise Concerns About Microsoft’s Console Future

    Microsoft revealed massive layoffs within its video game division, a decision that shocked the gaming community. Up to 1,900 workers, or about 6% of the entire staff, could be let go from a variety of departments and studios. This significant decision casts doubt on Microsoft’s long-term gaming goals and emphasizes how quickly the gaming industry is changing.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan begins extended one-year conscription in response to China threat

    Taiwan’s army said it expected a total of 670 conscripts to join in the first batch.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US Navy sends warship through Taiwan Strait post-election

    China’s military said the navy's mission was "public hyping" and that its forces monitored and warned the ship.

  • RFA ☛ China, Nauru establish diplomatic relations after Taiwan split

    Nauru, one of the world’s smallest nations, had been a longstanding ally of Taiwan until severing ties in mid-January

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China, Nauru formally resume diplomatic relations after South Pacific nation cuts ties with Taiwan

    China and Nauru formally re-established diplomatic relations Wednesday, after the tiny South Pacific nation cut ties with Taiwan. The foreign ministers of the two countries held a signing ceremony in Beijing, an AFP journalist saw.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Twelve held over central China fire that killed dozens: State media

    At least 39 people died and nine others were injured in the blaze in Xinyu city.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China's defence ministry spokesperson says India border issue 'left over from history'

    A Chinese defence ministry spokesperson said on Thursday that India-China border tensions were "an issue left over from history and not the whole of China-India relations".

  • RFA ☛ South Korea looks to EU and UN to boost pressure on North and China

    Seoul looks to Europe to counter Pyongyang saber-rattling and challenge Beijing on North Korean refugee issues.

  • RFA ☛ Defense chief: Military to be used for safeguarding Philippine access to sea resources

    Gilberto Teodoro outlines a new concept for defending the Philippines’ jurisdiction in South China Sea.

  • RFA ☛ Australia cuts off channel for China’s rich to shift assets offshore

    Wealthy Chinese immigrants have been used as infiltration tools for the Chinese Communist Party, say experts.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 12 held over fire in China’s Jiangxi that killed dozens – state media

    Twelve people have been taken into police custody for their alleged role in a deadly fire in central China’s Jiangxi province, state media said Thursday. At least 39 people died and nine were injured after a fire broke out at a store in the city of Xinyu Wednesday.

  • Meduza ☛ Dozens protest in Siberian city after man from Tajikistan allegedly kills local — Meduza

  • Reason ☛ The New Mexico Involuntary Manslaughter Prosecution of Alec Baldwin

    New Mexico law is more pro-defendant in such cases than the laws of many other states.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea confirms it tested new strategic cruise missile on Jan 24

    The test is also part of the process of updating the country’s weapon system.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • YLE ☛ EU border guards to stay in Finland until at least summer

      Frontex officials have been helping the Finnish Border Guard to secure the eastern border since late November.

    • Meduza ☛ Russian Defense Ministry alleges Ukraine shot down Il-17 with missiles launched from Kharkiv region — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Ukrainian army’s first statement after Russian military plane crash makes no mention of incident, stresses targeting of Russian military transport aviation in Belgorod — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Slovakian prime minister reverses course, vows not to block $54 billion euro E.U. aid package for Ukraine — Meduza

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysian man uses forklift to remove parked cars blocking his shop

      Netizens praised the man for the move, saying he was showing errant drivers the consequence of their actions.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Clean energy largest driver of Chinese GDP growth in 2023: Report

      Investment in clean-energy sectors accounted for 40 per cent of China’s GDP expansion in 2023.

    • Silicon Angle ☛ Tesla shares drop on missed earnings and revenue in fourth quarter

      Shares in Tesla Inc. dropped by over 4% in late trading after the electric car maker missed on both earnings per share and revenue in the fourth quarter.

    • MIT Technology Review ☛ How China is regulating robotaxis

      This story first appeared in China Report, MIT Technology Review’s newsletter about technology in China. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Tuesday.

    • YLE ☛ Traffic fatalities drop to 88-year low

      Last year brought the lowest number of road deaths since 1935.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Revelator ☛ Could Baird’s Tapirs Be a New Conservation Ambassador?

    • The Straits Times ☛ Wild panda population nearly doubles as China steps up conservation efforts

      The number of giant pandas held in captivity now stands at 728.

• Finance

  • The Hill ☛ Business Insider to lay off 8 percent of newsroom

    Business Insider plans to lay off around 8 percent of its employees as a cost-cutting measure, according to a memo sent by the outlet’s leadership to staffers Thursday.

    “This year is about making it happen and focusing our company and efforts towards this future. We have already begun to refocus teams and invest in areas that drive outsize value for our core audience,” CEO Barbara Peng wrote in the memo. “Unfortunately, this also means we need to scale back in some areas of our organization.”

    A version of Peng’s memo was posted online Thursday, while a longer copy sent to employees and shared with news outlet Semafor told staffers “if your role is impacted, you will receive an e-mail in the next 15 minutes.”

  • YLE ☛ Economists' council: Five things for the government to improve in economic policy

    The government's policies are not enough to impact state indebtedness, according to an annual report from Finland's council of independent economists.

  • Latvia ☛ Signet Bank to extend capital markets education project

    Latvia's Signet Bank has announced the dates for a regional tour designed to familiarize businesspeople outside Rīga with the workings and opportunities of capital markets.

  • Latvia ☛ Swedbank Latvia reports doubled profits in 2023

    In 2023, Swedbank Latvija, the largest commercial bank in Latvia, worked with a profit of EUR 274 million, which is twice as much as the bank's profit of EUR 132 million in the previous year, the bank reported January 24.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysians buying gold jewellery ahead of luxury tax roll-out

    Sales of gold jewellery have been picking up since November.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan business leaders return to China seeking to bolster cooperation

    An unusually large delegation of about 200 Japanese business leaders arrived in China this week to bolster economic relations in the first such visit in more than four years and in the face of geopolitical headwinds that have strained bilateral ties.

  • Federal News Network ☛ It’s time to rethink GovCon pricing to align with post-pandemic reality

    The landscape of government contracting pricing is stuck in a bygone era.

  • Federal News Network ☛ This line of federal improper spending is among the most galling

    Federal improper payments roll on and on, year after year. Among the most frustrating are fraudulent unemployment benefits, federal dollars that get spent by the states. Last fall, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated that as much as 15% of pandemic-era unemployment spending went to fraudsters, or as much as $135 billion.

  • YLE ☛ Tax card tips: Don't forget holiday pay or benefits

    What are the pitfalls to consider when estimating your annual income?

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • New Yorker ☛ How “the Élite” Became the Most Convenient Straw Man in Politics

    Evan Osnos untangles the real meaning of a term that has become a useful shorthand for a wide array of grievances.

  • RFERL ☛ China, Uzbekistan Announce Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

    China and Uzbekistan announced on January 24 that they've upgraded their ties to an "all-weather" comprehensive strategic partnership, a move that raises the level of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • The Straits Times ☛ Statue toppled as Australians reckon with bloody past

    A United States-style culture war has developed over colonial figures.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Top Hong Kong court overturns Tiananmen activist Chow Hang-tung’s acquittal over 2021 remembrance vigil

    Hong Kong’s top court has overturned activist and human rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung’s acquittal over inciting people to take part in an unauthorised assembly in 2021 to remember the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.

  • Techdirt ☛ After Inexplicably Allowing Unconstitutional Book Ban To Stay Alive For Six Months, The Fifth Circuit Finally Shuts It Down

    Texas is in a close race with Florida for the title of “Most Unconstitutional Laws Enacted.” Florida’s legislators will probably end up taking this title because they seem crazier/more productive than their counterparts in Texas.

  • ACLU ☛ The Importance of Defending the Free Speech Rights of Pro-Palestinian Students in Florida

    Like everyone else, college students have a First Amendment right to express their political opinions and advocate for the causes they believe in. Universities have long served as hotbeds for students to exercise these rights, providing opportunities for them to encounter diverse perspectives and broaden their understanding of themselves and the world.

    Recent actions by Florida officials violate the First Amendment and pose a threat to these freedoms. In October 2023, Florida State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, together with Gov. Ron DeSantis, ordered public universities in Florida to deactivate their Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters. There are more than 200 SJP chapters in the country, and Florida has two. In the order, Chancellor Rodrigues makes unsubstantiated claims that Florida’s SJP chapters have violated the state’s material support for terrorism law. This dangerous and stigmatizing allegation is solely based on constitutionally protected statements published by the National Students for Justice in Palestine, a separate organization with no formal relationship to the Florida SJP chapters.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • teleSUR ☛ Use of Emergencies Act Against Ottawa Protesters Not Justified

    In 2022, protesters angry with the government's response to the pandemic, descended on Ottawa and blocked border points elsewhere.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Labor Dept watchdog offers buyouts, early retirement to cut staffing by 20%

    The Labor Department's watchdog is not only losing staff, but racing against the clock to complete its ongoing work on pandemic-era fraud before time runs out.

  • JURIST ☛ UN Human Rights Council examines peer review of China human rights record

    The UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group examined the human rights record of China, one of the 14 states reviewed during this year’s session, for the fourth time on Tuesday in a meeting at Geneva.

  • Techdirt ☛ Court Says Marine Vet’s Lawsuit Against Nevada’s Forfeiture Laws Can Move Forward

    On February, 19, 2021, the government — taking the form of Nevada State Troopers (and an assist via phone by the DEA) — stole former Marine Stephen Lara’s life savings.

  • New Yorker ☛ Can an American Hold the United Arab Emirates Responsible for a Smear Campaign?

    The U.A.E.’s rulers destroyed Hazim Nada’s business. Now he’s fighting back with a lawsuit that challenges what states can get away with outside their borders.

  • Vice Media Group ☛ Man Jailed, Raped, and Beaten After False Facial Recognition Match, $10M Lawsuit Alleges

    A 61-year-old man alleges that a facial recognition algorithm used a mugshot from the 1980s to ID him in a crime he didn't commit.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Public Knowledge ☛ Public Knowledge Welcomes New Development Director, Policy Staff To Bolster Broadband Expertise and Advocacy Efforts

    Public Knowledge moves to expand both development opportunities and broadband policy expertise.

  • APNIC ☛ [Podcast] Global Cyber Alliance measurements

    Leslie Daigle discusses Global Cyber Alliance's honeynet project, DNS, and MANRS.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • IT Wire ☛ Oppo, Nokia sign 5G patent monopoly cross-licensing agreement

    Chinese smartphone vendor Oppo has signed a 5G patent monopoly cross-licensing agreement with Finnish phone firm Nokia and says all legal issues between the two companies will be sorted out.

    The agreement covers standard-essential patents in 5G and other cellular communications technologies, the Chinese company said in a statement on Thursday.

  • JUVE ☛ Settlement season continues as Nokia and Oppo end global patent monopoly battle

    Since 2021, Nokia and Oppo have sued each other in patent monopoly courts around the world. Now they have signed a global cross-licence agreement which brings an end to all patent monopoly lawsuits that the two companies had recently brought against each other in Germany, France, the Netherlands, India, China and the UK...

  • Kluwer Patent Blog ☛ UK – Merck seeks SPC relying on the law as set out in Neurim

    Question: I applied for my SPC in reliance on the law as set out in Neurim[1], following Santen[2] can I still obtain my SPC? Answer: No, according to the English High Court[3].

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ Ireland has UPC in sights as country confirms referendum date [Ed: UPC is illegal, but JUVE took bribes to promote it and try to 'legitimise' this attack on actual constitutions. This merely destabilises the EU by associating it with high-level corruption.]

      Ireland’s government has confirmed that a referendum on the country’s participation in the UPC will take place in June 2024, alongside the local and European elections.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ District Court Refuses to Enforce Subpoena for TTAB Case: Must Be Issued by the Court, Contrary to TBMP

    Cancellation Petitioner Waterdrop Microdrink GmbH relied on the Trademark Board Manual of Procedure when its attorney signed and served a subpoena on third-party Ecolife Technologies, Inc. in order to take the latter's deposition under FRCP 30(b)(6). Respondent's counsel refused to accept service, and also stated that the subpoena was improperly issued. When Waterdrop moved to compel compliance, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California sided with Ecolife. Waterdrop Microdrink GmbH v. Qingdao Ecopure Filter Co., Cancellation No. 92079118.

• Copyrights

  • Public Domain Review ☛ As Loud as a Mouse: Mickey’s Sonic Debut in Steamboat Willie (1928)

    In the public domain at last, *Steamboat Willie* debuted both Mickey Mouse and cartoon synchronised sound to a widespread audience.

  • Techdirt ☛ Copyright In Legal Documents Back On The Docket

    Going back nearly 15 years, we had a story raising the question of whether or not legal filings were (or should be?) covered by copyright. As we noted at the time, it seems pretty clear that, under today’s somewhat absurd copyright, it is entirely possible that such filings are technically covered, though they really shouldn’t be.

  • Digital Music News ☛ CISAC President Björn Ulvaeus Seeks Greater Hey Hi (AI) Protections with Belgian Prime Minister

    CISAC President Björn Ulvaeus met with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to discuss the impact Hey Hi (AI) will have on the creative economy.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Pokemon Co to defend intellectual property after viral game sparks plagiarism debate

    Survival adventure game Palworld from developer PocketPair has been dubbed 'Pokemon with guns'.

• Gemini* and Gopher

  • Personal/Opinions

    • untitled

      heartache is one of the worst feelings in the world.

    • Few updates

      Long time since I have done a post here, I haven't feeling like doing big texts or anything. So I will be brief anyway...

      I got fired from the job that I was complaining everyday. That sucks since I was looking for another job for 2 years I guess for little to no success. Now my expectations for a new job are obviously lower, so maybe I can land something in the next month hopefully. At least I have a freelance job in game development that I hope will become my day job.

    • Crokinole and Ready Five Dexterity Game Review

      I have recently acquired a very nice Crokinole table. I have played enough of it now with family and friends that I can safely say that I like it a lot. My basic description I give when trying to explain it to someone is that it's like a mixture of shuffleboard, cornhole and a little bit of pool but unlike those games it fits on your dining room table. I won't go into all the rules here because that would be boring and it is much easier to understand by just playing a game or watching a video. The basics are you are flicking your disc and trying to knock your opponent's discs off the board and your own discs toward/into the hole in the center. Spaced evenly around the innermost circle are 8 pegs which add another layer of strategy. The scoring is based on which ring your discs end up in at the end of the round. The outer ring being the lowest point value and the hole in the center being the highest.

  • Technology and Free Software

    • Quick question: do you think the era of the phone is ending?

      A unified interface to do anything is the future now. If I want an uber I ask for one. I don't care how it's done or what app I need to learn / install.. it's all about 2 things: proactive information (having the things you want to see delivered to you intelligently) and 2, on-demand need fulfillment (performing a task across ecosystems without friction).

    • Control Table board for Car Wars Classic

      So in Car Wars “classic” (a.k.a. 1e through 4e), the two main tables for driving is the Movement Chart and the control table.

    • Internet/Gemini

      • I wrote yet another static site generator for Gemini

        I know there are plenty of static site generators for Gemini already, but I decided to write one of my own, specifically for me to use for this capsule.