Leftovers

• Science

  • New York Times ☛ Watch Europe’s Launch of the Ariane 6 Rocket in Its Debut Mission

    Ariane 6 reached orbit on Tuesday. But a problem made the rocket deviate from its flight plan late in the mission.

  • Science Alert ☛ Giant 'Eyeball' a Perfect Place to Look For Life Outside The Solar System

    When you stare into the void...

  • Science Alert ☛ Time Ticks Faster on The Moon. Now We Know Precisely How Much.

    It looks good for its age.

  • Science Alert ☛ Meanings of Words Have Been Detected in The Flicker of Individual Brain Cells

    Meanings of 'life', 'universe' and 'everything'.

• Education

  • Latvia ☛ Latvia to try to solve teacher shortage with more university seats

    In an effort to address the pressing shortage of teachers, the number of state-paid study seats in Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in education will double in four Latvian higher education institutions in the next academic year, as announced by the Education and Science Ministry (IZM) on Tuesday, July 9.

  • $17.9M grant accelerates U-M mental health research

    The National Institute of Mental Health has awarded U-M a $17. 9 million grant for a new study aimed at improving the precision for mental health care.

  • University of Michigan ☛ U-M Researchers receive Javits Award for their research on stroke outcomes in Mexican-Americans

    Researchers at the University of Michigan were awarded the Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award for their work researching health inequities, specifically related to strokes, in Corpus Christi, Texas. This marks only the second time the Javits Award has been granted to researchers in epidemiology. 

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ Looking At Standard-Cell Design In The Pentium Processor

    Whereas the CPUs and similar ASICs of the 1970s had their transistors laid out manually, with the move from LSI to VLSI, it became necessary to optimize the process of laying out the transistors and the metal interconnects between them. This resulted in the development of standard-cells: effectively batches of transistors with each a specific function that could be chained together. First simple and then more advanced auto-routing algorithms handled the placement and routing of these standard elements, leading to dies with easily recognizable structures under an optical microscope. Case in point an original (P54C) Intel Pentium, which [Ken Shirriff] took an in-depth look at.

  • Hackaday ☛ Keep Your Lungs Clean And Happy With A DIY Supplied-Air Respirator

    The smell of resin SLA printing is like the weather — everybody complains about it, but nobody does anything about it. At least until now, as [Aris Alder] tackles the problem with an affordable DIY supplied-air respirator.

  • Hackaday ☛ Hackable Ham Radio Gives Up Its Mechanical Secrets

    Reverse-engineered schematics are de rigeur around these parts, largely because they’re often the key to very cool hardware hacks. We don’t get to see many mechanical reverse-engineering efforts, though, which is a pity because electronic hacks often literally don’t stand on their own. That’s why these reverse-engineered mechanical diagrams of the Quansheng UV-K5 portable amateur radio transceiver really caught our eye.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • New York Times ☛ Autistic Employees Find New Ways to Navigate the Workplace

    As diagnoses of autism rise, Abusive Monopolist Microsoft and other large companies are working to better support autistic workers so they can thrive without “masking.”

  • Science Alert ☛ Concerning Levels of Arsenic And Lead Found in Tampons in World First Study

    That's not all they found.

  • Science Alert ☛ Ozempic-Like Drugs 'Tentatively' Linked With Sudden Vision Loss Risk

    A rare but concerning association.

  • JURIST ☛ South Korea will not suspend licences for striking trainee doctors

    South Korea withdrew from its plan to suspend licenses for striking trainee doctors on Monday. The government’s Medical Action Central Accident Management Department issued a press release regarding the decision, which was made to combat the country’s current shortage of doctors.

  • Federal News Network ☛ This agency is looking for people who have beat the substance abuse cycle

    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is looking for people who have experienced and overcome substance abuse.

  • Latvia ☛ Coalition backs medicine pricing policy plan in Latvia

    The coalition has given the Ministry of Health the green light to continue work on the new medicines mark-up model, as announced by Health Monister Hosams Abu Meri (New Unity) after the coalition meeting on Monday, July 8.

  • European Commission ☛ Moldova signs the EU's Joint Procurement Agreement to deepen health cooperation with the EU

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 09 Jul 2024 Today, Moldova became the 38th country to sign the Joint Procurement Agreement in the area of health, during an official visit to Chisinau by Commissioner for health and food safety, Stella Kyriakides. Moldova is now the 6th EU candidate country to become part of the Agreement.

  • New York Times ☛ WADA Clears Itself in Chinese Doping Case

    A special prosecutor said the decision not to pursue punishments against a group of Olympic swimmers was “indisputably reasonable,” even though agency scientists had expressed doubts.

• Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • Business Insider ☛ Why Abusive Monopolist Microsoft is reportedly mandating its employees in China stop using Android phones for work

    Microsoft reportedly decided to block employees from using Android devices to access its corporate platforms because Google’s mobile services, including its Google Play app store, are unavailable in China. That leaves Apple’s App Store as the only place for Microsoft employees in China to download and use the Microsoft Authenticator and Identity Pass apps.

  • Bloomberg ☛ Intuit Targets Low Performers and Executives in 10% Jobs Cut

    Move affects 1,800 people; company will re-hire in other areas

  • Business Standard ☛ Microsoft ditches board observer seat at OpenAI amid regulatory scrutiny [Ed: Microsoft implicitly admits stealing another company, sending it deep into debt and not even paying for the company]

    Microsoft has ditched the board observer seat at OpenAI that has drawn regulatory scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic, saying it was not necessary after the AI start-up's governance had improved significantly in the past eight months.

• Defence/Aggression

  • ADF ☛ Drones Supplied by Iran and UAE Threaten to Prolong the Conflict in Sudan

    Since January, Iranian cargo planes have been seen regularly at the airport in Port Sudan, the headquarters for Sudan’s ruling junta led by Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Soon after those planes began arriving, the SAF launched attacks against the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) using Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drones.

  • ADF ☛ Peacekeeper Deaths in DRC Lead Some to Say SADC is Outmanned and Outgunned

    A deadly attack by M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that killed two South African Soldiers is raising questions about whether the Southern African Development Community peacekeeping force (SAMIDRC) should continue.

  • ADF ☛ In Eastern Libya, Haftar Family Consolidates Military and Political Power

    Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the military leader in eastern Libya, is consolidating power within his family by appointing his sons to key positions in his so-called Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF).

  • ADF ☛ Mutiny Fears in Burkina Faso After Deadly Attack on Military Base

    The Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) terror group claimed responsibility for the June 11 attack on a Burkina Faso military base in Mansila that killed more than 100 Soldiers and several civilians. It was the deadliest assault on the Burkinabe military since 2015.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • New York Times ☛ Modi’s Russia Visit Showcases a Less Isolated Putin, Angering Ukraine

      Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India made his first visit to Russia in five years, even as Ukraine reeled from an attack on a children’s hospital.

    • New York Times ☛ Wednesday Briefing: NATO Summit Begins

      Plus, the U.S. says Russia is struggling in Ukraine.

    • New York Times ☛ Biden Is Hosting NATO This Week. Here’s What to Watch.

      All eyes are on President Biden, but looming over the meeting is the possibility that Vladimir Putin might pull a stunt to disrupt the gathering.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘A future alternative’: An exhibition showcasing Russia’s Putin-era achievements is becoming a national center that could rival Lenin’s Mausoleum — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ Former Wagner Mercenary Recruited From Russian Prison Gets 7 Years For Murder

      A former fighter of the Wagner mercenary group who was reportedly recruited from prison has been sentenced to seven years in prison for murdering a mother of three after returning home to the Far East region of Primorye from the war in Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ Biden Tells NATO Summit Russia 'Will Not Prevail,' Promises Ukraine New Air-Defense Systems

      U.S. President Joe Biden said Russia is seeking "nothing less" than to "wipe Ukraine off the map," but he forcefully insisted that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not prevail and announced that Washington and its allies will provide Ukraine with further weapons.

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • H2 View ☛ Hyundai provides hydrogen-powered FCEV to Korean fire department

      Hyundai Motor Group has provided a hydrogen-powered fuel cell support bus to the Korean National Fire Agency to use in the line of duty.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China’s electric vehicle giant BYD signs deal to open factory in Turkey

      By Fulya Ozerkan China’s electric vehicle giant BYD on Monday signed a one-billion-dollar agreement with Turkey to open a plant in the country in a move that would help it dodge new EU tariffs.

    • Hackaday ☛ Solar Dynamics Observatory: Our Solar Early Warning System

      Ever since the beginning of the Space Age, the inner planets and the Earth-Moon system have received the lion’s share of attention. That makes sense; it’s a whole lot easier to get to the Moon, or even to Mars, than it is to get to Saturn or Neptune. And so our probes have mostly plied the relatively cozy confines inside the asteroid belt, visiting every world within them and sometimes landing on the surface and making a few holes or even leaving some footprints.

• Finance

  • Yahoo News ☛ PwC Starts Mass China Layoffs After Losing Dozens of Clients

    PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is cutting staff across its China operations, according to people familiar with the matter, after an exodus of corporate clients diminished the accounting firm’s revenue prospects in the country.

  • Dyson Layoffs: Electronic Manufacturer Announces To Reduce 1/3rd Jobs In UK Amid Restructuring

    Dyson, the renowned vacuum cleaner manufacturer, has announced plans to cut one-third of its UK workforce within the next quarter. This move is part of a broader global restructuring strategy aimed at positioning the company for future challenges, according to CEO Hanno Kirner. Dyson, known for its innovative household appliances, currently employs over 14,000 people worldwide and operates in more than 80 countries. In the UK alone, the company has 3,500 employees spread across offices in London, Wiltshire, and Bristol. The BBC reported this major development, emphasizing its potential impact on the company's UK operations.

  • Silicon Angle ☛ UiPath lays off 10% of workforce in push for increased efficiency

    UiPath Inc. today disclosed plans to lay off 10% of its workforce, or about 420 employees, in a bid to increase operational efficiency. The restructuring comes two years after the company’s previous round of job cuts.

  • BIA Net ☛ TurkStat chair defends institution amid inflation calculation criticisms

    Turkstat, whose reliability has been questioned for many years, is now accused of manipulating the June inflation figures to enable the government to keep pension increases low.

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ Headline inflation in Mexico increases for fourth consecutive month in June

    The annual headline inflation rate last month increased more than expected, but core inflation continues to decline.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • CS Monitor ☛ Pandas on a mission: China sends furry envoys to boost US ties – and aid conservation

    The return of pandas to the United States is sparking a new wave of “panda-monium,” highlighting the bears’ enduring power to shape China’s foreign relations and global wildlife conservation.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong leader John Lee eyes arrival of giant pandas on China’s National Day

    Hong Kong is expected to receive a pair of giant pandas from the central government in three months’ time, with the government eyeing the animals’ arrival on China’s National Day.

  • RFA ☛ Beijing, Manila trade blame over coral damage

    China says a grounded ship on a disputed reef harmed the ecosystem, but the Philippines refutes it.

  • JURIST ☛ China accuses Philippines of harming ecosystems in shoal dispute

    China’s government released a report on Monday that claims a grounded Philippines warship at Second Thomas Shoal caused extensive damage to the shoal’s coral reef ecosystem. China claims a significant portion of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, including the Second Thomas Shoal.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Making sense of the twists and turns in recent South China Sea tensions between China and Philippines

    Skirmish at disputed shoal compels Manila to recalibrate as China tests the limits of its strategy in the South China Sea.

  • RFA ☛ China’s military sends troops to Laos for 2-week joint military drills

    Beijing has been seeking closer military cooperation with Southeast Asian countries.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Trevor Kavanagh retires: Fleet Street ‘great’ who stood up for arrested colleagues

    At 81, Kavanagh says both he and Joe Biden should step down.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • JURIST ☛ Pakistan tells Sindh High Court its ban on X was legitimate amid national security concerns

    Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior told the Sindh High Court on Monday that its ban on the social control media platform X (formerly Twitter) was legitimate in light of national security concerns and that it did not violate Article 19 of the Pakistani Constitution.

  • NYPost ☛ Meta expands hate speech policy to remove more posts targeting ‘Zionists’

    Meta Platforms (META.O), said on Tuesday it would start taking down more posts that target "Zionists", where the term is used to refer to Jewish people and Israelis rather than representing supporters of the political movement.

  • Reason ☛ What Free Speech Rights Do Anti-Israel Activists Have on College Campuses?

    Public colleges must have viewpoint-neutral policies, but they don't have to allow protester encampments.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • JURIST ☛ Gambia lawmakers support FGM ban ahead of decriminalization vote

    Gambian lawmakers endorsed recommendations presented by the Joint Committee on Health and Gender on Monday to maintain the country’s ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) in anticipation of an upcoming vote later this month on the potential decriminalization of the practice.

  • RFA ☛ China releases tortured rights lawyer Chang Weiping

    Lawyer is sent back to his place of household registration after serving 3 1/2 years for ‘subversion.’

  • Pro Publica ☛ Texas Funnels Millions to Anti-Abortion Groups With Little Oversight

    Year after year, while Roe v. Wade was the law of the land, Texas legislators passed measures limiting access to abortion — who could have one, how and where. And with the same cadence, they added millions of dollars to a program designed to discourage people from terminating pregnancies.

    Their budget infusions for the Alternatives to Abortion program grew with almost every legislative session — first gradually, then dramatically — from $5 million starting in 2005 to $140 million after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the right to an abortion.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Unified Patents ☛ $1,000 awarded for Key Patent Innovations entity Malikie Innovations video encoding patent monopoly prior art

    Unified is pleased to announce PATROLL crowdsourcing contest winners, Dinesh Swami, Ramesh Varadharaj, and Gaurav Dhawan, who split an award of $1,000 for their prior art submissions on U.S. Patent 9,179,147, owned by Malikie Innovations Limited, an entity of Key Patent Innovations Limited.

  • JUVE ☛ Xiaomi unsuccessful in interim licence bid at UK High Court

    Panasonic’s dispute with Xiaomi and Oppo is becoming a leading case that could regulate the interplay between the Unified Patent Court and continental patent monopoly courts and the UK High Court in SEP and FRAND actions. The UK High Court has now made one of the first important decisions in the global dispute.

  • Unified Patents ☛ Comments to the USPTO submitted regarding terminal disclaimer practice

    Through policy advocacy work with Unified Edge, Unified Patents has submitted comments to the USPTO's recent NPRM regarding conditions for obtaining terminal disclaimers to obviate obviousness-type double patenting.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Guest Post by Profs. Lemley & Ouellette: Fixing Double Patenting

    Two of the most controversial patent monopoly law changes of the past year have involved obviousness-type double patenting, which allows applicants to patent monopoly obvious variants of their earlier patents by disclaiming the extra term of the later-expiring patent. First, the Federal Circuit held in In re Cellect that patents tied by double patenting must expire on the same day even if one of the patents has received a patent monopoly term adjustment (PTA) giving it a more-than-twenty-year term. The en banc denial and pending cert petition in Cellect have attracted substantial interest from amici and commenters. Second, the USPTO proposed that terminal disclaimers include a commitment to not enforce the patent monopoly if any claims in the patent monopoly to which it is tied are found to be obvious or not novel. Early commentary on the proposal was “overwhelmingly negative.”

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Fixing Double Patenting: The Procrustean Solution?

    I recently provided a set of interesting data on the large number of patents that are “at risk” of being invalidated based on the Federal Circuit’s Cellect decision. This post follows up with a discussion of a recent article titled “Fixing Double Patenting” released in draft form by Stanford Professors Mark Lemley and Lisa Larrimore Ouellette. The article takes a critical look at the practice of obviousness-type double patenting in the U.S. patent monopoly system.

  • Kluwer Patent Blog ☛ Lessons in expert selection

    In his Abbott v Dexcom ([2024] EWHC 1664 (Pat)) judgment, published on 28 June 2024, Mr Justice Mellor was faced with the rather unenviable task of determining the approach of the Skilled Team when “due to their differing experiences and expertise” it was unclear if any of the experts were in a position to comment...

  • Unified Patents ☛ $1,000 awarded for inventor-owned, Jaffe '828, image patent monopoly prior art

    Unified is pleased to announce PATROLL crowdsourcing contest winners, Ekta Aswal, Mani Manikandan, and Ritu Tyagi, who split an award of $1,000 for their prior art submissions on U.S. Patent 6,757,828, owned by inventor, Jonathan E. Jaffe. The ‘828 patent monopoly relates to an improved method and system for authenticating images captured by digital cameras. The patent monopoly has been asserted against Adobe and TruePic.

• Copyrights

  • Creative Commons ☛ CC Is Refreshing Its Strategy. Here’s Why Your Voice Matters.

    Image by Mario Jr. Nicorelli is licensed via CC BY-NC 2.0 Over the past weeks, the CC board and team have been working behind the scenes on our strategy refresh. We are excited to share our progress as we enter the community engagement phase of the refresh and explain how you can contribute to the process.…