Leftovers

• Ruben Schade ☛ My own Ship of Theseus post

  Most of you are likely aware of the Ship of Theseus thought experiment. If not, it grapples with the question of whether something is still the same object if all its parts have been replaced over time. In the original example, imagine if the sails were replaced with a new canvas, then over time the hull due to rotting wood. Is it the same ship, if it shares nothing physical with the original?

  How people answer that question is interesting. My circle of family, friends, and colleagues over time are split between saying it is and it isn’t a new ship. Maybe have a think yourself where you land here. Or sail.

• Standards/Consortia

  • Wired ☛ Trump and DOGE Defund Program That Boosted American Manufacturing for Decades

    Project 2025, a proposed road map for the current Trump administration authored by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank, had called for eliminating federal subsidies for the manufacturing program and letting the private sector “more properly” carry out its business advisory services. But as of Wednesday, the Department of Commerce and NIST had not announced a plan to privatize it or shared how the withheld funds would be repurposed.

    NIST did not respond to a request for comment. The manufacturing program is one of a number of NIST initiatives that the Commerce Department has moved to scale back or eliminate in recent weeks as Trump and Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency work to dismantle a whole range of long-standing agencies and programs run by the US federal government.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Parker Probe Repeats Record Brush With The Sun in Daredevil Dive

    Two down, three to go.

  • Science Alert ☛ 'City-Killer' Asteroid Impact Still a Possibility (Just Not With Earth)

    Uh oh.

  • Science Alert ☛ Earth's Crust Is Dripping Under Midwest US, Scientists Discover

    It's happening right now.

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ Supercon 2024: Rethinking Body Art With LEDs

    Tattoos. Body paint. Henna. All these are popular kinds of body art with varying histories and cultural connotations, many going back centuries or even longer. They all have something in common, though—they all change how the body reflects light back to the viewer. What if, instead, body art could shine a light of its very own?

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Lightmatter unveils high-performance photonic 'superchip', claims world's fastest Hey Hi (AI) interconnect

    Lightmatter proposes to use photonic interconnect platform for ultra-high-performance multi-chiplet processors.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • New York Times ☛ Shingles Vaccine Can Decrease Risk of Dementia, Study Finds

    A growing body of research suggests that preventing the viral infection can help stave off cognitive decline.

  • Science Alert ☛ Shingles Vaccine Guards Against Dementia, Study Reveals

    A medical twofer.

  • New York Times ☛ Inside the C.D.C., a Final ‘Love Letter’ Before Mass Layoffs

    The agency’s injury center was among the departments that were largely gutted in Tuesday’s wave of dismissals. Read a staff member’s letter to colleagues while they awaited their fates.

  • New York Times ☛ C.D.C. Cuts Threaten to Set Back the Nation’s Health, Critics Say

    The reorganization that began on Tuesday will scale back an agency that has been a public health model around the world.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Administration Demands Additional Cuts at C.D.C.

    In addition to reductions at agency personnel, federal regulators are demanding $2.9 billion in contract cancellations, The Times has learned.

  • JURIST ☛ US federal prosecutors to seek death penalty in healthcare executive murder case

    US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Tuesday that federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the alleged shooter of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

  • JURIST ☛ Canada Auditor General finds Ontario failed to provide adequate mental health services for youth

    Ontario’s auditor general Bonnie Lysyk on Monday released a scathing report highlighting and condemning the provincial government’s failure to provide adequate mental health services for children and youth.

  • Science Alert ☛ Exercise Is a Literal Headache For Some. Here's When to See a Doctor.

    Most are harmless, thankfully.

  • Science Alert ☛ World Autism Awareness Day: An Expert Explains Why Stimming Is Important

    We need to stop suppressing it.

  • Science Alert ☛ Breakthrough: World's Smallest Pacemaker Is The Size of a Rice Grain

    Incredible!

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • EDRI ☛ When data never dies: How better GDPR enforcement could minimise hate and harm

      Lax enforcement of the GDPR has had far-reaching consequences for many people and collectives in the EU, especially those most vulnerable. Through a story based on real life experiences of people, this blog highlights the gap between the GDPR’s promise of protection and its current reality of weak enforcement, and the opportunity EU lawmakers have with the ongoing GDPR Procedural Regulations to take bold steps to protect our data rights.

• Defence/Aggression

  • US clears proposed sale of F-16 fighter jets to Philippines

    Package for 20 jets, valued at $5.58 billion, will not alter SEAsia’s military balance, the United States says.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group calls for accountability for Sudan atrocities amid ICC case 20th anniversary

    Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on international actors to ensure accountability for the international crimes committed in Sudan on Monday, the 20th anniversary of the referral of the Darfur case to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Despite the ongoing investigation, the humanitarian crisis in Sudan has continued to escalate.

  • New York Times ☛ ‘I’m Here! Can You Hear Me?’: One Family’s Story of Death in Gaza

    The Abu Teirs thought the Israel-Hamas cease-fire might mean they could start to rebuild their lives. But a new round of Israeli airstrikes dashed those dreams.

  • New York Times ☛ Myanmar Military Declares Temporary Truce After Earthquake

    It was unclear whether the cease-fire would be honored. It came a day after soldiers fired at a Chinese Red Cross aid convoy, and amid multiple airstrikes.

  • New York Times ☛ Senators Denounce Convicted Felon Administration’s Response to Myanmar Quake

    Democratic senators said in a letter that the administration was failing its first test of humanitarian aid as China and Russia send teams to help.

  • France24 ☛ 'Carnage': Papers react to Convicted Felon's tariff threats on 'Liberation Day'

    Papers react to The Insurrectionist's threats of tariffs on "Liberation Day". Meanwhile, French papers are still covering the aftermath of Marine Le Pen's conviction for embezzlement. There's also focus on Ukraine ceasefire talks slowing down as Russia ramps up mobilisation. Finally, April Fools' Day was celebrated around the world with some good pranks, including nudist skiing in Switzerland.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s former acting president Choi faces imminent impeachment threat

    The National Assembly may propose to vote on an impeachment motion against him by the afternoon of April 4.

  • The Straits Times ☛ S. Korea mobilising ‘all resources’, closing tourist spots to curb violence after Yoon verdict

    The court in downtown Seoul has become a flashpoint.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles, analysts say

    In 2024, North Korea's leader stressed the importance of strengthening the country's navy.

  • North Korea’s strategic drones ‘not as advanced as US aircraft’: think tank

    Pyongyang had been thought to be building copies of US drones.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea discovers one tonne of suspected cocaine on board ship

    Korea Customs Service and Coast Guard found more than 50 boxes of suspected cocaine.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korean IT warriors push to infiltrate European firms

    Countries targeted include Germany, the UK and Portugal.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea's acting President orders emergency measures over US tariffs

    The Insurrectionist has unveiled global reciprocal tariffs that include a 25 per cent rate on South Korea.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US reclaims spot as South-east Asia’s preferred superpower amid concerns of China’s sway: Survey

    Region’s sentiment may shift after Convicted Felon announced fresh tariffs on April 2.

  • New York Times ☛ China’s New Barges Reveal How it Might Try to Seize Taiwan

    The barges, which link up to form a bridge, could give China a way to land large numbers of vehicles and troops on Taiwan, solving a major logistical problem.

  • New York Times ☛ China’s Military Exercises Around Taiwan Enter Second Day

    The drills came after Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, announced measures to counter China’s influence and espionage. Beijing also wants to send a message to Washington, analysts said.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China military practises hitting key ports, energy sites in Taiwan drills

    China’s military said it practised hitting key ports and energy sites during “live-fire” drills Wednesday as part of exercises aimed at Taiwan, the democratic island it claims as its own. The surprise manoeuvres were criticised by Washington as “intimidation tactics” and come after Taiwan President Lai Ching-te called China a “foreign hostile force”.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China holds live fire drills in East China Sea but Taiwan says none nearby

    China’s military launched military exercises in the middle and southern areas of the Taiwan Strait.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s war games around Taiwan over the years

    China has vowed to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s rule, by force if necessary.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s new barges could make a tough task easier - invading Taiwan

    Their debut suggests China may be closer to landing tens of thousands of troops on Taiwan's shores.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Chinese tourists pine for Taiwan’s return as Beijing jets surround island

    Visitors to China’s closest point to Taiwan – Pingtan – wished for the democratic island’s return to Beijing’s rule.

  • New York Times ☛ 23 More Women Come Forward With Allegations Against Serial Rapist

    Zou Zhenhao was convicted in London of raping 10 women in Britain, where he was a student, and in China.

  • New York Times ☛ I Just Saw the Future. It Was Not in America.

    Beijing’s message to America: We’re not afraid of you. You aren’t who you think you are — and we aren’t who you think we are.

  • The Strategist ☛ It’s time to imagine how China would act as regional hegemon

    Regional hegemons come in different shapes and sizes. Australia needs to think about what kind of hegemon China would be, and become, should it succeed in displacing the United States in Asia.

  • The Strategist ☛ Bookshelf: ‘Vampire state: The rise and fall of the Chinese economy’

    After three decades of record-breaking growth, at about the same time as Pooh-tin Jinping rose to power in 2012, China’s economy started the long decline to its current state of stagnation.

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘We are helpless’: How Convicted Felon’s tariffs are hitting one Chinese factory owner

    The duties have also upended small businesses in the US that depend on factories in China.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Meduza ☛ Moscow vows to seek extradition of exiled Navalny associates charged in absentia

    • Meduza ☛ Russian authorities raid home of exiled Navalny ally Leonid Volkov’s father — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Trump reportedly believes Putin is stalling on Ukraine ceasefire

    • Latvia ☛ Midweek mix: Ukrainian sheriffs, Cellos in concert

      It's the middle of the working week so once again we have raided the LSM archives to find a few items you might want by way of cultural diversion.

    • LRT ☛ Russia wants sanctions lifted in exchange for a ceasefire. The EU isn't ready to do that

      In recent weeks, the United States, Russia, and Ukraine have been sketching out ceasefire frameworks – one aimed at protecting energy infrastructure like power plants and transmission lines and another focused on reducing military activity in the Black Sea.

    • RFERL ☛ Head Of Russian Wealth Fund In Washington For Talks With Convicted Felon's Middle East Envoy -- Reports

      Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev has arrived in Washington to meet with US officials as part of President The Insurrectionist’s push to press for a cease-fire in the war in Ukraine, US media reports said on April 2.

    • RFERL ☛ 'No Positive Signs From Russia,' Says Kallas As Cease-Fire Talks Drag On

      European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says there have been “no positive signs from Russia” in ongoing cease-fire negotiations over Ukraine, and that Moscow is “just playing games.”

    • RFERL ☛ Ukraine's Partners To Discuss Foreign Troop Deployment, Zelenskyy Says

      Western military leaders will discuss the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine that would monitor a potential cease-fire in the conflict with Russian and be part of the country’s new security structure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.

    • Meduza ☛ District official in Kursk region resigns amid blame for failing to evacuate locals ahead of Ukrainian incursion — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Eight injured as 15 Russian drones hit Ukraine’s Kharkiv — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ NATO Foreign Ministers Meet With Tensions High Over Ukraine Cease-Fire Effort

      NATO foreign ministers are set to gather in Brussels on April 3 to discuss strengthening the alliance's defense capabilities as European allies face increasing pressure from the United States to spend more.

    • Latvia ☛ Baltic postage stamps celebrate energy disconnection from Russia

      To mark the recent synchronisation of the Baltic energy system with Europe and disconnection from the grid including aggressor states Russia and Belarus, the postal administrations of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have issued a set of special postage stamps.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man should not forget the Russian hand behind the Houthis

      While negotiating with Russia, the United States must bear in mind the Kremlin’s support for the Houthis’ attacks on Red Sea shipping.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Russian spy infiltrates ASML and NXP to steal technical data necessary to build 28nm-capable fabs

      A Russian engineer is accused of leaking confidential technical data from ASML, NXP, TSMC, and GlobalFoundries to Russia, allegedly to support construction of a 28nm-capable fab.

    • LRT ☛ Fourth US soldier found at Pabradė training ground, identities of other 3 released

      Border guards at the Šalčininkai checkpoint on Lithuania’s border with Belarus have turned back five Africans who were seeking asylum, an NGOs says.

    • Meduza ☛ Lead Russian negotiator to visit Washington this week for talks with Trump envoy — CNN — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian tennis star called ‘traitor’ after joining Team Australia

    • Meduza ☛ Russian military court sentences two officers to a combined 38 years in prison for murder, torture, and desecration of bodies — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ White House: Russia spared from tariffs due to lack of trade

    • Meduza ☛ The artist behind Zelensky’s burning Kremlin painting

    • Meduza ☛ Yeltsin Center cancels ‘I Killer the Tsar’: performance in Yekaterinburg amid online conservative backlash — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ Kremlin Says Putin's Key Investment Adviser May Visit Washington This Week

      The Kremlin said Kirill Dmitriev, the chief of Russia's sovereign wealth fund and President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, may visit Washington this week for talks with US President The Insurrectionist's administration on bilateral relations and peace talks over Ukraine.

    • Meduza ☛ Top Kremlin negotiator in Washington for talks with Trump envoy — The Washington Post — Meduza

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ 2024 was South Korea’s hottest year in half a century

    Due to high temperatures, the surrounding seas were also unusually warm.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Their skin had peeled off’: Victims suffer serious burns from Malaysia gas pipeline fire

      The massive fire injured more than 100 people during Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations on April 1.

    • Ruben Schade ☛ Riding the new Mariyung Sydney train

      Last week I finally got to ride in the new NSW Mariyung intercity express trains on a beautiful (cough) drizzly afternoon! They entered service from Sydney in December last year, and while I’d seen some of them flying past, I’d never got to see one up close.

      Unlike the ancient V sets these trains are replacing, the dimensions and fitout of each carriage are more in line with standard Sydney suburban services. There are large doors at either end of each carriage that enter into a vestibule area with accessible seating, and areas for bathrooms and bicycle parking. These are much easier to use in peak hour than those tiny thoroughfares and manual doors on the V sets.

    • Ruben Schade ☛ Seeing the NSWGR 3526 steam locomotive!

      Transport Heritage NSW did another steam train event this weekend, ferrying Edwardian-era engineering fans from Central Station in Sydney up to leafy Hornsby in the northern suburbs. We met up with her at Hornsby Station to say hi.

      What a gorgeous machine! The tireless Transport Heritage team—many of whom are volunteers—did a spectacular job restoring 3526 with a handsome green colour scheme. Am I sufficiently imparting my enthusiasm with all these embellishments!?

  • Population

    • Science Alert ☛ Once Lush Sahara Was Home to a Surprisingly Unique Group of Humans

      Then the sands came.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Bangkok’s condo oversupply problem may worsen over quake fears about high-rise buildings

    It is likely to impact condo demand over the next three to six months, says an observer.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China urges US to ‘immediately cancel’ new tariffs, calls for ‘dialogue’

    China will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its rights and interests, the Commerce Ministry said.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China urges US to immediately lift tariffs, vows retaliation

    China will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its rights and interests, the Commerce Ministry said.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China vows action against new Convicted Felon tariffs, calls it an act of ‘bullying’

    One analyst said that the risk to China's exports was worse than what the market had expected.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Vietnam to host China, EU leaders in coming weeks amid US tariff risks: Sources

    The visits come as nations targeted with tariffs by the Convicted Felon administration recalibrate.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man orders end to duty-free relief for small parcels from China, in blow to Shein, Temu

    US President The Insurrectionist signed an order Wednesday to close a duty-free exemption for small parcels from China, in a move likely to severely disrupt the import of popular low-cost products.

  • France24 ☛ Live: Convicted Felon tariffs are 'major blow to world economy', says EU chief

    The Insurrectionist on Wednesday announced new tariffs of 34 percent on imports from China and 20 percent on imports from the European Union. Convicted Felon added that a baseline tariff of 10 percent would be imposed on imports from a wide range of other countries. China has urged the United States to cancel unilateral tariff measures. European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen described the tariffs as a 'major blow to the world economy'. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.

  • Science Alert ☛ Climate Change Could Wipe 40% Off Global Economy, Study Predicts

    We didn't consider a crucial factor.

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man announces sweeping global tariffs, risking a trade war and inflation

    US President The Insurrectionist announced plans for sweeping tariffs Wednesday, saying “our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, plundered” by other nations. The aggressive rhetoric came as Convicted Felon showed a willingness to dismantle a global economic system that the United States helped to build after World War II. Convicted Felon said the US would charge a 34% tax on imports from China, a 20% tax on imports from the European Union, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 32% on Taiwan.

  • BIA Net ☛ İstanbul inflation rises 3.79 percent in March

    Wholesale prices rose by 2.30% while the annual rate was over 46%

  • Silicon Angle ☛ Tech stocks slump after Convicted Felon announces ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs

    Tech stocks took a steep dive in after-hours trading today after President The Insurrectionist announced controversial “reciprocal” tariffs, 10% on all goods coming from foreign countries with higher tariffs on what Convicted Felon called the “worst offenders.” The tariffs, which will go into effect April 9, hit most tech firms hard. >

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s New Tariffs Test Apple’s Global Supply Chain

    The iPhone maker spent years trying to move production of some products out of China to avoid tariffs. But now that may not matter.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • New York Times ☛ Right-Wing Group Used Photos of Emily Ratajkowski and Male Model to Lure Voters to the Polls

      Before Wisconsin’s election, a right-wing group rallied for voters’ attention with unauthorized photos of Emily Ratajkowski and a shirtless man holding a dog.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Rachel Sylvester named Observer political editor as around half staff leave title

    Around half current Observer staff have taken redundancy rather than join Tortoise Media.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ US lawmakers seek to rename street for jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai

    US lawmakers moved Tuesday to rename the street next to Hong Kong’s Washington office after Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy media owner jailed as China clamps down in the financial hub.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Merging Hong Kong’s public broadcaster and gov’t PR wing ‘counterproductive,’ commerce chief tells lawmaker

    Hong Kong’s commerce chief has turned down an idea floated by a lawmaker to merge the city’s public broadcaster and the government’s public relations department, saying such a move would be “counterproductive” to official communication work.

  • EDRI ☛ Building bridges for digital rights: The Civic Journalism Coalition

    EDRi, EDRi member ECNL, Lighthouse Reports have launched the Civic Journalism Coalition – a space to strengthen investigative reporting, protect journalists from surveillance, and advocate for digital rights policies at the EU level.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • The Straits Times ☛ Petition to amend South Korea’s statutory rape law follows K-star Kim Soo-hyun press conference

    By the afternoon of April 2, the petition had gained 33,643 signatures.

  • University of Michigan ☛ From The Daily: In the face of DEI cuts, campus must mobilize

    After months of mounting pressure from the federal government, the University of Michigan announced last Thursday by email — in typical opaque administrative fashion — that it would be permanently closing both its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Office of Health, Equity and Inclusion, as well as implementing sweeping cuts to related programs.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Digital Music News ☛ Live Nation CEO Praises Convicted Felon’s Anti-Scalping Order — “Big Thank You to Hell Toupée”

  Hell Toupée signed an executive order on March 31 that takes aim at ticket scalping and price-gouging in the live entertainment industry. The order is aimed at protecting consumers from inflated secondary-market prices while providing more transparency in ticket sales.

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Challenging the Server Test for Image Embedding

    McGucken v. Valnet, Inc., No. 24-1040 (Supreme Court 2025)

    Photographer Elliot McGucken has petitioned the Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit decision involving what has become known as the "Server Test" in copyright monopoly -- law has permitted websites to avoid copyright monopoly infringement by embedding images hosted on third-party servers rather than storing and hosting them directly.  Another name for this may be the "Embedding Liability Shield." Embedded images and video can appear seamlessly on a website even though the media is not served by the site's servers.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Quarterly Index: January - March 2025

• Copyrights

  • New Yorker ☛ The Limits of A.I.-Generated Miyazaki

    The launch of GPT-4o inspired a rash of A.I.-generated Studio Ghibli-style images. They may bode worse for audiences than for artists.