Leftovers

• The Straits Times ☛ American YouTube star IShowSpeed woos US consumers with futuristic China tech

  American streamer IShowSpeed’s visit to China has sparked widespread curiosity among fans about cutting-edge advancements in Chinese technology, as products from Huawei Technologies and BYD are put in the spotlight.

• Ruben Schade ☛ Using “Re:” in blog titles

  Brandon wrote a reply to a post from Jason Kratz about being negative, something I’ve wrestled with recently in the context of genAI. That was a lot of links.

• Science

  • New York Times ☛ White House Plan Calls for NOAA Research Programs to Be Dismantled

    A Convicted Felon administration budget proposal would essentially eliminate one of the world’s foremost Earth sciences research operations.

  • Science Alert ☛ 'Bad Omen': Ancient Pyramid in Mexico Collapsed Into A Pile of Rubble

    Extreme weather triggers a tragedy.

  • Science Alert ☛ Hidden Abnormalities Discovered in The Brains of Elite Soldiers

    It doesn't show in standard brain scans.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Have Pinpointed The Best Diets to Boost Healthy Aging

    Here's what we know.

  • Science Alert ☛ Pet Dogs Are Great For Our Health But They Have a Dark Side Too

    No one likes thinking about this.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Identified a Healthier Way to Cook Broccoli – But There's a Catch

    Very surprising!

  • Science Alert ☛ Skin Injuries And Food Allergies May Have a Mysterious Connection

    "These things don't have to happen in the same place in the body."

  • Science Alert ☛ Awakening Black Hole's Wild Behavior Has Astronomers Stumped

    What the heck is it doing?

  • Science Alert ☛ Sleep And Anxiety Medication Is Having a Curious Effect on Salmon Behavior

    A different kind of pollution.

  • Science Alert ☛ A Tiny Piece of Mouse Brain Has Finally Been Mapped in Mindblowing Detail

    It took nine years to achieve.

• Hardware

  • CNX Software ☛ Mono Gateway – A 10GbE nano-ITX router board powered by NXP Layerscape LS1046A

    The Mono Gateway is a nano-ITX router board powered by an NXP LayerScape LS1046A quad-core processor and equipped with two 10GbE SFP+ cages, three gigabit Ethernet RJ45 ports, and M.2 sockets for wireless WiFi 6 and/or tri-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth, and Thread modules. Tomaž Zaman’s YouTube channel description reads “I hate routers”, and that’s exactly why the “Gateway” came to life.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ China's new semiconductor rule spares Taiwan fabs, punishes Intel, GlobalFoundries & Texas Instruments

    China now considers wafer fabrication location as origin of chips, no matter where they were packaged or developed, which is good news for those outsourcing to Taiwan, but bad news for those who manufacture in America.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Latvia ☛ 'Straupe' withdraws some products due to E. coli concerns

    After several employees of the Straupe dairy company were diagnosed with the dangerous E. coli infection, the company is withdrawing all manually packaged products from its sales outlets, according to a Straupe press release.

  • New York Times ☛ Children Seeking Cholera Care Die After U.S. Cuts Aid, Charity Says

    The victims died on a grueling three-hour walk in scorching heat as they tried to reach the nearest remaining health facility, officials of Save the Children said.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australia’s Monash IVF admits ‘error’ after woman gives birth in embryo swop

    The parents were considering legal options, reports said.

  • LRT ☛ Sharp spike in Lyme disease cases reported in Lithuania as tick season extends to winter

    Lithuania recorded a surprising 15,254 cases of Lyme disease in 2023 – a fivefold increase from the 2,896 reported infections caused by Borrelia bacteria the previous year. The dramatic spike has prompted questions about the cause, with the National Public Health Centre (NVSC) offering several explanations.

  • Federal News Network ☛ CDC officials plan for the agency’s splintering, but questions remain

    Several parts of CDC — devoted to health threats that aren't infectious — are being spun off into the soon-to-be-created Administration for a Healthy America.

  • Latvia ☛ Possible E. coli outbreak source found in dairy company

    During an investigation into the outbreak of E. coli intestinal infection, epidemiologists found that at least three employees of Straupe, a company that supplied dairy products to 14 kindergartens where E. coli cases had been detected, were infected with the bacterium, Latvian Television reports on 10 April.

  • Latvia ☛ Fears of future skills and labour shortages in Latvian healthcare sector

    In five years' time, the healthcare sector in Latvia could be short of around 2,400 workers. In order to find a solution, industry representatives are discussing the situation at a conference dedicated to the issue on Friday (a link to a livestream with English language can be found here, and the agenda in English can be found here). Hopes are pinned on popularizing the medical profession among young people and on advances in technology, reports Latvian Radio.

• Proprietary

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Microsoft's backdoored Windows 95 startup sound has been immortalized in the Library of Congress

    The US Library of Congress has decided to immortalize the backdoored Windows 95 startup sound in the National Recording Registry.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Strategist ☛ It’s (past) time to get serious about funding Australia’s defence and security

  • The Strategist ☛ Whatever the CCP says, regimes don’t have the rights of nations

    All nation states have a right to defend themselves. But do regimes enjoy an equal right to self-defence? Is the security of a particular party-in-power a fundamental right of nations?

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Cradle of violence: How criminal networks are winning Ecuador’s youth and threatening Latin America’s future

    As Ecuadorians vote for their next president on April 13, time is running out for a holistic approach to security that balances suppression with structural transformation.

  • Defence Web ☛ PSiRA rejects concerns over Firearms Regulation amendments

    The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) has strongly dismissed claims stating the newly proposed amendments to firearms regulations will hinder the operations of private security firms. In a media statement released on X, PSiRA addressed public and industry concerns, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and constructive engagement through the ongoing consultation process.

  • Defence Web ☛ Experts debunk calls for SANDF to fight crime

    Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, ANC MP Dakota Legoete, has called for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to be used to fight crime, but experts have rebutted this as a bad idea.

  • Defence Web ☛ Illicit miners nabbed in Mpumalanga

    The continued involvement of SA Army soldiers in the ongoing SA Police Service (SAPS) led operation against illegal mining bore fruit in the Schoemanskloof area of Mpumalanga early in April with a R1.25 million haul of gold-bearing material and equipment.

  • France24 ☛ Library on US-Canadian border embodies growing divide over Convicted Felon's policies

    Straddling the US-Canadian border, the Haskell Library has a unique location: it is situated in both the towns of Stanstead, Quebec and Derby Line, Vermont. Until now, an agreement allowed Canadians to use a stretch of pavement on the American side to access the library. But since a controversial visit by US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem back in January, US Border Protection has put an end to that agreement. As the iconic border town now awaits the fate of its century-old customs posts and famous Canusa Street, Stanstead already embodies the growing divide between Americans and Canadians. FRANCE 24's François Rihouay, Joanne Profeta and Fraser Jackson report.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Ousted South Korean president Yoon leaves official residence

    Hundreds had gathered outside the gates of the official residence to see off Yoon, some crying.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s ousted Yoon moves back to apartment with 11 pets, security

    As many as 50 presidential security service personnel will be deployed to guard the couple.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Will End Temporary Protections for Afghans and Cameroonians

    More than 10,000 people will be put on track for deportation in May and June as a result of the Department of Homeland Security’s action.

  • JURIST ☛ Lawyers file amicus brief challenging Convicted Felon directives undermining rule of law

    67 former lawyers of major corporations including Microsoft, Eli Lilly, and defective chip maker Intel submitted a brief on Tuesday denouncing US President The Insurrectionist’s use of executive orders to target big law firms.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Jay-Z’s Countersuit Against Jane Doe Rape Accuser Intensifies — Defendant Attorney Moves to Dismiss the Case and Says Rapper Bullied His Client Into Dropping the Case

    Jay-Z’s battle with Jane Doe lawyer Tony Buzbee heats up as Buzbee files to dismiss the rapper’s lawsuit against him — and makes fresh allegations, too.

  • Digital Music News ☛ 300 Entertainment Co-Founder Kevin Liles and Universal Music Urge Dismissal of Jane Doe Sexual Assault Lawsuit: ‘Zero Factual Basis for Her Salacious Allegations’

    Universal Music Group (UMG) and 300 Entertainment co-founder Kevin Liles are taking steps to seek the dismissal of a Jane Doe accuser’s sexual assault lawsuit.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Soulja Boy Slapped With $4 Million Verdict In Civil Sexual Assault Trial

    Rapper Soulja Boy (real name DeAndre Cortez Way) was slapped with a $4 million verdict in a civil sexual assault trial brought by his former assistant. The ‘Jane Doe’ alleges years of physical and sexual abuse during her employment from 2018 to 2020.

  • JURIST ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man targets Houston law firm over 2020 election civil lawsuits and DEI practices

    US President The Insurrectionist’s administration targeted Houston-based law firm Susman Godfrey LLP in an executive order Wednesday, zeroing in on the firm’s previous defamation litigation related to the US 2020 election and its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

  • University of Michigan ☛ ACLU of Michigan sues Convicted Felon for revoking UMich and Wayne State international student visas

    This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

  • CS Monitor ☛ To speed deportations, Convicted Felon revives rarely used laws

    Hell Toupée has tapped existing but rarely used laws to aid his immigration actions. Supporters see pragmatism, while critics warn of overreach.

  • New York Times ☛ Andrew Tate Is Accused of Rape and Threatening a Woman With Gun in U.K. Lawsuit

    Four women, who are suing the influencer in Britain, gave accounts of being choked and assaulted in encounters that took place between 2013 and 2015. Mr. Tate has denied the accusations.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Korean taekwondo instructor jailed 30 years for fatal abuse of 5-year-old boy

    He also habitually abused more than 20 other children over sustained period.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Digital sex crime victims surpass 10,000 in South Korea, majority in teens, 20s

    Teenagers accounted for 27.9 per cent of the victims.

• Transparency/Investigative Reporting

  • American Oversight ☛ American Oversight Launches Investigation into Convicted Felon Administration’s Plan to Gut Social Security

    Our investigation follows reports that the Convicted Felon administration plans to slash the Social Security workforce and implement changes to make it harder to qualify for assistance.

• Environment

  • France24 ☛ Are claims that Hey Hi (AI) is accelerating climate change 'overstated'?

    One concern around artificial intelligence is its voracious appetite for energy. Electricity demand for data centres specialised in Hey Hi (AI) will quadruple in the next five years, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency. But as for claims that Hey Hi (AI) is accelerating climate change through carbon emissions, the report calls them "overstated".

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Ruben Schade ☛ Friday nights on the train

      Trigger warning: Description of someone avoiding harm.

      Friday nights are my least favourite time to travel on public transport, with Saturday night a close second! Everyone deals with the end of the work week in their own way; some hit the local bar or pub to have a drink, and others take it as a socially-acceptable opportunity to get absolutely plastered.

    • Rlang ☛ Down a Rabbit Hole with ARIMA Models

      In my previous post A First Look at TimeGPT using nixtlar, I used the auto.arima() function from the forecast package to fit an ARIMA model to a time series of electricity usage data...

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Indonesia’s $63 billion social security fund eyes doubling of equities exposure

    BPJS Ketenagakerjaan has been increasing its investment in stocks with big market capitalisation.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Federal benefits face possible cuts in House Republicans’ budget resolution

    Proposals for the GOP budget resolution are already circulating, including possibilities for changing federal benefits in retirement and health insurance.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ Hong Kong's rocky democratic road under Chinese rule

    Hong Kong's main opposition Democratic Party is considering disbanding amid a years-long national security crackdown by China after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Koreans’ support for liberal Lee Jae-myung rises ahead of election

    It is a sign the Democratic Party could grab power in nationwide polls on June 3.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Seoul Mayor will not run for presidency, Yonhap reports

    People will vote on June 3.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • Digital Music News ☛ Hybe’s Deepfake Crackdown Is Ramping Up — Eight Arrested Over ‘Sexually Explicit’ Artist Videos

      BTS agency Hybe’s deepfake crackdown is in full swing, and South Korean police have made multiple arrests in connection with alleged AI-powered crimes. We touched on that deepfake-takedown push yesterday, when Ador vowed to pursue legal action against those making “malicious” online comments about NewJeans.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Press Gazette ☛ Guardian investigation into Noel Clarke was ‘careful and thorough’, court told

    Closing arguments made in Noel Clarke v Guardian News & Media libel trial.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong prison authorities make short films on jailed protesters to promote nat. sec. to young people

    Hong Kong prison authorities have produced two short films on protesters jailed in the wake of the 2019 pro-democracy protests and unrest to promote “law-abiding awareness” among young people.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Internet Society ☛ Local Businesses Benefit from Burkina Faso’s Internet Development

    The Burkina Faso Internet Exchange (BFIX) is helping to keep Internet traffic local and build the country's Internet resilience.

  • New York Times ☛ Effort to Get Starlink in South Africa Collides With Tension Over MElon

    A government official is preparing to ease Black ownership rules that MElon claims are racist and prevent his satellite internet provider from operating in his native country.

  • Ruben Schade ☛ The functional equivalent of microservices?

    James Webb—no relation to the NASA engineer!—emailed me last month (sorry!) with a Lobsters comment he thought I’d get a kick out of, from Simon Willison:

    Simonw: After many years in the microservice mines I came to the conclusion that I value SQL joins a whole lot more than I value independently scalable encapsulated data stores.