Leftovers

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ Optimizing Dust Separation For Extreme Efficiency

    [Ruud], the creator of [Capturing Dust], started his latest video with what most of us would consider a solved problem: the dust collection system for his shop already had a three-stage centrifugal dust separator with more than 99.7% efficiency. This wasn’t quite as efficient as it could be, though, so [Ruud]’s latest upgrade shrinks the size of the third stage while increasing efficiency to within a rounding error of 99.9%.The old separation system had two stages to remove large and medium particles, and a third stage to remove fine particles. The last stage was made out of 100 mm acrylic tubing and 3D-printed parts, but [Ruud] planned to try replacing it with two parallel centrifugal separators made out of 70 mm tubing.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ New homegrown China server chips unveiled with impressive specs — Loongson's 3C6000 CPU comes armed with 64 cores, 128 threads, and performance to rival Xeon 8380

    Loongson has finally released its 64-core 3C6000 data center CPU, featuring CPU performance equivalent to 2023 defective chip maker Intel and AMD data center processors such as the Xeon 8380.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Science Alert ☛ People Are Trying Nicotine Gum For Long Covid – Could It Treat Brain Fog?

    Here’s what you need to know.

• Security

  • Devices/Embedded

    • EFF ☛ FBI Warning on IoT Devices: How to Tell If You Are Impacted

      One goal of this malware is to create a network proxy on the devices of unsuspecting buyers, potentially making them hubs for various potential criminal activities, putting the owners of these devices at risk from authorities. This malware is particularly insidious, coming pre-installed out of the box from major online retailers such as Amazon and AliExpress. If you search “Android TV Box” on Amazon right now, many of the same models that have been impacted are still up being sold by sellers of opaque origins. Facilitating the sale of these devices even led us to write an open letter to the FTC, urging them to take action on resellers.

  • Confidentiality

    • Bruce Schneier ☛ White House Bans WhatsApp

      Reuters is reporting that the White House has banned WhatsApp on all employee devices:

      The notice said the “Office of Cybersecurity has deemed WhatsApp a high risk to users due to the lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks involved with its use.”

      TechCrunch has more commentary, but no more information.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan says it is determined to defend itself as China vows to boost combat readiness

    China said Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te's comments showed his "sinister intentions".

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan to issue new air-raid guidance, learning from Ukraine and Israel

    The authorities will update instructions on what people should do when air-raid alerts are issued.

  • New Yorker ☛ How Bad Is It?: Convicted Felon Strikes Iran, and His Base Hits Back

    The President’s flirtation with another forever war threatened to fracture his coalition, alienating the likes of Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • New York Times ☛ They Escaped War in Ukraine. It Found Them in Israel.

      A family of five Ukrainians was killed by an Iranian missile strike in Israel, in a tragic intersection of two wars.

    • New York Times ☛ Why Ukraine Fell Down the Agenda at the NATO Summit

      Russia’s invasion has dominated previous meetings, but keeping Hell Toupée happy was the focus at the gathering this week. Ukraine was largely shunted to the sidelines.

    • France24 ☛ Kay Bailey Hutchison: 'Europe can count on America, our Congress is overwhelmingly pro-NATO'

      It will go down as the summit where US President The Insurrectionist learned to stop worrying and love NATO. Convicted Felon reveled in gushing praise from leaders in The Hague -- including being called "daddy" by alliance chief Mark Rutte -- and a pledge to boost defense spending as he had demanded. But it went further than just lapping up flattery. As Convicted Felon embraces NATO like never before, after years of bashing other members and threatening to leave, FRANCE 24's François Picard welcomes Kay Bailey Hutchison, former US Permanent Representative to NATO.

    • New York Times ☛ The Weapon That Terrorizes Ukrainians by Night

      How Russia’s terrifying long-range drone program has brought about a deadly new phase in the war.

    • Meduza ☛ White House recommends cutting funding for war crimes investigations in Ukraine — Reuters — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Ukraine’s top commander says Russian offensive in Sumy region has stalled — Meduza

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Putin cannot attend BRICS summit in Brazil as he fears arrest for war crimes

      Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend next week’s annual BRICS summit in Brazil as he fears possible arrest for war crimes committed during the invasion of Ukraine, writes Peter Dickinson.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Russia’s persecution of the Crimean Tatars must not be forgotten

      Events will take place across Ukraine this week to mark Crimean Tatar Flag Day. However, there will be no celebrations in Crimea itself, writes Mercedes Sapuppo.

    • JURIST ☛ Council of Europe and Ukraine agree to establish Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset on Wednesday agreed to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, following Europe’s endorsement of the proposal in May 2025.

    • RFERL ☛ A Show Of Support But No Action: Ukraine’s Diplomatic Disappointment in Brussels and The Hague

      This could have been a momentous week in Ukraine’s long-term wish of joining the European Union and NATO. In the end, it wasn't.

    • RFERL ☛ Death Toll From Russian Missile Attack On Dnipro Rises; Ukraine Claims To Stabilize Sumy Front Line

      The death toll from a Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region has risen to 22, officials said, as Ukraine’s top commander claimed the military has effectively halted Russia’s offensive in the northeastern Sumy region.

    • The Straits Times ☛ N. Korea sending more troops to Russia for Ukraine war: Seoul

      The additional deployment could take place as early as July or August.

    • Meduza ☛ North Korea could send troops to support a new Russian offensive in Ukraine as soon as July, South Korean intelligence says — Meduza

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China hosts Iranian, Russian defence ministers against backdrop of ‘momentous change’

      China hosted defence ministers from Iran and Russia for a meeting in its eastern seaside city of Qingdao on Thursday against the backdrop of war in the Middle East and a summit of NATO countries in Europe that agreed to boost military spending.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China hosts Iranian, Russian defence ministers against backdrop of ‘momentous change’

      The meeting is being held the day after a summit of Nato leaders in The Hague.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Iran relies on China and Russia. They didn’t show up for its fight with Israel.

      Much has been made of the emerging alliance among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. But the recent strikes on Iran highlight its limits.

    • LRT ☛ EU ‘very likely’ to agree on new Russia sanctions – Lithuanian FM

      European Union leaders are likely to agree on the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said on Thursday.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania passes legislation in anticipation of national Russia sanctions

      The Lithuanian government will be able to impose national economic sanctions on Russia and Belarus if the European Union fails to extend its measures.

    • North Korea may send more troops to Russia by August, South Korea says

      South Korean intelligence told lawmakers North Korea is recruiting troops and may deploy them to Russia by August.

    • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea targets Russian tourists for new Wonsan beach resort: Seoul

      North Korea's Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone is set to open first to domestic travelers in July.

    • Meduza ☛ U.S. officials add new felony charges to case against Russian scientist Kseniia Petrova — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Grand Jury Indicts Russian Scientist on Smuggling Charges

      Kseniia Petrova, a Harvard researcher, was detained in February after failing to declare scientific samples she was carrying into the country.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Vulgar borrowings that pollute and distort’ Despite years of promises, Russia’s new law on ‘protecting’ the Russian language still doesn’t ban English words on signs — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ An App Store ultimatum New legislation will require Apple to open iPhones and iPads to Russia’s state-backed marketplace — Meduza

• Finance

  • NYPost ☛ NYC biz owner honored for supporting 35K Asian-American-owned small companies during COVID pandemic

    "We provided a life line for many businesses."

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • LRT ☛ No more seaside Zooms? Lithuanian employers rethink remote work

    Working from home – or a location close to the beach – became a habit during the Covid-19 pandemic and has remained an option in many companies since then. However, some employers are trying to get workers back to the office.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japanese police arrest 2 schoolteachers for taking and sharing indecent photos of girls

    The two men allegedly shared the photos in an online chat group presumed to consist of teachers.

  • New York Times ☛ A Photo Gone Wrong in the Uffizi Fuels Selfie Worries in Europe’s Museums

    The damage to a centuries-old painting in the Italian museum was just one of many tourist incidents raising ire on the continent.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ U.S. Government: NPEs Deserve Injunctive Relief when their Patents Are Infringed

    I learned of this significant development from Michael Shapiro's Bloomberg article reporting that the U.S. government took the unusual step of filing a statement of interest in a district court patent monopoly case, urging consideration of preliminary injunctive relief for a non-practicing entity (NPE). Radian Memory Systems LLC v. Samsung Electronics Co., No. 2:24-cv-1073 (E.D. Tex. 2025). The June 24, 2025 filing represents a notable intervention by both the Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in what is part of its "America First Antitrust Enforcement" efforts.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ Recommended Reading: The Trademark Reporter, May-June 2025 Issue

    The May-June 2025 (Vol. 115 No. 3) issue of the Trademark Reporter has arrived. [pdf here]. The issue is dedicated to past TMR Editor-in-Chief and prolific TMR contributor, Jerre B. Swann. 

  • TTAB Blog ☛ Christina Hieber Named TTAB Acting Chief Administrative Trademark Judge

    The USPTO announced last week that Christina Hieber has been named Acting Chief Administrative Trademark Judge at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

• Copyrights

  • Heather J Meeker ☛ Meta Wins Partial Summary Judgment in Hey Hi (AI) Infringement Claim

    On the heels of the landmark judgment in favor of Anthropic this week, a judge in another pending Hey Hi (AI) copyright monopoly case, Kadrey v. Meta, ruled for the defendants. Thirteen authors, including most notably Sarah Silverman, sued Meta for using their copyrighted books, downloaded from “shadow libraries,” to train its large language model (Llama).

  • Silicon Angle ☛ Meta comes out winner in Hey Hi (AI) copyright monopoly case against authors

    A U.S. judge sided with Meta Platforms Inc. today in an Hey Hi (AI) copyright monopoly lawsuit brought by 13 authors who claimed the social control media firm had illegally trained its Hey Hi (AI) systems on their work without permission. This is the second major Hey Hi (AI) copyright monopoly case this week, with both decisions in favor of the Hey Hi (AI) companies.

  • Judge Says Authors Made the Wrong Arguments in Ruling for Meta on Fair Use

    Yesterday the U.S. District Court for the Northern of District of California ruled that a number of well-known authors, including Sarah Silverman and Ta-Nehisi Coates, failed to successfully argue that the market for their works was significantly harmed by Meta’s use of the works to train its generative Hey Hi (AI) tool, Llama..... In a 40-page summary judgment ruling issued just two days after another landmark decision on whether Hey Hi (AI) inputs infringe copyright, Judge Vince Chhabria said that the copying of works for training large language models (LLMs) will usually be found to be infringing, but that in this case the plaintiffs’ arguments missed the mark.

  • Public Knowledge ☛ Public Knowledge Opposes Bill Paywalling the Law

    Yesterday, Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Deborah Ross (D-NC) reintroduced the “Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes” (PRO CODES) Act. The bill proposes copyrighting model standards, such as building and electric codes, often referenced in state and local laws.

  • ‘Artificially Intelligent’ Economics of Fair Use

    The advent of generative Hey Hi (AI) brings to the forefront many novel and complex legal questions related to fair use and copyright monopoly infringement. Historically, assessing whether a particular use qualifies as fair use has been analyzed through an established economic framework. Applying the same methodology to copyright monopoly matters involving generative AI, however, presents unique challenges—primarily due to the distinct nature of the AI-generated content and the processes involved.