Leftovers

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Vape Fluid Warps The Skulls of Fetal Mice, Study Shows

    Concerning new findings.

  • Science Alert ☛ Bone-Eating Worms Have Lurked in The Ocean For 100 Million Years

    "A lineage that stretches back at least to the Cretaceous."

  • Science Alert ☛ Brain Variations Identified in Children With Restrictive Eating Disorders

    Here's what we know.

  • Science Alert ☛ Vitamin D During Pregnancy Linked to Cognitive Boost in Children

    A crucial role in brain development.

  • Science Alert ☛ Almost 50% of Microplastic Pollution Comes From Cars. Here's Why.

    This is a massive problem.

• Hardware

  • CNX Software ☛ PD.Charger-GSM v2.5 – An industrial solar MPPT charger with Wi-Fi, LTE/GPS, and RS485

    The PD.Charger-GSM v2.5 is an industrial-grade solar and LiFePo4 charger/controller with MPPT support, designed for 2–4 cell Li-Ion/LiFePo4 batteries. With various connectivity options and a cryptographic co-processor, it’s ideal for IoT, remote solar power systems, and battery-powered industrial applications. The device features a dual-MCU architecture where the STM32 handles battery charging and monitoring, and an ESP32 manages WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as LTE/NB-IoT GSM/GPS, and RS-485 with ModBUS support.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ China advances toward tech independence with new homegrown 6nm gaming and Hey Hi (AI) [sic] GPUs — Lisuan 7G106 runs Chinese AAA titles at 4K over 70 FPS and matches RTX 4060 in synthetic benchmarks

    Lisuan Technology has unveiled the 7G106 and 7G105, China’s first 6nm gaming and Hey Hi (AI) GPUs built on the TrueGPU architecture. With up to 24 TFLOPs, 24 GB of GDDR6, and performance rivalling the RTX 4060, these cards ran Black Myth: Wukong at 4K high settings at over 70 FPS. Mass production starts September 2025.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Veteran reviewer’s RTX 5090 Founders Edition GPU falls victim to 16-pin meltdown — user admits it could have been user error despite having tested GPUs for over 15 years

    DSOGaming's EIC suffered a melted power connector on his RTX 5090 out of nowhere. Nevertheless, the GPU continued to function normally for over 20 minutes at full load, despite the issue.

  • Hackaday ☛ Vintage Plasma Display Shows Current Rad Levels

    It’s hard to argue that Soviet-Era nuclear engineering may have some small flaws, what with the heavily-monitored exclusion zone around Chernobyl No.4. Evidently, their industrial designers were more on-the-ball, because [Alex] has crafted the absolute most stylish fallout monitor we’ve ever seen, with ESP32 and a vintage Soviet-designed plasma display to indicate radiation levels in the exclusion zone.

  • Hackaday ☛ Read QR Codes On The Cheap

    Adding a camera to a project used to be a chore, but modern camera modules make it simple. But what if you want to read QR codes? [James Bowman] noticed a $7 module that claims to read QR codes so he decided to try one out.

  • Hackaday ☛ Personalization, Industrial Design, And Hacked Devices

    [Maya Posch] wrote up an insightful, and maybe a bit controversial, piece on the state of consumer goods design: The Death Of Industrial Design And The Era Of Dull Electronics. Her basic thesis is that the “form follows function” aesthetic has gone too far, and all of the functionally equivalent devices in our life now all look exactly the same. Take the cellphone, for example. They are all slabs of screen, with a tiny bezel if any. They are non-objects, meant to disappear, instead of showcases for cool industrial design.

  • Hackaday ☛ Signal Injector Might Still Be Handy

    Repairing radios was easier when radios were simple. There were typically two strategies. You could use a signal tracer (an amplifier) to listen at the volume control. If you heard something, the problem was after the volume control. If you didn’t, then the problem was something earlier in the signal path. Then you find a point halfway again, and probe again. No signal tracer? You can also inject a signal. If you hear it, the problem is before the volume. If not, it is after. But where do you get the signal to inject? [Learn Electronics Repair] sets out to make a small one in a recent video you can see below.

  • Hackaday ☛ Engrave A Cylinder Without A Rotary Attachment? No Problem!

    Laser-engraving a cylindrical object usually requires a rotary attachment, which is a motorized holder that rotates a cylindrical object in sync with the engraver. But [Samcraft] shows that engraving all around a mug can be done without a motorized rotary holder.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • CS Monitor ☛ Other nations had a pandemic reckoning. Why hasn’t the US?

    The pandemic exacerbated growing distrust between elites and citizens. That has made it hard to take stock of why the United States fared worse than many other countries. Those calling for a pandemic reckoning say it could help rebuild trust.

  • Science Alert ☛ Heart Cancer Strikes Very Rarely. An Expert Reveals Why.

    Unique protective features.

  • France24 ☛ Nigeria: World Food Programme suspends aid over funding shortage

    Nigeria is facing “an unprecedented hunger crisis,” and the need for food is rising across west and central Africa while funds are shrinking, the U.N. food agency’s regional head said. Margot van der Velden said nearly 31 million people in Nigeria are facing acute food insecurity and need life-saving food — a number “equivalent to the entire population of Texas going hungry.” Story by Emily Boyle.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Johor faces healthcare worker shortage amid population boom, pull of higher Singapore salaries

    The Malaysian state needs at least 4,600 healthcare workers to meet demand.

• Proprietary

  • Xbox / Microsoft Layoffs from a Human Perspective (Opinion)

    Following the massive layoffs across Microsoft and its gaming division, many questions arise. What are the reasons you get excited about a new project in your career? Do you look forward to the promotion it might lead to? The collaboration with your peers? The challenge? The creativity it takes to solve tough problems?

    What makes you want to do more than just finish a task—what drives you to do it exceptionally well? To exceed the expectations of the person who assigned it?

  • India Times ☛ Are more job cuts coming? Is he feeling guilty about... or...: Microsoft reportedly employees react to CEO Satya Nadella's memo - The Times of India

  • Financial Express ☛ Is computer science still a relevant stream? Students weary as US tech layoffs surge

    This change attracts millions of young minds every year to pursue higher education in this field, hoping for employment in tech giants like Microsoft and Intel. However, with an increasing number of layoffs across the industry, computer science aspirants have become sceptical of progress and job security.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Unicorn Media ☛ How My Hey Hi (AI) Assistants Told Me to Show My Appreciation on SysAdmin Day

      Oops! Yet another year that we forgot to write a SysAdmin Day article. Considering that we've been around for 15 years, that makes us 0 for 15.

  • Social Control Media

    • NYPost ☛ Who is Robert Shinn, ‘TikTok cult’ leader whose home was raided in federal sex-trafficking probe?

      Shinn, 87, owns 7M Films as well as Shinn Entertainment Corp., IP Random Film, IHD Studio, and Glory Bag Records.

    • New Yorker ☛ Teen-Agers in Their Bedrooms, Before the Age of Selfies

      Adrienne Salinger’s cult photography book from the nineties makes a comeback.

    • New York Times ☛ What to Know About the Hack at Tea, an App Where Women Share Red Flags About Men

      A data breach exposed photos and ID cards of women who signed up for a fast-growing app for women to share details of men they might date.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • The Straits Times ☛ Indian police arrest suspect over running ‘fake embassy’ of fictional nation, duping job seekers

      He allegedly shared doctored photos of himself with Indian leaders to bolster his claims.

• Defence/Aggression

  • France24 ☛ Israeli military says airdrops will resume in Gaza as hunger grows

    The Israeli military said late Saturday that airdrops of aid will begin at night in Gaza, and humanitarian corridors will be established for United Nations convoys. The statement came after at least 53 people were killed overnight. The majority of victims were killed by gunfire as they waited for aid trucks.

  • Photos: Civilians displaced on both sides of Thai and Cambodian border conflict

    U.N. Security Council calls for de-escalation and urges ASEAN to mediate a peaceful solution.

  • New York Times ☛ A Grim Anniversary in Canada’s Fight Against Guns

    Firearms smuggled in from the United States are flooding Canada’s streets, but the topic is largely absent from border security discussions amid the U.S. trade war.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises

    The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the crisis on July 25.

  • France24 ☛ Voters in Taiwan reject bid to oust China-friendly MPs in closely watched poll

    Taiwanese voters rejected a bid to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers, all from the opposition Nationalist Party, in a recall election Saturday, dampening hopes for the ruling party to flip the balance of power in the self-ruled island's legislature. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Taipei, Jan Camenzind Broomby.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwanese voters reject attempt to oust opposition lawmakers in blow to President Lai’s party

    The ruling DPP's secretary-general Lin Yu-chang said the party “humbly” accepts the results.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Taiwan recall vote defeated, preserving China-friendly lawmakers’ seats

    Taiwanese voters rejected a large-scale effort to recall opposition lawmakers from the Nationalist Party (KMT), dealing a blow to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The recall aimed to shift legislative power but failed to remove any KMT lawmakers.

  • New York Times ☛ Taiwan Recall Campaign Fizzles, in a Setback to Its President

    An unprecedented vote to remove lawmakers from office could have handed President Lai Ching-te more power by ousting opponents. Results suggest that is not going to be the case.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Taiwan votes in high-stakes recall election targeting ‘pro-China’ lawmakers

    By Amber Wang Taiwanese voters turned out at schools, temples and community centres on Saturday to cast their ballots in a high-stakes recall election that could give President Lai Ching-te’s party control of the parliament.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India seeks to take over island in strategically located Lakshadweep to shore up defence

    New Delhi is taking steps to counter the so-called “string of pearls” encirclement strategy by China.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China denies supplying new weapons to Cambodia in Thai border conflict

    All items in the Cambodian armoury originate from past military cooperation agreements, said Beijing.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea's Kim vows to win anti-US battle marking Korean War anniversary

    North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country would achieve victory in \"anti-imperalist, anti-U.S.\" battles, as the country marked the anniversary of the Korean War armistice, state media reported on Sunday. 

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Vows More Attacks Inside Russia As Civilian Casualties Mount In Eastern Ukraine

      Civilian deaths mounted as Russia continued to press its offensive in eastern Ukraine, claiming to have captured two more villages, as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to retaliate with further attacks inside Russia.

    • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Tulsi Gabbard and John Ratcliffe Reveal Putin “Was Counting on” a Convicted Felon Win

      Thanks to Tulsi Gabbard and John Ratcliffe, we now know that according to a reliable but ambiguous intelligence fragment, CIA got intelligence that said Putin approved the DNC hack-and-leak campaign "because he was counting on" Convicted Felon's victory.

    • Latvia ☛ 200th 'Twitter convoy' leaves Latvia for Ukraine

      Since Russia's disgusting invasion of Ukraine, the volunteer initiative "Twitter Convoy" launched in Latvia has delivered several thousand vehicles to the front and other war-torn regions in Ukraine. On Friday, July 25th, the 200th such convoy departed to help the defenders of Ukraine, with volunteer drivers taking nine more aid vehicles to Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ Russia Launches 'Massive' Overnight Strikes On Dnipro And Kharkiv

      Russian forces launched a large-scale nighttime attack on Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions, leaving multiple people dead and injured, and causing extensive damage.

    • New York Times ☛ E.U. Cuts Aid to Ukraine Over Corruption Concerns

      The $1.7 billion reduction capped a tough week for President Volodymyr Zelensky as he deals with Ukraine’s governance issues.

    • New York Times ☛ In Russia, Corruption Cases Follow Battlefield Failures

      Officials in three of the five Russian regions bordering Ukraine have been accused of embezzling funds for border defenses.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Indian firm says it shipped non-military explosives to Russia

      NEW DELHI - An Indian firm that shipped $1.4 million worth of an explosive compound with military uses to Russia in December said on Saturday it complies with Indian rules and the substance it had shipped was for civilian industrial purposes.

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ Beijing warns of geological disasters as storms lash Baoding again

    Beijing issued on Saturday a warning for geological disasters including landslides and mudslides after intense rainfall the day before, with storms circulating China's north unleashing for a second time a year's rain on nearby Baoding.

  • The Straits Times ☛ No purchase needed: South Korea businesses offer heat relief to the public

    The number of people suffering from heat-related illnesses continues to climb amid the heatwave.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Rain in northern China kills 2, forces thousands to relocate

    Overnight rain dumped a record 145mm per hour on Fuping in the industrial city of Baoding.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘America needs fireworks’: No alternative for some Chinese goods amid trade uncertainty

    The Forrest Dump administration has slapped additional 30 per cent tariffs on China since the trade war began.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Why more South Koreans are becoming side hustlers

    For many, money was the top motivator, but workers also cited a desire to try new things and discover what they truly enjoy.

  • The Straits Times ☛ More jobless college grads than middle school grads in South Korea for the first time

    The country has one of the world’s highest university enrolment rates, but the job market has not kept up.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea to prepare mutually agreeable trade package as US tariff deadline looms

    The package will include shipbuilding cooperation, said South Korea's presidential office.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • JURIST ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man administration sues New York City over sanctuary city laws

    US President The Insurrectionist’s administration filed a complaint against New York City, its mayor Eric Adams, and other city representatives and officials on Thursday over its sanctuary city laws, alleging they are unconstitutional and violate federal immigration enforcement statutes.

  • France24 ☛ Ziad Rahbani, the voice a wounded Lebanon, dies at 69

    Ziad Rahbani, a visionary Lebanese composer, playwright, pianist and political provocateur, died on Saturday, at the age of 69. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said Rahbani was “not just an artist, but a complete intellectual and cultural phenomenon.” Analysis by Mohammed Shamsedeen, journalist at the Cradle in Beirut.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • The Straits Times ☛ Sorry, not sorry: How China’s nationalistic netizens played into Malaysian rapper Namewee’s hands

    With one innocuous post and then its removal, the singer turned outcry against him into publicity for his latest satire.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ US slams Hong Kong’s national security bounty offers targeting overseas activists

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday condemned Hong Kong’s offer of rewards for any information leading to the arrest of a select list of overseas activists, including some based in the United States.

  • France24 ☛ South Park mocks Convicted Felon's ego, manhood and lawsuits in controversial return

    “South Park” co-creator Trey Parker had the briefest of responses Thursday to anger from the White House over the season premiere of the animated institution, which showed a naked President The Insurrectionist in bed with Satan. “We're terribly sorry,” Parker said, followed by a long, deadpan-comic stare. Story by Catherine Viette.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Thousands of men shared non-consensual intimate photos on Telegram: Chinese media

    Thousands of men allegedly shared intimate photos and videos of their girlfriends without consent on the Telegram messaging app, Chinese media reported, sparking widespread outcry against secret filming and calls to better protect women.

  • ACLU ☛ Accessible Voting is Under Attack 35 Years After the ADA

    Editor's Note: Shayla Mitchell is the election protection organizer for the ACLU of Alabama. She works every day to ensure Alabamians can access the polls freely, safely, and fairly. Her motto is “Local is Vocal.” As a Black organizer and disability advocate, she has seen how local attacks on voter access can become a national precedent. Consider her your “Election Protection Bestie” if you ever visit Alabama.

    The Civil Rights Movement began in humble living rooms, at busy lunch counters, and across church pews in Alabama where people gathered to demand a voice in democracy. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law on July 26, 1990, is part of that same tradition. The ADA stands on the shoulders of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, carving out legal protections so people with disabilities could fully participate in public life, whether that’s gaining employment or casting a ballot.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Hackaday ☛ Listening To Ethernet Via Eurorack

    Ethernet is how we often network computers together, particularly when they’re too important to leave on a fussy WiFi connection. Have you ever thought about listening to Ethernet signals, though? Well, you totally could, with the NSA selector from [wenzellabs].

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• New Yorker ☛ Wired’s Katie Drummond on What the Tech Titans Learned from DOGE

  For those in Silicon Valley who play by the President’s rules, it’s “open season.”

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ En Banc Update from the Federal Circuit

    By my count, we have nine patent monopoly cases with en banc petitions pending before the Federal Circuit.  I have divided these up into five categories: patent monopoly eligibility, claim construction, IPR procedures and estoppel, equitable defenses (estoppel), and design patent monopoly infringement.

  • Unified Patents ☛ Malikie Wi-Fi patent monopoly challenge instituted

    On July 8, 2025, one month after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination in its new SEP Wi-Fi Zone, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on the challenged claims of U.S. Patent 9,313,065, owned and asserted by Malikie Innovations Limited, an NPE and entity of Key Patent Innovations Limited.

  • Unified Patents ☛ Another Malikie Wi-Fi patent monopoly challenge instituted

    On July 24, 2025, five weeks after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on the challenged claims of U.S. Patent 7,315,747, another patent monopoly owned and asserted by Malikie Innovations Limited, an NPE and entity of New PP Licensing LLC.