Leftovers

• Science / Mathematics / Computer Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Earth's Shape Is Changing – Becoming Rounder And Less Round at The Same Time

    What is going on?

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Explore an 'Untouched' Deep-Sea Canyon… And Find Human Trash Beat Us Down There

    Noodles, anyone?

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Just Found 84 Mysterious, Extremely Bright Objects Hiding in Nearby Galaxies

    Astronomers found 84 powerful cosmic objects hiding in a kind of light our telescopes can barely detect.

• Career/Education

  • ACLU ☛ ACLU Back-To-School Bookshelf 2026: Artists, Authors, and Creators Share Their Favorite Reads About Civil Liberties

    In our series, the ACLU has teamed up with artists, authors, Hachette Book Group, and content creators to share books that have helped them better understand civil liberties and civil rights, fight for our communities and our Constitution, and increase engagement in creating a more perfect union.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australia to bar foreign students from bringing partners, children while they study

    Australia will stop foreign students from bringing their partners and children to accompany them while they study and tighten rules for temporary migrants to switch visas, media reported on Thursday, ahead of a minister's speech on immigration changes.

• Hardware

  • CNX Software ☛ AAEON MIX-PTLWV1 Panther Lake industrial mini-ITX motherboard offers quad DisplayPort, dual 10GbE, and more

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea to allow abortion pills for pregnancies of up to nine weeks

    The medication will not become available immediately, as it must first receive regulatory approval.

  • New York Times ☛ My Dumbphone Made My Life Better. It Made Everyone Else’s Worse.

    An extended digital detox is freeing, but it can be hard on friends and family.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia to study relief measures after haze, weather push households above power subsidy threshold

    PM Anwar says public concern over spike in bills needed quick attention.

  • France24 ☛ Encouraging signs in DR Congo Ebola fight

    In tonight's edition, signs of a welcome slowdown in DR Congo's Ebola outbreak. Also, about 20,000 Ethiopian university students in the northern region of Tigray will be relocated to other campuses across the country. And in northern Senegal, scientists are using fish to keep their food stoicks and communtites healthy.

  • Science Alert ☛ Two Body Measurements Linked to Nearly Double The Risk of Death – Neither One Is BMI

    Something to consider.

  • Digital Music News ☛ BMI Addresses the Serious Healthcare Challenges Faced by Songwriters and Composers

    In collaboration with Gallagher Alternative Health Solutions, BMI announces BMI Health Connect to provide US affiliates with personalized guidance. BMI has announced the launch of BMI Health Connect, a free service available exclusively for its U.S.-based songwriters and composers that makes it easier to find the right healthcare coverage for them and their immediate families. ]

• Science Alert ☛ Scientists Gave People BPA For 5 Days. Their Insulin Sensitivity Changed

  What else don't we know?

• Science Alert ☛ Scientists Grew Human Brain Cells Inside Mice – And They Wired Into The Mouse Nervous System

  A neuroscience breakthrough.

• New York Times ☛ Texas Abortion Ban Blamed in Pregnant Woman’s Death in Lawsuit

  The lawsuit claims that state officials created a climate of fear that kept doctors from ending Tierra Walker’s pregnancy before she died.

• Science Alert ☛ Common Gum Problem Is Linked to a 61% Higher Alzheimer's Risk

  Time for a check up.

• PHR ☛ One Year of “America First Global Health”: Evidence Shows Convicted Felon Administration Policy Has Undermined Global Health

  The Forrest Dump administration’s “America First Global Health Strategy” has damaged efforts to respond to the most urgent public health crises facing the world, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) said today.

• Latvia ☛ State Audit: Children's healthcare only a formal priority in Latvia

  The law designates children’s healthcare as a priority, but in practice, no system has been put in place to ensure that this priority is upheld, the State Audit Office concluded in its audit published on 16 September.

• Latvia ☛ Union calls for Latvian Health Minister to quit

  A month after Health Minister Hossam Abu Meri (New Unity) survived a no confidence vote in the Latvian parliament, a medics' union has called on him to quit.

Proprietary / Vendor Lock-in / Malware

• Qt ☛ Commercial LTS Qt 6.8.9 Released

  We have released Qt 6.8.9 LTS for commercial license holders today. As a patch release, Qt 6.8.9 adds no new functionality but provides bug fixes and other improvements.

• Heart Machine has laid off nearly all its employees, and its future is in question

  The founder of Heart Machine, Alx Preston, shared this news on LinkedIn. In his post, he cited as the reason for the layoffs the collapse of a deal with an unnamed publisher — this publisher was supposed to fund a new, yet unannounced game from the studio, but abruptly changed their mind. The funds allocated from this partnership were a "key source of revenue" for Heart Machine, so the developers essentially lost their livelihood.

• Build A Rocket Boy (MindsEye) faces more layoffs and may close its doors

  Bad news just keep coming for Build A Rocket Boy. Since the chaotic launch of MindsEye in June 2025, the studio founded by Leslie Benzies has been on a downward spiral. The toxic internal atmosphere, suspicions of a conspiracy, and numerous waves of layoffs have only made matters worse.

• It seems that Build a Rocket Boy is preparing to shut down, as there have been new layoffs at the studio

  It's unknown exactly how many people were affected. However, there are rumors on the internet that Build a Rocket Boy is now under the threat of imminent closure. This was initially hinted at by a laid-off HR specialist, and later, sources from Kotaku shared similar information.

• IGN ☛ Microsoft Rumored to Be Killing Day One Games on Xbox Game Pass - IGN Daily Fix

  A rumored leak of new changes coming to Xbox Game Pass has the internet speculating on the future of the service. The biggest change reportedly coming is the loss of Day One games on the service, across all tiers. There will also be the introduction of a cheaper ad-supported tier, but online play, cloud streaming, and family accounts will all be extra add-ons. In other news, the CEO of Bulkhead, the developers of Wardogs, has defended development crunch by saying it's more of a 'balancing act,' by giving developers room to step back when things get too intense. The issue of crunch has plagued game development for decades as games, especially multi-million-dollar AAA games fall behind in development. And finally, Resident Evil direct Zach Cregger has just the actress in mind if he ever needs to cast for RE Village's Lady Dimitrescu.

• CBR ☛ Xbox Issues New Official Statement on Game Pass Day-One Releases [Ed: Beginning of the end ]

  Microsoft has released an official statement in response to growing rumors that a huge shake-up of Xbox Game Pass is coming in 2027, one that would remove day-one releases for first-party exclusives from the service entirely.

• So-Called 'Artificial Intelligence' ('AI') / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

  • International Business Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Voter Demands President Leave Office 'Right Now' After Hey Hi (AI) Posts and Says He Thinks His Supporters Are 'Stupid'

    A Fentanylware (CheeTok) creator who says they voted for The Insurrectionist has condemned the president's Truth Social posts about artificial intelligence, sparking wider criticism from supporters and opponents.

  • New York Times ☛ OpenAI Discloses Six New Incidents of ‘Concerning' Hey Hi (AI) Behavior

    The artificial intelligence company also released a framework for reporting when its systems go wrong.

• Social Control Media

  • The Straits Times ☛ Indonesian govt prepares fines in digital child safety rules

    Officials say social control media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Fentanylware (CheeTok) have yet to fully meet obligations.

Security

• Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

  • Bruce Schneier ☛ Fake CAPTCHA Scams

    New variant of an old scam: Use the framing of a CAPTCHA to get an unsuspecting user to download and run a malicious program.

• Confidentiality

  • BIA Net ☛ Turkish intelligence targets software firm over alleged misuse of public employees’ data

    The company, which got multiple public contracts over the years, reportedly provided access to previously leaked citizenship data.

Defence/Aggression

• The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia to invite Myanmar leader for official visit to spur Rohingya repatriation push

  He says diplomatic move is aimed at finding solution to issue many Malaysians are concerned about.

• New York Times ☛ In a Signal to Convicted Felon, Beijing Hosts Iranian Diplomat Ahead of U.S.-China Summit

  China renewed calls for an end to the fighting in the Middle East while demonstrating its influence over Tehran.

• CS Monitor ☛ Iran war is draining US military resources from Pacific and Asia

  Analysts warn that the U.S.-Iran war is syphoning vital ships, weapons, and troops from the Pacific, risking emboldening rivals China and North Korea.

• The Straits Times ☛ China opens major canal linking landlocked regions to sea

  The 134km Pinglu Canal took four years to build and links Nanning to the Gulf of Tonkin, flanked by China and Vietnam.

• Viral moment for Manila showcases South China Sea dispute, but status quo remains

  Experts say that increased awareness of Philippines’ legally-backed maritime claims may not yield concrete results.

• International Business Times ☛ China's 'Monster of Malan' Drone Could Be Bigger Than a B-2 as New Images Raise Stealth Questions

  New photographs provide the clearest view yet of China's enormous WZ-X drone, revealing unusual wing features associated with low observability while leaving its mission and capabilities unconfirmed.

• The Straits Times ☛ Former Philippines leader Duterte appears before ICC judges for first time in 18 months

  Judges heard arguments about his health and ability to stand trial.

• New York Times ☛ U.S. Intelligence Warns of China Theft Over Sale of F-35 Jets to Saudis

  Internal reports, including one from the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency, say China could acquire U.S. jet technology through spying or cooperation with Saudi Arabia.

• New York Times ☛ The Hidden Human Cost of Kim Jong-un’s New Power

  The North Korean leader’s financial and diplomatic leverage rests on the brutal exploitation of his own people, from coal miners to diplomats, at home and abroad.

• The Straits Times ☛ South Korean drug lord tried to flee from Philippine prison using heavy-duty drone: Reports

  He planned to strap himself to a large drone capable of carrying up to 75kg and fly over the prison.

• The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s top diplomat to meet Rubio amid US investment, Hormuz discussions

  Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will visit Washington from Sept 17 to 19.

• The Straits Times ☛ Kim Jong Un’s sister says only ‘idiots’ believe North Korea will give up nukes

  North Korea has legally enshrined its status as a nuclear weapons state.

• The Straits Times ☛ North Korea says US-led arms build-up justifies expanding nuclear force

  Pyongyang accused the US of turning trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan into a nuclear alliance.

• New York Times ☛ Kosovo’s Former Leader Is Sentenced to 25 Years in War Crimes Case

  A tribunal in The Hague found Hashim Thaci, who led Kosovo’s independence struggle in the 1990s, responsible for arbitrary detention, torture and murder.

• BIA Net ☛ Anti-LGBTI+ crackdown: Detention extended for 109 protesters amid ill-treatment allegations

  During detention procedures, police attempted to remove detainees' allegations of torture from their statements, a lawyer said.

• New York Times ☛ At Least 21 Dead in Gaza After Building Collapse, Officials Say

  The Israeli military said in a statement it “did not strike the building,” but did not say whether any strikes on nearby targets could have caused the damage.

• Tom's Hardware ☛ AWS tells clients to quit Middle East data centers six months after Iranian drone strikes — Amazon offers no recovery timeline as UAE mulls underground data centers [Updated]

  Amazon Web Services' data centers in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain were struck by drone attacks more than six months ago. Now, the company has told customers to move their data to other regions, and it has no details on when repair work will be completed.

• France24 ☛ Saudi Arabia accuses Houthis of targeting Mecca, calls it a 'red line'

  Saudi Arabia accused Yemen’s Houthis on Wednesday of launching an attack on the holy city of Mecca, which the Iran-backed rebels denied. Saudi Arabia, a US ally which has been the target of large-scale Houthi strikes since early September, declared Mecca a “red line” as it slid deeper into the new front of the Iran war.

• Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

  • PHR ☛ Increasing Russian Strikes on Medical Supply Warehouses Put Millions of Ukrainians at Risk: PHR

    Russian forces must immediately cease their mounting attacks on medical warehouses, transport, and distribution infrastructure, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) said today, following multiple strikes against medical supply facilities over twelve days that reportedly destroyed hundreds of metric tons of medicines and the storage capacity that Ukraine’s health system and population depends on.

  • France24 ☛ Russian drone strike on a passenger bus in Ukraine kills 5 people and wounds at least 7 others

    A Russian drone struck a passenger bus in southern Ukraine early Wednesday, killing five people and wounding at least seven. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack, the latest in a series of Russian strikes on civilian transportation, as an “atrocity.” France 24's Gulliver Cragg tells us more.

  • France24 ☛ Russia-Africa ties: Moscow's growing influence in Africa

    The third Russia-Africa Summit is due to bring African leaders to Moscow at the end of October, as ties between Russia and the continent continue to grow. The Kremlin has sought to expand its influence in Africa amid its isolation from the US and Europe, while African governments have pursued closer economic, diplomatic and security ties with Moscow.

    Russia has also sought to draw African recruits into its war in Ukraine. Four years after the invasion, Kyiv estimates that around 3,000 Africans have ended up fighting for Moscow on the front lines. We discuss Russia's growing ties with Africa and the recruitment of African fighters with journalist Noé Michalon.

  • LRT ☛ US charges 5 over alleged Kremlin-directed global network targeting Ukraine supporters

    The US Department of Justice on Tuesday charged five people with organising attacks and killings around the world, including in the United States and Lithuania, as part of a global network prosecutors say has operated on behalf of Russian intelligence services since at least 2024.

  • LRT ☛ Nausėda: drone shot down over Lithuania was Russian Gerbera headed for Ukraine

    A Russian-made Gerbera drone shot down over central Lithuania early Tuesday was apparently headed for Ukraine but veered off course after being affected by Ukrainian electronic warfare, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said Wednesday.

  • RFERL ☛ US Congress Passes Sweeping Russia Sanctions Bill, Sends It To Convicted Felon

    The US Congress on September 16 passed sweeping legislation targeting Russia and Iran, sending to President The Insurrectionist a sanctions package supporters say will increase pressure on Moscow and countries that help finance its war against Ukraine.

  • RFERL ☛ Russia Sanctions Bill Clears Another Hurdle, Heads Toward Final Vote In US Congress

    sweeping Russia sanctions bill championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham cleared a key procedural hurdle in the US House of Representatives on September 15, setting up a final vote on legislation that supporters say would increase pressure on Moscow and strengthen US support for Ukraine.

  • New York Times ☛ A Colorful Undercover Recording Spurs Fresh Outrage Over Graft in Ukraine

    A case about kickbacks has drawn attention in a country worried that corruption threatens the war effort, and its future.

  • LRT ☛ German FM says NATO will not be intimidated by Russia after drone downing in Lithuania

    NATO will not be intimidated by Russia, Germany’s foreign minister said Tuesday after Italian fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus.

  • RFERL ☛ US Charges 5 In Russian Intelligence Sabotage And Assassination Plot

    The US indictment targets five people, including two men linked to Russia's main intelligence agency, who plotted assassinations and sabotage in the United States and Europe.

  • New York Times ☛ Belarus Frees 25 Political Prisoners in Exchange for U.S. Sanctions Relief

    The deal is part of the Convicted Felon administration’s more transactional approach to a close Russian ally that Europe has tried to isolate.

  • New York Times ☛ Russia’s Election Result Won’t Be a Shock. What Comes Next Could Be.

    Russians are braced for what may follow for the military and economy after a parliamentary election that the Kremlin sees as a means of legitimizing its policies.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Russia taps North Korean workers to make drones under fake visas

    The move gave Pyongyang a key source of revenue to fund its unlawful weapons programmes.

  • LRT ☛ 25 Belarusian political prisoners arrive in Lithuania after US-brokered release

    Twenty-five political prisoners released from Belarus with US mediation arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday, Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry said.

  • LRT ☛ US to lift sanctions on 2 Belarusian companies, Minsk to release 25 political prisoners

    The United States will lift sanctions on two Belarusian companies after Belarus agreed to release 25 political prisoners, US President The Insurrectionist’s special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, said after talks in Minsk.

  • LRT ☛ Lithuanian defence minister says determining drone origin will take time

    An investigation into a drone shot down by NATO fighter jets after it entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus will take time as authorities work to identify the aircraft and determine its flight path and possible launch site, Lithuania’s defence minister said Wednesday.

  • RFERL ☛ Belarus Releases 25 Prisoners After Lukashenko's Latest Talks With US Envoy Coale

    US special envoy John Coale announced that 25 people were released from Belarusian prisons in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions on two Belarusian companies following his talks with the country’s longtime authoritarian leader, Aleksandr Lukashenko.

  • LRT ☛ Lithuanian MEP: Europe must stop being afraid to respond – opinion

    Russia’s hybrid war against Europe did not begin with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nor in recent years. The Kremlin intelligence services have been conducting hostile operations across Europe since Vladimir Putin came to power.

  • France24 ☛ Putin urges Russians to vote in parliamentary election as show of support for Ukraine war

    Russian President Vladimir ⁠Putin on Wednesday described voter turnout in the upcoming parliamentary election as a barometer of public support for Russia’s war against Ukraine and urged voters to go to the polls. It will be Russia's first parliamentary election since the Kremlin launched its offensive in February 2022.

  • France24 ☛ Live: Explosions shake Kyiv as US Congress advances new sanctions on Moscow

    The US House on Wednesday passed a broad package of sanctions targeting Russian officials and key pillars of its economy as lawmakers look to deprive President Vladimir Putin of the financial resources needed to wage the war against Ukraine. Loud explosions were heard across Kyiv overnight on Wednesday into Thursday as authorities issued a missile alert, an AFP journalist reported. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Transparency/Investigative Reporting/Whistleblowers

• RTE ☛ Garda whistleblowers come forward to RTÉ Investigates from inside the Garda Protect Disclosures Office

Environment

• Science Alert ☛ The Atlantic Just Broke a 60-Year Record

  A warning sign.

• Energy/Transportation

  • The Straits Times ☛ Families desperate for news as 129 still missing four days after capsize of ship in Indonesia’s Java Sea

    Six ships were deployed for a surface search, along with helicopters and aircraft.

• Wildlife/Nature

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Policy Address 2026: Greenpeace criticises lack of wetland protection in Northern Metropolis development plan

    Greenpeace Hong Kong has criticised plans for the Northern Metropolis development project, saying that the blueprint lacks protections for sensitive wetlands near the city’s border with mainland China. Details for the sprawling tech hub were unveiled in the Five-Year Plan (FYP) and annual Policy Address delivered by Chief Executive John Lee on Wednesday.

  • Science Alert ☛ Dinosaurs May Have Engineered Their Own Egg Incubators to Survive Cold Regions

    Craftier than you might think.

  • Science Alert ☛ Strange Creatures Seen Riding Giant Sea Spiders in The Midnight Ocean

    "Oh, sweet, my Uber is here."

  • The Straits Times ☛ Indonesia cash-for-photos scheme turns animal hunters into protectors

    The KentahiKu project deters hunting by making animals worth more alive than dead.

Finance

• Futurism ☛ Fear of Hey Hi (AI) Destroying Humanity Cause Certain Stocks to Skyrocket

  Looking at the big picture, as always.

• France24 ☛ US Federal Reserve defies Convicted Felon with interest rate hike

  The US Federal Reserve has raised its key interest rates for the first time in three years, as it seeks to bring down high inflation. The policy decision sets up a potential confrontation between Chairman Kevin Warsh and President The Insurrectionist, who has repeatedly called on the central bank to cut interest rates. Also in the show - France extends fuel subsidies as fishermens' protests gather momentum, and Hong Kong seeks to fall in line with Beijing's economic vision.

• CS Monitor ☛ In an effort to tamp down inflation, the Fed raises interest rates

  As the Iran war pushes up the price of fuel and food, experts say Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh had little choice but to raise interest rates for the first time in three years.

• New York Times ☛ Fed Raises Rates in First Major Step by Warsh to Contain Inflation

  The Federal Reserve’s first increase to interest rates since July 2023 comes less than two months before the midterm elections.

• The Straits Times ☛ South Korean retail investors lost $318 million from scams during stock swing

  The amount of money involved is up 19.8 per cent from January to June 2025, according to the data.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

• The Straits Times ☛ Japan PM reshuffles Cabinet, keeps key ministers, coalition ally gets post

  The reshuffle signalled prioritising continuity as Sanae Takaichi enters the second year of her premiership.

• The Straits Times ☛ Great powers should shoulder higher expectations from smaller countries: Chan Chun Sing

  Chan said overcoming the “security dilemma” requires countries to rethink what “winning” means.

• Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Macau begins first closed-door national security trial for former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San

  Macau was to start its first national security trial behind closed doors on Wednesday, in a case against a former pro-democracy lawmaker charged with subversion.

• France24 ☛ The 28th state? Carney's Canada draws closer to European Union

  With a US president who talks of making Canada the 51st state, its leader in Europe where it’s not quite the EU's 28th state on offer, but something the president of the European Commission is calling ‘associate membership’. We’ll ask what that means, how it differs from the close status afforded to the likes of Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the UK which Carney’s also visiting ahead of his own Strasbourg speech Thursday before the European Parliament.

• Ruben Schade ☛ When we didn’t know everyone’s politics

  Marco Arment wrote about a world in which he didn’t know the politics of his neighbours. He just knew they were friendly people who helped him out, and he responded in kind.

  It sounds profound, at least superficially. I smile at strangers on the street, open doors for everyone, and help parents with their prams onto trains, all without knowing what their personal politics are. I greet my neighbours in the morning on the way to work, wave at the postie, and tip my hat to the guy who makes my morning coffee. Some may agree with me, some may disagree, but we all get along.

• Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Policy Address 2026: Hong Kong to appoint Hey Hi (AI) commissioner and consider deepfake laws – leader John Lee

    The Hong Kong government will appoint an artificial intelligence (AI) chief and study the implementation of laws tackling the use of deepfake technology, leader John Lee has announced in his annual Policy Address.

Censorship/Free Speech

• France24 ☛ Ed Sheeran's tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore

  Ed Sheeran's tour of North and South America has been roiled by the decision this week to drop Macklemore as an opener because of the rapper's onstage pro-Palestinian comments. Since then, all of Sheeran's other supporting acts have dropped out, including a group that plays with Sheeran during part of the show. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis speaks with David Jackson, Professor of Political Science at Bowling Green State University.

• New York Times ☛ How Ed Sheeran’s Tour Turned Into a Clash Over Palestinians and Antisemitism

  Four supporting acts dropped out of Sheeran’s tour, citing the right to free speech after the rapper Macklemore was removed over pro-Palestinian comments he had made onstage.

• Digital Music News ☛ Scalpers Selling Ed Sheeran Loop Tour Tickets at a Loss Amid Macklemore Fallout

  Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour continues, even without his opening acts, and now tickets are being sold online at a significant loss.

Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

• Press Gazette ☛ Journalism job cuts in 2026 tracked: Latest from Reach, McClatchy, Channel 4

Civil Rights / Policing / Accessibility

• International Business Times ☛ Steven Tyler Sexual Assault Lawsuit Rocked by Second Judge Exit Less Than Two Weeks Before Trial

  Steven Tyler's lawsuit with Julia Misley faces renewed uncertainty after Judge Patricia A. Young recused herself, leaving a remaining claim and the planned trial date unresolved

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

• APNIC ☛ [Podcast] ‘Just say no’ isn’t as simple as you think

  A continuation of the discussion on surplus DNS queries seen at APNIC Labs, the implications of how you say 'no', and the transport used for the DNS

• New York Times ☛ Cat Frazier, Whose Retro GIFs Celebrated a Weirder Internet, Dies at 35

  She found a future in the internet’s past with a Tumblr blog of animated texts, a revolt against the clean minimalism of contemporary design aesthetics.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Digital Music News ☛ Federal Judge Forces StubHub Ticket Broker Class Action Lawsuit Into Arbitration

  Just like that, another would-be class action complaint – filed this time against StubHub over its CEO’s alleged ties to a ticket-resale fund – is heading to arbitration. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff granted StubHub’s motion to compel arbitration in a single-page order, besides staying the two-month-old case pending the process’s completion.

• New York Times ☛ Judge Orders Data Sharing and Other Fixes to Solve Google’s Ad Tech Monopoly

  The measures, which fall short of a breakup demanded by the government, effectively ensure that the tech titan’s business will continue largely unscathed.

• Patents

  • Digital Music News ☛ Disctopia Granted Patent to Tie Creator Payouts to Verified Listening

    Disctopia was granted a US patent monopoly covering its ability to tie creator payouts to verified listening across music, podcasts, audiobooks, and video. Streaming fraud continues to plague artists trying to make their fair share of the payout pool, and it’s getting even worse as artificial intelligence improves.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ The Federal Circuit Extends Sanho to the Section 102(b)(1)(B) Grace Period

    Federal Circuit extends Sanho to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1)(B): NCS Multistage's private AirLock sale was no public disclosure, so a rival's sale is prior art.

• Copyrights

  • Public Domain Review ☛ Veronese's Dogs

    “Oh, if I could only pray”, Luther once said of his dog Tölpel, “the way this dog watches the meat”. Attending to attentive canine figures in half a dozen paintings by Paolo Veronese, Thomas W. Laqueur explores the work of an artist whose love of dogs landed him in hot water with the Inquisition.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Cyril Vetter Formally Opposes the Major Labels’ ‘Off Base’ Supreme Court Appeal Amid High-Stakes Copyright Recapture Showdown

    Songwriter Cyril Vetter is firing back against the major labels’ aggressive push to bring their high-stakes copyright monopoly recapture case before the Supreme Court.

• Gemini* and Gopher

  • Personal/Opinions

    • Warm people, not spaces

      When I was a child we didn't have central heating until I was about 10, just a fireplace in the living room, burning coal. All the other rooms, including the bedrooms and the bathrooms were unheated.