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Updated 2024-04-20 02:32
NASA Is Still Fighting To Save Its Historic Voyager 1 Spacecraft
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
OpenAI CEO Altman Wasn't Fired Because of Scary New Tech, Just Internal Politics
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/03/openai-ceo-sam-altmans-conduct-did-not-mandate-removal-says-independent-review/
Low Voice Pitch Increases Standing Among Strangers
hubie writes:Modern voice preferences among wide cross-cultural sample clarifies evolutionary origins, with lower pitches seen as more attractive and formidable:
Hidden 'Star' Sand Dune Mystery Solved by Ancient Find
taylorvich writes:https://phys.org/news/2024-03-hidden-star-sand-dune-mystery.html
Attack Wrangles Thousands Of Web Users Into A Password-Cracking Botnet
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
What Makes Birds So Smart?
taylorvich writes:https://phys.org/news/2024-03-birds-smart.html
The Chinese Are Planning to Replace All American Technology
anubi writes:It's well known, Americans don't trust Chinese IT hardware. Well, guess what?They don't trust ours either!https://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-technology-software-delete-america-2b8ea89fCan you blame them? It's got to the point I trust an Arduino - that I personally program - far more than anything out there.I believe computers also follow the "Peter Principle". Each new update becomes more and more encrusted with layers of fix code that no matter how fast the CPU runs, or how much memory one has, the "attack surface" grows so immense that deliberately hiding secret backdoors and "sleeper cell" code makes vetting trusted code nearly impossible.https://html.duckduckgo.com/html?q=peter%20principleSo the Chinese don't trust American IT. Gee, I don't trust it either!I am sure the Chinese are really fed up with all the nebulous terms, conditions, disclaimers, hold harmless, copyright violation threats, and the risk of being given the Roku treatment, with contracts written in such a manner they can be changed after payment clears, enforced by code, then forcing whatever terms to continue or consider the investment in the proprietary technology a sunk cost.If you need it done right, learn to do it yourself, or forever be under the control of someone else who does.Another thing ... If you are strong enough, you can dictate the rules of the game tooOriginal SubmissionRead more of this story at SoylentNews.
Euro-Cloud Consortium Issues Ultimatum to Microsoft
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Some Teachers Are Now Using ChatGPT to Grade Papers
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/03/some-teachers-are-now-using-chatgpt-to-grade-papers/
Intel Inches Closer To $3.5B Military Chip Contract
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Non-Profit Builds Site To Track Surging AI Mishaps
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Living With the Ghost of a Smart Home's Past
owl writes:https://www.theverge.com/24073300/smart-home-new-house-old-tech
The FBI’s New Tactic: Catching Suspects with Push Alerts
fliptop writes:The ubiquitous phone feature has powered a surveillance technique used to catch suspected kidnappers and pedophiles. It's also fueled fears of a 'privacy nightmare' at a time when abortion is criminalized:
Ransomware Halts Production At Belgian Beer Brewery Duvel
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
A Giant Piece of Space Station Trash Will Crash to Earth this Weekend
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Scientists Figure Out Why Labrador Retrievers Can Never Eat Enough
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Messy ToS Update Allegedly Locks Roku Devices Until Users Give In
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Bruce Perens Solicits Comments on First Draft of a Post-Open License
canopic jug writes:Bruce Perens is working on licensing for a new, post-Open Source era to take open source licensing past the apparent stalling point it has reached on its way towards software freedom. As he noted earlier, current licenses are not meeting that goal and businesses have either found loophole or just plain been allowed to ignore the licensing. A move more towards a contract is needed.
Microsoft Accused of Selling AI Tool That Spews Violent, Sexual Images to Kids
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/03/microsoft-accused-of-selling-ai-tool-that-spews-violent-sexual-images-to-kids/
Threatened in Their Homeland, Feral Mexican Parrots Thrive on LA's Exotic Landscaping
taylorvich writes:https://phys.org/news/2024-03-threatened-homeland-feral-mexican-parrots.html
Switch Emulator Makers Agree to Pay $2.4 Million to Settle Nintendo Lawsuit
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/03/switch-emulator-makers-agree-to-pay-2-4-million-to-settle-nintendo-lawsuit/
The Comet Strike Theory That Just Won’t Die
An Anonymous Coward writes:Science, or New Age Apocalyptics? You decide.
Bus Pirate v5 Released
Unixnut writes:After 5 years of development by dangerousprototypes, a new version of Bus Pirate has been released for sale. An open source universal bus interfacing device, the previous versions have proven themselves useful for reverse engineering, debugging, restoring bricked devices and flashing the libreboot open source bios on your machines.Original SubmissionRead more of this story at SoylentNews.
Producing More but Understanding Less: The Risks of AI for Scientific Research
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/03/producing-more-but-understanding-less-the-risks-of-ai-for-scientific-research/
Bumblebees Surprise Scientists With Advanced Social Learning Skills
taylorvich writes:https://phys.org/news/2024-03-bumblebees-scientists-advanced-social-skills.html
Ex-Twitter Executives Sue Musk for Unpaid Severance
canopic jug writes:Multiple sites are reporting that the former Twitter (now called X but not that X) executives who were apparently stiffed on severance pay are now suing Elon Musk over the missing severance pay.
Butterflies Mimic Each Other's Flight Behavior to Avoid Predators
taylorvich writes:https://phys.org/news/2024-02-butterflies-mimic-flight-behavior-predators.html
It Turns Out That Odysseus Landed on the Moon Without Any Altimetry Data
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/02/it-turns-out-that-odysseus-landed-on-the-moon-without-any-altimetry-data/
Sugar-Reduced Chocolate With Oat Flour Just as Tasty as Original, Study Finds
hubie writes:In a blind taste test 25% reduced-sugar chocolates made with oat flour were rated equally, and in some cases preferred, to regular chocolate:
Spain Tells Sam Altman, Worldcoin to Shut Down its Eyeball-Scanning Orbs
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/03/spain-tells-sam-altman-worldcoin-to-shut-down-its-eyeball-scanning-orbs/
SN Funding Secure
So, just a follow up. According to matt, we got around $2,000 USD right now in the PBC overnight, and there are still more payments processing. I paid the Linode bill this morning. So, funding problem: solved. We should be set for the foreseeable future as far as money goes!Seriously guys, you stepped up, and I am thankful. Since I'm here, a quick update on what's going on: Right now, we're mostly just waiting for paperwork to go through as far as handing the site to a newly-created, not-for-profit. It's slow work and I'm not directly involved, but I've seen that there has been a fair number of articles on the subject so I'm pretty happy that everyone is aware of what's going on.I could write more, but I think I'm going to keep this short and sweet for now. Once I have a final total, I'll post it.- NAddition: We have been asked if people can donate anonymously without having an account. The answer is "Yes". Click the subscription link and then make a gift subscription to another account (It defaults to NCommander but you can choose any account). Pay via stripe using an anonymous username.Read more of this story at SoylentNews.
Oregon OKs Right-to-Repair Bill That Bans the Blocking of Aftermarket Parts
owl writes:https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/03/oregon-oks-right-to-repair-bill-that-bans-the-blocking-of-aftermarket-parts/
New Anaconda Species Said to be Largest Ever Found
upstart writes:New anaconda species said to be largest ever found during filming of Will Smith docuseries:
I Used Generative AI to Turn My Story Into a Comic
upstart writes:I used generative AI to turn my story into a comic:I wonder how much actual, published short stories (think aimed at 4-year olds) would match the generated stories' images' match?
Desktop GNU/Linux Surpasses 4% Market Share
canopic jug writes:Linuxiac has noticed that desktop GNU/Linux has surpassed 4% global market share. This is notable for two reasons. First, it is notable because the move from 3% to 4% took months and not years. Second, there are so many barriers to getting Linux on the desktop that this is a substantial change.
Exposure to Different Kinds of Music Influences How the Brain Interprets Rhythm
taylorvich writes:https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-exposure-kinds-music-brain-rhythm.html
One Way to Improve a Fusion Reaction: Use Weaknesses as Strengths
taylorvich writes:https://phys.org/news/2024-03-fusion-reaction-weaknesses-strengths.html
European Commission Has Fined Apple Over €1.8 Billion Over Anti-Trust Violations
canopic jug writes:Some sites are reporting on the European Commission's enforcement of anti-trust regulations against Apple over their abuse of their app store. The European Commission has fined Apple over 1.8 billion for abuse of its app store for having placed restrictions over the last decade on app developers to prevent them from even informing iOS users about alternative, cheaper music subscription services, a restriction which is illegal.
Funding for SoylentNews is Critical
So, in the background, the owners of the PBC have been working with staff to get the site moved over to a new legal entity and continue operations. This process is moving slowly, but it is moving, with the expectation that we should be able to fully hand off SN in the next month or so. However, the PBC has burned through its cash reserves, and we have an overdue Linode bill as is for $268 USD. I could write more, but the tl;dr, without money, SN will disappear off the Internet.Most of the subscriptions understandably stopped due to the uncertainty with site ownership and management. However, we're not able to pay the bills with the trickle coming in. At this point, everyone involved has agreed with and are working towards a solution to move SN to a not-for-profit and 501(c)3, but we do need the communities financial support to get there. If we can raise $500 USD via subscriptions, direct donations, or other means, that would keep the site up past May. As such, if you have let your subscription lapse, or otherwise are able to support SN, please do so now.Any funds raises will be donated to the *new* NFP as soon as it is able to accept funds. We'll run an update if/when we reach our funding goal.- NCommanderRead more of this story at SoylentNews.
Study Finds Daily Fiber Supplement Improves Older Adults' Brain Function in Just 12 Weeks
taylorvich writes:https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-daily-fiber-supplement-older-adults.html
Gastrointestinal Disease Explodes in Elementary School; 773 Kids Out
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/02/gastrointestinal-disease-explodes-in-ala-elementary-school-773-kids-out/
An Observation of Sexual Behavior Between Two Male Humpback Whales
c0lo writes:humpback-whales-sex-photographed-homosexual-behavior - The Guardian
Rainproof Water Striders
taylorvich writes:https://physics.aps.org/articles/v17/33
Google is Blocking RCS (Rich Communication Services) on Rooted Android Devices
upstart writes:Users with rooted phones have reported being unable to send or receive RCS messages on the platform:
Massive Reserve of Helium Found by Minnesota Exploratory Drill
upstart writes:Massive Reserve of Helium Found by Minnesota Exploratory Drill, Likely the Biggest Find Ever in North America:
VISA and Biometric Authentication
anubi writes:Looks like VISA credit card has developed a way of storing biometric data on our cellphones, then use that as an authenticator.https://reclaimthenet.org/visa-applies-for-biometric-authentication-patentWhat could possibly go wrong here?I guess I am really leery of cellphone security and app resilience. Is it so complex that it's too finicky to use? Does it require a good internet connection to work? ( Can you hear me now? ), or maybe it's based on QR codes?I have been wrestling with a fast-food burger app over login issues. I am quite jaded over trusting anything I have to log on to to get a fresh timeout permission. For this, all I am risking is the cost of a trip to the restaurant vs. the liklihood the coupon offer will still work when I present at the register. ( The Wendy's Story already discussed here ).How much impact would a denial-of-service cause for you? How robust is this technology. I've already seen the most expensive cars shut down for the most trivial crap. That's why I drive an old one made before their design became enshittified.Cut n paste snippets below.Read more of this story at SoylentNews.
How 40Hz Sensory Gamma Rhythm Stimulation Clears Amyloid in Alzheimer's Mice
taylorvich writes:https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-40hz-sensory-gamma-rhythm-amyloid.html
Dark Forces Remastered Makes a Classic Star Wars Shooter Feel Fast and Fluid
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/02/dark-forces-remastered-makes-a-classic-star-wars-shooter-feel-fast-and-fluid/
HP Wants You to Pay Up to $36/Month to Rent a Printer That It Monitors
Freeman writes:https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/hp-wants-you-to-pay-up-to-36-month-to-rent-a-printer-that-it-monitors/
A 12 mm Fish Produces 140-Decibel Sound to Communicate in Turbid Waters
taylorvich writes:https://phys.org/news/2024-02-mm-fish-decibel-communicate-turbid.html
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