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● Links 01/02/2023: Security Problems, Unrest, and More

Posted in News Roundup at 9:36 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Audiocasts/Shows

=> ↺ 49: From the Ashes

• This week, Linux Out Loud chats about open-source projects rising from the ashes. Welcome to episode 49 of Linux Out Loud. We fired up our mics, connected those headphones as we searched the community for themes to expound upon. We kept the banter friendly, the conversation somewhat on topic, and had fun doing it.

=> ↺ 404.5 – 2022 Distro Rundown

• This week in our Innards, We do a rundown of our favorite distros of 2022In “Check This Out” we talk about a graphical tool Londoner shared that makes light work of scheduling a shutdown or reboot. Moss shares his experience with the Flatpak of a favorite game of his; and we share an article postulating the death of Unix.

• Download

Graphics Stack

=> ↺ Mike Blumenkrantz: Fastlink

• I previously wrote a post talking about some optimization work that’s been done with RADV to improve fast-link performance. As promised, that wasn’t the end of the story. Today’s post will be a bit different, however, as I’ll be assuming all the graphics experts in the audience are already well-versed in all the topics I’m covering.

Applications

=> ↺ Best Linux Software for Kids: Apps, Distros, and Games

• Linux is a very powerful operating system, which is why it powers most of the servers on the Internet. While this OS may not have a reputation for popular games such as FIFA or PES, it offers the best educational software and games for kids. These are eight of the best Linux educational software to keep your kids ahead of the game.

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ How to Enable Minimize button in Elementary OS 7 App Windows

• Elementary OS 7 is based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. It was released on Tuesday with many improvements on its core applications as well as desktop experience.

=> ↺ How to Install WP-CLI on Linux for WordPress

• Managing a WordPress website can be a time-consuming and complex task. From updating plugins and themes to creating backups and managing databases, many tasks must be performed regularly to keep your website running smoothly. This is where WP-CLI comes in.

=> ↺ Running a Crontab as www-data User in Linux

• In a Linux system, the cron daemon is used to execute scheduled commands or scripts. By default, cron jobs run as the root user. However, sometimes it is necessary to run cron jobs as a non-root user, such as the www-data user.

=> ↺ A Quick Reference Guide to Uptime Command in Linux

• The uptime command in Linux is a simple utility that displays the system uptime or the amount of time that the system has been running since its last reboot.

=> ↺ Install Duplicity on Ubuntu: A Quick and Easy Guide

• Backing up data is one of the most critical duties for a system admin. As such, one must be well-versed in software that can ease data backing up. Not only must an admin be aware of data backing, but also, as an individual, you must be able to back up your data without struggle. One of the most renowned backup tools that will help you do this is Duplicity.

=> ↺ How to renew Let’s Encrypt certificate on Ubuntu

• Access to a reliable and secure online environment is no longer a luxury. Nothing seems impossible now that the internet connects all corners of the globe. The internet and its numerous protocols have spurred the creation of e-learning, video conferencing, gaming, and other platforms that link people from all over the world. Regardless of how much we laud the internet, its legitimacy is meaningless without security.

=> ↺ How To Install Wine from Source Code on Debian-based System

• As an avid user of Windows programs, you might have found that at times you need to use a particular program on your Ubuntu system.

=> ↺ Silencing the Noise: A Guide to Redirecting Output to /dev/null in Linux

• If the unnecessary output of your script bothers you, dump it to /dev/null. While developing a script to automate a task, you might find that the output is printed even though it actually doesn’t require it at all, and because of this, your terminal becomes crowded with unneeded text.

=> ↺ How To Install Discourse on Rocky Linux 9

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Discourse on Rocky Linux 9.

=> ↺ How To Install Zeek Network Security Monitor on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Zeek Network Security Monitor on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. For those of you who didn’t know, Zeek, formerly known as Bro, is a free and open-source software network security monitor.

=> ↺ Download elementary OS 7, Verify Its Checksum, and Install It on Computer

=> ↺ How To Make Course Marketing Flyer with LibreOffice Writer

• This tutorial will help you create course marketing using LibreOffice Writer. This can also be used for other marketing purposes such as culinary and medical. We have already prepared the pictures and text and you can download them then try the exercises at home step by step to achieve the final product. We make this as avid users of Ubuntu and fans of Canonical. Happy writing!

=> ↺ [Fixed] bash: add-apt-repository: command not found

• If you get the message “bash: add-apt-repository: command not found” while trying to use the add-apt-repository command in Ubuntu, it means that the software-properties-common package that has this command is not installed on your system.

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to fix this error by installing the software-properties-common package.

=> ↺ How to Install and Set Up Headless Linux Server

• A vast majority of Linux users are familiar with a Linux desktop PC which provides a graphical environment with which you can interact with the system. However, unlike a Linux desktop, a headless server is an operating system that runs without a GUI (Graphical User Environment).

• It is installed on hardware that is not connected to any peripheral device such as a monitor, keyboard, or mouse during its operation (although these are required during the initial setup).

=> ↺ [Fixed] Http Error Uploading Image to WordPress

• “HTTP Error when uploading image to WordPress” is a common issue faced by many WordPress users. This error message appears when you try to upload an image to your WordPress site and can be frustrating as it prevents you from adding images to your posts or pages. The good news is that there are several methods you can use to resolve this issue.

• In this article, we will discuss some of the most common reasons for the “HTTP Error” message and provide step-by-step instructions on how to fix it. By the end of this tutorial, you should have a clear understanding of how to resolve this error and successfully upload images to your WordPress site.

=> ↺ useradd Vs. adduser

• Linux is a popular open-source operating system that runs on a variety of hardware platforms, including desktops, servers, and smartphones. One of the key features of Linux is the command-line interface (CLI), which allows users to perform a wide range of tasks using text-based commands.

• In this article, we’ll discuss the two commonly used commands for managing users in Linux, useradd and adduser. While they perform similar functions, they have some important differences that are important to understand.

• useradd is a standard Linux command that is used to create new user accounts. It is available in all popular distributions of Linux, including Red Hat, Fedora, and Debian. The syntax for the useradd command is straightforward and easy to use. For example, to create a new user account with the username “sandy”, you would use the following command:

• This will create a new user account with the default settings, including the default home directory, shell, and group. To customize the user account, you can use additional options with the useradd command. For example, to specify a different home directory, you can use the -d option:useradd -d /home/sandy sandy

Games

=> ↺ Big new Stable Update for Steam Deck and Desktop Steam

• Valve has today released a major update for the Steam client on Steam Deck and for Desktop users too. There’s absolutely masses new including small new features, along with plenty of bug fixes to make the experience smoother overall, as usual a whole bunch of it is shared between Desktop and Steam Deck.

=> ↺ These were the most popular Steam Deck games for January 2023

• Valve has done their monthly thing, giving out a list of what was the most played games on Steam Deck through January 2023. Yes it’s already February, no I can’t believe it either.

=> ↺ Ubisoft just broke their games on Linux desktop and Steam Deck

• Update 21:17: Looks like Proton developers have updated the “bleeding-edge” Beta for Proton Experimental, that works around the issue. Note: using it can cause other issues, the Beta doesn’t have a lot of testing, you’ve been warned.

=> ↺ Proton Hotfix improves Dead Space, Proton Experimental tweak for Tiny Tina’s Wonderland

• In addition to the below, Valve did another Proton Experimental update after some recent Ubisoft Connect breakage I highlighted that includes:

=> ↺ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past gets a reverse-engineered clone

• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, the 1991 classic from Nintendo has been reverse-engineered to bring it natively to more platforms. Nintendo are no doubt warming up their lawyers. Available on GitHub under the MIT license, it notes the game is fully playable from start to finish and it does need the original ROM for the resources, so it doesn’t include the copyrighted assets.

=> ↺ Latest Steam Client Update Enables New Big Picture Mode by Default, Adds Linux Fixes

• The biggest change in the new Steam Client update is the enablement of the new Big Picture mode, the one that resembles Steam Deck‘s UI, by default. So, after this update, say goodbye to the old Big Picture mode and welcome the new and fancy one on your Steam for Linux client.

• Those who don’t like the new Big Picture mode will still be able to access the old one by using the -oldbigpicture command-line option. However, Valve noted the fact that the old Big Picture mode will be removed for good in a future update.

Desktop Environments/WMs

=> ↺ Budgie 10.7 sounds like a great desktop to use on Linux

• Budgie 10.7 is out now, refreshing many parts of this Linux desktop environment to improve the UI across many parts. Originally created for the Solus Linux distribution, nowadays it lives as an independent project and continues to impress.

=> ↺ Xfce’s Apps Update for January 2023: New Releases of Thunar, Xfce Panel, and Whisker Menu

• The January 2023 issue of my exclusive “Xfce’s Apps Update” monthly roundup is here to inform fans of the lightweight Xfce desktop environment about the latest releases of their favorite Xfce apps, plugins, tools, and more.

• January 2023 was quite busy for the Xfce developers as they kicked off the development cycle of the next major release of the desktop environment, Xfce 4.20, which will finally bring Wayland support. As expected, the Xfce 4.20 development cycle takes place under the Xfce 4.19 umbrella, and several components are already available for early adopters.

Distributions and Operating Systems

New Releases

=> ↺ elementary OS 7 ‘Horus’ is out now with major AppCenter upgrades

• elementary OS, probably one of the absolutely slickest looking Linux distributions around, has released version 7 with some major upgrades.

BSD

=> ↺ DShield Honeypot Setup with pfSense, (Tue, Jan 31st)

• I recently decided to update my home router and thought it was a great opportunity to dig into using pfSense

=> ↺ OpenZFS – Auditing for Storage Performance

• OpenZFS and storage in general is a complex and important part of any project’s architecture. It should be planned thoughtfully and ideally, ahead of time! In this article, we’ll talk about how to understand, measure, and plan for your storage performance needs.

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ Set up GitLab CI and GitLab Runner to configure Ansible automation controller

=> ↺ Red Hat gives an ARM up to OpenShift Kubernetes operations

• Red Hat announced the general availability of OpenShift 4.12, bringing new capabilities to its hybrid cloud application delivery platform.

Debian Family

=> ↺ Sparky news 2023/01

• The 1st monthly Sparky project and donate report of the 2023…

=> ↺ Simon Josefsson: Apt Archive Transparency: debdistdiff & apt-canary

• I’ve always found the operation of apt software package repositories to be a mystery. There appears to be a lack of transparency into which people have access to important apt package repositories out there, how the automatic non-human update mechanism is implemented, and what changes are published.

=> ↺ Jonathan McDowell: Enabling retrogaming with Kodi on Debian

• For some reason my son has started to be really into watching playthroughs of Mario and similar games on Youtube. I don’t understand the appeal, but it’s less distracting as background than Paw Patrol, so I’m not complaining. He’s not quite at the stage he’s ready to play the games himself, but it’s coming. So I figured it would be neat to sort out some retrogaming bits ready for when that happens.

Canonical/Ubuntu Family

=> ↺ 8 Discontinued Ubuntu Features and Products You May Have Missed

•  Ubuntu has been around since 2004. During that time, Canonical has experimented with a number of Ubuntu-specific features and Ubuntu-related products. Some are still around, while others have faded with time.

• Here are some nuggets of Ubuntu’s past to tickle your nostalgia. Some no longer serve a purpose. Others may make you yearn for what could have been.

=> ↺ Julian Andres Klode: Ubuntu 2022v1 secure boot key rotation and friends

• This is the story of the currently progressing changes to secure boot on Ubuntu and the history of how we got to where we are.

=> ↺ Multipass 1.11 brings enhanced performance for Linux on Mac and Windows | Ubuntu

• Multipass 1.11 is here!

• This release has some particularly interesting features that we’ve been wanting to ship for a while now. We’re excited to share them with you!

Devices/Embedded

=> ↺ Arduino Plant Watering Kit combines Nano RP2040 Connect with moisture sensor and submersible pump

• Arduino Plant Watering Kit content: Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect board (ABX00053) with Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCU, ESP32 module for WiFi, and Bluetooth LE connectivity.

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Fresh Android 13 Beta Build Hits Pixel Phones

=> ↺ Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 is now available for Google Pixel smartphones

=> ↺ Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 has arrived for Google Pixel phones

=> ↺ Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 now available for Pixel phones

=> ↺ Samsung making XR device powered by Android and Qualcomm

=> ↺ People are only just realizing there’s an Android feature that makes getting deliveries so much easier | The US Sun

=> ↺ Six fake Android apps to be aware of or risk losing thousands from your bank account | The Sun

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

=> ↺ A guide to fuzzy queries with Apache ShardingSphere

• Apache ShardingSphere is an open source distributed database and an ecosystem users and developers need for their databases to provide a customized and cloud-native experience. Its latest release contains many new features, including data encryption integrated with existing SQL workflows. Most importantly, it allows fuzzy queries of the encrypted data.

=> ↺ What’s your community thinking pattern?

• This article is the second and final part of a discussion of the research by Dave Logan, Bob King, and Halee Fischer-Wright.  If you haven’t read the first part yet, you can do so here. These researchers defined five cultural thinking patterns in communities. In part one, I explained the first three of five thinking patterns. These communities are 20-150 people. I also suggested the responsibilities of an introducer-in-chief. This environmental thinking also refers to how the group behaves and how members talk to each other. To the researchers, each pattern has a identifying perspective:

• In this article, I continue with their impressions of community thinking pattern #4 and conclude with thinking pattern #5 (the most optimistic).

=> ↺ The Danger of Focusing on Specs

• Many years ago I was a sysadmin for a medium-sized tech company, and a fringe benefit of that role was getting first choice at stacks of “obsolete” computers that were about to be thrown away. They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and that is even truer when the first man ran Windows, but you run Linux. It has long been known among the Linux community that a Windows computer that was “too slow to use” and about to be thrown away, could be transformed into a brand new computer simply by installing Linux on it. While my Windows-using colleagues were replacing computers every two or three years as they grew slower and slower with age, I found my Linux-using friends and myself were often using the same hardware (even second-hand hardware) for at least twice as long. Even when I replaced hardware with something new, I found that the old hardware still performed, for the most part, as well as it did when I started using it. The hardware specs didn’t matter nearly as much as the software that ran on it.

• Even today, many people still fall into the trap of relying solely on specs to gauge whether hardware is “fast” or “slow” and forgetting the giant role software has to play in performance. Both hardware and software companies incentivize this mentality, as it means more frequent sales for hardware vendors, and customers who are more likely to blame their “old” hardware than bloated software for poor performance. In this article I will discuss some of the consequences that come when you only assess hardware by specs.

=> ↺ Call for Community-Led Tracks at FOSSY

• We’re looking for organizers who can give us a really good idea of what we can expect from their track. The description should give a detailed explanation of the topic, ideally along with some of the issues you expect to cover. Example talks you expect, what kind of audience are you aiming for, and how this topic fits into the larger FOSS ecosystem are good things to mention.

Events

=> ↺ PGConf.BE 2023: Call for Papers & Sponsors

• Announcing the Belgian PostgreSQL Conference

• PGConf.be 2023is the third Belgian PostgreSQL conference in Haasrode, Leuven.

• The conference will take place onMay 12th, 2023. Registration for the conference will be opened later.

• TheCall for Papersis open until March 30th. Submit your talks by mail with the subject ‘I love Elephants’.

• The Call for Sponsors is open onpgconf.be

• See you in Leuven in May!

=> ↺ PostgreSQL Conference Germany 2023

• PGConf.de 2023 is the next iteration of the German PostgreSQL Conference. It takes place in the “Haus der Technik” in Essen.

• https://2023.pgconf.de/

• The conference will take place on June 27th, 2023.

• Registration for the conference will be possible well in advance. Talks will be in German or English language. Tickets must be purchased online. For sponsors, we have put together a package that includes among other things, a number of free tickets.

• The Call for Papers is open now:www.postgresql.eu/events/pgconfde2023/callforpapers/

• Note that this event takes place in the same week asSwiss PGDay 2023. As a speaker you should be able to travel from one conference to the other in the day between the two conferences.

• See you in Essen in June 2023!

Web Browsers/Web Servers

Mozilla

=> ↺ Mozilla: How to talk to kids about the news

• As the father of a teenager, I find myself worrying – and not just about their grades and how quickly they’re growing up. Dating? Driver’s permit? I’m not ready for this! I also worry about how my child, through the internet, is experiencing the world at a much quicker pace than I did.

Productivity Software/LibreOffice/Calligra

=> ↺ OnlyOffice Desktop Editors 7.3.0 Released! Native Dialogs & Better Flatpak/Snap Support

• OnlyOffice announced the new 7.3.0 release for its desktop editors office suite one day ago. For Linux users, the new release now use native dialog windows (e.g., file manager and print).

Programming/Development

=> ↺ Dev snapshot: Godot 4.0 beta 17

• We’re now just days away from the Release Candidate, working at full capacity on finalizing as many of the remaining high priority issues as we can. This beta adds audio blending in AnimationTree, fixes GDScript typed arrays, and refactors high quality texture import to enable ASTC support.

=> ↺ Serializing IPs quickly in C++

• On the Internet, we often use 32-bit addresses which we serialize as strings such as 192.128.0.1. The string corresponds to the Integer address 0xc0800001 (3229614081 in decimal). How might you serialize, go from the integer to the string, efficiently in C++?

Standards/Consortia

=> ↺ Norwegian consortium targets maritime hydrogen value chain

• A new Norwegian consortium has set sights on developing a complete hydrogen value chain for the maritime sector.

Leftovers

=> ↺ Who gets to be a tech entrepreneur in China?

• We live in an age where the concept of being an entrepreneur is increasingly broad. It’s often hard to slot occupations—hosting a podcast, driving for Uber, even having an OnlyFans account—into the traditional definitions of employment vs. entrepreneurship. Of course, this is not a strictly Western phenomenon; it’s happening all over the world.

Science

=> ↺ Gripping like geckos: Stanford lab develops the world’s “stickiest non-sticky” material

• Stanford’s Biomimetics and Dexterous Manipulation Lab has developed a dry adhesive tape inspired by gecko feet. The adhesive was recently featured in an informational video on the popular YouTube channel Veritasium.

Education

=> ↺ Did Ron DeSantis Really Just Change the AP African American Studies Curriculum?

• The College Board says these changes were already in the works. But even if that’s true, they may have just opened a new front in the culture wars.

=> ↺ After Repeatedly Opposing Marijuana Banking Reform, Cory Booker Says It Is Urgently Needed

• The senator bemoans the “cannabis crisis” he helped maintain by blocking the SAFE Banking Act.

Hardware

=> ↺ Intel lowers manager and executive pay after earnings miss

=> ↺ My tablet history log: a listing of all the tablet I tested since 2002 (update: 2023)

• This article details my experience with all the graphic tablets I used since 2002. This article started a decade ago and receives constant updates and new paragraph along the years of practise

=> ↺ Datacenter And Xilinx Power Through In Q4 And Beyond For AMD

• Imagine, if you will, how troublesome AMD’s chip business would be at the end of 2022 had it not decided way back in 2015 to re-enter the datacenter with its Epyc processors.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ Golf tournament on China’s Hainan Island cancelled over ‘ongoing Covid-related matters’

• The Blue Bay LPGA tournament in China has been cancelled for the third time in four years because of “ongoing Covid-related matters”, tour organisers said Wednesday.

=> ↺ Coronavirus Fact-Check #17: Masks STILL Don’t Work

• Both the US and UK have seen the (attempted) re-introduction of facemask mandates amid “surging Covid cases” in the New Year.

=> ↺ Pluralistic: Johnson and Johnson’s bankruptcy gambit fails (01 Feb 2023)

• The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has foiled Johnson & Johnson’s plan to use a bankruptcy scam called the Texas Two-Step to escape paying 40,000 women who were injured when the pharma giant sold them asbestos-tainted talcum powder to dust over their vulvas, leading to gruesome cancers…

=> ↺ Johnson and Johnson bankruptcy strategy rejected in talcum powder lawsuit

• The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Monday ruled against Johnson and Johnson’s (J&J) attempt to resolve its multi-billion dollar litigation over claims that its talcum-based powders were carcinogenic.

=> ↺ Covid-19: Denmark decides against additional booster this winter

• No additional booster vaccination against Covid-19 will be offered this winter, the Danish Health Authority confirmed on Wednesday.

Security

=> ↺ Researcher drops Lexmark RCE zero-day rather than sell vuln ‘for peanuts’

• Printer exploit chain could be weaponized to fully compromise more than 100 models

=> ↺ Happy SHA1 Rejection Day

• Today is the day Sequoia’sStandardPolicystarts rejecting SHA1-based signatures by default. This change will affect existing programs based on Sequoia, as the SHA1 deprecation has been committed to and baked into the code three years ago. Therefore, all programs usingsequoia-openpgpversion 0.15 and up will now reject SHA1-based signatures by default.

=> ↺ VMware Releases Security Update for VMware vRealize Operations

• Original release date: February 1, 2023

• VMware released a security update that addresses a cross-site request forgery bypass vulnerability affecting VMware vRealize Operations. A malicious user could exploit this vulnerability to take control of an affected system.

=> ↺ Vulnerabilities could let hackers remotely shut down EV chargers, steal electricity

• The emerging market’s uneven response to fix the flaws suggests cybersecurity could be a growing concern in electric car charging networks.

=> ↺ GitHub revokes code signing certificates stolen in repo hack

• GitHub says unknown attackers have stolen encrypted code-signing certificates for its Desktop and Atom applications after gaining access to some of its development and release planning repositories.

• So far, GitHub has found no evidence that the password-protected certificates (one Apple Developer ID certificate and two Digicert code signing certificates used for Windows apps) were used for malicious purposes.

• “On December 6, 2022, repositories from our atom, desktop, and other deprecated Github-owned organizations were cloned by a compromised Personal Access Token (PAT) associated with a machine account,” GitHub said.

• “Once detected on December 7, 2022, our team immediately revoked the compromised credentials and began investigating potential impact to customers and internal systems. None of the affected repositories contained customer data.”

=> ↺ Detecting (Malicious) OneNote Files, (Wed, Feb 1st)

=> ↺ Passwords Are Terrible (Surprising No One)

• This is the result of a security audit:

• [...]

=> ↺ GoodRx will settle claim it shared sensitive health data with advertisers

• The telehealth and discount drug provider promised health data would remain confidential and then allowed it to be used for targeted ads.

=> ↺ FTC Enforcement Action to Bar GoodRx from Sharing Consumers’ Sensitive Health Info for Advertising

• The Federal Trade Commission has taken enforcement action for the first time under its Health Breach Notification Rule against the telehealth and prescription drug discount provider GoodRx Holdings Inc., for failing to notify consumers and others of its unauthorized disclosures of consumers’ personal health information to Facebook, Google, and other companies.

Internet Freedom Foundation ☛ Supreme Court directs WhatsApp to allow users to continue using WhatsApp without accepting its 2021 Privacy PolicyWhatsApp’s 2016 and 2021 privacy policy have been the subject of a long standing court challenge before the Delhi High Court. Today, the petition has been heard after 4 months.Gizmodo ☛ Meta Is Spending More Than $1 Billion per Month on the MetaverseCNET ☛ After Mass Layoffs, Zuckerberg Says Meta Focused On Efficiency – CNETThe social media giant’s top priorities include the metaverse and artificial intelligence.Gizmodo ☛ Elon Musk Sets Account to Private in Latest Twitter ExperimentAccessNow ☛ Two years of dangerous occupation: international community must protect rights in MyanmarAfter two years of a violent coup in Myanmar, the international community must condemn the junta’s abuses and surveillance infrastructure.AccessNow ☛ Resist Myanmar’s digital coup: International community must dismantle military dictatorship — or reap repercussionsInternational community must dismantle military dictatorship, resist the coup, and push back against surveillance in Myanmar.JURIST ☛ Oil companies continue operating in Myanmar despite human rights abuses and sanctionsA human rights agency reported Wednesday that some of the world’s largest energy providers continue operating in Myanmar after the military’s attempted coup. The Myanmar military junta staged a coup in February 2021, and has killed thousands of citizens since taking power.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ US defense chief visits troops, discusses anti-terror cooperation in Philippines

• Lloyd Austin III is expected to meet with his Filipino counterpart to discuss South China Sea concerns.

=> ↺ Russia Is Refusing to Let the US Inspect Its Nukes, Officials Say

• Russia is violating its last remaining nuclear treaty with the US as the war in Ukraine drags on, State Department officials said.

=> ↺ Under the gun in Myanmar

• Life has gone from bad to horrific for many in the country since the military’s February 2021 coup.

=> ↺ Bulgarian Parliament Passes Resolution Declaring Soviet-Era Famine Genocide

• The Bulgarian National Assembly has approved legislation declaring the 1932-33 famine caused by the policies of the Soviet government led by Joseph Stalin a genocide.

=> ↺ Baltics are too reliant on US for security, warns former French leader

• Some European countries, notably the Baltics and the Scandinavians, may be too reliant on the United States for their security, François Hollande, former president of France, said in an interview for Politico.

=> ↺ Moscow declares Lithuania-based Free Russia Forum ‘undesirable’

• The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has declared the activities of the Lithuania-based Free Russia Forum as undesirable within the territory of Russia, according to the statement on the prosecution service’s website.

=> ↺ What are Lithuania’s goals and chances for NATO’s Vilnius Summit?

• Preparations are in full swing for what will undoubtedly be the most important event for Lithuania this year: the NATO Summit in July. Vilnius, which will host the leaders of the world’s most powerful military bloc, has set itself ambitious goals. But security experts interviewed by LRT stress that although Lithuania is organising the summit, this does not

=> ↺ Meeting of 37 States on UN nuclear ban treaty underway

• The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Deputy Minister, Alvin Botes, on Monday, opened the African Regional Seminar on the Universalisation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which is currently underway in Pretoria.

=> ↺ Ukraine war’s first anniversary and beyond

• The first anniversary of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine falls on February 24. The Russian strategy of attrition war has not yet produced the desired political outcome but has been a success nonetheless, writes Indian Ambassador and prominent international observer M.K. Bhadrakumar.

=> ↺ US says Russia is violating key nuclear arms control agreement

• CNN — Russia is violating a key nuclear arms control agreement with the United States and continuing to refuse to allow inspections of its nuclear facilities, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday. “Russia is not complying with its obligation under the New START Treaty to facilitate inspection activities on its territory…”

=> ↺ Mourners call for end to police brutality at Tyre Nichols funeral in Memphis

• The relatives of Black people killed by police in cities across the United States came to Tyre Nichols’ funeral in a Memphis church on Wednesday to offer comfort to the family of the Black 29-year-old, who was fatally beaten by officers last month.

=> ↺ Pope Francis excoriates ‘brutal atrocities’ in DR Congo

• Pope Francis on Wednesday slammed “brutal atrocities, which bring shame upon all humanity” in eastern DR Congo, after hearing testimony from victims of the conflict in the capital Kinshasa.

=> ↺ Live: Ukraine lauds French gift of radar system as ‘cherry on the cake’

• Ukraine’s defence minister said Wednesday that Ukrainian lives will be saved by a sophisticated air-defence radar that France is supplying and which is powerful enough to spot incoming missiles and exploding drones in the skies over all of Ukraine’s capital and its surrounding region. Follow FRANCE 24’s liveblog for all the latest developments. All times are in Paris time (GMT+1).

=> ↺ Police Brutality in US Violates Human Rights, Says Cuban FM

• Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez on Tuesday said that law enforcement brutality is one of the most serious and systematic violations of human rights in the United States.

Environment

=> ↺ Underwater volcano erupts in Vanuatu

• The East Epi volcano erupted on Wednesday for the first time since 2004.

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ Tesla Lost $140 Million on Elon Musk’s Bitcoin Bet Last Year

=> ↺ UK government introduces plans to regulate crypto industry ‘robustly’

• The United Kingdom’s government has detailed what it calls “robust” plans to regulate the crypto industry, with new rules surrounding trading platforms, market abuse, lending and tokens.

=> ↺ Australia must boost investment to ensure strategic fuel security

• Ten years ago, retired Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn released a landmark study that revealed the fragile state of Australia’s liquid-fuel security.

Wildlife/Nature

=> ↺ Geneticists Light Up Debate on Salmon Conservation

• Splitting Chinook salmon into two groups based on their DNA could aid conservation efforts. But some researchers argue that this would be a misuse of the data.

Finance

=> ↺ Danish government accused of breaking promises on tax cuts

• Critics of the Danish government say it is failing to meet promises on tax cuts made in the coalition policy agreement because of a plan to apply a special tax to energy firms and use it to assist individuals struggling with high living costs.

=> ↺ France protest draws millions opposing increased pension age

• Protests broke out across France Tuesday in the latest backlash against France’s reform plan to raise the country’s retirement age from 62 to 64. According to the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), a federation of trade unions in France, approximately 2.8 million people demonstrated across the country.

=> ↺ ‘We need money now’: UK teachers, civil servants join biggest strike in decade

• Up to half a million British teachers, civil servants, and train drivers walked out over pay in the largest coordinated strike action for a decade on Wednesday, with unions threatening more disruption as the government digs its heels in over pay demands.

=> ↺ Pension reform poses biggest challenge to Macron’s legacy as a reformer

• A feeling of déjà-vu pervaded the French capital on Monday as hundreds of thousands of protesters unfurled their posters nationwide and strikes paralysed public transport in opposition to the government’s announced pension reform. The proposed changes are a cornerstone of Macron’s reform agenda but are also a high-stakes test of his reputation as a reformer.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ Social media ‘challenge’ blamed for young students’ intoxication

• Cofepris issued a warning about a viral game called “the last one to fall asleep wins” where participants take a prescription tranquilizer.

Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

=> ↺ This TikToker Is Highlighting Horrifying Conditions in NYC Public Housing

• “Some of the worst that I have seen has been here,” Kwajo Tweneboa said on a visit to New York City.

Censorship/Free Speech

=> ↺ How the Supreme Court ruling on Section 230 could end Reddit as we know it

• When the Supreme Court hears a landmark case on Section 230 later in February, all eyes will be on the biggest players in tech—Meta, Google, Twitter, YouTube.

=> ↺ Twitter opens public appeals for suspended accounts

• “Account suspension will be reserved for severe or ongoing, repeat violations of our policies.”

• Twitter added that appeals would be “evaluated under our new criteria for reinstatement.” But it didn’t elaborate on what that criteria would be, or how long the process might take. The company says it expects to receive a “high volume” of requests and that reinstated requests are expected to “follow our

=> ↺ Incentivizing Censorship: A Snitch in Every Skull

• Helen Buyniski An informational iron curtain is coming down across the West, and its architects are determined to make examples out of those who refuse to pick a side.

=> ↺ After years in the dark, Tigray is slowly coming back online

• For many, the years-long shutdown in Tigray continues, and those regaining access are largely struggling with slow speeds and limited 2G services.

Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

=> ↺ BDG Media shutters revived Gawker and lays off 8% of staff

• The company’s CEO said it cannot “push millions of dollars into a pre-monetisation product”.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ Transparency International releases 2022 corruption index

• Transparency International (TI) Tuesday released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a comprehensive measure of corruption throughout the world. TI is a global NGO made up of legal experts and businesspeople who report on the levels of corruption throughout the world’s governments.

=> ↺ South Korea Cancels Plans to Update Definition of Rape

=> ↺ Filings reveal Starbucks paid over $11M to former legal chief amid unionization efforts

• The Starbucks Corporation Monday disclosed in US Securities and Exchange Commission filings that former General Counsel Rachel Gonzalez’s pay amounted to nearly $11.7 million in 2022, including $7.1 million in severance pay.

Digital Restrictions (DRM)

=> ↺ Spotify Posts Record User Growth — And An Increased Operating Loss — In Q4 2022 Earnings Report

• Spotify stock (NYSE: SPOT) has surged after the Stockholm-headquartered company disclosed that it had added a record high of 33 million users during Q4 2022 – including about 10 million subscribers. The audio entertainment service, which laid off approximately 6% of its employees earlier in January, posted the fourth-quarter financials today.

=> ↺ Everyone’s Confused About Netflix’s New Password Sharing Restrictions

• As much as Netflix account holders were dreading the day the company finally cracked down on password sharing, the streaming giant’s first taste of what it has in store for users was both confusing and concerning.

Monopolies

=> ↺ Court reportedly rejects FTC request to block Meta’s Within Unlimited acquisition

• A federal court has reportedly rejected a request from regulators to block Meta Platform Inc.’s proposed acquisition of Within Unlimited Inc. for $400 million.  Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal reported the development today.

=> ↺ NTIA Offers Blueprint for Mobile App Competition in Line with Public Knowledge’s Recommendations

• New report finds that the current mobile app store model harms users and software developers while restraining digital competition.

Software Patents

=> ↺ Open source rules engine for patent prosecution, PATCEPTA, kick off on Feb 9

• Patcepta is a new open source rules engine for improving patent prosecution and management through automation.

=> ↺ IP Edge entity Invincible IP cloud computing patent likely invalid

• On January 27, 2023, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) instituted trial on all challenged claims in an IPR filed by Unified againstU.S. Patent 9,635,134, owned and asserted by Invincible IP LLC, anIP Edgeentity.

Copyrights

=> ↺ John H. White’s Photographs of Black Chicago for DOCUMERICA (1973–74)

• As part of the DOCUAMERICA project, which sought to produce a visual record of the 1970s US, John H. White took stunning photographs of Black Chicago.

Gemini* and Gopher

Personal

=> ↺ Folk D&D

Gemini

=> ↺ Gemini and Google

• My guess is that out of these three scenarios, Google would be least like to implement the first, precisely because it’s the most difficult to monetize. I see them playing out the second scenario to test their ability to scrape Geminispace, and were they to implement Gemini search as a full feature, they would probably opt for the third scenario, at least to start with.

• The second scenario is most likely to me if Google were ever to implement Gemini support in Chrome. While implementing such a feature would surely increase engagement with Gemini by several orders of magnitude, it would not be a healthy phenomenon for Geminispace as it current exists. More people–especially more people who treat the Internet flippantly–means more scammers and spammers, less meaningful and productive discourse, more bot abuse, greater potential for organized harassment or DDOS attacks, and massive strain on an infrastructure largely built on small, independent capsules.

=> ↺ year-review

• Created the Spookbench site and this Gopherhole, also managed to NOT abandon them after a month. I find writing to be very soothing, should do it even more often in 2023.

=> ↺ A Tour of Gemspace

• HTTP and HTML have been powering the internet for the last 50 years. If you have used a web browser you have used them, knowningly or not. HTTP is the protocol which transfers data between your browser and the web server, and HTML is the file format used to render web pages. Together, along with JS and CSS, they form the foundation of the modern internet.

=> ↺ Added a Ton of Phlogs

• Sorry for the spam on the Comitium feed, I added a ton of Phlogs because I want to read more Gopher content.

=> ↺ What I am doing in the 2023?

• In January I had my first Gopher anniversary, so I’m here for one year!

Technical

Internet/Gemini

=> ↺ SSL certs

• It looks like the SSL cert for midnight.pub is expired. Hopefully ~m15o is aware of it.

Programming

=> ↺ How to Learn Rust

• I have been a Go developer since even before Go 1.0 was released. I was immediately taken by the simple but useful type system, strong standard library, concurrency primitives, and minimal feature-set of the language. It reminded me greatly of Erlang in those respects, with the added bonus of compiling to a binary on virtually any platform.

• Gemini (Primer) links can be opened using Gemini software. It’s like the World Wide Web but a lot lighter. Share in other sites/networks: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. Permalink  Send this to a friend

=> Techrights

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