● 03.07.23

Gemini version available ♊︎

● Links 07/03/2023: Flathub in 2023 and Kdenlive 22.12.3

Posted in News Roundup at 9:40 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Desktop/Laptop

=> ↺ How Does Linux Protect Its Users’ Privacy Online

• Internet users are more aware than ever before about the value of their data and how many companies want to collect and use it. That’s why online privacy is so highly sought after. That’s why it’s refreshing to see Linux take a number of steps to protect users’ privacy, starting from the moment you first use the operating system…

• In contrast, Linux allows you to use your computer without the need to create an account – or even the prompt to do so. From the very start, that means you can install apps, download updates and simply use your operating system, without giving access to all of that activity to any company.

=> ↺ Potential ARM Chromebook tablets late 2023

• I have often thought of buying a Chromebook, so as to explore how well Android and Linux apps integrate within the ChromeOS infrastructure. Debian Linux, via Crostini.

• I have been on-and-off following the development of ARM SoCs, and Apple are way ahead, with their M1, M2, and now M3. Way ahead of ARM SoCs being used for Windows and Chromebook laptops and tablets.

=> ↺ Reflecting on why am I doing this?

• I know that I need to have a thick skin, not be bothered by complaining posts on the forum, but sometimes I do get annoyed.

• People are getting EasyOS for free, developed by one developer for no monetary remuneration, in his spare time, yet, they make demands that the developer should do their bidding.

• It happens quite regularly. For example, someone recently complaining, quite hotly,  that I wasn’t responding adequately to their questions. I was responding, but not to their satisfaction.

=> ↺ Want to save your aging computer? Try these 5 Linux distributions

• As someone who’s been around the block a few hundred times with technology, planned obsolescence has long bothered me. What this means is that software and hardware vendors seem to make sure consumers are going to have to eventually purchase new hardware because the software they need stops working on old systems.

Server

=> ↺ PerfectScale launches SaaS tool for Kubernetes performance and cost optimization

=> ↺ Startup pgEdge aims to land distributed Postgres at network’s edge

=> ↺ Do Cloud-Native Architectures Make Apps More Reliable?

• Why are we moving our applications to cloud-native architectures? Companies are undergoing massive migration transformations to move monolithic, on-premises applications to cloud-native architectures. Why are they doing this? What benefits are they hoping to get from using a cloud-native architecture? While there are many advantages, one of the significant customer-facing

Audiocasts/Shows

=> ↺ Late Night Linux – Episode 219

• Troubleshooting microcontroller projects, reinstalling Ubuntu the quick and easy way, loads of gaming discoveries, follow-up on backups, playing guitar with Linux, keeping kids safe online, and more.

=> ↺ Linux Saloon | 04 Mar 2023 | News Flight 11

• This was the 11th News Flight night at the Linux Saloon. I think this episode was a pretty good example of my inability to “read the room” when I brought up the JFS file system article. I think I thought this to be a lot more interesting than perhaps it was. F

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 How to install the Opera browser on Linux Lite 6.2

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 Linus Torvalds Is Sick Of Useless Git Merges

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 KDE neon 20230202 Quick Overview #shorts

Kernel Space

=> ↺ Update for the Librem 5 Support in Mainline Linux

• Following up on the higher-level report on the state of the mainline Linux in August 2021 where we announced a “usable” devkit in fully mainline Linux, let’s focus on the phone and see how things look like right now.

• As you might know, the latest Linux kernel tree we ship to users contains lots of changes on top of Linus’ mainline release. Over time, we are working on integrating features in mainline Linux kernel while also adding (possibly more experimental) features to our downstream tree. This way our tree is in constant flux and becomes more and more “specialized” over time.

Applications

=> ↺ Audacious 4.3 Audio Player Adds PipeWire Plugin, Native Opus Decoder, and More

• Highlights of Audacious 4.3 include a new PipeWire output plugin, a native Opus decoder plugin, support for Ogg FLAC audio streams, support for reading embedded lyrics tags, as well as support for a new song length database format in the SID plugin.

• It also improves support for Raspberry Pi 4 boards by enabling the 4096×2160 resolution on 4K TVs instead of 3840×2160, and reintroduces support for older Amlogic devices, such as S905, S905X/D, and S912, enabling H264 playback and seeking, HDR for HEVC/VP9 media, HDMI multi-channel PCM and pass-through audio, and more.

=> ↺ Conjure Helps You Easily Transform Your Images on Linux

• There are various image manipulation programs to tweak your pictures on Linux.

• You can always use full-fledged GUI apps like GIMP or Pinta for image editing. However, if you want something quickly without looking through the documentation or YouTube videos, Conjure can help.

• Conjure is a front-end to ImageMagick, just like the “Converter” tool we covered earlier.

• However, this project is still in its early phases of development. You can try it out to experiment with the functions; before you do, let me highlight what you can do with it.

=> ↺ 15 Best Free and Open Source Linux Synthesizers (Updated 2023)

• Synthesizers are often controlled with a piano-style keyboard. Several other forms of controller have been developed to mimic guitars, organs, stringed and wind instruments. A real analog synthesizer has a lot of knobs and switches which give immediate access to all important parameters of the generated sound.

• Linux has a good range of open source software to be a serious contender in music production without having to venture into the commercial software world. Some of the software featured in this article provide operation similar to analog synths from the 1970s, such as the Moog Minimoog and Roland Juno-60.

=> ↺ 9 Open-source Free HandWritten Note Apps

• Are you tired of jotting down your notes in a traditional notebook and constantly losing them? Or maybe you want to enhance your note-taking experience by incorporating handwritten notes and sketches? Either way, the solution lies in handwritten note apps.

=> ↺ Goatcounter is A Free Open Source Website Analytics

• Easy web analytics. No tracking of personal data.

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ Building your personal Linux cheat sheets

• Linux man pages can be overwhelming to people who are just learning how to work on the command line, but here we’ll look at a way to quickly prepare a cheat sheet for a series of commands. These cheat sheets will tell new Linux users enough to get started and know what man page to read when they want to know more.

=> ↺ How to Use scp Command to Securely Transfer Files in Linux

• Suppose you want to transfer some files between servers on a Linux system. There are many ways you can accomplish the task, but if your priority is to transfer files securely, you’re left with a few options. The easiest solution is to use the scp or secure copy command to transfer your files without worrying about security. In this article, we will explain how to use transfer files securely using the scp command on your Linux system.

=> ↺ How to Use AUR Helper on Manjaro: Simple Steps for Better Package Management

• Manjaro Linux is a popular choice for many users who prefer a rolling-release distribution with a user-friendly interface.

=> ↺ Terminal Basics Series #4: Creating Files in Linux

• In this chapter of Linux Terminal Basics series for beginners, learn about creating new files using Linux commands.

=> ↺ How To Change MAC Address in Linux

• Last Updated on March 7, 2023 by itsubuntu How To Change MAC Address in Linux In this Linux tutorial post, we will show you the step-by-step guide to changing MAC address in Linux based operating system.

=> ↺ How to Install MySQL in Terminal?

• To install MySQL on Ubuntu, run “sudo snap install mysql-shell” command, and for Windows download it from the MySQL website. Follow this post for the procedure.

=> ↺ How to Import and Export MySQL Databases in Linux

• Importing and Exporting MySQL databases in Linux aids in transferring data, data backup and recovery, collaboration and debugging. Follow for step-by-step guide.

=> ↺ How to Install Redis Server on Ubuntu 22.04

• Redis is a widely used, free, and open-source data storage system that is particularly useful for fast data access and processing in a variety of applications. It’s a memory-based data structure that can function as a database, cache, or message broker, with a reputation for high performance and scalability.

=> ↺ Fix Some Common Transmission-CLI Errors

• Installed transmission-cli but can’t use it, read this guide to fix all the basic errors.

=> ↺ How to Clear the Buffer, Cache, and Swap Memory in Linux

• Clearing the buffer, cache, and swap memory in Linux can be done easily with a few simple commands.

=> ↺ Keeping a semi-automatic electronic ship’s logbook

• Maintaining a proper ship’s logbook is something that most boats should do, for practical, as well as legal and traditional reasons. The logbook can serve as a record of proper maintenance and operation of the vessel, which is potentially useful when selling the boat or handling an insurance claim. It can be a fun record of journeys made to look back to. And it can be a crucial aid for getting home if the ship’s electronics or GNSS get disrupted.

• Like probably most operators of a small boat, on Lille Ø our logbook practices have been quite varying. We’ve been good at recording engine maintenance, as well as keeping the traditional navigation log while offshore. But in the more hectic pace of coastal cruising or daysailing this has often fallen on the wayside. And as such, a lot of the events and history of the boat is unavailable.

• To redeem this I’ve developed signalk-logbook, a semi-automatic electronic logbook for vessels running the Signal K marine data server.

• This allows logbook entries to be produced both manually and automatically. The can be viewed and edited using any web-capable device on board, meaning that you can write a log entry on your phone, and maybe later analyse and print them on your laptop.

• Signal K is a marine data server that has integrations with almost any relevant marine electronics system. If you have an older NMEA0183 or Seatalk system, Signal K can communicate with it. Same with NMEA2000. If you already have your navigational data on the boat WiFi, Signal K can use and enrich it.

=> ↺ Peter Czanik: Syslog-ng 101, part 10: Parsing

• This is the tenth part of my syslog-ng tutorial. Last time, we learned about syslog-ng filters. Today, we learn about message parsing using syslog-ng.

=> ↺ Terminal Basics Series #4: Creating Files in Linux

• In this chapter of Linux Terminal Basics series for beginners, learn about creating new files using Linux commands.

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 How To Install PHPUnit on Ubuntu 20.04 | 22.04 LTS

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 How To Setup AppArmor on Ubuntu 20.04 | 22.04 LTS

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 How to install Docker CE on Rocky Linux 9 / Alma Linux 9

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Linux Troubleshooting: Diagnosing and Fixing Common Issues

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 How to Install and Configure Nagios on Rocky Linux 9

Desktop Environments/WMs

K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt

Kdenlive ☛ Kdenlive 22.12.3 releasedThe last maintenance release of the 22.12 series is out with many fixes to subtitles:Fix subtitle scrolling. Commit.Fix language model combobox too small. Commit.Fixes bug #465787Scroll timeline when moving a subtitle. Related to #1634. Commit.Fix subtitles overlap on import. Commit.Fix subtitle move regression. Commit.Fix subtitle offset on group move. Commit.Fix subtitles snapping. Commit.Fix compilation. Commit.Fix crash and offset when moving a group with subtitle. Commit.

=> ↺ Season of KDE 2023 With KDE Eco: Setting Up Selenium For Energy Consumption Measurements

• I am very thankful to the KDE community for inviting me to be a part of this amazing Open Source project through their annual program Season of KDE.

• My name is Nitin Tejuja. I am a Software Engineer working on a platform engineering team where I develop, research, and optimize various technology projects. I have contributed to projects like Slack, GitHub Actions, and Strapi CMS, and I have created my own nodejs library which helps in migrating content between different Strapi CMS environments. This is my first time contributing to a project with such a large community. I’m very passinoate about solving problems and then optimizing the solutions. I enjoy learning new technologies and building excellent Open Source projects. I also believe that contributing to the KDE community is the best way to learn more about KDE projects and how we can produce environmentally-friendly Free & Open Source software.

Distributions and Operating Systems

=> ↺ [elementary OS] Updates for February, 2023

• elementary OS 7 has been out for just over a month now and I’m excited to announce the first round of updates to our latest operating system includes both great feature updates and a long list of fixes for reported issues. As you may know, we prioritize our work based on your feedback so a big thanks to everyone sending us reports on GitHub and through the Feedback app.

• The headlining feature of this Files release is the new app menu in the headerbar. Jeremy put together this menu to better improve discoverability for features like zoom and undo/redo as well as to clean up folder context menus. The Undo and Redo buttons include tooltips showing what operation will be performed before you click them and we also updated the description for the double-click setting to make it more clear.

New Releases

=> ↺ Nitrux 2.7 Debuts a New ISO for Maui Shell and KDE Plasma 5.27 LTS Upgrade

• Nitrux is a pretty neat distro that offers a very beautiful user interface; it is easily one of the best-looking Linux distros out there.

• Back in January 2022, we looked at Maui Shell, a unique take on a convergent desktop environment by the Nitrux team, and it looked pretty promising.

• But we had not seen it being properly implemented into Nitrux until now.

=> ↺ Garuda Linux “Raptor” 230305 Release Drops Latte Dock, Introduces “garuda” repo, replaces mkinitcpio with dracut + more

• Garuda Linux is an Arch-based Linux distribution that has become increasingly popular among Arch Linux enthusiasts due to its out-of-the-box experience, gaming support and user-friendly interface. Garuda Linux is known for its focus on performance, speed, and stability.

• Recently, Garuda Linux released a new version, “Raptor” 200305, packed with new features and updates. In this article, we’ll explore the latest release of Garuda Linux and what’s new in this version.

=> ↺ Garuda Linux “Raptor” Replace mkinitcpio in Favor of Dracut

• Garuda is a relatively new Arch-based Linux distribution that will soon be three years old. One thing is for sure, though: it will not leave anyone indifferent. You’ll either fall in love with it or reject it right away. There is no middle ground.

• “Arch for human beings” is the simplest way I can describe Garuda. But, of course, with the obligatory qualifier, plus added dragon breath and a waterfall of colors. But please, don’t think this is another Linux distro with a changed wallpaper and icon theme. No, we’re talking about a piece of art, high professionalism, and attention to every detail.

• These characteristics make it one of the best Arch-based distributions while also bringing our attention to it. And the recently released Garuda Linux “Raptor” (230305) only confirms this belief. So, without further ado, let’s look at what has changed.

BSD

=> ↺ FreeBSD vs. Linux – Tracing and Troubleshooting

• When troubleshooting a Linux or FreeBSD system, you need to be able to probe the system to find answers as to why it is behaving in a particular way. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of some of the basic tools and introduce the FreeBSD equivalents of common Linux tracing and troubleshooting tools.

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ Flathub in 2023: New Web Experience, Direct App Uploads, and More

• Flathub currently offers more than 2,000 apps in the Flatpak universal binary format from over 1,500 collaborators and provides somewhere around 700,000 app downloads every single day. I think it’s safe to say that, looking at these numbers, Flatpak is currently the most popular universal app format for the Linux desktop, surpassing Canonical’s Snap and AppImages.

• For 2023, Flathub promises a brand-new and modern web experience, which you can already try in a beta version here, new branding, and direct app uploads, a feature that paves the way for other exciting features like the ability to build Electron apps outside of Flatpak Builder or driving automatic Flathub uploads from GitHub actions or GitLab CI flows.

=> ↺ Robert McQueen: Flathub in 2023

• It’s been quite a few months since the most recent updates about Flathub last year. We’ve been busy behind the scenes, so I’d like to share what we’ve been up to at Flathub and why—and what’s coming up from us this year.

=> ↺ Flathub Wants to Be the Ultimate Linux App Store

• There are many ways to install software on Linux PCs, but the Flathub app repository is one of the most popular methods. Flathub is now aiming to become the best possible app store across all Linux distributions and setups with a new roadmap for 2023.

• Flathub is a repository for software packaged in the Flatpak format, a container format that works on Ubuntu, Fedora, Pop!_OS, Elementary OS, Debian, Arch, and many other Linux distributions. It’s even possible to run Flatpak software on the Windows Subsystem for Linux or Linux container in Chrome OS. Thanks to Flatpak and Flathub, it’s possible for developers to create apps and games for Linux that work well across many different Linux-based platforms (even the Windows Subsystem for Linux). Flathub says it currently offers 2,000 apps from over 1,500 collaborators, with around 700,000 app downloads each day.

=> ↺ Fedora Community Blog: Community Blog monthly summary: February 2023

• This is the latest in our monthly series summarizing the past month on the Community Blog.

=> ↺ Fedora Community Blog: Council policy proposal: Code of Conduct Committee

• Last week, I submitted a proposal to the Fedora Council establishing a structure for the Fedora Code of Conduct Committee. You can read the full proposal in the Discussion topic, but in short, the goal is to establish a structured committee to handle Code of Conduct reports.

=> ↺ 6-step tutorial on installing Ansible 2.3 on RHEL 9.1

• The Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform is an enterprise framework for sharing automation across your organization. This article will demonstrate how to install Ansible Automation Platform 2.3 on a machine running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.1.

• Follow these quick and easy steps to installation.

• Make sure you have the following prerequisites before starting the installation process:

=> ↺ Overhauling memory tuning in OpenJDK containers updates

• We are about to ship the next update to the Universal Base Image (UBI) of the Red Hat build of OpenJDK containers. This article explains the changes in this update and the updates to come. The OpenJDK project provides new updates on a quarterly cycle and it is called the Cumulative Patch Update (or CPU for short). These typically land in January, April, July, and October. The last one shipped versions 8u362, 11.0.18, and 17.0.6 on January 17, 2023.

• We release updated UBI for OpenJDK containers with the updated OpenJDK versions very soon after the upstream releases. For CPU updates, we generally limit the container changes solely to the updated OpenJDK. In order to extend and enhance the containers, we need to release updates at other times. Our aim is to make approximately quarterly container updates spaced out between the CPU releases. The next container feature update will be released by March 10, 2023.

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 ChatGPT and beyond: AI and the customer experience

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 CIOs and automation: How to build a robust automation strategy

Debian Family

=> ↺ In a surprise move, Vanilla OS Drops Ubuntu, Adopts Debian Sid

• The Vanilla OS team today announced that the next release of Vanilla OS would not be based on Ubuntu anymore. It will be based on Debian sid, the “rolling” release or unstable version of Debian Linux.

• Here are all the updates.

Canonical/Ubuntu Family

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 The comprehensive guide to using the Linux Mint software manager

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 10 practical tips for securing your Linux Mint system

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter Issue 777

=> ↺ The Fridge: Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter Issue 777

• Welcome to the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, Issue 777 for the week of February 26 – March 4, 2023. The full version of this issue is available here.

Open Hardware/Modding

=> ↺ 15 Arduino Medical Projects for 2023

• Arduino has opened up a new world of possibilities in medical technology. This open-source electronics platform provides a flexible and cost-effective solution for creating medical devices and systems that can be tailored to meet specific needs.

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Which phones are confirmed to get Android 14 Developer Preview 2?

=> ↺ Oukitel WP21 Ultra: An upcoming rugged Android smartphone with “advanced” thermal imaging specs – NotebookCheck.net News

=> ↺ Android does one thing better than iOS, and it drives me crazy | Digital Trends

=> ↺ How to Fix Out-of-Sync Audio in VLC for Android TV

=> ↺ How to update your Android phone after Google rolls out ‘critical’ warning to millions | The Sun

=> ↺ Google issues ‘red alert’ to billions of Android phones – ignore ‘critical’ warning at your peril | The US Sun

=> ↺ Apple Vs Android: Comparing the OnePlus 11R and iPhone 13

=> ↺ Motorola Moto Edge 30 Ultra yet to receive the Android 13 update

=> ↺ Best ways to mirror your Android smartphone to a Smart TV

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 Medical Devices Should Use Free Software +++ 25 New Videos

=> ↺ Meet the 2023 candidates for OSI’s board

• The nominations for the Open Source Initiative board of elections just closed, March 6th. It’s time for voters to meet the candidates.

=> ↺ 10 Open source Self-hosted ERP Systems for 2023

• Streamlining Business Operations with Open Source Solutions

=> ↺ Best 12 Open-source Ticketing System for 2023

• A ticketing system is essential for businesses to manage customer support inquiries and improve customer satisfaction. Open-source ticketing systems offer an affordable and customizable solution for businesses of all sizes.

=> ↺ Open Source Career Day at SCaLE 20x

• Southern California Linux Expo (SCaLE) has been a great place for careers in Open Source, and the Open Source Career Day (OSCD) is returning for SCaLE 20x on Sunday, March 12th.

• For many years, SCaLE had a career and jobs Birds of a Feather (BoF) meeting one evening during SCaLE, and a physical job board throughout the conference. But in 2020, RaiseMe created its first Open Source Career Day.

• This year at SCaLE, the career BoF team and RaiseMe are working together again to bring a full day of career activities for the Sunday schedule. There will also be a career BoF on Saturday evening. I’m the OSCD co-chair this year, but I’m not just a chair. I’m also a client. I found my current employer through the SCaLE job board.

• At the BoF, we plan to have Speed Pitching. Everyone gets a chance to practice their interview response to “tell us about yourself” several times during the BoF. It’s an elevator pitch for you.

• Sunday, we have 30-minute career consulting sessions from 11:30 to 14:30. Participants can ask for resumé review, recareering assistance, or career guidance. Signups are open now through SCaLE 20x. When signing up, please check all the times you can be available.

Events

=> ↺ FSF Events: Free Software Directory meeting on IRC: Friday, March 10, starting at 12:00 EST (17:00 UTC)

• Join the FSF and friends on Friday, March 10, from 12:00 to 15:00 EST (17:00 to 20:00 UTC) to help improve the Free Software Directory.

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 FreeBSD at SCALE 20x

Web Browsers/Web Servers

Mozilla

=> ↺ Mozilla Thunderbird: Meet The Team: Alex Castellani, Product Design Manager

=> ↺ Mitchell Baker: Expanding Mozilla’s Boards in 2023

• As Mozilla reaches its 25th anniversary this year, we’re working hard to set up our ‘next chapter’ — thinking bigger and being bolder about how we can shape the coming era of the internet. We’re working to expand our product offerings, creating multiple options for consumers, audiences and business models. We’re growing our philanthropic and advocacy work that promotes trustworthy AI.

Programming/Development

=> ↺ Coding the Cost Effectiveness Acceptability Curve (CEAC) in R

• Introduction The cost effectiveness acceptability curve (CEAC) is a tool used to describe the output of a probabilistic sensitivity analysis conducted on a model used in economic evaluations of health technologies.

=> ↺ Little useless-useful R functions – Using xspline to create wacky signatures

• Nothing short of wacky usage of plot() function with xspline to interpolate the points, but still a “parameter” short of Bezier’s curve.

=> ↺ Dirk Eddelbuettel: RcppFastAD 0.0.1 and 0.0.2: New Package on CRAN!

• James Yang and I are thrilled to announce the new CRAN package RcppFastAD which arrived at CRAN last Monday as version 0.0.1, and is as of today at version 0.0.2 with a first set of small updates.

• It is based on the FastAD header-only C++ library by James which provides a C++ implementation of both forward and reverse mode of automatic differentiation in an easy-to-use header library (which we wrapped here) that is both lightweight and performant. With a little of bit of Rcpp glue, it is also easy to use from R in simple C++ applications.

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 Some possible reasons for 8-bit bytes

Perl / Raku

=> ↺ 2023.10 Toronto

• The 2023 American Conference will be in-person and held in Toronto, Canada on July 11-13. The Call For Papers is open until the end of the month. So send in your talk proposals!

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Regexp::Assemble – Weekly Travelling in CPAN

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Perl Weekly Challenge 207: Keyboard Word and H-Index

Java

=> ↺ How to Initialize an Array in Java

• An array in Java can be initialized without assigning values, after declaration, or with both the integer and string values.

=> ↺ How to Generate Random Numbers in Java

• To generate random numbers in Java, use the “Math.random()” method, the “java.util.Random” class, or the “ThreadLocalRandom” class.

=> ↺ How to Mock Variables for Interfaces and Casts in Java

• One common issue when writing JUnit tests is how to create a mock when the variable is an an interface / implementation or a casting. For example, in the case of casting: The variable processor is casted to SomeOtherProcessor.

Rust

=> ↺ 1.68.0 pre-release testing

• The 1.68.0 pre-release is ready for testing. The release is scheduled for March 09. Release notes can be found here.

Leftovers

=> ↺ Japan Appears To Have Thousands More Islands Than It Ever Realized

• Wait… what?

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 More than 3,000 buildings heavily damaged by earthquakes in Amed

=> ↺ Mysterious Comb Unearthed in England Has a Gruesome Origin Story

• Till death do us part.

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 An Oasis of Quiet

• In John Cleese’s talk on creativity, he suggests that it takes time for your mind to quiet down to the point where you can do thoughtful, meaningful, creative work.

• He suggests setting aside 90 minutes for this kind of work: 30 minutes for your mind to calm down and then 60 minutes after that to allow for something to happen.

• I think it’s interesting he doesn’t say: 30 minutes to calm down, 60 minutes to do work. He says: 30 minutes to calm down, 60 minutes to allow for the possibility of doing work.

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 The Rogue Amoeba Historic Screenshot Archive

Science

=> ↺ Approaching Comet Predicted to Shine Brighter Than Stars in The Sky

• It could be one of the brightest objects we can see.

=> ↺ Scientists Have Figured Out Why We Are Terrified of Clowns

• It’s not just you.

=> ↺ The Whitest Feathers of Any Bird Have Been Found, And They’re Dazzling

• 30% more reflective than any other bird we’ve measured.

Education

=> ↺ Duration of master’s degrees to be shortened

• The government has confirmed its plans to reduce a number of two-year master’s degrees to a length of 15 months, reports DR.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ California cuts ties with Walgreens after the pharmacy stopped selling abortion pills in 20 states

• Walgreens’ stance on abortion pills is costing it business in one of America’s largest states.

=> ↺ Latvia’s death rate fifth-highest in EU

• In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, diseases of the circulatory system were the main cause of death in all EU countries, except in Denmark, Ireland, France and the Netherlands, where cancer was the main cause. These two groups of diseases, remained the leading causes of death and in total, 1.7 million people died of circulatory diseases and almost 1.2 million died from cancer, according to Eurostat data published March 7.

=> ↺ Big increase in drunk driving accidents last year in Latvia

• The number of road traffic accidents caused by alcohol intoxication increased by nearly 18% last year, it was revealed on Monday, March 5, at the meeting of the Road Traffic Safety Council.

=> ↺ Avian flu precautions urged after case detected in Estonia

• Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been found on a poultry farm in Estonia, and consequently bird-keepers in Latvia are being reminded of the need for a range of strict biosecurity precautions, said the Latvian Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) March 6.

=> ↺ Copenhagen has world’s best work-life balance, according to Forbes study

• Top seven almost totally dominated by Nordics

=> ↺ Will Fukushima’s Radioactive Water Endanger The Pacific Ocean?

• Here’s the science.

=> ↺ WATCH: The Future Food False Flag

• The food supply is under attack. But by whom? And for what purpose? Find out the dirty truth about the global food crisis and how the powers-that-shouldn’t-be are trying to use this crisis as an opportunity to usher in the Great Food Reset on today’s fast-paced edition of The Corbett Report podcast.

=> ↺ Even low levels of air pollution exposure lead to slower NCAA race times, study finds

• In a study of 334 male track athletes, researchers found that air pollution levels in the Air Quality Index’s “good-to-moderate” range led to slower 5k race times by more than 10 seconds.

=> ↺ A Neurologist Explains Why Daylight Saving Brings Serious Health Risks

• Brace yourself.

=> ↺ Second Norfolk Southern Train Derailment in Ohio Prompts Federal Probe

• Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board on Monday were scheduled to begin assessing a railway incident that occurred over the weekend.

=> ↺ California’s Newsom slams Walgreens on abortion drugs

• “California won’t be doing business with Walgreens – or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk,” Newsom tweeted on Monday. “We’re done.”

Security

=> ↺ Medusa claims responsibility for Minneapolis Public Schools’ “encryption event,” provides proof of how much data they accessed

• There’s another update to the “encryption event” first disclosed by Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) in February.

• As of their most recent last update, MPS had stated that they had been able to restore systems and no ransom had been paid. At that time, DataBreaches had not found any gang claiming responsibility for the breach or leaking data but suggested that since the district had not paid ransom, it could likely be only a matter of time before the data did appear. Now it has.

• The Medusa ransomware gang has claimed responsibility for the attack on MPS. And not only have they claimed responsibility, they have already leaked a significant amount of proof of claims — proof that includes employee information and student information.

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 Scanning s3 buckets, (Mon, Mar 6th)

=> ↺ Israel publicly blames Iran for cyberattack on major university last month

• The Israel National Cyber Directorate announced Tuesday that a group affiliated with Iranian intelligence was behind an internet attack last month on the Technion, a top Israeli research and education institute.

• In a statement, the directorate said an investigation found the attack was carried out by a group known as MuddyWater, “which is affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.”

=> ↺ Acer Data Breach? Hacker Claims to Sell 160GB Trove of Stolen Data

• The hacker claims that it took them days to go through the list of what had been allegedly breached.

• Acer Inc., a major global technology company based in Taiwan, is facing a potential data breach from a hacker going by the alias “Kernelware.” The hacker is claiming responsibility for a major data breach at Acer Inc., a leading multinational company based in Taiwan that designs and sells hardware and electronics products.

• According to Kernelware, the alleged breach occurred in mid-February 2023 and resulted in the theft of a vast amount of sensitive information, totalling 160GB of 655 directories and 2869 files.

=> ↺ Exploitation of Critical Vulnerability in End-of-Life VMware Product Ongoing

• Wallarm Detect warns of ongoing exploitation of a critical vulnerability in VMware Cloud Foundation and NSX Data Center for vSphere (NSX-V).

=> ↺ Android’s March 2023 Updates Patch Over 50 Vulnerabilities

• Google has released patches for more than 50 vulnerabilities as part of the March 2023 security updates for the Android platform.

=> ↺ Cyberattack Hits Major Hospital in Spanish City of Barcelona

• A ransomware attack on one of Barcelona’ s main hospitals has crippled the center’s computer system and forced the cancellation of non-urgent operations and patient checkups.

=> ↺ Police Looking for Russian Suspects Following DoppelPaymer Ransomware Crackdown

• Several locations in Germany and Ukraine were raided recently as part of an international law enforcement operation targeting the DoppelPaymer ransomware.

=> ↺ Police arrested two members of DoppelPaymer ransomware group

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Remote Code Execution as a Service

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ Poll: Young people in 13 EU countries refuse surveillance of online communication – Press Release

• According to the results of the survey, 80% of young people aged 13 to 17 years old from 13 EU Member States would not feel comfortable being politically active or exploring their sexuality if authorities were able to monitor their digital communication, in order to look for child sexual abuse.

=> ↺ Data Protection Commission publishes 2022 Annual Report

=> ↺ #PrivacyofthePeople: The harms of biometric attendance apps

• Read our analysis of the harms of biometric attendance apps and whether the draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 will resolves these issues.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ US defense secretary makes unannounced visit to Baghdad

• U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has made an unannounced visit to Baghdad just days before the 20th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. Austin was greeted on touchdown in the Iraqi capital on Tuesday by Maj. Gen. Matthew McFarlane, the U.S. commander in Iraq. Austin then met top Iraqi officials, including the prime minister and defense minister.

=> ↺ The US Is in Conflict With Countries for Doing Things We Know They’re Not Doing

• China, Balloons, and Spying On February 4, the US military shot down a Chinese balloon they claim was a surveillance balloon spying on US territory.

=> ↺ Slowly But Steadily, the Executive Branch is Bringing Back Widespread Drone Warfare

• Not at any other time in the 21st century has the average American kept up less with the Global War on Terror, and now three presidents later, the questions of legality, productivity, and collateral damage remain as unanswered as they’ve ever been.

=> ↺ Protesters and Police Clash at Explosive Protest at Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’

• Last night, a conflict broke out at Atlanta’s yet-to-be-built Atlanta Public Safety Training Center—nicknamed “Cop City”—which saw police and protestors clash, while the latter reportedly threw rocks, fireworks, and Molotov cocktails.

=> ↺ Ukraine probing possible war crime tied to purported footage of POW shot dead

• The disturbing footage, which has rapidly circulated around social media, was addressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his nightly speech Monday.

=> ↺ Zelensky responds to video showing apparent execution of unarmed Ukrainian soldier

• Horrific video appears to show a Ukrainian soldier, allegedly a prisoner of war, executed seemingly by Russian soldiers after he says: “Glory to Ukraine.” CNN’s Erin Burnett reports.

=> ↺ US defense secretary makes unannounced trip to Iraq

• US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made an unannounced trip to Baghdad on Tuesday, according to the US press pool traveling with him.

=> ↺ Moldova’s Pro-Europe Leader Tries to Thwart Russia’s Influence

• Maia Sandu, president of the former Soviet republic, remains popular in a deeply divided nation as Vladimir V. Putin continues to apply pressure.

=> ↺ Belarus Sentences Exiled Opposition Leader to 15 Years in Prison

• Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fled the country after running for president in 2020 against Belarus’s authoritarian leader. She has described the conspiracy case against her as a “farce.”

=> ↺ Ukraine Claims a Drone Strike on Military Target in Russia

• The claim was a rare public acknowledgment of a cross-border attack in Russian territory.

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Heineken commits to exiting Russia after criticism about continued operations

Environment

=> ↺ John Kerry says U.S.-China climate talks have stalled

• HOUSTON — U.S. climate envoy John Kerry tells Axios his work with China has stalled amid wider tensions between the world’s two largest greenhouse gas emitters.

=> ↺ Kazakhstan Discusses Ways for Achieving Carbon Neutrality and Building Resilience

• Today the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan jointly with the World Bank and Kazakhstan Association “ECOJER” launched a series of policy dialogues to support Kazakhstan in implementing its critical climate and environmental strategies, including the transition to a low-carbon economy, air quality management…

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ IEA for EU4Energy Forum discusses energy security

• The IEA for EU4Energy Policy Forum gathered officials from five Eastern European partner countries this week to discuss how to strengthen energy security and system resiliency in the midst of war and a global energy crisis, with Moldovan and Ukrainian government officials sharing their recent experiences.

=> ↺ Iran claims to have discovered one of the world’s largest lithium deposits

• to have discovered a massive deposit of lithium, positioning itself as a major player in the global race for the metal used in cell phones, laptops, and electric vehicles.

=> ↺ Natural gas markets remain tight as uncertainty persists around Chinese LNG demand

• Natural gas markets worldwide continued to tighten last year despite global consumption declining by an estimated 1.6% in 2022. Demand is forecast to remain flat in 2023, but the outlook is subject to a high level of uncertainty, particularly in terms of Russia’s future actions and the economic impacts of fluctuating energy prices.

=> ↺ Europe is trying to ditch planes for trains. Here’s how that’s going

• Ever since the “flight shame” movement began encouraging travelers to seek greener alternatives to jet planes, many in Europe have been looking to the continent’s extensive rail network to replace short-haul air travel.

=> ↺ ‘It literally explodes’: E-bike’s battery blamed for fire that destroyed building

• At least seven people have been injured in a fire in New York that local officials believe was caused by a lithium-ion battery. FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh says over 400 fires were caused by these types of batteries in the city in the past four years.

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Global EV sales in 2022 cross 10.2m, China leads the way

Wildlife/Nature

=> ↺ Elephants find love at Ostok animal sanctuary in Sinaloa

• Big Boy and Bireki, two elephants at the Ostok Sanctuary in Sinaloa have demonstrated signs of bonding, much to the delight of their keepers.

=> ↺ Thousands of sea lions die in Peru amid outbreak of bird flu

• Thousands of sea lions have died in Peru amid an outbreak of bird flu, according to Peru’s National Service of Protected Areas by the State (SERNANP).

=> ↺ Thailand jails five poachers for killing tiger and her cub

• A court in western Thailand on Monday sentenced five poachers to prison terms of five years each for killing a female tiger and her cub in a national park last year.

=> ↺ Burn to preserve, and other forest practices, from Ecuador to California

• Progress roundup: Indigenous peoples and governments are working together to preserve forests with controlled burns, protection from logging, and more.

Finance

=> ↺ 2023-03-05 We Aren’t Talking Enough About Wage Theft

=> ↺ The Fed is preparing for more interest rate hikes, with an eye on the jobs report

• The Federal Reserve is not likely to change its hawkish stance anytime soon.

=> ↺ Central Bank Digital Currency Is the Endgame – Part 1

• Iain Davis Central bank digital currency (CBDC) will end human freedom. Don’t fall for the assurances of safeguards, the promises of anonymity and of data protection. They are all deceptions and diversions to obscure the malevolent intent behind the global rollout of CBDC.

=> ↺ Copenhagen close to ushering in poverty limit for children

• Report shows that 5.5 percent of children in Copenhagen are considered poor, well above the national average

=> ↺ France braced for major disruption as strikes over pensions hit airports, trains

• French schools, airports and trains will face heavy disruption Tuesday for the sixth time this year, as unions galvanize people nationwide in protest against government plans to raise the retirement age for most workers.

=> ↺ Unions Vow to Bring France to a ‘Standstill’ Over Macron’s Pension Plan

• Travel, schools and services were disrupted by nationwide strikes for a sixth time as the battle for public support intensified.

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 France comes to a standstill as livid workers protest plan to increase retirement age

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Amsterdam, neighboring regions saw biggest home price increases since 2013; Up 130%

=> ↺ Disband homeless camps? Some cities rethink them instead.

• The pandemic made homelessness more visible. As some cities rely on encampment sweeps, others put their focus on building livable tent cities.

=> ↺ 18 months into Taliban’s rule, Afghans are facing dire poverty

• Countless young children are dying in Afghanistan as freezing temperatures and extreme poverty grips the country. 18 months into Taliban rule, the UN claims two-thirds of the population of 40 million people will require humanitarian assistance this year just to survive. CNN’s Anna Coren reports.

=> ↺ 23 face domestic terrorism charges after ‘Cop City’ protests in Atlanta

• At least 23 people face domestic terrorism charges after being arrested Sunday evening amid violent protests at the site of a planned law enforcement training facility in Atlanta dubbed “Cop City” by opponents who claim it would propagate militarized policing and harm the environment.

=> ↺ Debt Default Would Cripple U.S. Economy, New Analysis Warns

• As President Biden prepares to release his latest budget proposal, a top economist will warn lawmakers that Republicans’ refusal to raise the nation’s borrowing cap could put millions out of work.

=> ↺ In Oklahoma, a Freshman Republican Makes the Case for Deep Spending Cuts

• As Representative Josh Brecheen travels his district preparing his constituents for a debt showdown, his pitch reflects how the party has intertwined its spending fight with cultural battles.

=> ↺ Student debt relief limbo leaves borrowers on edge over financial future

• Americans who had expected sizable chunks of their student debt to be wiped out under President Biden’s student debt relief plan are now recalculating what their futures may look like.

• Driving the news: Borrowers who would be eligible for relief through Biden’s plan won’t know for at least a few months whether as much as $20,000 in their student debt will be forgiven — or still owed — as the Supreme Court decides on its constitutionality.

=> ↺ Biden Budget Will Propose Tax Increase to Bolster Medicare

• The president’s plan targets Americans earning more than $400,000 a year in an attempt to increase the program’s solvency by 25 years.

=> ↺ Joe Biden: My Plan to Extend Medicare for Another Generation

• Medicare is the rock-solid guarantee that Americans count on. My budget will make the Medicare trust fund solvent beyond 2050.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ Sen. Mark Warner Says His New TikTok Ban Is Just Good Business

• For years, American politicians have worked to ban TikTok over privacy and national security concerns.

=> ↺ The political realities that make a national TikTok ban tricky

• The U.S., Canada, and a number of European governments in recent months have stepped up efforts to impose restrictions on TikTok, ratcheting up pressure on the Chinese-owned app even as U.S.-China relations have grown increasingly strained.

=> ↺ China Accuses the U.S. of Suppressing Chinese Tech Companies

• China accused the U.S. of stealing its technological autonomy in a press conference on Monday, Reuters reported. Spokesperson Mao Ning claimed that by imposing various TikTok bans, “the U.S. is trying to deprive it of developmental rights and perpetuate its own hegemony,” the outlet wrote.

=> ↺ TikTok and How Congress Treats Americans Like ‘Unruly Children’

• Plus: The editors puzzle over Donald Trump’s latest list describing his vision for America.

=> ↺ TikTok ban looking more likely as senators push through bipartisan bill

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 Jewish perspectives on antisemitism in Germany

=> ↺ Early 20th century pogroms in Ukraine impacted the Holocaust, history scholar says

• At a Monday event entitled, “Ukraine In Civil War And Famine, 1918-1921”, history scholars discussed the pogroms of 1918-1921 in Ukraine and their impact on the Holocaust.

=> ↺ The workers the mass Twitter layoffs left behind

• Three former Twitter employees and their lawyer to talk to CNN about their final days at the company after Elon Musk took control, and what the company’s mass layoffs have meant for their lives.

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Left-wing parties will shoot down Cabinet’s climate plans if they lack ambition

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 It’s my 11th Twitter Birthday, and Elon just gave me a GREAT gift

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Blue ticks: what evolutionary theory tells us about the turmoil around social media verification

=> ↺ Poll: AMLO remains popular, but disapproval rate rose in February

• López Obrador still has a 54% approval rating, though most respondents rated his government poorly on the economy and public security.

=> ↺ Mexico, India sign wide-ranging tech collaboration agreement

• The agreement covers binational development projects in areas including water management, electromobility and vaccines.

=> ↺ AMLO announces anti-inflation plan with key Latin American allies

• The objective of the agreement is to promote trade and eliminate tariffs to combat shortages of key products.

=> ↺ Learning Multilateralism on Obama’s National Space Policy

• In June 2010, Obama’s new National Space Policy (NSP) emphasizes a broad continuity between its main goals and the overarching themes originally developed by the Eisenhower administration, such as the use of space and strengthening space stability.

=> ↺ Rethinking The Issue of Witchcraft-related Violence

• On 12 July 2021, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted the historic resolution on the elimination of harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks. The resolution urges the member states to not only condemn the hazardous practices, but also to take tangible actions to abolish them.

=> ↺ Human Trafficking: A Global Security Concern

• Oneof the leading problems of the globalized world that has increased over time is human trafficking. It has increased in all parts of the world specially Africa, Asia and Europe. It involves kidnapping, trapping or sending individuals from one place to another either within state or outside.

=> ↺ Green Party response to small boats bill | The Green Party

• Responding to the small boats bill announced by the Home Secretary Suella Braverman today, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

• “This is the latest attempt by the Tories to stop desperate people finding sanctuary. Last year three quarters of all asylum claims were granted [1]. Despite this, the government seems determined to clamp down on those fleeing conflict, persecution or extreme poverty in a host of countries by failing to offer legal routes to the UK. This will force people to continue taking their chances arriving in small boats.

Censorship/Free Speech

=> ↺ Mobile internet disrupted in Mauritania following prison break

• Network data confirm a nation-scale disruption to mobile internet traffic in Mauritania from Monday morning 10 a.m. 5 March 2023.

=> ↺ Libel Statute of Limitations for Blog Posts Starts When They’re Published, Not When Plaintiff Discovers Them

• All the more reason to frequently Google your own name!

=> ↺ $160K Libel Verdict for Accusing Stepmother of Poisoning Father Upheld

• From Osowski v. Harer, decided today by the Minnesota Court of Appeals, in an opinion by Judge Randall Slieter, joined by Presiding Judge Jennifer Frish and Judge John Smith: This defamation case, commenced by respondent Karen K. Osowski, arises from statements appellant Edie Harer made to law enforcement several months after the death…

=> ↺ Conservatives Who Want To Weaken Defamation Standards May Regret Opening That Can of Worms

• Contrary to the Supreme Court’s First Amendment precedents, Donald Trump thinks harsh criticism of the president should be actionable.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ YouTube Music’s Contractors Are Actually Employees, According to a Federal Labor Official

• Google parent Alphabet should officially be considered the “joint employer” of a crew of scrappy YouTube Music contract workers, according to a new ruling from a National Labor Relation Board official.

=> ↺ Venezuela’s latent civic reserves

• An autocrat’s harsh misrule and isolation have only strengthened a popular hunger for justice and equality.

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 Police Officer’s Defamation Suit Over Claims That Circled-Finger Sign Was “White Supremacist” Dismissed

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 COP28: Carbon Market Rules Should Protect Rights

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Georgia: ‘Foreign Agents’ Bill Tramples on Rights

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Kazakhstan: Revise Draft Laws to Better Protect Women

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 Striking YouTube Music Workers Score Victory With NLRB Ruling: ‘Cognizant and Google Are Joint Employers’

=> ↺ Teachers protest over suspected Iran schoolgirl poisonings

• Iranian teachers have held protests in several cities over suspected poisonings targeting hundreds of schoolgirls. Activists say security forces broke up several of the demonstrations on Tuesday. Meanwhile, prosecutors started filing criminal charges against journalists, activists and others over their comments on the still-unsolved incidents that began in November and have escalated in recent days with dozens of schools reporting suspected cases.

=> ↺ Liverpool fans to get refunds after Champions League chaos

• UEFA will refund Liverpool fans who bought tickets for last season’s Champions League final because of the chaos that occurred outside the stadium in Paris. The governing body of European soccer says a scheme has been set up to reimburse all 19,618 tickets purchased by Liverpool fans for the match against Real Madrid.

=> ↺ Russian gym coach who criticized Olympic judges banned

• A top Russian gymnastics coach whose athletes won numerous Olympic gold medals has been suspended following vehement criticism of judges who ended Russia’s winning streak in rhythmic gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics. The Gymnastics Ethics Foundation has barred Irina Viner from coaching or officiating at any competitions in international gymnastics for two years.

=> ↺ Lie Detectors Are Junk Science, but We Keep Using Them

• Amit Katwala’s Tremors in the Blood explores how unreliable technologies have been used in our criminal justice system.

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

=> ↺ Pluralistic: End to End (07 Mar 2023)

• Tech groups and publications can use principles to rank competing technologies (“Which network providers are end to end?”). Network Neutrality is a way of operationalizing E2E: the idea of Net Neutrality is that carriers should be obliged to treat all traffic the same. If you request Youtube packets from Comcast, Comcast should deliver those packets as quickly and reliably as it can, even though its parent company, Universal, owns several competing services.

=> ↺ Opinion: An economic perspective on Internet centrality

• How can we fix an Internet completely dominated by a small collection of global behemoths?

=> ↺ 2023-03-06 Roku Doesn’t Support IPv6 and It Might Be a Big Deal

=> ↺ 2023 ISIF Asia Grants now open for applications

• The 2023 ISIF Asia grants are now open for applications – grants are for Asia Pacific organizations working in Internet development, fostering Infrastructure, Inclusion and Knowledge.

=> ↺ 2023-03-07 How to Ensure Time Security Across a Global Network

Monopolies

=> ↺ Saisie-contrefaçon and trade secrets: the French Supreme Court institutes the framework for the protection of the trade secrets within a saisie-contrefaçon

=> ↺ The Top Antitrust Cop Says Big Tech Looks a Lot Like Standard Oil

• Big Tech’s cornucopia of questionable business practices looks an awful lot like the oil industry during Standard Oil’s reign.

Patents

=> ↺ Eligibility for Dummies; Benson Redux

• I’ve become somewhat callous toward patent eligibility jurisprudence and so was surprised when I read the Federal Circuit’s decision in ADASA Inc. v. Avery Dennison Corp., 55 F.4th 900 (Fed. Cir. Dec 16, 2022). The case concluded that constructively dividing a fixed-length binary number into different sub-portions was not an abstract idea.  Now, the accused infringer has asked the Supreme Court for review.

Trademarks

=> ↺ The Swiss government is forcing Toblerone to change its logo after the company outsourced production

• Toblerone, the chocolate bar known for its triangular pieces, is removing the image of the Matterhorn from its wrapper as it moves production to Slovakia this year. Strict laws in Switzerland prohibit using any national symbol on products manufactured in other countries.

=> ↺ New design for old chocolate

• Philop Oltermann quoted a spokesperson from Toblerone’s parent company:

Gemini* and Gopher

Personal

=> ↺ For such a time as this

• Today (March 6-7, 2023) is the Jewish festival of Purim. It commemorates the events written in the Hebrew Scriptures book of Esther. It is a fun time of celebration. You can (mostly) think of Purim as Mardi Gras and Halloween rolled into one. There are costumes, food, parties, and lots of drinking. But behind all these, Purim celebrates a defeat of a genocidal attempt by a politician who harbored xenophobia and anger.

• In the 5th century B.C.E., Persia was a superpower that dominated over 127 provinces stretching from India to Greece to Northern Africa (although, by the time of Xerxes I, it was beginning to decline). Emperor Ahasuerus (historians generally identify him as Xerxes I, who reigned 486-465 B.C.E.) had appointed a man named Haman as his prime minister (or viceroy). During this time, Jews were a conquered people and many of them were taken to Persia.

=> ↺ Email Netiquette

• Other people are gonna bork up the subject lines, CC you on list mail, be overly verbose or terse, top-post, bottom-post, interleave, fullquote, forget to quote, reply too quickly, too slowly, ask too many questions, too few questions, have annoying signatures etc etc etc. That’s fine.

• Get and keep your own house in order with whatever filters and templates you need. Then don’t worry about it.

=> ↺ introvert guilt

• I recently don’t feel like going out much or meeting people. I’ve had a small burst of wanting to reconnect with some office people after the pandemic and did, and it was wonderful. I felt cherished and connected. I will keep these contacts up now and visit them in their offices whenever I am not working from home.

• But privately, I am just so content just being home right now. I sometimes do grow frustrated and angry at home when I feel like I am just doing the same stuff every day or grow sick of some executive dysfunction I experience a lot some days, but I always manage to fix it somehow or sleep it off.

• But what I mean is, I am just so content being alone or just being with my girlfriend. Each doing our own thing, sometimes our stuff aligns and we do things together and sometimes we just do stuff separately in the same room. I just currently feel no desire to try out new cafés or restaurants, or visit museums, going on a big hike or anything like that. No friend dates, no traveling. Just me, studying for my degree, cuddling the dog, playing some games, coding, watching stuff, listening to music. At home. Being in Discord calls, online DnD and Jackbox sessions. Sometimes reading. I wanna get back to my embroidery projects soon and finish some crop tops I have began to sew last year. I don’t like concerts or festivals in general (sadly).

=> ↺ March update 2023 – Big Changes!

• Hola! Happy Hacking to all hackers, DIY, Creators and tinkers out there. Well well well, so I almost skipped 4-5 months!!! OMG OMG OMG!!!.

=> ↺ One black tea, please

• i guess i have a problem with this. not even sure what’s the reason. maybe it’s my addiction to funny memes compilation videos on youtube.

Technical

=> ↺ Replacing the “ls” Command

• I’ve been replacing the “ls” command on both my personal and work machine for so long that I’d honestly completely forgotten I was doing it until I saw someone else mention doing the same recently (can’t remember where, sorry!).

• The tool I’ve been using is called Exa, and for my usage it’s a drop in replacement for ls with several helpful features and readability improvements.

=> ↺ Everything Is A Little Broken

• Sometimes I feel a little cursed with a ‘death by a thousand paper cuts’ curse.

• This morning my Roku remote failed to work. Worked fine yesterday. Roku has a weird remote with WiFi built in and goes through its 2x AAA batteries fast, but it has an on-screen indicator that rings a ‘low-battery’ alarm, to their credit. But it did not go off. Batteries were dead, and I replaced and paired the remote.

• Just an annoyance for me, but what if it happened last week? There is no way my mom could do this. Not that it’s hard, but when you are 85 faced with this kind of thing, it is hard. Even knowing when to expect delay of a couple of seconds before pairing takes place and not push the button over and over or pull the batteries and try again is hard! How the **** are you supposed to know that?

• 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

➮ Sharing is caring. Content is available under CC-BY-SA.