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Computers/Internet (General/Chat)

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  • Whistleblower claims DOGE gave Russia access to US data via Starlink

    04/19/2025 7:32:00 AM PDT · by CtBigPat · 31 replies
    The Express Tribune ^ | April 16, 2025 | unknown
    A whistleblower has alleged that DOGE systems linked to Elon Musk’s Starlink network were used by Russian IP addresses to access US government databases, raising fresh concerns over national security and infrastructure exposure.
  • Joe Rogan ditches vice that haunted Donald Trump as he announces major lifestyle change

    04/18/2025 11:29:21 PM PDT · by dennisw · 31 replies
    DAILYMAIL.COM ^ | 18 April 2025 | SOPHIE GABLE
    Joe Rogan recently revealed he has decided to make a huge change to his lifestyle by giving up alcohol - a move which follows in the footsteps of Donald Trump. The president has famously steered clear of booze after witnessing first-hand dangers of alcohol through his brother Fred Jr. who battled with addiction issues. Rogan appears to have found his own reasons to join Trump as a teetotaler, admitting on a recent episode of his popular podcast The Joe Rogan Experience that he quit drinking month ago due to concerns around its impact on his health. The UFC host and...
  • Viral video after FSU shooting seems to show person sipping coffee while passing wounded victim

    04/18/2025 1:04:14 PM PDT · by Strict9 · 39 replies
    Palm Beach Post via Yahoo ^ | 4-18-25 | C A Bridges
    People on social media are outraged over a video reportedly taken at the scene of a fatal mass shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee, on Thursday, April 17. But it's not just over the alleged shooter, identified by Tallahassee police as 20-year-old FSU student Phoenix Ikner. It's over video that was seemingly shot by someone walking past a wounded, bleeding woman lying face down on the grass. Rather than stopping to help or even running away from an active shooter, as what sounds like two shots are fired in the background, the person walks by while sipping from a...
  • AI Threatens Creators’ Livelihoods, Experts Say

    04/16/2025 12:50:15 PM PDT · by nickcarraway · 19 replies
    Publisher Weekly ^ | Apr 16, 2025 | Ed Nawotka
    A panel of experts gathered in Washington D.C. last week to discuss how their creative industries are coping with technological disruption cited AI as the latest challenge in a decades-long struggle to maintain sustainable careers in the digital era. The panel was part of "The Story Starts With Us," a day-long forum that addressed the threat generative AI poses to copyright law and the creative industries. It was co-hosted by the Association of American Publishers and the Copyright Alliance. The panel was moderated by Alex Reisner, a freelance journalist and contributing writer for The Atlantic who has written extensively about...
  • JPMorgan Chase sues more customers who allegedly stole cash in ‘infinite money glitch’

    04/16/2025 7:36:18 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 39 replies
    CNBC ^ | April 16, 2025 | Hugh Son
    Key Points JPMorgan Chase this week began suing more customers it has accused of stealing funds from the nation’s largest bank in last year’s so-called “infinite money glitch.” The bank is now going after customers who allegedly stole amounts below $75,000, which means it is filing complaints in state courts, instead of the federal venues it chose last year. The bank has also sent letters to more than 1,000 customers demanding they repay funds since October. ****************************************************************** JPMorgan Chase this week began suing more customers it has accused of stealing funds from the nation’s largest bank in last year’s so-called...
  • Gene Hackman's wife searched online for flu and Covid symptoms

    04/16/2025 5:07:47 AM PDT · by RandFan · 29 replies
    BBC ^ | April 16 | BBC
    Betsy Arakawa, the wife of actor Gene Hackman, searched the internet for information about flu and Covid symptoms and breathing techniques in the days before she died, police records have revealed. Arakawa asked Google questions including whether Covid could cause dizziness or nosebleeds, according to files released by the Santa Fe Sheriff and reported by the Associated Press, and New York Times. The 65-year-old pianist died of hantavirus, which can cause flu-like symptoms and develop into a life-threatening lung condition. Authorities believe she died around 12 February, and her husband, 95, who had Alzheimer's disease, died on 18 February. Their...
  • How bad is California’s housing crisis? A first-in-the-nation bill would let students live in cars.

    04/14/2025 9:43:35 AM PDT · by dennisw · 19 replies
    politico ^ | 04/13/2025 | By Eric He
    SACRAMENTO, California — A progressive Democratic lawmaker is seeking a simple but jarring remedy of last resort for California’s college students navigating the state’s housing crisis: Let them sleep in their cars. While roughly half a dozen state legislative proposals this year seek to fund student or faculty housing or loosen building regulations, the benefits would come far too late for current students struggling to stay afloat. With one in four California community college students experiencing homelessness in the past year, Democrats — who have a supermajority in the statehouse — face increasing pressure to deliver on affordability issues. Assemblymember...
  • Microsoft rolls out AI screenshot tool dubbed 'privacy nightmare'

    04/14/2025 2:50:25 AM PDT · by george76 · 27 replies
    BBC News ^ | 4/12/2025 | Imran Rahman-Jones
    Microsoft has begun the rollout of an AI-powered tool which takes snapshots of users' screens every few seconds. The Copilot+ Recall feature is available in preview mode to some people with Microsoft's AI PCs and laptops. It is the relaunch of a feature which was dubbed a "privacy nightmare" when it was first announced last year. Microsoft paused the rollout in 2024, and after trialling the tech with a small number of users, it has begun expanding access to those signed up to its Windows Insider software testing programme. ... Microsoft says Recall will be rolled out worldwide, but those...
  • Is There Anybody Out There? (awful quiet tonight)

    04/13/2025 12:37:51 AM PDT · by Ciaphas Cain · 45 replies
    Three hours since a new article was published. Is this thing on?
  • BYD’s profit could double in Q1, as deliveries keep racing ahead of Tesla

    04/12/2025 9:16:28 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 24 replies
    Sherwood ^ | 04/12/2025 | Claire Yubin Oh
    The Chinese EV giant delivered 1 million+ cars in Q1 and continues to pull ahead on some pretty huge metrics.In its preliminary earnings for the first quarter on Tuesday, electric automaker BYD revealed that net income could jump as much as 119% in the first 3 months of the year to 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), after delivering more than 1 million EVs across Q1 — up almost 60% on the same period last year. Easy rideWhile Trump’s tariffs have been a major bump in the road for other automakers, BYD — which had no plans to sell cars in...
  • Windows 11 update creates mysterious inetpub folder

    04/12/2025 2:05:24 PM PDT · by Openurmind · 67 replies
    Ghacks Net ^ | Apr 10, 2025 | Martin Brinkmann
    Microsoft released security updates for Windows 11 and other company products earlier this week. If you have installed the security update on a Windows 11 PC, you may have noticed something peculiar after the mandatory restart. After opening the root of drive C in File Explorer, you may have stumbled upon the inetpub folder, a newly created folder. The creation date and time of the folder aligns with the installation of the update. When you open it, you will notice that it is empty. Update: Microsoft says here that the folder is created intentionally and that it should not be...
  • Your sandwich could hurt your credit score? Hidden dangers of 'buy now, pay later' apps coming to light

    04/12/2025 7:48:51 AM PDT · by Libloather · 33 replies
    Fox Business ^ | 4/03/25 | Kayla Bailey
    Small, everyday purchases like a meal from DoorDash are now able to be financed through eat now, pay later options — a practice that some experts deem "predatory." "You've got to have enough sense to not follow the urge to finance a taco, okay? You have got to be an adult," career coach Ken Coleman told "The Big Money Show," Wednesday. "This is predatory, and it's going to get a lot of people in deep trouble." Financial wellness experts are continuously sounding the alarm to cash-strapped consumers, warning them of the devastating impact this financial strategy could have on their...
  • Everyone's jumping on the AI doll trend - but what are the concerns?

    04/11/2025 7:44:39 PM PDT · by BenLurkin · 24 replies
    BBC ^ | Liv McMahon & Imran Rahman-Jones
    People upload a picture of themselves to a tool like ChatGPT, along with written prompts that explain how they want the final picture to look. These instructions are really important. They tell the AI tool everything it is meant to generate, from the items a person wants to appear with to the kind of packaging they should be in - which includes mimicking the box and font of popular toys like Barbie. Many online will then personalise it further with their name, job and clothing choices. Though it does not always work, and many have also shared some of the...
  • Baltimore's Billion Dollar Ghost Town --- You tube 11 minutes

    04/11/2025 10:48:46 PM PDT · by dennisw · 31 replies
    Building Tales ^ | Mar 15, 2025 | Building Tales
    Baltimore Peninsula redevelopment project - https://x.com/i/grok/share/mjqjZ25H9rfy472BXT6ci7KPj https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Covington Mar 15, 2025 1,216,592 views This video explores Baltimore’s newest and swankiest waterfront neighborhood. It’s a beautiful Saturday but there's just one thing missing … people. Like literally any people anywhere. On this particular Saturday I walked around for a half hour and could just about count all the people I saw on one hand. So what’s going on here… why are there all of these beautiful new buildings but seemingly no one here to use them? For that we need look at what led up to the Baltimore Peninsula Redevelopment Project as...
  • NATIONAL CHEESE FONDUE DAY - April 11

    04/11/2025 5:15:06 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 24 replies
    National Day Calendar ^ | April 11, 2025 | Staff
    NATIONAL CHEESE FONDUE DAY Observed annually on April 11th, National Cheese Fondue Day recognizes a food holiday many enjoy. Fondue is a dish of melted cheese or other ingredients, served in a communal pot (caquelon) over a small portable stove (réchaud). Participants then dip the bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. Cheese fondue consists of a blend of cheeses, wine, and seasoning. #NationalCheeseFondueDay A 1966 book published in Zurich, under the name "Kass mit Wein zu kochen" is known for having the earliest known cheese fondue recipe. It calls for grated or cut up cheese melted with wine and...
  • 7 Docker containers I use to boost my productivity

    04/10/2025 10:42:10 PM PDT · by Cronos · 12 replies
    Xda developers ^ | 6th April 2025 | Parth Shah
    Lately, Docker has become a valuable tool for developers and tech enthusiasts. But beyond deployment, Docker containers can be powerful allies in streamlining workflows and boosting personal output. These isolated environments offer a fantastic way to tackle tasks and focus on what truly matters. Here are the Docker containers I use regularly to boost my efficiency and get more done. 7. Nextcloud An ideal Microsoft 365 replacement https://nextcloud.com/ 6. Vaultwarden 1Password, who? https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden 5. Homepage Manage all your self-hosted services https://gethomepage.dev/ 4. Firefly III Keep track of finances https://www.firefly-iii.org/ 3. Excalidraw Brainstorm ideas https://excalidraw.com/ 2. Code-server Level up your development...
  • Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina released in prisoner swap — after she was sentenced to 12 years in penal colony

    04/10/2025 8:50:03 AM PDT · by dennisw · 26 replies
    NY Post ^ | Published April 10, 2025 | By Nicholas McEntyre
    Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina was released from Kremlin custody in a prisoner swap with the United States on Thursday morning. Karelina was freed in exchange for German-Russian Arthur Petrov at a swap in Abu Dhabi, the Wall Street Journal reported. “American Ksenia Karelina is on a plane back home to the United States,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. “She was wrongfully detained by Russia for over a year and President Trump secured her release. @POTUS will continue to work for the release of ALL Americans,” he added. The dual-citizen spa worker was accused of treason against the Russian government...
  • Wearable Sensor Tracks Health By Measuring Your Skin’s ‘Breath’

    04/10/2025 5:24:21 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 4 replies
    Study Finds ^ | April 10, 2025 | John A. Rogers and Guillermo A. Ameer, Northwestern University
    First wearable device to gauge health by sensing gases coming from, going into skin. (CREDIT: John A. Rogers/Northwestern University) ****************************************************************** In a nutshell A new skin sensor can monitor your health without even touching your skin by measuring molecules like water vapor, carbon dioxide, and VOCs that naturally move in and out of your body. The device can detect hidden problems in wound healing, including cases where skin appears closed but hasn’t actually regained full barrier function, especially important for people with diabetes. Beyond healthcare, the sensor also tracks environmental exposure, revealing how chemicals from the air enter the skin...
  • Internet-connected cameras made in China may be used to spy on US infrastructure: DHS The cameras usually lack data encryption and communicate with the manufacturer.

    04/09/2025 6:53:34 PM PDT · by daniel1212 · 9 replies
    abcnews.go.com ^ | February 6, 2025, | Josh Margolin, Aaron Katersky, and Meredith Deliso
    Internet-connected cameras made in China are giving the Chinese government the ability to "conduct espionage or disrupt US critical infrastructure," according to a Department of Homeland Security bulletin obtained by ABC News. The cameras typically lack data encryption and security settings and, by default, communicate with their manufacturer. It's believed there are tens of thousands of Chinese-made cameras on the networks of critical U.S. infrastructure entities, including within the chemical and energy sectors, the bulletin said. Chinese cyber-operatives have previously exploited internet-connected cameras.. the DHS warns. "A cyber actor could leverage cameras placed on IT networks for initial access and...
  • Tabs On Bottom for Firefox 137.0 (Vanity)

    04/09/2025 3:46:42 PM PDT · by CedarDave · 9 replies
    April 9, 2025 | Self
    Firefox's newest release once again breaks browser screens for users who prefer tabs on bottom (as originally presented in legacy Netscape). However, now that the breaks are so frequent (the last one was this past November) most users know where to go to fix the problem. Info at the link directs them to a userChrome fix that again brings the Firefox internet universe into harmony. https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1joylag/tabs_on_bottom_for_firefox_1370/?rdt=45696