Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
w7voa@journa.host ("Steve Herman") wrote:
Russian President Putin apologizes for the “tragic” downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane, which occurred in Russian airspace where air defenses were being used against Ukrainian drones. https://iz.ru/1815666/2024-12-28/putin-i-aliev-obsudili-krushenie-samoleta-pod-aktau
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
AskNick ("Nick Francesco") wrote:
Men willingly believe what they wish. ~ Julius Caesar
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
this is ugly. the age-old question is: who shall guard the guardians?
“public reports suggest this attack was part of a wider campaign to target Chrome extension developers across a wide range of companies.” At this point it’s unclear who is responsible for this campaign, and other affected companies and their extensions have yet to be confirmed."
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
what a nightmare, and what wonderful timing
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
"the practice of training models on outputs from rival AI systems can be “very bad” for model quality, because it can lead to 'allucinations and misleading answers like the above. “Like taking a photocopy of a photocopy, we lose more and more information and connection to reality,”'
https://researchbuzz.masto.host/@researchbuzz/113730527131462571
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
Researchbuzz@researchbuzz.masto.host ("Calishat") wrote:
'Posts on X — and TechCrunch’s own tests — show that DeepSeek V3 identifies itself as ChatGPT, OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot platform. Asked to elaborate, DeepSeek V3 insists it is a version of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model released in 2023.'
https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/27/why-deepseeks-new-ai-model-thinks-its-chatgpt/?guccounter=1
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
mia@hcommons.social ("Mia") wrote:
If the whole 'attack Wikipedia' nonsense inspired you to start or restart editing, there's a bunch of tools to help newcomers, like 'suggested edits' https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Growth/Tools
If you need to turn the newbie features on: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Growth/Tools/Enable_the_Homepage
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
bsletten ("Brian Sletten") wrote:
People born in the 1900s have a quite coherent shared sense of reality because of the shared media experiences we had.
Much of the present world is inexplicable when measured against this shared understating.
I’m seeing more awareness in the public sphere (social media posts, content, memes) that people are getting the consequences of a fragmented information sphere yielding fragmented realities.
This is a big part of why it feels like everything is changing at once.
Opinion: Prayers are messages for our own hearts
Hanukah began on Christmas this year. A reflection on celebrating both holidays in a multi-faith family.
In Fresno, one of California's toughest new camping bans comes into focus
Three months since Fresno implemented its new law, police have made over 300 arrests, but only a few unhoused people are taking them up on drug treatment services
Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
drrjv@vmst.io ("DrBob, Neurologist, 🧠Mechanic") wrote:
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Makes History With Closest Pass to #Sun
“Operations teams have confirmed NASA’s mission to “touch” the Sun survived its record-breaking closest approach to the solar surface on Dec. 24, 2024.
Breaking its previous record by flying just 3.8 million miles above the surface of the Sun, #NASA’s #ParkerSolarProbe hurtled through the solar atmosphere at a blazing 430,000 miles per hour — faster than any human-made object has ever moved
A beacon tone received late on Dec. 26 confirmed the spacecraft had made it through the encounter safely and is operating normally.”
#NASAScience
https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasas-parker-solar-probe-makes-history-with-closest-pass-to-sun/
Attachments:
- Text Shot: "Flying this close to the Sun is a historic moment in humanity’s first mission to a star,” said Nicky Fox, who leads the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By studying the Sun up close, we can better understand its impacts throughout our solar system, including on the technology we use daily on Earth and in space, as well as learn about the workings of stars across the universe to aid in our search for habitable worlds beyond our home planet.” (remote)
- 9fedf98ee4da3599.png (remote)
- 4896b962cd95dd6c.png (remote)
- 420b7127b25297bb.jpg (remote)
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
an interesting piece. I do not often agree with him, but this time...
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/opinion/trump-musk-ramaswamy-immigration.html
Kindle Scribe (2024) review: nothing to write home about
Amazon’s finally added a key feature to the Scribe, but it has a long way to go before it’s actually useful.
Reblogged by lloydmeta ("Lloyd"):
djspiewak@fosstodon.org ("Daniel Spiewak") wrote:
Just to give an idea of the potential here, the initial tests of http4s-ember (via TechEmpower) on top of io_uring, made possible by the Integrated Runtime, showed performance 3.5x higher than baseline. Not percent. Coefficient.
This is a huge leap forward for performance, and users don't even have to lift a finger. It also unlocks proper I/O and multithreading implementations on Scala Native, which will be the focus of CE 3.7.
New year, new pygmy hippo: A naming poll for this Virginia zoo baby is underway
Moo Deng and Haggis are joined by another slick, round supreme on the scene. Fans of the new baby can cast their vote to name her until New Year's Eve, with the winning name announced the next day.
A sea turtle plagued by 'bubble butt' condition is helped by a 3D printer
"Bubble butt" can leave turtles struggling to swim normally — or unable to submerge at all. A 3D-printed harness can help.
2024 Set the Stage for Clean Energy on Public Lands
This story was originally published by High Country News and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order on the climate crisis that, among other things, directed the secretary of the Interior to review the potential for clean energy on public lands. Later that year, he set aggressive […]
Apple pulls remaining Lightning-based devices from European stores
Lightning’s days have come to an end in the EU. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Apple is no longer selling its iPhone SE and iPhone 14 series in Europe — the last phone models with Apple’s proprietary Lightning charging port — as the EU shifts to a common charging solution built around USB-C. EU Directive 2022/2380 goes into force today in an effort to reduce e-waste and solve market fragmentation.
A spot check by The Verge shows the iPhone SE, iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, and the Lightning-based Magic Keyboard have been pulled from stores in The Netherlands, France, and Germany. Those same devices are still for sale in the US and other countries outside the EU’s 27 member states. A new iPhone SE with USB-C and other upgrades like an OLED display is rumored for 2025.
In addition to requiring a USB-C port on a wide range of devices sold in the EU from December 28th, 2024, the Directive also requires devices that support fast charging to support the USB PD standard, allows for the unbundling of charging bricks from retail devices, and helps consumers to better understand the power requirements of the devices they’re buying through improved labeling.
With Trump's Panama Canal talk, it feels like 1976 all over again
It's unclear how the issue of ownership of the Panama Canal became a talking point for President-elect Donald Trump this week, but the question has a long political history.
Curious about Dry January? What to expect — and how it works
If your New Year's resolution is to give up drinking for the month of January, this expert guide can help you get to Day 31 alcohol-free.
Winning ticket for $1.22 billion lottery jackpot sold in California, Mega Millions says
After three months without anyone winning the top prize in the lottery, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in California for the drawing Friday night.
Reblogged by isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:"):
Hoooooly it is a drag to find/add people on a fresh #mastodon instance!
If you see this post, kindly boost it up so I can find my peeps again!
Reblogged by isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:"):
Haikyoneko@famichiki.jp ("廃墟猫/Urbex cat") wrote:
Attachments:
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
The MAGA civil war, or whatever you want to call it, was always going to happen. The rich never intended on actually kicking out all the immigrants. There’s only so much prison labor to go around. They just wanted to keep the poor from realizing whos our real enemy.
But it’s all fun and games until a populous realtor from Manhattan gets elected on mass deportation.
Attachments:
isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:") wrote:
Also, established a monthly donation to @spritely. Consider doing the same!
isagalaev ("Ivan Sagalaev :flag_wbw:") wrote:
Finally worked my way through @cwebber re:-re: post on decentralization https://dustycloud.org/blog/re-re-bluesky-decentralization/
It's long and technical, but it inspired me to offer my own, admittedly simplistic, definition of a decentralized social network:
If a social app forces you to choose an instance before anything else, it's decentralized. If not, it's not.
Trump asks the Supreme Court to delay the start of the TikTok ban
President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a "political resolution" to the issue.
rasterweb ("Pete Prodoehl 🍕") wrote:
I still use Firefox and other Mozilla products but I just got this email from Mozilla:
"We’re in the final days to reach our goal of raising $4.35 million USD from the Mozilla community. We’re close, but we’re still short."
I just want to let them know their CEO probably has $4.35 million USD since their salary a few years ago was about $7 million USD. Maybe ask them?
U.S. homelessness jumps to another record high, amid affordable housing shortage
The annual federal count finds more than 770,000 people living in shelters or outside. It cites rising rents and the recent surge in migrants as key factors behind the increase.
Sportscaster Greg Gumbel dies at age 78
Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78.
Trump asks the Supreme Court to let him rescue TikTok
Donald Trump. | Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Scott Olson, Getty Images
President-elect Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to let him negotiate a deal to save TikTok from an imminent US ban.
In an amicus brief filed to the court, Trump says he “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office,” and that he “alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform.”
Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments that a bill passed by Congress banning TikTok on national security grounds violates the First Amendment. The bill gives wide latitude to the president to delay its enforcement if there’s progress being made towards a deal ensuring TikTok isn’t fully controlled by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. But the deadline for that determination is January 19th — one day before Trump is set to assume the presidency.
In his Supreme Court filing, Trump asks for the bill’s January 19th deadline to be stayed, arguing that the deal he’d negotiate “would obviate the need for this Court to decide the historically challenging First Amendment question presented here on the current, highly expedited basis.”
He argues that having over 14 million followers on TikTok, along with his ownership of Truth Social, gives him unique ability to “evaluate TikTok’s importance as a unique medium for freedom of expression, including core political speech.” He also cites Brazil’s temporary ban of Elon Musk’s X as an example of “the historic dangers presented” by banning TikTok.
While Trump pushed for a TikTok ban during his first term, he changed his tune after his campaign successfully used the platform during the 2024 election. He recently met with TikTok CEO Shou Chew at Mar-a-Lago and told a crowd that “maybe we gotta keep this sucker around for a little while.”
Developing...
Exterminate All Rational Graphic Design.
I love that the billboards around town for "AI" companies have converged on an identical design aesthetic: sparse text on a solid background, usually black or white, maybe a pastel if they're feeling saucy.
It says, "We didn't waste money on a graphic designer, our CFO just knocked this out in Notepad!"
It's morally consistent, as their business model is "Never pay an artist, or anyone who does creative work."
https://jwz.org/b/ykfH
Xbox Game Streaming Still Down After 24 Hours, Reminding Us That Your Phone Isn't Actually An Xbox
On December 26, Microsoft confirmed that its Game Pass cloud streaming platform wasn’t working as expected. Over 24 hours later, many players are still complaining about long waits and disconnects. This outage comes at a time when Microsoft has been pushing a new marketing slogan that claims everything connected to…
I know this is a bold claim, and I don't say this lightly, but that was the worst episode of Doctor Who that I have ever seen.
By contrast, "What If...? Howard the Duck Got Hitched?" was fantastic. Possibly the best episode.
Costco egg recall for salmonella receives FDA's most severe designation
The FDA has classified its recall of eggs sold under Costco's Kirkland brand as a Class I recall, a designation reserved for instances of the highest potential health risk — including death.
Syria's U.S.-backed Kurdish coalition faces an uncertain future after Assad's ouster
After Bashar al-Assad's ouster, there are questions about the fate of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the U.S.-backed Kurdish coalition that currently controls a third of Syrian territory.
fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:
Just heard on the Behind the Bastards podcast that Peter Jennings once yelled out to Henry Kissinger in a restaurant “How does it feel to be a war criminal?”
Fucking legendary.
Attachments:
Marvel's What If...? Finally Addresses The Watcher's Mistakes
There are only two episodes left in Marvel’s animated anthology series What If...?, and one of the multiverse’s most disgruntled employees is finally getting reprimanded by upper management. In the third-to-last episode of the series, Uatu, better known as The Watcher, was visited by three other Watchers—The Eminence,…
Maybe we could save democracy if news-site editors would stop illustrating articles about Musk with photos of him smirking and mugging like a white supremacist Urkel.
That adorable little scamp.
At least 9 people died when a bridge collapsed in Brazil
Another eight people remain unaccounted for. Several cars and trucks plunged into the Tocantins River after a section of the 1,748-foot-long bridge crumbled on Sunday.
Marvel Rivals: How To Earn Units To Buy New Costumes
Finding out how to get Units in Marvel Rivals is a surprisingly difficult task. The game doesn’t outright tell you how to earn them anywhere. And, when you do earn them, it’s hard to tell where they’re coming from. However, this galactic currency will be very important in-game.
exocomics@mastodon.world ("Li Chen") wrote:
Since the year is almost over, I thought it would be neat to look back and share my top four comics of 2024! Hope you liked them too! ✨
Attachments:
MissingThePt ("Missing The Point") wrote:
Roses are red
Violets have chloroform
I spent $44 billion to buy Twitter and yet
Attachments:
How to choose which Apple Watch to buy
Image: Cath Virginia. / The Verge
Between the Apple Watch Series 10, the Ultra 2, and the second-gen SE, there are more options than ever. We’ll help you sort through them.
DNA Lounge Update, Wherein this trashcan is trash
https://www.dnalounge.com/backstage/log/2024/12/27.html
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pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
Just say no to all Elsevier journals.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2024/12/27/elsevier-strikes-again/
Attachments:
Claim of dementia could derail former Abercrombie CEO's sex trafficking case
Can his legal team's claims that he has late-onset Alzheimer's disease and dementia put a pause in the sex trafficking trial of former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries?
One Of The Weirdest Movie Moments Of 2024 Happened In A Film Nobody Watched
A bizarrely quiet and slightly squeaking scream in the middle of Kraven The Hunter is one of the weirdest movie moments I’ve experienced in 2024, and more people need to see it.
The Batman 2 is delayed to 2027, but Mickey 17’s release date is moving up
Image: Warner Bros.
If you’ve been waiting patiently to see how Matt Reeves’ story for The Batman continues once the reboot’s sequel arrives, you’ll have to wait a little longer. It was once set to open October 2nd, 2026, after an initial delay caused by the Hollywood writers’ strike derailed Warner Bros. plans to release it in 2025, but the studio has now announced that it’s pushing The Batman Part II even further back to October 1st, 2027, according to Variety.
It appears the most recent shift could be strategic. Variety adds that Warner Bros. has rushed to fill that October 2nd, 2026, slot with an unnamed film featuring Tom Cruise and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu.
While that sucks for fans of the bat, one nice consolation is news that Bong Joon-Ho’s Mickey 17 is coming even sooner than expected; it is now scheduled for March 7th, 2025, after delays of its own caused the original 2024 release to slip. Mickey 17 stars Robert Pattinson (who also plays Bruce Wayne in The Batman Part II) and is directly inspired by the Edward Ashton novel Mickey7, which follows a willingly and literally disposable employee through his many doors of death. Also starring in the film are Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, and Thomas Turgoose. Warner Bros. reportedly swapped its release date with Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which now opens April 18th, to give Mickey 17 more time on Imax screens.
All Of Astro Bot's Fun Costumes (And Where To Find Them)
Astro Bot’s titular character is cute enough on his own, but that didn’t stop Team ASOBI from filling this new adventure with plenty of costumes to unlock. Whether it’s random cute outfits or costumes that let you cosplay as famous PlayStation characters, there are no shortage of fun options to choose from. Here’s how…
Delta apologizes - again - after another stowaway boards a flight without ticket
The incident marks the second time in less than a month that an unticketed passenger was discovered on a Delta Air Lines flight, this time en route to Hawaii.
Photos from Azerbaijan jet crash suggest a missile strike, according to experts
The Embraer 190 with 67 passengers and crew was flying from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to Grozny in Chechnya, Russia, when it crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 people.
How To Troubleshoot (And Fix) Pesky PS VR2 Controller Woes
Has this happened to you? You just opened your new PlayStation VR2 and everything seems fine. The setup goes swimmingly. You’ve got a handle on the controls, and you enter a game of your choice. Except, hold on a second—why don’t some of the buttons on your controller work? Everything worked before you were in a game,…
The best Fitbits for your fitness and health
Fitbit makes an array of fitness trackers, from basic fitness bands to full-fledged smartwatches, though the best Fitbit smartwatch isn’t technically a Fitbit. | Photo illustration by William Joel / The Verge
Whether you want a basic fitness tracker or a smartwatch, there’s a Fitbit for everyone — though the best Fitbit smartwatch isn’t technically a Fitbit.
The Batman 2 Delayed Again, Won't Arrive Until 2027
After weeks of rumors, Warner Bros. and DC confirmed today that The Batman - Part II has been delayed again. The planned Batman sequel is now set to land in theaters in 2027, five years after the release of the first movie and nearly eight years after Robert Pattinson was cast as the iconic DC hero.
Do Kwon will be extradited to the US to face charges over Terra’s $40 billion crypto crash
Image: Getty
Do Kwon, the co-founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency firm Terraform Labs, will be extradited to the US to face federal fraud charges, as reported earlier by Bloomberg. The Montenegro Ministry of Justice announced the decision on Friday, which comes more than one year after the authorities arrested Kwon in the country.
Kwon faces charges in the US and South Korea after the TerraUSD stablecoin and its sister token Luna crashed in 2022, causing investors to lose $40 billion in the process. Both countries have issued extradition requests for Kwon, and have been awaiting Montenegro’s decision for months.
“It was concluded that most of the criteria provided for by law support the extradition request of the competent authorities of the United States of America,” a machine-translated version of Montenegro’s Ministry of Justice’s statement said. It doesn’t say when Montenegro plans on releasing Kwon to the US. As noted by Bloomberg, it’s also unclear whether this decision is final, since Montenegro ruled to extradite Kwon to South Korea in August.
Federal prosecutors in New York charged Kwon with wire fraud, commodities fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy to defraud and engage in market manipulation last year. In June, Terraform Labs and Kwon agreed to pay more than $4.5 billion to settle a separate lawsuit from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
9 Differences Between Sonic The Hedgehog 3 And The Game It’s Based On
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is out in theaters now, and as we’ve long known, the third live-action movie about Sega’s speedy mascot is heavily inspired by Sonic Adventure 2. The 2001 Dreamcast game introduced a new brooding antihero in Shadow the Hedgehog, and expanded the Sonic mythos into some dark territory. Sonic 3 isn’t…
Elon Musk riles up Trump’s far-right base by praising immigrants
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images
Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and other members of President-elect Donald Trump’s Silicon Valley coalition are clashing with the MAGA movement’s hardline anti-immigrant faction, and it’s allegedly resulted in Musk stripping far-right critics’ verification badges on X.
The conflict centers on Musk and Ramaswamy’s recent praise for foreign tech workers, beginning soon after Indian immigrant Sriram Krishnan joined the team of Trump’s AI and crypto czar David Sacks. It’s pitted Trump’s tech mogul donor class against his older network of far-right influencers like activist and Trump companion Laura Loomer while escalating into racist rhetoric against Indian Americans in particular. The ugly, extremely online fight between the American far-right influence network parallels the immigration debate currently being hashed out more quietly in Washington.
Anti-immigrant rhetoric was a cornerstone of Trump’s pitch to voters; on top of promoting false, racist rumors about immigrants and promising mass deportations that could destabilize the American economy, he’s expected to revive an H-1B visa crackdown that he imposed during his first term. At the same time, Trump is leaning heavily on...
The Beats Fit Pro, our favorite fitness-centric earbuds, are matching their best price
The Beats Fit Pro offer built-in wing tips and excellent noise cancellation, making them a great pair of gym-friendly earbuds. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
If you need help shedding pounds from all the junk food you indulged in over Christmas, music is a great activity motivator — which is why wireless earbuds are a useful investment. Luckily, today the Beats Fit Pro — our favorite pair of earbuds for working out — are matching their all-time low price of about $149 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.
The Beats Fit Pro offer a wide range of features that’ll help you keep motivated while working out. They sport excellent noise cancellation and a transparency mode that sounds natural, so you can tune distractions out and allow outside sound in when needed. They’re also designed for vigorous workouts, with built-in wing tips to keep them firmly in place and IPX4 rating for water resistance.
Even more conveniently, the wireless earbuds offer a host of Apple-centric features typically reserved for AirPods, like support for head tracking spatial audio, Find My, and automatic device switching. They also work well with Android devices, though you won’t be able to take advantage of native Android features like Fast Pairing that are found in newer models like the Studio Buds Plus. All in all, these are a fantastic pair of fitness-friendly earbuds that most people will find helpful, even if they do lack a wireless charging case.
Read our Beats Fit Pro review.
Some more ways to save
- Epicka’s Universal Travel Adapter has returned to its all-time low price of $19.99 ($5 off) at Amazon. The all-in-one adapter features four USB-A ports, a single USB-C port, and one AC socket, allowing you to simultaneously charge smartphones, laptops, tablets, and other gadgets. The adapter also works in over 150 countries, ranging from the UK and Canada to Japan, China, Australia, Argentina, and more.
- You can buy two Meross Matter Smart Wi-Fi Plug Minis at Amazon starting at $26.99 ($8 off) while a bundle of four is on sale for $38.99 ($11 off). That’s some of the best prices we’ve seen on the plugs, which add smarts to lamps, TVs, blenders, coffee makers, and other traditional gadgets. Most notably, they’re compatible with Matter, so you can connect them to a wide a range of smart home platforms.
- Target is still selling the green Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Camera Gift Set for $79.99 ($10 off) and throwing in a $5 gift card. The instant camera is my top pick for most people, as it’s easy for all ages to use and prints relatively true to life photos. The bundle also includes a pack of ten sheets, a photo album, camera case, and stickers, making it an excellent value all around even if you just plan on gifting it to yourself.
Reblogged by jakedel@mamot.fr ("S. Delafond"):
freexian@hachyderm.io ("Freexian :debian:") wrote:
When Debian LTS (https://wiki.debian.org/LTS) started in 2014 for Debian 6 "squeeze",
(https://web.archive.org/web/20240720200316/https://www.debian.org/News/2014/20140616)
we didn't have any certainty about its future success.Ten years later, we are happy to announce that more than 4000 security updates have been published under the LTS initiative.
More precisely, DLA 4000-1 (https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/12/msg00022.html)
was released on 21st December 2024 by Guilhem Moulin to fix three CVEs in sqlparse.
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has survived the closest-ever Sun flyby
An artist’s rendering of the Parker Solar Probe. | Image: NASA
NASA sent its Parker Solar Probe just 3.8 million miles from the surface of the Sun — and it survived. The probe transmitted a signal back to Earth on the night of December 26th, “indicating it’s in good health and operating normally,” according to NASA.
The mission marks the closest the Parker Solar Probe — or any human-man object at all — has ever gotten to the Sun. The probe set off on its mission on December 20th, with the closest approach occurring on December 24th as it flew 430,000 miles per hour past the solar surface. Mission operations were out of contact with the probe during this time.
Now that NASA has confirmation of the mission’s success, it expects the Parker Solar Probe to send “detailed telemetry data on its status” on January 1st. The close flyby is supposed to help scientists get a better understanding of solar wind, the Sun’s heat, and how “energetic particles are accelerated to near light speed.”
The Parker Solar Probe was first launched by NASA and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in 2018. It’s designed to why study the corona — the atmosphere surrounding the sun — gets so hot. To survive these close encounters, the Parker Solar Probe is equipped with a Sun-facing heat shield that reaches around 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, while the probe itself remains just 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hero of 2024: The Sweet Simplicity of Raffi
The staff of Mother Jones is, once again, rounding up the heroes and monsters of the past year. Importantly, this is a completely non-exhaustive and subjective list, giving our reporters a chance to write about something that brought joy or discontent. Enjoy. Forget the YouTube sensations Ms. Rachel or CoComelon: My household still blissfully lounges in the sweet […]
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
I do appreciate how the Right, once they get a little power, immediately turn on one another.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2024/12/27/the-pettiness-is-the-point/
Attachments:
The State Of The Nintendo Switch In 2024
The Switch is running on fumes. It might not be gong out with a whimper, but the needle is past empty. The 2024 release calendar was spotty at best, and even some of the more notable games that did come to the handheld hybrid, of which there were strikingly few, struggled to run on the nearly eight-year-old tech.…
New leaders in Damascus call for cordial Syria ties with a resistant Israel
"Our problem is not with Israel. We don't want to meddle in anything that will threaten Israel's security," Damascus Governor Maher Marwan tells NPR. Syria and Israel have never had diplomatic ties.
Rescue team ends search for a man overboard from Norwegian Cruise Line ship
The tragedy marks the 19th overboard incident on a cruise ship this year, with only two passengers successfully rescued.
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
“the rapidly evolving nature of the field present additional hurdles that make the prospect of an Apple search engine both financially and technically daunting”
Apple & others should try to remember that the rate of change also presents opportunities to move past those with huge existing infrastructure investments (in both the psychic & financial meanings), if the org can find a route to being more agile than their giant competitors
https://www.perplexity.ai/page/why-apple-won-t-make-a-search-VvAz0DTFQtugdj_yy9FDEQ
jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:
the first developmental task for a neonate is to filter, else they will be overwhelmed by inputs
https://www.perplexity.ai/page/the-human-brain-is-very-slow-YGm.UjyKRW.caXXHnhlb4Q
pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:
This cat is too lazy to infect us with bird flu, I hope.
https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2024/12/27/its-killing-the-cats/
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9 great Game Pass games for your Xbox
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images
From postapocalyptic wastelands to cozy sci-fi futures, there’s a lot to dig into on Microsoft’s subscription service this year.
The Canon R5 Mark II is everything I love about this camera line
I’ve finally had a chance to test out the new hybrid powerhouse from Canon, the R5 Mark II. The camera comes with much-improved autofocus powered by the new Digic X processor, new eye-controlled autofocus, a backside illuminated sensor capable of faster readout and better low-light performance, and stunning video specs like recording in 8K internally with Canon Log 2 color profile.
But as much as those specs sound impressive (and they are), using the R5 Mark II also brought back so many memories I’ve made with previous 5D cameras that have been a huge part of my professional and personal life for well over 15 years, specifically the 5D Mark II.
In this review video, I decided to try something a little bit different. Instead of going through every single one of the specs and pixel-peeping every photo I’ve taken over the past month, I’ve picked the top three photos that have taught me something about the new Canon R5. Let us know what you think about the new format.
OpenAI announces plan to transform into a for-profit company
Image: The Verge
OpenAI has laid out plans to become a for-profit company. In a blog post published on Friday, OpenAI’s board said it will replace the company’s existing structure with one that puts control into the hands of its for-profit arm.
Going into 2025, OpenAI plans to become a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), which is a for-profit company meant to operate for the good of society. This division will “run and control OpenAI’s operations and business,” while OpenAI’s nonprofit will retain a stake in the business but lose its oversight role.
The nonprofit will operate separately with its own leadership team and staff “to pursue charitable initiatives in sectors such as health care, education, and science.” The board said the structure will allow OpenAI to “raise the necessary capital” to build toward artificial general intelligence while also creating “one of the best resourced non-profits in history.” OpenAI’s competitors, including Anthropic and Elon Musk’s xAI, also operate as PBCs.
Rumors about OpenAI’s transition into a for-profit company have been swirling for months as the company looks for ways to appeal to investors and raise money to keep its data-hungry AI models up and running. In September, Bloomberg reported that CEO Sam Altman would receive around a 7 percent equity stake as part of OpenAI’s plans to become a for-profit company, something Altman reportedly denied.
“The hundreds of billions of dollars that major companies are now investing into AI development show what it will really take for OpenAI to continue pursuing the mission,” the board wrote. “We once again need to raise more capital than we’d imagined. Investors want to back us but, at this scale of capital, need conventional equity and less structural bespokeness.”
Under the structure outlined by OpenAI’s board, the nonprofit would get shares in the PBC “at a fair valuation determined by independent financial advisors.” Concerns about keeping OpenAI’s nonprofit board in control boiled over last year, when its members ousted Altman but later reinstated him.
Even with these plans to switch to a for-profit, OpenAI could have a fight on its hands. Last month, Elon Musk filed a motion to stop OpenAI from becoming a for-profit company, while Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg similarly asked California Attorney General Rob Bonta to block the transition.
Global stories from 2024 that we loved ... but that you may have missed
These stories didn't get huge numbers of views, but readers who found them stayed with them for what qualifies as an eternity on the online clock. Here are our underappreciated favorites.
2024’s best games channeled the heart and soul of the ‘90s
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge
After years of of chasing live-service and open-world blockbusters, games like Astro Bot and Balatro showed that old formats could be a solution to modern industry problems.
How a fox skull shape conquers the snow
Research explains how foxes hunting mice can plunge down into the snow at high speeds without injuring their poor little snouts.
Top global TikToks in 2024: Mr. Bean disciple, lip-sync for their life, baby hippo!
Scenes from some of the most popular TikToks from the Global South in 2024: a dancing teen from the Philippines; an homage to Mr. Bean, that cute baby pygmy hippo.
South Korea's acting president impeached. And, how the 'Beyoncé Bowl' did on Netflix
South Korea's acting president has been impeached less than a month after the impeachment of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, for imposing martial law. And, how'd the "Beyoncé Bowl" do on Netflix?
A fake Nintendo lawyer is scaring YouTubers, and it’s not clear YouTube can stop him
In late September, Dominik “Domtendo” Neumayer received a troubling email. He had just featured The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom in a series of videos on his YouTube channel. Now, those videos were gone.
“Some of your videos have been removed,” YouTube explained matter-of-factly. The email said that Domtendo had now received a pair of copyright strikes. He was now just one copyright strike away from losing his 17-year-old channel and the over 1.5 million subscribers he’d built up.
At least, he would have been, if Domtendo hadn’t spotted something fishy about the takedown notice — something YouTube had missed.
Domtendo had been a little bit confused right from the start;the strikes didn’t make sense. Like countless other creators, Domtendo specializes in “Let’s Play” videos, a well-established genre where streamers play through the entirety of a game on camera.
“The next copyright strike will close your channel”
Nintendo has a complicated relationship with the fans who use its copyrighted works, infamously shutting down all sorts of unauthorized projects by sending cease-and-desists. It has gone after YouTubers, too. But both the Japanese gaming giant and the broader...
The USB-C charging mandate arrives in the EU — here’s what that means
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The common charging standard brings USB PD support, improved labelling, and less e-waste.
More than 10,000 migrants died in 2024 trying to reach Spain by sea, aid group says
The migration route that connects West African nations with the Spanish Canary Islands remains the deadliest in the world, according to a Spanish aid organization.
slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:
I don't know how to tell folks this and have them hear what I'm saying, but my advocacy for better performance isn't anti-developer – it's literally the result of seeing developers in pain and suffering and wanting better for all of us.
And anyone telling you otherwise is pushing something that isn't sustainable.
Hero of 2024: Richard M. Nixon
The staff of Mother Jones is, once again, rounding up the heroes and monsters of the past year. Importantly, this is a completely non-exhaustive and subjective list, giving our reporters a chance to write about something that brought joy or discontent. Enjoy. Destroyed by Watergate and vilified for suggesting that presidents are above the law, Richard Nixon died in […]
Faith Organizations Can Have a Complicated Relationship With Disaster Relief
This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. On the second weekend after Hurricane Helene, Swannanoa Christian Church held its first Sunday service since the storm-battered western North Carolina. The sanctuary was piled high with clothes, water, and food, so everyone gathered outdoors. Out in the yard, beneath […]
2024 Fungus Finds: Toadstool with Teeth and Ghostly Palm
This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. From a toadstool with teeth to a vine smelling of marzipan and a flower that has cheated its way out of having to photosynthesize, a weird and wonderful host of new plant and fungus species have been discovered in […]
Hero of 2024: Pop Music
The staff of Mother Jones is, once again, rounding up the heroes and monsters of the past year. Importantly, this is a completely non-exhaustive and subjective list, giving our reporters a chance to write about something that brought joy or discontent. Enjoy. Camo hat, orange letters. The ever-present “Hot to Go!” dance. VMA alien makeout. […]
Hero of 2024: Charity Music, Which Was Actually Good This Year
The staff of Mother Jones is, once again, rounding up the heroes and monsters of the past year. Importantly, this is a completely non-exhaustive and subjective list, giving our reporters a chance to write about something that brought joy or discontent. Enjoy. I have always thought the music-for-charity genre was irredeemably corny. “We Are the World”? Far from “the […]
The World's Largest River is Running Low (Encore)
The region drained by the Amazon River, including the Amazon Rainforest, is in the second year of a punishing drought. That has lead to the lowest water levels in more than 100 years for the Amazon and its major tributaries. Millions of people and an array of wildlife depend on those quickly disappearing waters. In a story we first brought you in October, we travel to the region to see the effects. Support our non-profit journalism by joining NPR+
Congressional lawmakers almost got a pay bump this year. Then it crashed and burned
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill haven't had a pay increase since 2009, representing a 31% decline in their salary when adjusted for inflation.
A health care provider that faced dozens of prisoner lawsuits is filing for bankruptcy
Wellpath, a health care provider for hospitals, prisons and jails, has been dogged by wrongful death and medical negligence suits. What happens to those cases now that it has filed for bankruptcy?
For homeless seniors, finding stable housing takes a village — and a lot of luck
The number of unhoused seniors is expected to triple by 2030. As rents rise, it becomes tougher to find affordable housing that's accessible for those with medical conditions and disabilities.
A wild year in politics, by the numbers
From the election results to the the charges against President-elect Donald Trump, here are the numbers that defined 2024 in politics.
At the end of 1999, many thought Y2K would cause the world to collapse
At the end of 1999, there was anxiety about a potential computer glitch known as Y2K. Some thought the world would crumble, including some who waited out the apocalypse in an old house in the woods.
Protests in Georgia continue as demonstrators rally in support for joining the EU
On the eastern edge of the Black Sea, the Georgian president is refusing to step down, as demonstrations have gone on for weeks in support of Georgia joining the European Union.
South Korea's opposition-controlled parliament votes to impeach acting president
The impeachments of the country's president and then acting-president worsen the nation's political turmoil, deepen its economic uncertainty and hurt its international image.
Send me a photo of your favorite 3D print of this year and which machine you printed it on!
Soozafone, creator of the 3d-printable Dummy13 action figure, has to deal with a fraudulent design patent and is looking for advice:
