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● 02.16.23


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● Links 16/02/2023: YouTube Crisis and Tesla Mass Recalls


Posted in News Roundup at 9:42 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz


GNU/Linux


Desktop/Laptop


↺ Kubuntu Focus NX gets a spec bump (mini PC with Kubuntu Linux and 12th-gen Intel Core)


The Kubuntu Focus NX is a small form-factor desktop computer that ships with Kubuntu Linux software pre-installed.


When the Kubuntu team first introduced the mini PC last year it was available with 11th-gen Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor options. But now there’s a new model called the Kubuntu Focus NX Gen 2 which features a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 chip.


↺ Kubuntu Focus Team Releases New Mini Desktop


The Focus NX GEN 2 is a small form factor desktop PC that comes with Kubuntu 22.04 pre-installed and offers plenty of power to help you be productive and entertained.


The power behind this tiny computer shouldn’t surprise you, given the specs. The NX GEN 2 ships with a 12th-Gen Intel Core i7-1260P CPU with 16 cores (running at 2.8 GHz with a 4.7 GHz turbo boost), configurable up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, and can house up to a 2TB NVMe boot SSD and a 4TB secondary SATA drive.


↺ Kubuntu Focus Team’s NX GEN 2 Mini Linux Desktop PC: What You Need to Know!


Thanks to technology, swapping out Windows in favor of Linux is no longer an intimidating and complex endeavor. Over time, installing a Linux-based operating system on your existing computer has become increasingly straightforward; however, it can still be daunting for some users. Fortunately, there are numerous computers that come preloaded with different distributions of the Linux Operating System – giving you plenty more options!


↺ Kubuntu Focus NX Mini Linux PC Gen2 Ships with 12th Gen Intel CPU, Wi-Fi 6E


If you’re in the market for a Linux-powered system optimized for the KDE Plasma desktop environment, the Kubuntu Focus NX Mini Linux PC Gen2 is now available for order with the 12th-Generation “Alder Lake” Intel Core i7-1260P processor with 12 cores, 16 threads, powerful Iris Xe Graphics, and high-performance 35 W TDP.


Connectivity was boosted as well in the 2nd-generation Kubuntu Focus NX with the latest Wi-Fi 6E with up to 5.4 Gbps speeds, 2.5 GbE Ethernet LAN, and Bluetooth 5.3. On top of that, you get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and two DisplayPort 1.4 outputs through USB-C supporting up to four 4K monitors.


Audiocasts/Shows


↺ Destination Linux 312: Linux At The Movies & Making Open Source Radio Waves


This week’s episode of Destination Linux, we’re going to be discussing Linux at the Oscars! Then we have a rust based browser engine making a comeback. Plus, we have our tips/tricks and software picks. All this and more coming up right now on Destination Linux to keep those penguins marching!


↺ CoreJS: The Web – Open Source Are Broken! – Invidious


↺ What Are The Hardest Linux Distros? (It’s Not The Ones You Think!) – Invidious


↺ BSDNow 494: Unix workstation extinction


Mass extinction of UNIX workstations, Determine Who Can Log In to an SSH Server, Factors When Considering FreeBSD vs. Linux Packages, A Visual Guide to SSH Tunnels, Harvesting the Noise While it’s Fresh, Bastille – The Jail Manager on FreeBSD, and more


↺ The Linux Link Tech Show Episode 992


joel says gimme lts.


↺ LHS Episode #496: The Weekender CI


It’s time once again for The Weekender. This is our departure into the world of hedonism, random topic excursions, whimsy and (hopefully) knowledge.


↺ How to install Endless OS 5.0.0 – Invidious


↺ Ubuntu Book Authors Live Stream Q – A – Invidious


↺ Enterprise Linux Security Episode 57 – Record Breaking DDoS Attacks – Invidious


↺ How to Manage OpenStack Private Clouds Episode 3 – Setting Up Block Storage Volumes – Invidious


↺ FLOSS Weekly 719: Let the Wiki Win! – Peter Kaminski, Decentralized vs Centralized, Massive Wiki


Applications


↺ 21 Best Free and Open Source GUI Internet Radio Software


Why do we like internet radio? There are no sign-up or subscription charges. There’s a huge range of stations available from around the world. If you like classical music, pop music, folk music, news, talk radio, and much more, internet radio has something for everyone wherever you live (providing you have a net connection). Internet radio offers every format that is available on traditional broadcast radio stations.


There’s a wide range of free and open source software that lets you listen to internet radio. With so many different possibilities available it’s easy to get lost trying to find the right one for you.


↺ 15 Best Tools for Linux Font Management


If you’re like me and have been using Linux for a long time, you know font management can be an issue in most distributions – still! Although Linux has come a great way since its earlier attempt at font management, which resulted in an amateurish-looking desktop, it still has plenty to improve.


↺ 25 Best Free Medical Imaging Software for Linux


Computers have been playing a significant role in modern healthcare systems since their inception. Have you ever wondered how medical imaging like MRI or X-ray scan copies is implemented? Your computer utilizes a special kind of file schema for this purpose.


Instructionals/Technical


↺ How to Install PuTTy SSH Client on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04


PuTTy is a popular open-source terminal emulator and SSH client for Windows, Linux, and macOS. System administrators and developers have widely used it for its versatility, simplicity, and functionality.


↺ How to Install Insomnia on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04


Insomnia is a popular open-source tool used for testing and debugging APIs, and its popularity continues to grow within the developer community.


↺ How to Install Microsoft Edge on Fedora Linux


Microsoft Edge is a popular and widely used web browser that provides users with a fast, secure, and streamlined browsing experience.


↺ The Speak & Spell’s sound chip uses a compressed audio format called “linear predictive coding”. This command will read random bytes and attempt to decompress them as if it were audio data compressed in this format, then play it. This results in a unique sound which is similar to a glitching Speak & Spell.


↺ How to Install Brasero on Linux Mint 21 or 20


Brasero is a widely popular and efficient optical disc authoring software for Linux. This powerful tool allows users to create, copy, and burn CDs and DVDs, making it an essential tool for anyone who needs to work with optical media regularly.


↺ How to Install CMake on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04


CMake is a widely adopted, powerful tool software developers utilize for building and packaging software projects. As an open-source and cross-platform tool, CMake is highly versatile, providing developers with a flexible and customizable solution for their development needs.


↺ How to Reboot or Shutdown Your Linux System from the Terminal


As a Linux user, you may need to reboot or shut down your system for various reasons, such as system maintenance, upgrades, or issues that can be resolved by restarting or shutting down.


↺ How to Install iRedMail on Ubuntu 22.04


In this tutorial, we will install iRedMail on Ubuntu 22.04 OS with an installation script and explain the process in detail.


iRedMail is an open-source email server software that supports the SMTP, IMAP, and POP3 protocols. With this installation script Nginx, Postfix as a mail transfer agent, Dovecot as IMAP and POP3 server, SpamAssassin as a spam scanner, and ClamAV as a virus scanner are included.


↺ How to Protect Your Server With Fail2Ban in Linux


Securing a server is a top priority for any business or organization. One of the most important tools in a sysadmin’s toolkit is Fail2Ban. This guide explains what Fail2Ban is and how you can use it to protect your Linux server from attacks.


↺ How to install a cloud service at home: It’s easy


Linux belongs on your home network, and setting up an on-premises cloud is simpler than you’d think.


↺ How to enhance the KDE Plasma desktop with widgets


By adding widgets to the KDE Plasma desktop, you give it more functionality and even make it interactive. Find out how.


↺ How to install Linux on your Raspberry Pi


Take your Raspberry Pi to the next level by installing a variety of different Linux distros on your hardware.


↺ Shutdown and Reboot Linux From Command Line


↺ How To Install Telegram on Fedora 37


Desktop Environments/WMs


K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt


↺ KDE Plasma 5.27 LTS Desktop is Out. What’s New!


The KDE developers and contributors have once again gone above and beyond to offer you Plasma 5.27, packed with tremendous enhancements for the Linux desktop environment! Plasma 5.27 offers thrilling updates to your desktop, beginning with the Konqi-powered wizard, which will assist you in setting up the desktop!


↺ Unlock Power & Performance With KaOS Linux 2023.02: What’s New?


Today, the group behind KaOS Linux — independently created and powered by KDE, with strong influences from Arch Linux — released their latest ISO snapshot: KaOS Linux 2023.02. This version is filled with up-to-date GNU/Linux innovations that are sure to bring a unique experience for users!


↺ KDE Snaps, Security updates, Debian Freeze


Much like our trees, Debian is now in freeze stage for Bookworm. I am still working on packages locally until development opens up again.


Distributions and Operating Systems


↺ The next-generation MoManager


New Releases


↺ Clonezilla Live 3.0.3 Disk Cloning Tool Adds Support for Multiple LUKS Devices, Linux 6.1 LTS


Clonezilla Live developer Steven Shiau announced today the release of Clonezilla Live 3.0.3 as the third maintenance update in the latest Clonezilla Live 3.0 series of this open-source, free, and powerful partition and disk cloning/imaging live ISO distribution based on the Debian Sid repositories.


Clonezilla 3.0.3 comes more than three months after Clonezilla 3.0.2 and bumps the Linux kernel from the now deprecated Linux 6.0 to the long-term supported Linux 6.1 LTS. The live ISO ships with Linux kernel 6.1.11 by default.


SUSE/OpenSUSE


↺ Expanding Enterprise Computing Options with an All-Arm Cluster – The Hammerhead Way


Background: The Hammerhead Consortium leveraged its Ampere Computing-powered cluster in its latest test iteration showcasing a ScyllaDB environment in an all-Arm cluster. The results will be made available in a joint session between Ampere Computing and ScaleFlux at the upcoming ScyllaDB Summit 2023.


↺ Stop the Churn with SUSE eLearning


The Covid pandemic has taught us has brought us a lot of new phrases in the workforce. First, there was “quiet quitting” – the desire to do “just” what’s in your job description and no more. Then there was the “great resignation” where it seemed like everyone was looking for their next opportunity.


Fedora Family / IBM


↺ Fedora Community Blog: CPE 2022 Summary


This is a summary of the work done on initiatives by theCommunity Platform Engineering(CPE) Team. The CPE Team, together with CentOS and Fedora community representatives, choose initiatives for the team to work on. The CPE Team is then split into multiple smaller sub-teams that will work on chosen initiatives + day to day work that needs to be done.


Debian Family


↺ Parrot OS 5.2 Tightens Security, Better TOR Bridges Support


Parrot OS, similar to Kali, is a Debian-based Linux distribution designed for security and privacy. Using the MATE desktop environment, Parrot OS includes various tools for penetration testing, digital forensics, reverse engineering, cryptography, and anonymity, making it a popular choice for security professionals and researchers.


Just over four months after its latest stable 5.1 release, Parrot OS 5.2 is finally here. So let’s see what’s changed.


Canonical/Ubuntu Family


↺ Canonical’s Real-Time Ubuntu Kernel on Ubuntu Pro Subscription


Ubuntu maker Canonical is proud to announce the general availability of their enterprise-grade real-time Ubuntu kernel for systems running on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. This revolutionary security and reliability feature provides enterprises with an unparalleled level of end-to-end protection for time-sensitive workloads, giving companies the confidence they need in a modern digital environment.


↺ Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Is Now Powered by Linux Kernel 5.19 from Ubuntu 22.10


Initially planned for early February 2023, the Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS point release will ship with a newer kernel, namely Linux 5.19 HWE (Hardware Enablement) from the Ubuntu 22.10 release, and it’s also the first Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish) point release to feature a newer kernel for those who need it.


I said “for those who need it” in the above paragraph because Ubuntu 22.04 LTS already ships with a great kernel, Linux 5.15 LTS, which will receive security updates for more than three and a half years from the moment of writing, until October 2026.


↺ Course for deploying ROS applications now available in The Construct


We are happy to announce the release of our first e-training course for deploying ROS applications in The Construct. The Construct is the leading e-learning platform for ROS, helping engineers grow their robotics skills with a full-scale curriculum and hands-on courses. Working alongside The Construct engineering team will now make the course available to everyone.


Devices/Embedded


↺ Raspberry Pi 400 powers dual-display retro-gaming console


“Block after Block” has designed a dual-display tabletop retro-gaming console using plywood edge grain and a Raspberry Pi 400 keyboard PC that allows players to physically face each other during a fight or other gameplay.


While there’s a galore of projects based on Raspberry Pi SBCs, the Raspberry Pi 400 keyboard PC is more like a consumer product due to its form factor, but Block after Block integrated the PC into its own retro-gaming console which involved a lot of woodworking skills and installing RetroPie on the Pi 400 device


Open Hardware/Modding


↺ 12 DIY Raspberry Pi Projects to Improve Your Smart Home


So maybe you’ve gotten bored playing around with your Raspberry Pi and wanted to make something practical out of it. That’s great! Whether you’re an experienced electrician or a tinkering newbie who can’t hold a soldering iron without getting burnt, there are plenty of guides and projects out there that you could follow so you could integrate them to your own. Here are 12 projects to start you off and make for an even brighter home. Tip: Don’t forget to secure your Raspberry Pi while doing these DIY projects.


↺ Raspberry Pi Serves Up News and Weather, Retro Style


Serving the news in a retro style, this Raspberry Pi project uses an old CCTV monitor and a little Python programming to get the latest news.


Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications


↺ Firefox for Android is finally getting more extensions


↺ Budget-friendly Samsung Galaxy A04 gets its Android 13 update – PhoneArena


↺ Stable Android 13 update now rolling out for Nothing Phone (1) users worldwide – NotebookCheck.net News


↺ Android 13 upgrade lands on Sony Xperia 10 III in surprise change of heart – NotebookCheck.net News


↺ Android 14: New features, supported devices, timeline and more


↺ Android users are just finding the hidden ‘taps and swipes’ that unlock over a dozen features – you’ll save so much time | The US Sun


↺ Make Your Android Phone Feel New Again With These 5 Tips – CNET


↺ Android: These may be the biggest ‘security threats’ for Android smartphone users in 2023 – Times of India


↺ Google: Google-CCI dispute: Here’s what the Android maker told NCLAT – Times of India


↺ Nothing Phone 1 gets the stable Android 13 update with Nothing OS 1.5.2


Free, Libre, and Open Source Software


↺ Predictions in Open Source: Security, Mature Strategies, COSO, AI/ML


I joined Javier Perez and Rod Cope of Perforce in a webinar…


↺ FOSS Weekly #23.07: Terminal Basics, KDE Plasma 5.27 and Markdown Guide


Get a free bash scripting book, Markdown guides and learn to get comfortable with the new Terminal Basics series.


Events


↺ Kushal Das: SamNet Vinterkonferensen 2023


This Tuesday I attendedSamNet Vinterkonferensen, jointly organized by ISOC-SE, SNUS,DFRIand Dataskydd.net, focusing on technology, the internet, privacy, and decentralization. The organizers gave me caution before hand as the whole conference was in Swedish


The venue wasInternetstiftelsen, which is already one of my favorite small conference venues in Stockholm (as we have done many open spaces there in the last 1 year).


After the morning coffee and breakfast, the day started with a talk about “blockchain”, it felt more like a 2015 version of the presentation After that a very good detailed description of IPv6 and adoption. The third talk was on DNS from Mikael Kullberg. This presentation was a perfect mix of technical details and fun


Web Browsers/Web Servers


Mozilla


↺ Firefox 110.0 released [LWN.net]


Version 110.0 of the Firefox browser has been released. Significant new features include the ability to import bookmarks from the Opera and Vivaldi browsers and GPU sandboxing on Windows systems.


↺ Tor Browser 12.0.3


Tor is a network of virtual tunnels that allows people and groups to improve their privacy and security on the Internet. The Tor software protects you by bouncing your communications around a distributed network of relays run by volunteers all around the world: it prevents somebody from watching your Internet connection and learning what sites you visit, it prevents the sites you visit from learning your physical location, and it lets you access sites which are blocked.


Programming/Development


↺ Product Analytics for Customer Success Management


Product Analytics transforms reactive Customer Success Management (CSM) into proactive and ultimately more productive work.


↺ Qt Creator 10 Beta released


We are happy to announce the release of Qt Creator10 Beta!


↺ Beginner’s Guide to R Markdown Syntax [With Cheat Sheet]


R Markdown is an enhanced form of Markdown coupled with in-line R code. Curious? Learn more here.


Standards/Consortia


↺ Philippe Normand: WebRTC in WebKitGTK and WPE, status updates, part I


Some time ago we atIgaliaembarked on the journey to ship aGStreamer-powered WebRTC backend. This is a long journey, it is not over, but we made some progress. This post is the first of a series providing some insights of the challenges we are facing and the plans for the next release cycle(s).


Leftovers


↺ February 6 earthquakes: 50,576 buildings need to be destroyed


After the inspection of 387,346 buildings, 279,655 were assessed as slightly damaged or undamaged.


↺ Northwest Syria: Aid Delays Deadly for Quake Survivors


↺ Does paying more get you a better hot water bottle?


We tested hot water bottles to find out which stays toasty the longest. Our favourite has just come back in stock


↺ Magnitude-6.1 quake rocks central Philippines


The strong and shallow quake struck off Masbate province in the centre of the archipelago.


↺ Choosing a Portmanteau/Blended Baby Surname


How we chose a surname for our new baby: options, tradeoffs, and how to search for blends of your & your partner’s surnames


↺ Why your camera is killing your memory


Photographs have come a long way since Joseph Nicéphore Niépce took the very first one in 1826. Thirty-five years later, photos could be taken and viewed in color, and a short while after came the first-ever motion picture.


↺ EcoCash partners US company to offer another avenue to send funds to Zimbabwe through


It’s been in the news but it’s not really new. However, if we all missed it when it happened then we might as well talk about it today. EcoCash partnered with Remitly, a US financial services provider. Remitly is all about remittances as their name suggests.


↺ It wasn’t just the $9200 laptops, govt cancelled other inflated payments


It was in September last year when we witnessed the infamous US$9,200 laptops saga. The Clerk of Parliament had authorised the purchase of 173 laptops at $9200 each and 79 desktops at $3000 each but had to throw the tenders out after a public outcry.


↺ FC Barcelona investigated for alleged payments to firm owned by then-referee body’s VP


The Barcelona Prosecutor’s Office is investigating FC Barcelona over allegations it made $1.5 million in payments over three years to a company owned by a then-leading official with Spain’s referee committee, CTA.


↺ See drone footage of what Turkey region looks like 10 days after quake


CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta joins a helicopter mission delivering aid to survivors in Turkey’s Hatay Province, the epicenter of an earthquake that killed more than 36,000 people. While search and rescue missions are still underway, another challenge is to deliver goods to places hard to access where people rely on aid packages for basic supplies.


Science


↺ Earth’s Core May Be Causing Strange ‘Anomalies’, Study Suggests


Deep inside the Earth, something strange is happening that scientists are trying to explain.


Health/Nutrition/Agriculture


↺ Hong Kong gov’t seeks to prosecute shop selling suspected cat and dog meat


The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has confirmed through DNA tests that a shop in Yau Ma Tei had been selling cat flesh.


↺ COVID-19 infection raises diabetes risk: Research


Researchersat Cedars-Smidt Sinai’s Heart Institute have confirmed that persons who have had COVID-19 have a higher risk of developing new-onset diabetes, which is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease.


“Our results verify that the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes after a COVID-19 infection was not just an early observation but, in fact, a real risk that has, unfortunately, persisted through the Omicron era,” saidAlan Kwan, MD, first and corresponding author of the study and a cardiovascular physician in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai.


↺ Officials: chemicals from Ohio train derailment found in waterways near Ohio River


The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Tuesday said that chemicals from a recent train derailment have been found in waterways near the Ohio River. The ODNR examined four different streams and tributaries over seven and a half miles around the derailment site and discovered 3,500 dead fish of 12 different species.


↺ Open Democracy crowdfunds dedicated Covid inquiry journalist


Open Democracy hopes to afford to send a journalist to every day of the Covid-19 inquiry.


↺ Thousands of retirees protest in Wuhan and Dalian over medical payout cuts


Protesters sing communist anthems, face off against ranks of police


↺ WHO Says Mpox Still Int’l Public Health Emergency


In a statement on Wednesday, the WHO said its experts acknowledged the progress in the global response to the mpox outbreak and a further decline in the number of reported cases during the last few months.


↺ Censored Déjà Vu: Corporate Media’s Ongoing Failure to Cover Key Issues around Food Safety, Birthing, and Breastfeeding & Dark Money’s Pernicious Influence on Political Culture


In the first half of the program, Shealeigh Voitl and Steve Macek a look at how corporate-media coverage has failed over the course of years to adequately inform the public…


↺ Equatorial Guinea Responds to Marburg Virus Outbreak​​​​​​


One confirmed case, 16 suspected cases, and nine deaths have been reported from two communities in the Kie-Ntem province.


↺ Fast-Acting Nonhormonal Male Birth Control Prevents Pregnancy in Mice


The “on demand” drug immobilizes sperm rather than limit their production, preventing 100 percent of pregnancies in an experiment.


↺ Bacteria Have Histones After All: Study


Researchers identify hundreds of candidate histone proteins in bacteria, including one with an unusual way of binding to DNA.


↺ THL: Confusing system undermines kids’ mental health services


The National Institute for Health and Welfare is calling for a reform of mental health services available to children and young people.


↺ ‘Chernobyl 2.0’? Ohio Train Derailment Spurs Wild Speculation.


For many influencers across the political spectrum, claims about the environmental effects of the train derailment have gone far beyond known facts.


Proprietary


↺ IT breach at airline SAS gives passengers access to each other’s payment information


Several customers with Scandinavian airline SAS were late on Tuesday able to see personal information that did not belong to them after a cyberattack which froze the company’s website.


↺ Users Report Microsoft’s ‘Unhinged’ Bing AI Is Lying, Berating Them


The Bing bot said it was “disappointed and frustrated” in one user, according to screenshots. “You have wasted my time and resources,” it said.


↺ Why Chatbots Sometimes Act Weird and Spout Nonsense


No, chatbots aren’t sentient. Here’s how their underlying technology works.


↺ Hyundai Says Its Cars Will No Longer Be Easy to Steal Using Viral TikTok Instructions


A free software patch is available to some models now.


↺ Tesla to Recall 362,000 Cars With Its ‘Full Self Driving’ System


A federal auto safety agency said the technology can cause crashes, but said the company was unaware of any deaths or injuries caused by the flaws.


↺ Tesla recalls more than 362,700 cars over self-driving flaws


Tesla is recalling 362,758 vehicles equipped with itscontroversial “Full Self-Driving beta” (FSD) softwarethat federal safety investigators found can occasionally disregard traffic laws.


Security


↺ One of Anom’s Top Alleged Sellers Flown to U.S. to Face Charges


Alexander Dmitrienko was an alleged seller for the FBI’s honeypot phone company. More than a year and a half after the FBI pulled back the curtain on the operation, Dmitrienko is now in the U.S. to face his charges.


↺ Ransomware Attacks – Part 1 (Introduction)


In this series of articles, I will talk about Ransomware attacks and how we can better protect our systems. What is ransomware? Ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware) that is designed to block access to a computer system or its data, usually by encrypting it, until a ransom is paid.


↺ Ransomware Attacks – Part 2 (Traditional IT Security)


Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. How do we protect traditional IT infrastructure? 3. How do I use SELinux, AppArmor and Netfilter? 4. Can STIG hardening guide help me protect my Linux server? 5. How can I apply a STIG profiles to all my servers? 6.


↺ Ransomware Attacks – Part 3 (Container Security )


Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. How do we protect Kubernetes environments? 3. Why use Zero-Trust policies to stop the spread of malware? 4. The importance of having a secure software supply chain? 5. Why must we automate security in Kubernetes environments? 6. How can we scale these measures when we have multiple clusters? 7.


↺ Security updates for Wednesday [LWN.net]


Security updates have been issued by Debian (gnutls28 and haproxy), Fedora (syslog-ng), Mageia (apr-util, chromium-browser-stable, editorconfig-core-c, ffmpeg, libzen, phpmyadmin, tpm2-tss, and webkit2), Oracle (kernel and kernel-container), Slackware (mozilla and php), SUSE (git, haproxy, kernel, nodejs18, phpMyAdmin, and timescaledb), and Ubuntu (APR-util, git, and haproxy).


↺ Microsoft issues 75 patches, including three for zero-days


Microsoft has released patches for 75 vulnerabilities overnight on its second Patch Tuesday for the year, with nine being rated critical.


↺ Senior FBI official warns US states about threat posed by Chinese hackers


A senior FBI official warned secretaries of state from across the US Thursday that Chinese hackers pose a “growing threat” and said their willingness to target the infrastructure of political parties ahead of the 2022 election demonstrates that “we could see more significant Chinese cyber activity against your states in the coming year.”


Privacy/Surveillance


↺ UK Facial Recognition – No Consent, No Oversight


On 3 February 2023, the Wales cross-party group on digital rights and democracy – for which Open Rights Group serves as the secretariat – held its fourth session on surveillance and facial recognition technology in the UK.


↺ EU dispatch: new EDPS opinion on airline passenger data addresses privacy and cross-border crime concerns


Law students from the European Union are reporting for JURIST on law-related events in and affecting the European Union and its member states.


↺ Camera the Size of a Grain of Salt


Cameras are gettingsmaller and smaller, changing the scale and scope of surveillance.


Defence/Aggression


↺ Former head of military intelligence suspected of aggravated service crimes


Alafuzoff is suspected of handing a flash drive to a Helsingin Sanomat journalist. The drive contained confidential information.


↺ Russia Declares Battlefield Gains as NATO Ramps up Support for Ukraine


↺ How Do Ukrainians Think About Russians Now?


After a year of war, the struggle for cultural sovereignty has triggered complex sentiments.


↺ US Involvement in Nord Stream Blast Fits 11 Known Facts: Sachs


Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh said last week that the U.S. Navy was involved in the Nord Stream explosions.


↺ Russia Hits Ukraine With New Missile Barrage


In a blend of the old school and the new, Moscow sent balloons over Ukraine before pummeling it with high-tech weaponry.


↺ Biden Tries to Calm Tensions Over Chinese Spy Balloon


The president said he will speak soon with President Xi Jinping to register his objection to the Chinese surveillance machine that was recently detected and shot down.


↺ Russia Calls UNSC Meeting on Nord Stream Explosions for Feb. 22


This comes in light of a recent report by U.S. journalist Seymour Hersh indicating direct U.S. involvement in the Nord Stream incidents.


↺ EU Proposes 10th Sanctions Package Against Russia


In order to prevent third countries from supplying goods to Russia, the new package targets Iran for the first time.


↺ EXPLAINED: These are the weapons Sweden is sending to Ukraine


Sweden last month announced the largest ever delivery of heavy weaponry in its history, including the advanced Archer missile defence system, NLAW anti-tank missiles and CV-90 assault vehicles. Here’s what you need to know about these weapons.


↺ Nato leader vows to ‘push’ for Sweden and Finland as members


Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg pledged on Wednesday to push Turkey on ratifying Sweden’s bid as well as Finland’s to join the military alliance during an upcoming visit to offer support after the earthquakes.


↺ China sanctions Lockheed, Raytheon after vowing to retaliate against US restrictions


China has imposed sanctions on two American defense manufacturers over arms sales to Taiwan, a day after Beijing pledged to take “countermeasures” in response to Washington’s handling of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that entered US airspace late last month.


↺ China sanctions Lockheed Martin and Raytheon over Taiwan sales


Chinaannounced on Thursday that it would impose sanctions against two U.S. defense companies in retaliation for their weapons sales to Taiwan.


↺ Ukraine war pulls NATO center of gravity eastward


The Ukraine war has reinvigorated NATO and reshaped it, with less familiar players from Eastern Europe taking more important roles.


↺ Biden says last three objects shot down were not related to China spy programs


↺ CNN anchor explains Biden’s lack of transparency on the flying objects


President Biden has now addressed the American people about their concerns about the flying objects. CNN’s Abby Phillip explains the sensitivity of this subject and how little the president can say on the matter.


↺ Video appears to show Ukraine striking weapon that rips the oxygen out of humans’ lungs


New video captures Ukraine taking out thermobaric weapons Putin has been using to inflict massive casualties on the front lines. This weapon can rip the oxygen out of people’s lungs when detonated and has been condemned by a number of non-governmental organizations.


↺ US and Norway blew up the Nord Stream Pipelines: Seymour Hersh


Seymour Hersh, an investigative journalist with a track record of breaking major stories, published a bombshell report on Substack on February 8 that alleges the United States was behind the explosion of the Nord Stream pipelines. According to Hersh, an anonymous source with inside knowledge of the operation has confirmed that the U.S. government was involved in the planning and execution of the sabotage, which took place on September 26, 2022.


↺ Former Trump Chief of Staff Meadows Subpoenaed in Capitol Attack Probe: CNN


Mark Meadows, a former chief of staff to ex-U.S. President Donald Trump, has been subpoenaed as part of a probe by Special Counsel Jack…


↺ One Killed, Three Wounded in Texas Mall Shooting


↺ ‘Worrying trend’ as Lithuania’s exports to countries neighbouring Russia double


Lithuania’s exports to Russia have gone down by a third since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, excluding energy products, but exports to countries neighbouring Russia have doubled, Lithuanian data scientist Vaidotas Zemlys-Balevičius says, insisting that government institutions need to look into this.


↺ Lithuania considers naming and shaming firms working in Russia – MP


Publicly naming Lithuanian businesses working with Russia is one of the options under discussion, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence, said on Wednesday.


↺ General Vollmer of Germany on the Russian threat: ‘We’d beat them wherever we need to’ – interview


If Moscow were to attack NATO’s eastern flank, the allies would see it coming and have time to prepare. Germany, which has already committed and assigned a special brigade to the defence of Lithuania, would be the main contributor, while the alliance’s plan is to defend every inch of its territory and prevent the Russians from crossing the border, former German Land Forces Commander General Jörg Vollmer stressed in an exclusive interview with LRT.lt.


↺ Australia stands in solidarity with Ukraine against war


Australia has made a parliamentary demonstration of solidarity with Ukraine ahead of marking one year since Russia’s invasion. Next Friday will be 365 days since Russia invaded Ukraine and majorly escalated the war which began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea.


↺ Media Ignore Seymour Hersh Bombshell Report of US Destroying Nord Stream II


A MintPress study of the 20 most influential U.S. news outlets found virtually no coverage of the esteemed journalist’s revelations linking Washington to the pipeline attacks.


↺ ‘Russia’s Playbook’: U.S. Diplomat Says Washington Is ‘Deeply Concerned’ About Alleged Plot To Destabilize Moldova


The United States is “deeply concerned” about reports of a Russian plot to destabilize Moldova, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried said on February 15 in an interview with RFE/RL.


↺ Estonia Deports Pro-Kremlin Activist To Russia


Estonian authorities said on February 15 that they had canceled the residence permit of pro-Kremlin activist Sergei Chaulin and deported him to Russia, saying he poses a threat to the Baltic nation’s state security and social order.


↺ Kremlin Will Not Invite Media From ‘Unfriendly’ Countries To Putin’s Speech


The Kremlin will not invite reporters from countries that Russia has deemed “unfriendly” to President Vladimir Putin’s address to the Federal Assembly next week.


↺ Ukraine Says It Shot Down Russian Balloons Over Kyiv


Authorities in Kyiv said on February 15 that the city’s air-defense forces shot down “most” of what they said were six Russian balloons that appeared over the city and might have carried intelligence equipment or reflectors to interfere with the air-defense system of Ukraine.


↺ New Poll Finds Americans’ Support For Supplying Weapons, Aid To Ukraine Slipping


A new poll shows that Americans’ support for providing weaponry and economic aid to Ukraine continues to wane.


Environment


↺ Sydney ready for its hottest day since 2021


As temperatures soar in coming days, Surf Lifesaving NSW has outlined three steps crucial to keeping everyone safe in the water.


↺ California pilot tests solar canal canopies paired with energy storage


ESS Inc. will deliver two Energy Warehouse systems to the Turlock Irrigation District in Central California.


Energy/Transportation


↺ Finland petrol price jumps not due to truckers’ strike, say retailers


The price of 95 E10 petrol shot up on Wednesday at many filling stations, but retailers say the leap wasn’t caused by the truckers’ strike.


↺ Villagers in Laos worry large mining concession will disrupt their lives


The government signed more than one-fourth of an entire province to 10 mining companies.


↺ Finland faces more hybrid influencing and energy supply threats, ministry’s risk assessment finds


The report, published on Tuesday, is the first national risk assessment since 2018, with authors noting the extent to which the threats Finland faces have changed.


↺ Judge Signals Jail Time if Bankman-Fried’s Internet Access Is Not Curbed


The defendant in a widespread cryptocurrency fraud case has been living in a “garden of electronic devices,” the judge says. Tighter restrictions are ahead.


Wildlife/Nature


↺ Denmark to help clean the Ganges


Government inks deal with India to allow Danish expertise cleanse one of the world’s most famous … and polluted … rivers


Finance


↺ Colorado Considers Allowing Local Rent Control Amid Crisis


Democratic lawmakers in Colorado are considering repealing the state’s ban on rent control, as housing prices reach crisis levels


↺ Danish real income drops amid inflation


Average wages may have increased in Denmark in 2022 but the real incomes of people who work in the country were down.


↺ How layoff notices have skyrocketed in Sweden in February


So far this year, more than 18,000 people in Sweden have been warned they could lose their job, and the number has rapidly soared in the past two weeks, new statistics show.


↺ What happens to your Swedish work permit if you lose your job?


Losing your job is never ideal, but for those in Sweden on a work permit there’s another layer of worry. Can you stay in Sweden to look for work? Can you change career? Here’s what happens.


↺ YouTube’s CEO is stepping down


YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said Thursday she is “stepping back” from her leadership role at the company after nearly a decade of running the video-sharing platform.


↺ Susan Wojcicki, YouTube’s Longtime CEO, Says She Will Step Down


One of the most prominent women in Silicon Valley, she was an early Google employee and a key member of the inner circle of the company’s founders.


↺ Lyft’s Financial Woes Thrust It Into the Spotlight


Lyft recovered from pandemic restrictions slower than Uber, and critics said it lacked the kind of ambitious investments that could distinguish itself from its rival.


↺ Two more years of work: Why French protesters feel ignored on pensions


The French are taking to the streets to protest a planned increase in retirement age. While all agree reform is needed, many French are asking: Are we getting what we were promised?


↺ Biden set to pounce on much-wanted surprise at World Bank


President Biden plans to move quickly to replace David Malpass as president of the World Bank Group, seizing on his departure to transform the bank into an institution dedicated to fighting climate change, White House advisers say.


↺ New forecast: Swedish GDP to fall by one percent in 2023


The outlook for the Swedish economy continues to be sombre, with state-owned mortgage bank SBAB predicting that GDP will fall by one percent this year.


↺ Adani dodges ASIC probe based on fraud allegations


Australia’s corporate regulator has decided not to actively pursue matters raised in a short seller report that accused Indian conglomerate Adani of accounting fraud and stock manipulation.


↺ Number of Days Lost to Strikes in UK Highest Since 1989: ONS


The UK has been under waves of strikes since last summer over pay disputes. Amid consistently high inflation, pay growth among employees has failed to keep up.


↺ What salary can you expect to earn in Denmark?


Denmark is well known for being an expensive country with high taxes. But what can your salary expectations be if you move here and what are you left with after tax and other deductions? We break it down for you.


↺ Parmesan pilferers prompt Lidl to hide the cheese


Thieves look for small items with high price tags, according to a regional manager of the supermarket chain.


↺ OP: Finland’s housing price decline to continue


The housing market has taken a hit by rising mortgage prices and historically low consumer confidence.


↺ Helsinki households advised to keep rubbish at home during truckers’ strike


If rubbish collection bins are full, HSY suggested households to put their trash and recyclables on balconies or in storage until the scheduled seven-day strike is over.


↺ States Where Americans Are Struggling to Pay the Bills


As inflation maintains its grip on the country, people in the South report having the hardest time making ends meet.


↺ National unemployment rate rises to 3.7 per cent


The national unemployment rates have risen to 3.7 per cent following last years low numbers.


↺ Ministry calls timeout to wrangle over Thai berry pickers’ status in Finland


THE MINISTRYof Economic Affairs and Employment has called a timeout to the long-running wrangle over the status of berry pickers recruited from Thailand.


↺ The world’s biggest food company says prices will rise further this year


Nestlé, the world’s largest food group, says the price of staple items will rise further this year, adding to a string of warnings from consumer giants of more pain to come for stretched households.


AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics


↺ Hong Kong police deny putting ‘too much effort’ into national security as leap in fraud drives 10% crime rate increase


Hong Kong police have denied that they are putting “too much effort” into safeguarding national security amid an increase in the city’s crime rate, driven largely by a leap in fraud cases.


↺ Xinjiang governor cancels controversial UK trip, British Foreign Office says


The governor of Xinjiang, sanctioned by the US over the Chinese region’s treatment of its Muslim Uyghur minority, is believed to have cancelled his controversial trip to the UK, the Foreign Office said Tuesday.


↺ The “Escalating,” “Aggressive,” “Intensifying” Step of Subpoenaing Key Witness Mark Meadows


It is not aggressive for Jack Smith to subpoena Mark Meadows. It may, however, reflect an interest in the funding of Meadows’ “insurrectionist’s clubhouse.”


↺ Sen. Fetterman checks into hospital for clinical depression treatment


Sen. John Fetterman(D-Pa.) checked himself into Walter Reed Medical Center on Wednesday seeking treatment for clinical depression, his chief of staff said Thursday in astatement.


↺ Mexico: Bill to Support People With Disabilities and Older Persons


↺ Bernie Sanders’s New Campaign: Taking On Big Pharma and Starbucks


As the new chair of a powerful Senate committee, the reënergized progressive leader is once again targeting the corporate plutocracy.


↺ Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to resign


First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has announced her intention to resign from her position as First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party. Sturgeon has served in these roles for over eight years and was previously Deputy First Minister for the best part of eight years before that.


“Being First Minister of Scotland is, in my opinion, the best job in the world.


↺ UK dispatch: Nicola Sturgeon resigns as Scotland First Minister, setting back independence movement


James Joseph is a UK staff correspondent for JURIST. Leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) Nicola Sturgeon resigned in a press conference at her official residence at 11AM UK time. Nicola Sturgeon is the first female First Minister and the first woman to lead any of the devolved UK administrations.


↺ HS: Finns Party is clear favourite among first-time voters


THE FINNS PARTYis clearly the most popular party among people who have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote for the first time in the parliamentary elections organised on 2 April, revealsa survey commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat.


Over a quarter (28%) of the potential first-time voters surveyed expressed their intent to vote for the populist right-wing opposition party.


↺ Finland to grant refugee status to Afghan women and girls


Finnish Immigration Servicehas announced that all Afghan women and girls will be granted refugee status due to the worsening position of women’s rights and freedoms since the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan. The Finnish Immigration Service has updated its guidelines on the processing of applications submitted by Afghans to reflect this change. The decision-making practice aligns with the report published by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) on January 25, 2023.


↺ More people opting out of the church


The more than 12,000 people who left in 2022 was a 42 percent increase compared to the previous year … with young people leading the way


Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda


↺ Lithuanian cabinet backs criminalisation of war propaganda


The Lithuanian government on Wednesday approved MP Jurgis Razma’s proposal to criminalise war propaganda but suggested some improvements.


Censorship/Free Speech


↺ Hong Kong 47: Evidence emerges of paid court goers with pro-establishment links – report


Evidence of people being paid to to queue for tickets to witness a high-profile national security trial involving 47 Hong Kong democrats has emerged after reporters from InMedia were paid HK$800 to spend the night outside the West Kowloon Law Courts Building.


↺ Prominent Christian leader charged under Myanmar’s terrorism laws


Hkalam Samson faces a prison sentence of up to 13 years, his lawyer says.


↺ Riot Police Prevent Right-Wing Demonstrators From Entering Presidency In Belgrade


Police blocked Serbian right-wing protesters who attempted to storm the building of the presidency in Belgrade on February 15 during a protest on Statehood Day against Serbia’s ongoing dialogue on normalizing relations with Kosovo.


↺ Belarusian Man Sentenced To Two Years In Prison For Insulting Lukashenka


A court in western Belarus has sentenced a man to two years in prison for insulting Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.


↺ Andrew Tate’s Muslim fanbase is growing. Some say he’s exploiting Islam for internet popularity


Iman’s ex-fiancé first referenced social media influencer Andrew Tate in their relationship in October. Three months later, she says, it was all over.


↺ In Defense of J.K. Rowling


The charge that she’s a transphobe doesn’t square with her actual views.


↺ He Was ‘Losing His Mind Slowly, and I Watched It’


How do you help someone who


↺ How the 6-week Texas abortion ban is now a blueprint for library censorship


Jonathan Mitchell, the Austin attorney widely credited with devising the legal strategy for a Texas law thatbans abortion after six weeksand also empowers private citizens to bring lawsuits against those who violate it, is now applying the same novel legal mechanisms to book bans.


Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press


↺ Modi government’s BBC raid raises question about India’s press freedom


Indian tax authorities raided the BBC’s offices in New Delhi and Mumbai weeks after the country banned a documentary from the British broadcaster that was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged role in deadly riots more than 20 years ago. CNN’s Vedika Sud takes a deeper look at the media landscape under the Modi government.


Civil Rights/Policing


↺ Strike dates February 2023: days to avoid booking holidays and what to do if you are travelling


Holidaymakers face disruption in the UK, France and Spain as UK Border Force, air traffic control and rail strikes are confirmed for February half term and beyond


↺ Some Governments, Companies Take Steps to Protect Children


↺ Minnesota Supreme Court upholds felony disenfranchisement law


The Minnesota Supreme Court Wednesday upheld a state law prohibiting convicted felons from voting while on probation or parole in a 3-1 ruling.


↺ European Commission refers Poland to EU court over legal divergence


The European Commission Wednesday referred Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for rulings by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that the Commission argues violate EU law.


↺ Australia releases second plan to close disparity in Indigenous communities


The Australian federal government Monday released the second part of its plan to help accelerate the implementation of the Closing the Gap Agreement made in 2020.


↺ Interview: “We told the children we were defecting. They said ‘thank you.’”


Wife of high-profile North Korean defector tells story from her family’s perspective


↺ Buddhist monk ousted for joining march calling for restoration of social ethics


Venerable Soy Sat denies intention to disrupt public peace.


↺ Hong Kong police got more than 400,000 tips last year on national security hotline


Police chief says clamping down on “terrorist” incidents will remain high priority


↺ A global advocate of integrity checks its own


Charges of bribe-taking against members of the European Parliament trigger moral soul-searching and reform in the EU.


↺ A New Goal for Abortion Bills: Punish or Protect Doctors


The legislative calendar is packed with 300 abortion bills. “You can’t go to jail for screwing up an appendectomy,” one lawmaker said.


Internet Policy/Net Neutrality


↺ Building, Expanding and Securing the Internet: Two Funding Programs Now Open for Applications


Our two new funding programs reinforce our commitment to support communities around the world in gaining greater access to the Internet.


Digital Restrictions (DRM)


↺ Linux Fix Coming: AMD’s Intermittent System Stutter Issues Due To fTPM RNG


In 2022, AMD cautioned customers that Ryzen systems running Windows 10 and 11 could experience intermittent stuttering if the Firmware Trusted Platform Module (fTPM) were used. Initially, this only occurred with Windows users; however, it has now spread to Linux devices that have enabled the AMD fTPM RNG by default – starting with version 6.1+.


↺ Justice Department Says John Deere Should Let Farmers Repair Their Tractors


The DOJ filed a “statement of interest” in a class action lawsuit against John Deere siding with plaintiffs and blasting the company’s arguments.


Monopolies


Patents


↺ Darrell Issa is Well-Positioned to Address Key Patent Policy Issues


In the early days of the 118th Congress, Rep. Darrell Issa, the newly-named Chairman of the House Intellectual Property Subcommittee, has an opportunity to make progress on a range of issues that are critical for the future of our intellectual property system, and therefore American innovation.


↺ MSD and generics await CJEU ruling in French SPC battle over Inegy


In Europe, the patent market is currently awaiting the CJEU’s decision on two referrals from the Finnish Market Court and the Supreme Court of Ireland. Both address the scope of the Supplementary Protection Certificate Regulation, with regard to combination drug products.


↺ Update on the Akin Gump v. Xcential case


Noted below, Akin Gump had sued a former vendor, Xcential, arguing that its lawyers had invented what Xcential had sought to patent. In response to the firm’s suit, Xcential filed five counterclaims, essentially asserting Akin Gump had misused information that Xcential had disclosed to Akin Gump.


As noted below, Akin Gump moved to dismiss those counterclaims and, further sought a preliminary injunction.


The district court denied the motion to dismiss four of the five, essentially holding Xcential had plead plausible facts that Akin Gump had misappropriated Xcential’s confidential information for the firm’s own benefit. The order is here. (Call me Nostradamus, but I’d bet Akin Gump’s motion for preliminary injunction will be denied, too.)


↺ Public use == “accessible to the public.”


Bottom line in this new Minerva case — file your patent application before bringing a new product to a trade show.


The Old Case: The battle between Hologic and Minerva went to the US Supreme Court in 2021; with the Court retained the doctrine of assignor-estoppel that bars a patent assignor from later challenging the patent’s validity or enforceability.Minerva Surgical, Inc. v. Hologic, Inc., 141 S. Ct. 2298 (2021). Although the doctrine remains, the Court narrowed its scope to only apply , but narrowed its scope to cover only situations where assurances (implied or express) made at assignment are later being undermined.


↺ Got Milk? Forget about Patent Eligibility


The Federal Circuit weighed in on the amorphous topic of subject matter eligibility in the recent opinionChromaDex, Inc., V. Elysium Health, Inc., — F.4th —, Docket No. 2022-1116. Writing for a unanimous panel, Judge Prost affirmed a grant of summary judgment that U.S. Patent No. 8,197,807 (“the ’807 patent”) was directed to unpatentable subject matter and therefore ineligible based on 35 U.S.C. § 101.


ChromaDex’s ‘807 patent concerns nicotinamide riboside (“NR”), a form of vitamin B3 found naturally in cow’s milk. When ingested, a human body converts NR into the coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD+. Claim one of ‘807 states:


Software Patents


↺ M4siz search protocol patent prior art found


Unified is pleased to announce prior art has been found onU.S. Patent 6,526,402, owned by M4siz, LTD, an NPE. The ’402 patent generally relates to a searching procedure, particularly for searching on the Internet, using a search engine associated with a database where the user submits a request string comprising a locator (or URL) for the search engine and a search string including at least one search term.


↺ OPAL, world’s most comprehensive SEP landscape tool introduces VENN to automatically show licensor overlap


Unified Portal’sOPAL(Objective PAtent Landscape)report was designed to address asymmetries in the licensing of standard essential patents and to create a more fair and transparent patent licensing process around core patents supporting next waves of consumer technology growth.


↺ Federal Circuit: Software Function Equals Structure


KEYnetik, Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co. (Fed. Cir. 2023)


This short non-precedential opinion authored by Chief Judge Moore affirms a PTAB IPR obviousness finding. The case has one key sentence:


Normally, once the function to be performed by software has been identified, writing code to achieve that function is within the skill of the art.


Trademarks


↺ TTABlog Test: How Did These Three Recent Section 2(d) Appeals Turn Out?


Here are three recent appeals from Section 2(d) refusals. As previously mentioned, a former TTAB judge once told me that one can predict the outcome of a Section 2(d) case 95% of the time just by looking at the marks and the goods/services. How do you think theses three cases came out? [Results in first comment].


↺ Subreddit Drama


Reddit: Anyone can start a subreddit, and back in 2012 Jaime Rogozinski started r/WallStreetBets. Over the years, the site attracted millions of subscribers talking about aggressive trading strategies; providing middle-school humor; and pumping-up various stocks (e.g., GameStop).


In 2020, Reddit removed Rogozinski from his role controlling the subreddit as moderator, concluding that he was “attempting to monetize a community.” Rogozinski had published a book titled WallStreetBets and also filed trademark registration application for the mark WALLSTREETBETS, with him as the owner. Of course, lots of folks are monetizing their subreddits, but I have not heard of others registering a TM on the subreddit name. Immediately after removing Rogozinski from control, Reddit filed competing registration applications for the same mark and continues to control the subreddit. Opposition proceedings are now pending before the TTAB.


Gemini* and Gopher


Personal


↺ Episode 45


Hello, this is the Halberd’s and Hamid’s podcast. My name is Alex. I’m here to talk about doppelgängers.


↺ Star Gazing and Aurora 2023-02-16 Morning (Fairbanks, AK, USA)


When I got up this morning at around 3:30am AKST, I was surprised to see “few clouds” in the PAFA hourly report. NWS surface report showed a higher pressure over much of northern two-thirds of Alaska, though with a low pressure trough some ways south of Fairbanks, and the cloud cover showing in GOES basically harmonized with that. Temps were down to -19 deg F. This was all contrary to the weather forecasting which had shown at least 50% cloud coverage and lows of only -11 deg F. So, I was a bit confused, but I decided to rush down to the boat launch.


Technical


↺ Lightweight data monitoring using RRDtool


I like my servers to run the least code possible, and the least services running in general, this ease maintenance and let room for other thing to run. I recently wrote about monitoring software to gather metrics and render them, but they are all overkill if you just want to keep track of a single value over time, and graph it for visualization.


Fortunately, we have an old and robust tool doing the job fine, it’s perfectly documented and called RRDtool.


↺ Retiring the T430


For almost the past 5 years I’ve been using my Thinkpad T430, but with my university transfer being accepted I knew I needed an upgrade.


That laptop has been with me through so much of my formative years that it’s hard to let go of it. I originally got it at the beginning of my senior year of high school, back when I would blow all my allowance for the month on a half-functioning Thinkpad because it was a deal, despite me never putting in the money to fix them up with proper batteries or new hinges. This one had the latter problem, Lenovo used fairly weak plastic to hold the upper assembly to the hinge so if 1 of the hinges becomes loose, it puts more strain on the other side and inevitably the whole upper assembly pops off. I got it with a failing hinge before realizing the severity of the problem and eventually the two halves separated in class. I still used it for a while, trying to prop up the lid on the bent off hinge but this proved to be problematic and I ended up borrowing my dad’s T420 for a couple months.


Internet/Gemini


↺ Site updated


After a long OS migration, the SSL certificate from this site has been updated to a new one, so it’s safe to trust (again) this capsule from your browser.


Also I’m performing some code adjustments on all CGI apps because a error response in the headers (I forgot to add the ‘\r’ special char) so I expect some apps not working over the day.


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