b Nexcopy announces new ultra-fast SD Card Duplicator solution based on USB 3.0 technology By www.prleap.com Published On :: Wed, 30 Mar 2022 00:00:00 PDT Copy 1GB of data every 30 seconds with the all new 16 target SD Card Duplicator by Nexcopy. Improved copy speeds result in ultra-fast Secure Digital copier outperforming all other systems. Full Article
b Serious Vulnerability in the Internet Infrastructure / Fundamental design flaw in DNSSEC discovered By www.prleap.com Published On :: Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:05:00 PST The National Research Center for Applied Cybersecurity ATHENE has uncovered a critical flaw in the design of DNSSEC, the Security Extensions of DNS (Domain Name System). DNS is one of the fundamental building blocks of the Internet. Full Article
b eM Client email app launches groundbreaking version 10 with AI support By www.prleap.com Published On :: Wed, 17 Jul 2024 05:30:00 PDT Prague - 17.7.2024 - The Czech company [url=https://www.emclient.com/?lang=en]eM Client[/url] releases a new version of the eponymous application for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. eM Client is a popular tool for managing (not only) emails, which has become the main challenger to Microsoft Outlook for both end users and businesses. Version 10 brings the largest number of new features and improvements in the history of the product. Full Article
b What different types of travel insurance are available? By www.threemonkeysonline.com Published On :: Mon, 21 Jan 2019 10:55:05 +0000 Choosing travel insurance is not for the faint-hearted. There are hundreds of providers, and increasingly numerous types of packages. A lot will depend upon your budget, and the type of things you want to cover against. Be careful when choosing any particular policy, and don’t presume anything (for example, check out these common reasons where […] The post What different types of travel insurance are available? appeared first on Three Monkeys Online Magazine. Full Article Uncategorized travel insurance
b Sweet Home Alabama – the twists and turns of a contested song By www.threemonkeysonline.com Published On :: Tue, 22 Jan 2019 07:21:00 +0000 Great songs rise above ugly intentions, and Sweet Home Alabama deserves to be listened to with a critical and attentive ear. Beneath the redneck rumble and tumbling there's a slice of American History to be discovered. The post Sweet Home Alabama – the twists and turns of a contested song appeared first on Three Monkeys Online Magazine. Full Article featured Music
b What Airlines fly in to Bologna’s Marconi Airport? By www.threemonkeysonline.com Published On :: Thu, 24 Jan 2019 20:13:54 +0000 If you’re looking for a cheap flight to Bologna (or a cheap flight to Italy, for that matter), you have plenty of possibilities, as Bologna’s Marconi Airport has expanded greatly over the last ten years. This is in part because of the closer of smaller regional airports, and because Bologna is a strategic location, allowing […] The post What Airlines fly in to Bologna’s Marconi Airport? appeared first on Three Monkeys Online Magazine. Full Article Uncategorized Bologna
b Planning a trip to Italy on a budget – tips By www.threemonkeysonline.com Published On :: Mon, 26 Aug 2019 18:03:47 +0000 Italy is an amazing country to visit, but it can be expensive – particularly if you’re travelling around from city to city trying to take in all the sites. Planning a trip to Italy on a budget isn’t as difficult as it may seem, though, and we’ve put some of our local writers onto the […] The post Planning a trip to Italy on a budget – tips appeared first on Three Monkeys Online Magazine. Full Article Italy
b Unseasonably Speaking – Stefan Zweig, Brexit and the meaning of Europe By www.threemonkeysonline.com Published On :: Mon, 20 Sep 2021 13:34:26 +0000 The Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig was once among the most popular and most translated writers in the world. English Heritage's widely criticised refusal to commemorate his residence in London provides an entry point into a discussion on the role of the intellectual, Brexit, and the meaning of Europe. The post Unseasonably Speaking – Stefan Zweig, Brexit and the meaning of Europe appeared first on Three Monkeys Online Magazine. Full Article featured home page Literature / Books literature top4
b About Your Habitat - Identity Card Application Part 6 By www.socialscrutiny.org Published On :: The latest part of its Identity Cards Initiative, About Your Habitat will collect details about where you live in order to plan the best route to follow you home. The forms add a twist to the previous techniques of claimant oppression and data-gathering: that of... Full Article
b "Keep All Your Old Skin in a Jar", Says Biometric Fraud Tsar. By www.socialscrutiny.org Published On :: The Government stepped up its plans to introduce biometric ID cards this morning with the appointment of Alan Bladder, MP as the new Biometric Tsar. Bladder, no stranger to controversy, immediately issued an urgent statement to encourage people to take their dead skin home with them in the interests of National... Full Article
b Identity Cards: Part 3 - Biometric data. By www.socialscrutiny.org Published On :: To send this form as an e-card, click here This is the third part of the Government's campaign of ID... Full Article
b HMRC Security Breach: What You Can Do to Protect Yourself From Us By www.socialscrutiny.org Published On :: In the light of the recent security breach at Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), The Department of Social Scrutiny (DoSS) has issued the following statement on the subject of Identity Theft (IT) on behalf of The Government. This statement contains vital advice and the answers to a number... Full Article
b Peril Level Alert advice in light of Global Alarm Attitude By www.socialscrutiny.org Published On :: Full Article
b EuroBSDCon 2024 presentations By undeadly.org Published On :: Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:21:54 GMT EuroBSDCon 2024 [in Dublin, Ireland] has now ended, and slides for many of the OpenBSD developer presentations are now available in the usual place. Video of the individual presentations can be expected somewhat later. In the meantime, OpenBSD-related presentations [including those from non-developers] can be found in the recordings of the "Foyer B" streams. In addition, there was a full day PF tutorial with some updates to the publicly available slides. Full Article
b OpenBSD now enforcing no invalid NUL characters in shell scripts By undeadly.org Published On :: Tue, 24 Sep 2024 10:57:32 GMT Our favorite operating system is now changing the default shell (ksh) to enforce not allowing invalid NUL characters in input that will be parsed as parts of the script. The commit message reads, List: openbsd-cvs Subject: CVS: cvs.openbsd.org: src From: Theo de Raadt <deraadt () cvs ! openbsd ! org> Date: 2024-09-23 21:18:33 CVSROOT: /cvs Module name: src Changes by: deraadt@cvs.openbsd.org 2024/09/23 15:18:33 Modified files: bin/ksh : shf.c Log message: If during parsing lines in the script, ksh finds a NUL byte on the line, it should abort ("syntax error: NUL byte unexpected"). There appears to be one piece of software which is misinterpreting guidance of this, and trying to depend upon embedded NUL. During research, every shell we tested has one or more cases where a NUL byte in the input or inside variable contents will create divergent behaviour from other shells. (ie. gets converted to a space, is silently skipped, or aborts script parsing or later execution). All the shells are written in C, and majority of them use C strings for everything, which means they cannot embed a NUL, so this is not surprising. It is quite unbelievable there are people trying to rewrite history on a lark, and expecting the world to follow alone. Read more… Full Article
b OpenBSD -current is now "7.6-current" By undeadly.org Published On :: Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:38:45 GMT Theo de Raadt (deraadt@) updated the version of OpenBSD -current to "7.6-current". Those running the latest-and-greatest [via a sufficiently new snapshot or built from source] no longer need to use "-D snap" with pkg_add(1) (and pkg_info(1)). Full Article
b Major change to sysupgrade(8) behaviour By undeadly.org Published On :: Wed, 25 Sep 2024 11:09:46 GMT There has been a significant change to the behaviour of sysupgrade(8): CVSROOT: /cvs Module name: src Changes by: florian@cvs.openbsd.org 2024/09/24 01:33:35 Modified files: usr.sbin/sysupgrade: sysupgrade.8 sysupgrade.sh Log message: Remove -r toggle and generally be less smart. The default is to install the next release. Snapshots are only installed when invoked with -s. Read more… Full Article
b OpenBSD 7.6 Released By undeadly.org Published On :: Mon, 07 Oct 2024 20:42:13 GMT The OpenBSD project has announced OpenBSD 7.6, its 57th release. The new release contains a number of significant improvements, including but not limited to: There is initial support for Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite [arm64] laptops. Initial support for Suspend-to-Idle has been added on amd64 and i386, enabling suspend on machines which do not support S3. UDP parallel input has been enabled. [See earlier report] Libva's VA-API (Video Acceleration API) was imported into xenocara. [See earlier report] The default write format for tar(1) has changed to "pax". [See earlier report] pfctl(8) and systat(1) now display fragment reassembly statistics. [See earlier report] A configurable passphrase timeout for disk decryption at boot (a potential battery lifesaver) has been added. [See earlier report] Local-to-anchor tables are now available in pf(4) rules. [See earlier report] rport(4), a driver providing point-to-point interfaces for layer 3 connectivity between rdomain(4) instances, has been added. dhcp6leased(8), a DHCPv6 client daemon for IPv6 PD has been added. [See earlier report] dhclient(8) has been removed (now that dhcpleased(8) is well established). [See earlier report] OpenSSH 9.9, featuring: sshd(8) has been split into multiple binaries. [See earlier report] Options to penalize undesirable behavior [See earlier report] support for a new hybrid post-quantum key exchange [See earlier report] and of course there is the full changelog which details the changes made over this latest six month development cycle. Installation Guide details how to get the system up and running with a fresh install, while those who already run earlier releases should follow the Upgrade Guide, in most cases using sysupgrade(8) to upgrade their systems. Now please dive in and enjoy the new release, and while the installer runs, please do donate to the project to support further development and more future goodies for us all! Full Article
b LibreSSL 4.0.0 Released By undeadly.org Published On :: Tue, 15 Oct 2024 08:46:29 GMT The LibreSSL project, a closely associated subproject of the OpenBSD project, has announced the availability of their new stable release, LibreSSL 4.0.0, which comes with a number of improvements and a sprinkling of fixes. The release announcement reads, Subject: LibreSSL 4.0.0 Released From: Brent Cook <busterb () gmail ! com> We have released LibreSSL 4.0.0, which will be arriving in the LibreSSL directory of your local OpenBSD mirror soon. This is the first stable release for the 4.0.x branch, also available with OpenBSD 7.6 It includes the following change from LibreSSL 3.9.2: * Portable changes - Added initial Emscripten support in CMake builds. - Removed timegm() compatibility layer since all uses were replaced with OPENSSL_timegm(). Cleaned up the corresponding test harness. - The mips32 platform is no longer actively supported. - Fixed Windows support for dates beyond 2038. Read more… Full Article
b MinQ:ExtrA by NukegaraDHP released By www.msx.org Published On :: Sun, 20 Oct 2024 15:25:25 +0000 A new RPG coming from the Land of the Rising Sun. read more Full Article Software adventure game jrpg msx2 rpg MSX-MUSIC
b MSXdev24 #13 Maiden's Extreme Fist - BUN-GA-RUA By www.msx.org Published On :: Fri, 25 Oct 2024 12:56:50 +0000 A noodly adventure read more Full Article Challenges msxdev24 MSXdev
b Tiny Magic - Digital Edition available By www.msx.org Published On :: Wed, 06 Nov 2024 20:33:51 +0000 Due to popular demand, the Digital Edition of Tiny Magic is now available. read more Full Article Software game msx2 rom
b Alley Cat for MSX 2 available for sale soon By www.msx.org Published On :: Sat, 09 Nov 2024 16:51:34 +0000 Diogo Patrão's Alley Cat remake for MSX2 will be available for sale soon. read more Full Article Remakes game msx2 rom
b Maybe Social Media Is More Like an Addictive and Harmful Drug than a Utility By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Wed, 22 Sep 2021 08:25:01 -0600 I recently wrote that Facebook should be regulated like a utility, but maybe social media is more like an addictive, harmful drug than a utility. The companies that push social media on us are like drug dealers. Given my libertarian sympathies, adults should generally be free to use the drugs they want, but society should regulate promotion and distribution of the substance and protect children from being preyed upon by the dealers. The real problem with Facebook's behavior is the revelation of its rampant institutional lying. In the XCheck story, we learned that after Facebook spent more than $130 million to create an Independent Oversight Board to oversee its content-moderation decisions, Facebook executives routinely lied to that board. Facebook told the Oversight Board that XCheck was only used in "a small number of decisions," even though the program had grown to include 5.8 million users in 2020. "We're not actually doing what we say we do publicly," and the company's actions constitute a "breach of trust," reads a confidential internal review done by Facebook. We also learned -- shockingly -- that the CEO and COO of the trillion-dollar behemoth are regularly involved in decisions of what posts to remove when such posts are made by certain people who are exempted from Facebook's community guidelines and content-moderation procedures. This is all while Facebook asserted that it applied the same standards to everyone. Apparently, XCheck was created to mitigate "p.r. fires" or negative media attentions when Facebook takes the wrong action against a high-profile VIP. Even worse than the existence of the XCheck program was Facebook's dishonesty about it, reflecting the state of mind of a company that knew it was doing something wrong -- and still did it anyway. These revelations strengthen the case that Facebook likely serves increasingly as the censorship arm of the US government, just as it does for other governments around the world. That last sentence gets to the heart of the matter, and explains why collective action against social media dealers has been so slow: the elite class wants to control our speech, and is happy to use social media dealers to do it. Facebook is soma. What is soma in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley? In the context of the novel, soma is a recreational drug that several of the main characters take throughout the story. The government in Brave New World strongly encourages individuals to take soma as a way to increase the happiness and complacency of the population. Soma can be taken as a pill or as a powder and can also be released as an aerosol. It is freely available to everyone in the novel. Its inclusion in the text is central to the novel's themes of complacency and resistance in society as well as the theme of escapism. Full Article Society & Culture
b Public School Grift Infrastructure Falters By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Wed, 08 Dec 2021 11:42:22 -0600 I'm a big supporter of public education -- I went to public school and university for my entire education. Despite my libertarian leanings, I think taxpayer-funded, locally-directed public education can be a very valuable governmental function. However, I'm not a fan of the grift and graft that engulfs public education, for example the money laundering between teachers' unions and the Democrat party. I'm also not fond of the ideological indoctrination that many of the grifters seek to impose on American children, without the consent of the parents. So I think it's great that the "get woke, go broke" trend is finally hitting the public education grift infrastructure. Seventeen NSBA affiliates have cut ties with the NSBA over their coordination with the White House and Department of Justice in casting parental complaints over curricula "domestic terrorism." And as Axios reports, they're taking their checkbooks with them -- accounting for a 40% loss in revenue at the NSBA: The National School Boards Association has since apologized, but the fallout could be seven figures in annual funding. At least 17 state affiliates have severed ties with the group -- and some are even considering establishing a competitor. The 17 state affiliates accounted for more than 40% of annual dues paid to NSBA by its state association members in 2019, according to Axios' analysis of documents detailing those contributions. Officials fear upheaval at the organization -- the nation's leading trade group representing U.S. public schools -- will handicap it just as national debates over school curricula and COVID-19 mitigation measures dominate the political conversation. Good. Full Article Education
b Eisenhower Warned: "public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite" By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Wed, 12 Jan 2022 13:29:34 -0600 President Eisenhower famously warned America about the risk of the military-industrial complex, but he also foresaw the risk that public policy would be captured by a scientific-technological elite. Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been over shadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers. The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded. Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite. (HT: American Experiment and Victory Girls.) Full Article Politics Government & Public Policy
b Why Would Anyone Bribe Hunter Biden? By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:41:35 -0600 It's a complete mystery why anyone would bribe Hunter Biden. Maybe it's because of his artistic talent. But how about the question of how this investigation, and Hunter's underlying conduct, relate to President Biden himself? To read the Times and the WaPo, you would think that that whole question is somehow out of line. The Times's piece doesn't even discuss Joe's role or involvement, although it does include this bizarre line: It is not clear whether the criminal probe is focused solely on Hunter Biden, or if he is among a group of individuals and companies being scrutinized. As if anyone, let alone China or Burisma, would pay Hunter Biden millions of dollars without an expectation that it would influence his father. Over in the WaPo, in the context of paragraphs relating to Hunter's dealings with Chinese government-controlled energy company CEFC, we have this: The Post did not find evidence that Joe Biden personally benefited from or knew details about the transactions with CEFC. . . . The funny thing is that outside the sole exception of the Biden family, large payments to the children of powerful government officials by those with interests potentially affected by those officials' actions are universally understood to be corrupt efforts to influence the officials. In cases involving people other than the Bidens, whether the official/parent "personally benefited" from the payments or "knew details" of the transactions are considered completely irrelevant. I guess we'll never know. Full Article Law & Justice Politics Government & Public Policy
b Inflation Is About Expections, Not Only Reality By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Tue, 17 May 2022 10:24:53 -0600 In this new era of stagflation it's important to remember that inflation is caused by expectations as much as by reality. If people and companies expect prices to go up, they'll start charging more for their products and services -- which is inflation. Inflation will only abate when expectations change. So when we see a chart like this one it's not only that President Biden's policies created inflationary conditions, his policies also created the self-fulfilling expectation of inflation. Presidents Obama and Trump spent boatloads of borrowed money and ran up the deficit, but something about President Biden (and, of course, the global environment) really spooked people. Full Article Politics Government & Public Policy
b Bank Runs in Rural China By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Tue, 14 Jun 2022 08:56:21 -0600 Bank runs are bad. They're bad enough to bring down governments. There's been a slow-motion bank run in rural China for several months, and people are starting to get concerned that the "contagion" could spread. In the anatomy of an economic crisis, a bank run is the point of no return. Bank runs occur when people scramble to withdraw cash from banks in fear of collapse. In the worst cases, banks' liquid cash reserves are exhausted, not everyone gets their money and the bank defaults. ... In recent years it has become clear the Chinese people are losing faith in their financial institutions. There's been anger over harsh COVID lockdowns in Shanghai recently, while the collapse of China Evergrande saw rare public demonstrations as residents faced the prospect of losing their life savings used as deposits for housing. ... Multiple sources contacted by Asia Markets, have confirmed deposits at the following six banks have been frozen since mid-April. Yuzhou Xinminsheng Village Bank (located in Xuchang City, Henan Province) Zhecheng Huanghuai Bank (City of Shangqui, Henan Province) Shangcai Huimin Rural Bank (Zhumadian City, Henan Province) New Oriental Village Bank (City of Kaifeng, Henan Province) Huaihe River Village Bank (Bengbu City, Anhui Province) Yixian County Village Bank (Huangshan City, Anhui Province) It's understood the banks with branches across the Henan and Anhui Provinces successively issued announcements in April, stating they would suspend online banking and mobile banking services due to a system upgrade. At the same time, clients reported their electronic deposits in online accounts, mobile apps and third-party platforms could not be withdrawn. This led to depositors rushing to local bank branches, only to be told they were unable to withdraw funds. It looks like the bank failures are due to fraud and corruption -- bank managers simply stole the money. Hopefully this corruption isn't widespread and the problem can be contained. Full Article International Affairs
b "There are already thousands of people alive, right now, in Texas who would have been aborted." By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Fri, 08 Jul 2022 11:28:35 -0600 Ross Douthat says that this fact is the heart of the abortion issue, and I agree. Our tolerance, acceptance, and promotion of at-will abortion is a shame and humiliation for our generation and civilization. Our descendants will look back on this era with horror and disgust, much like we view slavery and the Holocaust. They will ask, how could any people kill a million of their own children every year? How did they talk themselves into accepting the slaughter of the weakest and most vulnerable among them? How did they dehumanize the unborn, to be exterminated like insect infestations? As is often the case, the solution to abortion -- and the general mistreatment of children and other vulnerable people -- won't be found in laws or courts. The solution is for each of us to honor the divine spark in each other. To recognize that we are each made in God's image, and each uniquely valuable because of that likeness. Deuteronomy 27:19 -- 'Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' Exodus 22:22 -- You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry. Psalm 68:5 -- Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. Full Article Morality Religion & Philosophy Politics Government & Public Policy
b "Sex must be taken seriously. Men and women are different." By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Mon, 22 Aug 2022 11:34:50 -0600 Louise Perry writes that she was betrayed by the lies of the sexual revolution. As a father of daughters this is heartbreaking to read. It's precisely because I'm a feminist that I've changed my mind on sexual liberalism. It's an ideology premised on the false belief that the physical and psychological differences between men and women are trivial, and that any restrictions placed on sexual behavior must therefore have been motivated by malice, stupidity or ignorance. The problem is the differences aren't trivial. Sexual asymmetry is profoundly important: One half of the population is smaller and weaker than the other half, making it much more vulnerable to violence. This half of the population also carries all of the risks associated with pregnancy. It is also much less interested in enjoying all of the delights now on offer in the post-sexual revolution era. ... The new sexual culture isn't so much about the liberation of women, as so many feminists would have us believe, but the adaptation of women to the expectations of a familiar character: Don Juan, Casanova, or, more recently, Hugh Hefner. It's almost as if our ancestors were wiser than we realized. Full Article Society & Culture
b "5 Gallons of Wind Turbine" By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Thu, 08 Sep 2022 07:46:36 -0600 This is quality. As John Hinderaker helpfully explains, The "Green Revolution" Is Impossible due to constraints on input materials (among other reasons). Courtesy of Professor Simon Michaux: The quantity of metal required to make just one generation of renewable tech units to replace fossil fuels, is much larger than first thought. Current mining production of these metals is not even close to meeting demand. Current reported mineral reserves are also not enough in size. Most concerning is copper as one of the flagged shortfalls. All this posturing is about control, not the environment or the earth. The long-term future of energy is space-based solar and nuclear. (HT: Ed Driscoll at Instapundit.) Full Article Science Technology & Health Society & Culture
b "We will never be slaves and simple consumers at the mercy of financial speculators" By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Mon, 26 Sep 2022 06:45:12 -0600 Italy's new prime minister Giorgia Meloni explains why so many people are afraid of her victory. American newspapers categorize her as "far-right", but Italian newspapers call her "center-right". Let's see what she does. The new Prime Minister of Italy.Wow. pic.twitter.com/fkKTM8I9Fs— Aaron Ginn (@aginnt) September 26, 2022 Full Article International Affairs
b Boston University scientists create 80%-lethal COVID variant By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Mon, 17 Oct 2022 19:33:20 -0600 This seems insane. Why create a more transmissable and lethal version of COVID? DailyMail.com revealed the team had made a hybrid virus -- combining Omicron and the original Wuhan strain -- that killed 80 per cent of mice in a study. The revelation exposes how dangerous virus manipulation research continues to go on even in the US, despite fears similar practices may have started the pandemic. Professor Shmuel Shapira, a leading scientist in the Israeli Government, said: 'This should be totally forbidden, it's playing with fire.' Gain of function research - when viruses are purposefully manipulated to be more infectious or deadly - is thought to be at the center of Covid's origin. We may never know the origin of COVID-19 with certainty, but gain-of-function research needs to stop. Full Article Science Technology & Health
b Election Results Should Be Known Within 24 Hours By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Mon, 14 Nov 2022 09:45:33 -0600 I don't have a lot to say about the recent midterm election results. I was surprised by how poorly the Republicans did The American right needs to think long and hard about its political positions -- what they are, and how to communicate them to Americans in a persuasive way Candidate quality matters, and Trump has terrible judgement on this It's embarrassing that the results of the election aren't fully known almost a week later. It seems like elections should be a lot easier. We've made them harder than they need to be. In-person voting on a single day, except for deployed military or invalids. Paper ballots, counted at the precinct. Properly maintain chain-of-custody records for ballots. Show identification to vote. Dip your thumb in purple ink after you've voted. This isn't rocket science. All the fancy machines and alternate voting methods have made elections too complicated to administer in a transparent and credible manner. Full Article Politics Government & Public Policy
b DnD situation is a symptom of a larger problem: our insanely long copyright protection (life of the author + 70 years!) By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Fri, 13 Jan 2023 07:24:25 -0600 (I posted this to the DnD subreddit also: link.) The Open Gaming License fiasco with Dungeons & Dragons producer Wizards of the Coast is a symptom of a larger problem: our insane Intellectual Property system that currently protects material for the life of the author plus 70 years. As a comparison, patents generally only protect inventions for 20 years. The purpose of intellectual property laws is to balance public and private interests. IP law is an agreement between society and creators: the creator is guaranteed an exclusive right to their creation for a period of time, and in exchange the public gets rights to the creation afterwards. It's intended to be a balance of interests, but the balance has gotten completely out of whack thanks to (obviously) lobbying throughout the 20th century by major copyright holders like Disney. In my opinion, the current copyright term, life of the author plus 70 years, is grossly unfair to the public. I believe that the internet era has demonstrated that creators would be incentivized to create even without such a long period of exclusivity. Think about it: would you create less stuff if your great-grandkids didn't get exclusive rights? I doubt it. Listen: creators should be able to make money from their work. I don't think copyright should go to zero, but why not bring it in line with patent protection with a 20-year term? Disney, DnD, and many other creations are part of our generation's cultural legacy, part of a 10,000+ year inheritance that has been handed down through time to our grandparents, our parents, and now us. It's morally wrong for our ancestors and corporations to lock our inheritance away from us. Copyright protections must be re-balanced to protect both creators and the public. This problem with WotC shouldn't be just about a license, it should be about the IP laws that grant them exclusive rights to creations that are over 50 years old. Our generation should re-open these negotiations and come up with a fair copyright term. Full Article Law & Justice
b Biden Goes to Ukraine, Trump Goes to Ohio By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Thu, 23 Feb 2023 09:10:24 -0600 On Wednesday Trump visited East Palestine, Ohio, to support the people affected by the train derailment while Biden visited Kyiv to support Ukraine's fight against Russia. Trump: Trump visited East Palestine to show support for a community afflicted by the toxic train derailment as President Joe Biden, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and other administration officials have come under scrutiny for the federal response to the disaster. "Get over here," was Trump's terse, three-word response to a reporter's question about what he would tell Biden. The Buckeye State blitz wasn't perfect, with a strange self-promotional reference to Trump water. But it was otherwise a vintage Trump performance the 2024 candidate should like to bottle. Biden: President Biden paid an unannounced visit Monday to Ukraine's capital, offering a huge show of support for the country the U.S. and its allies have helped to hold out during Russia's nearly-year-long, unprovoked invasion. Mr. Biden spent about six hours in Kyiv, much of it with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he promised unwavering backing and another tranche of American weapons. "You know, one year later, Kyiv stands. Ukraine stands," Mr. Biden said while there. "Democracy stands. America stands with you and the world stands with you. Kyiv has captured a part of my heart." At the most basic political level, which trip wins more votes? In my opinion, Trump's visit to Ohio is better politics. But on the other hand, only the sitting President can demonstrate American commitment with a foreign visit like Biden's, which highlights his stature. Full Article International Affairs Politics Government & Public Policy
b Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP) Seems Like a Good Idea to Me By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Mon, 13 Mar 2023 11:07:42 -0600 It seems that most conservatives are calling the new Bank Term Funding Program a "bailout" for the rich, but as far as I can tell preventing a contagious bank-run is good for everyone. Shareholders and bondholders of any failed banks are not being guaranteed in anyway, only depositors (i.e., bank customers). The additional funding will be made available through the creation of a new Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP), offering loans of up to one year in length to banks, savings associations, credit unions, and other eligible depository institutions pledging U.S. Treasuries, agency debt and mortgage-backed securities, and other qualifying assets as collateral. These assets will be valued at par. The BTFP will be an additional source of liquidity against high-quality securities, eliminating an institution's need to quickly sell those securities in times of stress. Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank are being "resolved" and shareholders are being wiped out. Bondholders will probably get some of their money back, but they won't be made whole. Depositors will be fully protected. Bank runs are caused by depositors panicking and withdrawing their money, so the BTFP should be sufficient to forestall that catastrophe without "bailing out" banks using taxpayer dollars. I guess we'll find out. Full Article Business & Economics
b US Has Zero Chance of Debt Default By www.mwilliams.info Published On :: Tue, 09 May 2023 13:09:04 -0600 David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey explain why it's impossible for the United States to default on its debts. Those who warn of default confuse debt payments with other spending obligations. "A failure on the part of the United States to meet any obligation, whether it's to debt holders, to members of our military or to Social Security recipients, is effectively a default," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in January. That's nonsense. Authorized and even appropriated spending isn't "the public debt." For constitutional purposes, promised benefits from Social Security, Medicare and other entitlements aren't even property, as the Supreme Court held in Flemming v. Nestor (1960), and Congress has as much authority to reduce them as to increase them. When lawmakers were drafting the 14th Amendment, they revised Section 4's language to replace the term "obligations" with "debts." If the Treasury ran out of money, the constitutional obligation to pay bondholders would trump all statutory obligations to spend. Ms. Yellen also said that "Treasury's systems have all been built to pay all of our bills when they're due and on time, and not to prioritize one form of spending over another." But as the Journal has reported, department officials conceded in 2011 that the government's fiscal machinery certainly could prioritize payments to bondholders, and the Federal Reserve prepared for such a contingency. There's no question enough money would be available: The government collects roughly $450 billion a month in tax revenue, more than enough to cover the $55 billion or so in monthly debt service. We've got plenty of money to make debt payments, but we may need to cut other spending to do it -- which we would be Constitutionally required to do. (HT: Instapundit.) Full Article Politics Government & Public Policy
b SplineTech JavaScript Debugger PRO update boosts unique new features By www.RemoteDebugger.com Published On :: Sun, 10 Jul 2012 20:23:43 -0700 Spline Technologies Corporation announces a major update to SplineTech JavaScript Debugger PRO, an independent standalone Web development tool that enables Web developers to easily edit and debug JavaScript and VBScript inside HTML and AJAX pages, without the need for any add-ons, plugins or changes of their code to handle the debugging process. Client-side JavaScript, JScript and client-side VBScript debugging languages are fully supported for simple and complex HTML, DHTML and AJAX debugging scenarios. SplineTech JavaScript Debugger PRO offers following main features to address the most common Web development issues: - Advanced form debugging for JavaScript form validation - Programmers to cause order forms to validate in clients' browser windows before they are submitted. - JavaScript pop-up debugging - Debug DHTML menus and JavaScript menus - Debug JavaScript and VBScript events: Debug JavaScript Pop-ups, onclick, onmouseover, onfocus and any other event. - Debug DHTML behavior - Debug client-side JavaScript controls: Debug calendars and any other control - Multi-Functional VBScript and JavaScript script editor for HTML and AJAX - Full Support for native VBScript and JavaScript syntax (color-coded) - Explicit JavaScript runtime error information - Execution line highlighting: Display the current line of the code to be executed Aside from a vast array of main features, this major update of SplineTech JavaScript Debugger PRO includes these new and unique features: - Pause code execution in 3, 5 or more seconds (user adjustable) - Reformat unreadable JavaScript and AJAX scripts (turns large one-line AJAX scripts into properly formatted readable multi-line code) - Step Through multiple lines of code at once (user adjustable) - Go back (and forth) to any step within your code - Call Stack enables developers to view all function names taken from function lists (since IE reports most of them as anonymous) - View all current variables in a dedicated Current Variables panel Without requiring any manual configuration or network configuration, SplineTech JavaScript Debugger PRO runs on the Windows 7/2008/2000/2003/XP and Windows Server 2008 platforms (both x86 and x64) with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or better. SplineTech JavaScript Debugger PRO is priced at $90 per single-user license, and is available for purchase at http://www.RemoteDebugger.com/javascript_debugger/javascript_debugger.asp Immediate online product delivery and full support is included with all Spline Technologies products. ABOUT: Spline Technologies Corporation is a growing dynamic international software development company, specializing in web development tools, with headquarters in beautiful downtown Montreal, Canada, since 1999. Full Article Web Development Tools Software
b Changes to our lives are certain if PM meets bold climate target - but a key ingredient is missing for success By news.sky.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:19:00 +0100 Keir Starmer's arrival at COP29, with a promise to drastically cut the UK's carbon emissions by 81%, will be a small ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy start to the climate talks. Full Article
b The anti-aircraft units in Ukraine trying to down Russian drones as record numbers hit By news.sky.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:47:00 +0100 Headlights illuminate a group of soldiers smoking and drinking steaming cups of coffee on the side of a road in northeastern Ukraine. Full Article
b British author Samantha Harvey wins Booker Prize By news.sky.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 23:43:00 +0100 British author Samantha Harvey has won this year's Booker Prize with her book Orbital. Full Article
b Social media bosses could face £10,000 fine for failing to remove knife adverts By news.sky.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0100 Fines of £10,000 for social media bosses who don't remove illegal knife adverts are being considered by the government. Full Article
b Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes's houses 'broken into' a day apart By news.sky.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 03:57:00 +0100 The homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were both broken into last month, according to police and media reports. Full Article
b Trump's cabinet picks suggest China is front and centre of his mind - it could be a bumpy ride By news.sky.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 04:48:00 +0100 The announcements should not be a surprise. Donald Trump said he'd do things differently this time. And yet they still prompt a double take. Full Article
b Retailers warn Reeves of inflation and job losses after budget tax hikes By news.sky.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 07:01:00 +0100 Some of Britain's biggest retailers have warned the chancellor that last month's budget will stoke inflation in the economy and spark job losses as tax hikes add nearly £2.5bn to the industry's annual tax bill. Full Article
b Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas? - 40th anniversary track revealed By news.sky.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 07:27:00 +0100 An "ultimate" version of Band Aid's famous festive hit Do They Know It's Christmas? is set to be released to mark the song's 40th anniversary, featuring the voices of original singers as well as younger artists. Full Article
b Warming from jet contrails can be cut 'for a few pounds per ticket' By news.sky.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 08:53:00 +0100 Tweaking the routes of a small number of planes could reduce the warming effect of contrails by half and cost less than €4 per ticket, according to a study. Full Article