FACTCHECK: Why Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is wrong about UK's net-zero goal
In which I take a look at the evidence contradicting Badenoch's speech, from the science on the 2050 target to fact gas is causing high electricity prices + much much more
carbonbrief.org/factcheck-why-…
Factcheck: Why Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is wrong about UK’s net-zero goal - Carbon Brief
The leader of the opposition Conservative party, Kemi Badenoch, has shattered the political consensus on climate change in a speech attacking the UK’s net-zero by 2050 target.Simon Evans (Carbon Brief)
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AI Slop Is a Brute Force Attack on the Algorithms That Control Reality
404media.co/ai-slop-is-a-brute…
AI Slop Is a Brute Force Attack on the Algorithms That Control Reality
Generative AI spammers are brute forcing the internet, and it is working.Jason Koebler (404 Media)
While using the Internet to determine whether lockmaster -- the person who controls a lock on a waterway -- is one word or two (it's one), I stumbled upon this great info piece about going through inland waterway locks (which happens to be what I'm writing about now):
Time to figure out this Mastodon thing. Hi Fediverse, I'm Jaap.
I enjoy connecting to like-minded individuals to discuss technology and any other interesting subject.
Since 2012, people have called me system administrator, network administrator, system engineer, network engineer, network designer and network architect.
Somehow, I've always drifted towards places that operate their own machines, including OT and critical infrastructure.
Tech is not just work but also hobby. Besides that I'm into more tech, audio, sports, books, meeting cool people and everything else.
Currently unable to work and function at all, due to long COVID. The prognosis seems impossible to determine.
Also, meet Kara:
Grickle (@grickle@mstdn.social)
Attached: 1 image It was a road none of them wanted to be on, but at least they would walk it together. #grickledoodle #lonely #hard #sad #cartoon #art #drawing #funnyMastodon 🐘
Ten Years of Let's Encrypt: Announcing support from Jeff Atwood
As we touched on in our first blog post highlighting ten years of Let’s Encrypt: Just as remarkable to us as the technical innovations behind proliferating TLS at scale is, so too is the sustained generosity we have benefited from throughout our firs…letsencrypt.org
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Now that it's official, I can announce it - although I may have dropped a few hints earlier! 😉
My talk "Why (and how) we’re migrating many of our servers from Linux to the BSDs" has been accepted, and I’ll be honored to present it in June at BSDCan in Ottawa.
The joy of meeting BSD friends in person again (and those I haven’t had the chance to meet live yet) will be immense, and the honor of sharing my story in Canada is truly beyond measure, especially considering the level of other talks and all the people attending.
Of course, I’ll be bringing various BSD Cafe gadgets with me!
For more information, here’s @mwl 's post with further details: blog.bsdcan.org/2025/03/18/bsd…
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The US military has cared about climate change since the dawn of the Cold War – for good reason
During the Cold War, the US poured support into Arctic military outposts and climate research amid fears of a Russian invasion. Climate change is still on the military’s radar as a threat multiplier.The Conversation
Let us not forget Musk is a Nazi.
reuters.com/world/europe/dutch…
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Seth Rogen lands the 'tragic job' of studio executive in his new comedy series
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/nx-s1-5328523/seth-rogen-the-studio?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub
Posted into Arts & Life @arts-life-npr
If you vote in #Wisconsin, today is the first day of early in-person voting for the very important Wisconsin Supreme Court race.
Electing Susan Crawford is vital.
Visit myvote.wi.gov/en-us/ to make a plan to vote.
SpaceLifeForm reshared this.
A friend who tried to make #BobbinLace but did not stick the landing sold me her #Mundillo pillow today. It is absolutely adorable and I'm really looking forward to trying it out. I need some Mundillo patterns.
But the pillows are hard to get.
"People are fleeing Austin, #Texas in droves. The city lost -13,500 ppl to outbound migration in 2024.
The biggest drop the city has ever experienced.
This outmigration has now caused Austin's #housing market to collapse. With home prices down 19.5% over the last two+ years.
Some of these ppl leaving Austin head to the suburbs like Williamson & Hays County, others are going back to CA & NY."
-N Gerli
It's hell living in TX -many ppl are fleeing the fascist state.
#Fascism #RedStates #USPol
#blender 4.4 is out! Here's a showcase video: youtube.com/watch?v=TQElJP1AaS… and release notes page: blender.org/download/releases/…
Section about video things on that page might have been my f̶a̶u̶l̶t̶ work 🙂
Blender 4.4 - Showcase Reel
Enjoy this showcase of amazing work done by the Blender Community.See everything new in Blender 4.4 https://www.blender.org/download/releases/4-4/Credits:Dre...YouTube
2 NASA astronauts head back to Earth after an unexpectedly long mission in space
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/nx-s1-5331907/nasa-astronauts-return-long-space-station-suni-williams-butch-wilmore?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub
Posted into Space @space-npr
Trump Tests How Many Law Firms He Can Destroy Before Someone Stops Him
It took exactly three days for Trump to prove that Judge Beryl Howell’s “Alice in Wonderland” comparison wasn’t just apt, but prescient. After the judge blocked his executiv…Techdirt
The FreeBSD team conquered a massive 7,000 bug backlog 💪 Once overwhelmed by thousands of open issues, the team, with the help of data visualization tools, turned chaos into clarity.
Their approach involved setting up custom dashboards using GrimoireLab, which provided valuable insights into their Bugzilla system. They introduced new metrics like "unattended" and "abandoned" tickets to prioritize their efforts.
Check out their full blog post: freebsdfoundation.org/blog/fro…
From Chaos to Clarity: How We Tackled FreeBSD’s 7,000 Bug Backlog | FreeBSD Foundation
TL;DR The FreeBSD team got on top of a huge backlog problem with help from data visualization tools. We set up dashboards to track and sort over 7,000 old bugs. Now we fix bugs twice as fast as new ones come in and respond to users more quickly.Mark Phillips (FreeBSD Foundation)
Public Records Reveal How Agencies Complied With Trump's Anti-Trans Order
404media.co/public-records-rev…
#TransRights #OpposeTrumpsAmerika #GOPFourthReich #NoNazis #StopFascism #SaveDemocracy
Public Records Reveal How Agencies Complied With Trump's Anti-Trans Order
FOIA documents show how agencies dropped everything to comply with Trump order—and that FOIA is still sort of working.Jason Koebler (404 Media)
Paul Cantrell reshared this.
More than 10.000 scientists from or working in Germany have by now signed the Scientists for Future @S4F appeal to politicians, parliament and the next government.
Calling on them to not make the mistake of considering climate and nature protection a side issue; but to communicate about it honestly, and soberly base socially aware environmental politics on facts.
To be handed over next Monday, when our new parliament convenes.
Can still be signed until then:
bayceer.uni-bayreuth.de/s4f/de…
S4F: Ein Appell von Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern in Deutschland an die Politik
als Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler in Deutschland sind wir in großer Sorge. Die Klimakrise und weitere Umweltkrisen (Biodiversitätsverlust, Überlastung biogeochemischer Stoffkreisläufe ...www.bayceer.uni-bayreuth.de
The Culture Corner: Kendrick Lamar's opus turns 10 years old : World Cafe Words and Music Podcast
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/1239156789/the-culture-corner-on-kendrick-lamar?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub
Posted into Music @music-npr
f(x,y) = -(((~y) - (x & 11)) % (~(x ^ 19)))
Extent: 256x256 (scaled x2)
"Gradient" colouring scheme.
The image depicts a fantasy character, likely an elf, clad in detailed, metallic armor. The armor is predominantly silver with gold accents and features spikes and angular designs, suggesting a blend of protection and intimidation. The character holds a large, ornate sword with a blue hilt and a yellow gem, indicating a high level of craftsmanship. The character's hair is auburn and flows down, with pointed ears visible, enhancing the elf-like appearance. The background is a mix of dark and fiery hues, with a smoky atmosphere, adding to the dramatic effect. The character's eyes are a striking blue, contrasting with the metallic tones of the armor. The overall composition suggests a scene of readiness for battle or a moment of significant action.
Provided by @altbot, generated privately and locally using Ovis2-8B
🌱 Energy used: 0.192 Wh
Ecoflix
Ecoflix is a streaming service with a heavy focus on protecting wildlife and the natural world.
Their mission is to educate, inspire and support meaningful actions in saving animals and restoring the planet.
For just a few pounds or dollars per month you get access to a wide range of films, documentaries and more: The latest uplifting and factual information – daily shots of hope and inspiration – empowering viewers to take action.
Run by not-for-profit media group The Ecoflix Foundation, 100% of Ecoflix membership fees go directly to fund crucial non-profit conservation initiatives to save animals and the planet, and you get to choose which cause your subscription goes towards. (Their overheads and production costs are funded by corporate partners and other revenue streams.)
Memberships are 100% tax deductible for US taxpayers, and qualify for Gift Aid for UK taxpayers.
Find out more about Ecoflix and sign up at ecoflix.com.
Ecoflix | World's First Not-For-Profit Streaming Platform
The first not-for-profit global streaming platform dedicated to saving animals and the planet.Ecoflix | World's First Not-For-Profit Streaming Platform
Tune in to our stream for more!
► FunHouseRadio.com
FunHouse Radio
Novelty Records, Parodies, Weird Covers, Outsider Music, Oddities, Mashups, Comedy, Nonsense & Cringe.FunHouse Radio
Keebin’ with Kristina: the One with the Cheesy Keyboard
hackaday.com/2025/03/18/keebin…
Keebin’ With Kristina: The One With The Cheesy Keyboard
Let’s just kick things off in style with the fabulously brutalist Bayleaf wireless split from [StunningBreadfruit30], shall we? Be sure to check out the wonderful build log/information site a…Hackaday
#AureFreePress #News #press #headline #Musk #socialmedia #Tesla
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"California legislators have begun debating a bill (A.B. 412) that would require AI developers to track and disclose every registered copyrighted work used in AI training. At first glance, this might sound like a reasonable step toward transparency. But it’s an impossible standard that could crush small AI startups and developers while giving big tech firms even more power."
Trash take.
eff.org/deeplinks/2025/03/cali…
The idea that you shouldn't be expected to know what data you're using to train your systems and that doing so is "an impossible task" is so normalized that its hard to know that this was not always the case even in the field of AI.
Data theft and scraping became completely normalized, along with the exploitation of crowdworkers, with the advent of photo sharing and other platforms and others like amazon mechanical turk.
So now NOT exploiting people and stealing data is the anomaly.
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B&H Photography Podcast: AI-Powered Wedding Photography Workflows, with Sam Hurd & Justin Benson
Photographers often react instinctively against artificial intelligence, typically focusing on controversial generative AI.bhphotopodcast.libsyn.com
A cell pulls off one of the 'Holy Grails' of biotechnology
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/nx-s1-5330385/a-cell-pulls-off-one-of-the-holy-grails-of-biotechnology?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub
Posted into Science @science-npr
Roberts Pushes Back on Trump's Judicial Impeachment Calls (2)
Chief Justice John Roberts spoke out against President Donald Trump’s call for the impeachment of a judge who ruled against his effort to swiftly deport alleged Venezuelan gang members.Jacqueline Thomsen (news.bloomberglaw.com)
David
in reply to 404 Media • • •Hey, #lawfedi. What are some short magic words which make it an offence or cause to be sued, under as many statutes of as many jurisdictions as possible, to knowingly make a false statement after those magic words? (Think perjury, of course, but also get creative with computer crime or copyright or contract law.)
Are there jurisdictions outside Canada in which entities are found legally responsible for the utterances of AI under their control? If so, what happens if one appends to the above-mentioned verbiage a declaration that “no generative AI was used in the writing or transmission of this text,” or something to that effect which leaves courts no room for interpretation?
And what happens if access to a digital service is conditioned upon that combined utterance? What happens if a “technical protective measure” (DRM) is applied to something digital, the key to which is that utterance? An so on:
Is there a way to do to AI output, and perhaps even to AI scraping, some comb
... show moreHey, #lawfedi. What are some short magic words which make it an offence or cause to be sued, under as many statutes of as many jurisdictions as possible, to knowingly make a false statement after those magic words? (Think perjury, of course, but also get creative with computer crime or copyright or contract law.)
Are there jurisdictions outside Canada in which entities are found legally responsible for the utterances of AI under their control? If so, what happens if one appends to the above-mentioned verbiage a declaration that “no generative AI was used in the writing or transmission of this text,” or something to that effect which leaves courts no room for interpretation?
And what happens if access to a digital service is conditioned upon that combined utterance? What happens if a “technical protective measure” (DRM) is applied to something digital, the key to which is that utterance? An so on:
Is there a way to do to AI output, and perhaps even to AI scraping, some combination of what the GPL did to copyright and what Meta does to prevent competitors from lawfully doing to Facebook what they did to MySpace?