Techdirt. – CBP Proudly Announces Its Facial Recognition Program Has Successfully Nailed A COVID Scofflaw

Dec 162021
 

Customs and Border Protection continues to protect our borders against… stuff. Much like the TSA struggles to catch any terrorists (or, indeed, any items actual terrorists might use) but still issues press releases crowing about the agency’s ability to identify and seize novelty items and the occasional gun someone decided not to check, the CBP is more than happy to point out how a system that relies on millions of facial images collected at ports of entry every so often stops someone from entering the country.

As of the end of 2020, CBP’s biometric systems installed all over the country had gathered 50 million facial images. This was all done in service of identifying fewer than 300…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20211205/16064548054/cbp-proudly-announces-facial-recognition-program-has-successfully-nailed-covid-scofflaw.shtml

 2021-12-16  Comments Off on Techdirt. – CBP Proudly Announces Its Facial Recognition Program Has Successfully Nailed A COVID Scofflaw

Hackaday – Motorized Device Helps Swap Out Hard-To-Reach Light Bulbs

Dec 162021
 

High ceilings can make a residence feel open and airy, but they often come with difficult-to-reach light fittings. To better deal with that, [mattwach] built a motorized light bulb changer which makes the job much easier.
Light bulb changers already exist, but they typically need to be used on-axis with the light fitting, which for chandeliers and many other lights, can be difficult. Instead, [mattwach’s] design allows the device to be used at 90-degree angles, and motorizes it for added ease of use.
A 12V gear motor does the work of turning the contraption, and has more than enough torque to get the job done.  A flanged coupling is used to attach the motor to the light bulb…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://hackaday.com/2021/12/16/motorized-device-helps-swap-out-hard-to-reach-light-bulbs/

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World Socialist Web Site (en) – Kellogg’s strikers denounce mass firing threat, two-tier wages from the picket lines in Battle Creek, Michigan

Dec 132021
 

Striking Kellogg’s workers remain defiant and opposed to any concessions following their rejection of a concessions contract brokered by the BCTGM union.

External feed Read More at the Source: http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/12/13/kell-d13.html

 2021-12-13  Comments Off on World Socialist Web Site (en) – Kellogg’s strikers denounce mass firing threat, two-tier wages from the picket lines in Battle Creek, Michigan

World Socialist Web Site (en) – Julian Assange suffered stroke during High Court appeal for extradition

Dec 132021
 

Assange’s fiancée Stella Moris warned, “Look at animals trapped in cages in a zoo. It cuts their life short. That’s what’s happening to Julian.”

External feed Read More at the Source: http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/12/13/jass-d13.html

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Streetsblog.org – You Can’t Solve Congestion by Widening Roads

Dec 102021
 

On Monday the Chicago Tribune looked at the plight of local drivers stuck in some of the nation’s worst commute traffic, based on the latest congestion study by the transportation analytics firm Inrix.
Streetsblog USA has noted in the past that these annual Inrix traffic reports have been marred by multiple flaws. Issue have included an unrealistic definition of congestion that implies that roads aren’t functioning properly unless its easy for motorists to drive at illegal speeds; exaggerated estimates of the “cost” of congestion to travelers; and a bias against against compact cities with short average travel distances.
But there’s no question that Chicagoland has nightmarish traffic, and choosing to drive to work here when you don’t have…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://chi.streetsblog.org/2021/12/09/reality-check-you-cant-solve-congestion-by-widening-roads-invest-in-transit-instead/

 2021-12-10  Comments Off on Streetsblog.org – You Can’t Solve Congestion by Widening Roads

Boing Boing – New Zealand will ban smoking for entire next generation and beyond

Dec 102021
 

Anyone who is 14 or younger today will never be able to purchase cigarettes legally in in New Zealand, according to new legislation expected to pass. The aim is to annually increase the legal smoking age by one year and make tobacco smoking illegal by 2025. — Read the rest

External feed Read More at the Source: https://boingboing.net/2021/12/09/new-zealand-will-ban-smoking-for-entire-next-generation-and-beyond.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-zealand-will-ban-smoking-for-entire-next-generation-and-beyond

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LWN.net – Haas: Surviving Without A Superuser – Part One

Dec 102021
 

PostgreSQL developer Robert Haas has begun
a blog series on what would be needed to allow database administrators
to safely delegate superuser powers.

Consider, for example, the case of a service provider who would like to support a database with multiple customers as tenants. The customers will naturally want to feel as if they have the powers of a true superuser, with the ability to do things like create new roles, drop old ones, change permissions on objects that they don’t own, and generally enjoy the freedom to bypass permission checks at the SQL level which superusers enjoy. The service provider, who is the true superuser, also wants this, but does not want the customers to be able…

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 2021-12-10  Comments Off on LWN.net – Haas: Surviving Without A Superuser – Part One

Motherboard – People Are Spamming Kellogg’s Job Applications in Solidarity with Striking Workers 

Dec 102021
 

Kellogg is seeking people to work in its factories to replace union workers who are striking for better wages and working conditions—and people on the antiwork subreddit are flooding the company’s job portal website with fake applications in solidarity with those workers.  In October, Kellogg’s workers shut down factories in cereal production facilities in Battle Creek, MI, Lancaster, PA, Memphis, TN and Omaha, NE. The striking workers are members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union; they’ve been in negotiations with the company since September, after Kellogg’s proposed pay and benefits cuts while forcing workers to work severe overtime as long as 16-hour-days for seven days a week. Some workers stayed on…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/v7dvy9/spamming-kelloggs-job-applications-strike

 2021-12-10  Comments Off on Motherboard – People Are Spamming Kellogg’s Job Applications in Solidarity with Striking Workers 

Techdirt. – Yet Another Study Shows Mainstream Media Is A Key Vector In Spreading Misinformation

Dec 102021
 

The common “accepted knowledge” these days among many is that the rise of disinformation and conspiracy theories must be driven by social media, and Facebook in particular (with Twitter and YouTube right behind). This theory has always seemed a bit bonkers, and we’ve pointed to multiple detailed, data-driven studies that showed that cable news was a much bigger driver of misinformation than social media. Specifically, it found that conspiracy theories and misinformation and the like didn’t actually “go viral” until after it appeared on cable news.

So, it’s good (but not at all surprising) to find yet another study pointing out the same thing. This one, first highlighted by MediaPost, involved a big survey exploring the spread…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20211206/12065948063/yet-another-study-shows-mainstream-media-is-key-vector-spreading-misinformation.shtml

 2021-12-10  Comments Off on Techdirt. – Yet Another Study Shows Mainstream Media Is A Key Vector In Spreading Misinformation

Deeplinks – Chrome Users Beware: Manifest V3 is Deceitful and Threatening

Dec 102021
 

Manifest V3, Google Chrome’s soon-to-be definitive basket of changes to the world of web browser extensions, has been framed by its authors as “a step in the direction of privacy, security, and performance.” But we think these changes are a raw deal for users.  We’ve said that since Manifest V3 was announced, and continue to say so as its implementation is now imminent. Like FLoC and Privacy Sandbox before it, Manifest V3 is another example of the inherent conflict of interest that comes from Google controlling both the dominant web browser and one of the largest internet advertising networks.
Manifest V3, or Mv3 for short, is outright harmful to privacy efforts. It will restrict the capabilities of…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/chrome-users-beware-manifest-v3-deceitful-and-threatening

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Streetsblog.org – Reality check: You can’t solve congestion by widening roads – invest in transit instead

Dec 102021
 

On Monday the Chicago Tribune looked at the plight of local drivers stuck in some of the nation’s worst commute traffic, based on the latest congestion study by the transportation analytics firm Inrix.
Streetsblog USA has noted in the past that these annual Inrix traffic reports have been marred by multiple flaws. Issue have included an unrealistic definition of congestion that implies that roads aren’t functioning properly unless its easy for motorists to drive at illegal speeds; exaggerated estimates of the “cost” of congestion to travelers; and a bias against against compact cities with short average travel distances.
But there’s no question that Chicagoland has nightmarish traffic, and choosing to drive to work here when you don’t have…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://chi.streetsblog.org/2021/12/09/reality-check-you-cant-solve-congestion-by-widening-roads-invest-in-transit-instead/

 2021-12-10  Comments Off on Streetsblog.org – Reality check: You can’t solve congestion by widening roads – invest in transit instead

Ballot Access News – North Carolina Supreme Court Moves 2022 Primary from March 8 to May 17

Dec 092021
 

On December 8, the North Carolina Supreme Court issued an order in Harper v Hall, 413P21, moving the 2022 primary from March 8 to May 17. The Court also closed candidate filing for the district offices. The Supreme Court also instructed the lower state court to rule on the constitutionality of the new U.S. House and legislative districts by January 11, 2022.
As a result of this order, the only 2022 state primary earlier than May is the Texas March primary. There is a fair chance that primary will be postponed as well.
An indirect consequence of the North Carolina order is that independent candidates now have until May 17 to submit their petitions, for 2022. Thanks to…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://ballot-access.org/2021/12/08/north-carolina-supreme-court-moves-2022-primary-from-march-8-to-may-17/

 2021-12-09  Comments Off on Ballot Access News – North Carolina Supreme Court Moves 2022 Primary from March 8 to May 17

Ballot Access News – Jill Stein Files “Statement of Issues” in U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C., Over 2016 Primary Season Matching Funds Repayment Order

Dec 072021
 

On December 1, 2021, Jill Stein, Green Party presidential nominee in 2016, filed a Statement of Issues in the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit. She is asking the Court to amend or reverse the Federal Election Commission decision earlier … Continue reading →

External feed Read More at the Source: https://ballot-access.org/2021/12/06/jill-stein-files-statement-of-issues-in-u-s-court-of-appeals-d-c-over-2016-primary-season-matching-funds-repayment-order/

 2021-12-07  Comments Off on Ballot Access News – Jill Stein Files “Statement of Issues” in U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C., Over 2016 Primary Season Matching Funds Repayment Order

The Register – MySQL a ‘pretty poor database’ says departing Oracle engineer

Dec 072021
 

PostgreSQL a better option for open source RDBMS, he claims

You’ve collected your leaving card, novelty presents, and perhaps a bottle of wine – what’s next on the list for the departing developer? For one, it’s a blog rubbishing the technology he’s been working on for five years.…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/12/06/mysql_a_pretty_poor_database/

 2021-12-07  Comments Off on The Register – MySQL a ‘pretty poor database’ says departing Oracle engineer

World Socialist Web Site (en) – Washington D.C. transit system recalls over 60 percent of rail fleet after derailment exposes critical flaws

Nov 092021
 

The recall of nearly the entire metro rail fleet has left commuters stranded on overcrowded metro lines with 40-minute wait times between trains.

External feed Read More at the Source: http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/11/08/wmat-n08.html

 2021-11-09  Comments Off on World Socialist Web Site (en) – Washington D.C. transit system recalls over 60 percent of rail fleet after derailment exposes critical flaws

jwz – Chucky

Nov 052021
 

I have been loving the new Chucky TV series, so that inspired me to rewatch all 7 movies. In a row. Yeah I white-knuckled the whole thing in one night and I have no regrets. Ok, here we go:Child’s Play (1988): This is extremely 80s, but holds up pretty well. The end of the first act drags a bit but nobody wastes any time in denial. Once someone sees him walking around they’re all, “Yup, that’s a talking doll. Kill it with fire.” B+.Child’s Play 2 (1990): I like that it just picks right up a couple of weeks after the first movie ends. Mom is in an asylum and the kid is in…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.jwz.org/blog/2021/11/chucky/

 2021-11-05  Comments Off on jwz – Chucky

The Register – Red Hat forced to hire cheaper, less senior engineers amid budget freeze

Nov 052021
 

Email tells bosses to down-level open positions to control costs

Exclusive  Next year, IBM’s Red Hat plans to cut back on hiring senior engineers in an effort aimed largely at controlling costs.…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/11/05/red_hat_jobs/

 2021-11-05  Comments Off on The Register – Red Hat forced to hire cheaper, less senior engineers amid budget freeze

PopularResistance.Org – The Green New Deal–From Below

Oct 312021
 

This is the first in a series of commentaries on “The Green New Deal–From Below.” This commentary explains the idea of a Green New Deal from Below and provides an overview of the series. Subsequent commentaries in this series will address dimensions of the Green New Deal from below ranging from energy production to the role of unions to microgrids, coops, anchor institutions, and many others.

The post The Green New Deal–From Below appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

External feed Read More at the Source: https://popularresistance.org/the-green-new-deal-from-below/

 2021-10-31  Comments Off on PopularResistance.Org – The Green New Deal–From Below

World Socialist Web Site (en) – Oklahoma death row prisoner John Grant vomits, convulses in death chamber as state resumes executions

Oct 302021
 

Grant’s execution was the first in Oklahoma since 2015 after a series of them went horribly wrong. It proceeded after the US Supreme Court lifted his stay of execution.

External feed Read More at the Source: http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/10/30/okla-o30.html

 2021-10-30  Comments Off on World Socialist Web Site (en) – Oklahoma death row prisoner John Grant vomits, convulses in death chamber as state resumes executions
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