What’s New at GNU – Andy Wingo: ephemerons and finalizers

Oct 312022
 

Good day, hackfolk. Today we continue the series on garbage collection
with some notes on ephemerons and finalizers.conjunctions and disjunctionsFirst described in a 1997 paper by Barry
Hayes, which
attributes the invention to George Bosworth, ephemerons are a kind of
weak key-value association.Thinking about the problem abstractly, consider that the garbage
collector’s job is to keep live objects and recycle memory for dead
objects, making that memory available for future allocations. Formally
speaking, we can say:An object is live if it is in the root setAn object is live it is referenced by any live object.This circular definition uses the word any, indicating a disjunction:
a single incoming reference from a live object is sufficient to mark a
referent object as live.Ephemerons augment this definition…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://wingolog.org/archives/2022/10/31/ephemerons-and-finalizers

 2022-10-31  Comments Off on What’s New at GNU – Andy Wingo: ephemerons and finalizers

What’s New at GNU – ephemerons and finalizers

Oct 312022
 

Good day, hackfolk. Today we continue the series on garbage collection
with some notes on ephemerons and finalizers.conjunctions and disjunctionsFirst described in a 1997 paper by Barry
Hayes, which
attributes the invention to George Bosworth, ephemerons are a kind of
weak key-value association.Thinking about the problem abstractly, consider that the garbage
collector’s job is to keep live objects and recycle memory for dead
objects, making that memory available for future allocations. Formally
speaking, we can say:An object is live if it is in the root setAn object is live it is referenced by any live object.This circular definition uses the word any, indicating a disjunction:
a single incoming reference from a live object is sufficient to mark a
referent object as live.Ephemerons augment this definition…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://wingolog.org/archives/2022/10/31/ephemerons-and-finalizers

 2022-10-31  Comments Off on What’s New at GNU – ephemerons and finalizers

Motherboard – ‘Humbling’ Study Shows How Cat ‘Zombie’ Parasite Hijacks Human Cells

Oct 312022
 

Scientists have discovered how Toxoplasma, one of the most common parasites in humans, hacks the immune cells of its hosts so that it can ride them around the body with alarming speed, reports a new study. The research reveals new secrets about this pernicious parasite, which reproduces in cat hosts and has infected at least one third of the global population, and sheds light on how other infectious diseases spread in humans and animals. Toxoplasma is widespread in warm-blooded animals and can be dangerous in some cases—especially for pregnant women and fetuses—though most people who carry the pathogen do not develop any harmful symptoms. The parasite is a public health concern as well as a scientific…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4ax5vd/humbling-study-shows-how-cat-zombie-parasite-hijacks-human-cells

 2022-10-31  Comments Off on Motherboard – ‘Humbling’ Study Shows How Cat ‘Zombie’ Parasite Hijacks Human Cells

Jacobin – They Live Is a Timeless Anti-Capitalist Horror Classic

Oct 302022
 

It’s never a bad time to revisit John Carpenter’s 1988 classic They Live, a hilarious sci-fi thriller that skewers the inequality of the neoliberal era and offers an iconic depiction of capitalist ideology.
The truth behind capitalist advertising, per John Carpenter’s 1988 They Live. (Alive Films, 1988) It’s almost Halloween, the time of year when every good socialist watches They Live (1988). The cult classic about the politically revealing sunglasses that expose the monstrosity of our overlords and the brutal alien society they’ve made never fails to satisfy upon repeat viewings.
Though it didn’t do well on initial release, They Live is one of John Carpenter’s ever-more-revered films, because of its extraordinary…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://jacobin.com/2022/10/they-live-capitalism-ideology-john-carpenter-critique/

 2022-10-30  Comments Off on Jacobin – They Live Is a Timeless Anti-Capitalist Horror Classic

Techdirt. – Justice Thomas Still Likes Prince On Thursdays, And What That Means For The Future Of Fair Use

Oct 272022
 

I’ll start this post with a bit of whimsy before alarming you with the sense of doom portended by the stakes involved with last week’s oral argument at the US Supreme Court in Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts v. Lynn Goldsmith.
In this case the Warhol Foundation is trying to get SCOTUS to overturn a terrible decision at the Second Circuit that found Warhol’s Prince prints to not be a fair use of a photograph earlier taken by Lynn Goldsmith. This case is not just a big deal for the Warhol Foundation, which manages Warhol’s art portfolio, but for anyone else who may ever wish to make a fair use of any copyrighted work that…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.techdirt.com/2022/10/27/justice-thomas-still-likes-prince-on-thursdays-and-what-that-means-for-the-future-of-fair-use/

 2022-10-27  Comments Off on Techdirt. – Justice Thomas Still Likes Prince On Thursdays, And What That Means For The Future Of Fair Use

Jacobin – With Progressive Congress Members Pulling Their Ukraine Letter, Diplomacy Is Now a Four-Letter Word

Oct 272022
 

War fever in Washington has reached such a pitch that even mild calls for cease-fire talks, as House progressives articulated in a now-retracted letter, are now beyond the pale. That’s dangerous at any time, let alone when nuclear tensions are high.
Representative Pramila Jayapal speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Jabin Botsford / the Washington Post via Getty Images) Even before Russia invaded Ukraine, liberal discourse about the issue had veered in a deeply unhealthy direction, with any suggestion that the US should exercise restraint in managing the antagonistic US-Russia relationship casually labeled treasonous, authoritarian — even covertly doing the work of the Kremlin. As earlier episodes of…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://jacobin.com/2022/10/ukraine-war-letter-diplomacy-progressive-congress-caucus-foreign-policy/

 2022-10-27  Comments Off on Jacobin – With Progressive Congress Members Pulling Their Ukraine Letter, Diplomacy Is Now a Four-Letter Word

The Register – The GNOME Project is closing all its mailing lists

Oct 272022
 

Everyone has to join Discourse… although you can still participate via email

The GNOME Project is preparing to shut down its mailing lists due to problems maintaining the project’s GNU Mailman instance – which relies on Python 2 – and a lack of moderators.…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/10/27/the_gnome_project_is_closing/

 2022-10-27  Comments Off on The Register – The GNOME Project is closing all its mailing lists

Motherboard – Conscious Reality Is Only a Memory of Unconscious Actions, Scientists Propose In Radical New Theory

Oct 272022
 

Have you ever had that weird feeling of letting your mind wander on a car trip, then not remembering anything about your drive when you arrive at your destination? Or perhaps you’ve struggled to fall asleep as your brain cycles endlessly through intrusive thoughts? Do you ever get “in the zone” while deeply engaged in an activity, like playing music or sports? These are some of the common experiences that have inspired a team of scientists to dramatically reimagine the evolution of consciousness, which is a state of awareness that humans (and perhaps some other animals) possess about their minds and the world. Led by Andrew Budson, a professor of neurology at Boston University and Alzheimer’s…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4axbkd/our-conscious-reality-is-a-memory-scientists-propose

 2022-10-27  Comments Off on Motherboard – Conscious Reality Is Only a Memory of Unconscious Actions, Scientists Propose In Radical New Theory

Richard Stallman’s Political Notes – Laws prohibiting specific kinds of boycotts

Oct 262022
 

The ACLU asked the Supreme Court to rule that laws prohibiting specific kinds of boycotts are unconstitutional,
after one federal appeals court ruled to the contrary.

The authoritarian campaign to prohibit boycotting Israel has put the
US in danger of broad-spectrum plutocratist authoritarianism.

External feed Read More at the Source: https://stallman.org/archives/2022-jul-oct.html#26_October_2022_(Laws_prohibiting_specific_kinds_of_boycotts)

 2022-10-26  Comments Off on Richard Stallman’s Political Notes – Laws prohibiting specific kinds of boycotts

– The Conversation – Home – The future of creative freedom is on the line, starring Andy Warhol, Prince and 2 Live Crew

Oct 262022
 

Fair Use says it is OK to use this image because this is a commentary on it. Right? U.S. Supreme CourtThe internet has opened access to culture. Billions of webpages build on the art, images, music, film, television and writing of the past. This explosion of content leads to tough questions over ownership of creative work and exclusivity of use. The highest court in the land may soon try to better define the limits of free use, or the right to remix previously published work. On Oct. 12, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith. The case addresses when artists or writers may…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://theconversation.com/the-future-of-creative-freedom-is-on-the-line-starring-andy-warhol-prince-and-2-live-crew-190639

 2022-10-26  Comments Off on – The Conversation – Home – The future of creative freedom is on the line, starring Andy Warhol, Prince and 2 Live Crew

INDY Week – Eno River Group Profited by Renting Decrepit Homes to Vulnerable Tenants. Soon, They’ll Have No Home At All.

Oct 262022
 

More than two dozen tenants have lived for years in dilapidated dwellings leased by the Eno River Association. Now their absentee landlord wants to sell the land, and their homes, to the state.

External feed Read More at the Source: https://indyweek.com/news/durham/eno-river-slumlords/

 2022-10-26  Comments Off on INDY Week – Eno River Group Profited by Renting Decrepit Homes to Vulnerable Tenants. Soon, They’ll Have No Home At All.

World Socialist Web Site (en) – 24 hours after calling for negotiations to end Ukraine war, DSA and “progressive” Democrats demand escalation

Oct 262022
 

On Monday, 30 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus sent a letter to President Joe Biden suggesting the US negotiate with Russia to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. On Tuesday, they withdrew their letter, repudiated calls for negotiation and pledged their full support for the war.

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/10/26/pers-o26.html

 2022-10-26  Comments Off on World Socialist Web Site (en) – 24 hours after calling for negotiations to end Ukraine war, DSA and “progressive” Democrats demand escalation

Richard Stallman’s Political Notes – Israel apartheid rules

Oct 252022
 

Israel has announced new apartheid rules that would greatly interfere
with anything but a short visit to Palestinian territory.
People born in the few countries where most Palestinian refugees live
would be banned entirely from entering Palestinian territory.

External feed Read More at the Source: https://stallman.org/archives/2022-jul-oct.html#25_October_2022_(Israel_apartheid_rules)

 2022-10-25  Comments Off on Richard Stallman’s Political Notes – Israel apartheid rules

The Register – IBM withholds healthcare subsidies from some retirees

Oct 252022
 

Former staff describe threat as a ‘heist’ and ‘outright attack’ on pension scheme

IBM intends to withhold tens of thousands of dollars each from certain retired staff unless they agree to the IT giant’s demands.…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/10/21/ibm_will_withhold_healthcare_subsidies/

 2022-10-25  Comments Off on The Register – IBM withholds healthcare subsidies from some retirees

Planet PostgreSQL – Luca Ferrari: PostgreSQL 15: logging in JSON

Oct 252022
 

PostgreSQL 15 has now the capability to output logs in JSON format! PostgreSQL 15: logging in JSON The freshly released PostgreSQL 15 introduces a lot of new features and improvements, but one, according to me, is going to change the way our favourite database is monitored: the capability to log daemon status in JSON.

Essentially, the log_destination configuration parameter now has another enumerated value: jsonlog. When this value is added to log_destination, PostgreSQL will start to emit JSON structured logs.
Here it is a simple configuration example:

% grep log_destination /postgres/15/data/postgresql.conf
log_destination = ‘stderr,jsonlog’

and this is how the log directory appears right after the configuration has been reloaded:

% sudo -u postgres ls /postgres/15/data/log -1
postgresql-Fri.json
postgresql-Fri.log

Clearly the…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://postgr.es/p/5r9

 2022-10-25  Comments Off on Planet PostgreSQL – Luca Ferrari: PostgreSQL 15: logging in JSON

Motherboard – Ring Cameras Are Going to Get More People Killed

Oct 242022
 

Early Saturday morning, a Florida man and his teenage son were arrested after allegedly shooting at and nearly killing a woman sitting in her car after receiving a Ring doorbell camera alert. After a neighbor stopped by Gino (73) and Rocky (15) Colonacosta’s front door to drop off prescription medication accidentally delivered to the wrong address, the Ring surveillance camera began bombarding their phones with alerts. The pair grabbed .45-caliber handguns, went outside looking for a burglar, and found a woman sitting in her car on her phone. Gino pointed the gun at her and ordered her out of her car, but she escaped in her car believing she was being carjacked. The pair allegedly shot…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3adj59/ring-cameras-are-going-to-get-more-people-killed

 2022-10-24  Comments Off on Motherboard – Ring Cameras Are Going to Get More People Killed

Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow – Pluralistic: 24 Oct 2022 An hour of interwar Halloween music

Oct 242022
 

Today’s links

An hour of interwar Halloween music: Spooky season listening from Centuries of Sound.

Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.

This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2021

Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

An hour of interwar Halloween music (permalink)
Through his delightful Centuries of Sound project, JM Errington is producing an hour-long mix of music for every year since 1853 – the dawn of music recording itself. Interspersed with these “annual” mixes are some thematic ones. His latest, “Halloween Between the Wars,” is an hour of spooky interwar music and radio/film horror excerpts:

Halloween Between The Wars – Original Recordings 1927-1938


The track-list for this is full of hot jazz, broad comedy, and spooktacular greats that are a refreshing break from “The…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/24/spooky-season/

 2022-10-24  Comments Off on Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow – Pluralistic: 24 Oct 2022 An hour of interwar Halloween music

Internet Archive Blogs – The Rise of DISCMASTER

Oct 242022
 

A developer came to me a week ago with a project they’d been working on for over a year. The proposition of what they offered and the importance of what it would mean to historical software at Internet Archive was so compelling that within 48 hours, we’d announced it to the world. The site is DISCMASTER.TEXTFILES.COM, and within its stacks lie multitudes of previously hidden software treasure, and a directed search engine that makes it a top-notch research tool. More than a fascinating site, though, it represents some philosophies regarding the Archive’s stacks that are worth exploring as well. The first thing that strikes a visitor to the site is either how strange, or…

External feed Read More at the Source: https://blog.archive.org/2022/10/24/the-rise-of-discmaster/

 2022-10-24  Comments Off on Internet Archive Blogs – The Rise of DISCMASTER
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