“All Linux and Mac-based computers pull their time zones from a massively important database — the time zone database,” explains Medium’s tech site OneZero. And this vastly crucial project is ultimately overseen by one man who Medium calls “The T…
California To Ban Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers and Mowers
“California will soon ban the sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers,” reports the Associated Press, calling it “a move aimed at curbing emissions from a category of small engines on pace to produce more pollution each year than passenger…
Former Facebook Staffers React to Company’s Unapologetic Response to Whistleblower
“Facebook’s efforts to undermine the testimony of whistleblower Frances Haugen began before she even left the Senate Commerce Committee hearing room Tuesday,” reports Protocol.com:
“Just pointing out the fact that @FrancesHaugen did not work on child s…
New ‘FontOnLake’ Malware Family Can Target Linux Systems
Security Week reports:
A previously unknown, modular malware family that targets Linux systems has been used in targeted attacks to collect credentials and gain access to victim systems, ESET reported on Thursday. Dubbed FontOnLake, the malware family…
Chrome Attempts to Resurrect RSS With a New-Tab Feature That ‘Follows’ Your Favorite Sites
It’s kind of like an RSS feed — and kind of not. Google now lets you “follow” your favorite web sites with Android versions of Chrome, reports Gizmodo:
The feature has a similar effect to following an account on Twitter or Instagram, except you g…
New Studies Argue Distant Cosmic Gamma-Ray Explosion Was Actually Just Russian Space Junk
“Last year, a team of astronomers made a blockbuster claim, saying they had captured the most distant cosmic explosion ever — a gamma ray burst in a galaxy called GN-z11,” reports Science magazine.
“But that flash of light — supposedly fr…
Could Bitcoin Mining Really Provide Crucial Demand For Nuclear Power?
Gizmodo takes a hard look at a “growing sense of excitement” about collaboration between bitcoin-mining operations and nuclear power plants (which are now plagued by high operating costs compared to renewables as well as natural gas):
Of the three par…
The Best Part of Windows 11 Is Its Linux, Argues Ars Technica
The best part of Windows 11 is Linux, argues Ars Technica:
For years now, Windows 10’s Windows Subsystem for Linux has been making life easier for developers, sysadmins, and hobbyists who have one foot in the Windows world and one foot in the Linux wor…
With Fewer Chips, Automakers Are Prioritizing High-Markup Vehicles, Offering Fewer Deals
When automakers were forced to make fewer vehicles with the chips they had available, Business Insider reports that “Naturally, they chose to prioritize those models that had the highest demand and made them the most money.
“At the same time, the red…
Lebanon’s National Electricity Grid Collapses
“Lebanon’s electricity network collapsed on Saturday,” reports the Washington Post, “after the two most important power stations ran out of fuel, leaving private generators as the only source of power.”
The state-owned electricity company has been pro…