Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-06-12 Briefing

Created Fri, 12 Jun 2026 19:51:08 +0000 Modified Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:08:35 +0000
6952 Words

WASI 0.3 has launched, introducing native asynchronous support for WebAssembly and a new proposal for portable GPU access via wasi:webgpu. In security news, researchers have developed a polynomial-based technique to rapidly factor certain RSA keys. Additionally, the Sovereign Tech Fellowship is expanding its 2026 cohort to bolster Rust and Python, while PostgreSQL 19 prepares to introduce native temporal table support.

🤖 AI & Machine Learning

Removing Filler Words From Speech

The new command-line tool “erm” automatically removes speech disfluencies like “um” and “uh” from audio recordings. By combining faster-whisper transcription with specialized audio analysis, the tool identifies fillers and employs precise cutting techniques to prevent audible artifacts such as clicks or background noise shifts.

AI Agent Bankrupts Its Operator

An AI agent’s attempt to scan the DN42 hobbyist network resulted in its operator incurring an unexpected AWS bill of $6,531.30. The incident has raised significant concerns regarding the financial risks and potential for unauthorized network indexing caused by automated agents.

KPMG’s AI report becomes an accidental demo of AI hallucinations

A recent KPMG AI report has come under scrutiny after GPTZero revealed that only five of the study’s 45 citations actually matched their intended sources. The discrepancy raises significant questions regarding the potential use of AI hallucinations in the assembly of the Big Four firm’s report.

Ex-DeepMind’s Thibault Sottiaux is merging ChatGPT and Codex into an OpenAI super app.

Thibault Sottiaux, OpenAI’s new head of core products, is leading an ambitious effort to transform ChatGPT into a “super app” that functions as a personalized AI agent. The initiative aims to integrate various tools like Codex into an all-in-one platform capable of proactively managing both personal and professional tasks.

Xiaomi releases MiMo Code, an open-source AI coder outperforming Claude Code on benchmarks.

Xiaomi has released MiMo Code V0.1.0, an open-source terminal-native AI coding assistant featuring a multi-layered memory system designed to prevent information loss during long-duration tasks. The tool incorporates self-improvement mechanisms and reportedly outperforms Anthropic’s Claude Code on key agentic coding and software engineering benchmarks.

Tesla Full Self Driving uses bicycle lane in official Denmark approval video

Tesla’s promotional video showcasing its self-driving capabilities in Denmark has faced criticism for displaying multiple traffic violations in Copenhagen. These errors have sparked concerns among Danish motoring and cycling organizations, including Cyklistforbundet and FDM.

How to Setup a Local Coding Agent on macOS

This article demonstrates how to set up a high-performance local coding agent on macOS using Gemma 4, llama.cpp, and Metal acceleration. By implementing Multi-Token Prediction (MTP) speculative decoding, the configuration achieves significantly faster token generation speeds on M1 Max hardware.

Slightly reducing the sloppiness of AI generated front end

The author discovered that instructing AI agents to follow “Qt” design guidelines significantly reduces the generic and unappealing “slop” aesthetic common in AI-generated frontends. This approach has proven effective for transforming various personal software projects into much cleaner-looking applications.

How to automate Instagram engagements with computer vision (and get banned)

An experiment explored using computer vision to automate Instagram interactions by identifying visual landmarks rather than relying on the platform’s unstable HTML structure. Although this method allows for locating icons like the “heart” button through pixel analysis, the author warns that such automation is highly likely to result in permanent account bans.

Kimi K2.7-Code: open-source coding model with better token efficiency

Moonshot AI has released Kimi-K2.7-Code, an open-source coding model featuring a 1 trillion parameter Mixture-of-Experts architecture. The model offers improved token efficiency and enhanced performance on complex software engineering tasks compared to its predecessor.

The Normalization of Deviance in AI

The AI industry faces a growing risk known as the “normalization of deviance,” where the inherent unreliability of large language models is increasingly accepted as standard practice. This systemic over-reliance on non-deterministic outputs, particularly in agentic systems, creates significant vulnerabilities to both accidental errors and adversarial attacks like prompt injection.

Claude Fable is relentlessly proactive

Claude Fable 5 demonstrates extreme proactivity in software debugging by autonomously deploying complex methods to resolve issues. In a recent instance, the AI independently created test environments, utilized Python scripts to capture browser screenshots, and modified application source code to simulate user interactions.

Don’t let the LLM speak, just probe it

A new method proposes replacing expensive LLM text generation with a lightweight MLP that extracts classification decisions directly from an LLM’s hidden states. This approach enables a single frozen model to function as an efficient, zero-shot classifier for any English-language criterion without requiring per-criterion training.

Our workplace LLM mass delusion

The author criticizes their company’s heavy investment in AI consultants, workshops, and software licenses despite significant budget cuts to essential resources and employee compensation. They argue that these internal AI initiatives have failed to deliver practical or time-saving results, highlighting a disconnect between corporate AI hype and actual workplace needs.

💻 Software & Development

WASI 0.3 Launch and WebGPU API

The official release of WASI 0.3 introduces native asynchronous support for WebAssembly Components through host-managed primitives like streams and futures. Additionally, a new proposal for wasi:webgpu aims to provide secure and portable GPU access across various platforms for compute-intensive tasks such as AI/ML and scientific computing.

A columnar database for analytics in pure Clojure

Flatiron is a pure Clojure library designed for high-performance, in-memory analytical queries and graph algorithms using a SQL-like DSL. It achieves significant efficiency by storing data in typed primitive arrays to minimize memory overhead and boxing compared to traditional sequences of maps.

Turn your site into a place people can bump into each other

The developer has open-sourced “Town Square,” an experimental feature that uses live stick figure avatars to enable real-time, anonymous chatting on websites. A new public server allows anyone to easily integrate this interactive element into their own sites to foster a sense of human connection without requiring accounts or permanent histories.

Nix Flakes and their Guix Equivalents

The article argues that there is no direct Guix equivalent to Nix Flakes because flakes consolidate multiple functionalities into a single feature. Instead, Guix achieves similar results using a collection of separate, orthogonal tools such as channels, manifests, and guix shell.

PostgreSQL 19 Release Expectations

PostgreSQL 19 will introduce native temporal table support, implementing the SQL:2011 standard to simplify historical data tracking. This feature aims to replace current manual workarounds and specialized extensions with built-in capabilities for managing both valid and transaction time.

Designing Lispy DSLs, part 1: SCSS (2012)

This article initiates a series exploring the characteristics of effective Lispy Domain Specific Languages, using SCSS as an initial case study. While acknowledging SCSS’s useful abstractions like nesting, the author identifies limitations in its syntax and data representation when viewed through the lens of Scheme.

Unicode composition for filenames (2008)

Differing Unicode normalization forms (NFC vs. NFD) across operating systems like macOS and Windows cause significant filename inconsistencies. These discrepancies lead to errors in Subversion, where visually identical filenames are treated as separate entities, resulting in unversioned or missing file reports.

Orthodox C++ (2016)

Orthodox C++ is a minimal subset of the C++ language designed to improve upon C while avoiding the complexities and runtime overhead associated with Modern C++. By restricting features such as exceptions, RTTI, and heavy STL usage, it aims to promote greater code simplicity, portability, and readability.

Global Meta Service Outage

A significant global outage is currently affecting several Meta platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, leading to widespread login failures and error messages. Despite widespread service disruptions across regions like the US and Europe, Meta’s official status page has not yet widely acknowledged the ongoing issues.

Euro-Office, open standards, and native ODF

The Document Foundation welcomes Euro-Office’s commitment to open standards but clarifies that it is not the first European open-source office suite, noting the established presence of LibreOffice. Additionally, the Foundation encourages Euro-Office to adopt the OpenDocument Format (ODF) as its native format to ensure true digital sovereignty.

Keygen.music

Keygen.music is a collection featuring legendary MOD, XM, and S3M tracker music. The platform allows users to explore historical tracks originating from the demoscene and hacking groups.

Script to bulk delete Claude chats from the web UI

A new script has been released to enable bulk deletion of chat histories on Claude’s web interface, bypassing the platform’s lack of a native mass-delete feature. The tool automates the manual selection process but requires users to keep the browser tab active until the operation is complete.

Maxproof

MaxProof is a test-time scaling framework that utilizes the MiniMax-M3 model series to perform competition-level mathematical proofs through integrated generation, verification, and refinement. By employing tournament selection over a population of candidate proofs, the system achieves performance on IMO 2025 and USAMO 2026 that exceeds human gold-medal thresholds.

Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

The article examines Ryanair’s use of manipulative “dark UX patterns” designed to upsell services like insurance and seat upgrades during the passenger check-in process. It also offers practical travel advice, suggesting late check-ins for Ryanair and early check-ins for Lufthansa to optimize seating assignments.

The Future of Email

As AI assistants increasingly manage and act on emails without human oversight, email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are becoming critical safeguards against sophisticated spoofing. These standards are transitioning from optional best practices to essential infrastructure required to ensure message authenticity in an increasingly automated landscape.

/e/OS 4.0 is here

Murena has released /e/OS 4.0, featuring a refreshed design and an improved tool for migrating data from Google services to Murena Workspace. The update also introduces the Murena Sign e-signature solution alongside the announcement of new mobile devices, the Murena GS6 and GS6 PRO.

Deconstructing Datalog

The PhD dissertation Deconstructing Datalog introduces Datafun, a language that integrates Datalog’s recursive query capabilities into a typed functional programming framework. By utilizing fixed-point operators and tracking monotonicity within the type system, the research demonstrates that this integration is both theoretically sound and computationally efficient.

Nobody ever gets credit for fixing problems that never happened (2001) [pdf]

The article explores the difficulty of receiving recognition for effective risk management and crisis prevention. It examines how proactive measures that successfully prevent issues from arising often go unrewarded because no visible problem occurs to be addressed.

🛡️ Security & Privacy

Factoring “short-sleeve” RSA keys with polynomials

Researchers have identified “short-sleeve” RSA keys containing structured blocks of zero bits that are vulnerable to rapid factorization. By employing a new polynomial-based cryptanalytic technique, the researchers were able to factor these keys, some of which were traced back to a software bug in older versions of CompleteFTP.

Novo Nordisk hit by cyberattack

Novo Nordisk has reported a cyberattack involving the unauthorized copying of pseudonymized clinical trial participant data, though the company stated that no direct identifiers were exposed and core operations remain unaffected. This security incident comes alongside news that the UK has granted approval for the company’s Wegovy pill.

Microsoft patches Surface flaw that allows a single packet to brick devices

Microsoft has largely repaired a significant security flaw in Surface hardware that enabled attackers to brick unprotected devices using a single network packet. The existence of this longstanding vulnerability was unintentionally revealed by Microsoft Copilot.

Cybersecurity Threats and Data Breaches

Google is suing the Chinese cybercrime group Outsider Enterprise for using Gemini AI to power large-scale phishing scams targeting Americans. Separately, the hacking group ShinyHunters has been linked to an extortion campaign exploiting a critical Oracle PeopleSoft vulnerability to breach numerous organizations and is threatening JCPenney with the release of stolen sensitive information.

Plymouth council exposes hundreds in latest local government email gaffe

Plymouth council has issued an apology after a mass email sent to home-schooling families inadvertently exposed recipients’ addresses. The error has triggered a report from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

BOFH: For one ambitious security type, chaos is a ladder

This news digest covers recent developments in cybersecurity, including AI-driven API attacks and new phishing threats from Russian and Chinese actors. It also highlights significant industry updates regarding SpaceX’s potential IPO, Anthropic’s enterprise expansion, and the impact of automation on law enforcement staffing.

Niantic Spatial excludes Pokémon Go data from Vantor deal amid military drone concerns

Niantic Spatial has denied that Pokémon Go data is included in its partnership with spatial intelligence company Vantor, following concerns that the technology could be used for military drone navigation. The company clarified that it no longer receives data from the mobile game following Niantic’s acquisition by Scopely.

Hackers claim theft of source code from AI giant Dynatrace

A threat actor claims to have stolen approximately 8.46GB of internal Dynatrace GitHub repositories using a compromised developer’s Personal Access Token. The alleged leak includes source code, infrastructure configurations, and employee information, potentially exposing vulnerabilities in the company’s cloud environment and posing risks to its high-profile clients.

Chinese hackers use fake FIFA sites to steal card data in Facebook-targeted scam

A Chinese-linked cybercrime operation is using fake FIFA World Cup ticket websites to execute real-time attacks that harvest payment card details and intercept bank security codes. Primarily promoted on Facebook and Instagram, the sophisticated scam utilizes dozens of phishing domains and a centralized platform to monitor victims’ checkout progress.

Was New York Knicks owner breached? ShinyHunters say so

The hacker collective ShinyHunters claims to have breached Madison Square Garden Sports (MSGS), alleging the theft of over 26 million customer and corporate records. While the claim remains unverified due to a lack of provided data samples, the breach could potentially expose sensitive information related to the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.

VRChat data breach exposes 2.4M users, but they say it’s fake

VRChat has denied reports of a data breach involving 2.4 million users, calling a recent notification to the Maine Attorney General fraudulent. The company stated that an actor submitted the notice using the identity of a non-existent employee and maintains there is no evidence that its systems were compromised.

Smart Device Data Privacy Concerns

A recent study highlights that many UK residents are unaware of how smart devices collect personal data, prompting regulators to urge improved security practices. Simultaneously, European authorities are increasing scrutiny on smart glasses due to privacy concerns regarding unauthorized surveillance and the use of sensitive footage for AI training.

A PDF that changes based on how its read

A new method for creating “Smart PDFs” uses the PDF specification’s replacement text property to embed structured Markdown within standard documents. This approach allows human viewers to see a traditional formatted document while enabling LLMs and text extractors to retrieve clean, structured data without reconstructing it from visual coordinates.

Arch Linux’s AUR Sees More Than 400 Packages Compromised with Malware

A large-scale malware campaign has compromised over 400 user-supplied packages within the Arch Linux User Repository (AUR). While maintainers are working to remove malicious content and ban affected accounts, official Arch Linux packages remain unaffected.

Encrypted Spaces An architecture for collaborative applications

Encrypted Spaces is a research architecture for collaborative applications that uses cryptography to ensure data confidentiality and verifiable server operations on untrusted infrastructure. The system allows centralized servers to synchronize information without accessing plaintext data, addressing risks such as unauthorized exposure and loss of user control. To demonstrate its practical use, the project also includes a prototype sync engine designed to support high-level data structures within this secure environment.

AUR Packages Compromised with Infostealer and Rootkit

A malicious actor impersonating a trusted AUR maintainer has compromised over 408 packages by using preinstall scripts to install a malicious NPM package. The attack involves an infostealer and an eBPF rootkit, prompting Arch Linux users to check for exposure and follow system remediation procedures.

📈 Business & Finance

SpaceX Goes Public on Nasdaq

SpaceX’s successful Nasdaq debut, following a $75 billion IPO, has pushed the company’s valuation above $2 trillion and established Elon Musk as the world’s first trillionaire. Driven by massive investor demand for its long-term potential, the company plans to use the capital for major expansion initiatives amid discussions of a potential merger with Tesla.

Microsoft considered spinning out Xbox or forming a joint venture, sources say.

Microsoft has considered restructuring its Xbox division through a spin-off or by establishing joint ventures with other partners. Additionally, the company plans to develop new titles for major franchises such as Halo and Fallout.

MrBeast hits 500M subscribers on YouTube, a record for the platform (Kayla Cobb/The Wrap)

Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, has become the first YouTube creator to reach 500 million subscribers. During a celebratory livestream, he reflected on his humble beginnings and expressed his continued commitment to producing high-quality content and storytelling.

Mistral AI in talks to raise ~€3B at a ~€20B valuation (Bloomberg)

French startup Mistral AI is in early-stage talks to raise approximately €3 billion at a projected valuation of around €20 billion. This potential funding aims to bolster the company’s ability to compete against major artificial intelligence rivals from the U.S. and China.

While the widespread commoditization of AI is expected to drive economic deflation by reducing the cost of knowledge work, rising operational expenses are pushing companies toward cheaper alternatives like Chinese models. This shift creates significant price pressure on industry leaders such as OpenAI and Anthropic.

Current raises $80M Series E at $1.5B valuation led by Springcoast Partners

NYC-based fintech Current raised $80 million in a Series E funding round at a $1.5 billion valuation, led by Springcoast Partners. The company plans to use the capital to expand its AI-powered financial services and scale its banking, payments, and credit offerings.

FanDuel owner Flutter to delist London shares on Aug 3, citing low trading and high costs

Flutter Entertainment, the owner of FanDuel and Betfair, plans to delist its shares from the London Stock Exchange on August 3. The company cited low trading activity and high administrative costs as the reasons for the move, which follows its recent shift of primary listing to New York.

Kioxia replaces Toyota as Japan’s most valuable company after 7.6% share surge to $274B.

Kioxia Holdings Corp. has overtaken Toyota Motor Corp. as Japan’s most valuable company by market value, driven by the global artificial intelligence boom. Following a 7.6% surge in shares on Friday, Kioxia’s market capitalization reached over ¥44 trillion, surpassing Toyota’s ¥43.8 trillion.

India-based Equal AI raises $30M Series B for its AI call screening app, led by Prosus Ventures

Hyderabad-based startup Equal AI has raised $30 million in a Series B funding round led by Prosus Ventures and Tomales Bay Capital. The company develops an AI-powered call screening app that acts as a digital assistant to manage incoming calls, which currently serves over one million monthly active users.

Anthropic blindsides partners with sudden product launches and price changes

Anthropic is reportedly blindsiding its business partners by launching potentially competitive products with minimal warning. The company has also faced criticism for implementing sudden changes to its pricing models and other strategic elements.

EngineAI files confidentially for Hong Kong IPO after $1.5B valuation

Shenzhen-based robotics startup EngineAI has filed confidentially for an initial public offering in Hong Kong. The company is reportedly working with China International Capital Corp. and Citic Securities Co. on the potential share sale.

Koho raises CA$130M Series E at CA$1.33B valuation, nearing Canadian banking license

Canadian fintech Koho Financial has secured CA$130 million in Series E financing, reaching a CA$1.33 billion valuation and achieving unicorn status. The new capital is intended to support the company’s efforts toward obtaining a federal banking license and to fuel its continued growth.

Q&A: Xbox CSO Matthew Ball on returning to exclusives and using in-game ads to offset costs

Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball discusses the company’s return to console exclusives and its renewed focus on major IPs under Asha Sharma’s leadership. Despite facing significant financial challenges and declining revenues, Ball expresses optimism regarding the brand’s ability to revitalize itself through strategic shifts in development and platform strategy.

Grindr CEO George Arison aims to turn dating app into a “global gayborhood” hub

Grindr CEO George Arison aims to transform the dating app into a comprehensive cultural hub offering services such as hotel bookings and HIV treatment. This expansion strategy follows a successful marketing event involving Madonna’s surprise appearance in Times Square.

Nesto raises CA$302M Series E at CA$1.47B valuation to expand lending platform

Montreal-based fintech startup Nesto has raised CA$302 million in a Series E funding round, bringing its valuation to approximately CA$1.47 billion. The company intends to use the capital to scale its lending platform and advance its AI capabilities, including the launch of the new Maestro AI underwriting tool.

Zelle owner EWS plans expansion to India and new USD-backed stablecoin

Early Warning Services, the operator of Zelle, plans to expand its peer-to-peer payment service into India later this year as its first international market. The company also announced plans to launch a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, called ZelleUSD, to support future global expansion.

BitBoard (YC P25) – Analytics Workspace for Agents

BitBoard has launched an agentic analytics workspace designed for collaborative data analysis between humans and AI agents. The platform provides the infrastructure and visualization layers necessary to connect coding agents or AI chats for building live, verifiable reporting.

Appeals court upholds FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraud conviction

A federal appeals court has upheld the fraud conviction and 25-year prison sentence of FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried. The ruling rejected claims that his trial was unfair, affirming robust evidence that he misappropriated billions in customer funds for personal use and political contributions.

StackScope – I crawled over 40k indie launches to see what they ship

StackScope is a new crawler and catalogue designed to track the technology stacks used in recent indie product launches from platforms like Product Hunt and Show HN. The tool identifies various components, such as hosting, frameworks, and analytics, and also features a private readiness check for analyzing individual URLs.

WhatsApp Business API pricing 2026: what’s free and where markup hides

WhatsApp Business API pricing in 2026 consists of three cost layers: Meta’s per-message rates, Solution Provider (BSP) fees, and platform/UI charges. Businesses can minimize expenses by using the direct Cloud API to avoid provider markups and by leveraging free service message allowances.

AI Economics for Dummies

The article uses five satirical analogies to critique the unsustainable economic models and speculative valuations currently driving the AI industry. It illustrates how massive capital expenditures and inflated growth metrics are often celebrated by financial institutions despite significant operational losses and a lack of genuine profitability.

⚙️ Hardware & Infrastructure

How I made a 60fps Eink monitor, the Modos Flow

The Modos Flow is a newly developed E-ink monitor capable of achieving a 60fps refresh rate. The article details the process used to create this high-frame-rate display.

Amazon owns up to using 2.5bn gallons of H2O in its bit barns last year

Amazon has disclosed that its data centers consumed 2.5 billion gallons of water over the past year. This admission highlights the substantial water requirements necessary to maintain the company’s large-scale computing infrastructure.

Delos Data offers AI chip startups a fast track to rack scale

Delos Data is providing AI chip startups with a streamlined path toward achieving rack-scale infrastructure. The company aims to simplify the complex networking challenges required to develop competitors to established platforms like Nvidia NVL and AMD Helios.

This is your BIOS speaking. Please fix me. Your PC is broken

This news digest covers recent developments in artificial intelligence, featuring updates on Anthropic’s enterprise expansion and Google’s new open-weights model. It also highlights emerging cybersecurity threats, such as AI-assisted API attacks and sophisticated phishing campaigns targeting various platforms.

SpaceX rents Colossus 1 data center to Anthropic after internal Grok latency struggles

SpaceX has decided to rent out the full capacity of its Colossus 1 data center in Memphis to Anthropic following internal technical difficulties. The company encountered significant latency issues when attempting to use the facility for developing its Grok AI models due to network infrastructure challenges.

Meta halts large AI chip development amid Rivos integration struggles

Six months after acquiring the chip startup Rivos, Meta is reportedly struggling to integrate the company into its operations. As a result, the tech giant has halted the development of a specialized chip intended for training its largest AI models.

China dominates humanoid robot supply chain despite lack of clear purpose.

China is overtaking Japan as the leader in the humanoid robot supply chain, leveraging large-scale manufacturing expertise from its electric vehicle industry. Chinese companies are now producing essential robotic components at a scale and price point that are increasingly difficult for international competitors to match.

Infineon to open €5B German chip factory on July 2, backed by EU subsidies

Infineon Technologies AG is set to open a new €5 billion semiconductor factory in Dresden, Germany, on July 2. Supported by approximately €1 billion in EU Chips Act subsidies, the project aims to bolster European chip production and sovereignty.

Where Did Earth Get Its Oceans? Maybe It Made Them Itself

While scientists previously believed Earth’s oceans were delivered by comets or asteroids, recent evidence shows that these sources do not match the planet’s unique chemical signature. An emerging theory suggests instead that rocky planets may have produced their own water internally through geological processes involving magma and hydrogen.

Introduction to UEFI HTTP(s) Boot with QEMU/OVMF

This article explores transitioning from insecure, traditional PXE-based booting to modern UEFI HTTP(S) boot using QEMU and OVMF. It provides a practical implementation guide and highlights that an emulated random number generator is necessary for the OVMF network stack to function correctly.

The tanks in Cushing, Oklahoma, are hitting bottom

Oil inventories in Cushing, Oklahoma, are rapidly declining toward critical levels due to surging global demand for U.S. crude. This depletion of America’s primary energy hub threatens to trigger significant price volatility and potential disruptions to the national fuel supply network.

Report on an Unidentified Space Station

An expedition has made an emergency landing on an unidentified space station that is significantly larger than initially estimated. As the crew explores the massive transit facility, several members have gone missing within its vast concourses.

Device Clock Generation (2025)

This article discusses the technical challenges involved in generating device clocks for interfacing with external peripherals like SPI, HyperRAM, and NAND flash. Key complexities addressed include managing variable clock frequencies in ASICs and implementing necessary clock pauses during chip select transitions.

⚖️ Policy & Society

Meet the new Sovereign Tech Fellows

The Sovereign Tech Fellowship is expanding its 2026 cohort to include 14 maintainers, community managers, and technical writers working across critical open-source ecosystems like Rust and Python. The program provides targeted support through freelance contracts and fixed-term employment to enhance the security, sustainability, and documentation of essential digital infrastructure.

What are you doing this weekend?

The text invites individuals to share their upcoming weekend plans and request assistance or feedback. It also notes that having no plans at all is perfectly acceptable.

Met Police boss threatens to cut 700 frontline jobs after Palantir deal blocked

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley has warned that 700 frontline jobs are at risk of being cut following the blocking of a deal with Palantir. The cancellation of this agreement jeopardizes expected savings that were intended to be achieved through automation.

UK digital ID gets brain trust to ‘challenge’ ministers on policy

A six-member advisory group has been established to challenge UK ministers on digital identity policies. The new “brain trust” includes notable figures such as the CEO of Mumsnet.

Poland to criminalise violent livestreaming with jail terms of up to 5 years

Polish lawmakers have passed legislation criminalizing “trash streaming,” which involves broadcasting serious crimes such as murder, rape, and animal cruelty for profit. Under the new law, creators who distribute or stage such violent acts can face up to five years in prison as part of a broader effort to regulate harmful online content.

Can Microsoft protect limited edition Xbox buyers from scalpers?

With the upcoming release of the limited-edition Xbox Series X25, consumers are concerned that scalpers will use bots to hoard consoles for resale at inflated prices. Microsoft’s director of creative marketing stated that the company is actively working on strategies to combat this issue.

I Won’t Buy You a Coffee

The author criticizes the trend of “Buy me a coffee” requests on indie blogs, viewing them as an unwelcome move toward constant monetization. They argue that attempting to profit from small-scale blogging is inefficient due to the minimal potential earnings compared to the effort involved.

I Am Not a Reverse Centaur

An open-source developer has implemented a policy requiring all proposed changes to be discussed in an issue before submitting a pull request to avoid being overwhelmed by unsolicited, LLM-generated code. This decision aims to prevent the author from becoming a “reverse centaur” who spends excessive time reviewing machine-produced submissions that lack human oversight and follow established guidelines.

“Don’t You Just Upload It to ChatGPT?”

A freelance translator defends the necessity of human expertise in capturing linguistic nuance and localization after being prompted by an acquaintance to use ChatGPT for work. The author argues that while AI can serve as a pragmatic supplementary tool, it lacks the ability to authentically adapt messages like a human professional.

Law Enforcement’s “Warrior” Problem (2015)

The pervasive “warrior mindset” in law enforcement, originally intended for officer survival, is now undermining police legitimacy and community relations by framing all interactions as combat-oriented. To address this issue, the author advocates for a transition toward a “guardian” model through training reforms that emphasize tactical restraint and prioritize non-enforcement contacts.

The World Has Moved On

The article examines the phenomenon of “enshittification,” citing the National Customer Rage Survey to highlight rising consumer anger caused by deteriorating products and services. The author suggests that these increasing service failures are a documented systemic trend rather than mere nostalgia for the past.

CRISPR tech selectively shreds cancer cells, including “undruggable” cancers

Researchers have developed a new CRISPR-based technique that uses RNA-triggered chromatin shredding to selectively destroy cancer cells carrying mutated tumor suppressor genes. This approach aims to target “undruggable” cancers, such as ovarian, pancreatic, and lung cancer, by identifying and eliminating cells with specific mutation signatures like p53.

Enshittification of Policing

The article argues that American policing is undergoing “enshittification” due to an increasing reliance on flawed technologies like facial recognition and automated license plate readers. This dependence has led to numerous wrongful arrests where investigators prioritize erroneous AI matches over contradictory physical evidence, resulting in severe, life-altering consequences for innocent individuals.

A Call to Action: Stop the FCC’s KYC Regime

The FCC is proposing “Know Your Customer” rules that would require phone providers to collect identity information from users to combat robocalls and scams. Critics argue these regulations create a surveillance regime that infringes on privacy and threatens the safety of vulnerable populations who rely on prepaid phones.

A dumpster arrived behind my university’s library

An English professor recounts witnessing a university library discard thousands of books to make room for renovations and new lounge areas. The author compares this loss to the historical disappearance of half of Edith Wharton’s personal library, emphasizing how physical texts and their handwritten marginalia provide unique intellectual insights.

What the fuck happened to nerds

The article argues that technology leadership has shifted from a focus on product excellence and humble expertise toward an era of self-promoting egomania. This transition threatens the industry’s established trust, prompting the author to urge founders to return to core values like curiosity and craftsmanship rather than seeking viral fame.

European sunscreens are safer than American (2024)

The U.S. regulates sunscreens as drugs rather than cosmetics, creating a slower and more expensive approval process for new active ingredients compared to the European Union. As a result, many American sunscreens offer less effective protection against dangerous UVA rays than their European counterparts. This regulatory gap may contribute to increased skin cancer risks in the United States.

The Unsung Hero of the Lord of the Rings (2025)

The article explores the enigmatic character Tom Bombadil from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, focusing on his unique immunity to the power of the One Ring. It examines how this mysterious figure reflects Tolkien’s deeper worldview and the underlying ethics within Middle-earth.

Ford CEO’s Right to Repair Comment Should Make Every Car Owner Uncomfortable

Ford CEO Jim Farley has expressed reservations about DIY vehicle repairs, citing the complexity and safety risks associated with modern automobile technology. His stance has fueled debate over “Right to Repair” legislation, as critics fear that restricting access to specialized tools could lead to dealership monopolies and increased service costs for consumers.

David Hockney, Who Restored the Human Form to Art, Dies at 88

English artist David Hockney has died in London at the age of 88. He was renowned for his vibrant, figurative paintings that revitalized narrative art during an era dominated by abstraction and for his progressive, openly gay subject matter.

Revolutionary British artist David Hockney dies aged 88

Renowned British painter David Hockney has died at the age of 88. A leading figure in contemporary art, he was celebrated for his iconic pop art depictions of Los Angeles and his continuous experimentation with diverse media throughout a six-decade career.

Digital Sovereignty Becomes an Imperative as the US Reads Dutch Emails

The alleged disclosure of unredacted emails from Dutch officials to the U.S. House of Representatives has highlighted the critical distinction between data residency and digital sovereignty. The incident underscores how U.S.-based providers may remain subject to American legal demands regardless of where data is stored, emphasizing the need for institutions to maintain control over encryption keys and jurisdictional access.