Propublica Labor Department Official Warns That Staff Who Speak With Journalists Face “Serious Legal Consequences”
by Mark Olalde ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power....
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404 Media 'They Sometimes Worry That I’m Dead Already:' Deep-Sea Fishers Fight for Wi-Fi
Distant-water fishers are out on the ocean for up to 10 months at a time, with no contact to the outside world.
404 Media Podcast: Cops Are Using AI Bots to Surveil People
A company selling cops AI undercover bots; a visit to the millennial saint; and the state of 404 Media.
The Next Web Boaty McBoatface submarine takes NATO-backed quantum tech underwater
UK startup Aquark Technologies has used Boaty McBoatface — the internet’s best-loved submarine — to test its quantum sensing technology underwater for the first time. The NATO-backed company put its so-called “cold atom” system inside the...
Technology Review The Download: introducing the Creativity issue
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Introducing: the Creativity issue The university computer lab may seem like an unlikely center for creativity....
Propublica Fentanyl Pipeline: How a Chinese Prison Helped Fuel a Deadly Drug Crisis in the United States
by Sebastian Rotella ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of...
BBC - Innovation ChatGPT-maker wants to buy Google Chrome
An OpenAI executive told a US judge the company would be interested in buying the popular browser.
The Next Web Lawtech startup Noxtua upgrades ‘sovereign legal AI’ amid ‘volatile’ geopolitics
Berlin-based startup Xayn has rebranded itself after its flagship product, “Noxtua” — a “sovereign European legal AI” aimed at law professionals. Alongside its new name, Noxtua has secured €80.7mn in funding to refine its AI models and expand to...
BBC - Innovation Musk to reduce Doge role after Tesla profits plunge
The tech boss says he intends to spend only one to two days a week on Trump administration matters.
Propublica The Trump Administration’s War on Children
by Eli Hager ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign...
Technology Review 3 Things Caiwei Chen is into right now
A new play about OpenAI I recently saw Doomers, a new play by Matthew Gasda about the aborted 2023 coup at OpenAI, here represented by a fictional company called MindMesh. The action is set almost entirely in a meeting room; the first act follows...
Technology Review Why we still need AM radio
Ariel Aberg-Riger is the author of America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History.
47 Watch Executive Orders Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Signs Landmark Order to Restore Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy
Type: fact-sheets TLDR This is a “fact” sheet for an executive order designed to eliminate disparate-impact liability analysis, framing it as restoring “equal treatment under the law” and “merit-based” decision-making. It claims to fulfill...
47 Watch Executive Orders Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reforms Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education
Type: fact-sheets TLDR This is a “fact” sheet for an executive order that targets accreditation in higher education by labeling DEI initiatives as “unlawful discrimination,” claiming accreditors approve “low-quality institutions” with poor...
47 Watch Executive Orders Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Promotes Excellence and Innovation at HBCUs
Type: fact-sheets TLDR This is a “fact” sheet for an executive order that relocates the Federal HBCU Initiative to the White House. The fact sheet presents this as unprecedented support for HBCUs, claiming building on past actions like the...
47 Watch Executive Orders Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Modernizes American Workforce Programs for the High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future
Type: fact-sheets TLDR This is a “fact” sheet for an executive order claiming to address workforce development through increased focus on apprenticeships and skilled trades, proposing a plan to support 1 million apprenticeships annually. It...
47 Watch Executive Orders Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Demands Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at American Universities
Type: fact-sheets TLDR This is a “fact” sheet for an executive order that aims to increase transparency of foreign funding in higher education by reinforcing disclosure requirements, addressing claimed administrative weaknesses, and...
47 Watch Executive Orders Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Advances AI Education for American Youth
Type: fact-sheets TLDR This is a “fact” sheet for an executive order that establishes a White House Task Force on AI Education, creates a Presidential AI Challenge, forms public-private partnerships for K-12 education, and directs federal...
47 Watch Executive Orders White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Type: executive-orders TLDR This executive order establishes a White House Initiative on HBCUs within the Executive Office of the President, creates a President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs, focuses on increasing private-sector involvement,...
47 Watch Executive Orders Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at American Universities
Type: executive-orders TLDR This executive order strengthens enforcement of Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, requiring universities to disclose foreign funding. It directs the Education Secretary to reverse policies allowing...
47 Watch Executive Orders Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy
Type: executive-orders TLDR This executive order aims to eliminate disparate-impact liability across federal regulations, which allows discrimination claims based on statistical disparities without proof of intentional discrimination. It...
47 Watch Executive Orders Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies#
Type: executive-orders TLDR This executive order prohibits using racial statistics in school discipline decisions, requiring new guidance within 30 days that reverses previous “equity-based” approaches. It mandates reporting on...
The Next Web ‘Electrotech’ can cut Europe’s reliance on fossil fuel imports, report finds
Europe can dramatically cut its dependence on imported fossil fuels by adopting electricity-based technologies, according to a new report. Electric vehicles, heat pumps, and renewables could cut global reliance on imported fossil fuels by 70% when...
404 Media Hackers are Injecting Mass Shooting Videos Into Random StarCraft 2 Matches
Players are reporting seeing graphic videos and hate symbols hacked into the game.
The Next Web Fusion energy could be ‘decisive building block’ for Europe’s energy security
Highly dependent on imported fossil fuels and renewable energy technologies from foreign powers such as the US, China, and Russia, Europe’s energy security is in a precarious state. One potential fix? Harnessing nuclear fusion — the same...
Daring Fireball The Information: ‘Meta Asked Amazon, Microsoft to Help Fund Llama’
Kalley Huang and Erin Woo, reporting for The Information (via Ed Zitron, who summarized it on Bluesky): Meta Platforms over the past year asked Microsoft, Amazon and others to help pay the costs of training Meta’s flagship large language model,...
The Verge - TV Shows Andor’s second season traces the long arc of Star Wars’ revolutionary history
Star Wars, an epic story about rebellious heroes fighting back against power-hungry fascists hellbent on enslaving an entire galaxy, has always been deeply political. But there are few pieces of the franchise that have ever come close to Disney...
TidBits Parallels Desktop 20.3
Maintenance update for the virtualization software that's blooming with bug fixes. ($99.99 Standard Edition, free update, macOS 10.14.6+)
TidBits Carbon Copy Cloner 7.1.1
Addresses an issue that could cause the Backup Volume Setup Assistant to be unresponsive. ($49.99 new, free update, 23.6 MB, macOS 13+)
TidBits Microsoft Office for Mac 16.96
Brings updated features and bug fixes to Outlook. ($149.99 new for one-time purchase, $99.99/$69.99 annual subscription options, free update, macOS 12+)
TidBits PowerPhotos 3.0.1
Major update for the longstanding Photos-integrated library manager that introduces batch photo metadata editing. ($39.95 new, free update, 31.6 MB, macOS 14+)
In These Times The Authoritarian State in Miniature
A conversation with author Talia Lavin on Christian Nationalists’ 50-Year Plan to Capture the Country.
The Verge - TV Shows The Last of Us ripped off the Band-aid
If you've played both The Last of Us games and are watching along with the show, there's a pretty strong chance you've been waiting to see how the HBO series approaches a very particular moment - and wondering if that moment has been changed at all...
Unicorn Riot Palestinian Christians in Gaza City Gather for Prayers Amid Israeli Bombardment
Gaza City, Palestine — Palestinian Christians gathered inside Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza’s Old City on April 13, 2025 to pray during Palm Sunday as Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza extends beyond 18 months. Gaza’s Christian community has come...
The Verge - TV Shows Star Wars: Visions is returning in October — and getting a spinoff series
Though the larger Star Wars franchise has seen better days, Disney Plus’ Visions animated series has been consistently excellent for the past two seasons, and the creative teams behind its next chapter make it sound like it’s going to be another...
47 Watch Blog Trump Administration Week 13 • The Great Federal Purge: How America's Civil Service Is Being Rewritten
The Great Federal Purge: How America's Civil Service Is Being Rewritten A trash truck with compressed gas cylinders caught fire in Sawtelle on Feb. 26, 2025. (KTLA) So, you know how every workplace has rules about how people can be fired? Well,...
TidBits Staying the Course After 35 Years of TidBITS
Despite unsettling times, the 35th anniversary of TidBITS demonstrates how a commitment to clear communication and mutual respect can elevate individual capabilities and foster lasting communities.
In These Times Against Trump, For the Common Good: What Chicago Teachers Won in Their Latest Contract
The Chicago Teachers Union has long taken on neoliberal Democrats and won. Their latest contract is a victory against the new Trump administration, leaders say.
The Verge - TV Shows Apple replaced Mythic Quest’s series finale after the show was canceled
If you didn’t catch Mythic Quest’s series finale when it first debuted last month, there’s a chance you may never be able to see the episode as it originally was. Shortly after Mythic Quest’s fourth season and its Side Quest spinoff hit Apple TV...
In These Times Ahead of Fire and Hurricane Season, FEMA Moves to End a Major Disaster-Preparedness Program
In an internal FEMA memo, the Trump administration announced its plans to dismantle the government’s largest climate adaptation initiative.
47 Watch Blog The Department Of Government [Data] Exfiltration?
The Department Of Government [Data] Exfiltration? On April 14, 2025, Daniel Berulis, a DevSecOps Architect at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), filed a whistleblower disclosure to several members of Congress. The disclosure alleges that...
TidBits AI Answer Engines Are Worth Trying
Looking for better search results? Adam Engst explores how AI-powered answer engines are transforming online research by providing direct answers rather than just links.
Unicorn Riot Whistleblower’s Account of Corruption and Administrative Abuse Within Cook County Jail
Chicago, IL — “I didn’t write this to become a hero. I wrote it because I got tired of watching officers break down and disappear.” Those are the words of Jabril Gushiniere, a sworn Cook County Sheriff Deputy working as a correctional officer at...
In These Times “You Are Not Welcome Here:” DHS Plans to Monitor Immigrants’ Social Media
Those deemed to have “antisemitic activity” online could be denied green cards and other immigration clearances.
TidBits Apple’s x.4.1 OS Updates Patch Exploited Security Vulnerabilities
Apple has released updates for its primary operating systems to address two actively exploited security vulnerabilities. iOS users also gain fixes for wireless CarPlay, while macOS enterprise users see improved update reliability.
Unicorn Riot Thousands at Philly ‘Hands Off’ March and Rally: ‘No Kings in America’
Philadelphia, PA — After a brutal stock market correction and new anti-trade tariff policies, more than 120,000 layoffs of federal workers, dozens of executive orders, and hundreds of immigrant arrests led by ICE, many Americans are reeling from...
In These Times The World Is Trump’s Golf Ball
New comics by Kendra Wells, Mattie Lubchansky, Bianca Xunise and Peter Kuper.
In These Times The Burning Heart of the World Follows an Armenian Family in Exile
Released on the 50th anniversary of the Lebanese Civil War and the 110th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, this heartfelt book weaves humor and love into a wartime coming-of-age story.
Unicorn Riot End Slavery in Minnesota Bill Advocates for Fair Wages in Prisons
Minneapolis, MN — On February 25, 2025, the Minnesota Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee hosted a panel discussion on Ending Slavery in Minnesota led by Marcia Howard, President of the Federation of Teachers Local 59 and ex-prison labor...
In These Times She was tracking post-Roe abortions. The government just pulled her funding.
Diana Greene Foster, who was behind the landmark Turnaway Study, wanted to study the health and economic impacts of the loss of abortion access.
In These Times Chris Rufo and the Burger Kings
An extremely online debate reveals fractures in the MAGA coalition and low-status yearnings for a white aristocracy.
The Verge - TV Shows Why Doctor Who’s latest robot threat is a dangerous AI: ‘this is what’s happening’
The newest season of Doctor Who opens as the series often does - with an unsuspecting human stumbling into some alien strangeness that doesn't make any sense until an odd yet charming Time Lord shows up in a police box ready to save the day. The...
In These Times Trump Just Escalated His War on Coal Miners. Their Unions Are Fighting Back.
The Trump administration’s feckless business-first, workers-last approach is leaving the nation’s coal miners to die—and now their unions are taking him to court.
The Verge - TV Shows HBO’s Harry Potter TV series has cast its regulars (not those ones)
After weeks of speculation, Warner Bros. Discovery has officially announced the first cast members who will appear in its upcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation. The casting confirmations, focused around some of the most notable adult characters from...
TidBits KeyCue 11.1.1
Short list of improvements and bug fixes for the keyboard shortcut and emoji cheat sheet utility. ($39.99 new, free update, 4.0 MB, macOS 12+)
Ars Technica - Infinite Loop After market tumult, Trump exempts smartphones from massive new tariffs
Some consumer electronics are also exempted in a major boost to Big Tech.
47 Watch Blog Trump Administration Week 12 • The Militarization Of The Border And Signs Of The Insurrection Act
A trash truck with compressed gas cylinders caught fire in Sawtelle on Feb. 26, 2025. (KTLA) In what can only be described as another whirlwind week in Washington, the Trump administration has unleashed a barrage of actions that have sent financial...
The Verge - TV Shows HBO’s The Last of Us had to speed up Abby’s reveal
In The Last of Us Part II, it takes a long time before players understand just who Abby is. A new character introduced as both an antagonist and protagonist, Abby is locked in a violent game of revenge with Ellie, but her reasoning and history...
The Verge - TV Shows In The Last of Us season 2, Joel finally goes to therapy
Joel is a troubled guy. Throughout the first Last of Us game (and subsequent TV adaptation on HBO, where he's played by Pedro Pascal), he sees and does a lot of things he'd rather forget. He certainly doesn't seem to want to talk about them much....
Ars Technica - Infinite Loop Apple silent as Trump promises “impossible” US-made iPhones
How does Apple solve a problem like Trump’s trade war?
47 Watch Blog Trump Administration Week 11 • The Great American Health Purge: Cutting Expertise as Budgets Bleed
A trash truck with compressed gas cylinders caught fire in Sawtelle on Feb. 26, 2025. (KTLA) The Great American Health Purge: Cutting Expertise as Budgets Bleed It's been yet another absolutely normal week in America, where we've simply been...
47 Watch Blog A Pattern of Financial Leverage
Photo by jules a. Trump's Power Play: How the Investment Accelerator Fits a Pattern of Financial Leverage The Trump administration recently unveiled a new executive order establishing the "United States Investment Accelerator" – a seemingly...
Ars Technica - Infinite Loop Apple enables RCS messaging for Google Fi subscribers at last
Apple only supported RCS on the big three carriers in the first iOS18 releases.
47 Watch Blog Trump Administration Week 10 • Democracy Under Siege: When Courts Become Optional
A trash truck with compressed gas cylinders caught fire in Sawtelle on Feb. 26, 2025. (KTLA) Democracy Under Siege: When Courts Become Optional This week has been a roller coaster of political chaos, executive overreach, and constitutional crises...
Ars Technica - Infinite Loop EU will go easy with Apple, Facebook punishment to avoid Trump’s wrath
Lawbreaking under DMA to be punished—but not too severely.
47 Watch Blog What's The Deal With Louisiana And ICE?
La Salle Detention Facility (link below) What's The Deal With Louisiana And ICE? I won't link to the horrendous video of ICE kidnapping a Fullbright Scholar in broad daylight in Mass., today. They whisked her close to 2,000 miles away to...
47 Watch Blog March (25th) Madness: White House Edition — Four EOs With Unprecedented Overreach
On March 25, 2025, President Trump signed four far-reaching executive orders that dramatically reshape American institutions - and they have striking similarities to recommendations from Project 2025, the conservative Heritage Foundation's...
Ars Technica - Infinite Loop Apple barred from Google antitrust trial, putting $20 billion search deal on the line
Google's sizeable payments for Safari defaults could be ending.
47 Watch Blog The Signal Heard Round the World
A trash truck with compressed gas cylinders caught fire in Sawtelle on Feb. 26, 2025. (KTLA) On March 11th, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, received a connection request on Signal from someone purporting to be National Security...
47 Watch Blog Trump Administration Week 9 & The 47 Watch Podcast
A trash truck with compressed gas cylinders caught fire in Sawtelle on Feb. 26, 2025. (KTLA) Just this past week, we've seen executive actions that amount, more than any other week, to a direct assault on the Constitution and rule of law. While the...
Ars Technica - Infinite Loop Apple loses $1B a year on prestigious, minimally viewed Apple TV+: report
The Information report claims notable losses for Apple's only service in the red.
Ars Technica - Infinite Loop Apple reportedly planning executive shake-up to address Siri delays
Apple is looking to right the ship after key Siri features delayed to 2026.
Ars Technica - Infinite Loop Apple and Google in the hot seat as European regulators ignore Trump warnings
Apple will have to open iOS up more, and Google could face steep fines.
Ars Technica - Infinite Loop 2025 iPad Air hands-on: Why mess with a good thing?
Apple’s annual refresh is a minor one, but not much needed to change anyway.
CNET - Reviews Sling TV Review: The Best Budget Live TV Streaming Service
Sling TV Blue offers cord-cutters a wealth of live channels for an affordable price, but you may need to bring your own antenna.
The Crossover Appeal July 20: It’s not a machine, after all
Maybe you missed those weekly recs, maybe you never gave it a second thought. Maybe you’ve been lost in the Feed for so long that you’ve gotten used to the idea of people fading in and out of your scroll that absences mean almost nothing to you...
The Crossover Appeal I Want To Talk To You About Cruelty
Julie is the first person in your life who paid attention to you - really stopped to pay attention to you. And it changed you. It made you better. And the cruelest thing is that places like Taylor and Cedarville don’t believe you’re worth that...
The Crossover Appeal April 1: If nothing can be known, then stupidity is holy
It’s not cowardice to take a moment and find the soul at the bottom of your coffee cup.
The Crossover Appeal March 18: Whiskey and Twizzlers and Youth’s Discontent
The fire dies down and you feel you’ve gotten what you needed from it and so you venture back out under the winter sky, maybe remembering that its cold blue is as beautiful as the orange glow of the hearth.
CNET - Reviews 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup Review: One-Trick Pony
After the allure of the Hummer's physics-defying acceleration wears off, there isn't a whole lot left to love.
CNET - Reviews Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite Review: Capable Streamer, Cheap Price
The first ultrabudget streamer with a voice remote talks circles around Roku.
CNET - Reviews 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Review: Running Out of Room for Improvement
The latest generation of the ubiquitous luxury SUV is damn near perfect.
CNET - Reviews Roku Streambar Review: Instant Sound and 4K Streaming Upgrade
Editor's Choice: This tiny bar adds great 4K HDR streaming, and solid sound, to any TV.
CNET - Reviews Anker Nebula Mars II Pro Review: Petite Portable Projector Performs Proficiently
Editor's Choice: This tiny, battery-powered entertainment machine does a lot of things right.
CNET - Reviews BenQ HT2050A Review: Great (Big) Picture for the Money
Editor's Choice: Excellent contrast, accurate color and solid features make it our favorite sub-$1,000 projector for 2020.
CNET - Reviews Epson Home Cinema 5050UB: Big, Bold and Beautiful
Editor's Choice: A higher-end projector worthy of the "home cinema" moniker.
CNET - Reviews 2023 BMW iX M60 Review: Electric Excess, Not Necessarily the Best
The more powerful spec of BMW's iX electric SUV is certainly quicker than the base model, but that extra oomph comes at too high a cost.
CNET - Reviews LG C2 OLED TV Review: Best High-End TV for the Money
The C2 sets the pace for 2022 with superb picture quality, numerous sizes and a track record of success.
The Crossover Appeal April 9: In Case You Missed It
ICYMI: The records we didn't talk about from Q1 that you should still be checking out.
The Crossover Appeal April 2: How do I not cast a shadow?
Don’t worry. I have nothing to say about last week’s Oscar night and the slap that has already tormented The Discourse these past few days.Instead, I’m thinking today about disavowal, cancellation’s older, more formal cousin. Disavowal is what you...
The Crossover Appeal March 26: The sacrifice is a metaphor
Video games are often vehicles for power fantasies. The fantasy of environmental supremacy - being able to navigate any space. The fantasy of limitless growth, leveling up until you’re a god among men. Most of all, video games are about the fantasy...
The Crossover Appeal March 12: I hold my peace and watch the day go by
Hey it’s been a minute. The past few weeks have been a lot of moving around - heading out west, coordinating around conferences, figuring my way around flight delays and red eyes. Despite all the movement, I tried to make it a time of holding...
The Crossover Appeal February 12: Don't need a cure for me.
Indulge me for a moment, won't you? It’s our anniversary.It’s been a year of The Crossover Appeal. I started this newsletter as a way to keep myself connected in the midst of, let’s say, a weird time. Connected to the idea
The Crossover Appeal February 5: I'm worth what I'll convince myself to be
I told myself a month ago that 2022 would be the year I stopped kidding myself. I’m approaching my mid-thirties at an alarming rate, my career is nowhere close to what I thought it would be, and my mental health hasn’t magically gotten better after...