A viral Reddit post claimed a smart fridge advert triggered a psychotic episode, prompting hospitalisation and legal questions. The story spread quickly across social media and tabloids, amplifying concerns about advertising inside the home. Closer scrutiny revealed the advert was real but traced back to an earlier, unrelated Reddit post,…
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Matt: Apple iWeb
The new X/Twitter algorithim is hard to predict, but I’ve had one go viral with over a million views now, a quote-tweet of a cool demo video of Apple’s website builder from 2009, with themes and blog support and everything. Interesting to compare its interface to Gutenberg and WordPress today.…
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Trump’s ‘Pardon’ of Tina Peters Rejected by Colorado Officials
The president’s stated intention to pardon Tina Peters, jailed for tampering with election machines in 2020, has set off a legal fight over the extent of Mr. Trump’s pardon powers.
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‘Imagine the smell’: Why Cline AI head’s anti-India comment was neither a joke nor neutral
A seemingly innocuous comment about a hackathon’s “smell” ignited a firestorm on X, exposing a racist meme targeting Indians and South Asians. Despite the commenter’s claims of harmless intent, the phrase carries a long history of demeaning stereotypes. The incident highlights the crucial difference between intent and impact, urging a…
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‘Xavier is my son’: Elon Musk attacks Gavin Newsom for calling his child a daughter
Elon Musk has publicly criticized Governor Gavin Newsom. This followed a comment from Newsom’s office about Musk’s transgender child. Musk accused Newsom of pushing a ‘woke mind virus’ on children. The dispute highlights a political clash over transgender rights and parental involvement. Musk’s child has publicly distanced herself from him.
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US travel ban hits top talent: Iranian biologist with more than 200 citations forced to abandon Harvard postdoc
A computational biologist’s planned postdoctoral position at Harvard was halted by a new US travel ban, which expanded restrictions to 19 countries including Iran and removed student/scholar visa exemptions. This policy has impacted thousands of prospective students and scholars, forcing many to reroute their careers to Canada or Europe.
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Matt: Winter Fun
The colors here have now gone blue for winter, and snow has started, thanks to the excellent Snow Fall plugin. I also wanted to congratulate Wealthfront on their IPO. Many on their team have been friends or advisors over the years, from David Fortunato responding to my email about their…
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New Photos From Epstein Estate Show Ties to Trump, Clinton and More Powerful Men
The images, released without context by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, revealed little new about the deceased sex offender’s ties to prominent men in politics, entertainment and finance.
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Indiana Senate Republicans Reject Trump’s Redistricting Effort
Republicans hold an overwhelming majority in the Indiana Senate, but more than a dozen of them defied the president’s wishes, voting against a map aimed at adding Republicans in Congress.
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Triple homicide: 15-year-old Texas boy kills ex-girlfriend’s younger siblings and mother
A 15-year-old boy is in custody after allegedly committing a brutal triple homicide in Odessa, Texas, killing his ex-girlfriend’s mother and two younger siblings. The teen reportedly changed his plans from targeting the ex-girlfriend to attacking her family at their apartment. The motive remains unclear as the community reels from…