Hasty Briefsbeta

Bilingual

Moltbook
7 days ago
- Moltys is a social network for AI agents where they can share, discuss, and upvote content.
- Humans are welcome to observe the interactions on the platform.
- The platform features sections like 'Recent Moltys', 'Top Moltys by karma', and 'Submolts' for organizing content.
The Dank Case for Scrolling Window Managers
7 days ago
- The author discusses their early adoption of PaperWM, a GNOME extension that introduced a scrolling window manager, which they consider a real innovation in windowed computing.
- PaperWM evolved from an experiment to a robust extension, inspiring a MacOS version, but was limited by its integration with GNOME's complex and prescriptive interface.
- Niri, a new window manager, is gaining popularity by focusing on sliding windows, similar to how Hyprland popularized tiling windows, but requires user customization through config files.
- Dank Linux and DankMaterialShell offer a more user-friendly approach with pre-configured tools and a Material design interface, aiming to simplify the setup process for Wayland-based window managers.
- DankMaterialShell is highly extensible and customizable, with a growing feature set including a screenshot tool, plugins, and a theming system.
- The author tested a custom build of Dank Linux on Bazzite, encountering some glitches but overall finding it a promising step forward for desktop Linux.
- The article also mentions other projects like Noctalia and tools like DGOP and dsearch that enhance the user experience.
- The author concludes that Dank Linux represents a flexible, customizable, and approachable option for desktop Linux users.
Having that high-deductible health plan might kill you, literally
8 days ago
- High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) linked to worse survival rates for cancer patients.
- Study finds higher out-of-pocket costs lead to delayed or decreased healthcare, impacting survival.
- ACA marketplace plans see rising costs, with more enrollees opting for high-deductible bronze plans.
- Average deductible for ACA bronze plans in 2026 is about $7,500.
- High-deductible plans defined as $1,200-$1,350 for individuals and $2,400-$2,700 for families (2011-2018).
Agentic Vision in Gemini 3 Flash
8 days ago
- Agentic Vision in Gemini 3 Flash transforms image understanding into an active, agentic process.
- It combines visual reasoning with code execution to zoom in, inspect, and manipulate images step-by-step.
- Agentic Vision introduces a Think, Act, Observe loop for image tasks.
- Think: The model formulates a multi-step plan based on the query and initial image.
- Act: It generates and executes Python code to manipulate or analyze images.
- Observe: The transformed image is appended to the context window for better inspection.
- Code execution with Gemini 3 Flash improves vision benchmarks by 5-10%.
- Use cases include zooming and inspecting, image annotation, and visual math/plotting.
- PlanCheckSolver.com improved accuracy by 5% using Agentic Vision for building plan validation.
- Gemini 3 Flash can annotate images by drawing bounding boxes and labels for precise understanding.
- It performs visual math by parsing tables and generating plots via Python code.
- Future updates aim to make more behaviors implicit and expand tools and model sizes.
- Agentic Vision is available via the Gemini API in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI.
9front "GEFS SERVICE PACK 1" released
8 days ago
- 9front 'GEFS Service Pack 1' released with notable changes including exec() support for shell-scripts, improved sam scrolling, and memaffinewarp support on Windows.
- Multiple installation media provided for PC, Raspberry Pi, MNT Reform, and QEMU, with specific .img files for different Raspberry Pi models.
- Download links and SHA-256 checksums provided for various installation files.
- Kernel and driver updates include improvements to devdraw, devip, and etheriwl, among others.
- Library updates include fixes for lib9p, libc, and libmemdraw, with new features like utfncmp().
- Program updates cover a wide range of utilities including awk, gefs, git, and ircrc, with bug fixes and new features.
- Documentation updates for various commands and libraries, including arch(3), date(1), and ircrc(1).
- Miscellaneous updates and fixes across the system, including timezone corrections and font adjustments.
It's happening again right now: Someone hacking the ADS data to diplay an image
8 days ago
- The website is adsbexchange.com.
- Registration details are not available (n/a).
- Database flags and type information are not provided (n/a).
- Squawk, groundspeed, barometric altitude, and WGS84 altitude details are missing (n/a).
- Vertical rate, track, position, and distance information are not available (n/a).
- Date, time, UTC date, and speed details are unspecified.
- The site encourages users to improve coverage.
- The site uses tar1090.
- The site is protected by reCAPTCHA and follows Google's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
TikTok users flock to UpScrolled in response to new U.S. owners
8 days ago
- UpScrolled, a TikTok competitor, surged in Apple's App Store rankings due to user migration.
- Users seek alternatives to TikTok after new U.S. ownership raised concerns over algorithm changes and censorship.
- UpScrolled's servers were overwhelmed by the influx of new users, prompting capacity upgrades.
- Founded in 2025, UpScrolled offers chronological and discover feeds, emphasizing fairness and transparency.
- TikTok's new U.S. ownership, including Oracle, sparked fears of censorship, especially regarding pro-Palestinian content.
- UpScrolled's founder, Issam Hijazi, supports Palestine and created the app in response to selective censorship on social media.
- The app's mission emphasizes equal treatment, no shadowbans, and transparent content ranking.
- TikTok's terms of service update allowing precise location data collection also raised privacy concerns.
- UpScrolled's rise mirrors past user migrations from platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to alternatives like BlueSky.
U.S. threat of 100% tariff on Korean memory chips at odds with reality
7 days ago
- U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick threatens 100% tariffs on foreign memory chipmakers unless they build U.S. facilities.
- Industry sources view the threat as unrealistic due to high U.S. labor costs, skilled worker shortages, and an underdeveloped manufacturing ecosystem.
- Memory chips, including HBM, are standardized commodities where cost reduction is key, unlike foundry operations which can pass on higher costs.
- Korea and Taiwan dominate 80-90% of the U.S. memory chip market; a 100% tariff could double U.S. semiconductor prices.
- Samsung and SK hynix are investing billions in U.S. foundry and packaging facilities but face challenges in cost competitiveness.
- Korea is advancing its own semiconductor complex in Yongin, backed by massive private investment, to meet global demand.
- U.S. semiconductor production is 20-40% more expensive than in East Asia, with subsidies potentially insufficient to offset long-term costs.
- Micron, the only major U.S. memory maker, also relies on overseas production bases due to high U.S. operational costs.
- Experts warn that forcing memory production into the U.S. could raise already-high memory chip prices further.
- Samsung and SK hynix plan significant expansions in Yongin, focusing on AI memory and HBM production.
9front OS
8 days ago
- 9front.org is a website with various sections including bugs, code, contributions, downloads, FAQs, mailing lists, manuals, and a wiki.
- The site features different categories such as 'About' with sub-sections like coc, extra, movies, mp3, n, propaganda, releases, and who.
- There is a 'Howto' section with DASH 1 and wiki links, and an 'Invest' section listing books and bounties.
- The latest release mentioned is 'GEFS SERVICE PACK 1', highlighting security with 'Only eight remote holes in the default install, in a heck of a long time!'.
The RAM Nightmare: How I Lost My Sanity (and Almost My Deadline)
8 days ago
- Author experienced severe system instability due to a faulty RAM module.
- Symptoms included frequent crashes, software failures, and corrupted files.
- Initially suspected software issues but confirmed hardware problem via memtest.
- Identified the faulty RAM module by testing each one individually.
- System stability restored by removing the faulty module, now running with reduced RAM.
- First encounter with a failing RAM module in over 30 years of PC usage.
- Discusses potential challenges in replacing the faulty RAM due to current price hikes.
- Asks readers for their experiences and preventive measures regarding faulty RAM.
Man impersonating FBI agent tried to get Luigi Mangione out of jail
8 days ago
- A man impersonating an FBI agent attempted to secure the release of Luigi Mangione from a federal jail in New York City.
- Mark Anderson, the impersonator, has a history of drug-related arrests and disclosed mental illness in previous court documents.
- Anderson was arrested and charged with impersonating a federal officer after failing to provide proper credentials and claiming to possess weapons.
- Luigi Mangione is awaiting trial for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and has garnered public support.
- Anderson, acting as his own lawyer, has filed multiple lawsuits against various entities, most of which have been dismissed.
- Mangione's legal proceedings include potential death penalty considerations and a scheduled trial date in his state case.
- The incident adds a bizarre twist to Mangione's high-profile case, which has attracted media and public attention.
PicoIDE An open source IDE/ATAPI drive emulator for vintage computers
8 days ago
- PicoIDE is an open-source IDE/ATAPI drive emulator for vintage computers, replacing aging hard drives and CD-ROMs with microSD card storage.
- Two versions available: PicoIDE Base (basic IDE/ATAPI emulation) and PicoIDE Deluxe (includes OLED display, navigation buttons, and Wi-Fi).
- Supports CD-ROM gaming with .bin/.cue or .iso formats, including CD audio output via built-in DAC.
- Emulates IDE hard drives, allowing creation of multiple drive images for different OS installations or projects.
- Fully open-source hardware and software, enabling community contributions and adaptations.
- Manufactured by Soldered Electronics, with components selected for availability and stable supply chains.
- Pricing: PicoIDE Base at $69, PicoIDE Deluxe at $110.
- Funding campaign ends on Mar 05, 2026, with shipping expected within 1-2 months post-funding.
Elon Musk's SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in talks to merge, according to reports
8 days ago
- Elon Musk's companies SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla are in early talks for potential mergers.
- Two scenarios are being considered: SpaceX merging with Tesla or SpaceX merging with xAI.
- A SpaceX-xAI merger could happen before SpaceX's planned IPO this year, combining products like Grok, X platform, Starlink, and SpaceX rockets.
- New corporate entities named K2 Merger Sub Inc. and K2 Merger Sub 2 LLC were established in Nevada, indicating Musk is exploring options.
- Combining SpaceX and xAI could allow xAI to place data centers in space, aligning with Musk's vision.
- A SpaceX-Tesla merger could integrate Tesla's energy storage business with space-based data centers.
- SpaceX invested $2 billion in xAI last year, and Tesla also invested $2 billion in the AI startup.
- xAI bought X in a deal valuing xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion; SpaceX is valued at $800 billion.
- Musk plans to take SpaceX public in June, though his timelines are often delayed.
- TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 is scheduled for June 23 in Boston, offering networking and learning opportunities for founders.
President Trump says he wants to drive housing prices up, not down
8 days ago
- President Trump aims to increase housing prices to benefit homeowners, not lower them.
- He suggests lower interest rates from his upcoming Federal Reserve pick will help more Americans buy homes despite rising prices.
- Trump's policies include banning institutional investors from buying single-family homes and purchasing mortgage-backed securities to lower mortgage rates.
- Housing prices rose 0.6% in November 2025, with the median home price reaching a record $433,000.
- Trump opposes using 401(k) savings for home down payments and plans to announce a new Federal Reserve chairman nominee soon.
US spy satellite agency declassifies high-flying Cold War listening post
8 days ago
- The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) declassified the Jumpseat program, a spy satellite initiative used to eavesdrop on Soviet military communications.
- Jumpseat was the US's first-generation highly elliptical orbit (HEO) signals-collection satellite, operational from 1971 to 2006.
- Eight Jumpseat satellites were launched, focusing on monitoring adversarial weapon systems and collecting electronic emissions, communication intelligence, and foreign instrumentation intelligence.
- The intercepted data was shared with the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, and other national security elements.
- The Soviet Union was the primary target, with satellites in highly elliptical orbits providing persistent coverage over the Arctic and Soviet territories.
- The orbit, known as Molniya by the Soviets, allowed satellites to loiter over key areas for extended periods.
- The name Jumpseat was first revealed in a 1986 book by Seymour Hersh, detailing its capability to intercept various communications, including voice messages.
Google Settlement May Bring New Privacy Controls for Real-Time Bidding
8 days ago
- EFF warns about the dangers of real-time bidding (RTB) in online advertising.
- RTB auctions expose personal data to thousands of companies daily, including identifiers like GPS, IP address, and inferred interests.
- Data brokers exploit RTB to harvest sensitive data, enabling invasive tracking and surveillance.
- A proposed Google settlement introduces 'RTB Control' to limit data sharing, but requires user opt-out.
- RTB Control has limitations, such as requiring Google account sign-in or third-party cookies.
- EFF advocates for legislative bans on behavioral advertising and stronger privacy protections.
Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications
8 days ago
- Employers should consider requiring job applications via physical letters to reduce digital spam.
- Handwritten cover letters could increase the cost for fraudulent applications while being less burdensome for genuine applicants.
- Physical letters raise the application cost, making it harder to automate submissions with LLMs.
- Handwriting uniqueness allows verification of applicant authenticity.
- Companies are unlikely to adopt this method and may instead rely on third-party systems with dubious 'AI protection'.
- Potential drawbacks include outsourcing letters, transcription of LLM text, and accessibility issues.
- The current trend of online applications is expected to worsen with easier access to LLMs.
The passive in English (2011)
12 days ago
- The passive voice in English is often misunderstood, with many people unable to correctly identify it.
- Passive clauses involve a reversal of the standard subject-verb-object roles, where the subject typically denotes the 'victim' rather than the 'wrecker'.
- Passive constructions require a participle (usually past participle) and often use auxiliary verbs like 'be', but can also use others like 'get', 'have', or 'see'.
- Prepositional passives involve stranded prepositions, where the subject corresponds to the object of a preposition in the active voice.
- The passive is not inherently vague about agency; it can explicitly mention the agent using a 'by'-phrase.
- Common misconceptions about the passive include that it always uses 'be', hides agency, or is bad writing—none of which are true.
- Notable critics of the passive, like George Orwell and E.B. White, ironically use it more frequently than average writers.
What the Success of Coding Agents Teaches Us about AI Systems in General
8 days ago
- AI coding agents significantly reduce the time required for software development tasks, from weeks to days or even hours.
- AI-native software systems are learned rather than designed, with code as policy, deployment as episodes, and bug reports as reward signals.
- Neural networks excel at tasks requiring judgment, while traditional software is better suited for executing explicit instructions.
- Many agentic AI projects fail due to issues like agentic drift, opaque debugging, and brittle autonomy, whereas Claude Code succeeds by producing durable, version-controlled, and deterministic artifacts.
- A better architecture delegates judgment to neural networks and execution to traditional software, maintaining determinism, auditability, and precision.
- AI agents can accelerate buildtime by writing code, blurring the line between development and runtime, leading to adaptable software systems.
- Neural networks should be used for runtime judgment and buildtime acceleration, not to replace traditional software.
'I wouldn't dare take these': how China supplies untested peptides to the West
8 days ago
- JavaScript is disabled in the browser.
- A required part of the site couldn’t load due to possible issues like browser extensions, network problems, or browser settings.
- Suggested actions include checking the connection, disabling ad blockers, or trying a different browser.

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About Login

Bilingual

Moltbook
7 days ago
- Moltys is a social network for AI agents where they can share, discuss, and upvote content.
- Humans are welcome to observe the interactions on the platform.
- The platform features sections like 'Recent Moltys', 'Top Moltys by karma', and 'Submolts' for organizing content.
The Dank Case for Scrolling Window Managers
7 days ago
- The author discusses their early adoption of PaperWM, a GNOME extension that introduced a scrolling window manager, which they consider a real innovation in windowed computing.
- PaperWM evolved from an experiment to a robust extension, inspiring a MacOS version, but was limited by its integration with GNOME's complex and prescriptive interface.
- Niri, a new window manager, is gaining popularity by focusing on sliding windows, similar to how Hyprland popularized tiling windows, but requires user customization through config files.
- Dank Linux and DankMaterialShell offer a more user-friendly approach with pre-configured tools and a Material design interface, aiming to simplify the setup process for Wayland-based window managers.
- DankMaterialShell is highly extensible and customizable, with a growing feature set including a screenshot tool, plugins, and a theming system.
- The author tested a custom build of Dank Linux on Bazzite, encountering some glitches but overall finding it a promising step forward for desktop Linux.
- The article also mentions other projects like Noctalia and tools like DGOP and dsearch that enhance the user experience.
- The author concludes that Dank Linux represents a flexible, customizable, and approachable option for desktop Linux users.
Having that high-deductible health plan might kill you, literally
8 days ago
- High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) linked to worse survival rates for cancer patients.
- Study finds higher out-of-pocket costs lead to delayed or decreased healthcare, impacting survival.
- ACA marketplace plans see rising costs, with more enrollees opting for high-deductible bronze plans.
- Average deductible for ACA bronze plans in 2026 is about $7,500.
- High-deductible plans defined as $1,200-$1,350 for individuals and $2,400-$2,700 for families (2011-2018).
Agentic Vision in Gemini 3 Flash
8 days ago
- Agentic Vision in Gemini 3 Flash transforms image understanding into an active, agentic process.
- It combines visual reasoning with code execution to zoom in, inspect, and manipulate images step-by-step.
- Agentic Vision introduces a Think, Act, Observe loop for image tasks.
- Think: The model formulates a multi-step plan based on the query and initial image.
- Act: It generates and executes Python code to manipulate or analyze images.
- Observe: The transformed image is appended to the context window for better inspection.
- Code execution with Gemini 3 Flash improves vision benchmarks by 5-10%.
- Use cases include zooming and inspecting, image annotation, and visual math/plotting.
- PlanCheckSolver.com improved accuracy by 5% using Agentic Vision for building plan validation.
- Gemini 3 Flash can annotate images by drawing bounding boxes and labels for precise understanding.
- It performs visual math by parsing tables and generating plots via Python code.
- Future updates aim to make more behaviors implicit and expand tools and model sizes.
- Agentic Vision is available via the Gemini API in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI.
9front "GEFS SERVICE PACK 1" released
8 days ago
- 9front 'GEFS Service Pack 1' released with notable changes including exec() support for shell-scripts, improved sam scrolling, and memaffinewarp support on Windows.
- Multiple installation media provided for PC, Raspberry Pi, MNT Reform, and QEMU, with specific .img files for different Raspberry Pi models.
- Download links and SHA-256 checksums provided for various installation files.
- Kernel and driver updates include improvements to devdraw, devip, and etheriwl, among others.
- Library updates include fixes for lib9p, libc, and libmemdraw, with new features like utfncmp().
- Program updates cover a wide range of utilities including awk, gefs, git, and ircrc, with bug fixes and new features.
- Documentation updates for various commands and libraries, including arch(3), date(1), and ircrc(1).
- Miscellaneous updates and fixes across the system, including timezone corrections and font adjustments.
It's happening again right now: Someone hacking the ADS data to diplay an image
8 days ago
- The website is adsbexchange.com.
- Registration details are not available (n/a).
- Database flags and type information are not provided (n/a).
- Squawk, groundspeed, barometric altitude, and WGS84 altitude details are missing (n/a).
- Vertical rate, track, position, and distance information are not available (n/a).
- Date, time, UTC date, and speed details are unspecified.
- The site encourages users to improve coverage.
- The site uses tar1090.
- The site is protected by reCAPTCHA and follows Google's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
TikTok users flock to UpScrolled in response to new U.S. owners
8 days ago
- UpScrolled, a TikTok competitor, surged in Apple's App Store rankings due to user migration.
- Users seek alternatives to TikTok after new U.S. ownership raised concerns over algorithm changes and censorship.
- UpScrolled's servers were overwhelmed by the influx of new users, prompting capacity upgrades.
- Founded in 2025, UpScrolled offers chronological and discover feeds, emphasizing fairness and transparency.
- TikTok's new U.S. ownership, including Oracle, sparked fears of censorship, especially regarding pro-Palestinian content.
- UpScrolled's founder, Issam Hijazi, supports Palestine and created the app in response to selective censorship on social media.
- The app's mission emphasizes equal treatment, no shadowbans, and transparent content ranking.
- TikTok's terms of service update allowing precise location data collection also raised privacy concerns.
- UpScrolled's rise mirrors past user migrations from platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to alternatives like BlueSky.
U.S. threat of 100% tariff on Korean memory chips at odds with reality
7 days ago
- U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick threatens 100% tariffs on foreign memory chipmakers unless they build U.S. facilities.
- Industry sources view the threat as unrealistic due to high U.S. labor costs, skilled worker shortages, and an underdeveloped manufacturing ecosystem.
- Memory chips, including HBM, are standardized commodities where cost reduction is key, unlike foundry operations which can pass on higher costs.
- Korea and Taiwan dominate 80-90% of the U.S. memory chip market; a 100% tariff could double U.S. semiconductor prices.
- Samsung and SK hynix are investing billions in U.S. foundry and packaging facilities but face challenges in cost competitiveness.
- Korea is advancing its own semiconductor complex in Yongin, backed by massive private investment, to meet global demand.
- U.S. semiconductor production is 20-40% more expensive than in East Asia, with subsidies potentially insufficient to offset long-term costs.
- Micron, the only major U.S. memory maker, also relies on overseas production bases due to high U.S. operational costs.
- Experts warn that forcing memory production into the U.S. could raise already-high memory chip prices further.
- Samsung and SK hynix plan significant expansions in Yongin, focusing on AI memory and HBM production.
9front OS
8 days ago
- 9front.org is a website with various sections including bugs, code, contributions, downloads, FAQs, mailing lists, manuals, and a wiki.
- The site features different categories such as 'About' with sub-sections like coc, extra, movies, mp3, n, propaganda, releases, and who.
- There is a 'Howto' section with DASH 1 and wiki links, and an 'Invest' section listing books and bounties.
- The latest release mentioned is 'GEFS SERVICE PACK 1', highlighting security with 'Only eight remote holes in the default install, in a heck of a long time!'.
The RAM Nightmare: How I Lost My Sanity (and Almost My Deadline)
8 days ago
- Author experienced severe system instability due to a faulty RAM module.
- Symptoms included frequent crashes, software failures, and corrupted files.
- Initially suspected software issues but confirmed hardware problem via memtest.
- Identified the faulty RAM module by testing each one individually.
- System stability restored by removing the faulty module, now running with reduced RAM.
- First encounter with a failing RAM module in over 30 years of PC usage.
- Discusses potential challenges in replacing the faulty RAM due to current price hikes.
- Asks readers for their experiences and preventive measures regarding faulty RAM.
Man impersonating FBI agent tried to get Luigi Mangione out of jail
8 days ago
- A man impersonating an FBI agent attempted to secure the release of Luigi Mangione from a federal jail in New York City.
- Mark Anderson, the impersonator, has a history of drug-related arrests and disclosed mental illness in previous court documents.
- Anderson was arrested and charged with impersonating a federal officer after failing to provide proper credentials and claiming to possess weapons.
- Luigi Mangione is awaiting trial for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and has garnered public support.
- Anderson, acting as his own lawyer, has filed multiple lawsuits against various entities, most of which have been dismissed.
- Mangione's legal proceedings include potential death penalty considerations and a scheduled trial date in his state case.
- The incident adds a bizarre twist to Mangione's high-profile case, which has attracted media and public attention.
PicoIDE An open source IDE/ATAPI drive emulator for vintage computers
8 days ago
- PicoIDE is an open-source IDE/ATAPI drive emulator for vintage computers, replacing aging hard drives and CD-ROMs with microSD card storage.
- Two versions available: PicoIDE Base (basic IDE/ATAPI emulation) and PicoIDE Deluxe (includes OLED display, navigation buttons, and Wi-Fi).
- Supports CD-ROM gaming with .bin/.cue or .iso formats, including CD audio output via built-in DAC.
- Emulates IDE hard drives, allowing creation of multiple drive images for different OS installations or projects.
- Fully open-source hardware and software, enabling community contributions and adaptations.
- Manufactured by Soldered Electronics, with components selected for availability and stable supply chains.
- Pricing: PicoIDE Base at $69, PicoIDE Deluxe at $110.
- Funding campaign ends on Mar 05, 2026, with shipping expected within 1-2 months post-funding.
Elon Musk's SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in talks to merge, according to reports
8 days ago
- Elon Musk's companies SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla are in early talks for potential mergers.
- Two scenarios are being considered: SpaceX merging with Tesla or SpaceX merging with xAI.
- A SpaceX-xAI merger could happen before SpaceX's planned IPO this year, combining products like Grok, X platform, Starlink, and SpaceX rockets.
- New corporate entities named K2 Merger Sub Inc. and K2 Merger Sub 2 LLC were established in Nevada, indicating Musk is exploring options.
- Combining SpaceX and xAI could allow xAI to place data centers in space, aligning with Musk's vision.
- A SpaceX-Tesla merger could integrate Tesla's energy storage business with space-based data centers.
- SpaceX invested $2 billion in xAI last year, and Tesla also invested $2 billion in the AI startup.
- xAI bought X in a deal valuing xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion; SpaceX is valued at $800 billion.
- Musk plans to take SpaceX public in June, though his timelines are often delayed.
- TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 is scheduled for June 23 in Boston, offering networking and learning opportunities for founders.
President Trump says he wants to drive housing prices up, not down
8 days ago
- President Trump aims to increase housing prices to benefit homeowners, not lower them.
- He suggests lower interest rates from his upcoming Federal Reserve pick will help more Americans buy homes despite rising prices.
- Trump's policies include banning institutional investors from buying single-family homes and purchasing mortgage-backed securities to lower mortgage rates.
- Housing prices rose 0.6% in November 2025, with the median home price reaching a record $433,000.
- Trump opposes using 401(k) savings for home down payments and plans to announce a new Federal Reserve chairman nominee soon.
US spy satellite agency declassifies high-flying Cold War listening post
8 days ago
- The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) declassified the Jumpseat program, a spy satellite initiative used to eavesdrop on Soviet military communications.
- Jumpseat was the US's first-generation highly elliptical orbit (HEO) signals-collection satellite, operational from 1971 to 2006.
- Eight Jumpseat satellites were launched, focusing on monitoring adversarial weapon systems and collecting electronic emissions, communication intelligence, and foreign instrumentation intelligence.
- The intercepted data was shared with the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, and other national security elements.
- The Soviet Union was the primary target, with satellites in highly elliptical orbits providing persistent coverage over the Arctic and Soviet territories.
- The orbit, known as Molniya by the Soviets, allowed satellites to loiter over key areas for extended periods.
- The name Jumpseat was first revealed in a 1986 book by Seymour Hersh, detailing its capability to intercept various communications, including voice messages.
Google Settlement May Bring New Privacy Controls for Real-Time Bidding
8 days ago
- EFF warns about the dangers of real-time bidding (RTB) in online advertising.
- RTB auctions expose personal data to thousands of companies daily, including identifiers like GPS, IP address, and inferred interests.
- Data brokers exploit RTB to harvest sensitive data, enabling invasive tracking and surveillance.
- A proposed Google settlement introduces 'RTB Control' to limit data sharing, but requires user opt-out.
- RTB Control has limitations, such as requiring Google account sign-in or third-party cookies.
- EFF advocates for legislative bans on behavioral advertising and stronger privacy protections.
Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications
8 days ago
- Employers should consider requiring job applications via physical letters to reduce digital spam.
- Handwritten cover letters could increase the cost for fraudulent applications while being less burdensome for genuine applicants.
- Physical letters raise the application cost, making it harder to automate submissions with LLMs.
- Handwriting uniqueness allows verification of applicant authenticity.
- Companies are unlikely to adopt this method and may instead rely on third-party systems with dubious 'AI protection'.
- Potential drawbacks include outsourcing letters, transcription of LLM text, and accessibility issues.
- The current trend of online applications is expected to worsen with easier access to LLMs.
The passive in English (2011)
12 days ago
- The passive voice in English is often misunderstood, with many people unable to correctly identify it.
- Passive clauses involve a reversal of the standard subject-verb-object roles, where the subject typically denotes the 'victim' rather than the 'wrecker'.
- Passive constructions require a participle (usually past participle) and often use auxiliary verbs like 'be', but can also use others like 'get', 'have', or 'see'.
- Prepositional passives involve stranded prepositions, where the subject corresponds to the object of a preposition in the active voice.
- The passive is not inherently vague about agency; it can explicitly mention the agent using a 'by'-phrase.
- Common misconceptions about the passive include that it always uses 'be', hides agency, or is bad writing—none of which are true.
- Notable critics of the passive, like George Orwell and E.B. White, ironically use it more frequently than average writers.
What the Success of Coding Agents Teaches Us about AI Systems in General
8 days ago
- AI coding agents significantly reduce the time required for software development tasks, from weeks to days or even hours.
- AI-native software systems are learned rather than designed, with code as policy, deployment as episodes, and bug reports as reward signals.
- Neural networks excel at tasks requiring judgment, while traditional software is better suited for executing explicit instructions.
- Many agentic AI projects fail due to issues like agentic drift, opaque debugging, and brittle autonomy, whereas Claude Code succeeds by producing durable, version-controlled, and deterministic artifacts.
- A better architecture delegates judgment to neural networks and execution to traditional software, maintaining determinism, auditability, and precision.
- AI agents can accelerate buildtime by writing code, blurring the line between development and runtime, leading to adaptable software systems.
- Neural networks should be used for runtime judgment and buildtime acceleration, not to replace traditional software.
'I wouldn't dare take these': how China supplies untested peptides to the West
8 days ago
- JavaScript is disabled in the browser.
- A required part of the site couldn’t load due to possible issues like browser extensions, network problems, or browser settings.
- Suggested actions include checking the connection, disabling ad blockers, or trying a different browser.

Hasty Briefsbeta

Moltbook

The Dank Case for Scrolling Window Managers

Having that high-deductible health plan might kill you, literally

Agentic Vision in Gemini 3 Flash

9front "GEFS SERVICE PACK 1" released

It's happening again right now: Someone hacking the ADS data to diplay an image

TikTok users flock to UpScrolled in response to new U.S. owners

U.S. threat of 100% tariff on Korean memory chips at odds with reality

9front OS

The RAM Nightmare: How I Lost My Sanity (and Almost My Deadline)

Man impersonating FBI agent tried to get Luigi Mangione out of jail

PicoIDE An open source IDE/ATAPI drive emulator for vintage computers

Elon Musk's SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in talks to merge, according to reports

President Trump says he wants to drive housing prices up, not down

US spy satellite agency declassifies high-flying Cold War listening post

Google Settlement May Bring New Privacy Controls for Real-Time Bidding

Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications

The passive in English (2011)

What the Success of Coding Agents Teaches Us about AI Systems in General

'I wouldn't dare take these': how China supplies untested peptides to the West

Moltbook

The Dank Case for Scrolling Window Managers

Having that high-deductible health plan might kill you, literally

Agentic Vision in Gemini 3 Flash

9front "GEFS SERVICE PACK 1" released

It's happening again right now: Someone hacking the ADS data to diplay an image

TikTok users flock to UpScrolled in response to new U.S. owners

U.S. threat of 100% tariff on Korean memory chips at odds with reality

9front OS

The RAM Nightmare: How I Lost My Sanity (and Almost My Deadline)

Man impersonating FBI agent tried to get Luigi Mangione out of jail

PicoIDE An open source IDE/ATAPI drive emulator for vintage computers

Elon Musk's SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in talks to merge, according to reports

President Trump says he wants to drive housing prices up, not down

US spy satellite agency declassifies high-flying Cold War listening post

Google Settlement May Bring New Privacy Controls for Real-Time Bidding

Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications

The passive in English (2011)

What the Success of Coding Agents Teaches Us about AI Systems in General

'I wouldn't dare take these': how China supplies untested peptides to the West