trashhalo

It is incorrect to consider tidal power as renewable energy. Harnessing tidal energy will pose more severe problems than using fossil fuels. This study provides quantitative estimates to show how using tidal energy can destroy the environment in a short amount of time. Tides are induced by the rotation of the Earth with respect to the gravity of the Moon and Sun. The rotational energy of the Earth is naturally dissipated by tides slowly. Consuming tidal energy further reduces the rotational energy, accelerates the energy loss rate, and decelerates the rotation of the Earth. Based on the average pace of world energy consumption over the last 50 years, if we were to extract the rotational energy just to supply 1% of the world's energy consumption, the rotation of the Earth would lock to the Moon in about 1000 years. As a consequence, one side of the Earth would be exposed to the Sun for a much longer period of time than it is today. The temperature would rise extremely high on that side and drop extremely low on the other side. The environment would become intolerable, and most life on Earth could be wiped out.

Oopsie

An FBI whistleblower named Johnathan Buma has alleged that Rudy Giuliani may have been compromised by Russian intelligence during his work for Trump's 2020 campaign. Buma claims the FBI investigated Giuliani's relationship with a Ukrainian oligarch Pavel Fuks, who was assessed to be an asset of Russian intelligence. Giuliani reportedly received $300,000 from Fuks for legal work. Buma's investigation found that Giuliani consorted with several Ukrainians who were later sanctioned by the U.S. as spreading Russian disinformation, including Andriy Derkach. However, some within the FBI allegedly blocked further investigation. Giuliani also attempted to produce an anti-Biden propaganda film with sources connected to Russian disinformation campaigns, though it was ultimately unsuccessful.

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/7518306

The New York Times has faced criticism for its coverage of transgender issues, with some articles echoing right-wing talking points and questioning whether being trans is acceptable. Trans advocates have expressed concerns about a lack of trans voices in reporting. While Times staff generally care about the issues, coverage does not seem to receive the same rigor as other topics. An open letter signed by over 1,200 contributors called for addressing biases, but the Times did not acknowledge it. Some staff believe leadership does not fully accept the humanity of trans people. However, public backlash is starting to make the Times reconsider its approach to trans coverage.

The New York Times has faced criticism for its coverage of transgender issues, with some articles echoing right-wing talking points and questioning whether being trans is acceptable. Trans advocates have expressed concerns about a lack of trans voices in reporting. While Times staff generally care about the issues, coverage does not seem to receive the same rigor as other topics. An open letter signed by over 1,200 contributors called for addressing biases, but the Times did not acknowledge it. Some staff believe leadership does not fully accept the humanity of trans people. However, public backlash is starting to make the Times reconsider its approach to trans coverage.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has rejected calls from some Republican state legislators to hold a special legislative session focused on investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Willis recently oversaw the indictment of former President Donald Trump and others related to election interference in Georgia. However, Kemp said such a session would be unconstitutional and amounts to "political theater." A law professor noted that legislators can technically impeach the DA, but the new Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission should handle any complaints. Kemp and the Republican House Speaker support allowing the legal process to proceed without political interference. Meanwhile, State Senator Colton Moore continues pushing for the special session, claiming Willis' investigation could spark civil war. Kemp disavowed that language and said Georgia will follow the law regardless of political consequences. Overall, Kemp and other leaders aim to prevent turning the legal case into further partisan fighting.

Google and Nvidia are offering all Chromebook owners a free 3-month subscription to GeForce Now, Nvidia's cloud gaming service, without needing a credit card. Those who bought a gaming Chromebook get the higher-tier Ultimate subscription allowing 1440p resolution and 120fps streaming. The free trial allows users to experience the improved latency and image quality of Ultimate. A fast internet connection is still required for cloud gaming on a Chromebook. Interestingly, this announcement comes shortly after Google canceled plans for more powerful gaming Chromebooks with dedicated Nvidia GPUs, making one wonder if the free subscriptions were originally intended for those canceled devices. The timing also mirrors Google's previous cancellation of its own Stadia cloud gaming platform around the same time it had announced gaming Chromebooks.

A lawsuit was filed against Reddit alleging that the company fired an employee with anxiety for taking medical leave. The employee, Jamie Lee, had worked at Reddit as an accountant for over 4 years with positive reviews. In July 2022, Lee requested 3 days off for her health but was denied. She was later placed on medical leave after fainting, but was fired upon returning and accused of poor performance. However, the lawsuit claims others made similar mistakes. It also alleges Reddit's new leadership under the CFO has created a "toxic, political, and not inclusive" culture, which two other employees also left over. This highlights challenges employees faced with the changing culture at Reddit.

The organization that represents Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's works has petitioned the U.S. government to restrict the right to repair a religious artifact called an E-Meter. This device is core to Scientology practices but the group argues exemptions allowing device hacking should not apply to equipment restricted to trained users. Experts believe the E-Meter is the targeted device, which the Church says requires specific Scientologist operation. Documentation shows the E-Meter updater software mandates registration, including a membership number, suggesting repair restrictions. The language used in the petition matches stipulations Scientology requires for E-Meter use and purchase agreements. In short, the Church appears to be attempting to prevent independent E-Meter repair or experimentation through copyright exemption restrictions.

Wisconsin Republicans are threatening to impeach recently elected liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz if she does not recuse herself from upcoming cases related to the state's gerrymandered legislative maps. Speaker Robin Vos suggested Protasiewicz has pre-judged the issue, which could warrant impeachment. Democrats warned that Republicans will go to extreme lengths to undermine the will of voters after Protasiewicz took a seat that had been held by conservatives for 15 years. Her comments calling the maps "rigged" and "unfair" prompted the GOP impeachment threats. However, voting rights groups argued the recusal demand stems merely from Republican unhappiness with losing their gerrymandered advantage rather than real pre-judgment. The standoff raises alarming questions about political interference in the state's highest court.

Mark Freed experienced growing dread due to the increasing wildfires near his home in California. He felt a sense of helplessness and searched for safer places to live, but still felt disaster was inevitable. Experts define dread as being heavier than anxiety since it involves a tangible threat. With climate change, people dread future extreme events and the consequences of inaction. Constantly focusing on doom and helplessness can cause paralysis. Taking small climate-friendly actions and community support can help transform dread into hope and empowerment. While dread spreads awareness, constant focus on it harms well-being. Therapists recommend acknowledging valid emotions while reconnecting with life's meaningful aspects through nature or hobbies. For Freed, routine and spending time with his dogs now makes life livable despite managed dread.

The pharmaceutical lobby strongly opposed the Biden administration's plan to directly negotiate drug prices for 10 medications with Medicare. PhRMA argued this will hurt innovation, but advocates note that drug companies make 76% more than needed for R&D. Eliquis, which costs Medicare over $16 billion, will be subject to negotiations. The policy was enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act, which PhRMA spent millions lobbying against. PhRMA sued over the negotiations, but the DOJ moved to dismiss the case. Advocates believe this defeat of Big Pharma will not be the last as negotiations may expand to over 100 drugs in the future, greatly helping seniors and people with disabilities access affordable medications.

Many mushroom identification and foraging books being sold on Amazon are likely generated by AI with no human authorship. These books could provide dangerous misinformation and potentially lead to deaths if people eat poisonous mushrooms based on the AI's inaccurate descriptions. Two New York mushroom societies have warned about the risks of AI-generated foraging guides. Experts note that safely identifying wild mushrooms requires careful research and experience that an AI system does not have. Amazon has since removed some books flagged as AI-generated, but more may exist. Detecting AI-generated books and authors can be difficult as the systems can fabricate author bios and images. Relying on multiple credible sources, as well as guidance from local foraging groups, is advised for safely pursuing mushroom foraging.