After any winter storm comes the time when you have to get out from under the blanket, and head outside to take care of your sidewalks and/or driveway. Clearing the snow away is one part of the job, but once the rest of the snow starts to melt when the sun comes out during the day—and then freezes again when…
Source: LifeHacker – How to Melt Ice Without Salt
Last week a Chinese satellite “was observed grabbing another satellite and pulling it out of its normal geosynchronous orbit,” reports the Drive, “and into a ‘super-graveyard drift orbit.'”
“The maneuver raises questions about the potential applications of these types of satellites designed to maneuver close to other satellites for inspection or manipulation and adds to growing concerns about China’s space program overall.”
On January 22, China’s Shijian-21 satellite, or SJ-21, disappeared from its regular position in orbit during daylight hours when observations were difficult to make with optical telescopes. SJ-21 was then observed executing a “large maneuver” to bring it closely alongside another satellite, a dead BeiDou Navigation System satellite. SJ-21 then pulled the dead satellite out of its normal geosynchronous orbit and placed it a few hundred miles away in what is known as a graveyard orbit. These distant orbits are designated for defunct satellites at the end of their lives and are intended to reduce the risk of collision with operational assets….
According to Chinese state news outlets, SJ-21 was designed to “test and verify space debris mitigation technologies.”
SJ-21’s recent maneuver raises questions and concerns about these types of satellites and their potential for military use. Todd Harrison, director of CSIS’s Aerospace Project, told Breaking Defense that SJ-21’s actions present “more questions than answers,” adding that while we can observe the satellite’s actions, “the intent behind it and what China plans to do with this technology is a more subjective assessment.”
This isn’t the first time SJ-21 has made headlines with its questionable behavior. In November 2021, just a month after its launch, an unknown object was seen orbiting alongside SJ-21. At the time, Space Force designated the unidentified object as a spent apogee kick motor, but it was also reported that it might have been an experimental payload designed to test SJ-21’s ability to perform remote operations and manipulate other satellites….
Analyzing the potential applications of these dual-use satellites is difficult.
Thanks to long-time Slashdot reader schwit1 for submitting the story!
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Chinese Satellite Observed Grappling Another and Pulling It Out of Orbit
As we get closer to the Super Bowl, many HDTV manufacturers are offering big savings on a number of the most popular form factors. Whereas 50″ or larger UHD 4K smart TVs used to cost an arm and a leg, today many mainstream models are available for just a few hundred bucks.
Leading up to the big game most retailers will provide massive discounts
Source: Hot Hardware – Big Game Day TV Deals Get You Ready For The Playoffs And Super Bowl Starting At Just
The James Webb Space Telescope has reached its final insertion in orbit around the second Lagrange point. While the telescope has not quite been fully tweaked and enabled just yet, its first target will be a Sun-like star as it begins the intricate process of mirror alignment.
Since the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), it
Source: Hot Hardware – How To Find NASA’s First Space Telescope Target, A Sun-Like Star In The Big Dipper
Corporate employees at T-Mobile have just received the strongest encouragement ever to get vaccinated against COVID-19: Get vaccinated or get fired. There are exceptions to the rule, but by and large, any employees who need “regular or occasional” access to T-Mobile’s offices are mandated to be fully vaccinated by April 2, 2022.
This isn’t
Source: Hot Hardware – T-Mobile Boldly Threatens To Terminate Corporate Employees That Aren’t COVID Vaccinated
Long-time Slashdot reader Hope Thelps brings news about the future of self-driving cars. “The law commisions of England and Wales and of Scotland (statutory bodies which keep the laws in those countries under review) are recommending a shift in accident liability away from ‘drivers’ when autonomous cars become a reality.”
The BBC reports:
Human drivers should not be legally accountable for road safety in the era of autonomous cars, a report says. In these cars, the driver should be redefined as a “user-in-charge”, with very different legal responsibilities, according to the law commissions for England and Wales, and Scotland. If anything goes wrong, the company behind the driving system would be responsible, rather than the driver….
In the interim, carmakers must be extremely clear about the difference between self-drive and driver-assist features. There should be no sliding scale of driverless capabilities — a car is either autonomous or not….
Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said the government would “fully consider” the recommendations. The Scottish and Welsh governments will also decide whether to introduce legislation.
The BBC also summarized some of the reports other recommendations:
Data to understand fault and liability following a collision must be accessible
Sanctions for carmakers who fail to reveal how their systems work
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Are Major Legal Changes Needed for the Driverless Car Era?
The Federal Communications Commission is ready to authorize more than $1.2 billion in funding through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Announced in 2019, the 10-year program seeks to expand broadband internet access across rural America. In an announcement spotted by The Verge, the FCC says the funding wave will see 23 broadband providers bring internet service to more than 1 million locations across 32 states.
The new Rural Broadband Accountability Plan will streamline our audit and verification processes while also making the results of verifications, audits, and latency testing publicly available for the first time. These safeguards will ensure that program providers do their jobs. https://t.co/LlU0nLvOGM
— Jessica Rosenworcel (@JRosenworcelFCC) January 28, 2022
Additionally, and maybe even more importantly, the FCC also announced the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan, a program to ensure recipients of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund are properly spending the funding they receive from the public.
As part of the program, the FCC plans to double the number of audits it conducts in 2022 compared to 2021. It will also subject the largest dollar recipients to on-site audits and random checks to ensure compliance. What’s more, the FCC plans to post the results of its audits, speed tests and latency testing to the USAC website so that the public can take part in the accountability process. “These new measures will help ensure that the providers we fund in this program will do the job,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said.
The announcement of the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan comes after the FCC said last year it was taking steps to “clean up” the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. In July, the agency revisited winning bids from the program’s December 2020 auction, which was overseen by former Chairman Ajit Pai, after it received complaints it “was poised to fund broadband to parking lots and well-served urban areas” rather than rural communities. The FCC sent letters to 197 organizations and companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, giving them the opportunity to withdraw their funding requests.
“This program can do great things, but it requires thoughtful oversight,” Rosenworcel said at the time. “That’s why we are refocusing the program on unserved areas and putting winning bidders on notice of their obligation to ensure that support goes to the areas that need it.”
Source: Engadget – FCC seeks to reduce rural broadband funding waste with new accountability program
Nitrux is a KDE Plasma + Debian-based Linux distribution which features NX Desktop with Plasma desktop with its own flavor. The latest Nitrux 2.0 release brings a fresh Plasma desktop, the latest kernel, and applications. We round up the release with a quick review.
The post Nitrux 2.0 Arrives with a Bunch of UI Changes appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – Nitrux 2.0 Arrives with a Bunch of UI Changes
Terraform is an open-source Infrastructure-as-a-Code software tool developed by HashiCorp. It allows you to manage your infrastructure by Codifying APIs into declarative configuration files.
This tutorial will be helpful for beginners to download terraform and install Terraform on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, Ubuntu 18.04, Debian 10, Fedora 35, and Rocky Linux 8.
The post How to Install Terraform on Ubuntu, Rocky Linux, Fedora appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – How to Install Terraform on Ubuntu, Rocky Linux, Fedora
We’ve all been psyched to dig into some Kosher baby dills or fresh jam, but after twisting, grunting, and vowing I will not ask for help, I can do this myself, we realize our meager hands aren’t cutting it. Many of us reach for a silicone grip, a jar-opening kitchen gadget, or try to create friction with a dish towel.…
Source: LifeHacker – How to Open the Most Stubborn Jars, Even If You Have Weak Noodle Arms
Uri Herrera announced today the release of Nitrux 2.0 as the latest and greatest version of this Debian-based, systemd-free GNU/Linux distribution built around the KDE Plasma desktop environment.
Source: LXer – Nitrux 2.0 Launches with Linux Kernel 5.16, Better Hardware Support, and Visual Changes
Studio Ghibli is one of the most beloved animation studios around, and their whimsical, resonant worlds are often worth revisiting every now and again just to feel something. For years, we’ve wondered what it would be like to have a theme park based around the studio’s various films, and later this year we’ll finally…
Source: Gizmodo – Studio Ghibli’s Theme Park is Finally Opening Up in November
Though we may associate coyotes with the desert, or the mountains—or wherever roadrunners live—there’s a good chance they’re in or near your area. It doesn’t matter whether you live in the suburbs, the country, or even in a city, because coyotes are quite adaptable and can make their home in a variety of climates.
Source: LifeHacker – How to Keep Your Dog or Cat Safe From Coyotes
Hello! It’s time for Kotaku’s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon.
Source: Kotaku – Sunday Comics: Wow!
Slashdot reader reader Danngggg has been keeping us up-to-date about the case of Marty Gottesfeld, the Anonymous hacktivist initially prosecuted by the same U.S. attorney who prosecuted Aaron Swartz into suicide:
Anonymous hacktivist Marty Gottesfeld was first covered by Slashdot in 2016, when he was rescued by at sea by a Disney cruise liner and then arrested by the FBI…. He’s been practicing journalism from inside the Bureau of Prisons, most recently highlighting sexual abuse….
Marty’s home for the last three years [has been] the “Communications Management Unit” at FCI Terre Haute, in Terre Haute, Indiana. The CMU was created in 9/11 era to hold terrorists…. In August prison officials told him that he was being recommended to “step down” out of the CMU. But this week he was transferred to the other CMU in Marion, Illinois.
They are keeping him in indefinite solitary confinement without cause or explanation; Sunday marked the beginning of month five.
One of these two CMUs is likely where the U.S. will place Assange if extradited.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – ‘Anonymous’ Hacktivist Martin Gottesfeld Said To Be Held In Solitary Confinement
Spotify may have to contend with more than musicians leaving its platform. Author and researcher Brené Brown has paused releases of her Spotify-exclusive podcasts Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead “until further notice.” Brown didn’t explain the decision, but it came shortly after Neil Young and Joni Mitchell said they would remove their music from Spotify in protest against allegations Joe Rogan has been promoting COVID-19 misinformation.
We’ve asked Spotify for comment. The move came amid mounting criticism of Spotify over its handling of Rogan and misinformation, with the UK’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle (who themselves have a Spotify deal) voicing “concerns” over the streaming service’s approach. The couple’s Archewell foundation said “hundreds of millions” of people were hurt by misinformation each day, and that they hoped Spotify would “meet this moment” and make appropriate changes. The pair added they had been sharing worries with Spotify since April 2021.
Spotify previously said it aimed to strike a balance between listener safety and creator freedom, having removed over 20,000 COVID-related podcast episodes in line with its policies. CEO Daniel Ek has contended Spotify shouldn’t have editorial responsibility for podcasts.
If Brown’s move is in response to Rogan, it could put Spotify in an even more difficult position. The company is believed to have paid over $100 million to sign Rogan to a multi-year exclusive and has enjoyed his success (his podcast still tops US charts). However, that arrangement might prove costly if enough listeners leave — particularly those who were staying for exclusive podcasts like Brown’s. It might not be worth sticking to one star if Spotify ultimately bleeds too much talent and cash.
I will not be releasing any podcasts until further notice. To our #UnlockingUs and #DaretoLead communities, I’m sorry and I’ll let you know if and when that changes.
Stay awkward, brave, and kind. ❤️👊🏼❤️
— Brené Brown (@BreneBrown) January 29, 2022
This guide explains how spell check feature works in Vim and how to use spell check feature in Vim text editor in Linux and Unix operating systems.
Source: LXer – How To Use Spell Check Feature In Vim Text Editor
Even if you haven’t been following along with football season, we feel obligated to tell you that it will soon come to an end. Not because you should feel pressured to watch the playoffs and get to know the teams that move forward, but because the Super Bowl is exactly two weeks from today, and that means food deals…
Source: LifeHacker – Don’t Miss the Free and Cheap Food You Can Get for Super Bowl LVI
Linus Torvalds’ schedule due to travels remains a bit off and as such Linux 5.17-rc2 is already available this morning…
Source: Phoronix – Linux 5.17-rc2 Released – “A Bit On The Bigger Side”
Enlarge / Mike Lynch, former chief executive officer of Autonomy Corp., departs from his extradition hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, UK., on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021. (credit: Bloomberg | Getty Images)
After years of wrangling, HP has won its civil fraud case against Autonomy founder and chief executive Mike Lynch. The ruling, the biggest civil fraud trial in UK history, came just hours before UK home secretary approved Lynch’s extradition to the United States, where he faces further fraud charges.
The UK’s High Court found that HP had “substantially succeeded” in proving that Autonomy executives had fraudulently boosted the firm’s reported revenue, earnings, and value. HP paid $11 billion for the firm back in 2011 and later announced a $8.8 billion write-down of its value. In court, HP claimed damages of $5 billion, but the judge said the total amount due would be “considerably less” and announced at a later date. Kelwin Nicholls, Lynch’s lawyer and a partner at law firm Clifford Chance, said his client intends to appeal the High Court ruling. In a later statement, Nicholls said his client would also appeal the extradition order in the UK’s High Court.
This week’s events are the latest twist in an extradition process that began in November 2019, when the US Embassy in London submitted a request for Lynch to face trial in the United States on 17 counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy, and securities fraud. Lynch denies all charges against him. Nicholas Ryder, professor in financial crime at the University of the West of England describes it as the “Colt-45 for the US Department of Justice”—an all-pervasive and powerful move. “That’s their go-to charge. The ramifications for Mr. Lynch are significant.”
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Source: Ars Technica – HP wins huge fraud case against Autonomy founder and CEO Mike Lynch
