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Top Tech Firms Team Up To Create ‘Who’s Who’ of Hackers
The author writes, “A collective of tech companies is working on a public glossary of cybercriminals and state-sponsored hacking groups to streamline naming conventions and reduce confusion caused by nicknames, reports Reuters. Microsoft, Google, CrowdStrike and Palo Alto have teamed up to create the who’s who, and hope to bring the US government and other partners into the effort to unlock the coded world of cybercrime, Reuters reports. ‘We do believe this will accelerate our collective response and collective defence against these threat actors,’ said Vasu Jakkal, Microsoft’s security corporate vice president.”
Trump’s Fury at Gavin Newsom Backfires — and Reveals His Own Weakness (Dana)
From The New Republic: “With President Donald Trump sending more troops into Los Angeles amid protests there, a remarkable image has gone viral on social media. It shows members of the National Guard crowded into a sterile-looking office, sleeping on a hard floor, in evident discomfort, all dressed in full military gear. The image doesn’t just reveal awful planning for this dispatching of troops. It also captures the deeper absurdity of this entire operation: These members of the military were supposedly needed to quell an urgent emergency, but as it has turned out, they were simply not needed for this purpose at all. Guess who knows this disconnect is a problem? Trump does.”
Mexican Flags Have Become Republican Fodder, but Protesters Keep Waving Them (Russ)
The authors write, “As images of protests in Southern California have flooded television and social media in recent days, a key question has emerged: Why are so many protesters carrying Mexican flags at an American political protest? The sea of red, white, and green Mexican flags at anti-deportation protests this week in Los Angeles has been seized upon by conservatives who argue that the demonstrations are inherently un-American, causing some protesters to consider leaving them at home. … But protesters said this week that they see the Mexican flag as a symbol of defiance against Mr. Trump’s immigration policies or of solidarity with other Mexican Americans. The flag has become so ubiquitous in recent decades that it is a part of the Southern California landscape, adorning pickup trucks and flapping from bridges.”
‘Half the Tree of Life’: Ecologists’ Horror as Nature Reserves Are Emptied of Insects (Laura)
From The Guardian: “The [insect population] declines witnessed by [Daniel] Janzen — and described by others around the world — are part of what some ecologists call a ‘new era’ of ecological collapse, where rapid extinctions occur in regions that have little direct contact with people. Reports of falling insect numbers around the world are not new. International reviews have estimated annual losses globally of between 1% and 2.5% of total biomass every year.”
Election Conspiracy Theorist Sticks by False 2020 Claims in Defamation Trial (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “One of the nation’s most prominent election conspiracy theorists, MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, stuck by his false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen while testifying Monday during a defamation trial over statements he made about a former official for a leading voting equipment company. Taking the stand for the first time during the trial, Lindell denied making any statements he knew to be false about Eric Coomer, the former product strategy and security director for Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems. Among other things, Lindell accused Coomer of being ‘a part of the biggest crime this world has ever seen.’”
Shrimp Are the Most Abused Animals on Earth (Laura and Dana)
From Current Affairs: “Most people never think twice about shrimp. But as it turns out, these creatures make up the majority of animals alive on farms at any given time — hundreds of billions every year. And the conditions they endure are often horrifying. Overcrowding, eye mutilation, and inhumane slaughter methods are all standard practice. So why don’t we care?”
Human Brain Cells on a Chip for Sale (Sean)
The author writes, “In a development straight out of science fiction, Australian startup Cortical Labs has released what it calls the world’s first code-deployable biological computer. The CL1, which debuted in March, fuses human brain cells on a silicon chip to process information via sub-millisecond electrical feedback loops. Designed as a tool for neuroscience and biotech research, the CL1 offers a new way to study how brain cells process and react to stimuli. Unlike conventional silicon-based systems, the hybrid platform uses live human neurons capable of adapting, learning, and responding to external inputs in real time.”
