Comment Re:Brakes off on a downhill society. (Score 1) 97
First, eat a dog.
Submission + - Rubin Telescope discovers a new solar system planet (behindtheblack.com)
schwit1 writes: Using data from the Rubin Telescope in Chile, astronomers have discovered a new planet in the outer solar system beyond Neptune, joining Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake as the five known large Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNO) so far discovered.
On the evening of 13 October, [Matthew] Holman was running data collected by Rubin earlier in 2026 through a search code he developed with CfA colleague Kevin Napier. The code is built to look at billions of detections of moving objects, compare them, and find the detections that correspond to the same object. Using this method, Holman uncovered ED138, and he immediately noticed that its brightness and distance indicated that it is unusually large. “My first reaction was one of excited disbelief,” says Holman. “Objects like this are very rare, so I immediately started checking whether I or the code had done something wrong.”
To remove any doubt, a detailed search through the data began in the hopes of uncovering more observations of ED138. Juri searched Rubin’s catalogs and images and found 20 more observations, going back to 4 March 2026. In all, Rubin observed ED138 30 times on 20 nights between 4 March and 11 July. Additional archival images from the DOE-fabricated Dark Energy Camera (DECam), and uncovered by the Asteroid Institute’s ADAM Precovery service, provided data going all the way back to 2016. These data allowed the team to trace more than 10 years of ED138's orbit. DECam is mounted on the NSF Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), a Program of NSF NOIRLab.
ED138 is currently at a distance of about 46 astronomical units (au), where 1 au is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun. For reference, dwarf planet Pluto has an average distance of 40 au. This classifies ED138 as a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) — objects that orbit the Sun at a distance greater than Neptune’s.
The data suggests this new planet is the largest TNO object so far discovered, though at present the size estimate is very uncertain, from 350 to 1400 miles in diameter.
Submission + - Google Begins Certifying Registered App Stores For Android (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Running an app ecosystem has gotten a lot more complex for Google after its loss in the Epic Games antitrust case. While US users can access app stores in Google Play by court order, international users will use Google’s voluntary Registered App Stores program. Google has announced that stores wishing to be part of that program are now free to apply, and support will roll out to some Android devices later this year. App stores accepted into the program will enjoy preferential treatment on the Android platform. Users of approved stores will be able to install apps with a single click, similar to the experience in the Play Store. These stores will also be allowed to update apps silently in the background like Google’s store does.
[...] Registered App Stores are still happening on Android, but they won’t be supported in the US—you can go to Google Play for alternative stores stateside, but so far, Aptoide remains the only one listed. Those operating Android app storefronts who want to be included in the international program can now review the program and begin the enrollment process. Any store hoping to get approval will have to adhere to a number of requirements, including protecting intellectual property, removing illegal content, and publishing a privacy policy for both users and developers. Google also requires several ongoing security measures to ensure the stores do not give malware easier access to Android devices. As part of the application process, store operators must provide documentation for all these points (in English) and upload copies of all their apps.
It costs $10,000 per year to participate in the Android Registered App Stores program, and that fee must be paid before Google will review the application. Google says this fee covers the additional support necessary to run the program. There may also be additional review fees if Google detects a store has a problem with malware. Google plans to roll out support in dozens of nations, which includes most of the world outside of the US and Europe. The program goes live on December 1, but it will only work on Android devices running the latest builds of Android 17. Google says support will start with Android 17 QPR2, which is expected to arrive on Pixel phones in the coming weeks.
[...] Registered App Stores are still happening on Android, but they won’t be supported in the US—you can go to Google Play for alternative stores stateside, but so far, Aptoide remains the only one listed. Those operating Android app storefronts who want to be included in the international program can now review the program and begin the enrollment process. Any store hoping to get approval will have to adhere to a number of requirements, including protecting intellectual property, removing illegal content, and publishing a privacy policy for both users and developers. Google also requires several ongoing security measures to ensure the stores do not give malware easier access to Android devices. As part of the application process, store operators must provide documentation for all these points (in English) and upload copies of all their apps.
It costs $10,000 per year to participate in the Android Registered App Stores program, and that fee must be paid before Google will review the application. Google says this fee covers the additional support necessary to run the program. There may also be additional review fees if Google detects a store has a problem with malware. Google plans to roll out support in dozens of nations, which includes most of the world outside of the US and Europe. The program goes live on December 1, but it will only work on Android devices running the latest builds of Android 17. Google says support will start with Android 17 QPR2, which is expected to arrive on Pixel phones in the coming weeks.
Comment Re:Paper-oriented troglodytes (Score 1) 97
> that in voting precincts are local, so there are likely to be people there who know the person voting
Most such fraud would be done in bigger precincts, not small towns, so as to blend in better.
> so if it goes bad, you're right there to be caught.
Somebody who ready to run can outpace Barney Fife.
> you have to research the particular details of a specific person.
I'm sure Putin and Xi have a copy of everyone's drivers license.
Comment The Graduate (Score 1) 103
From the 30's to 60's one got too much lead from rigged gas, and 70's+ microplastics.
Comment Re:Brakes off on a downhill society. (Score 1) 97
Gotz more! Names Jimmy Kimmel called Don: Trumple Stilskin Trumple Orangeskin Troompa Loompa Donny Boo Boo Cheeto Chief Unhappy Gilmore Commander in Beef Mar-a-Lardo Donny Bone Spurs Colludicris El Crappy-tan Hairy Poppins King Tutan-con-man Abra-scam-lincoln Douche-olini Typhoid Donnie [got staff sick] Flabbio Tangerine Twitter Machine Tandalorian Darth Tax Evader Jabber the Hutt Orange Julius Caesar Spready Krueger [Covid] Dingus Khan Putin's Pee Pee Pal Lie-ger Woods Tweety Gonzales Tanny Soprano Q-A-Don Dictator Tot Quid Pro Combover Prisoner-Elect Star Spangled Tanner Gaseous Clay Smellvis Yellvis Fibberace Reich Tyson MAGA Teresa Pork Choppo Commander & Thief Tannie Oakley Magaroni & Cheese Scamburglar Gassolini Groper Cleaveland Mar-a-Cloggo Vladimir Gluten Carrot Bottom Tannibal Lecter The Tanchurian Candidate Kim Don Un Donye West Genghis Don Burger Jean King Julius Squeezer Uncle Scam Merrill Flinch Keester Bunny King Hungry the Eigth Petty Rosevelt Gangus Conman Lie-a-tollah Founding Frauder
---From others:---
Moutholini Mango Mussolini Don Laden Don Qaeda Hitliar Agolf Shittler Agolf Tottler Fattler ADHDolf The Count of Mostly Crisco (from Colbert) Cheeto Corleone Don Snoreleone Dozo the Clown The Nod Father Flush Gordon Hannibal Leakter Tribble Top Mess-iah Sharticus Farticus Coupy McTintFace King Tint-Uncommon Darth Vapor Donvict Nobel Price Ferrel Pharaoh Mango Unchained Tinted Toddler Yosemite Yam Flaky McCakey Bruisey McSnoozy The Great Fatzby Blob the Builder Teddy Dozevelt Dr. Strangelump Clowntator
(sorry about the formatting, Slashdot didn't like the original)
Comment Re: What happened to EU independence? (Score 1) 117
The world's in decline. The rich are fucking it up.
Comment Re:Awesome, so when can I afford RAM? (Score 1) 63
Party like it's 2019!
Comment Re:"On Planet Earth" (Score 1) 71
Lets send Musk to Mars to test that theory
Comment Good luck with that (Score 1) 45
...the Trump administration banned "bi"
Comment Re: Let's keep some perspective (Score 1) 63
Making a distinction is unproductive at this point.
It's productive in the sense that it brings clarity to what the fuck one is talking about, instead of leaving people to wonder. Your observation is well-made, however.
Comment Re:BuT APpLE WaiTs UNtIL It'S PeRFeCt! (Score 1) 51
straw man central. You'd think bots wouldn't be so stupid.
Well, if they're trained on average forum users...
Comment Re:Is it another car or actually a truck? (Score 1) 45
Of course it's a POS, it's a Ford. But I'm not mad at the Maverick for having the form factor that it has, I just don't think it's a truck by any reasonable definition any more than a RAV4 or CR-V is a SUV. If it's based on a car platform, it's a car.
Ironically for this whole conversation I think most people who buy full frame pickups would be better off with something else, Most pickups will never tow and most 4WD pickups will never go off-road, at least not under the original owners. But I also think that there's a real market for a full frame EV pickup, and it would sell both to people who should and shouldn't buy it based on how they actually use the vehicle.
Submission + - A UK teen made fun of a local politician. Then police showed up at his door. (nypost.com)
An anonymous reader writes: The case is a stark reminder to all Americans of just how important our rights are — and how even nations in the supposedly “free” world can devolve into dystopian censorship regimes without those protections.
Then the ‘Streisand effect' came calling
https://nypost.com/2026/10/27/...
Then the ‘Streisand effect' came calling
https://nypost.com/2026/10/27/...
Comment Re:Is it another car or actually a truck? (Score 0) 45
Nope. It's just not what I am interested in, and also, there's a whole bunch of old guys who have been asking for a simple electric pickup with this kind of functionality. Older than me, I mean. I've talked to them about it when I worked at the RV shop, it came up surprisingly often. There's a market for an old school sized small EV pickup, but it has to be full frame. Just make the frame wider and put a battery between the rails, FFS. It can have IRS or a live axle, it doesn't matter because a smaller pickup doesn't get so crashy. Put a double wishbone in the front and it will handle fine.
I am not against any kind of car existing, and I think most pickup buyers would be better of with minivans. I just know that the market has been ignoring this not very profitable per unit segment for obvious reasons, but would like to see it explored. I, too, am interested in that type of vehicle. But it's hard to get a car company excited about making a vehicle which is maintainable. Ford fucked up big time in the eighties and came up with a pickup and engine that would last for decades, and they haven't wanted to repeat that mistake. (F-150 with a 300 and a 5 speed, ofc.)
