Comment Re:cost? (Score 1) 108
How do you, an ordinary person, call the EMS if your mobile 'phone does not work because the cell tower has run our of electricity ?
Comment Re:cost? (Score 4, Insightful) 108
What will the cost of not doing this be to: customers, emergency services,
Submission + - report sheds light on ICE's booming arsenal of hi-tech surveillance tools (theguardian.com)
Alain Williams writes: Spending on government contracts with tech firms that use AI-powered tools to track immigrants has soared to record levels under Trump 2.0, report says.
A new report sheds light on the unprecedented growth of the US government’s immigration surveillance arsenal, revealing fresh details about how spending on technology and AI tools to find and track migrants has soared to record levels during Donald Trump’s second term.
The report, released this week, analyzed US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) contracts with 11 companies the authors said provide surveillance tech. They found the money awarded to these firms doubled from 2024 to 2025, to just over $310m – and in 2026, that number soared to a record $513m.
A new report sheds light on the unprecedented growth of the US government’s immigration surveillance arsenal, revealing fresh details about how spending on technology and AI tools to find and track migrants has soared to record levels during Donald Trump’s second term.
The report, released this week, analyzed US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) contracts with 11 companies the authors said provide surveillance tech. They found the money awarded to these firms doubled from 2024 to 2025, to just over $310m – and in 2026, that number soared to a record $513m.
Submission + - Bill Gates says Epstein sought to blackmail him over extramarital affairs (theguardian.com)
Alain Williams writes: The Microsoft founder Bill Gates told US members of Congress that the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had sought to “blackmail” him over his extramarital affairs, according to a transcript of the testimony.
The tech pioneer testified behind closed doors before the House oversight committee on 10 June regarding his friendship with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 as he awaited trial for sex crimes.
According to the transcript released by the committee on Tuesday, Gates spoke of “veiled” threats and said Epstein had considered exploiting his own knowledge of Gates’s extramarital affairs to force him to remain in Epstein’s orbit, even as Gates was distancing himself from Epstein.
The tech pioneer testified behind closed doors before the House oversight committee on 10 June regarding his friendship with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 as he awaited trial for sex crimes.
According to the transcript released by the committee on Tuesday, Gates spoke of “veiled” threats and said Epstein had considered exploiting his own knowledge of Gates’s extramarital affairs to force him to remain in Epstein’s orbit, even as Gates was distancing himself from Epstein.
Submission + - The gamers taking on the industry to stop it switching off games (bbc.co.uk)
Alain Williams writes: Can a company take away something you've already paid for?
In the world of online video games, some already do. Publishers can decide to switch off a game's servers, often leaving it effectively unplayable.
Stop Killing Games, a growing consumer rights campaign started by American YouTuber Ross Scott in 2024, is challenging that practice.
In January, the group submitted a petition featuring nearly 1.3 million signatures to the European Commission, triggering a public hearing in the European Parliament in April. What began as an online campaign is now awaiting a decision from one of the EU's most powerful institutions.
Scott's campaign began following an announcement from the major studio Ubisoft, saying it would shut down the online-only racing game The Crew in 2024.
The French company said it was taking the game, which attracted more than 12 million players during its lifetime, offline, citing "upcoming server infrastructure and licensing constraints".
In the world of online video games, some already do. Publishers can decide to switch off a game's servers, often leaving it effectively unplayable.
Stop Killing Games, a growing consumer rights campaign started by American YouTuber Ross Scott in 2024, is challenging that practice.
In January, the group submitted a petition featuring nearly 1.3 million signatures to the European Commission, triggering a public hearing in the European Parliament in April. What began as an online campaign is now awaiting a decision from one of the EU's most powerful institutions.
Scott's campaign began following an announcement from the major studio Ubisoft, saying it would shut down the online-only racing game The Crew in 2024.
The French company said it was taking the game, which attracted more than 12 million players during its lifetime, offline, citing "upcoming server infrastructure and licensing constraints".
Comment What does the black hole wind smell like ? (Score 1) 22
No, this is not a fart reference as space does have a smell.
However: the thought of fart smell made me write this comment.
Comment Re:No Choice (Score 1) 38
No such DOJ criminal warrant or subpoena was issued.
No need, all the USA gov't needs to say is "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, either way we will get what we want."
Comment Re:Corruption is colorblind. (Score 1) 132
Donald, is that you?
Comment Trump is just protecting his money grabs (Score 4, Insightful) 132
Trump and cronies appear to indulge in insider trading on these prediction markets.
Meanwhile IRS is banned from auditing Trump’s past tax returns -- what does Trump have to hide ?
Comment Re:Should be required by law. (Score 1) 42
Just what I came here to say. Please vote the parent up.
Submission + - Leaked Documents Show Cisco Systems' Relationship with Israeli Security State (dropsitenews.com)
Alain Williams writes: Internal documents show Cisco’s growing collaboration with the Israeli military over the course of the genocide in Gaza.
Cisco makes a point of publicly highlighting its commitment to corporate social responsibility, and building “an inclusive future for all” in the dozens of countries around the world in which it operates. Yet the company’s aggressive pursuit of contracts with the Israeli government and military—a small yet growing part of its global business—has led to accusations that behind this sunny facade the networking giant is profiting from genocide.
Cisco makes a point of publicly highlighting its commitment to corporate social responsibility, and building “an inclusive future for all” in the dozens of countries around the world in which it operates. Yet the company’s aggressive pursuit of contracts with the Israeli government and military—a small yet growing part of its global business—has led to accusations that behind this sunny facade the networking giant is profiting from genocide.
Comment Re:MBA strikes again (Score 2) 41
A fine paid by the business will not change behaviour of managers -- who just profited (got bigger bonuses) from this. The decision makers need life changing fines or prison time. Managers in other companies will see this, decide that they do not want the same and so behave.
Comment Would not a simpler explanation ... (Score 1) 14
be that they just start growing when the moisture reaches them ?
Comment Why would you want one ? (Score 1) 72
Unless you are stupid or trying to curry favour with the Orange Idiot ?
Comment What when something breaks ? (Score 1) 162
In a data center the repair tech needs to walk past a few racks to replace what is broken. With this setup s/he will need to drive somewhere, fix whatever, drive back - assuming that the remote diagnostics were correct and that they brought the right parts first time. Then there is access: "we are having a kids' party today, beware the supersoakers."
