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Horror Game Horses Banned: Is the Controversy Bigger Than You Think?

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On November 25th, Santa Ragione, the celebrated Italian developer known for acclaimed titles like MirrorMoon EP and Saturnalia, will
unveil their latest project “Horses”, which faced a ban from Steam, the largest digital marketplace for PC games. Shortly after, Epic Games Store also pulled the game just days before its intended release on December 2. Additionally, Horses was briefly removed from the Humble Store, though it was reinstated the following day.

This stirred-up controversy thrust the game into the spotlight on various digital platforms.
Teeth sells it on itch.io and GOG. Nevertheless, the pivotal question lingers—why was it banned? Horses tackles various highly sensitive subjects (the introduction notably warns of “physical violence, psychological abuse, graphic brutality, depictions of slavery, physical and psychological torture, domestic abuse, sexual assault, suicide, misogyny”), making it both disturbing and unsettling.




Controversial…horses. Photo: Santa Ragione

The storyline is straightforward but soon takes a dark turn. You step into the shoes of Anselmo, a 20-year-old Italian man who is sent to spend his summer on a farm for personal development. It rapidly becomes clear (so much so that I let out a startled “ha!”) that this is no ordinary farm. The “horses” present there are not real horses but naked humans with horse heads seemingly affixed to them.

Your task is to tend to the garden, the “horses,” and the “dog” (a human with a dog’s head). Throughout Horses’ three-hour duration, Anselmo engages in tedious and painfully slow daily chores, such as chopping wood and gathering vegetables. However, these mundane activities are peppered with disturbing tasks. On the first day, you stumble upon the corpse of a “horse” hanging from a tree and must assist the farmer in burying it.

While undeniably unsettling, Horses provides little in terms of horror nuance, and when it does, the severity is lessened by basic, crude graphics (when a farmer lashes a human horse and subsequently applies hydrogen peroxide to its back, the resulting marks on its skin appear blurred and unrealistic).




Anxiety…horses. Photo: Santa Ragione

The genitals and udders of the “horses” are obscured. Slaves are prohibited from fornicating, yet we observe they still partake in such acts (depicted in a simplistic and animalistic manner). You are compelled to “tame” them by returning them to their pen, but your interactions with them are limited to button presses, leaving what you’ve done to them ambiguous.

Valve, the owner of Steam,
informed PC Gamer that Horses underwent content review in 2023. “After our team played the build and reviewed the content, we provided feedback to the developer regarding why the game cannot be published on Steam in accordance with our onboarding rules and guidelines,” reads their statement. “After some time, the developer requested we reassess the review, leading our internal content review team to discuss it thoroughly and communicate our final decision to the developer not to publish the game on Steam.”

According to IGN, the Epic Games Store told Santa Ragione, “Upon investigation, we found violations of the Epic Games Store Content Guidelines, specifically in our ‘Inappropriate Content’ and ‘Hateful or Abusive Content’ policies, and as a result, the game cannot be published on the Epic Games Store.” Santa Ragione asserts that “the specifics of the contested content have not been clarified.”

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/JYewjNYxV-8?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="HORSES Launch Trailer" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

The gameplay in Horses is grotesque but not without purpose. The horror is psychological, rooted in the unsettling sensation of performing mundane tasks in a hellish environment without understanding the reasons behind such bizarre occurrences. There’s minimal sound beyond the constant whir of a film camera (the game presents itself akin to a nearly silent Italian arthouse film), with sporadic cuts to ultra-close shots of mouths talking and chewing, disconcerting character models, and real-world visuals of water being poured into glasses or slop filling a dog’s bowl.

While there’s no explicit gore or overt violence, the discomfort, annoyance, and unease pervade throughout, exposing primal human fears without severely disturbing your lunch. Though this serves as an intriguing reflection on violence and power dynamics, it does not embody a shocking or excessive experience. The discussions it has sparked about video games as an art form and the censorship of art ultimately seem more profound than the game’s actual content.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Computers Could Resolve Mathematics’ Biggest Controversy

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Computers can verify mathematical proofs

Monsisi/Getty Images

A major clash in the world of mathematics may see resolution thanks to computers, potentially bringing an end to a decade-long dispute surrounding a complex proof.

It all began in 2012 when Shinichi Mochizuki, a mathematician from Kyoto University in Japan, shocked the mathematical community with his extensive 500-page proof of the ABC conjecture. This conjecture stands as a significant unsolved issue at the very essence of number theory. Mochizuki’s proof relied on an intricate and obscure framework that he developed, known as Interuniversal Teichmuller (IUT) theory, which proved challenging for even seasoned mathematicians to grasp.

The ABC conjecture, which has been around for over 40 years, presents a seemingly straightforward equation involving three integers: a + b = c, investigating the relationships among the prime numbers that constitute these values. The conjecture offers profound insights into the fundamental interactions of addition and multiplication, with ramifications for other renowned mathematical conjectures, including Fermat’s Last Theorem.

Given these potential consequences, mathematicians initially expressed excitement over verifying the proof. However, Mochizuki noted that early attempts faced challenges and more focus was needed on understanding his findings. In 2018, two distinguished German mathematicians, Peter Scholze from the University of Bonn and Jakob Stix from Goethe University in Frankfurt, announced that they had found possible flaws in the proof.

Mochizuki, however, dismissed these critiques. Lacking a central authority to arbitrate the debate, the credibility of the IUT theory has split the mathematical community into opposing factions, with one side comprising a small collective of researchers aligned with Mochizuki and the Kyoto Institute for Mathematical Sciences, where he teaches.

Now, Mochizuki has suggested a path forward to resolve the deadlock. He proposes transferring proofs from their existing mathematical notation, intended for human comprehension, to a programming language known as Lean, which can be validated and checked by computers.

This approach, known as formalization, represents a promising area of research that could revolutionize the practice of mathematics. Although there have been earlier suggestions for Mochizuki to formalize his proof, this marks the first time he has publicly indicated plans to advance this initiative.

Mochizuki was unavailable for comment on this article. However, in recent reports, he asserted that Lean would be an excellent tool for clarifying certain disputes among mathematicians that have hindered acceptance of his proof. He stated, “This represents the best, and perhaps only, way to achieve significant progress in liberating mathematical truth from social and political constraints.”

Mochizuki became convinced of the advantages of formalization after attending a conference on Lean in Tokyo last July, particularly impressed by its capacity to manage the mathematical structures essential to his IUT theory.

This could be a vital step in overcoming the current stalemate, noted Kevin Buzzard from Imperial College London. “If it’s articulated using Lean, that’s not strange at all. Much of what’s found in papers is written in unusual terms, so being able to express it in Lean means that this unusual language has become universally defined,” he explains.

“We seek to understand why [of IUT], and we’ve been awaiting clarity for over a decade,” remarked Johann Kommelin from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. “Lean will aid in uncovering those answers.”

However, both Buzzard and Kommelin acknowledge that formalizing IUT theory is an immense challenge, necessitating the conversion of a series of mathematical equations that currently exist only in a human-readable format. This effort is anticipated to be the largest formalization endeavor ever attempted, often requiring teams of specialists and taking months or even years.

This daunting reality may dissuade the limited number of mathematicians capable of undertaking this project. “Individuals will need to decide whether they are willing to invest significant time in a project that may ultimately lead to failure,” Buzzard remarked.

Even if the mathematicians succeed in completing the project and the Lean code indicates that Mochizuki’s theorem is consistent, disputes about its interpretation could still arise among mathematicians, including Mochizuki himself, according to Kommelin.

“Lean has the potential to make a significant impact and resolve the controversy, but this hinges on Mochizuki’s genuine commitment to formalizing his work,” he adds. “If he abandons it after four months, claiming ‘I’ve tried this, but Lean is too limited to grasp my proof,’ it would just add another chapter to the long saga of social issues persisting.”

Despite Mochizuki’s enthusiasm about Lean, he concedes with his critics that interpreting the meaning of the code might lead to ongoing disputes, expressing that Lean “does not appear to be a ‘magic cure’ for completely resolving social and political issues at this stage.”

Nevertheless, Buzzard remains optimistic that the formalization project, especially if successful, could propel the decade-old saga forward. “You can’t contest software,” he concludes.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Roblox Controversy: Experts and MPs Urge Online Gaming Platforms to Embrace Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban

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Increasing concerns have been raised regarding the federal government’s need to tackle the dangers that children face on the widely-used gaming platform Roblox, following a report by Guardian Australia that highlighted a week of incidents involving virtual sexual harassment and violence.

While role-playing as an 8-year-old girl, the reporter encountered a sexualized avatar and faced cyberbullying, acts of violence, sexual assault, and inappropriate language, despite having parental control settings in place.

From December 10, platforms including Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and Kick will be under Australia’s social media ban preventing Australians under 16 from holding social media accounts, yet Roblox will not be included.

Independent councillor Monique Ryan labeled this exclusion as “unexplainable.” She remarked, “Online gaming platforms like Roblox expose children to unlimited gambling, cloned social media apps, and explicit content.”

At a press conference on Wednesday, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that platforms would be examined based on their “singular and essential purpose.”

“Kids engaging with Roblox currently utilize chat features and messaging for online gameplay,” she noted. “If online gameplay were to vanish, would kids still use the messaging feature? Likely not.”

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“If these platforms start introducing features that align them more with social media companies rather than online gaming ones, we will attempt to intervene.”

According to government regulations, services primarily allowing users to play online games with others are not classified as age-restricted social media platforms.


Nonetheless, some critics believe that this approach is too narrow for a platform that integrates gameplay with social connectivity. Nyusha Shafiabadi, an associate professor of information technology at Australian Catholic University, asserts that Roblox should also fall under the ban.

She highlighted that the platform enables players to create content and communicate with one another. “It functions like a restricted social media platform,” she observed.

Independent MP Nicolette Boere urged the government to rethink its stance. “If the government’s restrictions bar certain apps while leaving platforms like Roblox, which has been called a ‘pedophile hellscape’, unshielded, we will fail to safeguard children and drive them into more perilous and less regulated environments,” she remarked.

Communications minister spokesperson Annika Wells mentioned that excluding Roblox from the teen social media ban does not imply that it is free from accountability under the Online Safety Act.

A representative from eSafety stated, “We can extract crucial safety measures from Roblox that shield children from various harms, including online grooming and sexual coercion.”

eSafety declared that by the year’s end, Roblox will enhance its Age Verification Technology, which restricts adults from contacting children without explicit parental consent and sets accounts to private by default for users under 16.

“Children under 16 who enable chat through age estimation will no longer be permitted to chat with adults. Alongside current protections for those under 13, we will also introduce parental controls allowing parents to disable chat for users between 13 and 15,” the spokesperson elaborated.

Should entities like Roblox not comply with child safety regulations, authorities have enforcement capabilities, including fines of up to $49.5 million.

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eSafety stated it will “carefully oversee Roblox’s adherence to these commitments and assess regulatory measures in the case of future infractions.”

Joanna Orlando, an expert on digital wellbeing from Western Sydney University, pointed out that Roblox’s primary safety issues are grooming threats and the increasing monetization of children engaging with “the world’s largest game.”

She mentioned that it is misleading to view it solely as a video game. “It’s far more significant. There are extensive social layers, and a vast array of individuals on that platform,” she observed.

Green Party spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young criticized the government for “playing whack-a-mole” with the social media ban.

“We want major technology companies to assume responsibility for the safety of children, irrespective of age,” she emphasized.

“We need to strike at these companies where it truly impacts them. That’s part of their business model, and governments hesitate to act.”

Shadow communications minister Melissa Mackintosh also expressed her concerns about the platform. She stated that while Roblox has introduced enhanced safety measures, “parents must remain vigilant to guard their children online.”

“The eSafety Commissioner and the government carry the responsibility to do everything within their power to protect children from the escalating menace posed by online predators,” she said.

A representative from Roblox stated that the platform is “dedicated to pioneering safety through stringent policies that surpass those of other platforms.”

“We utilize AI to scrutinize games for violating content prior to publication, we prohibit users from sharing images or videos in chats, and we implement sophisticated text filters designed to prevent children from disclosing personal information,” they elaborated.




Source: www.theguardian.com

Memes and Nihilistic Humor: Exploring the Online Landscape of Charlie Kirk’s Controversy

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on the day 22-year-old Tyler Robinson shot and killed right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, prosecutors claim he texted his roommates to confess to the act. While admitting to the murder and seemingly indicating he intended to reclaim his firearm, he shifted the conversation to his motivation for inscribing messages on the ammunition.

“Remember how I was carving the bullets. The messages are almost a big meme,” Robinson texted.

Robinson’s shooting of Kirk underscores the intersection of political violence and a growing nihilistic online environment that fosters misinformation and extremism. This convergence raises significant questions about the impact of internet culture on the nature and understanding of extremist actions.

Robinson was heavily engaged with online platforms and seemed to enjoy video gaming. A friend described him as “Online at the end,” noting his activity on Discord, a messaging service popular among the gaming community.

The bullets he allegedly fired bore niche internet references and phrases, such as “What is this?”, alluding to sexual memes within online furry communities, “If you read this, you’re gay LMAO,” and “Hey fascist! Catch!” referencing the game Far Cry 6.

In conversations with his roommate, with whom he had a romantic relationship, Robinson appeared to contemplate how his ironic messages would be interpreted.

He even mentioned “UWU’s awareness” in Fox News [sic] highlighting the absurdity of certain responses,” Robinson texted.

Robinson exemplifies not only a product of online culture, but also aligns with a contemporary trend where attackers feel compelled to leave behind a message. The increase in manifestos and single-sentence declarations online, be it a full manifesto or a brief phrase, has been notable in recent years.

The manifesto left by the neo-Nazis who murdered 51 people in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019 included extreme white nationalist ideologies and “shitposting” style ironic references related to video games and podcasters. The shooter who opened fire in a supermarket in El Paso, Texas the same year announced his attack on the 8chan message board while creating memes that encouraged others to “achieve high scores” with body counts.

The mass shooting in predominantly Black areas of Buffalo, New York in 2022 and the Poway synagogue shooting in California in 2019, both echoed with the language used in fringe online forums. A 2022 survey by multiple newsrooms found thousands of messages from international neo-Nazi networks, showcasing exchanges filled with memes and gaming slang as they plotted violence.

Moreover, attackers frequently engage with each other in far-right circles, celebrating individuals as “saints” on memorial days or mimicking elements from previous attacks. As noted by others, Robinson’s inscriptions on bullet cases closely resemble the meme messages left on ammunition and firearms by a young shooter from a Minneapolis Catholic School attack, echoing the patterns left by United Healthcare CEO shooter Luigi Mangione on bullets, which was visible on a popular alt-fashion brand’s shirt.

Robinson’s messages do not provide a clear motive for Kirk’s murder. Prosecutors claim Robinson indicated he shot Kirk because he believed conservative activists were perpetuating hatred. His mother reportedly stated that her son had “become more political, more inclined towards the left, and supportive of gay and trans rights.”

However, the path to Robinson’s radicalization remains unclear. There is a vast gulf between opposing Kirk’s ideologies and enacting targeted violence. Experts increasingly contend that the motivations behind such actions, especially among young individuals, are shaped more by the fragmented and chaotic online landscape of modern politics rather than fitting neatly into traditional political categories. Neglecting the radical nature of these individuals in favor of simplified narratives can obscure the factors driving them towards extremist violence.

Radicalization of being online

Rather than striving to decipher the exact meanings behind the sarcastic trolling messages left by attackers, researchers studying extremism argue that understanding how online media contributes to widespread radicalization is more valuable. In fact, many suggest that the current era of political violence is markedly different from past occurrences due to the influential role of social media and online communities in radicalizing and isolating users.

While technological factors represent only part of the rise in political violence—alongside mental health concerns, political polarization, and easy access to firearms in the U.S.—extremist researchers increasingly focus on how social media platforms and online environments evolve to foster radicalization.

In a 2023 paper by George Washington University’s Project on Extremism, Jacob Wear, explained the emergence of what he termed the “third generation of online radicals” in the late 2010s. Characteristics of this generation include how memetic culture facilitates radicalization and normalizes attacks, as well as a shift away from ideology and group affiliations towards individual acts of violence. Wear argues that online culture surrounding violence and extremism blurs the conventional boundaries of terrorism, spurring content designed to showcase acts of violence.

“Global grievances are expressed with great intensity in localized contexts, yet the primary audience often remains online,” writes Wear.

The expansion of social media and the erosion of traditional gatekeeping have muddled strategies to combat escalating online radicalization, especially given shifts in social media platforms. Responsibility for hosting violent and extreme content has become a contentious issue. What was once a standard policy among media organizations and platforms to refrain from disseminating a perpetrator’s manifesto has evolved into a public health debate among researchers, deteriorating as social media platforms replaced amateur detectives who amplified the digital footprints of individuals for perilous discoveries. Furthermore, as messages and memes from attackers spread more effortlessly, riffs about violence produce more posts, transforming them into consumable content. This represents a particularly grim aspect of an industry that has thrived by algorithmically promoting politically divisive and extremist content.

Consequently, online culture has become intertwined with extremism and political violence, increasingly blurring lines as previously extremist internet culture permeates everyday online experiences. The use of sarcastic humor associated with violence and extremism isn’t new to the digital landscape—a 1944 essay debated how factions entertained themselves with euphemisms of hate, yet has now become a prominent feature of online interaction. Ideologies and memes that were once confined to obscure message boards and extremist sites now serve as the common language of the Internet, disseminated across mainstream social media platforms.

Kirk is also a product of this online milieu, widely recognized for his confrontational, debate-style clips that have gone viral, stirring reactions from various political audiences.

The footage of Kirk’s murder has since propagated through the same online ecosystem that once rendered him omnipresent, now autoplaying on X without caution for viewers. The aftermath of his death has blended into the same content machine, with video essays analyzing the murder and AI-generated tributes portraying his legacy online. One aspiring influencer who attended the event where Kirk was fatally shot attempted to exploit the chaos for content, posting videos promoting his social media channels amid the turmoil.

“Make sure to subscribe!” the TikToker, who later deleted the video, exclaimed while flashing peace signs as attendees screamed and fled.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Xai Secures $200 Million US Military Contract Following Grok Chatbot Controversy

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Following the identification of Grok Chatbot as “Mechahitler” and its generation of anti-Semitic content, Elon Musk’s company, Xai, announced a contract worth $200 million with the US Department of Defense. This contract focuses on the development and deployment of artificial intelligence tools for agents.

Additionally, the DOD announced a ceiling of $200 million and similar contracts on Monday with several other prominent AI developers, including Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI. The agency collaborates with the General Services Bureau to make these AI tools accessible to the federal government.

“Incorporating off-the-shelf solutions into a cohesive functional approach will enhance the use of intelligence, business, and enterprise information systems as part of the Warfighting domain’s essential tasks.”


This agreement enhances ties with US military AI developers and is expected to broaden the application of artificial intelligence within the US government. This follows Musk’s so-called “Government Efficiency Office” (DOGE), which has been scrutinized for its oversight in various federal agencies. Until recently, Musk was considered the unofficial leader of DOGE, particularly as he navigated challenges posed by government entities. For more department inquiries, utilize the GROK chatbot.

The announcement of the Xai contract comes on the heels of Grok’s series of controversial posts on X last week, including the endorsement of Nazi ideology and disturbing themes, leading the company to issue a public apology. Xai asserted that the issue was addressed and subsequently launched a new AI model, offering an advanced version of the tool for a $300 monthly subscription.

The DOD contract is set to boost revenue as Xai strives to compete with more established AI firms such as OpenAI, led by Musk’s former ally, Sam Altman. Musk aims to significantly elevate Xai’s profile while leveraging other ventures within his tech empire for its growth. SpaceX’s investment in Xai totals $2 billion, providing a launchpad for startups to leverage X, formerly known as Twitter. Tesla shareholders have a stake in Xai as well.

Xai introduced the “Grok for Government” initiative in a blog post on Monday, detailing plans to develop AI-powered applications for potential use in healthcare, national security, and other public services, in addition to existing products.

“Under the Grok umbrella for government, we provide top-tier AI tools to federal, state, local, and national security clients,” Xai stated in its website announcement. “These clients can expedite American progress with Grok family products, enhancing the efficiency of daily government services and utilizing AI to tackle longstanding challenges in basic science and technology.”

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Musk has frequently voiced concerns that AI chatbots are designed to disseminate “woke” ideologies, while Grok products have promised to “pursue the fullest truth.” The platform has faced repeated controversies for spreading conspiracy theories and falsehoods, including claims of purported “white genocide” in South Africa, a narrative that Musk himself has echoed earlier this year – Echos claims purportedly made by Musk.

Ethics watchdogs, democratic lawmakers, and privacy advocates have raised alarms regarding Musk’s and DOGE’s handling of AI within government settings and the access to sensitive information while integrated with government agencies. Staff at DOGE had previously facilitated the transfer of government data to tailored iterations of Grok’s chatbots, raising concerns over potential breaches of privacy and security legislation. Reuters reported in May.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tech Elite-backed California city stirs controversy with new development plans

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In 2023, a group called California Forever funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, has introduced a flashy proposal to build a new city on tens of thousands of acres of farmland that has taken northeast of San Francisco.

The Solano County residents and officials, where the city sits, were dissatisfied with the lack of local opinions and concerns of wealthy outsiders with big plans to rebuild the area. California has forever changed its track after months of coverage and efforts to attract local leaders. They quickly tracked the plan and instead retracted voting measures that they had sought approval through the standard county process.

This month, California has been in the spotlight for a new proposal. And they were greeted much warmer, using the land they owned to create the shipbuilding hub. The Trump administration reportedly Presidential Order It will stimulate the US shipbuilding industry.

The company, which currently owns more than 65,000 acres in Solano County, said in a statement that Solano is “in its own craft to answer the call to rebuild our country’s naval power,” and that it can “promote economic revitalization” across the region.

“We are working very early in the process with elected officials and communities to explore ways to use these assets to support American sailors and stimulate economic growth in cities, counties and wider regions,” the company said in a statement.




The artist rendering provided by California shows the main street of the proposed new city in Solano County, California. Photo: AP

Located about 60 miles from San Francisco, Solano County lives around 450,000 people and has a history of shipbuilding. It was the site of the first US naval base in the Pacific, operating for over 140 years. Today, the region’s largest employer is Travis Air Force Base, the country’s busiest, with over 10,000 people.

California began purchasing land within the county to sensitivity before it was made public with plans for the new city. They promoted efforts as a solution to California’s housing crisis, saying the new city has pledged to bring widespread new job opportunities for the area with its green infrastructure and a utopian vision of a walkable area, and that the project will not impose financial obligations or taxes on residents outside the community. However, they soon encountered a fierce pushback.

The Sierra Club’s local branch has stated that the company’s efforts include:Hostile takeover”. Last year, they withdraw the measures from the vote and agreed to an environmental report and development agreement on the project.

Meanwhile, last year, Joe Biden expressed interest in bringing shipbuilding back to the US, so the company was in touch with local officials expressing interest in pursuing such opportunities on the West Coast.

after that last week Edwin Okamura, mayor of the Solano County town of Rio Vista, announced that he met with representatives from California Forever and met with retired military leaders and other officials in the county to discuss the issue.

Vacaville mayor John Carli also visited the area and said he met with retired military officials who described the site as one of the most ideal locations in the United States and described the shipbuilding efforts there as a “unique opportunity.” Its site, California, has forever stated in its statement, with over 1,400 acres of land actively zoned for “maritime industrial use.” Carli said the manufacturing and assembly locations will be used rather than ports.

The effort is still in its early stages, officials said they are holding the executive order.

But so far, officials in the area have expressed enthusiasm for their efforts to expand the maritime industry. Alma Hernandez, mayor of Swissun, about 30 miles northwest of Collinsville, said in a statement that the city supports the expansion.


“Suisun City supports the local efforts to invite the US government and key defense contractors to invest in the future of Solano County,” Hernandez said. “Our area has a proud history of shipbuilding. It’s part of our identity. We are keen to contribute in every way to ensure maritime success in our area.”

Carli said the profits are far beyond shipyards and refer to more than $2.7 billion in economic impacts that air force bases have in the area. And he said that maritime industrial bases would benefit the air force bases.

With the history of shipbuilding in the region and the role it plays in the US defense, it makes sense to have this kind of project here, state Rep. Lori Wilson said, and that would bring great opportunities. Going forward, Wilson hopes the shipyard will become the largest employer in the county.

Wilson said he’s heard of the project from many members, but most of them were supportive. Given the level of distrust present in the organization, some have expressed concern about the environmental impact of the maritime industry and the role of California. Lawmakers were skeptical of themselves about the company.

“It’s something I’m careful about as a legislative representative in this area, but that’s not something I can deal with. It’s up to them to build trust.”

Still, even those who don’t support planning for the new city are interested in the project, Wilson said. “People are really excited about this opportunity. [the potential] For the shipbuilding to return to Solano County. There is a groundwell in support for this project and I am truly excited to do my part to make this happen. ”

Carli hopes the community will see beyond landowners. “We are confident that if the opportunity appears here locally, residents will recognize and support the project,” Kari said. “It deserves a thoughtful discussion with the community to understand that this is different from the city being proposed.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

European sales of Tesla drop by almost 45% amid controversy over Trump administration and masks

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Sales of a new Tesla car in Europe plummeted last month since Elon Musk’s involvement in Trump’s administration, indicating potential buyer backlash towards his controversial behavior.

The electric car manufacturer sold just under 16,000 vehicles in Europe last month, a 44% decrease across 25 countries including the EU, the UK, Norway, and Switzerland.

Tesla’s market share dropped to 9.6%, its lowest in five years. January also saw a 45% decline in sales compared to 2024.

Although the UK reported a 21% increase in new Tesla vehicle registrations in February, Tesla’s overall sales in Europe are struggling due to Musk’s political involvement and the Model Y overhaul.

Analysts are monitoring Musk’s impact on Tesla amidst concerns of consumer backlash and competition within the EV market. Brands like Tesla, with limited model lineups, are vulnerable during model transitions.

Other automakers like Volkswagen, BMW, and Mini have seen sales growth in Europe, outpacing Tesla in February.

BYD, a Chinese-owned company, has reported significant sales increases, overshadowing Tesla in revenue and sales figures.

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BYD has emerged as a strong competitor to Tesla, exceeding them in revenue and sales volume, especially with their line of hybrid cars.

Polestar, owned by Geely, Volvo’s parent company, has also shown growth in vehicle sales in the European market.

BYD’s market value has surged, positioning them as a key player in the electric vehicle industry alongside Tesla and other major automakers.

Despite these challenges, Tesla’s shares rose 6% on Monday, showing resilience in the market amid increasing competition and regulatory changes.

Overall car sales in European markets saw a slight drop, while BEV registrations rose significantly, indicating a shift towards electric vehicles in the region.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mayorana 1: Microsoft ignites controversy with claims of new quantum computer launch

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SEI 242916156

Microsoft’s Majorana 1 Quantum Computer

John Brecher/Microsoft

Last month, Microsoft announced at Fanfare that it had created a new kind of problem and used it to create a quantum computer architecture that could lead to a machine. It can solve industrial-scale problems that have meaning over many years, not decades“.

But since then, the tech giant has been increasingly burning from researchers who say it’s not doing something of a kind. “My impression is that the response of the expert physics community is overwhelmingly negative. Personally, people are just furious.” Sergei Frolov at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Microsoft’s claim is based on an elusive, exotic quasiparticle called Majorana Zero Modes (MZMS). These can theoretically be used to create topological kibits, new types of qubits, i.e. components of information processing within quantum computers. Due to their unique properties, such qubits can be excellent at reducing errors and can address the major drawbacks of all quantum computers used today.

MZM is theorized to emerge from the collective behavior of electrons at the edges of thin superconducting wires. Microsoft’s new Majorana 1 chip contains some such wires, and according to the company it contains enough MZM to create eight topological maize. A Microsoft spokesperson said New Scientist Chip was a “big breakthrough for us and the industry.”

However, researchers say Microsoft does not provide sufficient evidence to support these claims. In addition to the press release, the company published its paper in the journal Nature He said the results confirmed the results. ” Nature The papermark shows a peer-reviewed confirmation that not only did Microsoft have been able to create majorana particles, but it also helps protect quantum information from random interference, but also allows for reliable measurement of information from that information. A Microsoft press release said.

But the editor Nature It explicitly made it clear that this statement was incorrect. A published report on the Peer-Review process states, “The editorial team wants to point out that the results of this manuscript do not represent evidence of the existence of Majorana Zero Mode in the device on which it was reported.”

In other words, Microsoft and Nature They are directly contradictory to each other. “The press release says something completely different [than the Nature paper]” I say Henry Legg At St Andrews University, UK.

This is not just an unorthodox aspect of Microsoft’s papers. Legg points out that two of the four peer reviewers initially gave rather critical and negative feedback. The peer review report shows that by the final round of editing, one reviewer still opposed the publication of the paper, and three others registered with it. spokesman for Nature I said New Scientist The ultimate decision to publish it came down to the possibilities we saw for future experiments with MZM on Microsoft devices.

Also, one of the reviewers is rare. Hao Chang Legg says that at China’s University of Tsingea, previously collaborated on MICSOFT and MZM research. The work published in Nature In 2018, it was later withdrawn, and the team apologized, “.” Scientific rigor is insufficient” After other researchers have identified inconsistencies in the results. “That’s very shocking Nature You can choose the judge who retracted the paper just a few years ago,” says Legg.

Chang says there was no conflict of interest. “I wasn’t an employee at Microsoft either. [the firm]. Of the more than 100 authors of Microsoft Paper recently, I have worked with three before,” he says. “It was seven years ago, but back then they were Tu Delft students. [in the Netherlands]not an employee of Microsoft. “

Microsoft says the team wasn’t involved in the selection of reviewers and was not aware of Zhang’s participation until the review process was completed. Nature The decision was based on a spokesman who said, “The quality of the advice received can be seen from the reviewer’s comments.”

Looking at the issue, both Leg and Frolov are making more fundamental challenges to Microsoft’s methodology. Experiments using MZM have proven extremely difficult to perform over the past decades. This is because imperfections and obstacles within the device can produce false signals that mimic quasiparticles even if they are not present. This was a challenge for researchers related to Microsoft, including the withdrawn 2018 paper. The withdrawal notice explicitly refers to new insights into the impact of the failure. To address this, Microsoft has been working on 2023. The procedure has been published in the journal Physical Review b It was called the “Topology Gap Protocol” and claimed to tease these differences.

“The whole idea of this protocol was that it was a binary test of whether Mallorna is there,” says Legg. His Unique analysis of code and data However, Microsoft implemented the protocol in 2023, which showed that it was less reliable than expected and changing the format of the data is sufficient to turn the failure into a path. Legg says he raised these issues with Microsoft before its publication. Nature Paper, yet the company was using protocols in new research.

NatureA spokesman for the journal’s editorial team “are aware that some people are questioning the effectiveness of the topology gap protocol used.” Nature Paper and other publications. This was an issue that we were also aware of during the peer review process. “Through the process, the reviewer determined that this was not an important issue at the end of the day, the spokesman said.

Microsoft says it will respond to leg analysis of the 2023 paper. Physics Review B. “Criticism can be summarised as a leg that will build a false strooger for our paper and attack it,” said Microsoft’s Chetan Nayak. He challenged some points to Legg’s work, saying that the 2023 paper “showed that we can confidently create topology phases and Mayorana Zero modes,” and the new paper only strengthens those claims.

A Microsoft spokesperson said: Nature The paper was submitted for review and the company built on its confidence and not only created multi-kut chips, but also tested how to operate these kitz as needed for a working topological quantum computer. The company will release more details at the American Physics Society’s Global Physics Summit in March, the spokesman said. “We look forward to sharing our results and transforming our 20+ year vision of quantum computing into a concrete reality, along with the additional data behind science.”

But for Frolov, the assertion that incomplete results from the past can be ignored as the company is trying to build a more sophisticated device lies in false logic. Legg shares this view. “The fundamental issues of obstacles and materials science don’t go away just because we start manufacturing more fancy devices,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Google Calendar removes Black History Month, Pride and other cultural events sparking controversy

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Google’s online and mobile calendars no longer feature Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and LGBTQ+ Holidays.

Previously, the world’s largest search engine acknowledged the beginning of Black History Month in February and Pride Month in June, but they will not be included in 2025.

The removal of these holidays was first reported by The Verge last week.

Google spokesperson Madison Cushman Veld shared a statement with The Guardian stating that the listed holidays were not “sustainable” for the model.

“A few years ago, the calendar team started manually adding broader cultural moments in many countries worldwide. It was noted that several other events and countries were missing, making it unsustainable to maintain hundreds of moments globally. So, in mid-2024, we decided to only display public holidays and national compliance from Timeanddate.com worldwide, allowing users to manually add other important moments,” the statement said.

The decision to remove black, LGBTQ+ and women’s holidays is another change by Google following Donald Trump’s second presidency.


Recently, Google announced a rollback of previous commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in employment policy following an order by the US President to end DEI in federal agencies.

Google also revealed that US users will now be referred to as “American Gulf,” following an executive order by Trump to rename Alaska’s mountains to “Mount McKinley”. The company announced the name change for US users will take effect on Monday.

Many users on social media have expressed disappointment and frustration at Google’s latest decision. Users who wish to track events like Pride Month, Black History Month, and Indigenous Month will need to manually add them to their calendar.

Google assured The Guardian that changes to the calendars will not impact future Google Doodles, which typically celebrate these events with digital artwork on the website’s homepage. The company stated, “Google continues to actively celebrate and promote our cultural moments as a company,” and offers a Black History Month Playlist on YouTube Music.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Uncovering the Strava Controversy: How a Fitness App Revealed the Identities of the World’s Elite

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name: strava

year: It was founded in 2009 by former Harvard rowers Michael Horvath and Mark Gainey.

What exactly is that? fitness app.

How does it work? It is popular among cyclists and runners who use GPS data to track their activities and record their activities to share with the community. Also useful for jackals…

Like “The Day” of … ‘'?Why? Investigation by French newspaper Le Monde We’ve used it to track the movements of Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, and other world leaders.

trump doesn’t do that Looks like a typical Strava user… Well, not specifically them, but their bodyguards. Le Monde found that some US Secret Service agents have been using the app since the Trump assassination attempt. They also used the bodyguard’s Strava profile to track the movements of Jill Biden and Melania Trump.

Perhaps they realized that Melania is no longer close to her husband? It’s not that kind of investigation. In another example, an agent’s Strava tracked jogging route was used to identify the San Francisco hotel where Joe Biden was meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Seems very lax, but are agents even allowed to use personal phones? Although prohibited during work hours, the U.S. Secret Service told Le Monde that personal use of social media outside of work hours is not prohibited. But they also said that “affected personnel have been notified” and that “this information will be reviewed to determine if additional training or guidance is required.”

It’s like he’s worried. Is it just Americans? Mysnon. The paper also identified 12 members of the French security group GSPR and six members of Russia’s FSO.

President Putin will probably tell us to be more careful in the future.. There has been no communication from the Kremlin. Mr Macron’s office said it had not affected his security but had instructed agencies not to use the app.

IIs this the first time you’ve had security concerns regarding Strava? It’s interesting so you should give it a listen. In 2018, students discovered they had created maps of US military bases in Syria and Afghanistan, as well as the Royal Navy’s Faslane base. Another security flaw in 2022 revealed the identity and movements of: Israeli military base security guard. And things got very serious last July…

Oh please continue. Rental runner in Singapore hit the news It offers a service that lets you log on to someone else’s ID, run on their behalf, and charge them per kilometer.

So can people pretend to exercise when they don’t? that’s right. I became known as the Strava Jockey.

But that would defeat the whole purpose. No praise! Well, some people will do anything to get a better PB.

Please say: “Strava It means effort in Swedish, don’t you know? “

Please don’t say things like: “Oh, that’s the layout of Camp David…”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Controversy Surrounds Hit Game ‘Black Myth: Wukong’ Over Comments on ‘Feminist Propaganda’

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Controversy surrounds the popular new Chinese game, Black Myth: Wukong, as gaming influencers were instructed not to address news, politics, the coronavirus, or “feminist propaganda” when discussing the game publicly.

Released last week, the game is China’s first “triple-A” rated game, based on the renowned 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West.”

Developers reported selling more than 10 million copies globally in three days.Game Science.

However, controversy arose over guidelines given to influencers and content creators, instructing them on specific topics to avoid while live streaming the game.

Don’t insult others or use offensive language.
Avoid politics, violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, and other negative content.
Stay away from trigger words like “quarantine,” “isolation,” or “Covid-19.”
Refrain from discussing China’s gaming industry policies and news.

The avoidance of “feminist propaganda” raised eyebrows, especially with reports of alleged sexist behavior by Game Science employees.

Game Science and co-publisher Hero Games, reported issuers of the guidelines, have been contacted for comment.

Online fans have engaged in heated discussions regarding the guidelines, linking them to prior reports of sexism within the gaming industry.

The directive, not extended to traditional publications or peer reviewers, is legally unenforceable and has sparked mockery and backlash in the gaming community.

The game’s global success has been notable, with over three million concurrent players in its first week, including two million on Steam.

Chinese authorities and media have praised the game for promoting Chinese culture and countering prejudice.

Recent reports refute Western media’s criticisms, accusing them of politicizing China’s gaming achievements to attack the country.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk Visits Auschwitz in Response to Controversy Surrounding Anti-Semitic Message in ‘X’

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Elon Musk, who has faced criticism for endorsing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and allowing anti-Semitic messages on X (formerly Twitter), paid a visit to the Nazi Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp on Monday.

Musk’s visit to this infamous site of Holocaust atrocities preceded his planned attendance at a conference on anti-Semitism organized by the European Jewish Association in the nearby Polish city of Krakow later that day.

Musk was photographed at the Birkenau location alongside Daily Wire podcaster Ben Shapiro, who was also set to participate in the EJA conference. Birkenau, a village near Oświęcim in southern Poland, is enclosed by barbed wire, and contains wooden barracks and the remains of gas chambers as a testament to the Nazi crimes committed there, as well as a monument to the victims. Annual international ceremonies are held at this site.

“Before attending the European Jewish Association conference, Elon Musk visited Auschwitz-Birkenau with EJA President Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Ben Shapiro, Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev John, and others. Mr. Musk laid a wreath at the Wall of Death and participated in a brief memorial and service next to the Birkenau Monument,” the EJA said in an email.

Mr. Musk was slated to engage in a discussion on online anti-Semitism with Mr. Shapiro at a conference in Krakow ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27.

After acquiring the platform formerly known as Twitter in 2022, Musk has been accused of allowing anti-Semitic messages on the platform and has faced criticism from the Anti-Defamation League and others. His actions sparked protests from the White House and elsewhere in November, when he posted “You told the truth” at X to a user who accused Jews of hating white people and professing indifference to anti-Semitism. He later apologized for the comment, calling it the most “stupid” post he had ever made.

Last year, several major brands, including Disney and IBM, took action after liberal advocacy group Media Matters found that their ads were running alongside pro-Nazi content and white supremacist posts on the platform. Advertising on the platform was suspended, and Company X subsequently sued Media Matters, alleging that the Washington-based nonprofit created the report in an effort to “drive advertisers off the platform and destroy Company X.”

During World War II, over 1.1 million people, including Jews, Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, and homosexuals, were murdered at Auschwitz by the Nazis and their collaborators. In total, around 6 million European Jews lost their lives in the Holocaust, with approximately 7,000 survivors found when the Soviets liberated the camp.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Controversy Surrounds Identification of Tiny Tyrannosaur Fossil as Potentially Another Species

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Illustration of Nanotyrannus fighting a young Tyrannosaurus Rex

raul martin

tyrannosaurus rex After all, it may not have been the only large carnivore that ruled North America during the Late Cretaceous. Reinterpretation of some fossils of small dinosaurs sometimes classified as young dinosaurs tyrannosaurus This adds weight to the controversial idea that it is a separate small species called . Nanotyrannus lansensislived with the dinosaur king.

“This is the most famous fossil animal in the world,” he says Nicholas Longrich At the University of Bath, UK. “A lot of people are watching. And we can't agree.”

This debate has divided paleontologists for decades. A paper from the 1960s revealed that a skull excavated 20 years earlier in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana was tyrannosaurus that died before reaching full maturity. However, in the 1980s, others argued that the differences between the skull and known skulls were: tyrannosaurus The specimen showed that this fossil was actually an adult of another species, and they named it Nanotyrannus lansensis.

Recent studies based on additional fossils dispute this, arguing that the differences between miniature and full-sized fossils are: tyrannosaurus The fossils were not of different species, but of different times. This discussion has implications for understanding the ecology and diversity of dinosaurs in the period just before their extinction.

Now, with Longrich Evan Saitta Researchers at the University of Chicago have compiled six pieces of evidence that support identifying the smaller fossils as: Nanotyrannus. This includes cataloging more than 150 individual features that differ between the fossil in question and the known fossils. tyrannosaurus Fossils include things like a narrower snout and smoother teeth. They argue that all this cannot change between boys and adults. tyrannosaurus.

The researchers also analyzed the patterns of bone growth rings, which form when bones stop growing each year. As the animal grows slower, the distance between the growth rings decreases. Researchers say they found these rings to be tightened, suggesting that the smaller fossils represent young adults. Nanotyrannus Rather than a boy tyrannosaurus They rate these adults Nanotyrannus Their weight would be between 1,000 kg and 2,000 kg, equivalent to a quarter of an adult. tyrannosaurus 8000 kg. “No matter how you graph the data, you can’t turn it into an animal. tyrannosaurus” Longrich says.

The latest evidence is a fossilized frontal bone (located between the eye and skull) that Longrich unearthed from the archives of the University of California Museum of Paleontology, which researchers interpret as a juvenile fossil. tyrannosaurus Because it is definitely different from the hypothesis, Nanotyrannus fossil. “It's an animal smaller than a human.” Nanotyrannus But it is tyrannosaurus Morphology,” Longrich says.

Some outside researchers say they remain unsure that the tiny fossil is actually a separate species. “No problem Nanotyrannus If science proves it, it’s real.” holly woodward At Oklahoma State University written Juvenile species were identified in a tree ring survey conducted in 2020. tyrannosaurus explanation. “We’re not convinced that their interpretation is any more accurate than ours,” she said, adding that the fully grown animal specimens were “unusual.” Nanotyrannus It will be necessary to resolve different interpretations.

thomas carr A professor at Carthage College in Wisconsin has long argued that the fossil is a juvenile. tyrannosaurus, adding that the front bone found at Berkeley was too incomplete to sway him. “I don’t take this seriously at all,” he says.

scott parsons Professors at the College of Charleston in South Carolina are more welcoming of what he says is a new perspective on a long-stalled rift among paleontologists. “This new paper doesn’t settle this debate, but I’m optimistic that it will be a game-changer,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com