All posts tagged: idea

Iran rejects idea of using its assets to pay damages to US allies

Iran rejects idea of using its assets to pay damages to US allies

Published by Sam Flores

The Middle East conflict could saddle the region with as much as US$58 billion in repair costs for energy-linked infrastructure alone, according to a report by research firm Rystad Energy in April. Gharibabadi said any seizure, transfer or allocation of Iranian assets without the consent of the Iranian government would constitute “a new internationally wrongful act”, giving rise to US responsibility at a time when Washington claims to be seeking negotiation and understanding with Tehran. Such a move would also prompt an “appropriate response” from Iran, he said, without elaborating. Iran has been asking for a portion of its seized funds to be released by the US under a framework that the two countries are negotiating to end the Iran war. Gharibabadi said some regional governments had placed their territory and facilities “at the service of aggression against Iran” and were therefore not in a position to demand reparations. He said those governments must fully compensate Iran for damages inflicted on it. Tehran’s demands to end the war include the release of billions of dollars …

SEC’s Sankey Says Superleague Idea ‘Not Consistent With the Truth’

SEC’s Sankey Says Superleague Idea ‘Not Consistent With the Truth’

Published by Sam Flores

Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey said there’s no talk of a merger with the Big Ten and called the notion that the SEC wants to form a super league — the specter of which is being leveraged by lawmakers as a central threat to the future of college sports — as “not consistent with the truth.” Sankey, in an interview Friday on “The Paul Finebaum Show,” outlined the reasons the SEC does not support a bipartisan bill introduced last week in Congress that would regulate a college sports landscape that has changed dramatically in the new era of multimillion-dollar payrolls for players. The commissioner said there were “about one dozen big buckets” of issues the league needed to analyze in the first section of the 111-page bill. That first section does not include a proposal in a subsequent part — the rewrite of a 1961 broadcasting law that would allow conferences to pool their media rights. The SEC and Big Ten oppose that idea, which in this bill would make the pooling voluntary. “But I …

why introducing non-native species in rewilding projects can be a good idea

why introducing non-native species in rewilding projects can be a good idea

Published by skeptic

White storks (Ciconia ciconia) are a majestic bird with a two-metre wingspan and an enormous circular nest. The recent release of these stunning birds at multiple sites in England, with more releases planned and a public consultation under way has kicked off a debate about whether non-native birds should be part of rewilding projects. The government advising body Natural England says it does not consider white storks to be native birds. But some experts disagree and say it is a native species and was hunted into extinction in the 1400s. What is a native species? In the UK, native species are those which have been present throughout the last 12,000 years. This includes migratory species which breed in or visit the UK. It also includes species which have been eradicated by humans but reintroduced. In England, a license is needed to introduce any species which is not ordinarily resident, or a regular visitor, to England. This is partly because these species could become invasive, a term used when a species cause substantial environmental or socioeconomic …

I had no idea Android’s navigation buttons could do all this

I had no idea Android’s navigation buttons could do all this

Published by skeptic

If you use an Android phone, you probably tap the same three icons at the bottom of the screen. The triangle takes you back; the square shows your open apps; and the circle takes you to the home screen. This is the mindless way you’re accustomed to. Those three buttons are far more functional than you’ve ever imagined. The standard navigation only scratched the surface. I transformed them from the boring navigation options you know into a powerhouse command center. I configured these on my Samsung Galaxy A72 running One UI, but the underlying mechanics are universally built into Android. The instant app switcher Double-tap the square Afam Onyimadu / MUO Typically, when I tap the Recents button, I wait for the animation to appear, then scroll through the cards to find the app I need. However, within that same button is a faster shortcut I had not noticed. Double-tapping Android’s square button on the 3-button navigation bar toggles between the two most recently used apps. It’s very similar to the Windows Alt + Tab …

Is psychopathy a ‘zombie idea?’ Here’s why the evidence is so mixed

Is psychopathy a ‘zombie idea?’ Here’s why the evidence is so mixed

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore As an expert on personality disorders, people often ask me about psychopathy. It seems everybody has had an ex, a boss, a neighbour or a relative who they suspect has traits of it. People are curious about how to recognise psychopathy, and whether it can explain certain harmful behaviour. It’s easy to see why. Psychopathic people are everywhere – from books and movies to newspaper articles and academic papers. But while such questions are usually asked with confidence, the answers are far less straightforward. In fact, a growing number of academic papers have failed to find evidence that psychopathy exists at all. Could the disorder be something we’ve just invented because it’s convenient, doing away with old concepts of good and evil? Some experts believe so. But I am not so sure. Psychopathy is normally identified by a few specific traits. …

I unlocked my Galaxy with a different finger and it opened a totally different app — I had no idea this was possible

I unlocked my Galaxy with a different finger and it opened a totally different app — I had no idea this was possible

Published by skeptic

Fingerprint unlock is the best: it’s fast and it’s secure. Since phone makers have moved the fingerprint sensor under the screen, whether via optical sensor (which uses light to scan your unique fingerprint) or ultrasonic (which uses sound waves to scan your unique fingerprint), these sensors have gotten very convenient. What you might not know is that Samsung devices (which do a lot of tracking) have the built-in ability to launch different apps, and even perform different app actions (like launch camera and take selfie, or open Google Maps and navigate home) simply by using a different finger. That’s right: one finger unlocks, but you can have up to three more unlock AND perform an action. This saves a lot of time and lets you bypass your homescreen and go directly into the task that you want to do. Here’s how to set up this useful feature on your Samsung Galaxy. Related I’m never using a Samsung phone without this app again My secret to a better Samsung experience First, register multiple fingerprints You can …

Old Coal Mines as Giant Batteries: Brilliant Idea or Engineering Nightmare?

Old Coal Mines as Giant Batteries: Brilliant Idea or Engineering Nightmare?

Published by skeptic

Repurposing abandoned coal mines as large-scale energy storage facilities presents a compelling blend of engineering and sustainability. These mines, often equipped with existing infrastructure, could host technologies such as gravity storage, pumped hydro systems, or compressed air energy storage (CAES). Gravity storage, for example, involves raising and lowering heavy weights within mine shafts to store and release energy, offering a relatively simple and durable mechanism. However, as discussed by Just Have a Think, practical challenges like maintaining structural integrity and making sure economic viability complicate these proposals. Explore the specific benefits and constraints of each energy storage method, from the geological demands of pumped hydro systems to the technical hurdles of CAES. Learn how gravity storage operates within the unique environment of mine shafts and examine the potential for geothermal heat extraction to provide sustainable heating for nearby communities. By diving into these approaches, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of the opportunities and obstacles involved in converting old coal mines into functional energy assets. Gravity Storage: A Simple Concept with Complex Execution TL;DR Key Takeaways …

MFA verifies who logged in. It has no idea what they do next.

MFA verifies who logged in. It has no idea what they do next.

Published by skeptic

Every MFA check passed. Every login was legitimate. The compliance dashboard was green across every identity control. And the attacker was already inside, moving laterally through Active Directory with a valid session token, escalating privileges on a trajectory toward the domain controller. This is the scenario playing out inside enterprises that invested heavily in authentication and assumed the job was done. The credential was real. The multi-factor challenge was answered correctly. The system performed exactly as designed. It authenticated the user at the front door and never looked again. The breach didn’t bypass MFA. It started after MFA succeeded. Authentication proves identity at a single point in time. Then it goes blind. Everything that follows, the lateral movement, the privilege escalation, the quiet exfiltration through Active Directory, falls outside what MFA was ever designed to see. A CIO found the gap in production Alex Philips, CIO at NOV, identified the gap through operational testing. “We found a gap in our ability to revoke legitimate identity session tokens at the resource level. Resetting a password isn’t …

The House | Cost Of Living Champion Lord Walker: Rejoining The Single Market “Would Be A Terrible Idea”

The House | Cost Of Living Champion Lord Walker: Rejoining The Single Market “Would Be A Terrible Idea”

Published by Sam Flores

Photography by Roy J Baron 10 min read1 hr The government’s cost of living champion, Lord Walker, tells Noah Vickers about defecting from the Tories to Labour, Keir Starmer’s future and why rejoining the single market would be ‘a terrible idea’ Across Britain, almost two years after Labour won a landslide election victory promising to fix the cost of living crisis, millions of families are still unable to keep their homes warm or to access essential dental treatment, while millions more are skipping meals as they struggle to afford food. The government’s recently appointed ‘cost of living champion’ is not one of them and never has been. Lord Walker, the multi-millionaire boss of Iceland supermarkets, freely admits that he has never personally struggled with living costs. But that doesn’t mean he’s the wrong man for the job, he insists. “I make no secret of the fact that I’m very privileged in my background,” the 45-year-old peer tells The House. “I’ve come from a very entrepreneurial family. Both my granddads, who I …

Why fans obsess over the idea of a third park at Disneyland

Why fans obsess over the idea of a third park at Disneyland

Published by Sam Flores

Last week, news organizations and Disney bloggers learned that the Mouse House had filed building permits with the city of Anaheim related to a parking structure at Disneyland Resort. That immediately sparked rumors about a third park — a long-held dream of Walt Disney Co. fans who want to see more rides, themed areas and Mickey-related shopping destinations. But that will remain a dream — at least for the foreseeable future. Anaheim city officials confirmed as much in an internal email about one of the news articles, noting to City Council members and the mayor that the permits were, in fact, for minor parking lot improvements within the existing Toy Story parking structure off Harbor Boulevard. The email, which was reviewed by The Times, said the improvements were not related to an already-approved expansion of Disneyland Resort, or “what could ultimately be developed on the property in the future.” A Disneyland spokesperson told me the permits are related to painting and striping at the Toy Story parking structure. So much for a third theme park. …