AnActOfCreation

• Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, does not believe in cryptocurrencies, calling them a vehicle for scams and a Ponzi scheme.
• Torvalds was once rumored to be Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, but he clarified it was a joke and denied owning a Bitcoin fortune.
• Torvalds also dismissed the idea of technological singularity as a bedtime story for children, saying continuous exponential growth does not make sense.

• NFL counter-scheduled massive matchups opposite CFP games on Dec. 21, historically held by NFL, airing on broadcast television.
• CFP decided to battle on Saturday rather than during the work week in December, as scheduling was a major complication.
• CFP should stand its ground against NFL, prioritize creating the best product for fans, optimistic about upcoming matchups.

• /e/OS V2 is a de-Googled Android operating system with Android Auto support, UI enhancements, and privacy improvements.
• The update includes features like a new launcher app, App Lounge app store with privacy ratings, and a "wall of shame" for tracking apps.
• Based on LineageOS 20, /e/OS 2.0 offers bug fixes, security updates, and performance enhancements, along with device-specific improvements.

• Google Cloud accidentally deleted UniSuper's account and backups, causing a major data loss and downtime for the company.
• UniSuper was able to recover data from backups with a different provider after the incident.
• The incident highlighted the importance of having safeguards in place for cloud service providers to prevent such catastrophic events from occurring.

Direct link to video: https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1790799859899056132/pu/vid/avc1/1280x720/wisC0cfRP427swkT.mp4?tag=12

• Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker criticized Pride Month and suggested women should stay in the kitchen during a commencement address.
• Butker has had a successful career in the NFL, but his views on gender roles and Pride Month have sparked controversy.
• He also criticized the "church of nice" and expressed his beliefs in speaking truth despite going against diversity and inclusion.

• Proton Mail assisted Spanish authorities in identifying and arresting a member of the Catalan independence organization Democratic Tsunami.
• The company's end-to-end encrypted email platform aims to protect user data, but recent events suggest potential vulnerabilities.
• Proton Mail was also required to provide user data to Swiss authorities for a separate case involving a French climate activist, emphasizing the importance of proper Operational Security measures.

Also obligatory video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH626CXyNtE

The first Neuralink implant in a human malfunctioned after several threads recording neural activity retracted from the brain, the Elon Musk-owned startup revealed Wednesday.

The threads retracted in the weeks following the surgery in late January that placed the Neuralink hardware in 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh’s brain, the company said in a blog post.

This reduced the number of effective electrodes and the ability of Arbaugh, a quadriplegic, to control a computer cursor with his brain.

“In response to this change, we modified the recording algorithm to be more sensitive to neural population signals, improved the techniques to translate these signals into cursor movements, and enhanced the user interface,” Neuralink said in the blog post.

The company said the adjustments resulted in a “rapid and sustained improvement” in bits-per-second, a measure of speed and accuracy of cursor control, surpassing Arbaugh’s initial performance.

While the problem doesn’t appear to pose a risk to Arbaugh’s safety, Neuralink reportedly floated the idea of removing his implant, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The company has also told the Food and Drug Administration that it believes it has a solution for the issue that occurred with Arbaugh’s implant, the Journal reported.

The implant was placed just more than 100 days ago. In the blog post, the company touted Arbaugh’s ability to play online computer games, browse the internet, livestream and use other applications “all by controlling a cursor with his mind.”

• Boeing's Starliner spacecraft was favored to win a contract worth billions to develop a crew capsule over SpaceX.
• Boeing received $4.2 billion to develop a "commercial crew" transportation system, but ultimately lost the commercial crew space race.
• Boeing struggled to adjust to a fixed-price environment and faced financial pressure and technical challenges in developing Starliner.

• Star Wars Disney Plus shows should move away from Jedi-centric stories and explore other aspects of the Star Wars universe
• Andor is a successful example of a Star Wars show without Jedi, focusing on the Empire's control and morally gray characters
• Suggestions for new Star Wars show ideas include Pod Racing, Jawa Storage Wars, and One Man and His Droid, among others

• Rabbit R1, AI gadget, runs on Android app, not requiring "very bespoke AOSP" firmware as claimed by Rabbit.
• Rabbit R1 launcher app can run on existing Android phones, not needing system-level permissions for core functionality.
• Rabbit R1 firmware analysis shows minimal modifications to standard AOSP, contradicting claims of custom hardware necessity by Rabbit.