hacks
How a Massive Chinese Crime Ring Hacked Staples to Steal Millions
A sophisticated organized crime gang hacked into Staples, issued millions of dollars worth of gift cards, and went on a spending spree across the U.S.
News
'It Ain't Right:' Texas Said It Would Halt Data Center Permits. The State is Pushing Ahead Anyway
“The Caldwell Technology Park [...] the Stargate facility, and a bunch of other very large hyperscale facilities have gotten regulatory approvals [...] so it's not like a real pause."
scams
Police Say Scammers Used AI to Clone a Sheriff’s Voice
The scammers used the voice of a specific sheriff to impersonate him.
Newsletters
The Staples Gift Card Heist
A gang of hackers targets Staples, but not to buy things from Staples.
hacks
How a Massive Chinese Crime Ring Hacked Staples to Steal Millions
A sophisticated organized crime gang hacked into Staples, issued millions of dollars worth of gift cards, and went on a spending spree across the U.S.
The Abstract
This Might Be the Earliest Known Spear Murder In Earth’s History
Archaeologists have discovered a puncture wound from a spear in the shoulder blade of a Neanderthal that lived 75,000 years ago, offering a possible glimpse of early interpersonal violence.
Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: Doing Whatever
This week, we discuss a new pod setup, video games, and Elon's spending habits.
Podcast
Podcast: Cops Can Use AI to Pinpoint Your Home with Just One Photo
How Raven, previously known as Geospy, can now find which house a photo was taken in; why a judge ruled a Flock search unconstitutional; and the wild AI video in a court case.
Here’s What Telegram Giving Data to the U.S. Government Looks Like
Newly filed court records include a letter from Telegram to U.S. authorities in which the company shares user data following a court order.
AI
Cops Used AI Generated Photos of a Child to Lure Out a Suspected Predator
Christopher Thomas Mertens, a high school maintenance worker, was arrested after attempting to meet up with an AI persona that he thought was a 15 year old boy.
the abstract
Computers Made of Human Brain Tissue Identify Braille Letters In Breakthrough
Scientists discovered that human brain organoids, which are small neural clusters derived from stem cells, could identify the Braille alphabet with a high degree of accuracy.
News
Nidal Hasan’s Public Execution Is Off, But Propagandists Are Still Using Him as a Martyr
News that the Pentagon would livestream the killer’s execution turned him into a celebrity in Islamist and extremist circles.
AI
Accenture Tells Employees They Can Now Spend Only $29 on Claude Per Month
Some employees who spend as much as $1,000 on Claude usage each month are scrambling to find ways to maintain access to the tool.