Jan 30
Nurses Accused Of Selling Forged COVID-19 Vaccine Cards In $1.5 Million Scheme
Posted in: Today's ChiliJulie DeVuono and Marissa Urrao allegedly sold vaccination cards that were obtained through DeVuono’s health care practice in Long Island.
Jan 30
Ever since the omicron variant arrived in the US, there’s been a testing shortage in the country. Stuck between long lines at dedicated clinics and overly expensive at-home tests, many Americans have understandably given up the idea of getting tested to ensure they’re not sick with COVID-19. However, a solution to some of those problems could be on the way.
University of California, Santa Barbara
In a newly published paper spotted by Gizmodo, researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, detailed a system you can start using for about $100 should you already have access to a relatively modern phone. What’s more, they say early results show their process is nearly as accurate as a PCR test (and thankfully doesn’t involve tickling your brain).
In its current iteration, the system involves downloading the team’s Bacticount app to your phone, as well as making use of a hot plate and a cardboard box with a LED light. When you need to test yourself, you place a saliva sample onto a testing kit that costs about $7. You then drop a reactive solution that makes it easier for your phone’s rear camera to detect any viral RNA in the sample. The solution turns a bright red as it bonds with the viral material in your saliva. The Bacticount app then conducts a real-time analysis based on how quickly the solution turns red.
As you might imagine, there’s still plenty of work to be done before you can start using the SmaRT-LAMP test at home. The initial study is based on a small sample size involving 50 symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Moreover, the Bacticount app is so far only optimized to work with the Samsung Galaxy S9. Still, the system shows promise. While it was developed primarily to aid with testing in places that don’t have access to adequate resources, Dr. Michael Mann, the lead researcher on the project, told Gizmodo that it could be adapted for at-home use. He also said it could be modified to detect new COVID-19 variants and other pathogens like the flu.
Jan 30
Typing: a lot of us do it all day long. But what kind of wear and tear does that cause to our hands and arms and neck and shoulders and joints? Mine hurt all the time; I know that. I wish I could just type with my mind. But enough about the future not coming soon enough, the Glove80 wireless ergonomic keyboard is designed to eliminate as much stress as possible so you can type longer and faster without fatigue. But can it help push back project deadlines?
Currently, an already funded Kickstarter project, the ~$300 Glove80, is split into two pieces to be placed at a comfortable distance apart from one another, so you don’t have to round your shoulders while typing. The (patent pending!) thumb key layout places all six thumb keys within easy reach without rotating the palm, reducing hand and wrist movement while typing. Finally, the curved finger columns and contoured key wells “follow the fingers’ natural curling motion” to help minimize lateral finger movement. Plus, anybody that sees the keyboard on your desk will assume you’re an elite hacker – an added bonus!
The keyboard also features 16 RGB lighted keys and a choice of three different low-profile mechanical chocolate switches (clicky, tactile, and linear). It can be configured with any key layout you desire, including QWERTY, Colemak, Dvorak, or your personalized creation. So, will I finally be able to type over 20WPM? I doubt it; I’ve always been more of a hunt-and-pecker. Now, where’s that darn period key again? Ah – there it is.
[via Geeky Gadgets]
Jan 30
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Urge Spotify To Address ‘Serious Harms’ Of COVID Lies
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe couple has a multiyear partnership with the streaming company, which has been widely criticized for hosting Joe Rogan’s controversial podcast.
Jan 30
Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles is Jumping from YA Series to Animated Film
Posted in: Today's Chili
Film adaptations of popular YA books were all the rage during the early and mid-2010s, but with few exceptions and a jump to television, have largely fallen to the wayside for the 2020s. That makes it all the more interesting that Marissa Meyer’s beloved YA sci-fi series The Lunar Chronicles is not only being adapted…
Jan 30
The 35-year-old Spaniard now has one more major title than Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, his long-time rivals in the so-called Big Three.
Jan 30
FCC seeks to reduce rural broadband funding waste with new accountability program
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe Federal Communications Commission is ready to authorize more than $1.2 billion in funding through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Announced in 2019, the 10-year program seeks to expand broadband internet access across rural America. In an announcement spotted by The Verge, the FCC says the funding wave will see 23 broadband providers bring internet service to more than 1 million locations across 32 states.
The new Rural Broadband Accountability Plan will streamline our audit and verification processes while also making the results of verifications, audits, and latency testing publicly available for the first time. These safeguards will ensure that program providers do their jobs. https://t.co/LlU0nLvOGM
— Jessica Rosenworcel (@JRosenworcelFCC) January 28, 2022
Additionally, and maybe even more importantly, the FCC also announced the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan, a program to ensure recipients of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund are properly spending the funding they receive from the public.
As part of the program, the FCC plans to double the number of audits it conducts in 2022 compared to 2021. It will also subject the largest dollar recipients to on-site audits and random checks to ensure compliance. What’s more, the FCC plans to post the results of its audits, speed tests and latency testing to the USAC website so that the public can take part in the accountability process. “These new measures will help ensure that the providers we fund in this program will do the job,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said.
The announcement of the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan comes after the FCC said last year it was taking steps to “clean up” the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. In July, the agency revisited winning bids from the program’s December 2020 auction, which was overseen by former Chairman Ajit Pai, after it received complaints it “was poised to fund broadband to parking lots and well-served urban areas” rather than rural communities. The FCC sent letters to 197 organizations and companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, giving them the opportunity to withdraw their funding requests.
“This program can do great things, but it requires thoughtful oversight,” Rosenworcel said at the time. “That’s why we are refocusing the program on unserved areas and putting winning bidders on notice of their obligation to ensure that support goes to the areas that need it.”
Jan 30
The White House threatened Russia with financial sanctions if it invades Ukraine, but industries and individuals will likely continue to bear the brunt of them.
Jan 30
Studio Ghibli is one of the most beloved animation studios around, and their whimsical, resonant worlds are often worth revisiting every now and again just to feel something. For years, we’ve wondered what it would be like to have a theme park based around the studio’s various films, and later this year we’ll finally…
Jan 30
Spotify may have to contend with more than musicians leaving its platform. Author and researcher Brené Brown has paused releases of her Spotify-exclusive podcasts Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead “until further notice.” Brown didn’t explain the decision, but it came shortly after Neil Young and Joni Mitchell said they would remove their music from Spotify in protest against allegations Joe Rogan has been promoting COVID-19 misinformation.
We’ve asked Spotify for comment. The move came amid mounting criticism of Spotify over its handling of Rogan and misinformation, with the UK’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle (who themselves have a Spotify deal) voicing “concerns” over the streaming service’s approach. The couple’s Archewell foundation said “hundreds of millions” of people were hurt by misinformation each day, and that they hoped Spotify would “meet this moment” and make appropriate changes. The pair added they had been sharing worries with Spotify since April 2021.
Spotify previously said it aimed to strike a balance between listener safety and creator freedom, having removed over 20,000 COVID-related podcast episodes in line with its policies. CEO Daniel Ek has contended Spotify shouldn’t have editorial responsibility for podcasts.
If Brown’s move is in response to Rogan, it could put Spotify in an even more difficult position. The company is believed to have paid over $100 million to sign Rogan to a multi-year exclusive and has enjoyed his success (his podcast still tops US charts). However, that arrangement might prove costly if enough listeners leave — particularly those who were staying for exclusive podcasts like Brown’s. It might not be worth sticking to one star if Spotify ultimately bleeds too much talent and cash.
I will not be releasing any podcasts until further notice. To our #UnlockingUs and #DaretoLead communities, I’m sorry and I’ll let you know if and when that changes.
Stay awkward, brave, and kind. ❤️👊🏼❤️
— Brené Brown (@BreneBrown) January 29, 2022
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