Uplifting News GlitzyArmrest • 2 months ago • 100%

www.kitsapdailynews.com

> A late South Kitsap resident’s wish to aid those who once cared for him was fulfilled in grand fashion July 23 with SK Fire and Rescue ceremoniously unveiling a state-of-the-art addition to its EMT fleet purchased entirely through donated assets. > Ron Johnson’s appreciation for SKF&R had already been strong, his brother Jerry having served as a volunteer firefighter in the 70s and his family demonstrating decades of support before that. That appreciation would grow substantially when he took a nasty fall in December 2006, prompting his life partner Robert Roblee to call 911. > His gratitude for the service rendered to him went beyond words, going so far as to bequeath some of his own property to be transferred to and sold by SKF&R upon his death in order to fund a new ambulance. Following Johnson’s passing on May 7, 2021, the sale rose roughly $450,000 according to SKF&R chief Jeff Faucett, with just under $369,000 being used to acquire said ambulance and the associated equipment. > Roblee returned to Pilgrim Firs to celebrate the awaited fulfillment of the shared agreement with SKF&R and his late partner just two days short of the three-year mark of Johnson’s celebration of life at that very site. With the on-site Pride Garden created in Johnson’s memory behind him and the new ambulance to his left, Roblee declared to the attendees of a brief ceremony, “South Kitsap Fire and Rescue gave Ron 15 more years of life…and for me 15 more years of love.”

Kitsap GlitzyArmrest • 2 months ago • 100%

www.kitsapdailynews.com

> A late South Kitsap resident’s wish to aid those who once cared for him was fulfilled in grand fashion July 23 with SK Fire and Rescue ceremoniously unveiling a state-of-the-art addition to its EMT fleet purchased entirely through donated assets. > Ron Johnson’s appreciation for SKF&R had already been strong, his brother Jerry having served as a volunteer firefighter in the 70s and his family demonstrating decades of support before that. That appreciation would grow substantially when he took a nasty fall in December 2006, prompting his life partner Robert Roblee to call 911. > His gratitude for the service rendered to him went beyond words, going so far as to bequeath some of his own property to be transferred to and sold by SKF&R upon his death in order to fund a new ambulance. Following Johnson’s passing on May 7, 2021, the sale rose roughly $450,000 according to SKF&R chief Jeff Faucett, with just under $369,000 being used to acquire said ambulance and the associated equipment. > Roblee returned to Pilgrim Firs to celebrate the awaited fulfillment of the shared agreement with SKF&R and his late partner just two days short of the three-year mark of Johnson’s celebration of life at that very site. With the on-site Pride Garden created in Johnson’s memory behind him and the new ambulance to his left, Roblee declared to the attendees of a brief ceremony, “South Kitsap Fire and Rescue gave Ron 15 more years of life…and for me 15 more years of love.”

Seattle GlitzyArmrest • 5 months ago • 100%

www.seattletimes.com

> Rank-and-file Seattle police officers voted in favor of a new, partial three-year contract that, if approved by the Seattle City Council, will give them immediate retroactive raises totaling 23%. > The agreement, announced by Mayor Bruce Harrell on Monday, will make Seattle officers the highest paid in the state, leapfrogging them from 29th. A starting officer will make $103,000 a year, up from $83,000. > Negotiations are not finished, however. The agreement covers 2021, when the previous contract expired, through 2023. City negotiators and the Seattle Police Officers Guild left 2024 unresolved and called in a mediator with the Public Employment Relations Commission to help. But I thought the police were defunded!! /s

Kitsap GlitzyArmrest • 5 months ago • 100%

www.seattletimes.com

> But what could have turned into a coronation now has the looks of a competitive race, with three veteran state officials vying for the seat representing the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas in the U.S. House. > Franz, a Democrat, has opened up an early fundraising lead. But state Sen. Emily Randall, also a Democrat, has collected more high-profile endorsements from the state’s congressional delegation, indicating a split among the Democratic establishment. Republican state Sen. Drew MacEwen lags in fundraising but says he’s confident he can flip the seat, just as he previously won open state House and state Senate seats that had been held by Democrats.

World News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 98%

www.seattletimes.com

> In the week since a line of Japanese health supplements began being recalled, five people have died and more than 100 people were hospitalized as of Friday. > Osaka-based Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. came under fire for not going public quickly with problems known internally as early as January. The first public announcement came March 22. > Company officials said 114 people were being treated in hospitals after taking products, including Benikoji Choleste Help meant to lower cholesterol, that contain an ingredient called benikoji, a red species of mold. Earlier in the week, the number of deaths stood at two people. > Some people developed kidney problems after taking the supplements, but the exact cause was still under investigation in cooperation with government laboratories, according to the manufacturer.

3DPrinting GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 100%

I think it's finally upgrade time. While I love my Neptune 2, it definitely has its issues. Ideally, my next printer would have: * Built-in auto leveling, so I don't have to install a BL Touch * An enclosure * Be slightly larger than the Neptune 2 * Open source firmware * OctoPrint support I was looking at the Prusa MK4, but it seems like a high price for what you get. Any recommendations?

News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 98%

> Republicans are entering a months-long stretch of legislating with their smallest House majority in decades. And the margin is about to tighten even more. > Departures from the House have whittled down the Republican caucus from 222 to 219, meaning the party can only afford to lose two members and still pass legislation when everyone is attending and voting. > Another Republican, Rep. Ken Buck (Colo.), announced Tuesday that he would vacate his seat at the end of next week. > Meanwhile, Congress is staring down a deadline next Friday to fund about 70 percent of the government — including the Defense, State and Homeland Security departments. It could further complicate a stalled border security bill and aid package for Ukraine and Israel. > Democrats are likely to add another lawmaker to their ranks after a special election in a deep-blue, Buffalo-area district in late April. The next special election in a red district isn’t until May 21.

News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 99%

phys.org

> American oil and natural gas wells, pipelines and compressors are spewing three times the amount of the potent heat-trapping gas methane as the government thinks, causing $9.3 billion in yearly climate damage, a new comprehensive study calculates. > But because more than half of these methane emissions are coming from a tiny number of oil and gas sites, 1% or less, this means the problem is both worse than the government thought but also fairly fixable, said the lead author of a study in Wednesday's journal Nature. > The same issue is happening globally. Large methane emissions events around the world detected by satellites grew 50% in 2023 compared to 2022 with more than 5 million metric tons spotted in major fossil fuel leaks, the International Energy Agency reported Wednesday in their Global Methane Tracker 2024. World methane emissions rose slightly in 2023 to 120 million metric tons, the report said. > "This is really an opportunity to cut emissions quite rapidly with targeted efforts at these highest emitting sites," said lead author Evan Sherwin, an energy and policy analyst at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Lab who wrote the study while at Stanford University. "If we can get this roughly 1% of sites under control, then we're halfway there because that's about half of the emissions in most cases." > Sherwin said the fugitive emissions come throughout the oil and gas production and delivery system, starting with gas flaring. That's when firms release natural gas to the air or burn it instead of capturing the gas that comes out of energy extraction. There's also substantial leaks throughout the rest of the system, including tanks, compressors and pipelines, he said.

News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 100%

www.theguardian.com

> The Massachusetts governor, Maura Healey, announced plans to pardon all simple marijuana possession charges from the state, which could affect “hundreds of thousands” who have faced charges. > “We believe this is the most sweeping cannabis pardon announced by any governor in the United States. The reason we do this is simple: justice requires it,” Healey said at a press conference on Wednesday. > Though the state does not have exact numbers of how many people the pardon will affect, Healey said it could be “hundreds of thousands” in Massachusetts. > The pardon does not cover other marijuana-related charges, including those related to distribution or driving under the influence. Without the pardon, simple marijuana possession charges can show up on people’s criminal records, affecting their ability to obtain a job or housing.

Kitsap GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 100%

> Laurynn Evans is resigning as superintendent of North Kitsap School District, according to the district's school board agenda updated Tuesday morning. > Evans' resignation is listed among personnel recommendations that will be reviewed by board directors as a consent agenda item during Thursday's regularly-scheduled meeting. > Evans, who became North Kitsap's superintendent in 2017 and signed a three-year contract with NKSD in 2023, was put on paid leave by the board after she was named as the suspect in a Jan. 26 theft of signs opposing the district's February bond measure, which failed. Evans entered into a pretrial diversion agreement Feb. 28 while appearing at Kitsap County District Court over a misdemeanor charge of removing or defacing political advertising.

News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 97%

www.seattletimes.com

> Kohberger’s public defenders had argued that a grand jury seated by prosecutors improperly indicted him on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. They contended that Idaho law left open the idea that grand jurors must reach the higher legal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt — the same as at trial to convict a defendant — rather than the longstanding threshold of probable cause to indict. > In the one-page Supreme Court ruling issued Tuesday afternoon, the justices offered no legal rationale for their denial of the motion to appeal from Kohberger’s attorneys. The document was signed by Melanie Gagnepain, clerk of the Idaho Supreme Court.

News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 92%

> The King County Prosecutor’s Office said Officer Noah Zech, 40, was justified in firing a single round from his patrol rifle, striking Shaun Fuhr in the back of the head as Fuhr fled through a construction site in the 4100 block of 37th Avenue South after police responded to a report of domestic violence and child abduction. > The city’s civilian-run Office of Police Accountability previously found Zech’s actions fell within the department’s policies. The office also dismissed complaints of biased policing — Zech is white and Fuhr was Black — and failure to de-escalate the situation before resorting to deadly force. > King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion met with Fuhr’s family and their attorneys before publicly releasing her office’s findings. A federal civil-rights lawsuit from Fuhr’s family is pending against the city and Zech in U.S. District Court in Seattle. > In addition to an internal investigation by OPA, the city in a rare move had asked the King County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the shooting, along with the SPD’s Force Investigation Team and Firearms Review Board. > Zech, a member of SPD’s SWAT team and longtime department veteran, was among a large number of officers who had responded to a frantic 911 call from a woman who said she had been beaten by her boyfriend, who fired a shot at her and had taken their 1-year-old daughter, according to police. The woman reported her boyfriend, Fuhr, had assaulted her throughout the day, and police said she had significant injuries. > The police department released a copy of the woman’s frantic 911 call and a clip of body-camera video from another officer who was pursuing Fuhr. > The lawsuit — filed by Fuhr’s father on behalf of his granddaughter — alleges she wasn’t in danger and that police, when they caught up with Fuhr about a half hour after the initial call, could see he was not armed, was not threatening officers, and was complying with their commands. > The body-camera video shows several officers chasing Fuhr through a small parking lot and down the side of a building, where they confront him. Fuhr was holding the child when he was shot, and another officer ran and picked up the child. Police said the infant wasn’t physically injured. > The department said a handgun was found “nearby.” > “At the time Shaun was shot, he was unarmed and cradling his infant daughter in his arms,” the family’s lawsuit said.

News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 100%

www.seattletimes.com

> A six-week audit by the Federal Aviation Administration of Boeing’s production of the 737 MAX jet found dozens of problems throughout the manufacturing process at the plane maker and one of its key suppliers, according to a slide presentation reviewed by The New York Times. > The air-safety regulator initiated the examination after a door panel blew off a 737 MAX 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight in early January. Last week, the agency announced that the audit had found “multiple instances” in which Boeing and the supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, failed to comply with quality-control requirements, though it did not provide specifics about the findings. > The presentation reviewed by the Times, though highly technical, offers a more detailed picture of what the audit turned up. Since the Alaska Airlines episode, Boeing has come under intense scrutiny over its quality-control practices, and the findings add to the body of evidence about manufacturing lapses at the company. > For the portion of the examination focused on Boeing, the FAA conducted 89 product audits, a type of review that looks at aspects of the production process. The plane maker passed 56 of the audits and failed 33 of them, with a total of 97 instances of alleged noncompliance, according to the presentation. > The FAA also conducted 13 product audits for the part of the inquiry that focused on Spirit AeroSystems, which makes the fuselage, or body, of the 737 MAX. Six of those audits resulted in passing grades, and seven resulted in failing ones, the presentation said. > At one point during the examination, the air-safety agency observed mechanics at Spirit using a hotel key card to check a door seal, according to a document that describes some of the findings. That action was “not identified/documented/called-out in the production order,” the document said. > In another instance, the FAA saw Spirit mechanics apply liquid Dawn soap to a door seal “as lubricant in the fit-up process,” according to the document. The door seal was then cleaned with a wet cheesecloth, the document said, noting that instructions were “vague and unclear on what specifications/actions are to be followed or recorded by the mechanic.”

News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 95%

> The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said a 911 call around 7:40 p.m. Sunday reported the crash outside the city of Madras, and deputies found the site with the help of power company officials. > “Due to the extent of the crash there were no survivors,” the sheriff’s Facebook post said. > Authorities did not specify the number of passengers in the single-engine plane. The sheriff’s office says it won’t release the names of the victims until identities are confirmed and families are notified. > The National Transportation Safety Board said it has opened an investigation into the crash, which involved a Piper PA-32. It will oversee the probe along with the Federal Aviation Administration, the sheriff’s office said. > The NTSB said one of its investigators arrived at the site Monday afternoon to document the wreckage before it’s sent to a secure facility for further evaluation. > Local power company officials found the wreckage after looking into a power outage in the area, the federal agency said in an email.

News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 98%

www.seattletimes.com

> U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the Federal Aviation Administration will rigorously assess Boeing after the blowout of a fuselage section on an Alaska Airlines flight in January. > To maintain airline safety, “that means an enormous amount of rigor in dealing with Boeing, in dealing with any regulatory issue,” Buttigieg said on Fox News Sunday. “And that’s exactly what the FAA is doing.” > Boeing has faced scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators and increasingly passengers after a series of high-profile flight incidents this year, most notably the blowout of a fuselage section on a brand-new 737 MAX 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. > Shares of Boeing fell 1.6% in premarket U.S. trading on Monday, after reports over the weekend that the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into the Alaska Air incident. The head of Delta Air Lines Inc. told Bloomberg separately that he expects further delays to the yet-to-be certified 737 MAX 10.

Kitsap GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 100%

www.kitsapsun.com

> A reported discharge in Sinclair Inlet wasn't a sewage overflow, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard said Friday night, but rather consisted of stormwater and treated oily wastewater, and a seven-day no-contact advisor for the waterway was rescinded by the Kitsap Public Health District. > The Health District had announced a sewage spill and a no-contact advisory on Thursday evening. > According to a statement issued by the shipyard's spokesperson Adrienne Burns, on Wednesday morning public works personnel discovered a flooded utility vault that required urgent repair. Personnel believed the vault was flooded with rainwater, and didn't observe any oil or other pollution indicators in the vault before starting their pumping, the shipyard told Kitsap Sun. > "At the first indication there was oil in the vault, pumping was stopped," according to the statement. "Upon entering, public works personnel found broken ship’s Collection, Handling, and Transfer (CHT) piping which indicated there could be domestic wastewater from vessels in the discharge. This CHT piping also carries treated wastewater from the Oily Wastewater Treatment System.

News GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 98%

www.seattletimes.com

> By the close of Washington’s legislative session last week, state lawmakers had added more funding to help reduce health care insurance costs for undocumented immigrants, as the state also prepares to expand Apple Health, its free or low-cost health insurance, to the same population in July. > This year, the Legislature added $28.4 million, nearly twice as much as its first allocation of such funding during the 2023 session, to continue helping the 16,000 individuals who applied for coverage during the recent enrollment period, which ended Jan. 15. > In May 2022, Washington was the first state to file a waiver application to allow undocumented immigrants to buy private health insurance; a year later, the waiver was approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Treasury. > The waiver meant undocumented immigrants could apply for Medicaid or shop for private health care insurance through Healthplanfinder, the website to apply for health care in Washington. > Mixed-status families, or families with different citizenship or immigration statuses, can also purchase private insurance coverage together.

Seattle GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 100%

www.seattletimes.com

> A collision on Interstate 5 just north of Everett has caused a 6-mile backup for drivers traveling south, the Washington State Department of Transportation said Monday morning. > The department first posted about the closure on X shortly before 7 a.m. WSDOT’s real-time traffic map showed the backup stretching through Marysville around 8 a.m. > Drivers should avoid the area if possible or prepare for delays, the department said.

Seattle GlitzyArmrest • 6 months ago • 100%

www.seattletimes.com

> A Washington State Ferries crew on Saturday helped the Coast Guard rescue six people and two dogs from a boat in Rosario Strait. > A 37-foot cabin cruiser called for assistance during “nasty weather” near Decatur Island just before 1 p.m., the Coast Guard station in Bellingham said. A wave over the bow shattered the boat’s front windshield, injuring some of the boaters and causing the vessel to take on water. > The boaters shared their GPS position before their radio shorted out and they lost communications. The Coast Guard issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast — a radio message for all boaters in the area — and dispatched vessels and a helicopter.

Kitsap GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 100%

www.kitsapdailynews.com

> Pets of homeless and low-income people now have a place to get emergency veterinary care with the opening of Kitsap Humane Society’s Lifesaving Center. > “One of the harsh realities now is there are a lot of people who are in need and aren’t able to get (their pets) access to desperately needed care,” said Dr. Jen Stonequist, co-interim executive director at KHS. “What we are doing for the people and animals that need us is really important. The ability of this community to support a clinic that helps people, when facing hard times, to keep their pets is really incredible. > “It’s going to be a game-changer,” Stonequist said. > The center – officially called the Russ and Linda Young Veterinary Lifesaving Center – primarily serves dogs and cats. The $10.1 million facility will treat an estimated 2,500 animals each year. > The center formally opened in March but during a pilot period, as the complex geared up to full operation, the staff provided critical surgeries to select animals. Dozens of furry patients were assisted during this preliminary stage. Here are a few examples: > Hulk, a 102-pound pitbull, had a hematoma on his right ear. Removing the swelling required expensive surgery the owners could not afford. After a successful surgery and a lot of drool, Hulk returned to health and was reunited with his family. > Mercury, a brown tabby cat, had been hit by a car in Bremerton and incurred extensive injuries to his hind legs and hips. The owners took him to emergency care but were unable to pay for needed services. The family took the animal to KHS to be euthanized. But veterinary team members examined the tabby and had another idea. After an operation, follow-up care and daily bandage changes, Mercury made a full recovery. > Judah, a 7-year-old cat with eye issues, was found as a stray in Bremerton. The feline was brought to the shelter suffering from bilateral entropion, a condition in which the animal’s eyelashes rub against the eye causing injury. The owner was unable to afford the procedure. But the lifesaving center performed surgery, and Judah was reunited with its owner. > The center provides services ranging from standard spay and neuter procedures to operations. > “We will be doing general practitioner emergency-type procedures. We will assist with things like foreign body surgery, like animals eating something they shouldn’t, with amputation surgeries, with exploratory surgeries if an animal has a mass removal, and wound repair. We will also be doing dental procedures, like cleanings and extractions,” Stonequist said. > The center features a community clinic that provides services similar to those available at a neighborhood vet. “We will be seeing things like eye and skin infections, upper respiratory and lameness, inappetence, and older pets that are ill,” she said, adding medical services will be provided on a sliding scale. > The building has two operating rooms, a dental suite, examination areas, and prep and recovery rooms. > Humane society personnel toured similar facilities around the nation to help design the 6,500-square-foot center. Bremerton’s Rice Fergus Miller was the architect. The late Dr. Jim Moore, a beloved Kingston veterinarian for over 30 years, influenced the project. “He was passionate about providing care for the community and pets in need,” Stonequist said.

Kitsap GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 100%

www.kitsapsun.com

> On the heels of the Legislature approving more funding for ferry services in the session that concludes this week, another four “Fix our Ferries” town halls have been scheduled for community members in Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Kingston and Poulsbo. > On Saturday Rep. Greg Nance, D-Bainbridge Island, will host the first town hall, from 10 a.m. to noon in Bremerton at the Norm Dicks Government Center, 345 Sixth Street. A second town hall that day is scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m. at the Bainbridge Island Senior Community Center, 370 Brien Dr. > The following Saturday, March 16, Nance will host a meeting in Kingston, at the Village Green community center from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by a final meeting at Poulsbo City Hall, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. > The community meetings follow three previous “Fix our Ferries” town halls that Nance hosted in Bremerton, Bainbridge and Kingston, which drew an attendance of about 50 people each. There, Nance listened to testimonies from attendees on how the weakened ferry system had affected their personal lives, and how they would like to see it changed. > One of Nance’s top priorities has been advocating for a stronger ferry system during his freshman session in Olympia. He’s worked to fund a Washington State ferries commission and conduct an economic impact study on ferry cancellations and delays in the House transportation budget. The budget has allotted millions of dollars to support vessel maintenance, staff recruiting and training, service along the Bremerton to Seattle fast ferry route and terminal upgrades.

Technology GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 97%

arstechnica.com

> Democratic lawmakers are probing SpaceX over Russia's reported use of Starlink in Ukraine, saying that recent developments raise questions about SpaceX's "compliance with US sanctions and export controls." > SpaceX CEO Elon Musk last month denied what he called "false news reports [that] claim that SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia," saying that, "to the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia." But Musk's statement didn't satisfy US Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), who sent a letter to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell yesterday. > "Starlink is an invaluable resource for Ukrainians in their fight against Russia's brutal and illegitimate invasion. It is alarming that Russia may be obtaining and using your technology to coordinate attacks against Ukrainian troops in illegally occupied regions in Eastern and Southern Ukraine, potentially in violation of US sanctions and export controls," Raskin and Garcia wrote. > Musk has also stated that "Starlink satellites will not close the link in Russia." However, the concerns raised by Rankin and Garcia are about whether Russia used the broadband service in Ukraine. Their letter said that Ukraine last month "released intercepted audio communications between Russian soldiers that indicated Russian forces had illegally deployed and activated Starlink terminals in certain Russian-occupied areas in Eastern Ukraine."

Technology GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 96%

arstechnica.com

> Astra's long, strange trip in the space business is taking another turn. The company announced Thursday that it is going private at an extremely low valuation. > Four years ago, the rocket company, based in Alameda, California, emerged from stealth with grand plans to develop a no-frills rocket that could launch frequently. "The theme that really makes this company stand out, which will capture the imagination of our customers, our investors, and our employees, is the idea that every day we will produce and launch a rocket," Astra co-founder Chris Kemp said during a tour of the factory in February 2020. > Almost exactly a year later, on February 2, 2021, Astra went public via a special purpose acquisition company (or SPAC). "The transaction reflects an implied pro-forma enterprise value for Astra of approximately $2.1 billion," the company stated at the time. For a time, the company's stock even traded above this valuation. > But then, rockets started failing. Only two of the seven launches of the company's "Rocket 3" vehicle were successful. In August 2022, the company announced a pivot to the larger Rocket 4 vehicle. It planned to begin conducting test launches in 2023, but that did not happen. Accordingly, the company's stock price plummeted. > Last November Kemp and the company's co-founder, Adam London, proposed to buy Astra shares at $1.50, approximately double their price. The company's board of directors did not accept the deal. Then, in late February, Kemp and London sharply cut their offer to take the company private, warning of "imminent bankruptcy" if the company doesn’t accept their new proposal. They offered $0.50 a share, well below the trading value of approximately $0.80 a share > On Thursday, Astra said that this deal was being consummated.

Technology GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 98%

arstechnica.com

> Attackers have transformed hundreds of hacked sites running WordPress software into command-and-control servers that force visitors’ browsers to perform password-cracking attacks. > A web search for the JavaScript that performs the attack showed it was hosted on 708 sites at the time this post went live on Ars, up from 500 two days ago. Denis Sinegubko, the researcher who spotted the campaign, said at the time that he had seen thousands of visitor computers running the script, which caused them to reach out to thousands of domains in an attempt to guess the passwords of usernames with accounts on them. > **Visitors unwittingly recruited** > “This is how thousands of visitors across hundreds of infected websites unknowingly and simultaneously try to bruteforce thousands of other third-party WordPress sites,” Sinegubko wrote. “And since the requests come from the browsers of real visitors, you can imagine this is a challenge to filter and block such requests.” > Like the hacked websites hosting the malicious JavaScript, all the targeted domains are running the WordPress content management system. The script—just 3 kilobits in size—reaches out to an attacker-controlled getTaskURL, which in turn provides the name of a specific user on a specific WordPress site, along with 100 common passwords. When this data is fed into the browser visiting the hacked site, it attempts to log into the targeted user account using the candidate passwords. The JavaScript operates in a loop, requesting tasks from the getTaskURL reporting the results to the completeTaskURL, and then performing the steps again and again.

News GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 96%

www.seattletimes.com

> China’s hackers-for-hire take government officials out for lavish banquets, binge drinking and late-night karaoke with young women in a bid to win favor and business, as revealed in a highly unusual leak last month of internal documents from a private contractor linked to Chinese police. > China’s hacking industry is vast in size and scope but also suffers from shady business practices, disgruntlement over pay and work quality, and poor security protocols, the documents show. > Private hacking contractors are companies that steal data from other countries to sell to the Chinese authorities. Over the past two decades, Chinese state security’s demand for overseas intelligence has soared, giving rise to a vast network of these private hackers-for-hire companies that have infiltrated hundreds of systems outside China. > Though the existence of these hacking contractors is an open secret in China, little was known about how they operate. But the leaked documents from a firm called I-Soon have pulled back the curtain, revealing a seedy, sprawling industry where corners are cut and rules are murky and poorly enforced in the quest to make money.

News GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 98%

> The federal judge who oversaw a New York defamation trial that resulted in an $83.3 million award to a longtime magazine columnist who says Donald Trump raped her in the 1990s refused Thursday to relieve the ex-president from the verdict's financial pinch. > Judge Lewis A. Kaplan told Trump's attorney in a written order that he won't delay deadlines for posting a bond that would ensure 80-year-old writer E. Jean Carroll can be paid the award if the judgment survives appeals. > The judge said any financial harm to the Republican front-runner for the presidency results from his slow response to the late-January verdict in the defamation case resulting from statements Trump made about Carroll while he was president in 2019 after she revealed her claims against him in a memoir.

News GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 99%

> DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republicans in Iowa’s House of Representatives approved a bill Thursday that would criminalize the death of an “unborn person” — over Democrats’ concerns about how it might apply to in vitro fertilization, after an Alabama court found frozen embryos can be considered children. > Iowa’s law currently outlines penalties for termination or serious injury to a “human pregnancy,” but the proposed bill would amend the language to pertain to “causing of death of, or serious injury to, an unborn person,” defined as “an individual organism … from fertilization to live birth.” > It’s one of many bills being considered by state Legislatures around the country that would expand legal and constitutional protections for embryos and fetuses, a long-time goal of the anti-abortion movement. > The bill still would need to pass the state Senate and be signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds to become law.

Rivian GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 100%

stories.rivian.com

> **R2 is our versatile new midsize SUV with room for five people and all their gear.** > Designed for big adventures as well as everyday use with its exceptional utility, performance and capability, R2 is expected to start around $45,000* and is available to reserve today in the U.S. for $100 ($150 in Canada). R2 deliveries are slated to begin in the first half of 2026. > **R3 is a midsize crossover designed with even tighter dimensions and at a lower price point than R2.** > **R3X is the performance variant of R3.** It further demonstrates the scalability of our midsize platform and delivers even more dynamic capabilities both on- and off-road. > **R2 and R3 will feature two battery sizes.** The larger pack will achieve over 300 miles of range on a single charge and offer 0-60 mph acceleration in under 3 seconds for the quickest powertrain configuration. > **R2 and R3 are built on an all-new midsize vehicle platform, developed to deliver amazing performance, range and cost efficiency.** > This platform consolidates and eliminates parts thanks to intelligent design, including the use of high pressure die castings, a structural battery unit where the top of the pack also serves as the floor, and closure systems that dramatically reduce complexity. R2 and R3 also utilize Rivian’s drivetrain platform and internally developed network architecture, computer topology and software stack. > **Three Motor Variants:** Leveraging Rivian’s in-house drive unit platform and technology, there will be Single-Motor (RWD), Dual-Motor (AWD), and Tri-Motor (two motors in rear and one in front) configurations, with the quickest configuration delivering 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds. > **Structural Battery:** Utilizes an all-new 4695 cell that offers significant improvements in energy density and output, estimated to deliver over 300 miles of range on a single charge for both R2 and R3. > **Fast Charging:*** DC fast charging is compatible with both NACS (native) and CCS (with adapter), charging from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes. > **Self Driving:** Utilizing our new perception stack featuring 11 cameras, five radars and a more powerful compute platform, R2 and R3 will provide dramatically enhanced autonomous capabilities. > **Ever improving and expanding features:** As with all Rivian vehicles, Rivian has developed its network architecture, topology of computers and associated full software platform to facilitate frequent software updates – the headroom for feature growth over time is extremely exciting. > **R2 and R3 demonstrate how Rivian’s unmistakable design language adapts to different vehicle sizes and form factors. ** > R2's four passenger windows and rear powered glass drop fully, and the powered rear quarter windows vent to invite the outside in, creating a unique open-air driving experience. > With R3, its hatch-style design maximizes space while keeping a sporty, athletic silhouette. > **Interior Space** > With an extreme focus on rear passenger legroom, even long trips in R2 and R3 are comfortable. With the seats folding completely flat, ample sized front and rear trunks, and additional interior storage, there is space for everyone and all their gear. > **Refined Touches** > Rivian’s new steering wheel with integrated haptic control dials makes it easier to stay focused on the road ahead. > Materials balance durability and sustainability with easy to clean textiles and finishes. > **A new line of Rivian Adventure Gear is also on the horizon.** > We'll start later this year with our new Travel Kitchen and Hangout Lights. We are also looking forward to expanding the Adventure Gear assortment in the future with the Rivian Treehouse, our take on the rooftop tent bringing the nostalgia of an epic childhood fort with a lighting system, interior fan and incredible views. > Our custom Bike Mount holds up to two bikes and simply snaps into place easily using our Rear Accessory Ports, no tools needed. Our Cargo Box provides additional storage and can also be paired with our Travel Kitchen to expand your culinary suite with a Water Tank, Cooler and Cookware Set. > **Reservations for R2 start today** with a refundable deposit of $100 for U.S. residents and $150 for Canadian residents. > Reservations for R3, R3X and for international residents interested in R2 will follow at a later date.

Seattle GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 100%

www.seattletimes.com

> Tuesday marked a sure sign of the approach of the forthcoming season: For the first time this year, the sun set after 6 p.m. in Seattle. > As things outside are blooming and brightening, we’ll continue our ride of increasing daylight through June 21, when we’ll have nearly 16 hours of daylight and a 9:11 p.m. sunset. > But if you can’t wait until June for later sunsets, you’re in luck. Just around the corner, on Sunday, we’ll all spin our clocks one hour forward due to daylight saving time. The sun will set that day at 7:08 p.m., according to Time and Date. > Winter will have us in its frigid grasp a little longer this week before making room for springlike conditions. > It will be a “very quiet” start to the day Wednesday in Western Washington, according to the National Weather Service, although a large swatch of clouds over the Olympic Peninsula may seep eastward into the Interstate 5 corridor by the morning commute.

News GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 100%

www.seattletimes.com

> The gnarled icon of the Old West — ominously featured in movies as gunslingers square off on dusty streets and townsfolk shake behind curtained windows — rolled in over the weekend and kept rolling until blanketing some homes and streets in suburban Salt Lake City. > Crews on Tuesday continued to plow, load and haul carcasses of twisted and dried tumbleweeds from neighborhoods in South Jordan, Utah, four days after scores of the beachball-sized plants were bounced in by heavy winds. > “People woke up Saturday morning and it looked like these huge walls had been erected made of tumbleweed,” said Dawn Ramsey, South Jordan’s mayor. “We had entire streets in some of our neighborhoods completely blocked. They wrapped around homes.”

Seattle GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 91%

www.seattletimes.com

> Renton police said Tuesday that detectives suspect foul play in the disappearance of Reyna Hernandez, who was last seen Feb. 26. Friends reported two days later that Hernandez hadn’t returned home, answered her phone or shown up to work at her hair salon in the Renton Highlands. > Detectives found evidence indicating Hernandez was taken against her will, according to police. > A friend told police he spoke with Hernandez as she was running errands the morning of Feb. 26 and told him she was going to a home in south Renton. > Police said family and friends still hadn’t heard from Hernandez on Tuesday, which is highly unusual. She isn’t answering her phone. > Hernandez has black hair and hazel eyes, and she stands 6 feet tall and 210 pounds, according to police. Detectives are also searching for her car, a white and maroon Ford Flex with Washington plates APR9503, though they don’t believe the vehicle is in the area. > Police ask anyone who sees Hernandez or her vehicle to call 911 immediately.

Kitsap GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 100%

www.kitsapdailynews.com

> The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is on the lookout for a man allegedly posing as a law enforcement officer and making traffic stops. > A woman called 911 after she said she was pulled over in a Feb. 24 traffic stop conducted south of the Port Orchard city limits. The behavior of the man was described as suspicious, and a KCSO investigation determined that no state or local agency had made the stop. > “The suspect was driving a dark 4-door Dodge Charger with a spotlight on the driver’s side and the word ‘Washington’ on the side of the car,” a Feb. 26 KCSO release said. “The vehicle had red and blue emergency lights installed in the front grill, but no lights on its roof.” > Police are warning residents to take caution when being stopped by someone who appears to be law enforcement. “Do not stop in a dark or secluded area, but proceed to the safest closest location to stop.” > Anyone with tips is asked to call 911 or email KCSOTips@kitsap.gov or eyoung@kitsap.gov.

Kitsap GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 100%

> PORT ORCHARD — North Kitsap School District Superintendent Laurynn Evans on Wednesday entered into a pretrial diversion agreement while appearing at Kitsap County District Court to face a misdemeanor charge of removing or defacing political advertising. > Under terms of the diversion agreement reached by county deputy prosecutor Anna Fredenberg and Evans' attorney, Tim Kelly, the misdemeanor charge will be dismissed as long as Evans meets certain conditions as explained by Kitsap County District Court Judge Jeffrey Jahns. Those conditions include paying $332 in restitution to cover the cost of the signs and not committing another criminal law violation for six months. Evans also cannot contact Scott Henden or Kim Gerlach, the residents who initially reported the missing signs, with the exception being at a North Kitsap school board meeting. > Henden and Gerlach told law enforcement on Jan. 26 that they witnessed Evans removing signs opposing the school district's February bond measure. The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office investigated the incident and the Kitsap County Prosecutor's Office on Feb. 21 charged Evans with the crime. > Diversion agreements are not uncommon for defendants facing first-time misdemeanor charges. > Jahns told Evans if she violates the conditions of the diversion agreement, the court would review the Jan. 26 police report — and only the police report — to determine if she committed the misdemeanor offense, which carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. > "It is very likely that if a judge were to review those, you would be found guilty of the offense," Jahns said. "While I recognize that there is no prior history that the court is aware, I want to say that this is a serious change. It involved allegedly election interference by a public official. If you violate this agreement, it is likely you would serve some jail time." > Evans, who denied taking the signs when interviewed by law enforcement on Jan. 26, left the courthouse without offering comment. She is currently on paid administrative leave. > Henden and Gerlach were among of small group of North Kitsap citizens who attended Evans' court appearance. Henden opted against offering comment when given the opportunity by Jahns. Gerlach submitted a written statement to the Kitsap Sun in which she thanked Kitsap County Prosecuting Attorney Chad Enright's office and the district court for handling the case. Regarding the North Kitsap school board, Gerlach said it's time for the directors to address the "moral aspects" of Evans' actions. > "Currently, the North Kitsap School Board and Administration have shown a lack of integrity and accountability," Gerlach wrote. "Students and staff of North Kitsap School District deserve leadership that is accountable and holds high moral standards. Public outcry at the school board meeting last Thursday spoke loud and clear, now is the time for the North Kitsap School Board to call a special meeting. It is a time for (board president) Mike Desmond and the school board directors to discharge (Evans) and terminate her contract, without giving a payout using funds intended for the needs of students." > Evans' contract with North Kitsap School District, which runs through June 2026, includes language noting that the superintendent could be discharged and the contract terminated for "sufficient cause." The district confirmed Wednesday afternoon that a separate investigation is ongoing. > North Kitsap School District Acting Superintendent Rachel Davenport provided the following email statement from the district: > "The district is aware of Dr. Evans’ court appearance this morning. We understand that there was a pretrial diversion reached with the court but we have not confirmed all of the details of the diversion. Separate from the legal proceedings, North Kitsap School District is conducting its own investigation into allegations against Dr. Evans. Because this is a personnel matter, the district must be careful not to undermine the ongoing investigation. Even at the conclusion of the district investigation, the information that we will be able to share will be limited. > "We hear and are taking stock of feedback from our community. The district is actively engaged in measures to address and resolve this challenging situation as soon as possible while maintaining fiscal responsibility for the district and keeping the school community at the heart of all decisions." > North Kitsap's next board meeting is scheduled for March 14 at the district's main office in Poulsbo.

News GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 99%

> A federal appeals court on Monday upheld a ruling that blocked Florida from enforcing a law, backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, that restricts how private companies teach diversity and inclusion in the workplace. > A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled Monday that the “Stop Woke Act” “exceeds the bounds” of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment right to freedom of speech and expression in its attempts to regulate workplace trainings on race, color, sex and national origin. The appeals court upheld a federal judge’s August 2022 ruling that said the same. > “By limiting its restrictions to a list of ideas designated as offensive, the Act targets speech based on its content. And by barring only speech that endorses any of those ideas, it penalizes certain viewpoints — the greatest First Amendment sin,” Judge Britt C. Grant wrote in Monday’s opinion. > The “Stop Woke Act” was approved by the Republican-controlled Florida legislature in March 2022. The act was one of DeSantis’s top priorities, and before he dropped out as a possible candidate for president in 2024, it was a routine talking point on the campaign trail.

Technology GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 96%

> Twitter's former CEO Parag Agrawal, Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal, Chief Legal Counsel Vijaya Gadde and General Counsel Sean Edgett claim in the lawsuit filed Monday that they were fired without a reason on the day in 2022 that Musk completed his acquisition of Twitter, which he later rebranded X. > Because he didn't want to pay their severance, the executives say Musk "made up fake cause and appointed employees of his various companies to uphold his decision." > The lawsuit says not paying severance and bills is part of a pattern for Musk, who's been sued by "droves" of former rank-and-file Twitter employees who didn't receive severance after Musk terminated them by the thousands.

www.seattletimes.com

> The restaurant would be the first In-N-Out in the state, according to planning documents submitted to the city of Ridgefield. The company plans to build near the under-construction Ridgefield Costco at Union Ridge Town Center on Pioneer Street, just west of Interstate 5. > The company hasn’t given the city any indication of when the new restaurant would open, Stuart said.

Seattle GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 100%

www.seattletimes.com

> With snow, rain, wind and possibly ice in this week’s forecast, Seattle’s National Weather Service says prepare for a “topsy turvy” week. > “We’re going to see a variety of weather,” said meteorologist Dustin Guy. > In the Greater Seattle area, that will most likely take the form of rain, wind and possibly ice, but the elevated areas, including Stevens Pass, Mount Baker and the Mount Rainier area, could see anywhere from 2 to 4 feet of snow this week, according to the National Weather Service. > “They’re going to get hammered,” Guy said. “If you’re into skiing, then you’re looking at a good week ahead.” > Seattle saw a largely clear day Sunday with some high winds. The strongest gusts were reported between 35 and 40 mph. The Eastside Fire and Rescue team were called to a fallen tree on an unoccupied vehicle in Woodinville on Sunday afternoon, according to a post on the social media platform X.

News GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 97%

www.seattletimes.com

> A small, nonthreatening balloon spotted flying high over the mountainous Western United States was intercepted by a fighter jet over Utah on Friday, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command. > NORAD fighter pilots sent in the morning to investigate the balloon determined it was “not maneuverable” and did not present a threat to national security, spokesperson John Cornelio said. The balloon was still in the air, under close observation.

News GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 92%

www.nytimes.com

> The New York attorney general on Thursday urged the Food and Drug Administration to “take immediate action” and renew alerts to doctors and patients about the dangerous effects of Singulair for children, saying that the current warnings about the drug’s psychiatric side effects were not sufficient. > In a letter, the attorney general, Letitia James, also called on the federal agency to consider discouraging the prescription of Singulair, an asthma and allergy drug, to children. > Thousands of patients and parents have complained to the F.D.A. about symptoms of anxiety, rage, hallucinations and other psychiatric problems that they linked to the drug, which is also known in its generic form as montelukast. Those reports, combined with an emotional F.D.A. hearing in 2019 and cases cited in medical literature, led the F.D.A. in 2020 to order its most stringent warning on instructions for the drug’s usage. > But an examination by The New York Times found that people continued to report that they were not aware of the possible side effects, which include suicide or suicide attempts, when they took the medication or gave it to their children.

News GlitzyArmrest • 7 months ago • 98%

www.seattletimes.com

> Denver police are asking for the public’s help in finding a former funeral home owner who they say kept a woman’s body in a hearse for two years and kept the cremated remains of at least 30 people. > In announcing an arrest warrant last Friday, police said Miles Harford was cooperating with investigators. However, on Thursday they offered a $2,000 Crimestoppers award for information leading to his arrest because he hasn’t turned himself in to authorities and they can’t find him. > A warrant lists potential charges of abuse of a corpse, forgery of the death certificate and theft of the money paid for the woman’s cremation. Other charges are possible as the investigation continues, Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said last week.