Imagine a town with two widget merchants. Customers prefer cheaper widgets, so the merchants must compete to set the lowest price. Unhappy with their meager profits, they meet one night in a smoke-filled tavern to discuss a secret plan: If they raise prices together instead of competing, they can both make more money. But that kind of intentional price-fixing, called collusion, has long been illegal. The widget merchants decide not to risk it, and everyone else gets to enjoy cheap widgets.

For well over a century, U.S. law has followed this basic template: Ban those backroom deals, and fair prices should be maintained. These days, it’s not so simple. Across broad swaths of the economy, sellers increasingly rely on computer programs called learning algorithms, which repeatedly adjust prices in response to new data about the state of the market. These are often much simpler than the “deep learning” algorithms that power modern artificial intelligence, but they can still be prone to unexpected behavior

The Game Theory of How Algorithms Can Drive Up Prices | Quanta Magazine

Recent findings reveal that even simple pricing algorithms can make things more expensive.

^{Ben Brubaker (Quanta Magazine)}

It's happening. On Thursday ICE agents are going to be stationed just outside of Oakland in the Alameda Coast Guard base.

Over the past few months planning for a resistance effort has been underway by Bay Resistance at bayresistance.org/

Bay Resistance

^{Bay Resistance}

Archived copy of the article

The paper is here

Earth’s Falling Reflectivity Means the Planet Is Getting Darker—And Hotter

The planet’s brightness is dimming—changing rainfall, circulation and temperature

^{Ryan Green (Scientific American)}

Ghosts, so many ghosts! Help the ancient spirit in the lobby to find them all and unlock the "Ghostbusters" title! Until November 6th

aes.land/

US journalist Jasper Nathaniel has accused the US embassy in Israel of failing to protect him after he was chased by Israeli settlers while reporting in the occupied West Bank, in what he called an ambush.

Nathaniel's posts on X have led to outrage online over not just the targeting of a journalist, but also the unabating Israeli settler attacks.

On Sunday, Nathaniel had been covering the first day of the olive harvest in the village of Turmus Ayya, northeast of Ramallah, where he filmed a settler attack that left dozens injured - including an elderly Palestinian woman, a Swedish activist, and an Italian activist.

The attack was one of dozens reported this week. The United Nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs recorded 71 incidents of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property across the occupied West Bank in the span of just seven days.

Both Nathaniel and the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) said that Palestinian farmers were escorted by the Israeli military, ostensibly for protection from settler violence, but were instead led directly into an ambush.

The Swedish activist with ISM was attacked while trying to defend the elderly woman. “I felt that I could not watch, and I decided to get the attention of the settler because otherwise I didn’t know what would happen to this woman,” she said in an ISM press release, where she was not mentioned by name.

“I got some minor injuries myself, but I really don’t think they can be compared to the injuries that Palestinians suffer every day that this occupation goes on just for living their life, just for existing.”

Footage of a settler clubbing the elderly woman quickly went viral, alongside screenshots of Nathaniel’s text exchange with the US embassy in Israel. During the ambush, Nathaniel himself was attacked by settlers. Video shows him being chased by a mob before taking refuge in a car. A settler then smashed the car windows before turning to beat the woman, footage which Nathaniel captured on camera.

In the text exchange, an embassy representative told him that the US could not provide protection, saying it was the responsibility of the host nation, Israel, to safeguard the nearly 60,000 Americans living in the occupied territories.

The video and messages have intensified scrutiny of the US embassy’s role in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, while drawing renewed attention to the daily violence carried out by Israeli settlers across the occupied West Bank.

“This picture of an Israeli settler tormenting a Palestinian farmer on her land captures so much about the daily routine of living under occupation for over 70 years. Unprovoked, unhinged, unseen by the American public, and entirely protected by the American government,” Palestinian American Imam Omar Suleiman posted on X.

UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese also condemned the rise in settler violence, asking where "decent" Israelis were.

"For 2 years, the world has seen scenes like this from the West Bank," she posted on X. "I wonder where decent Israelis are; those who protest in Tel Aviv. Hatred of Hamas is one thing, but do they not feel some obligation to act to stop their fellow citizens behaving like criminals on the loose?"

"America can send Israel billions to continue a genocide but can’t protect one of its citizens from being almost murdered by a pack of armed settlers," one social media user posted. "What an embarrassment."

Social media users also pointed out the hypocrisy in both the US embassy’s treatment of Nathaniel and the wider media’s lack of coverage of the attack.

"If an American tourist was being chased and attacked by masked & armed government-backed terrorists in any country other than Israel, it would be immediately become a major diplomatic crisis with wall to wall media coverage," journalist Jeremy Loffredo posted on X.

Palestinian-American political analyst Omar Baddar posted on X: "If there was an image of a Palestinian clubbing an elderly Israeli woman in the head and knocking her unconscious, it would be on EVERY SINGLE NETWORK as a main story. But the racist & often murderous brutality directed at Palestinians is deemed unworthy of attention."

Another social media user posted that if the attack had happened in Iran, "Washington would’ve called it an 'act of war'."

A video of an American man expressing outrage has circulated widely on social media. In it, he says that, had the attack occurred in the US, the perpetrators “would be killed immediately”. He adds that when Palestinians defend themselves, they are often labelled terrorists and brought before Israeli military courts.

A few online defended the US embassy's response to Nathaniel. "I'm going to be real here; this is what I would have said if I was this ACS officer. Because it is, technically, true; the host country is responsible and diplomats aren't bodyguards," one social media user posted on X.

"But what is unsaid here?" he continued, is "the US has unlimited leverage over Israel. Which it doesn't use."

Some also noted that the outrage surrounding the incident stems in part from Nathaniel’s identity as an American in the West Bank - an unfortunate reflection of how Palestinian oppression only gains wider attention when amplified by western voices.

"I appreciate Jasper for helping our farmers, but it’s sad that Palestinian voices need validation from an American journalist to be believed," one Palestinian social media user posted on X. "Settler attacks happen almost daily, yet they only make news when filmed by an American. Again, much appreciation to Jasper."

Chats with the US embassy

Warning: There are more photos and videos about the settler violence in the news but I won't post them because it is hard to watch and NSFW

The recruits have had criminal backgrounds or failed drug tests or were unable to meet physical or academic standards, raising concerns about the agency’s rush to hire immigration officers, sources told NBC News.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed new recruits into its training program before they have completed the agency’s vetting process, an unusual sequence of events as it rushes to hire federal immigration officers to carry out Donald Trump’s mass deportation policy, a current and two former Homeland Security Department officials told NBC News.

ICE officials only later discovered that some of the recruits failed drug testing, have disqualifying criminal backgrounds or don’t meet the physical or academic requirements to serve, the sources said.

Staff members at ICE’s training academy in Brunswick, Georgia, recently discovered one recruit had previously been charged with strong-arm robbery and battery stemming from a domestic violence incident, the current DHS official said. They’ve also found as recently as this month that some recruits going through the six-week training course hadn’t submitted fingerprints for background checks, as ICE’s hiring process requires, the current and former DHS officials said.

Some new ICE recruits have showed up to training without full vetting

ICE has placed new recruits into its training program before they have completed the agency’s vetting process, officials told NBC News.

^{Julia Ainsley (NBC News)}

Last year, we launched our first batch of plushies, and our community has embraced the #Plushtodon literally and figuratively. It sold out in Europe within a few weeks. Sadly, that means a lot of you missed out on the chance to get one. We’ve listened to your feedback and decided to bring the creature back with a few amendments: Size and color. For the first time, the #Plushtodon will be available in two flavourful colors, and half the size, making it much easier to fit within every household or mode of transport, while maintaining the delightful softness and squishiness that it’s come to be known for.

Jeff Merkley of Oregon gave address to make case that president is ‘violating the law’ through authoritarianism

Oregon’s Jeff Merkley gave a marathon, nearly 23-hour speech on the Senate floor that began on Tuesday and ended late Wednesday, pressing the case that Donald Trump is acting as an authoritarian by prosecuting political enemies and deploying the military into Merkley’s home town of Portland.

The 68-year-old senator began speaking around 6.20pm on Tuesday evening and continued until just after 5pm on Wednesday. Standing continuously on the Senate floor alongside placards that read “authoritarianism is here now!” and “Trump is violating the law”, Merkley paused only to take questions from fellow Democratic senators who joined him in the chamber to make their own points about the president’s conduct.

“I’ve come to the Senate floor tonight to ring the alarm bells. We’re in the most perilous moment, the biggest threat to our republic since the civil war. President Trump is shredding our constitution,” Merkley said as he began his speech.

Democratic senator’s floor speech condemning Trump enters 19th hour

Jeff Merkley of Oregon gives address to make case that president is ‘violating the law’ through authoritarianism

^{Chris Stein (The Guardian)}

Amid backlash over partial demolition of East Wing, White House reportedly intends to send blueprints

The White House has not submitted plans for Donald Trump’s new ballroom to the federal agency that oversees construction of federal buildings, though demolition is already under way.

On Tuesday, the White House told Reuters it intended to send plans to the National Capital Planning Commission, an agency that typically approves and monitors construction on federal buildings. Demolition began earlier this week, with reporters taking video of a backhoe ripping out chunks of the White House’s exterior.

The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing a senior administration official, that the ballroom plans will mean the demolition of the entire East Wing.

White House hasn’t filed plans for Trump’s new ballroom despite demolition under way

Amid backlash over footage of East Wing being partly demolished, White House reportedly intends to send plans for new construction

^{Lauren Aratani (The Guardian)}

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-considering-curbs-exports-china-made-with-us-software-sources-say-2025-10-22/

Still not sure how I feel about him, but if lemmy.ml and Chuck Schumer are both trying to smear him that seems like good indications.

No idea why this wasn't suitable for !meanwhileongrad@sh.itjust.works. it seems obviously to fall under the "general tankie behavior" category and/or the tankie folks trying to weigh in on American politics to depress support for progressive-ish candidates which they periodically do.

Anyway, whatever, it was removed there, and it's posted here now.

Admittedly, yesterday's call was a bit light on information, but this set of quotes from various orgs provides firm ideas about where things go next.

The No Kings alliance, the left-leaning groups behind the mass days of protest last Saturday and in June, is building a nationwide rapid response network that will call on supporters to take new actions each week. Leaders of the organizations told the Guardian that there was energy for “some type of disruption”, and future actions could include targeted boycotts, campaigns at universities, more street protests, and electoral organizing in local communities.

After an estimated 7 million people took to the streets last weekend, tens of thousands joined a national call on Tuesday to hear what’s next for the growing movement. Leaders celebrated the broad turnout, saying it showed how much opposition to Trump there was in all corners of the US, and talked about how to sustain and grow a movement during an increasingly authoritarian moment for the country.

The next steps for this burgeoning resistance will show the durability of the movement and whether it can pressure Democrats or pillars of civil society to stand stronger against Trump, or whether it can force defections from Trump’s Republican allies to fracture his power.

What’s next for No Kings movement? Here’s what its organizers say

Leaders of left-leaning groups behind mass protests against Trump administration map out their vision

^{Rachel Leingang (The Guardian)}

For the first time since 2005, annual average meat consumption in the Netherlands fell below 75 kilograms. The 2024 figure ended at 74.4 kilograms, according to data released Wednesday.

[...]

Still, meat consumption in the Netherlands has fallen by 6 percent compared to the peak year of 2009, according to the Wageningen study. The scientists who conducted the study indicated a "slight downward trend."

[...]

“That 6 percent could simply mean the difference between profit and loss." Molenaar said he expects the trend to continue, especially since supermarkets pledged last year to sell more plant-based proteins.

Meat consumption falls in the Netherlands to the lowest point in years

The amount of meat the average Dutch person eats in a year decreased by about 500 grams last year, reaching its lowest level in 20 years, according to a study by Wageningen University on behalf of the animal welfare organization Wakker Dier.

^{NL Times}

If Elon Musk probably has a superpower, it isn’t his engineering or business savvy. It’s probably his rank opportunism. The latest case in point: this week saw a massive outage for Amazon Web Services (AWS) that managed to take many of your favorite websites and services offline. The outage also hampered the workflows of countless online businesses. The impact was fairly universal.

And, ever the opportunist, Musk was quick to leverage the outage to unfairly smear a potential competitor and promote his own, shittier alternative.

Amazon said the outage was caused by problems with an underlying subsystem that monitors the health of its network load balancers used to distribute traffic across several servers. The outrage resulted in all the usual conversations about whether it’s a bad idea to have so much essential server operations under the control of one company, and how the internet isn’t as resilient as we like to think.

Musk, however, took the opportunity to exploit the outage to criticize Signal over at his right wing propaganda and crypto grifter website[.]

Musk Exploits AWS Outage To Unfairly Slam Signal, Promote His Shittier Chat Software

If Elon Musk probably has a superpower, it isn’t his engineering or business savvy. It’s probably his rank opportunism. The latest case in point: this week saw a massive outage for Amaz…

^Techdirt

AI-driven datacenter energy needs are causing a shortage of gas turbines to power generators, with some operators reportedly turning to old aircraft engines instead.

The rising demand for compute to feed the current AI development craze has seen datacenters adding capacity and new ones popping up, with a knock-on effect on the electricity supply.

As The Register reported recently, US bit barns are set to consume 22 percent more grid power by the end of 2025 than the same time last year. But in many regions the energy grid can't keep pace with connection requests, leading operators to turn to on-site generation of their own power, as advised by Schneider Electric last year.

But one thing leads to another, and now it seems that gas turbine manufacturers can't meet the sudden rise in demand, particularly in the US where there are more datacenters than anywhere else, leading to a shortage in some markets.

That should be nice and quiet.

Grounded jet engines take off again as datacenter generators

: AI power demands drive operators to repurpose aircraft parts amid gas turbine shortages

^{Dan Robinson (The Register)}

On Tuesday, the White House told Reuters it intended to send plans to the National Capital Planning Commission, an agency that typically approves and monitors construction on federal buildings. Demolition began earlier this week, with reporters taking video of a backhoe ripping out chunks of the White House’s exterior.

Plans for Trump’s 90,000 sq ft ballroom were made public in the late summer, with Trump saying he would personally fund the $200m construction. “Just another way to spend my money for this construction,” he said at the time.

White House officials insist demolition is allowed without the commission’s approval. Will Scharf, the Trump-appointed head of the commission, who is also a White House staff secretary, said in September there was a difference between demolition and rebuilding work, and only the commission can approve new construction.

But in a letter sent to the White House on Tuesday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a leading historic preservation nonprofit created by Congress, told the White House that demolition plans were “legally required” to go through public review and urged Trump to pause demolition.

White House hasn’t filed plans for Trump’s new ballroom despite demolition under way

Amid backlash over footage of East Wing being partly demolished, White House reportedly intends to send plans for new construction

^{Lauren Aratani (The Guardian)}

Academics, educators and critics alike refer to Oklahoma as ground zero for pushing education to the right. Or, as one teacher put it, “the canary on the prairie.”

By the time the second Trump administration began espousing its “America First” agenda, which includes the expansion of private school vouchers and prohibitions on lessons about race and sex, Oklahoma had been there, done that.

The Republican supermajority in the state Legislature — where some members identify as Christian nationalists — passed sweeping restrictions on teaching about racism and gender in 2021, prompting districts to review whether teachers’ lessons might make students “feel discomfort, guilt, anguish” or other psychological distress about their race. The following year, it adopted one of the country’s first anti-transgender school bathroom bills, requiring students to use restrooms and locker rooms consistent with the gender they were assigned at birth or face discipline.

Oklahoma Is Ground Zero in Trump’s “America First” Education Push

Oklahoma has spent years reshaping public schools to integrate lessons about Jesus and encourage pride in America’s history. By the time the second Trump administration began espousing its “America First” agenda, Oklahoma had been there, done that.

^ProPublica

cross-posted from: hexbear.net/post/6507239

Tweet

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According to two US officials cited in the report, two or three people on board are believed to have been killed.

If confirmed, the strike marks the eighth US strike against suspected drug boats since 2 September - but the first in the Caribbean.

The BBC has contacted the White House, Pentagon and State Department for comment.

In a leaked memo recently sent to US lawmakers, the Trump administration said it determined it was involved in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug-trafficking organisations.

At least 34 people have been killed in the American strikes on alleged drug boats, including a recent strike on a semi-submersible vessel in the Caribbean.

US forces said to strike alleged drug boat in the Pacific

At least eight strikes have been conducted against alleged drug traffickers near Latin America.

^{Bernd Debusmann Jr (BBC News)}

https://apnews.com/video/layout-of-the-white-house-east-wing-where-demolition-work-is-underway-351a8d0e457e4701aea31858df4bfc85

https://theweek.com/politics/supreme-court-scotus-guns-cannabis-second-amendment

Several agency programs are trying to track and reduce methane emissions around the world. To meet global targets, use of them needs to speed up.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/22/climate/methane-leaks-united-nations.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vU8.oCHO.nLLJGC9H6DuY

Dopo la serata delle scelte finali, arriva su Real Time lo speciale “Matrimonio a Prima Vista 15… E poi”, in onda mercoledì 29 ottobre 2025 in prima serata. L’episodio, già in anteprima su Discovery+, svela cosa è accaduto mesi dopo la fine delle registrazioni: chi ha confermato la decisione, chi ha cambiato idea e chi ha voltato pagina.

LE ANTICIPAZIONI: Matrimonio a Prima Vista 15… E poi: cosa è successo dopo le scelte finali. Anticipazioni della puntata di mercoledì 29 ottobre 2025 su Real Time

Matrimonio a Prima Vista 15… E poi: anticipazioni 29 ottobre 2025, chi è rimasto insieme e chi no

Matrimonio a Prima Vista 15… E poi, anticipazioni del 29 ottobre 2025: le coppie dopo le scelte finali. Roberta e Luca insieme, Dario–Roberta e Matteo–Melissa separati.

^{Redazione (Atom Heart Magazine)}

Personally, when I order something these days, it's been on eBay. It kind of sucks though, and half of the packages still arrive in Amazon boxes anyway...?

Where do you liked to order stuff from, that's not Amazon?

Hamas is intensifying its security campaign against armed gangs and militias in Gaza that collaborate with the Israeli military, officials say, aiming to restore full control and stability across the strip.

A senior security source from Gaza’s Ministry of Interior has said that Hamas will soon launch its largest operation yet to dismantle remaining armed gangs that continue to work with the Israeli occupation forces.

Since the October 10 ceasefire, Hamas forces have been actively targeting these militias, successfully disarming several factions, including the notorious Doghmush clan in Gaza City.

However, some militias remain active in areas still under Israeli control, notably the so-called “Popular Forces” led by Yasser Abu Shabab in eastern Rafah and the “Popular Army” headed by Ashraf al-Mansi in northern Gaza.

These groups have been identified as collaborators, receiving arms, funding, and logistical support from the Israeli military.

“The number of gang members collaborating with the occupation is now limited to a few hundred across Gaza, excluding the Abu Shabab militia, which alone has around 2,000 members,” the security official said.

“These groups have been implicated in kidnappings, assassinations, sabotage, and providing armed cover for Israeli forces.”

Recent intelligence gathered through interrogations reveals the extent of coordination between these militias and the Israeli army, including carrying out security sweeps and attacks on resistance fighters.

“Militia members often attempt raids near Israeli positions, but Hamas security forces confront and neutralize them,” the official added.

The Israeli army has acknowledged Hamas’s reassertion of control over areas it withdrew from, with local militias reportedly disbanded or defeated, except for the persistent Abu Shabab group.

The Interior Ministry noted that al-Mansi’s “Popular Army,” active near the northern Erez Crossing, is the weakest faction and operates under close Israeli protection, complicating Hamas’s efforts to confront them directly.

Hamas’s crackdown has involved seizing large quantities of weapons, including Kalashnikov rifles, machine guns, ammunition, and vehicles supplied by Israel to these militias.

Although these groups receive only small arms, their leadership obtains funds, advanced supplies, and direct orders from Israeli soldiers for operations targeting Palestinians and resistance members.

Several high-profile kidnappings have been linked to these militias, including the abduction of Dr. Marwan al-Hums, head of Gaza’s Health Ministry hospitals, and his daughter, further underscoring their threat to Gaza’s internal security.

Despite the West's criticism of Hamas’s security campaign, many local tribal leaders and communities have expressed support, viewing it as essential to ending collaboration with Israel and preserving Gaza’s sovereignty.

The Hamas security source said an amnesty window was offered to militia members willing to disarm and surrender, except those involved in killings or torture. The period officially ended last Sunday, but operations continue.

“In the coming days, we will launch our largest security campaign yet, targeting multiple areas where these groups remain,” the official said. “Our goal is to eliminate all collaborators and ensure peace and security for the people of Gaza.”

Hamas officials and Gaza security sources say the Israeli military, and elements within the US policy apparatus are seeking to use these militias as proxies to undermine Hamas’s authority and fracture Gaza after the ceasefire — an effort they failed through months‑long Israeli military invasion.

Last Thursday, US President Donald Trump warned that he would endorse attacks on Hamas, effectively breaking the ceasefire, if it continues to target gangs and Israeli collaborators in Gaza.

“If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them,” Trump wrote in a social media post.

The threats against Hamas appear to signal an about-face from Trump, who earlier in the week suggested that he was fine with the group’s crackdown on gangs in the Palestinian territory.

Hamas plans 'largest' operation against Israeli-backed gangs in Gaza

^PressTV