Andrew Ducker
@andrewducker.bsky.social
đ€ 763
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đ 6195
Edinburgh geek.
Scotland starts rolling out its healthcare app. (currently very limited, but has prescriptions and appointments)
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MyCare.scot available on app storeÂ
Next step in programme to deliver UKâs most comprehensive health and care app.
https://www.gov.scot/news/mycare-scot-available-on-app-store/
about 1 hour ago
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Edinburgh City Council considers ÂŁ350k plan to tackle rogue landlords
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Council weighs up ÂŁ350k plan to protect Edinburgh renters from rogue landlords
Six new enforcement officers proposed to target problem landlords in Edinburgh An investment of ÂŁ350,000 a year could significantly boost Edinburgh City Council's ability to crack down on rogue landlords, according to a new report. The proposed funding would allow the local authorityâs licensing service to hire six dedicated private rental sector enforcement officers. A report before next Tuesdayâs finance committee meeting states that, if the funding was approved, they would join six already in post, who handle a variety of areas. One member of the team is dedicated to handling landlord registrations, while the remaining five handle the general operational demands of the service. Six more officers were hired to help handle the new workload brought on by the introduction of short-term let licensing. In addition, the report states that the licensing service would look to hire dedicated landlord registration enforcement officers and support officers within its current budget. At present, the councilâs private rental sector enforcement team works with a budget of ÂŁ790k per year, drawn from licence fees. According to the report, half of the sum comes from short-term let licence fees, 35% from HMO licence fees, and 15% from fees for landlord registration. The staff hired from within the existing budget would work to increase the number of proactive checks on persons applying for landlord registration. They would also help provide mediation between landlords and tenants and provide support for third-party referrals to the Housing Tribunal. If the extra ÂŁ350k were identified for the new officers, they would be dedicated to increasing regulatory action in the private rented sector. The report states that âproposed workstreamsâ include increased enforcement, as well as increased engagement with tenants and landlords. Alongside this, they could work to increase checks on new and renewal landlord registration applications, and proactively investigate any âadverseâ outcomes against an Edinburgh landlord coming from the Housing Tribunal. From breaking news at Holyrood to whatâs on this weekend â get Edinburghâs news, sport and lifestyle stories in our daily newsletter Discussion around adding funding for the service began in September last year, when the cityâs housing committee asked for a briefing note on the matter. It came after concerns were raised by councillors and tenantâs union Living Rent, among other groups, that not enough was being done to enforce wrongdoing by landlords. In December, the ÂŁ350k figure was circulated to relevant councillors, and in February this year the council requested a report on resources needed to improve private rental sector enforcement. Officers have asked councillors, who would have to approve any new funding, to note the report at the finance committee meeting.
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-city-council-ps350k-plan-8746851
about 13 hours ago
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Having now seen him perform the role in three minutes I have to say that Jim Carrey makes an *amazing* Doctor(s) Robotnik.
about 15 hours ago
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The EHRC trans code explained (an excellent dissection of the mess the government has left us in)
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The EHRC trans code explained
What does it say, how will it work, and what happens next?
https://iandunt.substack.com/p/the-ehrc-trans-code-explained
about 22 hours ago
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If you cross a corgi with any other dog you end up with what looks like a corgi in fancy dress
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Science Art History Nature on Instagram: "The âIncorgnito Effectâ is a real genetic phenomenon where mixing a Corgi with any other breed results in a Corgi chassis wearing a dog costume. When crossed with a Dalmatian, the puppy retains the distinct low-riding, short-legged Corgi body structure but adopts the Dalmatianâs famous spotted coat. This happens because Corgis carry a highly dominant gene for dwarfism (achondroplasia), which almost always overrides the leg length of the other parent breed. While the Corgiâs short skeleton dominates the body shape, the coat pattern and color genes of the second breed pass through cleanly to complete the hilarious âdisguise.â Like this content? Follow @general.knowledge.booster for more"
786K likes, 3,216 comments - general.knowledge.booster on June 9, 2026: "The âIncorgnito Effectâ is a real genetic phenomenon where mixing a Corgi with any other breed results in a Corgi chassis wearing a dog costume. When crossed with a Dalmatian, the puppy retains the distinct low-riding, short-legged Corgi body structure but adopts the Dalmatianâs famous spotted coat. This happens because Corgis carry a highly dominant gene for dwarfism (achondroplasia), which almost always overrides the leg length of the other parent breed. While the Corgiâs short skeleton dominates the body shape, the coat pattern and color genes of the second breed pass through cleanly to complete the hilarious âdisguise.â Like this content? Follow @general.knowledge.booster for more".
https://www.instagram.com/p/DZXRpDckWxh/?img_index=1
about 23 hours ago
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Autism is multiple syndromes (in this case hypoconnectivity and hyperconnectivity of the brain as two distinct subtypes)
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Autism subtypes identified using cross-species functional connectivity analyses - Nature Neuroscience
Pagani et al. used cross-species fMRI to reveal two autism subtypes, characterized by lower and higher brain connectivity and linked to synaptic and immune-related pathways, respectively.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-026-02287-z
about 23 hours ago
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Write for one person
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write for one person
https://wizardzines.com/comics/write-for-one-person/
about 23 hours ago
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Trump and Musk have won their war on facts
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Trump and Musk have won their war on facts
In America today, just 25 per cent of people trust the news
https://inews.co.uk/opinion/trump-and-musk-have-won-war-on-facts-4469248
about 23 hours ago
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Interesting Links for 17-06-2026
1. Dogs! With! Bubbles!(tags:dogs bubble )2. Social media: Don't ban children, fix the platforms(tags:UK socialmedia regulation )3. Tavistock safeguarding: what actually happened(tags:NHS bigotry UK transgender LGBT )4. Glucosamine supplements are associated with accelerated Alzheimer's progression(tags:alzheimers )5. You can now make expresso with ultrasound, cutting energy use by 50%(tags:coffee sound ultrasound )6. AI plagiarises by default (in this case, from Zelda)(tags:games ai plagiarism )7. Trump and Musk have won their war on facts(tags:facts ElonMusk politics usa OhForFucksSake )8. Write for one person(tags:writing advice )9. Autism is multiple syndromes (in this case hypoconnectivity and hyperconnectivity of the brain as two distinct subtypes)(tags:autism brain neuroscience )10. If you cross a corgi with any other dog you end up with what looks like a corgi in fancy dress(tags:dogs cute viaSwampers ) comments
https://andrewducker.dreamwidth.org/4705007.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
about 23 hours ago
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AI plagiarises by default (in this case, from Zelda)
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"This Is From Zelda, If You Didn't Know" - Test Footage Highlights The Danger Of Using GenAI In Video Game Development
"You can literally never be sure it isn't ripping something else off"
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2026/06/this-is-from-zelda-if-you-didnt-know-test-footage-highlights-the-danger-of-using-genai-in-video-game-development
1 day ago
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You can now make expresso with ultrasound, cutting energy use by 50%
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Shaking up the coffee world! Entirely new way of making espresso unveiled
Researchers at UNSW Sydney have harnessed the power of ultrasonic sound waves to make espresso-strength coffee with room temperature water, cutting energy use by up to 75%.
https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2026/06/New-way-making-espresso
1 day ago
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Glucosamine supplementation is associated with accelerated Alzheimer's progression
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Hyperglycosylation is a metabolic driver of Alzheimerâs disease - Nature Metabolism
Through spatial multiomics, spatial stable isotope tracing and retrospective cohort analyses, this study identifies hyperglycosylation as a driver of Alzheimerâs disease and a promising therapeutic target.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-026-01538-4
1 day ago
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Tavistock safeguarding: what actually happened
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Tavistock safeguarding: what actually happened | Dr Helen Webberley
Real failures, a discredited review, and a 2026 policy that forces detransition. Helen Webberley on the difference between accountability and harm.
https://www.helenwebberley.com/insights/tavistock-safeguarding-what-actually-happened
1 day ago
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Dogs! With! Bubbles!
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Tatum Laine (@tatum_laineee) on Threads
I donated a bubble machine to the dogs at a local doggy daycare. The pictures do not disappoint.
https://www.threads.com/@tatum_laineee/post/DZluWdJAJqd
1 day ago
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Social media: Donât ban children, fix the platforms
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Social media: Donât ban children, fix the platforms | Good Law Project
Instead of locking children out of a toxic swamp, the government should force big tech to clean it up
https://goodlawproject.org/social-media-dont-ban-children-fix-the-platforms/?fbclid=Iwb21leASdVp5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7CyKs_s0bMOXPVbRDtiW7f8BeY2dok1yrQ7jNc5AjOojj8NQXZfVOPmVYCjg_aem_nOvgByxSyvQ4lSXN13saqQ
1 day ago
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No, everyone is not using AI for everything.
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No, everyone is not using AI for everything.
People are consuming AI like they eat meat: some are embracing it, some are limiting their use of it, and some are avoiding it altogether.
https://gabrielweinberg.com/p/people-are-consuming-ai-like-they
1 day ago
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How the Netherlands deals with youth unemployment
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The European country with almost no youth unemployment - and what the UK can copy
In the Netherlands, The i Paper's Vicky Spratt sees why the country's 'jongerenpunt' are being eyed up by the UK as a model for welfare reform
https://inews.co.uk/news/european-country-almost-no-youth-unemployment-uk-copy-4468799
1 day ago
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Relativity for Retired Engineers
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Relativity for Retired Engineers
We provide some guidance and examples to clear up common misconceptions about special relativity. These misconceptions often come from trying to express the truths of special relativity in Newtonian terms rather than in terms more natural to special relativity itself. This conceptual stance can also help in attaining a better understanding of general relativity.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.21660
1 day ago
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How Google identifies songs from people humming them
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The Machine Learning Behind Hum to Search
Posted by Christian Frank, Google Research, ZĂŒrich Melodies stuck in your head, often referred to as âearworms,â are a well-known and sometimes irr...
https://research.google/blog/the-machine-learning-behind-hum-to-search/
1 day ago
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Interesting Links for 16-06-2026
1. No, everyone is not using AI for everything.(tags:ai )2. How the Netherlands deals with youth unemployment(tags:employment netherlands )3. Relativity for Retired Engineers(tags:physics society viaJamesNicoll )4. How Google identifies songs from people humming them(tags:music ai )5. Something is Very Wrong in San Francisco (spoilers - it's the AI)(tags:ai society USA advertising )6. UK armed forces intercept Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in Channel(tags:UK Russia trade ) comments
https://andrewducker.dreamwidth.org/4704748.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
1 day ago
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Playing "Speed I Spy" on the bus with Gideon. Where you choose something you're going past and the other one has to guess it before it goes out of sight. Gideon is delighting in choosing things that are only in view for œ a second. Apparently he's winning 8:1.
4 days ago
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Something is Very Wrong in San Francisco (spoilers - it's the AI)
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Something is Very Wrong in San Francisco
Once againâ Nat here, from Simpler Machines. If you've been enjoying my writing and you want to get more of it, I could use your help â I'm starting a membership program. The basic deal is, "You get access to archives of work that was sent via e-mail
https://www.simplermachines.com/something-is-very-wrong-in-san-francisco/
4 days ago
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UK armed forces intercept Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in Channel
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UK intercepts Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in English Channel
Royal Marine Commandos boarded the vessel in an operation lasting six hours in the early hours of Sunday.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyek039l2vo
4 days ago
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I'm impressed that Google's music recognition tool can now tell what a song is even when it's being covered by a wedding band. (They are, admittedly, a totally solid wedding band, who warmed up by playing Louie Louie)
5 days ago
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Went to a wedding. Turns out we scrub up alright.
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andrewducker (@
[email protected]
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Went to a wedding. Turns out we scrub up alright.
https://pixelfed.scot/p/andrewducker/971490830536907995?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
5 days ago
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Interesting Links for 13-06-2026
1. AI Economics for Dummies(tags:ai money satire funny )2. Morgan McSweeney is already back advising Keir Starmer(tags:Labour politics corruption OhForFucksSake )3. The Women Who Don't Own Clothes(tags:clothing rental ) comments
https://andrewducker.dreamwidth.org/4704176.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
5 days ago
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The Women Who Donât Own Clothes
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The Women Who Donât Own Clothes
The rental service Nuuly is taking over Americaâs closets.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/06/clothing-rental-sustainability-nuuly-shopping/687526/
5 days ago
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reposted by
Andrew Ducker
đđđ»RICHđ»đđ
5 days ago
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reposted by
Andrew Ducker
đŠHackenbush
6 days ago
Please enjoy this incredibly wholesome Instagram reel of two stormtroopers escorting a duck through Galaxyâs Edge.
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Morgan McSweeney is already back advising Keir Starmer
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Morgan McSweeney is already back advising Keir Starmer
Four months after the No 10 chief resigned, the Prime Minister has brought him back into his inner circle
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/morgan-mcsweeney-already-back-advising-starmer-4470837
6 days ago
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reposted by
Andrew Ducker
Nick đ
6 days ago
I recently got diagnosed with ASD and ADHD, and I absolutely swear to god one of the pieces of advice they gave was literally "well there's lots of useful information on tiktok and instagram" and um ok but I don't think that's where I want to get all my support from
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AI Economics for Dummies
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AI Economics for Dummies
âXavier owns an apartment that he rents out at a loss of $1 billion/month. Seeing this success, he decides to make financial commitments to construct $850 bi...
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/ai-economics-for-dummies
6 days ago
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Interesting Links for 12-06-2026
1. Davros envious after Russell T Davies successfully kills Doctor Who(tags:drwho funny satire bbc )2. But are AIs conscious?(tags:ai consciousness comic funny )3. What's happened to UK defence spending?(tags:uk military money government )4. Digital Sovereignty Becomes An Imperative As the US Reads Dutch Emails(tags:usa netherlands spying email )5. Please I Beg of You Do Not Use "AI" In Your Business Communications(tags:ai communication ) comments
https://andrewducker.dreamwidth.org/4703906.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
6 days ago
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Please I Beg of You Do Not Use âAIâ In Your Business Communications
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Please I Beg of You Do Not Use âAIâ In Your Business Communications
The other morning I was clearing out the multiple daily emails I get from scammers who have used âAIâ to praise one of my books in order to get me to use their âmarketingâ sâŠ
https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/06/11/please-i-beg-of-you-do-not-use-ai-in-your-business-communications/
6 days ago
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Digital Sovereignty Becomes An Imperative As the US Reads Dutch Emails
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Digital Sovereignty Becomes An Imparative As the US Reads Dutch Emails
The US House reading Dutch emails shows digital sovereignty is about who can access data, not just where it is stored.
https://www.korte.co/2026/06/11/digital-sovereignty-becomes-an-imparative-as-the-us-reads-dutch-emails/
6 days ago
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What's happened to UK defence spending?
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What's happened to UK defence spending?
BBC Verify looks at the size of the UK military after Lord Robertson criticises the government over defence spending.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6244zqnk16o
6 days ago
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But are AIs conscious?
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#1588; The Objective Oracle, Part 2
Yes, I am taking the robot for a walk outside so I can listen to her pretend to marvel at, like, butterflies or whatever. It's for her own benefit, you see.
https://wondermark.com/c/1588/
6 days ago
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Davros envious after Russell T Davies successfully kills Doctor Who
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Davros envious after Russell T Davies successfully kills Doctor Who
Davros, Lord of Skaro and scourge of the galaxy, is reported to be âswearing into a pillowâ today after Russell T Davies succeeded where he couldnât and killed off the Doctor.
https://newsthump.com/2026/06/11/davros-envious-after-russell-t-davies-successfully-kills-doctor-who/
7 days ago
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Interesting Links for 11-06-2026
1. Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time(tags:drone war Ukraine Russia death )2. The stamp duty hike didn't backfire. That's the problem(tags:tax UK housing ) comments
https://andrewducker.dreamwidth.org/4703562.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
7 days ago
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The stamp duty hike didnât backfire. Thatâs the problem
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The stamp duty hike didnât backfire. Thatâs the problem
Stamp duty damages the housing market. But the April 2025 hike raised revenue â showing why this bad tax is so hard to abolish.
https://taxpolicy.org.uk/2026/06/09/why-do-we-still-have-stamp-duty/
7 days ago
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Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
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Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
A senior figure in the Ukrainian defence industry told New Scientist that a test took place two years ago involving fully autonomous drones set to destroy anything in a given area, with confirmed casualties
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529849-fully-autonomous-drones-have-killed-human-soldiers-for-the-first-time/
7 days ago
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Interesting Links for 10-06-2026
1. RSPB buys Bass Rock after 300 years in private hands(tags:birds Scotland )2. Google Chrome is killing uBlock Origin , Microsoft Edge, Opera to follow (still works fine on Firefox)(tags:adblock browser google )3. German ruling declares Google's AI Overviews are Google's own words and makes it liable for false answers(tags:Google ai law Germany ) comments
https://andrewducker.dreamwidth.org/4703312.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
8 days ago
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German ruling declares Google's AI Overviews are Google's own words and makes it liable for false answers
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Landmark German ruling declares Google's AI Overviews are Google's own words and makes it liable for false answers
A German regional court has ruled that Google is directly liable for the content of its AI search overviews. According to the court, previous limited liability protections for search engine operators don't apply to AI overviews. In this case, Google's AI had falsely linked two publishers to fraud and made claims that didn't appear in any of the linked sources. The ruling could set a precedent for AI-generated content liability worldwide.
https://the-decoder.com/landmark-german-ruling-declares-googles-ai-overviews-are-googles-own-words-and-makes-it-liable-for-false-answers/
8 days ago
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Google Chrome is killing uBlock Origin , Microsoft Edge, Opera to follow (still works fine on Firefox)
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Google Chrome is killing all uBlock Origin bypasses, Microsoft Edge, Opera to follow
Google Chrome is looking to finish off the various bypasses that help uBlock Origin and other such MV2 extensions to keep functioning. Edge and Opera could soon follow too.
https://www.neowin.net/news/google-chrome-is-killing-all-ublock-origin-bypasses-microsoft-edge-opera-to-follow/
8 days ago
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RSPB buys Bass Rock after 300 years in private hands
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RSPB buys Bass Rock after 300 years in private hands
The charity says the purchase is an important step in halting declining seabird numbers in the Firth of Forth.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g411k1x1zo
9 days ago
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Interesting Links for 08-06-2026
1. Russia's elite factions are growing restless(tags:russia war ukraine politics ) comments
https://andrewducker.dreamwidth.org/4703108.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
10 days ago
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Russia's elite factions are growing restless
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TL;DRussia Analysis: Putin's bind
8 June 2026: Are Russia's foxes and bears growing restless?
https://tldrussia.substack.com/p/tldrussia-analysis-putins-bind
10 days ago
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Interesting Links for 07-06-2026
1. How Scotland voted at the 2026 Holyrood election(tags:voting elections Scotland politics polls )2. Police in England and Wales told to halt AI use in court statements(tags:ai police uk law )3. Interesting piece by someone who traced their Scottish ancestry and wanted to find the real truth(tags:Scotland history family )4. Arithmetic Without Numbers - how LLMs produce answers to maths questions(tags:mathematics AI text ) comments
https://andrewducker.dreamwidth.org/4702924.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky
11 days ago
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Arithmetic Without Numbers - how LLMs produce answers to maths questions
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Arithmetic Without Numbers
What happens inside an LLM when it tries to calculate with nothing but matrices.
https://alvaro-videla.com/llm-arithmetic-internals/article_interactive/article.html
11 days ago
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Interesting piece by someone who traced their Scottish ancestry and wanted to find the real truth
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The Family Tartan
Spoiler: Probably not a Highlander.
https://robinmurdoch.substack.com/p/lowlanders
11 days ago
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