Random News not worthy of own thread

[Morkonan]

AS: Patch Now - Microsoft Issues Emergency Update to fix critical IE flaw under active exploitation.

"Microsoft has issued an emergency update that fixes a critical Internet Explorer vulnerability that attackers are actively exploiting on the Internet.

The memory-corruption flaw allows attackers to remotely execute malicious code when computers use IE to visit a booby-trapped website, Microsoft said Wednesday. Indexed as ..."

Ah... "IE." Whew, I was worried there for a second. I'm sure the five people that still use Internet Explorer will be very thankful for Microsoft acting to squash this hack. I'm really curious as to how anyone noticed this exploit was already in use in the wild...

Meanwhile, just like it does all the time, the emergency patch push caused my 'puter to crash during update. Windows 10 is just so super-awesome... friggin' thing.

[pjknibbs]

Ah... "IE." Whew, I was worried there for a second. I'm sure the five people that still use Internet Explorer will be very thankful for Microsoft acting to squash this hack. I'm really curious as to how anyone noticed this exploit was already in use in the wild...

You might be surprised--according to StatCounter there are still 6% of people using IE as of October 2018!

[Morkonan]

Ah... "IE." Whew, I was worried there for a second. I'm sure the five people that still use Internet Explorer will be very thankful for Microsoft acting to squash this hack. I'm really curious as to how anyone noticed this exploit was already in use in the wild...

You might be surprised--according to StatCounter there are still 6% of people using IE as of October 2018!

"ROFLCOPTERS! I can't wait to put this new lolwut YTMD I found up on my Myspace page!" = IE user, probably

[Morkonan]

O_M_G_ .... NVidia has done it again.... This is pretty darn awe-inspiring:

These portraits were made by AI. None of these people exist.

Look at those "portraits!" If NVidia's engine can dynamically generate faces like this without all the overhead required, today, think of the realism factor coming into play? No more wooden, expressionless, caricatures of people. While animation has still a ways to go in terms of "The Uncanny Valley" half the battle is just with creating static "lifelike" faces/heads in games. Bodies are easy. (Well, unless they're completely naked, then things get tricky. "Softbody" and all that.)

Amazing capability being demonstrated here. And, a bit unnerving. In the future, will showing one's face be enough to authenticate one as being human?

[Antilogic]

https://www.wigantoday.net/news/custome ... -1-9012638

This country is falling apart. I bet it's those foreigners fault.

[Bishop149]

https://www.wigantoday.net/news/custome ... -1-9012638

This country is falling apart. I bet it's those foreigners fault.

A fine entry into annuals of: News article illustrated by an image of "Angry person looking angry at the inanimate object which has made them angry"

From what I've heard rules like this usually derive from individuals taking liberties;
Customer - The sauce is free right?
Cafe - Yes.
[Customer proceeds to make off with the sauce bottle]

As a student I knew of certain student households whose condiment selection was made up entirely of sachets half-inched en mass from Weatherspoons.

[pjknibbs]

From what I've heard rules like this usually derive from individuals taking liberties;
Customer - The sauce is free right?
Cafe - Yes.
[Customer proceeds to make off with the sauce bottle]

I don't think that's the way it works here? From the article, it sounds like the sauce was added by the sandwich maker, not supplied as a separate bottle. (In any case, places that supply you with sauce these days give you individual portions, not an entire bottle).

[Morkonan]

...As a student I knew of certain student households whose condiment selection was made up entirely of sachets half-inched en mass from Weatherspoons.

I used to dine on "Tomato Soup" made from ketchup, pepper, and saltines I took from "Wendy's." (That's a fast-food hamburger chain, if you didn't know.) They used to set out big bins full of condiments, which I would liberate and take back to my dorm room to heat up in a metal cup that had a heating element in it designed to warm up coffee. Sometimes I'd splurge and use a squirt or two of the hotsauce they had laid out for their chili!

I can still taste the heartburn...

They no longer have condiment bins sitting out so anyone can grab a pack or twelve... Probably my fault.

[Bishop149]

Well, goodbye Alex, you had a good run, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Sandy hook victims win court case granting them access to InfoWars’ internal marketing and financial documents.

[Morkonan]

Well, goodbye Alex, you had a good run, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Sandy hook victims win court case granting them access to InfoWars’ internal marketing and financial documents.

Oh wow... I wonder how many of those documents are going to survive the shredder? Imagine all the terribly damaging crap that could be in those internal docs! Direct evidence of them perpetuating a falsehood just to manipulate the masses and gain exposure and more "clicks!" Inciting riots, hate-mongering, intentionally targeting people... CONSPIRACY!

Heck, criminal charges might come out of this somewhere. Racketeering? Everyone could end up in friggin' prison!

And, there could be some fallout that impacts other media, too, if this gets really intense. While Civil rulings wouldn't translate to criminal law, there could be some things that make examining some law a bit more intense. I don't think the First Amendment is under assault, here, but if enough was uncovered to expose the cesspit that is extremist "media" things could get so uncomfortable that new "law" might be inevitable. I'd imagine a lot of "media" sources are reviewing the contents of their "internal documents" right now.

[felter]

With free speech comes great responsibility, ignore that responsibility enough times and something eventually has to give.

[Morkonan]

With free speech comes great responsibility, ignore that responsibility enough times and something eventually has to give.

It seems these people may have not been engaging in the act of "Free Speech" so much as they were engaging in "Make Money and Gain Influence No Matter The Consequences." This is sad.

[Morkonan]

A great series of visual "Charts" for some of the best games in any genre one could think of: Imgur Gallery - Games Recommendation Charts Collection

Our beloved X series made several of these charts, so you know they're legit! Some really great games listed for some genres, so I'm going to be sure to doublecheck my own libraries.

[BugMeister]

interesting reportage from CBS News:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytbDvoU968U

- a study in faith and courage..

[Morkonan]

interesting reportage from CBS News:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytbDvoU968U

- a study in faith and courage..

Actually, a study in over-reactive social media and a penchant for people to jump on any bandwagon that they feel gives them a justifiable "Righteous Cause."

CNN - A new video shows a different side of the encounter between a Native American elder and teens in MAGA hats.

Some of the epithets the groups yelled at the students, who were just there to catch a bus, were terrible. They were disgusting. But, of course, social media and Social Justice Warriors jumped at the chance to criticize these kids who's only fault was being there to be a target.

Did the kids react? Sure. But, they didn't start this. Various videos show that the "Jewish" group, some sort of Black Hebrew Jewish Group or something (not really sure) started hurling curses and insults at the kids because some of them wore a "Make America Great Again" hat and they were mostly white. The students, from a private Catholic school, had been there to attend an anti-abortion rally and were told to gather at the mall so they could be picked up by the bus. The protestors believed that these students had somehow gone there as some sort of anti-protest and so a particularly verbal and apparently very racist protest group starting yelling insults at them... While some students obviously got the "nervous jitters" and started giggling/reacting, etc, they weren't responding in kind. In short:

They became the picked targets of the protestors through no fault of their own, apparently. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, easy meat for very angry people.

This seems to be true by all the evidence available so far. (AFAIK) Aside from just acting like kids, which the students did, they didn't start this, didn't encourage it, didn't do anything to deserve it... But, the ranks of SJW's filtered out reality and started a tidal-wave reaction to the one video that could be interpreted the way they wanted to see it.

[BugMeister]

interesting reportage from CBS News:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytbDvoU968U

- a study in faith and courage..

Actually, a study in over-reactive social media and a penchant for people to jump on any bandwagon that they feel gives them a justifiable "Righteous Cause."

CNN - A new video shows a different side of the encounter between a Native American elder and teens in MAGA hats.

Some of the epithets the groups yelled at the students, who were just there to catch a bus, were terrible. They were disgusting. But, of course, social media and Social Justice Warriors jumped at the chance to criticize these kids who's only fault was being there to be a target.

Did the kids react? Sure. But, they didn't start this. Various videos show that the "Jewish" group, some sort of Black Hebrew Jewish Group or something (not really sure) started hurling curses and insults at the kids because some of them wore a "Make America Great Again" hat and they were mostly white. The students, from a private Catholic school, had been there to attend an anti-abortion rally and were told to gather at the mall so they could be picked up by the bus. The protestors believed that these students had somehow gone there as some sort of anti-protest and so a particularly verbal and apparently very racist protest group starting yelling insults at them... While some students obviously got the "nervous jitters" and started giggling/reacting, etc, they weren't responding in kind. In short:

They became the picked targets of the protestors through no fault of their own, apparently. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, easy meat for very angry people.

This seems to be true by all the evidence available so far. (AFAIK) Aside from just acting like kids, which the students did, they didn't start this, didn't encourage it, didn't do anything to deserve it... But, the ranks of SJW's filtered out reality and started a tidal-wave reaction to the one video that could be interpreted the way they wanted to see it.

- Ssssh..!!
- I just saw an example of it - is all..

[Morkonan]

- Ssssh..!!
- I just saw an example of it - is all..

I wasn't trying to blame you for it. Sorry if it came out that way.

I actually reacted as all the newscasts did yesterday. They were all decrying it, citing it as an example of a sort of "radical right" anti-protest by these kids. CNN had several discussion segments on it including an interview with the Native American gentleman where he related how he felt, which was intimidated, scared, etc, etc....

But, it turned out it appears that it was mostly just social media that flavored this thing and not "reality." The reality was exactly the opposite, with the original protest group shouting insults and racial slurs against the students, who mostly just stood there. They did end up signing a school song, though, but it was more a reaction and an attempt at solidarity, apparently, than any sort of counter-protest.

But, at first I saw the coverage and thought exactly what the original coverage dictated that I think like... An important lesson, to be sure.

*****************

This bit of "neato news" - "The Weather Channel" uses Unreal Engine to make Augmented Reality film effects to demonstrate storm effects.

TWC - Weather Graphics

Should probably be titled "TWC uses game engine to scare the crap out of people and keep them watching the channel..." I'm waiting for the first appearance of the Dragonborn and a "Fus Ro Dah" to push the weatherman off a cliff...

[felter]

I just find this so funny, couldn't happen to a more deserving UK (so called) newspaper.

[Bishop149]

But, it turned out it appears that it was mostly just social media that flavored this thing and not "reality." The reality was exactly the opposite, with the original protest group shouting insults and racial slurs against the students, who mostly just stood there. They did end up signing a school song, though, but it was more a reaction and an attempt at solidarity, apparently, than any sort of counter-protest.

I'll just leave this here.
https://www.theonion.com/wealthy-teen-n ... ntent=Main

The media appear to have got this one wrong, shortly before correcting itself. However, the voices I am most inclined to believe in all this are the all those popping up and basically saying the same thing: "I live near / used to attend this school and this doesn't surprise me in the slightest, they're a bunch of bigoted religious fundamentalist nutbags"
At the end of the day the one thing no one is denying is that this was a bunch of teenage boys on a school sponsored trip to protest against the reproductive rights of women.
This is all the information I personally need to put both the individuals and the institution firmly into the "utter ****bags" box.

[Morkonan]

But, it turned out it appears that it was mostly just social media that flavored this thing and not "reality." The reality was exactly the opposite, with the original protest group shouting insults and racial slurs against the students, who mostly just stood there. They did end up signing a school song, though, but it was more a reaction and an attempt at solidarity, apparently, than any sort of counter-protest.

I'll just leave this here.
https://www.theonion.com/wealthy-teen-n ... ntent=Main

I'm sure you're aware that "The Onion" is a satire-news site, right?

The media appear to have got this one wrong, shortly before correcting itself. However, the voices I am most inclined to believe in all this are the all those popping up and basically saying the same thing: "I live near / used to attend this school and this doesn't surprise me in the slightest, they're a bunch of bigoted religious fundamentalist nutbags"
At the end of the day the one thing no one is denying is that this was a bunch of teenage boys on a school sponsored trip to protest against the reproductive rights of women.
This is all the information I personally need to put both the individuals and the institution firmly into the "utter ****bags" box.

I don't know what they are like. I don't know what sort of people they are. In fact, and I know that this may be shocking, the only thing I know is that I can not make assumptions about anything that isn't in evidence...

I am pretty sure that they acted like teenagers once they started getting a bit nervous and felt a bit intimidated. But, they didn't start this confrontation. They're kids... They were there to meet their bus...

Here's an hour, filmed by the Black Hebrew Israelites, showing how things developed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS80Y1GOcNU

A synopsis vid, with video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNzEGmBWgGo

The Black Hebrew Israelites (I don't know wtf their full name is) started in hurling epithets at both white and black kids in the group after seeing the "Make America Great Again" hats some had worn to the rally they attended earlier. And, they didn't let up... They didn't stop saying some pretty nasty things to those kids. Keep in mind that these were children that these grown men were cursing at. They were children that just happened to be standing there in the wrong place at the wrong time. Children.

In response, the kids started singing a school song. OK, that's predictable, since they'd naturally try to seek some solidarity and "safety in numbers." One of the students asked the accompanying priest/teacher for permission, by the way, before they started signing it. Asked for permission... Anyway, with the BHIsraelities shouting at the kids and the kids responding with a school spirit song, that attracted the American Indians and the particular gentleman with the drum that was in all the news clips. (He's a well-known activist, not that there's anything wrong with that, but he's certainly no virgin.) He then approached the kids and started counter-singing/whatever in response and kept on going. He approached them. The kids. So he could stand in front of them and bang his drum in protest against them... when they hadn't done anything to deserve that. And, even if they had? They're children. Kids.

Whether or not they rallied for a pro-life rally or a pro-choice rally doesn't matter. We believe that we all have a right to express our opinion concerning the laws that govern our nation. Just like those black protestors and the American Indian protestors have a right to be there expressing their opinion, even if some of what they said couldn't be repeated in a family setting...

Personally, I don't think children should be attending any rally whatsoever. They're not adults, can't vote, and should generally stfu... But, I'm sure their parents approved the trip, signed release forms, they had adequate supervision, maybe, etc. So, it's not my problem and not my kids, so I should probably stfu about it.