Futurology Today

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52203462

This quick cycling between very wet and very dry periods — one example of what scientists have come to call “weather whiplash” — creates prime conditions for wildfires: The rain encourages an abundance of brush and grass, and once all that vegetation dries out, it only takes a spark and a gust of wind to fuel a deadly fire. That’s what happened in Los Angeles County this week, when a fierce windstorm fueled the Palisades and Eaton fires, which as of Wednesday night had killed at least five people, destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

The kind of weather whiplash that fueled the fires is only becoming more common, and not just in the United States. A new analysis in the peer-reviewed academic journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment has found that rapid shifts between heavy rain and drought (and vice versa) are becoming more intense — and the trend is unfolding faster than climate models have projected. Across the world’s land area, weather whiplash within three-month periods has increased by 31 to 66 percent since the mid-20th century, according to the research. That means that most places around the world find themselves getting both wetter and drier in quick succession, a dangerous combination that can lead to landslides, crop losses, and even the spread of diseases.

Also has croutons and baby bella mushrooms. Shredded carrots. Lots of green peppers. I like green peppers.

The black boxes holding the flight data and cockpit voice recorders for the crashed Jeju Air flight that left 179 people dead stopped recording four minutes before the disaster, South Korea's transport ministry said Saturday.

The Boeing 737-800 was flying from Thailand to Muan, South Korea, on December 29 carrying 181 passengers and crew when it belly-landed at the Muan airport and exploded in a fireball after slamming into a concrete barrier.

It was the worst-ever aviation disaster on South Korean soil.

"The analysis revealed that both the CVR and FDR data were not recorded during the four minutes leading up to the aircraft's collision with the localiser," the transport ministry said in a statement, referring to the two recording devices.

The localiser is a barrier at the end of the runway that helps with aircraft landings and was blamed for exacerbating the crash's severity.

The damaged flight data recorder had been deemed unrecoverable for data extraction by South Korean authorities, who sent it to the United States for analysis at the US National Transportation Safety Board laboratory.

But it appears that the boxes holding clues to the flight's final moments experienced data loss, leaving authorities trying to find out what happened.

"Plans are in place to investigate the cause of the data loss during the ongoing accident investigation," the ministry said.

South Korean and US investigators are still probing the cause of the crash, which prompted a national outpouring of mourning with memorials set up across the country.

Investigators have pointed to a bird strike, faulty landing gear and the runway barrier as possible issues. The pilot warned of a bird strike before pulling out of a first landing, then crashed on a second attempt when the landing gear did not emerge.

This week, lead investigator Lee Seung-yeol told reporters that "feathers were found" in one of the plane's recovered engines, but cautioned a bird strike does not lead to an immediate engine failure.

Rival parties later formed a joint task force to probe the crash, while Transport Minister Park Sang-woo offered his resignation this week.

"As the minister responsible for aviation safety, I feel a heavy sense of responsibility regarding this tragedy," he said.

You're running late for an important job interview due to unexpected traffic. Instead of calling ahead with a white lie about a "family emergency," you arrive 15 minutes late, tell the truth about the traffic, and lose the opportunity to a punctual candidate

At your current job, you notice a coworker taking credit for your ideas. Rather than confronting them or subtly highlighting your contributions, you stay silent, believing honesty will prevail. Months later, they receive a promotion while you're passed over

Your neighbor's tree branches are encroaching on your property, damaging your roof. Instead of trimming them yourself, you follow the legal process, sending certified letters and waiting for responses. By the time you're legally allowed to act, a storm causes significant damage to your home

One evening, you witness a minor hit-and-run. You report it immediately, providing a detailed statement to the police. This results in hours of questioning, court appearances, and eventually, retaliation from the offender's friends, all because you did the "right thing."

Now, let's see how this pattern of strict rule-following escalates: You wake up one morning to find your favorite coffee mug has a small chip on the rim. Following product safety guidelines to the letter, you discard it immediately, denying yourself the simple pleasure of your morning routine.

While buying a new mug, your car gets a flat tire in the parking lot. Adhering strictly to your car manual's instructions, you call for professional help instead of changing it yourself, resulting in a hefty service fee and hours of lost time.

At work, your boss implements a new, inefficient process. Instead of suggesting improvements, you follow it to the letter, watching your productivity plummet. You're put on a performance improvement plan, despite your unwavering compliance with company policies. Stressed and exhausted, you're involved in a minor fender bender. You immediately admit fault, provide a detailed statement to your insurance company, and agree to pay the deductible without question. Here's where your commitment to rules and honesty leads to dire consequences:

Your insurance company uses your honest statement against you, raising your premiums significantly. They begin investigating the claim, questioning every aspect of the incident and your medical history. You patiently wait on hold for hours, fill out every form meticulously, and provide all requested documentation promptly. You never complain, never escalate your case, and never seek legal advice, trusting the system to work as it should.

Months pass as you struggle financially. The insurance company continues to delay, citing the need for more information. You comply with every request, no matter how invasive or time-consuming. Your health deteriorates due to stress and inability to afford proper medical care. You consider seeking help but decide against it, believing that following the proper channels will eventually yield results.

Years go by. Your unwavering commitment to honesty and rule-following has cost you your job, your savings, and your health. The constant worry and blind faith in the system have consumed your life. Tragically, before any resolution is reached, the years of stress, inadequate medical care, and financial hardship take their final toll. You pass away, leaving behind an unresolved insurance dispute and a family burdened with debt.

In the end, your steadfast adherence to rules, laws, and absolute honesty resulted in exactly what you warned against – waiting endlessly, only to die before receiving any resolution or compensation. This grim outcome serves as a stark reminder that sometimes, a pragmatic approach and assertively advocating for oneself can be crucial in navigating life's challenges and bureaucratic systems.

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The original was posted on /r/games by /u/will-powers on 2025-01-11 09:34:19+00:00.

President-elect Trump has inspired Republican members of Congress to introduce a bill that would allow the federal government to take steps to repurchase the Panama Canal.

Why it matters: It's the second time this week GOP lawmakers have rushed to propose legislation that would codify Trump's vision for a new era of American expansionism.

This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/epicgamespc by /u/penkover on 2025-01-10 16:08:11+00:00.

Hello, I am close to release a Godot made game in Epic Game Store.

As you may know, they offer for the 6 months 100% revenue for me (its caled "Epic first run"), but there is a catch (except the store exclusivity):

It requires integration with EOS, so players will have to confirm a dialog like this:   .

Do you think that would be a big dealbreaker for the potential customers (the requirement is written in the specifications)?

On the other hand, it would allow me to use EOS peer2peer connection and lobby thing and make some leaderboard, but I was not planning for that.

This game is supposed to be just as a test bed for my upcoming main project, that will also have a P2P multiplayer. So I currently dont plan to release this game elsewhere, but dont know for the main game.

According to this part of EFR agreement:

the EOS integration requirement is permanent, even after releasing elsewhere, which would definetly make many steam users upset.

I asked also in other subreddit, more anti-epic-ish, so it would interesting to see also your opinions.

BTW: sorry the typing error in the title.

OverNew data suggests a troubling new phase in the Kremlin’s tactics that directly threatens the lives of Europeans.

the past three years, Russia has waged an increasingly brazen campaign of sabotage and subversion against Ukraine’s European allies. In 2024, Moscow significantly escalated its tactics—turning to assassination, compromising water facilities across several European countries, and targeting civil aviation.

Just this week, Duma member Alexander Kazakov claimed Russian sabotage in the Baltic Sea was part of a military operation aimed at provoking NATO and enlarging Russia’s control over the area. While events such as the cutting of undersea cables have garnered substantial media attention, no systematic effort has been made to assess the full scope and nature of Russia’s actions against Europe. Analysis from Leiden University exposes how far Russia is willing to go to weaken its European adversaries and isolate Ukraine from vital support. It paints a chilling picture of the potential for Russian escalation below the nuclear threshold—and underlines the need for a concerted and assertive European response, which has been lacking so far.

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The original was posted on /r/microsoft by /u/magimorgiana on 2025-01-11 00:07:44+00:00.

I've already gotten the $1 trial of Xbox Game Pass. What would be a good use of the credit? Are there any good apps that you use regularly that have a one-time fee less than $4, or maybe something else?

Also, I'm not talking about rewards points - it's actual monetary credit that I got from somewhere (I don't even know when I got it, which is why I haven't used it until they sent me an email alerting me it was expiring).

linky

My wife likes to watch live sports on TV. During the commercial breaks I do word puzzles on my phone. She doesn't mind.

Summary

Rudy Giuliani sought to attend a contempt hearing remotely, citing health issues and death threats, but later withdrew the request after being required to swear he couldn’t travel for 30 days, including to Trump's inauguration.

Giuliani argued he "probably shouldn't" travel due to medical and security risks but emphasized the inauguration’s importance.

The hearing stems from Giuliani’s alleged defamation of election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, despite prior court orders.

Giuliani faces mounting legal troubles, including contempt rulings and a $148 million defamation judgment.

On our own instance no less lmao

Inb4 YoU CaN jUsT bLOcK uSsSSs

Summary

The death of a teenager in Pucheng, Shaanxi, China, sparked protests after allegations of a cover-up spread online.

The boy reportedly fell from his dormitory on January 2 in what authorities called an accident.

Claims of bullying and inconsistent injuries fueled anger, with protesters demanding the truth.

Authorities have denied protests occurred, censored reports, and urged the public to avoid spreading rumors.

The demonstrations echoed broader sensitivities around bullying and past student deaths.