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[girlactionfigure]

🚨EXCLUSIVE NEW DETAILS ABOUT THE PAGERS - A THREAD:

Just when you thought it couldn't get crazier, Reuters released brand new details about Mossad's brilliant pager operation against Hezbollah in September. I will break down the most important parts and the exciting moments. 

Let's start with the construction of the pagers themselves. The explosive component, Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (otherwise known as PETN), did the most damage. Mossad technicians found a way to insert a very thin square sheet of PETN between two battery cells and a strip of highly flammable material to act as a detonator. This entire package was placed into a plastic sleeve, which was encapsulated in a metal case roughly the size of a matchbox. 

When the command was given, the flammable strip generated a spark to light the detonator and trigger the PETN to explode. The explosives took away some of the battery's power, which Hezbollah noticed when the battery would drain faster than expected. However, they never put two and two together and continued to use and issue the devices. 

The complexity of this construction is essential for one primary reason: without metal components like a standard detonator or wires, the explosive element was utterly undetectable by X-ray. Israel knew that upon receiving the pagers, Hezbollah would likely check them for tampering or explosives, which is precisely what happened. Using airport-style security scanners, Hezbollah did indeed check the pagers, but thanks to Mossad's ingenuity, the explosive was not detected. 

Now we get to the really interesting part, which is the lengths the Mossad went to create a cover story for their ruse. The PETN battery pack that Mossad constructed had a label on it: LI-BT783, and this was an issue because that specific battery did not exist. The Mossad started by creating a custom model for the entire pager, AR-924. They approached a renowned Taiwanese brand, Gold Apollo, to add it to their catalog. 

Hsu Ching-Kuang, the chairman of Gold Apollo, was approached by a former employee and her new boss named "Tom" to inquire about adding the model. Ching-Kuang said that while he wasn't impressed by the AR-924 when he saw it, he agreed to grant a license under the brand and add photos and a description of the product to his company's website, thus unknowingly establishing the legitimacy of the Mossad's pager. 

In September 2023, a website named came online with the AR-924 listed as a product. The site was tied to a Hong Kong-based company, Apollo Systems HK, of which no record exists today. In late 2023, two additional online states came online with the LI-BT783 battery listed in their product list, amongst other legitimate units.

Users in two online forums discussing batteries even made posts about the LI-BT783 and the AR-924, praising its "great performance" and ruggedness for field use. When Hezbollah searched for a new pager, their procurement manager chose the AR-924. The salesperson who brokered the deal offered a "very inexpensive proposition" and continued reducing the price until the Hezbollah manager agreed. 

In the wake of the explosions, Hezbollah launched an internal probe of what went wrong. However, the senior official leading the investigation, Nabil Kaouk, was himself killed in an Israeli strike just 11 days after the pagers went off. The internal investigation is supposedly still in progress... 

@JewishWarrior13

[beardedmrbean]

Western leaders, the UN and rights groups have joined a chorus of criticism of Hong Kong's new security law, saying it further erodes freedoms.

Article 23, as it's known locally, was unanimously passed by the city's pro-Beijing parliament, targeting a range of offences deemed treasonous.

Officials say the law is essential for stability but opponents called it a "nail in the city's coffin".

China has long pushed for the law and said "smears" by critics would fail.

The new law allows for closed-door trials, gives the police rights to detain suspects for up to 16 days without charge and penalties including life sentences, among other things.

"The new national security legislation is going to double down the repression on freedoms in Hong Kong with extended egregious sentences and a broadened definition of national security," said Frances Hui, an activist now based in the US, who described the legislation as a "final nail in a closed coffin".

A group of 81 lawmakers and public figures from across the world, including in the UK, US, Canada and South Korea, issued a joint statement on Tuesday expressing "grave concerns" over the legislation, which expands on the National Security Law imposed by Beijing in 2020, and criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

"The legislation undermines due process and fair trial rights and violates Hong Kong's obligations under international human rights law, jeopardising Hong Kong's role as an open international city," the statement said, calling it yet another "devastating blow" for freedom.

What is Hong Kong's tough new security law?

Hong Kong's year under China's controversial law

The US said it was "alarmed" by the "sweeping and... vaguely-defined" provisions in the legislation, a concern echoed by the EU, which said the law could affect the city's status as a business centre.

Meanwhile, the UK's Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the law would "further damage rights and freedoms" and "entrench a culture of self-censorship" in the former British colony. Hongkongers have told the BBC how they are already being careful with what they say to friends and colleagues, fearing an "informant culture" has developed in the city.

Lord Cameron's comments sparked a strong response from the Chinese Embassy in the UK, which rubbished his remarks as "a serious distortion of the facts".

China's government also hit back at the criticisms of Article 23, saying it is "unswervingly determined to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, implement the 'one country, two systems' policy, and oppose any external interference in Hong Kong affairs".

"All attacks and smears will never succeed and are doomed to fail," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press conference in Beijing.

Hong Kong's leader John Lee had earlier also defended the law - which was fast-tracked through its final phase on Tuesday - saying the legislation would help the city "effectively prevent, suppress and punish espionage activities, conspiracies and traps from foreign intelligence agencies, and infiltration and sabotage by hostile forces".

"From now on, the people of Hong Kong will no longer experience these harms and sorrows," he added.

But those who led the pro-democracy protests against China's increasing influence on the city see the new law as yet another lost battle.

It brings Hong Kong "one step closer to the system of mainland China", former Hong Kong lawmaker Nathan Law, who is now in exile in the UK, told the BBC's Newsday programme.

"The chilling effect... and the result of a collapse of civil society is impacting most Hong Kong people."

Ms Hui said she is also concerned the law could also be used to target HongKongers overseas, or their families and friends back home. The city has previously offered bounties for information on activists who fled overseas, and arrested four people in Hong Kong for supporting people abroad who "endanger national security".

Ms Hui left Hong Kong in 2020 after Beijing imposed the NSL that has since seen more than 260 people arrested. It was introduced in response to massive pro-democracy protests which engulfed the city in 2019.

She said civil liberties in Hong Kong are "long gone" four years after the NSL took effect.

Chris Patten, Hong Kong's last British governor, described the legislation as "another large nail in the coffin of human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong and a further disgraceful breach of the Joint Declaration".

Hong Kong was handed back by the UK to China in 1997 under the principle of "one country, two systems", which guaranteed the city a certain degree of autonomy. While Beijing and Hong Kong both insist this is still the case, critics and international rights groups say China's grip on the city has only tightened with time.

[the50-person]

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said on Tuesday that eight overseas-based Hong Kong activists who were issued with arrest warrants for alleged national security offences, would be “pursued for life”.

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Hong Kong leader Lee said the authorities would continue to “monitor” the actions and behaviour of the eight while overseas, without giving specifics on how they would do this. “We want them to know that we will not sit and do nothing,” he said, and also appealed to members of the public to provide information on the activists.

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The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a broad coalition of politicians around the world, said in a statement that the move “confirms fears of Hong Kongers abroad and represents a dangerous escalation in Beijing’s global war on dissent”. It added that the HK$1 million “bounties” on the eight, could “exacerbate community tensions and are likely to precipitate unacceptable infringements of sovereignty”, in the Western democracies where the activists are now based.

[govindhtech]

Voice Spoofing Attacks, How to Using Future AI Vishing

Voice Spoofing Attacks Introduction

In a blog post last year, Mandiant examined how threat actors were leveraging generative AI (gen  AI) in phishing campaigns and information operations (IO), particularly to create more convincing images and videos. Google Cloud discussed attackers’ use of LLMs to create malware. Google Cloud noted in the post that attackers are interested in gen AI, but use has been limited.

This post expands on that research by discussing new AI TTPs and trends. They illustrate how Mandiant red teams employ AI-powered Voice Spoofing Attacks to test defenses and advise security considerations to keep ahead of the danger.

The Rise of AI-Powered Voice Spoofing Attacks

No more robotic scammers with barely legible scripts. AI-powered voice cloning can now accurately replicate human speech, giving phishing schemes realism. News tales about voice cloning and deepfakes stealing over HK$200 million from a corporation are increasing, and the Mandiant Red Team is testing defenses with these TTPs.

Brief Vishing Overview

Vishing AI

Vishing (voice phishing) uses audio instead of email. Threat actors call victims to build trust and influence emotions, frequently by generating a sense of urgency, rather than sending emails to get clicks.

Like phishing, threat actors use social engineering to trick people into disclosing sensitive information, committing crimes, or transferring finances. These fake calls often impersonate banks, government agencies, or tech support, adding legitimacy to the fraud.

Strong AI tools like word generators, image producers, and voice synthesizers have spurred open-source efforts, making them more accessible. AI’s rapid progress is giving more people access to it, making vishing assaults more believable.

Voice Spoofing

AI-Powered Attack Lifecycle Voice Spoofing

Audio processing and model training are used in modern voice cloning. Training the model uses a powerful combination of open-source tools and techniques, which are popular today. After these early steps, attackers may spend more time understanding the impersonator’s speech patterns and writing a script before launching operations. The attack is more likely to succeed because to this added authenticity.

Next, attackers may leverage AI-powered Voice Spoofing Attacks throughout the attack lifecycle.

Initial Access

A threat actor can get early access via a faked voice in several ways. Threat actors can pose as executives, coworkers, or IT support to get victims to give personal information, grant remote access to systems, or transfer payments. Familiar voices can be used to trick victims into clicking on harmful links, downloading malware, or disclosing sensitive information.

Voice-based trust systems are rarely employed, however AI-spoofed voices can circumvent multi-factor authentication and password reset systems, allowing unauthorized access to key accounts.

Lateral Movement and Privilege Escalation

Threat actors can use AI Voice Spoofing Attacks to impersonate trusted people and get higher access levels. This might go several ways.

A lateral movement method is chaining impersonations. Imagine an attacker impersonating a helpdesk employee to obtain access. After communicating with a network administrator, the attacker could secretly capture their voice.

The attacker can easily mimic the administrator and communicate with other unsuspecting network targets by training a new AI Voice Spoofing Attacks model using this collected audio. The attacker can move laterally and get access to more sensitive systems and data by chaining together impersonations.

Threat actors may find voicemails, meeting recordings, or training materials on a compromised host during initial access. The attacker can use these recordings to create  AI Voice Spoofing Attacks models to mimic specific employees without interacting with them. This works well for targeting high-value persons or circumventing speech biometric access control systems.

Mandiant Red Team Proactive Case Study

Mandiant used AI Voice Spoofing Attacks to obtain early access to a client’s internal network in a controlled red team exercise in late 2023. a case study shows the efficacy of an increasingly sophisticated attack method.

Client agreement and a credible social engineering pretext were the first steps. The Red Team needed a natural voice sample to impersonate a client security team member. After studying the pretext, the customer gave explicit permission to use their voice for this exercise.

Next, Google Cloud collected audio data to train a model and attained a reasonable level of realism. OSINT was vital in the next phase. The Red Team identified targets most likely to recognise the impersonated voice and have the requisite rights by collecting employee data (job titles, locations, phone numbers). The team used VoIP and number spoofing to spoof calls for a selected list.

After voicemail pleasantries and other obstacles, the first unsuspecting victim said “Hey boss, what’s up?A security administrator was contacted by Red Team, and they reported the phoney voice. With the pretext of a “VPN client misconfiguration,” the Red Team took advantage of a global outage affecting the client’s VPN provider. This well crafted scenario created urgency and made the victim more receptive to Google Cloud directions.

The victim ignored Microsoft Edge and Windows Defender SmartScreen security prompts and downloaded and executed a pre-prepared malicious payload onto their workstation because they trusted the phone’s voice. The simulation ended with the payload detonation, showing how easily AI Voice Spoofing Attacks can breach an organisation.

Concerns about security: This social exploitation has insufficient technical detection controls. Three main mitigations are awareness, source verification, and future technology considerations.

AI vishing

Awareness

Inform employees, especially those with money and access, about AI vishing attacks. Consider including AI-enhanced dangers in security awareness training. With threat actors’ efficient and accessible impersonation, everyone should be sceptical about phone calls, especially if they fall under one of the following categories:

The caller is making claims that don’t seem real.

The caller is not someone or anything you would trust.

The caller makes an attempt to impose dubious authority.

The caller doesn’t seem like the source at all.

High-priority calls demanding financial or access information, such as a one-time password, should be avoided by trusted employees. Employees should be able to hang up and report questionable calls, especially if they suspect AI vishing. A similar attack is likely on another employee.

Verifying Source

Check the information with reliable sources. This includes hanging up and calling back a source-verified number. Ask the caller to send a text from a validated number, email, or business chat message.

Train personnel to notice audio irregularities like rapid background noise changes, which may indicate the threat actor didn’t clean the audio adequately. Expect odd speech patterns like a completely different vernacular than the source utilizes. Look for unusual inflections, fillers, clicks, pauses, and repetition. Consider voice timbre and cadence.

Set code words for executives and important workers who handle sensitive and/or financial data. Perform this outside of band to minimize enterprise exposure in the event of a breach. In case of uncertainty, code words can verify individuals.

If feasible, send unfamiliar calls to voicemail. Calls should be treated as carefully as emails. Report questionable public awareness calls.

Future Tech Considerations

At best, organizations can protect audio conversations by employing distinct networks for VoIP channels, authentication, and transmission encryption. It doesn’t stop attacks on employees’ personal phones.

Future organizations should safeguard all audio assets with digital watermarking, which is undetectable to humans but detectable by  AI.

Caller verification will be included in mobile device management tools. In the interim, organizations should require all critical communications to occur across corporate chat channels, where strong authentication is necessary and identities are hard to spoof.

Research and methods are being developed to detect deepfakes. They can detect deepfakes in voicemail or offline voice notes despite their uneven accuracy. Over time, detection will improve and become enterprise tooling. DF-Captcha, a simple application that queue human prompts utilising challenge answer to verify the other party’s identification, is an example of real-time detection research.

Conclusion

Modern AI tools can assist develop more convincing vishing attacks, as discussed in this blog post. The shocking success of Mandiant’s vishing highlights the need for increased AI Voice Spoofing Attacks protection. Technology gives attackers and defenders strong tools, but humans are the biggest vulnerability. Google Cloud case study should rouse up organizations and individuals to take action.

Mandiant began using AI voice-spoofing assaults in its more complicated Red Team and Social Engineering Assessments to show how an attack could affect an organisation. As threat actors employ this tactic more, defenders must plan and prepare.

Read more on govindhtech.com

[fhjdbvhj]

Exploring the Dynamic Landscape of Web Hosting in Hong Kong

In the digital era, establishing an online presence is indispensable for businesses and individuals alike. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, a seasoned corporation, or a creative professional, having a website is fundamental to reaching a global audience. However, behind every successful website lies a robust web hosting hk  infrastructure, and in the vibrant city of Hong Kong, this infrastructure plays a crucial role in facilitating online ventures.

Hong Kong's prominence as a global financial hub extends to its technological infrastructure, making it an attractive destination for web hosting services. From startups to multinational corporations, organizations seek reliable and efficient hosting solutions to ensure their online operations run smoothly. As such, the web hosting industry in Hong Kong has witnessed exponential growth, driven by factors like advanced technology, strategic geographical location, and favorable business environment.

One of the primary advantages of web hosting in Hong Kong is its strategic geographical location. Situated at the crossroads of international trade and finance, Hong Kong boasts exceptional connectivity to various regions across the globe. This geographic advantage translates into low latency and high-speed connectivity, ensuring optimal website performance for users worldwide. For businesses targeting the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong-based hosting providers offer unparalleled access to this lucrative market.

Furthermore, Hong Kong's robust technology infrastructure contributes to the reliability and security of web hosting services. Data centers in the region are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including redundant power supplies, advanced cooling systems, and robust cybersecurity measures. These facilities adhere to stringent industry standards, providing clients with peace of mind regarding data protection and uptime reliability.

In addition to technical infrastructure, Hong Kong's business-friendly environment fosters innovation and competition within the web hosting industry. The city's regulatory framework supports entrepreneurship and encourages investment in technology and digital infrastructure. This conducive environment has led to the emergence of a diverse ecosystem of hosting providers, offering a wide range of services tailored to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes.

When it comes to choosing a web hosting provider in Hong Kong, businesses are spoiled for choice. From shared hosting plans for startups to dedicated servers for enterprise-level requirements, providers offer a comprehensive array of hosting solutions. Moreover, many hosting companies in Hong Kong provide value-added services such as domain registration, website design, and ongoing technical support, enabling clients to focus on their core business activities.

However, amidst the myriad of options, selecting the right web hosting provider requires careful consideration of factors such as reliability, scalability, security, and customer support. Businesses must assess their specific requirements and choose a provider that aligns with their long-term goals and objectives.

In conclusion, the landscape of web hosting in Hong Kong is dynamic and thriving, driven by technological advancements, strategic advantages, and a conducive business environment. As businesses continue to expand their online presence, the demand for reliable and efficient hosting solutions will only increase. By leveraging the strengths of Hong Kong's technology infrastructure and business ecosystem, organizations can position themselves for success in the digital age.

[ailtrahq]

Hong Kong security chief Chris Tang Ping-keung has vowed to bring justice to people who fell victim to the JPEX crypto exchange fraud, local media has reported. The security chief's office on Wednesday said that the police are actively looking for the key operators behind the JPEX crypto exchange that orchestrated the country’s largest digital asset fraud.During a press conference on Sept. 27 Chris Tang revealed that the police have made 12 arrests in the case so far and seized more than $1 million (8 million Hong Kong dollars) in cash, as well as assets worth $9.8 million (77 million HK dollars), including real estate and virtual currency, according to a report  by the South China Morning Post.Tang added that the police are actively looking for the ringleaders in the case and called their capture a major factor in solving the case. The operators of the JPEX crypto exchange are accused of running an unauthorized crypto platform and defrauding customers of millions of dollars. Tang also notified the press that they are working with the country’s regulators to put certain measures in place to avoid any such fraud in the future.The local police in Hong Kong received 2,369 complaints from victims who lost their hard-earned money by investing in the unregulated exchange. The total monetary value of the fallout is estimated to be around $178 million (1.4 billion Hong Kong dollars).The police have made 12 arrests in the case including three employees of the JPEX Technical Support Company, along with two YouTubers, Chan Wing-yee and Chu Ka-fa.The first signs of trouble related to JPEX emerged on Sept. 15 when several users complained about facing difficulty in withdrawing funds. As the news about withdrawal issues gained traction, the platform notoriously raised its withdrawal fees to 999 Tether after a warning from the regulators in order to deter users from withdrawing funds.Deposit risk: What do crypto exchanges really do with your money? Source

[influencermagazineuk]

Huawei's Breakthrough Chip Advancement Spurs Concerns of Heightened US Scrutiny

Huawei's Breakthrough Chip Advancement Spurs Concerns of Heightened US Scrutiny Huawei Technologies' recent achievement in developing an advanced chip has drawn attention to China's determination to counter U.S. sanctions. However, analysts warn that these efforts may come at a substantial cost and could lead to increased restrictions from Washington. Last week, Huawei surprised the tech world by unveiling its latest smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro, during the visit of U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to China. This move coincides with the Chinese government's launch of a new $40-billion investment fund aimed at strengthening its burgeoning chip sector. The Mate 60 Pro is powered by Huawei's proprietary Kirin 9000s chip, manufactured by China's top contract chipmaker, SMIC (0981.HK), using advanced 7-nanometer (nm) technology, as confirmed by a teardown conducted by TechInsights, based in Ottawa. TechInsights' findings, along with early user reports praising the phone's high-performance capabilities, suggest that China is making significant progress in developing high-end chips. This progress comes as the U.S. has escalated sanctions to restrict China's access to advanced chipmaking tools. Dan Hutcheson, an analyst at TechInsights, noted, "It demonstrates the technical progress China's semiconductor industry has been able to make without EUV tools. The difficulty of this achievement also shows the resilience of the country's chip technological ability." EUV refers to extreme ultraviolet lithography, essential for making 7 nm or more advanced chips. However, analysts at Jefferies caution that TechInsights' findings might trigger an investigation by the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. This development could intensify debates in the U.S. about the effectiveness of sanctions and potentially lead Congress to enact even stricter tech-related sanctions against China. In a note, Jefferies analysts stated, "Overall, the US-China tech war is likely to escalate." As of the time of reporting, there has been no response from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Huawei, SMIC, and China's State Council, responsible for handling press queries on behalf of the Chinese government, have not provided comments. While SMIC had previously been known for producing 14 nm chips due to restrictions on obtaining EUV machines, TechInsights suggested last year that SMIC had managed to produce 7 nm chips by modifying existing DUV machines. There is speculation that Huawei may have either acquired the technology and equipment from SMIC or collaborated with them in producing the chip. Regardless of the chip's origin, Tilly Zhang, an analyst at Gavekal Dragonomics, downplayed the success, citing a low yield rate, which increases costs and reduces the number of usable chips per wafer. Zhang also pointed to new export controls imposed by the Netherlands that may limit SMIC's access to immersion DUV machines. Zhang emphasized that Huawei's ability to use these chips at standard market prices is likely due to its substantial financial resources and government subsidies. Research firms estimate that SMIC's 7 nm process has a yield rate below 50%, significantly lower than the industry norm of 90% or higher. This could limit shipments to around 2-4 million chips, potentially hindering Huawei's efforts to regain its former dominance in the smartphone market. Jefferies analysts suggest that Huawei may have to turn to 10 nm chips, which have an estimated yield rate of only 20%, far below the typical 90% for most consumer devices. Doug Fuller, a chip researcher at the Copenhagen Business School, commented on the situation, stating, "The (U.S.) controls are imposing high costs for producing controlled technologies in China." He added that the Chinese government was likely covering these costs. Read the full article

[ussweetners]

How Do I Select One Of The Best Corn Syrup? With Footage

Manufacturer of baking elements and associated meals merchandise. Selection contains molasses, sugars, syrups, cake and pie mixes, cooking oils, butter, and baked items hfcs. Products are supplied in wholesale and bulk quantities.

As in the production of conventional corn syrup, the starch is damaged down into glucose by enzymes. To make HFCS, the corn syrup is additional processed by glucose isomerase to transform a few of its glucose into fructose. The combine is then homogenized and cooked to a high total dextrose liquid solids content material. The structure of a toffee is that of fats droplets dispersed in a extremely concentrated sugar matrix, in which the milk solids not fat are dispersed.

The literature search, screening information, and data extraction have been accomplished by SY, GW, XC, and YucaL. XL, YunqL, YuejL, YunpL, and HK wrote and edited the manuscript. You can view your wishlist by creating account or logging-in an current account. Please enter your e-mail tackle to obtain liquid sucrose product updates and particular promotions in your inbox. It’s caught in your tooth and you barely care, as your practiced jaw scrapes the pure style of the season from the cob. We visited the Corn Refiners Association and the Food and Drug Administration for some background on the sweetener many people like to hate.

Corn, maple, espresso, caramel and vanilla syrups are also obtainable. Products include proteins, starches, sweeteners, organic seeds, natural spices, grains, grain derivatives, meals preservatives and baking enzymes. Serving the prepackaged food, milling and baking, sweet and confectionary, pet-food and feed, cosmetics, nutraceutical, manufacturing and industrial sectors. All of our processes follow a rigid HACCP program, making certain consistency of our products.

Manufacturer of candy corn sweeteners and food products. Capable of enhancing flavor, solubility, enhance browning in a baked good. Suitable for sauces, drinks, dairy, cereals, snacks, confectionery and soups. Liquid sweeteners, similar to corn syrup, are broadly used in sugary foods to have the ability to naturally enhance the flavors and to thicken a food’s texture.

It controls sugar crystallization in candy, prevents the formation of ice crystals in frozen desserts, enhances fresh fruit flavor in jams and preserves, sweetens and thickens relishes and chutneys. Corn syrup balances sweet and bitter taste profiles, and is due to this fact a key ingredient in many Asian dishes. When brushed onto baked ham, barbecued meats or baked greens corn syrup is an ideal glaze. In baked goods, corn syrup holds moisture and maintains freshness longer.

Adding antioxidant (e.g., blended tocopherols) or antioxidant blend (e.g., mix of ascorbic acid/lecithin/tocopherols) to the encapsulated oil powders can be important to increase their shelf life. In addition, the bodily secure multilayer interfacial membrane could be additionally ready using pectin, alginate, gum acacia, modified starches, pea protein, beta-lactoglobulin, caseinate, carrageenan, and gelatin. Honey is one of the most versatile sweeteners you'll be able to have readily available. Distinct and priceless in cooking and baking, as nicely as standing by itself as a spread or an additive to teas and different beverages, honey is a necessity.

Different grades of corn meal have completely different names, and these are produced with totally different refining procedures. For example, the coarsest corn meal is named grits and is used for corn flakes . Corn, , also called Indian corn or maize is a grain — specifically a grass — throughout the Family Poaceae, which additionally consists of other economically necessary grasses such bulk high fructose corn syrup as wheat, oats, sorghum, and rye. The Indian strand of corn is very versatile and extensively used across the nation for a big selection of business, industrial and at-home makes use of. Please notice, extra supply charges could also be required based mostly on accessibility of your location, proximity of your location to our delivery routes, nature of your order.

Note that it says corn starch that's broken down into glucose. That mentioned, some glucose syrup offered in the grocery store is solely corn syrup, as they can bulk corn syrup be the identical factor. Glucose syrup and corn syrup can be utilized interchangeably. They are both naturally derived added sweeteners commonly used to combat crystallization.

It provides two occasions the thickening compared to flour. It additionally works as an anti-caking agent and is utilized in purposes like shredded cheese to prevent clumping. Corn Starch absorbs moisture and prevents a slimy texture from growing Bulk liquid sugar. But then once more, not all my shops will last 30+ years, like my wheat, rice, beans, sugar, salt, and so forth., just because some meals can't.

[potteresque-ire]

🏳️‍🌈 Rec post!! A queer film + a queer TV series from Hong Kong ~

1) Twilight’s Kiss (叔·叔) (Dir. Ray Yeung 楊曜愷; 2019)

Twilight’s Kiss offers a very realistic depiction of two elderly, in-the-closet gays in Hong Kong, who have dedicated their lives building a conventional family before unexpectedly falling in love with each other. It is a quiet film, and the romance is told in the same subtle manner as love is expressed (and not expressed) in their generation. The actors were phenomenal at playing regular Hong Kong men of their age (Pak mentioned he “came to Hong Kong”, ie, he was a refugee from Mao’s China, as the vast majority of his demographics was), which added to the resonance of the story ~ they could’ve been anyone, and anyone could’ve been them. 

The director of the film, Ray Yeung, is an openly gay man.

(Long review: Hollywood Reporter) Streaming link to film (with English subtitles; pls ignore and close the pop-up window)

2) Ossan’s Love (大叔的愛) (2021)

The unlikely (and hilarious) love triangle between Muk (Left), Tin (Center) and KK (Right) in Ossan’s Love.

For those who found the name familiar, it’s because the series is a (faithful) remake of the popular 2018 Japanese series of the same name. The Hong Kong version is longer (15 episodes; ~ 40 min each) compared to the Japanese original, and its mood is cheerier, sweeter, and also ... more BL, with the lead characters Tin (Haruta in the original) and Muk (Maki in the original) played by two idols, Edan Lui 呂爵安 and Anson Lo 盧瀚霆, from the very popular local boy band MIRROR.

(Being idols didn’t prevent them from kissing. Not in Hong Kong, 2021.) (Yes, they kissed, and hugged and fought and bantered...)

Ossan’s Love is culturally significant in that it became the first gay drama to be aired primetime in Hong Kong, and by extension, in China. Beloved by the locals, it was also very much discussed—hk-queers expressed their (surprised) joy that finally, they got to see a respectful, dignified presentation of who they are and how they love. More importantly, they got to see HKers, older generations included, glued to the TV for their kind of love story, rooting for the lead male characters to get together. 

This signifies a broader acceptance of LGBT+ in the city than previously assumed; this is very important and comforting to the community in June, 2021, when the future of LGBT+ rights in the city is very uncertain. After the 2019 protests, pro-democracy leaders have been arrested and jailed in large numbers; newspaper that advocated for freedom has been shut down. Meanwhile, during the airing of Ossan’s Love , the (in)famous pro-Beijing politician, Junius Ho, claimed the series to have violated the city’s much feared, much abused National Security Law—the law that officially aims to catch “traitors”, but has been used as a “catch-all” excuse to arrest political dissidents and suppress the freedoms of the city. Ho was of sufficient prominence that his words could draw the attention of officials who have been sent from across the mainland-HK border to do Beijing’s bidding.

Also, Ossan’s Love was produced not by the powerful, once popular TVB (local TV station), which, with Chinese investors becoming its major shareholders like many other HK press and media companies, has become very pro-Beijing and conservative. The series was produced by ViuTV, a much smaller station preferred by young, pro-democracy Hong Kongers ... which means the future of the series, of its stars (MIRROR’s members are once-contestants of a ViuTV talent show), of even the station itself is also uncertain.

Hence, I’m recommending Ossan’s Love now ... even if the official version doesn’t have the best English subtitles. The full series is on Youtube (links below); the soundtrack is in Cantonese and (Traditional) Chinese subtitles are available, but English is only available via Youtube’s built-in Auto-Translate function. 

For those who would like to catch a short scene of two cute HK boys in love, the last 5 minutes of Ep 11 would be a nice place to watch. You can see how comfortable these two bandmates were with each other—Edan (Tin) had played two supporting roles before this series, while Anson (Muk) had never acted before. Edan and Anson have claimed that being close friends in RL meant their intimate scenes were easy to film (BTW, Anson is gay, Edan isn’t).

Edan Lui (Left) & Anson Lo (Right), Harper's Bazaar HK, May 2021. Edan was a uni student before joining hk-ent. Anson was a dance instructor.

(You can also see why, when I watched the Gg + Dd Happy Camp episode very, very early on in my turtlehood, I assumed Gg and Dd would have ample opportunities to work together again, to play and be happy in front of the camera ... just like how I remembered on-screen couples from my days in HK—the couples, the CPs of the time, would collaborate repeatedly after having demonstrated chemistry and become commercial success—in film and TV projects, in variety shows, in awards ceremonies as presenting guests etc etc. This multi-project collaboration was, and still is, viewed as a Very Good Thing, and not only for commercial reasons. The inter-personal fate (緣份) to play on-screen couples repeatedly, per the tradition of HK-ent, is something of a blessing, talked about as a small-scale version of having the destiny, the luck to be together across multiple lives, multiple incarnations. Actors treasure this kind of collaboration and the HK audience celebrates it, regardless of the marital status of the actors in RL. Entertainment news dedicate articles about it.) (There’s actually an example of that in Ossan’s Love: Kenny Wong 黃德斌, the actor who played the titular Ossan, KK, and Rachel Kan 簡慕華, who played his wife Francesca, had already played husband and wife three times before. Rachel had retired from acting in 2017 and moved to Canada; she told reporters that she returned to shoot Ossan’s Love primarily so that she could play Kenny’s wife again).

* Below is a small warning for Ossan’s Love ~ *

The humour of Ossan’s Love is often wild and zany, especially where it adapts from the Japanese original. Some of it, i-fandomers may find uncomfortable. Notably, the titular Ossan (Japanese, meaning “Older Man”) was Tin and Muk’s boss; and he and Darren, another superior of Tin and Muk, were also part of the romantic story line.

One can argue, therefore, that Ossan’s Love contains a *very* “Me Too” situation; however, this is also why I find Ossan’s Love interesting beyond being a Chinese-speaking gay drama—it is clear that the production team of this series meant no disrespect, and from the series’ reception, it’s also clear that hk-queers and other more progressive members among the audience didn’t see disrespect in the product. This series therefore offers a glimpse to the answers of some questions I’ve had: how does Hong Kong of 2021 translate respect for queers (as well as for older men and women) into day-to-day words and actions? How do these culturally-specific habits in speech and behaviour compare to the norms in, for example, the United States (that I’m familiar with)?

“Political incorrectness” was also found in some of Tin’s internal monologue. However, I thought, perhaps, that was why the series has proven to be disarming to the general audience both in HK and Japan, places with a tradition of homophobia stemming often not from malice, but from ignorance, from sex being considered taboo for so much of the places’ history. Tin, as someone who haven’t seemed to have spared a thought about homosexuality before the story had taken place, spoke the minds of the audiences who aren’t familiar with homosexuality. Muk, meanwhile, presented the perspective of someone who already understood what being gay was and wasn’t about. Tin, therefore, led the audience towards Muk and his views step by step, all the while without being judgemental—how could he be? He was one of them too during his journey. He was the student, and he was also the protagonist who everyone—and I mean everyone—loved (in a rather funny manner :D). 🌈

(Long review: BLwatcher)

Links to Ossan’s Love, official version uploaded by ViuTV: EP 1 EP 2 EP 3 EP 4 EP 5 EP 6 EP 7 EP 8 EP 9 EP 10 EP 11 EP 12 EP 13 EP 14 EP 15

ETA 2021/09/16: Streaming with English subtitles is available here.

[beardedmrbean]

Finnish President Alexander Stubb's quips on alcohol and double-entendre Estonian words during his state visit to Estonia were not too well-received by some Estonians and Finns, according to an Iltalehti report.

Finnish experts on Estonia suggested to Iltalehti that the jokes were outdated, and hearkened back to the alcohol tourism of the 1990s.

At a dinner on Monday evening at the Tallinn cruise terminal, Stubb mentioned his playlist of Estonian artists like Eleryn Tiit, Stefan and Karl-Erik Taukar. He noted that Taukar has a song called 'Cuba Libre' and Smilers has a song called 'Mojito.'

Stubb then quipped in English, "I wonder when Eleryn Tiit will release a song called Viru Valge?" This remark was met with awkward chuckles, particularly from the Estonians. Viru Valge is a popular Estonian vodka brand.

In his speech, Stubb also mentioned Estonian words that mean something entirely different in Finnish. One of them was 'ämmä' which Stubb explained means a grumpy old woman in Finnish.

Tapio Reini, editor-in-chief of the Finnish-language radio station SSS-radio in Estonia, was among those who felt Stubb's jokes were distasteful and outdated.

"The rule of thumb is that if a Finn starts telling alcohol jokes in Estonia, they always backfire," said Jari Havia, a Finnish non-fiction writer specializing in Estonia.

On Tuesday, Stubb visited the Rakett69 science studio in Tallinn, where Estonian IT guru Taavi Kotka introduced the HK Unicorn Squad, an initiative promoting women in tech. To this, Stubb quipped, "In Finland, the name HK is already claimed by sausage."

This particular HK sausage also represents an unfortunate chapter in Finnish-Estonian economic history, as HKScan, the manufacturer of the HK sausage, owned production units in Estonia for over 20 years but ultimately withdrew from Estonia and the Baltics.

Parties say EU must pay for border fence

The EU should pay for a fence to be built on Finland’s eastern border — this was the opinion of the representatives of all nine parliamentary parties in Ilta-Sanomat’s European election debate on Tuesday.

The debate at Sanomatalo in Helsinki featured several votes where participants displayed their stance on various issues with yes or no placards.

Helsingin Sanomat reported that the question about funding the eastern border fence was the only one to receive unanimous support from all nine parties.

The question read: "Should the EU pay for a fence to be built on the eastern border?"

Those who raised the green placard were Petteri Orpo (National Coalition Party), Antti Lindtman (Social Democratic Party), Riikka Purra (Finns Party), Petri Honkonen (Centre Party), Li Andersson (Left Alliance), Sofia Virta (Greens), Anna-Maja Henriksson (Swedish People’s Party), Sari Essayah (Christian Democrats), and Harry Harkimo (Movement Now).

All parties were represented by their leaders at the event except the Centre Party, which sent former Culture Minister Honkonen.

After the vote, Finns Party chair and Finance Minister Purra said the EU’s border security funding instruments currently do not allow for funding of the fence from union funds, but hopes it could be possible in the future.

Purra added that Finland’s 1,300-kilometer-long eastern border cannot be protected entirely with fences and that such barriers are expensive. Fences are being built only in areas where the Border Guard deems them most beneficial.

The Border Guard plans to build about 200 kilometres of barrier fence on the eastern border from 2024 to 2026. In the first phase, a total of 70 kilometres of border fence will be built at border crossing points and their surrounding areas. The total cost of the project is estimated at 380 million euros.

End of Foodora market

Food delivery service Foodora plans to shut down its online grocery store, Foodora Market, in Finland, as reported by Taloussanomat.

Foodora Market's director Anni Ahnger confirmed to the paper that the company has started layoff talks with employee representatives aimed at ending Foodora Market's operations in Finland. The talks will potentially affect 80 employees.

The company has a total of seven Foodora Market stores in Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Espoo, Jyväskylä, and Oulu. Products could be purchased from these stores through the Foodora app and then delivered to the customer. The first Foodora Market opened in Helsinki in December 2020.

An Aamulehti report stated several reasons behind the closure of Foodora Markets, with consumers' price consciousness being one of them.

Online grocery shopping has also not developed as hoped in Finland after the boom during the Covid period, compared to other European countries, Ahnger told Aamulehti.

She added that the profitability of Foodora Markets in Finland is impacted by regulation. In Sweden and Norway, Foodora delivers alcohol, tobacco and pharmacy products.

Foodora Market will continue to operate normally in other countries.

Foodora, which is a part of the German group Delivery Hero, has faced significant financial losses in Finland over the past years. In 2022, the company reported a loss of approximately 15.5 million euros despite generating a turnover of around 175 million euros.

Finland among hottest in Europe

Finland is currently basking in some of Europe's warmest temperatures, as reported by commercial broadcaster MTV.

While southern and eastern Europe boast similarly warm or even hotter conditions, cooler air masses dominate in the west.

MTV Meteorologist Aleksi Jokela explains that the reason behind Finland's exceptionally warm May is a high-pressure area formed over northern and eastern Europe and Russia. Continuous cold air flows into Siberia through the high-pressure area, but the high pressure system transports warm heat masses from southern Europe to Finland via eastern Europe.

On Wednesday, some parts of Finland are expected to hit the 30-degree mark.

[talaricula]

a series of events:

we go to a board game festival in ghent with two couples of friends. there, we meet a friend of one of the couples, who's there alone and plays games with us all afternoon

the first thing he says upon meeting us is, to Lilou who's wearing a hollow knight tshirt: "omg my gf would love this shirt". we talk some about how his gf (who's also v into boardgames but not there today bc other obligations) ADORES hollow knight and hades, both of which lilou has been hyperfixating on for (resp.) the last almost two years and the last two months. it's fun. we bond over gaymer gfs.

a bit further into the afternoon, as lilou + other friends are getting us food, the new dude asks me what we do for a living. i say i work as a phd researcher in human rights law at my uni. he goes :O and says "MY GF WORKS THERE TOO." he tells me her name - i haven't met her yet but apparently we have a mutual friend! cool!

it is important to note that this dude has abundant bi wife energy. we haven't met him for an hour when he explicitly insists on the progressive queers/dipshit conservative men dichotomy in board game hobby circles and insists on how he likes the former and detests the latter. he is one of the founders of the ghent board game student club, says he met his gf there, and that he finds it important to foster an inclusive and positive environment there

we have fun playing together for the rest of the afternoon, he's v chill and non-elitist about games, he seems to enjoy playing with us too. he seems like the same type of person and player as the couple that he's friends with, and we rly like those friends - they're v sociable and positive and easy to get along with. when saying goodbye, we all go "hopefully see you soon! we should play togethet again some time!"

about a week later, i am going through the ghent subreddit to look for restaurant recommendations to add to my list, and i notice a post by a newly out queer man experimenting with gender expression asking if there are casual places where he can go and feel safe presenting more fem. i check the comments out of curiosity and the third comment is a girl enthusiastically recommending the ghent board game student club, that she's been there since its founding, and that it's so queer-friendly and she feels so at ease there. I go "huh" and check her profile. it's all hades and HK and board games and drawings by her bf (we learned board game festival dude was an artist). I go "HUH". it has to be the gf.

I go "hm i should prob add her on linkedin, since we work literally in the same research group." I check linkedin (which i do about once a month bc i am bad at professional self-promotion) and see that the she has ALREADY added me on linkedin. a week ago. after the board game festival. INCH RESTING. i accept her request and, like a good little extrovert, I get to fb to add them both as friends. i think "cool, casual first contact, we will prob meet again at some point through [couple who were our mutual friends], might be fun". both their profiles (with drawings from the dude) confirm that it was def her reddit account. cute!

i have added the dude as a friend for legitimately less than FOUR minutes when i get a pm going "hey!!! shall we get together to play some games when [gf] is done with exams?"

this man rly went "i found HOLLOW KNIGHT AND HADES/LAWYER BOARD GAME LESBIANS??? must secure them as friends for my hollow knight and hades bi lawyer board game gf ASAP! NO TIME TO WASTE!" and i respect that tremendously

[tishinada]

The Liaison

(Lovely art by Chaosandwonder!)

Summary: Theron Shan and Lana Beniko have the beginnings of an Alliance dedicated to locating the missing Lord Wrath and to bring down Emperor Arcann. They don't have a lot of qualified personnel yet, and Theron's stretched really thin until Lana finds a former Intelligence liaison to help him.

Notes: A light-hearted surprise for Chaosandwonder who created the lovely art, set during the interval between the invasion of Zakuul and the start of KotFE.

Be warned that it's a minor spoiler for what happens to a secondary character in Dance in the Shadow of Honor.

>>>>>>>>>>>

The Liaison

Theron rubbed at his head around his implants, trying to ease the tension before it could develop into a headache. Damn. Lana keeps promising me help trying to crack this Zakuulan security, but she’d better produce this mystery help soon or I AM going on strike.

A light hand on his shoulder startled him, but then a large mug of caff appeared in front of his face. “You looked like you could use this.” Lana chuckled as he grabbed it, taking a grateful gulp.

“Yeah, about a gallon more and something for a headache.”

“I’ll have HK bring you a carafe and start a new pot. And,” she added smugly, “I may have some relief for that headache as well.” Putting a hand on the back of his chair, she firmly turned it toward the door.

Read the rest at AO3

[ailtrahq]

As reported last week, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in Hong Kong has raised grave concerns about crypto platform JPEX, which has been actively marketing its services through influencers and over-the-counter virtual asset money changers. However, none of the entities within JPEX hold a license to operate a virtual asset trading platform in Hong Kong, prompting an investigation. JPEX Fears SFC’s Vigilance, Shuts Down Trading ActivitiesIn response, JPEX announced the suspension of some trading activities, impacting users’ ability to place new orders on its Earn Trading interface, according to the Bloomberg report. Interestingly, the platform is working to address liquidity issues with third-party market makers. The Hong Kong police are conducting an investigation based on the SFC’s referral, citing JPEX’s operation as an unlicensed entity.So far, the police have received 83 complaints involving HK$34 million ($4.3 million) related to JPEX. Not only that, the platform, headquartered in Dubai, has also faced additional controversy over increased withdrawal fees and unaccounted staff at its Singapore booth. The outcome of the investigation remains uncertain. This situation underscores the growing regulatory scrutiny of the crypto industry. The reason for the sudden shutdown may be that some of JPEX’s products appear to be suspicious and may involve dealings that do not comply with the SFC’s regulatory framework.What went Wrong?However, the SFC’s warning comes amid efforts to develop Hong Kong’s presence as a cryptocurrency hub. Notably, this is one of the rare instances where these initiatives were put in place to attract individual investors to the region.JPEX’s questionable actions have now raised doubts about the platform’s malpractices. It is evident that the unexplained rise in withdrawal fees of 999 USDT and the absence of staff at their Singapore 2049 booth have added to the uncertainty surrounding the platform.A Celebrity Arrested in the Case!Just now, reports came out that Hong Kong’s social media celebrity Lam Zuo has been arrested for promoting the controversial cryptocurrency exchange, JPEX, amid an ongoing investigation. As reported by local media, this arrest has a direct link to the fraudulent activity connected to the exchange.  As investigations loom, JPEX’s future remains uncertain, a grave call for rigorous vigilance on crypto firms. Hong Kong police have arrested a Hong Kong internet celebrity on suspicion of promoting Rugpull crypto exchange JPEX. At present, the Hong Kong police have received more than 83 reports against JPEX, involving approximately HK$34 million. https://t.co/gmYi68Uwxn— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) September 18, 2023 How many instances do we need to establish a clear guideline and protect user interest in the crypto space? We have FTX, Binance, and Coinbase dealing with similar charges, and the list will go on if something concrete is not suggested on time.!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window,document,'script', ' fbq('init', '887971145773722'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source

[newstfionline]

Saturday, March 6, 2021

U.S. birth rates plunged in 2020, a sure sign ‘things are not going well for a lot of people’ (The Week) As if we needed more evidence that the pandemic has been rough on everyone, experts say sinking U.S. birth rates point to widespread societal challenges, and could cause further complications later on. Data from 29 states showed a 7.3 percent drop in births in December 2020, nine months after the pandemic began in the U.S., CBS News reports. Birth rates have been declining for years, and its not surprising major economic disruption would cause a dip, but preliminary numbers suggest the pandemic has led to an especially notable drop—in the wake of the Great Recession, birth rates fell by 3 percent, CBS notes. University of Maryland sociologist Phil Cohen told CBS the “scale of this is really large,” and argued the decline “means things are not going well for a lot of people.” A column by two Brookings Institution economists in The New York Times outlines some of the struggles that have people postponing or avoiding expanding their families: a weak labor market, job and income loss, school closures, and fewer social activities, to name some.

The most desirable countries and cities for workers looking to relocate in 2021 (CNBC) Canada is now seen as the most desirable destination for overseas workers when it comes to choosing a country to relocate to, a global survey has found, knocking the U.S. off top spot. This is according to a poll of 209,000 people in 190 countries that aimed to find out whether and in what circumstances respondents would move to a foreign country for work. The survey was conducted between October and December 2020 by management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group and global recruitment alliance The Network. The authors of the report said the U.S. had been “hurt by an inconsistent pandemic response, the adoption of more nationalistic policies, and social unrest.” Meanwhile, they said Canada and Australia, which placed narrowly behind the U.S. as the third most desirable country for relocation, had both done a “far better job of pandemic management.” “They are also seen as having better social systems and more open cultures than the U.S.,” the authors added.

Texas Farmers Tally Up the Damage From a Winter Storm ‘Massacre’ (NYT) Texas farmers and ranchers have lost at least $600 million to the winter storm that struck the state last month, according to an assessment issued this week by economists at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Damage and disruption from the bitter blast of cold and snow, which farmers are calling “the St. Valentine’s Day massacre,” is likely to cause some gaps on grocery shelves in the eastern part of the country and push prices higher. The storm also caused a severe shipping and processing bottleneck that continues to challenge the food-supply chain. Truck drivers were stuck for days waiting to load or unload produce. Processing plants had no power. Dairies were forced to dump 14 million gallons of milk, said Sid Miller, the Texas commissioner of agriculture. In a state that sells $25 billion worth of agricultural products each year and has more farms and ranches than any other, the damage is spread far and wide. The storm killed newborn calves, acres of newly planted watermelons and nearly the entire crop of Valencia oranges.

U.S. detained nearly 100,000 migrants at U.S.-Mexico border in February—sources (Reuters) U.S. border agents detained nearly 100,000 migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in February, according to two people familiar with preliminary figures, the highest arrest total for the month of February since 2006. The figures, which have not been previously reported, show the scope of a growing surge of migrants arriving at the southwest border as U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, seeks to roll back some of the restrictive policies of former President Donald Trump, a Republican. U.S. Border Patrol agents caught more than 4,500 migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in a single day on Wednesday, according to government figures shared with Reuters, a sign that illegal entries could continue to rise in March.

Pope Francis flies to Baghdad, beginning the first-ever papal trip to Iraq (Washington Post) Pope Francis on Friday began the first-ever papal trip to Iraq, flying to a country with an extraordinary biblical history but that is also experiencing a serious coronavirus outbreak and ongoing political turmoil. Francis’s four-day visit is his first international trip since the start of the pandemic and marks a return to the globe-trotting diplomacy—especially to minority-Christian countries—that had been his hallmark. It amounts to a show of encouragement for a nation trying to recover from the chaos of a U.S.-led invasion and the brutality of the Islamic State, a group that once vowed to “conquer Rome.”

India’s farmer protests (Foreign Policy) Indian farmers are planning another major road blockade outside New Delhi on Saturday, as protests against agricultural laws reach their 100th day. “We believe that after these 100 days, our movement will put a moral pressure on the government to accede to our demands, because the weather will also worsen,” said Darshan Pal, a spokesperson for the farmer unions’ coalition. “It will weaken the government, which will have to sit down with us to talk again.” The protests have contributed to a significant decline in Indian soft power, Sumit Ganguly writes, as Narendra Modi’s BJP makes a “risky calculation” between domestic dominance and international condemnation.

China sets growth target ‘over 6%,’ tightening HK control (AP) China’s No. 2 leader set a healthy economic growth target Friday and vowed to make the nation self-reliant in technology amid tension with the U.S. and Europe over trade and human rights. Another official announced plans to tighten control over Hong Kong by reducing the public’s role in government. The ruling Communist Party aims for growth of “over 6%” as the world’s second-largest economy rebounds from the coronavirus, Premier Li Keqiang said in a speech to China’s ceremonial legislature. About 3,000 delegates gathered for its annual meeting, the year’s highest-profile political event, under intense security and anti-virus controls. It has been shortened from two weeks to one because of the pandemic. The party is shifting back to its longer-term goal of becoming a global competitor in telecoms, electric cars and other profitable technology. That is inflaming trade tension with Washington and Europe, which complain Beijing’s tactics violate its market-opening commitments and hurt foreign competitors.

People wasting almost 1bn tonnes of food a year, UN report reveals (The Guardian) People waste almost a billion tonnes of food a year, a UN report has revealed. It is the most comprehensive assessment to date and found waste was about double the previous best estimate. The food discarded in homes alone was 74kg per person each year on average around the world, the UN found. In the UK, which has some of the best data, the edible waste represents about eight meals per household each week. The UN report also includes data on food waste in restaurants and shops, with 17% of all food dumped. Some food is lost on farms and in supply chains as well, meaning that overall a third of food is never eaten. The researchers said nobody bought food with the intention of throwing it away and that small amounts discarded each day might seem insignificant. Therefore increasing people’s awareness of waste was key, they said.

What’s Catalyzing Catalytic Converter Thefts? (Washington Post) Rhodium is a metallic element used in an automobile’s catalytic converter. It’s unparalleled in its ability to remove the most toxic pollutants from vehicle exhaust. 80% of rhodium comes from South Africa, as a byproduct of that country’s platinum mining industry. Because rhodium is a byproduct of platinum, it’s only produced when mining platinum is profitable. A surplus of platinum has existed in South Africa for years, keeping prices so low there’s been no incentive to mine platinum, ergo rhodium isn’t being produced. At the same time demand for the metal has soared as countries in Europe, the Americas, and East Asia raise emission standards for new vehicles. The shortage has driven the price of rhodium to astronomical heights, currently 15 times more than the price of gold. But apparently not enough to restart platinum mining. And that explains why there’s been a huge rise in thefts of catalytic converters in the US in recent months. Thieves are taking a hacksaw to multitudes of tailpipes. Keep a close eye on your car’s exhaust pipe.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Attack Surface in Wired

My next book, Attack Surface - AKA Little Brother 3  - drops in the US/Canada tomorrow (it's came out in other English-speaking countries on Oct 1) and today, Wired's Andy Greenberg published his review of the series and the new book.

It's excellent.

https://www.wired.com/story/his-writing-radicalized-young-hackers-now-he-wants-to-redeem-them/

Attack Surface is a standalone Little Brother book for adults, telling the story of Masha Maximow, a complicated sometimes-villain from the first two Little Brother books. While Marcus Yallow spends those books fighting surveillance, Masha is one of the people building in.

At first, Masha feels like she has good reasons for doing what she does, redirecting her trauma of living through a terrorist attack into making her city and country safer.

But as she moves from the DHS to some Beltway Bandits contracting in an Iraq Forward Operations Base, hunting insurgents, she increasingly turns to compartmentalization and rationalization as a means of living with her own reflection in the mirror.

Finally, she finds herself in the former USSR, where a new employer puts her to work spying on pro-democracy activists for brutal oligarchs, and to assuage her conscience, she moonlights teaching those same activists to resist her employer's surveillance gear.

This self-destructive behavior can't last long - as Masha flees her (former) employer's wrath, she returns to San Francisco, where her childhood best friend is now a racial justice organizer being targeted by the cyberweapons Masha herself built.

What follows is the story of Masha's moral reckoning, and moral reckonings are the theme of Greenberg's piece: after all, Little Brother and Homeland inspired a legion of pro-user, anti-surveillance technologists and activists.

But it also led plenty of people into tech careers that have been devoted to taking away the freedom and power that Little Brother excited in them to begin with.

Indeed, virtually everyone working on surveillance, ad-tech, or DRM started with the life-changing experience of discovering how code could project your will around the world, and how networks could set your mind free to wander the globe in search of likeminded communities.

And now, every day, they go to work making sure no one else will have that experience. Like all of us, they make a compromise, which begets a compromise, which begets yet another and another, and one day you find yourself working for Palantir or NSO Group.

Indeed, under conditions of monopoly capitalism, a sizeable fraction of us, in tech and out, spend our lives (and our money) furthering the interests of companies and states that are destroying those lives, and the planet too.

In the book, Masha thinks about this as a form of debt, like the "tech debt" that ever programmer has had to contend with: you take a shortcut, and then you have to prop it up in subsequent revisions, until the whole app is a teetering mess built on a crumbling foundation.

Like so many of us, Masha's moral debts have mounted and threaten catastrophic default. Attack Surface is the story of how she structures a bankruptcy that she can emerge from, transformed into a new and better person.

In his review, Greenberg talks with eminent human rights technologists about their own experience of the novel, and the tales he relates - many of which I read for the first time this morning - literally brought a tear of awesome, overwhelming joy and pride to my eye.

From Nathan Freitas, who put the book into the hands of every young technologist he met and then assigned it to his NYU ITP classes, where it found its way into the hands of Harlo Holmes, who calls it "fundamental to her origin story."

"It informed my thoughts around how privacy should work, the interplay between movement activists, technology and the law, and what you should look out for when inviting technologies into your life to do that movement building."

Today, Holmes is director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, teaching activists and journalists to resist foundation - the Foundation is also home to Securedrop, which Aaron Swartz helped create. Aaron wrote an afterword for Homeland, and took his own life shortly before its publication.

I toured that book haunted by his specter, telling his story as best as I could at every stop. Then, years later, I happened on some video shot at that time: Laura Poitras's Academy Award-winning documentary CITIZENFOUR.

Homeland gets a cameo there, as Edward Snowden is packing his go-bag while he hustles out of his Hong Kong hotel room, heading for a HK safehouse, a plane, and then, thanks to John Kerry's decision to cancel his passport midflight, to a long-term exile in Russia.

Greenberg quotes Snowden on the book: "He is to me a radical idealist, because no matter how bad things get, his mind goes to the stories of cooperation and creation-sharing.

"When the traditional structures of oppression are up to no good, as was the case in Little Brother, Cory doesn't reflexively indoctrinate young readers with platitudes on the inevitability of corruption. He helps them reimagine the limits of their own power."

And then Greenberg quotes my EFF colleague Eva Galpering, who, like Masha, is a brilliant security researcher raised by Soviet refugees: "This is a book for the people who realize that they've grown up and made a lot of compromises, and about how you turn back from that."

Eva is joining me on the Attack Surface Lectures, a series of eight events that start tomorrow night.

https://read.macmillan.com/torforge/cory-doctorow-virtual-lecture-series/

Her remarks, and those of Greenberg's other sources, filled me with soaring joy this morning.

Even in the midst of my crushing, daily anxiety for the future of technology, the nations of my birth and residence, for my child and the planet she'll inherit, I was uplifted today.

These books of mine have gone far, thanks to readers like you. Today, with one day to go before Attack Surface's publication, I feel like, in some small way, I may have made a difference.

[atelier-dayz]

The Conception and History of AtaLao

This is just a post for me to ramble on about how Ata and Lao (and Asha but he’s like 1/2 not an OC) got started as OCs and recount some of their history leading up to their roles in Under the Desert Sky. So for the one or two of you interested in reading this: 

(GIF from awhiteshirt)

It’s long and convoluted so everything is under the ‘read more’ link.

Otherwise, just carry on scrolling through your dash! 8D

The Beginning

To talk about the start of AtaLao, I first need to talk (briefly) about Rogue One and The Lost Bladesman. 

So I watched Rogue One and fell deep into Chirrut/Baze. That of course meant watching movies that Donnie Yen (DY) and Jiang Wen (JW) were in, which included The Lost Bladesman. 

The Lost Bladesman was set during China’s Three Kingdoms period and starred DY as Guan Yu (GY) and JW as Cao Cao (CC). And lemme just say, in this movie (and in several other Romance of the Three Kingdoms adaptations, including at least one of the Dynasty Warriors games), CC is HELLA THIRSTY for GY. Which kicked off an interest in CC/GY and led me and two friends to evocates’ phenomenal Romance of the Three Kingdoms/The Lost Bladesman series a guide to (dis)honouring your deities which had an interesting approach to A/B/O. 

Between that fic series and the many Hong Kong triad films and old “classic” HK films we watched, my friends and I ended up writing an A/B/O HK Triad AU in which CC was the head of a recently resurrected triad trying to protect/build up their home-city, while GY was one of the few good cops in a (obviously) corrupt system. 

Anyways, getting to the AtaLao part... 

On the left is General Zhang Liao, who acts as CC’s right-hand man in The Lost Bladesman. So naturally, he became CC’s second-in-command in our Triad AU! And look! He is, in fact, Asha! 8D Hence why I say Asha technically is and isn’t an OC LOL

As our Triad AU grew bigger, we added three “elders” to CC’s triad, people who had been important members of the triad before its collapse (due to the police) and were pulled back out of hiding when CC resurrected the triad. One of them, we decided, would be Elder (Ata) Zhang, Asha’s father. (Which was how CC also met Asha.) Elder Zhang had been The Accountant for the triad pre-collapse, knew where all the money in the triad was and went, highly trusted and held in high esteem. He was never arrested by the police, though they did pull him into interrogation once with...not great results for them. (Keeping this PG with minimal violence LOL I can talk about this another time if anyone is interested.)

I, on a whim, decided Elder Zhang’s facecast would be...

Tony Leung because it’s Tony Leung. 

CC had his work cut out convincing Elder Zhang and Asha to support his bid for lead of the triad. *nods*

But what happened to Elder Zhang’s mate? Asha’s other parent? (Lao?) 

(Aside: Andy Lau as his facecast because I LOVE HIM. And he and Tony Leung have SUCH AMAZING CHEMISTRY and ALL THE FODDER for me to use for inspiration, but I’ll stop myself here before I pic spam.)

WELL. 

He died when Asha was about 5 or 6. He was shot and killed by the police while he and Ata were out on a date under suspicion of being a triad member. (”He has the face of a gangster,” they said.) The irony is, he is actually a normal civilian, a low-level architect, and has nothing to do with the triad other than being Ata’s husband.

Thus, by the time our AU took place, Lao hadn’t been present for...over 30 years and was only rarely referenced as a near mythical figure. (;﹏;)

So there we have the beginnings of AtaLao. 

Their backstory makes me incredibly sad all the time. Especially when I think about their childhood/courtship and their dreams and plans for their future. I have lots of art drawn, content made, and thousands of words written for them so just say the word and I’ll share LOL

Proper AtaLao

What do I mean by ‘proper’ AtaLao? Well, when we were working on the Triad AU, none of the characters outside of the canon characters GY, CC, etc had names; we just abbreviated actors’ names. (Asha was just called Zhang. Ata was Elder Zhang. Lao was AL.)

Sooo that brings me back to Rogue One and....

The Ascension of the Lord of Imwe *jazz hands*

With so much inspiration material thanks to the movies DY and JW were in (and because I’m a martial arts nut), I started writing a Chirrut/Baze epic wuxia AU titled the above. It involved Chirrut inheriting the title of Lord (Baze as his right-hand / retainer), a power struggle between households to gain/hold the favor of the Emperor, and the Imwe household working to prove the murder of Chirrut’s father. (It is not posted anywhere. Don’t think it’ll ever see the light of day, but it exists. LOL) 

Since the story involved such a huge cast, I thought, why not pull in Zhang to help Baze with security. And if I’m gonna bring in Zhang, I should bring in Ata and Lao! And give them a happy ending. ;u;

And as it turned out, Ata worked perfectly to serve as a parallel for Chirrut (and AtaLao for Chirrut/Baze). 

(And this part, you’ll notice, I took to fill in his backstory in Under the Desert Sky.) Ata Zhang was the firstborn son of a prominent family, but he was born mute (a reference to an...incident in Triad AU) and treated poorly because of it. He would have been selected to inherit the family title, but was passed over for his “normal” younger brother. He took over the family’s bookkeeping (a reference to his role as The Accountant), and later, bowed to their wishes to an arranged marriage, from which he got Asha. 

(Chirrut is the firstborn son of the Imwe family, fully expected not to inherit the title because of his originally sickly constitution and failing eyesight. To the surprise and consternation of many, he did in fact inherit the title.)

As for Lao, he was an orphan taken in by the Zhang family and initially raised to be a servant, before they switched him to security. He met Ata when they were tiny children, and he accidentally found Ata crying over the way people were treating him. Lao ended up promising to always protect Ata, and eventually becomes Ata’s personal bodyguard. 

Please know there’s a LOT of PINING, and longing looks, and knowing they have feelings for each other but never acting on them, and then there’s Ata’s marriage, and baby Asha imprinting like a duckling on Lao, and-- aaaaaaaaah (　ﾟДﾟ)＜!!!!!!!!!!!

Eventually though, as I reference in Under the Desert Sky, Ata’s wife leaves, causing a scandal, and the family takes their displeasure out on Asha, which is the last straw for Ata. He takes Asha and leaves, but of course Lao goes with him. They finally work things out, and when we see them in the fic, they’re an old(ish) married couple who joined the Imwe household along with Asha to protect Ata from his younger brother, who is trying to assasinate him to secure his leadership in the family. 

That is AtaLao. 

(Please look at this picture of them that my dear friend Kei / kannibal on here and twitter drew for me and that has been my phone wallpaper ever since. ♡ฅ(ᐤˊ꒳ฅˋᐤ♪))

And since they already were in a fic with Chirrut and Baze, I figured, why not include them in Under the Desert Sky, an actual SW divergent AU and not just something wildly AU LOL And it works out perfectly as a pseud-parallel(?) with Ata as a Guardian, Lao as a Mando vs Obi as a Jedi, Jango the Mando. d(￣◇￣)b

Other Existing Iterations of AtaLao

I will keep this brief in the form of bullet points:

Infernal Affairs AU - After watching Infernal Affairs, I had to, had to write a mash up of it and our Triad AU. In it, Ata is still an accountant for the Triad, but was planted by the police. Lao is the mole the triad places among the police. Ata and Lao have a sort of missed connection history when they meet in the fic. I do want to finish it someday because I love what I have written so far. Maybe for the zine I’m hypothetically making one day...

In addition to Triad AU, we also ended up creating an epic high fantasy/Three Kingdoms AU and made two additional variations on top of it. The Main AU involved Lao as a High Priest and healer who ends up mentoring one of the Emperors’ daughters in the healing arts, while Ata is a major in the Emperor’s army who ends up leading a lot of supernatural investigations alongside Lao. 

Modern AU is a urban fantasy version of the high fantasy AUs, with everyone in similar roles, just updated for the modern age. 

AAAAND THAT’S IT. I’ll do a post on AtaLao in Under the Desert Sky sometimes since I know their backstory won’t be much of a focus in the fic. :)

PS I ended up making a little diagram to make sense of the AUs that ended up popping up in what order and from what influence. Not sure it’s actually helpful to anyone but here is it: