Weird

Reality Alternate, or the Expandaverse

Really Simple Syndication

In Nov 2015, Daniel H. Abelow was granted US Patent 9,183,560 for what he called “Reality Alternate.” This was “a reality alternative to our physical reality, named the Expandaverse, that includes multiple digital realities that may be continuously created, broadcast, accessed, and used interactively.” I have no idea what he meant by this, or how he obtained the patent. His patent runs to 701 pages, including over 300 pages of cryptic diagrams detailing things such as “Discontinuous Stages of History and Consciousness” and “Stages and Cycles of Discontinuous Evolution.” Some research reveals that Abelow was associated with a patent-trolling company called Lodsys, LLC that sued companies such as Canon, Hewlett Packard, and Motorola for patent infringement. Perhaps the “Reality Alternate” patent was an attempt to create a patent so broad and open-ended that it would allow Abelow (via Lodsys) to sue pretty much anyone for patent infringement.

Weird

Unauthorized Dwellings 35

Really Simple Syndication

The Wikipedia entry on Harshaw, AZ, explains: In 1963, Harshaw ran afoul of the U.S. Forest Service. By this time, the town housed about 70 inhabitants, and consisted mostly of collapsed buildings, abandoned cars, and run down shacks. The only well-maintained structures in town were the Roman Catholic Church, and a small school.[6][16] The borders of the Coronado National Forest, established on July 1, 1953,[5] included the town of Harshaw, and because most of the residents never actually gained titles to their land, which could have been done starting in the 1880s, the government’s property included the town.[29] Because no titles existed, and the land was then owned by the federal government, the residents were labeled as squatters. Further, once the National Forest was formed, obtaining titles to the land was no longer an option. Harshaw’s rundown landscape proved to be an irritant to the Forest Service who, in 1963, tried to work with the residents to facilitate a plan to relocate the remaining families and clean up the town site.[6][16] The relocation efforts were not successful, however, as a few residents remained in Harshaw at least into the 1970s.[2]

Tech

2025 iPad Air hands-on: Why mess with a good thing?

Really Simple Syndication

There’s not much new in Apple’s latest refresh of the iPad Air, so there’s not much to say about it, but it’s worth taking a brief look regardless. In almost every way, this is identical to the previous generation. There are only two differences to go over: the bump from the M2 chip to the slightly faster M3, and a redesign of the Magic Keyboard peripheral. If you want more details about this tablet, refer to our M2 iPad Air review from last year. Everything we said then applies now. Read full article Comments

Tech

US measles cases reach 5-year high; 15 states report cases, Texas outbreak grows

Really Simple Syndication

The US has now recorded over 300 measles cases just three months into 2025, exceeding the yearly case counts for all years after 2019. The bulk of this year’s cases are from an outbreak that erupted in an undervaccinated county in West Texas in late January, which has since spread to New Mexico and Oklahoma. As of the afternoon of March 14, Texas reports 259 cases across 11 counties, 34 hospitalizations, and one death, which occurred in an unvaccinated 6-year-old girl. New Mexico reports 35 cases across two counties, two hospitalizations, and one death. That death occurred in an unvaccinated adult who did not seek medical treatment and tested positive for the virus posthumously. The cause of death is still under investigation. Oklahoma reports two probable cases linked to the outbreak. In addition to Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, 12 other states have reported at least one confirmed measles case since the start of the year: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this year has seen three measles outbreaks, defined as three or more related cases. Read full article Comments

Tech

Tired of AI slop on Instagram? These alternative apps are for human artists only

Really Simple Syndication

Baby Elon Musk. Shrimp Jesus. The Titanic colliding with an iceberg lettuce. Social media is saturated with AI slop — low-quality, often ridiculous and sometimes disturbing images, videos, or words created using generative artificial intelligence.  While some AI slop is glaringly fake, a lot isn’t. I remember the first time AI hoodwinked me. It was a striking video I saw on Instagram of a pair of snowy owls in the Arctic with a brood of six little chicks. Amazed by the scene, I instantly shared it with my wife. Her response was: “Surely that can’t be real?!”  It wasn’t. A… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Instagram

Tech

Dutch startup Skylark takes off to give non-technical founders wings

Really Simple Syndication

A new startup called Skylark has taken flight today — with TNW lending an extra set of wings. The company launches with a central mission: empowering non-technical founders to quickly create high-quality Minimum Viable Products (MVPs). To bring their plans to life, Skylark has created an AI-enhanced framework that promises rapid, efficient iteration cycles. Freelance developers apply the framework to build the MVP. While they code, Skylark’s internal team handles the client acquisition. Every solution is customised for the founder’s objectives. By drawing from a pool of freelancers, Skylark can then find developers that fit each project’s specific needs.  The… This story continues at The Next Web