Matt Willemsen @Nonog@fedibird.com

Japan court denies spousal benefits to same-sex couple
A Japanese court ruled Monday that a person in a same-sex relationship is not entitled to spousal benefits provided to a person in marriage or in a common-law marital relationship, rejecting a damages claim sought by a woman against her former employer, Hokkaido prefectural government.
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/17d2b63a4976-japan-court-rejects-damages-claim-by-woman-over-same-sex-benefits.html #japan #SameSex #couple #benefits

Playbook: An Obama vet’s message on Biden bedwetting
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2023/09/06/an-obama-vets-message-on-biden-bedwetting-00114179 #Obama #biden #democrats #JimMessina #nerves

The Biden Slide Deck
OFF TO THE RACES:
2024 GENERAL ELECTION STATE OF PLAY
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000018a-686e-d0b1-a7eb-6e7fbde60000
#SlideDeck

Stop being 'bedwetters' about Biden's 2024 chances: Dem strategist
More polling released this week cast fresh doubts on the viability of President Joe Biden's reelection campaign, and in particular highlighted voter anxiety about the president's age.
But Politico's Playbook reports that Democratic operative Jim Messina, who helped lead former President Barack Obama's successful 2012 reelection campaign, thinks Democrats need to chill out with panicky missives about Biden's 2024 chances.
https://www.rawstory.com/biden-2024-2664980448/ #JimMessina #Biden #strategist #reelection

Sony launches ‘foster care’ program for its aging robot dogs
Preloved ERS-1000 Aibo units donated to the program will be repaired and rehomed to medical and nursing facilities to help provide emotional support.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/11/23867799/sony-launches-foster-care-program-aibo-robot-dog-sustainability #aibo #robot #dog #Sony #preloved #FosterCare #rehomed

SEX
Got your attention!
How Sex Lives Evolve As People Age – Surprising Findings of New Study
Researchers revealed shifts in sexual partner numbers as people age. Notably, gay and bisexual men above 70 often maintain multiple partners, whereas heterosexual women’s activity reduces post 50. The study aids in refining public health messaging.
https://scitechdaily.com/how-sex-lives-evolve-as-people-age-surprising-findings-of-new-study/ #BehavioralScience #Homosexuality #Monkeypox #Sex #ageing #mpox #gender #SexualIdentity

Bucking the system: the extraordinary story of how the SDGs came to be
Behind the UN Sustainable Development Goals is a stirring tale of people overcoming huge odds against hostile institutions.
Book Review
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02807-y #SDGs #UN #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #Sustainability #Policy #History #BookReview

@davidtheeviloverlord Million-year-old alien poop, but they're too proud to admit it.

How to turn off Chrome’s new targeted ad-tracking API
Google is finally pushing out its new ad-tracking API, which it says will provide a more private way for advertisers to hit you with targeted advertising. Google says the Topics API is meant to replace third-party cookies by providing a more privacy-focused method. Fortunately, if you don’t want to share information with third parties, you can actually disable the ad-tracking system. Here’s what you need to know.
https://bgr.com/tech/how-to-turn-off-chromes-new-targeted-ad-tracking-api/ #TurnOff #Chrome #targeted #AdTracking #API

Google Chrome just rolled out a new way to track you and serve ads. Here’s what you need to know
Late last week, Google announced something called the Privacy Sandbox has been rolled out to a “majority” of Chrome users, and will reach 100% of users in the coming months. But what is it, exactly?
Instead of third-party cookies, Chrome can now tap directly into your browsing history to gather information on advertising “topics”.
https://theconversation.com/google-chrome-just-rolled-out-a-new-way-to-track-you-and-serve-ads-heres-what-you-need-to-know-213150 #google #chrome #PrivacySandbox #BrowsingHistory #advertizers

Table Salt – The Surprising Secret Ingredient Revolutionizing Chemical Recycling
Researchers have demonstrated that table salt can be a potent and cost-effective catalyst for recycling plastics, especially in the pyrolysis process. This simple solution could drastically reduce costs and improve efficiency in plastic recycling, even outperforming much pricier catalysts currently in use.
https://scitechdaily.com/table-salt-the-surprising-secret-ingredient-revolutionizing-chemical-recycling/ #salt #NACl #chemical #recycling #plastics #pyrolysis #catalyst

New Study: We Are Wasting Up to 20 Percent of Our Time on Computer Problems
espite advancements in computer technology, they still malfunction 11-20% of the time, causing significant productivity loss, according to recent research. The study advocates for rethinking system design and involving users more in the development process for better functionality.
https://scitechdaily.com/new-study-we-are-wasting-up-to-20-percent-of-our-time-on-computer-problems/ #time #wasting #computer #problems #productivity

Mee-owch!
Groundbreaking Quantum Leap: Physicists Turn Schrödinger’s Cat on Its Head
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking method to perform the fractional Fourier Transform of optical pulses using quantum memory. This unique achievement involved implementing the transformation on a “Schrödinger’s cat” state, having potential applications in telecommunications and spectroscopy.
https://scitechdaily.com/groundbreaking-quantum-leap-physicists-turn-schrodingers-cat-on-its-head/ #fractional #FourierTransform #optical #pulses #quantum #memory #Schrödinger’sCat

7 red flags your teen might be in an abusive relationship – and 6 signs it’s escalating
Australian teens need adults to help them recognise red flags for potentially abusive relationships.
https://theconversation.com/7-red-flags-your-teen-might-be-in-an-abusive-relationship-and-6-signs-its-escalating-212536 #RedFlags #relationships #adults #teens #abusive

Asymmetry Unleashed: “Brainless” Robot Can Navigate Complex Mazes
The new soft robot, made of ribbon-like liquid crystal elastomers, possesses an asymmetrical design allowing it to turn independently and move in arcs. This feature prevents it from getting stuck between obstacles and lets it wriggle out of tight spots.
https://scitechdaily.com/asymmetry-unleashed-brainless-robot-can-navigate-complex-mazes/ #Asymmetry #Brainless #Robot #Navigate #Complex #Mazes #softrobot

Unlocking the Secrets of Microbial Dark Matter: The Enigmatic World of Patescibacteria
Scientists uncover the genes essential for the unusual lifestyle of minuscule bacteria that live on the surface of larger bacteria.
Patescibacteria are a mysterious group of minute microbes with elusive survival methods. While scientists can only cultivate a handful of these types, they are part of a diverse family found in many environments.
https://scitechdaily.com/unlocking-the-secrets-of-microbial-dark-matter-the-enigmatic-world-of-patescibacteria/ #Microbial #DarkMatter #Patescibacteria #bacteria #genetics

Evolution of Vertebrate Armor: How Fish Evolved Their Protective Bony Scales
A recent study discovered that a specific type of stem cell, the trunk neural crest cell, is responsible for the development of bony protective scales (scutes) in fish. This breakthrough reveals how our soft-bodied evolutionary ancestors developed protective armor, paving the way for the evolution of a multitude of vertebrate species.
https://scitechdaily.com/evolution-of-vertebrate-armor-how-fish-evolved-their-protective-bony-scales/ #vertebrate #armor #bony #scales #neural #crest #scute

Scientists Discover Simple Way to Boost the Effectiveness of Popular Emergency Contraceptive Pill
A recent study revealed that taking piroxicam with the levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive pill significantly prevents more pregnancies than levonorgestrel alone.
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-discover-simple-way-to-boost-the-effectiveness-of-popular-emergency-contraceptive-pill/ #emergency #contraceptive #pill #boost #effectiveness #pregnancy #piroxicam #levonorgestrel

Visualizing Global Beer Consumption
Global beer consumption exceeded 185 million kiloliters in 2021, enough to fill more than 74,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
So, which countries drink the most beer?
This graphic uses data from Kirin Holdings to compare global beer consumption by country. The Japanese company has been tracking beer consumption around the world since 1975.
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/which-countries-drink-the-most-beer-2/ #global #beer #consumption #countries #infographic #olympic #swimming #pools

Teen’s death after eating a single chip highlights risks of ultra-spicy foods
The hot pepper linked to teen's death can cause arteries in the brain to spasm.
https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/09/teens-death-after-eating-a-single-chip-highlights-risks-of-ultra-spicy-foods/ #Paqui #OneChipChallenge #toxicology #vasoactive #capsaicin