2026-08-06 16:16:05
Outlandish experiment shows top officials risking physical injury to please Trump - Raw Story
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-cabinet-2677002630/
RE: #ShapePacking...
Survey: 59% of Gen Z users in the US, UK, and AU actively add and drop streaming services to view a single movie or series, 71% stopped buying physical music (Jennifer Maas/Variety)
https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/gen-z-cancels-streaming-sub…
Finally got my paws on a physical CD of Switched-On-Bach by Wendy Carlos, which she apparently REALLY doesn’t want copied. I guess that explains why there is no digital version.
The disk format is a rococo tangle. iTunes can play the music, but it cannot import from the disk. It cannot understand whatever arcane trick was used to construct it. I had to copy the AIFF files manually and import the copies, then add metadata manually.
New blog post on the importance of owning physical (and digital) media, when possible: https://spacetimetech.wordpress.com/2026/06/28/the-importance-of-owning-physical-and-digital-media-when-possible
UK astronaut #JohnMcFall could become the first person with a physical disability to live in orbit, thanks to an agreement signed between the UK government and US commercial space company #Vast: #Haven1 (not launched yet!) as early as next year.
Physical Film Files
From the film itself, to the artwork, the packaging, and the special features—this is about celebrating movies the physical way...
Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: https://www.greataustralianpods.com/physical-film-files/
tree-of-life: Protein interactomes across the tree of life (2019)
Protein-protein iteraction networks ("interactome") for 1,840 species. An interactome captures all physical protein-protein interactions within one species, from direct biophysical protein-protein interactions to regulatory protein-DNA and metabolic interactions. .
This network has 307 nodes and 726 edges.
Tags: Biological, Protein interactions
There are just 59 Robotaxis on the road, Bloomberg reports,
with at least some of them still requiring physical human supervision.
Its efforts to expand past its home base in Austin, Texas are floundering,
with the company forced to admit to California state regulators that its self-driving cabs don’t actually drive themselves, according to the reporting.
This incremental progress would be permissible at a smaller company.
But Musk has persistently wooed investo…
Decided to read Lord of the Rings again which I also have as physical book ... oh heck I wish I could increase the font size!
Causal Scaffolding for Physical Reasoning: A Benchmark for Causally-Informed Physical World Understanding in VLMs
Tianyi Tang, Zhuoyi Lin, Zeyu Feng, Tianyi Ma, Yew-Soon Ong, Ivor Tsang, Haiyan Yin
https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.05966
It's a shame that PlayStation is abandoning physical discs - and essentially physical retail - for games. But any advantages of physical media for games evaporated a decade ago. Developers released literally unplayable games in the expectation of a Day One Patch.
White House Releases Results of Trump's Latest Physical Exam (Chris Cameron/New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/politics/trump-health-medical-physical-exam.html
http://www.memeorandum.com/260530/p43#a260530p43
Ashton Jeanty: 'We're going to be the most conditioned team, most physical team https://www.raiders.com/video/ashton-jeanty-we-re-going-to-be-the-most-conditioned-team-most-physical-team-and-we-re-g…
Entire Cowboys roster passes physical, ready for camp today https://insidethestar.com/entire-cowboys-roster-passes-physical-ready-for-camp-today
The case to buy physical media: Sony is removing all purchased Studio Canal movies from users libraries - no refunds - including:
▫️ Terminator 2: Judgment Day
▫️ Apocalypse Now: Final Cut
▫️ Hot Fuzz
▫️ Total Recall
▫️ Rambo: First Blood
▫️ Paddington
▫️ Moonlight
▫️ Bridget Jones’s Diary
☑️ Sony Removes Hundreds of Purchased PlayStation Store Movies From Customer Libraries
genetic_multiplex: Multiplex genetic interactions (2014)
Multiplex networks representing different types of genetic interactions, for different organisms. Layers represent (i) physical, (ii) association, (iii) co-localization, (iv) direct, and (v) suppressive, (vi) additive or synthetic genetic interaction. Edge direction (i,j) indicates gene i interacting with gene j.
This network has 2640 nodes and 4268 edges.
Tags: Biological, Gene regulation, Protein interactions, Unwei…
Is Dark Matter Really Matter?
Jun-Qian Jiang, Arman Shafieloo
https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.04763 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.04763 https://arxiv.org/html/2608.04763
arXiv:2608.04763v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: In the standard model of cosmology, it is assumed that dark matter is pressureless with equation of state $w=0$ and dark energy has $w=-1$. We test these assumptions jointly using DESI DR2 distance measurements, including the recent Lyman-$\alpha$ full-shape Alcock-Paczynski (AP) information, DES supernovae, and two complementary CMB treatment. When constant $w_{dm}$ and $w_{de}$ are varied together, we find $w_{dm}=0.000968^{ 0.000501}_{-0.000496}$ and $w_{de}=-0.9380^{ 0.0259}_{-0.0262}$ (68%). With an alternative CMB treatment that marginalizes over the lensing spectrum, the corresponding constraints are $w_{dm}=0.000870^{ 0.000408}_{-0.000410}$ and $w_{de}=-0.9353^{ 0.0258}_{-0.0254}$. Both standard $\Lambda$CDM values are disfavored at approximately $2\sigma$ in the joint extension. Neither parameter departs significantly from its standard value when only that parameter is varied. This behavior arises because late-time distances favor $w_{de}>-1$, while maintaining the early-Universe physical matter density requires a compensating positive $w_{dm}$, which changes the mapping to the matter density today. Allowing dynamical dark energy clarify further on complexity of the situation: phantom crossing for dark energy makes $w_{dm}=0$ consistent with the data, whereas a positive $w_{dm}$ preference persists when crossing is forbidden. Interestingly, the Pad'e-$w$ parameterization that provides a flexible description of a class of quintessence models (with no phantom crossing), along with $w_{dm}$ free, is even mildly favored over the phantom-crossing $w_0w_a$ model according to both the best-fit $\chi^2$ and the DIC under both CMB treatments. One can conclude that the apparent preference for phantom crossing may instead reflect deviations in the dark-matter sector rather than dark-energy dynamics alone. [abridged]
toXiv_bot_toot
Decided to read Lord of the Rings again which I also have as physical book ... oh heck I wish I could increase the font size!
Trump regime takes aim at crucial ocean monitoring network. Ships will be dispatched this month to remove the more than 900 deep-sea instruments that comprise the network, one of the world’s most trusted sources of climate and oceanic data. https://www.scientificame…
Reading Douglas Adams when I was 12 meant my tiny little mind got to learn all sorts of words and terms that were exciting but not too complex.
I had to rely on context clues and a physical dictionary. Or just, you know, keep reading.
My own writing is even more obtuse.
https://shkspr.mobi/blog…
I would accept Sony PS to stop making physical disc if they didn't claimed this decision was based on players preferences.
"Spotify's effective payout averages roughly $0.003 to $0.005 per stream... By contrast, Bandcamp pays artists roughly 82% of each sale. A direct $10 album sale can exceed revenue from thousands of streams. Buying music or books directly from artists, whether physical or DRM-free digital, is one of the most direct ways to support them."
Artists are likely better off when you #buy o…
With the detection of the Higgs boson,
the standard model is an almost complete theory.
Missing from the model is a massless spin-two boson, the graviton.
We might reasonably expect that detection of gravitational radiation would include the observation of the graviton as the quanta of the radiation.
However, the connection between gravitational radiation observations and the theoretical graviton has yet to be realized due to the physical limitations on single-gravit…
“National data shows that almost half of Australians already fall short of minimum physical activity guidelines, and rising prices are making even basic care unaffordable for many.”
I’m not saying this stupid war on #Iran is wholly responsible for #inflation, but it’s certainly not helping—and even its dis…
James Pearce Jr. returns to Falcons for minicamp physical amid intervention program https://www.nfl.com/news/james-pearce-jr-falcons-physical-mandatory-minicamp-intervention-program
I am challenging the status quo today (Jun-26) and submitted a physical (yes, offline) product at ProductHunt. Feel free to support me there!
#privacy
https://www.producthunt.com/products/paint
Remember when Xbox tried to move away from physical media to reduce distribution costs during the 2013 Xbox One launch?
And Sony pissed all over Microsoft for it? 🤔
✅ Xbox One loses some disc-free play, family game-sharing plan with revised policies
https://www.
Behind the public’s mounting worries is a growing sense that Trump isn’t mentally all there.
Physical and mental health aren’t easily separated, especially as one reaches 80. I often can’t remember where I put my wallet and keys or why I’ve entered a room. I also have less patience than I used to have. (I’m less tolerant of long lines, automated phone menus and Republicans.)
But if Trump can’t remember where he put, say, a top-secret memo or why he entered the Situation Room, or …
FYI, from now until midnight (CST) Sunday, all physical items in the Elevator Bath catalog are 25% off with code AUGUST. If you want recommendations, lemme know. https://elevatorbath.bandcamp.com/music
Console gamers really are being robbed in bright daylight, smh.
I had hoped that y'all could enjoy physical copies for a few years longer 🫂
from my link log —
Are aerospike engines better than traditional rocket engines?
https://everydayastronaut.com/aerospikes/
saved 2019-10-19 https://
>Remote for TV box (from ISP, not TV itself) misses physical buttons.
>Need to go to AI trashbot for "assistance"
>AI trashbot: "Have you tried turning the receiver off and on?"
>"The physical buttons are gone..."
>AI trashbot: "That can be caused by an empty battery, please replace them and let me know!"
Trump Undergoes a Physical Exam at Walter Reed (Karoun Demirjian/New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/us/politics/trump-physical-walter-reed.html
http://www.memeorandum.com/260526/p63#a260526p63
A Scoping Review of Physics Informed Machine Learning for Wave Propagation Modeling in Seismology
\'Oscar Rinc\'on-Carde\~no, Gregorio P\'erez-Bernal, Silvana Montoya-Noguera, Nicol\'as Guar\'in-Zapata
https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.00178 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2607.00178 https://arxiv.org/html/2607.00178
arXiv:2607.00178v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: \emph{Background:} Standard numerical methods accurately simulate seismic waves but are computationally expensive, particularly for inverse problems. Machine learning approaches have been proposed as alternatives that can reduce computational cost while maintaining acceptable physical accuracy. \emph{Objective:} To map how physics-informed machine learning methods have been applied to seismic wave propagation modeling based on partial differential equations. \emph{Methods:} A scoping review was conducted using the OpenAlex and Scopus databases. Selected studies were classified by problem type (forward or inverse) and machine learning strategy to identify research trends, methodological patterns, and gaps in the literature. \emph{Results:} Physics-informed machine learning has been applied to both forward modeling and inversion in seismology, often reaching accuracy comparable to standard numerical methods at lower computational cost. Application of three mechanisms for incorporating physical knowledge were identified: observational bias, inductive bias, and learning bias. To evaluate methodological reproducibility of a representative method, the original PINN framework was replicated in PyTorch, obtaining results consistent with and in most cases more accurate than those originally reported. From the reviewed literature, limitations remain in benchmarking consistency, training cost, and scalability to three-dimensional and experimentally validated problems. \emph{Conclusions:} Standard numerical methods remain the basis of seismological workflows, while physics-informed machine learning offers complementary approaches that are useful for inverse problems and surrogate modeling. Future work should focus on consistent benchmarking, hybrid formulations, and validation under realistic geophysical conditions.
toXiv_bot_toot
Podcast: The Physical Politics of the Internet with Britt Paris https://www.404media.co/podcast-the-physical-politics-of-the-internet-with-britt-paris/
From collider experiments to large-scale astronomy systems, this session by Dmitriy Kostunin and Julian von Hoerschelmann-Schliwinski takes an honest look at where AI delivers measurable gains, and where it falls short.
Learn more about this session: https://2026.berlinbuzzwords.de/session/ai-in-the-physical-world-from-observation-to-discovery/
I know next to nothing of substance abt The Amazing Digital Circus. All I know is that every time a trans woman makes a virtual reality story she makes a zillion bucks and her characters get turned into fortnite skins cuz of our innate sauce with the feeling of physical disconnection, and im lowk tempted to try continuing the family nacho recipe even as itd be purely cynical cuz I actually really really only care abt the process of becoming a real physical person im tired of thinking within …
So another thing Groening predicted: the suicide booth. https://futurama.fandom.com/wiki/Suicide_Booth
Oh, sure, it's not a physical booth - it's only an online concept of a booth, in the form of a social media platform.
The two modes?
Quick-and-painless has you…
Mathematical modelling of physical systems means deciding what features to include. I often advise my students that the very simplest models are the best place to start. E.g. start to model a car as a simple mass with forces applied to it, then add complexity later if needed, instead of getting bogged down by the details of every component at the start.
This FT article suggests a similar thing in an entertaining way.
£
Dallas Cowboys To Try More Physical Practice Approach For 2026 Training Camp https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/onsi/dallas-cowboys-to-try-more-physical-practice-approach-for-2026-training-camp
Serial sexual abuser Donald Trump stopped short of calling on Rep Max Miller to resign Monday,
saying he would “let the families figure that out”.
Asked whether the Ohio Republican should step down following allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife, Emily Moreno,
Trump said he has always known Miller as “a good person” and called the situation “a very sad thing.”
The abuse allegations, which include physical abuse of Moreno and their two-year-old daughter,
I like my physical PC release of GTA V, btw 😁🥰
The Guardian's tech team share their shoe-leather experiences covering AI data centers, as field investigation becomes increasingly important in tech coverage (Gautam Malkani/The Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/membership/202
Chargers mock Ravens failing Maxx Crosby physical in schedule release video https://raiderswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/raiders/2026/05/14/chargers-mock-ravens-failing-maxx-crosby-physi…
Crosslisted article(s) found for physics.comp-ph. https://arxiv.org/list/physics.comp-ph/new
[1/1]:
- Constraint-Enhanced Physical Search through Correlation Matching
Song-Ju Kim
tree-of-life: Protein interactomes across the tree of life (2019)
Protein-protein iteraction networks ("interactome") for 1,840 species. An interactome captures all physical protein-protein interactions within one species, from direct biophysical protein-protein interactions to regulatory protein-DNA and metabolic interactions. .
This network has 217 nodes and 230 edges.
Tags: Biological, Protein interactions
Replaced article(s) found for cs.DB. https://arxiv.org/list/cs.DB/new
[1/1]:
- Test-Time Optimization of Physical Query Plans with LLMs
Mehmet Hamza Erol, Xiangpeng Hao, Federico Bianchi, Ciro Greco, Jacopo Tagliabue, James Zou
tree-of-life: Protein interactomes across the tree of life (2019)
Protein-protein iteraction networks ("interactome") for 1,840 species. An interactome captures all physical protein-protein interactions within one species, from direct biophysical protein-protein interactions to regulatory protein-DNA and metabolic interactions. .
This network has 806 nodes and 1701 edges.
Tags: Biological, Protein interactions
Prometheus,
the physical AI startup co-founded by Jeff Bezos and Vik Bajaj, the former co-founder of Verily, Google’s life sciences unit,
announced it raised $12 billion at a $41 billion valuation.
The new funds came from Bezos,
as well as from JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock, among others.
This is the second fundraise round for Prometheus, which launched late last year with an initial raise of $6.2 billion, according to CNBC.
Prometheus is bu…
History repeats itself more than it should.
If you think we cannot get out from under these ghouls, then all I can say is we did it several times before.
We should be getting good at it by now.
The closest Trump's gonna get to heaven is on an airplane.
Go figure, cause I can't
Keep protests peaceful.
Don't kill anyone.
They DO make a difference.
Here are some resistance related guides from around the world:
🇺🇸 Fundamentals …
copenhagen: Copenhagen Networks Study
A network of social interactions among university students within the Copenhagen Networks Study, over a period of four weeks, sampled every 5 minutes. Interactions include physical proximity (undirected), phone calls (directed, weighted), text messages (directed), and information about Facebook friendships (undirected). Nodes include some metadata, including gender.
This network has 800 nodes and 6429 edges.
Tags: Social, Offline, Unwei…
The Pentagon is moving to recruit hundreds of troops to appear as spectators at President Trump’s UFC cage-fighting event on the White House lawn,
and requiring those who attend to pay their own way and meet height and weight requirements.
https://www.
genetic_multiplex: Multiplex genetic interactions (2014)
Multiplex networks representing different types of genetic interactions, for different organisms. Layers represent (i) physical, (ii) association, (iii) co-localization, (iv) direct, and (v) suppressive, (vi) additive or synthetic genetic interaction. Edge direction (i,j) indicates gene i interacting with gene j.
This network has 367 nodes and 398 edges.
Tags: Biological, Gene regulation, Protein interactions, Unweigh…
Since his first years as a top player, Jannik Sinner has long had one major weakness.
The hotter it is, the more vulnerable he becomes.
It nearly toppled him at January’s Australian Open, before Novak Djokovic did the job instead.
On Thursday, with temperatures climbing toward the 90s at Roland Garros, Sinner could not endure.
In the second round of the French Open, the world No. 1 fell victim to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo of Argentina, the world No. 56.
He grew dizzy…
copenhagen: Copenhagen Networks Study
A network of social interactions among university students within the Copenhagen Networks Study, over a period of four weeks, sampled every 5 minutes. Interactions include physical proximity (undirected), phone calls (directed, weighted), text messages (directed), and information about Facebook friendships (undirected). Nodes include some metadata, including gender.
This network has 568 nodes and 24333 edges.
Tags: Social, Offline, Unwe…
I hear a longstandingly mentally ill man,
a narcissistic sociopath who is cognitively declining in his elder years,
becoming increasingly disinhibited.
We don't know exactly what his health is ...
He's obviously physically unwell.
— he's drooping on one side.
Did he have a left hemisphere CVA?
We don't know any of that, because they obviously would lie to us about any of it
US senator Mitch McConnell is still not cleared to return to work, his office confirmed on Monday,
six weeks after he was hospitalized after a fall at his home.
An update released alongside a new photograph of the Republican lawmaker – one of the highest-profile figures in Congress, as a former Senate majority leader – said he was undergoing “intense physical therapy” and is “working hard” to get back to his duties.
In the statement, he said that he wouldn’t be able to make…
Last year, we covered how Anthropic was buying physical books,
scanning them,
and destroying them to feed their Claude chatbot.
Judge William Alsup ruled this fair use.
In particular, he said mulching the books was perfectly fine because making them digital was
“exceedingly transformative”: [Order on Fair Use, 2025, PDF]
The print original was destroyed.
One replaced the other.
And, there is no evidence that the new, digital copy was shown, s…