Tech

Report: US Senators urge FTC to scrutinize Microsoft/Activision merger

Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson) Four U.S. Senators have sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan expressing concern about Microsoft’s proposed $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, according to a Wall Street Journal report. In the letter, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) express worry […]

Tech

SEC will require companies to list greenhouse emissions, climate risks

Enlarge / It can be tough to run a business when your loading dock is under water. (credit: Getty Images) On Monday, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced new rules about disclosing climate risks for companies listed on US-based stock exchanges. The rules are meant to give investors a clearer sense of how […]

Tech

Biden’s vaccine mandates come before the Supreme Court

Enlarge / The US Supreme Court building in Washington, DC. (credit: Getty Images | Mike Kline ) On Friday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases that could severely limit the federal government’s ability to set public health policy during the pandemic. At issue is whether existing health and safety authority given to federal […]

COVID 19 Tech

Details released on the Trump administration’s pandemic chaos

Enlarge / Scott Atlas, a White House adviser, used his position to advocate for allowing the SARS-CoV-2 virus to spread and tried to block testing for it, which would further that goal. (credit: MANDEL NGAN / Getty Images ) Over the past few months, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis has been investigating […]

Tech

US gov’t will slap contractors with civil lawsuits for hiding breaches

(credit: Stephen Melkisethian) In a groundbreaking initiative announced by the Department of Justice this week, federal contractors will be sued if they fail to report a cyber attack or data breaches. The newly introduced “Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative” will leverage the existing False Claims Act to pursue contractors and grant recipients involved in what the DoJ calls […]

Tech

Arkansas House passes unconstitutional bill putting creationism in schools

Enlarge / The Arkansas state capitol. (credit: Daniel Schwen) Last week, the Arkansas state House of Representatives passed a bill that would amend state education law to allow teachers in public schools to teach creationism as “a theory of how the earth came to exist.” As it stands, the act promotes blatantly unconstitutional behavior as […]

Sport

At least Biden realizes that packed ballparks are still a bad idea

I know we all want to get back to normal, but Texas’ “fuck it all, we’re completely open” approach seems a Texas-sized amount reckless. We’re close. More people are getting vaccinated by the day, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but we still need to be smart and do exactly the opposite of […]

Tech

Biden administration launches big push for offshore wind

Enlarge / Sights like these may be more common in the US before long. (credit: Nathan Stirk / Getty Images) On Monday, the Biden administration announced a major effort to kickstart the offshore wind industry in the US. While offshore installations have been booming in Europe, the US is still limited to a single, small […]