#crypto authentication

[aishuglb12]

Sam Altman’s Eye-Scanning Startup Expands to the UK: A New Era in Digital Identity

In the rapidly evolving digital world, new ways to prove who we are online are essential to maintain security and trust. One of the most exciting recent innovations is the introduction of an eye-scanning technology that offers a secure and user-friendly way to verify identities. This cutting-edge system uses iris scanning to create a unique digital identity, providing a reliable method to ensure that each user is a real person. This technology, developed by a startup founded by a prominent tech entrepreneur, aims to solve growing problems related to fake online accounts and AI-generated bots, which have been creating challenges across social media platforms, financial services, and more. By using this biometric data in a privacy-focused way, the system offers a groundbreaking approach that balances security with respect for user data.

Timeline of the Project: From Concept to UK Launch and Beyond

The journey of this eye-scanning identity verification project began several years ago, driven by a vision to build a global digital identity network. After initial testing and deployments in select locations, the company officially expanded to the United Kingdom starting this year. The launch includes multiple major cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast, and Glasgow. These locations are equipped with user-friendly devices called “Orbs” where individuals can verify their identity by scanning their irises in a matter of seconds. The rollout plans include setting up these devices not only in public spaces but also in collaboration with retailers for easy self-service access. The expansion is part of a much larger plan to bring this technology to over 35 cities worldwide, making it accessible to millions and aiming for widespread adoption in the near future.

The Visionary Behind the Innovation: A Leader in Technology

This exciting technology is the brainchild of Sam Altman, a well-known figure in the technology world recognized for his leadership in artificial intelligence development and entrepreneurial ventures. Altman’s vision with this startup is to create a trustworthy and accessible way to establish digital identity that respects privacy and promotes fairness. His previous work in AI and tech innovation gives him a unique perspective on the risks associated with fake online entities, and his goal is to tackle these challenges head-on. By leveraging biometric verification, the startup aims to build a system that cannot be easily spoofed or replicated by bots or malicious actors, making the digital world safer and more reliable.

The Significance of the New Digital Identity Era

Why does this new digital identity verification system matter so much today? In an era where online interactions have become a major part of life, trust and authenticity are more important than ever. Fake profiles, automated bots, and AI-generated content can lead to misinformation, fraud, and compromised security. This eye-scanning technology offers a radically new way to guarantee that the person behind the screen is human. This is crucial for social media platforms, financial institutions, and any service requiring secure identity confirmation. Additionally, the technology incentivizes users by providing a small amount of cryptocurrency upon verification, encouraging wider participation and creating a new economic model that rewards privacy and authenticity.

Boosting Business Efficiency and Security Through Biometric Identity

For businesses, this technology is a game-changer. Traditional identity verification processes often involve manual checks, documents, and can be time-consuming and prone to fraud. The eye-scanning system streamlines the process, offering quick and reliable verification that can be integrated into apps, websites, and physical points of service. This reduces operational costs, minimizes fraud risk, and enhances customer experience. Moreover, businesses can confidently onboard users knowing that their identities are verified biometrically, which builds trust and can improve compliance with regulatory requirements. The technology also opens doors to new business models involving secure digital transactions and decentralized identity systems.

Fresh Features Enhancing User Experience and Security

What makes this technology stand out are several fresh features that complement the core identity verification function. The device itself, called the “Orb,” is designed to be privacy-first, ensuring that biometric data is not stored centrally but remains on the user’s device in an encrypted form. This design helps alleviate concerns about data breaches or misuse. Another exciting feature is the incentive system, where users receive cryptocurrency rewards, encouraging adoption and participation. The system also includes plans for self-service verification kiosks, making it convenient for users to verify their identity without needing assistance. Continuous updates aim to improve accuracy, reduce scanning time, and integrate with various digital platforms, making it a versatile and evolving solution.

Read More : Sam Altman’s Eye-Scanning Startup Expands to the UK: A New Era in Digital Identity

[expandablesherry]

جس میں انویسٹمنٹ کی ضرورت نہیں تو سمجھیں نقصان کا بھی کوئی خوف نہیں۔ اور جن پر انویسٹمنٹ ہوگی وہ آپکی مرضی ہوگی جوائن کریں یا نا کریں لیکن کوشش کریں کہ فری مائننگ اپلیکیشنز کو نظر انداز بالکل نا کریں۔ ہوسکتا ہے کہ کسی اپلیکیشن کے Coins بھی BTC کی طرح ڈالر $ میں Convert ہوگئے تو مفت میں قسمت جاگ سکتی ہے۔

آپ کے کوئی جاننے والوں میں سے کرپٹو کرنسی میں دلچسپی رکھنے والوں کو گروپ کا لنک شیر کریں۔ تاکہ ذیادہ سے ذیادہ لوگوں کا فائدہ ہوسکے۔

Join Group for Pi deals and Rate Updates. 🤝👇🏻

https://chat.whatsapp.com/EcQu1FKVGjK8ACrzuBkct8

https://ice.io/@sherrykhalil

[livinginthefourthdimension]

look, all i’m saying is that flimsy systems and constructs crumble and fall away on their own. so, like, personally i don’t berate anyone who wants to indulge in them while they’re relevant (at least not out of some sense of morality). i don’t think people who use these fake shortcuts (like generative ai and cryptocurrency) are actually bad people. they are people using the tools in front of them to try to achieve a life they think they’re supposed to have. these actions are the result of generations of social conditioning so i, personally, never blame the individual. i don’t even really blame the people who create or popularize these things because they, like many others, are trying to find a way to win in an unwinnable system.

what i will say against these fake shortcuts is that the more you use them the less you hone your ability to be self reliant. and when these things fall away, as they always do, you will continue to be at the mercy of the people trying to perpetuate this toxic system for their own personal gain. Chat gpt and crypto are just byproducts of a system that has well passed its usefulness for anyone without the ability to exploit people on a massive scale (read: billionaires) so everyone who still tries to buy into it (because it’s been upheld as the *only* way to live) behave like crabs in a barrel, because they kind of are. i am really empathetic to the feeling that upholding the values of a society that is actively killing you is the only way to survive. it feels like drowning in 3 feet of water. yes, you are drowning and yes you can just stand up but if you just stand up then what was all that struggling for?

i *get* it. but like the more you can accept the way you perpetuate your own suffering, the more you can take steps to alleviate it. and i will reiterate: the problem is first and foremost with the system BUT the system only exists because we allow it to. And we only allow it to exist because we don’t know what else we could possibly do.

All I’m saying is that *you* as an individual do have *some* power in your life. so start small. start by making one choice that feels just a little bit better than the alternative. you know yourself better than you think. there’s something that’s been nagging you very quietly in the back of your brain for months. Maybe years. What is it? The loud ideas are just distractions. What is that very quiet but persistent thought that’s been bouncing around in your brain? You may not recognize it as a thought but it’s your ticket out of this hellscape. It’s the last vestige of your authenticity that never left your side. If you grab it with both hands and don’t let go you can start to find a way to live that doesn’t feel like dying.

Good luck!

[learnblock]

Your security matters. 🔐 Always enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts. Stay safe while navigating the digital world. 🌐💡 Click this link : https://tinyurl.com/43d9k4n3

[daisys-notes]

Slow Brainer in Actie: Geniale Crash Momenten

Dus daar sta ik, net nadat ik op werk iets briljants heb gedaan. Zo’n moment waarop je denkt: Ja, dit is het, jongens. Waar is die belastingvrije bonus? Iedereen blij, probleem opgelost, ik voel me even alsof ik de god van data ben. Totdat ik thuiskom en mijn 9-jarige autistische zoon mij binnen 0,3 seconden volledig neersabelt. Hij leeft in zijn eigen digitale universum—op een PC, niet op zo’n…

[joelekm]

JWT Explained in Depth | CyberSecurityTv

JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) are pivotal in modern web security, functioning as compact, self-contained data structures facilitating secure information exchange between parties. Join us on CyberSecurityTv as we embark on a comprehensive journey to demystify JWTs. From understanding their structure and working principles to exploring their role in authentication and authorization, we delve deep into the intricacies of JWTs. Gain invaluable insights into best practices, potential vulnerabilities, and advanced use cases, equipping yourself with essential knowledge to navigate the realm of web security with confidence.

[hueandeyephotography]

Xác thực hai yếu tố để tăng cường bảo mật

Trong thế giới kỹ thuật số ngày nay, việc bảo vệ thông tin cá nhân và tài sản số trở nên quan trọng hơn bao giờ hết. Crypto Pie, một thương hiệu tiên phong trong lĩnh vực tiền điện tử, đã nắm bắt xu hướng này bằng cách triển khai xác thực hai yếu tố (2FA) như một lớp bảo mật thêm để tăng cường an toàn cho người dùng. Bài viết này sẽ đề cập đến cách thức hoạt động của 2FA và lý do tại sao việc áp dụng nó là cực kỳ quan trọng.

Xác thực hai yếu tố (2FA) là một biện pháp bảo mật yêu cầu người dùng cung cấp hai loại thông tin xác minh trước khi có thể truy cập vào tài khoản của họ. Thông thường, điều này bao gồm một cái gì đó bạn biết (mật khẩu) và một cái gì đó bạn có (mã từ điện thoại di động hoặc ứng dụng xác thực). Việc này tạo ra một hàng rào bảo vệ thêm, đảm bảo rằng kể cả khi mật khẩu của bạn bị lộ, kẻ xâm nhập vẫn không thể truy cập tài khoản mà không có mã xác thực thứ hai.

Crypto Pie đã thực hiện 2FA bằng cách sử dụng ứng dụng xác thực và tin nhắn SMS. Ứng dụng xác thực, như Google Authenticator hoặc Authy, tạo ra mã số ngẫu nhiên mỗi 30 giây. Người dùng cần nhập mã này sau khi đã điền mật khẩu của mình để hoàn tất quá trình đăng nhập. Phương pháp này được coi là an toàn hơn việc sử dụng tin nhắn SMS, vì tin nhắn có thể bị chặn hoặc đánh cắp nếu điện thoại của người dùng bị tấn công.

Bằng cách áp dụng 2FA, Crypto Pie đảm bảo rằng tài khoản của người dùng được bảo vệ một cách tối đa, ngay cả trong trường hợp có sự cố về bảo mật. Điều này không chỉ tạo ra một môi trường giao dịch an toàn cho người dùng mà còn giúp tăng cường uy tín và độ tin cậy của thương hiệu trên thị trường tiền điện tử.

Việc triển khai 2FA là một phần của chiến lược bảo mật toàn diện của Crypto Pie, bao gồm cả việc mã hóa dữ liệu, phát hiện và ngăn chặn xâm nhập, cũng như giáo dục người dùng về các thực hành bảo mật tốt nhất. Chúng tôi khuyến khích tất cả người dùng kích hoạt 2FA để bảo vệ tài khoản của mình khỏi các mối đe dọa an ninh mạng ngày càng tăng.

Bằng cách thực hiện những bước đơn giản này, người dùng Crypto Pie có thể yên tâm rằng họ đang thực hiện mọi biện pháp có thể để bảo vệ tài khoản và tài sản số của mình. Việc sử dụng xác thực hai yếu tố là một bước quan trọng trong việc đảm bảo rằng mỗi giao dịch không chỉ nhanh chóng mà còn an toàn.

[donotdestroy]

“Anyhow, the older I get, the less impressed I become with originality. These days, I’m far more moved by authenticity. Attempts at originality can often feel forced and precious, but authenticity has quiet resonance that never fails to stir me.” — Elizabeth Gilbert

Authentic: Merriam-Webster’s word of the year 2023 _ “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” — Judy Garland

Do Not Destroy NFT Store: Word Series: What It Means To Be Authentic Poster (Black)

Addition Details Size: 5400 x 7200 pixels (18 x 24 inch) Kind: JPEG image Resolution: 300 pixels/inch

Both physical and NFT items are now available in our store.

[louisbrulenaudet]

Totpsaurus, unleash the Time-Traveling OTPs ⏱️

I wrote an ultralight, non-dependent and minimalist open-source package for generating Time-based One-Time Passwords (TOTPs), creating OTP URLs, and generating secure backup codes for account recovery.

The code is written in JavaScript, my goal was to create a lightweight, dependency-free package, to later make changes to it as needed.

This is a Node.js module available through the npm & yarn registries.

Before installing, download and install Node.js. Node.js 0.10 or higher is required.

[plaidos]

Wait really?? Afabs who say they're genderfucked nbs and have a complex relationship to their sexuality and lesbianism are lying crypto terfs but amab people who say they are genderfucked nbs with a complex relationship to their own sexuality and lesbianism are having an authentic experience that you can't understand? Really? How is it not possible that there are people on all sides of the gender/sexuality spectrum who experience and conceptualize their own identity in ways other queers can't fully understand? This seems like such a bioessentialist double standard?

1. first of all, when you use the word “afab” as a noun in a conversation about bioessentialism, you look like a fucking idiot & sound like a terf.

2. can you point me to any post o have ever made that says or even implies “Afabs who say they're genderfucked nbs and have a complex relationship to their sexuality and lesbianism are lying crypto terfs”? no, you can’t. because i don’t think that & it obviously isn’t true (i mean, you can start by asking any of the many non-binary lesbians AFAB i hang out with lmfao).

the “double standard” you’re talking about is indeed a double standard though — practically anybody assigned female at birth who wants to identify as a lesbian can with very little pushback from the lesbian community, and that isn’t the same for people assigned male at birth. i’m arguing that non-binary people of any assignment should have equal access to the social technology of lesbianism, and right now that isn’t the case.

truly a “how can you be a feminist if you care more about violence against women ??? don’t you think there shouldn’t be violence against ANYBODY?” moment.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Skinnamarinkstump Linkdump

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me TODAY (Feb 15) for a virtual event with YANIS VAROUFAKIS, and on MONDAY (Feb 17) for an event at KEPLER'S in MENLO PARK with CHARLIE JANE ANDERS. More tour dates here.

It's Saturday and I'm on a book tour, and the world is in chaos, and there are more links to write about than I could fit in to this week's newsletter, so time for a cubic linkdump, the 27th such:

https://pluralistic.net/tag/linkdump/

Let's start with the best thing I saw all week: a 3D-printed, spring-loaded, clockwork chess pawn that uses a magnet to sense when it has reached the end of the board and SPROING! turns into a queen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSOnnle3zbA

The whole video is a fascinating account of the design process, from idea to prototype to finished item, but if you're impatient and want to skip right to the eyeball kick, it's at 12:27-12:35. And if you want to print your own, the files are $12 (cheap!):

https://www.patreon.com/WorksByDesign/shop/queen-pawn-3d-printing-files-614491?source=storefront

Regrettably, not every tech project is a good one. This week, Google abandoned its AI ethics pledge. Unlike most AI ethics pledge, which are full of nonsense about not accidentally creating a vengeful god that turns the human race into paperclips, Google's AI pledge was actually very important, in that the company promised not to make AI that violates human rights, international law, or privacy. There comes a point where harping on Google's abandoned "don't be evil" motto can feel a little hacky, but in this case, I'll make an exception. My EFF colleague Matthew Guariglia tears Google a much-deserved new AIhole over this latest heel turn:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/google-wrong-side-history

Not all bad technology is evil. Some of it is merely very, very stupid. How stupid? Check out Thom Dunn's Wirecutter review of The Heatbit Trio, a space-heater that uses Bitcoin-mining GPUs to generate some of its heat, very slightly offsetting the cost of warming your room – but at a rate that would take decades to recoup the $700 price-tag. Thom got some spicy quotes from Molly White for this one – possibly the first time she's been cited in a home appliance review:

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/heatbit-space-heater-review/

Staying with crypto freaks for a moment here, Adam Levitin dissects the cryptocurrency "industry"'s latest chorus of aggrieved whining over "debanking":

https://www.creditslips.org/creditslips/2025/02/debanked-by-the-market.html

As Levitin writes, banks aren't kicking cryptocurrency "companies" off their books because the government wants to punish them. Banks have a very good reason to want to avoid doing business with high-dollar scams that have highly correlated implosions, which is to say, times when everyone wants their money back from the cryptocurrency "company" the bank is handling charges for. For a longer explanation that gets into the nitty gritty of bank supervision, check out Patio11's excellent, detailed explainer:

https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/debanking-and-debunking/

As all the real heads know, "crypto means cryptography," and cryptographers continue to contrive privacy marvels. This week, Kagi – the best search engine, a million times better than Google – released a Privacy Pass authentication plugin, which lets you login to Kagi and run searches without Kagi being able to connect any of the searches you make with your account:

https://blog.kagi.com/kagi-privacy-pass

As an sf/crime writer who sometimes (often) searches for information on committing ghastly crimes and 'orrible murders, the fact that my favorite search engine will be technically incapable of tying those searches to my identity is quite a relief. Read my review of Kagi here:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/04/teach-me-how-to-shruggie/#kagi

If you're one of those marvel-contriving hackers, cryptographers, security researchers or tinkerers, you should really consider attending this summer's Hackers on Planet Earth (HOPE), 2600 Magazine's (now) annual (formerly biennial) hacker con. They've just posted their CFP – get those submission in!

https://www.hope.net/cfp-talks.html

Well, I have to post this and get ready for this morning's virtual book tour event with Yanis Varoufakis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkIDep7Z4LM

But before I go, one more link: Kevin Steele's 2005 essay on Hypercard, "When Multimedia Was Black & White," an absolute classic, and a beautiful meditation on the art and promise of early hypertext:

https://web.archive.org/web/20240213190609/http://www.kevinsteele.com/smackerel/black_white_00.html

I've known Kevin for most of my life, long before he helped found Mackerel, the pioneering Toronto multimedia company. Long after Mackerel, Kevin went on making wonderful things. In 2023, he published a monumental act of portraiture – a "sequential art" time-series of panoramas of Toronto's hip, ever-changing Queen Street West strip:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/13/spadina-to-bathurst/#dukes-cycle

Comparing Kevin's more recent work with that lovely old essay reveals deep correspondences and the progress of a unique and creative soul.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/02/15/intermixture/#debunking-debanking

[sierrale8ne]

40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS CHAPTER TWO

thought i’d be lying if i said ‘i didn’t want you to myself.’ when you look me in my eyes and, tell me that it’s mine, i…

pairing wnba!paige bueckers x singer!oc

taglist @thaatdigitaldiary @ohbueckers @patscorner @wbbgetsmewetter @makethemhoesmad @authentic-girl03 @rosemariiaa

kalena speakss 🪽! wanted to give yall another chapter tonight since college is kicking my butt atm and idk when the next update will be. hopefully soon tho!

May 2025 — Los Angeles, California 

“I just don’t see why you keep acting like our relationship doesn’t matter. I'm tired of acting like it doesn’t piss me off.” Julian spoke, disrupting the peace I had created for myself as I got dressed in the bathroom.

We were supposed to be getting ready for the Sparks home opener game against the Dallas Wings. I was exhausted from getting into LAX at an ungodly hour of the night, and now the conversation was giving me a headache.

“Ju, are we together?”

“Yes—”

“Did you ask me to be your girlfriend?” I turn around, slipping the mini gold hoops in my hand into my ears.

“No, but—”

I cut him off before he gets the chance to defend his position. “Then we’re not together.” I sigh. “I like where this is going, I really do, but we can’t keep having this conversation, Julian. I’m tired of it. This is just the way my career is working out right now.”

“So what? You make more money when the public thinks you’re single?” Julian asks. He’s very visibly frustrated, as he has been since before I even stepped off the stage in New York.

“No. I make more money when I keep the main thing the main thing. And right now the main thing is my music.” The words bounce off the wall for a moment, silence cutting through the air. I feel bad. He really is a great guy, and I hate to put him in a position like this, but it’s the way it has to be. “Ju’ come on. You have to understand where I’m coming from. I’m sorry.”

My hand reaches out for his shoulder, attempting to lessen the blow. Instead he steps back from me, shaking his head with a huff and leaving the bathroom. 

“Have fun at the game, ‘Raye.” He speaks as he leaves, and it’s my turn to huff.

I turned around. Looking intently at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. 

This is the closest thing I’ve had to a relationship in years, and yet, I’m spending the majority of it fighting over something dumb. But is it really dumb, or am I being insensitive?

I really do like Julian. He’s funny and sweet, he never fails to go out of his way to support me; I mean he just caught a flight to see me on Jimmy Fallon. He buys me flowers, he cares about communication, and all the little things. But for some reason I Just can’t keep up with it. 

It sucks.

—

May 2025 — Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California 

The atmosphere in the arena is booming, and oddly enough I find myself surprised at how many people have filled Crypto. I’m seated courtside, underneath the basket nearest to The Sparks bench. The game is halfway through the first quarter and at a timeout when I take my seat. 

I have on a burgundy leather set from Fashion Nova. The shirt is a cropped button up that I only fastened at the bottom button and matching shorts. I’m wearing a pair of matching burgundy Prada slingback pumps that my recent success has gratefully allowed me to purchase. 

I sent a last minute text to my sister, telling her that Julian bailed and I would love it if she joined me, hence the slight tardiness. 

I’ve never seen Cassie as excited as she is right now. She’s beaming with energy, you would’ve thought she’s been planning this for months rather than being invited last minute. She’s for sure more of a basketball fan than I am, I credit that to my uncle. Whereas my dad made me more of a football fan.

“You’re gonna be getting infinite Christmas gifts this year for this, oh my God.” Cassie jokes with a kool aid smile on her face. I giggle, brushing her off.

“I’m glad you’re having fun, Cassie.” I giggle, brushing her off playfully. My phone dings, and I pull it up from my lap to check the notification.

Hey I feel like shit about earlier

Talk when you get home?

It’s Julian. Of course it’s Julian. I try to fight the urge to frown but I can’t help the way the disheartened expression forms in my face. I shut my phone off, shaking the feeling off and turning back to the game.

The buzzer sounds, alerting us that the game is starting again. It allows me to finally bring my attention back to the game. The Sparks are down seven, but you couldn’t even tell that the fans were bothered by it. 

“Jumbotron.” My sister whispers to me and I notice the camera moving past ‘celebrity row’ and getting shots of everyone.

“Bro.” I groan. I don’t hate it, it just gets so awkward. The camera man stays out there for too long and then I forget what to do with my hands. 

But regardless, the camera approaches me and my sister. I look up briefly at the Jumbotron before back down at the camera in front of me. A smile spreads to my face and I wave emphatically. Fortunately it doesn’t take very long and the camera man backs away a little.

Only briefly though, because within a matter of seconds he’s crashing to the ground and his large camera falls into Casandra’s lap.

During all the basketball games I’ve ever watched, I’ve always wondered how common the players run into the media crew or the stands. And every time I've sat in an arena, I’ve always said it would never be me. So you can imagine my surprise when a 6 '1 Paige Bueckers fell right on me after getting fouled going for a layup, knocking over the camera man in the process.

“Oh shit, man you good?” Paige asks him. Her hand helps steady him on his feet and Cassie hands him his camera back, mumbling hurriedly if he was alright. The man nods, patting her on the back.

My eyes meet hers, and suddenly I’ve never seen a prettier set of eyes. A shade of blue that was indescribable. Her hand reaches out to the both of us, palms outstretched as she asks, “Are you guys okay?” It comes out as a stutter and I barely notice it but it’s there.

I nod. And then I remember she still has free throws to shoot. “Yeah. All good, thanks.” I smile. Paige turns around, brushing her teammates off with thumbs ups and high fives when they ask if she’s alright. 

I would be an idiot to say that I wasn’t a little star struck. Sure, I wasn’t completely up to date with all things basketball, but I knew more than enough to know just how much Paige Bueckers was loved in the basketball community. Hell, the city of LA basically through a parade when they got that #1 overall pick.

She was a superstar, in all possible definitions of the word. You couldn’t go more than five minutes without seeing her face on TikTok or some commercial. 

And she was stunning; the last five seconds of me staring at her confirmed it in my mind even more.

—

“Thanks, Holly.” I beam with a smile. It only takes a few seconds of me walking away from postgame to hear yelling in my ear and Cam’s long arms around my shoulders.

In the least cocky way possible, I played an amazing game. Yes, the defense I faced tonight was different than when I was at Connecticut and efficiency wise I did struggle a bit. Who am I kidding— I played phenomenal.

26 points 9 rebounds and 7 assists, the pick-and-roll with Dearica racking up many of those. The team came out with a narrow win over the Wings, getting our season off on the right foot.

“That’s my fuckin’ rook!” I hear Azura Stevens hype me up. I dap her up cleanly, the smile on my face physically impossible to get rid of. For only being on the team for a month, they did a great job of welcoming me with open arms. 

I could definitely get used to this.

A towel hangs around my neck, picking up all the sweat from the game. I’m walking towards the locker rooms with a few of my teammates when I get pulled back for some autographs. I don’t say no, honestly I can’t remember the last time I refused to sign an autograph. Or if I ever did. 

There’s a young girl in front of me alongside her mom. She has on the UConn National Championship shirt from a month ago, her eyes wide as she pushes my sparks jersey up to me. I sign it with a smile, my heart swelling in size when she squeals and thanks me profusely.

“You’re welcome. Thanks for coming out!” I grin. My feet carry me through a few more fans. I sign all sorts of memorabilia from hoodies, to jerseys, phone cases, and shoes. As well as a wild number of selfies before I hear my name.

“Paige, come here!” It’s Rickea, as her voice has become widely recognizable in the last month that I’ve been here. “Oh my God, walk slower!”

I roll my eyes as I pick up my pace. She’s standing courtside with her warmups on. “Finally. I wanted you to meet a friend of mine. Maraye, this is Paige.”

When I look over it’s the girl from the TV last night, standing there with her purse in hand and— oh my God I ran into her like an hour ago. I fell into her lap. Oh my God this is embarrassing.

She looks even more gorgeous than when I was drooling over her last night. Her hair is the same, from what I can remember, but her outfit is completely different. The color she has on is similar to the one from last night, but the set shows off so much more skin. Her legs are toned, the top she wears is unbuttoned just enough to give me a show of the lace black bralette under it, and her gold septum shines in the arena light. 

“Hey.” I greeted her and the girl who sat next to her earlier in the night. “I do apologize about earlier by the way.”

“Don’t worry about it. It happens.” She reassures me.

“P, Cam, and I were watching the show last night. You did great, Raye.” Rickea pushes at Maraye’s shoulder. My eyes catch how she blushes in response. 

“You on a world tour or something? New York last night, and LA tonight.” I joke, and she laughs. Her laugh is possibly more angelic than her singing, and the way her accent popped out when she spoke might even have an edge on that.

“Nah. I just couldn’t miss opening night. Kea’ would never let me live it down, plus my sister is like a huge hoops fan.” She explains, gesturing to the two women next to us. 

I’m towering over her as I look at her but she still keeps eye contact with me. My eyes never leave hers, I didn’t even want them to.

“I was just telling her about Cam and Ben’s dinner party on friday.” Rickea starts. She turns to face me, but I’m still stuck on Maraye and her— well her everything. Rickea swats my arm as slyly as she can to get my attention. My eyes rip away from the musician with an incredulous force. “You are going to that, right?”

“I, uh, I’m not sure. I gotta check on when Drew and my dad are coming to town.”

“Maybe I’ll see you there then?” Maraye speaks. 

Someone please help me figure out why her eyes are so mesmerizing. They’re big and a perfect shade of brown. The slight tilt of her head when she asks me nearly drives me crazy.

“Yeah maybe.” I nod before looking at Rickea. I don’t know how long we’ve stood here, but what I do know is that coach will hand our asses to us on a silver platter if we’re late to the first media session of the season. “Yo, we gotta…” My head tilts towards the tunnel.

“Oh shit you’re right. It was so good to see you guys!” She jumps, pulling Maraye and her sister into a group hug. “Tell y’all folks I say hi!”

The four of us exchange waves and we walk off the court. By the time we make it to the tunnel Rickea is letting out a loud cackle and pushing me away from her. “You’re not even trying to hide it!” She laughs. I know exactly what she’s talking about but I act clueless, it’s too early for my teammates to be ridiculing me over my choices in women.

“You are sooooo going to that dinner party.”

A smirk spreads on my face and I roll my eyes. For the first time all month, I can’t even disagree. Nothing is stopping me from going to that dinner party.

[alcrego]

You are one of the few crypto goons that actually makes good art. i hope you find a better way to finance your creations.

Deep thanks!! And yes, I think I'm aware...

Not only this but I'd say that Im one of the few (if not the only) that ABSOLUTELY NEVER accepter, abided or supported the 'Cryptoart' narrative that has caused a lot of chaos, speculation and disaster about our Digital Online Art we were doing years before 'cryptoart' existed, and that actually, was the cause it existed.

And no, I never sold a single NFT, I offer Digital Online Art with proof of authenticity, because in my case, as I work mostly with gifs, is the ONLY way I have to sell my work.

(Digital Art had always a way to be sold). The change of times is ONLINE not DIGITAL. Digital Art exists sinces the 50s.

And no, I don't 'finance' my creations. I create art, and if people like it, they buy it. I don't do tricks, scams, or any other single thing related with this 'cryptoart bros' thing.

I walk in my own path, as I'm trying since at least 2014, years before all the NFT hype even existed.

BEWARE Cryptoart actually... Is a very dangerous place full of scam, speculation and thefts... I studied A LOT before jumping in the JUNGLE.

Thanks! 🙏

[voxina]

By their own admission, 2024 was a rough year for the Black Keys. After releasing their 12th studio album, Ohio Players, the band was looking forward to a North American arena tour following successful shows in Europe. Instead, they canceled the entire tour, reportedly due to low ticket sales, and subsequently fired their management — which included industry heavyweight Irving Azoff — and PR team. Two weeks later, in a since-deleted tweet aimed at Azoff, drummer Patrick Carney wrote, “We got fucked. I’ll let you all know how so it doesn’t happen to you.” (In another deleted tweet, Carney sarcastically wrote of Azoff, “So great to know you are always looking out for the artist.”)

Short of a few shows — more on the group’s “America Loves Crypto” gig in their hometown of Akron, Ohio later — the band went relatively quiet, establishing a semi-frequent Nashville residency for their all-vinyl “Record Hang” dance parties but not speaking publicly on the fracas that both fans and the music industry watched closely.

Last July, the duo did what they usually do when faced with adversity: They hit the studio, spending the better part of last summer and fall writing and recording more than 15 songs for their upcoming album, No Rain, No Flowers. (The group is still deciding how many tracks will make the final cut and will release the album later this year.) On first single “The Night Before” (written with Daniel Tashian, who co-wrote and co-produced Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour), the group leans into its upbeat pop-rock side. “It was very organically [done] in the studio together,” singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach tells Rolling Stone. “The three of us just came up with it together on the spot.”

Earlier this week, the duo announced their long-awaited rescheduled tour dates, swapping arenas for smaller amphitheaters and theaters. “The whole music industry obviously has changed over the last 15 years,” Carney says. “We’re still trying to figure out how it works and feels authentic.”

In their first interview since the tour cancellation and management split, Carney and Auerbach spoke to Rolling Stone from the group’s Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville for both a post-mortem of the past year and optimistic look ahead.

Can you talk a little about the significance of the album title No Rain, No Flowers? Dan Auerbach: Well, we wrote the [title] song with [Grammy-winning songwriter] Rick Nowels, and it was just an expression that I’d heard, and we turned it into this tune that seemed to sum up how we envisioned ourselves getting over the situation that we’d just been through.

Patrick Carney: Rick likes to start with a title, and that was the title Dan had written down in his phone. You got to take it on the chin sometimes to move forward, and that’s kind of what the last year was for us.

How would you sum up the past year for you guys? Carney: Pretty enlightening and eye-opening. Dan and I have a pretty good grasp on the music industry, but to be exposed firsthand to how things have changed, it was pretty shocking to understand what’s actually going on. I think trying to avoid getting jaded and totally flustered, we took the opportunity to reassess how we’re doing things and to make a record that’s mostly on this positive tinge.

What specifically was shocking to you? Carney: To generalize: to see how consolidated the industry has gotten and how connected things have become. It’s mind-blowing. And there’s just a lot of shared interests across the business side of this. When you’re an artist trying to interface with that and trying to receive helpful and constructive strategy and business input, you realize that that whole world is more deeply connected than I had ever really thought.

Dan, how would you categorize the past year? Auerbach: A lot of ups and downs, a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of 2 a.m. phone calls, a lot of worry and stress, a lot of heartache, but also an incredible amount of creativity. I feel really excited about the music we’ve been making. It feels like the creative juices are flowing in a really positive way, and I’m kind of loving it.

Let’s get into some details. Two weeks after the tour was canceled, a rep for Azoff Management said the split was “an amicable parting.” Is that how you would characterize it? Carney: [Pauses.] I mean, we fired their ass. Shit happens. We spent a lot of time making Ohio Players and turned it in in October 2023 and had all this time to plan how we were going to tour. Things got off to this weird start where I was waiting for these European dates to pop up because our plan was to go to Europe first. We ended up getting nine shows sent to us [on] a three-week tour. There’s absolutely no way to make money [from] that.

We kept having to move shit around for a Manchester show because there was a venue that our management company co-owned and wanted us to play, and it wasn’t ready. After going to Europe 30 times in our career for tours, this was the most poorly orchestrated tour we had been on. The shows were incredible, but [it] just became the first sign that maybe there was some poor organization happening.

When did the relationship with Irving Azoff sour? Carney: The ultimate answer to this is that it’s a broader thing. I don’t even want to mention that guy’s name. I want to look at this from a bigger perspective. The essential thing that we learned here was how many management companies are directly connected to a company that runs every single aspect of promotion in this country. This whole industry is so intertwined from ticketing to promotion to the management company. But essentially as artists — and this is the thing that we care the most about — it’s almost impossible to talk about this…. You’re dealing with management companies that co-own festivals with this other company. You’re at the [whims] of these people who have other interests.

So when you’re called into a manager’s office and he suggests something to you, I was naive enough to think that that was on the up-and-up. And more and more, it’s just not. So it’s a hard thing because I don’t think Dan and I want to sit here and look like whining bitches. But we got a little bamboozled here.

Patrick, last year you tweeted: “We got fucked. I’ll let you all know how so it doesn’t happen to you. Stay tuned.” How do you feel you got “bamboozled”? Carney: Well, I had to delete it, so I didn’t get sued.

Who threatened to sue you? Carney: No one threatened, but it was a big no-no to even talk about what’s going on here. There’s a concentration of connectivity that eliminates competition. [For] a capitalist society to function, there has to be competition. And if everything’s connected and all the interests are shared on one side, there’s no way to compete. Our tour, we had about 10 [arena] shows that were not doing great. They were just in rooms that they shouldn’t have been in.

So in any situation like this tour, we might’ve had to take one on the chin and find new venues to play in certain cities, but instead we were advised to cancel the whole tour. We were told … there were other venues being booked, and it was all going to get into more intimate rooms, and it would be great. But that wasn’t accurate. That didn’t exist.

It’s all very fucked up, and the bottom line is that we can’t even really talk about it because we won’t be able to work.

Dan, did you know Patrick was going to tweet that? Auerbach: No, I woke up to that one.

How did you feel when you saw it? Auerbach: I understood the intensity of it.

Anything else? Auerbach: No.

Did you two ever personally consider scaling down the tour rather than cancel, or are you claiming that wasn’t even an option? Carney: No, it was told to me by someone that we ended up parting ways with that the dates were being rebooked into rooms that were scaled down. So we could cancel this tour and we would re-announce dates in a couple days in these better rooms. But the plan wasn’t there because there were no holds on rooms. It was bullshit. I don’t want to use the term “lie” because I don’t want to get fucking sued, but what was presented didn’t exist.

There’s certain cities where we know we can [sell] … but you want to look to your management to make these decisions. We spend so much time making the music [and] figuring out promotional shit. This is what you lean into for management, and you hope that there’s decisions that are made on the up-and-up so that they help everybody. That’s just harder and harder to come by.

Now I’m curious about your thoughts on the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Live Nation, claiming the company is a monopoly. (Live Nation vehemently denied the claim when the lawsuit was filed.) Carney: When [the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger closed in 2010], Obama said, “This is so close to a monopoly. You need to watch this.” And the reason why it was allowed to go through — because it was a monopoly — the argument was artists aren’t signed into long contracts. The artists can always just opt to go to someone else … But at this point, if you don’t work with a certain company, where are you going to work?

The thing that most people don’t understand is that when you control ticketing, promotion, and all this stuff, and then you get into owning the venues and then having shared interests with management, it just becomes harder and harder [for artists] to do business. This isn’t something that’s unique to the music business. All across this country, things are getting so intertwined [and] so consolidated that it’s harder to compete in general.

It was widely reported that ticket sales for the tour were weak, with The New York Times saying last year, “Some tours like the Black Keys may simply be a matter of the band overestimating demand.” Is that a fair statement? Carney: I don’t know, but all I know is this: After the tour was canned, I went through my email, and I had one email from Ticketmaster about the tour on the day it was announced and nothing else in my inbox for six weeks. When I finally went through the numbers after the tour was canceled, we had sold nearly $10 million worth of tickets, and we had four months till the first show. We just had to take one on the fucking face.

After the tour was announced, more than a few fans complained about high ticket prices, and it’s the artist that typically sets those prices. Nosebleed seats were reportedly going for $100 at some venues. Carney: We weren’t even asked about the ticket prices on the last tour. We didn’t set them. On this [next] tour, we realized that we have to be more involved in this. The last thing Dan and I want to do is gouge a fan on a ticket.

But in retrospect, would you have tried to lower the ticket price? Carney: Yeah. This is this ongoing thing where it’s like when we did the El Camino arena tour [in 2012-13], the average upper bowl ticket was $40 or something. And then after scalping and stuff, those tickets were $65, so scalpers were making more money off those tickets than we were. Which I think is disheartening because the fans are paying it and it’s not getting to the band.… The cost of going on tour now versus 2012 is 3.5 [times higher]. Our ticket prices haven’t gone up that much.

You fired your management and PR team after the tour was canceled, but not the agency that actually booked the tour. Why is that? Carney: [Pauses.] Because I think a lot of these deals are done between management and another bigger company.

You did play a few live shows last year, including a show called “America Loves Crypto,” whose goal was to “rally the 5 million crypto owners that might just decide the 2024 election.” How did that gig come together? Carney: It was very simple: We had lost all of our income for the year. We had retainers for people that we were working with. We got offered a lot of money to play a show, and we saw that the Black Pumas had done the same event and we were like, “Book it.” It’s that simple, bro.

I was going to ask if you guys consider yourselves crypto enthusiasts. Carney: We’re Crisco enthusiasts.

You did get a fair share of criticism, though. The top comment on your own fan Reddit is, “LMAO. It’s a PAC that has endorsed all the worst candidates from both parties. What the hell are they even doing?” Did you talk about the optics of doing this gig? Carney: Of course we saw all the shit coming in, but it was like, “What are you going to do?” We were told it was a bipartisan thing. It was what it is. It was very small. It was in our hometown, so we got to go home and see our folks. I’ve definitely seen my name in bad light in the press before, so it wasn’t anything fucking new … If us playing a concert for 300 people is going to sway the whole state’s vote, then we have bigger fucking problems, bro.

Given the past year, does your mindset change going into the next tour? Carney: The most important thing for us right now is to just put on good shows that the fans enjoy. We’ve been looking to bands whose records maybe don’t chart well, but they connect with their fans in a deep way. We’ve been on this creative streak where we’ve released four albums in five years. We might just be saturating the fucking market, but it’s like while it’s happening, you just have to do it.

We’re both in our mid-forties. We’ve been doing this for 20 years. We have a greater appreciation now for what we have together than ever before. And over the last year, we’ve seen people we care about get sick. Life isn’t a guaranteed thing. So if you have this thing that’s working, why not just fucking move on it?

It’s important for people to know we got a little bit complacent with the business shit because we’ve been so busy with the creative shit, and so we just got reminded that we have to pay attention to both things.

When you look back on the five-year period between 2014’s Turn Blue and 2019’s Let’s Rock, when you guys weren’t really speaking, do you think it cost you any momentum or potential success? Carney: I looked at it like this, dude. Back then, we were literally printing money, and we were miserable. Now we’re just making tons of songs, and we’re in a much better place. The gigs were coming in, and we weren’t able to make music as often as we wanted, and that’s where the break came from … We just wanted to make some music, and so that’s where we’ve been trying to navigate that road since. We’ve picked out rooms that seem like the fans will enjoy the most, that we’ll enjoy the most, and we’ll just see what the fuck happens. Hopefully, people show up.

Patrick was always the more business-minded end of the group. Dan, did the events of the past year make you want to become more involved in the business side? Auerbach: We just have to focus on what we do best, and each of us have talents in certain areas. We just put trust in each other, and that’s the most important thing right now, and that’s what we’ve been doing. It’s funny because it’s probably a direct result of all this trauma that we just went through the last year, but we’ve been hanging out together more than ever. We’ve been getting obsessed with music and collecting records, and hanging out more is making the music better and the business better. 

What exactly do you mean by “trauma”? Auerbach: Going through all the work to put this whole thing together to be able to present it to our fans, and then going out and supporting it on the road and playing shows for our fans, and then to have all of that taken away and mess up the connection that we had to our fans for so many years right when we felt like we were really in a great place. Like we said with those shows in Europe, even though the business side of the tour was so bad, the actual shows were amazing, and we expected the same when we went back to the States.

We’d been opening up our sets, doing covers, and we had plans for doing more of that too. And to just have all that completely pulled out from under us, it was not something we’d ever experienced before in 20-plus years of doing it. So yeah, it was traumatic. But I guess we’re feeling more thankful than ever that we’re able to go out on the road and play shows and be able to see our fans again.

It sounds like mentally, you guys are in a better place than you were six or nine months ago. Carney: Yeah. We’re competitive, and we like to work. And when it seems like the rules have been changed to the point where the game isn’t winnable, that’s when we start getting fucking flustered. We’ve been looking to people who play a different game. They don’t get caught up in that bullshit. Their version of winning is more about how they connect with their fans. That’s the inspiration.

[Full article here]

[joelekm]

JWT Security Vulnerabilities | CyberSecurityTv

JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) serve as a popular method for authentication and authorization in web applications due to their efficiency and versatility. However, their widespread adoption also exposes them to various security vulnerabilities. Understanding these vulnerabilities is crucial for ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of user data and system resources. Join us on CyberSecurityTv as we delve into the intricate details of JWT security vulnerabilities, exploring common weaknesses and best practices for mitigating risks.

[cole-harding]

C. Harding. 26. LA

Cole never considered himself a criminal—just a guy with a keyboard and a grudge against greed.

He sat alone in his dimly lit apartment, the glow of six monitors casting shadows across the walls. The logo of Monolith Industries blinked on his primary screen — a conglomerate lauded for innovation but infamous in certain circles for its exploitation of third-world labor and secret shell companies funneling money into offshore tax havens.

Cole had the evidence. Internal audits, forged compliance reports, suppressed whistleblower emails. He'd spent the past few weeks embedded in their systems, silently watching, mapping.

Monolith’s financial systems were robust, but not invincible. Their offshore accounts used a third-party transfer service with a known vulnerability in its authentication layer — a flaw Cole had quietly discovered during a penetration test. He had reported it, of course. The company had dismissed it. Typical.

His plan was surgical. No flashy ransomware or Bitcoin ransom letters. Just a clean, untraceable siphon—millions in stolen wage funds and environmental penalties rerouted into nonprofit organizations.

At 03:14 UTC, Cole executed the breach from a secure node in Iceland. Using a zero-day exploit in Monolith’s AI-managed treasury subsystem, he bypassed biometric authentication and triggered a silent override to reassign access credentials. The screen blinked.

Access Granted.

Within ten minutes, the accounts were liquidated into an elaborate maze of crypto wallets, masking the origin of the funds. By 03:27, the transfers were complete—$68.4 million redirected to various verified humanitarian causes and a small portion for himself.

The next morning, the media exploded with coverage. Monolith's CEO stammered through a press conference; the FBI called it “an act of cyberterrorism.”

Cole logged off.