#Associate Program Management Software

[quohotos]

To install software all you need to do is type a string of words you don't unstand to invoke super user privaledges to tell your package manager of choice that's named after a joke a programmer thought was funny (get it, it's pacman like the arcade game!). This will only have open source software that may or may not be up to date depending on how the repository is maintained. This repository does not contain any of the software that a child would want to run such as fortnite, minecraft, minecraft mods and modding tools, etc. It does contain a lot of programming and productivity software that today's computer adverse teens are all CHOMPING at the bit to use.*

This is easier then opening a web browser to Google the website of the software you want to run and clicking the big button that says download, then running the file that pops up in your browser's download feed, or simply clicking yes on the auto run diologue if your browser has that enabled.

*(Like do you realize that the sims modding tools and minecraft server jars and itch.io horror games and ai video upscalers and triple A games that people want to run aren't in those package managers? Like no shit it's gonna be more secure if it's just not capable of installing anything you want to run... Not that the operating system even has compatable binaries made for it in the first place.)

I swear to god computer people talking online about how easy computers/linux are are just that xkcd comic about experts in a field overestimating a layperson’s knowledge (“surely the average person must only know 2-3 feldspars”), over and over again. I felt this firsthand back when I was asking for advice when buying my desktop PC. When a casual computer user reads something like this, at least speaking from personal experience, it is nearly incomprehensible. It is wonderful to want to help the less technologically-fortunate, but you have to break things down more than this. You are speaking wingdings at people.

[xtruss]

Who Is Helping DOGE? List of Staff Revealed

- Feb 14, 2025 | Newsweek | By James Bickerton, US News Reporter

DOGE head Elon Musk speaks in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty

list of 30 employees and alleged allies of Elon Musk's newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been published by ProPublica, an investigative news outlet.

Newsweek reached out to Musk for comment via emails to the Tesla and SpaceX press offices.

DOGE, a U.S. government organization which, despite its name, doesn't have full department status, was created by President Trump via an executive order on January 20 with the aim of cutting what the new administration regards as wasteful spending. Musk, a close Trump ally, heads the body and has been given special government employee status.

Musk has called for sweeping cuts to federal spending, suggesting it could be reduced by up to $2 trillion per year out of a 2024 total of $6.75 trillion, according to U.S. Treasury figures.

This ties in with Trump's pledge to "drain the swamp," a term his supporters use for what they believe is a permanent left-leaning bureaucracy that holds massive power regardless of who is in the White House.

DOGE has already recommended that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) be closed down, with its functions transferred to the State Department. In a recent interview, Trump said he wants DOGE to go through spending at the Departments of Education and Defense.

On February 8, a federal judge imposed a temporary restraining order blocking DOGE employees from accessing the Treasury Department's payment system, resulting in Musk calling for him to be impeached.

A White House spokesperson told ProPublica: "Those leading this mission with Elon Musk are doing so in full compliance with federal law, appropriate security clearances, and as employees of the relevant agencies, not as outside advisors or entities."

The 30 DOGE employees and associates reported by ProPublica, which labeled them Musk's "demolition crew," are listed below.

Not Even DOGE Employees Know Who’s Legally Running DOGE! Despite all appearances, the White House insists that Elon Musk is not in charge of DOGE. US DOGE Service employees can’t get a straight answer about who is. Photograph: Kena Betancur/Getty Images

DOGE Employees And Associates

Christopher Stanley, 33: Stanley was part of the team Musk used to take over Twitter, now X, according to his LinkedIn profile, serving as senior director for security engineering for the company. The New York Times reports he now works for Musk at DOGE.

Brad Smith, 42: According to The New York Times, Smith, a friend of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, was one of the first people appointed to help lead DOGE. He also served with the first Trump administration and was involved with Operation Warp Speed, the federal government's coronavirus vaccine development program.

Thomas Shedd, 28: Shedd serves as director of the Technology Transformation Services, a government body created to assist federal agencies with IT, and previously worked as a software engineer at Tesla.

Amanda Scales, 34: According to ProPublica, Scales is chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management, a government agency that helps manage civil service. She previously worked for Musk's artificial intelligence company Xai.

Michael Russo, 67: Russo is a senior figure at the Social Security Administration, a government agency that administers the American Social Security program. According to his LinkedIn page, Russo previously worked for Shift4 Payments, a payment processing company that has invested in Musk's company SpaceX.

Rachel Riley, 33: Riley works in the Department of Health & Human Services as a senior adviser in the secretary's office. ProPublica reports she has been "working closely" with Brad Smith, who led DOGE during the transition period.

Nikhil Rajpal, 30: According to Wired, Rajpal, who in 2018 worked as an engineer at Twitter, is part of the DOGE team. He formally works as part of the Office of Personnel Management.

Justin Monroe, 36: According to ProPublica, Monroe is working as an adviser in the FBI director's office, having previously been senior director for security at SpaceX.

Katie Miller, 33: Miller is a spokesperson for DOGE. Trump announced her involvement with the new body in December. She served as Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary during Trump's first term.

Tom Krause, 47: Krause is a Treasury Department employee who is also affiliated with DOGE, according to The New York Times. Krause was involved in the DOGE team's bid to gain access to the Treasury Department's payments system.

Gavin Kliger, 25: Kliger, a senior adviser at the Office of Personnel Management, is reportedly closely linked to Musk's team. On his personal Substack blog, he wrote a post titled "Why I gave up a seven-figure salary to save America."

Gautier "Cole" Killian, 24: Killian is an Environmental Protection Agency employee who researched blockchain at McGill University. Killian is also a member of the DOGE team, according to Wired.

Stephanie Holmes, 43: ProPublica reports that Holmes runs human resources at DOGE, having previously managed her own HR consulting company, BrighterSideHR.

Luke Farritor, 23: Farritor works as an executive engineer at the Department of Health and previously interned at SpaceX, according to his LinkedIn account. He won a $100,000 fellowship from billionaire tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel in March 2024.

Marko Elez, 25: Elez is a Treasury Department staffer who worked as an engineer at X for one year and at SpaceX for around three years. The Wall Street Journal reported that Elez was linked to a social media account that had made racist remarks, but Musk stood by him after he initially resigned.

Steve Davis, 45: Davis is a longtime Musk associate who previously worked for the tech billionaire at SpaceX, the Boring Company and X. According to The New York Times, Davis was one of the first people involved in setting up DOGE with Musk and has been involved in staff recruitment.

Edward Coristine, 19: Coristine is a Northeastern University graduate who was detailed to the Office of Personnel Management and is affiliated with DOGE. He previously interned at Neuralink, a Musk company that works on brain-computer interfaces.

Nate Cavanaugh, 28: Cavanaugh is an entrepreneur who interviewed staffers at the General Services Administration as part of the DOGE team, according to ProPublica.

Unmasked: Musk’s Secret DOGE Goon Squad—Who Are All Under 26! The world’s richest man doesn’t want anyone knowing his right-hand people who are disrupting government. — Josh Fiallo, Breaking News Reporter, Daily Beast, February 3, 2025

Akash Bobba, 21: A recent graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, Bobba works as an "expert" at the Office of Personnel Management and was identified by Wired as part of Musk's DOGE team.

Brian Bjelde, 44: A 20-year SpaceX veteran, Bjelde now works as a senior adviser at the Office of Personnel Management, where he wants to cut 70 percent of the workforce, according to CNN.

Riccardo Biasini, 39: Biasini is an engineer who now works as a senior adviser to the director at the Office of Personnel Management. He previously worked for two Musk companies, Tesla and the Boring Company.

Anthony Armstrong, 57: Another senior adviser to the director at the Office of Personnel Management Armstrong previously worked as a banked with Morgan Stanley, and was involved in Musk's 2022 purchase of Twitter.

Keenan D. Kmiec, 45: Kmiec is a lawyer who works as part of the Executive Office of the President. He previously clerked on the Supreme Court for Chief Justice John Roberts.

James Burnham, 41: Burnham is a general counsel at DOGE whose involvement with the Musk-led body was first reported by The New York Times in January. He previously worked as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Jacob Altik, 32: A lawyer affiliated with the Executive Office of the President, Altik previously clerked for D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Neomi Rao, whom Trump appointed during his first term.

Jordan M. Wick, 28: Wick is an official member of DOGE and previously worked as a software engineer for the self-driving car company Waymo.

Ethan Shaotran, 22: Shaotran is a former Harvard student who Wired listed as one of several young software engineers working to analyze internal government data at DOGE.

Kyle Schutt, 37: Schutt is a software engineer affiliated with DOGE and worked at the General Services Administration. He was involved in the launch of WinRed, a Republican fundraising platform that helped raise $1.8 billion ahead of the November 2024 elections.

Ryan Riedel, 37: Riedel is the chief information officer at the Department of Energy and a former SpaceX employee.

Adam Ramada, 35: Ramada is an official DOGE member, according to federal records seen by ProPublica. Ramada previously worked for venture capital company Spring Tide Capital. E&E News reported he had been seen at the Energy Department and the General Services Administration.

Kendell M. Lindemann, 24: Lindemann is an official member of the DOGE team who previously worked for health care company Russell Street Ventures, founded by fellow DOGE associate Brad Smith, and as a business analyst for McKinsey & Company.

Nicole Hollander, 42: Hollander works at the General Services Administration. She was previously employed by X, where she was involved with the company's real estate portfolio.

Alexandra T. Beynon, 36: Beynon is listed as an official member of DOGE, according to documents seen by ProPublica. She previously worked for therapy startup Mindbloom and banking firm Goldman Sachs.

Jennifer Balajadia, 36: Balajadia is a member of the DOGE team who previously worked for the Boring Company for seven years. According to The New York Times, she is a close Musk confidant and assists with his scheduling.

[mariacallous]

Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) operates on a core underlying assumption: The United States should be run like a startup. So far, that has mostly meant chaotic firings and an eagerness to steamroll regulations. But no pitch deck in 2025 is complete without an overdose of artificial intelligence, and DOGE is no different.

AI itself doesn’t reflexively deserve pitchforks. It has genuine uses and can create genuine efficiencies. It is not inherently untoward to introduce AI into a workflow, especially if you’re aware of and able to manage around its limitations. It’s not clear, though, that DOGE has embraced any of that nuance. If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail; if you have the most access to the most sensitive data in the country, everything looks like an input.

Wherever DOGE has gone, AI has been in tow. Given the opacity of the organization, a lot remains unknown about how exactly it’s being used and where. But two revelations this week show just how extensive—and potentially misguided—DOGE’s AI aspirations are.

At the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a college undergrad has been tasked with using AI to find where HUD regulations may go beyond the strictest interpretation of underlying laws. (Agencies have traditionally had broad interpretive authority when legislation is vague, although the Supreme Court recently shifted that power to the judicial branch.) This is a task that actually makes some sense for AI, which can synthesize information from large documents far faster than a human could. There’s some risk of hallucination—more specifically, of the model spitting out citations that do not in fact exist—but a human needs to approve these recommendations regardless. This is, on one level, what generative AI is actually pretty good at right now: doing tedious work in a systematic way.

There’s something pernicious, though, in asking an AI model to help dismantle the administrative state. (Beyond the fact of it; your mileage will vary there depending on whether you think low-income housing is a societal good or you’re more of a Not in Any Backyard type.) AI doesn’t actually “know” anything about regulations or whether or not they comport with the strictest possible reading of statutes, something that even highly experienced lawyers will disagree on. It needs to be fed a prompt detailing what to look for, which means you can not only work the refs but write the rulebook for them. It is also exceptionally eager to please, to the point that it will confidently make stuff up rather than decline to respond.

If nothing else, it’s the shortest path to a maximalist gutting of a major agency’s authority, with the chance of scattered bullshit thrown in for good measure.

At least it’s an understandable use case. The same can’t be said for another AI effort associated with DOGE. As WIRED reported Friday, an early DOGE recruiter is once again looking for engineers, this time to “design benchmarks and deploy AI agents across live workflows in federal agencies.” His aim is to eliminate tens of thousands of government positions, replacing them with agentic AI and “freeing up” workers for ostensibly “higher impact” duties.

Here the issue is more clear-cut, even if you think the government should by and large be operated by robots. AI agents are still in the early stages; they’re not nearly cut out for this. They may not ever be. It’s like asking a toddler to operate heavy machinery.

DOGE didn’t introduce AI to the US government. In some cases, it has accelerated or revived AI programs that predate it. The General Services Administration had already been working on an internal chatbot for months; DOGE just put the deployment timeline on ludicrous speed. The Defense Department designed software to help automate reductions-in-force decades ago; DOGE engineers have updated AutoRIF for their own ends. (The Social Security Administration has recently introduced a pre-DOGE chatbot as well, which is worth a mention here if only to refer you to the regrettable training video.)

Even those preexisting projects, though, speak to the concerns around DOGE’s use of AI. The problem isn’t artificial intelligence in and of itself. It’s the full-throttle deployment in contexts where mistakes can have devastating consequences. It’s the lack of clarity around what data is being fed where and with what safeguards.

AI is neither a bogeyman nor a panacea. It’s good at some things and bad at others. But DOGE is using it as an imperfect means to destructive ends. It’s prompting its way toward a hollowed-out US government, essential functions of which will almost inevitably have to be assumed by—surprise!—connected Silicon Valley contractors.

[in-faithwe-conquer]

Shepard: That phone call was pretty damning stuff, How'd you get it? Liara: It involved weapons biometric data, salarian intelligence, and a hanar prostitute with camera implants. Shepard: Seriously? Liara: No, but the truth is boring.

[ Full transcript ⇩ ]

Liara: We have a lead. I called in some favours to run a trace on the gun. It led me to a casino owner named Elijah Khan. He's been suspected of using his profits to smuggle weapons onto the Citadel. Immediately after the attempt on Shepard's life, Khan made an interesting call. Elijah Khan: I'm cutting you off, I'm returning your down payment now. Mysterious Figure: What's the problem? Elijah Khan: Turn on the vidscreen! When I sell a gun, I don't want it showing up on the nightly news! Mysterious Figure: You won't be linked to me. Elijah Khan: Save it. Our association is terminated. And if you even think of coming after me, I've got info on you ready for prime time, so you ponder that. Khan out. Shepard: So that's our identity thief. Garrus: Looks like he's got an ID disguiser. Those things are a pain in the ass to get around. Shepard: Did you get anything on the mercenaries who attacked us? Liara: They're a private corporation called CAT6. As most of you know, CAT6 is an Alliance nickname for dishonourable discharges. Many have criminal records, histories of steroid abuse, and other charming features. No doubt hired by the thief, not by Khan. Shepard: That phone call was pretty damning stuff, How'd you get it? Liara: It involved weapons biometric data, salarian intelligence, and a hanar prostitute with camera implants. Shepard: Seriously? Liara: No, but the truth is boring. Shepard: [Khan could be an ally]: Khan didn't sound friendly to whoever that voice was. Maybe he'd pass on that info to us. Liara: That would take some extremely smooth talking. If he sees you, he'll probably assume you're looking for revenge. The casino has a panic room. Chances are he'll have gone to ground there. EDI can give us programs to hack the door, but the cameras and guards complicate things. Brooks: Yeah. Khan could disappear or worse. If his guards ever open fire, normal people could get hit. Like I did. Shepard: She's right. We can't risk spooking him. We go in quiet. Small team. No gunplay. Glyph: Dr T'Soni, this evening the casino will be hosting a charity event to assist the war refugees. Liara: Purchase some tickets, Glyph, then call up a layout of the building. Joker: Score. So how close can you get? You don't usually put a back door in a panic room. EDI: This air shaft bypasses the security gate and ends up in storage. From there, the panic room's door camera can be disabled. Kaidan: Still we're talking about a casino. There's gotta be alarms in that shaft. Liara: I believe I have some countermeasures that may help. I'll know more once we're inside. Javik: Who will go in the shaft? They need to be small in size. Wrex: Yeah, that's not me. Too many snacks of roast varren leg. Tali: I suspect my suit's built-in tech would be picked up by security sensors. EDI: My presence in the casino would arouse suspicion. Mechs are not allowed since they can have cheating software. Brooks: What you need is someone trained in zero-emissions tech. No electronics, no metal. Just undetectable polymers. We had a course back at Op-Int, disabling a bomb with these little tweezers. See the bomb was filled with shaving cream... Shepard: All right. You're in. Brooks: What? No. What? Shepard: You said it yourself. We've all got too much tech. Brooks: But... I managed to get shot just coming to talk to you! Now I'm supposed to hack my way into a safe room? Shepard: We'll be backing you up. The second you hit something you can't handle, we'll cover you. Liara: If that's settled, it looks like there's one last hurdle to get us inside. Shepard: Which is? Liara: Black tie required.

[nyupreservation]

Surveying Spain: Working with Spanish Civil War Posters at NYU Libraries

Hi, my name is Mia Lindenburg. I am a graduate student undergoing NYU’s Dual Degree program, where I will get an MA in literature and an MLIS. This semester, I have been working with NYU’s Barbara Goldsmith Preservation & Conservation Department, mentored by Lindsey Tyne (Conservation Librarian), Laura McCann (Director of Preservation), Weatherly Stephan (Head of Archival Collections Management), and Felix Esquivel (Collections Manager, Special Collections), to survey the Spanish Civil War Poster Collection (ALBA.GRAPHICS.001). This internship has helped me to prepare for a future career in special collections libraries, where I will be required to work with delicate material similar to what I see in this collection. I am very thankful for this opportunity and how it has allowed me to delve deeper into archival work with a hands-on approach.

In addition to working with the Preservation department, I have been lucky enough to work with the Archival Collections Management (ACM) and Special Collections departments, allowing me to see the different perspectives of handling a large and often complicated collection. This blog post will demonstrate the different ways in which these departments added to my learning experience and show some of the special facets of working with this collection in particular.

BUILDING THE DATABASE

Before I began surveying this collection, I had to create an infrastructure that would allow me to compile the data I would be collecting. I used the software AirTable to build this database. First, I had to move the data that had already been collected into my table. This came from Archives Space (AS), an archives information management software used by NYU Libraries. This had much of the preliminary data I would need to fact-check against in the survey, such as poster locations. After I had brought the AS data into the table, I created fields that would duplicate the AS fields but with the descriptor (survey) to show any differences. Additionally, I made new fields for things we might want to consider, such as condition and size. 

UNIQUE POSTER FORMATS

“I tu? Que fas per la victoria?”

ALBA-ES 46, copy 4 “i tu?” (Photo by: M. Lindenburg)

The first set of posters that I want to discuss is ALBA-ES 45 and 46, also known as the two sides of “I tu? Que fas per la victoria?” a Catalan poster depicting a bloody soldier advocating for his audience to participate in the war, to support the cause. This collection has many copies, encapsulated (meaning this poster is inside a protective mylar sleeve) and unencapsulated, of this poster. The copies pictured below interest me because they were particularly delicate. You can tell from the photos that they were split into pieces, making flipping the posters to inspect the back difficult. These will need a lot of conservation work, although they may not be an immediate priority since so many copies are in fine condition.

ALBA-ES 45, copy 4 “i tu?” (Photos by: M. Lindenburg)

“Allisteu-vos a les milicies antifeixistes”

The poster “Allisteu-vos a les milicies antifeixistes,” belongs to a series of posters collected at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia as part of a circulating exhibit.

ALBA-ES 116, recto, “Allisteu-vos a les milicies antifeixistes” (Photo by: M. Lindenburg)

These interest me because of how they were mounted for the exhibition. Rather than encapsulating the posters or leaving them untouched, this exhibitor chose to attach muslin across the back and use cardboard and grommets to hang them.

ALBA-ES 116, verso, “Allisteu-vos a les milicies antifeixistes” (Photo by: M. Lindenburg)

Annual Xmas Eve Ball

Poster ALBA-US-15, uses a mounting technique commonly used with posters associated with the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (VALB).

ALBA-US-15 (Photo by: M. Lindenburg)

It is mounted on a paperboard, which makes it somewhat heavy and unwieldy when grouped in folders. Take note of the headline of Zero Mostel, which shows the support the VALB received, even from celebrities.

THE INSCRIBED NAMES & WHO THEY WERE

Archie Brown is a signature I’ve encountered a lot in this collection.

ALBA-ES-8 (Photo by: M. Lindenburg)

Brown was born in 1911 in Sioux City, Iowa. He was brought into the world of labor activism at an early age. 1934, he was arrested at a Young Communist League (YCL) event in San Pedro. But he continued with his activism despite this. In 1937, Brown got tuned into the struggles in Spain, particularly after his brother was recruited to the International Brigade. In San Francisco, Brown was denied a passport because of his radical reputation. So, he went to New York City and stowed away on a ship to France, where he would travel to Spain. He joined the forces of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and, even after the war, continued to fight as a soldier and an activist.

Archie Brown, 1982 (Photo by: R. Bermack). Image Source.

Harry Hakam is an interesting character, partially because of his frequent correspondence with other members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.

ALBA-ES-77 (Photo by: M. Lindenburg)

Hakam was born in Brooklyn in 1913. In February 1937, he sailed to France, arriving in Spain in March of the same year. He served primarily as a battalion runner, returning to the US in 1938. However, it’s his correspondence that makes him shine. His collection marker (Hakam) is found on many posters that share others’ names, meaning he likely sent these posters back and forth between fellow members.

Harry Hakam. Image Source.

We don’t have as much information on Al Erdberg, but we do know from the Harry Hakam Papers (ALBA.046) and the fact that Erdberg shows up in the Hakam posters that they had correspondence. Erdberg was likely part of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade or a state-side supporter. This would be an interesting figure to research further.

ALBA-ES-30 (Photo by: M. Lindenburg)

REHOUSING

A big problem I encountered when surveying these posters was with the housing rather than the posters themselves. Often, I encountered groups of ten or more posters in a folder, making the folder heavy and difficult to move. Further, if these posters are in mylar encapsulation, they become even heavier. To remedy this, the posters need to be rehoused into sturdier folders. I began some of this work with Laura McCann this semester, and the rehousing of the posters will continue through the summer. 

VELCRO STICKERS

Some of the posters I found had velcro stickers left on the mylar encapsulation. These are likely from previous exhibition techniques, where the posters were attached to a wall using velcro. However, this technique is now deemed problematic, so Lindsey Tyne and I used a process to remove these stickers. We used a hot iron to heat small metal spatulas, which we then used to melt the adhesive of the sticker and lift the velcro off. This is a delicate process, but we got into a rhythm and moved fairly quickly.

Mia removing velcro (Photo by: L. Tyne)

This collection has taught me many things. I have learned to be patient, think carefully, and always be on the lookout for new observations, among many other smaller skills. If I were asked to advise someone starting a similar project, I encourage them to take note of their natural rhythm so that they can figure out which order of surveying works best for them to maximize efficiency. I would also tell them not to be afraid of asking questions, even if it’s clarifying something they think you already know. This has been an incredible experience, and I feel so lucky to have been a part of this collection. Thank you for taking the time to read my post!

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA and Italian Space Agency test future lunar navigation technology

As the Artemis campaign leads humanity to the moon and eventually Mars, NASA is refining its state-of-the-art navigation and positioning technologies to guide a new era of lunar exploration.

A technology demonstration helping pave the way for these developments is the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) payload, a joint effort between NASA and the Italian Space Agency to demonstrate the viability of using existing GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals for positioning, navigation, and timing on the moon.

During its voyage on an upcoming delivery to the moon as part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, LuGRE would demonstrate acquiring and tracking signals from both the U.S. GPS and European Union Galileo GNSS constellations during transit to the moon, during lunar orbit, and finally for up to two weeks on the lunar surface itself.

The LuGRE payload is one of the first demonstrations of GNSS signal reception and navigation on and around the lunar surface, an important milestone for how lunar missions will access navigation and positioning technology.

If successful, LuGRE would demonstrate that spacecraft can use signals from existing GNSS satellites at lunar distances, reducing their reliance on ground-based stations on the Earth for lunar navigation.

Today, GNSS constellations support essential services like navigation, banking, power grid synchronization, cellular networks, and telecommunications. Near-Earth space missions use these signals in flight to determine critical operational information like location, velocity, and time.

NASA and the Italian Space Agency want to expand the boundaries of GNSS use cases. In 2019, the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission broke the world record for farthest GPS signal acquisition 116,300 miles from the Earth's surface—nearly half of the 238,900 miles between Earth and the moon. Now, LuGRE could double that distance.

"GPS makes our lives safer and more viable here on Earth," said Kevin Coggins, NASA deputy associate administrator and SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "As we seek to extend humanity beyond our home planet, LuGRE should confirm that this extraordinary technology can do the same for us on the moon."

Reliable space communication and navigation systems play a vital role in all NASA missions, providing crucial connections from space to Earth for crewed and uncrewed missions alike. Using a blend of government and commercial assets, NASA's Near Space and Deep Space Networks support science, technology demonstrations, and human spaceflight missions across the solar system.

"This mission is more than a technological milestone," said Joel Parker, policy lead for positioning, navigation, and timing at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

"We want to enable more and better missions to the moon for the benefit of everyone, and we want to do it together with our international partners."

The data-gathering LuGRE payload combines NASA-led systems engineering and mission management with receiver software and hardware developed by the Italian Space Agency and their industry partner Qascom—the first Italian-built hardware to operate on the lunar surface.

Any data LuGRE collects is intended to open the door for use of GNSS to all lunar missions, not just those by NASA or the Italian Space Agency. Approximately six months after LuGRE completes its operations, the agencies will release its mission data to broaden public and commercial access to lunar GNSS research.

"A project like LuGRE isn't about NASA alone," said NASA Goddard navigation and mission design engineer Lauren Konitzer. "It's something we're doing for the benefit of humanity. We're working to prove that lunar GNSS can work, and we're sharing our discoveries with the world."

The LuGRE payload is one of 10 science experiments launching to the lunar surface on this delivery through NASA's CLPS initiative.

Through CLPS, NASA works with American companies to provide delivery and quantity contracts for commercial deliveries to further lunar exploration and the development of a sustainable lunar economy. As of 2024, the agency has 14 private partners on contract for current and future CLPS missions.

Demonstrations like LuGRE could lay the groundwork for GNSS-based navigation systems on the lunar surface. Bridging these existing systems with emerging lunar-specific navigation solutions has the potential to define how all spacecraft navigate lunar terrain in the Artemis era.

The payload is a collaborative effort between NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the Italian Space Agency.

[lboogie1906]

Richard A. Collins (1939) was an Engineering Executive and Chief Design Engineer at the Boeing Company. Born in Ft. Lauderdale to Marcellus Sterling and Anita Collins. He received his BS degree in Mathematics and Chemistry from Morehouse College and received his MBA from Seattle University.

He began his engineering career at the US Weather Service. He began working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Boeing Company recruited him as a software engineer in the Space and Defense Division. He led the Boeing software design and development team for the nation’s first personal rapid transit system in Morgantown, West Virginia.

He served as the Chief Design Engineer for the National and International Aerospace Systems. He was the Chief Design engineer of the Air Force’s Weapon Control System. He led the Millimeter Wave Radar Target Acquisition and Terminal Guidance System technology development, upgraded the Command and Control system for the Navy’s Mercury Communication Control Aircraft, and led the multi-billion-dollar Army Future Combat Systems program.

He completed advanced management programs at the Defense System Management College, Carnegie Mellon University’s Graduate School of Industrial Administration, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the Center for Creative Leadership.

Among his recognitions are the Colorado Outward Bound Competition; Boeing Sustained Quality Performance Award; Outstanding Leadership of Millimeter Wave Terminal Guidance Technology Development; National Black Engineer Nominee of the Year; and First Flight of Red Rover Aerostat-Hot-Air Balloon.

He was President of Morehouse College Club of Seattle; Sire Archon of Alpha Omicron Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity; Board of Directors for Seattle Big Brothers, Seattle Monorail Expansion, and Seattle First Tee. Memberships include NAACP Life Member; Omega Psi Fraternity; Association of Computing Machinery; Strathmore’s Who’s Who in American Science and Engineering; and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

He and his wife, Minnie have two children. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #sigmapiphi #omegapsiphi

[artemistorm]

I've finally managed to finish college so I can get back into playing Sky again!! I've also discovered a way to cheat the system (aka my college laptop that won't let me download any art software) to make digital art by using magma, so I must ask...

Who's your favourite Sky spirit? Or alternatively, who's your favourite Season of Radiance spirit if you have one?

(Also, hello! Hi! How are you doing? I haven't been on tumblr much so I've missed a lot of my moot's life updates, including yours)

Russ

Yaay! I'm so happy to see you in my inbox! I noticed you weren't on tumblr much and I was concerned. That's exciting that you're done with college! What's next for you now? Summer off? University? Trade school? Work?

Let's play together sometime! Ooh I just discovered Magma last week. I hadn't ever really thought about it before but I bet its handy to have an internet-based art program for folks who can't download a program. (I have a handful of fave spirits, but I really like Cackling Cannoneer. They're so funny.)

I'm doing good. I finished my associate's degree, got accepted to university, and I start the summer term in a few days. I've been working doing yard work and odd jobs for my family, playing a lot of Sky (I'm obsessed and so excited for Two Embers), and I've been drawing comics (none are posted, cuz I mostly draw people slightly more complex than a stick figure for speed purposes so I can draw lots of comics really fast).

[chutan-barua-rohit]

What is Amazon Affiliate Marketing? Why Choose Affiliate Marketing?

What is Amazon Affiliate Marketing?

Amazon Affiliate Marketing, also known as the Amazon Associates Program, is a popular way for individuals and businesses to earn commissions by promoting products from Amazon.com. Affiliates generate revenue by placing unique affiliate links on their websites, blogs, or social media. When someone clicks on these links and makes a purchase, the affiliate earns a commission on the sale.

Why Choose Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is an attractive online income stream for several reasons:

1. Low Investment, High Earning Potential

Unlike traditional businesses, affiliate marketing requires minimal startup costs. You don’t need to buy or stock products—just promote existing ones.

2. Passive Income Opportunity

Once you set up your website or content, you can earn commissions passively as people purchase through your links, even while you sleep.

3. Flexibility & Freedom

Affiliate marketing allows you to work anytime, anywhere. You can build an income stream without being tied to a specific location or strict work hours.

4. No Customer Support or Inventory Management

Since you are promoting other companies' products, they handle inventory, shipping, and customer service—leaving you free to focus on marketing.

5. Wide Range of Products & Niches

You can promote products in various niches, from tech gadgets and fashion to fitness equipment and software. This flexibility lets you choose a niche that aligns with your interests.

6. Trusted Brands Boost Conversions

When promoting Amazon products, customers trust the Amazon brand, making them more likely to buy—resulting in higher conversion rates for affiliates.

Conclusion

Amazon Affiliate Marketing is an excellent way to monetize your content and earn passive income. Whether you're a blogger, YouTuber, or social media influencer, affiliate marketing provides a scalable, low-risk way to generate revenue while promoting products you genuinely believe in.

Would you like tips on how to start your Amazon affiliate marketing journey?

[inbabylontheywept]

Too Confused to Interrogate, Too Confident to Question

When I started my first job in the DoD - in a facility where missiles components are tested - the address they gave me had some software glitches associated with it. If you put that address into apple maps, it takes you to the facility, which is at the end of this unreasonably long winding dirt road through the middle of farmland. It's literally ten miles from my job to the nearest gas station, and then another ten miles until you hit the city limits, and then three miles and I'm home. But if you put that same address into google maps, it takes you to the end of that road while it is still in the city limits. And that end of the road is another classified site, but it's for the IRS. I don't know why they put two classified facilities in the same tiny town in the middle of BFE. Now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know why the IRS has classified facilities at all. Some kind of genetically modified accountant program? God help us.

Anyway, they didn't warn me about the directions bug so for my first day I showed up at the IRS building. They obviously had no idea who I was, but I told them that it was my first day and I didn't know anything about anything except that I was supposed to be there and that I didn't want to be late.

And they let me in.

Because I asked. Because I was that just right blend of too-confused-to-interrogate, but too-confident-to-question. I spent thirty minutes inside of this IRS building before realizing I was not supposed to be there. And instead of telling anyone about this, I just went back to my car and drove off. I have no idea what the consequences of this were. There probably weren't any. I could have stolen a whole filing cabinet of secret genetic templates for our modified accountant program and gotten away scot free. I then drove to the correct location. Apparently, under normal circumstances, I was supposed to be let in by another coworker but because I was late they were all already in the building so I had to call the guard shack on base and do the same song and dance again. The guards are not supposed to let people in. They aren't allowed to. Their sole job is to keep people out. But I did it again, that same superweapon combination of too-confused-to-interrogate but too-confident-to-question and they sent a guy out to get me in. When I arrived on site, I beelined to see my manager (who at that point had become slightly worried about my wellbeing - I was driving on dirt roads in the middle of snowfall after spending my entire life in the desert), and the first thing my manager asked me when I got to his office was

"How the hell did you get in here?" And then I got to explain to him how I had been illegally let into not one, but two secret sites in one day just by being extremely insistent. He was impressed. He was not pleased.

[juanabaloo]

There's a Treasury coup going on, led by Musk. The Nazi Republicans are fine with this and the legacy (traditional) media doesn't seem to care. (It start Friday sometime. Friday Jan 31st, 2025) I'll link to the source, but I wanna include the full article from Wired in text here.

They have identified the 6 engineers (supposedly they are engineers) who are part of this coup. These people have names, they are not nameless shadows. May they never know a moment of peace in their godforsaken lives.

[Personally I have zero issue with them being young. The real problem is their lack of experience and training with confidential data, lack of security clearance, and them participating in a fucking coup.]

Vittoria Elliott Additional reporting by Zoë Schiffer and Tim Marchman Wired.com Feb 2, 2025 2:02 PM

The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk’s Government Takeover

Engineers between 19 and 24, most linked to Musk’s companies, are playing a key role as he seizes control of federal infrastructure.

The engineers are Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian (also known as Cole Killian), Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran. None have responded to requests for comment from WIRED. Representatives from OPM, GSA, and DOGE did not respond to requests for comment.

(Source: Wired.com)

Full article under the cut, including some initial details like university and internship jobs for some of the six.

Elon Musk’s takeover of federal government infrastructure is ongoing, and at the center of things is a coterie of engineers who are barely out of—and in at least one case, purportedly still in—college. Most have connections to Musk, and at least two have connections to Musk’s longtime associate Peter Thiel, a cofounder and chair of the analytics firm and government contractor Palantir who has long expressed opposition to democracy.

WIRED has identified six young men—all apparently between the ages of 19 and 24, according to public databases, their online presences, and other records—who have little to no government experience and are now playing critical roles in Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project, tasked by executive order with “modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.” The engineers all hold nebulous job titles within DOGE, and at least one appears to be working as a volunteer.

The engineers are Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran. None have responded to requests for comment from WIRED. Representatives from OPM, GSA, and DOGE did not respond to requests for comment.

Already, Musk’s lackeys have taken control of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and General Services Administration (GSA), and have gained access to the Treasury Department’s payment system, potentially allowing him access to a vast range of sensitive information about tens of millions of citizens, businesses, and more. On Sunday, CNN reported that DOGE personnel attempted to improperly access classified information and security systems at the US Agency for International Development and that top USAID security officials who thwarted the attempt were subsequently put on leave. The Associated Press reported that DOGE personnel had indeed accessed classified material.

“What we're seeing is unprecedented in that you have these actors who are not really public officials gaining access to the most sensitive data in government,” says Don Moynihan, a professor of public policy at the University of Michigan. “We really have very little eyes on what's going on. Congress has no ability to really intervene and monitor what's happening because these aren't really accountable public officials. So this feels like a hostile takeover of the machinery of governments by the richest man in the world.”

Bobba has attended UC Berkeley, where he was in the prestigious Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology program. According to a copy of his now-deleted LinkedIn obtained by WIRED, Bobba was an investment engineering intern at the Bridgewater Associates hedge fund as of last spring and was previously an intern at both Meta and Palantir. He was a featured guest on a since-deleted podcast with Aman Manazir, an engineer who interviews engineers about how they landed their dream jobs, where he talked about those experiences last June.

Coristine, as WIRED previously reported, appears to have recently graduated from high school and to have been enrolled at Northeastern University. According to a copy of his résumé obtained by WIRED, he spent three months at Neuralink, Musk’s brain-computer interface company, last summer.e [e seems to be a typo]

Both Bobba and Coristine are listed in internal OPM records reviewed by WIRED as “experts” at OPM, reporting directly to Amanda Scales, its new chief of staff. Scales previously worked on talent for xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence company, and as part of Uber’s talent acquisition team, per LinkedIn. Employees at GSA tell WIRED that Coristine has appeared on calls where workers were made to go over code they had written and justify their jobs. WIRED previously reported that Coristine was added to a call with GSA staff members using a nongovernment Gmail address. Employees were not given an explanation as to who he was or why he was on the calls.

Farritor, who per sources has a working GSA email address, is a former intern at SpaceX, Musk’s space company, and currently a Thiel Fellow after, according to his LinkedIn, dropping out of the University of Nebraska—Lincoln. While in school, he was part of an award-winning team that deciphered portions of an ancient Greek scroll.

Kliger, whose LinkedIn lists him as a special adviser to the director of OPM and who is listed in internal records reviewed by WIRED as a special adviser to the director for information technology, attended UC Berkeley until 2020; most recently, according to his LinkedIn, he worked for the AI company Databricks. His Substack includes a post titled “The Curious Case of Matt Gaetz: How the Deep State Destroys Its Enemies,” as well as another titled “Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense: The Warrior Washington Fears.”

Killian, also known as Cole Killian, has a working email associated with DOGE, where he is currently listed as a volunteer, according to internal records reviewed by WIRED. According to a copy of his now-deleted résumé obtained by WIRED, he attended McGill University through at least 2021 and graduated high school in 2019. An archived copy of his now-deleted personal website indicates that he worked as an engineer at Jump Trading, which specializes in algorithmic and high-frequency financial trades.

Shaotran told Business Insider in September that he was a senior at Harvard studying computer science and also the founder of an OpenAI-backed startup, Energize AI. Shaotran was the runner-up in a hackathon held by xAI, Musk’s AI company. In the Business Insider article, Shaotran says he received a $100,000 grant from OpenAI to build his scheduling assistant, Spark.

“To the extent these individuals are exercising what would otherwise be relatively significant managerial control over two very large agencies that deal with very complex topics,” says Nick Bednar, a professor at University of Minnesota’s school of law, “it is very unlikely they have the expertise to understand either the law or the administrative needs that surround these agencies.”

Sources tell WIRED that Bobba, Coristine, Farritor, and Shaotran all currently have working GSA emails and A-suite level clearance at the GSA, which means that they work out of the agency’s top floor and have access to all physical spaces and IT systems, according a source with knowledge of the GSA’s clearance protocols. The source, who spoke to WIRED on the condition of anonymity because they fear retaliation, says they worry that the new teams could bypass the regular security clearance protocols to access the agency’s sensitive compartmented information facility, as the Trump administration has already granted temporary security clearances to unvetted people.

This is in addition to Coristine and Bobba being listed as “experts” working at OPM. Bednar says that while staff can be loaned out between agencies for special projects or to work on issues that might cross agency lines, it’s not exactly common practice.

“This is consistent with the pattern of a lot of tech executives who have taken certain roles of the administration,” says Bednar. “This raises concerns about regulatory capture and whether these individuals may have preferences that don’t serve the American public or the federal government.”

Additional reporting by Zoë Schiffer and Tim Marchman.

[p2pc2e]

F1's DC/AC: Assault & Battery

Formula 1 teams source batteries for their power units, specifically the Energy Store (ES) component, from specialized manufacturers and in-house development, driven by the sport’s stringent performance and safety requirements. The disposal of used batteries follows strict regulations to ensure environmental responsibility, given their hazardous materials. Below is a detailed breakdown:

Sourcing of Batteries for Formula 1 Power Units

Specialized Battery Manufacturers:

Companies like Saft, a leader in high-performance batteries, have historically supplied F1 teams with lithium-ion batteries for the Energy Recovery System (ERS). Saft’s experience, including work on defense projects like the Lockheed Martin F-35, has been adapted for F1’s extreme conditions.

About:Energy, a battery testing and software specialist, collaborates with F1 teams to develop and optimize battery performance through simulation and testing, focusing on power density and degradation.

Other suppliers, such as Marelli, provide components like the Motor Generator Unit (MGU) and associated battery systems, tailoring designs to team specifications.

In-House Development by Power Unit Manufacturers:

Major power unit suppliers—Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, Audi, and Red Bull Powertrains (with Ford)—often develop batteries in-house or in close partnership with specialists. For example:

Mercedes High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in Brixworth, UK, integrates battery development into its power unit program, leveraging expertise from the turbo-hybrid era.

Ferrari designs its own batteries in Maranello, aligning with its power unit strategy to supply its factory team and customers like Haas and Cadillac.

Honda has advanced lightweight battery designs, achieving significant weight reductions (up to 5kg) for performance gains.

These manufacturers work with advanced lithium-ion chemistries, optimizing for high power density (up to 350kW in 2026 regulations) and energy recovery (up to 9MJ per lap).

Collaborative Innovation:

Teams and suppliers push boundaries in battery chemistry and design, exploring formats like cylindrical, pouch, or prismatic cells to balance energy density, weight (20-25kg regulatory limit), and packaging within the chassis.

Emerging technologies, such as solid-state batteries, are under consideration for future F1 applications, offering potential improvements in lifetime and energy density.

Partnerships with academic institutions, like Imperial College London, aid in refining battery performance for motorsport.

Regulatory Compliance:

Batteries must meet FIA safety standards, including UN38.3 for lithium-ion transport and crash test requirements to prevent dangerous reactions. These regulations influence sourcing decisions, as only certified suppliers can meet such demands.

The FIA’s 2026 regulations, emphasizing a 50/50 power split between internal combustion and electric systems, have spurred investment in battery development, attracting new manufacturers like Audi and Ford.

Disposal of Used Batteries

Regulatory Limits on Battery Usage:

FIA rules limit teams to a set number of Energy Stores per season (currently four, reducing to two in future seasons) to control costs and environmental impact. Exceeding this incurs grid penalties, incentivizing durable designs.

Batteries are designed to withstand intense charge-discharge cycles (10-15 per lap, depending on the circuit), but degradation over a season necessitates replacement.

Recycling and Disposal Processes:

Hazardous Material Handling: Lithium-ion batteries contain chemicals that pose environmental risks if mishandled. F1 teams, operating under EU and international regulations, partner with certified recycling facilities to manage disposal. The EU Battery Directive (2006/66/EC) mandates recycling to recover materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel.

Specialized Recycling Partners: Companies like Umicore and Redwood Materials (common in automotive sectors) recycle lithium-ion batteries, extracting valuable metals for reuse in new batteries or other applications. While F1-specific partnerships are not publicly detailed, teams likely use similar services given the high-value materials involved.

Closed-Loop Systems: Some manufacturers, like Saft, integrate recycling into their supply chains, repurposing materials from used batteries to reduce waste and costs. This aligns with F1’s push for sustainability, including 100% sustainable fuels by 2026.

Repurposing: Degraded F1 batteries, which no longer meet the sport’s performance demands, may be repurposed for less demanding applications, such as energy storage systems or testing rigs, before final recycling. This practice is common in motorsport and automotive industries.

Environmental Considerations:

The FIA and F1 emphasize sustainability, with initiatives like sustainable fuels and increased hybrid efficiency reducing the sport’s carbon footprint. Battery disposal is part of this, with teams required to adhere to strict environmental protocols.

The high energy density and specialized chemistry of F1 batteries (100-275Wh/kg) make recycling complex but critical to avoid landfill waste and comply with regulations.

Challenges and Innovations:

The 2026 regulations, increasing battery power to 350kW and energy recovery to 9MJ per lap, will intensify battery wear, raising disposal frequency. Teams are exploring chemistries that minimize degradation to extend battery life and reduce waste.

Research into fast-charging and durable batteries aims to lower the environmental impact by reducing the need for oversized batteries, which add weight and disposal burdens.

Critical Notes

Limited Public Data: Exact suppliers and disposal partners for each team are closely guarded due to F1’s competitive nature. Information is often proprietary, with teams like Ferrari and Mercedes only broadly acknowledging in-house or specialist involvement.

Sustainability Push: F1’s commitment to net-zero by 2030 drives innovation in battery recycling and sustainable sourcing, but the sport’s high-performance demands create unique challenges compared to road-car battery systems.

Speculative Future: Solid-state batteries or alternative chemistries could reduce disposal issues by offering longer lifespans, but these are not yet standard in F1.

In summary, F1 teams source batteries from elite suppliers like Saft and through in-house programs at manufacturers like Mercedes and Ferrari, focusing on cutting-edge lithium-ion technology. Used batteries are recycled through specialized facilities to recover materials, aligning with environmental regulations and F1’s sustainability goals. The lack of specific team-by-team disposal data reflects the sport’s secrecy, but industry-standard practices provide a reliable framework.

[mcalhenwrites]

A lot of thoughts. Because I went job hunting instead of writing, and I'm beginning to think I'm a bigger failure than I ever realized.

I... have no degrees. No experience. Just a high school diploma. No trade school. No classes. I've worked retail previously (cashier as well as sales associate working with planograms to fill store shelves), but not even two collective years total. I volunteered a few times in high school at a daycare through a high school program, and I volunteered for two semesters at a dog rescue. I'm currently multitasking at a dog grooming salon. I answer phones, book appointments, log inventory, sell inventory, clean. And I'll be adding some baking assistant duties to that soon, tho I did help a little bit today in-between the other duties. (We make dog-safe treats in-house at one of our locations. I work at two different locations.) My other experience is related to writing, crocheting, etc. I spent most of my life focusing on writing. I am not actually good with using software like Microsoft Word or Scrivener. I just use them to write. I have to google how to do certain things with them all the time, often repeatedly, because... I just can't seem to retain the knowledge. I can figure a few things out on my own, but I suck at it. At work, I'm really bad at sometimes processing what people try to say, particularly on the phone. I'm a little... slow. I can do it, but if I were at a place that didn't have an understanding boss, I'd be pretty fucked and likely fired. (I'm nice, but oh god, people please stop giving your phone numbers and spelling of your names SO FAST. GO SLOW. I'm STUPID.) I'm easily overwhelmed even with my relatively slow-paced job, which has enough free time for me to draw and read and do a lot of things completely unrelated to my job. I'm learning as I go, and I don't think I'm TERRIBLE, but I certainly do wish I could be better at it. I don't want to work around customers outside of this particular job. I can't go back to full retail. Fuck that so much. Unless it's a cool indie bookstore or something? FYI, I like my job, I just can't survive on it, and it just doesn't pay enough for me. I also can only work about 3 days a week, I've tried 4 and it's killing me, so it's probably a good thing that my temporary 4 days was temporary. Especially when I'm going to be doing assistant baking closer to the holidays. I'm just... terrible at this life thing. How did I get so close to 40 and just fail this fucking hard? I know my parents weren't supportive of college or trade school or anything, really, and that everything I ever mentioned was thrown out. I know I have physical (and probably mental) disabilities. Everything I know - all that writing that people praise? It's self-taught. I took 5 years to complete high school, and I only managed to do it in that time because I had to go to summer school. I did well if I had a lot of help from teachers, but I couldn't do it without that. (I ended up going to an alternative high school where teachers could provide that one-on-one learning.) I think I write fantastic books. My mind is such a creative place, and I have such complex characters. I have a good grasp of writing topics like abuse. But what kind of specialty is that? I can't survive. I want to give up. I haven't yet, and I've done everything to try harder in the circumstances I'm facing, and... it's doing nothing. It's going nowhere. I'm so fucking unlovable and stupid.

[mariacallous]

Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has plans to stage a “hackathon” next week in Washington, DC. The goal is to create a single “mega API”—a bridge that lets software systems talk to one another—for accessing IRS data, sources tell WIRED. The agency is expected to partner with a third-party vendor to manage certain aspects of the data project. Palantir, a software company cofounded by billionaire and Musk associate Peter Thiel, has been brought up consistently by DOGE representatives as a possible candidate, sources tell WIRED.

Two top DOGE operatives at the IRS, Sam Corcos and Gavin Kliger, are helping to orchestrate the hackathon, sources tell WIRED. Corcos is a health-tech CEO with ties to Musk’s SpaceX. Kliger attended UC Berkeley until 2020 and worked at the AI company Databricks before joining DOGE as a special adviser to the director at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Corcos is also a special adviser to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Since joining Musk’s DOGE, Corcos has told IRS workers that he wants to pause all engineering work and cancel current attempts to modernize the agency’s systems, according to sources with direct knowledge who spoke with WIRED. He has also spoken about some aspects of these cuts publicly: "We've so far stopped work and cut about $1.5 billion from the modernization budget. Mostly projects that were going to continue to put us down the death spiral of complexity in our code base," Corcos told Laura Ingraham on Fox News in March.

Corcos has discussed plans for DOGE to build “one new API to rule them all,” making IRS data more easily accessible for cloud platforms, sources say. APIs, or application programming interfaces, enable different applications to exchange data, and could be used to move IRS data into the cloud. The cloud platform could become the “read center of all IRS systems,” a source with direct knowledge tells WIRED, meaning anyone with access could view and possibly manipulate all IRS data in one place.

Over the last few weeks, DOGE has requested the names of the IRS’s best engineers from agency staffers. Next week, DOGE and IRS leadership are expected to host dozens of engineers in DC so they can begin “ripping up the old systems” and building the API, an IRS engineering source tells WIRED. The goal is to have this task completed within 30 days. Sources say there have been multiple discussions about involving third-party cloud and software providers like Palantir in the implementation.

Corcos and DOGE indicated to IRS employees that they intended to first apply the API to the agency’s mainframes and then move on to every other internal system. Initiating a plan like this would likely touch all data within the IRS, including taxpayer names, addresses, social security numbers, as well as tax return and employment data. Currently, the IRS runs on dozens of disparate systems housed in on-premises data centers and in the cloud that are purposefully compartmentalized. Accessing these systems requires special permissions and workers are typically only granted access on a need-to-know basis.

A “mega API” could potentially allow someone with access to export all IRS data to the systems of their choosing, including private entities. If that person also had access to other interoperable datasets at separate government agencies, they could compare them against IRS data for their own purposes.

“Schematizing this data and understanding it would take years,” an IRS source tells WIRED. “Just even thinking through the data would take a long time, because these people have no experience, not only in government, but in the IRS or with taxes or anything else.” (“There is a lot of stuff that I don't know that I am learning now,” Corcos tells Ingraham in the Fox interview. “I know a lot about software systems, that's why I was brought in.")

These systems have all gone through a tedious approval process to ensure the security of taxpayer data. Whatever may replace them would likely still need to be properly vetted, sources tell WIRED.

"It's basically an open door controlled by Musk for all American's most sensitive information with none of the rules that normally secure that data," an IRS worker alleges to WIRED.

The data consolidation effort aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive order from March 20, which directed agencies to eliminate information silos. While the order was purportedly aimed at fighting fraud and waste, it also could threaten privacy by consolidating personal data housed on different systems into a central repository, WIRED previously reported.

In a statement provided to WIRED on Saturday, a Treasury spokesperson said the department “is pleased to have gathered a team of long-time IRS engineers who have been identified as the most talented technical personnel. Through this coalition, they will streamline IRS systems to create the most efficient service for the American taxpayer. This week the team will be participating in the IRS Roadmapping Kickoff, a seminar of various strategy sessions, as they work diligently to create efficient systems. This new leadership and direction will maximize their capabilities and serve as the tech-enabled force multiplier that the IRS has needed for decades.”

Palantir, Sam Corcos, and Gavin Kliger did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In February, a memo was drafted to provide Kliger with access to personal taxpayer data at the IRS, The Washington Post reported. Kliger was ultimately provided read-only access to anonymized tax data, similar to what academics use for research. Weeks later, Corcos arrived, demanding detailed taxpayer and vendor information as a means of combating fraud, according to the Post.

“The IRS has some pretty legacy infrastructure. It's actually very similar to what banks have been using. It's old mainframes running COBOL and Assembly and the challenge has been, how do we migrate that to a modern system?” Corcos told Ingraham in the same Fox News interview. Corcos said he plans to continue his work at IRS for a total of six months.

DOGE has already slashed and burned modernization projects at other agencies, replacing them with smaller teams and tighter timelines. At the Social Security Administration, DOGE representatives are planning to move all of the agency’s data off of legacy programming languages like COBOL and into something like Java, WIRED reported last week.

Last Friday, DOGE suddenly placed around 50 IRS technologists on administrative leave. On Thursday, even more technologists were cut, including the director of cybersecurity architecture and implementation, deputy chief information security officer, and acting director of security risk management. IRS’s chief technology officer, Kaschit Pandya, is one of the few technology officials left at the agency, sources say.

DOGE originally expected the API project to take a year, multiple IRS sources say, but that timeline has shortened dramatically down to a few weeks. “That is not only not technically possible, that's also not a reasonable idea, that will cripple the IRS,” an IRS employee source tells WIRED. “It will also potentially endanger filing season next year, because obviously all these other systems they’re pulling people away from are important.”

(Corcos also made it clear to IRS employees that he wanted to kill the agency’s Direct File program, the IRS’s recently released free tax-filing service.)

DOGE’s focus on obtaining and moving sensitive IRS data to a central viewing platform has spooked privacy and civil liberties experts.

“It’s hard to imagine more sensitive data than the financial information the IRS holds,” Evan Greer, director of Fight for the Future, a digital civil rights organization, tells WIRED.

Palantir received the highest FedRAMP approval this past December for its entire product suite, including Palantir Federal Cloud Service (PFCS) which provides a cloud environment for federal agencies to implement the company’s software platforms, like Gotham and Foundry. FedRAMP stands for Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program and assesses cloud products for security risks before governmental use.

“We love disruption and whatever is good for America will be good for Americans and very good for Palantir,” Palantir CEO Alex Karp said in a February earnings call. “Disruption at the end of the day exposes things that aren't working. There will be ups and downs. This is a revolution, some people are going to get their heads cut off.”

[vaastu-naresh]

How to Make Passive Income Online

In today’s digital age, making passive income online has become more accessible than ever. Passive income allows you to earn money with minimal ongoing effort after the initial setup. Whether you want to supplement your existing income or build a full-time online business, there are various ways to generate passive income. Here are some of the best methods:

1. Start a Blog

Blogging can be a great way to earn passive income by monetizing content through ads, affiliate marketing, and digital product sales.

How It Works: Write high-quality content targeting a specific niche.

Income Sources: Display ads, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing.

Tools Needed: A domain, hosting service (like Bluehost or SiteGround), and a content management system like WordPress.

Tip: Focus on SEO to attract organic traffic.

2. Create and Sell Online Courses

If you have expertise in a particular field, you can create and sell online courses on platforms like Udemy, Teachable, or Skillshare.

How It Works: Develop structured course content and upload it to an online learning platform.

Income Sources: One-time purchases or subscription-based access.

Tools Needed: Video recording equipment, course planning software, and an LMS (Learning Management System).

Tip: Offer free mini-courses to attract students and upsell premium content.

3. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing involves promoting other companies’ products and earning a commission for each sale generated through your referral link.

How It Works: Share affiliate links in blog posts, social media, or YouTube videos.

Income Sources: Commissions from product sales.

Tools Needed: An affiliate program like Amazon Associates, ShareASale, or CJ Affiliate.

Tip: Promote products you genuinely use and trust.

4. Sell Digital Products

Selling digital products is a great way to make passive income because they require no inventory or shipping.

How It Works: Create eBooks, templates, printables, stock photos, or software and sell them online.

Income Sources: Sales through platforms like Gumroad, Etsy, or Shopify.

Tools Needed: Design software like Canva, Adobe Photoshop, or a digital marketplace.

Tip: Automate delivery using online platforms.

5. Invest in Dividend Stocks

Dividend stocks allow you to earn passive income through regular payouts from companies in which you invest.

How It Works: Buy shares in dividend-paying stocks and collect payouts.

Income Sources: Stock dividends.

Tools Needed: A brokerage account like Robinhood, Fidelity, or Vanguard.

Tip: Reinvest dividends to compound your earnings over time.

6. Create a YouTube Channel

YouTube offers multiple monetization options, making it a lucrative passive income source.

How It Works: Upload engaging videos on a topic of interest.

Income Sources: YouTube AdSense, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.

Tools Needed: A good camera, microphone, and video editing software.

Tip: Be consistent and create valuable content to grow your audience.

7. Dropshipping Business.

How It Works: Set up an online store and partner with a supplier.

Income Sources: Profit margins from product sales.

Tools Needed: Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce.

Tip: Focus on trending products with high demand.

8. Sell Stock Photos & Videos

If you’re a photographer or videographer, selling stock images and videos can be a great passive income stream.

How It Works: Upload high-quality images and videos to stock websites.

Income Sources: Royalties from stock websites like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, or Getty Images.

Tools Needed: A professional camera and photo editing software.

Tip: Research in-demand content to maximize earnings.

9. Write and Sell an Ebook

If you have knowledge or experience in a subject, writing an eBook can generate passive income.

How It Works: Publish an eBook and sell it on platforms like Amazon Kindle or Gumroad.

Income Sources: Royalties from book sales.

Tools Needed: Writing software like Scrivener or Microsoft Word.

Tip: Promote your book through social media and blogging.

10. Rent Out Property on Air.

If you own property, you can rent it out on Airbnb for short-term stays.

How It Works: List your property and manage bookings.

Income Sources: Rental income from guests.

Tools Needed: An Airbnb account and a well-furnished property.

Tip: Optimize your listing with high-quality photos and great customer service.

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Choosing The Right MBA In Information Technology College For A Successful Career

In today’s digital-driven world, businesses rely on technology for innovation, efficiency and competitive advantage. This has led to a growing demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between business and technology. Pursuing an MBA in Information Technology College can provide aspiring leaders with the right blend of management expertise and technical skills to thrive in the industry.

Why Choose An MBA In Information Technology?

An MBA in IT equips students with a strong foundation in both business administration and technology. The curriculum typically includes courses in data analytics, IT infrastructure management, software process management, and emerging digital trends. Graduates from reputed MBA IT Colleges are well-prepared to take on leadership roles in various industries, including banking, finance, e-commerce, healthcare, and consulting.

Key Benefits Of An MBA In IT

Enhanced Career Opportunities: Graduates can explore roles such as IT Manager, Business Analyst, Product Manager, and IT Consultant.

Integration of Business & Technology: The program helps students develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities for technology-driven businesses.

Industry-Relevant Curriculum: Courses are designed to align with the latest industry trends, ensuring that students stay ahead in the competitive market.

Networking & Industry Exposure: Many colleges offer internships, industry projects, and guest lectures by top professionals to provide hands-on experience.

What To Look For In The Best MBA IT Colleges

Choosing the right MBA IT College is crucial for career success. Here are some factors to consider:

Accreditation & Reputation: Ensure the college is recognized by national or international bodies.

Curriculum & Specialisations: Look for programmes offering diverse specializations like Data Analytics, Cloud Computing and IT Management.

Placement Support: Check past placement records and top recruiters associated with the college.

Faculty & Infrastructure: Experienced faculty and modern infrastructure enhance the learning experience.

Industry Collaborations: Colleges with strong industry ties provide better internship and job opportunities.

SICSR – A Leading MBA In IT College

Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research (SICSR) is a pioneer in offering a cutting-edge MBA in Information Technology College program. Located in Pune, SICSR provides students with a dynamic learning environment that integrates business management with the latest technological advancements. The programme offers specialisations in Banking & Financial Markets, Data Analytics, IT Infrastructure Management and Software Process Management.

With an industry-oriented curriculum, expert faculty, and strong placement support, SICSR stands out as one of the top MBA IT Colleges in India. Students benefit from experiential learning through case studies, hackathons, live projects, and industry interactions. The institute’s emphasis on continuous learning through MOOCs and research-driven education makes it a preferred choice for IT management aspirants.