Author: Geek Planet

SEATTLE — A cybersecurity attack against an emergency notification system compromised personal data across the country and is preventing alerts from being sent to the public.City officials in Sumner were one of the first local jurisdictions to alert people in the Puget Sound region about the breach of the CodeRED platform, which is administered by Crisis24.SEE ALSO | Emergency alert bill faces renewed scrutiny after deadly floods kill more than 100The ransomware attack has exposed user data and resulted in significant disruptions. One main concern is that people’s passwords were obtained by unauthorized individuals.KOMO News reached out to Crisis24 and…

This essay is republished from Science and Culture Today. This essay is adapted from the preface to a book I will be publishing later this year on the legacy of Jaime Escalante. The book is titled Defying Low Expectations: What Jaime Escalante Taught Us About Learning.  The story of Escalante’s success is widely remembered, at least in broad strokes: Escalante took a failing math program at East LA’s Garfield High, an inner city school whose students were poor and largely Hispanic, and transformed it into a math powerhouse that at its height in 1987 accounted for more than a quarter of…

Towards the end of 2025, rumors around an affordable MacBook had started surfacing. The idea was that this model would compete directly with Chromebooks and affordable Windows laptops, targeting students, professionals, and casual users who don’t want to spend $1,000 on an entry-level MacBook. Now, according to Taiwanese market research firm TrendForce, the long-rumored entry-to-mid-range MacBook is expected to launch in spring 2026, potentially giving budget-conscious buyers a new reason to consider macOS. This device, according to the analysts, would come with a 12.9-inch display, putting it a hair smaller than the current 13.6-inch MacBook Air but large enough for…

Discover effective strategies for managing cyber incidents and crafting an efficient incident response plan to safeguard your organization. Understanding Cyber Incidents and their Impact Cyber incidents refer to any unauthorized access, disruption, or misuse of computer systems, networks, or data. These incidents can have a significant impact on organizations, ranging from financial losses to reputational damage. Understanding the nature and impact of cyber incidents is crucial for developing effective incident response strategies. One important aspect of understanding cyber incidents is recognizing the different types of threats and attacks that can occur. This includes malware infections, phishing attempts, ransomware attacks, data…

At ScienceDaily, George Washington University reports, For nearly 300,000 years, early humans shaped stone tools with precision, even as they faced constant wildfires, severe droughts, and dramatic shifts in their environment. A new study published in Nature Communications reveals astonishing evidence of this long-lived technological tradition in Kenya’s Turkana Basin. “2.7-million-year-old tools reveal humanity’s first great innovation,” November 4, 2025 Stone tools, though these are not the ones made by the culture discussed. /AI, ScienceDaily.com The tools, which the researchers call “the first multi-purpose ‘Swiss Army knives’ made by hominins” date from about 2.75 through 2.44 million years ago (Pliocene).…

Prenetics Global Limited said it has ended its bitcoin purchasing program and will redirect its capital and strategic focus entirely toward IM8, its fast-growing consumer health and longevity brand co-founded with David Beckham. The Nasdaq-listed health sciences company said it ceased daily bitcoin purchases on Dec. 4, following approval from its board of directors, and will not pursue future acquisitions of the cryptocurrency.  Prenetics will retain its existing holdings of 510 bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset but has committed not to allocate any new or existing capital toward expanding that position. The move marks a clear shift away from…

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Despite extensive research and many companies increasing their budgets, cybersecurity breaches are still on the rise.In fact, there have been more than 8,000 global data breaches in the first half of 2025, with approximately 345 million records exposed. Experian’s 13th annual “data breach industry forecast” examines the latest trends and makes some surprising predictions.FHO Cybersecurity breach segment 12.7.25Experts say cybercriminals are leveraging emerging technologies to create more convincing identities, evade detection, and exploit new digital frontiers.We had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Bruemmer, Vice President of Experian Global Data Breach Resolution and Consumer Protection, who focuses…

A recent essay by Daniel Kolitz from Harper’s gives us a bleak picture of an emergent type of tech addict: the “gooner,” a person, typically a young man, who essentially builds a life around the consumption of  pornography and other forms of mindless entertainment and stimulation. Addicts will often have multiple screens up in their rooms displaying explicit videos in an attempt to enter a “trance-like state” that lasts for hours, even days. (If you decide to read the article, note that it talks in detail about porn addiction.) Kolitz writes, No one, besides maybe Neil Postman, could have predicted…

Explore the benefits of outsourcing cyber security services for your business. Understanding the Importance of Cyber Security In today’s digital age, businesses face a myriad of cyber threats that can compromise sensitive information, disrupt operations and damage reputation. Thus, cyber security is essential to protect against these threats and safeguard your business’s assets. By understanding the importance of cyber security, businesses can proactively implement measures to prevent attacks, detect vulnerabilities, and respond effectively to incidents. Benefits of Outsourcing Cyber Security Services Outsourcing cyber security services offers several benefits to businesses, including access to specialized expertise, cost-effectiveness, 24/7 monitoring, and enhanced…

Is that too extreme a statement? Consider the recent approval given at top levels for citation justice (citing sources on the basis of equity, not usefulness) and suppressing uncomfortable research findings (presumably to advance various causes). Just recently, a demand has arisen for accuracy in data to take a back seat to what makes people feel more comfortable. Then there are the paper mills, the impersonation scandals, the refusal to publish politically sensitive corrections, and the big time fraud. And yet science bureaucrats, moan that trust in science has cratered over the years. Some commentators ascribe the loss of trust…