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Opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma LP (Purdue) was sentenced today in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, and ordered to pay criminal penalties of over $5 billion for its role in fueling the opioid epidemic.

Maryland has become the first state in the US to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores.

Maryland’s law bans grocers and third-party delivery services from using a person’s personal data to set higher prices. Wes Moore, the governor, signed the measure into law on Tuesday. “At a time when technology can predict what we need, when we need it, when we’ll pay for it and also – when we’ll pay more for it, and at a time when we’re watching how big companies are then using these analytics against us to make record profits, Maryland is not just pushing back. Maryland is pushing forward because we are going to protect our people,” Moore said at the bill signing ceremony.

When engaging in surveillance pricing, stores rapidly change the cost of products based on consumer data, including their location, internet search history and demographics. That means buyers are paying different prices for the same items purchased around the same time. Critics of this method – also known as dynamic pricing – say that in doing so, businesses are effectively charging each person the most that they’re willing to pay.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/46605116

April 28, 2026

Press freedom advocates on Tuesday forcefully condemned the Republican-dominated Federal Communications Commission—and FCC Chair Brendan Carr in particular—for moving to challenge Disney-owned ABC’s broadcast licenses as President Donald Trump again pressures to network to fire late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel.

“The First Amendment and the FCC’s mandate do not permit the agency to use broadcast licenses as weapons to punish broadcasters for constitutionally protected content they air,” declared Freedom of the Press Foundation chief of advocacy Seth Stern.

Lawsuits: OpenAI didn’t report ChatGPT user to cops to protect Altman, IPO.

April 28, 2026

Press freedom advocates on Tuesday forcefully condemned the Republican-dominated Federal Communications Commission—and FCC Chair Brendan Carr in particular—for moving to challenge Disney-owned ABC’s broadcast licenses as President Donald Trump again pressures to network to fire late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel.

“The First Amendment and the FCC’s mandate do not permit the agency to use broadcast licenses as weapons to punish broadcasters for constitutionally protected content they air,” declared Freedom of the Press Foundation chief of advocacy Seth Stern.

xkcd #3239: Simple Machines

Title text:

It's hard to decide which simple machine system to invest in. DeWalt makes a great lever and inclined plane, but I hear Milwaukee's wheel-and-axles are really good.

Transcript:

Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com

Source: https://xkcd.com/3239/

explainxkcd for #3239

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to testify before Congress about the Epstein files on May 29 after she failed to appear for a previously scheduled deposition.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee confirmed the appearance, an arrangement made after discussions with Bondi’s personal attorney.

The news came as Democrats on the committee introduced a resolution to hold Bondi in contempt.

TIL sardines don't exist:

Sardine and pilchard are common names for various species of small, oily forage fish in the herring suborder Clupeoidei.

Giving Trump all that glitters with a wide grin isn't a bargaining chip for a city under siege. And what, exactly, did LA walk out of this meeting with? Nothing. Except for a neat little preview of the Bass administration's posture as we head into our self-imposed megaevent purgatory.

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/51257478

Ukraine and Norway are set to begin their first joint production of Ukrainian drones, planning to produce several thousand mid-range drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Norway.

"All products manufactured under the project will be transferred to the Ukrainian Armed Forces… The relevant agreement was signed in Kyiv by Lars Ragnar Aalerud Hansen, Norwegian Ambassador to Ukraine, and Serhii Boiev, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Defence for European Integration," Ukraine's Ministry of Defence reports.

The defence ministry said the agreement will enable Ukrainian technology, which has proved its effectiveness on the battlefield, to be scaled up and will strengthen the defence capabilities of both countries.

The project will be funded by Norway.

Web Archive link

VOY s7e24 "Endgame"

Derived from a post by @TotallyNotSpezUpload@startrek.website and a comment by @Aganim@lemmy.world

I have just noticed that there is a hole in my boots.

To test the hypothesis that modern materials science and manufacturing techniques had rendered obsolete Sam Vimes' famous saying about boots, last autumn I bought the cheapest winter boots available at Walmart.

They are not fashionable, well-fitting, or particularly warm, but they looked indestructible and waterproof — made of seemingly tough material with good think soles. The soles probably are indeed indestructible, but just at the heel where they meet the other part of the boot, some kind of design flaw has resulted in a hole in exactly the same spot on each boot after only one winter of light use.

I will patch them and see if the repair holds next year.

Inspiration: https://feddit.org/post/29170100/12767853