[syndicated profile] arstechnica_feed

Posted by Stephen Clark

The US Space Force released a list Friday of a dozen companies working on Space-Based Interceptors for the Pentagon's Golden Dome initiative, a multilayer defense system to shield US territory from drones and ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missile attacks.

The roster of Golden Dome Space-Based Interceptor (SBI) contractors, some of which were previously reported, includes Anduril Industries, Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics Mission Systems, GITAI USA, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Quindar, Raytheon, Sci-Tec, SpaceX, True Anomaly, and Turion Space.

The Space Force made 20 individual awards to the 12 companies in late 2025 and early 2026 using an acquisition mechanism known as Other Transaction Authority, or OTA, agreements. OTAs allow the Pentagon to bypass federal acquisition regulations and cast a wide net to attract a larger number of potential contractors and are especially useful for rapid prototyping. That is exactly what the Space Force wants to see with the first phase of the SBI program.

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Fiddling on

Apr. 25th, 2026 02:20 pm
mific: (This time I did see it coming)
[personal profile] mific
Okay, so, general update then some happier HR stuff. NZ now has about 16 days of onshore diesel left and there's nothing in the news about it. The official govt fuel update page says no worries, prices will just be a bit higher next few weeks, no need to ration. Surendran says we only have stocks and some diesel incoming on two ships as we're outbidding poorer nations, which is causing other countries in our fuel supply chain around the Asian-Pacific rim to side-eye us as they've all imposed restrictions on their own populations, being collectivist cultures. So NZ is looking like a selfish, short-sighted, individualistic nation, which is just great, if we ever need their help. Fucking National government dickheads.

I mailordered a bunch of things on the basis of why not while I still can, and am now faced with needing to tidy and reorganise my spare room and garage to store stuff. Ugh. I'm too physically lazy to be a survivalist.
Maybe I can hire a boy scout? Do boy scouts still exist? I also need the boy scout to change bulbs in my kitchen as I don't think I'm safe on a stepstool any more. Rats. I got my second shingles vax and over the next two weeks will get a flu shot and covid booster.

Lots of rain and thunderstorms recently but still many nice days, although temps have dropped so definitely autumnal. The liquidamber trees are bronzing up - the main tree that reliably has autumn colours here in the subtropics. I'm going to revamp a couple of my wheeliebeds and plant kale and spinach, also pansies are available, so yay. Potted colour for interesting times.

On the HR front, have been arting, and posted another podfic. Lots of fiddling!
Ilya and Friend - portrait of a contemplative Ilya with rabbit (kind of for Easter)
cut to the feeling - podfic of Charlotte_Stant's wonderful fic
Collectors Items - picked up 4 art pinch hits for the ICE OUT donations challenge. This one is hollanov in Topps card format.
Everyone's Issue - for ICE OUT. A mental health poster format with Shane and Ilya.
Best t-shirt ever - Scott/Kip, domestic fluff, for ICE OUT.
I got you something - Troy/Harris and the NY Pride pin for ICE OUT
podfic of Torture Me (With All I've Wanted) - excellent fic by toomuchplor (teenage Shane/Ilya bonding on a long bus ride)

HR recs:
(I've lost track of who reccd what so some of these will already have been reccd by friends.)
Retirement, apparently by cheryl123
Hilarious romp of crack taken seriously. Post retirement from hockey, Shane and Ilya end up in VERY different reality tv shows, with iconic results.
Knock on Wood by McShrug
Hot as hell fic in which "just the tip" becomes part of Shane's superstitious pregame playoffs ritual.
Is this thing on? by arustyspork
I saw this ask on tumblr - someone suggested a post-retirement fic where Shane and Svetlana have a hockey podcast together. Arustyspork took up the baton, and it's marvellous! They have a segment called "why Ilya Rozanov owes me money" in which guests relate terrible/funny things Ilya did to them. They won't let Ilya himself come on the show and it drives him crazy!
i carry your heart by corvidcordelia
A complete AU where they're competing literary fiction writers having rivalrous sex in a retelling of the show. CC adds in mocked-up covers for their bestsellers and extremely real-feeling & pretentious rave critic reviews, plus quotes from Cummings and Austen. Brilliantly done. As usual, Svetlana and Rose (their literary agents) do some emotional heavy lifting.

And, new to me HR writers that I'm now reading everything of:
ghoulien
Cheryl123sing
HH_Arrow

Okay, enough for now! Today was supposed to be a writing day, ha.
Hugs to you all!

3WFDW

Apr. 24th, 2026 10:45 pm
jadelennox: Fierce cat: You wanna piece of me? (t-cat)
[personal profile] jadelennox

I hope Nael, currently age 16-ish, is doing very well, and still writing delightful poems about tigers.

tender mammals

Apr. 24th, 2026 09:12 pm
oliviacirce: (swing//oxoniensis)
[personal profile] oliviacirce
The wonderful poetryisnotaluxury posted a Joy Sullivan poem today ("On Days I Hate My Body, I Remember Redwoods") and I almost just copied them and posted the same one, because it's so fucking good. But here's a different one, instead.

Instinct )
[syndicated profile] arstechnica_feed

Posted by Samuel Axon

Google will invest at least $10 billion in Anthropic, and that amount could rise to $40 billion if Anthropic meets certain performance targets, Bloomberg reports.

The investment follows Amazon's $5 billion initial investment in Anthropic a few days ago; the Amazon deal also leaves the door open to further investment based on performance. Both investments value Anthropic at $350 billion.

Anthropic has seen rapid growth in the use of its Claude models and related products, such as Claude Code, which promises to significantly increase the speed and efficiency with which companies or individuals can develop software. (The reality varies from big improvements to setbacks, depending on the nature of the project and company, how Claude Code is used, and many other factors.)

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Lake Lewisia #1387

Apr. 24th, 2026 05:13 pm
scrubjayspeaks: Town sign for (fictional) Lake Lewisia, showing icons of mountains and a lake with the letter L (Lake Lewisia)
[personal profile] scrubjayspeaks
The little basilisk hissed, its beak gaping wide below huge, frightened eyes, and lashed its tail against the leaves and grass in an attempted mimicry of a rattlesnake. Newly hatched along with the spring tadpoles and toadlets, it had not yet developed poisonous breath, or stone gaze, or even a proper cockscomb. The hikers, who gently nudged it off the trail with a walking stick, would have nothing worse than a couple of slightly singed spots in their leg hair, where shorts had not protected them from the outraged glare of the tiny terror-to-be.

---

LL#1387

Daily Check In.

Apr. 24th, 2026 06:14 pm
adafrog: (Default)
[personal profile] adafrog posting in [community profile] fandom_checkin
This is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Friday to midnight on Saturday (8pm Eastern Time).


Poll #34516 Daily poll
This poll is closed.
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 20

How are you doing?

I am okay
11 (55.0%)

I am not okay, but don't need help right now
9 (45.0%)

I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)

How many other humans are you living with?

I am living single
10 (50.0%)

One other person
7 (35.0%)

More than one other person
3 (15.0%)




Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.

Even More Needlepoint!

Apr. 24th, 2026 06:48 pm
lightbird: http://coelasquid.deviantart.com/ (Default)
[personal profile] lightbird
I finished 2 coasters, which I'm really happy with. Pics of the Portugal Collection below the cut.

Portugal )
[syndicated profile] arstechnica_feed

Posted by Beth Mole

Moderna's mRNA-based combination vaccine against both flu and COVID-19 has gotten the green light in Europe—but it continues to be shelved in the US, where it was developed.

This week, the European Commission authorized Moderna to market the vaccine, mRNA-1083 or mCOMBRIAX, making it the world's first authorized combination shot for the two respiratory viruses. The decision follows a positive review in February from a key European Medicines Agency's committee, which paved the way for the approval.

Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel welcomed the news. "By combining protection against two significant respiratory viruses in a single dose, our vaccine aims to simplify immunization for adults, particularly those at high risk," Bancel said in a press release. "mCOMBRIAX offers an important new option for Europeans, while also aiming to strengthen the resilience of healthcare systems across Europe."

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