Slashdot reader BrianFagioli writes: The Salvation Army has launched what it calls the world's first digital thrift store inside Roblox, an experience named Thrift Score that lets players browse virtual racks and buy digital fashion for their avatars.

While I understand the strategy of meeting Gen Z and Gen Alpha where they already spend time and money, I feel uneasy about turning something that, in the real world, often serves low income families in genuine need into a gamified aesthetic inside a video game, even if proceeds support rehabilitation and community programs, because a thrift store is not just a quirky brand concept but a lifeline for many people, and packaging that reality as entertainment creates a strange disconnect that is hard to ignore.


"To be clear, proceeds from Thrift Score are intended to support The Salvation Armyâ(TM)s programs nationwide..." this article points out. "If it drives awareness and funds programs that help people in need, that is a win. But if it turns thrifting into just another cosmetic skin in a digital marketplace, then we should at least be willing to say that it feels off."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

CNN reports on a 13,000-year-old glacier in a Romanian cave, where scientists say a bacterial strain they thawed and analyzed "is resistant to 10 modern antibiotics used to treat diseases such as urinary tract infections and tuberculosis."

But there's no evidence the bacteria is harmful to humans, CNN notes, and "The scientists said the insights they have gained from the work may help in the fight against modern superbugs that can't be treated by commonly used antibiotics."


Analysis of the Psychrobacter SC65A.3 genome revealed 11 genes that are potentially able to kill or stop the growth of other bacteria, fungi and viruses... Matthew Holland, a postdoctoral researcher in medicinal chemistry at the UK's University of Oxford, said that researchers were searching in new and extreme environments, such as ice caves and the seafloor, for biomolecules that could be developed into new antibiotic drugs. He was not involved in the new study. "The team in Romania found this particular bug had resistance to 10 reasonably advanced synthetic antibiotics and that in itself is
interesting," he said. "But what they report as well is that it secreted molecules that were able to kill a variety of already resistant, harmful bacteria.
"So the hope is that can we look at the molecules it makes and see if there's the possibility within those molecules to make new antibiotics."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

This week the Python Software Foundation explained how they keep Python secure. A new blog post recognizes the volunteers and paid Python Software Foundation staff on the Python Security Response Team (PSRT), who "triage and coordinate vulnerability reports and remediations keeping all Python users safe."

Just last year the PSRT published 16 vulnerability advisories for CPython and pip, the most in a single year to date! And the PSRT usually can't do this work alone, PSRT coordinators are encouraged to involve maintainers and experts on the projects and submodules. By involving the experts directly in the remediation process ensures fixes adhere to existing API conventions and threat-models, are maintainable long-term, and have minimal impact on existing use-cases. Sometimes the PSRT even coordinates with other open source projects to avoid catching the Python ecosystem off-guard by publishing a vulnerability advisory that affects multiple other projects. The most recent example of this is PyPI's ZIP archive differential attack mitigation.

This work deserves recognition and celebration just like contributions to source code and documentation. [Security Developer-in-Residence Seth Larson and PSF Infrastructure Engineer Jacob Coffee] are developing further improvements to workflows involving "GitHub Security Advisories" to record the reporter, coordinator, and remediation developers and reviewers to CVE and OSV records to properly thank everyone involved in the otherwise private contribution to open source projects.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Can being "very online" really affect our brains, asks the Washington Post:


Research suggests that scrolling through short videos on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube Shorts is affecting our attention, memory and mental health. A recent meta-analysis of the scientific literature found that increased use of short-form video was linked with poorer cognition and increased anxiety...

In a 2025 study published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, researchers looked at longitudinal data from more than 7,000 children across the country and found that more screen use was associated with reduced cortical thickness in certain areas of the brain. The cortex, which is the outer layer that sits on top of our more primitive brain structures, allows for higher-level thinking, memory and decision-making. "We really need it for things like inhibitory control or not being so impulsive," said Mitch Prinstein, a senior science adviser to the American Psychological Association and professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the study. The cortex is also important for controlling addictive behaviors. "Those seem to be the areas being affected by the reduced cortical thickness," he said, explaining that impulsivity can prompt us to seek dopamine hits from social media. In the study, more screen time was also associated with more attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms...

But not all screen time is created equal. A recent study removed social media from kids' devices but let them use their phones for as long as they wanted. The result? Kids spent just as long on their phones but didn't have the same harmful effects. "It's what you're doing on the screen that matters," Prinstein said.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Satyricon was één van de grootheden uit de Noorse golf black metal die startte in het begin van de jaren 90 – en dat puur op basis van muzikale kwaliteit, zonder publiciteit te krijgen uit kerken in de fik te steken of door bandgenoten te vermoorden.

Nou ja, met Mother North spelen ze een béétje vals, want de naakte deerne die door het beeld dartelt (Mother North, mag ik aannemen?), dat is natuurlijk ook een vorm van niet-muzikale aandachtvragerij. Voor de zedigheid is dit de nette en geblurde versie. Voor de nieuwsgierigen is er ook een ongecensureerde versie, maar zo’n jaren 90 clipje is dermate pixelig dat er nauwelijks verschil te zien is, zeg ik er vast bij.

Voor de muzikaal nieuwsgierigen is er ook een versie met de Noorweegse Nationale Opera – is het uiteindelijk toch allemaal goed gekomen, en zijn de rebellen nette jongens geworden:

Hoe dan ook: hoge kwaliteit Noorse black metal, wie wil dat nou niet?

⚽ Premier League updates from the 8pm GMT kick-off
⚽ Live scores | Follow us on Bluesky | And email Scott

Both teams are in if-it-ain’t-broke mode. Manchester City name the same starting XI from their last Premier League match, the 3-0 home win over Fulham, with one exception: Omar Marmoush comes in for Phil Foden, who drops to the bench.

Newcastle also make one change. This is from their actual last game, the 6-1 Champions League romp at Qarabag. Jacob Ramsey replaces Harvey Barnes, who is named as a sub.

Continue reading...

• Wales 23-26 Scotland

• Finn Russell scores 11 points in second-half turnaround

Scotland pulled off a dramatic comeback win against Wales to back up their impressive Calcutta Cup success the previous week.

Hosts Wales had the lead at half-time thanks to a spark lit by the wing Josh Adams but the visitors managed to fight their way to victory with a feeling they were lucky to come away with five points.

Continue reading...

Fatalities and injuries reported in avalanches across Tirol after prolonged snowfall and windy conditions

At least five people have been killed in a string of avalanches in Austria, authorities said on Saturday.

The government office of the Tirol region said intense snowfall over the last week had led to accumulations of up to 1.5 metres (5ft). Combined with strong winds and weak snowpack below, the conditions were especially susceptible to avalanches, it said.

Continue reading...

Chelsea got what they deserved here. They had been coasting to fourth courtesy of an early João Pedro goal, but the second-half dismissal of Wesley Fofana gave a glimmer to a Burnley team previously clinging on. Liam Rosenior’s side desperately tried to run down the clock, only to allow an unmarked Zian Flemming to nod home a James Ward-Prowse corner in added time. It might have been worse, as Jacob Bruun Larsen nodded an identical Ward-Prowse corner over the bar.

Rust the culprit? Chelsea’s players had enjoyed four days off given to them by Rosenior, Cole Palmer heading a winter sun delegation to Dubai in a rare midweek without competitive action. Estêvão was an absentee after a hamstring problem picked up on his return to training. Roméo Lavia, missing since November, on the bench was a point of intrigue, after the news he had spent his convalescence fine-tuning his decision making with the help of virtual reality.

Continue reading...

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

Camera 360

Wie Stadhuisplein zegt, zegt huldigingen van Feyenoord en uitgaan. Het bekende Rotterdamse plein kent inderdaad verschillende cafés en kroegen. Het plein werd pas in 1955 geopend en kent daarmee geen heel lange geschiedenis.

Al zes jaar proberen Xerina (34) en Frank (38) een kindje te krijgen, met de nodige tegenslagen: drie miskramen en twee stilgeboren kindjes. Nu zoeken ze een draagmoeder, maar ook dat blijkt ingewikkeld. “We hopen op een wonder.”

5penguins has added a photo to the pool:

吹雪の後に暖かい光を放つ戸口
Doorway glowing with warm light after a snowstorm


haku kyoto

Weer voor Rotterdam ☁️ - 21-02-2026 19:15 CET

In één oogopslag:
• 9.6°C · Bewolkt ☁️ | Min 8.4°C / Max 10.4°C | Kans op neerslag 22%

Verwachting voor vandaag:
• Min 8.4°C, Max 10.4°C (Lichte regen) 🌧️, Neerslag 3.1 mm, Kans op neerslag 22%, 🧭 1018.2 hPa ↘️ -0.6 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 27.7 km/u (7.7 m/s), richting: → 249°

Uurlijkse voorspelling voor de komende 12 uur:

• 20:00: 9.7°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 13%, 🧭 1018.8 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 21.6 km/u (6.0 m/s), richting: ↗ 239°
• 21:00: 9.6°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 31%, 🧭 1018.1 hPa ↘️ -0.7 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 20.9 km/u (5.8 m/s), richting: ↗ 237°
• 22:00: 9.6°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 49%, 🧭 1017.9 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 20.2 km/u (5.6 m/s), richting: ↗ 237°
• 23:00: 9.6°C (Matige motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.7 mm, Kans op neerslag 69%, 🧭 1017.8 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 22.3 km/u (6.2 m/s), richting: ↗ 235°
• 00:00: 9.9°C (Lichte regen) 🌧️, Neerslag 2.0 mm, Kans op neerslag 90%, 🧭 1017.2 hPa ↘️ -0.6 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 23.0 km/u (6.4 m/s), richting: ↗ 233°
• 01:00: 10.1°C (Lichte motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.4 mm, Kans op neerslag 96%, 🧭 1016.8 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 23.8 km/u (6.6 m/s), richting: ↗ 233°
• 02:00: 10.1°C (Lichte motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.3 mm, Kans op neerslag 75%, 🧭 1016.7 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 30.6 km/u (8.5 m/s), richting: ↗ 241°
• 03:00: 9.6°C (Matige motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.6 mm, Kans op neerslag 41%, 🧭 1016.6 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 28.1 km/u (7.8 m/s), richting: → 248°
• 04:00: 9.9°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 20%, 🧭 1016.2 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 28.1 km/u (7.8 m/s), richting: ↗ 243°
• 05:00: 9.8°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 26%, 🧭 1015.9 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 28.4 km/u (7.9 m/s), richting: ↗ 242°
• 06:00: 9.6°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 45%, 🧭 1015.9 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 27.7 km/u (7.7 m/s), richting: ↗ 241°
• 07:00: 9.8°C (Matige motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.6 mm, Kans op neerslag 63%, 🧭 1015.5 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 28.4 km/u (7.9 m/s), richting: ↗ 240°

Voorspelling voor de komende dagen:

• zondag 22 februari: Min 8.1°C, Max 10.1°C (Matige regen) 🌧️, Neerslag 8.3 mm, Kans op neerslag 53%, 🧭 1015.5 hPa ↘️ -2.7 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 34.6 km/u (9.6 m/s), richting: ↗ 243°
• maandag 23 februari: Min 7.7°C, Max 10.6°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 28%, 🧭 1014.9 hPa ↘️ -0.6 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 32.4 km/u (9.0 m/s), richting: → 251°
• dinsdag 24 februari: Min 8.9°C, Max 13.3°C (Lichte motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.8 mm, Kans op neerslag 18%, 🧭 1016.0 hPa ↗️ +1.1 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 19.7 km/u (5.5 m/s), richting: ↗ 235°
• woensdag 25 februari: Min 6.9°C, Max 16.8°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1015.8 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 12.4 km/u (3.4 m/s), richting: ↑ 178°
• donderdag 26 februari: Min 9.1°C, Max 11.6°C (Lichte motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 1.5 mm, Kans op neerslag 17%, 🧭 1013.9 hPa ↘️ -1.9 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 25.3 km/u (7.0 m/s), richting: ↗ 229°
• vrijdag 27 februari: Min 7.3°C, Max 12.8°C (Matige motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 7.9 mm, Kans op neerslag 54%, 🧭 1005.3 hPa ↘️ -8.6 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 40.8 km/u (11.3 m/s), richting: ↗ 224°

Details:
• 🌡️ Huidige temperatuur (om 19:15): 9.6°C (Bewolkt)
• 🤚 Gevoelstemperatuur: 6.4°C (-3.2°C)
• 💨 Windsnelheid: 20.2 km/u (5.6 m/s), richting: ↗ 240°
• 🌬️ Windstoten: 40.0 km/h (11.1 m/s)
• 💧 Luchtvochtigheid: 98%
• 🧭 Luchtdruk: 1018.8 hPa ↘️ -0.9 hPa/3h
• 👁️ Zichtbaarheid: 2.4 km
• ☀️ UV-index: 0.0
• 🌅 Zonsopgang: 07:44 · 🌇 Zonsondergang: 18:06

Luchtkwaliteit:
• AQI: 29 🟢 (Goed)
• PM2.5: 6.5 μg/m³
• PM10: 10.5 μg/m³

Gegevens geleverd door Open-Meteo

#Rotterdam #Meteo #MeteoBot #MeteoNetherlands #OpenMeteo #FediMeteo

DEN HAAG (ANP) - Duizenden mensen hebben zaterdag in Den Haag het Chinees Nieuwjaar gevierd. In Chinatown was een optocht met Chinese leeuwen en draken en vuurwerk. Een woordvoerder schat dat daar zo'n 10.000 mensen op af zijn gekomen. Ook in theater Amare waren activiteiten, die door een paar duizend mensen werden bezocht.

Volgens woordvoerder Chang Wong was het druk bij de optocht. Niet alleen mensen uit de Chinese gemeenschap kwamen kijken, maar ook toeristen en mensen van Turkse en Marokkaanse komaf zagen het kleurrijke tafereel. "Het was een mooie mix", zegt Wong, wat volgens hem recht deed aan Den Haag als multiculturele stad. De restaurants zaten vol en het bleef ook droog. "Dus dat was mooi meegenomen."

Het is in China het Jaar van het Paard. Dat dier belichaamt vrijheid, energie en enthousiasme. Ook staat het symbool voor samenzijn, legt Wong uit, omdat het een kuddedier is. Het past volgens hem daarom ook goed bij de viering van het nieuwjaar, waarbij mensen elkaar ontmoeten.

Vorige week zaterdag werd het Chinees Nieuwjaar, dat dinsdag officieel is begonnen, al geopend op het stadhuis in Den Haag.

LYON (ANP/AFP) - Meer dan 3000 mensen hebben in Lyon meegelopen in een herdenkingsmars voor de vermoorde radicale nationalist die in die stad werd doodgeslagen, melden lokale autoriteiten.

De mars vond plaats onder zware beveiliging uit angst voor confrontaties met extreemlinkse demonstranten. President Emmanuel Macron riep voorafgaand aan de mars op tot kalmte.

De 23-jarige Quentin Deranque kwam afgelopen zaterdag om het leven nadat hij werd aangevallen door radicaal-linkse activisten. Zeven mensen zijn aangeklaagd voor zijn dood.

Zondag gaat de olympische ijshockeyfinale tussen de Verenigde Staten en Canada. Tussen de twee buurlanden speelt er veel meer dan alleen sportieve rivaliteit. „Jullie kunnen ons land niet afpakken, en onze sport evenmin.”

Ze is pas 22 jaar oud, maar de Chinees-Amerikaanse Eileen Gu is nu al de succesvolste freestyleskiër ooit. Zaterdag kan ze haar zesde olympische medaille winnen. Tot afgrijzen van de Amerikaanse vicepresident JD Vance.

A sample of some of my latest work.