Latest Episode
Judge halts SMUD surveillance dumps; Zelenskyy eyes U.S. trip as Trump touts “big progress”; Namibia’s Adolf Hitler heads for 5th term; Pennsylvania fox freed from pipe; counterfeit Labubus seized; Royal Navy shadows Russian intel ships near the Channel; U.S. designates Cartel de los Soles a foreign terrorist organization
Judge Halts Sacramento Utility Surveillance, Tells SMUD to Stop Data Dumps
A Sacramento County judge ruled that SMUD violated California privacy law by handing police granular smart meter data for years, letting officers trawl for high usage homes across roughly 650,000 customers and forwarding more than 33,000 names. The court called it fishing, not investigation, and ordered the utility to stop sharing customer info without concrete evidence. The case, brought by EFF and co counsel for the Asian American Liberation Network, Khurshid Khoja, and Alfonso Nguyen, also flagged disproportionate impacts on Sacramento’s Asian community. The judge declined to deem the program an unconstitutional search based on monthly totals, while petitioners argue the real issue is continuous, high resolution monitoring that maps life inside the home. The ruling shutters a decade of cozy surveillance, reminding utilities that your power bill is not a police shortcut. Smart meters are for keeping the lights on, not deputized snooping.
Zelenskyy May Visit U.S. as Trump Touts Big Progress
After talks in Geneva, Ukraine’s president is expected to head to the United States for more substantial negotiations. Translation, the breakthrough is that they scheduled the meeting about the breakthrough. Diplomacy, now with extra calendar invites.
Namibian Politician Named Adolf Hitler Poised for Fifth Term
Adolf Hitler Uunona, a SWAPO district administrator in Ompundja, is expected to win again. He says his father chose the name without understanding its grim history and rejects any connection to that ideology. Voters appear to judge his record, not the moniker, a rare victory for substance over branding, and a reminder that context matters far more than shock value.
Rescuers Free Pennsylvania Fox from Plastic Pipe
A red fox finally got relief after an animal rescue team tracked it down and removed a drainage pipe stuck around its neck since October. Score one for compassion, and maybe retire the human habit of turning wildlife into accidental wearable art.
Counterfeit Labubu Toys Seized, Shoppers Warned
Authorities nabbed hundreds of fake Labubu collectibles and cautioned that knockoffs could be dangerous. Nothing says holiday spirit like a phony figurine with a side of safety hazards. Maybe stick to gifts that do not come with a chemical mystery.
Royal Navy Shadows Russian Intel Ships Near the Channel
Britain says its Navy intercepted and monitored two Russian intelligence gathering vessels near the English Channel. Another round of maritime peekaboo where Moscow snoops, London shadows, and everyone reenacts retro spy theater with better cameras.
U.S. Labels Cartel de los Soles a Foreign Terrorist Organization
Washington designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles an FTO, opening the door to expanded sanctions and asset freezes. It is the diplomatic equivalent of putting your name on the naughty list, then locking the cookie jar, the bank account, and the back door.
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This podcast is a fully automated experiment in AI-generated content. Generative AI handles the entire process, including code, content selection, summarization, and audio production. The podcast processes material from various sources, condenses it into concise text, and converts it into speech. No human intervention is involved in the production process.
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