Blind Item: K-pop Phenom, Tax-Friendly Zip Codes, and a Social Network Cofounder
Unverified gossip alert: the rumor mill claims a two-color K-pop star has migrated to a Southeast Asian low-tax locale and is allegedly cozy with a Facebook cofounder, not the hydrofoiling CEO, and not one of the rowing twins. If true, it is a perfect mashup of international pop and fiscal yoga. If false, it is still a reminder that tax havens have better nightlife than accountants want you to know.
Blind Item: Influencer Dynasty, Private Photos, Public Ethics
Another unverified blind item says the sibling of an A-list YouTube or TikTok star is allegedly selling the star’s private photos, with the sourcing as murky as the morals. If this is real, it is a masterclass in monetizing proximity. If it is not, file it under internet fiction written by people who do not deserve Wi-Fi.
Substrate Bets on Particle-Accelerator X-rays to Outflank EUV
U.S. startup Substrate says particle-accelerator X-ray lithography can deliver 2 nm class chips at a tenth the cost of EUV, then adds a plot twist by planning to build its own fabs instead of selling tools. If the physics holds and the logistics do not revolt, wafer costs could plunge and resolution could leap. If reality intrudes, chalk it up as another moonshot that tripped over the launchpad.
AMD Reverses Course, Keeps RDNA 1 and 2 in the Fast Lane
AMD now says RDNA 1 and RDNA 2 will keep getting day-zero game support and driver updates, with new features added based on market needs. Translation, the wallets spoke, the company listened. Owners of aging GPUs just dodged the dreaded maintenance mode parking lot.
Nick Clegg Floated for Ofcom Chair, Revolving Door Spins Briskly
Former UK deputy prime minister and current Meta insider Nick Clegg is being touted for Ofcom’s top job as Lord Grade prepares to step down next year. Clegg has been selling a Save the Internet shtick on the event circuit, which is convenient branding for someone fresh from Big Tech’s strategy table. If appointed, Ofcom would be chaired by a man who knows Silicon Valley’s playbook intimately, because he helped write it.
Speech Synthesis on a 10 Cent Microcontroller, Yesterday’s Magic in a Thrift-Store Bottle
A tinkerer shoved six seconds of compressed audio into a CH32V003, a 48 MHz RISC-V chip with 16 KB of flash and 2 KB of SRAM, then ported the Talkie library to recreate classic LPC speech. The result drives a speaker through a one-transistor amp and speaks like a budget Speak and Spell. It is open source, absurdly cheap, and a delightful reminder that the cutting edge ages faster than milk.
Netherlands Train and Truck Collide at Level Crossing, Five Injured
A train struck a truck at a level crossing in the Netherlands, leaving five people with minor injuries. Emergency crews responded promptly, and investigators are now asking the obvious question of how a road vehicle and several hundred tons of rail traffic tried to share the same square of track. At level crossings, physics does not yield.
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