Derek Mead

Exclusive: Confidential informants exposed in Louisiana sheriff's office hack Data stolen by a ransomware gang has exposed highly sensitive information from a Louisiana sheriff’s office, including names of informants.

A ransomware gang stole the identities (including SSNs) of the confidential informants of a Louisiana sheriff's office, amongst other data: san.com/cc/exclusive...

'Green' burials are helping restore Texas land. Not everyone digs the trend. A growing number of Americans are choosing “green” burials – in biodegradable coffins or burial shrouds, in low-density cemeteries.

Chuck me right in a hole in the ground and help restore some critical habitat. Just don't tell the neighbors... san.com/cc/green-bur...

Could US ban on farmland sales to China fix Oklahoma's illegal pot problem? The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new ban on the purchase of American farmlands by Chinese buyers.

I can't get over how Oklahoma weed farms are changing how politicians look at land ownership in the US san.com/cc/us-to-ban...

'Save Our Signs' Wants to Save the Real History of National Parks Before Trump Erases It Trump wants to erase any "negative" content from educational sites at National Parks. A group of data preservationists asks visitors to help them document placards and monuments, before they disappear...

next time you're in a national park, take some photos of the signage and upload it to help these archivists www.404media.co/save-our-sig...

Exclusive: Evidence of cell phone surveillance detected at anti-ICE protest Mobile network anomalies consistent with cell phone surveillance were detected at a July 4 protest at an ICE field office in Washington state.

EXCLUSIVE: I discovered evidence that an IMSI-catcher, commonly called a Stingray, was used during a July 4 protest at an ICE facility.

Using an advanced detection tool called Marlin, I scanned cellular traffic & found hundreds of anomalies indicative of surveillance san.com/cc/exclusive...

Exclusive: Evidence of cell phone surveillance detected at anti-ICE protest Mobile network anomalies consistent with cell phone surveillance were detected at a July 4 protest at an ICE field office in Washington state.

Big scoop from @mikaelthalen.bsky.social: he built a Stingray detector and found evidence of ICE conducting cell phone surveillance at a protest: san.com/cc/exclusive...

I enjoyed these nice pictures from the Wente 8 Hour (or in my case, the Wente 5.7 Hour)

Okay finally you make something I'll buy

I'm convinced I could do a lot of good for the world if I were on Cameo

I quite like genAI imagery becoming the clipart of our time as it's fun to see the creativity of people zhuzhing up their invites to local kickball leagues and whatnot

Researchers puzzle over rash of baby monkey kidnappings Young, male capuchin monkeys have started kidnapping the babies of nearby howler monkeys. Why? Maybe boredom.

Young, male capuchin monkeys have started kidnapping the babies of nearby howler monkeys. Why? Maybe boredom.

An 'AI arms race' is reshaping how people find and apply for jobs Employers have used AI for years to sift through job applicants. Now that AI job bots let candidates apply en masse, it's an AI arms race.

AI is gumming up the entire job search industry in ways that make me think the way we hunt for jobs is going to completely break and (hopefully!) be reborn san.com/cc/an-ai-arm...

Where Walmart is 'the only game in town,' a bellwether for Trump's tariffs Walmart is the world's largest retailer, and can feel like the only store in town for many. How will Walmart deal with tariff price hikes?

In many parts of America, Walmart, Dollar General, etc are the only store in town. That makes them a bellwether for tariffs: san.com/cc/where-wal...

Inside a Powerful Database ICE Uses to Identify and Deport People The database allows filtering according to hundreds of different categories, including visa status, “unique physical characteristics (e.g. scars, marks, tattoos),” “criminal affiliation,” license plat...

NEW: 404 Media has seen parts of a Palantir-powered ICE database that allows for highly specific filtering of people, which allows for searches of students, people with tattoos, from specific countries, by visa status, etc:

www.404media.co/inside-a-pow...

It feels incredibly good to be able to pay for subscriptions to so many publications owned and operated by the people who make the publication, especially so many smart, thriving niche pubs. This has historically been the norm for the rich American journalism tradition, and I hope it continues.

Receive compliments much?

@jasonkoebler.bsky.social how are you so popular