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Judge denies motion to extend Florida’s voter registration

A federal judge has denied a motion to extend voter registration in Florida even though a computer meltdown on the final day of registration might have prevented thousands of potential voters from taking part in November’s presidential election.

In a 29-page ruling on Friday morning, U.S. District Court Judge Mark E. Walker said his decision was “an incredibly close call” but added that “the state’s interest in preventing chaos in its already precarious — and perennially chaotic — election outweighs the substantial burden imposed on the right to vote.”

Walker noted the historical problems that the state seems to have with elections.

“Notwithstanding the fact that cinemas across the country remain closed, somehow, I feel like I’ve seen this movie before. Just shy of a month from election day, with the earliest mail-in ballots beginning to be counted, Florida has done it again,” Walker wrote.

Data filed by the state

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Computer
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Here’s where overseas and military voters can return their ballots using the internet



Democratic party volunteers pose at an event in Rome aimed at encouraging U.S. citizens abroad to vote in the forthcoming presidential election. REUTERS/Crispian Balmer/File Photo

© REUTERS/Crispian Balmer/File Photo
Democratic party volunteers pose at an event in Rome aimed at encouraging U.S. citizens abroad to vote in the forthcoming presidential election. REUTERS/Crispian Balmer/File Photo
  • While reliable online voting will likely never be a reality for all voters, most states permit voters in the military and those who live overseas to vote remotely.  
  • In 2020, 32 states will allow some or all overseas and military voters to return their ballots digitally via fax, email, and in a few states, with an online portal. 
  • Electronic transmission can give military voters serving in remote areas with spotty mail delivery a better chance of having their votes counted, but also raises numerous security concerns. 
  • One expert told Business Insider that online ballot transmission leaves voters with little option to verify that their choices were counted accurately and also increases the risk of malware attacks on elections officials. 
  • Visit Business
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Internet
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Warren Buffett’s Snowflake, Barrick Gold bets signal new strategy

  • Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has made surprise bets on Barrick Gold and Snowflake in recent months, clashing with the investor’s past warnings about gold, tech stocks, and IPOs.
  • Berkshire’s bosses may be pursuing smaller, more frequent investments and cashing in on corporate actions, Brian Gongol, a longtime Berkshire shareholder, told Business Insider.
  • “I wouldn’t be surprised if Buffett, Weschler, Combs, and Ajit Jain all got on the phone and had a talk where they decided to ‘think small’ with some fraction of the company’s cash pile,” Gongol said.
  • Buffett and his team also signaled Berkshire was “the best big investment they could find” when they spent $5.1 billion buying back stock in May and June, Gongol said.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway stunned investors when it revealed a $560 million stake in Barrick Gold in August, and shocked them again with its $735 million

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Technology
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Software predicts the rise and fall of every river on Earth

Software predicts the rise and fall of every river on Earth
BYU civil and environmental engineering professor Jim Nelson at the Provo River. Credit: Jaren Wilkey/BYU

In July heavy rains triggered landslides and floods in Nepal that ultimately killed more than 130 people. As soon as the rain started falling, BYU professor Jim Nelson knew things could get bad.


That’s because the water-modeling software created by Nelson and colleagues from NASA under the Group on Earth Observations Global Water Sustainability (GEOGloWS) Partnership can predict the rise and fall of every river on the face of the planet. And in the case of Nepal, the streamflow forecasts were warning of severe flooding throughout the country.

Fortunately, the predictive models, accessible through the BYU software, made it into the hands of emergency agencies in Nepal, saving many lives in what could have been a catastrophic loss of life.

Nepali officials being able to access this vital information through Nelson’s large-scale visualization hydrologic data

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Software
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5 Best Programming Languages to Learn in 2020

In this fast-paced digital world, programming or coding literacy is no longer limited to the bespectacled denizens of Silicon Valley. Basic coding knowledge is not only preferred but also expected for most jobs — whether it’s programming or PR.

Moreover, the demand for competent programmers is at an all-time high right now. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of software developers is projected to grow 22% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all other occupations. This has created the need for learning platforms that can help Americans stay ahead of the curve and get the skills they need for the jobs of the future.

Udacity is an online education platform that offers real, project-based learning for higher-paying, in-demand tech skills such as programming. With them, learners have access to expert mentors, supportive project reviews, exclusive hiring partners, and an outstanding peer community

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Programming
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Why a computer desk that’s also a PC is my latest obsession

Gallery: Best tech gifts under £20 for Christmas 2020 (Pocket-lint)



a close up of a piece of cake on a table: Christmas is coming around again, just like it does every year, and once again some of us will get well ahead of things, while others make emergency plans late in the day. If you're looking for a nice, easy gift for someone in your life who loves a bit of technology, look no further - we've got a whole range of gift guides that you could use this year, but this one's for those operating on a tight budget. Everything on this list should come in under £20/$20 or so, conversion rates notwithstanding.  There are some superb hidden gems to be uncovered, so read on to find out more. 

Since working from home these past few months, I’ve spent a lot of time at my computer desk. Normally, I’d only be seated at my desk when streaming on Twitch or doing a bit of design work – all of my actual gaming is usually enjoyed from the comfort of my couch.



a desktop computer sitting on top of a table: null

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Make no mistake – my desk is a bit of a behemoth, supporting not only my mouse and keyboard at a comfortable typing level, but also a digital piano and two monitors on a dual-monitor arm. It’s a decent setup for streaming and for getting my work done, rather than tapping away on my MacBook while curled up on the couch (and eventually falling asleep). It’s also a desk that I had custom built a little over two years ago, just because I

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Computer
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Elon Musk says Starlink now has enough satellites in orbit to launch a public beta of its high-speed internet service



Elon Musk wearing a suit and tie: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images

© Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images
  • Elon Musk said on Tuesday that SpaceX’s internet satellite project, Starlink, had launched enough satellites for its public beta.
  • Once the most recently launched satellites are in position, the company will roll out a “fairly wide public beta” in the northern US and southern Canada, Musk tweeted.
  • Starlink’s goal is to put a constellation of satellites into orbit that can beam high-speed internet to remote parts of Earth.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Elon Musk’s goal of beaming high-speed internet to remote parts of Earth using orbiting satellites just got a step closer to reality.

SpaceX on Tuesday launched a batch of 60 Starlink satellites, bringing the total number in orbit to more than 700, according to Ars Technica. Musk, SpaceX’s CEO, said this was enough for a public beta.

“Once

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Internet
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Google and Oracle Head to the Supreme Court

Illustration for article titled The Future of Software Is at Stake in Google’s Latest Trip to the Supreme Court

Photo: Brendan Smialowski (Getty Images)

The Supreme Court will finally hear arguments in a case that could rewrite the rules of software development as we know it. On Wednesday, Google will defend its use of Java code in the development of the Android operating system. Oracle claims that code is protected intellectual property, and if the court agrees, there are a lot of developers who should be nervous.

It’s been a decade since Oracle first sued Google, and it’s been nearly two years since the Supreme Court agreed to review the case. In that time, the Android OS has taken over about 75 percent of the mobile market—becoming one of the most successful pieces of software in history. But like all software, Android is a product of ingenuity and building on the work of others.

During its initial development, Google wanted Android to understand commands that were

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Software
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Top programming languages: C reigns supreme but third-ranked Python gains on Java

TIOBE releases its monthly programming languages index to detail fluctuations across the landscape. Its latest index identifies granular changes as well as long-term trends.

monsitj.jpg

Image: iStock/monsitj

Software quality assurance company, TIOBE, releases its top programming languages index each month to detail shifts in the ever-evolving landscape. TIOBE recently announced its latest updated index for October. TIOBE uses a series of metrics including searches on Amazon, YouTube, Wikipedia, Bing, Google Yahoo, and Baidu to determine the rankings. Overall, the top 10 saw no positional shifts since the September report, although there are granular data fluctuations and long-term changes to note.

SEE: Linux commands for user management (TechRepublic Premium)

Top programming languages: TIOBE October index

Must-read developer content

In the latest index, C remains in the top spot with a rating of 16.95% representing a positive 0.77% change over October 2019. C continued its reign at the top from last month when

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Programming
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Need a computer? 5 reasons why you need iMac 27-inch for WFH and 2 reasons why you don’t



a desktop computer monitor sitting on top of a desk

In a sea of laptops and smartphones, there are times when you do need a desktop computer. This is a need that is particularly felt nowadays as we all work from home. And when it comes to computers, the recently updated iMac 27-inch is a fabulous option. It is the kind of machine that goes beyond its purpose. It adds something extra to the user experience. Like the way Google Pixel phones do. Or like how some iPhones do. Or like home some of the smart speakers function. These are the products that are more than the sum of their parts, and the Apple iMac 27-inch is in the same league.

But why? Well, reasons. If you are looking to get a high-end desktop computer for regular use at home, the iMac 27-inch should be in your shortlist. That is if you don’t mind paying its high price, which if

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Computer