Day: December 31, 2024

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The Internet Archive said its site is still being knocked offline by hackers who allegedly stole data on 31 million users of the platform.
The nonprofit digital library, which runs the WayBack Machine of archived web pages, went offline on Wednesday after a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. 
Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, said that after it fended off the disruptive junk web traffic from the DDoS attack, the website was defaced. Hackers also stole the usernames, emails and encrypted passwords of all registered users. 
The Internet Archive disabled the source of the breach, scrubbed systems and upgraded security, according to Kahle. But on Thursday morning the DDoS attacks had returned and knocked both the Internet Archive site and OpenLibrary platform offline, he said. 
“Internet Archive is being cautious and prioritizing keeping data safe at the expense of service availability. Will share more as we know it,” Kahle said. 
The attack was later claimed by a group of hackers going by the name SN_BLACKMETA. Researchers have noted that while most of its posts are written in Russian and the working hours align with Moscow time, the group has explicitly targeted institutions across the Middle East with powerful DDoS attacks. 
The group’s X and Telegram posts — which say they are located in Staraya, Russa — repeatedly declare they are launching the attacks at perceived opponents to Palestine. 
Screenshot of the Internet Archive's offline message early Thursday afternoon, Eastern U.S. time.
The hackers claimed they targeted the Internet Archive “because the archive belongs to the USA, and as we all know, this horrendous and hypocritical government supports the genocide that is being carried out by the terrorist state of ‘Israel.’”
The incident took a turn on Wednesday evening when privacy expert Troy Hunt said he had been contacted by hackers who claimed they stole user information from Internet Archive.
Hunt, who runs the HaveIBeenPwnd service, provided more details on where the stolen information may have come from and said the hackers reached out to him on September 30 but he was only able to go through the files on October 5. The next day he contacted Internet Archive and told them he planned to add the stolen information to his platform within 72 hours. 
HaveIBeenPwned (HIBP) lets users know whether their login information for a service or website has been leaked. Hunt said he contacted Internet Archive again on October 8 to let them know he planned to put the information into his platform on October 9.
“They get defaced and DDoS'd, right as the data is loading into HIBP,” Hunt said. “The timing on the last point seems to be entirely coincidental. It may also be multiple parties involved and when we're talking breach + defacement + DDoS, it's clearly not just one attack.”
Hunt added that everyone should change their password on the site once the Internet Archive is back up and running. 
“Obviously I would have liked to see that disclosure much earlier, but understanding how under attack they are I think everyone should cut them some slack. They're a non-profit doing great work and providing a service that so many of us rely heavily on,” he said. 
BleepingComputer confirmed that some of the emails in the leaked data are legitimate. 
SN_BLACKMETA launched a powerful DDoS attack on a financial institution in the Middle East this year, and its Telegram feed is full of messages criticizing the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its perceived support of Israel and for its alleged involvement in the current Sudanese civil war.
In addition to the UAE, the group has attacked the International Airport of Azrael and the Saudi Ministry of Defense.
Infrastructure organizations in Canada and France as well as telecoms in Israel and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange were also attacked as the group continued its campaign through March. In May and June 2024, they expanded to target tech giants like Microsoft, Yahoo and Orange. 
Jonathan Greig
is a Breaking News Reporter at Recorded Future News. Jonathan has worked across the globe as a journalist since 2014. Before moving back to New York City, he worked for news outlets in South Africa, Jordan and Cambodia. He previously covered cybersecurity at ZDNet and TechRepublic.
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Michigan stuns No. 11 Alabama in ReliaQuest Bowl: How shorthanded Wolverines shut down Tide  The Athletic
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When we fall prey to perfectionism, we think we’re honorably aspiring to be our very best, but often we’re really just setting ourselves up for failure, as perfection is impossible and its pursuit inevitably backfires.
Verified by Psychology Today
Posted December 31, 2024 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma
Big Brains
Primates have big brains, but so do elephants and whales. Elephants and whales, however, have much larger bodies that their brains monitor and control. Relative to each animal’s body size, primates’ brains are significantly larger than the brains of other animals.
According to the social brain hypothesis, primates have big brains because, unlike other animals, they have lived and thrived in socially bonded groups. Members of such groups cultivate relationships with one another through social grooming, watch out for one another, are wary of outsiders, and act jointly to protect the group. Success, both in and of such groups, requires that members track as many of the relationships between the individuals who make up their group as possible and that imposes a substantial computational burden that, as groups get larger, demands ever more brain power. A group of 10 has 45 dyadic relationships. A group of 100 has 4950, and a group of 150 has 11,175 possible dyadic relationships.
Dunbar’s Number
The Oxford University anthropologist, Robin Dunbar, discovered that primates’ brain sizes and, more specifically, the sizes of their neocortical areas correlate with their group sizes. The size of primates’ neocortical areas increases in direct proportion to each species’ group size. This results in what has come to be known as “Dunbar’s Number,” which is the number of individuals in a group that members of each species can manage computationally. Inserting the average neocortical size of our own species into the equation and capturing the correlation between primate neocortical and group sizes yields the Dunbar Number for Homo sapiens, which is 150.
Dunbar argues that it is not a coincidence that a host of human social patterns and arrangements typically involve between 100 and 200 individuals nor is it a coincidence that this is the typical size of hunter-gatherer communities, in which humans have lived for more than 95 percent of our species’ existence. According to all sorts of measures, individuals’ social networks, that is, the people with whom they might be said to have a personal relationship (as gauged by frequency of contacts, perceived emotional connection, and inclination to help), average around 150, even when they live in cities with millions.
This pattern reflects what is, in effect, a constraint on the number of relationships that human brains can keep track of. Dunbar notes that studies of everything from companies in modern armies (across nations), to medieval Alpine grazing associations, to villages in Norman England, to the friends that people list on Facebook, to networks of science co-authors, all show averages that fall within that range. Communities of this size rely on loyalties, friendships, and person-to-person connections to maintain order and tranquility and to solve disputes. Because of the limitations on our abilities to carry out these social computations, larger groups can no longer depend upon such direct, unceremonious means for controlling wayward or disruptive behaviors. Peer pressure will no longer suffice, consequently, they must invent explicit, formal devices to discourage such conduct. With substantially larger groups, the most conspicuous examples are the formulation of laws and the establishment of law enforcement.
The Problem with Big Churches
In his recent book, How Religion Evolved and Why It Endures, Dunbar explores, among other things, the implications of these lessons for religious communities. In large-scale societies the fractiousness both of major religions generally and of specific congregations is indisputable. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the United States, not because Americans are any more fractious than other people, but because of the relative openness and freedom of the American religious market.
Dunbar suggests that besides disputes about theology, morality, or leadership, one factor contributing to fissures in religious congregations is that many simply become too large. He proposes that the optimal congregation size is about 150, citing, for example, a study of more than 10,000 English parishes that found that weekly attendance at services topped out at about 175, regardless of the size of the overall community in which they were located. Dunbar notes that some religious groups have come to a similar conclusion. The Hutterites, for example, require congregations to spin off daughter congregations when numbers exceed 150.
Dunbar’s point is not that larger congregations cannot persist. But because of the limitations of humans’ social brains, without developing compensatory arrangements larger congregations will inevitably witness comparatively diminished identification and engagement among their members.
References
Bretherton, R. and Dunbar, R. (2020). Dunbar’s number goes to church: The social brain hypothesis as a third strand in the study of church growth. Archive for the Psychology of Religion 42, 63-76.
Dunbar, R. (1996). Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Dunbar, R. (2022). How Religion Evolved and Why It Endures. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Robert N. McCauley, Ph.D., is the author of Why Religion Is Natural and Science Is Not. He is a professor of philosophy at Emory University.
Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today.
Psychology Today © 2024 Sussex Publishers, LLC
When we fall prey to perfectionism, we think we’re honorably aspiring to be our very best, but often we’re really just setting ourselves up for failure, as perfection is impossible and its pursuit inevitably backfires.

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December 31st, 2024 | By Kevin Tierney
On December 20th, it was widely reported that Party City was closing all of its stores across the country. Locally, there is a store at The Metroplex in Plymouth Meeting (Plymouth Township).

A&G Real Estate Partners in New York is now working to sell the leases of the 695 stores. So if you are eying that endcap at The Metroplex, you will need to go through them.

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Allison Legacy Series Photo
Ethan Elder won the 2024 Allison Legacy Race Series Championship, becoming only the second driver in history to win multiple titles.
Elder, a native of Cary, NC and the 2020 series champion, was crowned this season’s champion after he topped Matthew Davey by a mere 10 points in the standings. Elder now joins Chad McCumbee (2001 and 2002) as the only other driver to win multiple championships in the Allison Legacy Race Series.
“To be one of only two drivers to ever do it is honestly pretty surprising given the talent that has come through the series over so many years,” Elder said. “A solid portion of today’s NASCAR field has participated in this series in one way or another. So, to be the second person to ever do it is really exciting!
“This second championship is really special. I got married and have been blessed to enjoy such a moment with my wife. It is also my first championship since I became a Christian in 2022. So, all that combined has made being a two-time champion just that much sweeter!”
Elder won seven races this season, and he finished inside the top-five in all but two races. His first win of the season came at Florence Motor Speedway back in June. He outran Davey to secure the victory; however, it was Davey who won the following race at Dillon Motor Speedway in July.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is that slow is smooth and smooth is fast,” Elder said. “I’ve really learned to be more patient behind the wheel. Racing is a process and it’s easy to think in the moment that you can easily pass someone, but I see passing someone as a three-lap process. There is the moment that you catch them, then there is the research lap to figure out where you are faster and finally, there is the action lap where you start to or make the move on them. The process takes quite a bit of patience, and it can be hard to do in races with a shorter amount of laps.”
In August, Elder earned his second win of the season on North Carolina’s Crystal Coast at Carteret County Speedway. At Orange County Speedway in September, it was once again Elder and Davey battling for the win with Elder capturing the checkered flag. The victory marked the beginning of a five-race winning streak as he went on to also visit Victory Lane at New River All-American Speedway, Orange County Speedway, Caraway Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway.
“Extremely proud of the effort,” Elder said. “Not that I contributed much other than holding the steering wheel. I live in Raleigh and the car is in Charlotte, so I don’t actually get to see it other than when it is at the racetrack. It’s cliche, but races are won in the shop. I can’t thank Steven Christopher Woods, “Woody”, for all of his little to no sleep nights during the racing season and the off season getting not only my car set up to be competitive every single weekend but also my other two to three teammates’ cars as well. Really proud of our effort and extremely thankful to be part of the world’s best team!”
Elder is now in the process of figuring out his 2025 plans. The newly wed now has more responsibilities, but racing is still a priority. He’d like to move up to a Super Truck or Late Model, but he may continue to race in the Allison Legacy Race Series.
“I’ve made so many friends in the Allison Legacy Race Series that I find it difficult to imagine racing anything else right now,” Elder said. “I’m incredibly thankful for the Allison family’s time and effort. It takes a lot to run a race team and so much more to run an entire series. They put in so much work to make sure that we can compete on a variety of fun and challenging racetracks.
“The Allisons make sure that we can get a chance to compete in front of bigger crowds, like when we raced alongside the CARS Tour this season. But even with all the stress that running an entire series can bring, they’re really awesome people, super down to earth and a ton of fun to talk with. It has been really cool to talk with NASCAR Hall of Famer Donnie Allison and learn from him to develop my racing skills.”
The Allison Legacy Series saw five winners throughout the 2024 season. In addition to Elder visiting Victory Lane on seven occasions, Andon Mendenhall (Browns Summit, NC) and Justin Oplinger (Sherrills Ford, NC) won two races each, while Matthew Davey (Cornelius, NC) and Ryan Todd (Loris, SC) each won a race.
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Why people are upset about Glenn Close in ‘The Deliverance’  WFFT FOX 55 Fort Wayne | Indiana News & Weather
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Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Photo by Minasse Wondimu Hailu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
As of Dec 2024, Africa now accounts for 3% of the total global Bitcoin mining hashrate, with Ethiopia alone producing 2.5%, more than double what the entire continent produced in 2023, entirely via renewable energy.
Following the green lighting of Bitcoin mining earlier this year in Ethiopia, we’ve seen a significant increase in the Bitcoin mining operations there, with over $1 Billion spent on mining infrastructure in 2024 (according to reports), with other countries such as Kenya joining the ranks of African countries keen on leveraging Bitcoin mining to bolster economic growth, electrify communities, and manage green energy projects.
Africa is a hotspot for global Bitcoin miners, as it hosts some of the world’s cheapest green energy, such as Ethiopia’s 3.2 cents per kilowatt-hour.
Numerous local Bitcoin miners, such as Gridless, continue to showcase the significant milestones in catalyzing, standardizing, and innovating green Bitcoin mining and rural electrification in Africa with their activities using hydro and biomass in Kenya.
As Bitcoin mining continues to rise on the continent, the Green Africa Mining Alliance, spearheaded by Gridless and other local Bitcoin miners such as Trojan Mining, whose operations in Nigeria have this year crossed the 1MW milestone, will continue to be necessary for providing best practices, case studies, and templates for the horde of new miners setting up in Africa.
In 2024, Bitcoin mining remains domiciled mainly in East Africa, with Ethiopia leading in shear hashrate, which accounts for 2.5% of global hashrate. According to numbers from Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP), this year alone, Ethiopia raked in over $55 million from electricity sales for Bitcoin mining, which accounted for 18% of their total revenue.
These revenues contributed to quickening the construction of the much-needed transmission lines to help deliver the electricity from its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which boasts a capacity of over 6 Gigawatts. Thus, Bitcoin mining is emerging as a suitable catalyst for delivering electricity to the country.
With the GERD now producing 30% (roughly 1,500 MW) of its planned capacity, coupled with the surge in interest to mine in Ethiopia, we can expect to see the EEP’s revenues increase beyond the $100m mark and continue to fast-track the construction of transmission lines to electrify rural communities and provide electricity to millions of Ethiopians.
Following the successes in Ethiopia and developments yet to unfold from Kenya in 2025 as it proceeds with its partnership with MARA, other countries will also likely join in on providing an enabling environment for Bitcoin mining and leverage it as a tool to solve its energy challenges—as doing so has shown to provide the much-needed revenue to boost electricity infrastructure development, create jobs, sustainably electrify rural communities, and catalyze green energy production.
Additionally, as more Bitcoin mining gains ground in West Africa, 2025 could see countries such as Nigeria joining the Bitcoin mining race via hydroelectricity and flared gas, with other regions facing similar energy challenges joining the mix.
Bitcoin mining will continue to be a staple on the continent as countries continue to leverage it to sustainably catalyzing energy infrastructure development, rural electrification, and economic development through Bitcoin mining.

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BMS to have record number of NASCAR national races in 2025  Kingsport Times News
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As 2024 winds down, let’s take a moment together to reflect. How has this year been for you spiritually? Did you experience a season of spiritual renewal or find yourself struggling with your faith? Maybe, like many of us, it’s been a little bit of both.
No matter where you are, God has been with you through it all. Let’s look back on the moments that shaped this year, both the joys and the challenges, and think about how we can step into 2025 with a deeper connection to Him.
Have you felt God pulling you closer this year? Maybe prayer became more meaningful, or scripture seemed to speak directly to your heart. Those moments remind us that God is always renewing us, even in small, everyday ways.
Romans 12:2 ESV encourages us: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” This verse reminds me that renewal isn’t about perfection. It’s about little steps—choosing gratitude when it’s hard or finding a quiet moment to pray.
Did you have moments like this? Maybe a Bible verse hit you differently or a worship song stirred something new in your soul. Those moments are God’s way of showing He’s still working in you.
This year, one thing stood out: how often people showed up for each other. Maybe you volunteered, cooked a meal for a friend, or just listened when someone needed to talk.
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 25:40 ESV, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Every act of service, no matter how small, reflects His love.
Have you seen God working through you in this way? Serving others doesn’t require grand gestures. Sometimes it’s the little things—sending a kind message or offering a prayer—that make the biggest impact.
Not everything this year has been easy. Maybe you’ve faced grief, doubts, or moments where God felt distant. These struggles can be heavy, but they’re also opportunities to grow closer to Him.
In John 16:33 NIV, Jesus reminds us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Those words bring me comfort because they remind me that our struggles don’t have the final say.
What about you? Have you found God’s presence even in the hard times? Sometimes it’s in the darkest moments that His light shines the brightest.
As we step into a new year, let’s think about how we can deepen our faith. What steps will you take to grow spiritually? How can you show more love to others?
“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” Philippians 3:13-14 MSG
Let’s carry this mindset into 2025, trusting that God has incredible plans for us and He has our back.
Here are some simple ways to grow in faith this coming year:
As you reflect on 2024, ask yourself: What has God taught you? How will you carry those lessons into the new year? No matter what challenges lie ahead, remember that God is with you, guiding you every step of the way.
Let’s make 2025 a year of spiritual renewal, faith in action, and unshakable hope. God is faithful, and He’s not done with you yet

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