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Delphi is still very much with us, but the FOSS world also has its own, largely compatible, GUI-based Object Pascal environment – and it's worth a look.
Valentine's Day 2025 marked the 30th anniversary of the release of Borland's Delphi, which fused Borland's version of Object Pascal, along with a GUI designer and database access, into a powerful whole. Appearing so early in 1995 meant that Delphi itself predated Windows 95 by just over six months: it started out as a 16-bit tool for Windows 3.1. (32-bit Windows was already a thing – the second release of Windows NT, version 3.5, appeared in late 1994, but it was still a bit niche.) The codename, which after much internal debate became the product name, reflected that it was intended as a local rapid-application-delevelopment tool that helped you to talk to Oracle. //
The Reg joined in when Delphi turned 25, setting it in its historical context. One detail from back then does merit clarification, though: "Object Pascal was Borland's own language." Well, it was – Delphi's compiler was inherited from Borland's Turbo Pascal. As The Reg noted when Turbo Pascal turned 40, TP went OOPS with version 5.5, back in 1989. Borland didn't invent Object Pascal, though.
An Apple report [PDF] from almost exactly a decade before the release of Delphi, by the late great Larry Tesler, explains:
Object Pascal is a revision of Lisa Clascal designed by Apple Computer's Macintosh Software Group with the help of Niklaus Wirth.
Clascal was an older language designed for software development on Apple's first GUI computer, the Lisa. Its reference manual [PDF] from 1983 dates it as older than the Macintosh itself. In 1986, BYTE Magazine explained:
The syntax for Object Pascal was jointly designed by Apple's Clascal team and Niklaus Wirth. the designer of Pascal, who was invited to Apple's Cupertino headquarters specifically for this project. In addition to implementing Object Pascal on the Mac, Apple has put the Object Pascal specification in the public domain and encouraged others to implement compilers and interpreters for it.
Even if Delphi's 30 years puts fancy type-safe newbie Rust's mere 13 years into perspective, Object Pascal itself can thus legitimately claim 40 years. //
In her opening statement and in some of her responses, Chavez-DeRemer reinforced that she was committed to putting workers first. Frankly, there was too much talk about the American "worker" and not enough discussion about the American entrepreneur, solopreneur, and business owner who are pivotal to the workforce of America and who supply opportunities for other Americans to work. "Workforce development" should incorporate that freedom to create one's own work, not just how to aid and facilitate the employer-employee relationship. That is the essence of the technological revolution that has changed the nature of work, but too little discussion is given to the fact that at least half of America's workforce chooses to work for themselves and wants it to stay that way: they do not want an employer. They do not need an employer. This hearing also bypassed the fact that at least 62 percent of Americans, if given the opportunity, would prefer to work for themselves.
this is not a guide about creating an extremely stripped-down, telemetry-free version of Windows; we stick to the things that Microsoft officially supports turning off and removing. There are plenty of experimental hacks that take it a few steps farther—NTDev's Tiny11 project is one—but removing built-in Windows components can cause unexpected compatibility and security problems, and Tiny11 has historically had issues with basic table-stakes stuff like "installing security updates." //
During Windows 11 Setup, after selecting a language and keyboard layout but before connecting to a network, hit Shift+F10 to open the command prompt (depending on your keyboard, you may also need to hit the Fn key before pressing F10). Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO, hit Enter, and wait for the PC to reboot.
When it comes back, click "I don't have Internet" on the network setup screen, and you'll have recovered the option to use "limited setup" (aka a local account) again, like older versions of Windows 10 and 11 offered. //
Rufus is a venerable open source app for creating bootable USB media for both Windows and Linux. If you find yourself doing a lot of Windows 11 installs and don't want to deal with Microsoft accounts, Rufus lets you tweak the install media itself so that the "limited setup" options always appear, no matter which edition of Windows you're using.
The math that makes refueling from the Moon appealing is pretty simple. "As a rule of thumb," write the authors of the new study on the topic, "rockets launched from Earth destined for [Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 1] must burn ~25 kg of propellant to transport one kg of payload, whereas rockets launched from the Moon to [Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 1] would burn only ~four kg of propellant to transport one kg of payload." Departing from the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point for locations deeper into the Solar System also requires less energy than leaving low-Earth orbit, meaning the fuel we get there is ultimately more useful, at least from an exploration perspective. //
the researchers decided to focus on isolating oxygen from a mineral called ilmenite, or FeTiO3. It's not the easiest way to get oxygen—iron oxides win out there—but it's well understood. Someone actually patented oxygen production from ilmenite back in the 1970s, and two hardware prototypes have been developed, one of which may be sent to the Moon on a future NASA mission.
The researchers propose a system that would harvest regolith, partly purify the ilmenite, then combine it with hydrogen at high temperatures, which would strip the oxygen out as water, leaving behind purified iron and titanium (both of which may be useful to have). The resulting water would then be split to feed the hydrogen back into the system, while the oxygen can be sent off for use in rockets.
(This wouldn't solve the issue of what that oxygen will ultimately oxidize to power a rocket. But oxygen is typically the heavier component of rocket fuel combinations—typically about 80 percent of the mass—and so, is the bigger challenge to get to a fuel depot.). //
The team found that almost all of the energy is consumed at three steps in the process: the high-temperature hydrogen reaction that produces water (55 percent), splitting the water afterward (38 percent), and converting the resulting oxygen to its liquid form (5 percent). The typical total usage, depending on factors like the concentration of ilmenite in the regolith, worked out to be about 24 kW-hr for each kilogram of liquid oxygen. //
Obviously, we can build larger arrays than that, but it boosts the amount of material that needs to be sent to the Moon from Earth. It may potentially make more sense to use nuclear power. While that would likely involve more infrastructure than solar arrays, it would allow the facilities to run around the clock, thus getting more production from everything else we've shipped from Earth.
Astronomers have detected over 5,800 confirmed exoplanets. One extreme class is ultra-hot Jupiters, of particular interest because they can provide a unique window into planetary atmospheric dynamics. According to a new paper published in the journal Nature, astronomers have mapped the 3D structure of the layered atmosphere of one such ultra-hot Jupiter-size exoplanet, revealing powerful winds that create intricate weather patterns across that atmosphere. A companion paper published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics reported on the unexpected identification of titanium in the exoplanet's atmosphere as well.
“Nauseatingly frightening”: Law firm condemns careless AI use in court. //
"As all lawyers know (or should know), it has been documented that AI sometimes invents case law, complete with fabricated citations, holdings, and even direct quotes," his letter said. "As we previously instructed you, if you use AI to identify cases for citation, every case must be independently verified."
The State Leadership Initiative is a coalition-building organization aimed at ensuring ‘red states’ operate in GOP voters’ best interests.
The Obergefell ruling rode rough-shod over religions and dozens of state constitutions on the bases of a moral — not legal — opinion.
Et Tu, Stacey? Stacey Abrams Linked to a $2 Billion Environmental Grant Rolled Up by DOGE – RedState
The organization was set up expressly to apply for the GGRF grant. It had only received $100 in funding during the 2023 tax year. Yet somehow, it managed to retain the services of a major law firm to file its return. //
I have some experience in grant writing, and the idea of a non-profit with $100 in the bank getting a $2 billion grant is about √-1 without shenanigans involved. The common theme seems to be Abrams. She was general counsel for one coalition partner, founder of two partners, and on the national advisory board of yet another partner.
Tuesday, a top DC prosecutor resigned rather than open an investigation into some part of the $20 billion GGRF grift; Top DOJ Prosecutor Walks Out Rather Than Investigate Biden 'New Green Deal' Grant for Criminal Behavior – RedState. It would be interesting to know which grant was under examination.
In 1932, FDR decided he had better use for the seat and summarily fired Humphrey. Humphrey sued but died five months later. The executor of his estate pressed the suit to recoup five months' salary. This spat was destined to become a landmark Supreme Court precedent called Humphrey's Executor v. United States, 295 U.S. 602 (1935), or just Humphrey's Executor. Mr. Humphrey's estate hit the jackpot.
In a unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court ruled: //
This ruling let independent agencies do whatever they wished. As rulemaking became a big deal, an independent agency in the hands of political opponents of the president with the power to interpret statutes and make legally binding regulations could engage in sabotage of the president's agenda. //
Shipwreckedcrew @shipwreckedcrew
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Earlier today I posted a Substack article arguing that the TROs being sought against the Trump Admin are, in many respects, great opportunities for the Admin to assert its Article II authority over the Admin. state and push back against encroachments by Congress and the lower…SCOTUS has danced around the continuing vitality of the Humphrey's decision for many many years. The issue is now squarely before them. This is a fight worth having at this moment in time.
And the most important part about fights worth having is that you need someone who will fight them. And we do. //
Musicman
6 hours ago
Let's pray we finally have a Supreme Court that cares about the Constitution. There are three branches and only three branches. Either each "independent" board reports to the Executive, the Legislative or the Judicial. Those are the only choices. The notion of any kind of board with any kind of power could exist apart from the three branches is simply unconstitutional. Period.
Charlie Kirk @charliekirk11
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CNN: "Donald Trump and the Republicans have changed the electorate...there are more Republicans in the electorate than there are Democrats."
2017: 🔵D+5
2021:🔵D+6
2025:🔴R+2
Boom!!
2:43 PM · Feb 19, 2025
gcgreen
a day ago
I thought the Oval Office interview was great. Instead of someone sitting there, reading a statement, it was simply watching a nice relaxed conversation (even with a kid running around - well behaved for a 4 year old) that was very informative. If it didn't put anyone at 'ease' then they must have been guilty of something.
The pig that squeals the loudest is the one stuck under the gate.
Genuine question: what is the purpose of business?
Two of the most influential thinkers—Adam Smith and Milton Friedman—offered on-the-surface competing answers, which not only created capitalism, but have driven some of the biggest debates in capitalism. And, interestingly, one of the most searched topics in our Robinhood Learn library is on
this topic
. Understanding their views isn’t just an intellectual exercise—it’s key to understanding how modern businesses operate and why certain economic policies shape our world.
Let’s start with Adam:
In 1776, Adam Smith, the so-called father of macroeconomics, attempted to answer, publishing the first edition of what came to be known as The Wealth of Nations. In it, he established scientific aspects of economics we still use today. These included:
The division of labor and specialization for increased efficiency.
The wealth of a nation is not calculated by how much money (or gold in his time) is in the bank, but is instead derived by how value is created (through the transformation of raw materials to goods) that then 'flows' through society. This came to be known as gross domestic product (GDP).
Invisible Hand theory: in the pursuit of self-interest to be the best under certain conditions, competitive society benefits from the unintended and uninterrupted consequences of individuals pursuing their own self-interest. Free trade was an intricate part of this.
For anything you read, it’s crucial to understand the author’s frame of reference, so here’s the context behind his theory: Adam Smith’s book was purposefully political, opposing the vested interests who advocated protectionism and who were driving forward Britain’s colonial and slave trades of the time. Smith was also a moral philosopher which came through in his dissonance for over-simplification.
Fast forward nearly 100 years later, to September 1970, Milton Friedman wrote in the NY Times: “
A Friedman doctrine
–The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits”. As the title shares, he asserted that the only “social responsibility” of a business is to increase its profits within legal and ethical bounds, while any money or time spent on the pursuit of social initiatives was effectively imposing “taxes” on shareholders, employees, and customers. The one cross-over with Adam Smith is that the focus on a free-market system and similar assumption that businesses (vs people) will naturally act responsibly to maintain their reputation, retain customers, and attract employees.
Judge Contreras relied on a very shaky 1935 precedent called Humphrey’s Executor v. United States. This precedent established the, in my view, unconstitutional and un-republican plethora of "independent" boards and commissions that carry out executive functions but aren't answerable to the guy in whom the "executive Power" of the United States is "vested." Recent cases have held that any commission holding anything other than an advisory capacity must be controlled by the President; how the MSPB's role in adjudicating employment disputes will be viewed is unknown.
This case is headed to the DC Circuit and the Supreme Court. Another similar case, that of Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger, is at the Supreme Court; Trump Sends Scorching Appeal of DC Court Order Reinstating Biden Appointee to the Supreme Court – RedState. In that case, Trump fired Dellinger, who had the same legal protections as MSPB judges. A judge ordered Dellinger reinstated, and the Supreme Court will get Dellinger's response to the government's objections at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Other possible cases testing the limits of Humphrey’s Executor are the firings of 17 IGs, who, by statute, can only be fired after a 30-day notice to Congress and an explanation of the reasons, and a member of the National Labor Relations Board. //
Laocoön of Troy
10 hours ago
Remember corrupt FBI agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page? Remember the friendly judge who they secretly met with at a party to plot their next moves against Trump? The crooked judge? Judge Rudolph Contreras (Obama appointee). Strzok referred to him affectionally as "Rudy" like they were old buds.
Looks like the crooks from Trump's first term are trying to get the band back together.
all executive departments and agencies, including so-called independent agencies, shall submit for review all proposed and final significant regulatory actions to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Executive Office of the President before publication in the Federal Register. //
The President and the Attorney General, subject to the President’s supervision and control, shall provide authoritative interpretations of law for the executive branch. The President and the Attorney General’s opinions on questions of law are controlling on all employees in the conduct of their official duties. No employee of the executive branch acting in their official capacity may advance an interpretation of the law as the position of the United States that contravenes the President or the Attorney General’s opinion on a matter of law, including but not limited to the issuance of regulations, guidance, and positions advanced in litigation, unless authorized to do so by the President or in writing by the Attorney General. //
If this order sticks, Trump has permanently and fundamentally changed the Executive Branch, as it has existed since 1935, in less than a month. //
bk
9 hours ago edited
Liberals: "Musk is unelected and therefore can't tell us what to do!"
Also libs: "How dare Trump interfere with tens of thousands of unelected bureaucrats who have been telling us what to do for decades!"
Starting Feb. 26, 2025 (via ZDNet) you will no longer be able to download copies of your Kindle books and use those files as a backup. After that date, you will only be able to download books via Wi-Fi or through the Amazon platforms. //
All in all it is a reminder that you don't actually own many or most of your digital purchases, as what you are typically actually "buying" are licenses to use content that can be revoked at any time.
Bad actors can now digitally impersonate someone you love, and trick you into doing things like paying a ransom.
To mitigate that risk, I have developed this simple solution where you can setup a unique time-based one-time passcode (TOTP) between any pair of persons.
This is how it works:
- Two people, Person A and Person B, sit in front of the same computer and open this page;
- They input their respective names (e.g. Alice and Bob) onto the same page, and click "Generate";
- The page will generate two TOTP QR codes, one for Alice and one for Bob;
- Alice and Bob scan the respective QR code into a TOTP mobile app (such as Authy or Google Authenticator) on their respective mobile phones;
- In the future, when Alice speaks with Bob over the phone or over video call, and wants to verify the identity of Bob, Alice asks Bob to provide the 6-digit TOTP code from the mobile app. If the code matches what Alice has on her own phone, then Alice has more confidence that she is speaking with the real Bob.
Note that this depends on both Alice's and Bob's phones being secure. If somebody steals Bob's phone and manages to bypass the fingerprint or PIN or facial recognition of Bob's phone, then all bets are off.
My own definition of "Christian nationalism" would be this: An orientation for engaging in the public square that recognizes America as a Christian nation, where our rights and duties are understood to come from God and where our primary responsibilities as citizens are for building and preserving the strength, prosperity and health of our own country. It is a commitment to an institutional separation between church and state, but not the separation of Christianity from its influence on government and society. It is a belief that our participation in the political system can lead to beneficial outcomes for our own communities, as well as individuals of all faiths.
Vought has also been a behind-the-scenes leader in opposing critical race theory in churches and school boards and has openly supported forms of Christian nationalism. ///
This is bad?
Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system. In less than four weeks, we have already begun the process and are engaging the smartest minds in the entire world.
Here’s the truth: the FAA alone has a staggering 45,000 employees. Less than 400 were let go, and they were all probationary, meaning they had been hired less than a year ago. Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go.
Mayor Pete chose to use this amazing department—that is so critical to America’s success—as a slush fund for the green new scam and environmental justice nonsense. Not to mention that over 90% of the workforce under his leadership were working from home - including him. The building was empty!
When we finally get a full accounting of his mismanagement, I look forward to hearing from him.In the meantime, I will not rest until I return the Department of Transportation and its incredible employees to its mission of efficiency and safety. //
jri500
8 hours ago
For 2 years during the Idiot Biden administration, the FAA DID NOT HAVE one single training classes for new Air Traffic Controllers (ATC). In the meantime, Biden's FAA refused to hire 1,000 newly qualified ATC graduates because they were WHITE.
When training finally resumed, FAA couldn't fill training classes because they couldn't find enough woke, minority, physically or psychologically challenged (WTF???) candidates to fill them. ANYTHING BUT WHITE. FAA is currently short about four (4) thousand ATCs. Add to that, the mandatory retirement age is 54!
The tower in DC called for a full staff of 30 ATCs. They had about half that. And the night the crash happened, 1 controller was doing the job of 2. Every airport in the country is short staffed. And democRATS are trying to blame Trump? He's been in office less than a month.