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Australia is 'wasting' record amounts of green energy. Here's why experts say it's a good thing:
Australia is wasting record amounts of renewable energy due to an increasing share of wind and solar power, which has led to a spike in curtailment rates. The Australian Energy Market Operator forecasts that 20% of renewable energy will be curtailed on average by the middle of the century. As Australia's energy system becomes greener, experts believe this is an opportunity for investment in storage technologies and a chance to shift electricity demand to times when solar or wind power is most abundant.
Twitter Runs On Hate -- But Its Users Don't Reflect Real Life:
Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are hostile places because they often give users content they want to see, maximizing their time on the sites. A new study found that people who spend a lot of time interacting with political Tweets tend to be more politically extreme than the broader public. This group is more likely to engage in divisive discussions and react to negative content. While social media can provide useful information, it is crucial for individuals to remember that the loudest voices on these platforms do not necessarily represent the majority of people with different opinions.
Alternatives to Google Products - Peq42:
The article discusses alternatives to Google's products and services, including search engines like Ecosia, Brave Search, and DuckDuckGo; web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and LibreWolf; cloud storage options like Mega, Mediafire, NordLocker, and Dropbox; video platforms like Dailymotion, Vimeo, and Twitch; email providers like ProtonMail, Yahoo! Mail, Mail.com, NeoSpace, and iRedMail; two-factor authenticators like Authy, FreeOTP, 2FAS, and TOTP Authenticator; and other services such as WordPress, Cloudflare DNS, DeepL, Etherpad, Maritaca.ai, OsmAnd, Aptoide, and LineageOS. The author also mentions the importance of de-Googling one's life to protect privacy and security.
"Exercise May Be the Single Most Potent Medical Intervention Ever Known":
The benefits of exercise are vast and include improved cardiovascular health, reduced risk of diseases such as diabetes and cancer, better sleep, and mental well-being. Researchers at Stanford University have discovered that one minute of exercise can buy you five minutes of extra life, highlighting the importance of physical activity in maintaining overall health. Understanding the molecular changes induced by exercise allows for a more precise understanding of its benefits and potential to develop interventions that mimic these effects without the need for manual labor.
First water car is already a reality: 1000km of autonomy and the end of gasoline:
This article discusses a concept car powered by hydrogen fuel cells that uses water as its primary source of energy. The membrane in the fuel cell converts electricity into hydrogen and oxygen, which is then used to produce electricity in the vehicle's fuel cell. However, some commenters argue that the process seems to break the laws of thermodynamics and question the validity of the claims made by the company behind the technology.
The first water car is already a reality: 1000 kilometers of autonomy and the end of gasoline:
Electriq Global, based in Israel, has developed a water car that runs on hydrogen extracted from water. The company's proprietary system efficiently converts water into fuel, using a specialized membrane that splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through an electrolytic cell. The hydrogen produced is then fed into the vehicle's fuel cell, which combines with oxygen to generate electricity, powering the car's electric motor. This emission-free technology could potentially replace gasoline in vehicles and transform the auto industry while benefiting the environment. Electriq Global has already road-tested a prototype, achieving speeds over 70 mph, and plans further tests to demonstrate the viability of water-powered cars for everyday consumer use.
The Worsening Raspberry Pi RP2350 E9 Erratum Situation:
The Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller has been experiencing a hardware issue known as erratum RP2350-E9, causing confusion and affecting the Bus Pirate 5XL and 6 deliveries. Ian from Dangerous Prototypes demonstrated that soft latching behavior on GPIO pins occurs without pull-downs enabled. The issue also appears to impact ADC and PIO peripherals. A potential workaround is adding 4.7 kOhm external pull-downs, but it comes with a continuous load on the GPIO when pulled high or low. Raspberry Pi is still investigating the issue, and the current stepping is best avoided for now.
Watch: Cruise ships chopped in half are a license to print money:
Cruise ship operators are increasingly opting for „jumboization“ surgery, which involves cutting huge cruise ships in half and welding a new segment into the vessel to increase its length. This process allows cruise lines to expand their carrying capacity while minimizing costs and downtime. Ship-lengthening can cost around $80 million and takes around two months out of service, offering operators an attractive option for expansion compared to building new ships. The jumboization technique has been used on various cruise ships since 1977 and is expected to continue due to the growing demand for larger vessels in the cruise industry.
The article discusses how most people have a common login process when dealing with online accounts. It involves clicking „I forgot my password“ and then recovering their account through email, which the author believes is not a conscious decision but has developed over time due to learned behavior. The author wonders if we can take advantage of this behavior to design better systems for security purposes while minimizing barriers and friction.
college-grades-have-become-acharade-its-time-to-abolish-them-ee4eb3fe (archive.is):
The article discusses the issue of grade inflation at American universities, arguing that grades have lost their meaning and have become a charade. It proposes abolishing grades and adopting a pass-fail system as a potential solution. The author, Yascha Mounk, suggests that the current grading system encourages mediocre performance and discourages students from taking challenging courses.
Batteries are a fast-growing secondary electricity source for the grid:
The article discusses the growth of utility-scale battery energy storage systems in the United States, with operators adding 5 gigawatts of capacity to the U.S. electric power grid in the first seven months of 2024. In 2010, only 4 MW of utility-scale battery energy storage was added. In July 2024, over 20.7 GW of battery energy storage capacity was available in the United States. The primary purpose of these systems is to provide electricity to the power grid and support services like balancing supply and demand, arbitrage, and storing renewable energy. Most of these systems use lithium-ion batteries, and data collection differentiates between small-scale and utility-scale battery systems. Other energy storage methods include pumped-storage hydroelectricity, flywheels, and compressed air.
Why children perceive time slower than adults:
This article discusses children's perception of time and how it differs from adults'. Children have a hard time understanding linear time, but they are sensitive to routine events such as meal times and bed times. Studies show that judging the duration and speed of time in humans develop separately. Younger children can grasp how quickly a lesson passes based on their emotional state rather than the actual duration. The experience of time also depends on memory storage and capturing experiences. Research suggests that physical exercise can help adults slow down their perception of time, while creating new experiences and avoiding routines can also have similar effects.
Latest driver death rates highlight dangers of muscle cars:
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has recently calculated that American muscle cars rank among the deadliest vehicles on the road, both for their own drivers and for people in other vehicles. Six out of 21 vehicles with the highest driver death rates for model year 2020 are variants of the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, and Ford Mustang. In contrast, 18 of the 23 vehicles with the lowest driver death rates are minivans or SUVs. The IIHS has been calculating driver death rates approximately every three years since 1989.
Mental, physical ailments can develop among homeowners overtaken by squatters, according to expert:
Housing situations involving squatters take a significant emotional and financial toll on homeowners, as well as impacting their mental health. The experience can be overwhelming and lead to feelings of violation, anxiety, and insomnia. Homeowners who have shared their stories have highlighted the emotional stress that stems from dealing with squatters. To cope with these situations, it is important for homeowners to seek support from loved ones, family members, churches, online resources, or mental health professionals. Additionally, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and seeking legal assistance can help alleviate some of the stress associated with unwanted squatters.
If we want to still have privacy, we need to ban spyware:
The Pegasus scandal has highlighted the increasing threat of spyware to privacy and national security. Civil societies have called on EU regulators to take more decisive action against these threats, proposing a legal framework that would include an EU-wide ban on the production, export, sale, import, acquisition, transfer, servicing, and use of spyware. Spyware is malicious software installed on digital devices without user knowledge and designed to collect sensitive information such as location, camera, microphone data, messages, websites visited, banking information, and passwords. The ease at which people can launch spyware attacks makes it a dangerous tool in the hands of hackers, stalkers, and criminals.
LinusTechTips Floatplane account with videos independent of YouTube.
Documenting Dance: Keeping Score:
The article discusses the history and development of various dance notation systems, starting from Pierre Beauchamp-Feuillet's system used in Baroque dance to Benesh notation created by Joan and Rudolf Benesh in the 1950s. These notations have been crucial for recording physical movement in dance performances and are still widely used today. The article also mentions other notable systems, such as Stepanov's anatomical analysis-based system and Labanotation devised by Rudolf Laban in the 1920s. Dance notation has evolved through centuries to preserve choreographic works and aid in dance education and research.
An ‘earthquake’ at Volkswagen – and a crisis for Germany?:
Volkswagen is considering closing factories in Germany for the first time in its history as part of an attempt to save around €10bn (£8.4bn). The company's financial chief, Arno Antlitz, reportedly told employees that it is short of around 500,000 car sales a year and needs to turn the situation around within one or two years. Volkswagen has about 20,000 employees too many and is drawing an estimated annual €1.5bn from its cashflow for around 15 years. The last major setback VW faced was the dieselgate scandal in 2015-16, which cost the company an estimated €30bn in compensation payments worldwide.
‘Right to Repair for Your Body’: The Rise of DIY, Pirated Medicine:
Mixæl Swan Laufer, chief spokesperson for Four Thieves Vinegar Collective, a DIY pharmaceutical organization, has discovered a way to create a low-cost version of Sofosbuvir (Sovaldi), a drug that cures Hepatitis C. The current price of the drug is $1,000 per pill, making it difficult for many people to access. Laufer's method allows people to make their own medication at home for a fraction of the cost. Four Thieves Vinegar Collective aims to teach people how to create affordable versions of expensive pharmaceuticals by utilizing readily available precursor ingredients and performing chemical reactions.
This article discusses a bypass for Windows licensing checks called „Keyhole,“ which is an effective DRM bypass discovered while working on the Client Licensing Platform (CLiP). CLiP is responsible for implementing DRM for Microsoft Store apps and integrating with Windows activation. The Keyhole bug allows users to license any Microsoft Store app or modern Windows edition easily. The article provides an in-depth analysis of the exploit, explaining how it works and how it can bypass the chain-of-trust within CLiP. The authors have also released code to generate Keyhole licenses and a collection of CLiP binaries with symbols for easier analysis.
Title:Hardware Acceleration of LLMs: A comprehensive survey and comparison:
This article presents a comprehensive survey of research efforts focusing on accelerating transformer networks for Large Language Models (LLMs) using hardware accelerators. The paper discusses various frameworks and compares their technology, processing platform (FPGA, ASIC, In-Memory, GPU), speedup, energy efficiency, performance, and energy efficiency per watt (GOPs/W). The main challenge lies in comparing these schemes, as they are implemented on different process technologies. To overcome this issue, the authors extrapolate results to a common technology for fair comparisons, both theoretical and practical. They also implement part of LLMs on several FPGA chips to obtain similar comparative results.
Meta will let third-party apps place calls to WhatsApp and Messenger users — in 2027 | TechCrunch:
Meta has announced its plans to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), aiming to promote competition in digital marketplaces by providing an option in WhatsApp and Messenger to connect with interoperable third-party messaging services. The company will introduce notifications, onboarding flows, group functionality, voice and video calling, and rich messaging features for third-party chats over the next few years. However, it remains unclear if other major messaging operators like Viber and Telegram will support these integrations.
This article discusses the end of the eLicenser service in 2025 and the transition to the Steinberg Licensing system, which provides more flexibility and freedom to users. The article explains what will happen when the service ends, what to do if a USB eLicenser is lost or broken, and the benefits of Steinberg Licensing. It also advises on upgrading to Steinberg Licensing and registering eLicensers in MySteinberg for support.
Found: 280 Android apps that use OCR to steal cryptocurrency credentials:
Researchers have discovered over 280 malicious Android apps that use optical character recognition (OCR) to steal cryptocurrency wallet credentials from infected devices. These apps pose as official banking, government services, TV streaming service, and utility apps. The OCR software extracts mnemonic recovery phrases for cryptocurrency wallets displayed in images on infected phones. The malicious apps are available from malicious sites and distributed through phishing messages.
The article discusses the challenges and complexities in implementing secure login systems for websites, especially when considering the diverse range of platforms, devices, and user preferences. It highlights issues with current solutions such as TOTP, HOTP, Passkeys, and using Google Authenticator for gym websites. The article suggests that a more basic approach, where the browser generates and stores passwords, could be a viable solution to simplify secure login processes for both developers and users alike.
The article provides instructions on how to install Ardour software on Windows 11. It explains that the .exe file is a classic Windows installer, and though unsigned, it is safe to proceed with installation. Users may encounter anti-virus warnings which they can choose to ignore if trusting the source. Uninstallation of Ardour follows standard Windows methods through Control Panel. When facing issues with the software or system, users are advised to consult online resources and support channels rather than relying on developers' experience in Windows operating systems, as Ardour developers primarily work with other platforms.
Voters' yearning for a dictator is a danger to the country:
The article highlights the unrealistic expectations placed on the President and how chief executives attempt to expand their powers to meet these hopes. It discusses how Americans believe presidents have more power than they do, with both parties seeing the president exercising dictatorial authority over various issues. However, the author argues that making decisions as close to the individuals affected as possible is important for maintaining social peace and reducing internal conflict in the country.
Want to watch every NFL game this season? It’s going to cost you nearly $2,500.:
The NFL is increasing the cost of watching all games this season, requiring seven streaming services and six username-password combinations to access the content. The rising costs are due to the NFL's increasing popularity, leading to higher broadcasting and streaming deals, totaling $10 billion per year. The NFL now makes around $10 billion a year from TV deals, up from about $3 billion in 2010. To watch all games this season, the cost for a football fan without cable is approximately $1,700, and for cable customers, it's around $2,500.
The article discusses the „Need for Chaos,“ a psychological trait identified by researchers Michael Bang Petersen, Mathias Osmundsen, and Kevin Arceneaux that drives people to unleash chaos in order to gain status in the political process. This trait is closely linked to the spreading of hostile political rumors and has been demonstrated to be particularly destructive when it's found in white men who feel marginalized by society. The researchers argue that understanding this trait will help uncover insights into the modern political landscape, where trolling has taken over and politicians have become more focused on influencing rather than problem-solving.
The study evaluates the impact of generative AI on software developer productivity by analyzing data from three randomized controlled trials conducted at Microsoft, Accenture, and a Fortune 100 electronics manufacturing company. The experiments provided access to GitHub Copilot, an AI-based coding assistant that suggests intelligent code completions. Across all three experiments and 4,867 software developers, the analysis reveals a 26.08% increase (SE: 10.3%) in completed tasks among developers using the AI tool. Less experienced developers showed higher adoption rates and greater productivity gains.
parkinsons-disease-gut-study (Archive.is):
A new study has added to the growing evidence that Parkinson's disease, which was previously thought to originate in the brain, may actually begin in the gut. The study found that people with gastrointestinal problems, such as upper gastrointestinal conditions, were more likely to develop Parkinson's disease later in life. This supports the „gut-first“ hypothesis, which states that Parkinson's begins as misfolded proteins in the nerves of the gastrointestinal tract. The results of the study may lead to more careful monitoring of patients with mucosal damage and the development of new treatments to help prevent Parkinson's disease.
How Did the Monocle Become a Symbol of Wealth?:
The monocle has historically been a symbol of wealth due to its faddish nature and association with the moneyed classes in Europe during the 1820s and '30s, as well as its impractical design requiring custom fitting. Initially originating in Great Britain, the monocle gained popularity in Germany before becoming a caricature of the wealthy. The association of monocles with the rich began in works like Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit and E.A. Sothern's portrayal of Lord Dundreary. Despite their impracticality, there has traditionally been some demand for mass-produced monocles among people of more modest means.
Jetzt Brief hochladen und online versenden:
The article discusses the guidelines for uploading and processing individual letters and series letters, specifying allowed file formats such as PDF or Word (DOC, DOCX, ODT). For single letters, each uploaded document is treated as an individual letter and billed separately. For multiple-letter files, use the „Serienbrief(e) hochladen“ field. Series letters are separated by page number or keyword and the selection is made in the next step of configuring series letters. A4 high-format PDF documents can be used for single letters with options to fold and send them in C4 envelopes, or not to fold for documents like certificates. For every letter, the same number of pages should be maintained, and separation occurs based on the specified page count. The keyword feature automatically designates the page containing the recipient's address as the first page of a single letter. Return envelopes are printed with the provided return address. Franking is only valid for Deutsche Post AG and separate billing is applied to e-mails sent via this service.
torchao: PyTorch Architecture Optimization:
This article discusses PyTorch native quantization and sparsity for training and inference, with a focus on its BSD-3-Clause license. It has received 666 stars and 87 forks, and is currently active with ongoing updates and contributions from the community.
DokuWiki to Markdown Converter:
The article discusses a DokuWiki-to-Markdown-Converter tool, which converts DokuWiki syntax to Markdown syntax while utilizing specific Liquibase regular expressions. It is a publicly forked project from ludoza and has some features related to notifications.
NexaAIDev/Squid · Hugging Face:
The Nexa Model Hub introduces Squid, a novel approach to accelerate language model inference by treating long contexts as a new modality similar to image, audio, and video modalities in vision-language models. This method incorporates a language encoder model to encode context information into embeddings while applying multimodal model concepts to enhance efficiency of language model inference. Squid employs a decoder-decoder framework with two main components: a smaller decoder for transforming information from extensive contexts and a larger decoder for comprehending and generating responses to current queries. Training involves three stages: restoration training, continual training, and instruction fine-tuning. This approach progressively enhances the model's ability to handle long contexts and generate appropriate responses while being optimized for energy efficiency and on-device use.
The SIMILE Widgets timeline is a web widget for visualizing temporal data, allowing users to create interactive and visually appealing timelines by dragging or using the mouse wheel. Developed under the BSD license, it was originally sponsored by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as part of the SIMILE project. The software is now maintained and developed by an open-source community.
The TimelineSetter is a command-line utility that creates timelines using a specially structured CSV file as input and outputs standards-compliant HTML/CSS/JavaScript. It supports any span of time from minutes to years, custom descriptions, and arbitrary HTML in each event card. The tool can generate fluid embeds for great responsiveness across different device widths and is ready for uploading directly into Content Management Systems (CMS) or Amazon S3. TimelineSetter requires no server-side processing once a timeline has been generated.
Tell HN: Burnout is bad to your brain, take care:
The author shares their personal experience of burnout, which they describe as a gradual decline in mental and physical health due to overwork, stress, and lack of self-care. Burnout can manifest as difficulty learning new concepts, memory issues, and a general feeling of being overwhelmed. The author emphasizes the importance of recognizing burnout early on and taking steps to address it, such as setting boundaries at work, prioritizing self-care, and seeking professional help if necessary. They also discuss how their burnout affected their relationships and the realization that they needed to make changes in their life to recover.
What happens when you touch a Pickle to an AM radio tower?:
The article discusses an experiment where various meats were tested to see how they would affect AM radio signals when placed near a tower. Hot dogs, pickles (gherkins), bratwursts, vegan hot dogs, corn dogs, and breakfast sausages were used, with varying results in terms of sound, heat, and plasma interaction. Some meats caused the transmitter to disable its RF output, while others produced louder sounds or more smoke. The experiment aimed to be educational and for scientific purposes, and it highlights the importance of safety precautions when dealing with AM radio towers.
John Graham-Cumming and Steve Ballmer discussed a binary search interview question in which Ballmer claimed there were two reasons not to play: negative expected value and adversarial strategic number selection by Ballmer. Graham-Cumming showed that if Ballmer randomly picked numbers, the expected value was actually positive ($0.20). He then demonstrated how to counteract any adversarial strategy with a mixed strategy set of multiple pure strategies. Graham-Cumming provided an example of such a winning strategy and concluded that if the potential winnings are at least 7 cents per game, it's worth playing the game with Ballmer.
The article discusses the use of Cron jobs in Linux systems, specifically Ubuntu 22.04 (Debian-derivative) and rockyOS 9.2 (RHEL-derivative). Cron jobs are automated tasks that run commands or scripts on Linux for purposes such as backups, updates, and health checks. The running service is called cron or crond depending on the system. To ensure the daemon runs, check its status using commands like sudo systemctl status cron in Debian-based systems and sudo systemctl status crond in RHEL-derivative ones. The article also describes how to show existing Cron jobs, add, edit, or remove them, set environment variables, manage permissions, and view logs for these tasks.
What to do about America’s killer cars:
The article highlights that in the United States, one out of 75 passengers is at risk of being killed by a car accident, with many of these accidents involving other people's cars. Heavier vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks tend to have better survival rates, but this increases the danger for smaller vehicle drivers. This suggests that heavier vehicles create more dangerous road conditions, turning traffic jams into ethical lessons on safety.
Why don’t tech companies pay engineers more to stay? - Ethena:
The article discusses the issue of tech companies not paying enough to retain their talented engineers. It argues that while market salaries increase with years of experience and skills, internal compensation structures often minimize growth for employees in order to save company costs. Companies should instead pay long-tenured engineers above market rates due to the specific domain knowledge they gain within a company. The author explains their personal experience at Ethena, where he is working on creating career paths and transparent compensation structures that encourage long-term tenures for engineers.
Bundesnetzagentur kündigt Reform des Strompreismodells an:
The German Federal Network Agency plans to reform network tariffs to make them usage-dependent and reduce electricity costs for consumers, promoting energy transition and fair distribution of costs. Currently, all consumers pay a flat fee for using the power grid, regardless of their actual consumption or connection capacity. Under the new regulations, households with lower energy consumption will be charged less while large consumers will contribute more. Regional differences in Germany are also addressed; areas with higher renewable energy production and costs for network expansion and maintenance have been facing high network tariffs. In 2023, Schleswig-Holstein had the highest network charges. By adjusting these tariffs, the regional disparities in Germany will be balanced, and the additional costs resulting from expanding renewable energies will be distributed more fairly.
In a two-step process, firstly, special cost burdens of network operators are assessed by calculating a ratio between installed renewable energy production capacity and consumption load in each network area. If this results in an increase due to the expansion of renewables, this increase will be financially compensated for in a second step. The additional costs will then be distributed nationwide among all electricity consumers, with belt regions benefiting from this adjustment. The refinancing of these costs is expected to occur through a surcharge for special network usage that will be added to the electricity price, which will be announced by transmission grid operators on October 25th.
The president of the Federal Network Agency emphasizes the importance of the new regulations in achieving balanced electricity prices, stating that „we are creating fair network charges for people and businesses living and working in regions with a strong expansion of renewables. The energy transition is a common task, and investments in networks benefit everyone.“ However, there is divided feedback on this decision; some interest groups and consumer associations see potential cost savings and support for the promotion of renewable energies in these new tariffs, while others fear that the model might be too complicated and not have an impact on daily life or harm Germany's economic standing.
Common food dye found to make skin and muscle temporarily transparent:
Researchers at Stanford University have discovered that a common food dye can temporarily make skin, muscle, and connective tissues transparent in living animals. Applying the dye to mice's skin allowed scientists to see their liver, intestines, and bladder clearly through the abdominal skin. This technique could be used for various applications, such as locating injuries, finding veins for blood draws, monitoring digestive disorders, or spotting tumors without invasive surgery. The dye is currently limited to penetration depth but can potentially be delivered more deeply via microneedle patches or injections. Researchers are now working on determining the safety of using the dye for humans and will need approval before proceeding with further testing.
The Decline of Usability | datagubbe.se:
The article discusses the decline in user interface (UI) design standards since roughly 2012, with many applications deviating from established conventions that had been generally followed between 1994 and 2012. It highlights several examples of problematic UI elements, such as inconsistency in window management, the abandonment of menu bars, and the spreading of smartphone-style paradigms to desktop computers. The author argues that these changes have negatively impacted user experience and suggests that designers should strive for improvement rather than simply embracing change.
The article discusses the author's experience participating in an experiment that used an MRI machine to study how their brain works while looking at and imagining various pictures. They describe their observations on the noise level inside the machine, the effect of repetition on their mental faculties, the novelty of random images, the warping of time perception, having their thoughts monitored, and becoming more aware of their own mind. The author also highlights how introspection gained from these experiences has helped them better understand themselves and their brain's functions.
The British government plans to nationalize their railways due to ongoing criticism of train delays, cancellations, and high ticket prices. Unions accuse companies of exploiting employees while profits only benefit managers and shareholders. Deutsche Bahn is entering the UK's railway market for the first time after acquiring EWS Rail in 2007 and Laing Rail Ltd in January 2008. The message to the British: We are sorry.
Little white lies about blue light:
In 2013, a study on blue light's effect on sleep gained popularity among hipster culture in San Francisco. The f.lux app became widely used as it shifted screen colors to the yellower end of the spectrum at sunset, reducing exposure to blue-tinted light from LED screens. Apple and Microsoft later incorporated similar features into their devices. However, recent studies have failed to reproduce the findings of this 2013 study, and some even found warm light to be worse than blue light. Conclusively, melatonin production is suppressed by any illumination at all, so dimming lights and putting away electronic devices an hour before bed is advised for better sleep quality.
Kids Should Be Taught to Think Logically:
In World War II, mathematician Alan Turing assembled a team of codebreakers to decrypt intercepted Nazi messages, highlighting the importance of logical reasoning in solving complex problems. Symbolic logic has been removed from modern high school curriculums; however, it is essential for intellectual excellence and responsible citizenship. It helps train students in skills such as constructing viable arguments and engaging in evidence-based discussions. Incorporating symbolic logic courses into high schools across the country would provide numerous benefits, including promoting mental health and wellness, combatting conspiracy theories, and preparing students for careers in fields like electrical engineering and computer science.
The article discusses the problem of declining fertility rates worldwide and suggests that, without a change in projected population trajectory, humanity could face less than a century of current-level innovation. It explores different ways to encourage more births, such as relying on economic growth and medical advancements or removing barriers currently preventing births. The author argues that the US should consider increasing child tax credits and explore other creative solutions to address this demographic crisis. The article also mentions four reasons why people should care about increasing fertility rates: public goods, externalities from research, life cycle effects, and altruism. It concludes by stating that humanity has a solvable fertility problem.
Rethinking Exercise: How Too Much Can Speed Up Aging:
A recent study from the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland found that excessive physical activity might not have longevity benefits and could potentially accelerate aging. The study, which involved more than 11,000 Finnish twins, divided participants into four groups based on their levels of physical activity. Initial results showed a higher mortality risk for the least active compared to the regularly active group; however, adjusting for lifestyle factors reduced this gap significantly. The research revealed no additional longevity benefits for those with high levels of physical activity, indicating that everything should be done in moderation. Interestingly, people at both ends of the physical activity spectrum experienced accelerated biological aging. The findings suggest that the longevity associated with physically active individuals could stem more from their overall healthier lifestyles rather than the exercise itself. The World Health Organization's recommendation for adults remains 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly as a guideline for healthy living.
Introduction | Code Review Anxiety Workbook:
Code review anxiety is a common experience among software developers that can lead to counterproductive behaviors such as avoiding code reviews and procrastinating. This anxiety not only worsens over time but also prevents developers from realizing the benefits of code reviews, such as improved code quality and security. A cognitive-behavioral workshop intervention has been developed at the Developer Success Lab to help manage code review anxiety by addressing both developers' physical and cognitive experiences. The study showed that this intervention significantly lessens developers' code review anxiety, increases belief in their ability to handle anxiety, and enhances self-compassion during challenging situations. The Code Review Anxiety Workbook is a self-guided version of the workshop intervention intended to help software practitioners mitigate and manage their anxiety while focusing on their coding tasks.
Meet Yi-Coder: A Small but Mighty LLM for Code:
This article discusses Yi-Coder, a series of open-source large language models designed for coding tasks. Offered in two sizes—1.5B and 9B parameters—Yi-Coder delivers state-of-the-art coding performance while being less data-intensive than other models. Key features include long-context modeling and being the first open-source code LLM to surpass 50% accuracy on CRUXEval-O. The article demonstrates that despite its small size, Yi-Coder outperforms other models in various tasks such as basic and competitive programming, code editing and repo-level completion, and mathematical reasoning.
Right-Wing Influencer Network Tenet Media Allegedly Spread Russian Disinformation:
A Tennessee-based media network called Tenet Media, which produces shows for high-profile right-wing influencers like Benny Johnson and Tim Pool, was funded by Russian state-backed news network RT, according to a federal indictment against two RT employees. The US Department of Justice claims that Tenet Media posted hundreds of videos on social media pushing Kremlin-approved talking points. The company allegedly received $9.7 million from RT, with some funds going to the production companies of Johnson and Rubin for their content. The Russian RT employees indicted by the US are charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy to commit money laundering for their alleged work with Tenet Media and associated activities.
Ukrainian drones now spray 2,500° C thermite streams right into Russian trenches:
The article discusses the innovation of drone warfare tactics during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as both sides develop new ways to counter each other's strategies. One recent Ukrainian innovation is building counter-drone ramming drones that knock Russian drones out of the sky. In the case of trench warfare in eastern Ukraine, Ukraine has developed a new tactic called „dragon's fire,“ delivered by drone, which releases a continuous stream of incendiary material, starting fires and igniting nearby ammunition. The article also highlights thermite dropping drones, allegedly called „Dragon,“ which can release enormous heat energy and burn anything in their path when ignited. It remains unclear if these weapons make a significant difference on the battlefield but showcases the talent being directed into new methods of destruction in Ukraine.
The article discusses the history of Silicon Valley and its connection with Intel, focusing on the company's current struggles and potential solutions. It highlights how Fairchild Semiconductor played a significant role in shaping the tech industry. Intel's decline is attributed to its past decisions, particularly in mobile technology, as it failed to supply Apple's iPhone with chips. The article also mentions CEO Pat Gelsinger's IDM 2.0 turnaround plan, which separates Intel's manufacturing business into a separate division that will serve third parties but still operate under the Intel banner. However, considering Intel's current issues and the market-based challenges it faces, the article argues that there is no reason for Intel Foundry to exist, and that the U.S. government may need to invest significantly in order to create a non-Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing alternative.
Leaving the Complex Cloud - The Broken Promise of PaaS:
The author discusses their journey with cloud computing and how it has evolved from managed Kubernetes setups to Platform as a Service (PaaS). They argue that PaaS don't help reduce complexity, are expensive, and unreliable. To simplify the process, the author has moved back to using self-managed VPS, which reduces complexity and allows for easier deployment of apps. The author also plans to share their experiences with Kamal, a tool used for migrating from managed Kubernetes setups to VPS, in an upcoming follow-up article.
zipapp — Manage executable Python zip archives:
This article discusses the zipapp module in Python, which allows users to create executable archives containing Python code that can be directly executed by the interpreter. It provides both a Command-Line Interface and a Python API for creating and managing these archives. The module also offers options such as specifying an output filename or an interpreter, as well as adding a main function to the archive. Additionally, this article covers how to create standalone applications using zipapp by bundling all dependencies into the archive and packaging the application with a suitable Python version.
Lesser known parts of Python standard library – Trickster Dev:
This article explores some lesser known, but interesting and useful corners of Python's standard library. It covers various data structures like Deque, Counter, ChainMap, OrderedDict, namedtuple, defaultdict, UserDict, UserList, UserString, the decimal module for handling floating-point numbers, fractions module for representing fractions as Python objects, dis module for disassembling Python bytecode, statistics module for statistical algorithms, webbrowser module for interacting with web browsers from Python code, and zipapp module for packaging Python code into single-file packages.
Strength training activates cellular waste disposal, interdisciplinary research reveals:
A research team from the University of Bonn has discovered that strength training activates cellular waste disposal mechanisms, which are essential for maintaining muscle mass in the long term. This finding could have significant implications for new therapies for heart failure and nerve diseases, as well as providing benefits for manned space missions. The protein BAG3 plays a critical role in eliminating damaged cell components, ensuring that they are enclosed by cellular membranes to form an „autophagosome.“ This process is essential for the long-term preservation of muscle tissue and could potentially help astronauts living in a weightless environment or immobilized intensive care patients on ventilation.
Why Physics Is Unreasonably Good at Creating New Math:
This article explores the relationship between physics and mathematics, highlighting how insights from physics have led to breakthroughs in mathematics. The collaboration between physicists and mathematicians has resulted in discoveries that have connected abstract concepts with real-world applications. This reconciliation is spearheaded by figures like Michael Atiyah, a Fields medalist who focused on using physical ideas to prove mathematical results and facilitating interactions between the two fields. The article also discusses how physicists might provide new tools and leads for mathematicians to solve some of the most challenging open problems in mathematics, such as the Riemann hypothesis and Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture.
Zur Reduktion der Schulden: Deutsche Bahn startet Verkaufsprozess von Logistiktochter Schenker:
Die Deutsche Bahn hat angekündigt, ihre internationale Logistiktochter Schenker zum Verkauf zu stellen. Der staatseigene Konzern will mit dem Erlös von bis zu 100 Prozent der Anteile den Schuldenstand reduzieren und sich auf seine Aufgaben in Deutschland wie die Sanierung des maroden Schienennetzes konzentrieren. Schenker ist die einzige profitable Bahn-Sparte, die noch nennenswerte Gewinne erzielt. Interessenten an dem Verkauf sind laut Branchenkennern unter anderem Wettbewerber wie die dänische DSV, Reederei Maersk oder auch DHL. Mit einem Abschluss des Verkaufsprozesses wird in Bahnkreisen kaum vor 2025 gerechnet.
Robert Habeck kritisiert Elektro-Strategie von Volkswagen:
Volkswagen's (VW) strategy has been criticized by Green Party co-leader Robert Habeck, who claims that the company is focusing on luxury electric vehicles instead of making more affordable options available to a broader audience. VW CEO Herbert Diess explained in an interview that the company would initially focus on electric cars with price ranges between 80,000 and 100,000 euros. Thomas Steg, VW's General Manager for External Relations, announced that the company aims to democratize electromobility by offering electric vehicles under 30,000 euros in the future. Additionally, VW rejected calls from Deutsche Umwelthilfe for a ban on combustion engines in Germany by 2025.
The article discusses financial issues at Volkswagen (VW) and VW Nutzfahrzeuge, with a potential gap in their finances of four to five billion euros according to SPIEGEL-Information. Additionally, the Volkswagen AG distributed 4.5 billion euros to its shareholders for the business year 2023 on June 4, 2024.
Valrhona, along with its partners - chefs and cocoa producers - is working on the continuous improvement of all aspects around chocolate to make cocoa production fairer and more sustainable while inspiring gastronomy. Since January 2020, Valrhona has been B Corporation®-certified, confirming its sustainable development strategy aimed at creating a shared model with positive impact on producers, employees, artisans of good taste, and all chocolate lovers.
Train your own FLUX LoRA model (Windows/Linux):
The article discusses Flux, a powerful AI model that struggles with realism generation. It suggests fine-tuning the Flux model with LoRA to overcome this issue. The tutorial provides instructions on installing Flux Dev and Flux Schnell using LoRA, along with a guide for training models in various styles such as Realism, Anime, and 3D Art. The article also mentions NVIDIA-based GPU cards with at least 24GB VRAM are required for local or cloud server installation.
A Logo on a Prosthesis Is Like a Tattoo You Didn’t Ask For:
Angel Giuffria, who was born without the lower half of her left arm, felt a sense of pride when she saw the Star Wars-like logo on her new bionic hand. However, as she stared at the brand's orange and black logo on the top of the hand, she felt like she had become a walking billboard. Many prosthetics users find that the branding makes it harder to fully adopt their prosthesis as an extension of their body. While some companies remain committed to branding their products, others are focusing on creating distinct visual identities for their devices. Ultimately, choice is key in ensuring that a prosthetic enhances bodily autonomy and does not impose restrictions on the wearer.
Admins wonder if the cloud was such a good idea after all:
A report by UK cloud outfit Civo found that over a third of organizations surveyed believed their move to the cloud had failed to live up to promises of cost-effectiveness. Additionally, more than half reported an increase in their cloud bill. Comparing like-for-like costs for a simple three-node cluster with 200 GB of persistent storage and a 5 TB data transfer showed prices rising from $1,278.58 in 2022 to $1,458.68 in 2024 on Microsoft Azure and from $1,107.61 to $1,250.35 on Google. AWS saw the cost increase from $1,142.46 to $1,234.59. The study revealed that prices were rising faster than the rate of inflation and what customers received for their money remained unchanged.
Rust in Linux lead retires rather than deal with more “nontechnical nonsense”:
Rust developer Wedson Almeida Filho has retired from the project to expand Rust's place inside the largely C-based Linux kernel, citing „nontechnical nonsense“ and a lack of enthusiasm. The debate around Rust implementation within the kernel continues, as some maintainers resist adoption due to concerns about learning a new language and the stability of the Rust infrastructure. Linus Torvalds has acknowledged that there is pushback against Rust, but also sees promise in its potential benefits for memory safety and overall code quality.
How Immigration Remade the U.S. Labor Force - WSJ (archive.is):
This article discusses the largest immigration wave in U.S. history and its impact on the labor force and the economy. The surge in immigration since late 2020 has increased population growth to 1.2% a year and contributed to 9 million people migrating to the U.S. Recent immigrants are younger and less educated than the native U.S. population, with many lacking a high school diploma. They are more likely to be in the labor force and working in low-paying jobs, contributing to the overall labor force participation and wages. The article concludes with the long-term implications of this migration, stating that over time, immigrants will gain experience, contribute to innovation, and reduce the federal deficit through taxes.
Why is single threaded Redis so fast:
Redis is a high-performance, in-memory key-value database with a single-threaded architecture that supports around 100,000 QPS on a single machine. Despite its single-threaded design, it maintains speed due to memory operations being extremely fast and avoiding disk I/O overhead. This approach saves time on context switching and CPU consumption, eliminating race conditions and locking problems. Redis's network event handling uses non-blocking I/O multiplexing for concurrent connections and high performance. Multi-threading was introduced in Redis 6.0 to address bottlenecks in the network I/O module, but command execution still runs sequentially in a single thread to prevent concurrency safety issues.
State of S3 - Your Laptop is no Laptop anymore:
In this article, the author discusses their personal experience with laptops and the current dysfunctionality of the standby function in modern laptops. They explore the move from S3 sleep to S0 „modern standby“ forced by Microsoft and its negative impact on battery life and laptop performance. The author believes that a new standard needs to be adopted to address these issues, and suggests that consumers can express their disapproval with current state of S0ix by purchasing laptops that support S3 sleep.
I made a super simple diff tool that's free and has no annoying ads:
The article discusses the author's preference for unified diff view and their use of tools such as „diff -u“ and „diff -U10000“. They mention that GitHub still supports unified diff view, which allows them to review GitHub pull requests without feeling left out. The article then briefly touches upon the history of open source developers using .diff files to share changes and patches with each other before the advent of tools like GitHub and GitLab.
Why requirements.txt isn’t enough:
The article discusses issues with maintaining a requirements.txt file in Python for dependency management. It explains that manually editing the file or using pip freeze > requirements.txt can lead to security and app-breaking problems due to unlocked versions of dependencies. Pip-tools, specifically pip-compile, is suggested as a solution to these issues by creating both direct and transitive dependency files with locked down versions. This provides standardization and solves the problem without requiring major changes in other systems interacting with the app.
Court handcuffs employees with non-compete agreements — again:
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) banned non-compete agreements but a recent court decision has employees back in non-compete jail. District Court Judge Ada Brown stopped the FTC from enforcing it, saying the move „exceeded its statutory authority,“ was „arbitrary and capricious“ and would have caused businesses „irreparable harm“. The FTC estimated that the ban could increase workers' earnings by at least $400 billion over the next decade.
In March 2019, a wedding procession allegedly blocked the A3 highway and caused chaos with sports cars. It is reported that shots were fired and guns used during the event. The legal case remains unresolved after over five years, with no progress made in recent court appearances. Police officers filmed the incident by chance while being present at the scene. Mobile phones of the wedding guests were confiscated and analyzed.
The first hearing took place after five-and-a-half years; however, nothing significant emerged from it. The accused shooter did not attend the court session. The trial will be rescheduled for January next year. This is the fourth attempt to address the case, with all previous hearings failing as well (case number 401 Ls 35/21).
Paddelboot hat keinen Namen: Bußgeld:
In Brandenburg, Germany, police are writing down paddle boats without names. A 25-year-old man had to pay €55 after his inflatable boat did not have a „name“ on the outside. Jonas S. initially thought it was an alcohol control check when he was stopped on the waterways in the Spreewald region. However, he found out that small boats without official markings and even inflatable animals must have names, and the owner's name should be displayed on the boat as well. This is stated in § 34 of the Verordnung für die Schifffahrt auf den schiffbaren Gewässern des Landes Brandenburg (Landesschifffahrtsverordnung – LSchiffV).
In the Ordnungswidrigkeitengesetz (§ 47 OWiG), it is also mentioned that police have discretion to decide whether a fine is necessary. They can choose not to impose one, and sometimes offer a free warning instead of fining the citizen. The affected „boat driver“ paid €55. He named his boat „Speedy,“ restoring order and law.
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Micro Official Plugin Channel:
This article discusses the official plugin channel for micro with 224 stars and 47 forks. It mentions that users must be signed in to change notification settings, and there is a restriction on certain actions being performed at this time.
This article discusses a repository on GitHub containing text of DMCA takedown notices that have been received by the platform. It is important to note that GitHub does not endorse or adopt any assertions found within these notices, and users mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty. More information about GitHub's DMCA policy can be found at docs.github.com/en/site-policy/content-removal-policies/dmca-takedown-policy.
Quick guide to web typography for developers · OlegWock:
This guide focuses on key typography settings and teaches developers how to manipulate them with CSS to make text look good by default in their web applications and websites. It covers topics such as choosing a font, local fonts vs external fonts, manipulating size and spacing, establishing hierarchy, selecting colors, wrapping text, browser quirks, and further reading resources on typography. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding typography in creating visually appealing and easily readable content.
A photographer captures life in America’s last remaining old-growth forests:
The temperate old-growth rainforests of the Pacific Northwest provide high levels of biodiversity due to their complexities and conditions. The Northwest Forest Plan has protected these ancient ecosystems for the last 30 years and advanced forest management in Oregon, Washington, and California. Developed as a response to unsustainable logging practices, the plan has helped restore forest ecosystems in 17 national forests. David Herasimtschuk is a photographer who documents the inhabitants of these last remaining old-growth ecosystems to highlight their beauty and importance. His images showcase symbiotic relationships vital to forest biodiversity and planetary welfare.
Sextortion Scams Now Include Photos of Your Home – Krebs on Security:
The sextortion email scam, which claims that malware has captured webcam footage of recipients engaging in explicit activities, now includes a personalized touch by including images of the target's home. These emails, purportedly sent from hackers who have compromised the user's computer, demand Bitcoin ransom through QR codes embedded in the email. The scam threatens to release embarrassing videos to all contacts unless a payment is made within 24 hours. Sextortion is a serious crime that can lead to devastating consequences for victims. To avoid falling victim, it's advised not to open attachments from unknown sources and never send compromising images of oneself to anyone.
Facebook partner admits smartphone microphones listen to people talk to serve better ads - Inshort:
The Cox Media Group (CMG) has reportedly been using sophisticated technology to listen to users' smartphone microphones and advertise to them based on their conversations, raising concerns about privacy and the extent to which companies are willing to gather consumer data. CMG's „Active Listening“ software employs artificial intelligence (AI) to capture real-time intent data by listening to users' conversations, allowing advertisers to target consumers who are actively discussing specific topics. In response to this claim, Google removed CMG from its „Partners Program,“ while Facebook initiated a review of CMG and Amazon stated that it has never worked with the company on such programs. This is not the first time that CMG's „Active Listening“ technology has been scrutinized, adding fuel to suspicions that advertisers may be using smartphone microphones to eavesdrop on users' conversations.
No screens before age of two, Swedish health authority tells parents:
Sweden's public health authority, Folkhälsomyndigheten, has issued new guidelines for parents and guardians to regulate screen time for children under the age of two, teenagers, and young adults. According to these guidelines, children under two should not be exposed to screens at all, while teenagers should have no more than three hours of screen time a day. The guidelines are the first time Folkhälsomyndigheten has provided specific advice on screen use for parents and guardians.
Europeans fail to understand how much they were fucked by the 2008 crisis:
This discussion is centered around the question of why the US recovered quite spectacularly (GDP wise) after the 2008 financial crisis, while the EU stagnated so heavily. The short answer is stimulus and spending in the US vs. austerity in the EU. Additional factors include labor laws, company regulations, and demographic differences.
The tweet discusses Western Europeans' lack of understanding regarding the long-term effects of the 2008 subprime crisis. The example of France shows that GDP per capita in 2008 was almost equal to the US but has not recovered in the following 15 years, while the US has doubled its GDP per capita.
Greppability is an underrated code metric:
This article discusses the importance of maintaining a greppable codebase and provides rules for achieving that goal. The author emphasizes not splitting up identifiers, using consistent names across the stack, flattening object structures, and avoiding nested folder/object structures. These practices make it easier to find and search through code, ensuring better maintenance and reducing frustration or dangerous situations due to unseen dependencies.
Economist Eugene Fama: 'Efficient markets is a hypothesis. It's not reality:
This article discusses the efficient market hypothesis, which suggests that financial markets are efficient in incorporating available information into asset prices. The debate over whether markets are perfectly efficient or completely inefficient has been ongoing for years. Some argue that if EMH were true, there would be no room for entrepreneurs and innovative companies to succeed. However, others claim that the hypothesis does not accurately represent the concept of efficiency, as it may lead to market inefficiencies and loss of incentives for active investment. The article highlights the ongoing discussion and differing opinions on this topic within the field of economics.
The article offers a yearly subscription for €1045, which includes complete digital access and the Financial Times (FT) newspaper delivered from Monday to Saturday. The package also provides global news & analysis, expert opinion, special features, exclusive FT analysis, plus everything in the Premium Digital version.
Solar will get too cheap to connect to the power grid.:
The cost of solar panels is rapidly decreasing and will continue to do so, leading to a saturation of the power grid with cheap electricity. Solar panels are becoming more affordable due to their manufacturing process, which allows for mass production. As solar energy becomes even cheaper, it will be utilized off-grid through local storage or for intermittent processes that can operate at 25% utilization. This shift in solar energy usage has the potential to transform the primary energy supply market and create new opportunities for sustainable fuel production.
Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort:
The article discusses a potential £5bn private equity deal involving Center Parcs UK, which operates six leisure and hospitality sites around the UK and Ireland. Center Parcs has been in business since 1987 and serves approximately 2 million customers per year. The company is owned by Brookfield Property Partners, which is looking to sell the business after owning it for seven years. The article explores Center Parcs' revenue, margins, capital intensity, and debt servicing, as well as how the potential sale price of £5bn might be calculated.
Solving Redactle with Decision Trees:
This article discusses an AI-based game called Redactle in which players are presented with a partially redacted Wikipedia page and have to find the title of the article. The author proposes a theoretical method using decision trees to solve Redactle by recursively dividing search space. By finding words that divide the search space in half, users can narrow down their search effectively. However, this approach has limitations due to its randomness and brittleness. The author also shares a GitHub repository with pre-computed indexes and command lines for using the decision trees method.
An Iranian writer is sentenced to 12 years after tweeting a dot at the supreme leader:
An Iranian writer and activist, Hossein Shanbehzadeh, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after replying with a single period (.) to a tweet by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Shanbehzadeh was active on social media and had previously been arrested in 2019 for his online comments insulting Khamenei. He is just the latest activist caught up in the hard-line government's crackdown on critics. His sentence includes charges of alleged pro-Israel propaganda activity, insulting Islamic sanctities, spreading lies online, and anti-regime propaganda. Shanbehzadeh's lawyer plans to appeal the verdict, especially the accusation of pro-Israel activity.
Microsoft's 'Recall' feature can't be uninstalled after all:
Microsoft's controversial „Recall“ feature for Windows 11, which allows constant screenshots of users' behavior, was initially believed to be uninstallable by some users after a recent Windows 11 update. However, it has been clarified that the uninstall option was actually a bug. The Recall feature, previously intended to be part of Windows 11, tracks user activity and uses an on-device AI model to retrieve specific information from a library of screenshots saved on the device. It has faced criticism for potential cybersecurity risks due to indiscriminate data collection.
Why do the British drive on the left? | Notes and Queries:
The article discusses the reasons behind why the British drive on the left side of the road. While there are various theories provided by readers, such as driving on the left to keep the sword arm free for battle or driving on the right due to Napoleon's preference, no definitive answer is given.
Mother's gut microbiome during pregnancy shapes baby's brain development, mouse study finds:
A study in mice has found that the bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in a mother's gut during pregnancy supports healthy brain development in the fetus, as published in Molecular Metabolism. The results suggest that taking Bifidobacterium breve supplements while pregnant may support the development of a healthy baby. This research suggests that improving fetal development by providing „good bacteria“ to pregnant mothers could lead to better growth and development for their babies in the womb, potentially reducing the risk of conditions such as cerebral palsy in infants and anxiety, depression, autism, and schizophrenia in later life.
The Art of Finishing | ByteDrum:
The article describes the „Project Hydra Effect,“ a phenomenon where developers face endless challenges and unfinished projects, no matter how much progress they make. It discusses the allure of infinite possibility, fear of finality, comfort in familiar territory, illusion of productivity, and avoidance of difficult decisions as reasons behind this pattern. The author suggests strategies to overcome this cycle, such as defining „done“ from the start, embracing MVP (Minimum Viable Product), time-boxing projects, practicing finishing small things, separating ideation from implementation, celebrating completions, and finding accountability partners. By implementing these strategies consistently, developers can build better habits and increase their chances of completing personal projects.
This article discusses the growing concern over the potency levels of marijuana, as users across all ages and experience levels have reported experiencing existential dread and paranoia due to high-potency weed. According to a federal government report in 2022, average levels of THC (the psychoactive compound in weed) have more than tripled compared to 25 years earlier, from 5% to 16%. The legalization movement assumed that marijuana was relatively harmless and less dangerous than alcohol. However, the high potency of today's cannabis has raised concerns about potential brain damage in teenagers due to rapid development during adolescence. The article calls for federal regulation and descheduling weed from Schedule 1 under the Controlled Substances Act to ensure consumer safety and choice, as well as create standardized health and safety regulations similar to those applied to alcohol and tobacco.
Paywall Skipper - Access News Without Limits:
PaywallSkip is a free service that enables users to bypass paywalls and access articles from top news sites without individual subscriptions. By using the site, users can potentially save up to $199.00 per month compared to purchasing separate monthly subscriptions for each news source. Although PaywallSkip offers an affordable way to access information, it is recommended to support quality journalism when possible.
Why I Still Use Python Virtual Environments in Docker:
The article discusses the author's preference for using virtual environments in Docker containers instead of single-purpose Python containers. They argue that predictability, familiarity, and consistency make virtual environments a better choice than alternative methods like multi-stage builds. Standards and communication are also emphasized as important benefits of using virtual environments. The article acknowledges potential downsides but ultimately concludes that it makes sense to use them in Docker containers.
How to be better at making decisions:
The article discusses how to improve decision-making skills by writing down the thought process and sharing it with others. Writing down a basic line of thinking about a decision, including evaluation criteria, options, pros/cons, and preferred choices, helps identify gaps in decision-making. Reflecting on past decisions with hindsight is also important for learning from mistakes and making better decisions in the future. The article provides a decision log template to guide this process, which can be adapted for different contexts and use cases.
the 3.5mm headphone jack socket:
The article discusses the author's personal experience of using wired headphones during their hospital stay and how that experience made them appreciate the benefits of having a 3.5mm headphone jack on devices. They argue that sound quality, compatibility with any device, charging capabilities, size for sleeping purposes, and ease of use are advantages of wired headphones over wireless options. The author also criticizes the removal of the headphone jack from phones by companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google, suggesting it was done primarily to encourage customers to purchase their wireless audio products rather than to benefit consumers. They conclude by encouraging readers to support phone manufacturers that still provide 3.5mm jacks, such as Motorola, Asus, and Sony.
A nationwide 30-hour workweek? It almost happened. (archive.is):
This article discusses the history of the workweek in the United States, particularly focusing on the 1930s when President Franklin D. Roosevelt almost made a 30-hour workweek law. The article explains how the idea of a 30-hour workweek was considered revolutionary at the time but has since not materialized. Instead, the 40-hour workweek became standard. The article also briefly touches on the current shift in work practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of the 32-hour workweek, which has been introduced in Congress by Rep. Mark Takano.
Pi-hole - Automatische Sicherung der Konfigurationsdateien mit Teleporter - Stefans Weblog:
The article explains how to configure a Pi-hole using the Teleporter tool and automate the backup process with a small shell script and Cron. It also covers setting up Postfix for sending emails and installing mutt from package sources. The article provides a detailed explanation of creating a backup script, mounting storage devices, handling email notifications, and setting up a cron job for automatic execution of the backup script.
Meta data center electricity consumption hits 14,975GWh, leased data center use nearly doubles:
Meta's data center electricity usage reached 14,975,435MWh in 2023, marking a 34 percent increase. Leased data center facilities' power consumption soared by 97 percent, with Meta's Prineville campus in Oregon consuming the most electricity. The company's renewable energy sources include Power Purchase Agreements and Renewable Energy Certificates, while fuel consumption dropped significantly. Meta's water withdrawal increased by 7 percent, reaching 3,881 megaliters, and the company is investing in AI-optimized data centers with dry-cooling technology to further reduce water usage.
Oskaka Castle and Shitenno-ji, both located in Osaka, are significant landmarks constructed by Kongō Gumi, the world's oldest continually run company. Founded by Prince Shotoku Taishi in 578 AD, Kongō Gumi has been operating for over 1,400 years and is now a subsidiary of Takamatsu Construction Group. The company initially specialized in building Buddhist temples but pivoted towards crafting coffins during World War II. Despite facing challenges from declining Buddhism and real estate bubbles, the miyadaiku - the traditional carpentry group within Kongō Gumi - continues to utilize their refined techniques and tools, maintaining high levels of craftsmanship.
Kann die Türkei Journalisten weiter einschüchtern？ ｜ DW Nachrichten (Video):
The video discusses the case of Dilruba, a 33-year-old woman from Izmir who was arrested for criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on a popular Turkish YouTube channel. She faces up to three years in prison on charges of insulting the president and inciting public hatred. Turkey has seen a decline in press freedom and free speech in recent years, with the country ranking 158 out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders' press freedom index. The government has taken control over 85% of the national private media market, restricting journalists and suppressing independent journalism. New laws grant Erdogan's government more control over online platforms and social media. At least 131 journalists have been arrested in Turkey within the last ten years, with hundreds facing legal action for their work. Deutsche Welle (DW) journalist Bülent Mumay was also targeted by the Turkish authorities after criticizing a government-linked construction firm on social media. The DW plans to appeal the conviction at the Turkish Constitutional Court, offering hope for Mumay and other Turkish journalists continuing their work in challenging conditions.
Die Vorteile des Gehens – Wie viele Schritte pro Tag nützen der Gesundheit wirklich？ ｜ Puls ｜ SRF (Video):
The main topics of the transcript of this YouTube video are:
1. The benefits of walking and promoting physical activity: Key points: The video highlights the importance of incorporating physical activities like walking into daily life for better health, especially for individuals who might be reluctant to participate in such activities. It shows how easy it is to increase the number of steps taken per day and how this can lead to significant benefits, including weight loss, improved mood, and decreased risk of chronic diseases.
2. The experiment: Key points: Six participants were asked to walk 6'000 steps a day and avoid elevators or escalators for six months. This experiment aimed at understanding the potential benefits and challenges of walking more in everyday life.
3. Participants' experiences: Key points: Each participant shares their personal experiences, from increasing stamina to losing weight, and how walking has become a part of their daily routine. They also discuss the challenges they faced during this period and how they overcame them.
4. Medical assessments and results: Key points: After six months, the participants underwent medical check-ups to evaluate any changes in their health indicators such as cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and body weight. Most of the participants showed significant improvements in these areas, which indicates that incorporating walking into one's daily routine can have considerable benefits for overall health.
5. Encouraging physical activity: Key points: The video emphasizes the need to motivate people to include walking or any form of physical activities in their daily lives and highlights the importance of setting achievable goals for individuals.
Executive summary: This YouTube video discusses the benefits of walking, promoting physical activities, sharing participants' experiences in an experiment where they were encouraged to walk 6'000 steps per day. The video provides insights into how walking can improve health indicators and motivate people to adopt a more active lifestyle.
The science of happiness - with Bruce Hood (Video):
The transcript of the YouTube video is a discourse delivered by Professor Bruce Hood, who discusses his experiences and insights on happiness, mental health, and positive psychology at the University of Bristol. The main topics covered include:
1. Introduction to the Problem: The video begins with an introduction to the mental health crisis in universities, particularly at the University of Bristol in 2018. Hood mentions a significant increase in students experiencing mental health problems, which led him to create and teach a course called „The Science of Happiness“ to address this issue.
2. Psychology and The Good Life: Hood discusses his inspiration for creating the course from his former student, Laurie Santos, who created a similar course at Yale University titled „Psychology and The Good Life.“ This course was highly successful and became the most popular course ever at Yale.
3. The Science of Happiness Course: Hood describes the structure and unique features of his course, which combines lectures on positive psychology, neuroscience, child development, and philosophy with practical activities such as group projects and personal assessments. The course is credit-bearing for first-year students and does not require graded exams, focusing instead on engagement and participation.
4. Effectiveness of the Course: Hood presents data showing a 10 to 15% increase in happiness among students who complete the course compared to their baseline measures. Additionally, some students report life-transforming experiences from the course. The long-term impact is variable; while some students maintain higher levels of happiness for up to two years after completing the course and graduating, others return to their baseline measures within six months.
5. The Book „The Science of Happiness“: Hood promotes his book, which provides a detailed account of the course's content and offers evidence-based practices for achieving happiness. The book focuses on changing the way we think about ourselves as key to becoming happier individuals.
6. Understanding Happiness: Hood defines happiness as having both emotional (joy, elation) and cognitive components (evaluating life satisfaction). He explains that happiness is elusive because of adaptation, the hedonic treadmill, and our brain's negativity bias towards focusing on threats or problems.
7. The Seven Lessons for Happiness: Hood outlines seven lessons for achieving happiness: Alter Your Ego, Avoid Isolation, Reject Negative Comparisons, Become More Optimistic, Control Your Attention, Form Social Connections, and Get Out of Your Own Head. Each lesson is explained in detail with examples, anecdotes, and scientific research to support the claims.
8. Conclusion: Hood emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between self-focus and other-focus for achieving happiness. He argues that authentic happiness comes from making others happy rather than seeking personal pleasure alone. The video ends with a summary of the team behind the Science of Happiness course at the University of Bristol, highlighting the collaborative effort in addressing mental health issues among students.
Executive Summary: Professor Bruce Hood's discourse on the Science of Happiness delves into the creation and impact of his course designed to address the mental health crisis in universities. The course combines lectures with practical activities and emphasizes engagement over graded exams, resulting in increased happiness levels among participants. The book „The Science of Happiness“ expands on these concepts, providing evidence-based practices for achieving happiness by changing our self-perceptions. Through seven lessons, Hood offers actionable steps to improve mental well-being and foster a happier, more connected life.
Inside America's Wildest Hippie Commune (The Rainbow Family) (Video):
The transcript of the youtube video features a journey to the 50th anniversary Rainbow Gathering, which is an unsanctioned festival held annually for thousands of hippies to gather and build a temporary commune deep within the forest. This event takes place on national forest land without permits, making it illegal. The attendees live by a barter system with no money or tickets involved.
The video includes interviews with original Rainbow Family members who attended the first gathering in 1972 and explores their experiences. It also highlights Rich's journey as an OG hippie, his time spent in a cult, and how he found his way to the event. The Rainbow Gathering is known for its diverse mix of people with different religions, political beliefs, and socio-economic backgrounds.
One major aspect of this event is the food provided by volunteers in makeshift kitchens scattered across the forest. Despite concerns about sanitation, attendees seemed to enjoy the free meals. The video also discusses the magic hat parade for donations to buy fruit and the annual meditation for world peace held in the main meadow.
The Rainbow Gathering is not a typical festival experience. It requires participants to be open-minded, adaptable, and willing to immerse themselves in the unique culture of the event. Although it may not appeal to everyone, those who attend often leave with unforgettable memories and a sense of belonging to a larger family.
YouTube hat ein Problem (Video):
The video discusses the issue of misinformation and conspiracy theories spreading on YouTube, particularly by popular YouTubers who profit from promoting these false narratives. The creator claims that despite receiving many complaints about videos containing false information or inciting hatred, YouTube does little to prevent them from continuing their activities. They argue that this is due to the platform's reliance on advertising revenue and the desire for views at any cost, even if it leads to the spread of harmful content. The video also highlights how some YouTubers have shifted focus from non-political topics like finances or cars to political content in recent years, potentially for increased viewership. The creator suggests that YouTube may not be taking enough action to combat this issue and calls for more transparency on the platform's part, as well as better regulation of online platforms by authorities such as the EU Commission.
Ford patents method to spy on drivers to push them ads; no, really... (Video):
The YouTube video discussed the issue of data collection by car manufacturers and the potential dangers of independent mechanics fixing vehicles. It criticized the Coalition of Safe and Secure Data for misusing sexual assault victims' trauma to fearmonger people about independent mechanics, implying that they would use data collected from cars to stalk them. The video also highlighted Ford's patent application on in-vehicle advertisement presentation systems, which focuses on using audio signals and historical data to select advertisements for users during their trips.
The main argument is that car manufacturers are collecting personal data from drivers to target them with advertising. To solve this problem, the video suggests avoiding ads as much as possible by using tools such as AdGuard, DNS, Piehole, Ublock Origin, Brave Browser with Shields, and turning on ad blockers in various platforms. This approach will hold advertisers accountable for their invasive practices and encourage them to find alternative ways of generating revenue without invading users' privacy.
Drohende Werksschließungen und Massenentlassungen： Wer ist verantwortlich für die VW Krise？ (Video):
The transcript discusses various topics related to Volkswagen's (VW) five-concert at the VW works council meeting in Wolfsburg. Key points include:
1. Employee concerns about job security and the divide between the Works Council and management.
2. Management's commitment to cost-cutting measures, including potential workforce reductions through early retirement or severance packages.
3. The possibility of a labor dispute as workers prepare for work stoppages or protest actions.
4. VW's financial situation, with 17.9 billion euros in profit and a dividend payout of nearly 11 billion euros to shareholders, raising questions about the company's need to cut costs.
5. The focus on investment in electric vehicles (EVs) and alternative fuels like hydrogen while addressing challenges such as production capacity constraints, market demand, and competition with Chinese automakers.
6. Volkswagen's strategy of diversifying its product offerings, including hybrid models and other technologies, to cater to different customer preferences and navigate the shift in global auto markets.
7. The role of politics, such as government subsidies for EVs and environmental regulations, in shaping the future of automotive industries like VW.
8. Alternative solutions to job cuts and factory closures, including possible compromises with employee representatives or revisiting previous cost-cutting measures.
9. The potential for government support and investment in Volkswagen and other German automakers to boost the production of electric vehicles and related infrastructure.
10. The broader context of declining new car registrations in Germany, as well as its implications for other major automakers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
11. The ongoing need to balance cost-cutting measures with supporting domestic manufacturing industries and maintaining a competitive edge in the global auto market.
Schwimmen in Deutschland： Purer Luxus？! ｜ extra 3 ｜ NDR (Video):
The video discusses the decline of public swimming pools in Germany due to various reasons such as closures, high maintenance costs, and lack of funding for renovations. It highlights the importance of learning how to swim from an early age and mentions that only around half of German children can swim by the end of primary school. The video also criticizes the financial burden placed on families who want to enroll their children in swimming classes, which are often overcrowded and difficult to access. Additionally, it takes a humorous approach to discussing the potential consequences of not having swimming pools or learning how to swim by mentioning various absurdities. In conclusion, the video emphasizes that swimming is an essential life skill and calls for more support in maintaining public swimming facilities to ensure that future generations can learn how to swim safely.