Links für 2024 KW 37
Zusammengefasst von LlongOrca.
How to Optimize Your Career for Happiness:
This article emphasizes the importance of shifting focus from traditional metrics of success in careers and optimizing for happiness instead. Having a great manager who understands one's work is crucial, as it leads to higher levels of satisfaction and productivity. Work should be viewed as just one part of life, with personal fulfillment derived from various aspects outside of the career itself. Embracing imperfection and contentment can lead to greater happiness, while self-reflection and autonomy contribute to a more satisfying job experience. Lastly, the concept of being a „time-millionaire“ highlights the importance of having flexibility in one's job for overall happiness and life fulfillment.
European Consumer Organization goes after multiple publishers for their in-game currency:
The European Consumer Organization (BEUC) has called on the European Commission to address concerns regarding several game publishers violating EU consumer protection laws. The „Game OVER“ campaign, announced September 12th, aims to hold Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Mojang Studios, Roblox Corporation, Supercell, and Ubisoft accountable for alleged unlawful practices. These include lack of price transparency for in-game currencies and the use of unfair terms favoring game developers. The BEUC also claims that children are particularly vulnerable to manipulative tactics, with data showing they spend an average €39 per month on in-game purchases.
This article discusses the „Diffusion Illusions“ project, which generates optical illusions and performs steganography using off-the-shelf diffusion models. The project includes four variants of illusions: Flip Illusions, Rotation Overlays, Folding Tile Illusions, and Hidden Overlay Illusions. All illusions work in the physical world as well. Diffusion illusions are generated through an iterative process using gradient descent, starting from pure noise. The full source code can be found at github.com/RyannDaGreat/Diffusion-Illusions.
Google Has Officially Killed Cache Links:
Google has officially removed its cache feature from search results, marking the end of a tool that once served as a solution to the web's early stability issues. The change was first spotted by Search Engine Land and confirmed by Google's Danny Sullivan, who stated that improvements in infrastructure led to the decision to retire the cache link feature. While many users may not have been aware of its existence, it served as an essential tool for SEO professionals, journalists, and researchers. There is a potential alternative solution through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, though this organization faces ongoing financial challenges.
Why Scrum is Stressing You Out:
The article discusses the stress faced by software developers today due to sprint-based development methods, such as Scrum. The author argues that sprints never stop, are involuntary, and neglect key supporting activities. These factors contribute to higher long-term stress levels among developers compared to short-term stress experienced in waterfall approaches. To alleviate these issues, the article suggests restoring autonomy and professionalism to software development by treating developers as respected peers and allowing them more control over their craft and process.
Volkswagen mit klarer Ansage an die EU:
Volkswagen's Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Hans Dieter Pötsch, has called on the EU to revise its CO₂ targets for 2025, 2030, and 2035 during a recent event in Austria. He argues that the current goals are unrealistic for the core brand as Volkswagen needs to sell significantly more electric vehicles to avoid potential CO₂ penalties next year. Pötsch acknowledges that electromobility is the future but notes that progress has slowed down, requiring adjustments to the targets. The debate surrounding these targets will likely continue into the fall and winter months as demand for electric vehicles in EU countries remains uncertain.
Unterschätzte Gefahr: Wie Reifenabrieb unsere Gewässer zerstört:
A research team led by Prof. Dr. Markus Pfenninger has investigated the harmful effects of tire abrasion on freshwater ecosystems. The study, published in „Science of The Total Environment,“ shows that the toxic particle mix created by tire abrasion significantly harms aquatic organisms. Chironomus riparius larvae, a type of mosquito, are particularly affected, with their survival, development and reproduction negatively impacted.
Germany alone releases thousands of tons of the toxic mixture annually via unfiltered road runoff. The tiny particles contain complex chemicals such as microplastics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, and synthetic chemicals. These substances increase mortality rates in Chironomus riparius larvae by almost 30%, reduce fertility, and cause oxidative stress.
Worrisome is the possibility of transgenerational reproductive issues due to the accumulation of harmful substances in the organisms' tissues. These chemicals can have cascading effects on entire freshwater ecosystems through the food chain. The study highlights the danger posed by these compounds, as they act more toxic when combined than individually.
The results emphasize the need for reducing the pollution of our waterways from tire abrasion and call for more research into toxic mixtures to preserve biodiversity and prevent long-term damage to ecosystems. However, this requires investment from industries and potentially higher costs for consumers.
ADAC testet Rastanlagen: Preisschock an der Autobahn:
The ADAC conducted a comprehensive test of 40 rest stops along German autobahns in summer 2024, evaluating categories such as prices, gastronomy, sanitary facilities, outdoor areas, and additional infrastructure. No facility received the top rating of „very good,“ with 20% receiving a „good“ evaluation, while six fell short with a „marginal“ assessment. The study focused on price levels, particularly considering gas station shops as „expensive“ or „very expensive.“ On the other hand, gastronomy offered affordable to very affordable meals; however, prices were often not well explained, making transparency difficult for travelers. Price differences between rest stops were significant, especially regarding typical dishes like schnitzel with french fries. In addition to prices, family-friendliness and accessibility for people with disabilities played a role. Many rest stops had deficiencies in play areas for children and accessibility for people with disabilities. Furthermore, charging infrastructure for electric vehicle drivers was often insufficient. The ADAC demands better price transparency and more focus on the needs of families and electric car drivers.
Academic Journal Publishers Antitrust Litigation:
On September 12, 2024, a federal antitrust lawsuit was filed against six commercial publishers of academic journals, including Elsevier B.V., John Wiley & Sons, Wolters Kluwer NV, and the International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers (STM), on behalf of scientists and scholars who claim that these publishers have unlawfully appropriated billions of dollars that would otherwise fund scientific research. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants engaged in three main components: fixing the price of peer review services at zero, not competing with each other for manuscripts, and prohibiting scholars from freely sharing submitted manuscripts during peer review. If proven true, these practices would be unlawful under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, as they limit competition, slow scientific progress, and place an undue burden on taxpayers.
How America’s universities became debt factories – Anand Sanwal:
The US student loan system is a $1.7 trillion debt bubble that cannot be popped due to non-dischargeable loans in bankruptcy. This broken system has created misaligned incentives, regulatory capture, and unintended consequences for millions of Americans graduating with significant debt and underprepared for the job market. Colleges have no incentive to control costs or improve outcomes, as they receive funding regardless of performance. The solution would involve making student loans dischargeable in bankruptcy, tying lending terms to degree value, and imposing risk-sharing requirements on educational institutions. However, implementing these changes would cause a massive shake-up for colleges, lenders, and politicians, as they benefit from the current system.
Geothermal energy could outperform nuclear power:
Geothermal energy may be approaching its Mitchell moment, similar to how George Mitchell's innovation in fracking transformed the oil and gas industry. The success of fracking has led to a significant increase in productivity known as the shale revolution, which has impacted the global hydrocarbon business.
The Jackpot Generation - Macleans.ca:
The article discusses the wealth transfer from baby boomers to their millennial heirs in Canada. An estimated $1 trillion is expected to move from baby boomers to their children, which could create a major economic shift and result in the greatest intergenerational wealth transfer in Canadian history. The article explores the potential implications of this transfer on income inequality, housing affordability, and the sense of fairness in Canada. It also touches on the idea of taxing primary residences and introducing inheritance tax to address the income gap and support public services.
The Bastard Operator From Hell Complete:
The Bastard Operator From Hell is a comedic series that follows the exploits and adventures of the titular character, who works as a system administrator. The story features various situations in which he uses his wit and ingenuity to outwit and outmaneuver those around him, including his bosses and coworkers. The series is known for its humor, satire, and commentary on the world of IT management.
The article discusses the author's experience with NetworkManager and wpa_supplicant-based management, and shares their insights about TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) reliability and falsehoods programmers believe about it. The author also explains that TCP is not implemented in terms of IP (Internet Protocol), and clarifies the Two Generals' Problem, which demonstrates that a guarantee like that requires more than two parties or nodes.
Almost all new car sales in Norway last month were EVs:
In Norway, over 94% of new cars registered last month were electric vehicles, an all-time high for the country as it adapts to a future dominated by EVs. This puts Norway on track towards its goal of having all new cars sold be zero-emissions by 2025, far ahead of other nations in the „electric car race.“ The country offers various incentives that encourage residents to purchase electric vehicles, such as lower taxes for low and zero-emission cars. Tesla Model Y was the most popular EV among new car purchases in Norway during August, followed by Volvo EX30 and Skoda Enyaq. However, only 7% of new trucks registered in Norway this year were electric.
To Forget is an Ethical Act · EmilyGorcenski.com:
This article discusses the author's experience in curating their digital presence and reflecting on their time spent on Twitter. The author explains how they went through their ten years of tweets to delete most of them, keeping only a fraction that had some archival value or personal significance. They also mention trying different social media platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky, and contemplating what comes next in life after leaving activism and Twitter behind. The author quotes Tennyson's „Ulysses“ poem to express their restlessness and desire for inspiration in finding the next chapter of their life.
The Fuchshof, a fruit orchard in Dingelsdorf near Konstanz on the beautiful Lake Constance, has been involved in agriculture and fruit farming for generations. They offer freshly picked plums, raspberries, and apples daily. They also have employment opportunities available. The Fuchshof is known for its traditional Dünnelewirtschaft (plum harvest), which can be booked on specific dates throughout the year. Additionally, they operate a bakery selling homemade pastries, cakes, and bread. Their organic farming practices prioritize environmental protection.
The 34th annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony celebrated scientific discoveries that make people laugh and think. One winner, Saul Justin Newman, a senior research fellow at the University College London Centre for Longitudinal Studies, found that most claims about people living over 105 are wrong. His study discovered that many blue zones, regions where people supposedly live to be 100 at an extraordinary rate, have questionable longevity data. Newman hopes that involving physicists in developing a measure of human age without relying on documents will provide more accurate information about human longevity.
Making a rickroll laser: A parametric speaker.:
This article discusses the development of a compact directional speaker that uses strong modulated ultrasound converted into normal sound as it passes through the air. Ordinary coil-and-magnet speakers do not work well at the ultrasound range, so specialized piezoelectric transducers are used instead. The transducers are wired in parallel to act as one large transducer, creating a narrow beam of sound. The article explains the process of designing and testing the circuit for this directional speaker system, including the use of a 555 timer, op-amp pulse-width modulation, class B/push-pull amplifier, MOSFET H-bridge, and loading coil components.
In 1928, Norman F. Maclean began his graduate studies at the University of Chicago and had the privilege of observing Albert A. Michelson, a renowned physicist and the first American to win the Nobel Prize in science. Maclean was intrigued by Michelson's wide range of talents, including billiards, violin playing, painting, chess, and physics. He admired Michelson's elegance, grace, and style, as well as his deep appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the universe.
Michelson often expressed his views on different games in an extended epigram, stating that while billiards was a good game, it was not as good as painting; painting was not as good as music; and music was not as good as physics. This sentiment reflected Michelson's belief that the pursuit of knowledge through physics was the most rewarding and fulfilling „game“ of all.
Maclean also discussed Michelson's contributions to science, particularly his work on measuring the speed of light and his experiments that challenged the concept of a stationary ether. These achievements were instrumental in paving the way for Einstein's theory of relativity.
Throughout the article, Maclean conveyed his deep admiration and respect for Michelson as an intellectual, artist, and human being. He emphasized the importance of Michelson's work in shaping our understanding of the universe and the role that games played in his life and career.
Exclusive: Sunamp's thermal battery uses a chemical found in salt-and-vinegar potato chips:
Andrew Bissell, co-founder of Sunamp, was inspired to develop a thermal battery technology after reading about climate change and its potential impact on coastal homes. The company works with the University of Edinburgh to create batteries that store solar power as heat for household heating or hot water. At the core of these batteries are compounds like sodium acetate trihydrate, water, and crystal habit modifiers. Sunamp aims to utilize excess renewable energy by charging thermal batteries during times of abundance and discharging them when power sources are scarce. The company currently operates in the UK, Italy, and is planning to expand into Western European countries and the U.S.
Why use metaphors in conflicts? Because understanding is remembering in disguise:
This article discusses the importance of using metaphors in various areas of life, including dispute resolution and negotiations. It emphasizes the role of metaphors as a tool for facilitating communication and understanding, allowing people to relate complex ideas to familiar concepts. The author highlights the benefits of metaphors in mediation and shares examples of metaphorical language commonly used in everyday life.
Modular Monoliths Are a Good Idea, Actually:
The author discusses the challenges faced by companies as they migrate from monolithic architectures to microservices and introduces the concept of modular monoliths, which can serve as an intermediate step between these two approaches. The author believes that providing tooling for modular monoliths could extend a monolith's life and make it more maintainable.
Older Americans Are About to Lose a Lot of Weight:
This article discusses the increasing use of injectable drugs for diabetes and obesity, like semaglutide and tirzepatide, among older adults in the United States. The bipartisan Treat and Reduce Obesity Act could potentially allow Medicare to cover drug treatments for obesity among its Part D enrollees over 65 years old, which could lead to a rise in prescriptions of these drugs for elderly patients. Despite the health benefits, there are concerns about potential adverse effects, such as muscle and bone loss from rapid weight loss, especially considering that older adults tend not to recover lost bone and muscle when they regain fat. The article emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between promoting safe weight loss for seniors and ensuring long-term health outcomes.
As businesses increasingly adopt digital transformations, more enterprise teams are turning to the cloud for its benefits such as scalability, cost savings, and enhanced collaboration. However, cloud migrations can become complex or unwieldy if not managed correctly, leading to cost overruns, delays, or overreliance on third parties. The shared responsibility model, data sovereignty hurdles, and post-migration oversight are the top three reasons cloud migrations can fail. To avoid these pitfalls, organizations must have a clear understanding of their end-user obligations, align compliance standards, develop comprehensive governance frameworks, and maintain effective management for performance monitoring, security assessments, identity controls, cost management, and decommissioning resources. By doing so, businesses can ensure a smoother transition to the cloud and unlock its full benefits.
Richard Powers on What We Do to the Earth and What It Does to Us:
This is an in-depth profile of the American novelist Richard Powers, who gained widespread recognition for his twelfth novel, „The Overstory,“ which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2019 and sold over two million copies. The article explores Powers's intellectual curiosity, his fascination with trees and nature, and his exploration of technology and its impact on society through his writing.
The piece delves into Powers's personal life, including his upbringing in Evanston, Illinois, his time living abroad in Thailand during his teenage years, and his subsequent return to the United States. It also touches upon his early career as a computer programmer and his decision to pursue writing instead.
Powers is known for his wide-ranging interests and the depth of research that goes into his novels. His work often incorporates elements from various fields such as physics, math, music, psychology, corporate history, cancer cells, and the history of racial segregation. This approach has sometimes led to criticism that his novels are more „head than heart,“ but Powers sees himself as a writer who is interested in larger, systemic changes in the world.
The article discusses Powers's move to eastern Tennessee, where he lives close to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and visits it multiple times a week. His deep connection to nature is evident in his work, particularly in „The Overstory,“ which features nine characters whose lives are intertwined with trees. The novel is about the damage that humans do to the natural world but also emphasizes the innate resilience of nature.
Powers's fourteenth novel, „Playground,“ is also discussed in the article. It explores themes related to technology and artificial intelligence, and how they might shape our future. The novel features a character who builds his empire on these connections yet feels profoundly lonely, leading him deeper into technology. Powers believes that while A.I. presents significant challenges, it is important to consider how we want to use it rather than simply asking whether it is good or bad.
Throughout the article, Powers's deep love for nature and his belief in its resilience are highlighted. He sees trees as storytellers with their own narratives and ecosystems, and he encourages readers to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the natural world. The piece concludes with a reflection on how we can build a new world with the ingredients we have, even in the face of change and uncertainty.
Academics say flying to meetings harms the climate — but they carry on:
A study found that an overwhelming majority of survey respondents at a top research university believe air travel contributes to climate change; however, many still fly frequently for conferences. The study suggests institutions and conference organizers should embrace alternatives to reduce the carbon footprint of academia. The researchers proposed that individuals can make better choices but academic culture needs to change in order to effectively address its environmental impact.
The way teenage girls speak is often derided, but they are in fact our linguistic trailblazers:
Teenage girls are the primary drivers of language change, according to linguists. Research shows that young women accelerate linguistic progress more than men, often incorporating new language trends from various cultural backgrounds. The speed and extent of language changes have increased significantly due to social media. Cultural factors and biological differences may contribute to why women are leading this change.
Meta fed its AI on almost everything you’ve posted publicly since 2007:
Meta has been gathering text and photos from public posts by adult Facebook and Instagram users since 2007, feeding the content into its AI models. The company's global privacy director, Melinda Claybaugh, initially rejected claims about user data being used for AI training but later confirmed it during a government inquiry. Meta acknowledges using public posts and comments on Facebook and Instagram to train generative AI models, but has been vague about the extent of its data collection. European users can opt out due to local privacy regulations, while other regions cannot.
This article discusses a cyber security incident involving Transport for London (TFL). The incident led to customer data being accessed, including names and contact details, as well as some Oyster card refund information such as bank account numbers and sort codes for around 5,000 customers. TFL has taken immediate action to protect their systems and is conducting an investigation alongside the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre. The situation is evolving, but very little impact on customers has been observed so far.
Using Android Without a Google Account:
This article discusses setting up an older Android device without logging into a Google account, providing independence from the Play Store. The process involves factory resetting and skipping Google account login requests, downloading F-Droid and Aurora stores, and installing preferred apps. The author highlights that while this setup doesn't provide complete de-Googling, it can be an easy temporary solution for users or children to avoid constant use of a Google account.
This Chatbot Pulls People Away From Conspiracy Theories:
A new study has shown that DebunkBot, an AI chatbot designed to debunk unfounded conspiracy theories, can effectively persuade users to abandon false beliefs. False theories are believed by up to half of the American public and can lead to damaging consequences such as discouraging vaccinations or fueling discrimination. The new findings challenge conventional wisdom that facts and logic cannot combat conspiracy theories, suggesting that AI chatbots like DebunkBot may offer a practical way to channel facts and potentially mitigate the spread of misinformation.
Music industry’s 1990s hard drives, like all HDDs, are dying:
Enterprise storage and destruction company Iron Mountain has discovered that roughly one-fifth of the hard disk drives dating back to the 1990s it was sent are entirely unreadable, highlighting the fragility of digital archives. The music industry is experiencing difficulties in archiving its content due to factors such as the inherent problems with storage formats and general computer storage issues. Iron Mountain's warning serves as a call for action and underscores the need for continuous data backup and migration into fresh storage, given that entropy ultimately affects all forms of media.
The Milky Way is believed to contain a large-scale magnetic field that has been primarily explored through pulsar (Faraday) rotation and dispersion measures. The configuration within the plane of the galaxy appears to be predominantly azimuthal with reversals at different galacto-centric radii, but there is disagreement among astronomers on whether this configuration is best described by a spiral or circular pattern. A new method utilizing Zeeman splitting of hydroxyl (OH) masers in regions of star formation has been used to model the magnetic field, which will help constrain models and provide complementary data.
docker rollout Zero Downtime Deployment for Docker Compose:
This article introduces Docker rollout, a CLI plugin that enables zero downtime deployment for Docker Compose services without requiring container orchestration tools. The plugin scales the service to twice the current number of instances, waits for new containers to be ready, and then removes old containers. It supports Docker health checks out of the box and can be easily incorporated into existing deployment scripts.
Does Your Startup Really Need Complex Cloud Infrastructure? - Hadi Javeed's blog:
The article discusses how Pieter Levels on the Lex Friedman Podcast emphasized the importance of focusing on product-market fit in startups rather than overly complex deployment and infrastructure management. It suggests that simple infrastructure can often suffice, allowing teams to focus on building a great product. The author shares examples from recent projects highlighting this issue and provides guidance for setting up reliable single VM setups with robust compute power. The article encourages engineers to advocate for simplicity in their setup and prioritize finding product-market fit over complex infrastructure management.
The article discusses Nebula, a video on demand streaming service focusing primarily on educational content. Unlike other streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube, Nebula is distinct in that it was built by content creators. It has been marketed as „creator-owned“ but there are questions about the actual ownership structure of Nebula and how much control its content creators have over the platform. The article presents various sources and analyses to investigate these questions, concluding that Nebula is primarily owned by Standard Broadcast (83.125%) and Curiosity Stream (16.875%), with no direct ownership by the creators themselves.
The article discusses Ente's end-to-end encryption, ensuring user privacy and security while storing and sharing files. It explains the masterKey system for file encryption, key recovery, authentication, and how the encryption process works. Ente uses libsodium library to generate keys and encrypt data with XSalsa20 stream cipher and Poly1305 MAC for authentication. The article also provides details on sharing, verification ID generation, and replicating user data across multiple cloud providers for reliability.
Old Easter Island genomes show no sign of a population collapse:
The genome sequence from the remains of 15 Rapa Nui natives, who predate European contact, reveals that the population of the island grew slowly and steadily without any sign of a bottleneck associated with an ecological collapse. Approximately 10% of the genomes appear to have a Native American source, which is likely from around the same time as the island's settlement. These findings help answer some of the biggest questions about the settling of Rapa Nui but do not provide clear dates for when the people who carried these genomes lived.
Intel is on life support. Can anything save it?:
The article discusses Intel's history of innovation since its founding in 1968. The company is known for shrinking transistors every two years, following a regular pattern known as Moore's law. This allowed Intel to dominate the market for memory chips and later microprocessors during the PC revolution in the 1980s.
The article discusses how cognitive science can be used to understand the mind, focusing on memory and learning. It highlights that memory is a product of what we think about rather than what we want or try to remember. To teach effectively, teachers should focus on creating assignments that make students think deeply about the material's meaning. The article suggests using story structure as an effective way to help students comprehend and remember information by organizing lesson plans in a coherent manner, ensuring students think about the material's meaning throughout.
Greenland landslide caused freak wave that shook Earth for nine days:
On September 16, 2023, seismic monitoring stations detected a strange signal from the fjord in eastern Greenland, which lasted for nine days and was caused by water sloshing across it due to a massive landslide that resulted in a 110-meter-high tsunami. This event highlights how climate change can cause landslides and impact Earth's geological features. The landslide occurred when a glacier thinned, causing the mountainside to collapse into the fjord, releasing an estimated 25 million cubic meters of rock and ice. As the planet continues to warm due to climate change, similar events are expected to occur more frequently.
Right-wingers can’t get enough of anti-Haitian AI disinformation:
Right-wing media figures and influencers have descended on Springfield, Ohio to investigate a viral racist rumor about Haitian migrants in the area, using misleading and AI-generated content to support their claims. The growing Haitian population has become symbolic of conservatives' concerns regarding immigration and demographic change. The rumor has had negative effects on Springfield's Haitian community, with some families keeping children home from school out of fear for their safety. Additionally, false claims about people eating cats are not the only disinformation coming out of Springfield; politicians have also spread misleading information regarding immigration statuses and public assistance eligibility.
This article discusses a tool called Docker to WSL, which converts Docker images into WSL distributions for Windows. The tool allows users to build or pull Docker images and then import them into WSL for further use. It simplifies the process of creating custom WSL distributions and is useful for managing and replicating development environments. The article also covers installation and usage instructions, as well as dependencies and licensing information.
Personal carbon footprint of the rich is vastly underestimated by rich and poor alike, study finds:
An international study involving researchers from the Copenhagen Business School, University of Basel and University of Cambridge found that people tend to underestimate the carbon footprints of poorer individuals while overestimating those of the richest in society. The survey, which involved 4,000 participants from Denmark, India, Nigeria, and the United States, revealed that despite the well-known gap between the carbon footprints of the wealthiest and least affluent people in society, there was uncertainty about whether individuals were aware of this inequality. The researchers emphasized that personal carbon footprints can help illustrate profound inequality within and between countries while also providing guidance on how to live more sustainably.
Archaeologists have discovered three giant sloth bones at Santa Elina rock shelter in central Brazil, which were likely perforated and polished by human hands to be used as personal adornments around 25,000-27,000 years ago. These pendants are the oldest known personal ornaments found in the Americas and are made from giant sloth bone, according to a study led by paleontologist Thais Pansani. The rock shelter also features rock art of animal and humanlike forms; however, their exact age remains unclear. The findings suggest that humans and giant sloths coexisted at the site, with the sloth being a herbivore with long clawed arms designed for digging but not preying on humans.
The comedy and tragedy of detailed feedback:
The article discusses the importance and impact of good feedback in promoting quality work, professional growth, and fostering positive relationships within teams. It emphasizes the difference between feedback in open-source communities and corporate settings, highlighting that feedback culture is more effective when focused on the craft and improvement rather than just job completion. The article also suggests that people can absorb only a limited amount of feedback per interaction, making it crucial to deliver it thoughtfully and with good intentions.
If I could dissect a sauropod…:
The article discusses the hypothetical dissection of a sauropod, specifically focusing on examining its lung/air sac system and diverticula. Author Matt Wedel is intrigued by the possibility that extant birds might not represent the pinnacle of saurischian lung/air sac evolution and believes titanosaurs are a good candidate for pushing the boundaries of this system in interesting directions. The article goes on to mention various anatomical systems that could be examined if given the chance to dissect a sauropod, such as spinal cord and neural canal specializations, intervertebral joints, digestive tract, reproductive system, and integumentary specializations.
1913: When Hitler, Trotsky, Tito, Freud and Stalin all lived in the same place:
In January 1913, Vienna hosted a group of influential individuals who would go on to shape much of the 20th century, including Adolf Hitler, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Sigmund Freud, and Josip Broz (Marshal Tito). The city was a melting pot of cultures, attracting ambitious people from across its vast empire. Vienna's cafes played a crucial role in fostering debate and intellectual exchange, providing a unique environment for political dissidents on the run. Despite its dark side - slums and high suicide rates - Vienna remained synonymous with music, balls, and the waltz.
Solene'% : Self-hosting at home and privacy:
This article discusses the privacy concerns related to self-hosting services at home. It highlights various information that can be extracted through WHOIS queries, TLS certificates using ACME, and domain names. The author suggests mitigating these drawbacks by either moving services to a remote server or using Tor hidden service or I2P. However, the article also acknowledges that self-hosting at home can provide practical benefits like reusing old hardware and better local throughput.
LSL1 Age Quiz - Al Lowe's Humor Site:
This article provides a collection of questions and answers from a 1987 computer game, in which players must identify people over the age of 41 at that time. The article highlights some of the memorable or humorous questions from the game, such as identifying O. J. Simpson as an R&B singer, Angela Davis as a failed politician, and Mohammed Ali as a professional boxer. Additionally, it includes a few „not“ questions to see which answers are incorrect, like Tijuana not being in Mexico or Tom Selleck not being an astronaut. The article concludes with a list of randomized questions from the game.
In southeastern Colorado, farmers were discovered to be tampering with weather station instruments in order to manufacture drought data used to support crop insurance claims. The fraudulent scheme resulted in false insurance claims totaling over $3 million. The criminals were eventually caught and agreed to pay a combined total of $6.6 million in restitution. This case highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of government programs, as well as the potential for creative fraud in agriculture subsidy systems.
Be a thermostat, not a thermometer:
The article discusses how humans are easily influenced by the moods of those around them and how our brains try to make sense of these changes in behavior. Our amygdalas help us detect threats, and we tend to mirror each other's emotions and body language. This can create a cycle where someone's bad day influences others and vice versa. The article suggests that by noticing changes in someone's behavior and becoming the thermostat rather than the thermometer, you can influence the energy of a situation positively. It also provides tips on how to act as a thermostat through body language, tone, and word choice.
The how and why of optimal performance:
The article discusses the journey of understanding how to run Rails applications backed by SQLite performantly and resiliently. It highlights various problems that exist in using SQLite on Rails, such as SQLITE_BUSY exceptions and long-tail performance issues. The author provides solutions to these problems, focusing on configuring transactions, handling timeouts, unlocking the GVL, and implementing write-ahead logs. Additionally, they suggest using isolated connection pools for read and write operations. Finally, the author emphasizes that Rails is a powerful framework for working with SQLite and encourages exploring its ecosystem of tools and gems to create optimal performance in production applications.
Why Copilot is Making Programmers Worse at Programming:
The rise of AI-driven tools like GitHub's Copilot and large language models (LLMs) has promised to revolutionize programming by improving productivity, but there are concerns about the potential negative impact on programmers' skills. These concerns include erosion of core programming skills, over-reliance on auto-generated code, lack of ownership and responsibility, reduced learning opportunities, narrowed creative thinking, dependency on proprietary tools, and a false sense of expertise. Developers need to be aware of these potential drawbacks and strive for a balanced approach when using AI-assisted coding tools.
Noisy Neighbor Detection with eBPF:
The Compute and Performance Engineering teams at Netflix have developed a solution using eBPF (Extended Berkeley Packet Filter) to address the „noisy neighbor“ problem in their multi-tenant compute platform, Titus. This problem refers to a container or system service that heavily utilizes server resources, causing performance degradation for adjacent containers. The team has used eBPF to achieve continuous, low-overhead instrumentation of the Linux scheduler, which enables effective self-serve monitoring of noisy neighbor issues with deeper insights and enhanced monitoring.
Android apps are blocking sideloading and forcing Google Play versions instead:
Google's Play Integrity API is causing disruption in the Android ecosystem by pushing „remediation“ dialogs during sideloading, prompting users to download apps from the official Play Store. This new feature aims to ensure that devices running modified versions of Android have secure software environments and protect developers from potential issues with unknown distribution channels. While some criticize Google's approach as an attempt to monopolize the app market, others argue for standard Android hardware attestation instead.
In this article, the author discusses their experience with reading books aloud and how it has affected their connection to the text. They found that reading Jane Eyre and Trainspotting aloud allowed them to better connect with the authors' messages and maintain focus throughout the story. The author also mentions historical context of reading aloud compared to silent reading, noting that reading aloud was more common in the past before the advent of public education systems and reader-friendly typesetting practices. They suggest that perhaps it is time for a shift back towards reading aloud as it can lead to greater comprehension and connection with the text.
Antibiotics damage the colonic mucus barrier in a microbiota-independent manner:
Antibiotics damage the colonic mucus barrier in a microbiota-independent manner. The article explains how antibiotic use can disrupt the colonic mucus barrier, predisposing to intestinal inflammation by impeding mucus production. The researchers conducted a series of experiments to prove this hypothesis, including using fecal microbiota transplant, RNA sequencing, ex vivo mucus secretion measurements, and antibiotic treatment of germ-free mice. The study found that antibiotics induce endoplasmic reticulum stress in the colon that inhibits colonic mucus secretion in a microbiota-independent manner, leading to encroachment of bacteria into the mucus layer and exacerbation of ulcerations. The findings indicate that antibiotic use might predispose to intestinal inflammation by impeding mucus production.
I Wish I Didn't Miss the '90s-00s Internet:
The article discusses the author's dissatisfaction with modern social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which they believe have turned into a game focused on addiction and superficiality. They express their longing for simpler times when people had personal blogs or even MySpace, where content was driven by curiosity rather than profit or manipulation. The author also mentions the existence of a small community of young people who share this philosophy but laments the lack of others their age embracing it.
Facebook has admitted to scraping the public photos, posts and other data of Australian adult users to train its AI models without offering an opt-out option. The company provides an opt-out option to EU users in part due to legal uncertainty surrounding strict privacy laws covering those nations. Labor senator Tony Sheldon asked whether Meta had used Australian posts from as far back as 2007 to feed its AI products, and the Facebook representative acknowledged they would if not set on private.
Possibly all the ways to get loop-finding in graphs wrong:
The article discusses various algorithms for detecting loops in graphs and highlighting them as errors, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses. Simon Tatham presents a case study of his experiences with these algorithms, including vertex dsf, graph pruning, loop tracing, face dsf, footpath dsf, and Tarjan's bridge-finding algorithm. The article concludes that although there is no definitive flaw in any of the algorithms, they may depend on certain properties of the graph, such as planarity or orientation.
Radicle is a peer-to-peer, local-first code collaboration stack built on Git. The first release candidate for Radicle 1.0 was announced in March 2024 and after five months of feedback and 17 release candidates, the final version is now available. With Radicle 1.0, users can enjoy a secure authentication protocol using public key cryptography, an extensible Collaborative Objects system for social interactions such as issues and code review, and privacy at the protocol level with Tor support. Alongside this release comes stability commitments for future protocol changes and a more dependable release process. Radicle is now ready to use and invites users to contribute to its ecosystem by joining the community on Zulip and discussing ways to improve the platform.
This article details a user's experience replacing their existing homelab setup with Ubiquiti (Unifi) devices, including switches, access points, cameras, and routers. The user faced challenges such as concrete walls cutting out Wi-Fi signals and difficulty obtaining Ubiquiti products in Turkey but ultimately found the process to be smooth. They replaced their TP-Link Omada products with Unifi devices due to better user experience and features offered by the latter.
Bluey, and the hierarchy of distractions:
The article discusses how pre-child expectations for protecting children from algorithmically generated content turned out to be different in reality. Instead, the child is interested in two shows: Peppa Pig and Bluey. Created by Joe Brumm, Bluey has become a dominant TV show worldwide, overtaking previous champion Cocomelon. The article also discusses finding a hierarchy of quality in kids' TV and how this concept applies to adults dealing with distractions in their daily lives. It suggests embracing distraction and shaping it instead of trying to block out screens entirely, as the internet has become more helpful than a hindrance. The article concludes by encouraging attentiveness and mastering distraction rather than escaping from it.
Europe opened a door to a universal wallet. The web’s inventor wants to enter:
The European digital identity (eID) is set to revolutionize the way we manage our digital lives, with just one app allowing citizens to access financial services, sign contracts, and travel. By 2026, the EU will embed eID in a new system, which aims to slash bureaucracy and provide guaranteed security, access, and compatibility for digital wallets. The plan has both supporters and critics; however, if successful, it could set an „important bar“ for wallets and enforce „a standard“ for credentials, spurring innovation and potentially becoming a global standard.
Is 7 days a week the new norm (for YC)?:
The article discusses working conditions at Y Combinator (YC) companies and the culture that encourages long hours and 7-day work weeks. Employees are expected to be available 24/7, and founders often put in grueling hours themselves. This type of work culture can lead to burnout, low employee morale, and potential issues with retaining talent. The article suggests that a healthy balance between work and personal life is essential for both employees and founders alike.
Neanderthals' social isolation may have sped up their extinction:
Using DNA extracted from roughly 45,000-year-old bones found in France, scientists have discovered a new Neanderthal lineage that likely had minimal interaction with other Neanderthals. The remains belong to „Thorin,“ a man who lived in a small community in the Rhône Valley of present-day France. A genetic analysis revealed that Thorin's community was isolated from others and diverged around 100,000 years ago. This finding suggests there were at least two Neanderthal populations present during their extinction. The study sheds light on the potential reasons behind their extinction, such as climate change, increased competition, breeding with humans, and isolation due to limited contact with other members of their species.
New Feature Alert: Access Archived Webpages Directly Through Google Search:
Google Search has made it easier for users to access archived versions of websites through a new feature that connects directly with the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. By clicking on three dots next to search results, users can view previous versions of webpages and explore internet history. The collaboration between Google and the Internet Archive emphasizes the importance of preserving digital content for future generations, while also making it more accessible to users.
David Chang on the long, hard, stupid way - Herbert Lui:
The article discusses a quote by David Chang about holding casual restaurants to fine dining standards. It emphasizes the importance of personal integrity and teaching staff to do things the „long, hard, stupid way“ for better results. An example from David's book, Eat a Peach, shows how he values quality in his restaurant, Majordomo. He shares an email exchange with his team about a presentation chicken dish that was easier to prepare but altered the original intention of the dish. Chang believes that maintaining high standards and building capacity for quality is vital in the food industry.
Common mistakes when using the metric system:
The International System of Units (SI), commonly known as the metric system, is a universal and precise way to express physical quantities, but its uniformity can be threatened by sloppy usage and lack of awareness about SI rules. Common mistakes in using the metric system include: not following mandatory rules, creating non-standard abbreviations for units, pluralizing unit symbols incorrectly, incorrect capitalization of unit names, confusion between multiplication and division, improper use of prefixes, and more. To ensure uniformity and clarity in the SI system, it is important to follow these guidelines when expressing physical quantities.
The article discusses CrewAI, a cutting-edge framework for orchestrating role-playing, autonomous AI agents. By fostering collaborative intelligence, CrewAI empowers agents to work together seamlessly, tackling complex tasks. It offers features such as role-based agent design, autonomous inter-agent delegation, flexible task management, process-driven execution, and compatibility with both open-source and proprietary models. CrewAI is open-source and welcomes community contributions.
nyrahealth/CrisperWhisper · Hugging Face:
CrisperWhisper is an advanced version of OpenAI's Whisper, designed for precise and verbatim speech recognition with accurate word-level timestamps. It aims to transcribe every spoken word exactly as it is, including fillers, pauses, stutters, and false starts. Key features include accurate word-level timestamps, verbatim transcription, filler detection, and hallucination mitigation. CrisperWhisper significantly outperforms Whisper Large v3 on datasets with a more verbatim transcription style, such as AMI and TED-LIUM. Usage involves transformers in Python scripts for speech recognition tasks.
Results (Don't) Speak For Themselves: A Case For Documentation:
This article highlights the importance of documentation in various sectors, such as healthcare, housing and education. It discusses how policies and practices that have been overlooked or ignored can lead to tragic consequences. The story of Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis is used as an example; his discovery of handwashing reducing maternal mortality rates was largely ignored by the medical establishment at the time, resulting in countless unnecessary deaths. In contrast, Florence Nightingale, influenced by Semmelweis' work, implemented rigorous hygiene practices in British army hospitals, which led to a significant reduction in mortality rates.
The article also explores how exclusionary zoning practices have contributed to housing unaffordability and the slow progress of reform in many cities. The YIMBY movement is highlighted as an example of successful supply-side reforms that can alleviate this issue. In the education sector, the article discusses how California's University of California system used to be free but has since become more expensive for in-state residents. Lastly, it mentions GLP-1 agonists in healthcare and the potential tragedy brewing if another pandemic were to strike without maintaining the capacity for rapid vaccine development.
The author emphasizes the importance of comprehensive documentation, open-access platforms, and accessible information for public consumption as crucial steps towards ensuring progress benefits future generations.
This article recounts the author's experience with an unintended consequence during development on an AWS platform. A seemingly minor code change resulted in a container failing to start repeatedly, leading to over $1000 in unnecessary data processing charges for NAT Gateway usage. Despite the issue causing concern, the client was understanding and allowed the author to negotiate a credit for the costs. The article ends with a reminder about controlling cloud costs by removing unused resources in test environments.
Multispectral Imaging and the Voynich Manuscript:
Multispectral imaging, a technique that captures digital images using non-visible wavelengths such as ultraviolet and infrared light, has proven invaluable in helping scholars read palimpsests and damaged manuscripts like the Archimedes Palimpsest and the Syriac Galen Palimpsest. Could this technology be used to reveal secrets hidden within the Voynich Manuscript?
In 2014, a team from The Lazarus Project took multispectral images of ten select pages of the Voynich Manuscript (also known as Beinecke Library MS 408). However, these images were never publicly seen or studied until now. Four folders in a shared drive contain high-resolution TIFFs and processed multispectral images that can be viewed and downloaded.
Upon examining the images, it has been found that there are three types of evidence: hidden/revealed, offset, and show-through. For instance, on folio 70v1, several Voynichese characters that cannot be read under visible light become legible in the ultraviolet light.
The multispectral images do not provide a key to reading the Voynich Manuscript but instead serve as proof-of-concept and could potentially reveal additional evidence invisible to the naked eye.
Firefox update added more sponsored content on new-tab page:
The amount of settings to disable on a fresh Firefox install is becoming excessive, with users needing to uncheck 10 different options, such as Recommend extensions as you browse, Recommend features as you browse, Sponsored Shortcuts, and more. Many users are displeased with the amount of content that appears on new tabs, claiming it is cluttered and unnecessary.
Is telling a model to "not hallucinate" absurd?:
The article discusses the possibility of training Large Language Models (LLMs) to not hallucinate upon request. While it may seem silly, there is no reason why it shouldn't work if the model was fine-tuned on instructions containing „don't hallucinate.“ LLMs require two things: an ability to perform the task and an ability to ground the instruction. Evidence suggests that these abilities exist within models. The article argues that with the right training, LLMs can be taught to reduce hallucinations upon request.
In Lüneburg finden unsere Shuttlebusse am Rondell an den Buchten statt. Die Busse sind mit unserem MPS Logo und einer A3 Schild ausgewiesen. Sie fahren oberhalb der Musikarena ab, direkt neben der Teilnehmer Campsite, die ausgeschildert ist. Die MPS GOLDTALER sind 30 Euro Goldmünzen und die größte Fehldruck in der 30-jährigen MPS Geschichte. Da eine Veranstaltung in Weeze nicht stattfinden wird, stellt diese Münze ein einmaliges Unikat dar. Die MPS GOLDTALER sind eine wunderbare Weihnachtsgeschenkidee für alle Fans und können auch zu Geburtstagen, zur bestandenen Führerscheinprüfung oder zu Nikolaus und Weihnachten verschenkt werden.
Lab-grown diamonds - Works in Progress:
This article is about the creation and properties of diamonds, both those made in nature and those produced in laboratories. It discusses the scientific principles behind diamond formation, the techniques used to synthesize lab-grown diamonds, and the various applications of diamonds in industry and jewelry. The article also touches on the changing market dynamics due to the increasing availability and affordability of lab-grown diamonds, as well as the potential future uses of diamonds in technology.
The article discusses the usage of Python in Data Engineering tasks, stating that its demise has been exaggerated and it will remain relevant. It mentions Rust as an alternative, but notes that while it may offer speed and safety benefits, developer efficiency matters too. The author tests Rust in small and mundane parts of Data Engineering by creating S3 operations and handling flat files with headers and footers. They conclude that although Python and Rust have their own advantages and drawbacks, the reality is that both languages will coexist for different purposes in Data Engineering tasks.
The article discusses how business leaders often prioritize avoiding lost revenue over security investments. It argues that while it might seem more straightforward to focus on maintaining backups, it's crucial to understand that the true goal is being able to restore data in case of disaster. This means not only having the data but also the ability to restore it effectively. The article explains how the IT industry has continuously improved backup technology and techniques, driven by a history of unexpected and catastrophic data loss events. However, despite this progress, business leaders still tend to prioritize other risk mitigation strategies over investing in information security due to various challenges, such as complexity, expense, and the lack of tangible results.
The article explains why GitHub won over other code hosting platforms like SourceForge. It highlights two main reasons: starting at the right time when distributed open source version control tools were becoming popular, and having good taste in developer experience. GitHub cofounder Chris Beams states that they built it for developers by developers without focusing on revenue streams or optimizing features to sell.
Searching 32 million academic papers for obscene acronyms hidden in the titles:
This article discusses an experiment where 32 million academic papers were searched for obscene words hidden in the initial letters of their titles. The researcher used Unpaywall data and found around 80,000 titles with fragments of swearwords in them. The author shared the results on Twitter, asking users to spot any they thought were worth highlighting. Some examples included „Crap Shit U,“ „Sexual Hormones in the Pathophysiology of Tourette's Syndrome“ spelling „shitpots,“ and „Correction of Cervical Kyphosis Using Pedicle Screw Fixation Systems“ with the acronym „cock ups, fs.“
Wind becomes Britain’s largest electricity source | Q2 2024 Quarterly Report | Electric Insights:
In Britain, wind power has surpassed gas and coal as the country's single largest source of electricity generation over the past twelve months, producing 83 TWh compared to natural gas's 81 TWh. Wind now accounts for 32% of demand, while gas supplies 31%. This shift is attributed to growing wind output and a decrease in reliance on gas. The UK is set to become the sixth country worldwide where wind farms are the leading source of electricity by the end of the year.
The article is a letter from an Atlassian customer who works with their tools professionally and has experienced the company's migration to cloud-based services. Jira tickets commonly use checklists, and Atlassian provides a plugin for this purpose. However, the customer received a notification regarding a limit of 10,000 checklist items per instance starting October 1, 2024. This prompted criticism from the customer who felt it exemplified Atlassian's strategy of encouraging migration and then profiting from dependency. The article concludes that Atlassian is just trying to optimize user experience by simplifying pricing and clarifying terms of service.
Do Programmers Actually Need Touch Typing?:
This article discusses touch typing, which is typing without using the sense of sight to find keys, relying on muscle memory instead. The author explains that touch typing can be beneficial for programmers because it allows them to type more accurately and faster, freeing up mental power to focus on their thoughts rather than the actual typing process. Touch-typing developers are found to type at around 70-120 WPM, compared to non-touch-typing developers who type at about 40-50 WPM. The article concludes that learning touch typing requires dedication for two to three weeks and is highly beneficial in terms of efficiency and mental focus.
What I Gave Up To Become An Engineering Manager:
The article discusses the challenges faced during the transition from an individual contributor (IC) to engineering manager. It highlights five things that need to be let go in order to successfully make the transition: building things, focus time, fast feedback, conflict avoidance, and short-sightedness. By letting these things go, one can become a better engineering manager by adapting to new roles and responsibilities.
Configuring persistent power limits on Nvidia GPU's in linux:
The article discusses setting power limits on NVIDIA GPUs for more efficient energy usage and improved performance in compute tasks. It provides a step-by-step guide to create a bash script named nv-power-limit.sh and sets up a systemd service called nv-power-limit.service to automatically set power limits at boot. The process involves creating the necessary files, setting permissions for root access only, testing the functionality of the service, and making sure it works correctly after rebooting the system.
Serving AI From The Basement: 192GB of VRAM Setup:
The author built an AI server with 8x RTX 3090 graphics cards, totaling 192GB of VRAM, specifically for Meta's Llamma-3.1 405B. After researching various components and assembling the system, the author plans to write a series of blog posts covering the process and related topics such as PCIe risers, benchmarking inference engines, training LLMs, and future tech possibilities. The server is aimed at creating advanced AI technology for the future.
This article discusses an Atari intro created by the author, featuring bandwidth impossible sprites and fullscreen drawing. The article delves into the technical details and algorithms used to achieve these impressive visuals, including information on STE blitter, Atari's famous „fullscreen mode,“ and how the algorithms work in detail.
Exploiting CI / CD Pipelines for fun and profit – Razz Security Blog:
This article discusses a severe exploit chain that led to a full server takeover, starting from a publicly exposed .git directory. The author discovered sensitive information in the .git folder and used it to gain access to the Bitbucket Pipelines configuration file. They modified the pipeline configuration to add their SSH key to the production server's authorized_keys file, allowing them to log into the server and take full control. The article highlights the risks associated with public exposure of sensitive directories and improper handling of CI/CD pipelines, emphasizing the importance of regular audits for developers and sysadmins to prevent such attacks.
Researchers discover a surprising way to jump-start battery performance:
A study conducted by researchers at the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center found that giving lithium-ion batteries their first charge at high currents increases their lifespans by 50% and decreases initial charging time from 10 hours to just 20 minutes. This method also led to a better understanding of changes in the battery electrodes, providing valuable insights for manufacturers looking to streamline processes and improve product performance. The research was funded by the Toyota Research Institute as part of SLAC's sustainability research efforts and has practical implications for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and other technologies.
The PermaTab Web Browser is a revolutionary browser developed by UHI that addresses the issue of organizing and preserving tabs for users. It features permanent tabs, advanced tracking through behavioral fingerprinting, long-term support with infinite tab space through monitor stands, and free access to the ultimate browsing technology without charging any money. The browser aims to provide an improved web browsing experience by solving the common problem of tab management.
Study links bananas, oats and yoghurt to greater diabetes risk in susceptible children:
A study has found that children who are susceptible to type 1 diabetes may be at a higher risk if they consume bananas, oats, and yoghurt, while strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, and other berries seem to protect them from the condition. The researchers believe that plant compounds in berries can help dampen inflammation associated with type 1 diabetes. However, it is important to determine which factors within these foods are responsible for their associations before making any dietary recommendations. Diabetes UK states that the causes of T1D remain unknown and not thought to be caused by what you eat or drink.
Unrealized gains taxes are a pointless hassle. Much better ways to tax the rich:
This article discusses the issue of „unrealized gains taxes,“ where people only pay tax on capital gains when they sell their assets, rather than when their assets' value increases. It suggests that closing this loophole by taxing unrealized gains would be a good idea but points out that it is not necessarily a comprehensive solution to the problem of wealth inequality. The article also mentions that if only people with over 80% of their wealth in liquid assets are subjected to this tax, the super-rich may simply shift their wealth into other asset classes like land until less than 20.01% of their wealth is in liquid assets.
Unrealized gains taxes are a pointless hassle:
This article discusses the issue with some Democratic politicians in America who tend to focus on economic populism but get lost in the technical details. It suggests that taxing the rich is a good idea, and raising income taxes or capital gains taxes are effective ways to do so without harming the economy. The article then goes on to discuss Elizabeth Warren's proposal for an „unrealized gains“ tax, which has been taken up by Kamala Harris. The author argues that it doesn't make sense to invent new taxes when there are already tried-and-true methods available, and that the unrealized gains tax may not be as effective or popular with voters. They also point out that the proposal could potentially rile up both rich businesspeople and wonky intellectuals, drawing attention away from other policy proposals.
Wie Napoleon Bonaparte Europa eroberte (Video):
This transcript of a YouTube video discusses the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, focusing on his military genius, propagandistic skills, and rise to power as Emperor of France. Key points include his birth and upbringing in Corsica, his early military career and education at the royal military academy in Brienne, France, and his involvement in the French Revolution leading him to become a prominent figure in the French Armed Forces.
The video also highlights Napoleon's key campaigns and battles in Italy, Egypt, Austria, and other parts of Europe which led to the expansion of French territories. Notably, it discusses his defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805 and his eventual rise as Emperor after declaring himself so in 1804. The video also touches upon his invasion of Russia in 1812, which led to a disastrous outcome for Napoleon and the subsequent decline of his empire.
The video ends with Napoleon's exile to St. Helena where he died on May 5, 1821. Throughout the transcript, remarkable quotes and anecdotes from Napoleon's life are included, such as his famous quote: „To die is nothing; but to be defeated and robbed of all that makes life worth living is a fate more terrible than death.“
Depression bei Männern： Darum ist sie oft jahrelang unbemerkt ｜ Puls Check ｜ SRF (Video):
The Youtube video transcript discusses the topic of depression among men, focusing on their unique symptoms and the challenges they face in seeking help for mental health issues. The video features an interview with Rolli, a man who has suffered from depression since his teenage years but only sought therapy after 20 years. Rolli shares his experience of feeling ashamed and hiding his condition before finally seeking help. He highlights the stigma around men discussing mental health issues and how societal expectations contribute to their reluctance in seeking support.
The video also addresses the differences between male and female depression symptoms, with men being more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior, engage in excessive activities like work or sports, and experience reactive depression rather than withdrawal. Men are also more prone to suicide than women, although the prevalence of depression among them is still debated.
Rolli's journey through therapy is showcased, including his participation in various treatments such as art therapy and mindfulness training. The video emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and support from friends or healthcare professionals for those struggling with depression, as well as the potential benefits of psychotherapy and antidepressants.
In conclusion, this Youtube video transcript provides insights into the experiences and challenges faced by men dealing with depression while encouraging open discussions around mental health to break down stigma and promote support for those in need.
Was China der Welt nicht zeigt - Total Trust ｜ Doku HD ｜ ARTE (Video):
The Transcript eines Youtube Videos covers several topics related to human rights violations, surveillance technology, and the impact of these practices on individuals and society in China. Here's a detailed summary for each topic:
1. Surveillance Technology and its Use: The video discusses the use of augmented reality billboards by LL Vision that can quickly identify suspicious individuals in large crowds. These billboards are equipped with facial recognition cameras at entrances, which aid law enforcement in searching for fugitives or blacklisted individuals. Additionally, the technology is used to monitor employee stress levels and inform management to prevent potential issues.
2. Monitoring of Online Activities: The video highlights how phones and apps are monitored, with changes made to user profiles without consent. A personal anecdote shared by a woman involves her sister's account being suspended after she posted a family video online, while her own account was only affected when she tried to upload videos with her face in them.
3. Arbitrary Detention and Legal Issues: The video introduces the case of Wang Quanzhang, a human rights lawyer who was arbitrarily detained for his work defending the rights of citizens against government wrongdoings. His wife, Li Wenzu, and their son are also affected by his prolonged absence, with the son expressing frustration towards his father's situation.
4. Social Credit System: The video explains China's social credit system, which assigns a score to individuals based on their behavior. Low scores can result in restrictions such as limited access to certain schools for children and travel limitations. This system is being implemented in various cities like Rongcheng, where community members participate in activities like night patrols to earn points that can be redeemed for gifts from the party.
5. Impact on Families of human rights defenders: The video emphasizes the hardships faced by families of human rights defenders, who often face surveillance and pressure to abandon their cause. In one instance, a woman is visited at home multiple times by the police in the middle of the night, causing her son to develop depression.
6. Repercussions for Activism: The video outlines the consequences faced by those who dare to protest or speak out against the government. One example given is that of Sophia Huang, a woman who was targeted and detained by the secret police after she dreamed about death and her soul leaving her body.
7. Control over Education and Information: The video mentions the control exerted by the Chinese government over education and information. Students are taught to call their teachers „green brother“ instead of „uncle,“ and individuals who question this system risk being labeled as a discontent person or having their health code turned red.
8. Economic Issues: The video touches on economic issues faced by some people in China, such as the return of savings deposits requested by a group in Henan province that led to their health codes turning red, effectively preventing them from leaving home.
Wie viel Originalität steckt im Massenprodukt Mousse au Chocolat？ Chocolatier vs. Großhersteller! (Video):
The video transcript discusses the popular dessert Mousse au Chocolat and its production methods both at mass-scale and from scratch by professionals. Key points include:
1. Mass-produced Mousse au Chocolat is made in large quantities with machines and homogeneous ingredients, while handmade or artisanal versions have a more delicate and nuanced flavor due to the craftsmanship involved.
2. The mass production process involves using high quality raw materials such as ethically sourced cocoa beans and fresh local dairy products.
3. A detailed comparison is made between the production processes of professional pastry chefs in small businesses (such as Andreas Muschler's) and large-scale manufacturers like Danone, showing how both approaches have their merits and drawbacks.
4. The importance of temperature control during all stages of production, from sourcing ingredients to final packaging, is emphasized for maintaining the quality and taste of Mousse au Chocolat.
5. Innovative technologies such as high-pressure homogenizers and stick nitrogen injection are used in industrial settings to create a lighter, fluffier texture with less fat content than artisanal versions.
6. Despite the mass-produced Mousse au Chocolat's lower cost and longer shelf life compared to handmade ones, consumers can still notice a difference in taste and freshness.
TikTok, Insta, Candy Crush - wie Apps uns süchtig machen wollen - Saloon Livetalk ｜ ARTE (Video):
The Transcript eines Youtube Videos covers several topics related to the impact of social media and smartphones on mental health, well-being, and human behavior. Here's a detailed summary of each topic along with key points, arguments, facts, names, and technical terms:
1. Introduction to Social Media Impact: The discussion began by acknowledging the two-edged nature of social media, citing examples like grandmothers using WhatsApp for more contact with their grandchildren. It also touched on the negative aspects, such as decreased face-to-face interaction due to smartphone usage.
Key Points: - Social media has both positive and negative impacts. - Smartphones can lead to less in-person socializing.
2. The Psychology of Social Networks: This segment delved into the psychological tricks used by tech giants, such as the Facebook „like“ button, which creates a feedback loop that keeps users engaged. It also discussed the concept of „dopamine loops“ and how they are designed to keep users coming back for more.
Key Points: - Social media platforms use design elements to manipulate user behavior. - The "like" button is an example of a feature designed to create engagement and addiction. - Dopamine loops are used by social media to create a sense of reward and keep users hooked.
3. Recognizing Problematic Behavior: The conversation moved towards identifying when social media use becomes problematic, with a focus on the criteria for diagnosing internet-related disorders. It also addressed the question of whether constant smartphone usage can lead to loneliness or isolation.
Key Points: - Problematic behavior is characterized by loss of control over one's actions and neglect of other areas of life. - The concept of "upward comparison" was discussed, where users feel worse about themselves due to seeing idealized lives on social media. - There are currently 2-4% of the population with internet-related disorders in Germany.
4. Digital Detox and Age Limits: This part explored the idea of a „Digital Detox“ and whether it is beneficial or harmful. It also discussed the debate around age limits for social media usage, emphasizing the need for nuanced considerations rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Key Points: - The effectiveness of Digital Detox is not well understood due to lack of strong empirical evidence. - Age limits for social media use are complex and depend on individual factors and contexts, not just age alone.
5. The Impact of Social Media on Children and Teenagers: This topic focused on the particular vulnerabilities children and teenagers face when it comes to social media and gaming apps. It was highlighted that their brain development, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, influences self-regulation abilities.
Key Points: - Children and teenagers may be more susceptible to the addictive nature of social media due to ongoing brain development. - The use of gaming apps can also lead to addiction due to similar psychological tricks used by tech giants.
6. Conclusion: In the final segment, the guests provided quick wins for those looking to reduce their smartphone and social media consumption, such as turning off push notifications, setting devices in gray mode, and reflecting on how much time is spent on different platforms.
Key Points: - Reflecting on one's own behavior and making small changes can lead to a reduction in addictive smartphone and social media use. - Structure in everyday life, such as using a wristwatch instead of a phone for the time, can help break the cycle of constant device usage.
Executive Summary: The Transcript eines Youtube Videos explores various aspects of how social media and smartphones impact mental health, well-being, and human behavior. It discusses the psychological tricks used by tech giants to keep users engaged, the criteria for recognizing problematic behavior, the unique vulnerabilities children and teenagers face with digital platforms, and provides practical tips for reducing smartphone and social media consumption. The conversation emphasizes the need for nuanced considerations in addressing these issues, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Vermögenssteuer EXPOSED! 😤 Meinungsmache Spezial (Video):
The video discusses the Swiss wealth tax, its implementation on a canton level, and debunks common arguments against it. Key points include:
1. Switzerland is one of the few European countries that still have a wealth tax (at cantonal level).
2. The complex valuation process of various assets makes the wealth tax controversial in some countries.
3. In Germany and Austria, wealth taxes were abolished due to administrative costs outweighing revenue.
4. The speaker argues that Switzerland's political structure and culture support maintaining a wealth tax, unlike Germany and Austria where it is politically challenged by lobbying and corruption.
5. The video promotes the viewers to vote for parties advocating for the reintroduction of wealth tax in their respective countries.
We Solved The Mystery Of The Pyramids (Video):
The Great Pyramid of Giza has puzzled researchers for centuries regarding its location in the desert far from the Nile River. By using radar satellites, it was discovered that thousands of years ago, there used to be running water near the pyramids, and this was a branch of the Nile called the Aramat Branch, which is now dried up. The Aramat Branch had around 31 pyramids along its 64-kilometer stretch when it was active. It is believed that the disappearance of the Aramat Branch is related to changes in the Nile River Valley over the last 14,000 years, such as less rainfall and a shift in tectonic plates. This discovery provides new information on the cultural development, trade routes, and settlements of ancient Egypt.
Taiwan： Eine Insel als Spielball der Supermächte USA und China ｜ Mapped Out (Video):
The Transcript eines Youtube Videos discusses the ongoing tensions between China and Taiwan, focusing on their geopolitical significance and the role of the United States. Key points include:
1. Geographical Importance: Taiwan's strategic location near Chinese coasts makes it an essential player in regional politics. It serves as a first line of defense for both the US and China.
2. Economic Significance: Both China and the US maintain extensive trade relations with Taiwan, especially in the semiconductor industry, where 90% of modern chips come from TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company).
3. Historical Background: The tensions between China and Taiwan have deep historical roots. After losing Taiwan to Japan during the „Century of Humiliation“ (1842-1949), China wants it back as a symbol of regaining lost pride and territory, while the US supports Taiwan to maintain its influence in the region.
4. Military Tensions: Both China and the US are increasing their military presence around Taiwan, with China conducting large-scale naval exercises near Taiwanese waters, and the US strengthening ties with Japan and the Philippines.
5. Role of the United States: The US is committed to maintaining its influence in the region, partly due to the strategic importance of Taiwan as a democratic ally and as an economic partner. However, there's debate over whether the US would actively defend Taiwan if attacked by China.
6. Consequences of Conflict: The tensions between China and Taiwan have broader implications for global politics, economics, and security, especially in light of China's ambitions to become a major global power.
So entfernt ihr unnötige Apps von eurem Android-Smartphone (Video):
The video discusses the issue of bloatware on Android smartphones and how to safely remove unwanted apps. Key points include:
1. Bloatware refers to pre-installed software that takes up unnecessary storage space and device resources.
2. Some apps cannot be easily uninstalled from the device directly.
3. There is always a risk of errors when removing bloatware, so it's crucial to back up important data before proceeding.
4. Various methods exist for removing bloatware; the video demonstrates one involving ADB and Universal Android Debloater tools.
5. The process involves enabling developer mode on the device, installing ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and Universal Android Debloater software on a computer, connecting the phone to the computer via USB, using the tools to remove unwanted apps, and uninstalling them from the device.
6. It's important to ensure you understand what each app does before removing it, as some may be necessary for system updates or other functions.
7. The process is relatively simple and can help declutter your smartphone by removing unnecessary pre-installed apps.
The Insane Biology of： The Chimpanzee (Video):
The transcript discusses various topics about chimpanzees, their intelligence, behavior, social dynamics, violence, memory, and conservation efforts. Key points include:
- Chimps are our closest living relatives, sharing 98.8% of our DNA. They have photographic memories and a complex social structure with strong bonds through grooming.
- Violence is important in chimp society, but it's not entirely understood why they exhibit such brutality.
- Chimps have incredible strength, grip, and agility, which contribute to their violent behavior.
- Observations by Jane Goodall on chimpanzee warfare in the 1970s shocked the scientific community.
- Humans' impact on chimps is not directly responsible for their violence; it stems from competition over resources and territory.
- Chimps have a strong memory, enabling them to remember past interactions with others, making it easier to form coalitions and friendships.
- Young chimpanzees possess eidetic memory (photographic memory), which is remarkably better than that of humans.
- Theory of mind suggests that chimps understand the mental states of others and can predict their behavior.
- Chimps face threats from habitat destruction and poaching, leading to a decline in their population.
- The organization Planet Wild focuses on ecosystem restoration projects and offers membership options for individuals who want to contribute to conservation efforts.
Ab wann wird dein ETF zum ＂Selbstläufer＂ (ohne weiter einzahlen zu müssen)？ (Video):
The transcript of the YouTube video discusses various topics related to building wealth through saving money and investing. Markus from Finanztus explains how compound interest works, using a hypothetical example where someone saves 150 Euros or 1800 Euros per year until retirement at age 67. The video demonstrates that over time, the savings will grow exponentially due to the effect of compound interest and the power of time.
The key points in this discussion include:
- Starting early with saving money is essential, as it allows for exponential growth through compounding interest and gives more time for investments to mature.
- Saving rate becomes insignificant over time when compared to the total wealth created by the power of compound interest.
- Reaching a certain goal or milestone in savings can help decide whether to stop saving.
- The 4% rule, where an individual can withdraw 4% of their initial wealth annually during retirement.
- Considering the potential risks and volatility in investments when deciding to stop saving or altering the saving strategy.
- Balancing between enjoying life now versus building up a larger retirement fund for future needs.
Overall, the video highlights the importance of starting early with savings and considering various factors such as time horizons, risk appetite, investment returns, and financial goals when making decisions on stopping or altering saving strategies.