Links für 2023 KW 43
Zusammengefasst von LlongOrca.
A Project Supporting Migrants Was Cost Effective. Why Did It End?:
The UK tested an alternative approach to detaining people living outside the immigration system. Praised by the UN, the outcomes didn't align with the government's strict stance on immigration. A 26-year-old woman, who came to England from Nigeria at age 13, remained undocumented due to her guardians' „irresponsibility.“ She was among those living outside the immigration system for over a decade, unable to legally work or vote. The government returned asylum seekers to the Bibby Stockholm barge in a controversial policy shift. A pilot project aiming to help undocumented migrants resolve their status through community support, funded by the government and a local charity, had mixed results but was praised for its potential cost-savings and better mental health for participants.
Google Chrome's new "IP Protection" will hide users' IP addresses:
Google is developing a new „IP Protection“ feature for its Chrome browser aimed at enhancing user privacy by masking their IP addresses with proxy servers. The goal is to ensure users' privacy while still maintaining vital web functionalities like routing traffic, fraud prevention, and other network tasks. Initially, the feature will be opt-in only and will undergo stages of implementation in different regions, starting with Google's own domains for testing purposes.
The Great Male Renunciation, also known as the Grande Renonciation masculine, was a historical phenomenon that occurred at the end of the 18th century in Western countries. Men stopped using bright colors, elaborate shapes, and variety in their dress, which were left to women's clothing. Instead, men concentrated on minute differences of cut and the quality of plain cloth. This event marked a turning point in the history of clothing, wherein men relinquished their claim to adornment and beauty. The Great Male Renunciation also encouraged the establishment of the suit's monopoly on male dress codes at the beginning of the 19th century.
Thousands of programmable DNA-cutters found in algae, snails, and other organisms:
A study from MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research has identified thousands of Fanzors - programmable DNA-cutting enzymes found in species such as snails, algae, and amoebas. These enzymes are RNA-guided and can be used to cut DNA at specific sites, much like the gene-editing system CRISPR. This discovery opens new possibilities for research and medicine utilizing these adaptable tools from nature.
This article discusses the downsides of wealth and how they can affect people's happiness. It highlights that having a lot of money does not necessarily guarantee happiness, as many downsides to wealth exist, such as divorce among the richest individuals and the difficulty of maintaining relationships. It also mentions that measuring happiness is challenging due to its nuanced nature. The article suggests focusing on what makes people happy in the present rather than relying solely on wealth for future happiness.
Festplatte verschlüsseln: So langsam ist Bitlocker in Windows 11:
The article discusses the impact of Bitlocker encryption on SSD performance in Windows 11. Tests by Tom's Hardware found that encrypted drives using Bitlocker were notably slower, with a decrease in average speed of around 18.6%. This is due to additional CPU resources being used for software-based encryption. The article also points out that some preinstalled OEM licenses, such as on laptops or workstations, may have Bitlocker automatically enabled, which can lead to unintended consequences in certain situations. Overall, the performance difference between using Opal hardware encryption and Bitlocker software encryption is significant enough that users should consider their options carefully when configuring their systems for security.
Earth Stopped Getting Greener 20 Years Ago:
Scientists have found that plant growth is declining all over the world, with researchers linking this phenomenon to decreasing moisture in the air due to climate change. Rising levels of carbon dioxide may have once increased plant growth, but as vapor pressure deficit increases and atmospheric droughts become more common, global vegetation is experiencing a „browning“ trend or decrease in plant growth. This decline challenges the idea that rising CO2 will lead to increased food supplies and highlights the complexity of climate change's effects on vegetation.
Orcas are learning terrifying new behaviors. Are they getting smarter?:
Orcas (Orcinus orca) have been observed exhibiting various behaviors such as attacking adult blue whales off the coast of southwestern Australia, abducting baby pilot whales, and tearing open sharks to feast on their livers. These observations raise questions about whether orcas are getting smarter and what could be driving this shift in behavior. While it is unlikely that orcas' brains are changing anatomically, they are fast learners and can teach each other various tricks, making them appear smarter as a group. Human-caused changes to the environment may also force orcas to rely more on social learning to adapt and survive.
EU-funded report calls for wealth of super-rich to be taxed, not income:
The Paris-based EU Tax Observatory has claimed that the world's 3,000 wealthiest individuals should be charged a 2% levy on their wealth. The group argues that billionaires are operating in a „border of legality“ by using shell companies to avoid taxes and have been pushing the limits of law by moving certain types of income through dedicated holding companies created for no other purpose. These loopholes allow super-rich individuals to evade various forms of income tax, resulting in effective tax rates as low as 0%-0.6%. The EU Tax Observatory is now calling on global leaders to discuss implementing a global minimum 2% annual tax at the upcoming G20 summit in Brazil in November 2024.
TODO
Windows 11's number is a disconnected line:
This article discusses why network executives haven't picked up writers' pitches for „Desperate Tech Bros“ due to the saturated market. It mentions that technology reviews on YouTube focus mainly on minor changes in operating systems, and how major version releases of OSes no longer carry the excitement they once did. The author suggests that Windows 11 may be Microsoft's last big release, as they could make more money by licensing generic Windows Desktop with a free five-year security update promise.
Common Fungus Might Fuel Alzheimer's Onset - Neuroscience News:
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine have discovered a link between the fungus Candida albicans and Alzheimer's disease. C. albicans produces enzymes that break down the blood-brain barrier, allowing it to access the brain and produce toxic amyloid beta-like peptides, which are associated with Alzheimer's. These peptides activate microglial brain cells but don't clear the infection completely. The study suggests that the amyloid beta aggregates in Alzheimer's could be generated both by the brain and C. albicans.
Millions of smart meters will fail when 2G and 3G turns off:
A group of MPs have called for a timeline for replacing millions of smart meters that are expected to become defunct when 2G and 3G mobile networks are shut down. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has urged the government to set deadlines for this project, which is part of a £13.9bn ($17bn) initiative. The report indicates that, as of March 2023, only 57% of homes and businesses have had smart meters installed, with around 9% not functioning correctly. The PAC warns that another seven million devices will become dysfunctional when the mobile communication networks are switched off in 2033 if they do not receive costly hardware upgrades, which would ultimately be paid for by billpayers.
You’re Invited to a Colonoscopy!—Asterisk:
The article discusses a colonoscopy study and compares its results with other colorectal cancer screening methods like occult blood tests, sigmoidoscopies, and guaiacum tree extracts. It also touches upon controversies surrounding the trial's conclusions, such as whether it was too short or if European doctors are less skilled in performing colonoscopies compared to American doctors. Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of screening for colorectal cancer and highlights that various methods can be effective, but more research is needed to determine the most cost-effective approach.
That’s one pricey subscription:
Streaming services such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Apple TV Plus, Paramount Plus, and Peacock have all increased their prices in recent years. This steady hike has led to the price of streaming being at an all-time high. As companies continue experimenting with different pricing tiers, content, and features, the value and cost of subscriptions are expected to grow further. Ad-supported plans may provide a more affordable alternative for some users, while others may need to pay extra for premium services. The streaming landscape will likely evolve as these changes continue, offering a mix of ad-supported viewing, subscription viewing, and various pricing options in the future.
SciPhi/SciPhi-Mistral-7B-32k · Hugging Face:
The SciPhi-Mistral-7B-32k is an LLM fine-tuned from Mistral-7B-v0.1, created by undergoing a four-epoch fine-tuning process with over one billion tokens. The goal was to improve its scientific reasoning and educational capabilities. The model architecture features a transformer-based design with grouped-query attention, sliding-window attention, and byte-fallback BPE tokenizer.
Craig Murray, a journalist and former British diplomat, was arrested at Glasgow Airport on October 16th. He had been questioned about his political beliefs by counter-terror police who seized his phone and laptop. According to The Grayzone, British police warned Murray that he could be prosecuted if he did not comply with their questions or provide passcodes for his devices. Murray has since sought refuge in Switzerland after applying for protection at the United Nations.
Many millennials are worse off than their parents:
Millennials and Generation Z individuals face numerous challenges related to income, education, housing, and social mobility compared to previous generations. Factors such as protracted recessions, economic inequality, high debts, and racial diversity have contributed to a „lost generation“ that has struggled with achieving traditional markers of adulthood like homeownership and starting families. Inequality of opportunity is also higher in Europe and the United States, with mobility levels decreasing over time. Young people today face uncertainties about their economic prospects and a strong demand for social justice.
A small warning about UDP based protocols - The Boston Diaries:
The article discusses UDP-based protocols such as Gemini, Mercury, Spartan, Nex, Guppy, and their potential vulnerability to amplification attacks due to the simplicity of UDP compared to TCP. The author shares his experience with a UDP QOTD service being exploited in an attack and emphasizes that while experimenting is important, awareness of these risks should be considered.
Versteckte Mac-Adresse: Privatsphäre-Feature in iOS war wohl bisher völlig nutzlos:
iOS 14 introduced a feature to obscure Mac addresses in Wi-Fi, but it reportedly had a leak since the beginning. The vulnerability (CVE-2023-42846) affected iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS, with fixes available in the latest updates. Before the fix was applied, an iPhone's real Mac address could be tracked even when using a VPN or lockdown mode. Tommy Mysk discovered the issue; it persisted since iOS 14 in September 2020. The true Mac address appears in a different data field within multicast-request (mDNS, Port 5353) during connection establishment, making it possible for unauthorized users to track iPhones across networks.
A recent study published in the Journal of Pediatrics suggests that helicopter parenting might be a more significant factor contributing to mental health issues among children than previously thought. The researchers argue that an increase in independent mobility and free play could positively impact children's mental well-being, noting that there is a direct correlation between declines in these activities and the rise of depressive symptoms. While social media usage has been heavily scrutinized as a potential cause for the decline in mental health among children, this study highlights the importance of addressing other factors such as parental control and overprotection, providing opportunities for kids to explore and play without adult supervision.
Android 14’s user-profile data bug seems indistinguishable from ransomware:
The article discusses a storage bug in Android 14 affecting users with multiple profiles. The bug prevents users from accessing their device's storage, causing issues such as boot looping or stuck screens, and potentially deleting important data due to automatic factory resets. This issue is not limited to just the Pixel 6 but also affects other devices upgrading to Android 14. Google has yet to respond to this problem, leaving users without a solution. The issue is currently unassigned and prioritized at „P2,“ indicating that it's not a high priority for the company.
This article provides a guide on how to quickly and legally deploy a Jitsi server for hosting private video meetings. The authors share their experiences and recommendations based on various settings, such as changing the default language, forcing users to set a display name, enabling layer suspension, limiting video resolution, and more. These changes can help save resources on both the server and client side while ensuring better performance during video meetings.
This article is about learning how to write shaders in a simple and interactive way. The author explains the basics, such as pixel coordinates, creating gradients, SDFs (signed distance functions), and adding user interactivity using mouse input. They also discuss combining shapes to create complex designs like a blob. Finally, they mention future articles that will explore working with shaders in three dimensions.
Lessons learned from two decades of Site Reliability Engineering:
The article discusses the evolution and lessons learned by Google's Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) team over twenty years. It highlights key moments where the team faced challenges and grew their expertise in managing distributed systems, mitigating risks, recovering from incidents, and maintaining service reliability. These experiences include outages of YouTube, Google Calendar, and other services, as well as lessons like testing recovery mechanisms, implementing „Big Red Buttons“, and automating mitigations. The article also emphasizes the importance of communication channels, disaster resilience and recovery testing, and reducing time between rollouts to minimize risk and maximize service reliability.
A study from Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research revealed that 83% of the German population has antibodies against polyethylene glycol (PEG), a substance found in cosmetics, food and medicine. These antibodies can influence drug effectiveness by attaching to nanocarriers, causing them to be removed before they can exert their effect. The researchers suggest that therapies may need to adapt in the future due to this immune system behavior.
How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing:
The article emphasizes the importance of handwashing with soap and water in preventing the spread of COVID-19. The structure of soap molecules allows them to effectively break down the virus's plasma membrane, ultimately destroying it. By scrubbing hands for at least 20 seconds, individuals can ensure that enough soap contacts the virus, greatly reducing their risk of infection and transmission.
Automatic fraud detection is making my life hell:
The article discusses the author's frustration with automatic fraud detection systems while using online services in India. They find these systems invasive and inflexible, particularly when it comes to changing regions for services like Google Play. The author questions the capabilities of these systems once society becomes entirely cashless.
In this article, a list of recommendations from the retro editorial team includes 8 entries. The topics covered are diverse, including interviews and conversations with notable figures such as Walt Disney, discussions on history like the first Italian guest workers in North Rhine-Westphalia, and various German reunification-related events. Additionally, there is a list of short episodes about different topics, including true crime stories from the 50s and 60s and women managing careers at that time. The article also highlights people from different professions, such as architects, writers, and politicians, and shares nostalgic anecdotes about land and people, celebrating past events and people in various fields.
*Retro clips in the mediathek*
draw-software-architecture-diagrams:
The article discusses properties of beautiful diagrams that help in effective communication of ideas. Some key points include minimizing neighbor distance (maintaining close distances between connected nodes), maintaining symmetry, aligning centers, using container groups, drawing edge routes, label sizes and positions, colors, and icons. These elements contribute to a diagram's functionality and visual appeal, making it easier for viewers to understand the information presented.
Self-Signed locally trusted certificates with cert-manager:
The article discusses how to set up a Kubernetes environment where components can run using HTTPS without pain by utilizing cert-manager. It provides step-by-step instructions on configuring cert-manager, generating root certificates for the cluster, and mounting them in the deployment. Additionally, it offers tips on setting everything up using a Github Action for end-to-end (e2e) testing on continuous integration (CI) environments.
Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) is a concept where individuals have an insatiable urge to buy equipment related to their art or hobby. This often distracts them from practicing the actual art or hobby, as they believe new gear will improve their performance. Another similar phenomenon is Gear Fabrication Syndrome (GFS), where people create custom gear instead of purchasing off-the-shelf alternatives. Both syndromes can be time-consuming and lead to a lack of actual practice or improvement in the art or hobby. Examples include Adam Savage from Tested YouTube channel, who designs custom tools; and Sam Battle (Look Mum No Computer), who built a custom synthesizer for live performances.
Python Expertise Level - Self-Assessment:
This article discusses assessing expertise in Python programming by categorizing programmers into three levels: beginners, advanced, and experts. Beginners have basic knowledge of Python syntax, data types, and programming concepts. Advanced programmers use advanced libraries like numpy, pandas, and matplotlib and understand complex functions and classes. Experts are proficient in Python internals such as bytecode execution and GIL, and can extend Python with C/C++ code.
Require user consent before sending any telemetry · Issue #176269 · microsoft/vscode:
It seems that there is a concern regarding the privacy settings of Visual Studio Code and its telemetry features. The discussion includes suggestions such as requiring user consent before sending any telemetry, making it clearer what information is collected, and disabling telemetry by default instead of opt-out options. It also mentions GDPR compliance and possible legal actions against Microsoft if they do not address these concerns.
why-cloud-bandwidth-is-so-expensive:
This article discusses why cloud bandwidth is expensive, the reasons behind it such as vendor lock-in and greed, how Denial of Wallet attacks can be enabled due to this high pricing, strategies to cut bandwidth expenses, free or cheap egress providers, and a mention of the Bandwidth Alliance. It concludes by stating that next week's article will discuss efficient caching strategies for reducing bandwidth usage.
Cold war satellite images reveal hundreds of unknown Roman forts:
Declassified cold-war spy satellite images have revealed hundreds of previously undiscovered Roman forts, altering our understanding of life at the Roman frontier. The findings reveal a more fluid region rather than one characterized by constant violent conflict. This information suggests that the Roman world's borders were less rigid and exclusionist than previously believed, with the forts supporting cross-border trade and communication.
Approaching unconventional problems | Manas.Tech:
In a recent trip to Misiones, northern Argentina, with family and friends, a group spent their off-road journey on ATVs across the jungle landscape. Despite the beautiful surroundings, cell phone coverage was limited in rural areas. The group made an asado at cabins they rented in the countryside when one member, desperate to find his phone, embarked on a 50km trip to buy fuel and beverages. They searched frantically before discovering the phone lying on an ATV parked by the cabin.
Three years ago, I decided to focus on WebAssembly and started using Rust because it had better support for compiling into WebAssembly and more full-featured runtimes were Rust-based. During this time, I built Wick, an application framework and runtime that uses WebAssembly as its core module system.
Rust has several advantages - you can maintain more with less effort spent in areas like testing because of the robustness of the language. However, there are challenges such as dealing with async-related errors or issues when refactoring code due to the rich type system and complex constraints. Despite these drawbacks, Rust is still a valuable language for writing robust software that's easy to reuse across different platforms.
why every microwave sucks these days, and the death of instant pot:
This article discusses how the microwave industry has become stagnant with minimal innovation and growth due to saturation in the market. Companies like Midea often contract out the production of microwaves, while focusing on other electronic gadgets instead. The quality of microwaves has significantly decreased over time as companies focus on profit margins rather than customer satisfaction. In contrast, multicooker brands such as Instant Pot experienced rapid growth during the COVID-19 pandemic but faced financial difficulties once demand saturated.
Without a Trace: How to Take Your Phone Off the Grid – The Markup:
In The Markup's LevelUp series, an investigative reporter shares her journey into phone anonymity following several incidents that threatened her privacy. To ensure her safety, she worked with IT support specialist Wesley Callow to create a secure off-the-grid phone using cash, gift cards, and prepaid SIMs for services like Mint Mobile. They emphasize the importance of maintaining digital security and preserving user privacy in the age of technology.
Softwarefehler bei der Wahlauszählung:
A calculation error was found in the Swiss election results, leading to an investigation by the Federal Office. This issue arose due to problems with data import code and affected party strengths given on Sunday for national elections. The numbers have been recalculated multiple times since then and processes are being reviewed. No change occurred in seat distribution or elected National Council members; only corrected percentage values were released, resulting in no impact on political parties' rankings.
The article discusses an exciter, a musical effects device that artificially creates the high frequency portion of an audio signal. It is made up of two elements - a low pass filter and a distortion circuit. Exciters can either be used for processing entire mixes or individual signals. In modern day music production, almost all mixes use exciters to make them sound louder without increasing the actual volume. The technology was invented by Charles D. Lindridge in 1955 and gained popularity under the name Aural Exciter from the company Aphex around 1970.
iLeakage: Browser-based Timerless Speculative Execution Attacks on Apple Devices:
iLeakage is a transient execution side channel attack targeting Safari web browsers on Macs, iPads, and iPhones. It shows that Spectre attacks are still exploitable after nearly six years of mitigation efforts since its discovery. The attack induces Safari to render an arbitrary webpage, then recovers sensitive information using speculative execution. In particular, it demonstrates how Safari allows a malicious webpage to recover secrets from popular high-value targets like Gmail inbox content and passwords.
The Universe of Discourse : Advice to a novice programmer:
This article is an advice memo written for a novice programmer named Katara who had difficulties with her Data Structures course assignment due to various process issues. The author highlights the importance of using appropriate tools and avoiding common mistakes while writing code, such as cutting corners by choosing less clear variable or method names or relying on repeated code segments. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of properly debugging any issues found in the code by following a logical process to identify the root cause. The article also suggests setting up a checkpoint copy of the entire source code after significant changes and improvements.
Loyal workers are selectively and ironically targeted for exploitation:
The article discusses how loyal workers may be selectively and ironically targeted for exploitation in today's workplace due to their reputation for making personal sacrifices for the objects of their loyalty. This creates a vicious circle of suffering, as those who agree to poor treatment are seen as more loyal, thus perpetuating the cycle of harm and unfairness. The researchers argue that while loyalty is generally considered a moral virtue, it may be unique in causing such harm in certain contexts.
The human body has 1.8 trillion cells dedicated to defending it:
A recent study has attempted to answer the longstanding question of how many immune cells are present within a human body and their distribution among various organs. Using a three-pronged strategy, researchers collected data from extensive bibliographic review, utilized multichannel cell imaging, and used deconvolution based on methylation patterns. They discovered that a typical 20-30 year old male weighing 73 kg has almost two billion immune cells, with the majority located in bone marrow and lymphatic tissue. The study also revealed that if the immune system were considered an organ, it would weigh around 1.2 kilos, making it nearly as heavy as the liver.
This article discusses setting up a VPN with WireGuard on Linux systems using the hosting.de Cloud server as an example. It provides step-by-step instructions for installation and configuration of WireGuard on Debian systems, including creating private keys, configuring network interfaces, and establishing NAT rules for client connections. Additionally, it covers how to set up clients with Android or iOS devices using the QR code method, as well as tips for optimizing performance and troubleshooting any issues that may arise during setup.
Linkwarden is an open-source collaborative bookmark manager that allows users to collect, organize, and archive web pages. It prevents link rot by automatically capturing screenshots and PDFs for each webpage, ensuring accessibility even if the original content is no longer available. The software can be self-hosted or used with a subscription on Linkwarden's official cloud offering. Key features include automatic screenshot capture, organizing links in collections, sharing with public/multiple users, permissions customization, and collaboration.
germany-to-pass-japan-as-3rd-largest-economy-helped-by-weak-yen:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts that by 2023, Germany's economy will overtake Japan's to become the world’s third largest due to a decline in the yen against the dollar and euro. This would leave Germany behind only the United States and China in terms of economic size with an estimated nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of $4.43 trillion compared to Japan's projected GDP of $4.23 trillion for this year.
What McKinsey got wrong about developer productivity:
McKinsey's framework for measuring software developer productivity has been met with criticism from engineers who argue that it focuses solely on effort or output, neglecting the importance of outcomes and impact. The approach also emphasizes individual contributions over teamwork and may devalue essential activities such as code reviews, mentoring others, and experimentation. In addition to these concerns, critics believe that focusing exclusively on individual metrics can harm a positive culture, which is crucial for improving developer productivity.
COVID’s Damage Lingers in the Heart:
This article highlights that COVID-19 is not only a pulmonary disease but also a cardiovascular disease, changing our understanding of it. Hospitalizations and death rates have decreased due to vaccinations and increased immunity against severe disease; however, the risks to heart health remain significant. Many recovered patients have developed lingering cardiovascular symptoms. With SARS-CoV-2 continuing to evolve, understanding its effects on the cardiovascular system is crucial for developing better treatments. The article also discusses long COVID and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) as lingering problems affecting up to one-third of all patients with long COVID. Treatment strategies focus on light exercise, structured endurance training, and coordinated research efforts to better understand the virus's cardiovascular effects.
My Love Letter to Rails (And Ruby) | .cult by Honeypot:
The article discusses the author's long-standing love for Ruby and Ruby on Rails, as well as debunking some myths surrounding its viability in today's technology landscape. The author lists various companies that still use Ruby on Rails, including GitHub, GitLab, Shopify, Twitch, SoundCloud, Airbnb, and Honeypot. Additionally, the article highlights the community support and continuous evolution of Ruby and Rails frameworks.
This article discusses a software crisis caused by the degradation of software over the past two decades and how its generational nature affects the spread of knowledge among programmers. It highlights examples such as Apple's Catalina operating system, Amazon's difficulty with basic checkboxes, Twitter's slow reloading time for new UI, and complex technologies like Docker and Electron that are used to hide accumulated complexity. The author argues that this crisis is a result of the continuous stacking of abstractions and growing complexity in software development.
Email Address Regular Expression That 99.99% Works.:
This article provides an explanation of the General Email Regex (RFC 5322 Official Standard) and offers various email validation options in different programming languages, such as Python, Javascript, HTML5, Swift, and more. It also includes a visualization of the regex using their free Regex Visualizer tool.