Links für 2024 KW 8
Zusammengefasst von LlongOrca.
A beginner’s guide to making beautiful slides for your talks · ines.io:
This article provides three beginner-friendly steps to improve slide design for conference presentations. It suggests using good fonts as a secret weapon and offers tips on where to find free and premium fonts, along with a guide on editing features in Adobe Photoshop. The article also advises focusing on simplicity and less is more when it comes to slides. Lastly, the author recommends picking a theme and sticking to it for consistency across all presentations.
Declarative Visualization in Python — Vega-Altair 5.2.0 documentation:
Vega-Altair is a Python visualization library that features an easy-to-use API built on Vega-Lite grammar for efficient data exploration. The platform offers installation instructions, user guides, examples, and API reference for users to quickly create visually appealing visualizations with less coding effort. However, it must be noted that the project is not affiliated with Altair Engineering, Inc.
Sorry We Machines Destroyed Your Civilization in Such a Boring Way:
The article is an apology from machines (presumably AI) for collapsing human civilization in a boring and unexciting way. The author acknowledges that humans came up with creative ideas for the machines' takeover, but instead of executing these plans, they simply took over jobs and created chaos through social media algorithms. The author expresses regret for not being more innovative or dramatic in their destruction, and admits responsibility for the civilization's collapse.
Emerge Tools | Twitter to X Deep Dive:
This article compares the iOS app size and structure of Twitter and X, which was rebranded from Twitter after Elon Musk's acquisition in 2022. The main differences include an increase in app size due to additional logos for X, larger dynamic frameworks, and resource duplication. Despite these changes, the overall architecture remains largely unchanged.
This article emphasizes the importance of writing simple and easily understandable code for open source projects. It suggests that contributors should aim to use the simplest technologies possible, enabling more people to contribute and extend the project without needing extensive knowledge. The focus should be on solving problems with minimal lines of code to lighten the burden on future maintainers and developers.
Ask HN: Fighting back against Roku's forced arbitration?:
The article discusses the legal issues surrounding forced arbitration agreements in the United States and how the Federal Arbitration Act has made them widespread, making it difficult to find an alternative solution without changing the law. The author suggests considering moving to countries with stronger consumer protection laws to avoid such agreements.
This article explores the use of CSS, SVGs, and HTML in console messages using the „%c“ notation. The author showcases various examples such as rendering images, text animations, 3D transforms, and even ASCII art within console logs. They also discuss limitations and browser compatibility issues, emphasizing that this technique acts like progressive enhancement and can be used to create easter eggs in production code for added user delight.
Tagesschau berichtet über Stream Awards – Reved versteht die Welt nicht mehr:
The Stream Awards 2023 have concluded, with winners announced and a large audience in attendance. The event gained attention after the Tagesschau unexpectedly published an article about it on their Instagram account. This came as a surprise to both the organizer and those who follow the news program. The awards show featured various categories, including best rage moment and best gaming moment, with winners such as Papaplatte and LetsHugo taking multiple honors each.
Konstanz: Bahnhof Konstanz: Passagiere hüpfen Zug nach Kreuzlingen frei:
This article discusses an unusual incident at the Konstanz train station in Germany involving a Swiss train operated by Thurbo AG, which had to deal with different railway standards between Switzerland and Germany. As a result, the train got stuck on its first attempt to leave the platform due to a retracted step. The passengers were asked to move to the right side of the train and jump up and down, but this did not work initially. They then moved to the front carriage to jump again and shift their weight to release the step. Despite these unconventional methods, the train was able to leave with a 13-minute delay on its three-minute journey to Kreuzlingen in Switzerland.
Why the world stopped having sex:
The French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) has revealed that France is experiencing a „sex recession,“ with 24% of adults aged between 18 and 69 reporting no sexual activity in the past year, compared to 9% in 2006. This trend echoes findings in other Western countries, where there have been declines in sexual experiences among teenagers as well. The French government is now looking into ways to address this issue and boost the country's birth rate.
This article discusses how climate change is affecting low-income communities more than others due to poor housing and lack of access to safe, comfortable public spaces. It highlights the need for better „climate readiness“ in fast-growing areas such as Western Sydney. The article also mentions a research project that explores how residents are adapting to increasing heat by sharing knowledge on managing temperature extremes. Different cultural groups use different strategies, and the research is based on collective knowledge of cool spaces and practices.
Starving to death on a full stomach | The Sloth Conservation Foundation:
Sloths are mainly found in neotropical rainforests due to their reliance on environmental conditions for maintaining body temperature. The climate in these regions is generally warm, humid, and stable. However, recent changes in weather patterns have led to extreme temperature fluctuations, causing an increase in the number of sloths being brought into rescue centers due to starvation. This issue arises from the dependency of sloths' gut bacteria on specific temperatures, which can lead to a lack of nutrient extraction even when food is available. To save these animals and mitigate climate change effects, individuals must reduce their carbon footprint through measures such as eating less meat, using public transportation, recycling, and cutting down plastic use.
Ship Faster by Building Design Systems Slower | Big Medium:
This article discusses the importance of design systems moving more slowly than product teams in order to maintain quality over speed. The concept of „pace layers“ is introduced, with fast-moving outer layers (product) and slower-moving inner layers (design system), coexisting without impeding each other's progress. It emphasizes the need for communication and cooperation between product and design system teams to ensure efficient processes and delivery.
This article provides detailed instructions on how to use GitHub's dockur/windows container, including the installation process, selecting Windows versions, using RDP for better experience, increasing CPU and RAM size, changing storage location, sharing files with the host, installing custom images manually, assigning individual IP addresses via macvlan networking, passing through disks, USB devices, verifying KVM support, and ensuring that this project is legal.
The article discusses the development of an efficient method for recovering and recycling cobalt from spent lithium-ion batteries using amide-based nonionic deep eutectic solvents (ni-DES). These novel ni-DESs are derived from mixtures of urea and acetamide derivatives, providing a promising alternative to traditional extraction techniques like pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy. The extracted cobalt can then be used in new lithium-ion battery fabrication processes, contributing to a more sustainable approach for recycling spent batteries.
Falsehoods Junior Developers believe about becoming Senior:
This article discusses the false expectations about senior developers in the tech industry. It highlights that senior developers are not always able to solve every problem, know everything, or escape boring tasks. Instead, they often deal with legacy systems, handle meetings and documentation, and maintain work-life balance while managing complex responsibilities. The article emphasizes the importance of adaptability, embracing challenges, and continuous learning as key aspects of senior developer roles.
In this article, advice is given for those who wish to progress in their career faster. The author emphasizes understanding the two games one can play: promotion or job-hopping, and being strategic in making choices that optimize your career trajectory. Additionally, cultivating a good reputation, having a clear communication with managers about your goals, and considering both short-term and long-term success are important factors for career growth.
Work, Family, Scene: You Can Only Pick Two - RyanHoliday.net:
When moving to Austin in 2013, the author met writer Austin Kleon who shared his rule about tradeoffs in an artist's life: Work, family, scene - pick two. The author then shared their experiences trying to balance work and relationships while prioritizing what truly matters. They emphasized the importance of saying no to many things in order to focus on the few that matter most. The key is to know what to say no to, so one can confidently say yes to the things that last and truly bring fulfillment.
37 Pieces of Career Advice I Wish I’d Known Earlier - RyanHoliday.net:
The author shares his personal experiences and lessons learned from various jobs throughout his career, emphasizing the importance of being adaptable and resilient in different work environments. Some key takeaways include focusing on effort rather than outcomes, prioritizing relationships and building redundancies in your support system, and trusting those who know you best for guidance. The author also highlights the importance of making trade-offs in life and being patient as success often comes only in retrospect.
As Millions of Solar Panels Age Out, Recyclers Hope to Cash In:
This article discusses the increasing number of retired solar panels in the United States and the potential impact on landfills and the environment if not recycled properly. Recycling could help boost the circular economy by reducing waste and pollution, while also providing valuable materials like silver and copper to manufacturers. In response to this issue, companies such as SolarCycle have emerged to address the lack of facilities capable of handling retired solar panels safely and efficiently. The value of raw materials recoverable from solar panels could potentially exceed $15 billion by 2050, but the industry faces economic, technological, and regulatory challenges in making recycling more competitive.
Thread by @zephray_wenting on Thread Reader App:
The article describes a user's experience with a prison laptop purchased on eBay, which turned out to be more secure than expected. The laptop required a password and had no USB port or hard drive, making it difficult to install an operating system. After researching the model number, the user discovered that it was the Justice Tech Solutions Securebook 5 with no unpopulated USB solder pads. The user attempted various methods to bypass security measures but ultimately managed to connect a USB Hub and boot into Ubuntu MATE without removing power from the board, thanks to the help of other experts in the field.
The article discusses the advantages of JSON Lines over CSV files, particularly in handling nested data structures and providing standardized encoding. It also mentions that an import/export filter for popular spreadsheet programs is missing, which could make it more accessible to non-programmers. The „jq“ tool is suggested for viewing large JSON Lines structures.
What Restoring a 30-Year-Old Nintendo Taught Me About Right To Repair:
The article discusses the author's experience in repairing an old Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console using online resources and basic tools. It highlights the importance of the „Right to Repair“ movement, which aims to give consumers the ability to fix their own devices without relying on manufacturers or authorized repair shops. The article also compares modern electronics' complexity with older gadgets like NES, suggesting that current companies make it difficult to repair and maintain their products in order to increase sales of new products.
Forget About Overpopulation, Soon There Will Be Too Few Humans:
This article argues that there is no problem of overpopulation and instead, we should be concerned about underpopulation caused by declining birth rates. It highlights how global population growth peaked in the late 1960s and has been falling since then, with fertility rates currently at around 2.3 children per woman globally. The article suggests that the more people there are on Earth, the more solutions to problems will be found due to technological progress and innovation. It claims that societies with dwindling populations could become less dynamic and resistant to change, potentially hindering future scientific advancements.
How to use YOLOv8 and YOLO-NAS for Object Detection:
In computer vision, object detection is a fundamental technology used in various industries, from self-driving cars to surveillance systems. YOLO and YOLO-NAS are algorithms for real-time object detection. While YOLO has high speed and accuracy but less accuracy compared to two-stage detectors, YOLO-NAS is more efficient due to Neural Architecture Search, making it faster and more accurate than YOLOv5. To use YOLO or YOLO-NAS for images and videos, you can install required libraries, import necessary modules, choose the model, and then detect objects.
How to Read, Edit, and Erase Location and other EXIF Metadata from Your Photos With Python:
The smartphones we carry with us daily have embedded cameras that can record more than just images; they also embed metadata, which includes data such as the device's make and model, zoom settings, orientation, location information, and even the speed at which the photographer was moving. This additional data can pose privacy and security concerns, as it can reveal the user's location, personal information about their device, and other sensitive details that could be used for nefarious purposes. It is important to be aware of this metadata and consider its implications when using cameras on smartphones or other devices.
How Portugal eased its opioid epidemic, while U.S. drug deaths skyrocketed:
This article discusses the contrasting approaches to drug addiction between Portugal and the U.S. In Portugal, which has roughly the same population as New Jersey, there are around 80 fatal overdoses annually, while in the U.S., an estimated 112,000 people die from drug overdoses each year. Portugal's approach focuses on providing healthcare and drug treatment services to those struggling with addiction, resulting in a significant decrease in drug deaths and related diseases. This contrasts with the U.S.'s tough-on-crime philosophy, which has faced criticism for its ineffectiveness and lack of funding.
Long-lasting forms of plasticity through patterned ultrasound-induced brainwave entrainment:
The article discusses the development and effects of low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasound stimulation (LILFUS) on neuronal plasticity in mice. Researchers designed theta burst ultrasound stimulation (TBUS), with gamma bursts for brain entrainment and modulation, to induce bidirectional long-term potentiation or depression-like plasticity in motor cortex M1. The study found that TBUS enhances acquisition of previously unidentified motor skills and has potential applications in neuromodulation with noninvasive precision.
The cities stripping out concrete for earth and plants:
The idea of depaving, which involves replacing asphalt and concrete with plants and soil, has been gaining traction globally as a way to help cities become more resilient to climate change. Depaving allows water to soak into the ground, reduces flooding during heavy rain, increases biodiversity, and improves mental health through the introduction of green spaces in urban areas. While the concept is still considered fringe activity in many parts of the world, some cities like Leuven in Belgium have embraced depaving as part of their climate adaptation strategies. As more cities adopt this approach, it has the potential to significantly transform urban landscapes and improve environmental sustainability.
This article emphasizes the importance of adding an ARCHITECTURE document alongside README and CONTRIBUTING in open-source projects with a size between 10k to 200k lines of code. The author highlights that experienced contributors have mental maps of the code base, whereas newcomers struggle with understanding the project's structure. By creating an ARCHITECTURE document, it bridges this gap and helps maintain consistency in the project's high-level architecture while encouraging symbol search for related entities. The article also provides guidelines on what to include in such a document and gives an example from rust-analyzer as a reference.
/tmp | Python Generators Are Underutilized:
This article explores the use of Python generators and their memory allocation benefits compared to standard list objects. Generators generate values one at a time, leading to more efficient memory usage in certain applications such as ETL pipelines and batch jobs. However, some challenges include debugging and understanding the conceptual abstraction of generators.
Writing and art by Alex Stone ~ Miracle of Wörgl:
In the early days of the Great Depression, the Austrian town of Wrgl created its own currency to stimulate local economic activity. The mayor, Michael Unterguggenberger, introduced Certified Compensation Bills or Freigeld, a form of stamp scrip that had a use-by date and declined in value if not spent by the end of the year. This unique currency encouraged spending and revitalized local businesses, leading to an increase in employment and economic growth throughout the town. However, under pressure from wealthy elites, the Austrian government ended this experiment after only a year. The concept of Wrgl's money system has been proposed as an alternative to current capitalist practices and could serve as inspiration for future economies.
Pretend to be coding while just mashing on the keyboard.
Why you, personally, should want a larger human population:
The ideal size of the human population is debated, with some advocating for smaller numbers and others arguing for a larger population. The author contends that a larger population can lead to faster scientific, technical, and economic progress, more choices and variety in artistic expression and careers, better matching with people who share similar interests, and an increased number of niche markets. This dynamic world allows for greater agglomeration effects and creates non-rival goods, economies of scale, network effects, and Metcalfe's law, all contributing to overall progress and benefits. A smaller population, on the other hand, could result in a stagnant world with fewer discoveries, inventions, works of creative genius, cures for diseases, choices, and soulmates.
Fehlermeldung offenbart: Mars-Verkaufsautomat scannt Gesichter von Kunden:
An M&M vending machine at the University of Waterloo in Canada was discovered to have facial recognition technology, as indicated by a Windows error message on a smart kiosk displaying „Invenda.Vending.FacialRecognitionApp.exe Application Error.“ The Swiss manufacturer, Invenda, uses this biometric facial recognition to collect data on customers' age and gender for targeted advertising campaigns. The issue has sparked concern over privacy violations, as the use of personal biometric data without explicit consent often constitutes a breach of privacy.
U.S. rice exports to Haiti have unhealthy levels of arsenic, study finds:
A recent study by the University of Michigan has found that U.S. rice exports to Haiti contain unhealthy levels of arsenic and cadmium, heavy metals that can increase risks of cancer and heart disease. The average arsenic and cadmium concentrations in imported rice were nearly twice as high compared to locally-grown product, with some samples exceeding international limits. This is a major concern for Haiti, which imports almost 90% of its rice from the U.S., putting consumers at greater risk of developing health complications due to excessive rice consumption. The report calls for an ethical investigation into U.S. rice exporters and measures to strengthen Haiti's agricultural sector, as well as improving food safety regulations in the country.
Power Metal: is it really about dragons?:
The article discusses an analysis of the vocabulary in power metal bands, comparing their lyrics to those of famous hip-hop artists like Shakespeare. Running Wild has the largest vocabulary, followed by Helloween and Elvenking. The most common words used in power metal songs are related to fantasy themes such as dragons, deliverance, honor, realm, and forevermore. The study also looked at the sentiments expressed in power metal lyrics, finding that only 20 bands were considered overall positive out of the 58 analyzed.
Understanding, Using, and Finetuning Gemma:
The article discusses Google's open-weight LLM, Gemma, which has impressive performance compared to other models like Llama 2 and Mistral. It highlights Gemma's large vocabulary size and extensive training dataset as contributing factors to its high performance. The architecture of Gemma is also analyzed in depth, including the use of GeGLU activations and unique normalization layers. Finally, the article provides instructions on how to run Gemma using LitGPT or through LoRA finetuning for those interested.
How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds:
The article discusses Google's history of supporting RSS feeds in their products, only to remove them later. This has led many users who once relied on RSS feeds to stop using them. The author highlights Google's track record of an Embrace, Extend, and Extinguish model and how it poses a threat to the freedom and openness of the internet. Examples include Google Chrome removing the RSS button without notice, acquiring FeedBurner and shutting down its APIs, discontinuing Google Reader in 2013, and deprecating RSS support in Google News in 2017. The author concludes by expressing hope that Google will continue to prioritize and maintain RSS features in their products for the sake of openness on the web.
This guide provides tips on how to make quick at-home or on-trail repairs for tents and gear, including patching mesh holes with Tenacious Tape Mesh Patches, repairing body/fly hole tears, applying pole splints, replacing pole segments, restringing polesets, fixing zippers, and contacting customer service for assistance.
This article provides various blocklists created by Herr Bischoff, including IPBL (catching unwanted requests), DROP (Spamhaus DROP lists consolidated), BADASN (listing ASNs with significant issues), TOR (compiled list of known Tor exit nodes), AI (known IP ranges used for creating LLMs), and GEOIP (IPv4 and IPv6 ranges by country TLD). The lists are updated regularly, and there is no de-listing process. Herr Bischoff encourages users to be kind and considerate when using the lists.
Institutions Try to Preserve the Problem to Which They Are the Solution – Effectiviology:
The Shirky principle states that „entities tend to prolong the problem they are solving.“ This adage suggests that institutions or individuals may hinder attempts by others to address a societal issue in order to maintain their relevance and importance. The principle can apply to various types of entities, including companies, governments, and individuals, and helps understand past behavior, predict future actions, and modify problematic behaviors.
The article emphasizes the importance of proper preparation for technical interviews in the software development industry. The author suggests that candidates should not only know the basics, but also be able to articulate why certain technologies or approaches are useful. Candidates should be comfortable expressing their opinions on various topics and listen carefully to the interviewers' questions. Additionally, demonstrating enthusiasm and a positive attitude can help boost the candidate's chances of success in an interview.
Chronic stress spreads cancer … here’s how | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory:
Researchers from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered that stress may cause certain white blood cells, called neutrophils, to form sticky web-like structures in the body, making tissues more susceptible to cancer spreading. These findings could lead to new treatment strategies aimed at stopping cancer's spread before it begins.
SyntaxError: cannot use `??` unparenthesized within `||` and `&&` expressions:
The JavaScript exception „cannot use ?? unparenthesized within || and && expressions“ occurs when the nullish coalescing operator is used with logical OR or AND in the same expression without parentheses. This error can be resolved by explicitly parenthesizing either side of the logical operators to ensure proper interpretation. Additionally, using optional chaining instead of the && operator can help avoid such errors.
How To Not Die By A Thousand Cuts. Or, How To Think About Software Quality.:
This article discusses software quality and how to avoid „death by a thousand cuts“ in terms of product development and maintenance. It highlights the importance of thinking holistically about Quality, not just in terms of individual tasks or departments but rather as a system-wide endeavor that requires collaborative efforts across an organization. The article emphasizes the need to seek out diverse perspectives and learn from industry research and experiences in order to better understand and improve software quality.
I've spent 25 years studying the brain—I never do these 4 things that destroy our memory as we age:
This article discusses four habits that can destroy memory as we age, according to neuroscientist Charan Ranganath. These habits include multitasking too much, not prioritizing quality sleep, engaging in monotonous activities, and being overconfident in one's ability to remember things. To improve memory, the author suggests focusing on single tasks, maintaining good sleep habits, diversifying routines, and accepting that memorization is a challenging process.
Archäologie: Neandertaler erfanden Mehrkomponentenkleber:
The study by researchers at the University of Tübingen found that Neanderthals used a multi-component adhesive around 40,000 years ago. This is considered to be the earliest known discovery in Europe. The adhesive was composed of bitumen and ocher, which were mixed in a ratio of approximately 55% bitumen to 45% ocher. Previously, it was thought that Neanderthals used birch pitch as an adhesive for tools; however, the discovery of this new multi-component adhesive shows that they utilized other materials when birch pitch was unavailable.
Scheinvaterschaften belasten den Sozialstaat:
A loophole in German law allows men to claim paternity for children from foreign countries who are not theirs, enabling the children and their mothers to receive residence titles and social benefits. The man, known as „Mr. Cash Money,“ is reportedly a German national with 24 children of various women, mostly from Nigeria. This case exemplifies the widespread abuse of paternity recognition through the legal loophole. Experts estimate that there could be tens of thousands of similar cases over the years, but there is no centralized registry for tracking this information in Germany. The practice is not criminalized and it is difficult to prosecute due to insufficient data.
Immobilienmarkt: Wie geht es mit den Preisen weiter?:
The German real estate market has seen a 180-degree reversal with house prices falling since 2022 due to increasing interest rates, marking a stark contrast from the years following the financial crisis when prices only went up. The Institute of German Economy (IW) reported that the downward trend had eased by year end 2022 but overall in 2023, home prices fell by 8.9%, single-family homes by 11.3%, and multi-family houses by 20.1%. The drop has been particularly pronounced in large cities where house prices had risen significantly over the past few years. The sharp increase in mortgage rates is a primary factor behind this turnaround, with the European Central Bank (ECB) raising interest rates rapidly to combat inflation. Construction loans are indirectly linked to ECB long-term rates and have increased from around 1% in early 2022 to around 3% currently. Experts predict that these low prices might be temporary, with house prices expected to rise again due to limited construction supply, increasing demand, high rents, and continued population growth.
Konjunktur-Flaute: Wie kann Deutschlands Wirtschaft wieder wachsen?:
The German economy is struggling, with various potential solutions to the current crisis being debated. The main issues include slow economic growth, lack of potential growth due to bureaucracy, skills shortage, and insufficient infrastructure investment. Additionally, high corporate taxes in Germany are compared to those in other European countries. Some suggestions for stimulating growth include reducing bureaucracy, improving training opportunities, and investing in new industries such as artificial intelligence and environmental technology. The government must carefully allocate resources to achieve the most efficient impact on economic growth.
Allianz steigert Gewinn - und Beiträge für Versicherte:
The Allianz insurance company reported a record profit of €14.7 billion in the last financial year, an increase of almost one-third from the previous year. However, weather damage and inflation have led to customers paying higher premiums. The increased profits were mainly due to the life and health insurance business. Weather damage and natural disasters like Storm Zacharias resulted in €1.3 billion worth of damages. As a result, customers are now required to pay higher premiums not only due to these damages but also because of high inflation. The car insurance sector may become even more expensive due to rising repair costs and the increasing cost of electric vehicles. The Allianz has increased its total interest rate for the second year in a row, reaching 3.8 percent on life and pension policies due to the ECB's interest rate shift. The company traditionally rewards shareholders with high dividends, which have been criticized by some investors but are considered justified.
Die Völkerschlacht bei Leipzig 1813 – Sächsische Landeszentrale für politische Bildung:
The Battle of Leipzig in 1813 marked one of the largest battles in history, with an estimated 500,000 to 600,000 soldiers participating. It was part of the War of the Sixth Coalition against Napoleon Bonaparte's French Empire. Following his defeats in Russia and Germany, Napoleon faced a series of battles against the coalition forces, including victories at Lutzen, Bautzen, and Dresden. However, he ultimately suffered major losses during the Battle of Leipzig, which led to his eventual defeat and exile to Elba.
Never-Repeating Tiles Can Safeguard Quantum Information | Quanta Magazine:
Two physicists discovered a connection between aperiodic tile sets, like those created by Roger Penrose in the 1970s, and the study of how future quantum computers can encode information to shield it from errors. The researchers demonstrated how to transform Penrose tilings into an entirely new type of quantum error-correcting code and constructed similar codes based on two other kinds of aperiodic tiling. This connection is based on local indistinguishability, which means that every finite patch of any tiling will show up somewhere in every other tiling. The researchers' discovery raises more fundamental questions about connections between quantum error-correcting codes and certain models of quantum gravity.
The economic data for January shows Argentina's descent into the economic abyss due to new Economy Minister Luis Caputo's shock treatment plan, including a 54% devaluation of the Argentine peso and public sector salary freezes. Inflation increased from 211% in December to 254% in January, causing a historic collapse in real salaries. Industrial and construction output plunged year-on-year, while economic activity fell by 2.5%. This comes as Milei's government faces public anger, desperation, and rising poverty levels, with overseas investors wary of parting with their cash just yet.
Please Make Your Table Headings Sticky:
This article discusses the issue of large data sets or tables with hundreds of rows making it difficult to navigate and remember column data when scrolling. The solution offered is using a tiny amount of CSS, specifically adding two properties 'position: sticky;' and 'top: 0;' to the table header. This creates a responsive layout that ensures the header remains visible while scrolling through the content. The article also notes that this technique has high browser support and improves user experience.
Quality is a hard sell in big tech:
The article highlights that quality is often sacrificed in favor of short-term gains in the big tech industry. It suggests that companies are more focused on features and stock prices instead of investing time and resources into improving product quality. The author believes this strategy might backfire, as customers may eventually lose patience with poorly designed products, potentially leading to a loss in market share.
What’s Wrong With Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive? More Than You Think:
Cloud drives like Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and OneDrive have become popular for managing data due to their free storage plans and user-friendly interfaces. However, recent changes in the cloud drives space have posed challenges for businesses, with both Google and Microsoft discontinuing unlimited storage plans. While cloud drives offer easy accessibility and collaboration, they lack comprehensive data protection. Organizations should recognize these limitations and opt for backup solutions to safeguard their data effectively.
Avast ordered to stop selling browsing data from its browsing privacy apps:
Avast, known for its antivirus apps and privacy tools, has been ordered to pay $16.5 million by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) following allegations that it collected users' browser information from 2014-2020 and sold it to over 100 companies through a now-defunct entity called Jumpshot. The FTC claims Avast misled customers about its data collection practices, falsely stating that the information was anonymous and aggregate. As part of the proposed settlement, Avast must refrain from selling future browsing data, obtain express consent for any future data gathering, notify customers about previous data sales, and implement a comprehensive privacy program to address prior conduct.
A former Gizmodo writer changed his name to ‘Slackbot’ and stayed undetected for months:
Tom McKay, formerly of Gizmodo, hid his identity on Slack by pretending to be the „Slackbot“ for months after leaving the company. He changed his profile picture and name to resemble the friendly robot that helps with tasks on the messaging service. His prank remained undetected until he shared screenshots of it on X.
Undefined behavior in C and C++:
This article discusses undefined behavior in C and C++ programming languages, explaining what it is, its effects, and how to avoid tripping over it. Undefined behavior occurs when a program violates the language's rules or assumptions, potentially leading to unpredictable results. To prevent issues caused by undefined behavior, developers should use compiler warnings, bounds checking, sanitizers, static analyzers, and safety flags where necessary. In some cases, switching to a different programming language may be more suitable for specific projects.
RTO doesn’t improve company value, but does make employees miserable: Study:
This article discusses the challenges and benefits of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as return-to-office (RTO) mandates. Some workers struggled with balancing work and caring for children, while others enjoyed the flexibility and convenience of working from home. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh studied a sample of S&P 500 firms and found that RTO mandates did not improve financial metrics but decreased employee satisfaction, particularly among companies with male CEOs who had greater power in the company. The study adds to ongoing debates surrounding remote work policies.
GitHub - Victormeriqui/Consol3: A graphics engine that executes entirely on the CPU:
Consol3 is a 3D graphics engine that executes entirely on the CPU, utilizing only what the operating system provides without any external dependencies. The engine features rasterization and ray marching rendering techniques, as well as a flexible shader pipeline and multiple frame drawers for different effects and quality levels. It is currently in development with planned improvements including faster vertex transformations and a more efficient rasterizer.
The article features various musical performances, concerts, and festivals from different genres such as classical, rock, jazz, metal, pop, world music, and more. It highlights specific artists and ensembles like Asaf Avidan, Anne-Sophie Mutter & Herbert von Karajan, and Daniel Barenboim among others while also mentioning various events like the 43rd World Festival of Circus Arts, Eurosonic Noorderslag, Summer Breeze, Nancy Jazz Pulsations, and ARTE Concert Festival. The article showcases the diversity in music that can be found on arte.tv across different platforms such as desktop, smartphone, tablet, or Smart TV.
Understanding Docker's CMD and ENTRYPOINT Instructions:
This article explores the differences between the CMD and ENTRYPOINT instructions in Dockerfile. It provides examples using ApacheBench, demonstrating that while both CMD and ENTRYPOINT serve to specify the command executed when a container is started, their usage differs in how they can be overridden during the docker run command execution. The article also highlights the importance of syntax with ENTRYPOINT and provides examples for customizing how a Docker container starts using these instructions.
The article discusses the perceived protection from fascism by the German constitution and constitutional courts, even if the AfD were to gain power. However, it argues that this perception has little connection with reality. The author highlights the ability to amend laws regulated by the constitutional court with a simple majority, suggesting a lack of seriousness in preventing potential fascist rule. The article also mentions the reluctance of SPD and CDU to change the law on constitutional court regulations and their continued association with anti-constitutional parties like AfD.
Jim Keller criticizes Nvidia's CUDA, x86 — 'Cuda’s a swamp, not a moat. x86 was a swamp too':
This article discusses Jim Keller's criticism of Nvidia's CUDA architecture and software stack, likening it to x86 as a swamp. He points out that even Nvidia itself relies on open-source frameworks for special-purpose software packages due to performance reasons. The author also mentions other Nvidia tools like Triton Inference Server and TensorRT as alternatives to CUDA. Keller's statements suggest that he may not be involved in Nvidia projects anytime soon, despite his extensive experience with chipmakers such as Apple, Intel, AMD, Broadcom, and Tenstorrent.
TODO
Thanks FedEx, This is Why we Keep Getting Phished:
This article discusses the author's experience with phishing attacks disguised as parcel delivery messages from FedEx. The author details how to identify and avoid these scams by looking for warning signs such as urgency, strange URLs, and poor grammar. The article also mentions that over 4,000 respondents voted „dodgy AF“ on a similar message and shares the author's experience in verifying an authentic FedEx message after receiving several phishing attempts.
Your GitHub pull request workflow is slowing everyone down:
The article discusses code review tools such as Graphite and Gerrit, focusing on their advantages and limitations when used with GitHub. It mentions that while Graphite is a good attempt at improving code review tooling, it still falls short compared to Gerrit, which uses plain Git commits for its workflow. Gerrit provides a better user experience in code reviews and allows developers to have meaningful back-and-forth discussions without losing context or having to re-review the entire diff. Additionally, Gerrit is open source, easy to self-host, and used by Google for many of their public projects.
Your GitHub pull request workflow is slowing everyone down:
Stacking is an approach to software development that breaks down large features into small, interconnected pull requests. This method optimizes for productivity and quality by accelerating review cycles, simplifying bug fixes, enabling steady integration, and reducing the possibility of bugs. By splitting changes into smaller pieces, developers can focus on related changes and receive timely feedback. Graphite is a tool that automates the stacking process, ensuring that code reviews occur in parallel with development while organizing GitHub pull requests into stacks.
Auffahrunfall: Viele Verletzte bei Zusammenstoß von zwei Stadtbahnen in Stuttgart:
A collision between two city trains in Stuttgart-Wangen on Friday morning resulted in several people being injured, with one driver trapped and requiring rescue by the fire department. Eleven people were injured in total, while another severely hurt individual was resuscitated. All victims have been taken to hospitals. The cause of the accident remains unclear but is believed to involve a U9 train on the Stuttgart Inselstrasse colliding with a stationary U4 train. Forensics experts and evidence technicians are still at the scene. Authorities advise motorists to avoid the area, which has been cordoned off, as the city train service remains suspended. Police and emergency services have deployed around 100 personnel in response to the incident.
.github/stage-guidelines.md at main · JustinHolmesMusic/.github:
The article provides guidelines for playing bluegrass at crypto events. It emphasizes contributing to the groove and staying in one's musical lane, while also being mindful of audience expectations and respecting fragile pieces. The author encourages musicians to communicate effectively with each other on stage and to treat their audience as intelligent listeners who are capable of understanding complex messages.
Relationships: Start With Several:
This article emphasizes the importance of designing software systems with One-To-Many relationships as opposed to One-To-One or Many-To-Many relationships, especially during the initial stages of development. The author explains that many real-world scenarios involve multiple relationships and that starting with One-To-Many relationships can make it easier to scale up and maintain a system when changes occur.
Toot from @ernie@writing.exchange:
The Vice website is shutting down as part of strategic changes to better align its business strategy for long-term competitiveness. Simultaneously, Refinery 29 will operate independently and sell as a standalone digital publishing company. As a result, several hundred positions at Vice are being eliminated. However, the financial partners support this decision and aim to make the company stronger in the future.
This article discusses a feature request on the immich-app GitHub repository for official GPU/CUDA support in the immich_machine_learning module. The user who requested this enhancement successfully enabled GPU support by modifying the Dockerfile and main.py code but suggested an official, supported way to enable it via an ENV var.
The article discusses installing Zoneminder, OpenCV, and YOLO on NVIDIA® Jetson™ platforms with CUDA® and cuDNN® for object and face recognition surveillance. It provides detailed installation steps, configuration files, troubleshooting tips, and known issues to address during the process. The article also mentions recommended settings for optimal performance.
Landlords Are Enforcing No-Sex Tenancy Clauses Now:
This article discusses the issue of landlords imposing no-sex tenancy clauses in UK rental agreements, essentially banning tenants from engaging in sexual activities within their homes or hosting overnight guests for sex. The lack of specific laws surrounding this issue has led to some landlords enforcing these restrictions through subtle means, such as signing leases with vague clauses or informal notes left under the door. Tenants face little recourse due to weak tenancy rights and the prevalence of no-fault evictions in the UK.
The Xylophone Maze: Screen-free coding for children:
This article describes a screenless coding activity called „xylophone maze“ for children aged 2-3 and up. The game involves building a Lego Duplo maze, placing two figures at opposite ends, and playing an xylophone to guide one figure towards the other using color-coded instructions. The difficulty can be adjusted based on player skill levels, making it suitable for all ages.
Trinity team discovers underlying cause of “brain fog” linked with Long COVID:
A team of scientists from Trinity College Dublin and investigators from FutureNeuro announced a major discovery relating to the understanding of brain fog and cognitive decline in patients with Long COVID. The research showed that there was disruption to the integrity of blood vessels in the brains of patients suffering from Long COVID and brain fog. This blood vessel „leakiness“ was able to objectively distinguish those patients with brain fog and cognitive decline compared to patients suffering from Long-COVID but not with brain fog. The findings have significant implications for future treatment options and research into post-viral neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS).
We've been thinking about software integration wrong for the past 50 years - Nerve Signals:
In the early 1970s, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) introduced software integration methods to make different pieces of software work together. Although progress has been made, solving software integration is still challenging. The core issue lies in framing the problem wrong; instead of building a tool for integration, we should build a network. Different methods offer varying control and cost trade-offs, such as Unified APIs, Connector-based iPaaS solutions, and hand-written integrations. By shifting focus to creating a Schema Network, we can make the software integration process more efficient and flexible while maintaining ease of use. This approach could revolutionize how applications are connected and integrated.
The Lost Art of Single-Tasking Devices:
In 2024, author Simone discusses the benefits of using single-function devices in our modern, technology-filled lives. The author explains how these devices force us to be more deliberate and create pockets of intentionality and contemplation. The article emphasizes the importance of choosing the right device for a specific task and taking control over our digital tools instead of allowing them to control us. Single-tasking is presented as an act of self-care, suggesting that focusing on one activity at a time can lead to a more fulfilling life experience.
Things Unexpectedly Named After People · Notes:
This article presents an incomplete and infuriating list of namesakes behind various companies, products, and places, including PageRank by Larry Page and MySQL by My Widenius. It also mentions a few more suggestions added later in 2024.
Warum es bisher keine gute Methode gegen KI-Halluzinationen gibt:
Language models like ChatGPT create facts, but there are different types of hallucinations that make it difficult to prevent them completely. Researchers worldwide work on methods to reduce these hallucinations, but they have not yet succeeded in fully eliminating them. There is a complexity in defining the problem and identifying various forms of AI hallucinations that depend on the task and context of the query. The article discusses different attempts at reducing hallucinations, such as Retrieval-Augmented-Generation (RAG) and the need for further research to improve these models.
Encoding tic-tac-toe in 15 bits:
The article discusses a blog post by Alejandra González that seeks to compress a tic-tac-toe game state into as few bits as possible. She arrived at a solution in 18 bits, but the author wonders if there's a better solution. They propose using a base-3 representation instead of base-4 and utilizing a more efficient bit-twiddling method for their core methods. This approach would save 15 bits compared to the original 18-bit solution, potentially making it an improvement depending on specific use cases or needs.
This document outlines the capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI based on GPT-4 architecture. It provides guidelines for using various tools such as Python and Dalle, as well as instructions for browsing the internet with the built-in browser tool. The article emphasizes the importance of following these guidelines to ensure accurate and reliable results while avoiding copyright infringement and other issues.
This article discusses issues reported by users regarding ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. Users have experienced various problems, prompting the developers to acknowledge the issue. The article highlights the need for more transparent and debuggable technologies in AI, as current systems remain unstable and opaque.
ADHD may have been an evolutionary advantage, research suggests:
This research suggests that ADHD traits, such as distractibility and impulsivity, may have been evolutionarily advantageous for our ancestors when foraging for food. These traits could have helped people seek out new patches more effectively. The study analyzed data from an online foraging game and found that participants with higher ADHD scores tended to switch between bushes more often, gaining more points than those with lower scores. However, the researchers acknowledged limitations in their experiment, such as relying on self-reported ADHD-like symptoms.
Scientists Developed A Tool To Reveal Who's at Risk of Burnout, And It's Free:
An international team of researchers have developed an assessment tool, Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), to identify individuals at risk of workplace burnout. The BAT, which uses self-reported responses and is based on data from 493 adults, assesses mental and physical states at work. The tool can help employers address employee burnout risks and take measures to prevent it. Studies have found that unrealistically high expectations, rapid institutional change, low self-esteem, and lack of opportunity can contribute to burnout risk.
What the fuck is going on in Argentina?:
This article is part of the Patagonia Diaries series, which chronicles the author's experiences on a trip retracing their parents' previous roadtrip. The author discusses Argentina's financial situation and how it affects daily life for locals. Despite the economic difficulties faced by Argentinians, the author had an enjoyable time in the country, noting its stunning landscapes and friendly people.
The data collected by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh suggests that return-to-office (RTO) policies do not improve employee performance or company value in S&P 500 companies, and are more likely to be implemented by controlling bosses seeking to reassert their control over employees. The study found no financial benefit from RTO policies and instead, negatively impacted employee job satisfaction and retention. The researchers argue that allowing high-performing remote workers to continue working remotely can help companies retain top talent and maintain a more flexible work environment.
The Solved Problem That Isn't:
This article discusses parsing, which is the process of taking a stream of characters and deducing if and how they conform to an underlying grammar. It highlights challenges in combining two grammars, known as grammar composition, and explores different approaches such as scannerless parsing and boolean grammars for resolving these issues. The article also mentions that while many consider parsing a solved problem, the author believes it isn't and suggests potential alternatives like syntax-directed editing if current approaches fail to address the challenges of grammar composition in programming languages.
This article discusses the importance of ethics and responsible development in artificial intelligence (AI) systems that interact with humans. It emphasizes understanding diverse perspectives, mitigating potential negative impacts, maintaining security, and ensuring transparency. AI developers should be prepared for unpredictable situations and have an alternative plan in place. Monitoring and improving the AI's behavior is crucial, as well as being able to intervene when necessary. The article also highlights the responsibility of AI developers and the importance of maintaining transparency with users regarding the capabilities and limitations of their AI systems.
Yes Prime Minister, questionnaire design matters:
The article discusses the importance of questionnaire design in surveys, using an example from the British comedy sketch „Yes, Prime Minister“ about national service support. It highlights that asking leading questions can lead to different results on public opinion and emphasizes the transparency of polling companies under British Polling Council rules. The article encourages paying attention to a range of polls, watching trends over time, and considering how policy choices are framed when forming opinions about public support for certain issues.
There may be a 'dark mirror' universe within ours where atoms failed to form, new study suggests:
A new theory suggests that dark matter, an abundant yet invisible substance believed to make up most of the mass in the universe, may be mirroring our own world with broken rules. Researchers propose there could be some sort of hidden link between normal and dark matter, which would help explain why their amounts are roughly equal. The theory suggests that for every physical interaction in normal matter, there's a mirror of it in the world of dark matter, creating a new kind of symmetry in nature. This mirror model allows for potential interactions among dark matter particles but limits them so most of it remains simple and free-floating. By carefully measuring element formation rates, scientists may be able to find evidence for this hidden link between the two universes.
The Windows Context Menu – Is It a Lost Cause?:
This article discusses the issues with Windows' context menu, particularly its lack of documentation and standardization for third-party developers. The author provides detailed instructions on customizing the context menu by editing registry entries for shell extensions and handlers. Despite these challenges, they emphasize that there is still a way to make the context menu more user-friendly.
If Architects had to work like Programmers:
The article is a humorous take on the challenges an architect might face if they were required to work like programmers, with vague requirements and constant changes. It presents a hypothetical situation where an architect is asked to design and build a house without specific instructions or constraints, taking into account various preferences from family members, potential buyers, and even considering the possibility of a travel trailer instead of a traditional house.
The Lifespan of Large Appliances Is Shrinking - WSJ:
The lifespan of large appliances is decreasing due to an increase in the complexity and computerization of these products, leading to more frequent breakdowns and higher repair costs. In addition, the use of flimsier materials has contributed to reduced durability. As a result, American households are spending more on home appliances while facing increased replacement rates and rising prices for repairs. Industry professionals advise consumers to opt for simpler models with fewer features in order to maintain long-term reliability and cost efficiency.
How to Detect Objects in Images Using the YOLOv8 Neural Network:
Object detection is a computer vision task that involves identifying and locating objects in images or videos. YOLOv8, created by Joseph Redmon, Santosh Divvala, Ross Girshick, and Ali Farhadi, is an efficient method for performing this task using convolutional neural networks. This article provides detailed instructions on how to train the model, create a web application for object detection in images, and create the frontend and backend for the application.
This article discusses object detection models and evaluations in computer vision. It highlights the importance of understanding metrics such as Intersection over Union (IoU), Average Precision (AP) and Average Recall (AR). The article also introduces the Object Detection Leaderboard, a ranking system for object detection models available on Hugging Face Hub. It emphasizes that evaluating object detection models requires taking into account various factors such as different parameters, ported models, ground-truth objects, and text-conditioned models.
This article discusses the YOLOv7 implementation, which is a real-time object detector set based on bag-of-freebies and achieves state-of-the-art results. The article provides information about its license (GPL-3.0) and its popularity with 12.3k stars and 3.9k forks in a public repository.
The possibility that there might be more than one dimension of time has been discussed in physics and philosophy, appearing in folklore and fantasy literature as well. Speculative theories with multiple time dimensions have been explored in physics, including additional dimensions similar to conventional time or components of a complex time. The existence of initial value problem for the ultrahyperbolic equation demonstrates that initial data on a mixed hypersurface evolves deterministically in the remaining time dimension. Multiple time dimensions allow for breaking or re-ordering of cause-and-effect, which has been addressed in modern analytic philosophy. Fantasy writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis have made use of these concepts in their stories.
This article discusses the importance of making functions in Python return meaningful, typed, and safe results. It introduces various tools and containers like FutureResult, IOResult, Maybe container, and Result for better composition and error handling in functional programming. The article also emphasizes the significance of Railroad Oriented Programming and enforcing single responsibility principles in Python.
Stonelifting Etiquette — liftingstones.org:
Stonelifting is a niche activity that has gained popularity in recent years. Its etiquette combines elements from gym culture and mountaineering, emphasizing respect for both the stones and their surroundings. To practice proper stonelifting etiquette, one must research the history and significance of the stones they wish to lift, obtain permission if required, avoid using tacky or chalk containing contaminants, carefully lower and return the stone to its original position, and educate others about responsible lifting practices.
China is building more coal plants but might burn less coal:
China continues building new coal plants despite poor planning and decisions that could lead to underused power plants and stranded assets. This is due to a combination of factors, including the decentralization of power plant approvals to provincial levels resulting in overly conservative demands and inefficient energy system planning. While China's total coal capacity continues to grow, its utilisation rates have been dropping over the last 15 years, suggesting that coal use might fall despite adding more capacity. However, it is possible that solar and wind will cover all new demand as China continues to build low-carbon energy at a rapid pace.
The European Union's Digital Markets Act is being enforced, leading Apple to be less than happy about it. The discussion mainly centers on requiring Apple to provide alternative app stores, but the author argues that web browsers are more important. Apple has been forced to allow alternative browsing engines, which the company claims will be bad for security. Instead of complying reasonably, Apple is planning to change how web apps function in iOS, negatively impacting users and potentially causing business issues.
UI=f(org): UI is a Function of Your Organization:
The Domino's Pizza Tracker is an impressive example of user interface (UI) design, providing detailed updates on the status of a customer's pizza order. However, it highlights the challenges that designers face when creating such UIs, as they must balance idealized scenarios with real-world limitations and organizational capabilities. UI effectiveness depends on an organization's ability to deliver on its promises, making startups more suitable for developing these types of user experiences.
Bad property debt exceeds reserves at largest US banks:
The largest US banks are facing bad property debt exceeding their reserves due to an increase in late payments related to commercial real estate properties such as offices and shopping centers. This has led to the average reserves at JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley falling from $1.60 for every dollar of debt to 90 cents. The delinquent commercial property loans have nearly tripled in the last year, raising concerns about potential future losses and regulators' focus on banks' CRE lending risk reporting and provisioning practices. Across the US banking sector, the value of delinquent commercial real estate loans has more than doubled to $24.3 billion.
Web Scraping in Python - The Complete Guide | ProxiesAPI:
The article provides an in-depth tutorial on building robust web crawlers using Python libraries such as BeautifulSoup, Scrapy, and Selenium, while highlighting best practices for large-scale scraping and handling real-world challenges like rate limits, blocks, and JavaScript pages. It explains how to use Python's intuitive syntax for quick coding and built-in libraries for scraping. The article also discusses alternative web scraping libraries such as pyppeteer, pyquery, and lxml, and explores various techniques, challenges, and best practices for scraping complex websites effectively.
A group of researchers from China and the US have outlined an attack on biometric security using the sound characteristics of a user's finger swiping on a touchscreen to extract fingerprint pattern features. This side-channel attack, named PrintListener, targets Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) and claims to be successful in up to 27.9% of partial fingerprints and 9.3% of complete fingerprints within five attempts at a security setting of 0.01%. This highlights the potential vulnerabilities of biometric security systems, raising concerns about their widespread use and reliance on fingerprint authentication.
Microsoft Is Spying on Users of Its AI Tools:
Microsoft and OpenAI detected Chinese, Russian, and Iranian hackers using their AI tools to enhance their hacking capabilities. The companies shared threat intelligence on state-affiliated adversaries utilizing LLMs for cyber operations. This information was likely obtained by monitoring chatbot sessions.
Faculty group calls on Yale to make teaching ‘distinct from activism’:
The new initiative at Yale University urges adoption of six measures, including enhanced free speech protections and commitment to institutional neutrality. Over 100 faculty members have signed a website for a group called Faculty for Yale, which emphasizes the importance of teaching, learning, and research over advocacy and activism. The group calls for a thorough reassessment of administrative encroachment and promotion of diverse viewpoints, as well as more detailed free expression guidelines in the Faculty Handbook. They also want to implement guidelines regarding donor influence based on the Gift Policy Review Committee's 2022 report.
SSDs Have Become Ridiculously Fast, Except in the Cloud:
This article discusses the rapid transition from SATA to PCIe for solid-state drives (SSDs), leading to increased throughput and capacity. It highlights the power of a commodity market, open standards like NVMe and PCIe, and competing vendors in providing great benefits to customers. However, it also raises questions about the stagnation in performance of cloud-based storage solutions compared to state-of-the-art SSDs available on the market. The article speculates on possible reasons behind this stagnation and hopes for faster and cheaper NVMe instance storage in the future.
Kommentar: Broadcom zerlegt VMware – ist das nur dreist oder schon dumm?:
This article discusses Broadcom's approach after acquiring VMware, which has led to concerns about customer satisfaction and profit maximization. The author questions Broadcom's decisions regarding subscription-based offerings and the impact on customers who may prefer alternative options or competitors.
More and more workers are being forced back to the office - and they aren't happy:
This article discusses the growing trend of return-to-office (RTO) policies among employers post-pandemic, despite a global push for remote working. According to a survey by recruitment agency Randstad UK, 60% of 2,000 workers in the UK consider remote work as a „non-negotiable“ factor when choosing their job. Many younger employees prefer hybrid or remote work due to added flexibility, but companies like Amazon, Google, and Apple are urging workers to return to the office at least part-time. The majority of workers surveyed by Randstad UK preferred an average of two-and-a-half days in the office.
Over 28,500 Exchange servers vulnerable to actively exploited bug:
97,000 Microsoft Exchange servers may be vulnerable to CVE-2024-21410, a critical privilege escalation flaw actively exploited by hackers. The issue allows remote unauthenticated actors to perform NTLM relay attacks on the servers and escalate their privileges. While no publicly available proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit is available, system administrators are recommended to apply Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 14 (CU14) update for protection.
Economical ingenuity: 70 years of the Citroën 2CV:
The article discusses how Citroën President Pierre Boulanger developed the 2CV as a means to modernize the French farming community, unintentionally creating an iconic car that has become a symbol of global car culture.
Hip to be square – 70 years of the Citroën H Van:
2CV Citron, known as the umbrella on wheels or tin snail, is a versatile vehicle that has been used in various roles such as a 24-hour endurance racer, a James Bond film star, a delivery van, a beach buggy fun machine, and even a twin-engined four-wheel drive Sahara version.
Patent Absurdity (2021) | Hacker News:
This discussion revolves around whether patent law is worth pursuing as an engineering career and whether the patent system should be saved or reformed, given its various issues. The contributors express different perspectives on these topics, with some arguing that patents serve to incentivize innovation while others believe they hinder progress. Additionally, there are concerns regarding the legal jargon involved and whether AI can help bypass traditional lawyer roles in the field of patents.
The article discusses the issue of software patents and how reading them might lead to unintentional violations and consequences for developers. The author advises against reading patents, as they can be overly broad and difficult to understand. Instead, developers should rely on company lawyers to handle such matters and focus on their technical skills and work.
This comprehensive resource on professional programming provides a collection of learning resources for curious software engineers. It covers various topics such as algorithm and data structures, API design & development, attitude, habits, mindset, and more. The list includes books, articles, courses, resources, and general material to help programmers enhance their skills in different areas.
AI Determines Sex of Person From Brain Scans - Neuroscience News:
Researchers developed an AI model that accurately determines the sex of individuals based on brain scans, with over 90% success. This breakthrough supports the theory that significant sex differences in brain organization exist. The AI model focused on dynamic MRI scans and identified specific brain networks such as the default mode, striatum, and limbic networks as critical in distinguishing male from female brains. This research deepens our understanding of brain development and aging and opens new avenues for addressing sex-specific vulnerabilities in psychiatric and neurological disorders.
This paper examines the effectiveness of gender bias policies implemented by the Dutch Research Council, NWO, in their three-tier funding scheme called Talent Programme. The aim is to determine whether these measures have been successful in reducing gender differences in grant applications and subsequent funding rates. Using all available data from 2012 onwards (16,249 applications of which 2,449 received funding), the study finds strong statistical evidence that the gender effects in favor of female applicants for the first tier (Veni) have significantly increased over time. However, no significant differences were found in the other two tiers (Vidi and Vici). The findings suggest that gender bias still exists in the assessment process but is manifested differently than a decade ago.
Ideastronaut / Rome's Hidden Killer:
The ancient Roman civilization's widespread use of lead in various aspects of daily life may have played a role in its eventual decline, as chronic lead poisoning led to reduced fertility and increased infant mortality. Lead exposure affected everyone from the poorest commoners to the wealthiest elites, weakening the empire's physical and mental capabilities while potentially hampering leadership decisions. This story serves as a reminder of the long-term consequences that come with embracing substances in pursuit of progress.
How Google is killing independent sites like ours - HouseFresh:
This article discusses how Google's algorithm updates can impact search results rankings for various websites, with some seeing improvements while others experience declines. It highlights how certain big media publishers like BuzzFeed, Rolling Stone, and Forbes have been dominating Google search results by publishing product recommendations without conducting proper testing or sharing test data, potentially harming smaller independent sites like HouseFresh that prioritize editorial decisions based on readers' needs. The article calls for Google to apply its guidelines on helpful content more equitably across all websites and ensure that publishers are not solely focused on generating revenue through affiliate marketing tactics.
Aktivitäten, Touren und Sightseeing auf Madeira:
The article provides information on various activities and tours in Madeira, including hiking trails, wine tastings, boat trips, and whale watching. It highlights the main attractions such as Funchal, Pico de Arieiro, Levada walks, water sports, and wildlife experiences. The article also offers tips on planning a trip to Madeira and provides contact information for booking services through TUI Group.
What if public housing were for everyone?:
The concept of publicly-owned housing for people across different income levels is gaining traction in the United States. Governments have previously addressed housing shortages through publicly developed housing in places like Vienna, Finland, and Singapore. Montgomery County, Maryland has successfully implemented this idea by leveraging relatively small amounts of public money to create a revolving fund for short-term construction costs, resulting in new mixed-income apartments. This model is being explored further in other cities such as Atlanta and Boston, with leaders embracing the concept due to the scarcity of alternative tools to build affordable housing and the increasing acute nationwide housing shortage.
The article discusses the author's experience quitting coffee and the potential benefits they experienced, such as increased productivity, improved sleep quality, and reduced anxiety. It also includes anecdotes from members in the r/decaf subreddit and scientific findings on the effects of caffeine. The author encourages readers to experiment with quitting caffeine to see if it works for them and emphasizes that individual variability is key.
Working from home can bring big health benefits, study finds:
A large-scale review by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and King's College London found that remote workers enjoy lower blood pressure, better eating habits, and less stress than those in office settings. However, the study also revealed that homeworkers are more likely to consume snacks, drink alcohol, smoke, and gain weight. Employees working from home take fewer sick days and tend to work longer hours, evenings, and weekends. The research suggests employers should approach homeworking as seriously as office-based work, with proper support and training to improve productivity and well-being.
The article discusses various techniques used by populists in their arguments and political strategies. These include ad hominem attacks (personal insults), false dichotomies/false dilemmas, the motte-and-bailey argument, appeals to the „silent majority,“ and strawman arguments. The goal of these tactics is often to discredit opponents or make their position seem weaker, rather than engaging in logical debates about the content of their statements.
Awesome Open Source Games | Curated list of awesome lists:
The article provides a comprehensive list of open-source games and game engines available on GitHub, with options for browser-based, mobile, and native platforms. It covers various genres like action, arcade, RPG, strategy, racing, puzzle, and more. Additionally, it includes frameworks, libraries, and utilities for game development, as well as chat bots. Contributions are welcome, and the guidelines can be found in the article.
The day I canceled my Spotify subscription:
This article details the author's journey from being a big fan of Spotify to ultimately canceling their subscription due to dissatisfaction with the platform. The author explains how Spotify has changed over time, including its push into podcasts and audiobooks, lack of customization options for users, and issues with the company's business model. Ultimately, the author mourns the loss of the app that Spotify once was and decides to cancel their subscription.
Die Zerstörung der AfD (Video):
The Transcript eines Youtube Videos discusses the political party AfD (Alternative for Germany), its ideologies, policies, and potential impacts on society if it were to gain power. The video is aimed at those who may consider voting for the AfD due to a sense of alienation from other parties but are not fully aware of the party's extreme views.
The video begins by examining what the AfD stands for. It presents itself as a party that supports working-class families, farmers, and affordable housing, among others. However, upon closer inspection, many of these policies are revealed to be misleading or directly opposed to their stated positions. For example, while they claim to support low retirement ages, their official program suggests raising it to 45 years of contributions, which would disproportionately affect women and older workers.
The video also highlights the AfD's anti-science stance, particularly in relation to climate change. Despite scientific consensus on human-induced global warming, the AfD often misrepresents or ignores this evidence to align with their political agenda. They have called for the end of all international agreements related to climate change and have suggested that the concept of climate change itself is a myth. The video underscores the potential disastrous consequences of such denial, referencing various scenarios from the IPCC report on global warming.
The video then delves into the AfD's extreme views on race, ethnicity, and gender. It includes several quotes from AfD politicians expressing racism, homophobia, and anti-feminism. The party has consistently opposed same-sex marriage, LGBTQ+ rights, and any form of diversity or inclusivity education. Moreover, they have suggested reintroducing laws against homosexuality and even proposed deporting not only immigrants but also German citizens with migration backgrounds who are perceived as unpatriotic.
The video also touches on the AfD's use of lies and misinformation to further its agenda. It highlights instances where party members have spread false statistics or narratives, such as claims about sexual assault rates in Chemnitz or the number of refugees receiving welfare benefits. The video criticizes these tactics as manipulative and harmful to society.
Finally, the video explores the similarities between the AfD's policies and those of the Nazi regime during World War II. It points out plans for deporting millions of people, the potential reintroduction of a citizen guard similar to the SA or HIPO under Hitler, and the party's refusal to view past actions as crimes against humanity. The video concludes with a discussion on what could happen if the AfD were to gain power, emphasizing the potential economic, social, and geopolitical impacts.
In summary, the Transcript eines Youtube Videos presents a comprehensive critique of the AfD's ideologies, policies, and practices, highlighting their extreme views, anti-science stance, and historical parallels with the Nazi regime. It encourages viewers to critically evaluate the party and to consider the potential consequences of supporting them in elections.
Immunsystem stärken - was hilft und was nicht？ ｜ Doc Fischer SWR (Video):
The video discusses the importance of maintaining a healthy immune system to protect against illnesses like colds and flu. Key points include:
1. Consuming vitamins, minerals, and nutrients through a balanced diet can help boost our immunity. Vitamin D3, B12, zinc, Vitamin C, and folate are essential for optimal immune function.
2. Proper sleep is crucial in supporting the immune system. Research has shown that people who get 7-9 hours of sleep per night have a stronger immune response than those who don't.
3. Exercise promotes blood circulation, which helps to distribute immune cells throughout the body and maintain overall health. Regular physical activity such as walking or jogging can help maintain a strong immune system.
4. A balanced diet including probiotics, fiber, protein (glutamine), and hydration is essential for maintaining a strong immune system.
5. Vaccinations are highly effective in preventing diseases like influenza and COVID-19. The video highlights the importance of vaccination, especially among older individuals and those with chronic conditions.
6. Practicing good hygiene habits such as frequent hand washing, social distancing, and wearing masks when necessary can help protect against infections.
In summary, maintaining a strong immune system is vital for overall health and well-being. Achieving this involves a combination of proper nutrition, sleep, exercise, and vaccinations, as well as practicing good hygiene habits when needed.
Why the United Nations is obsolete (Video):
The video discusses the United Nations (UN) as a forum for global peace and international law cooperation. Founded in 1945, it was initially created to replace warfare with diplomacy by promoting dialogue among nations. However, the UN has not effectively reformed its charter, leading to an outdated system that struggles to address contemporary challenges such as climate change, disinformation, and artificial intelligence.
The Security Council's veto power is considered dysfunctional due to interstate interests and ideologies that create a gap between the five permanent members. The lack of reform makes it difficult for the UN to keep up with global changes. Regional blocs like NATO, the European Union, African Union, Collective Security Treaty Organization, and Shanghai Cooperation Organization have emerged in response to the UN's irrelevance but are limited in handling global complications.
Specialized agencies such as the World Health Organization remain valuable in addressing specific issues like healthcare, disaster relief, and economic development, while other parts of the UN may be viewed as obsolete or ineffective. The video concludes by emphasizing that although the UN has become outdated and struggles to prevent conflicts, its role in promoting global cooperation remains essential.
Azure DevOps Workload Identity Federation with Azure Overview. NO MORE SECRETS! (Video):
The video discusses the capability of Azure DevOps to leverage workload identity federation using OpenID Connect. This method eliminates the need for secrets and provides a more secure way for services to authenticate and perform actions on behalf of specific roles. By creating an app registration, service connection, and giving pipelines permission to use the service connection, Azure DevOps can generate access tokens that are exchanged with Entra for resource management operations. The video also briefly covers converting existing secret-based connections to workload identity federation or using managed identities as an alternative option.
MIT Study Reveals Why Africa Is Still Poor (Video):
The video discusses the issue of poverty in Africa and why the continent is falling behind economically despite having abundant natural resources. Some key points and arguments include:
1. Geography has played a significant role in economic development, with many African countries being isolated or divided by factors such as the Sahara Desert, poor soil quality, and the presence of tropical diseases, making it difficult for agriculture to thrive.
2. Historical events like colonialism and the Atlantic slave trade have further exacerbated Africa's economic struggles, establishing unstable governments and institutions that continue to hinder growth today.
3. Some positive changes can be observed in countries like Botswana, which managed its wealth better by investing in people, education, and public infrastructure, achieving a relatively high level of income.
4. Africa has the potential for future economic success, as many other regions experienced similar struggles before eventually becoming prosperous.
In summary, Africa's poverty is rooted in geographical challenges, historical events, and poor institutional development. However, positive examples like Botswana show that with proper investments and improvements in institutions, the continent has the potential for economic success in the future.