Links für 2024 KW 9
Zusammengefasst von LlongOrca.
buyingacar/README.md at main · kutinden/buyingacar:
The article provides a detailed guide on how to buy a new car online, including steps like determining what car you want, figuring out dealer cost, getting preapproved for a car loan, and contacting all the dealerships that offer the desired vehicle. It emphasizes using email communication throughout the process, and mentions some common replies from dealerships and how to respond accordingly. The article also discusses negotiating without trade-ins, market economics, email etiquette, and the algorithm implementation for triggering competition between dealerships.
A TL;DR List of My Favourite Marketing Resources + Building 1,000 Fans:
1. This week's two-part newsletter discusses TL;DR marketing lists and write-ups about 1,000 fans. 2. The author shares various brand documentaries that can help one realize the power of brand messaging in campaigns, storytelling, and teach a thing or two about marketing. 3. The author recommends several libraries, blogs, courses, and social media follows for better understanding of marketing strategies. 4. Finally, the article explores the concept of building 1,000 true fans, explaining how artists can make a living from their true fans by providing valuable products and creating genuine connections with them.
The Virtuous Mean Between Time Drunkenness and Work Martyrdom:
This article explores the concepts of „time drunks“ and „work martyrs,“ two extremes in people's relationship with work, drawing on philosopher Raymond Geuss' book A Philosopher Looks at Work. Time drunks prioritize leisure over work, while work martyrs are excessively devoted to their jobs. The article argues that the virtuous mean between these extremes lies in finding a balance where one works for the right reasons and towards the right people, without sacrificing well-being.
Stress Reduction Techniques for High Stress Operations:
The military can be a highly stressful environment, with various roles such as special operators, explosive ordinance technicians, and aviators experiencing significant psychological health concerns due to heavy physical, mental, and emotional strain. Research has highlighted the importance of learning stress-management techniques for warriors in high-stress positions, as stress can lead to depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Service members are encouraged to develop skills such as visualization, goal-setting, persistence, situational awareness, and muscle control. Basic stress reduction techniques include regular exercise, good sleep, a healthy diet, relaxing activities, staying connected with friends and family, and seeking professional help when needed.
My streaming fatigue got so bad I started collecting DVDs:
The author discusses their recent experience with shopping for DVDs at Walmart and how they have found the experience more enjoyable than browsing through streaming services. They mention the variety, lower cost, and nostalgic appeal of owning physical copies of movies as reasons for choosing DVDs over digital streaming. The author also acknowledges the drawbacks of DVD ownership, such as storage issues and potential lack of convenience compared to streaming platforms.
How to find the AWS Account ID of any S3 Bucket:
This article discusses how to find the AWS Account ID of any S3 Bucket using a combination of techniques and policy configurations in VPC Endpoints. The process involves applying an IAM policy, making a request to the target bucket, checking if it appears in CloudTrail logs, modifying the VPC endpoint policy accordingly, repeating the steps for each digit, and eventually finding the AWS Account ID. It also highlights that this technique should only be used when necessary, as it is based on partial matches against resource identifiers.
What a Major Solar Storm Could Do to Our Planet:
This article discusses the potential risks associated with solar storms and their impact on our power grid, communication systems, satellites, GPS, and other technologies that are critical to daily life. The article highlights the challenges faced by space weather forecasters in predicting these events, as well as the importance of improving preparedness for such disruptions. It also emphasizes the need for better infrastructure and more research on solar storms to minimize their effects on modern society.
The article discusses an incident where unknown users were attempting to add „tea“ configuration files to various GitHub repositories, possibly in an attempt to claim ownership and control tokens tied to the open-source projects. The author found over 100 pull requests within two days targeting different projects on GitHub. Tea protocol has faced criticism for enabling this type of abuse and is taking steps to prevent it in the future by adding verification steps for legitimate contributors.
Häckselplatz - Stadt Oberriexingen:
This article provides information on extended opening hours for contrast enhancement services, which take place on Wednesdays from 2pm to 5pm, Saturdays from 9am to 1pm, and Saturdays from 1pm to 5pm. These times are available every week, starting from February until the end of April. The usage rules can be found in a separate document.
Job titles are bullshit · Jamie Tanna | Software Engineer:
This article discusses the inconsistency in job titles within the software development and quality engineering industries, focusing on the confusion around „Senior Engineer“ levels. The author highlights how different companies may have varying expectations for seniority, experience requirements, and roles. They suggest that there might be value in an industry-wide acceptance of levels to make it easier to compare roles across organizations.
Home Screen Advantage - Infrequently Noted:
The article discusses Apple's plan to potentially limit the functionality of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in iOS 17.4, which might affect businesses and users who rely on these applications. Apple claims that compliance with the European Union's Digital Markets Act requires this change, but critics argue that the company is trying to maintain its home screen advantage over competing app stores. The article also highlights the importance of web development skills and open technologies in the future of mobile application development.
79% of Crohn's disease patients in remission after early intervention:
A clinical trial led by the University of Cambridge found that giving an immunotherapy drug, infliximab, as soon as possible after diagnosis with Crohn's disease significantly reduces complications, including the need for surgery. The results suggest re-thinking how Crohn's disease is treated, and could lead to better outcomes for patients than previously reported.
All Aboard the Bureaucracy Train—Asterisk:
The article discusses the challenges faced by America when constructing transit systems and compares the U.S. with countries like Italy, Spain, Portugal, Southern Europe, Turkey, Scandinavia, Germany, France, and Latin America that have low construction costs. The author emphasizes the importance of having a strong public sector and empowered civil service to make planning decisions, as well as considering learning from other successful transit systems globally.
Yesterday, Apple announced changes to iOS, Safari, and the App Store in response to the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA). The announcement outlines new terms for app distribution, alternative app stores, sideloading, and payment options. However, critics argue that Apple is not seriously complying with the DMA and shows disdain for both the legislation and app developers. The European Commission should consider opening infringement proceedings on 7 March 2024 if these issues are not resolved.
🦑 The 14 pains of building your own billing system - Arnon Shimoni:
This article discusses the complexities and challenges of billing and revenue systems for businesses, emphasizing the importance of choosing an appropriate solution depending on their needs. The author highlights three common options for managing billing systems: home-grown solutions, hybrid systems that combine internal and external elements, and full third-party systems. The article also lists several issues that can arise with homegrown billing systems, such as idempotency, date handling, usage metering, invoice formatting, and more.
Combating Olive Oil Fraud with Nuclear Innovations:
Europe produces 60% of the world's olive oil, with research carried out by the Joint FAO/IAEA laboratory to verify the origin of Slovenian extra virgin olive oil from the Istria region. Using non-destructive chemical analysis technologies like FT-NIR and HS-GC-IMS, scientists successfully differentiated between 242 olive oils and identified their origins with 89% accuracy. The study aimed to develop more food authentication tests for extra-virgin olive oil and other products. The International Symposium on Food Safety and Control will be held in Vienna from May 27-31, 2024, focusing on cutting-edge research and innovation in food safety and control.
In the compact bus segment, Pssl Group offers the Campstar in two variants. The ADAC tested both the basic vehicle and its V-Class configuration. The motor and drive received top marks.
The Campstar's airflow is optimized with the pop-up roof open, providing more air circulation. As an alternative, the Vito Tourer offers a more economical option.
The ADAC regularly tests compact, everyday-capable camper vans from the bus and box van classes, ensuring they are all comparable. This time, the Pssl Campstar was put to the test. Based on the Mercedes-Benz chassis, customers can choose between the V-Class in three engine configurations or the Vito in four variants. The ADAC tested the V-Class with a 163-PS motor for around €69,000. The version with the strongest motor, at 239 PS, costs approximately €73,000 according to the manufacturer.
The article also discusses various aspects of the Campstar's design, such as its fuel consumption and emissions, interior space, and features.
The article discusses Hancho, an open-source build system for Python projects. It is designed to be simple and fast, with few moving parts, and requires no installation. Inspired by Ninja and Bazel, Hancho supports calling build rules as functions in Python code. The article provides a tutorial, additional documentation, updates on the project, and a simple example of using Hancho for building an executable.
Why car and home insurance costs are surging:
Homeowner insurance premiums have increased significantly in recent years due to factors such as rising labor and material costs, inflation, and an increase in natural disasters. Insurance companies argue that they need to adjust their prices according to the risks involved, but consumers are finding it increasingly difficult to afford the higher premiums. The insurance market is also struggling with climate change impacting the industry and putting pressure on insurers. As a result, some people may consider scaling back coverage or even going without insurance altogether, which could lead to greater vulnerability for individuals and communities.
The hater’s guide to Kubernetes:
The article discusses how Kubernetes is often seen as overly complicated and unnecessary for startups. However, it argues that Kubernetes can be an efficient tool for certain use cases such as running multiple processes redundantly and load balancing them while also configuring them through code. By carving out a small chunk of Kubernetes' features and ignoring the rest, users can achieve serenity with the platform. The article provides insights into how Jamsocket uses Kubernetes successfully by focusing on specific features and avoiding others that add unnecessary complexity.
I'm going to keep opting out • Cory Dransfeldt:
This article discusses the burden placed on users to opt out of various forms of marketing, solicitations, and advertising. The author argues that opt-out systems are time-consuming and intrusive, often insisting upon future transactions or attention rather than maintaining a relationship. They suggest that an opt-in system would be more effective and respectful of users' privacy and attention.
congstar: Kundencenter verschwunden - jetzt App-Zwang? (Update):
Congstar, a German telecommunications discounter, has seemingly forced its customers to switch to an app for managing their prepaid contracts, mobile plans, DSL connections and home spot tariffs. This change was not announced beforehand, and many users might be surprised by it. The old online customer center is still available but not promoted on the website. Congstar's two other discounters, ja!mobil and Penny mobil, discontinued their online customer centers four years ago, shifting to app-based services for customers instead.
Drittanbietersperre: Gegen Abo-Fallen auf dem Handy:
This article discusses the issue of unexpected charges on phone bills from unknown companies, often due to subscriptions to services that users may not be aware of or have signed up for. It explains how carrier billing, which allows payments for additional services through phone bills, can lead to unintentional subscriptions and charges. To protect against these costs, the article introduces a concept called „Drittanbietersperre,“ or third-party blockade, which enables users to prevent unauthorized charges from appearing on their bills. The article also covers recent regulatory changes concerning third-party services and offers advice for customers who encounter unexpected charges on their phone bill.
‘Their heads were nailed to the trees’: what was life – and death – like for Roman legionaries?:
The article discusses the Teutoburg Forest battle that occurred between the Romans and Germanic tribes in AD 9. The Roman army, led by Publius Quinctilius Varus, suffered a devastating defeat with three legions being wiped out. This event had long-lasting effects on Rome's expansion east of the Rhine and later became part of German national identity. In present times, the battle site has been preserved as a museum and battlefield park in Kalkriese, Germany. The article also mentions the British Museum exhibition „Legion: Life in the Roman Army,“ which explores the everyday lives of Roman soldiers through various artifacts and personal belongings found at archaeological sites.
This article discusses the transparent Image Layer Diffusion using Latent Transparency for SD WebUI, which is an extension that allows users to generate transparent images and layers in their image generation process. The article highlights its current features and upcoming improvements while providing a detailed guide on how to use it effectively. It also mentions some FAQs related to the model's performance and functionality.
It’s now significantly more deadly to be homeless. Why are so many people dying?:
The mortality rate for unhoused Americans in California has more than tripled over the past decade, making it increasingly dangerous to be homeless. A recent study found that the death rate for homeless individuals increased from 814 per 100,000 in 2011 to 2,752 per 100,000 in 2020. Overdoses played a major role in these deaths, but people also died at increased rates due to things that could be avoided with proper access to healthcare and housing. The study suggests that the stakes are high for state and local efforts to combat homelessness as lives are on the line.
V-Klasse: Details zum optionalen Liegepaket für die 3er-Sitzbank:
The Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse offers an optional Liege-Paket (V9B) for enhanced comfort and privacy, converting the rear bench seat into a bed with a maximum length of 2.03 x 1.35 meters. The package includes a 3-seater bench in the second row, a foldable individual seat in the middle row, an optional additional individual seat (with long wheelbase), and dark-tinted side window glass. It is available with seats made of fabric Santiago black or crystal gray, as well as leather Lugano black. The extension cushion is always available in fabric Santiago black. The package can be ordered for all engine options but may not be combined with certain other options such as 2-seater bench in the first row (US1), or folding 3-seater bench in the first row (US4). A few required features include comfort driver seat (SB1) and passenger seat (SB2), electric adjustment (SF1, SF2), or swivel driver seat (SB5 with SB6).
The article discusses AliExpress, an online platform for global trade and retail e-commerce, owned by Alibaba Group. It provides various categories to browse products, including popular items, great value deals, reviews, and more. Alibaba Group is a Chinese multinational technology company that operates multiple platforms like Alimama, Alipay, Fliggy, Alibaba Cloud, Taobao Marketplace, Tmall, AliOS, and 1688.
The article discusses the Alibaba Group and its various platforms, including AliExpress, Alimama, Alipay, Fliggy, Alibaba Cloud, Taobao Marketplace, Tmall, and more. It also mentions intellectual property protection, privacy policy, and sitemap information for AliExpress.com.
Räume lüften wirksam effektiv:
The article discusses the issue of excess water vapor in the air, especially during cold seasons when it can lead to mold growth. To reduce mold risks, proper ventilation is essential, and people should be aware of their indoor humidity levels using a hygrometer. It also advises against transporting warm and moist air from heated rooms to unheated ones, as this can cause condensation on cold surfaces and increase the risk of mold growth. Automatic ventilation systems may be considered for new constructions or renovations to help maintain optimal humidity levels in homes.
Microsoft rudert etwas zurück: WSUS macht Rechner "verwaltet":
Microsoft has updated its Windows 10 upgrade criteria, allowing PCs to offer upgrades to Windows 11 despite not being managed in the Windows domain. Previously, devices had to be managed with Microsoft Intune or Configuration Manager to qualify for an upgrade. Now, Windows Update for Business and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) also count as management tools.
Funktioniert nur bei klar konturierter Topologie:
The Segway Navimow robotic lawnmower features integrated image recognition technology that can distinguish grass from non-grass, allowing it to automatically identify the lawn boundary without manual input from users. The technology is especially useful when the garden layout often changes or the shape of the lawn is modified. However, manual adjustments are also possible for safety purposes. The app allows users to define multiple smaller sections and connection corridors within their gardens. Virtual no-go zones can be set up to keep the robot away from certain plants or objects. In ideal conditions, the camera AI can avoid collisions without human intervention. The Navimow i105E and i108E models come with image data for over 20 objects, including people, cats, dogs, grills, flowers, soccer balls, and garden tools. Both models are compact and suitable for uneven gardens, with dimensions of 545x385x285mm. The cutting width is 180mm and the adjustable cutting height ranges from 20 to 60mm. These mowers operate at a low noise level of 58dB(A). A 60-minute battery life is claimed for the i105E, with a full recharge taking 90 minutes; the i108E has a running time of 90 minutes and takes 180 minutes to charge. Both models are IP66 protected against water sprays from a garden hose. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and optional 4G mobile connectivity allow remote control via smartphone app. An additional 4G module is available for an extra fee, with annual data pricing ranging from €30 to €90. The i105E model is available in retail stores and online shops, while the i108E is only sold through professional dealerships. The higher-end H-series remains available, offering larger batteries for more lawn areas and additional sensors like a rain sensor.
Thieves using cellular and Wi-Fi jammers to enter homes for robbery:
The article discusses the increasing issue of thieves using cellular and Wi-Fi jammers to gain access to homes for robbery purposes. These criminals place jamming devices around their targets, rendering security cameras and phones inoperative. They meticulously plan home invasions by researching houses online and taking note of the presence or absence of dogs. The article suggests various technological measures that can be taken to protect one's property from such attacks, such as hardwiring internet connections, installing wired security cameras, and using motion-activated lights. Additionally, it advises homeowners to remove photos and details about their properties from real estate websites in order to reduce the risk of attracting criminals.
K8s Service Meshes: The Bill Comes Due:
Service meshes have become popular for their ability to enforce encryption and control service-to-service access, offering better monitoring and additional features. However, as more organizations adopt Kubernetes, the need for deploying production applications has come with a cost. The article discusses various service mesh options, such as Linkerd, Cilium, Istio, Consul Connect, GCP's Anthos, AWS App Mesh, and Azure's Open Service Mesh. Pricing models vary across these options, and the era of free service meshes is coming to an end. Infrastructure teams need to carefully evaluate their options and plan accordingly as they transition to microservices and split stacks in their organizations.
Ada 95: The Craft of Object-Oriented Programming:
The article „Ada 95: The Craft of Object-Oriented Programming“ by John English provides an in-depth guide to the Ada programming language, focusing on object-oriented design and implementation concepts. It covers topics such as abstract data types, private types, exception handling, dynamic memory allocation, multitasking, and more. The book includes various examples, exercises, and appendices for further understanding of the subject matter.
Americans are spending the biggest share of their income on food in 3 decades:
US food prices have reached a 30-year high, with Americans spending over 11% of their disposable income on groceries and dining out in 2022. This is attributed to the ongoing inflation and rising labor costs for restaurants and food manufacturers. The National Association for Business Economists predicts that inflation will continue to slow this year, with a Consumer Price Index (CPI) decline to an annual rate of 2.4%.
myshell-ai/OpenVoice · Hugging Face:
OpenVoice is a voice cloning technology that requires only a short audio clip from the reference speaker to replicate their voice and generate speech in multiple languages. It offers granular control over voice styles such as emotion, accent, rhythm, pauses, and intonation, as well as accurate tone color cloning. OpenVoice also enables zero-shot cross-lingual voice cloning for languages not included in the training dataset.
metavoiceio/metavoice-1B-v0.1 · Hugging Face:
MetaVoice-1B is a 1.2B parameter text-to-speech model trained on 100K hours of speech data. It focuses on emotional speech rhythm and tone in English, without hallucinations. The model supports voice cloning with finetuning, zero-shot cloning for American & British voices, long-form synthesis, and has been released under the Apache 2.0 license for unrestricted usage.
m-a-p/ChatMusician · Hugging Face:
ChatMusician is an open-source LLM that integrates intrinsic musical abilities, allowing it to understand and generate music using only a pure text tokenizer without external multi-modal neural structures or tokenizers. The model can compose full-length music based on texts, chords, melodies, motifs, musical forms, and more. ChatMusician surpasses LLaMA2 and GPT-3.5 on the MusicTheoryBench zero-shot setting by a noticeable margin. The code, data, model, and benchmark are open-sourced for further research and development.
These companies tried a 4-day workweek. More than a year in, they still love it:
The UK's four-day workweek pilot has shown lasting benefits over one year after its implementation, with 54 out of 61 participating companies still maintaining the policy. The trial resulted in improved physical and mental health, work-life balance, general life satisfaction, and reduced burnout among workers. Researchers found that no single method worked for all companies, but they also noted that better external communications and more flexibility could have contributed to a smoother transition.
Beyond 50/50: Breaking Down The Percentage of Female Gamers By Genre:
The percentage of female gamers varies significantly across gaming genres, from Match 3 games with almost 70% female participation to Tactical Shooters and Sports Games with around 2%. The variance highlights the importance of not using a single statistic for all gamers without considering genre differences. The study suggests that some genres may appeal more to women due to their primary motivations, such as Completion and Fantasy.
Where Is Noether's Principle in Machine Learning?:
This article discusses Noether's Principle in machine learning and explores its application to discrete processes. It presents a toy example that demonstrates the conservation laws and how they can be built on „Noether equivariances.“ The author also provides a general proof of a discrete Noether's principle.
A most wanted man: Fugitive Wirecard COO Jan Marsalek exposed as decade-long GRU spy:
Fugitive Wirecard COO Jan Marsalek, who was responsible for Germany's largest financial fraud in history, has also been a decade-long Russian spy. Marsalek escaped to Russia and assumed the identity of Father Konstantin Baiazov after his company collapsed due to a massive accounting scandal. He used various aliases and stolen passports during his time in Russia, while maintaining contacts with ex-GRU officers, including Stanislav Petlinsky and Anatoliy Karaziy.
If You’re So Successful, Why Are You Still Working 70 Hours a Week?:
This article discusses the phenomenon of insecure overachievers, who are recruited and exploited by companies for their exceptional capabilities and ambition. These individuals often work longer hours due to a sense of inadequacy that drives them. The article advises against turning long working hours into a habit, as it can lead to burnout and affect overall well-being. It also highlights the importance of setting specific goals for your time management and ensuring a balance between work and personal life.
The article discusses the misconception that specialized companies can perform tasks better or more responsibly than an individual would. In reality, these firms prioritize cost reduction over quality. The example given is a technology company that sends millions of SMS text messages worldwide, but had a security vulnerability exposing one-time security codes for major platforms like Facebook, Google, and TikTok. The article emphasizes the importance of having in-house expertise to verify services provided by such companies.
Things You Should Never Do, Part I:
The article discusses Netscape's decision to rewrite their code from scratch for version 6.0, resulting in a long delay between releases and allowing their market share to plummet. The author argues that rewriting the entire code base is an ill-conceived strategy that wastes time, money, and market leadership. Instead, they suggest refactoring existing code or optimizing certain parts without throwing away the whole program.
Spotify pays out 70% of its revenue to record labels:
The article discusses Spotify's business model and the percentage of revenue paid to artists and record labels, which is often criticized by artists as being too low. It compares Spotify's dealings with music producers to other industries where middlemen are squeezed between customers who want lower prices and suppliers that demand higher payments. The debate highlights the challenges faced by both streaming services and the music industry in finding a balance that benefits all parties involved.
The “End of Programming” will look a lot like programming:
The article discusses the potential end of programming as traditional programs may be replaced by AI systems trained rather than programmed. The author expresses skepticism about integrating AI and LLMs into software development, but also explores two possible directions in which AI could take over software development tasks: either by consistently guessing the correct answers or by acting as a formal language interpreter. The author emphasizes that cultural context and self-awareness are hard challenges for AI to overcome before it can be considered an adequate replacement for human developers.
Company forgets why they exist after 11-week migration to Kubernetes:
Xenobroom Inc., a Silicon Valley startup, began upgrading its server infrastructure in May 2020 due to increased daily use during the global pandemic. The decision was made to migrate the existing infrastructure to Kubernetes. However, this process took longer than expected and caused confusion within the company about their product's purpose. Now, the CEO is seeking help from a psychic specialist to resolve this issue.
Zugriff verweigert / Access denied:
This article is about an unavailability issue where the user cannot access certain data on this specific page automatically. The user is advised to contact mobile.de GmbH via phone or email for any further assistance related to accessing their data.
This article discusses the importance of learning how to be managed and shares insights on what makes a good manager, as well as tips for improving communication with them. It highlights that managers are human beings dealing with various life challenges, and empathy is crucial in working relationships. The author emphasizes the importance of 1:1 meetings, setting clear expectations and goals (SMART), and maintaining a brag document to track achievements and provide a comprehensive view of one's work. Overall, the article encourages self-awareness and continuous learning in order to grow professionally.
This article discusses the use of large language models (LLM), machine learning models, and their artifacts such as checkpoint files, pickle formats, safetensors, GGML, and GGUF. It explores how these models are consumed in various ways, such as API endpoints, model artifacts, and local inference using frameworks like PyTorch and HuggingFace's Model Hub. The article also explains the process of serializing machine learning models to files and the different formats used, such as safetensors for better security and GGUF for backward compatibility.
Boiling Water Can Remove 90% of Microplastics From Your Tap Water:
A new study found that boiling water and filtering it can effectively remove a significant amount of microplastics. Researchers discovered that simply boiling water for five minutes and then cooling it could reduce the presence of microplastics by up to 90%. This method could be beneficial, especially in poorer countries where more accessible solutions for clean water are needed.
This article discusses various categories and services offered by AliExpress, which is part of the Alibaba Group. It highlights popular products, promotions, low prices, great value, reviews, China brands, blog, seller portal, Black Friday deals, and more. The article also mentions other related Alibaba group websites and mobile apps.
This article discusses AliExpress, an online retail service owned by the Alibaba Group, which offers various categories like Klger Kaufen, besser Leben!, Browse by Category, and more. It also mentions other related services under the Alibaba Group such as Alimama, Alipay, Fliggy, Alibaba Cloud, and others. The article concludes with a brief statement about intellectual property protection, privacy policy, and terms of use.
This article discusses AliExpress, an online shopping platform owned by Alibaba Group, and its various categories such as Klger Kaufen (Cars), besser Leben (Better Life), Popular Products, Low Price, Great Value, Reviews, China Brands, Blog, Seller Portal, Black Friday, and AliExpress Assistant. The article also mentions other Alibaba Group websites like Alimama, Alipay, Fliggy, Alibaba Cloud, Taobao Marketplace, Tmall, and Taobao Global. AliExpress offers various services for users in the Google Play App Store AppGallery. Furthermore, the article highlights AliExpress' intellectual property protection, privacy policy, and sitemap details.
The article discusses AliExpress, a part of Alibaba Group, which offers various categories for online shopping. It also mentions the different services and platforms under Alibaba Group, such as Alimama, Alipay, Taobao Marketplace, and Tmall. The website provides information on privacy policies, intellectual property protection, and user guides for customers in the EU and UK.
XTTS License After Shutdown · Issue #3490 · coqui-ai/TTS:
The article discusses the closure of Coqui AI and its impact on customers who purchased commercial licenses for the XTTS model. Customers express their frustration about not being able to renew their license, and many request that Coqui consider switching to more permissive open-source licenses like Apache 2.0 or MIT. The article also highlights concerns regarding the future of the technology behind Coqui AI and potential legal implications for customers who have integrated the XTTS model into their products and services.
The TTS (Text-to-Speech) model allows for voice cloning in different languages using only a 6-second audio clip. This technology is similar to what powers Coqui Studio and Coqui API. The XTTS-v2 supports 17 languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Turkish, Russian, Dutch, Czech, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Hungarian, Korean, and Hindi. The model can also support emotion and style transfer by cloning voices, cross-language voice cloning, multi-lingual speech generation, 24 kHz sampling rate, and updates for new languages like Hungarian and Korean.
The exploration of an ancient, fossilized forest in Cairo, New York has revealed a treasure trove of evidence showcasing early plant life coexisting with dinosaurs around 386 million years ago. This discovery is the oldest ever found on Earth and predates well-known ancient forests like the Amazon rainforest and Yakushima Forest in Japan. The researchers focused on examining the fossils of plants and trees, discovering a diverse array of early plant life. These findings offer valuable insights into biodiversity during the dinosaur era and challenge existing notions about ancient forests' age.
The article discusses Amazon's profit margins, which are still unclear even after recent unsealing materials from the federal antitrust lawsuit against Amazon were released. It highlights how large corporations have been able to keep their finances private, contributing to the delayed recognition of monopolization in America. The lack of transparency is attributed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules that allow companies to lump together different business lines when reporting financial data. This has allowed corporations to hide excess profits and losses, which could alert antitrust enforcers to a lack of competition. The article emphasizes that better policing of corporate disclosures by the SEC would not solve America's monopoly problem but might have led to more informed reporting and public scrutiny of business models, potentially leading to earlier intervention from antitrust enforcers.
Malicious AI models on Hugging Face backdoor users’ machines:
100 instances of malicious AI ML models were discovered on the Hugging Face platform, which could execute code on victims' machines and provide attackers with a persistent backdoor. Despite security measures in place, JFrog found that these models pose a significant risk for data breaches and espionage attacks. The majority of these malicious models are hosted on PyTorch and Tensorflow Keras platforms.
A Comprehensive Guide on Databricks for Beginners:
This article discusses Databricks, a data warehousing and machine learning web-based platform developed by the creators of Spark. It serves as a one-stop product for all data needs, including data storage, analysis, and deriving insights. Databricks provides faster ETLs, enabling businesses to save time and gain competitive advantages. The platform is integrated with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, making it easy to integrate with major cloud computing infrastructures.
Databricks Pricing Explained: A 2024 Cost Guide:
Databricks offers a powerful cloud data platform for data professionals interested in data modeling, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. The Databricks Lakehouse combines data lake and data warehouse capabilities, making it suitable for building sophisticated data analytics models. Databricks claims its lakehouse is up to 12X cheaper than traditional alternatives. Pricing works on a pay-as-you-go basis, with users only paying for the compute resources they consume. Discounts are available based on commitments and usage, with options including Spot Instances for up to 90% off standard pricing. Databricks bills per Databricks Unit (DBU), which measures processing power used per hour. The total cost of ownership depends on factors such as the chosen plan, type of compute workload, and cloud service provider.
Do-it-yourself, building your own Databricks Docker Container:
This article provides a step-by-step guide to creating a Docker image for Databricks using Python and the Poetry package manager. It covers setting up a basic Python application, creating a Dockerfile, pushing the image to Dockerhub, and running it on a Databricks cluster. The article also includes links to GitHub repositories and instructions for creating an interactive cluster and attaching notebooks to run scripts in the Docker container.
Samsung’s new microSD card is faster than some SSDs:
Samsung is set to release a 256GB SD Express microSD card with read speeds up to 800 MB/s, making it significantly faster than currently available microSD cards. The card will not be available until later this year and the cost has yet to be revealed. Samsung also introduced a new 1TB UHS-1 microSD card that provides protection against various elements. Both cards are expected to launch in the third quarter of 2024.
StarCoder 2 Is a Code-Generating AI That Runs On Most GPUs:
The StarCoder 2 is an open source code generator developed by Hugging Face in collaboration with ServiceNow and Nvidia, featuring three variants trained on different scales of parameters. This AI model offers faster performance at lower costs compared to the original StarCoder, along with improved accuracy for various tasks due to its larger training dataset. The primary advantage over other AI code generators lies in its licensing terms, which are less restrictive than many competitors but still require responsible use and compliance with certain limitations.
Lots of People Make Money on Fanfic. Just Not the Authors:
The popular fan-fiction story „SenLinYu's Manacled“ on Archive of Our Own will be removed by the end of 2022 as its author, SenLinYu, has signed a deal with Del Rey to publish a novel called „Alchemised“, which is based on the fan fiction. The story's removal highlights issues around illegal sales and monetization in the world of fan fiction, especially through platforms like Etsy and Mercari where bound copies of fan-fiction stories are being sold for hundreds of dollars. This has led to fan fiction authors deleting their own works to prevent profiteering from their intellectual property.
Palantir CEO says software saves Europe from 'goose step':
The CEO of data-mining firm Palantir, Alex Karp, claims that the company's technology has prevented numerous terrorist attacks in Europe and thus helped to avoid a resurgence of fascism on the continent. He made these remarks during a speech at the FII Institute conference in Miami. While some may argue over the veracity of his statement, there is no denying that Palantir's software and data analytics technologies have played a significant role in various governmental operations, including US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Biden orders crackdown on selling Americans’ personal data abroad:
President Joe Biden has issued an executive order to prevent the large-scale transfer of Americans' personal data to countries of concern, such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The order requires several departments to implement new protections against exploitation of personal data related to genomics, biometrics, personal health, finances, and certain kinds of personal identifiers. Additionally, it orders the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, and Veterans Affairs to ensure that Americans' health data cannot be transferred via federal grants. The order does not address the overall issue of the personal data market in the US, but focuses on case-by-case regulatory action by agencies like the FTC.
The author describes their journey to add a service registry to Marginalia Search, primarily to reduce its dependence on Docker and enable it to run on bare metal. The original project was based on Spark and RxJava, with the new service registry using Zookeeper for orchestrating distributed software. The author faced some challenges in implementing the service registry, such as services not un-registering properly, and migrated to a two-phase process for registration and liveness announcement to avoid race conditions. Additionally, there were issues with Docker's liveness checks due to the absence of curl in the images. The author also migrated from RxJava-based REST clients to gRPC for internal communication and refactored some service logic into separate subsystems. However, this caused an issue with leaking RAM when gRPC and Netty used cached thread pools that could grow indefinitely. The author eventually fixed the resource leak and improved performance of the system in various aspects.
Why Julius Caesar's Year of Confusion was the longest year in history:
Julius Caesar attempted to reform the Roman calendar by adding months and creating leap years; however, a counting mistake almost derailed his efforts. The early Roman calendar was determined by lunar and agricultural cycles, leading to confusion when important events did not align with real-world occurrences. To fix this issue, Caesar added extra days to the year 46 BC, which brought the calendar in line with the solar year. This eventually led to the creation of the Gregorian calendar, but it still has a margin of error due to Earth's slightly irregular orbit around the Sun.
How the Media Industry Keeps Losing the Future:
30 years ago, Roger Fidler predicted that the digital revolution would free news from printing presses and give people portable devices for constant information access. However, traditional media outlets, which he was advocating for, have been steadily declining and facing accelerated collapse. Many major publications such as Law360, The Intercept, and Condé Nast are cutting jobs or shutting down. This decline has raised concerns about the loss of transparency in governmental and other institutions due to fewer investigative reports being published.
HDMI Forum Rejects Open-Source HDMI 2.1 Driver Support Sought By AMD:
The AMD Linux graphics driver is unable to implement HDMI 2.1+ functionality due to legal requirements set by the HDMI Forum. Despite efforts from engineers, AMD's request for open-source support was rejected. This leaves open-source GPU drivers without a solution for safely implementing HDMI 2.1+ features and may result in users having to rely on DisplayPort for better performance.
Why Children Need Risk, Fear, and Excitement in Play:
In the article, Mariana Brussoni discusses the importance of outdoor risky play for children's social, physical, and immune development. She argues that removing all risk from children's lives harms them and reduces their odds of success. The decline in outdoor play can be attributed to the move towards intensive parenting, which began in the 1980s. To promote risky play and childhood freedom, Brussoni suggests prioritizing time, space, and freedom for children, as well as working together with other parents. She provides tools and resources on OutsidePlay.org to help support an independent childhood and bring back risky play.
4K televisions are becoming more common in homes, but the ultra-high-definition future for TV has turned out to be a lie. While 4K resolution is now ubiquitous, most people simply cannot sit close enough to their television sets to make full use of the enhanced picture quality. The human scale of viewership and living-room design seem to have been betrayed by the mismatch between television technology and its actual use. The article suggests that TVs are already large, bright, and clear enough for most purposes and additional resolution will not be necessary.
Heinz’s Sustainable Ketchup Cap:
Heinz has introduced its first fully recyclable ketchup cap, developed through a collaboration with Berry Global. The new cap is made from mono-material polypropylene (PP), which simplifies recycling and can be accepted by any facility that processes plastic #5. Industrial CT plays a key role in the development of sustainable packaging, offering a non-invasive method to analyze, refine, and perfect packaging solutions. This innovative cap design demonstrates the potential for significant waste reduction up to 300 million plastic caps annually and highlights the importance of packaging being fully recyclable, reusable, or compostable.
Google CEO calls AI tool’s controversial responses ‘completely unacceptable’ | Semafor:
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has addressed Google's Gemini image creation tool controversy, calling its problematic responses around race unacceptable and vowing to make structural changes to fix the issue. The company suspended Gemini after it generated offensive results, including declining to depict white people or inserting photos of women or people of color when prompted to create images of specific figures. Pichai acknowledged that some responses had offended users and shown bias, but stated that substantial improvement has been made on a wide range of prompts.
Don't Mock Machine Learning Models In Unit Tests:
Unit testing in machine learning is different from typical software unit testing due to the nature of models being blobs of learned logic used instead of handcrafted logic. In machine learning code, code is written to learn logic and test that learned logic against input data and expected output. This requires using actual models sometimes for critical tests, whereas mocking dependencies like APIs is common in software unit testing. Guidelines include writing simple sample data directly in the code, testing against random or empty weights when possible, and focusing on essential tests rather than external libraries.
All you need is Wide Events, not “Metrics, Logs and Traces”:
This article discusses the current state of observability in the tech industry and expresses confusion over the terms „trace“, „span“, „log line“ and more, while pointing out that Open Telemetry may be contributing to the complexity. The author proposes a simpler approach with Wide Events as an alternative solution for dealing with unknown unknowns. They argue that observability vendors should focus on providing a simple and intuitive way of interacting with their systems.
To Lose Weight, Eating Less Is Far More Important Than Exercising More (Published 2015):
The Biggest Loser, a popular TV show, emphasizes exercise as the primary method for weight loss, but it is important to consider that what you eat plays a more significant role in losing or gaining weight. While exercising burns calories and offers other benefits, relying solely on physical activity can be misleading when attempting to control weight. Studies show that increased physical activity does not necessarily prevent obesity rates from rising. Instead, focusing on dietary habits may have a more significant impact on one's weight management.
US judge halts government effort to monitor crypto mining energy use:
The US government has suspended its attempt to survey cryptocurrency mining operations due to concerns over their increasing energy use. A federal judge in Texas granted a temporary order blocking the new requirements, stating that the industry would suffer irreparable harm if made to comply. The Department of Energy had launched an „emergency“ initiative last month aimed at surveying the energy use of mining operations, which often consume vast amounts of electricity to solve mathematical puzzles and add tokens to blockchain networks. Crypto miners are estimated to account for up to 2.3% of total US electricity demand in 2021. This surge in energy consumption is blamed for worsening the climate crisis, with up to 50m tons of carbon dioxide emitted annually due to mining operations in the US alone.
The unwritten rules (till now) of negotiating with Meta:
This article discusses generalist software engineering (SWE) roles at Meta and the negotiation practices employed by the company, which have been described as „reprehensible.“ The author suggests that these practices are not isolated incidents but rather a consistent implementation of a deliberate strategy. The article offers advice on how to navigate the hiring process, such as having multiple offers from top-tier companies, slow-playing team matching, building rapport with hiring managers, and negotiating based on available offers.
Another way that Google spies on us:
The article discusses how Google wrongly thinks the public IP address of the author's home is in London, causing both Android and Windows devices to display incorrect information based on their activities. The author suggests that using a VPN or changing search engines may help mitigate this issue, but ultimately, it highlights the importance of privacy and online activity tracking by companies like Google.
Unerfüllter Kinderwunsch: Wenn Chlamydien unfruchtbar machen:
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is widely prevalent but often goes unnoticed, leading to severe consequences. According to the World Health Organization, approximately one million people contract an STI worldwide each day. In Europe, chlamydia is considered the most common STI, with Germany possibly having the highest incidence rates. Chlamydia can infect both men and women who engage in sexual activities, increasing the risk of transmission through unprotected sex or changing partners frequently. The bacterial infection mainly affects mucosal tissues such as the vagina, urethra, anus, rectum, eyes, and mouth but can also spread through contact with infected objects like sex toys. Condoms may reduce but do not completely eliminate the risk of transmission. Most chlamydia infections are symptomless, and if left untreated, they can cause serious complications such as infertility in both men and women. Regular screening tests are recommended by experts to detect and treat chlamydia early on.
This article discusses issues with train delays, specifically regional trains around Freiburg and the use of single-track steep sections. It mentions that while the system is functioning properly, trains are often delayed for more than 5 minutes and must wait at an outstation for a counterpart train to pass before continuing. The article also touches on an incident where a train was replaced with another, leading to confusion among passengers. Lastly, it highlights that decisions about replacing trains are not made within the trains themselves but rather by external factors.
Prime Video: So vermarktet Amazon die Werbung:
Amazon has introduced ads and limitations to its Prime Video service, resulting in poor reviews for the associated apps. Despite this, Amazon is actively advertising for new advertisers on various channels. Prime Video currently boasts an estimated 115 million monthly viewers in the US with households using Prime Video spending up to 22% more in the Amazon Store per month compared to non-Prime households. Additionally, 84% of Prime Video households have shopped on Amazon and the probability of earning over $150,000 annually is 25% higher for these households. However, ads are not displayed while watching content via the Kids profile on Prime Video. The German Consumer Center has investigated this integration as a hidden price increase and Stiftung Warentest ruled it illegal.
Dark Patterns: "Populäre Spiele nutzen die Unerfahrenheit von Kindern aus":
A study commissioned by the Commission for Youth Protection (KJM) has investigated manipulative game design and lootboxes in popular games like Minecraft, League of Legends, and Fortnite. The study highlights the need for regulation as many games use „dark patterns“ to manipulate young players. KJM Chairman Marc Jan Eumann emphasized the importance of implementing technological age restrictions and increasing transparency from game providers regarding lootbox odds and pricing.
Tamagotchi Uni: Sitzt neben seinem Häufchen und weint:
The Tamagotchi Uni is a new version of the popular digital pet toy from the late '90s, which was in high demand that it was traded on the black market. The latest version is a retro trip with potential for guilt. A review experience describes using the Tamagotchi Uni and its features such as WLAN connectivity, mini-games, and party interactions with other Tamagotchis. Priced between 69 to 84 euros, the Tamagotchi Uni is a nostalgic toy for those who enjoyed the original version in the '90s and can be an entertaining distraction for kids today. However, it may not hold the interest of older children who have more engaging smartphone apps available.
The author decided to stop drinking alcohol on November 10, 2020, after experiencing panic attacks and questioning their life choices. They felt the benefits of quitting immediately but struggled with withdrawal symptoms for six months. Over time, they found stability in their emotions and temperament, and now enjoy a more consistent mood without alcohol. While stopping drinking has made them feel calmer and less inclined to escalate confrontations, it also increased anxiety in social settings. The author acknowledges that their experience might not be the same for everyone, but they believe those who stop drinking long enough could find significant improvement in their lives.
The creator economy can't rely on Patreon. — Joan Westenberg:
This article discusses the challenges faced by content creators who rely on direct fan support for income, such as through platforms like Patreon or Substack. It argues that achieving direct monetization is difficult due to market saturation and the prevalence of free alternatives, with only a small fraction of followers converting into paying supporters. The article suggests that creators should diversify their income streams and not solely depend on direct fan support for sustainability.
Surprising link found between niacin and risk of heart attack and stroke:
The early 20th century pellagra epidemic led to the fortification of wheat and other cereals with niacin (Vitamin B3) in the United States, which contributed to an increased average intake of niacin among Americans. A recent study published in Nature Medicine suggests that excessive amounts of niacin may be exacerbating cardiovascular disease, increasing risks of heart attacks, strokes, and death. Researchers found a connection between high blood levels of breakdown products of niacin and an elevated risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) independent of known risk factors for those events.
Package dependency hell — Rami James:
The author discusses the concept of „dependency hell“ in both software development with JavaScript and package managers like npm, as well as in personal life decisions such as education, career choices, and societal expectations. They argue that individuals often add dependencies without considering their long-term implications and become trapped in a cycle of constant toil and maintenance. The author shares their own experiences with burnout and the struggle to find a balance between personal fulfillment and societal expectations.
Here’s Why Jalapeño Peppers Are Less Spicy Than Ever:
The classic jalapeo pepper is becoming less spicy and less predictable, as heat-seekers chase fiercer varieties like Carolina reapers, scorpions, and ghosts. The de-spicification of the jalapeo is a deliberate choice, not due to bad weather or seasonal changes. Many chefs agree that the classic jalapeo has become „more veggie-like than chile,“ while others wonder if diners' infatuation with habaneros and serranos makes the jalapeo seem less hot in comparison. The long-term trend is attributed to a vast industrial scheme to make jalapeos more predictable and less hot, as most jalapeos go straight to factories for processed foods, where consistency is key.
Major U.S. airlines are attempting to quash competition and a better inflight product option for passengers by targeting Dallas-based JSX, which operates regional jets with fewer first class seats. The major carriers argue that JSX's use of private terminals and hiring retired pilots is unfair and presents safety concerns. However, critics point out that the rules followed by JSX are appropriate and the business model benefits passengers. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to share new proposed rules with public charter carriers like JSX, but these rules will not be made public as they are considered sensitive security information.
Stockmarkets are booming. But the good times are unlikely to last:
This article discusses how stock markets around the world are reaching new highs, driven by factors such as low interest rates and declining tax burdens for corporations. However, some experts argue that these extraordinary returns may not be sustainable, given the current economic conditions and challenges faced by companies. The article also highlights how valuations have reached record levels and whether artificial intelligence can rescue the stock market remains uncertain.
The ASUS ROG Ally comes in two configurations: AMD's Ryzen Z1 Extreme and the Ryzen Z1. The Ryzen Z1 uses AMD's high-end Zen 4 APU configuration with eight Zen 4 cores and six RDNA 3 WGPs, while its non-extreme cousin has a hybrid two Zen 4 + four Zen 4c CPU configuration and a smaller iGPU with two RDNA 3 WGPs. The Ryzen Z1's iGPU is much smaller than the Steam Deck's iGPU but enjoys AMD's newer RDNA 3 architecture, allowing it to boost very high clock speeds. Despite its size and lower performance, the Ryzen Z1 can still deliver good results due to its high clock speeds and efficient memory bandwidth usage.
Apache Superset | Hacker News:
Superset is an open-source business intelligence and analytics platform built on top of high-quality and well-maintained chart libraries such as eChart. It allows users to embed dashboards from Superset into their applications using the Embedded SDK, allowing them to customize the look and feel of the visualizations within their app. Superset is fast, lightweight, intuitive, and loaded with options that make it easy for users of all skill sets to explore and visualize their data. It has allowed many organizations to replace paid solutions like Tableau and has gained significant respect from Preset.io and its team for its contribution to the project.