Summary of Learning C3 Programming Language

The author shares their experience learning the C3 programming language, motivated by their curiosity and background in low-level systems languages. C3 aims to enhance C by offering ergonomic features like a module system, operator overloading, generics, and improved error handling.

Key Points:

1. C3 Overview: C3 builds on C, introducing features that simplify programming, such as:

   • Modules and operator overloading
   • Compile-time execution and semantic macros
   • Improved error handling and built-in types

2. Language Features: The article outlines several features:

   • Syntax: C3 resembles C but has unique elements like the foreach loop and the defer keyword for resource management.
   • Control Structures: C3 supports traditional loops and switch statements with implicit breaks.
   • Error Handling: C3 combines optional types and error unions, allowing more flexible error management.

3. Structs and Methods: C3 introduces methods on structs, allowing for cleaner object-oriented programming compared to C.

4. Macros: C3's macro system allows for compile-time evaluations, though the author expresses caution about their potential misuse.

5. Installation and Project Setup: The author details the process of installing C3 and creating a new project, finding the structure user-friendly.

6. Calculator Project: As a practical exercise, the author builds a simple calculator in C3, which includes tokenization and parsing of user input, demonstrating the language's features and capabilities.

7. Overall Impression: The author finds C3 to be a simpler and more expressive alternative to C, although they prefer Zig for daily use. They appreciate C3's readability, potential for development, and the quality of its macro system.

In conclusion, despite some quirks like inclusive slicing syntax and an evolving error system, the author encourages others to try C3, highlighting its potential for future growth and utility.

Summary of the Command Line Handbook

• For Everyone: The command line is useful for software developers, tech workers, and everyday users of Linux/macOS.

• Easy to Start: You don't need to read a thick manual; this handbook simplifies the most common commands and concepts for quick learning.

• Comprehensive Learning: It covers terminals, shells, command-line applications, and scripting together, with helpful tips and tricks.

• Hands-On Practice: With over 100 practical examples and shell sessions, you'll gain confidence in using the command line.

• Updated Resource: This handbook, published in 2025, reflects four years of work and is designed to be the best guide available.

• Join a Community: Over 5,700 readers are improving their command line skills with this handbook.

• Author's Background: Petr Stribny, a long-time Linux user, created this book to help others efficiently use the command line and its tools.

• Affordable Price: The regular price is $14, but you can name your price when you buy it.

In the late 1990s, three influential web designers emerged: David Siegel, Jakob Nielsen, and Jeffrey Zeldman. They each had different approaches to web design shaped by the introduction of technologies like Flash and CSS.

1. David Siegel focused on aesthetics and used "hacks" to enhance the visual appeal of websites, often prioritizing design over cross-browser compatibility. He referred to himself as an “HTML terrorist” for his unconventional methods.

2. Jakob Nielsen took a usability-focused approach, advocating for simplicity and accessibility. He emphasized using semantic coding to ensure websites were functional across all browsers. He criticized flashy designs that compromised usability, famously deeming Flash as “99% bad.”

3. Jeffrey Zeldman aimed to blend design flair with usability. He encouraged learning from others and using HTML fundamentals while also experimenting with new tools like Flash. He believed web design could be both visually appealing and standards-compliant.

As web design evolved, Zeldman maintained his influence, while Siegel shifted to other areas like web business and blockchain, and Nielsen’s minimalist approach became outdated. By 2025, Zeldman was still active in web design, working for Automattic and planning a redesign of his site. Overall, Zeldman’s philosophy of merging aesthetics with usability is viewed as the most successful in the long run.

David Friedman shares his experience observing his wife, who has become passionate about knitting and is now part of the online knitting community. Recently, a trend has emerged in this community: the creation of "Emotional Support Chickens," which are soft, knitted chickens about the size of throw pillows. Since a popular pattern was published in 2023, nearly 11,000 knitted chickens have been shared on Ravelry, and a tutorial video has garnered over 300,000 views.

The Emotional Support Chicken was designed by Annette Corsino at The Knitting Tree in Los Angeles, inspired by the concept of comforting stuffed animals. The pattern gained popularity during the COVID lockdowns, appealing to both beginner and experienced knitters. Events called knit-alongs have been organized where people gather to knit these chickens, and they have even been made for those affected by disasters like Hurricane Helene.

The trend has led to various interpretations of the chicken pattern, including crochet and mini versions, and has been featured in media stories highlighting the joy and comfort these creations bring. Overall, the Emotional Support Chicken has become a beloved project in the knitting community.

The author reflects on their personal journey of creating a unique website, emphasizing the importance of individual expression over conventional standards of "good art" or design. They prefer their own art to famous works and believe that their website should reflect their personality, even if it diverges from traditional aesthetics.

The author describes their past website design choices, aiming for simplicity and minimalism, but later chose to add more chaotic elements to make it visually interesting. They experimented with CSS to create dynamic effects and textures that respond to user interactions, enhancing the engagement of their site.

Ultimately, the author sees their website as a constantly evolving representation of themselves, acknowledging that personal growth and change are natural. They encourage others to embrace their unique creations, however imperfect, as part of their own journeys.

Summary of "The Flip Phone Web: Browsing with the Original Opera Mini"

Opera Mini, launched in 2005, is a web browser designed for mobile phones that allows users to load full websites by processing requests through external servers. It gained popularity but declined as smartphones became more common. Today, while Opera Mini is still available for iPhone and Android, the original Java ME version can also be used on modern computers.

Originally, most mobile phones could not handle full desktop websites, so simpler WAP versions were created. Opera Mini solved this by routing web requests to its cloud servers, which rendered the pages and sent them back to the phone, saving data by compressing images and other content.

Opera Mini was particularly beneficial for mobile carriers by increasing user engagement with mobile web services. It was widely used on various devices, including older feature phones, and had 169 million users by 2012. However, as smartphones developed the ability to display complete web pages, Opera Mini's relevance diminished.

In 2025, users can still download Opera Mini through a specific process, including changing browser settings to simulate older devices. The Java ME version can even be run on desktop computers using Java and an emulator.

While Opera Mini offers features like private browsing, tabbed browsing, and RSS feed integration, it struggles with modern websites due to outdated technology. Issues with page layouts and missing images are common. Yet, it remains functional and is still used, particularly on older Nokia phones.

Opera Mini's future is uncertain, as it operates on minimal costs and may not be profitable. Users are encouraged to try it on old devices or through emulators before it potentially disappears. The article also advises against using Opera's current web browsers, citing concerns about bloat and company controversies.

No summary available.

The New-York Historical Society has made over 700 stereographs from the Civil War available online as part of its digital collection. A stereograph is made of two side-by-side photographs that create a 3D image when viewed through a stereoscope. This technology, which dates back to the 1830s, was popular during the Civil War, allowing for a unique visual documentation of the conflict.

Mathew B. Brady, a key figure in Civil War photography, is often credited with capturing many of these images, though he employed a team of photographers. Other notable photographers included Alexander Gardner and Timothy O'Sullivan, who documented various battles and significant moments of the war.

The collection features many images of battlefields and the devastating impact of war, showcasing the harsh realities of the time. While traditional stereoscopic viewers are not commonly available today, modern tools like the NYPL's Stereogranimator and Google Cardboard allow people to experience these historical photographs in innovative ways, maintaining the sense of depth and realism intended by the original creators.

For access to the digitized Civil War stereographs, visit the New-York Historical Society's website.

Welcome! Nova is a JavaScript and WebAssembly engine built in Rust, designed to be data-oriented. Currently, it's an experimental project for learning and testing its potential, but it might grow into something more in the future. Right now, it only passes about 70% of the test262 test suite, but improvements are being made. If you're interested, you can check out the GitHub repository or join the Discord server for discussions.

Recent blog posts cover various topics related to Nova's development.

The article discusses a prediction market on Polymarket that asks whether Jesus Christ will return in 2025. Traders have placed over $100,000 in bets on this question, with the likelihood currently trading at around 3%. The author explores why people are betting on this market, considering several theories:

1. True Believers: Some might genuinely believe there’s a chance of Christ's return.
2. Incorrect Resolution: Others may bet on the possibility that the market could incorrectly declare a "Yes" outcome.
3. Memes: Some may just be betting for fun.

However, the author finds these explanations unconvincing. Instead, they propose a more sophisticated theory: Time Value of Money. This suggests that bettors on the "Yes" side anticipate that later in the year, others will want cash for new bets and will pay a premium to sell their "No" positions, potentially allowing "Yes" bettors to profit.

The article notes that election years often see high demand for cash in prediction markets, which could explain the current trading behavior. In conclusion, the market on Jesus's return is intriguing and reflects broader dynamics in prediction markets, especially during significant events like elections.

ClickHouse, a company specializing in real-time analytics and data warehousing, has raised $350 million in Series C funding, bringing its total funding to over $650 million. The financing round was led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from several other investors. The funds will be used to enhance product development, expand globally, and strengthen partnerships for AI applications.

ClickHouse has experienced significant growth, serving over 2,000 customers, including notable companies like Tesla and Mercado Libre. The demand for their services is driven by the need for real-time, intelligent data platforms that can handle both human and AI queries.

The company’s database is designed for speed and efficiency, enabling fast analytics and supporting large datasets with minimal delay. Unlike traditional databases that struggle with high demand, ClickHouse provides a scalable solution ideal for modern data-driven applications.

In summary, ClickHouse is positioned to become a leading platform in the era of AI, addressing the growing need for rapid and scalable analytics.

In 1659, the restoration of Charles II seemed unlikely, but it became possible thanks to the influence of Anne Monck, the wife of General George Monck. At that time, England was in chaos following Oliver Cromwell's death and the fall of his son, Richard Cromwell. George Monck, a soldier, was in a position to shape the future of the nation.

Anne and George's relationship began while George was imprisoned in the Tower of London, where Anne worked as a seamstress. Despite their different social standings, they fell in love and secretly married. Over the years, Anne encouraged George to reconsider his political stance, especially regarding the monarchy.

In 1659, after witnessing the turmoil of the Rump Parliament, Anne had a dream that inspired her to believe in the possibility of restoring Charles II. She actively discussed political matters with George, often in what she called her "treason gown." Eventually, she persuaded him to support the Rump Parliament, which led to his intervention in London and the eventual restoration of Charles II.

When Charles arrived in England in 1660, he was greeted by George Monck, who had played a crucial role in his return. Both George and Anne were rewarded with titles and honors, becoming the Duke and Duchess of Albemarle. However, Anne faced resentment due to her humble origins and outspoken nature.

Despite their contributions to the restoration, Anne Monck's role has been largely forgotten, overshadowed by her husband's legacy. The article emphasizes that without her influence, the course of British history could have been very different.

Summary of typed-ffmpeg

typed-ffmpeg is a Python library that provides an easy-to-use interface for FFmpeg, allowing users to create complex video filters with clear documentation and typing support. It resolves common issues found in other libraries by offering features such as JSON serialization of filter graphs and automatic validation of FFmpeg commands.

Key Features:

• No External Dependencies: Only uses Python's standard library.
• User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies the creation of filter graphs.
• Comprehensive Filter Support: Supports most FFmpeg filters with auto-completion in IDEs.
• Integrated Documentation: In-line help for quick reference.
• Robust Typing: Improves code reliability through type checking.
• Filter Graph Serialization: Save and load filter graphs in JSON format.
• Graph Visualization: Uses graphviz for visual representation of filter graphs.
• Error Detection: Helps identify and correct issues in filter graphs.
• Input/Output Support: Offers extensive options for handling different codecs and formats.
• Partial Evaluation: Allows modular construction of filter graphs.

Planned Improvements:

• Support for more FFmpeg versions and additional filters in future updates.

Installation: Install using pip:

pip install typed-ffmpeg

For graph visualization, also install Graphviz:

pip install 'typed-ffmpeg[graph]'

Quick Usage Example: To flip a video horizontally:

import ffmpeg

f = (
    ffmpeg
    .input(filename='input.mp4')
    .hflip()
    .output(filename='output.mp4')
)

For more complex operations, the library supports building intricate filter graphs.

Interactive Playground: Users can experiment with typed-ffmpeg in a web-based playground, which allows testing and visualizing FFmpeg commands without local setup.

Acknowledgments: This project was inspired by GPT-3 and the ffmpeg-python library, which provided foundational ideas for its development.

For more details and advanced features, refer to the official documentation.

edamagit Overview

edamagit is a Git interface for Visual Studio Code (VSCode) that draws inspiration from the original Magit.

Usage and Commands:

• You can access various commands with keyboard shortcuts, such as:
  • Magit Status: Alt + X G
  • Magit File Popup: Alt + X Alt + G
  • Magit Dispatch: Alt + X Ctrl + G
  • Magit Help: ?

Key commands include:

• Cherry-pick: a
• Branch: b
• Commit: c
• Fetch: f
• Pull: F
• Push: P
• Rebase: r
• Stash: z
• Stage: s
• Discard: k
• Refresh Current Buffer: g
• Exit Magit View: q

Settings:

• You can customize settings such as enabling Forge for pull requests and issues, and choosing where Magit windows open.
• For working in monorepos, ensure it detects the parent .git by adjusting settings.

Vim Support:

• edamagit commands can be customized to work with the VSCodeVim extension, allowing for a more integrated experience for Vim users.

Roadmap:

• The development roadmap includes enhancing interactivity in views, adding more Git features like diffing and logging, and incorporating additional Forge functionalities.

In summary, edamagit is a powerful tool for managing Git within VSCode, with extensive command options and customization features for users.

No summary available.

Weather2Geo Summary

Weather2Geo is an OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) tool that converts weather widget screenshots into geolocation data. It utilizes the same API as the Windows weather widget to identify cities matching the weather conditions shown in the screenshots.

Key Features:

• Geolocation Matching: Identifies real cities based on temperature, weather conditions, and local time.
• Timezone Awareness: Adjusts for time differences in various cities for accurate results.
• Clustering: Groups nearby locations to minimize irrelevant data.
• Customizable: Users can adjust settings like tolerance for temperature differences and clustering distance.

Installation Steps:

1. Clone the repository using Git.
2. Navigate to the Weather2Geo directory.
3. Install required packages with pip.

Usage Example: To find cities for a screenshot showing "Mostly clear | 13°C | 10:09 PM | May 22", you would run a command including these details, and the tool will return clusters of matching cities.

Data Sources:

• City information comes from GeoNames.
• Weather data is sourced from the MSN Weather API.

Disclaimer: This tool is intended for ethical and educational purposes only. Users should respect privacy and legal guidelines.

Summary: Domain Adaptation for TTRPGs using ShadowdarkQA

The project aims to develop an autonomous language model (LLM) to serve as a Game Master (GM) for tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), focusing on the mechanics of Shadowdark RPG. The approach involves pre-training a small base model, Qwen3, specifically on the rules and mechanics of Shadowdark, rather than using larger models that may be cost-prohibitive and overly complex.

Key Points:

1. Development Strategy: The goal is to learn and understand TTRPG mechanics deeply by iteratively building a model that can assist a GM or player, rather than rushing to create a fully autonomous GM.

2. Model Selection: The Qwen3 series offers various model sizes, and the smaller ones will be used due to limited computing resources. The model currently lacks knowledge about Shadowdark RPG, which will be addressed through continued pre-training.

3. Data Collection: The rules of Shadowdark were extracted using OCR technology, resulting in a clean text format. However, the dataset is small with only 122,466 tokens, which is insufficient for comprehensive training.

4. Evaluation Setup: A QA benchmark was created to assess the model's understanding of the game, covering different categories such as spell mechanics and game rules. Evaluation metrics were developed to measure the model's accuracy in recalling specific game rules.

5. Training Outcomes: Initial training efforts showed limited performance, with low accuracy in recalling specific rules. However, subsequent efforts to augment knowledge through generating multiple variations of the source material improved performance significantly, achieving 66.6% accuracy.

6. Future Directions: The next steps include further tuning of the model and exploring additional data sources and training methods to enhance knowledge retention and response accuracy for TTRPG mechanics.

Overall, the project emphasizes a structured and scientific approach to developing a model that can effectively understand and assist with TTRPG gameplay, particularly for Shadowdark RPG.

The article discusses the relationship between fields and integral domains in abstract algebra. Here are the key points:

1. Definitions:

   • An integral domain is a type of commutative ring with no zero divisors and distinct identities for addition and multiplication.
   • Examples of integral domains include the integers (ℤ), rational numbers (ℚ), and polynomials over integral domains. However, integers modulo a non-prime (like 6) are not integral domains due to the presence of zero divisors.

2. Key Results:

   • Every field is an integral domain, meaning it satisfies the properties of an integral domain.
   • A finite integral domain is always a field. This is shown by demonstrating that every non-zero element has a multiplicative inverse.
   • Not all infinite integral domains are fields; for instance, the integers (ℤ) are an infinite integral domain but not a field. However, some infinite domains, like ℚ and ℝ, are fields.

3. Conclusions:

   • The main conclusions drawn are: every field is an integral domain, every finite integral domain is a field, and while some infinite integral domains are not fields, others are.

This exploration highlights the connections between different algebraic structures and the properties that define them.

A math enthusiast named Vivek Nathani started a math club in Bangalore because he missed the collaborative learning experience he had in college. He wanted to recreate the joy of discussing math problems with others.

The first meetup took place on March 15, 2025, with seven participants, and they enjoyed solving problems together at Dialogues Cafe. The second meetup was on May 4, 2025, with eight participants, and it was also a success.

Vivek encourages anyone interested to reach out to him via email or Twitter.

Summary of Pamela Fox's Blog on Vector Embeddings

Pamela Fox's blog post from May 28, 2025, introduces vector embeddings, which are numerical representations of inputs like words or images in a multi-dimensional space. Each embedding model has specific characteristics, like dimension length and input types.

Key Models:

• word2vec: The classic model that represents single words using 300-dimensional vectors and is easy to train.
• text-embedding-ada-002: Released by OpenAI in 2022, this model processes up to 8192 tokens and outputs 1536 dimensions. It is faster and cheaper than its predecessors.
• text-embedding-3-small: Launched in 2024, it also accepts 8192 tokens and outputs 1536 dimensions, with improved similarity rankings compared to earlier models.

Similarity Spaces: Embeddings allow us to compare inputs based on their vector representations. Different models have varying similarity rankings. For instance, "dog" has different closest words in word2vec and text-embedding-ada-002, highlighting the importance of understanding a model's similarity space.

Similarity Metrics: The post explains metrics like cosine similarity and dot product to measure vector similarity. Cosine similarity ranges from -1 to 1, where 1 indicates perfect similarity. Other distance metrics include Euclidean and Manhattan distances, which are less common for text embeddings.

Vector Search: Vector embeddings enable semantic searches across data. As databases grow, Approximate Nearest Neighbors (ANN) algorithms are used for efficient searching.

Compression Techniques: To manage large vector databases, techniques like scalar and binary quantization reduce vector sizes without significantly losing information.

Conclusion: The blog provides insights into various vector embedding models, their similarities, and how to effectively search and manage large datasets using these representations. Additional resources for further learning are also suggested.

The Metropolitan Review's article "The Art of the Critic" discusses the importance of literary criticism, focusing on Henry James' views on the subject. James, known for his sharp critiques, expressed disdain for contemporary British novels, particularly those of Charles Dickens, whom he felt lacked depth and philosophical insight. He believed that effective criticism should be engaging and insightful, revealing both the writer's life and their work.

The article highlights the decline of literary criticism in modern times, noting that many reviews are now merely promotional paraphrases rather than thoughtful analyses. Critics like James emphasized the need for honest, well-crafted criticism that engages deeply with texts and discusses their broader cultural significance.

Nick Ripatrazone argues that a healthy culture of criticism is vital for the development of literature and its appreciation, as it helps both writers and readers understand the art form better. He concludes that criticism should be seen as an essential part of literary culture, encouraging a deeper engagement with literature.

On May 27, 2025, Xin Lyu shared best practices for fine-tuning Circuit Breaker policies.

The text discusses the process of porting the games Terraria and Celeste to run in web browsers using WebAssembly. The author highlights the challenges and technical intricacies involved in this unconventional project, which took about a year to complete.

Key Points:

1. Project Motivation: The author was inspired by an old post about running Celeste in a browser and felt compelled to improve upon it.

2. Technical Challenges:

   • Both games are written in C# using the FNA engine, which made decompiling easier.
   • There were issues in extracting necessary libraries and recompiling the games for WebAssembly.
   • The FNA engine required linking to native components that were not initially compatible with the web target.

3. Porting Process:

   • The author successfully decompiled Terraria after extracting a missing library.
   • The game was compiled to WebAssembly, creating a playable version in the browser.
   • Issues like file uploads were addressed using browser APIs, with some limitations noted on Firefox.

4. Performance Optimization:

   • After initial slow performance, enabling Ahead-Of-Time Compilation improved gameplay significantly.

5. Celeste Porting:

   • The process for Celeste was similar, but it involved additional challenges due to proprietary audio libraries and mod support.
   • The author implemented a mod loader that allows for community-created mods to run in the browser.

6. Runtime Modifications:

   • The project involved extensive modifications to the Mono runtime to support various features and fix compatibility issues with mods.

7. Final Outcome:

   • After a year of work, both games were successfully ported to the browser, with additional features like multiplayer support for Celeste.
   • The author reflects on the project as a fun and fulfilling experience despite its limited practical use.

Overall, the text showcases a mix of technical achievements and personal enjoyment in exploring what is possible with web technologies.

American Science & Surplus (AS&S), a quirky retail shop in Milwaukee, is seeking help via a GoFundMe campaign to cover operating costs for a new warehouse due to declining sales, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The store is known for its unique and unusual items, creating a sense of discovery for customers. Many locals, including the author, cherish their memories and items purchased from AS&S, which has become part of Milwaukee's identity.

Despite the challenges small businesses face, such as rising shipping costs and competition from online retailers, losing AS&S would diminish the city's character. The GoFundMe has raised nearly $82,000 toward its $125,000 goal, highlighting community support for the store. The author encourages others to contribute and keep the store alive so future generations can continue to enjoy its eccentric offerings.

No summary available.

Japan Post has introduced a new "digital address" system. This system allows users to register for seven-digit codes that link to their physical addresses. When shopping online, users can enter these codes, and their full addresses will automatically fill in.

To get a digital address, individuals need to sign up for Japan Post's Yu ID membership service. These digital addresses remain unchanged even if a person moves; they can update their physical address while keeping the same code.

The initiative aims to simplify online shopping and is expected to take about ten years for widespread adoption, with interest from companies like Rakuten.

RsyncUI is a macOS application built with SwiftUI, designed to provide a user-friendly interface for the command-line tool rsync. It helps users organize and set parameters for data synchronization tasks easily. The application is compatible with macOS Sonoma and later and is currently in active development, with the latest version being 2.5.5 as of May 23, 2025.

Users can install RsyncUI either through Homebrew or by downloading it directly. The app is signed and notarized by Apple for security.

RsyncUI manages the execution of rsync tasks but these tasks run externally. Users can monitor the progress and can cancel the task if needed, but they should wait for the cancellation to complete before starting a new task to avoid making the app unresponsive.

In a legal case, Walkers Snack Foods Ltd challenged HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) over whether their Sensations Poppadoms should be subject to a 20% VAT tax. HMRC classified them as potato snacks, which are taxable, while Walkers argued they resembled traditional poppadoms, which are tax-exempt.

Walkers presented several arguments to support their case, claiming the Sensations Poppadoms were not similar to crisps in terms of taste, consumption, packaging, and public perception. However, the tribunal rejected these arguments, emphasizing that the products contained sufficient potato content to be considered within the taxable category.

The tribunal examined whether the term "potato" should include ingredients like potato granules. They concluded that these granules are indeed part of the potato category for tax purposes. Walkers attempted to distinguish their product by citing its name and flavors, but these arguments were also dismissed.

In summary, the tribunal upheld HMRC's classification of Sensations Poppadoms as taxable potato products, ruling against Walkers in their appeal. The case highlights the complexities in defining food categories for tax purposes.

No summary available.

The blog post discusses a project where the author implemented multithreading in the classic NES game Super Mario Bros. using an emulator. The main idea is that threads can be thought of as snapshots of the game's state that can be resumed based on certain conditions.

Key Points:

1. Multithreading Concept: The author compares threads to emulator save states, where each thread represents a different instance of the game that can be switched between every 160 frames.

2. Implementation: Three threads are created, each with its own save state. The thread scheduler switches between these threads, allowing different instances of the game to run concurrently.

3. Synchronization Mechanisms: The game includes features such as:

   • Disabled Interrupts: Prevents other threads from running when a Mario enters certain areas.
   • Mutexes: Allows only one Mario to enter a pipe at a time.
   • Condition Variables: Ensures that all Marios must touch a flagpole before any can continue.

4. Learning Experience: The author emphasizes the importance of understanding basic concepts like threading, suggesting that these ideas are not as complex as they seem. Gaining hands-on experience with implementing threads can deepen one's understanding of programming.

5. Project Execution: The author used a Lua script to add the threading functionality to the emulator, resulting in a playable but chaotic version of Mario Bros. that demonstrates threading in action.

6. Conclusion: While the implementation isn't perfect and has limitations, the project shows the feasibility of adding threading to an emulator and highlights the value of understanding foundational programming concepts.

Overall, the post encourages others to explore and understand the underlying mechanics of programming rather than just relying on high-level abstractions.

The text appears to be a list of categories and sections from a blog or website, which includes tags like AI, coding, games, and personal experiences. It also mentions an archive section for browsing past content and an "About" section that provides information about the author and contact details.

Key Points:

• The site covers various topics such as AI, coding, and personal experiences.
• There are tags for easy navigation through different subjects.
• An archive section is available to explore earlier posts.
• An "About" section includes information about the author and contact options.

The text explores the idea of larger brains and their potential capabilities compared to human brains, which have about 100 billion neurons. It raises questions about what might be possible with even bigger brains, like those with 100 trillion neurons, and how this could influence language and thought.

Key points include:

1. Neurons and Capabilities: Human brains allow for complex language and decision-making. In contrast, animals with fewer neurons, like cats, lack the same ability for complex communication.

2. Artificial Intelligence: As artificial neural networks grow, they achieve higher capabilities, suggesting that larger brains (human or artificial) might discover new ways to process information and create concepts.

3. Computational Irreducibility: Real-world systems often require complex computations, but brains can effectively simplify this by finding "pockets of computational reducibility" to make decisions quickly.

4. Concepts and Language: Human language can describe complex ideas using a limited set of words. The text questions whether larger brains could handle many more concepts and if they would need richer languages to communicate new ideas.

5. Abstraction: The process of abstraction allows us to group similar concepts under broader categories, making communication more efficient.

6. Emergent Concepts: Artificial neural networks can create unique concepts not found in human language, which raises questions about their usefulness and how they relate to human understanding.

7. Understanding Larger Minds: The text suggests that while it may seem impossible for us to understand minds larger than ours, advancements in computation and our understanding of neural processes may allow for meaningful discussions about them.

8. Brain Functionality: Human brains process sensory input and make decisions through a network of neurons that work together. The structure and function of brains in animals share similarities, indicating a common evolutionary purpose.

Overall, the text invites contemplation on the potential of larger brains, the limits of current human language, and the nature of intelligence in both biological and artificial systems.

Meet Terres, our official mascot! Terres is a hermit crab and a friend of Ferris. He belongs to the Rustacean family.

Summary of "What does 'Undecidable' mean, anyway"

This newsletter discusses the concept of "undecidability" in computer science, particularly relating to decision problems.

1. Talk Announcement: The author will be speaking at the Systems Distributed event next month, which has added extra stress to their schedule.

2. Understanding Undecidability: A property of strings is "decidable" if a Turing machine can always determine whether the property holds true for those strings. If no such machine exists, the property is "undecidable."

3. Decision Problems: In automata theory, decision problems can be framed as functions that return true or false based on string inputs. Examples of decidable properties include checking if the sum of two numbers equals a third number.

4. Turing Machines: These are a powerful model of computation. They can simulate other Turing machines and decide various problems. However, some problems, like the Halting problem (whether a machine will finish running), are undecidable.

5. Implications of Undecidability: While undecidability means we cannot create a general algorithm to solve certain problems, it does not imply that we can't solve specific cases. It suggests that we may spend time trying to determine if a property holds without guaranteed success.

6. Conclusion: The world of undecidability affects many areas of computing, making certain tasks complex and challenging. The author encourages readers to consider the implications of dealing with undecidable problems in programming.

Summary:

This blog post discusses an experiment where the author trained a neural network (NN) to learn the rules of Conway's Game of Life using logic gates instead of traditional activation functions. The goal was to see if the learned logic circuit could be compiled into C code for faster inference. The results showed a remarkable 1,744× speedup in performance compared to the original NN implementation.

Key points include:

1. Experiment Overview: The author trained a neural network to replicate the 3×3 kernel function of Conway's Game of Life and then compiled this into a C program.

2. Neural Cellular Automata: The concept combines Cellular Automata, which are grids of cells changing state based on local rules, with neural networks that learn these rules.

3. Differentiable Logic Gate Networks: The author used fixed weights for the gates and learned the activation function, which involves logic gates. A major challenge was translating discrete logic into a continuous format for the NN to learn effectively.

4. Training Challenges: The author faced difficulties with hyperparameters and network design, realizing that fixed wiring and proper initialization were crucial for successful convergence.

5. Circuit Extraction: After training, the learned circuit was extracted and optimized, resulting in a clean C code implementation that efficiently processes multiple cells in parallel.

6. Performance Benchmarking: The C implementation outperformed the Python JAX version significantly, with the author analyzing the speedup and discussing the implications of instruction efficiency.

7. Future Plans: The author hopes to explore further optimizations, experiment with larger circuits, and potentially create an interactive demo for users.

Overall, this project highlights the intersection of neural networks and logic circuits, showcasing how clever adaptations can lead to substantial performance improvements in computational tasks.

This blog discusses the evolution of database systems, inspired by Jordan Tigani's post "Big Data is Dead." Here are the key points:

1. 1970s - Simplicity of Databases: In the early days, one relational database handled both transactions (OLTP) and analytics (OLAP) efficiently because data was small and computing resources were limited.

2. 1980s - The Great Divide: As data grew, the demands of OLTP and OLAP began to conflict. OLTP needed quick data updates and lookups, while OLAP required extensive data analysis, leading to the separation of these functions.

3. 1990s - Storage Specialization: Different storage architectures emerged—row-based for OLTP and columnar for OLAP—creating specialized database systems.

4. 2000s-2010s - Further Separation: OLTP systems moved away from SQL with NoSQL databases, while analytics adopted new methods like MapReduce, further distancing the two.

5. 2010s - Attempts to Reunite: NewSQL and cloud data warehouses emerged, both using SQL but for different workloads. A new concept, HTAP (Hybrid Transactional and Analytical Processing), aimed to combine these functions in one system.

6. 2014 - Introduction of HTAP: HTAP was developed to bridge the gap between OLTP and OLAP for modern needs. Some systems, like SingleStoreDB, attempted to integrate both storage types effectively.

7. 2020s - Dominance of Cloud Data Warehouses: Cloud data warehouses gained popularity, overshadowing HTAP. Challenges included the difficulty of replacing existing OLTP systems and the preference for modular, cloud-native architectures.

8. Current Trends: Today, organizations are building custom data systems using various best-in-class components rather than a single HTAP database. The focus remains on efficiently querying fresh transactional data, often through complex data pipelines.

In conclusion, while HTAP as a unified database concept may be fading, the principles behind it continue to influence modern data architecture.

No summary available.

Tesseral Overview

Tesseral is an open-source authentication infrastructure designed for business software (B2B SaaS). It operates as a multi-tenant, cloud-based service that can work with any technology stack, not tied to a specific language or framework. Developers can use a managed service or self-host Tesseral.

Key Features:

• Customizable Login Pages: Create branded login interfaces easily.
• B2B Multitenancy: Customer admins can manage their users and login methods.
• User Impersonation: Debug issues by logging in as users.
• Self-Service Configuration: Customers can invite coworkers and manage settings directly.
• Magic Links & Social Login: Implement easy login options without coding.
• Enterprise Features: Add SAML and SCIM support without coding.
• Role-based Access Control (RBAC): Fine-grained permissions are pre-built.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Easily add 2FA options.
• API Key Management: Manage API access with pre-built UI and permissions.
• User Invitations & Webhooks: Facilitate user onboarding and real-time data syncing.

Getting Started:

• Developers should read the documentation at tesseral.com/docs for detailed guidance.
• Tesseral offers SDKs for popular frameworks like React, Express, Flask, and Golang. If your framework isn't listed, you can reach out for potential early access.

Integration Steps:

1. Frontend: Install the relevant SDK and wrap your app in the <TesseralProvider> component using your Publishable Key.
2. Backend: Integrate using the corresponding SDK for your backend framework to handle authentication and access validation.

Community and Support:

• Tesseral encourages contributions and community engagement. For security issues, report directly to their security email rather than GitHub.

About Tesseral: Based in San Francisco, Tesseral is a startup that previously developed SSOReady, a middleware for SAML SSO and SCIM. The team includes co-founder Ulysse Carion and technical staff Blake Williams and Dillon Nys.

Summary of Grass Rendering Series Part 1: Theory

This article is the first part of a series about rendering grass in 3D graphics. It focuses on understanding how realistic grass looks and how to model it using current tools. Key points include:

1. Visual Properties of Grass:

   • Grass has shiny surfaces, especially long blades that reflect light significantly.
   • It is translucent, meaning light can pass through it, affecting how we render it.
   • Grass appears in patches with varying heights and shades due to environmental factors.
   • Individual blades create self-shadowing effects, with bright tips and darker bases.

2. Rendering Methods:

   • Older games typically used textures for grass, which is efficient but not realistic for tall grass.
   • Billboards display images of grass on flat surfaces, which works well from a distance but lacks realism up close.
   • Some modern games use actual 3D geometry for grass blades, which enhances realism and allows for better movement animation. Examples include "Zelda: Breath of the Wild" and "Ghost of Tsushima".

3. Future Topics:

   • The next part will cover how to create realistic full-geometry grass in Godot, focusing on efficient methods to fill fields with grass and proper shading techniques.

This series aims to improve the understanding and techniques for rendering grass in real-time graphics.

Thousands of ASUS routers have been hacked using backdoors that don’t rely on malware, making them hard to remove. This issue was discovered by GreyNoise, which reported that attackers exploited security flaws and router features to gain ongoing access. The attacks were first identified in mid-March and involve sophisticated techniques.

The hackers targeted multiple ASUS models, using methods like brute-forcing credentials and bypassing authentication. They accessed routers through a specific port (TCP/53282) and set up remote access using a public key. They also exploited known vulnerabilities to gain control over device features.

Since the backdoor settings are stored in memory that survives reboots and updates, simply restarting or updating the router won’t eliminate the threat. GreyNoise advises users to perform a factory reset and check for unauthorized SSH access to protect their devices. Organizations should also block malicious IP addresses and ensure their routers are fully updated to fix any vulnerabilities.

Around 2,500 BC, the Indus Valley civilization might have played an early version of chess. Clay figurines found in Lothal are believed to be some of the first chess pieces.

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In Japan, rice prices have reached an all-time high, with a 5-kilogram bag costing ¥4,220 as of mid-April 2025. This marks the 16th consecutive week of price increases, which is more than double the cost from the same time last year. Despite government efforts to lower prices by using emergency stockpiles, the prices continue to rise without any signs of decreasing. The situation raises questions about the underlying causes of the price hike and the future of rice affordability in Japan.

The article "Making History" by George Garnett argues against the common perception that the medieval era was a time of ignorance and brutality. He highlights a recent statement by Robert Jenrick, who linked immigrants’ so-called "medieval attitudes" to issues like sexual abuse, implying that "medieval" means backward and out of touch with modern values. This negative view of the Middle Ages is also echoed by Professor Kathleen Stock, who uses "medieval" to describe hostility towards her views on gender. Garnett explains that the term "medieval" originated as a criticism from 15th-century humanists, who saw it as a dark period between the fall of classical civilization and its revival. He suggests that this negative association with the Middle Ages is often unquestioned and repeated in contemporary discussions.

Summary of "Unlocking Ractors: Class Instance Variables"

In this article, the author discusses the challenges and potential improvements related to using Ractors—parallel execution units in Ruby—specifically regarding class instance variables and class variables.

Key Points:

1. Ractors Usage: Ractors can help manage CPU-bound tasks by running them in parallel, but they are not yet efficient due to existing bugs and the requirement for a global lock in the Ruby VM.

2. Performance Issues: Benchmark tests showed that using Ractors can lead to slower performance, as accessing class instance variables requires acquiring a lock, which is costly.

3. Language Rules:

   • Only the main Ractor can modify class instance variables, while secondary Ractors can read them if they are shareable.
   • Reading instance variables in secondary Ractors requires locking, which affects performance.

4. Possible Solutions:

   • Introducing finer-grained locks or read-write locks was considered but not practical due to the nature of Ractor usage.
   • A more effective method would be to eliminate the need for locks entirely.

5. Lock-Free Approach: The author proposes storing instance variables in a separate object, allowing for atomic updates and avoiding race conditions. This would also utilize Ruby's garbage collector to manage memory safely, reducing the risk of errors related to memory access.

6. Complexity Handling: The article also addresses complications that arise when modifying or removing instance variables, especially in cases of complex shapes (a way Ruby manages instance variables).

7. Improved Performance: After implementing the proposed changes, benchmarks showed that Ractors could run significantly faster than before, though still not reaching the theoretical maximum speedup.

8. Memory Efficiency: The new method is expected to maintain or even reduce memory usage compared to the previous implementation, as it leverages Ruby's internal memory management.

9. Namespace Compatibility: The changes also enhance compatibility with Ruby's Namespace feature, allowing each namespace to maintain its unique set of instance variables.

The author hopes to have these changes merged into Ruby soon, enhancing the performance and usability of Ractors in Ruby applications.

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Desktop Docs uses AI to analyze images and videos by looking at their content, colors, objects, and layout. You can search for images by using a sample image or by describing what you want.

Thousands of Asus routers have been compromised by a stealthy backdoor that allows attackers to maintain control even after reboots and firmware updates. This backdoor is a result of exploiting vulnerabilities, some of which are not tracked in the official CVE system. Attackers gain unauthorized access by installing a public encryption key, allowing anyone with the corresponding private key to log in as an administrator.

Researchers from GreyNoise have identified around 9,000 infected devices globally, indicating a larger campaign possibly linked to a nation-state. The attackers are using multiple vulnerabilities to gain access, including a recently patched command-injection flaw.

Router users can check if their devices are infected by looking for specific SSH settings and can remove the backdoor by deleting the key and port setting. It's crucial for all router users to keep their devices updated with the latest security patches.

No summary available.

Summary of YAD Dialog Examples Guide

YAD (Yet Another Dialog) is a tool for creating graphical user interfaces that works with bash scripts. It allows users to display dialogs for various purposes, such as getting user input or showing information.

Key Points:

• To see all command line options, type yad --help-all in the terminal.
• The guide is based on YAD's help documentation and additional online examples, organized into sections for easy reference.
• Examples were tested on Salix OS 15.0 using YAD version 12.3.

YAD Features:

• About Dialog: Create an "About" dialog.
• App Dialog: Display application selection.
• Calendar Dialog: Show a calendar.
• Color Dialog: Select a color.
• Drag & Drop Dialog: Enable drag-and-drop functionality.
• Entry Dialog: Input text or select from a combo box.
• File Dialog: Choose files.
• Font Dialog: Select a font.
• Form Dialog: Create advanced forms.
• Notification: Show notifications.
• Progress Dialog: Indicate progress on tasks.

User Interaction:

• YAD returns user input via exit codes, indicating actions like pressing OK or Cancel.
• Common options and settings can be defined using environment variables.

For more detailed guidance, examples, and links to resources, refer to the project's homepage and documentation.

No summary available.

Summary of Entropy Browser Extension

Entropy is a browser extension designed to help users protect their sensitive information and personally identifiable information (PII) while sharing screens.

Key Features:

• Real-time Detection: Identifies secrets and PII using various detection methods.
• Pricing Plans:
  • Essential Plan: Free, with basic detection features.
  • Pro Plan: $3.99/month, includes advanced settings, alerts, and detection history.
  • Enterprise Plan: Offers team features and centralized policy enforcement.

FAQs:

• It can detect various types of sensitive information.
• It is designed not to slow down your browser.
• User data is not sent to a server.
• Users can customize detection settings.
• It offers advantages over GitHub secret scanning and TruffleHog.

Overall, Entropy helps keep your secrets safe while you share your screen during meetings or presentations.

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DeepSeek-R1 Collection Summary:

• Contains 10 items.
• Last updated approximately 3 hours ago.
• Currently has 669 views.

In late September 2024, as Hurricane Helene approached Florida, a university student decided to create a website to track the status of Waffle House locations during the storm. This idea was inspired by the Waffle House Index, an unofficial measure used by FEMA to assess disaster severity based on whether Waffle House restaurants remain open.

The student discovered how to scrape data from Waffle House's website, which was built using Next.js, and created a live map showing which locations were closed. After launching the site, they tweeted about it, catching the attention of Waffle House's corporate account, which claimed the site was unofficial and potentially incorrect.

The situation escalated when political commentator Frank Luntz shared the site, leading to a spike in traffic. However, Waffle House's marketing team quickly intervened, blocking the student on social media and sending a cease-and-desist email regarding trademark violations.

Despite the legal issues, the student maintained a light-hearted tone in their response and expressed appreciation for Waffle House. Ultimately, the project was taken down, but the student enjoyed the experience of building something meaningful during a disaster.

Derek Muller, the creator of the popular YouTube channel Veritasium, is known for making complex science topics accessible and engaging. With 18 million subscribers, he has built an empire by challenging misconceptions and using a unique teaching style that embraces confusion as a catalyst for learning. His recent video, "How One Company Secretly Poisoned the Planet," highlights the dangers of PFAS, harmful chemicals found in many products that are now contaminating the environment and human bodies, including Muller’s own blood.

Muller’s journey began in Australia, where he excelled in both science and film. He earned a Ph.D. focusing on how people learn, discovering that confronting misconceptions leads to better understanding. In 2011, he started Veritasium on YouTube, leveraging the platform's growth to create engaging science content. His videos have evolved from simple street quizzes to in-depth explorations of scientific topics.

The PFAS video, released on the same day the EPA rolled back regulations on these chemicals, has garnered immense attention and serves as both an exposé and a scientific explanation of the issue. Muller’s personal discovery of high PFAS levels in his blood adds urgency to the topic. His goal is to promote critical thinking and understanding of science, encouraging viewers to seek the truth about the world around them.

No summary available.

The article, "Don’t Believe the AI Hype" by Daron Acemoglu, challenges the optimistic predictions about the impact of generative AI on productivity and the economy. While some tech leaders claim AI will revolutionize productivity, Acemoglu argues that the reality is more complex and uncertain.

Key points include:

1. Skepticism of Predictions: Many forecasts, including those from Goldman Sachs and McKinsey, predict significant GDP growth due to AI. However, Acemoglu believes these estimates are overly optimistic.

2. Limited Impact: He estimates that AI will only automate about 4.6% of tasks, leading to a modest total factor productivity (TFP) increase of around 0.66% over the next decade, significantly lower than some predictions.

3. Task Automation Challenges: Many tasks that AI could potentially automate are complex and do not have clear success metrics, which limits productivity gains.

4. Wage and Inequality Effects: While AI may affect various demographic groups differently, it is unlikely to reduce inequality or significantly boost wages. Instead, capital may benefit more than labor.

5. Need for Caution: Acemoglu emphasizes that AI should not be seen as a cure-all and calls for careful regulation to ensure its benefits are maximized without exacerbating social inequalities.

Overall, he advocates for a more realistic understanding of AI's potential, urging against blind optimism driven by the tech industry.

The article critiques Elon Musk's promises regarding Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) technology, comparing him to Michael Scott from "The Office" rather than Tony Stark from "Iron Man." It highlights that Musk has repeatedly claimed full autonomy for Teslas is just around the corner since 2015, but these promises have consistently failed to materialize.

Key points include:

1. FSD Promises: Musk has made numerous predictions about FSD being ready within a couple of years, but none have come true, leading to skepticism about Tesla's autonomous capabilities.

2. Comparison with Waymo: While Tesla has been making promises, Google’s Waymo has successfully deployed fully autonomous vehicles in several cities, demonstrating that the technology is viable but not developed by Tesla.

3. Technical Choices: Musk has dismissed the use of lidar (a crucial technology for many autonomous vehicles) as unnecessary, opting for a camera-only approach. This decision has led to safety issues and increased crashes.

4. Robotaxi Launch: Tesla plans to introduce a limited number of Robotaxis in Austin, but these vehicles will not be fully autonomous and will have remote operators monitoring them, resembling a glorified remote-control setup rather than true self-driving.

5. Critique of Leadership: The article argues that Musk’s decisions reflect a broader issue in tech leadership, where executives promise ambitious innovations while failing to deliver practical solutions, often prioritizing appearances over actual results.

Overall, the piece underscores a disconnect between Musk's grand claims and the reality of Tesla's technology, raising concerns about the implications of such leadership in the tech industry.

The article discusses how Erik Hoel taught his 3-year-old son, Roman, to read at an advanced level. Over a year, Roman progressed to reading books at a level comparable to a 9-year-old, including parts of "The Hobbit." Hoel emphasizes the importance of reading for pleasure, noting that early reading is linked to better cognitive performance and lower mental health issues in children.

Hoel’s teaching approach focused on making reading enjoyable, using a mix of phonics and engaging books, rather than traditional lessons. He highlighted the benefits of reading for self-entertainment, which helps with emotional regulation. The process involved daily reading sessions, gradually increasing in length, and using spaced repetition to reinforce learning.

He acknowledges that early reading may not be suitable for everyone and that traditional education can still lead to successful readers. Hoel plans to continue tutoring his son in other subjects like math, while ensuring he also enjoys typical childhood activities. Overall, his experience shows that fostering a love for reading can have significant benefits for a child's development.

No summary available.

The author, Juha-Matti Santala, expresses his excitement about starting a new job and the importance of a notebook as a software developer. He believes that while writing code is essential, understanding what code to write is even more crucial. He finds it difficult to think creatively at the computer and prefers stepping away to reflect with his notebook.

Writing and sketching help him clarify his thoughts, design solutions, and understand workflows. He uses writing as a tool to identify gaps in his knowledge and often writes about his code as if explaining it to someone else, which helps him spot mistakes. This process also creates a record of his thoughts for future reference. Santala encourages discussions on these topics and invites readers to reach out.

We present a new algorithm for finding the shortest paths from a single source in directed graphs with non-negative edge weights. This algorithm runs in $O(m\log^{2/3}n)$ time, which is faster than Dijkstra's algorithm, which takes $O(m+n\log n)$ time on sparse graphs. This shows that Dijkstra's algorithm is not the best possible method for this problem.

Summary of DWARF as a Shared Reverse Engineering Format

Romain Thomas discusses the use of the DWARF format for sharing reverse-engineered information from binaries. DWARF was originally designed for storing debug information related to source code but is also effective for documenting reverse-engineering details like structures and function names.

Key points include:

1. New API in LIEF: The LIEF library now offers a user-friendly API in Python, Rust, and C++ for creating DWARF files, simplifying the process compared to using LLVM’s low-level API.

2. Creating DWARF Files: Users can create DWARF files that include information about functions, such as their names and stack variables, with straightforward code.

3. Reverse Engineering Tools: Most reverse engineering tools use different formats for storing binary analysis, which can lead to compatibility issues. However, tools like Binary Ninja, Ghidra, and IDA support DWARF files, making it a viable shared format for exporting types, functions, and variables.

4. Plugins for Binary Ninja and Ghidra: The blog introduces plugins that allow for exporting binary analysis from Binary Ninja and Ghidra into DWARF format. The Binary Ninja plugin is already integrated, while the Ghidra plugin can be used from both the Project Manager and CodeBrowser tool.

5. Future Development and Limitations: The DWARF export functionality is still being developed, with plans to include comments in future versions. Support for IDA is not currently planned unless there is significant demand.

Overall, the DWARF format presents a promising way to standardize the sharing of reverse-engineered data across different platforms and tools.

The text appears to be an interface for a search engine related to Mullvad, which is likely a privacy-focused service. It includes options for searching by country and language, as well as filters for the time frame of the last update. Key points include:

• Users can search using different countries and languages.
• There are options to filter results based on recent updates.
• The focus seems to be on providing privacy and security in searching online.

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The article discusses implementing complex numbers and the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) using only algebraic data types (ADTs) instead of floats. Here are the key points summarized:

1. Need for ADTs: Traditional floating-point numbers can cause inefficiencies in certain programming contexts, especially in functional programming and proof systems. Using ADTs allows for more optimal algorithm implementations.

2. Natural Numbers Implementation: The author presents a simple method to represent natural numbers using bitstrings with constructors for 0, 1, and an end marker. This representation allows for efficient function fusion, which can significantly improve performance.

3. Issues with Standard FFT: The traditional FFT algorithm is inefficient because it involves multiple list traversals and uses floating-point arithmetic, which hampers performance. The author aims to improve this by rethinking the data structures used.

4. Improved Structure: By using balanced binary trees instead of lists, the author demonstrates how to efficiently split data into even and odd indices, reducing unnecessary computations and improving the overall efficiency of the FFT.

5. Complex Numbers with ADTs: To represent complex numbers, the author proposes using Gaussian integers and extended Gaussian integers. This allows the implementation of complex arithmetic without relying on floating-point numbers.

6. Final FFT Implementation: The article concludes with a complete implementation of the FFT algorithm using only ADTs in Haskell. This version maintains linear performance and eliminates the need for floating-point arithmetic, resulting in a more efficient and elegant solution.

Overall, the author presents a novel approach to implementing numbers and FFT using pure functional programming techniques, aiming for both elegance and performance.

Summary of "Square Theory"

The article discusses the concept of "square theory," which originated in the Crosscord Discord server, a popular community for crossword enthusiasts. The theory explores pairs of related words or phrases that, when combined, create new meanings that are not directly related. This playful wordplay became a trend in the server, leading to a dedicated thread with thousands of posts.

Square theory is based on a square structure where corners represent words and the sides show relationships between them. This structure is satisfying and compelling, seen in various forms like crossword clues, brand names, and jokes.

The article highlights that squares are unique because their opposite sides are disconnected, making connections between them feel surprising. While other shapes can also create interesting connections, squares stand out for their simplicity and elegance.

In crosswords, themes that complete a square often resonate better with solvers. The article provides examples of crosswords that effectively use square theory, noting that this structure ties together clues, themes, and the entire crossword grid itself.

Ultimately, square theory suggests that recognizing and creating "squares" can enhance creativity in writing, naming, and problem-solving. The author encourages readers to look for these patterns in their daily lives and creative endeavors.

No summary available.

Telegram has partnered with Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, to distribute its chatbot, Grok, on Telegram for one year. As part of the deal, xAI will pay Telegram $300 million in cash and equity. Telegram will also receive 50% of the revenue from xAI subscriptions bought through the app.

Previously, Grok was available only to Telegram's premium users, but it may soon be accessible to all users. Grok can assist with writing suggestions, summarizing chats, and creating stickers, and it can be pinned in chats and accessed via the search bar. This integration is similar to Meta's AI features on Instagram and WhatsApp.

No summary available.

Summary of LLM 0.26 Release (May 27, 2025)

The new version of LLM (0.26) introduces a major feature: the ability to run tools in your terminal. Users can now access various models (like OpenAI, Anthropic, and local models from Ollama) and utilize tools represented as Python functions. Here are the key points:

• Tool Functionality: LLM can run tools via plugins, allowing users to install and activate them easily.

• Command-Line Options: Users can invoke tools using the command --tool/-T and can input Python code with --functions.

• Asynchronous and Synchronous Support: Tools operate in both async and sync contexts.

• Installation and Setup: Users should install LLM using pip or pipx, set API keys for models, and can run simple demo tools to test functionality.

• Plugin Examples: Several tool plugins are available, including:

  • SimpleEval: For mathematical calculations.
  • QuickJS: To run JavaScript code.
  • SQLite: For database queries.
  • Datasette: To run SQL queries on remote databases.

• Ad-hoc Tools: Users can define custom functions directly in the command line, allowing for flexible use of tools.

• Python API Support: LLM’s Python library now includes tool support, enabling more complex interactions.

The release highlights the potential for creating and using plugins, and the author expresses excitement about future improvements and community engagement around LLM's capabilities.

Summary of "The Blowtorch Theory: A New Model for Structure Formation in the Universe"

Julian Gough presents a new theory called the Blowtorch Theory, which offers an alternative explanation for how the universe's complex structure formed, known as the Cosmic Web. This structure consists of dense clusters of galaxies connected by thin filaments and surrounded by vast voids.

Key Points:

1. Current Understanding: The mainstream model, Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM), explains cosmic structure formation as a passive process driven by gravity and requires theoretical "dark matter" and "dark energy." However, it struggles to account for observations, like the rapid formation of large galaxies seen by the James Webb Space Telescope.

2. Blowtorch Theory: This new model suggests that early, powerful jets from supermassive black holes actively shaped the universe's structure within the first few hundred million years. These jets created low-pressure areas in dense gas and established magnetic fields, which contributed to the formation of cosmic voids and filaments.

3. No Need for Dark Matter: The Blowtorch Theory does not require dark matter to explain cosmic structure, making it a simpler and more direct model.

4. Supporting Evidence: Recent discoveries of large and early supermassive black holes and their jets support this theory. For instance, a distant blazar was identified that aligns with predictions made by the Blowtorch Theory, occurring much earlier than the ΛCDM model anticipated.

5. Understanding Cosmic Voids: Cosmic voids are large areas of space with very few stars or galaxies, making up over 80% of the universe's volume. Their sharp boundaries and unexpected existence highlight the limitations of current models, which failed to predict such structures.

In conclusion, Gough's Blowtorch Theory provides a fresh perspective on how the universe's structure came to be, focusing on active processes from supermassive black holes rather than relying on dark matter and passive gravitational forces.

Loodio is a bathroom privacy device designed to help you relax during private moments. It comes with a 4GB memory card that has 100 pre-installed songs and offers a battery life of one week. The price is $149, and international shipping is free.

In a recent post, Nicholas Khami discusses the benefits of using parallelization with AI coding agents to improve productivity. He emphasizes the effectiveness of employing multiple agents simultaneously through Git worktrees, which keeps their work isolated and prevents code conflicts.

For example, while building a UI component for a library called astrobits, he deployed four AI agents (two Claude and two Codex) to increase the chances of finding a useful solution. He found that with four agents, there’s a 68% likelihood of at least one producing a workable result, making it worthwhile despite the minimal cost increase.

However, Khami points out several frustrations in his current workflow, such as tracking branches, sending prompts to multiple agents, and managing sessions. To address these issues, he is developing a tool called "uzi," a command-line interface that automates the management of AI agents and streamlines the process.

The tool aims to simplify tasks like starting agents, broadcasting prompts, and managing sessions, ultimately enhancing the developer experience. Khami believes that this parallel approach could also benefit other fields, such as law and marketing, by allowing multiple analyses to be conducted simultaneously for better decision-making. He encourages discussions on this topic and is open to questions.

No summary available.

The article discusses how to build interactive web pages using Guile Hoot, a Scheme to WebAssembly (Wasm) compiler. It focuses on the ability of Wasm to call the DOM (Document Object Model) API, thanks to Wasm Garbage Collection.

Key points include:

1. Wasm and the DOM: Wasm can interact with the DOM through a foreign function interface (FFI) introduced in Hoot 0.2.0, allowing most code in a Hoot application to be written directly in Scheme instead of JavaScript.

2. Basic Example: The article presents a simple "Hello, world!" application that demonstrates how to add text to a web page using Scheme by defining foreign functions to interact with JavaScript methods.

3. Rendering HTML: It describes how to render a tree of DOM elements using Scheme's symbolic manipulation capabilities, allowing for a clean mix of markup and code without the need for additional languages like JSX.

4. Interactivity: The post explains how to create interactive elements, like a button that counts clicks, using Scheme's templates and event handling functions, alongside the necessary JavaScript bindings.

5. Virtual DOM: The article introduces a virtual DOM approach for efficient rendering, similar to frameworks like React, which minimizes updates to the DOM by only applying changes where necessary.

6. To-Do List Example: It concludes with a to-do list application example, demonstrating how to manage tasks and update the UI dynamically using the features of Hoot and Scheme.

Overall, the article highlights the potential of Hoot for creating rich, interactive web applications entirely in Scheme, while encouraging future development within the Guile community to expand its capabilities.

The text discusses the importance of effective error handling in programming, particularly in Rust. Key points include:

1. Error Reporting: Simply stating "it doesn’t work" is unhelpful. Error messages should provide specific information to help users understand what went wrong.

2. Handling Errors: It is crucial for programs to manage errors properly. For a line-counting function, instead of always returning a success message, it should check for errors and return them when encountered.

3. User-Friendly Output: When an error occurs, the program should present a clear and concise message, rather than technical details meant for developers.

4. Standard Error Handling: Error messages should be printed to the standard error stream, and the program should exit with a non-zero status to indicate failure. This helps in script automation and user feedback.

5. Resilience in Software: Good software anticipates errors and handles them gracefully. Error handling is a critical aspect of programming, as unexpected issues can arise at any time.

6. Input Validation: The program should also handle invalid input robustly, such as non-UTF-8 encoded data, and provide informative error messages.

Overall, the text emphasizes the significance of thoughtful error management to create reliable and user-friendly software.

No summary available.

Summary of "Andor" Review

The author expresses a deep appreciation for the show "Andor," calling it the best Star Wars content of the century. Created by Tony Gilroy, the series stands out for its thoughtful, anti-fascist themes and high production quality, which is unusual for the Star Wars franchise. The reviewer notes that many analyses of the show miss its depth because fans often focus on references rather than its rich themes.

Despite the common criticism among Star Wars fans, the author finds "Andor" to be both good prestige TV and a genuine Star Wars experience. They appreciate the insightful discussions from the creators about their artistic choices, which provide a behind-the-scenes look at the show's production.

The reviewer encourages fans to explore interviews with the creators, highlighting how they articulate their creative processes and choices in making "Andor." These insights enhance the viewer's understanding and appreciation of the series.

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PgDog is a fast and secure tool for managing PostgreSQL databases, capable of sharding and handling many connections. It's built in Rust and can manage hundreds of databases.

Key Features:

• Load Balancer: Distributes database transactions evenly using various strategies.
• Health Checks: Monitors database health and reroutes queries if a database fails.
• Transaction Pooling: Allows many clients to connect using fewer database connections.
• Sharding: Automatically routes queries to the correct database shards.
• Logical Replication: Supports background data splitting without downtime.

Getting Started:

• Installation: Use Docker or Kubernetes with Helm for quick setup.
• Configuration: Simple configuration is done via two files: pgdog.toml for database settings and users.toml for user details.

Performance:

PgDog aims to minimize its impact on database performance, leveraging Rust for efficiency.

Licensing:

PgDog is open source under the AGPL v3 license, allowing free internal use and modifications without sharing code.

Contribution:

Contributions are welcome; refer to the guidelines for details.

For more information, check the documentation or join the community on Discord.

Summary: How Ice Cream Replaced Booze in the US Navy

On July 1, 1914, the US Navy banned alcohol on ships and in navy yards with General Order 99. This followed previous restrictions and the end of the rum ration in 1862. Six years later, the nationwide Prohibition (1920-1933) also banned alcohol, leading many breweries to switch to making soda and ice cream instead. Ice cream became popular as a social treat, with Americans consuming over a million gallons daily by the end of the decade.

During World War II, the Navy provided ice cream on ships, using a specially retrofitted barge that produced ice cream quickly. This treat boosted morale; for example, crew members of the U.S.S. Lexington ate ice cream while abandoning ship after a torpedo attack.

Ice cream also became a reward system in the Navy. Instead of rum, crews received ice cream for achievements, such as rescuing downed pilots. This tradition highlighted ice cream's role as a beloved alternative to alcohol in the Navy.

Archaeologists have made significant discoveries off the coast of Java, Indonesia, revealing important information about Homo erectus from around 140,000 years ago. During dredging in the Madura Strait, they found fossil remains of 36 different vertebrate species, including two skull fragments of Homo erectus. This marks the first time fossils have been discovered from the seabed in this region, known as Sundaland, which was once a vast lowland.

Previous beliefs suggested that Homo erectus lived in isolation on Java, but the new findings indicate they may have moved into the surrounding lowlands during periods of lower sea levels, likely following river systems for resources like water and food. Evidence of their hunting practices, such as cut marks on turtle bones and broken bovid bones, suggests they actively hunted larger animals, indicating possible contact with other human species.

The research involved collaboration between Leiden University and international experts, resulting in detailed studies published in a scientific journal. The fossils, now housed in a museum in Bandung, Indonesia, will be featured in upcoming exhibitions.

In prehistoric times, Sundaland was a dry grassland with a rich variety of wildlife, including now-extinct species like the Asian hippo and the Komodo dragon. This research not only sheds light on Homo erectus but also enhances our understanding of Southeast Asia’s ancient biodiversity.

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This text summarizes updates to the Standard Model (SM) predictions for the muon anomalous magnetic moment, denoted as (a_\mu). Key points include:

1. Contributions to Predictions: The main sources of uncertainty in the SM prediction are the hadronic contributions, despite improvements in understanding pure Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) and electroweak contributions.

2. Advancements in Hadronic Contributions: There have been significant advancements in calculating hadronic light-by-light scattering, which has reduced uncertainty by nearly half.

3. New Measurements: A new measurement of the (e^+e^-\to\pi^+\pi^-) cross section by CMD-3 has created inconsistencies in previous evaluations of the leading-order hadronic-vacuum-polarization (LO HVP) contribution, making it challenging to combine results.

4. Lattice-QCD Improvements: The precision of lattice-QCD calculations has improved, allowing for a more accurate average of the LO HVP contribution, which has raised the total SM prediction to (a_\mu^\text{SM} = 116,592,033(62)\times 10^{-11}).

5. Comparison with Experiments: The comparison between the updated SM prediction and current experimental results shows no significant discrepancy. The experimental value is (a_\mu^\text{exp} - a_\mu^\text{SM} = 26(66)\times 10^{-11}).

6. Future Efforts: The final precision of future experiments, such as E989, aims for around 140 parts per billion (ppb), and resolving the tensions in LO HVP contributions will be crucial for further accuracy.

Overall, while there are challenges and inconsistencies, the updated predictions align closely with current experimental data.

On February 1, 2023, a discussion was presented about Bill Benter’s horse betting strategy, which has made him a billionaire through betting on races in Hong Kong. Benter published a significant paper in 1994 detailing his computer-based model for horse race betting. While the strategies in the paper may be outdated due to advancements in technology, it remains a valuable resource for understanding how mathematics can be applied to horse racing.

The article aims to revisit Benter's original work by adding modern coding techniques and analyzing data from three decades (1986-2023). It emphasizes the practical aspects of developing a computerized betting system, including data requirements and model development. Benter’s method combines fundamental analysis of horse performance with public odds to find profitable betting opportunities.

Key points include:

• Benter's approach is empirical, meaning it relies on data rather than subjective expertise.
• Computerized systems can be tested and refined, offering consistent performance without the fatigue that manual methods might encounter.
• Developing a successful betting model requires significant effort in data collection and programming.

Overall, the piece highlights the evolution of horse betting strategies and the importance of data analysis in creating effective betting systems.

Harrison Ruffin Tyler, the grandson of President John Tyler and a resident of Richmond, passed away at the age of 96 on Memorial Day weekend in 2025. He was the last living link to a significant period in American history, being born on November 9, 1928, to Lyon Gardiner Tyler, who was born in the 1800s.

Tyler was a notable figure beyond his family background. He graduated from William & Mary and Virginia Tech, where he studied chemical engineering. In 1968, he co-founded ChemTreat, a successful water treatment company, which he later sold to employees.

A dedicated preservationist, Tyler restored the Sherwood Forest Plantation, his family’s historic home, and financed the preservation of Fort Pocahontas, a Civil War site. He also made significant donations to William & Mary's history department, which was named after him.

Tyler lived in a nursing home in Richmond due to dementia before his death. He is survived by three children and several grandchildren.

The Palace of Westminster has nearly 6,000 historic chairs, ranging from simple designs to elaborate thrones, with most of them in regular use. Many were created by A.W.N. Pugin in the 1840s in a gothic revival style, and Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed additional chairs in the late 1940s after World War II. Notable chairs include the Sovereign's Throne, the Chair of State, and various 'Portcullis' chairs for the House of Commons and House of Lords.

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China is developing a large optical telescope called the Large Optical Telescope (LOT), which will be 14.5 meters in diameter and is planned to be the largest in the Northern Hemisphere. The telescope is being built on Saishiteng Mountain in Qinghai province, an area chosen for its clear skies and minimal light pollution. The National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) aims to have it operational by 2030, investing at least $277 million in various telescope projects in the region.

While some details about LOT, such as its mirror design, remain secretive, it will be capable of observing both optical and infrared wavelengths. The project comes after a previous conflict over a smaller telescope design, leading to a cautious approach in sharing information.

In comparison, the European Southern Observatory is building the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) in Chile, which is expected to be completed in 2029. If the ELT's schedule is delayed, LOT could become the largest operational optical telescope for a time. Both telescopes are expected to have advanced capabilities for scientific research.

Experts believe that LOT's development poses a challenge to U.S. leadership in ground-based astronomy, prompting calls for increased investment in U.S. telescopes like the Thirty Meter Telescope and the Giant Magellan Telescope. There are also rumors that China may plan to build another 14.5-meter telescope in Chile for further astronomical studies.