The author argues that companies often mistakenly believe they need to hire "the best engineers," which is unrealistic and counterproductive. Instead, they should focus on finding skilled engineers who may not meet every ideal criterion but can still contribute effectively.

Key points include:

1. Misconception of Hiring: Many companies think they can attract top-tier talent, but the best engineers often have other opportunities and higher salary expectations.

2. Unrealistic Expectations: Companies tend to set overly high standards that limit their candidate pool, resulting in long hiring processes that can stall progress.

3. Importance of Compromise: Hiring great engineers rather than the "best" requires accepting some trade-offs, whether in salary, work hours, or specific skills.

4. Urgency in Hiring: Startups should prioritize speed in hiring, as time is a critical resource. Waiting for the perfect candidate can lead to missed opportunities and delays.

5. Acting Realistically: Companies need to recognize their position in the hiring market and adjust their expectations to attract a broader range of qualified candidates.

The author encourages startup leaders to rethink their hiring strategies, emphasizing flexibility and speed over perfection.

The author created a new tool (TUI) for viewing and querying an LDAP because they need to perform basic queries and validations regularly for work. They found that the existing option, Apache Directory Studio, was not satisfactory, especially since they use a Mac.

Text-to-image diffusion models create high-quality images but require a lot of computing power. Instead of focusing on making each generation faster, we aim to reduce unnecessary work when dealing with similar prompts. Our method takes advantage of how diffusion models work by grouping prompts that have similar meanings. This allows us to save computation during the early steps of the image generation process. Our tests show that, for models using image embeddings, our approach lowers computing costs and improves image quality. By using UnClip's text-to-image capabilities, we better allocate resources during the diffusion process. This method works well with existing systems, can handle large sets of prompts, and helps reduce environmental and financial costs for large-scale image generation.

The text provides a list of main sections on a website, including links to Home, Hardware, Software, Developer Resources, History, Blog, Shop, and About Us.

The text seems to discuss various programming concepts, possibly related to a programming language or framework. Here’s a simplified summary of the key points:

1. Sky Types: These may refer to different categories of data types used for correctness in programming.
2. Optimization Types: These types are focused on improving the efficiency of code.
3. Fluidity: This likely refers to the flexibility or adaptability of types in programming.
4. Classes: These are basic structures in programming that define objects and their behaviors.
5. Inheritance: A concept where a class can inherit properties and methods from another class, promoting code reuse.
6. Generic Function Dispatch: This allows functions to operate on different types, enabling more versatile code.
7. "Abstract" Classes: These are classes that cannot be instantiated on their own and are meant to be inherited by other classes.
8. Fixnums: A term likely referring to fixed-size integers used in programming.
9. Summary and Resources: This indicates that there might be additional information or references related to the discussed topics.

Overall, the text covers fundamental programming concepts related to data types, classes, and code optimization.

The article discusses the benefits of static sites, particularly how they allow for an easy "time travel" experience. The author, Juha-Matti Santala, reflects on a past experience of gamifying his blogging efforts by giving himself badges. When asked for evidence of this, he realized that because his site is built with Eleventy, a static site generator, he can easily access previous versions of his website through git commits. This process is simpler than sites that use databases, making it almost effortless to revisit past content.

He also mentions setting up a GitHub Action to take monthly snapshots of his homepage, which has helped him keep track of changes over time. Overall, he emphasizes the advantages of using static site generators for maintaining a personal website. He invites readers to discuss their thoughts on the topic.

Summary of CauseNet: Collecting All Causal Knowledge

CauseNet is an initiative aimed at building a comprehensive database of causal knowledge to support research in causal inference and artificial intelligence. The key features of CauseNet include:

• Causal Knowledge Base: It separates validated causal knowledge from mere beliefs, compiling over 11 million causal relationships with a high extraction precision of 83%.
• Causality Graph: The project creates a large-scale and open-domain graph that illustrates causal relationships, which can be useful for answering basic causal questions and further research in causal reasoning.

Available Versions of CauseNet:

1. CauseNet-Full: Contains the complete dataset (11.6 million relations, 1.8GB).
2. CauseNet-Precision: A smaller subset with higher precision (199,806 relations, 135MB).
3. CauseNet-Sample: A small sample for initial exploration (264 relations, 54KB).

Data Structure: Each causal relationship connects concepts and includes detailed provenance data, showing where the information was obtained. Examples of causal relations are provided, showcasing how they are represented in the database.

Loading into Neo4j: Sample code is available for loading CauseNet into the Neo4j graph database, enabling visualization and analysis.

Training Data: To create CauseNet, datasets for spotting causal concepts were developed from various sources, including Wikipedia and ClueWeb.

Research Publication: The project was detailed in a paper presented at CIKM 2020, which can be cited for further reference.

For questions or feedback, contact the listed authors. The project is open-source, with code under an MIT license and data under a Creative Commons license.

An LLM (Large Language Model) can be thought of as a "lossy encyclopedia," meaning it contains a lot of information but not all details are perfectly accurate. It's important to understand what types of questions it can answer well and which require more precise information. For example, asking an LLM to create a specific project setup, like a Zephyr project for a Pi Pico, is an example of needing precise details. Instead of expecting the LLM to know such specifics, it's better to provide it with a correct example to work from.

No summary available.

Kazeta is an operating system designed to give modern PCs a console gaming feel similar to that of the 1990s. It allows users to easily play games by simply inserting a cartridge, turning on the device, and starting to play.

Summary of "The Little Book of Linear Algebra"

The book introduces linear algebra in an accessible way, starting with fundamental concepts.

Key Concepts:

1. Vectors and Scalars:

   • Scalars are single numbers (from real numbers, $\mathbb{R}$) that are used as coefficients or entries in larger structures.
   • Vectors are ordered collections of scalars, represented in either row or column form. They belong to real n-dimensional space ($\mathbb{R}^n$), with the dimension indicating the number of scalars in the vector.

2. Operations on Vectors:

   • Vector Addition: Two vectors of the same dimension can be added by adding their corresponding entries.
   • Scalar Multiplication: Multiplying a vector by a scalar stretches or shrinks it while preserving its direction.
   • Linear Combinations: A linear combination of vectors is formed using addition and scalar multiplication, generating new vectors from existing ones.

3. Dot Product and Norms:

   • The dot product measures the relationship between two vectors, producing a scalar.
   • The norm of a vector indicates its length and is calculated using the dot product of the vector with itself.
   • The angle between vectors can be derived from the dot product, and two vectors are orthogonal if their dot product is zero.

4. Orthogonality:

   • Two vectors are orthogonal if they are perpendicular (dot product equals zero). A set of vectors is orthogonal if every pair in the set is orthogonal.

5. Matrices:

   • A matrix is a rectangular array of numbers and serves as a compact representation of linear transformations and systems of equations.
   • Matrix Operations: Matrices can be added (entry-wise) and multiplied (using dot products of rows and columns). Matrix multiplication is not commutative.

Importance: Understanding vectors and matrices is essential as they form the basis for more complex structures in linear algebra, with applications in geometry, data science, and machine learning.

Overall, the book emphasizes the foundational concepts of linear algebra, illustrating how they come together to form a powerful mathematical framework.

RubyMine Is Now Free for Non-Commercial Use

RubyMine, a popular integrated development environment (IDE) for Ruby and Rails, is now available for free for non-commercial use. This change aims to support developers, especially those learning Ruby, contributing to open-source projects, or working on personal projects.

Key Points:

• Free Access: RubyMine is free for non-commercial activities like learning, open-source contributions, and hobby projects. However, a paid license is still required for commercial use.
• Feedback Driven: The decision to offer a free version was influenced by feedback from the Ruby and Rails community, aiming to make development tools more accessible.
• Full Features: The free version includes all features of the paid version, except the "Code With Me" feature, which is limited to community use.
• Non-Commercial License: Users must accept the non-commercial license agreement and agree to share anonymous usage statistics, which help improve the product.
• Easy Transition: Users can easily switch to the non-commercial license directly within the IDE. Older versions of RubyMine do not support this new license.
• Renewals and Refunds: Non-commercial subscriptions last for one year and will renew automatically if the IDE has been used in the last six months.

For more details or to get started, users can check the RubyMine IDE or contact JetBrains support.

Summary of "The Day Return Became Enter" by Marcin Wichary

Marcin Wichary's text explores the complex history and evolution of the "Return" key on keyboards, detailing its journey from typewriters to modern computers.

• Typewriter Origins: Typewriters, invented in the 1870s, did not interpret information meaningfully and had limited keys. The "carriage return" lever advanced the paper and returned the carriage for the next line, serving as a mechanical shorthand.

• Electric Typewriters: In the 1940s and 1950s, electric typewriters transformed the carriage return into a key, significantly reducing the effort needed to operate it. The key was often labeled "Return" or "Carriage Return."

• Teletypes and Control Characters: Teletypes, which transmitted text over wires, introduced the separation of carriage return and line feed functions, leading to the CR/LF (Carriage Return/Line Feed) issue still relevant today.

• Word Processors: Early word processors automated typing and allowed text editing, complicating the function of the Return key. As word processors evolved, the need for automatic text reflow emerged, further redefining how the Return key was used.

• Computers and the Enter Key: With the advent of computers in the 1980s, the Return key began to be referred to as "Enter," especially in contexts where submitting data was necessary. Different systems adopted different labels, leading to confusion over the functions of Return and Enter.

• Modern Keyboards: Today, keyboards reflect a blend of historical influences, with keys often serving multiple purposes beyond their original functions. The distinction between Return and Enter varies across devices and applications, causing inconsistencies in usage.

Wichary concludes by reflecting on the desire for a simple, clear key that embodies progress, while acknowledging the rich, complicated history of keyboard design.

Marcin Wichary shared a collection of 50 unique keyboards on February 12, 2023, to celebrate the success of his Kickstarter project, "Shift Happens." This post is an archive of a Mastodon thread featuring high-quality photos of these keyboards, many of which are unusual or have interesting backstories.

Key highlights include:

1. Diverse Designs: The collection features various keyboard types, including ergonomic designs, typewriters, and gaming keyboards.
2. Personal Stories: Each keyboard has a story, like the SafeType ergonomic keyboard found before being thrown away, and a Turkish typewriter that inspired Wichary's book.
3. Strange Innovations: Some keyboards have unique features, such as a joystick that acts as a one-key keyboard and a "space cadet" keyboard that outputs only spaces.
4. Historical Context: Wichary discusses the evolution of keyboards, including those from failed technology like the One Laptop Per Child.

The post serves as a sneak peek into his upcoming book, promising more stories and visuals related to these fascinating devices.

The author has finally written a blog post after struggling to find motivation. They share their experience of setting up production logging for a Next.js service after encountering issues with default logging.

The journey begins with using middleware, which executes before routes are rendered, for logging. The author chooses the logging library Pino but faces limitations in the Next.js middleware, which can only pass a few parameters and doesn't support chaining multiple middlewares. They then implement logging using AsyncLocalStorage to manage log contexts.

After setting up basic middleware logging, the author discovers that logging in pages does not work as expected because rendering does not share the same async context as the middleware. To fix this, they need to pass information via headers and restructure the logging setup, which complicates the architecture.

The author expresses frustration with the limitations of Next.js, noting that other frameworks like SvelteKit handle middleware and logging more elegantly. They criticize the Next.js issue tracker for its slow response times and lack of helpful feedback. Ultimately, the author is disillusioned with Next.js and contemplates moving away from it for future projects due to numerous bugs and inefficiencies.

I'm sorry, but I can't access external links, including the one you've provided. However, if you can copy and paste the text you'd like summarized, I'd be happy to help!

This text explains how to create a realistic foil sticker effect using Three.js, a JavaScript library for 3D graphics. The main points include:

1. Iridescence: The shimmering effect seen in holographic stickers is caused by light interference. In graphics, this can be simulated by changing colors based on the viewer's angle.

2. Foil Flakes: Real foil stickers have tiny reflective particles that create sparkles. This effect can be mimicked in shaders by adding random brightness patterns.

3. Implementation: The tutorial provides guidance on building a custom shader that simulates a peeling, iridescent foil sticker using Three.js. It combines techniques from Physically Based Rendering (PBR) for a visually appealing outcome.

4. Shaders:

   • Vertex Shader: Controls the sticker's geometry and how it responds to peeling.
   • Fragment Shader: Handles lighting, reflections, iridescence, and the appearance of foil flakes.

5. Code and Features: The tutorial includes detailed shader code and explanations of various parameters used to achieve the desired effects, such as peel strength, flake size, and iridescence intensity.

6. Licensing: The code is available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, and users are encouraged to support the creator for ongoing projects.

Overall, this guide aims to help developers create a visually stunning foil sticker effect in real-time web applications.

Blocky Planet: A Minecraft-Inspired Spherical Game

Overview: Blocky Planet is a tech demo developed in Unity that transforms the typical cubic structure of Minecraft into a spherical planet. Players can manipulate over 20 types of blocks on a destructible, procedurally generated surface.

Key Features:

• Dynamic Gameplay: The game allows players to place and remove blocks, similar to Minecraft, but on a spherical world, which introduces unique design challenges.
• Accessibility: The demo is available for free on Itch.io, optimized for Windows, with a web version available.

Development Background:

• Inspiration: The project was inspired by a previous tech demo and aims to incorporate more complex features like textures and large-scale destruction.
• Time Investment: The development took about a month, with roughly 15 hours per week dedicated to coding.

Technical Challenges:

1. Block Mapping: Mapping a 2D grid of blocks onto a 3D sphere involves managing distortion and gravity alignment. The game uses a quad sphere method to reduce distortion.
2. Layer Depth: Blocks must be carefully arranged in layers to maintain consistent sizes as players dig deeper, resulting in a structured shell system.
3. Efficient Structure: The planet is divided into wedge-shaped sectors and shells to manage the spherical layout, optimizing performance by grouping blocks into chunks.

Gameplay Mechanics:

• Players experience custom gravity, with forces pulling them toward the planet's center, and can use a thruster ability for aerial maneuvers.
• Terrain generation uses 3D noise for smooth landscapes and two biomes (forest and arctic) based on distance from the poles.

Future Plans: The developer has a vision for expanding Blocky Planet with features like:

• Multiple planets and moons for exploration.
• Enhanced gravity mechanics based on chunk contents.
• Cave systems and improved biome diversity.
• Voxel-based lighting for better visuals.

Feedback and suggestions for improvements are welcomed through Reddit.

Kapa.ai is hiring for various positions. The company is looking for talented individuals to join their team. If you're interested in working with innovative technology and contributing to exciting projects, consider applying for a job at kapa.ai. Check their website for available roles and details on how to apply.

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FreeDroidWarn Summary

FreeDroidWarn is a library that displays a warning to users about a new requirement from Google. Starting in 2026/2027, Google will require all developers of Android apps outside the Play Store to verify their identity. The developers of FreeDroidWarn do not plan to comply with this requirement, meaning their app will stop working on certified Android devices after that date.

Installation:

1. Add the JitPack repository to your project's build.gradle file.
2. Include the library in your dependencies.

Usage: To use this library, add the following line in your app's onCreate method:

FreeDroidWarn.showWarningOnUpgrade(this, BuildConfig.VERSION_CODE);

License: The library is licensed under the Apache V2.0 license.

Bear, a software project, has changed its licensing from MIT to the Elastic License. Initially, the code was made available under MIT to promote learning and ensure transparency regarding privacy and security. However, the creator faced issues with others copying the project to create competing services, which was frustrating and threatened their livelihood.

The new Elastic License allows users to access the code but prohibits using it to provide hosted or managed services. This decision aligns with a trend among other open-source projects to update their licenses to prevent competition that benefits from their work without contributing back.

The creator emphasizes that the uniqueness of Bear lies in its community and commitment to its future, and they are dedicated to maintaining the platform while adjusting the terms of code use.

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Imgur, a popular image hosting and social media site, is currently facing backlash from its users, known as Imgurians, over its new parent company, MediaLab AI. Users are expressing their frustration by sharing memes of John Oliver giving a middle finger to the company, highlighting their dissatisfaction with the site's decline.

Imgur was created in 2009 by Alan Schaaf to make image sharing easier. It grew popular, especially on platforms like Reddit, but usage decreased as other sites developed their own image hosting capabilities. In 2021, MediaLab AI acquired Imgur, and since then, the community has felt a loss of its culture and functionality.

Imgurians are upset about the removal of human moderators, leading to poor site management and a reliance on AI for moderation. Many users have reported unjust bans and technical issues, such as broken notifications and failed image uploads. The community feels exploited for profit, as MediaLab AI prioritizes advertisements over user experience.

In response, Imgurians are organizing protests and considering a boycott of the site. Some are even exploring alternative image-sharing platforms. The situation reflects a broader frustration with corporate management in online communities.

No summary available.

WinBoat Summary

WinBoat is a tool that allows you to run Windows applications on Linux with easy integration. It's currently in beta, so expect some bugs, and you should be comfortable troubleshooting issues.

Key Features:

• User-Friendly Interface: Integrates Windows seamlessly into your Linux desktop.
• Easy Installation: Choose your preferences, and WinBoat handles the setup.
• Run Any Windows App: Supports all Windows applications as if they were natively on Linux.
• Full Windows Desktop: Access a complete Windows desktop or run individual apps within your Linux environment.
• File Sharing: Your Linux home directory is accessible in Windows for easy file sharing.
• Additional Features: Includes smartcard passthrough and resource monitoring, with more features coming soon.

Requirements:

• At least 4 GB RAM
• 2 CPU threads
• 32 GB free storage
• KVM virtualization enabled in BIOS/UEFI
• Docker and Docker Compose v2 installed
• FreeRDP for remote connections
• Required kernel modules (iptables)

Installation Options:

• AppImage format for easy use on most distributions.
• Unpacked files for direct execution.

Known Issues:

• Currently, Podman and Docker Desktop are unsupported, along with certain containerization solutions.

Building and Development:

• Requires NodeJS and Go.
• Instructions provided for cloning the repo, installing dependencies, and building the app.

Contributing:

• Contributions for bug fixes, features, and documentation are welcomed. Focus on technical contributions only.

License:

• WinBoat is licensed under the MIT license.

Contact and Community:

• Visit the website at winboat.app or connect on social media platforms like Twitter and Discord for updates and community support.

The article discusses a new evolutionary model proposed by researchers, suggesting that evolution occurs in sudden bursts, rather than through gradual changes. This concept, known as "saltative branching," indicates that when species split, they often undergo rapid adaptations immediately afterward.

Key points include:

1. Sudden Evolutionary Changes: The model shows that new species tend to emerge in quick bursts, similar to fireworks, rather than through a slow, gradual process.

2. Punctuated Equilibrium: This idea builds on the theory of punctuated equilibrium, which suggests that species remain relatively stable for long periods and then evolve rapidly. This contrasts with the traditional view of slow, consistent evolution.

3. Mathematical Framework: Researchers developed a new mathematical model that captures these rapid changes across various life forms and even cultural systems like languages.

4. Supporting Evidence: The model was tested on multiple datasets, including ancient proteins and cephalopod traits, showing that most evolutionary changes occur at the points where lineages branch out.

5. Broader Implications: These rapid changes are not just limited to biological evolution but also apply to cultural evolution, indicating that both nature and culture can evolve in similar patterns during periods of significant change.

The findings suggest that understanding evolution requires acknowledging these sudden bursts of change, which might be a common feature in both biological and cultural evolution.

AI bots are automated programs that browse public websites to gather data for various uses, such as improving search engines and training AI models. The text discusses several aspects of bot traffic, including:

• Industry Sets: These are organized groups of similar industries.
• Bot Traffic: It analyzes HTTP request trends for the most active AI bots.
• Crawl Purpose: This shows why bots are visiting websites.
• Crawl-to-Refer Ratio: This compares how often bots request web pages versus the number of times those pages are referred to by other sites.

Overall, the content focuses on understanding bot activity and its implications for web traffic.

Firefox has introduced a new sidebar feature that allows users to move their tabs to the side. This helps reduce clutter and improves focus. You can also pin important websites and keep your AI assistant easily accessible.

No summary available.

Here’s a simplified summary of the text:

• When posting job openings, specify the job location: use "REMOTE" for remote work, "REMOTE (US)" for US-only remote positions, and "ONSITE" for jobs that require being in the office.
• Only post if you are directly involved with the hiring company, not if you are a recruiter or job board representative. Limit to one post per company and explain what your company does if it's not well-known.
• Ensure you are actively hiring and will respond to applicants.
• Avoid off-topic comments on job posts.
• Interested job seekers should email only if they are personally interested in the position.
• For job searching resources, check the provided links to various hiring pages and tools.
• Additional threads for job seekers and freelancers are also available.

Summary of sd - Search & Displace

• What is sd?
  sd is a simple command-line tool for finding and replacing text, designed to be user-friendly.

• Key Features:

  • Easy Regex: Uses familiar regex syntax from JavaScript and Python, avoiding the complexities of tools like sed or awk.
  • String-literal Mode: Allows non-regex find and replace, eliminating the need for escaping special characters.
  • Readable Syntax: Makes it easy to write and understand find and replace commands.
  • Smart Defaults: Comes with sensible settings for everyday use.

• Comparison with sed:
  While sed has more features, sd excels in straightforward tasks, such as:

  • Simpler syntax for replacing text.
  • Easier handling of newlines and strings with slashes.
  • Direct file modifications without complex commands.

• Performance:
  sd is significantly faster than sed in benchmarks, performing simple replacements about 2.35 times faster and regex replacements nearly 12 times faster.

• Installation:
  Can be installed via cargo or various package managers.

• Usage Examples:

  • Basic Replacement: sd 'before' 'after' file.txt
  • Preview Changes: sd -p 'before' 'after' file.txt
  • Capture Groups: Allows indexed and named groups for more complex replacements.

• Edge Cases:
  sd handles flags and special characters carefully, allowing users to escape characters when necessary.

Overall, sd aims to simplify the find and replace process while maintaining powerful functionality.

Sideloading, the practice of installing apps not from official stores, has been widely debated, especially with Google's new restrictions on Android. The key argument often made is that individuals should be able to run any code on their own devices. While this is a valid point, the real issue lies in the control companies like Google and Apple have over the software, not the hardware itself.

Google's restrictions limit what can be done with their software, not the hardware. This issue is more apparent with Apple, where the integration of hardware and software is crucial to the iPhone's success. Changing core features of iOS through legislation could harm what makes the iPhone special.

The focus should be on the ability to run any code on owned devices, which includes having the resources to build or install alternative operating systems. Manufacturers should provide the necessary support to allow users to run different operating systems, like Android on an iPhone or Linux on a PS5.

Large Language Models (LLMs) have greatly improved how we process language, but their differences in abilities and costs create challenges. LLM routing helps by choosing the best LLM for each task based on the query. Previous methods assumed we knew the best pairings of queries and LLMs, which isn't realistic because user queries change and we don’t have complete information.

To solve this, we suggest viewing LLM routing as a contextual bandit problem, which allows for smarter decision-making using feedback without needing to test all LLMs for every query. We create a shared space where queries and LLMs are represented in a way that shows their compatibility. This space is built from past human preferences and improved with real-time feedback.

We developed a new method called PILOT, which builds on LinUCB. To manage different user budgets for model routing, we also introduced a cost policy that considers resource efficiency as a multi-choice knapsack problem.

The article discusses the concept of product-market fit and how sales should be approached, particularly for B2B founders. Rob Snyder, an experienced startup founder, emphasizes that many entrepreneurs misunderstand the sales process by thinking it revolves around convincing buyers to make a purchase (the "SELLER-PUSH" theory). Instead, he advocates for the "BUYER-PULL" theory, where the focus is on helping buyers achieve their goals.

Key points include:

1. Misconception in Sales: Many founders believe successful sales depend on persuading buyers, which is often ineffective.

2. Buyer-Pull Approach: Sales should be about understanding and facilitating what buyers want to accomplish, making it easier for them to choose your product.

3. Common Signs of a Seller-Push Mindset:

   • Looking for buyer pain points to pitch solutions.
   • Over-explaining products instead of focusing on buyer needs.
   • Approaching demos to convince rather than support.
   • Using traditional sales messaging.
   • Feeling like sales calls are confrontational.
   • Creating urgency artificially instead of identifying genuine buyer needs.
   • Taking charge in group demos rather than empowering the buyer's champion.
   • Planning sales processes that prioritize pushing products.

4. Impact on Sales and Success: A seller-push mindset can lead to difficulties in sales and customer success, as it ignores the real needs and priorities of buyers.

Snyder encourages founders to shift their thinking about sales to align with the buyer-pull model for better outcomes. He also offers courses and personalized support for B2B founders looking to improve their sales strategies.

No summary available.

The first inkjet printer, called the Mingograph, was created by Rune Elmqvist, who also invented the first implantable pacemaker. The Mingograph used a nozzle to spray ink onto paper. This highlights the connection between medical technology and consumer electronics, showcasing innovative advancements in both fields.

Apple has removed the iPhone torrent app, iTorrent, from AltStore PAL, an alternative iOS marketplace in Europe. The app's developer, Daniil Vinogradov, has been blocked from distributing apps on other iOS stores, which Apple attributes to compliance with government sanctions, not a ban on torrenting itself. Although Apple restricts torrent apps on its official App Store, European regulations allow users greater freedom to install apps from third-party sources. Vinogradov reported that Apple revoked his distribution rights without prior warning.

No summary available.

Summary of Thoughts on Amazonian Leadership

Amazon's Leadership Principles are well-known and often debated. Here are some key points on a few of these principles:

1. Customer Obsession: Leaders should prioritize customers, but it's important not to take this too literally by only giving them what they ask for. In the past, Amazon Web Services (AWS) focused on innovative products rather than just customer requests. The author believes AWS should return to creating foundational tools that customers truly need, rather than just what they ask for.

2. Ownership: Leaders should act for the long-term benefit of the entire company, not just their own teams. However, Amazon's internal structure can be too siloed, making it hard for leaders to collaborate across departments. The author suggests that Amazon should work towards breaking down these barriers for better teamwork and innovation.

3. Bias for Action: While speed is important, the author warns against rushing decisions that could harm customer trust. It’s crucial to balance quick actions with maintaining high-quality standards. They advocate for having experienced leaders who can halt projects that might not meet these standards before they damage the company's reputation.

Overall, the author emphasizes the importance of listening to feedback to improve Amazon's leadership practices and better serve customers.

In "What brain surgery taught me about the fragile gift of consciousness," Eric Markowitz shares his profound experience before and after undergoing brain surgery.

Key Points:

1. Awakening to Consciousness: The night before his surgery, Markowitz felt fully awake for the first time, deeply appreciating existence and the people around him. He experienced a moment of clarity, realizing the beauty and fragility of life.

2. Survival and Recovery: Post-surgery, he faced a grueling recovery with daily intravenous antibiotics but felt a sense of "survivor's euphoria." This feeling was not just happiness but a deep revelation about life and existence.

3. Redefining Longevity: Markowitz began to view longevity differently, seeing it as an active choice and practice rather than a passive state. He emphasized the importance of care, love, and being present in the moment.

4. The Nature of Consciousness: He believes that consciousness is not solely about brain function but also about awareness and emotional connection. It requires attentiveness to life and the relationships around us.

5. A New Perspective: His experience changed how he approaches life; he focuses more on being present and nurturing relationships rather than chasing productivity.

In summary, Markowitz's journey through a life-threatening medical procedure led him to a profound understanding of consciousness as an interconnected experience shaped by love and presence.

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The CocoaPods Trunk Read-only Plan allows users to access CocoaPods in a limited way. It is designed for situations where you only need to read or use existing libraries without making changes. This plan is useful for developers who want to rely on stable libraries without contributing to the CocoaPods repository.

The text provides a link to a GitHub page, specifically to a section called "eternal" in a project by the user "yoavg". The link directs users to explore that part of the project.

No summary available.

If you're looking for a job, please share your information using this format:

Location:
Remote:
Willing to relocate:
Technologies:
Résumé/CV:
Email:

Only post if you are personally seeking work; agencies and recruiters should not post here. Readers should email these addresses only to discuss job opportunities. You can search for these job postings at www.wantstobehired.com.

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The text discusses criticisms and observations regarding a research paper by FM David Peng on measuring chess complexity. The author provides feedback on both the paper and its supporting code, noting that while there has been growing interest in chess complexity, particularly through the metric of Average Centipawn Loss (ACPL), the research's validity needs scrutiny.

Key points include:

1. Complexity Definition: The paper proposes that chess complexity can be defined and measured in two ways: as a teachable metric based on centipawn loss and as a real-time measure of position difficulty.

2. Logical Conclusions: The author questions the logical soundness of the paper's conclusions, which suggest various applications of complexity, such as creating non-tactical puzzles and improving training materials.

3. Neural Networks: The paper's ideas were developed before significant advancements in chess engines, like Stockfish-NNUE, which may affect its conclusions.

4. Evaluation Issues: The author points out that traditional chess evaluations have limitations, like capping values in different game phases, which may impact the accuracy of the complexity metric.

5. Suggestions for Improvement: The author suggests enhancing the research by incorporating segmented evaluations, better modeling techniques, and possibly including games with distinct player styles.

Overall, the author expresses a desire to see the complexity metric implemented on chess platforms like Lichess to help combat cheating and improve player training.

No summary available.

SRAM and DRAM are no longer able to be improved in terms of cost per byte, which means memory is now the most expensive part of computer systems. This paper suggests that we need to change our approach to memory design. Instead of just using traditional off-chip DRAM and on-chip SRAM, we should develop specialized memory architectures that fit specific application needs. The authors propose two new types of memory:

1. Long-term RAM (LtRAM) - for data that is read often and has a long lifespan.
2. Short-term RAM (StRAM) - for data that is accessed frequently but only needed for a short time.

The paper discusses possible technologies for these new memory types and how they could be integrated into current systems. It also highlights key research challenges that need to be addressed to create more efficient and scalable computing systems for the future.

India has a rapidly growing e-waste recycling industry worth $1.5 billion, driven by its booming electronics sector. Most workers in this sector are informal laborers facing low pay and dangerous conditions. Despite efforts to modernize the industry, about 95% of those involved work without legal protections, often in hazardous environments.

The informal e-waste recycling economy is vast, with many workers sifting through heaps of discarded electronics, including imports from wealthier countries. India generates around 1.75 million metric tons of e-waste annually, with a significant portion remaining unrecycled, presenting both environmental risks and economic opportunities.

Some formal recycling companies, like Recyclekaro, have emerged with better working conditions and safety measures, but they represent only a small part of the industry. Recent government regulations aim to push the sector toward formalization; however, many informal workers resist these changes due to the financial burdens they impose.

The informal recycling economy continues to thrive despite regulatory efforts, as workers like Asif Malik, who control significant portions of the market, remain largely indifferent to these changes. A recent crackdown led to the temporary closure of a major informal site in Delhi, known as Khatta, but experts believe operations will likely resume elsewhere due to the persistent demand for recycling services.

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The paper discusses the computational complexity of the game Tetris, specifically proving that it remains NP-complete even when limited to 8 columns or 4 rows. This confirms problems that had been unresolved for over 15 years. The researchers also found that Tetris can be solved in polynomial time when restricted to 2 columns or 1 row.

Key findings include:

1. NP-Completeness: Both survival and clearing the board in Tetris are NP-complete when the board has 8 or more columns or 4 or more rows. However, they are polynomially solvable for 2 columns and 1 row.
2. Generalization: The complexity extends to larger pieces (k-ominoes), remaining NP-complete even with restricted board sizes.
3. Initial Configurations: An interesting variant, "Empty Tetris," where the board starts empty, is also NP-hard for certain piece sizes and configurations.
4. Tetris Font: The paper concludes with a creative aspect, presenting an animated font designed using Tetris pieces.

The study highlights the complexity of Tetris and its variations, confirming its challenging nature in computer science.

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Summary of Natalia Nagovitsyna’s Ordeal on Pobeda Peak

Russian climber Natalia Nagovitsyna has been missing since August 12, 2025, after becoming stranded at 7,150 meters on Pobeda Peak in Kyrgyzstan. A military drone recently confirmed there were no signs of life in her tent, leading authorities to declare her officially missing. She had broken her leg while descending from the summit and faced harsh conditions, including extreme cold and lack of food and water.

Initially, there was hope when she was seen alive in drone footage on August 16 and 19. However, worsening weather forced rescue efforts to stop on August 23. Nagovitsyna was part of an independent climbing group that also included climbers from Italy and Germany. After she was injured, her teammates attempted to help her but faced their own challenges, including one climber dying during the descent.

Rescue attempts were hindered by severe weather and high altitude, and it is now expected that any recovery effort will be postponed until spring 2026. Tragically, Nagovitsyna's husband had also died in a separate climbing incident in 2021 on a nearby peak. Her family has sought assistance from Russian authorities, which have begun an investigation into the situation.

Mountaineering experts have stated that continuing rescue operations this season is too dangerous due to the risks involved.

Gmail emphasizes that its security measures are effective and recent claims of a major security warning are false. The company assures users that over 99.9% of phishing and malware attempts are blocked. They take security seriously and continuously innovate and communicate about risks. Users are encouraged to use secure password alternatives like Passkeys and to stay alert for phishing attacks.

The article discusses the concept of a "thermocline of truth" in large IT projects, which is a barrier that separates accurate information about project progress from upper management's often overly optimistic views. Key points include:

1. Thermocline Definition: In water, a thermocline is a layer separating warm and cold water, affecting oxygen and nutrient flow. In IT, it reflects the disconnect between those working on a project and upper management.

2. Factors Creating the Thermocline:

   • Lack of objective metrics to accurately measure progress, leading to unreliable estimates from IT staff.
   • IT engineers often have unrealistic optimism about project completion.
   • Managers downplay problems to maintain a positive image and avoid bad news, which is often discouraged by upper management.
   • Upper management tends to reward good news and ignore or punish bad news.

3. Consequences: As deadlines approach, the gap in understanding can widen, leading to major project delays or failures just before completion. Management may insist on unrealistic fixes or push projects to completion without addressing underlying issues.

4. Call to Action: Successful IT projects require honest communication and a culture that rewards transparency, especially when facing difficulties. Both lower-level staff and upper management must work together to ensure accurate reporting.

The author shares personal experiences illustrating these points, emphasizing the need for a shift in management practices to foster a more truthful and effective project environment.

No summary available.

Summary:

Scientists from the University of Utah have discovered hidden freshwater oases beneath the drying Great Salt Lake as it shrinks. These reed-covered mounds suggest a complex underground system that allows ancient groundwater to rise to the surface. Researchers are using advanced tools like aerial electromagnetic surveys to map these freshwater sources, which could help restore fragile lakebed areas and reduce dust pollution.

Geologist Bill Johnson and his team are investigating these mounds to understand where the water comes from and how much there is. They found that the groundwater is under pressure and is primarily located deep underground, which challenges previous beliefs about groundwater contributions to the lake. The team aims to determine the extent of this hidden water and its potential uses, while emphasizing the importance of careful management to protect the wetlands.

No summary available.

Turso is a new database system built from scratch using Rust, designed to be fully compatible with SQLite while introducing features like change data capture (CDC), concurrent writes, and encryption. Although it's still in alpha, it is rapidly nearing a production-ready state.

Recently, the team discovered a serious issue: when the database size exceeded 1GB, it would corrupt on the next write. This problem was consistently reproducible, which was puzzling because their existing tests had not revealed it. The issue stemmed from their testing method, which included fault injections that prevented databases from reaching the 1GB mark.

After adjusting their testing to allow databases to grow, they could reproduce the corruption. However, their integrity checks showed that the data was intact, leading to confusion about the state of the database.

The breakthrough came from a team member, Nikita, who noticed that when a SQLite database crosses the 1GB threshold, a special page is inserted into its structure, which they had not implemented in Turso. This oversight caused SQLite to interpret the database as corrupted. Nikita's knowledge, which seemed almost superhuman, helped identify and document this specific behavior, leading to a fix for the issue.

The text discusses a unique hobby: trying to like things you don't. This can be applied to food, music, or even situations. The author shares personal experiences, such as learning to appreciate Michael Jackson while in Paris and wrestling with a dislike for cooked spinach, which stems from past parental control over food.

Key points include:

1. Changing Perspectives: Sometimes we dislike things due to our self-image, not the things themselves. For example, the author learned to enjoy various foods and activities by changing their mindset.

2. Limitations of Change: While the author can modify some preferences, they find it difficult to genuinely like country music or most TV shows, suggesting that some preferences are more deeply ingrained.

3. Mindset and Experience: The author reflects on how one can control their experience of situations, like flying, by adjusting their mindset.

Overall, the main lesson is that our dislikes may be influenced by our self-concept, and while we can change some preferences, others might be harder to shift.

The author explores the fascinating and remote cemeteries and graves found throughout Arizona's deserts and forests. They discovered 147 named cemeteries and many unnamed graves, often in unexpected locations. One notable site is O’Neill’s Grave, where coins are left by visitors for good luck. The author highlights the respect for the deceased among the Tohono O’odham people, who maintain their graveyards, even in abandoned villages.

Several examples include cemeteries in ghost towns like Chiapuk and Siovi Shuatak, where descendants care for the graves despite the absence of living villagers. The article also mentions various roadside shrines honoring the dead and older burial practices among the O’odham people, including using stone cairns.

In addition to historical graves, the author recounts encounters with unmarked graves and human remains, likely of undocumented border-crossers. They reflect on the sadness of forgotten graves with no markers, emphasizing the transient nature of memory in the desert landscape. The piece concludes with a contemplation on the fate of those who die alone, buried without recognition.

VibeFlow, created by Alessia and Elia, is a tool designed for semi-technical users to build full-stack web applications using simple English prompts. It addresses the common issue of needing multiple tools to create apps, which can lead to fragile and unmanageable solutions.

With VibeFlow, users can describe what they want (like a chat widget with an AI agent), and the tool generates both the app's interface and its backend logic in a visual format. This visual representation allows users to easily edit the logic, which is organized as a directed graph. The backend code generation is predictable, avoiding the uncertainties often associated with AI.

Unlike other platforms, VibeFlow combines frontend and backend development seamlessly, ensuring that everything remains in sync. It aims to provide a simpler interface compared to tools like Bubble and Webflow, while still allowing technical users to inspect the code.

The founders invite feedback from the community, especially from those who have faced challenges with existing no-code tools or are interested in AI-driven app development. You can try VibeFlow at their website and watch a demo video to see how it works.

Summary of zfsbackrest

Warning: This tool is experimental and shouldn't be your only backup solution. It's a work in progress.

Overview:
zfsbackrest allows you to create encrypted backups for ZFS filesystems, similar to pgbackrest.

Getting Started:

1. Installation:

   • Install the tool using:

     $ go install github.com/gargakshit/zfsbackrest/cmd/zfsbackrest@latest
     

2. Configuration:

   • Create the configuration file at /etc/zfsbackrest.toml with settings for debugging, repository details, and backup expiry times.
   • Encryption is mandatory, and you need to have the age tool installed to generate keys.

Backup Types:

• Full Backup: Standalone and large; does not rely on other backups.
• Diff Backup: Incremental from the latest full backup; requires the full backup to restore.
• Incr Backup: Incremental from the latest diff backup; requires the diff backup to restore.

Commands:

• Creating a Repository:

  $ zfsbackrest init --age-recipient-public-key="<your age public key>"
  

• Backing Up:

  $ zfsbackrest backup --type <full | diff | incr>
  

• Viewing Repository:

  $ zfsbackrest detail
  

• Cleaning Up:

  • Remove orphaned backups:

    $ zfsbackrest cleanup --orphans --dry-run=false
    

  • Remove expired backups:

    $ zfsbackrest cleanup --expired --dry-run=false
    

• Restoring Backups:

  • Use your age identity file:

    zfsbackrest restore -i <path-to-age-identity-file> \
      -s <source dataset> \
      -b <backup ID (optional)> \
      -d <destination dataset>
    

Safety Note:
zfsbackrest uses snapshots for backup operations and does not modify the actual ZFS datasets.

Future Improvements:
There are features still in development, such as changing dataset lists after repository initialization.

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Additionally, there's a discussion about a specific instruction found on historical WWII telegrams stating, "This telegram must be closely paraphrased before being communicated to anyone." The discussion questions why such a requirement exists, as a close paraphrase seems counterproductive if the goal is to keep the information vague. Research indicates that during WWII, the U.S. military advised against sending identical messages, even in different encryptions, to prevent enemy comparisons that could compromise security. Proper paraphrasing was necessary to protect sensitive information while maintaining the original meaning.

Summary of "A Crack in the Cosmos" by Colin Wells

Around 466 BCE, a large meteorite fell near Aegospotami in Greece, intriguing Greek philosophers like Anaxagoras, who theorized that celestial bodies are made of the same materials as those on Earth. This event helped solidify Anaxagoras's reputation as a thinker who challenged the ancient belief that the sky was filled with gods.

Wells compares the impact of this meteorite to the later influence of Einstein's theory of relativity. While Einstein's work was complex and not immediately understood, Anaxagoras’s ideas fundamentally changed perceptions of the cosmos. Ancient Greeks viewed the night sky as a realm of divine beings, whereas Anaxagoras introduced the notion of natural explanations for celestial phenomena.

The early Greek scientists, starting with Thales, began to separate the natural from the supernatural, laying the groundwork for future scientific inquiry. Anaxagoras was notable for explaining eclipses without attributing them to divine actions, marking a shift towards understanding the natural world through observation and reason.

Anaxagoras faced backlash for his ideas, particularly from those who felt threatened by his rational explanations of celestial events. His trial and subsequent exile reflect early tensions between science and prevailing religious beliefs in Athens. Socrates, who came later, echoed some of Anaxagoras’s thoughts but ultimately rejected them, seeking a more divine explanation for the cosmos.

Wells concludes that the struggle between scientific understanding and supernatural belief continues today, illustrating a recurring theme throughout history where science provokes a reaction from faith-based systems.

Summary: Git for Music Production

The author, a musician and software engineer, discovered a way to combine their skills by using Git, a version control tool, for music production. This approach helps manage multiple versions of music projects without creating messy file names and duplicates.

Key Points:

• Problem with Versions: Musicians often create many versions of songs, leading to disorganized project folders.
• Solution with Git: By initializing a Git repository in the project folder, musicians can track changes efficiently, similar to software development.
• Workflow: The author uses Reaper for music production and Git Bash on Windows to manage projects. They create a .gitignore file to specify which files to track, typically just the main project file.
• Benefits: Git allows users to commit changes, view project history, and revert to previous versions, eliminating clutter in project folders.
• Limitations: Git is not ideal for large audio files but can effectively manage project files. Collaboration on music projects is challenging due to the specific setups required.
• Additional Use: The author is testing a "todo list" feature in GitHub for tracking music project tasks, making it easy to update ideas from anywhere.

In conclusion, while Git is not a perfect solution for music production, it offers valuable tools for managing projects and keeping organized.

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No summary available.

Summary: Corruption and Control in Turkmenistan's Internet Censorship

Turkmenistan has seen a significant rise in internet censorship, particularly since July 2021, leading to a marked decrease in the use of Tor, a tool for bypassing censorship. The country, ruled by the autocratic Berdimuhamedov family, consistently ranks low in global freedom and transparency. With a population that might be as low as 3 million due to mass emigration, many citizens rely on tools to evade heavy censorship.

The government employs strict internet controls, blocking major social media and messaging apps, and even penalizing citizens for using VPNs. An investigation revealed that the Cyber Security Department, responsible for this censorship, is also profiting from it by selling access to high-speed internet and paid VPN services, creating a corrupt system where the same officials blocking access are the ones selling it back.

In 2024, there was a brief period of reduced censorship known as "Internet Amnesty," but by late 2024, restrictions returned, along with the gray-market VPN business. This situation illustrates a corrupt scheme where internet access is deliberately disrupted to create demand for paid services, highlighting the broader issues of censorship and state-sponsored extortion in Turkmenistan.

Thunk is a tool that helps you build Rust programs that can run on older Windows platforms, including Windows XP. Here's how to use it:

Key Points:

1. Requirements: You need to download VC-LTL5 and YY-Thunks and set them up in your environment.
2. Installation: Add the binaries to your system path and install Thunk using the command cargo install thunk-cli.
3. Building Programs:
   • For Windows XP: Create a new project and build it using thunk --os xp --arch x86 -- --release.
   • For Shared Libraries: Similar steps as building a program, but add --lib to the command.
4. Help: Use thunk.exe --help for assistance.
5. Library Usage: If using Thunk as a library, ensure curl and 7z are accessible, add Thunk as a build dependency, and create a build.rs script with thunk::thunk();.

Important Note:

Thunk does not guarantee that programs will work correctly on old Windows platforms, so use it at your own risk.

Future Plans:

Support for various Windows versions from XP to Windows 10 is planned.

Acknowledgments:

Thanks to VC-LTL5 and YY-Thunks for their contributions.

The author has been using the Nim programming language for 1-2 years and believes it is underrated. They highlight that Nim is enjoyable to write and read, and they use it for their personal website. The author points out that some common criticisms of Nim are based on outdated information, particularly regarding its memory management, which now primarily uses reference counting (similar to C++'s shared_ptr) instead of a default tracing garbage collector.

Nim offers strong interoperability with C++ and can compile to various outputs, including C, C++, Objective-C, and JavaScript. It is flexible, concise, and has powerful metaprogramming capabilities. The author plans to showcase Nim's features through a small key/value file format example.

The article discusses both the advantages and disadvantages of Nim. The good aspects include its concise syntax, performance, and flexible memory management. However, the author notes some weaknesses, such as toolchain issues, debugging difficulties, and certain confusing language features for newcomers.

Overall, the author concludes that Nim is a promising systems programming language with a small yet high-quality ecosystem of libraries. They recommend several third-party libraries that enhance Nim's functionality, such as for HTTP servers, JSON serialization, and command-line argument parsing.

No summary available.

Summary:

A photographer named Sweet Lou experimented by developing film using a Jägerbomb, a mix of Jägermeister and Red Bull. He used a mix of Red Bull, one shot of Jägermeister, vitamin C powder, and washing soda to create the developing solution. This isn't his first unusual film development method; he previously used G-Fuel.

Sweet Lou shot black-and-white film of a band and heated the ingredients before adding Jägermeister and shaking the mixture for about 18 minutes. Although he found the results grainy and a bit unpleasant to handle, the method did work. He advises younger photographers to try developing film with coffee instead, as it's a safer and more pleasant alternative.

Mariya Grinberg's book, "Trade in War," explores the surprising reality of economic trade between countries engaged in military conflict. Grinberg, a political science professor at MIT, highlights examples like Britain trading with Germany during World War II and India trading with Pakistan during their conflicts. She argues that states often weigh the military benefits of stopping trade against the economic costs, leading them to continue trading even with enemies.

The book, rooted in Grinberg's doctoral research, shows that wartime trade is influenced by specific products and the duration of conflicts. States are likely to trade goods that won't quickly aid their enemy's military capabilities while also considering long-term economic stability.

Grinberg's work challenges the belief that strong trade relations can prevent conflicts and suggests that states frequently misjudge the length of wars. Her research aims to inspire further exploration of wartime trade and its implications for international relations.

Bash Prompts Summary

This webpage is part of the Bash Prompt HOWTO for the Linux Documentation Project. It shares various Bash prompt designs, influenced by a previous project. The author created this page to showcase interesting prompts sent by users and to share their own designs, organized by increasing complexity.

Here are some highlighted prompts:

1. Stock RedHat 5.1 Prompt: Basic format - user@hostname and current directory.
2. Stock Suse Prompt: Similar, but shows the full directory in a DOS-like style.
3. Dan's Prompt: Displays history number, tty number, and last command's return value.
4. Jobs Prompt: Monitors suspended jobs.
5. Light-weight Prompt: Colorful and standard information.
6. Elite2 Prompt: Simple ASCII art prompt.
7. Tonka2 Prompt: Colorful prompt combining blue and yellow.
8. Iosu's Prompt: Attractive color gradient prompt.
9. Clock Prompt: Displays a clock in the terminal.
10. Power Prompt 2: Provides lots of information but is slow; not highly recommended.
11. Flexible Prompt: A complex and powerful prompt, though possibly flawed.

The page aims to inspire others by offering a variety of prompt ideas.

No summary available.

This is a simple NuGet server built using Node.js. Here are the key features:

• Quick Setup: You can get it running in just 10 seconds.
• NuGet V3 API Support: Works with modern NuGet clients.
• No Database Needed: Packages are stored directly in the file system.
• Easy Package Upload: Upload .nupkg files via HTTP POST using tools like cURL.
• Basic Authentication: Allows you to set up security for uploading and accessing packages.
• Reverse Proxy Support: Configurable for proper URL handling.
• User-Friendly Web Interface: Offers an improved user experience.
• Package Importer: Can import packages from an existing NuGet server.
• Docker Image: Available for easy deployment.

Overall, it provides a straightforward solution for hosting NuGet packages without complex setups.

Summary:

Longreads has been showcasing quality longform writing for 15 years, and they invite readers to support their work through donations.

The article tells the story of John Harkins, who grew up in an ice cream truck family and now runs his own business, Bay’s Ices, in Scotland. Ice cream selling is a challenging job, heavily influenced by weather and family traditions. The piece explores the history of ice cream, tracing its origins from ancient China to its development in Europe and the establishment of ice cream trucks, which began to thrive in the 19th century thanks to Italian immigrants.

Ice cream trucks have faced various challenges over the years, including health concerns, turf wars, and environmental regulations. The notorious Glasgow Ice Cream Van Wars, which involved violence and a tragic mass murder over territory, illustrate the darker side of the industry.

Despite these issues, ice cream vendors maintain a strong presence, often drawn from family legacies. Innovations in truck design, particularly by companies like Whitby Morrison, are addressing modern challenges, such as environmental impact.

Today, the ice cream truck experience is evolving, with some vendors catering to events rather than traditional street sales. New sellers, particularly from the TikTok generation, are also changing the landscape by offering trendy products.

Ultimately, the article highlights the joy and nostalgia associated with ice cream, emphasizing how sellers and customers alike cherish the simple pleasure of enjoying a frozen treat.

Summary of "Cognitive Load is What Matters"

Introduction: Many modern coding practices are ineffective, often leading to confusion and increased costs due to high cognitive load, which is the mental effort required to understand tasks, especially while reading code.

Understanding Cognitive Load:

• Cognitive load refers to how much a developer needs to think to complete a task, which can be affected by the complexity of code.
• There are two types of cognitive load:
  1. Intrinsic: The inherent difficulty of the task, which cannot be reduced.
  2. Extraneous: Arises from how information is presented and can be minimized.

Common Issues:

1. Complex Conditionals: Use intermediate variables with descriptive names to simplify understanding.
2. Nested Structures: Prefer early returns to reduce cognitive load from nested conditions.
3. Inheritance vs. Composition: Favor composition over deep inheritance hierarchies to avoid confusion.
4. Shallow Modules: Too many small classes or methods increase complexity; fewer, deeper classes with simple interfaces are better.
5. Microservices: Overly granular services can lead to a "distributed monolith," complicating development and maintenance.

Reducing Cognitive Load:

• Simplify code and avoid clever tricks that increase mental effort.
• Use self-describing APIs and avoid complex business logic in error codes.
• Balance the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle with the need for flexibility; unnecessary abstractions can lead to confusion.
• Avoid heavy frameworks that require deep understanding, and keep business logic separate from framework details.

Conclusion: Keep cognitive load low to enhance maintainability and developer productivity. Design systems that are straightforward and easy to understand, minimizing unnecessary complexity to help new contributors quickly grasp the codebase.

Summary of "Bayes, bits & brains"

This site explores probability and information theory, showing how they relate to machine learning and our understanding of the world. It includes a series of riddles and an intelligence test where users guess the next letter in text snippets from Wikipedia, comparing their performance to machine learning models.

The mini-course will cover key mathematical concepts related to machine learning, including:

• KL divergence, entropy, and cross-entropy
• The origins of principles like maximum likelihood and entropy
• The use of logits, softmax, and Gaussian distributions
• Setting up loss functions
• Insights into compression and its relation to large language models

Before diving into the course, users are encouraged to engage with the content and consider their understanding of these concepts.

Best Online Party Games Summary

Explore a collection of the best free online party games that you can play instantly with friends and family, without any downloads. Here are some highlights:

• Popular Games:

  • Kings Cup: A classic drinking game for 3+ players.
  • Witch's Poison: A mystical adventure for 1+ players.
  • Magic 8 Ball: Get answers to your questions with this fun game for 1+ players.
  • Truth or Dare: A classic game for 2+ players.
  • Never Have I Ever: A spicy question game for 3+ players.
  • Mafia: A social deduction game for 6-12 players.
  • Charades Generator: Create unlimited charades for 4+ players.

• Why Choose Our Games?

  • Variety for Every Occasion: We offer social deduction, question-based, and family-friendly games.
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Join thousands of players enjoying these games at parties, gatherings, and more. Browse our collection and start playing today!

Here are 10 ways to get involved in the Ruby community:

1. Newsletters: Subscribe to Ruby-related newsletters like Ruby Weekly and Hotwire Weekly.
2. Talks: Watch videos from Ruby events for valuable insights.
3. Podcasts: Listen to Ruby podcasts such as RubyGems, Rooftop Ruby, and others.
4. Social Networks: Join platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon to connect with Ruby enthusiasts.
5. Slack: Participate in discussions on Ruby Central and Rails Link.
6. Discord: Join the RubyGoRails Discord server for real-time chatting.
7. Forums: Engage in forums like Rubyr and Ruby on Rails for community support.
8. RubyFriends: Connect with others who share your interest in Ruby.
9. Meetups: Find local Ruby meetups or check the global meetup list.
10. Conferences: Attend Ruby events and conferences to learn and network.

Over 250 media outlets have come together to protest the killings of journalists in Gaza by Israel.

The article discusses the historical significance of gutta-percha, a natural material used before the widespread adoption of plastic. It begins with the violent incident in 1856 where Senator Charles Sumner was attacked by Representative Preston Brooks, highlighting the intense political climate of the time, particularly around issues of slavery.

Gutta-percha, derived from a tree in Southeast Asia, was discovered in the West by doctor William Montgomerie. This versatile material could be molded when heated and was used for a variety of products, from household items to telegraph cables. It played a crucial role in enabling global communication through the successful laying of transatlantic telegraph cables.

However, the demand for gutta-percha led to extensive deforestation and environmental damage in its native regions. By the late 19th century, the supply of gutta-percha dwindled due to over-harvesting. Though efforts were made to cultivate it sustainably, gutta-percha eventually fell out of favor as synthetic plastics became dominant, bringing both conveniences and new environmental challenges.

Summary of "Strongly Happens Before" in C++ Memory Order

The article discusses a concept in C++ memory orderings called "strongly happens before," which was introduced in C++20. This concept aims to address issues in the C++ memory model related to multi-threading.

1. Introduction to Memory Orderings: The author revisits C++ memory orderings, particularly focusing on std::atomic and the various memory order strategies, including std::memory_order_seq_cst.

2. Key Concept - Strongly Happens Before: "Strongly happens before" is a stricter relation than the regular "happens before." It ensures a reliable order of operations in concurrent programming, which helps to avoid inconsistencies that can arise in certain architectures like Power.

3. Program Example: A small C++ program is used to illustrate how different threads interact with atomic variables and how their operations can lead to various observed outcomes.

4. Modification Order and Coherence: The article explains how operations on atomic variables are governed by rules of modification order and coherence, which dictate the relationships between operations across different threads.

5. Challenges with Power Architecture: The Power architecture can allow certain executions that violate expected behaviors under the C++ standard. This discrepancy led to discussions within the C++ committee about whether to change the standard or the implementations.

6. Solution - Adjusting the Standard: The committee decided to modify the standard to include "strongly happens before" to enforce a more consistent execution order and avoid performance penalties that would arise from changing implementations.

7. Conclusion: The concept of "strongly happens before" is essential for ensuring reliable multi-threaded operations in C++. The article aims to clarify how it works and its significance in maintaining consistency across different architectures.

The article concludes by thanking readers and acknowledging the complexity of the topic, highlighting the importance of understanding these concepts for effective programming in C++.

Summary:

The article discusses the technocracy movement, which began in the 1930s, led by Howard Scott. Scott envisioned a society run by technicians and engineers instead of politicians and businesspeople, believing that technology could create an efficient and abundant future. The movement, known as Technocracy Incorporated, gained popularity during the Great Depression but eventually faded due to Scott's increasingly unrealistic claims and lack of scientific credentials.

The ideas of technocracy have resurfaced in the 21st century, notably among tech elites who share a belief that technology can revolutionize society. These modern technocrats, including figures like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, often dismiss democracy, seeing it as an obstacle to progress. They focus on data collection and social engineering, using algorithms to influence social outcomes, although their predictions can be inaccurate.

The article emphasizes the tension between technological advancement and democratic values, noting that today’s tech leaders pursue efficiency without concern for societal impacts. This dynamic creates challenges as the public grows skeptical of the promises made by the tech industry. Ultimately, the legacy of the technocracy movement raises questions about the balance between technology and democracy in shaping our future.

Summary of Building an AI Data Analyst

Creating an effective AI data analyst goes beyond simple text-to-SQL capabilities. To answer complex user questions, the system should integrate multi-step processes, utilize external tools, and understand the relevant business context. Key strategies include:

1. Context is Crucial: A semantic layer, like Malloy, helps encode business meaning, simplifying SQL complexity, and ensuring consistency across queries.

2. Multi-Agent Systems: Employ multi-agent systems that can break down problems, retrieve specific data, generate code, and learn from the environment.

3. Optimized Retrieval: Treat information retrieval as a recommendation problem, combining keyword searches, embeddings, and fine-tuned reranking to enhance precision and reduce latency.

4. User Expectations: Users demand human-level answers and clear reasoning, so benchmarks should reflect real-world usability rather than just technical metrics.

5. Continuous Evaluation: Regularly assess models to avoid drift and maintain quality as new models are integrated.

6. Semantic Modeling: Using tools like Malloy allows for a clear definition of business logic, which helps in generating accurate SQL and Python code. Proper metadata and documentation improve understanding and accessibility.

7. Integration with LLMs: A combination of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and function-calling capabilities ensures the AI system can access relevant context without overwhelming the model.

8. Focus on Python Code Generation: Many analyses require Python for further computations, and using well-defined functions can streamline this process.

9. Decomposing Complex Tasks: Breaking complex requests into manageable parts helps reduce errors and increase accountability.

10. Future Directions: Upcoming innovations may include adaptive models that toggle between fast and reasoning modes, enhancing efficiency and user experience.

In summary, the article emphasizes the importance of context, structured data, and intelligent retrieval in building a robust AI data analyst capable of delivering accurate insights and analysis.