Summary: The Peaceful Transfer of Power in Open Source Projects

Open Source projects often rely on a single leader, known as a Benevolent Dictator For Life (BDFL). However, this model can become problematic when leaders act like tyrants, mistreating volunteers and mismanaging the project. A recent example of positive leadership is the Mastodon project, which has demonstrated a better way to transition power.

Eugen Rochko, the outgoing CEO, openly discussed the challenges he faced and acknowledged his limitations, contrasting with many founders who cling to power. The article emphasizes the need for Open Source projects to have succession plans in place, particularly as they grow. Leaders are encouraged to understand the importance of community and to act maturely, ensuring the sustainability of their projects beyond their own involvement.

Ultimately, the goal is to create a healthy environment for Open Source projects that avoids the pitfalls of ego-driven leadership, allowing them to thrive even after their founders are gone.

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Summary: Programming the Commodore 64 with .NET

This guide allows you to create, run, and debug Commodore 64 (C64) programs using .NET tools right from your integrated development environment (IDE).

Key Features:

• Zero Friction Development: Easily create PRG/D64 files and launch live coding in VICE directly from .NET.
• Fluent Assembler: Use Asm6502 for labels, sections, data blocks, and mapping back to C#.
• Sprite Tooling: Draw sprites using Skia and automatically convert them for C64.
• SID Tooling: Includes tools for loading, relocating, and playing music on the C64.
• Core Helpers: Useful for quick demos and includes features like C64Assembler, zero-page allocation, and raster IRQ setup.
• Debugging Tools: Utilize VS Code to inspect memory, set breakpoints, and control execution.

Overall, this setup modernizes retro development for the C64, making it easier and more efficient.

Mosaic is a new video editing tool created by Adish and Kyle, who were previously engineers at Tesla. It allows users to create and manage video editing tasks using a node-based canvas, setting it apart from traditional editors like DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere Pro.

The idea came about when they faced challenges editing video footage of Cybertrucks. Frustrated with the complexity of existing video editing software, they envisioned an AI-powered editor that could automate the editing process based on what it detects in the footage.

Mosaic can analyze videos and apply edits automatically, making it easier to create content. Users can build custom workflows on the canvas, where each tile represents a specific editing action. This system allows for parallel edits and provides a visual representation of the editing process.

The tool supports exporting projects to traditional editing software and incorporates advanced video analysis features, such as understanding emotions and actions in the footage.

Mosaic can be used for various editing tasks, including creating clips from longer videos, making montages, and optimizing content for social media. It also aims to develop fully autonomous editing agents in the future.

Users can try Mosaic for free by visiting their website, where they can upload videos and start editing. Feedback from users is welcomed as they continue to improve the platform.

No summary available.

Summary of "The $1,000 AWS Mistake"

Mathias Hansen shares a costly lesson learned while using AWS for data transfers. After shifting large geographic datasets to AWS S3, he discovered unexpectedly high data transfer fees due to the use of a NAT Gateway. Despite believing that transfers between EC2 and S3 were free, he found that data was routed through the NAT Gateway, leading to charges of over $1,000 in a single month.

The solution to avoid these charges is to use VPC Gateway Endpoints, which allow direct communication between the VPC and S3 without going through the NAT Gateway. This method is free and improves performance.

Key takeaways:

1. Enable AWS Cost Anomaly Detection to catch unexpected charges early.
2. Use VPC Gateway Endpoints for S3 when using EC2 with NAT Gateways.
3. Always verify assumptions about costs and test with smaller data transfers before scaling up.
4. AWS networking can be complex, and there are always new lessons to learn.

Hansen recommends auditing AWS infrastructure to ensure proper configurations and avoid similar mistakes.

The text provides links to a blog about Google's Gemini 3 for developers and a chat platform using the Gemini 3 model. It highlights resources available for developers interested in using Gemini 3 technology.

No summary available.

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Summary:

DownDetector is currently up and running, as confirmed by a status check from various regions. The response times were recorded as follows: London (332 ms), Auckland (388 ms), and New York (741 ms). The last check was done 3 minutes ago on November 20, 2025. This service is an independent tool that checks the accessibility of downdetector.com from different locations and is not officially linked to DownDetector.

No summary available.

Proxmox Virtual Environment 9.1 Released

On November 19, 2025, Proxmox Server Solutions announced the release of Proxmox Virtual Environment (VE) 9.1. This version brings several important improvements in container management, virtual machine security, and networking, enhancing flexibility and performance for businesses.

Key Features:

1. LXC Containers from OCI Images: Users can now create Linux containers (LXC) using Open Container Initiative (OCI) images. This allows for quick deployment of standardized applications from existing setups.

2. TPM State Support: The new version allows storing virtual Trusted Platform Module (vTPM) states in qcow2 disk images, improving snapshot capabilities for security-sensitive virtual machines.

3. Nested Virtualization Control: Enhanced control for nested virtualization enables better performance for specific workloads, like running hypervisors or Windows with Virtualization-based Security (VBS).

4. Improved SDN Reporting: The Software-Defined Networking (SDN) interface has been upgraded for better monitoring and visibility into network components, simplifying network management.

Availability: Proxmox VE 9.1 is ready for download, with an easy installation process. Users can update from older versions or install it on existing Debian systems. The software is free and open-source under the GNU AGPLv3 license.

Support Options: Proxmox offers professional support through subscription plans starting at €115 per year per CPU, providing access to updates and technical assistance.

Proxmox VE has a large global user base and is a cost-effective alternative for managing IT infrastructure.

The text introduces Google Antigravity, a new initiative or project by Google. It likely involves innovative technology or concepts related to antigravity. For more details, you can visit their blog or watch a related video on YouTube.

On November 18, 2025, a user expressed frustration about RCS messaging not working on their iPhone 15 Pro for over a month. Apple blamed the carriers, while the carriers pointed to Apple. The user believes the issue lies with either Apple or Google, claiming there's a lack of accountability from Apple despite having AppleCare+.

The user has experience with various operating systems and previously resolved MMS issues for carriers. They explained how RCS messaging works and mentioned Google's recent decision to block RCS on custom Android ROMs, which they argue was done intentionally.

After updating to iOS 26, RCS on the user's iPhone stopped functioning, despite thorough troubleshooting efforts, including resetting settings and testing with multiple SIM cards and devices. They noted that their lines activated on other iPhones but not on theirs.

The user criticized Apple for providing poor customer support and not taking responsibility for the issue. They also pointed out that Apple is unaware of how RCS is managed through Google Jibe, which complicates troubleshooting.

Ultimately, Apple has agreed to replace the phone's board, but the user feels this solution is inadequate and hopes for a proper fix rather than a temporary workaround.

Summary of the Pimped Amiga 500 Restoration

The author shares their experience restoring an Amiga 500, a classic computer from the early '90s. They previously owned an Amiga 2000 and wanted to create their ideal machine from that era. They purchased a cheap Amiga 500 and upgraded it with modern components to enhance its performance.

Key Upgrades:

• Added 1 MB chip RAM, 8 MB fast RAM, and 512 MB storage using a CompactFlash card.
• Installed an IDE68K + GottaGoFast RAM controller for better speed and compatibility.

Restoration Process:

1. Hardware Cleaning:

   • Plastics were cleaned and restored using Retrobright.
   • Metal shields were treated for corrosion.
   • The keyboard and mouse were thoroughly cleaned and repaired.

2. Boot Issues:

   • Faced challenges with booting the Workbench disk but eventually got it running.
   • Discovered the Amiga had been modified to show more chip RAM than standard.

3. Installing Software:

   • Configured the system using Amiberry to simulate the hardware setup.
   • Created partitions for Workbench, applications, games, and data.
   • Installed various software tools and games from different sources.

4. Custom Configurations:

   • Enhanced the user interface with tools like DiskMaster for file management, Textra and CygnusED for text editing, and ARP for better shell commands.
   • Customized the startup sequence for efficient booting and improved usability.

5. Final Touches:

   • Implemented additional tools for improved functionality and aesthetics, such as a clock on the title bar and better mouse control.
   • Created a custom menu for quick access to frequently used applications.

The result is a fully restored and upgraded Amiga 500 that reflects the author's vision from their childhood, complete with modern improvements while maintaining its vintage charm. A video showcases the restored system in action.

The Pebble community, Core Devices, and Rebble all share a passion for Pebble smartwatches and aim to keep them functioning in the future. However, a recent blog post from Rebble has raised some accusations against Core Devices, prompting this response.

Key points:

• Core Devices, founded by Eric Migicovsky in 2025, aims to revive Pebble smartwatches, while Rebble is a non-profit supporting the Pebble community since 2017.
• Core Devices and Rebble initially agreed on a payment plan to support Rebble services, but disagreements arose over data ownership of the Pebble Appstore and its contents.
• Rebble claims ownership of the data from the Pebble Appstore, while Core Devices believes it should be freely accessible and not controlled by a single organization.
• Several accusations made by Rebble against Core Devices are addressed, including claims of stealing code and scraping data, which Migicovsky disputes, stating that all work has been open source and transparent.
• The disagreement centers on how to archive and manage the 13,000 apps and watchfaces from the original Pebble Appstore, with Core Devices advocating for public access.
• Core Devices plans to integrate a new appstore frontend while collaborating with other Pebble-supporting apps, aiming to enhance user experience without restrictive practices.

Migicovsky encourages Rebble to embrace an open community approach and work together for the future of Pebble, expressing his commitment to sustainability and community support.

The text describes a simulation tool with several key features:

• It includes various preset orbits, such as the classic Figure-8 and new 3D orbits from a large database.
• Users can control the camera in 3D, allowing for rotation, panning, and zooming, with a mode that follows the moving bodies.
• The tool visualizes forces and velocity vectors.
• Users can explore the entire orbital period using a timeline scrubbing feature.

Notably, the 3D presets like "O₂(1.2)" and "Piano O₆(0.6)" allow users to see complex movements in and out of the orbital plane, which are not typically available in 2D simulators. The tool is built with Three.js, and the creator welcomes suggestions for new presets or features.

Summary of Ultima VII: Revisited

Ultima VII: Revisited is a project to create a new engine for the classic game Ultima VII: The Black Gate.

Installation Instructions:

1. Copy all files from your original DOS Ultima 7 folder into the /Data/u7 directory of the new engine.
2. For developers, clone the project and copy the original game files to $(SolutionDir)/Redist/Data/U7/.

Building the Engine:

• Using Meson (Cross-platform):

  • Install Meson.
  • Run meson setup build and then meson compile -C build.
  • Execute the program from the build directory.

• Using CMake (Windows & Linux):

  • Windows:
    • Install CMake (3.15+).
    • Use "Developer Command Prompt for VS 2019" to run cmake -S . -B build, then build in Visual Studio.
  • Linux:
    • Install required packages.
    • Run cmake -S . -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release and build with cmake --build build -j$(nproc).

Controls:

• Move with WASD, rotate with Q/E, zoom with the mouse wheel.
• Left-click on the minimap to teleport, double-click on NPCs to interact, and double-right-click on containers to open them.
• Use keypad +/- to control time speed, Enter to advance time by an hour, and ESC to exit.

Sandbox Mode:

• Offers extra features for building and testing the game.
• Includes various debug tools for editing and testing.

Feedback is encouraged and can be sent to the developer via email. Enjoy the game!

The European Union (EU) is making significant changes to its privacy and artificial intelligence (AI) laws due to pressure from major tech companies and the U.S. government. Key updates include:

1. GDPR Adjustments: The EU is simplifying its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), allowing companies to share anonymized data more easily and use personal data for training AI, as long as they comply with other GDPR rules.

2. AI Regulations: The implementation of strict rules for high-risk AI systems is being delayed, with new criteria for when these rules will take effect.

3. Cookie Pop-ups: The proposal will reduce the number of cookie consent pop-ups on websites, making it easier for users to manage their preferences.

4. Support for Small Businesses: New measures will simplify documentation for smaller companies and centralize oversight of AI.

5. Political Response: The changes are expected to face political pushback, as many view them as a weakening of crucial privacy protections. Critics are concerned that the EU is capitulating to tech interests.

These proposed changes aim to stimulate innovation and competitiveness in Europe’s tech sector, which is currently lagging behind the U.S. and China in AI development. The proposals will now go to the European Parliament for approval, which may take several months.

Summary of Itiner-e: A High-Resolution Dataset of Roads of the Roman Empire

Itiner-e is a new, detailed digital dataset that maps the roads of the Roman Empire, providing a more comprehensive view of their network than previous resources. Developed by a team of researchers, the dataset helps to better understand how roads influenced movement, trade, and governance in ancient Rome.

Key points include:

• Comprehensive Mapping: Itiner-e significantly increases the known length of Roman roads, covering 299,171 km, nearly double the previous totals. The dataset integrates information from archaeological findings, historical texts, and modern maps.

• Uncertainty in Locations: Only 2.737% of the roads' precise locations are confirmed, with most being conjectured or hypothesized. This highlights the gaps in current knowledge about Roman road placements.

• Methodology: The dataset was created through a three-step process: identifying roads from various sources, locating them with modern and historical imagery, and digitizing them using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

• Research Implications: This resource allows for deeper analysis of Roman transportation, trade routes, and administrative control. It also identifies areas where further data collection could enhance understanding of the Roman road system.

• Collaborative Effort: The project involved multiple researchers and was supported by several initiatives focused on the Roman road network across different regions.

Overall, Itiner-e serves as a crucial tool for historians and archaeologists studying the infrastructure of the Roman Empire.

Summary: Learning to Boot from PXE

The author bought a new laptop, the GPD Pocket 4, which came with Windows pre-installed. They wanted to install NixOS but faced issues booting from a USB drive that had failed. Instead of waiting for a new USB, they decided to learn about PXE (Preboot Execution Environment) to boot from the network.

Key Steps:

1. DHCP Setup: The process starts with DHCP, where the laptop requests an IP address from the network. The DHCP server responds with an IP and specifies a TFTP server for boot files.

2. iPXE: The author learned about iPXE, which is an improved version of PXE that supports more features like booting from ISO files. They set up their OPNsense router to serve iPXE over TFTP.

3. TFTP Configuration: The author accessed the OPNsense system using SSH and configured the TFTP server using dnsmasq, following instructions from the man pages.

4. HTTP Server Setup: They used OPNsense's built-in web server (lighttpd) to serve the iPXE files. They modified the configuration to disable SSL for the specific iPXE paths.

5. Boot Script: The author created an iPXE script to choose between different NixOS installations but encountered issues due to missing files.

6. Netbooting: Realizing that traditional ISO files wouldn't boot correctly, the author used Nix's netboot image generator to create the necessary files for booting.

In the end, they successfully set up network booting for NixOS but noted their waning interest in further exploring graphical installation options after achieving their goal.

No summary available.

Summary: 512-Byte Boot Sector Pong Game

In November 2025, Akshat Joshi created a Pong game that fits into a single boot sector of 512 bytes on a floppy disk. This project aimed to explore the limits of programming by running a game without an operating system, drivers, or libraries, using only raw x86 assembly and BIOS interrupts.

Key Features:

• The game operates in text mode (80x25) and directly manipulates video memory.
• Controls include:
  • W/S keys to move the paddle
  • C key to change colors
  • R key to reset the game
• The game features a simple ball-tracking logic that adjusts the paddle's position based on the ball's location.

Technical Highlights:

• Direct access to video memory for quick screen updates.
• Efficient calculations for positioning on the screen.
• Non-blocking keyboard checks for real-time input.
• Basic physics for ball movement and collision detection.

The full code for the game is available on GitHub, and it can be run using specific tools like NASM and QEMU.

Cloudflare's global network is facing issues, leading to disruptions. For more details, you can check the discussion with 1580 comments at the provided link.

Summary of the Gemini 3 Pro Model Card

The Gemini 3 Pro model card, published in November 2025, provides important details about the capabilities, training, and safety of the Gemini 3 family of AI models. Here are the key points:

1. Model Overview: Gemini 3 Pro is Google's most advanced AI model, designed to handle complex tasks across various data types, including text, images, audio, and video.

2. Training Data: The model was trained on a diverse dataset that includes web documents, code, images, audio, and video. It employs reinforcement learning for better problem-solving and reasoning.

3. Model Features:

   • Input Types: Accepts text prompts, images, audio, and video, with a token context window of up to 1 million tokens.
   • Output: Generates text outputs with a maximum of 64,000 tokens.
   • Architecture: Utilizes a sparse mixture-of-experts model, which enhances efficiency by activating only part of its parameters for each input.

4. Safety and Ethics: The model has undergone extensive evaluations to ensure it adheres to safety policies and ethical standards, including avoiding harmful content and misinformation. Various safety measures are in place to mitigate risks associated with AI usage.

5. Limitations: Like other AI models, Gemini 3 Pro may experience issues such as false information ("hallucinations") and occasional performance slowdowns. Additionally, it is subject to a knowledge cutoff date of January 2025.

6. Intended Use: The model is suitable for applications requiring advanced reasoning, creativity, and multimodal understanding, but it must not be used for illicit or harmful activities.

7. Distribution: Gemini 3 Pro is available through multiple platforms, including Google Cloud and APIs, with no specific hardware or software requirements.

8. Evaluation Results: The model outperforms its predecessor, Gemini 2.5 Pro, in various benchmarks, particularly in reasoning and multimodal capabilities.

Overall, the Gemini 3 Pro model card aims to equip developers with insights to create responsible AI applications while highlighting the model's advanced features and safety measures.

Summary of Mojo-V: Secret Computation for RISC-V

Mojo-V is a new extension for RISC-V that focuses on privacy-oriented programming. It allows for secure and efficient computation by protecting sensitive data in secret registers and encrypting memory with a third-party key. This prevents data leaks and side-channel attacks. Mojo-V integrates smoothly with the existing RISC-V architecture and requires only a mode bit and four new instructions.

Early tests show that Mojo-V operates at speeds close to native execution and is significantly faster—by 5-7 orders of magnitude—compared to traditional fully homomorphic encryption. There are plans for further integration into CPUs, GPUs, and specialized hardware.

The current version, 0.91, supports secret computation for integers and floating-point numbers, using a fixed symmetric key cipher. Future updates will add features like public key infrastructure support and LLVM compiler compatibility.

To build and run Mojo-V, users need an LLVM-based RISC-V cross-compiler and can clone the repository from GitHub. The reference platform includes benchmarks showing how Mojo-V works with secure computations.

For more information or to get involved, you can contact the developers via email or visit the project’s GitHub page.

The text refers to a discussion about the best science fiction ideas of the year, as highlighted in an article titled "Think Weirder." It includes a link to a forum where readers have shared their thoughts, and the post has received 75 comments as of November 2025.

No summary available.

strace-macos Summary

strace-macos is a system call tracer for macOS that uses the LLDB debugger API. It is currently in beta, meaning its core features are functional, but some are still being developed.

Key Features:

• Works with System Integrity Protection (SIP) enabled, unlike dtruss.
• Fully implemented in Python, without the need for kernel extensions.
• Outputs in multiple formats, including JSON Lines and text.
• Allows filtering of syscalls by name or category.
• Automatically decodes syscall arguments and displays colorized output in terminal.
• Provides summary statistics on syscall performance.

Installation:

• Using Nix Flakes: You can run or install it directly using Nix commands.
• Manual Installation: Requires macOS's system Python. Install via pip or clone the GitHub repository to run directly.

Usage:

• To trace a command, use strace <command>.
• Options for output include saving to a file, generating JSON output, and filtering syscalls.

Syscall Filtering:

• Filter syscalls by specific names or predefined categories (e.g., file, network, process).

Comparison with Linux strace:

• Offers similar basic features but lacks some advanced filtering options present in Linux strace.

Requirements:

• Compatible with macOS 12 and later, and primarily supports Apple Silicon.

Contributing:

• Contributions are encouraged, with guidelines available in the project's documentation.

License:

• Distributed under the MIT License.

For commercial support, contact the author.

No summary available.

The text discusses Iannis Xenakis's work on algorithmic composition, particularly focusing on his piece GENDY3, created in 1991. This work represents his goal of developing "Automated Art," where music is entirely generated by computer algorithms. GENDY3 uses a method called Dynamic Stochastic Synthesis (GENDYN), which creates music from mathematical processes rather than traditional sound recording.

Peter Hoffmann's dissertation explores the GENDYN Project, which began in 1995/96, aiming to document and understand the GENDYN concept for future research and production. He developed a program called the "New GENDYN Program" that allows users to recreate GENDY3 in real time and analyze the composition process in detail.

Hoffmann argues that Xenakis's approach is distinct from that of other computer music composers because he did not try to replicate traditional music. Instead, he focused on abstract physical models of sound, leading to complex musical structures. This perspective emphasizes the artistic possibilities of algorithmic music and challenges traditional notions of creativity in music composition.

No summary available.

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet, expressed concerns about potential "irrationality" in the current surge of investment in artificial intelligence (AI). He warned that if the AI market were to collapse, it would impact all companies, including Google. Despite Alphabet's recent growth and increased stock value, Pichai acknowledged that there are risks similar to those seen during the dotcom bubble in the late 1990s, which led to many companies failing.

Pichai highlighted that while AI investment is important, some funds may be wasted. He emphasized that Google's diverse technology portfolio positions it well to navigate any market instability. Additionally, he announced a commitment to invest £5 billion in AI development in the UK over the next two years, aiming to enhance the country's AI capabilities.

He also noted the significant energy demands of AI, which could affect climate goals, but reaffirmed Alphabet's target to achieve net zero emissions by 2030. Pichai believes that AI will lead to substantial changes in the workforce, creating new opportunities but also requiring adaptation in various professions.

No summary available.

Eugen Rochko, the founder and outgoing CEO of Mastodon, is stepping down after nearly 10 years. He is transferring ownership of the trademark and assets to a non-profit organization to ensure the project's values remain intact. Rochko believes that Mastodon has become bigger than him and recognizes the stress that comes with leading a social media platform. He has faced challenges, including public comparisons to tech billionaires and negative interactions online, prompting him to step back for his well-being.

He reflects on his legacy, emphasizing the importance of saying "no" to avoid overextending the project, even if it meant missing out on publicity opportunities. Despite these challenges, he is proud of how far Mastodon has come, evolving from a small project to an important part of the community-focused internet. Rochko remains passionate about Mastodon and the fediverse, planning to continue contributing in a less visible advisory role.

No summary available.

Joseph Kelly and Patrick Ryan are cult intervention specialists based in Philadelphia. They use a unique and often controversial method to help people leave cults by embedding themselves in the lives of the affected families, sometimes for years. Families reach out to them when all other efforts have failed, hoping that these two can persuade their loved ones to return home.

Their approach involves understanding family dynamics and strengthening existing relationships rather than using confrontational tactics. They work with families to create conditions that encourage the cult member to question their beliefs. This can include bringing in experts and carefully planning interactions without revealing their true purpose.

Ryan and Kelly prefer not to use the term "cult," viewing it as too simplistic. Instead, they focus on the relationships between individuals and the groups they are involved in. They believe in helping individuals come to their own conclusions rather than forcibly deprogramming them, which has historically involved coercive methods.

Both men have personal experiences with cults, having been involved in Transcendental Meditation in the past. Their work is often met with skepticism from some in the cult awareness community, but they emphasize the importance of understanding the motivations behind why people join such groups.

In summary, Kelly and Ryan's work is about mediation and understanding, helping families reconnect with loved ones caught in cults by fostering dialogue and support rather than confrontation.

Summary of FFmpeg 8.0 and Whisper Integration

FFmpeg 8.0 introduces exciting new features, particularly its native support for Whisper, an open-source speech recognition tool from OpenAI. This integration allows users to easily transcribe videos, add subtitles, and extract highlights in real-time during streaming.

Key Features:

• Transcription and Subtitles: Users can utilize a single command to transcribe audio and create subtitles in SRT format.
• Real-Time Processing: The tool is capable of real-time transcription for live video streams.
• Installation: FFmpeg 8.0 can be installed on Windows, and it comes with Whisper included, simplifying the process of supporting various audio formats.

How It Works:

• Users can run commands to transcribe video files and generate subtitles. For example, commands are provided for creating an SRT file from a video and then burning those subtitles onto the video.
• Whisper supports multiple audio formats and can annotate non-speech sounds (like music) in the transcription.

Performance:

• The processing speed varies depending on the model used; larger models require more GPU resources but offer enhanced features.
• Real-time transcription can be achieved with streaming protocols like HLS and SRT.

Voice Activation Detection (VAD):

• VAD can help filter out non-speech audio during transcription, improving accuracy.

Overall, FFmpeg 8.0 with Whisper enhances video editing and transcription capabilities, making it a powerful tool for content creators.

Large Language Models (LLMs) have made great progress in reasoning and using tools, but they still struggle with complex tasks that require many steps, often failing after just a few hundred actions. Traditional benchmarks focus on simpler tasks, but there's a growing interest in LLMs' ability to handle longer, more complex tasks. This paper introduces MAKER, a new system that can successfully complete a task with over one million steps without any errors. It works by breaking tasks down into many smaller subtasks, which can be managed by specialized agents. This modular approach allows for error correction at each step through a voting system among the agents. The findings suggest that instead of just improving existing LLMs, using these highly decomposed processes could help solve problems on a larger scale, similar to how organizations and societies operate.

RowboatX is a command-line tool designed to create and manage custom background agents for non-coding tasks, filling a gap left by Claude Code. It allows users to automate various tasks by utilizing the file system and Unix tools, and it can connect to any compatible server for added functionality.

Key Features:

1. Local Execution: RowboatX runs on your machine, allowing agents to install tools and automate terminal tasks with your permission.
2. File System as State: Each agent's information is stored as files, making it easy to access and manage.
3. Supervisor Agent: This is a main agent that can create and control background agents, using Unix commands for tasks.
4. Human-in-the-Loop: Agents can pause for user input when necessary, ensuring human oversight.

Examples of use include generating podcasts from recent research papers or preparing meeting briefs. RowboatX is designed with safety in mind, implementing command-level controls to manage permissions.

The tool is open-source and welcomes community feedback and contributions. For more information, visit their GitHub page or watch their demo video.

The author reflects on their fear of failure, which has often held them back from pursuing creative endeavors. As they’ve aged, they’ve become more willing to try new things, but the fear still lingers. Traditional sources of inspiration, like great art, often leave them feeling inadequate rather than motivated.

The show "Let’s Paint TV," hosted by John Kilduff, has become a surprising source of inspiration for the author. Kilduff paints while multitasking—exercising, cooking, and chatting with viewers—often resulting in chaotic and humorous failures. Despite the show's apparent lack of success and its chaotic nature, Kilduff persists, emphasizing that the process of creation and the ability to embrace failure are more important than creating masterpieces.

Kilduff’s approach encourages viewers to be less serious about their own creative pursuits and to accept that failure is part of the journey. The show serves as a reminder that enjoying the creative process, rather than focusing solely on results, is what truly matters in art and life. Ultimately, "Let’s Paint TV" highlights the value of perseverance and the joy of experimenting, even when things don’t go as planned.

A recent study in the UK revealed that almost all drivers feel that headlights are too bright and that they often get dazzled by oncoming vehicles. The government is planning to review the design of car headlights in response to these concerns. The research, commissioned by the Department for Transport, found that 97% of drivers surveyed experienced distraction from oncoming lights, and 96% thought headlights were excessively bright.

The study, led by Dr. Shaun Helman from the Transport Research Laboratory, highlighted that LED headlights, which are brighter and emit more blue light, contribute to this glare issue. As a result, 33% of drivers reported driving less at night, while 22% wished to do so but felt they had no choice.

The RAC welcomed the findings, emphasizing the need for a balance between effective headlights and minimizing glare for other drivers. Experts are urging the government to take immediate action to improve headlight regulations and conduct further research on the issue.

GoSign is a desktop application used by public administrations and businesses in Italy for electronic signatures. It is made by Tinexta InfoCert, a leading trust service provider in Europe. Researchers discovered that versions 2.4.0 and earlier have security issues. Specifically, they do not check TLS certificates when using a proxy and rely on an unsigned update manifest. These problems could allow attackers to intercept communications and deliver harmful updates that could execute malicious code.

No summary available.

GitHub offers a developer newsletter that you can subscribe to. It provides tips, technical guides, and best practices twice a month directly to your inbox.

Rebecca Heineman has passed away. You can find more information about this news at the provided link.

No summary available.

Evan Hahn shared a unique way to solve the Fizz Buzz programming challenge without using conditionals or booleans. He created a Python solution that uses cycles to generate the words "Fizz" and "Buzz" at specific intervals while counting from 1 to 100.

Here are the key points of his solution:

1. Cycling Sequences: He created two cycles—one for "Fizz" (every third number) and one for "Buzz" (every fifth number).
2. Combining Values: Using the zip function, he combined these cycles with numbers from 1 to 100.
3. Masking Function: He defined a function that replaces the number's string representation with "Fizz," "Buzz," or "FizzBuzz" based on the generated sequences.
4. Limitation: His method has a flaw: it breaks when the numbers exceed 10,000, as larger numbers cause incorrect outputs.

Overall, this approach creatively avoids traditional programming structures while solving the Fizz Buzz challenge.

Researchers from the University of Sydney have proposed that Monte Sierpe, also known as the Band of Holes in southern Peru, may have served as an ancient marketplace. This archaeological site features over 5,000 aligned holes and has puzzled experts for decades regarding its purpose. Recent studies using drone mapping revealed patterns suggesting it was designed with intention.

The team found ancient pollen from maize and reeds in the holes, indicating that they were likely used for storing or transporting goods. Dr. Jacob Bongers, the lead researcher, speculates that Monte Sierpe could have functioned as a barter site for pre-Inca and Inca communities, facilitating trade among local populations.

The site’s strategic location between two Inca administrative centers further supports this theory. Overall, the findings contribute to a better understanding of how ancient communities interacted and managed resources in the Andes. The study was published in the journal Antiquity.

Summary of the Miracle of Wörgl and Related Currency Experiments

Wörgl, a small town in Austria, successfully tackled high unemployment during the Great Depression by introducing a local currency called "stamp scrip" on July 5, 1932. With 1,500 out of 4,500 residents jobless, the mayor, Michael Unterguggenberger, used the town's funds to back this currency instead of traditional projects. This led to rapid spending and a decrease in unemployment from over 30% to nearly zero as people were hired for local infrastructure projects.

Wörgl's success attracted attention, with neighboring villages adopting similar systems. However, the Austrian central bank banned complementary currencies, causing unemployment to rise again. Despite this setback, the concept influenced U.S. economist Irving Fisher, who believed it could help end the Great Depression. Unfortunately, President Roosevelt rejected the idea, fearing decentralization.

The text also discusses a period in the Middle Ages (1040-1290) when local currencies contributed to significant economic growth in Western Europe. Communities funded the construction of cathedrals and other structures, stimulating local economies and creating jobs without a central authority overseeing the projects.

Overall, these historical examples highlight the potential benefits of complementary currencies in revitalizing economies and fostering community development.

On November 18, 2025, Google launched Gemini 3 Pro, an upgraded version of Gemini 2.5, featuring improved capabilities for handling various types of input like text, images, audio, and video. It can process 1 million input tokens and generate up to 64,000 tokens. Initial benchmarks indicate that Gemini 3 Pro performs slightly better than competitors like Claude 4.5 and GPT-5.1 on standard tests, though independent verification is still pending.

Pricing for Gemini 3 Pro is higher than Gemini 2.5 but lower than Claude Sonnet 4.5, with specific rates based on the number of tokens processed. For example, it costs $2.00 for up to 200,000 input tokens.

During testing, Gemini 3 Pro successfully generated alt text from an image and transcribed a lengthy city council meeting audio file, although the transcript had some inaccuracies in timestamp alignment. Lastly, the model introduced a "thinking level" setting that affects output creativity, which was demonstrated through a prompt for creating an SVG image of a pelican on a bicycle.

Overall, Gemini 3 Pro appears to be a significant step forward in AI capabilities, especially in multimodal processing and performance benchmarks.

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Summary of Go Unto Ts (guts)

Guts is a library designed to convert Golang types into TypeScript types, ensuring consistent type definitions between frontend and backend applications. Unlike command line tools, it allows for code-based configuration and package resolution.

Key Features:

• Type Conversion: Converts Golang structures into TypeScript interfaces. For example, a Golang struct is transformed into a TypeScript interface and type alias.

• Usage Steps:

  1. Create a Golang parser using guts.NewGolangParser().
  2. Optionally preserve comments from the Golang source (this feature is experimental).
  3. Configure the parser to include specific packages.
  4. Convert Golang types to TypeScript AST (Abstract Syntax Tree).
  5. Apply mutations to modify the TypeScript output (e.g., adding 'export' to declarations).
  6. Serialize the TypeScript AST into a string for use.

• How It Works: Guts parses Golang packages and builds a corresponding TypeScript AST, using the TypeScript compiler API for serialization.

• Flexibility: Guts offers a programmatic approach, making it more adaptable than existing command-line tools. It ensures that the generated TypeScript is correct and up to date with the latest features.

• Visualization: A helpful resource for visualizing TypeScript ASTs is available at ts-ast-viewer.com.

Guts provides a modern, flexible solution for generating TypeScript definitions from Golang types.

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The author shares their experience of rescuing a Lucent 5ESS telephone switch from the University of Arizona, where it had been in operation since the late 1980s. This project was a significant logistical challenge, involving the removal of 40 large frames of equipment that filled two large trucks.

The 5ESS switch was notable for its reliability, serving over 20,000 lines with 35 years of uptime. It had undergone two major upgrades and included advanced technology for its time.

The author expresses gratitude to family, friends, and the university staff for their help during the move. They describe the switch's complex structure, including various components and how they are interconnected, highlighting the detailed planning required for the project.

After successfully transporting the equipment, the next steps involve acquiring power distribution equipment and eventually booting up the Administrative Module, which operates on a unique UNIX-based system. The author plans to reduce the system's size for space and power efficiency and aims to create a telecommunications museum. They invite others interested in collaborating on the project to reach out.

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In winter, we usually keep windows closed, leading to stale air with high humidity (over 60%), which can be unhealthy and cause mould. This also raises CO₂ levels, making it hard to concentrate. To help with this, I created a room air monitor that quietly tracks air quality. It alerts you when levels get too high and displays the data on a clear dashboard for easy understanding.

Summary of "Monotype Font Licensing Shake-Down" by Ameel Khan

Ameel Khan shares his experience dealing with Monotype, a font licensing company, after receiving a suspicious message claiming his employer was using unlicensed Monotype fonts. Initially confused by the message, Khan investigated and found that his company's websites and apps used only licensed or free fonts, specifically Open Sans and others under the SIL Open Font License.

Despite this, Monotype's representative continued to send similar messages to various employees, leading to confusion within the company. When one procurement team member responded, they were pressured into considering a licensing agreement. Khan, knowledgeable about typography, stepped in to clarify the situation and confirmed that the alleged unlicensed fonts were not actually in use.

He discovered that the supposed "Credit Cards" font was a different font from K-Type and that the Proxima Nova font, also cited by Monotype, was not available for purchase through them anymore. Instead, the company had a valid license for it from a design agency.

Khan expressed his frustration with Monotype's aggressive tactics, arguing they should verify claims before contacting companies. He advised others to avoid such licensing issues by sourcing fonts directly from designers or independent marketplaces and offered his assistance for anyone needing help with font licensing.

Summary of "Mathematics and Computation" by Avi Wigderson

This book explores the relationship between mathematics and computation, presenting theories that significantly impact technology and science. Wigderson discusses:

1. Introduction to Computation: How mathematics interacts with computation and the purpose of the book.
2. Computational Complexity Theory: An overview of complexity classes, particularly P (problems solvable in polynomial time) and NP (nondeterministic polynomial time), and the famous P vs. NP question.
3. Undecidability: Limits of mathematical knowledge and problems that cannot be solved algorithmically.
4. Advanced Topics: Includes discussions on randomization in algorithms, proof complexity, quantum computing, and cryptography.
5. Real-World Applications: The book also touches on practical applications of these theories in fields like artificial intelligence, distributed computing, and machine learning.

The work is aimed at readers interested in the mathematical foundations of computation, with detailed explanations and examples throughout.

Summary:

Evan Hahn explored making TypeScript variables immutable by default, similar to Rust. TypeScript is mutable by default, which he wanted to change without modifying the language itself or using additional tools.

Key Steps in the Experiment:

1. Eliminating Built-in Libraries: He disabled TypeScript's built-in libraries by setting the noLib flag, which caused errors for core types, indicating progress.

2. Creating a Basic Library: He wrote a minimal lib.d.ts file defining essential types without properties to avoid errors, as this was just a prototype.

3. Making Arrays Immutable: Using test-driven development, he defined arrays as immutable by creating an Array interface that prevents mutations. He successfully made arrays immutable by default.

4. Introducing Mutable Arrays: He also created a MutableArray type that allows for mutability, showing that developers could choose between immutable and mutable arrays.

5. Applying the Same Concept to Records: He made TypeScript's Record type immutable by default and created a mutable version, similar to arrays.

6. Failed Attempt with Plain Objects: He struggled to make regular objects immutable by default and couldn't find a solution, despite trying various approaches.

Hahn invites anyone who can solve the issue of making plain objects immutable by default to contact him, as he hopes to update his findings. Overall, he achieved immutability for arrays and records but not for plain objects.

Summary:

Alastair Roberts built a portable synthesizer for his daughter’s third birthday, featuring four sliders to control pitch in a looping sequence. The device includes a synth module, speaker, tempo and volume controls, an OLED screen, and a custom design.

Inspired by a Montessori activity board his daughter received, he wanted to create a simple, tactile music toy. With no prior hardware experience, he learned about microcontrollers, PCB design, and 3D printing. He started with an Arduino kit and gradually developed a functioning synthesizer, overcoming challenges with coding and hardware assembly.

After creating a prototype, he designed a 3D-printed enclosure to make it more robust. He faced hurdles in power supply design and PCB creation but eventually succeeded in building a final version that works well for his daughter.

While the synthesizer is currently a fun toy, Alastair sees potential for it to become a product for older kids and adults. However, he notes that bringing it to market would require significant investment and navigating regulatory challenges. For now, he views the project as a learning experience and is considering future steps, such as an open-source version or a Kickstarter campaign.

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A recent study has found that urban raccoons in North America are showing early signs of domestication by developing shorter snouts, similar to traits seen in domesticated animals. The research suggests that domestication may start not with human intervention but when animals adapt to living near humans, often scavenging from our trash. This adaptation creates a selective pressure where animals become bolder yet must also behave well to avoid being a threat to people.

The study analyzed nearly 20,000 photos of raccoons and discovered that those in cities had snouts that were 3.5% shorter than those in rural areas. This aligns with previous findings in urban foxes and mice, indicating that as wild animals spend more time near humans, they may become less fearful and exhibit physical signs of domestication. The researchers plan to investigate further, potentially looking at the genetics and behavior of urban versus rural raccoons and other species.

The text discusses the challenges of programming with parallel CPU cores and how traditional synchronization tools, like mutexes, can complicate multi-threaded programming.

Key Points:

1. Parallel Programming Importance: With the rise of multi-core CPUs, using parallel computing effectively is crucial as single-core performance improvements are stagnating.

2. Challenges with Mutexes: While mutexes are designed to prevent data races by allowing only one thread to access a resource at a time, they have significant downsides:

   • Data races can occur when multiple threads access shared data concurrently.
   • Deadlocks can happen when two or more threads wait on each other to release locks, freezing the system.
   • Mutexes complicate code, leading to issues with encapsulation, code duplication, and cognitive load for developers.

3. Atomic Operations: Ensuring that operations affecting multiple resources are atomic (i.e., completed fully or not at all) is difficult with mutexes, as they require careful management of locks.

4. Software Transactional Memory (STM): The text advocates for using STM as a modern alternative to mutexes. STM allows safe concurrent access to shared data by treating operations as transactions, similar to database transactions:

   • Transactions can be rolled back if they conflict, preventing inconsistencies.
   • They eliminate the need for manual lock management, greatly simplifying code.

5. Conclusion: Developers should consider alternatives to mutexes, such as concurrency patterns (like actors or CSP) and STM, especially in new projects focused on concurrency. Using immutable data structures can also help prevent data races.

The overall message is to rethink the reliance on mutexes due to their complexity and the potential for bugs, suggesting more robust synchronization methods instead.

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Summary: When 1+1+1 Equals 1

The text discusses certain mathematical operations called involutions, where performing the operation twice yields the same result as doing nothing. This means that if you perform the operation an odd number of times, it's like doing it once, and if you perform it an even number of times, it's like doing nothing.

The author introduces three examples of operations where doing the operation three times is equivalent to doing it once:

1. Orthocomplementation: In geometry, if you take the set of lines perpendicular to a set of lines, doing this operation twice gives a different set, but doing it three times returns to the set of perpendicular lines. This is called a closure operation.

2. Intuitionistic Negation: In a specific type of logic, known as intuitionistic logic, negating a statement three times returns to the original statement. Here, the idea is that if you can't prove something is true or false, you can't claim it is either.

3. Networks: In graph theory, when analyzing social networks, there’s a function that finds people who know everyone in a certain group. Performing this function three times gives the same result as doing it once, illustrating the same concept.

Lastly, the text mentions a mistake regarding another operation in point-set topology and emphasizes the importance of recognizing these unique mathematical properties. The author encourages support for the Wikimedia Foundation to maintain healthy information resources on the internet.

The website is checking your browser for security purposes. If you own the website, there is an option to resolve the issue.

The Python community is discussing a new proposal to integrate Rust into CPython, the main implementation of Python. This proposal is still in the early stages, known as "pre-PEP," and has sparked considerable debate among developers. Initially, Rust would only be used for optional extension modules, but the plan is for it to become a key part of CPython over time.

The proposal highlights challenges, such as the dependency between Rust and Python. For example, some platforms that CPython supports do not have Rust support, which could leave them behind as technology advances. The situation is similar to recent changes in Debian's APT, which has also faced issues with older platforms lacking Rust support.

Overall, the discussion emphasizes the need for minority platform communities to adapt quickly to avoid being left out as Rust's influence grows in the software landscape.

A group of quantum physicists from Multiverse Computing has developed a smaller and uncensored version of the AI model DeepSeek R1, called DeepSeek R1 Slim. This new model is 55% smaller but performs nearly as well as the original. The researchers have eliminated the Chinese censorship that restricted politically sensitive topics in the original model.

In China, AI models are required to adhere to regulations that align content with government values, leading to built-in censorship. The scientists used advanced mathematical methods from quantum physics to compress the model while retaining its functionality. They tested this model by asking politically sensitive questions and found that it provided factual responses similar to those from Western models.

The effort is part of a larger trend in the AI industry to create smaller, more efficient models that require less computing power. Other methods for model compression exist, but they often compromise performance. The researchers believe their approach allows for more precise adjustments, including removing biases.

There is increasing interest in uncensored AI models, especially given the prominence of Chinese models in the global landscape. However, experts caution that completely removing censorship is complex, as it is deeply embedded in the AI training process.

Larry Summers, a former U.S. Treasury Secretary, has resigned from the board of OpenAI amid scrutiny over his past communications with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. This decision comes as Harvard University, where Summers teaches and previously served as president, announced an investigation into his ties to Epstein after the release of over 20,000 documents detailing their email exchanges.

In his resignation statement, Summers expressed gratitude for his time at OpenAI and acknowledged the pain caused by his interactions with Epstein, taking full responsibility for his decisions. Harvard plans to review the newly released information to determine any necessary actions.

The emails between Summers and Epstein date back to as late as 2019, years after Epstein's conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Although Summers has not been accused of any illegal activities, the situation has drawn significant attention, including comments from former President Donald Trump, who suggested a broader investigation into Epstein's connections with prominent Democrats.

Summary of Rust's Main Features and Resources

• Main Source Code Repository: Contains the compiler, standard library, and documentation for Rust programming language.

• Why Choose Rust?

  • Performance: Rust is fast, memory-efficient, and works well with critical services and embedded devices.
  • Reliability: Its type system and ownership model enhance memory and thread safety, reducing bugs before the program runs.
  • Productivity: Offers extensive documentation, helpful error messages, and tools like Cargo (package manager), rustfmt (auto-formatter), Clippy (linter), and rust-analyzer (editor support).

• Getting Started:

  • Follow the "Installation" guide in The Book.
  • For advanced users, installing from source is detailed in INSTALL.md.

• Support: Visit the Rust community page for chat platforms and forums.

• Contributing: Guidelines are available in CONTRIBUTING.md.

• Licensing: Rust is mainly under the MIT License and Apache License (Version 2.0). Check LICENSE-APACHE and LICENSE-MIT for specifics.

• Trademark: The Rust Foundation manages the Rust and Cargo trademarks. Refer to the media guide for usage permissions.

I developed a command-line tool in Rust for viewing Parquet files directly in the terminal. Previously, I had to use DuckDB or Polars to inspect the contents of a Parquet file, but now I can do it with just one command.

You can find the project here: GitHub - parqeye.

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Summary of SilverBullet

SilverBullet is an open-source personal productivity tool that acts as a note-taking application, built on Markdown and enhanced with Lua scripting. It is self-hosted, meaning you keep your data on your server, and you can access it from any modern web browser on various devices. It works offline and syncs your content when you're back online.

Key Features:

• Note-Taking: Uses Markdown for notes with a live preview feature, allowing easy formatting and linking between pages.
• Offline Capability: Functions as a Local First Progressive Web App (PWA), storing content locally and syncing when connected to the internet.
• User-Friendly: Offers keyboard shortcuts and a clean interface for easy navigation and editing.
• End-User Programming: Supports embedding Lua code, allowing users to create interactive elements within their notes.
• Self-Hosted: You maintain control over your data, which is stored in plain files on your server.
• Open Source: Free to use and modify under the MIT license.

Installation and Development:

• Guides are available for installation and development, with a frontend built in TypeScript and a backend in Go.
• Development tools like Deno and Go are required, and you can set up a Docker container for easier execution without local installations.

Overall, SilverBullet combines note-taking and programming, enabling users to create advanced applications within a simple notes app.

Klarna, a buy now, pay later company, announced that it has reduced its workforce from 5,527 to 2,907 over the past three years, mainly through natural attrition and the use of technology. The company claims that savings from implementing artificial intelligence (AI) have allowed it to increase employee pay by nearly 60%, with average salaries rising from $126,000 to $203,000. Klarna’s revenues have also surged by 108% while keeping operating costs stable.

CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski noted that technology is now handling the work of 853 full-time employees, leading to further cost savings. He suggested that more job cuts could come as the company aims to improve revenue per employee, which is currently $1.1 million. Despite a 26% increase in revenues to $903 million in the last quarter, Klarna reported a larger loss of $95 million due to accounting changes after listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Siemiatkowski has cautioned against heavy investments in data centers for AI, predicting that technology will become more efficient over time.

Cloudflare's global network is currently facing some issues, affecting its services. You can find more details on the situation through the provided link.

Microsoft Azure recently defended against a massive DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack that peaked at 15 terabits per second (Tbps). This was a record-breaking attack, and Azure's security systems were able to neutralize it effectively. The incident highlights Azure's strong capabilities in protecting cloud services from such large-scale cyber threats.

Ruby 4.0.0-preview2 has been released with several updates and changes. Here are the key points:

• Unicode and Emoji Updates: Ruby 4.0 updates to Unicode version 17.0.0, including new emojis.

• Language Changes: The nil value no longer calls nil.to_a, similar to its behavior with nil.to_hash.

• Core Class Updates:

  • Binding: Binding#local_variables no longer includes numbered parameters, and related methods will not handle them.
  • IO: IO.select can now accept a timeout of Float::INFINITY.
  • String: The Unicode and emoji updates also apply to regular expressions.

• Standard Library Updates: Notable updates include versions for libraries like ostruct, logger, and irb.

• Compatibility Issues: Some compatibility issues are noted, especially with the standard library.

• JIT Compiler Updates:

  • YJIT has updated statistics and options.
  • ZJIT is an experimental method-based JIT compiler, but it's not fully ready yet.
  • RJIT has been removed.

• Miscellaneous Changes: Many files have been modified, with significant additions and deletions.

• Download Links: Ruby 4.0.0-preview2 can be downloaded in various formats (tar.gz, tar.xz, zip) with details on file sizes and checksums provided.

Ruby, created by Yukihiro Matsumoto in 1993, is an open-source programming language popular for web development.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reports that this year's flu vaccine is providing strong protection against influenza, even with a new variant emerging. The vaccine is 70-75% effective in preventing hospital visits for children aged 2 to 17 and 30-40% effective for adults.

Flu cases have increased earlier than usual this season, primarily affecting teenagers and young adults, with most infections caused by the H3N2 subtype. The UKHSA emphasizes that vaccination is crucial for protecting both individuals and vulnerable populations from severe illness.

Good respiratory hygiene, such as frequent handwashing and avoiding close contact with others when sick, is also important in preventing the spread of flu. The agency encourages everyone eligible, particularly children and older adults, to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Summary:

On October 20, 2025, AWS experienced a significant outage in its us-east-1 region, affecting many major services, including Disney+, Lyft, and others. Despite this, the company Authress remained operational due to its robust infrastructure and strategies. Authress focuses on providing high reliability for its authentication services, aiming for a Service Level Agreement (SLA) of 99.999% uptime, which translates to only about five minutes of downtime per year.

To achieve this level of reliability, Authress has implemented various strategies:

1. Understanding Reliability: Authress defines reliability as maintaining a five-nines SLA, which requires constant uptime and the ability to recover from failures quickly.

2. Architecture Design: Instead of relying solely on AWS components, Authress assesses the reliability of third-party components and uses retry mechanisms to maintain uptime. However, if a component is too unreliable, it is excluded from critical operations.

3. Failover Strategies: Authress uses DNS dynamic routing to switch to backup regions during outages. They employ health checks to ensure that both primary and failover regions are operational.

4. Application Failures: Recognizing that bugs will occur, Authress emphasizes automated incident response and rigorous testing before deployment to minimize the impact of failures.

5. Incident Management: They utilize anomaly detection to identify potential incidents based on business metrics, rather than just technical errors.

6. Security Measures: Authress addresses the risks of negligence and malice by implementing rate limiting and using a web application firewall to protect against malicious requests.

In conclusion, while Authress has built a resilient architecture and processes to support its five-nines SLA commitment, they acknowledge that achieving this level of reliability is an ongoing challenge and requires continuous improvement and vigilance.

The author of ESPectre introduces an open-source project that detects motion using Wi-Fi signals. It has gained nearly 2,000 stars in just two weeks. Key points include:

• It does not use Machine Learning; instead, it relies on mathematical methods.
• The system operates in real-time on a low-cost chip, the ESP32.
• It easily connects with Home Assistant through MQTT.

Summary of prek:

prek is a new framework that operates like pre-commit but is built in Rust for improved speed and efficiency. It runs hooks without requiring Python or other dependencies, making it simpler to use.

Key Features:

• Single Binary: Just download one file; no need for Python or other runtimes.
• Speed and Space: Faster than pre-commit and uses less disk space by sharing environments and toolchains between hooks.
• Compatibility: Works with existing pre-commit configurations and hooks.
• Monorepo Support: Can handle multiple subprojects with their own configurations.
• Improved User Experience:
  • Automatically manages Python versions and virtual environments.
  • Enhanced command functionalities, like running hooks for specific directories or only changed files.

Current Usage: Though new, prek is already being adopted by projects like Airflow and others.

For more details, users can explore installation, configuration, and troubleshooting options.

In NCAA Basketball Final Four 97 for PlayStation, there’s a unique Easter egg: a marriage proposal. By using a second controller and entering a specific button sequence at the main menu, players can unlock a new puzzle item that asks, "Melissa, will you marry me?" If the answer is "Yes," it ends with "And they lived happily ever after," while a "No" response prompts an error message.

This hidden feature was discovered by analyzing the game's memory and controller inputs. The same marriage proposal can also be found in another game, World League Basketball, which uses the same button codes.

Additionally, both games have a "SECRET" menu with fun features like Big Head Mode and a "Roll Credits" option. The lead programmer, Scott Corley, was acknowledged in NCAA Basketball Final Four 97's credits.

Corley mentioned he recently tried to show the proposal to his son but forgot the code. He and Melissa, the person in the proposal, are still happily together. Other games with marriage proposals include Mortal Kombat 1, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Klax. The author invites readers to explore more retro game Easter eggs in their archive.

The text provides links to an audio and a transcript discussing the concept of realizing human potential. However, it does not include any specific details or key points from the audio or transcript itself. To summarize, the main focus is on understanding and enhancing human potential, with resources available for further exploration through the provided links.

No summary available.

The article discusses the concept of Literature-Based Discovery (LBD), which aims to uncover hidden connections and knowledge in scientific literature that may not be immediately apparent. Here are the key points:

1. Types of Knowledge: There are various forms of knowledge - lost knowledge (unknown unknowns), proprietary knowledge (known unknowns), and forgotten knowledge (unknown knowns) found in obscure research papers.

2. LBD Purpose: LBD seeks to identify valuable insights by connecting findings from disparate studies that may not have been linked before. This method has shown potential in various fields, especially in drug repurposing.

3. Historical Example: Don Swanson, a pioneer in LBD, discovered a link between magnesium deprivation and migraines, leading to hypotheses that were later clinically validated.

4. Challenges of LBD: Despite advancements in computational tools, such as natural language processing and machine learning, there are still issues with effectively evaluating and validating discoveries made through LBD. It is difficult to define what constitutes a "discovery" and to develop consistent metrics for evaluation.

5. Role of Large Language Models (LLMs): LLMs can enhance LBD by generating hypotheses through reasoning, but they have limitations, including the risk of producing inaccurate information (hallucination) and the challenges of evaluating their outputs.

6. Current State and Future: LBD is still largely theoretical, with few real-world applications leading to significant discoveries. There is a need for better collaboration among researchers and improved methods for evaluating the validity of hypotheses generated through LBD.

7. Conclusion: Although LBD has not yet fulfilled its promise, it represents a valuable approach to mining scientific literature for hidden knowledge, and advancements in technology may help realize its potential in the future.

Microsoft is developing an AI feature for Windows 11 called "Agent Workspace," which allows AI agents to operate in the background with access to personal folders like Desktop, Music, Pictures, and Videos. This feature is currently in testing and is available only to Windows Insiders.

The AI agents can perform tasks on your behalf, similar to how they operate in ChatGPT, but Microsoft warns that this could pose security risks. Each AI agent will have its own workspace, account, and permissions, but they will have limited access to your files to maintain security.

Although using AI agents might lead to performance issues due to their background operations, Microsoft claims they will be lightweight. The feature is optional, and users can monitor agent activities through logs. Despite some backlash from users, Microsoft plans to continue integrating AI into Windows 11, emphasizing their commitment to improving user experience and developer support.

Summary: A Small Vanilla Kubernetes Install on NixOS

Stéphan Kochen shares his experience setting up a simple, self-managed Kubernetes cluster on NixOS. His goal was to understand how Kubernetes can be beneficial for smaller setups, especially for tasks like blue-green deployments, without the complexity of managed Kubernetes services.

Key Points:

1. Kubernetes Overview: Kubernetes is a powerful tool that helps automate system administration tasks. Kochen aimed to implement it in a way that aligns with his existing infrastructure, which typically involves individual machines or simple database-worker setups.

2. Challenges Faced:

   • Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI): Managing keys and certificates is essential for Kubernetes but adds complexity.
   • NixOS Modules: The predefined configurations in NixOS can limit experimentation and learning.
   • Kubernetes Distributions: Alternatives like K3s or K0s were avoided for simplicity and to focus on learning.

3. NixOS Configuration: Kochen prefers using NixOS's package management without modules to keep system and application configurations distinct. He sets up essential networking features, enabling nftables and systemd-networkd.

4. Networking Setup: A private network setup is created using Wireguard for secure connections between nodes. Containers are assigned IP addresses within defined subnets.

5. Kubernetes Core Components:

   • API Server: A central component deployed on the primary node, using etcd for storage.
   • Scheduler and Controller Manager: These components manage workloads and maintain cluster state.
   • Kubelet: Responsible for running containers on nodes.

6. Testing and Functionality: After setup, basic commands were tested to ensure the cluster was operational. Connectivity between nodes and internet access from containers were successfully verified.

7. Future Considerations: While the setup works for basic workloads, Kochen notes that additional features like Ingress controllers, storage provisioners, and improved redundancy are needed for broader use. He expresses concerns about potential failure modes and resource usage in production environments.

8. Conclusion: Kochen believes Kubernetes can simplify operations for smaller setups but acknowledges that network configuration remains a significant complexity factor. He suggests that further improvements, such as runtime reloading of authentication tokens, could enhance its viability for small installations.

Overall, this article provides insights into setting up Kubernetes on NixOS, highlighting both the potential benefits and challenges of such an approach.

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Sasha Chapin shares his journey of learning to connect socially, detailing six stages he went through to become more socially adept.

1. Dazzling Persona: As a child, Sasha struggled with social interactions, often being bullied. He tried to become interesting by memorizing poetry and sharing dramatic stories, but this approach led to polarized reactions and limited real connections.

2. Playing Their Game: After facing mental health challenges, he worked as a busboy and learned to adapt his personality based on the social cues of others, understanding that flexibility was crucial for building rapport.

3. Loosening the Grip: In a more upscale restaurant, Sasha observed a charismatic server who embraced quirkiness, allowing others to relax and connect. Inspired, he incorporated odd, playful elements into his interactions, which helped him build better relationships.

4. Dancing to the Music: Transitioning to freelance writing, Sasha focused on embodiment and emotional awareness, realizing that genuine connection involves responding instinctively to non-verbal cues rather than overthinking.

5. Projecting Love and Acceptance: As a writing coach, he discovered that being present and open-hearted could facilitate deep connections, allowing others to feel comfortable sharing their feelings.

6. Taking or Leaving Connection: Finally, Sasha recognized the dual nature of his newfound ability to connect deeply: it could be perceived positively or as manipulative. He learned to moderate his approach, valuing both deep and casual interactions.

By embracing these lessons, Sasha feels he has achieved a more balanced and socially acceptable way of engaging with others.

Summary:

The effective altruism movement, inspired by philosopher Peter Singer, began in the early 2000s with Oxford philosophers Toby Ord and Will MacAskill, who encouraged people to donate a portion of their income to charity. Singer's ideas focus on moral obligations to alleviate global suffering, using a thought experiment about saving a drowning child to illustrate that we often ignore suffering far from us.

Effective altruists aim to maximize the impact of their resources for the greater good, leading to various organizations and initiatives. However, the movement has faced challenges, including scandals involving high-profile figures like Sam Bankman-Fried, who mismanaged funds while claiming to support altruistic causes.

Critics argue that effective altruism can overlook structural issues that contribute to poverty and suffering, focusing too much on individual actions rather than systemic change. The movement has become increasingly aware of its political context, as philanthropy cannot be separated from politics. Effective altruism's leaders aim to maintain a non-partisan approach to avoid alienating potential supporters.

Overall, while effective altruism has evolved and faced setbacks, its core mission remains focused on improving lives through impactful giving and rational approaches to charity.

Continuous Claude is a command-line tool that helps run Claude Code in a loop, allowing for ongoing coding with a consistent context. It automates a workflow that includes creating branches, making code changes, generating commits, and managing pull requests on GitHub. This method helps keep track of progress and reasoning over multiple coding steps, unlike typical one-off coding agents. It's especially useful for tasks that need many small changes, such as enhancing test coverage, refactoring, upgrading dependencies, or migrating frameworks. For more details, you can read the blog post here.

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A new stunning astrophotography image called "The Fall of Icarus" has set a new standard in the field. Created by photographer Andrew McCarthy and skydiver Gabriel C. Brown, the image captures Brown skydiving against a detailed view of the Sun in hydrogen alpha light, which highlights the Sun's turbulent hydrogen layer.

The photograph's composition was carefully planned, requiring coordination between McCarthy, Brown, and a paramotor pilot to align everything perfectly. After several attempts and overcoming technical issues, they successfully captured the moment with Brown's silhouette framed by sunspots on the Sun's surface.

McCarthy expressed the challenges they faced, noting the complexity of the setup and the need for precise timing. The final image is not only visually striking but also represents a significant achievement in astrophotography. Limited edition prints of McCarthy's work are available for purchase on his website.