The article details the creation of OptiGap, a sensor for soft robotics that uses air gaps in optical fibers for bend localization. The author's journey from initial discovery to final prototype involves iterative testing, employing a naive Bayes classifier for data interpretation.

John Levine reports that his large-scale content farm has been overwhelmed by GPTBot fetching over 3 million pages, with 1.8 million requests for robots.txt, despite the site's simplicity and uniformity. He seeks contacts at OpenAI to address the issue, hinting at GPT-5's training data sources.

The article grants unrestricted permission to use, modify, and distribute the software, provided legal notices are maintained. It also disclaims warranties and limits the liability of the authors and copyright holders.

Apple alerted individuals in 92 countries of targeted mercenary spyware attacks, emphasizing the high confidence in these warnings and the need to take them seriously. The company has sent similar notifications before and noted these attacks' rarity and sophistication compared to typical cyber threats.

The article discusses the often overlooked mental health struggles of software engineers, particularly in leadership roles, highlighting the author's personal battles with anxiety and burnout. It emphasizes the importance of work-life balance, seeking help, and making sustainable changes for a healthier life.

Truong My Lan received the death penalty for a major fraud in Vietnam, involving $27bn in damages and undermining trust in governance. The case, part of a wider anti-corruption drive, is historic for its scale, involving numerous officials and a comprehensive trial.

Transformers.js enables running Hugging Face's machine learning models in browsers without a server, using a similar API. It supports various tasks like text classification and sentiment analysis, and allows easy conversion of models to ONNX format for web deployment.

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The company switched from a Postgres-only database to a hybrid stack with ClickHouse for analytics due to heavy load times from millions of events per minute. They explore the strengths of OLAP databases like ClickHouse, including efficient complex queries and batch processing.

The author's Raspberry Pi suffered a failure that prevented remote logins, necessitating physical access to diagnose an SD card issue. A time sync problem with chrony and DNS resolution failure with unbound were resolved by adding alternative resolvers and adjusting system configurations.

The article presents a polynomial time quantum algorithm for the learning with errors problem, which also solves lattice problems such as GapSVP and SIVP. It introduces new techniques involving complex Gaussian functions and windowed quantum Fourier transform.

A man used a Southwest buddy pass to clear security but then photographed and used another passenger's Delta boarding pass to board a flight, hiding in the lavatory to find an empty seat, which led to his arrest as the flight was full. The incident, under FBI investigation, highlights security loopholes and the man's unsuccessful attempt to reach Austin from Salt Lake City.

The article discusses the non-intuitive definitions of sine and cosine in mathematics, contrasting them with the more obvious geometric definitions involving right triangles. It advocates for grounding trigonometric concepts in geometry for clearer understanding and teaching.

The article discusses the challenges and history of inheritance in object-oriented programming, highlighting that it conflates three types of inheritance, making it difficult to use. It originated with SIMULA-67 for simulation software and became entrenched before alternatives like abstract data types and modules were developed.

Archaeologists unearth significant new paintings in the ancient Roman town buried by a volcano in AD79.

Saudi Arabia's futuristic city project, the Line, part of the Neom initiative, has been significantly downsized from its original 105-mile design to just 1.5 miles by 2030 amid skepticism and budget issues. The project, once a symbol of post-oil innovation, faces setbacks including contractor layoffs and unmet promotional promises.

Vortex is an open-source hardware and software project to support GPGPU based on RISC-V ISA extensions. Currently Vortex supports OpenCL and it runs on FPGA. The vortex platform is highly customizable and scalable with a complete open-source compiler, driver and runtime software stack to enable research in GPU architectures.

The European Space Agency's Proba-3 mission will demonstrate precision formation flying to create artificial solar eclipses and study the Sun's corona. Launching in September, the mission will test technologies for future space projects involving multiple spacecraft.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells show promise with high power conversion efficiencies, but face challenges scaling up to industry-level production. Recent advancements include the first roll-to-roll printed modules with competitive efficiencies and cost predictions, offering a potential breakthrough for commercial viability.

Pylyzer, a Rust-implemented Python script inspector, cannot install with rustc >= 1.76.0 due to dependencies but offers fast analysis and clear error messages. It's a type checker and language server, distinct from Ruff's linting, and uses Erg's type system, with some incomplete API typings.

OpenTofu disputes HashiCorp's copyright infringement claims, citing their use of older MPL-2.0 licensed code. Despite the dispute, OpenTofu progresses with new features and a pre-release.

DESCENT, a 3-D shooter distinct from DOOM, featured 3-D models and six degrees of freedom; it had sequels and expansions. Feedback is welcomed at [email protected], but requests for full-version games are not.

Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world

The article discusses the naming conventions of README files in software projects, noting the historical preference for uppercase to ensure visibility and sorting precedence. It suggests adhering to this convention for clarity and user familiarity unless there's a strong reason to deviate.

The STORM system assists in writing Wikipedia-like articles by automating research and question-asking using a modular approach. It's helpful for editors in the pre-writing stage but not for creating ready-to-publish articles.

CISA investigates a breach at Sisense, urging customers to reset credentials; attackers accessed Sisense's Amazon S3 buckets, exfiltrating data including passwords and tokens. Sisense advises detailed security measures post-breach, highlighting the severity of the incident.

Andres Freund discussed his discovery of the xz backdoor on a show with hosts Bryan and Adam, highlighting the lack of detailed coverage by the New York Times. The episode, recorded on April 8th, 2024, emphasizes Freund's detail-oriented approach which thwarted a potentially widespread attack.

Harvard College reinstates standardized test requirements for fall 2025 applicants, reversing its test-optional policy due to tests' predictive value for academic success. The change reflects a trend among Ivy League schools and addresses concerns about equity and the meritocratic nature of admissions.

Birds evolved from small, feathery dinosaurs and are the only dinosaurs to survive the mass extinction caused by an asteroid 66 million years ago. Beaked birds, unlike their toothed relatives, thrived post-extinction by adapting to feed on seeds and nuts.

The article discusses the need to modernize the US electrical grid to meet increasing demand and highlights new technologies like Heimdall's "magic ball" and advanced reconductoring, which can enhance existing transmission lines' capacity without the hurdles of building new ones. It emphasizes that these solutions are cost-effective and quicker than traditional methods but are hindered by ...

The article laments the decline in the quality and accessibility of internet search results and academic research, highlighting how finding genuine, high-quality information has become challenging due to SEO tactics and the dilution of expertise. It reminisces about the past when searches and academic work were more reliable and informative.

US broadband providers must now display clear labels with pricing and service details; non-compliant providers face consumer complaints. Labels include costs, speeds, data caps, and will be machine-readable by October 2024 for comparison tools.

JavaScript execution within PDFs is intentional and limited in scope, differentiating it from traditional Stored XSS attacks; proper handling by browsers and applications is necessary to maintain security. The capabilities are restricted to avoid security risks, and browser settings should align with user preferences for JavaScript execution.

The article discusses a grub package update failure in pre-beta Ubuntu 24.04 for BIOS MBR systems with software RAID, due to grub-install's inability to embed on '/dev/md0'. Despite similarities with Ubuntu 22.04, the update process differs, causing confusion and making troubleshooting difficult for users.

The article explains Ruby metaprogramming, focusing on how all code is executed against a particular 'self' and the flexibility of 'self' in Ruby's classes and metaclasses. It explores various methods to define class and instance methods, emphasizing the unified concept of controlling 'self'.

The system monitors public data across various sectors, employing AI to create dynamic visualizations and reports. Realtime is in Beta, inviting feedback and discussions on its evolving features and data trends.

The Humane AI Pin is a wearable device that functions without a screen, using AI and CosmOS to perform tasks like making calls or sending texts. It's an ambitious step towards a post-smartphone era, but currently suffers from significant limitations in reliability and functionality.

The comp.lang.perl.misc newsgroup was hostile to beginners, favoring FAQ over interaction, while Stack Overflow, initially more helpful, has shifted towards a documentation approach, reducing repetitive interaction which could benefit new programmers.

The author uses ChatGPT as a digital therapist to gain external perspective and improve mental well-being; they also create a voice-based AI coach for interactive emotional support and reflection. They encourage others to try this AI coach by providing a guide and contact details.

The article explores the evolution and challenges of running multiple DOS applications on early Windows versions, noting the lack of documentation on this functionality. The author delves into the technical aspects of DOS and the industry's efforts to maintain compatibility while advancing PC capabilities.

The author, experienced in software, is adapting to a manufacturing company and seeking knowledge on innovations in supply chain and production management. They find it challenging to access information compared to online solutions and seek advice on learning resources.

A multimedia collage zine type of thing, a memoir with songs.

Parler-TTS, an open-source text-to-speech model, offers customizable and natural speech generation. It provides all resources publicly for community enhancement and announces the initial 600M parameter model, with plans to scale up.

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The article describes the diverse bird population in the author's Hudson Valley property, highlighting the joy and knowledge gained from birdwatching and the use of native plants to support local wildlife. It also recommends Amy Tan’s “The Backyard Bird Chronicles” for insights into nature journaling and bird appreciation.

The article reports on a study from the AAO 2021 meeting showing sustained social media scrolling reduces vertical saccadic peak velocity and increases saccadic inaccuracy, effects exacerbated by prior aerobic exercise. It highlights the impact of scrolling on eye movement, with unclear effects due to both horizontal and vertical saccades involved.

Apple plans to update its Mac lineup with M4 chips in late 2024, focusing on AI performance improvements. The M4 will be available in at least three variants for different Mac models, with a memory support jump to 512GB.

The article suggests that learning manufacturing through apprenticeships and joining a makerspace can teach valuable practical skills, but warns of the potential hardships in the industry. It also differentiates between DIY projects and commercial manufacturing, emphasizing hands-on experience and learning from mistakes.

Large Language Models are widely used but prone to attacks, with fine-tuning reducing resistance to such threats. Research highlights the importance of external measures to mitigate these vulnerabilities.

The HP 200 LX, introduced in 1994, was a palmtop computer that enjoyed an unusually long market presence until 1999, offering mobile MS-DOS computing in a compact form. Despite its modest power, it gained a dedicated following for its practicality and built-in applications, standing out as a text-based, non-flashy alternative in the mobile computing scene of the '90s.

The author shares their struggle with learning German, leading to the creation of a Menu Bar app that aids vocabulary retention through spaced repetition. The app's success prompted the inclusion of additional languages.

Holodeck automates the creation of diverse 3D environments tailored to user prompts, leveraging GPT-4 and Objaverse assets. It surpasses manual designs, aiding in the training of Embodied AI agents for navigation.

The war in Ukraine showcases a dynamic confrontation between weaponized drones and electronic warfare (EW), highlighting the tactical improvisation and rapid technological evolution in modern conflict. Ukrainian innovation in adapting commercial drones for combat and EW countermeasures has significantly influenced the nature and future of warfare.

The NixOS Wiki offers user guides, examples, and tips for the NixOS Linux OS, which uses the Nix package manager. It suggests newcomers read the Nix Ecosystem overview and directs them to key resources.

ClassroomIO offers a browser-based coding platform supporting multiple languages with no installation, streamlining teaching by combining code execution, assignment creation, and feedback. It features class management tools, scales with class size, prioritizes security, and is continually adding new features.

Archaeologists in Marliens, France, unearthed multi-period occupations from Neolithic to Early Iron Age, featuring unique enclosures and artifacts like a copper dagger. The findings, including two necropolises, offer insights into ancient funeral practices and regional evolution.

The article criticizes the approach of content owners in dealing with piracy, highlighting that ease of access and reasonable fees can reduce piracy as seen with music. It argues that people willing to pay will do so, but those inclined to pirate won't suddenly start paying due to restrictive measures.

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, focuses on AI in his keynote at Google Cloud Next conference, discussing the platform's strategy and enterprise space competition. The interview highlights Google's strong positioning in AI, platform characteristics, and advancements in digital tools and AI for business transformation.

In Naples, where the Camorra's control is violently contested, a man unsuspecting of his murder is killed despite his routine precautions. The article depicts the Camorra's deep entrenchment in Neapolitan society and the pervasive culture of silence surrounding their activities.

Tech luminaries predict AGI could arrive within 3-5 years, but Meta's Yann LeCun is skeptical, citing AI's current inability to mimic key human cognitive traits. LeCun suggests true AI advancement requires a shift from text-based learning to experiential learning via sensors and video data.

Naismith's rule, formulated by William W. Naismith in 1892, estimates hiking time by allowing one hour for every 3 miles plus an extra hour for every 2000 feet of ascent. Adjustments have been made over time to account for variables like terrain and fitness, but the rule remains a fundamental guideline in hiking and trekking planning.

The article discusses a project aimed at exploring and enhancing the Steam Controller's firmware and hardware, with accomplishments including custom firmware development and Jingle customization. It serves as both an educational resource and a platform for further modifications and usage beyond Valve's original design.

All first-year undergraduate applicants, beginning in fall 2024, must submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their application.

Rerank 3 is introduced to enhance enterprise search and RAG systems, compatible with various databases and search indexes, and can be integrated into legacy applications. It offers semantic reranking for precision, supports multilingual data, and is now natively supported in Elastic's Inference API.

OpenTable's new policy, effective May 22nd, will display diners' first names and profile photos with reviews for transparency. Members were informed via email, but concerns arise over privacy with past reviews now linked to personal info.

The author laments the shift in business from creating products that provide value to users to extracting value, often at the expense of social well-being and traditional industries. They express a desire to return to prioritizing user value over profit and scale.

The author's follow-up post delves into the resolution of mysterious TCP connection timeouts in the UC Berkeley network, crediting a Bunny CDN engineer's assistance in identifying a likely route table misconfiguration as the cause. Berkeley IT has recognized the issue's link to asymmetrical routing and is working on a fix.

Joan Didion, esteemed writer and cultural figure, passed away at 87. Her notable essay "Self-respect: Its Source, Its Power" reflects on personal integrity and the consequences of its absence.

The AirFish 8 is a seaplane that seats 8-10, uses a V8 engine, and can travel up to 300 nautical miles. Brian Wang is a renowned blogger and futurist, involved in technology investments and public speaking.

DNSViz is a tool for visualizing the status of a DNS zone. It was designed as a resource for understanding and troubleshooting deployment of the DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC). It provides a visual analysis of the DNSSEC authentication chain for a domain name and its resolution path in the DNS namespace, and it lists configuration errors detected by the tool. Your feedback is appreciated.

Will Stults and Daisy Krigbaum, frustrated by their own smartphone addictions, launched Dumbwireless to sell low-tech phones and accessories. Their venture, tapping into a growing desire for digital minimalism, has seen significant success with sales surging, especially during the holiday season.

The article reflects on the transformation from the 1990s, when governments were mocked for outdated technology, to the present, where they are major tech buyers and influencers. It discusses the blurring of public and private sectors into 'corporatism', where industry serves state interests, impacting consumer sovereignty and market dynamics.

The article discusses the challenges and alternatives to TeamViewer for remote desktop access, highlighting issues like false commercial use flags and security concerns. It suggests built-in tools like Windows Quick Assist and third-party options like AnyDesk and RustDesk as viable replacements.

John McCarthy's 'amb' operator, described in 1961, can foresee errors and backtrack to avoid them using continuations. A basic Ruby implementation is discussed, with a non-technical explanation available at RubyGarden.

The article reflects on the evolution of the container ecosystem, highlighting the shift from PaaS to containers and Kubernetes, and the subsequent complexity that obscured the original goal of simplifying development. It calls for a return to platform thinking to focus on delivering applications effectively without overcomplicating the process for developers.

The article describes the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, highlighting its ultra-lightweight design, high-performance Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processor, and innovative cooling system. It also emphasizes the immersive 14.2-inch OLED screen with TÜV Eye Comfort certification and AI capabilities for productivity enhancements.

Avi Wigderson won the 2023 Turing Award for his influential work in theoretical computer science, particularly on the role of randomness in computation. He's also recognized for his intellectual leadership and contributions across various areas of complexity theory.

South Florida researchers use biodegradable straws to make 'Coral Forts,' increasing lab-grown coral survival from 40% to over 90%. The Coral Forts protect against predatory fish and dissolve in the ocean, reducing maintenance and costs.

The article discusses the lack of mainstream touch-based art forms, suggesting that unlike visual and auditory arts, touch does not scale well for mass consumption due to the absence of a 'touch multiplier.' It also considers the commercial viability and cultural attitudes towards touch, implying that these factors contribute to the scarcity of tactile art experiences.

DuckDuckGo introduces Privacy Pro, a subscription service with a VPN, personal information removal from data broker sites, and identity theft restoration for $9.99/month. It aims to enhance online privacy and security, currently available only to US residents.