---
blogpost: true
date: 1.1.2023
author: Tobias
location: Stuttgart
category: links, 2023
tags: links, 2023
language: Deutsch
---

# Links für 2023 KW 38

Zusammengefasst von
[LlongOrca](https://huggingface.co/TheBloke/LlongOrca-13B-16K-GGUF).

**[Wireguard \| LandChad.net](https://landchad.net/wireguard/)**:

This article provides a guide on setting up a lightweight privacy VPN
service using WireGuard. It explains how to install the necessary tools
and create public and private keys. Additionally, it covers tunneling
WireGuard traffic through a TLS WebSocket connection to circumvent deep
packet inspection systems. The example uses a virtual 172.16.0.0/24
network, but any private IP range can be used.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[LandChad.net](https://landchad.net/)**:

LandChad.net is a website dedicated to helping people set up their own
websites, email servers, and chat servers. The site provides
easy-to-follow tutorials that allow users to create basic web pages in
just an hour or less. Some of the services offered include Calibre (a
digital library), ejabberd (a chat server), and Matrix Dendrite (a
faster server implementation of Matrix). The platform also offers
guidance on setting up email servers and maintaining a server.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[10 Reasons Windows Is Going in the Wrong
Direction](https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/windows-is-going-in-the-wrong-direction)**:

This article highlights 10 areas where Windows is heading down a
potentially wrong direction, including issues with the taskbar options
removal, confusion about PC updates, ads and news stories integration,
ignoring default browser choices, Microsoft account logins becoming
mandatory, moving to web apps, slowing down PC performance, removing
live tiles, and the author\'s continued commitment to the Windows
platform despite these criticisms.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Daily links from Cory Doctorow: VIN
locking](https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin-locking/#thought-differently)**:

Apple continues to restrict access to right-to-repair parts by
implementing strategies such as parts-pairing and using the Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to its advantage. Parts-pairing is a way
of pairing subassemblies with devices, making them incompatible with
other components and rendering the device unrepairable by independent
repair shops. This practice contributes to Apple\'s efforts to control
the parts market, thereby driving up costs for consumers and increasing
e-waste. The DMCA also plays a role in hindering repairs by prohibiting
the distribution of tools that bypass access controls on devices. It is
crucial for legislators to address these issues and support
right-to-repair bills.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[GitHub Actions could be so much
better](https://blog.yossarian.net/2023/09/22/GitHub-Actions-could-be-so-much-better)**:

This article highlights various frustrations that a user has experienced
when using GitHub Actions for their programming projects. The issues
identified include difficulty in debugging workflows, potential security
vulnerabilities, and the need for more official actions within GitHub\'s
platform. Some suggested improvements include providing an interactive
debugging shell, better error handling during push-time rejections,
stricter type-checking, offering real types to users, and creating more
official actions for key ecosystem features. The article also suggests
working with large third-party action developers to ensure consistency
in security practices and updates across various workflows. Overall, the
user hopes that these concerns will be addressed by GitHub\'s
engineering teams to improve the overall experience and reliability of
using GitHub Actions.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[11 Principles for building and scaling feature flag systems \|
Unleash](https://docs.getunleash.io/topics/feature-flags/feature-flag-best-practices)**:

Feature flags are a software development technique that enables
developers to turn specific features or code segments on or off at
runtime without the need for a code deployment or rollback. By following
11 principles for building large-scale feature flag systems,
organizations can improve key operational metrics such as lead time to
changes and change failure rate. These principles include enabling
run-time control, never exposing PII (Personally Identifiable
Information), evaluating flags close to the user, and favoring
availability over consistency.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[It\'s Cheaper to Live on a Boat Than Rent an Apartment in These U.S.
Cities](https://www.travelandleisure.com/cheaper-to-live-on-boat-than-apartment-in-these-cities-7971310)**:

Rental prices in the US have increased by 3.3% compared to last year
according to data from NerdWallet, with the average rent in 2023 being
\$2,052. In an attempt to find more affordable living options, many
people are considering moving onto boats as a cheaper alternative.
Rightboat, a digital boat marketplace, conducted a study comparing the
cost of living on a boat to land-based accommodation in major cities
around the world. They found that those living on boats can save
thousands of dollars per month in expensive cities like New York City,
Seattle, and San Francisco. Not only does this lifestyle provide
financial savings, but it also contributes to increased happiness due to
being near marine or coastal locations and greater freedom to explore
various waterways and shores.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Install Windows the Arch Linux
Way](https://christitus.com/install-windows-the-arch-linux-way/)**:

This article provides detailed instructions on installing Windows
through the Command Line, bypassing any changes made to the installer or
out of box experience (OOBE). It covers topics such as downloading the
Windows Installer, partitioning disks, selecting desired partitions,
formatting and assigning partitions, verifying the Windows version,
applying the installation ISO, copying boot files, and bypassing OOBE.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Nintendo 3DS Architecture \| A Practical
Analysis](https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/nintendo-3ds/)**:

I have summarized an article about the architecture and variants of the
Nintendo 3DS console. It discusses various models including the original
3DS, New 3DS, and New 2DS XL. The article also highlights some
differences between the \'New\' series such as hardware upgrades,
stereoscopic system, and an NFC reader.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Fefes Blog: neue
Snowden-Details](http://blog.fefe.de/?ts=9bf5d4e0)**:

This article discusses new details about Snowden\'s revelations. It
mentions how the NSA listed Cavium as a successful example of a
\"SIGINT-enabled\" CPU supplier, and highlights that they compromised
lawful Russian interception infrastructure (SORM). The article also
refers to the NSA\'s mass surveillance program, PRISM, listing targets
such as the Tibetan government in exile. It criticizes the lack of
warning from the press regarding these matters and questions their
trustworthiness.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Lead poisoning causes far more death, IQ loss than thought:
study](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-09-poisoning-death-iq-loss-thought.html)**:

A new study by the World Bank has suggested that lead poisoning may be a
greater health threat than previously thought, with potential
involvement in over five million deaths annually and contributing to air
pollution. The researchers analyzed blood lead levels across countries
and estimated that these exposures resulted in an average loss of nearly
six IQ points for young children in developing nations. This is said to
be the first study to assess the impact of lead on heart disease deaths
and childhood IQ losses globally, with both wealthy and developing
nations being affected. The economic cost of lead exposure was estimated
at \$6 trillion in 2019, equating to around seven percent of global GDP.
The researchers used data from the landmark 2019 Global Burden of
Disease study.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Car breaking vanilla ice
cream](http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~wkw/humour/carproblems.txt)**:

The article tells a story of a man who complained to General Motors\'
Pontiac Division about his car not starting after he bought vanilla ice
cream, while it started just fine when he got other flavors. Initially
skeptical, the company sent an engineer who observed that the car
wouldn\'t start due to vapor lock caused by quicker trips for vanilla
ice cream. The solution involved allowing more time between getting the
ice cream and driving back, thus giving the engine enough time to cool
down before starting again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Archaeologists discover world's oldest wooden structure - University
of Liverpool
News](https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2023/09/20/archaeologists-discover-worlds-oldest-wooden-structure/)**:

New research from the University of Liverpool and Aberystwyth University
has found that humans were building structures made of wood around half
a million years ago. The discovery, based on excavations at Kalambo
Falls in Zambia, predates the evolution of our own species, Homo
sapiens. The findings challenge the belief that Stone Age humans were
nomadic and suggests they created structures using their intelligence
and imagination.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[An Open-Source Maps App That Doesn\'t
Suck](https://hardfault.life/p/organic-maps-review)**:

Organic Maps, an open-source and privacy-focused maps app, claims to
support all features without an active internet connection. The app has
no traffic data but can handle road conditions, interchanges, closures,
and more. Organic Maps is competent for most purposes, providing
accurate routes and directions like Google Maps but does not offer
real-time updates on traffic or incidents.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[XML is better than YAML. Hear me
out...](https://changelog.com/posts/xml-better-than-yaml)**:

The article discusses a debate on whether XML or YAML is more suitable
for various situations. Carl Johnson argues that there are cases where
XML, or Extensible Markup Language, is appropriate, while there are no
such scenarios for YAML. He cites examples of when XML is useful and
emphasizes the importance of understanding when not to use it. On the
other hand, he believes that YAML should never be used as it introduces
errors and confusion. The author also mentions alternatives like TOML
and CUE that may be better choices than YAML.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Boys and Men in the United States Are Struggling. The Left Should
Talk About
It.](https://jacobin.com/2023/09/boys-men-work-despair-struggling-wages-education/)**:

The article discusses how boys and men in the United States are
struggling, particularly working-class men and boys, facing various
problems like less college graduation rates, higher deaths of despair
rates, stagnant wages since the 1970s, and more. The author emphasizes
that these issues affect boys and men across racial groups and are a
part of the overall challenges faced by young men hitting the labor
market or education. To address this issue, the article suggests having
an office of men\'s health focused on male mental health, recruiting
male teachers, and using infrastructure bills to create jobs for men.
The author concludes that acknowledging and taking action on these
issues will help reduce the political openings for right-wing
politicians who exploit this crisis.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[paxb](https://github.com/dapper91/paxb)**:

paxb is a Python library that simplifies the process of mapping XML
documents to Python objects and vice versa. The library allows
developers to focus more on application logic, reducing boilerplate
code. paxb also provides functions for validating deserialized data,
accessing and updating fields in Python objects, and serializing Python
objects to XML documents. Additionally, it can be mixed with attrs
library to expand its functionality even further.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[2002 : WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? ...
WHY?](https://www.edge.org/response-detail/10765)**:

In this article, J. Doyne Farmer discusses the concept of value,
addressing the difference between price and value. He brings up a quote
from Oscar Wilde suggesting that value is subjective, but argues that in
domains such as engineering, there may be an objective basis for
determining one design over another. The article suggests that creating
a mathematical framework to distinguish good and bad designs could have
scientific importance for engineering and economics, with potential
implications for philosophy, religion, and politics.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Counting Ghosts](https://pcmaffey.com/counting-ghosts)**:

The article argues against the conventional wisdom of using web
analytics as standard practice for every online project. It suggests
that Google Analytics may not always be the best tool due to its
simplicity and lack of depth in data analysis, potentially limiting the
understanding of a project\'s performance.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Context Managers and Python\'s with Statement -- Real
Python](https://realpython.com/python-with-statement/)**:

The Python with statement is useful for managing external resources,
such as files or network connections, by automatically handling their
setup and teardown phases through context managers. It can be used with
objects that support the context management protocol, providing a more
concise and readable alternative to try-except statements in some cases.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[1,000 Met Police officers suspended or on restricted
duties](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-66842521)**:

Over 1,000 Metropolitan police officers are currently suspended or on
restricted duties as the force attempts to root out corrupt officers.
This crackdown follows convictions of former officers David Carrick and
Wayne Couzens. The Met has revealed a significant increase in reports
from the public and officers of alleged misconduct, with over 100
officers sacked for gross misconduct in the past year.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[A guide to using Asian
names](https://www.asiamediacentre.org.nz/features/a-guide-to-using-asian-names/)**:

The article discusses the naming conventions in Asia and how to refer to
Asian leaders. Japanese foreign minister Kono Taro has called for
overseas media to use family names first when referring to Japanese
prime ministers. This convention is already used when referring to other
Asian leaders such as China\'s President Xi Jinping and North Korea\'s
Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. The Asia Media Centre provides a rough style
guide on naming conventions in different countries, including Japan,
China, South Korea, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand,
Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, and Laos.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Windows Subsystem for Linux gets new \'mirrored\' network
mode](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-subsystem-for-linux-gets-new-mirrored-network-mode/)**:

Microsoft has released Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2.0.0 with new
experimental features, including a new network mode and automated memory
cleanup. The update introduces \"Automatic memory reclaim,\" which
reduces the WSL virtual machine\'s memory footprint while in use.
Additionally, there is the \"Sparse VHD\" feature that automatically
shrinks the size of the WSL virtual hard disk, mirrored networking with
improved compatibility and support for IPv6, multicast support, and
network compatibility with Windows servers. Microsoft\'s WSL Program
Manager also mentioned DNS tunneling, Hyper-V Firewall, and
\"autoProxy\" feature to enhance network compatibility in WSL. The
update is currently available for Windows 10 and 11 customers via the
Microsoft Store.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Anmeldung form filler - Nicolas
Bouliane](https://nicolasbouliane.com/projects/anmeldung-form-filler)**:

The article discusses the need to register an address when moving to
Berlin, providing instructions on how to complete the Anmeldung form and
offering tips for immigrants registering their address for the first
time. The author also mentions that they have created a better digital
version of the form using web technologies such as VueJS and PDFLib.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[How I rewired my brain in six
weeks](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230912-how-i-hacked-my-brain)**:

This article discusses how everyday changes can alter our brains and
change their functioning. The author, Melissa Hogenboom, undergoes a
brain scan to study the effects of mindfulness exercises on her own
brain. She learns that simple mindfulness techniques can enhance
cognitive functions such as attention, relieve pain, and reduce stress.
Over six weeks, she practiced a guided mindfulness meditation course
modified by Professor Thorsten Barnhofer. After the course, Hogenboom\'s
brain scans revealed changes in her amygdala and cingulate cortex, which
showed increased control over the areas that prevent mind wandering. The
article concludes with the author encouraging others to incorporate
mindfulness exercises into their daily routines for long-lasting
benefits.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[George Orwell - Complete works, Biography, Quotes,
Essays](http://www.george-orwell.org/)**:

George-orwell.org is a website that offers comprehensive information on
George Orwell, including his complete works, biography, pictures, and
famous quotes. The creator welcomes contributions of essays or articles
relating to Orwell and encourages users to submit content or provide
feedback via contact form.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Trunk-Based Development vs. Long-Lived Feature Branches: Which One is
Right for Your Software
Team?](https://ardalis.com/trunk-based-development-vs-long-lived-feature-branches/)**:

In software development, two popular strategies are Trunk-Based
Development and Long-Lived Feature Branches. While both have their
benefits, the choice between them depends on factors like team
expertise, project complexity, and business needs. Trunk-Based
Development provides quick feedback loops, while Long-Lived Feature
Branching is ideal for significant changes and feature release planning.
Both strategies can be effective in specific contexts; the key is to
choose one that adapts to your project\'s requirements.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Typical
Programmer](https://typicalprogrammer.com/the-joys-of-maintenance-programming)**:

This article emphasizes the importance of maintenance programming over
ground-up development projects, highlighting its benefits such as
improved debugging skills, learning how to program better, optimizing
and finding new tools, understanding data and databases, focusing on
client satisfaction, gaining people skills, building business knowledge,
getting follow-on business, avoiding offshoring, and more. The author
also shares their personal experience working mainly in maintenance
programming and the reasons why they prefer it over other types of
projects.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[WinRAR sold 5,449 licenses in a
day](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37556324)**:

The discussion mainly revolves around the use-case for WinRAR software
in 2023 and whether it\'s worth purchasing a license for those who
prefer to use other compression tools like 7zip, zip, or tar. Some
reasons given for using WinRAR include better .tar.gz handling, recovery
records for data recovery, support for more NTFS attributes and
features, and a generally better user interface compared to some
alternatives. However, the conversation also mentions that most people
who use compression tools nowadays are satisfied with 7zip or other free
options available in various platforms.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[What If OpenDocument Used
SQLite?](https://www.sqlite.org/affcase1.html)**:

This article explores the idea of using SQLite database in place of ZIP
archive for OpenDocument format, specifically in ODP files. The benefits
suggested include smaller documents, faster save and load times, less
memory usage, document versioning, and better user experience. Using
SQLite provides capabilities such as incremental updates, start-up speed
improvement, memory footprint reduction, and improved accessibility to
the content. The article also touches on advanced features like built-in
document versioning and crash recovery, but emphasizes that it is a
thought experiment and does not propose actually changing the
OpenDocument format. Instead, it serves as an example of how SQLite can
improve application file formats in general.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Your Brain Is Not an Onion With a Tiny Reptile
Inside](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0963721420917687)**:

In this article, the author argues that there is a widespread
misconception in much of psychology regarding nervous-system evolution.
The belief that newer brain structures were added over existing older
ones is discredited among neurobiologists and stands in contrast to the
clear and unanimous agreement on these issues among those studying
nervous-system evolution. This incorrect view may have impeded progress
in psychology, and the author urges psychologists to abandon this
mistaken view of human brains. The article describes a more accurate
model of neural evolution and provides examples of how this inaccurate
view has impacted psychological research. It also discusses potential
benefits to psychological science if psychologists changed their
mistaken views of brain evolution, such as integrative and generative
research that could better understand the general principles by which
animals make decisions about opportunity costs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Lago Blog - The 4 biggest problems with homemade billing
systems](https://www.getlago.com/blog/the-4-biggest-problems-with-homemade-billing-systems)**:

The article discusses the challenges faced while designing the billing
system for a B2B neobank, Qonto. The author, Vincent Pochet, highlights
that building a custom billing system is not only time-consuming but
also requires ongoing maintenance and scalability as user base grows or
introduces new features. He shares his experience of working at Qonto,
where they faced issues like pricing changes, grandfathering existing
plans, and staffing an entire team dedicated to the project. The article
concludes with a warning not to build a custom billing system if
there\'s an alternative available, as it becomes increasingly complex
and resource-intensive over time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Ungewöhnliches Hobby: Hier rockt eine Stuttgarter Polizistin die
Bühne](https://m.bild.de/regional/stuttgart/stuttgart-aktuell/ungewoehnliches-hobby-hier-rockt-eine-stuttgarter-polizistin-die-buehne-85436336.bildMobile.html?t_ref=https://www.bild.de/regional/stuttgart/stuttgart-aktuell/ungewoehnliches-hobby-hier-rockt-eine-stuttgarter-polizistin-die-buehne-85436336.bild.html)**:

Police officer Aurelia Hildebrandt, aged 38, ensures that the streets of
Stuttgart remain quiet and well-mannered during her working hours.
However, in her free time, she creates a significant amount of noise and
sings loudly on stage. She recently performed as a singer at the
Europa-Park Teatro. When asked if she might pursue singing full-time,
Hildebrandt laughs and denies it, saying that she loves her job as a
police officer because there\'s always action involved. She has always
admired police officers since childhood and finds her career more secure
financially than relying solely on performance income.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Blocking Visual Studio Code embedded reverse shell before it\'s too
late](https://ipfyx.fr/post/visual-studio-code-tunnel/)**:

Since July 2023, Microsoft has offered a reverse shell feature within
Visual Studio Code, a widely used development tool. Users with a GitHub
account can share their desktop on the web using just a few clicks. The
Visual Studio Code tunnel is considered a \"living off-the-land binary\"
(Lolbin), which allows attackers to expose sensitive data through
authentication that the user does not control or supervise. This opens
up internal networks to external threats and remote access.

To mitigate this issue, it\'s essential to block domains such as
global.rel.tunnels.api.visualstudio.com and \*.devtunnels.ms.
Additionally, using Microsoft Applocker technology with custom rules can
help prevent the execution of Visual Studio Code or other related
applications that could potentially be targeted for reverse shell
attacks. Regular monitoring of network traffic and file creation within
the UserProfile directory is also recommended to detect any suspicious
activity.

In conclusion, while the Visual Studio Code tunnel feature offers
convenience for developers, its security implications should not be
overlooked. Implementing appropriate security measures is crucial in
protecting networks and data from potential attacks leveraging this
vulnerability.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Why Scalpers Can Get Olivia Rodrigo Tickets and You
Can\'t](https://www.404media.co/why-scalpers-can-get-olivia-rodrigo-tickets-and-fans-cannot/)**:

To address ticket scalping and Ticketmaster\'s role in it, it would be
important to implement stricter security measures to prevent scalpers
from creating multiple accounts, using automated scripts to bypass
restrictions, and reselling tickets they do not own. This could involve
developing advanced anti-scalper algorithms, implementing stronger
verification processes for credit card information, and making efforts
to crack down on the sale of specialized internet browsers used by
scalpers. Additionally, promoting transparent ticket pricing and more
accessibility during presale events can help ensure fans get their
tickets fairly. Overall, a combination of technical improvements and
consumer awareness may significantly reduce the impact of ticket
scalping in the future.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Woman loses over \$44k after downloading third-party app to buy
fish](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/woman-loses-over-44k-after-downloading-third-party-app-to-buy-fish)**:

A Singapore woman lost \$44,487 after her Android phone and banking
details were hacked by scammers through a third-party app she downloaded
to order grouper fillets for \$10. The victim, Jacqueline Khoo,
contacted the seafood supplier from Facebook, who instructed her to
download the app. After downloading it, scammers increased her credit
limits and stole money from her accounts. She later discovered her phone
felt hot, and her bank account was empty. This type of scam has become
increasingly common, with 22,339 cases reported in Singapore during
January to June 2023, up 64.5% from the previous year.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**['Capitalism is dead. Now we have something much worse': Yanis
Varoufakis on extremism, Starmer, and the tyranny of big
tech](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/24/yanis-varoufakis-technofeudalism-capitalism-ukraine-interview)**:

Yanis Varoufakis, a charismatic left-wing firebrand and former finance
minister of Greece, discusses his new book \"Technofeudalism: What
Killed Capitalism\" in an article. The book explores the idea that
capitalism has been replaced with something even worse - an era of
servitude to tech giants like Facebook\'s Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla\'s
Elon Musk, which he calls \"Technofeudalism\". Varoufakis argues that
these technological fiefdoms are a form of feudalism where individuals
are charged rent, rather than creating capital. He compares the current
situation to an era of privatized digital landscapes and gatekeepers
charging rent, as opposed to the production of value by individuals or
companies. This concept raises questions about traditional distinctions
between left and right in politics, and whether these categories still
make sense in light of new power structures in today\'s world.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[I downgraded to an iPhone 11 Pro Max -- and I\'m not missing
much](https://9to5mac.com/2023/08/02/using-iphone-11-pro-max-in-2023/)**:

The article discusses the author\'s experience of downgrading from an
iPhone 14 Pro Max to an iPhone 11 Pro Max due to display burn-in.
Despite initial concerns about the performance, design, and features,
the author finds that they are content with using the older model. They
note that most new iPhone features introduced over the years have been
more cosmetic rather than revolutionary, with many people still happy
using their older iPhones for longer periods.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[The myth of the myth of learning
styles](https://nedbatchelder.com/blog/202309/the_myth_of_the_myth_of_learning_styles.html)**:

The article discusses debunking the \"learning styles\" myth but
emphasizes the importance of individuals choosing their own learning
methods and strategies based on personal preferences and needs. It
stresses the need to actively engage in the learning process and
consider various options for effective education.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[The vital art of talking to
strangers](https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/07/10/the-vital-art-of-talking-to-strangers)**:

The three books discussed in this article - \"Hello, Stranger\" by Will
Buckingham, \"The Power of Strangers\" by Joe Keohane, and \"Fractured\"
by Jon Yates - all explore the various attitudes towards strangers
throughout life. These books provide insight into the importance of
engaging with new people through meaningful conversations, while also
addressing the difficulties in doing so due to societal divisions and
self-segregation that have emerged in modern Western societies. They
highlight how the COVID-19 pandemic has further atrophied social skills
for many individuals but emphasize the significance of restoring a
freedom to connect with those who are profoundly different as
restrictions lift.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Flowers are starting to spread in Antarctica and experts say that\'s
not good
news](https://www.unilad.com/news/world-news/antarctica-flowers-spread-climate-change-828134-20230922)**:

Antarctic plant growth has been accelerating due to climate change,
according to recent research conducted at the University of Insubria in
Italy. The study measured the growth of two native species, Antarctic
hair grass and Antarctic pearlwort, on Signy Island over a decade
(2009-2019) and compared these results with surveys dating back 50
years. It found that these plants had grown significantly faster in the
recent decade as temperatures rose, which could signify a \"tipping
point\" for Antarctic ecosystems. The researchers acknowledged that
there may be other factors affecting plant growth but highlighted that
climate change is clear factor.

------------------------------------------------------------------------