---
blogpost: true
date: 25.3.2024
author: Tobias
location: Stuttgart
category: links, 2024
tags: links, 2024
language: Deutsch
---
# Links für 2024 KW 12
Zusammengefasst von
[LlongOrca](https://huggingface.co/TheBloke/LlongOrca-13B-16K-GGUF).
**[The Luddite\'s Guide to Defending Cash (Part
1)](https://www.asomo.co/p/the-luddites-guide-to-defending-physical-cash)**:
This article discusses the concerns around the transition to a cashless
society and how digital payments systems could potentially create
problems such as centralization of power, surveillance, and exclusion.
The author argues that cash is essential for maintaining balance in
various aspects of society and serves as an inclusive mode of payment.
It also highlights the importance of preserving the autonomy and public
nature of payments systems while recognizing the benefits of digital
technology.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[To Delay Death, Lift
Weights](https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/delay-death-lift-weights/?scope=anon)**:
This article discusses the importance of strength training and its
benefits for overall health and mortality rates. Two studies highlighted
in the article found that individuals who engaged in strength-training
exercises, regardless of whether they were gym-based or bodyweight
exercises, had reduced risks of death and improved quality of life. The
article emphasizes that function matters more than appearance when it
comes to muscle mass and that maintaining a reasonable amount of muscle
is important for aging adults. Furthermore, the article suggests that
meeting both aerobic and strength-training guidelines may yield the best
overall health outcomes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Only walking for exercise? Here's how to get the most out of
it](https://theconversation.com/only-walking-for-exercise-heres-how-to-get-the-most-out-of-it-224159)**:
The current gap between life expectancy and health-adjusted life
expectancy is about ten years, meaning many people live with significant
health problems in their later years. To increase our healthspan, we
need planned, structured, and regular physical activity or exercise. Yet
few people meet the recommended strength training guidelines. Walking is
a cost-effective and accessible form of exercise but does not typically
work as muscle-strengthening exercise. Eccentric walking, which
incorporates deep lunges into conventional walking, has been found to
improve lower limb muscle strength, balance, and cognitive function in
older adults. This form of walking may extend healthspan by improving
muscle strength, preventing muscle wasting, and enhancing other
functions such as balance and flexibility.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[If you watched certain YouTube videos, investigators demanded your
data from
Google](https://mashable.com/article/google-ordered-to-hand-over-viewer-data-privacy-concerns)**:
Google was ordered to hand over user data from YouTube accounts that
watched specific videos related to a criminal investigation involving
cryptocurrency laundering. The federal investigators argued that the
request was legally justified, but privacy experts are concerned about
the precedent it creates and potential violations of the first and
fourth amendments. This order raises questions over Google\'s
data-sharing policies and transparency in relation to law enforcement
requests for user information.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Your customers hate MVPs. Make a SLC
instead.](https://longform.asmartbear.com/slc/)**:
The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) has been a popular method for product
teams, but it can be selfish and harmful to customers. SLC (Simple,
Lovable, and Complete) is an alternative philosophy that focuses on
delivering fast, validated learning while pleasing the customer. MVPs
often prioritize utility over the customer experience. The SLC approach
involves creating products that are simple, lovable, and complete, even
if they don\'t include every feature or have all the bells and whistles
of more complex products. This method ensures that customers get value
from the product while allowing for potential growth in future versions
without being forced to continually invest in additional features.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Microsoft\'s Latest Windows Update Plagues Users with Annoying Bing
Advertisements](https://www.pcgamer.com/software/windows/the-new-windows-update-made-me-think-id-installed-malware-but-it-was-just-microsofts-latest-attempt-to-try-and-fool-me-into-using-bing/)**:
The latest Windows update has been causing frustration among users due
to the addition of pop-up ads in Google Chrome, promoting Microsoft\'s
Bing search engine and BingAI. Users have reported seeing multiple
instances of these adverts, which appear in the bottom right corner of
the browser. This is not the first time Microsoft has employed such
tactics; they previously inserted similar pop-ups into Windows 10 and
11, but later removed them due to \"unintended behavior.\" The company
claims that this is a one-time notification allowing users the choice to
set Bing as their default search engine on Chrome. However, many users
express annoyance with Microsoft\'s constant attempts to persuade them
into using its services and products over others.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[🐶 Bark](https://github.com/suno-ai/bark#%EF%B8%8F-details)**:
The article discusses Bark, an open-source text-to-speech+ model
developed by Suno that can generate multilingual speech and other audio
content such as music, background noise, simple sound effects, and
nonverbal communications like laughing, sighing, and crying. It has been
created for research purposes and is available under the MIT License for
commercial use. The model supports 100+ speaker presets across various
languages and can also generate unique random voices that fit input
text. However, it\'s worth noting that Bark may deviate in unexpected
ways from provided prompts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Build time is a collective
responsibility](https://yoyo-code.com/build-time-is-collective-responsibility/)**:
This article discusses the topic of compile time and mismatched
expectations in programming languages like Rust. The author emphasizes
that build times are not solely the responsibility of language
developers but also the responsibility of programmers to understand
their tools and use them properly. The article provides examples of how
build time issues can be addressed through proper code structure,
feature usage, and understanding of compiler limitations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[How ML Model Data Poisoning Works in 5
Minutes](https://journal.hexmos.com/training-data-poisoning/?src=hn)**:
Training data poisoning is an attack type common in Large Language
Models (LLMs), where harmful data is injected during the training phase,
causing the model to generate wrong results. This compromises the model
and application, leading to risks like performance degradation,
downstream software exploitation, and reputational damage. Data
poisoning attacks are difficult to detect and fix, as they happen over
time, making it hard to trace root causes. Developers need to focus on
measures that either block attack attempts or detect malicious inputs
before the next training cycle. They should also establish access
controls on internal model registries and limit the public release of
technical project details.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Why 18-year-old Canadian Emily Nash is sharing her unique brain with
science](https://www.ctvnews.ca/w5/why-18-year-old-canadian-emily-nash-is-sharing-her-unique-brain-with-science-1.6818765)**:
An 18-year-old girl from near Ottawa, Emily Nash, has been identified as
having highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM), a rare condition
that allows her to remember events with remarkable accuracy. This makes
Emily one of the youngest people in the world to have such an
extraordinary super memory. Emily learned about her condition after
being tested by researchers at Northwestern University and Texas State
University. She has been able to recall dates, personal experiences, and
verifiable events from a single date with impressive accuracy.
Researchers are now studying HSAM in hopes of understanding more about
memory loss and dementia.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Be more lucky](https://newsletter.pnote.eu/p/be-more-lucky)**:
The article discusses a study by Richard Wieseman from the University of
Hertfordshire on luck and how it can be considered as a skill. People
who are considered \"lucky\" tend to notice opportunities more often due
to their relaxed and soft-focused approach, while those who view
themselves as \"unlucky\" miss such opportunities because they are too
focused on specific goals or tasks. The article suggests that there
might be an opportunity for a product or app that increases serendipity
in people\'s lives by helping them become more open to unforeseen events
and chances.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Do Ten Times as
Much](https://www.betonit.ai/p/do-ten-times-as-much)**:
The article discusses how fluency in a foreign language is achievable
through significantly increased practice and effort compared to typical
learners. It highlights the importance of immersion and dedicating more
time and resources to one\'s goals, such as learning a new language or
achieving success in a career. The author also emphasizes the need for
prioritizing one\'s time and resources on essential objectives, rather
than spreading them thin among many pursuits.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Programmers are bad at managing
state](https://nolanlawson.com/2020/12/29/programmers-are-bad-at-managing-state/)**:
The article discusses how programmers are often bad at managing state in
their software, leading to errors, crashes, and freezes when the user
interacts with the program in various ways. \"Turning it off and on
again\" is suggested as a solution because it puts the software back
into its original state that the programmer intended. The article also
mentions examples of cleaning up cache or data files, uninstalling
programs, and using features like Mozilla\'s Refresh Firefox to start
from scratch as ways to fix misbehaving devices or applications.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[tinyssh.org](https://tinyssh.org/)**:
TinySSH is a minimalistic SSH server that implements only a subset of
SSHv2 features with fewer than 100,000 words of code and no dynamic
memory allocation. It has simple configuration, uses its own crypto
library compatible with NaCl and Libsodium, and supports public-key
authentication only. TinySSH can be compiled using primitives from the
NaCl library for added speed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Playground bullies do prosper -- and go on to earn more in middle
age](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/24/playground-bullies-do-prosper-and-go-on-to-earn-more-in-middle-age)**:
A five-decade study found that children who displayed aggressive
behavior at school, such as bullying or temper outbursts, are likely to
earn more money in middle age. The researchers from the Institute for
Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex used data about
almost 7,000 people born in 1970, whose lives were tracked by the
British Cohort Study. The study found that aggressive behavior in school
was associated with higher earnings later in life, and children who had
attention problems or emotional instability earned less in adulthood.
The researchers suggest that policymakers should recognize the
importance of socio-emotional skills in schools and implement policies
to support them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Welcome - Dead Man\'s Switch](https://www.deadmansswitch.net/)**:
The Dead Man\'s Switch is an electronic service designed to send
messages to chosen recipients in case something happens to the user.
Users write emails, choose recipients, and set intervals for when the
service will check if they are alive. If no response is received from
the user within a specified time period, the stored messages are sent to
the recipients. The service has both free and premium options with
varying message limits and customization capabilities.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Global trends in incidence, death, burden and risk factors of
early-onset cancer from 1990 to
2019](https://bmjoncology.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000049#DC1)**:
This study aimed to explore the global burden of early-onset cancer
based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study for 29 cancers
worldwide. The analysis showed that the global incidence and number of
early-onset cancer deaths increased significantly from 1990 to 2019,
with notable variations in mortality and DALYs between areas, countries,
sex and cancer types. High-middle and middle Sociodemographic Index
(SDI) regions had the highest burden of early-onset cancer. The study
also identified dietary risk factors, alcohol consumption, and tobacco
use as the main risk factors underlying early-onset cancers. The authors
concluded that it is necessary to conduct prospective life-course cohort
studies to explore the aetiologies of early-onset cancers, and each
country should adjust their prevention strategies based on the
characteristics of early-onset cancer. Encouraging a healthy lifestyle
could reduce early-onset cancer disease burden.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Large Grocers Took Advantage of Pandemic Supply Chain Disruptions,
F.T.C.
Finds](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/us/politics/grocery-prices-pandemic-ftc.html)**:
A report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suggests that large
grocery retailers took advantage of supply chain disruptions during the
pandemic to beat out smaller rivals and protect their profits. The
report found that some large firms \"accelerated and distorted\" the
effects of supply chain snarls by pressuring suppliers to favor them
over competitors. Food and beverage retailers posted strong profits
during the pandemic, casting doubt on assertions that higher grocery
prices were simply due to rising costs for retailers. The FTC\'s actions
are helping bolster the Biden administration\'s efforts to address
rising prices and tackle food companies that engage in
\"shrinkflation.\"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[The World's Biggest Crisis Is the End of
Scarcity](https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/16/end-of-scarcity-crisis-growth-war/)**:
The article discusses how the era of plenty has created global problems
that plague humanity today, such as climate change and pandemic
diseases. It highlights five revolutionary shifts responsible for the
creation of our present age of plenty: voluntary demographic compression
in the developed world, an economic-technological revolution, an
information revolution, leaders creating domestic and international
governing institutions, and groundbreaking new military capabilities.
The article argues that these developments have generated significant
problems of plenty, including climate change, pandemic diseases,
stratospheric ozone depletion, ecological crises, and more. However, it
also notes the possibility for hope in humanity\'s ability to adapt and
find solutions amidst these challenges.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Mit gefälschten Keycards: Hacker können weltweit Millionen von
Hoteltüren
öffnen](https://www.golem.de/news/mit-gefaelschten-keycards-hacker-koennen-weltweit-millionen-von-hoteltueren-oeffnen-2403-183478.html)**:
Eine Gruppe von Sicherheitsforschern hat die Entdeckung mehrerer unter
dem Namen Unsaflok zusammengefasster Schwachstellen bekannt gegeben, mit
denen sich anhand gefälschter Schlüsselkarten weltweit Millionen von
Hoteltüren unbefugnt öffnen lassen. Die betroffenen RFID-Schlösser seien
in über drei Millionen Türen in mehr als 13.000 Gebäuden in 131 Ländern
eingesetzt. Um Unsaflok anzuwenden, müsste ein Angreifer eine beliebige
Schlüsselkarte aus dem jeweiligen Gebäude auslesen und kopieren. Ein
Paar gefälschter Keycards reiche aus, um jede beliebige Tür im Gebäude
zu öffnen. Teure Spezialausrüstung ist für die Fälschungen nicht
erforderlich. Lediglich rund 36 Prozent der betroffenen Schlösser seien
aktualisiert oder ersetzt worden.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Ohrfeige für SAP: Anwender wollen nicht in die Cloud, KI-Strategie zu
unklar](https://www.heise.de/news/Anwender-fremdeln-weiterhin-mit-SAPs-Cloud-Strategie-9663103.html?view=print)**:
The latest DSAG survey confirms that cloud-based operations models for
S/4HANA are still playing a secondary role among SAP users in the DACH
region. For the first time, the German-speaking SAP User Group (DSAG)
surveyed its DACH member companies regarding their assessment of
S/4HANA\'s cloud strategy as part of its latest investment report. The
results were disastrous for Walldorf-based software company SAP, with
only 13% of respondents giving a positive opinion. Nearly half the
respondents expressed negative views about the cloud ERP policy of their
in-house supplier. However, the survey was conducted partly before the
launch of the Rise with SAP Migration and Modernization program. It
remains to be seen whether promised high discounts would make switching
to the cloud more attractive for existing customers.
At present, cloud-based operation models still play a secondary role in
S/4HANA, although usage has increased compared to last year. According
to the survey, only 11% are using the private cloud variant and 6%
public cloud. Many of the surveyed companies want to remain on their SAP
ERP systems rather than migrating to the cloud, as they did not see any
benefits in doing so at the time of the survey.
Despite the skepticism towards the cloud, SAP remains relevant for
users, with more than half expecting its importance to remain unchanged
over the coming years.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[China's Age of
Malaise](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/10/30/chinas-age-of-malaise)**:
This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of
China under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, exploring various
aspects such as economic growth, political climate, cultural shifts, and
international relations. The author discusses how Xi\'s policies have
led to a return to autocratic rule, with increased control over the
media, thought work, and personal freedoms. This has resulted in a
growing discontent among the younger generation, leading to phrases like
\"lying flat\" and a rise in emigration.
The article also delves into China\'s economic challenges, including a
slowdown in growth, high levels of debt, and the impact of the
zero-COVID policy on businesses and individuals. It highlights how these
issues have affected different segments of society, from entrepreneurs
to women and young people. The author further touches upon the potential
for conflict with the United States, given China\'s growing military
assertiveness and the U.S.\'s measures to counteract its technological
advancements.
In conclusion, the article suggests that while China may face
significant challenges in the coming years, it remains a formidable
global power with the potential to influence international affairs
significantly. The author encourages a nuanced understanding of these
developments, recognizing the complex interplay between economic,
political, and social factors shaping China\'s future.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[1771102415279763909](https://twstalker.com/videolan/status/1771102415279763909)**:
The thread discusses the issue with updating VLC on Android, as Google
refuses to let them update unless they provide their private signing
keys or drop support for Android TV before API-30. This would prevent
users on older devices from receiving fixes and updates. It highlights
that millions of people use Android TV versions below API-30, causing
concerns about the lack of available solutions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[The \"current branch\" in
git](https://jvns.ca/blog/2024/03/22/the-current-branch-in-git/)**:
This article discusses the various definitions and interpretations of
the \"current branch\" in Git. It highlights four possible definitions:
what\'s in .git/HEAD, what git status says on the first line, what you
most recently checked out with git checkout or git switch, and what\'s
in your shell\'s git prompt. The article then presents six different
scenarios that show how these definitions apply to each situation. It
concludes by discussing some other \"current branch\" definitions and
notes on orphaned commits.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Why You Hear Voices in Your White Noise
Machine](https://www.wired.com/story/why-you-hear-voices-white-noise/)**:
The article discusses the phenomenon of hearing things in white noise or
other continuous noises, which is known as auditory pareidolia or
auditory hallucinations. It explains that this occurs when one\'s brain
tries to make sense of a pattern-matching sound, and can be experienced
by people who listen to noise machines or use such sounds for masking
purposes. The article debunks the fear that these experiences might
indicate schizophrenia, as they are not hallucinations but rather
illusions created by the brain. To differentiate between an auditory
pareidolia and a potential psychological issue, the article suggests
trying to cover one\'s ears to determine if the sound is coming from
outside one\'s head or not.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Datenleck bei beliebter KiTa-App Stay
Informed](https://www.heise.de/news/Datenleck-bei-beliebter-KiTa-App-Stay-Informed-9662578.html?view=print)**:
The app \"Stay Informed\" experienced a data leak, potentially affecting
over 800,000 users in over 11,000 childcare centers, nurseries, and
schools across the German-speaking region. The app is used by these
institutions to communicate with parents or guardians digitally,
offering features such as term management, messaging, and a chat
function. Stay Informed GmbH, the company behind the app, emphasizes
data protection and security for its customers, conducting regular
penetration tests and working with IT security experts to ensure a
secure solution. The data leak exposed personal information including
names, birthdates, addresses, vaccinations, religions, legal guardians,
emergency contacts, class teachers, and more. Stay Informed GmbH has
reported the issue to relevant authorities and ensured that all affected
parties are informed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[E-waste is growing 5x faster than it\'s recycled, says
UN](https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/21/ewaste_grows/)**:
According to a United Nations report, electronic waste is being
generated almost five times faster than it is being recycled using
documented methods. The economic impact of e-waste recycling includes
benefits such as avoided greenhouse gas emissions and recovered
materials like gold, copper, and iron. However, it also comes with costs
associated with e-waste treatment and externalized costs to people and
the environment. Annual generation of e-waste is growing at a rate of
2.6 million metric tons per year and is expected to reach 82 million
tons by 2030. The report calls for stronger formal e-waste management
and policy initiatives to promote renewable energy without undermining
environmental concerns.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Employer Review Site Glassdoor Deanonymized Users Without
Consent](https://restoreprivacy.com/employer-review-site-glassdoor-deanonymized-users-without-consent/)**:
Glassdoor users have reported changes in its privacy policy that include
publishing people\'s real names and locations on their profiles without
securing consent. The platform allows employees to submit anonymous
reviews about their experiences working for a company, which helps job
seekers make decisions and employees improve on key areas. However,
recent changes threaten the anonymity of reviewers, potentially leading
to legal trouble, blacklisting, or firing. Glassdoor\'s support team
informed users that real names cannot be removed, and deleting the
account merely deactivates it; a form must be submitted for complete
erasure of personal data.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[A cargo ship's 'WindWing' sails saved it up to 12 tons of fuel per
day](https://www.ajot.com/news/a-cargo-ships-windwing-sails-saved-it-up-to-12-tons-of-fuel-per-day)**:
A shipping vessel named Pyxis Ocean MC Shipping Kamsarmax left China for
Brazil with a pair of 123-feet tall, solid \"wings\" retrofitted atop
its deck to harness wind power for propulsion assistance. After its
six-week maiden voyage testing the green energy technology, the vessel
had many more trips ahead of it. Six months later, Pyxis Ocean
reportedly saved an average of 3.3 tons of fuel each day, and in optimal
weather conditions, reduced fuel consumption by over 12 tons a day,
resulting in an average of 14% less greenhouse gas emissions from the
ship. The WindWing sails could offer a promising way to reduce existing
vessels\' emissions, with an equally sized ship outfitted with two
WindWings potentially saving the same amount of emissions as removing
480 cars from roads annually. Cargill is working on ways for all
wind-assisted propulsion vessels to operate on global trade routes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[An Introduction to Modern CMake · Modern
CMake](https://cliutils.gitlab.io/modern-cmake/)**:
This article discusses the importance of good build systems and how
Modern CMake is a powerful and elegant solution for many problems faced
by developers. CMake 3.5+ or even 3.28+ allows developers to spend more
time coding rather than maintaining unreadable Make files. The article
also mentions various advantages of using CMake, such as support from
all major IDEs, compatibility with multiple OSs and compilers,
integration with libraries and tools, and the use of a debugger. It
encourages developers to consider Modern CMake for their projects to
improve build efficiency and maintainability.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Using Termux on Android for Self Hosting? Yes, really. -- The Thin
Computer](https://web.archive.org/web/20240321202358/https://thin.computer/index.php/2024/03/21/using-termux-on-android-for-self-hosting-yes-really/)**:
This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to set up a web server
on an old Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra using the F-Droid app, Termux, and
Let\'s Encrypt for SSL certificates. The setup is small, performant,
produces little heat, and is incredibly quiet. To ensure the phone
doesn\'t lag out, you can enable wake on lock in the battery and power
settings of your device.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[using-termux-on-android-for-self-hosting-yes-really](https://thin.computer/index.php/2024/03/21/using-termux-on-android-for-self-hosting-yes-really/)**:
This article demonstrates how to set up a web server using Termux on an
Android device, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. The author shares
their experience and provides step-by-step instructions for setting up
F-Droid, enabling installations from unknown sources, installing
Apache2, OpenSSH, and Let\'s Encrypt to secure the server with SSL
certificates. Port forwarding is also discussed, as well as wake on lock
to prevent the device from lagging due to idle power management
settings.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[New studies suggest millions with mild cognitive impairment go
undiagnosed, often until it's too
late](https://theconversation.com/new-studies-suggest-millions-with-mild-cognitive-impairment-go-undiagnosed-often-until-its-too-late-216892)**:
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an early stage of dementia, remains
underdiagnosed in people aged 65 and older, according to two studies.
Using Medicare data from 2015 to 2019 for about 40 million
beneficiaries, researchers estimated that approximately 7.4 million
cases remained undiagnosed. A second study revealed that over 99% of
primary care clinicians underdiagnosed MCI in this population. Mild
cognitive impairment can sometimes be caused by easily addressable
factors and is the early symptom of Alzheimer\'s disease for about half
of cases, progressing to dementia at a rate of 10-15% per year. In 2023,
the FDA approved lecanemab as the first disease-modifying treatment for
Alzheimer\'s disease, which reduces amyloid plaques in the brain.
However, its use is limited to early stages of the disease.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[How Chain-of-Thought Reasoning Helps Neural Networks Compute \|
Quanta
Magazine](https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-chain-of-thought-reasoning-helps-neural-networks-compute-20240321/)**:
Researchers have explored the power of chain-of-thought reasoning in
large language models like ChatGPT, using techniques from computational
complexity theory. This approach helps to understand the intrinsic
capabilities and limitations of these models and may point toward new
approaches for building them. Recent work indicates that transformers
can only solve harder problems at the cost of a lot of computational
effort, which highlights the importance of understanding their
limitations in real-world applications.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Navigating the World of Large Language
Models](https://www.bentoml.com/blog/navigating-the-world-of-large-language-models)**:
This article discusses the rapid development and release of large
language models (LLMs) in recent times, with many available options for
various tasks like text generation and code-writing. It emphasizes the
importance of understanding each model\'s features and how they can be
used effectively across a broad spectrum of applications. The article
lists several popular LLMs such as Llama 2, Mixtral 8x7B, Zephyr 7B,
SOLAR 10.7B, and Code Llama, highlighting their specific capabilities
and the reasons to use them. It also addresses potential challenges and
ethical considerations when deploying these models at scale in
production environments.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[A new type of bacteria was found in 50% of colon cancers. Many were
aggressive
cases.](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/aggressive-colon-cancer-newly-identified-bacteria-found-half-tumors-ma-rcna144164)**:
A study published in the journal Nature found that a type of bacteria,
Fusobacterium nucleatum, which causes dental plaque, may be responsible
for a treatment-resistant form of colorectal cancer. The particular
bacterium was discovered to shield tumor cells from cancer-fighting
drugs and could potentially pave the way for new treatments and
screening methods. Colon cancer is currently the second-leading cause of
cancer deaths in the United States, with rates rising sharply among
younger people.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[The Real C++ Killers (Not You,
Rust)](https://wordsandbuttons.online/the_real_cpp_killers.html)**:
The article discusses three technologies that threaten to replace C++:
Words and Buttons Online, a platform offering interactive tutorials and
demos on mathematics, algorithms, and programming; Spiral, an
optimization tool for high-level algorithm descriptions; and Numba, a
Python library that compiles abstract syntax trees with any backend it
has. The author argues that these tools are more efficient than C++ and
are already making it obsolete in practice.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[\"So lassen wir mit uns nicht umgehen\": 25.000 Bosch-Mitarbeiter
gegen
Stellenabbau](https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/bosch-stellenabbau-proteste-betriebsrat-berichtet-schlechte-stimmung-102.html)**:
Despite increasing profits, Bosch is planning to reduce its global
workforce by 7,000 employees, with the majority of these cuts happening
within Germany. Despite thousands of protesting workers and opposition
from management, the company intends to continue with its downsizing
plans as they claim it is necessary for their competitiveness in the
market. Employees have voiced concerns about job security, future
innovations, and social responsibility, while the company emphasizes
that discussions are ongoing regarding potential social-friendly
solutions such as early retirement options and qualification programs
for growth areas.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Apple could be in trouble over security warnings, as well as Core
Technology
Fee](https://9to5mac.com/2024/03/20/core-technology-fee-and-security-warnings/)**:
Apple\'s Core Technology Fee (CTF) is being scrutinized by the EU as a
possible hindrance for indie developers whose apps go viral. The fee
requires developers selling their apps outside the App Store to pay
€0.50 per install per year once an app exceeds one million installs.
Riley Testut, creator of AltStore, raised concerns about this, as he
owed Apple €5 million in fees due to his 10 million downloads. The EU is
investigating the CTF and its potential impact on developers.
Additionally, the EU\'s antitrust chief criticized Apple\'s security
warnings against alternative app stores as \"unwise.\"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Redis Adopts Dual Source-Available Licensing \|
Redis](https://redis.com/blog/redis-adopts-dual-source-available-licensing/)**:
Redis has announced that its future releases will continue to offer free
and permissive use of the source code under dual RSALv2 (Redis Source
Available License) and SSPLv1 licenses, combining advanced data types
and processing engines previously only available in Redis Stack.
Starting with Redis 7.4, Redis will be dual-licensed under these two
licenses instead of the three-clause Berkeley Software Distribution
(BSD). The source code will remain freely available to developers,
customers, and partners through Redis Community Edition, while managed
service providers and system integrators can continue to enjoy exclusive
access to all future features. This change aims to balance making the
Redis source code broadly available, supporting the developer community
with minimal limitations, and protecting the ability to invest in
feature-rich software and enterprise products.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Trailing Dots in Domain
Names](http://www.dns-sd.org/trailingdotsindomainnames.html)**:
The article explains that fully-qualified domain names should have a dot
at the end and are unambiguous. Ambiguity arises when the dot is left
out, as it may be completed using the user\'s current DNS searchlist.
This can result in wasted time and potential security risks. Most
Bonjour (DNS-SD) software uses fully-qualified domain names with a dot
at the end to avoid such issues. The article also highlights that web
browsers should use the fully-qualified domain name from the DNS
searchlist when constructing URLs, instead of what the user types in the
address bar.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[The kids are not okay. New data shows Canadians under-30 'very
unhappy' - National \|
Globalnews.ca](https://globalnews.ca/news/10372813/canada-world-happiness-report-2024/)**:
The 2024 World Happiness Report shows that Canadians have dropped in
happiness rankings due to decreasing overall life expectations, with
youth being the most unhappy age group. Canada fell two spots this year,
ranking 15th overall. This is the first time rankings have been given
based on age group and happiness among youth has fallen sharply in North
America. Reasons for decreased happiness among the younger generation
include feeling less support from family and friends, a lack of trust in
government, more stress and anxiety, and the cost of living.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Electric car battery prices are going back down faster than
expected](https://electrek.co/2023/11/20/electric-car-battery-prices-are-going-back-down-faster/)**:
Electric car battery prices are declining faster than expected,
according to Goldman Sachs. The financial firm updated its battery price
forecast, predicting that by 2025, prices will fall to \$99 per kilowatt
hour of storage capacity, a 40% decrease from 2022. This decline is
largely due to decreasing raw material prices such as lithium, nickel,
and cobalt. The firm believes that a significant price drop is coming in
2024, which could lead to increased competitiveness in EV pricing, more
extensive consumer adoption, and further growth in the total addressable
markets for EVs and batteries.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[is the job market
dying?](https://rachdele.substack.com/p/is-the-job-market-dying)**:
The article highlights how technology has contributed to making the
hiring process worse for both job seekers and employers. Job aggregator
sites have led to overwhelming numbers of applications, with some
candidates applying to hundreds or even thousands of positions without
hearing back. Employers are faced with an increasing number of
applicants who may be less likely to stay in their roles long-term due
to the ease of job hopping and remote work. Additionally, AI tools have
made it harder for employers to sift through applications, leading them
to rely on algorithms that may not always provide the most accurate or
fair results. The article suggests that a more targeted approach to
applying for jobs and focusing on networking can help candidates and
that there is potential for better solutions in the future.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Why did we wait so long for the
bicycle?](https://rootsofprogress.org/why-did-we-wait-so-long-for-the-bicycle)**:
The invention of the modern bicycle was not possible until the late
1800s due to advancements in technology, design iteration, quality of
roads, competition from horses, and general economic growth.
Improvements in metalworking, wheel technology, chains, gears, and ball
bearings were necessary for a commercially successful bicycle. The
concept of a human-powered vehicle goes back centuries, but it wasn\'t
until the 1800s that advances in materials and manufacturing made it
possible to create an efficient, comfortable, and safe bicycle design.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Return to office is a mistake for software
developers](https://www.infoworld.com/article/3714660/return-to-office-is-a-mistake.html)**:
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work, which
proved beneficial for many companies and employees. However, as the
pandemic subsides, some organizations are pushing for a return to office
(RTO) model, despite the advantages of working remotely. Software
developers have especially embraced remote work due to its benefits for
productivity and flexibility. Companies that do not recognize the value
of remote work risk losing top talent who seek out flexible employment
opportunities.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Honduras Ratchets Up Battle With Crypto-Libertarian Investors,
Rejects World Bank
Court](https://theintercept.com/2024/03/19/honduras-crypto-investors-world-bank-prospera/)**:
Honduran President Xiomara Castro has taken steps to withdraw Honduras
from the World Bank\'s International Centre for Settlement of Investment
Disputes (ICSID) following a move by American crypto investors
attempting to seize billions in public money from the Central American
nation. The investors are exploiting a dispute mechanism within the
World Bank, created by an obscure provision of the Central America Free
Trade Agreement. Castro has deemed the forum to be an illegitimate
usurpation of Honduran sovereignty. A group of prominent international
economists have applauded Castro\'s decision, calling it a \"critical
defence of Honduran democracy and an important step toward its
sustainable development.\"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[The Crime Rings Stealing Everything from Purses to Power
Tools](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/03/25/the-crime-rings-stealing-everything-from-purses-to-power-tools)**:
A group of detectives from the California Highway Patrol carried out a
nightlong surveillance and arrest operation at a Los Angeles-area Home
Depot store to identify and disrupt organized retail crime networks.
These criminal investigations often involve boosters who sell stolen
materials to fences, who in turn may unload the goods at swap meets or
stores where illicit items are \"washed\" by commingling them with
legitimate ones. In recent years, e-commerce platforms have led to a
rise in online sales of stolen merchandise, making it harder for law
enforcement agencies to track down organized retail crime networks. The
National Retail Federation (NRF) has reported that in 2021 retailers
suffered over \$90 billion in \"shrink,\" the term used for inventory
losses.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[GitHub Repos Unexpectedly Included in Controversial AI Training Data;
Users Urged to
Check](https://post.lurk.org/@emenel/112111014479288871)**:
The thread discusses the discovery that GitHub repositories, including
private ones, have been included in a large dataset called \"The Stack\"
and used as training data for AI models without consent from the
original developers. Users are urged to check if their code is present
in this dataset and remove it by following instructions provided on
. The issue raises
concerns about privacy, copyright, and ethical considerations
surrounding AI development and data usage.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Bug hunting in Btrfs -
tavianator.com](https://tavianator.com/2024/btrfs_bug.html)**:
The article discusses how the author encountered an error while
implementing multi-threaded stat() calls in bfs and experienced
filesystem corruption. After running benchmarks, they found that there
were no errors when they rebooted into a live environment and ran btrfs
check. Although it was initially assumed to be allocation of struct
extent_buffer, it turned out to be a race condition bug. The issue arose
from multiple threads trying to read an extent_buffer at the same time.
To fix this, the author proposed adding double-checked locking to avoid
unnecessary I/O and reduce the risk of data races.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Inserting 100k rows 66 times
faster](https://xnacly.me/posts/2024/faster-inserts/)**:
The article discusses the author\'s experience in implementing initial
data syncing logic for an offline application and the bottleneck they
faced with database abstraction taking 2 minutes to insert short of 750k
rows into a single database table. They initially used the spread
operator but encountered a stack overflow issue, causing them to look
elsewhere. After some testing, they discovered that bulk inserts
improved performance significantly, reducing runtime by up to 66x in
their real-world projects.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Kaspersky crimeware report: Android
malware](https://securelist.com/crimeware-report-android-malware/112121/)**:
This article discusses various types of Android malware discovered in
2023, including Tambir, Dwphon, and Gigabud. Tambir is an Android
backdoor that targets users in Turkey by collecting SMS messages,
keystrokes, etc., while Dwphon is a malware variant targeting mobile
phones of various Chinese OEM manufacturers. Gigabud is a Remote Access
Trojan (RAT) active since mid-2022, focused on stealing banking
credentials from individuals in Southeast Asia and mimicking local
airline apps or loan malware. In 2023, Kaspersky detected more than 1.3
million unique malicious installation packages targeting the Android
platform, with users advised to protect themselves by not downloading
apps from unofficial app marketplaces and carefully reviewing the
permissions that apps request.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Design is an
Island](https://tidyfirst.substack.com/p/design-is-an-island)**:
The article discusses how design is an optimization problem, comparing
it to walking an island where acceptable designs are like not getting
your feet wet. Changes that may be acceptable in certain periods could
be risky at other times, like during peak seasons for retailers. Designs
can be seen as an archipelago with different styles that cluster around
a few islands, influenced by factors such as performance and
reliability. The article also mentions tectonic changes in design due to
earthquakes or shifting needs, which may require underwater travel,
preparing for both overland and underwater travel for successful
software design.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[PFAS in blood are ubiquitous and are associated with an increased
risk of cardiovascular diseases, finds
study](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-pfas-blood-ubiquitous-cardiovascular-diseases.html)**:
The article discusses the potential harmful effects of per and
polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS), a class of more than 10,000
substances developed since the 1950s due to their water, fat, and
dirt-repellent properties. Despite being nearly non-degradable and
entering the human food chain through groundwater, PFAS are widely used
in cosmetics, dental floss, pan coatings, and fire-extinguishing foam. A
recent study conducted by researchers from DZNE and Leiden University
Medical Center shows that at the same PFAS concentration level, younger
subjects experience more adverse health effects than older ones. The
findings also suggest a correlation between low PFAS concentrations in
blood and harmful blood lipid profiles linked to cardiovascular risk.
The researchers believe this supports stricter regulation of PFAS to
protect human health.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[How Does Paris Stay Paris? By Pouring Billions Into Public
Housing](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/17/realestate/paris-france-housing-costs.html)**:
In Paris, an aggressive government plan aims to keep lower-income
residents and their businesses within the city by offering affordable
public housing options. One quarter of the French capital\'s residents
currently live in government-owned properties, with rents starting at
600 euros per month. The l\'Îlot Saint-Germain is a new public-housing
complex located in an upscale neighborhood that features amenities such
as a below-ground gymnasium and day care center. This initiative helps
maintain mixité sociale, or social diversity, within the city.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[DNA Tests Are Uncovering the True Prevalence of
Incest](https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2024/03/dna-tests-incest/677791/)**:
This article tells the story of Steve Edsel, who searched for his birth
mother using DNA tests and genetic genealogy techniques. He discovered
that his biological father was likely an incestuous relationship between
his birth mother and a close relative, which led to numerous health
concerns and emotional struggles in his life. The article also discusses
the increasing prevalence of cases involving closely related parents
discovered through genetic testing and the support group created by
genetic genealogist CeCe Moore for those affected by such revelations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Fish fed to farmed salmon should be part of our diet, too, study
suggests - Lancaster
University](https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/fish-fed-to-farmed-salmon-should-be-part-of-our-diet-too-study-suggests)**:
A study has found that consuming more wild fish, such as mackerel,
anchovies, and herring, which are often used within farmed salmon feeds,
could improve both diets and ocean sustainability. Scientists discovered
that farmed salmon production leads to an overall loss of essential
dietary nutrients. Researchers analyzed the flow of nutrients from wild
fish used as feed to the farmed salmon they were fed to and found a
decrease in six out of nine nutrients in the salmon fillet. They suggest
that eating more wild \'feed\' species directly could benefit health
while reducing aquaculture demand for finite marine resources.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[myme.no - Focus by
Automation](https://myme.no/posts/2024-03-19-focus-by-automation.html)**:
The article discusses the importance of automation and mastery for
software developers to save mental energy and maintain focus. It
emphasizes that investing time in learning organizational tools,
programming languages, and editors can reduce distractions and improve
overall productivity. Additionally, practicing typing and text
manipulation techniques such as vim motions or readline keybindings can
help optimize common paths and further automate tasks for increased
efficiency.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[ISP\'s Landmark Piracy Liability Case Doesn\'t Get a Do-Over in
Appeals Court \*
TorrentFreak](https://torrentfreak.com/isps-landmark-piracy-liability-case-doesnt-get-a-do-over-in-appeals-court-240320/)**:
In late 2019, Internet provider Cox Communications lost a legal battle
against major record labels and was ordered to pay \$1 billion in
damages due to its pirating subscribers. Following this, Cox launched
several challenges, including an appeal that led to the Court of Appeals
for the Fourth Circuit keeping the contributory copyright infringement
ruling intact but reversing a finding of vicarious copyright
infringement. Both parties requested a rehearing, with Cox seeking a
reversal of the contributory liability ruling and the labels defending
the \$1 billion damages award. The court of appeals denied both
rehearing requests, meaning that Cox remains contributorily liable for
its users\' pirating activities, and a new trial will determine the
scale of the damages.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Flightradar24 Launches New GPS Jamming Map to Visualize Global
Interference](https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/gps-jamming-map/)**:
The article discusses Flightradar24\'s new GPS jamming map, which allows
users to view areas of GPS jamming and interference around the world in
an easy-to-understand visual format. The map uses color-coded overlays
to indicate low (green) to high (red) levels of interference with global
navigation satellite systems (GNSS). It calculates GPS jamming using NIC
values broadcast by aircraft passing through a particular area, and
offers adjustable date and time settings for viewing data. The map is
currently limited to areas where there are adequate numbers of flights
and Flightradar24 terrestrial ADS-B receivers; the company plans to
incorporate additional sources of data in the future.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Randomize HN](https://danluu.com/randomize-hn/)**:
The article discusses the issue of uneven exposure and randomness in the
popularity thresholds on sites like Hacker News (HN) and Reddit, which
can lead to content being over or under exposed based on chance. One
proposed solution is adding a small amount of random noise to rank an
article\'s position to smooth out discontinuities between making it onto
the front page and languishing in obscurity. However, the author notes
that simple ad hoc solutions often lead to endless workarounds and
unintended consequences. The article also mentions HN\'s attempt at
randomizing submissions by adding a \"second chance queue\" boosting
some submissions to the front page, which may offer better results than
an automated algorithm with no direct human input.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Suspicious discontinuities](https://danluu.com/discontinuities/)**:
This article discusses various examples of \"discontinuities\" found in
different areas, such as personal finance, tax policy, education,
sports, and auctions, among others. These discontinuities can lead to
unusual behaviors or outcomes, which may have unintended consequences on
people\'s decisions and actions. The article highlights the importance
of being aware of these discontinuities and understanding their
potential impacts, as well as exploring ways to smooth them out in order
to promote more optimal decision-making processes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**['Britain's Pompeii' reveals Bronze Age village frozen in time \|
CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/20/europe/must-farm-bronze-age-britain-pompeii-scn/index.html)**:
Archaeologists unearthed a well-preserved Bronze Age settlement, dating
back to the 9th century BC, in Cambridgeshire, England. The site, known
as Must Farm, was discovered after a fire destroyed a stilt village
located above a boggy river. Despite the devastation, the researchers
were able to gain comprehensive insights into Bronze Age society. Among
their findings were wooden and textile items that rarely survive in the
archaeological record, ceramic artifacts, wooden buckets, and even a
woman\'s skull. The site also revealed that the inhabitants kept dogs
that consumed scraps from their meals.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[o2: Nicht überall, wo 5G draufsteht, ist 5G
drin](https://www.teltarif.de/o2-5g-falsche-anzeige/news/89038.html)**:
This article discusses a false 5G network indicator issue experienced by
some users of telecommunications providers such as Telefónica and O2.
The issue causes the display of \"5G\" on users\' devices even though
they are not connected to an actual 5G network, but rather an LTE
network. It is suggested that this occurs when the end device or the
service provider signals a possible combination of 5G-NR carriers,
regardless of whether the end device can actually use it. The article
also mentions that there might be a technical trick by some network
operators to make their 5G coverage seem larger than it actually is.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Kurze Leine für KI: EU beschließt \"historisches\"
Regelwerk](https://www.teltarif.de/ki-gesetz-eu/news/94908.html)**:
The EU Parliament has given the green light for stricter regulations on
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the European Union. The legislation,
which is said to be the first of its kind worldwide, will involve
classifying AI systems into different risk groups. The higher the
potential risks associated with an application, the more stringent the
requirements should be. This includes banning certain AI applications
that go against EU values. The law goes back to a proposal by the
European Commission in 2021 and is set to come into effect following its
approval by MEPs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[The new Inflection: An important change to how we'll
work](https://inflection.ai/the-new-inflection)**:
Inflection, an AI studio, has trained one of the best LLMs in the world
to create its personal AI, Pi. The company plans to lean into its AI
studio business and provide custom generative AI models for commercial
customers. To facilitate this, Inflection will host Inflection-2.5 on
Microsoft Azure and other cloud hosting platforms soon. With these
changes, two co-founders, Mustafa and Karén, will leave Inflection to
start a new division at Microsoft focused on consumer AI efforts, while
Sean White joins as CEO.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Title:Increasing, not Diminishing: Investigating the Returns of
Highly Maintainable Code](https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.13407)**:
This study examines the association between code quality and its
business impact, specifically defect count and implementation time. By
combining two publicly available datasets, the researchers found that
associations vary across different intervals of code quality. The value
model suggests amplified returns on investment in the upper end, with
strong non-linearities at the extremes of the code quality spectrum. The
findings align with the \"broken windows\" theory and recommend
organizations to prevent the introduction of code smells in files with
high churn. Furthermore, the study proposes that the value-creation
model can initiate discussions regarding the return on investment in
refactoring efforts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[The Timeless Parable of Mr. Market](https://fs.blog/mr-market/)**:
Warren Buffett uses the concept of Mr. Market, explained by his teacher
Ben Graham, to describe mental attitude towards market fluctuations for
investment success. Imagine Mr. Market as a partner in business who
names daily prices for buying or selling interest; however, he has
emotional problems that cause him to name high and low prices. The key
is not to fall under Mr. Market\'s influence but instead focus on
understanding your business better than him. Success in investment
relies on good judgment and insulating thoughts from market
super-contagious emotions, as demonstrated by Buffett and his business
partner Charlie.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[No title found](https://adr.github.io/)**:
Architectural Decision (AD) is a justified design choice that addresses
functional or non-functional requirements significant to the software
and/or hardware system\'s architecture. An Architecturally Significant
Requirement (ASR) affects the quality of a software system, and an
Architectural Decision Record (ADR) captures these decisions with their
rationale. The aim of the GitHub adr organization is to motivate AD
capturing and establish a common vocabulary, strengthen ADR tooling for
agile practices, provide pointers to public knowledge in context of
architectural knowledge management, and provide lightweight ADRs. The
repository for the Website of the ADR organization is
.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[A guide to full stack web development in
Rust](https://rust-on-nails.com/)**:
The article discusses a platform for developing fast, secure
applications using preferred languages. It covers the full development
lifecycle, database management, infrastructure as code, CI/CD pipelines,
and best practices for scaling and operating products. The platform is
built on standards-based best practices, fully responsive server-side
rendered applications, and can be scaled from bootstrappers to whole
teams. The platform is open source under an MIT license and hosted on
GitHub.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[GM, LexisNexis Sued For (Nontransparent) Sale Of Driver Behavior Data
To
Insurers](https://www.techdirt.com/2024/03/19/gm-lexisnexis-sued-for-nontransparent-sale-of-driver-behavior-data-to-insurers/)**:
The New York Times reported that automakers collect and sell personal
behavioral data to companies like insurance companies without being
transparent to consumers. This has led to some car owners facing
increased insurance rates based on their driving habits, even though
they were not aware of the data collection. A recent lawsuit was filed
against General Motors and Lexis Nexis for failing to be transparent
with consumers about their data collection practices. Mozilla\'s report
highlighted how the auto industry had poor privacy practices, collecting
too much and not adequately protecting or encrypting data. The article
emphasizes the need for a meaningful privacy law in the internet era to
empower consumers to opt out of surveillance and data collection without
losing features or encountering annoying restrictions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Studie: Moderne Technologie senkt Lebensqualität von
Arbeitnehmern](https://www.golem.de/news/studie-moderne-technologie-senkt-lebensqualitaet-von-arbeitnehmern-2403-183307.html)**:
A study by the Institute for the Future of Work in Britain found that
modern technologies often have a negative impact on workers\' quality of
life. The research group surveyed around 5,000 people from the UK and
discovered that four categories of technologies at work affected
employees\' well-being. The use of technologies related to artificial
intelligence and machine learning had a notable negative impact on the
quality of life of workers. In contrast, information and communication
technology (such as laptops, tablets, phones, and real-time messaging
tools) was considered advantageous by employees.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[The top 5 astronomical discoveries of all time (so
far)](https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/03/a-cosmologists-guide-to-the-greatest-astronomical-discoveries-of-all-time/)**:
The greatest astronomical discoveries of all time include Eratosthenes\'
calculation of Earth\'s circumference, Johannes Kepler\'s laws of
planetary motion, Edwin Hubble\'s discovery of the expanding Universe,
the concept and existence of black holes, and the process of stellar
nucleosynthesis. These discoveries have significantly impacted our
understanding of the cosmos and our relationship to it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Dell tells remote workers that they won't be eligible for
promotion](https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/03/dell-tells-remote-workers-that-they-wont-be-eligible-for-promotion/)**:
Dell will be implementing a policy in May where fully remote employees
will not be eligible for promotion, marking a significant shift from the
company\'s prior stance on work-from-home arrangements. The change
indicates that hybrid workers, who must come into the office at least 39
days per quarter (approximately three times a week), will have priority
for promotions and job changes. Dell\'s CEO Michael Dell previously
advocated for remote work but seems to be shifting his stance with this
policy change.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Loneliness in Midlife: A Growing Gap Between US and Europe -
Neuroscience
News](https://neurosciencenews.com/loneliness-midlife-psychology-25768/)**:
A new study by the American Psychological Association has revealed that
middle-aged adults in the U.S. experience significantly higher levels of
loneliness than their European counterparts. Researchers utilized data
from over 53,000 participants to explore loneliness trends across three
generations and found that U.S. adults report increasing loneliness,
particularly among younger generations. Key factors contributing to this
discrepancy include cultural norms, socioeconomic factors, and weaker
social safety nets in the U.S., suggesting a need for policy
interventions to address this public health issue. The findings
underscore loneliness as an endemic challenge, emphasizing the role of
social connections and support policies in mitigating its impact.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Revolutionary MKK4 Inhibitors Boost Liver Regeneration and Prevent
Failure in Groundbreaking Clinical
Trial](https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674%2824%2900225-3)**:
This article is about the development and characterization of potent and
selective small molecule inhibitors of MKK4, which are known to play a
key role in liver regeneration. The study also investigates the safety
profile of these inhibitors in various animal models and humans. The
results suggest that these inhibitors can enhance liver regeneration
after partial hepatectomy and prevent liver failure after extensive
surgery or transplantation, making them potential therapeutic options
for patients with end-stage liver disease.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[I Stopped Loving Captain
Kirk](https://buttondown.email/charliejane/archive/i-stopped-loving-captain-kirk/)**:
The author recalls their childhood admiration for Captain Kirk from Star
Trek and how they later experienced psychologically abusive bosses in
the workplace. This made them see a dark side to Kirk\'s leadership
style that they had not noticed before. They discuss how many modern
bosses operate based on two conflicting imperatives: the profitability
of their company, and their own egos. The author cites an example from 9
to 5, where the office becomes much more humane and efficient once the
useless and egotistical boss is out of the way. They also mention a
trend in pop culture that celebrates \"strong\" leadership, despite the
negative impact it can have on workers and their companies.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Spent brewer's yeast as a selective biosorbent for metal recovery
from polymetallic waste
streams](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2024.1345112/full)**:
In this study, the authors investigate the potential of spent brewer\'s
yeast as a biosorbent for the selective recovery of aluminum, copper,
zinc, and nickel from electronic waste (e-waste) streams, particularly
printed circuit boards (PCBs). The study aims to develop an efficient
and sustainable process for metal recovery from real liquid waste
streams using stepwise biosorption processes.
The authors perform a design of experiments (DoE) to establish the
optimal conditions for metal biosorption. They test different factors
such as pH, biomass concentration, and metal concentration. The results
indicate that maximum recovery rates are achieved with low metal ion
concentrations (100 mg/l) and high biomass concentrations (10 g/l).
The authors then optimize the biosorption process by varying the
solution pH and temperature for each metal. They find that different pH
values are optimal for each metal, with the highest recoveries occurring
at 3.5 for aluminum, 5.0 for copper, 7.5 for zinc, and 8.5 for nickel.
The biosorption process is also not significantly affected by
temperature changes from 22°C to 50°C.
The authors also explore the effects of physical and chemical
pre-treatment methods on yeast biomass. They find that the only
significant improvement in biosorption efficiencies comes from treating
the biomass with sodium hydroxide, which increases copper recovery rates
by 5.7%.
Selective biosorption experiments are performed using synthetic
polymetallic solutions containing 100 mg/l of each metal. The results
show that the yeast biomass can effectively remove aluminum, copper, and
zinc from the solution at their respective optimal pH values. However,
nickel recovery rates are lower, with only 29.1% removed after
biosorption.
The authors also test the ability of spent brewer\'s yeast to recover
metals from PCB leachate solutions. The results indicate that high
removal efficiencies can be achieved for copper and zinc, but the
process is less effective for aluminum and nickel due to their low
concentrations in the leachate solutions.
Finally, the authors perform sequential biosorption and desorption
studies using biogenic sulfuric acid as a desorbing agent. They find
that the yeast biomass can be reused several times for metal recovery,
making the process more cost-effective.
In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential of spent brewer\'s
yeast as a biosorbent for the selective recovery of metals from e-waste
streams. The stepwise biosorption approach developed in this study could
provide a sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional metal
recovery methods. However, further research is needed to optimize the
process for different waste streams and to improve nickel recovery
rates.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Garnet](https://github.com/microsoft/garnet)**:
Garnet is a remote cache-store from Microsoft Research that offers
strong performance (throughput and latency), scalability, storage,
recovery, cluster sharding, key migration, and replication features. It
can work with existing Redis clients and provides various APIs for raw
strings, analytical operations, and object operations. Garnet\'s design
includes a fast network layer, support for secure TLS communications,
and an optional object store to handle complex objects. In addition to
single-node execution, it supports cluster mode deployment with
sharding, replication, and dynamic key migration features.
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**[A new study raises concerns about intermittent fasting and a higher
risk of death. Here\'s why experts aren\'t
worried.](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/a-new-study-raises-concerns-about-intermittent-fasting-and-a-higher-risk-of-death-heres-why-experts-arent-worried-000332988.html)**:
Intermittent fasting, where people eat only within an eight-hour window,
has been linked to a 91% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular
disease, according to a new study presented at the American Heart
Association meeting in Chicago. While intermittent fasting has gained
popularity due to its potential benefits such as weight loss and
improvements in blood pressure and sugar levels, this study calls those
benefits into question. However, experts suggest that people should not
necessarily stop intermittent fasting until more long-term research is
done, pointing out limitations of the new study and questions it leaves
unanswered. Intermittent fasting has been linked to improvements in
blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol, suggesting its benefits
for heart health. The study found that people who ate on an eight-hour
schedule had a 91% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease
compared to those with more normal eating schedules.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[8-hour time-restricted eating linked to a 91% higher risk of
cardiovascular
death](https://newsroom.heart.org/news/8-hour-time-restricted-eating-linked-to-a-91-higher-risk-of-cardiovascular-death)**:
A study of over 20,000 adults found that those who followed an 8-hour
time-restricted eating schedule, a type of intermittent fasting, had a
91% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease. People with heart
disease or cancer also had an increased risk of cardiovascular death.
Compared to a standard 12-16 hour per day schedule, limiting food intake
to less than 8 hours per day was not associated with living longer. The
study\'s findings encourage a more cautious and personalized approach to
dietary recommendations, ensuring they align with an individual\'s
health status and the latest scientific evidence.
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**[Sam Adams brewer has long kept former employees on a tight leash. Now
some are suing to break
free.](https://www.boston.com/news/the-boston-globe/2024/03/16/sam-adams-brewer-has-long-kept-former-employees-on-a-tight-leash-now-some-are-suing-to-break-free/)**:
The Boston Beer Co., which produces Samuel Adams beer, Truly hard
seltzer, and Twisted Tea, has been involved in multiple lawsuits over
its aggressive enforcement of noncompete agreements that bar workers
from moving to rival companies. Former employees have claimed these
agreements stifle their career prospects within the industry. Critics
argue that non-competes are increasingly falling out of favor, with many
states placing restrictions on which workers can be subjected to them
and for how long. Boston Beer has defended its practices by stating that
its people are its greatest asset and that it invests a great deal in
their training and development.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Tick-killing pill shows promising results in human
trial](https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/03/tick-killing-pill-shows-promising-results-in-human-trial/)**:
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals is developing a pill for humans to protect
against Lyme disease, which is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi
bacteria transmitted through tick bites. The early-stage trial results
showed that 24 hours after taking the drug, it can kill ticks on people
and last up to 30 days. Lyme disease affects approximately 476,000
people annually in the United States, with no current vaccine available
for prevention. The experimental pill is a formulation of lotilaner, an
approved veterinary medicine used to control fleas and ticks in dogs and
cats. If successful, this drug could also protect against other
tick-borne diseases such as babesiosis and anaplasmosis.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Our bacteria are more personal than we thought, new study
shows](https://phys.org/news/2024-03-bacteria-personal-thought.html)**:
A study of the gut, mouth, nose, and skin microbiomes of 86 people over
six years found that an individual\'s microbiome is unique to them like
a fingerprint. This research also discovered several correlations
between the microbiome and health, such as people with type 2 diabetes
showing a less stable and diverse microbiome. The study revealed that
the stability of an individual\'s microbiome was more important than
specific bacteria types. It also showed that different body areas\'
microbiomes were highly correlated and linked to overall health within
the microbiome. Researchers from Stanford University, Jackson
Laboratory, University of Oxford, Ohio State University, uBiome, Oregon
Health & Science University, Yale University, Shanghai Jiao Tong
University, Zhejiang University, Texas Tech University, Agrosavia, and
University of Connecticut were involved in this study.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[Story of Vitamin D
Toxicity](https://www.devaboone.com/post/vitamin-d-part-2-shannon-s-story)**:
The article argues that Vitamin D should be treated like a medication
due to its role in calcium absorption and the potential for high-dose
supplements to cause serious problems. It tells the story of Shannon,
who experienced symptoms related to elevated blood calcium levels after
taking high doses of Vitamin D over an extended period. The article
highlights that Vitamin D is a steroid hormone and should be treated
with the same respect as prescribed medication.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[2024-03-18-lost-focus.html](https://ploum.net/2024-03-18-lost-focus.html)**:
The article discusses the negative impacts of instant feedback and
constant connectivity on our ability to focus, think deeply, and have
meaningful ideas. It argues that our attention is being captured by
monopolist technologies and suggests adopting digital minimalism as a
solution. Additionally, it highlights the importance of valuing harder
works and dedicating time for deep thinking.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**[From anxiety to cancer, the evidence against ultra-processed food
piles up](https://text.npr.org/1238939706)**:
A study published in the British Medical Journal has found that people
who consume high amounts of ultra-processed foods have an increased risk
of anxiety, depression, obesity, metabolic syndrome, certain cancers
including colorectal cancer and premature death. These ultra-processed
foods are abundant in our food supply, such as highly refined breads,
fast food, sugary drinks, cereals, cookies, and other packaged snacks.
The study analyzed data from more than 9 million people who participated
in dozens of studies, showing consistent evidence that regularly eating
higher amounts of ultra-processed foods is linked to these adverse
health outcomes.
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**[There is no cookie banner
law](https://www.amazingcto.com/cookie-banners-are-not-needed/)**:
The article discusses the presence of cookie banners on websites and how
they are not mandated by EU law, but rather implemented by companies
themselves. The author suggests alternative ways of obtaining consent
for tracking users online, such as a small icon or notification at the
top of the site, a small button at the bottom, or a clear explanation of
the data collection process. However, it is noted that companies may
prefer to use intrusive banners in order to gather user consent and
continue with their tracking practices.
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**[The Fed's Big Problem, There Are Two Economies But Only One Interest
Rate](https://mishtalk.com/economics/the-feds-big-problem-there-are-two-economies-but-only-one-interest-rate/)**:
The article highlights that while the economy may look average overall,
several large groups of people are struggling due to a lack of
affordable housing and rising rent prices. Home price indexes such as
Case-Shiller, CPI rent index, and hourly earnings for production and
nonsupervisory workers indicate that many individuals cannot afford to
buy homes or keep up with the increasing costs of rent. The article also
mentions that homeowners have benefited from rising wages, increased
property value, and stable mortgage payments while renters face higher
rental rates and less financial security.
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**[\'Very few have balls\': How American news lost its nerve \|
Semafor](https://www.semafor.com/article/03/17/2024/very-few-have-balls-how-american-news-lost-its-nerve)**:
The American news landscape has become increasingly difficult for tough
stories, as a confluence of factors such as rising risks of litigation,
costs of insurance, and the influence of public figures over journalists
have eroded the media industry. This has resulted in fewer publications
with the resources and courage to confront power. Factors contributing
to this include an emboldened legal climate, embittered billionaires
using social media against news outlets, the collapse of the hard news
business, celebrity control over stories, and a shift towards
entertainment-focused documentaries. As a result, American journalism is
becoming increasingly defined by opinion and lived experiences rather
than neutral reporting.
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**[Microsoft again bothers Chrome users with Bing popup ads in
Windows](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-again-bothers-chrome-users-with-bing-popup-ads-in-windows/)**:
Microsoft has launched popup desktop advertisements promoting Bing and
its GPT-4 Bing Chat platform on Windows 10 and Windows 11 for Google
Chrome users. The pixelated ads led some to believe they were from
malware, but Microsoft confirmed the ads are legitimate and only show up
when users have Google Chrome open with Google as their default search
engine. Users who see the ad can choose to set Bing as their new default
search engine or dismiss the notification. However, these popup ads may
not be a one-time occurrence, as they follow previous incidents where
Microsoft targeted Google with similar advertisements in 2020 and 2021.
------------------------------------------------------------------------