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2023-04-21

SpaceX Starship rocket explodes minutes after launch from Texas

News

  • SpaceX's new Starship rocket exploded minutes after launch in its first test flight, crashing into the Gulf of Mexico
  • The rocket was intentionally destroyed by its self-destruct system after multiple engines on the 33-engine booster failed to fire, causing it to lose altitude and tumble
  • The rocket reached a maximum speed of about 1,300 mph (2,100 kph) and as high as 24 miles (39 kilometers), before going sideways and dropping
  • Despite the failed launch, congratulations poured in from NASA chief Bill Nelson and others in the space industry, with many saying it represented significant progress toward a reusable super-heavy lift rocket
  • SpaceX has more boosters and spacecraft lined up for more test flights, with CEO Elon Musk saying they had learned a lot for the next launch in a few months.

Industry Reactions

  • Experts praise SpaceX's willingness to take risks and learn from failures in their rocket design.
  • Environmental concerns arise from rocket launches and the use of concrete for launch pads.
  • SpaceX's approach to rocket design involves multiple test failures to identify actual failure points and ultimately innovate in space technology.

Spinning Diagrams with CSS

News

  • The spinning diagrams presented do not use JavaScript or animated image formats; rather, just HTML and CSS.
  • A spinning cube with letters at each vertex can be made using the transform property and keyframe animations with rotateX and rotateY.
  • To keep the letters facing forward while spinning, another div around each letter can perform the unspinning with an opposite keyframe animation.
  • The spinning and unspinning works well on mobile browsers and allows for even selected text to rotate.
  • The original math thing involved other tricks such as embedding diagrams in LaTeX and generating geometries with a Python script.

Industry Reactions

  • The post discusses creating spinning diagrams using CSS
  • Commenters shared admiration for the visualization and praised the technical abilities of CSS
  • Some commenters discussed potential ways to make the diagrams more accessible and responsive to touch.

Mullvad VPN was subject to a search warrant – customer data not compromised

News

  • Mullvad VPN was visited by police officers from the National Operations Department of the Swedish Police with a search warrant to seize computers with customer data.
  • However, no such customer data existed in line with Mullvad's policies on customer privacy.
  • Mullvad argued that the police had no reason to expect to find what they were looking for, and any seizures would be illegal under Swedish law.
  • After demonstrating how their service works, the police left without taking anything or any customer information.
  • This is the first time in 14 years that Mullvad has been subject to a search warrant, and customer data was not compromised.

Industry Reactions

  • Mullvad VPN was served with a search warrant but reassured customers that no customer data was compromised.
  • Mullvad has invested in diskless infrastructure and has a clean patch panel, making it easier to demonstrate to law enforcement that no data was stored.
  • Discussion among users highlights the reasons people use VPNs and the challenges of achieving complete privacy online.

News

  • Legit Torrents, a legal torrent tracking site, shut down after 17 years due to hosting issues.
  • The founder started the site in 2005 as there were no 100% legal torrent trackers at that time.
  • He ran the site out of his bedroom and learned various tech skills such as web development, marketing, and server administration.
  • Legit Torrents provided a platform for legal torrents, and the founder made some profits through Google Adsense until he got his account banned.
  • The site had about 50,000 registered users, around 5,500 torrents, and 22 million tracked pageviews. The founder hopes that the site helped others and that it contributed to making the internet a better place.

Industry Reactions

  • The Legit Torrents site has shut down after 17 years of operation due to a lack of profit.
  • Contributors discuss the lack of competition in online advertising and propose alternative solutions, including micropayments and tiered pricing.
  • The thread includes discussions on proper SEO practices, GDPR, and the use of Google AdSense.

Google DeepMind

News

  • Google DeepMind is a new single, focused unit created by combining the talents and efforts of DeepMind and the Brain team from Google Research.
  • This change will accelerate progress towards a world where AI can help solve the biggest challenges facing humanity.
  • The unit aims to build ever more capable and general AI, safely and responsibly by solving some of the hardest scientific and engineering challenges of our time.
  • Google DeepMind will be overseen by a new Scientific Board comprising representatives across the organization.
  • Additional details on what this new unit will look like for teams and individuals will be provided soon.

Industry Reactions

  • Google's DeepMind team lacks leadership with commercialization and execution skills, requiring product managers and pragmatic engineers.
  • OpenAI's GPT-4 has potential popularity, but there is a debate on conversion rates and profitability of freemium products.
  • GPT AI technology is replacing professionals across multiple industries but has limitations, making it a game-changer for writing and coding but requiring proper prompting.

Only one pair of distinct positive integers satisfy the equation m^n = n^m

News

  • The article presents a proof for a number theoretic result, which shows that only one pair of distinct positive integers satisfies the equation n^m = m^n.
  • The problem asks to find all positive integer pairs n and m that satisfy the equation when n and m are distinct, and the solution shows that the only solution is (2,4) or (4,2).
  • The proof uses analytical methods, such as the logarithmic function, to simplify the equation and derive conditions for the solution.
  • The result has implications in various fields, including cryptography and computer science, where it is used to design algorithms and protocols.
  • The article is written by Keith McNulty, an expert and author in applied mathematics, data science, statistics, and covers interesting problems and results in these fields.

Industry Reactions

  • Medium article proves only one pair of integers satisfy m^n = n^m using differential calculus and number theory
  • Commenters suggest alternative methods such as logs or prime factorizations
  • Discussion on proof of n^n * n^(m-n) = n^m = m^n and use of hyperreal numbers for analysis and calculus

A 15 min daily stretch routine for desk workers

News

  • A free 15-minute stretch routine has been created for desk workers to help them avoid aches and pains.
  • The routine is available on the Stretch 15 website and can be done daily.
  • Users can track their progress, including their current and longest streak and total stretch time.
  • The routine was developed by Alma, with the intention of helping desk workers stay healthy.
  • Feedback can be given on the Stretch 15 website, and the routine can be shared with others.

Industry Reactions

  • Feedback and suggestions for improving a new 15-minute daily stretching routine app for desk workers
  • Discussion on the effectiveness of stretching and its benefits, with various perspectives and personal experiences shared
  • Plans to potentially expand the stretching app into a B2B employee wellness program with leaderboard features.

Rural Americans are importing tiny Japanese pickup trucks

News

  • Rural Americans are importing tiny Japanese pickup trucks known as "Kei" trucks to take advantage of tax laws in Japan that allow smaller vehicles to be taxed less.
  • These trucks are less than 5 feet wide and can fit into tight spaces that normal pickups cannot, making them very useful for farmers and other rural Americans.
  • Kei trucks cost as little as $2,000 to import, making them very affordable options for those in need of a new vehicle.
  • They are legal to drive on local roads and have features like air conditioning and dumpers that make them more useful than side-by-sides or other off-road utility vehicles.
  • Kei trucks are gaining popularity among rural Americans, and their unique advantages make them a viable option for those in need of a small, efficient vehicle.

Industry Reactions

  • Americans are importing small, efficient foreign cars due to the 25-year import rule.
  • Kei cars from Japan have separate build, safety, and emissions standards and are not US roadworthy.
  • The discussion revolves around practical car choices for everyday purposes and the popularity of Japanese mini trucks.

Imgur Updates TOS, Banning NSFW Content

News

  • Imgur has updated its Terms of Service to ban NSFW (not safe for work) content.
  • This includes nudity, sexually explicit content, provocative content, hate speech, abuse, harassment, illegal or violent activity, gore, shock content, and posting personal information.
  • Community members who violate the rules may face warnings, suspensions, or bans, depending on the severity and frequency of the violations.
  • Imgur's moderators enforce the rules, considering the context and intent of the content.
  • If unsure whether a post fits the community rules, it's best not to post it to avoid breaking any rules.

Industry Reactions

  • Imgur updated its TOS, banning all NSFW content, which may lead to a loss in user numbers.
  • The move has sparked discussions on how niche websites can run on profits, and some suggest running them as non-profits.
  • Users discuss the impacts of Reddit's recent NSFW content policy changes, alternative apps, redesign controversy, and the use of alt accounts.

BuzzFeed News is shutting down

News

  • BuzzFeed News is shutting down, according to the company's CEO Jonah Peretti in a company-wide memo on Thursday.
  • The closure is part of the company's ongoing cost-cutting measures, including reducing its workforce by around 15%, with layoffs across its Business, Content, Tech and Admin teams.
  • The reason for the closure is blamed on an "ongoing audience shift to vertical video" and a fading stock market, and the CEO took some responsibility for over-investing in BuzzFeed News.
  • The CEO announced that the company will move forward by focusing more of its energy on AI and "bringing more innovation to clients in the form of creators."
  • Despite the closure of BuzzFeed News, the CEO said that BuzzFeed and HuffPost would open up select roles for members of BuzzFeed News, aligned with those division's business goals.

Industry Reactions

  • BuzzFeed News, a serious news organization, is shutting down due to financial difficulties despite winning awards for investigative journalism.
  • The connection between BuzzFeed and BuzzFeed News has caused confusion and hurt the latter's credibility.
  • The closure is a symptom of the challenge that investigative journalism faces in a click-driven media landscape where few are willing to pay for news.