2023-04-08

Building GitHub with Ruby on Rails

Original. GitHub.com is written using Ruby on Rails and maintained by over a thousand engineers with almost 2 million lines of code. The company upgrades to the latest Rails commit weekly with pull requests and revision reviews. Benefits of these upgrades include better database connection handling and faster view rendering, improved security, and a lower risk of unknown issues. Testing of the latest versions identifies and fixes issues before release. The post is a GitHub Privacy Statement, containing information on product features, security, stories, pricing, resources, developer API, partners, platform, and support. The post appears to have no new information or events, and it is unclear why it's gaining attention.

Discussion Service. GitHub rebuilt its platform with Ruby on Rails, sparking interest in its potential impact on the Rails ecosystem & test coverage requirements. Users highlight challenges of mastering Ruby, such as extreme test coverage & potential for future code failures. Some users suggest using Sorbet for stronger check types. GitHub's use of Crystal language and Ruby's metaprogramming potential is praised while some criticize Ruby's data science space. Microsoft's recent upgrade of Github's Rails platform from version 2.3 to 3 posed challenges but static typing helps upgrades. Developers reflect on the trade-offs between tech trends and established stability, with some noting Rails' ease of use but lagging view layer. Framework upgrades are most effectively done gradually, with good testing in place. Many organizations see updating IT infrastructure as important, GitHub's testing capabilities are praised, and Sorbet is used by GitHub for Ruby and Rails.

Ask Wirecutter: Can you recommend a not-smart TV for me?

Original. Wirecutter suggests securing smart TVs instead of finding non-smart options due to privacy concerns. Disconnected TVs may lack useful features. Experts advise opting out of data collection, connecting to Wi-Fi only for firmware updates, and occasionally streaming to opt out. Old TVs, 4K monitors, or projectors are alternatives. Similar privacy issues persist with other internet-connected devices.

Discussion Service. An article discusses the difficulty of finding a not-smart TV without intrusive and unnecessary features. Suggested solutions include using a disconnected smart TV or physically disconnecting modules to prevent unwanted connections. There are concerns about privacy and data exfiltration. Discussion around energy usage, potential auto-connections, and slow startup process of smart TVs by users. Suggestions for a potential name for a non-smart TV and ideal smart TV features. Concerns about data tracking and the difficulty of a starting a high-quality, dumb display venture. Users discuss specific display features and the difficulty of keeping smart TVs unconnected. TCL's unethical behavior and user privacy concerns are highlighted.

Codeberg – Fast open source alternative to GitHub

Original. Codeberg.org is a free and open-source software collaboration platform and Git hosting run by its users via a non-profit organization in Berlin. The platform also fosters a community of like-minded free software and content creators with no tracking or sale of user data. Users can register and host their projects on the website, and Codeberg e.V. sustains the community through donations and optional contributions. The website is accessible in multiple languages, and users can offer contributions to improve the services behind Codeberg.

Discussion Service. Codeberg provides a fast, open-source alternative to Github that focuses on free and open-source software collaboration. Discussion Service users debate whether Codeberg's focus on open source ethics is too restrictive, while others praise it for its commitment. Discussing IT infrastructure's political nature, some argue neutrality is impossible but should still be pursued, while others claim political opinions are more tolerable in IT than in other contexts. Discussion Service users also discuss code-sharing philosophy, restrictive licensing, and corporate-friendly codes' impact on FOSS success rates. Codeberg's non-profit status and commitment to free software licenses are praised. The platform's fast speed and straightforward interface are appreciated, but there are privacy concerns. Some recommend Radicle as an alternative to centralized services like Github.

Perennial rice: Plant once, harvest again and again

Original. Scientists have created perennial rice strains that stay productive and regrow after every harvest, resulting in huge environmental benefits, a lower carbon footprint, healthier soil, and farmers not having to resow. These strains, bred over the last two decades, have been tested and harvested for four years in a row by 45,000 smallholding subsistence farmers. Experts predict that if more farmers adopt the new varieties, the benefits could be great for the people who grow them, the environment, and the world's population who rely on rice as a staple food.

Discussion Service. Perennial rice can reduce methane emissions from rice fields. Livestock production has a significant environmental impact. Climate change will lead to food shortages and other issues. Methane from rice fields does not have a significant impact compared to other sources. Perennial rice has potential benefits but also challenges. Experts discuss agriculture and food production. The success of irrigated perennial rice is outlined. Perennial crops can save on labor and input costs. Perennial plants have benefits for soil and nutrient extraction.

60M Americans have taxes so simple the IRS could do them automatically

Original. At least 41% of American households, or 62 million tax filing units, could have their entire tax returns handled by the IRS through "pre-populated returns" with no further intervention necessary. The less conservative approach puts the number at 73 million returns, or 48%. The potential for automatic returns could save time and angst every year, making tax season more efficient. The article goes on to briefly cover other topics unrelated to taxes, such as the Catholic Church child sex abuse crisis and Tesla's cameras being under scrutiny. However, it mainly highlights unique solutions to significant problems, covered in the Future Perfect newsletter. The article remains neutral and informative, without any political or religious bias.

Discussion Service. 60M Americans' taxes are simple enough for IRS to automatically calculate. Easiest way for IRS to earn money is auditing financially vulnerable. Intuit contributes to the phenomenon of opaque laws. IRS enforcement is limited, so low-income Americans are audited more. Recent tax changes mean less scope for itemized deductions. The IRS cannot maximize its automatic tax ability. IRS budget decreased, recently increased; some believe the extra funding will enable IRS to maximize revenue instead of targeting specific people. Proposal to tax based on X rate, file if disagree. Pre-populated returns would save time and money but are not foolproof. Corporate lobbying contributes to the current self-service tax system's complexity. Cash transaction sales tax deductions lack feasibility for automation. Tax preparation wastes billions of dollars and time.

We need to tell people ChatGPT will lie to them, not debate linguistics

Original. The article discusses the issues surrounding large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, which can lie to people and have bugs that resist fixing. The author argues that it is more important to warn people about the risks of using LLMs than to debate linguistics. Although LLMs can be useful, they are not sentient and cannot be trusted to provide factual information. The article raises ethical questions about whether or not we should encourage people to use LLMs despite their flaws. The author concludes that it is important to approach LLMs with caution and emphasizes the need to warn people that ChatGPT can lie.

Discussion Service. ChatGPT can mislead users and needs to be repeatedly told not to trust it. Its usefulness may be limited if the tendency to hallucinate isn't solved. ChatGPT lacks reasoning abilities and can generate false information. Some are excited about its potential advancements, but some criticize it for its lack of capability to abstract or reason. AI-generated text needs skepticism and should be seen as an assistant who is well-read but potentially prone to confabulation. However, ChatGPT is useful in generating code examples and answering complex queries. It offers accurate answers up to 99% of the time. Users must understand its limitations to avoid assigning more morality than needed to ChatGPT.

Twitter won't allow retweeting tweets linking to Substack

Original. Twitter has begun restricting tweets containing links to Substack.com in response to Substack's announcement of a new product, Notes, which will directly compete with Twitter. Users have noticed they cannot retweet or reply to tweets with Substack links, and Twitter has seemingly started blocking tweet-embedding in Substack posts. This restriction is believed to be Twitter's attempt to curb the reach of a rival on its platform. Twitter similarly began blocking links to competing social media platforms in December 2022. Substack has yet to respond to questions on this matter.

Discussion Service. Twitter banned retweets of tweets linking to Substack, with liking such posts suppressing discussion. The move has sparked criticism about free speech, Elon Musk's stance on it, and Substack's competition. Mastodon is seen replacing Twitter for some. Discussions on PR, social media addiction, and questionable practices are covered. No new technology or release is mentioned.

Western Digital cloud services down for 4 days

Original. Western Digital experienced an outage that started on April 2nd, impacting services including My Cloud, My Cloud Home, SanDisk ibi, and other related products, with an update posted on April 3rd. The outage continued into April 7th, affecting access to files and applications. Local access is available, enabling users to access their personal files from a Windows or MacOS computer. Additional past incidents include intermittent access issues, intermittent password resets, and intermittent connectivity issues with cloud services. Certain users in China may also experience access issues.

Discussion Service. Western Digital's cloud services have been down for four days, with comments discussing the outage and the company's warranty. Some users discuss the limitations of GPT's language model and its world model, with questions raised about its understanding of complex concepts. Comments also explore legal terms surrounding GPT's service responsibility and guarantees. Users discuss the value of status pages during outages, with some suggesting alternative methods like chat. Users debate the pros and cons of self-hosting, with a desired future where people's media is accessed from anywhere. Western Digital's past issues with SMR drives not being marked appropriately have some users calling for a return to local solutions.

How does database sharding work?

Original. The article delves into database sharding, explaining the advantages of scaling-out instead of scaling-up with various sharding schemes and algorithms discussed. It covers vital aspects such as organizing infrastructure, routing layer creation, and migration planning, emphasizing the significance of maintenance. A brief overview of sharding frameworks and tools like Vitess and Citus is provided, with CockroachDB ushering in the era of "serverless" databases. PlanetScale, an emerging player in the market, offers a shard-native database built on MySQL and Vitess alongside its engineering resources.

Discussion Service. Debates on benefits & challenges of database sharding; opt for system that matches data; hot key throughput an issue in auto-sharding; Spanner/Cockroach or Dynamo/Cassandra alternatives; CockroachDB offers strong consistency and 2PC between shards; distribution complexities require paid services; focus on horizontal scalability to avoid investing in single machine; good key design can prevent hotspots; sharding by customer is common; multi-tenant sharding suggested for scalability; Yugabyte, Cockroach, & TiDB mentioned; hashing all data for synchronization not scalable; scammers exploit Amazon's table colocation practice; MongoDB requires enterprise support contract.

Hubble sees possible runaway black hole creating a trail of stars

Original. Unable to generate a summary as the text is an error message indicating that the request could not be satisfied due to a configuration error or too much traffic. Contacting the app or website owner or reviewing the CloudFront documentation may help troubleshoot and prevent this error from occurring.

Discussion Service. The Hubble Telescope saw a black hole leaving a trail of stars, leading to speculations about its effect on life, and new places to find habitable planets. Hubble also found a rare Hoag-type galaxy, roughly twice the size of the Milky Way. Scientists discovered a black hole creating stars from gas, which may influence the universe and attract advanced civilizations. An object traveling through space very quickly is creating a supersonic impact on gas, but the use of "supersonic" is likely metaphorical. Discussion Service users discuss scifi stories such as The Three-Body Problem, reflecting differing opinions and recommendations for other books in the genre. Users also debate the rarity of Earth-like life and the Anthropomorphic Principle.

NZ's biggest data breach shows retention is the sleeping giant of data security

Original. Over one million New Zealand drivers' licenses and passports were exposed in the Latitude Financial data breach; some records were up to 18 years old. New Zealand's Deputy Privacy Commissioner cites data retention as a critical issue in cybersecurity attacks, stating that businesses and organizations must limit the collection and retention of data they do not require. Agencies should establish a personal information retention schedule, and individuals should challenge organizations they provide information to about why and how it is being retained. Privacy needs to become a crucial business issue, with similar protection to health and safety. Latitude Financial is contacting all affected customers to notify of the breach and assist with resolution while also working with regulators to unravel the breach's details.

Discussion Service. NZ's biggest data breach underscores need for proper data retention policies; deletion should be prioritized. GDPR has made strides, but data retention remains pervasive. Discussion Service users discuss responsible data collection, government access and data security. Data deletion methods and reasons for retention are debated. Personal data must be minimized and treated as toxic assets. Companies need better education on data privacy.

U.S. and China wage war beneath the waves over internet cables

Original. US and China are in a battle over undersea cables that transmit everything from emails to military secrets. The US government has intervened in at least six private undersea cable deals in the past four years to isolate China's high-tech sector and limit Chinese access to US technology. The White House recently awarded the Singapore-to-France cable contract to US-based SubCom, rather than China's HMN Tech, on security grounds. The US government's aggressive efforts to prevent Chinese espionage through undersea cables are disrupting plans by tech giants and causing turmoil in the industry. China is retaliating by delaying a Meta-backed cable project, the Southeast Asia-Japan 2 cable.

Discussion Service. The US and China are competing over undersea internet cables, with concerns over national boundaries and censorship. Delays and reroutes on cables have cost tech giants millions. Experts recommend books on international infrastructure. US is concerned about Chinese spying and their ability to collect and filter internet traffic. China's involvement in the Non-Aligned Movement and Belt and Road Initiative raise questions. Many "cybersecurity" companies lack skilled engineers. The CIA's torture program and accountability for war crimes are discussed.

Database "sharding" came from Ultima Online?

Original. Sorry, I cannot generate a summary based on this text as it is an error message and not related to the topic given.

Discussion Service. Discussion Service users discuss how "sharding" in databases was inspired by Ultima Online. Personal stories share how UO led to learning to code. Posters reminisce about UO's game characteristics and its impact on programming.

Why did Phreesia share my medical data after I opted out?

Original. A report highlights medical companies sharing patient data without consent. Patient refused data sharing but still found her data being shared by Phreesia. Suggestion for a rule against pressuring patient for consent. Need for a default opt-out to make opting out clear and easy. Current process burdensome. Expert suggests separating ad tech from healthcare. Author is an ethnographic sociologist and data researcher.

Discussion Service. Phreesia shared medical data of patients who opted out. Many express concerns about data privacy and accountability, suggesting that advertising using sensitive medical data should not be legally allowed. Proper documentation and reporting need to be done to hold such companies accountable for privacy violations. Healthcare provider's use of electronic check-ins and dark patterns have been criticized. Strict consent laws, and enforcement on data collection is needed in the USA. The profit motive of healthcare providers and resentment at patient data privacy regulations also come into question.

JavaScript-algorithms: Algorithms and data structures implemented in JavaScript

Original. JavaScript-Algorithms is a comprehensive repository of popular algorithms and data structures implemented in JavaScript, organized by topic and paradigm. It is suitable for learning and researching purposes and production use. Users can find examples of multiple popular algorithms and data structures, including encryption, evolutionary, and machine learning algorithms. The repository features explanations, Big O notation, and links to further readings. It also includes a playground for readers to experiment with the code. Advanced algorithms such as branch and bound and dynamic programming are included. Readers should note that donations are welcome, and Node version 16 or greater is required.

Discussion Service. "Hacker News comments on popular GitHub repository 'JavaScript-algorithms'. Users discuss language's suitability for teaching and practical use, some warn of unexpected behavior. Some Discussion Service users criticize implementation of linked lists' 'addBefore()' and 'addAfter()' methods, while others disagree. Discussion Service users recommend further resources, criticize data structure efficiency, and highlight resource value for learning algorithms."

SpaceX closing in on first Starship Super Heavy launch

Original. SpaceX plans first launch of full-scale Starship vehicle later in April, pending regulatory approval; the Federal Aviation Administration has a notch for a launch date of April 17, with backup dates April 18 through 21, in its Operations Plan Advisory document; Starship has been fully stacked on the pad at its Starbase facility at Boca Chica, Texas, and the company is planning a launch rehearsal next week followed by the first integrated flight test approximately a week later; It's unclear if Starship will enter orbit, then immediately perform a deorbit burn to splash down, or if it is a long suborbital flight.

Discussion Service. SpaceX nears launch of Starship Super Heavy, with comments emphasizing its significance for commercial, military space travel and a shift in mindset. Gov't contracts make up at least 80% of SpaceX's revenue. Starship's cryogenic liquid fueled rockets are feasible for deterrent missions. Launch funding is not solely dependent on NASA. Video comparing rocket sizes gain attention. SpaceX tentatively targeting 4/20 launch. FAA considers safety concerns. Mixed reactions to Musk's irreverent attitude.

Building musical synthesizers with SQL queries

Original. A GitHub repository called NoiSQL enables musical sound generation with SQL queries, using basic waves, oscillators, sequencers, LFOs, and noise generators. Created in a 44.1kHz 16-bit stereo PCM format, users can control signals by defining functions and expressions in SQL. NoiSQL provides instructions and examples for learning how to use it. The project can generate musical notes and rhythms with ClickHouse and can create various different file formats. Although the project has some limitations, it is an innovative way to experiment with ClickHouse's features, and it could potentially expand to include video generation. Users may contribute new examples to the project.

Discussion Service. A project building synthesizers with SQL queries. Discussion Service commenters appreciate the unique idea and mention similar projects. Some users note the lack of explanation and potential vulnerabilities to SQL injection.

The longest straight line in Great Britain without crossing a public road

Original. A longer straight line has been found in Great Britain without crossing a public road than the one identified by Ordnance Survey in 2019. The longest straight line between roads in Great Britain is also the longest in the whole UK. The OS Open Roads product provides a lot of great open data, but sometimes it includes roads that are not public. Restricted local access roads are usually unpaved private tracks. The longest line in Great Britain lies to the west of the A9 instead of the east. Although mapping data is useful, it should be taken with a grain of salt.

Discussion Service. The longest straight line in Great Britain discovered; may not be perfectly straight. Some discussion on distance from roads, accessibility of dirt roads, and population. Users mention remote areas around the world and the possibility of automating the search. A discussion on Schengen agreement and passport statistics.

Flipper Zero banned by Amazon for being a 'card skimming device'

Original. Amazon has banned the sale of Flipper Zero on its platform, blaming it as a "card skimming device." The device is a compact, portable, and programmable tool that can help experiment with and debug various digital and hardware devices. Users have showcased its capabilities, stimulating Amazon's ban. Some links to previously available Amazon pages selling the Flipper Zero tool are dead, while others list it as "unavailable." Brazilian National Telecommunications agency has also been seizing incoming Flipper Zero purchases based on its alleged use by criminals. You can still purchase Flipper Zero from the maker's official store.

Discussion Service. Amazon bans purchase of Flipper Zero as it's considered a card skimming device, but device can be purchased from official store. Buyers find it interesting but not useful. Lockpick ban policy is inconsistent and undocumented. Makers of Flipper Zero use a US-based company for payments, raising security concerns. Amazon's motivation questioned to avoid headlines associating them with crime. Flipper Zero banned due to its potential for illegal activities but some argue inconsistency with Amazon's policies. Some see potential for Amazon to develop its own knockoff version. Flipper Zero removed from Amazon and eBay but can still be purchased through official site.

Reverse Engineering the Facebook Messenger API

Original. The author reverse-engineered the Facebook Messenger API to create Messyger, a command-line program. The post explains the login process and cookies and offers Python code on GitHub. Ethical behavior is emphasized, and tips for making requests outside the browser are given.

Discussion Service. Developers claim bloated & inefficient Messenger API. Facebook apps library has JNI bindings. Need for third-party clients, Digital Markets Act cited. Spam & data harvesting concerns, reverse engineering tools shared. Profit motives drive spam reduction, some support gov't intervention. Regulation should focus on cloud providers, not walled gardens. User questions notion of property and corporate bailouts.

The machines of Tatjana van Vark

Original. Tatjana van Vark, an independent researcher from the Netherlands, has built, replicated, and restored a wide variety of scientific instruments. Her elaborate projects exhibit superb craftsmanship and attention to detail, often with complexities that go beyond surface appearances. Tatjana's work has taken her into many regions of scientific study, building pieces in electronics, optics, cryptology, organic chemistry, and more. Despite her self-taught machinist skills, her workshop contains high-quality machines that can handle the demands of her precision work. Her work is scientific craftsmanship at its highest level, with impressive photo exhibits available on her website.

Discussion Service. Tatjana van Vark's work is incredible, and she is an extreme hacker, constructing instruments from scratch. She has a wide range of skills and has produced many works that would take a lifetime to review. There are concerns about a shrinking number of experts with technology evolving faster than we can teach it. Tatjana van Vark and craftsmen like her have never been common.

Big Ball of Mud (1999)

Original. The article explores the BIG BALL OF MUD software architecture and why it persists despite high-minded approaches. Seven patterns are discussed, including throwaway code and piecemeal growth, and the causes behind them, such as time constraints and neglect of architecture. Premature architecture can hinder evolution, and inexperience or employee turnover can limit sophistication. Pair programming and code reviews are recommended for immediate scrutiny, while refactoring, repair, and consolidation are crucial for combating BIG BALL OF MUD. It emphasizes the importance of incremental growth, maintenance, adaptation, and rigorous testing. Rebuilding a system may be necessary, but refactoring can provide an alternative by gleaning architectural elements from the current system.

Discussion Service. The "Big Ball of Mud (1999)" article is a well-regarded piece on software engineering. Several users praise its insight and relevance, citing it as a comprehensive explanation for what is seen in real-life situations every week. Others point to other similarly significant articles or subsequent developments in software engineering, such as microservices. Some users comment on their personal experiences relating to the article. Finally, some users critique the article's formatting or note that it has been previously posted.

Yann LeCun and Andrew Ng: Why the 6-Month AI Pause Is a Bad Idea [video]

Original. This is not the actual content of the article. Please provide the text for me to summarize.

Discussion Service. Yann LeCun and Andrew Ng criticize the 6-month AI pause, suggesting it's unrealistic and gives an advantage to OpenAI. Debates about AI winter, human thought representation, and societal disruption are highlighted. AI progress offers unexpected abilities beyond text and vocalizes concerns about job loss and poverty. Experts have mixed views on the effectiveness of the pause on AI development and the risks of unregulated AI. The potential threat of AGI surpassing human intelligence and deep learning surveillance technologies are raised, alongside concerns about AI alignment with human goals.

NSA created online cybersecurity course with 100s of classes

Original. The NSA has created an online cybersecurity course with hundreds of classes available. The course, called CLARK, covers a wide range of topics, including network security, cryptography, and cyber threats. The classes are designed for both beginners and experts, and can be accessed for free by anyone with an internet connection. There has been some controversy surrounding the course, with some critics claiming that it provides a backdoor for the NSA to access private information. However, the NSA has denied these claims and states that the course is purely educational.

Discussion Service. NSA has created a cybersecurity course, but there are concerns around the agency's use of 0day exploits in offensive operations. Some users note that the split between offense and defense is less ominous than it seems. The course is part of the CLARK System, which is partially funded by the NSA, but is primarily run by Towson University. Some users criticize the lack of coverage of certain topics in the course.

Replacing bad systems with bad systems

Original. In his blog post, Seth uses the metaphor of outdated parking meters to illustrate the need to rethink and improve bad systems. While replacing them may seem expensive, centralized systems like the Parkmobile app often have their own shortcomings. Going back to the original goal of generating revenue and preventing all-day parking, Seth suggests implementing a free app that scans a code to allow a period of parking time. Other revenue-enhancing options include an online payment service or selling parking passes with different discount options. While it's difficult to make UX choices for a public system, distributed systems like WordPress have thrived because of their decentralized and user-friendly design. The key benefit of distributed systems is their ability to improve over time, rather than calcifying like centralized systems. To move forward, Seth suggests that we prioritize better solutions instead of more solutions.

Discussion Service. A simpler parking system in Denmark has manual clock faces, with fines for cheaters. Users point out similar systems overseas. Complex solutions are often used despite simple options. Chicago parking meters generated $200M in 10 years. New electronic parking meters are less convenient than the classics. Governments struggle with payment systems, sometimes leaving it to vendors. Parking meters are mainly used for money, but they also prevent all-day parking. The article had no point according to one commentator, while another criticizes the author.

Neovim 0.9

Original. Neovim version 0.9.0 has been released, featuring changes to iconv, libintl, optional params, lua2dox, semantic tokens, '+tui', Yarn node modules support, and code block highlighting. Vim version 8.2.2902 has also been released with bug fixes and improved Lua scripting and LSP support. Neovim's latest release presents exciting new features and stability improvements, while Vim focuses on bug fixes and improved functionality. Neovim's updates include improvements to 'treesitter,' 'tui,' and 'windows,' from software fixes to improved documentation, streamlining the Neovim experience and solidifying its position as capable and user-friendly. Other updates include changes to the 'expect_unchanged()' function, EditorConfig and syntax highlighting for help files, a headless instance, improved LSP client capabilities, and plugin support for GUIs.

Discussion Service. Neovim 0.9.0 undeprecates 'exrc' and adds a "trust database". Experts recommend appImage or .local for installation. EditorConfig support is now built-in. Debate on Neovim's merits, while some criticize fragmentation, others suggest plugin managers. Neovim allows for new tools and plugins. Lua has advantages for plugin development. Helix Editor has object-verb model, zero config language server and a tutor. Its selection is less flexible, but users rave about usability and efficiency.

What's your best resource for keeping up-to-date on AI developments?

N/A (Since this is just general instructions for summarizing, there is no text to summarize.).

Discussion Service. Discussion Service users recommend resources for staying up-to-date on AI developments, including Papers with Code website, blogs, and newsletters. Caution advised due to information overload. Some offer resources for beginners. Recent advancements in AI, including hardware and algorithmic innovations, have improved large neural network training, achieving human-level performance. Debate continues over revolutionary breakthroughs.

Direct evidence of the use of multiple drugs in Bronze Age from human hair test

Original. A study found direct evidence of multiple psychoactive plant species in Bronze Age Menorca using human hair analysis. The hair contained ephedrine, atropine, and scopolamine. Archaeologists normally infer the use of mind-altering substances from artefacts, but this analysis is direct. This discovery sheds new light on drug use in ancient societies, indicating specialized knowledge and potential shamanic use. The study reveals the importance of understanding past cultures' role of psychoactive plants and drug use. Multiple studies show evidence of psychoactive plant use in ancient cultures, highlighting the long history of human drug use.

Discussion Service. Hair tests reveal drugs in Bronze Age with multiple psychoactive species. Comments discuss societal impacts of drug use, personal choice, education, and values. Drug prohibitions rooted in public health, morality, and racism. Neutral article avoids political bias and speculation.

NYPD officers brag about milking overtime in accidental recording

Original. An accidental recording made during the arrest of a construction worker has exposed police officers bragging about "milking overtime" and using derogatory language towards detainees. The recording sheds light on how recent criminal justice reforms have impacted the way officers process arrests and collect overtime. Police officers are suggested to be taking advantage of changes to bail and discovery laws to accumulate additional overtime. The NYPD has declined to comment on the recording, which also includes insensitive comments made by officers about detainees.

Discussion Service. NYPD officers brag about milking overtime but the article reveals their use of slurs, jokes about institutionalizing people, etc. Some believe that law enforcement in the US has much worse issues, and police overtime is a red herring. Others say milking overtime by prolonging detention is unconstitutional and deserving of felony charges. The corruption in the police force has led to calls for its abolition and replacement. Lack of proper oversight and controls enable milking overtime and malfeasance. There are concerns regarding the behavior of people given guns and preferential treatment under the law.

ChatGDB – GPT-Powered GDB Assistant

Original. ChatGDB is a tool that enhances the debugging experience in GDB by using the power of ChatGPT, allowing natural language commands to be executed automatically. Users can also ask ChatGPT to explain the command that was just run or even ask it a question. To install, Python version 3.3 or above and pip must be installed, followed by the command pip3 install chatgdb and creating an executable with chatgdb -k <API KEY>. The tool can be used within GDB by typing chat followed by the desired command, and the command explain can be used to request an explanation of the previous command or to ask a question.

Discussion Service. ChatGDB is a GPT-powered GDB assistant, enhancing debugging workflows. Discussion Service user notes the program's minimal code. ChatGPT accelerates user's understanding for unfamiliar tech, refactoring tasks. CLI version of ChatGPT suggested. ChatGPT expedites workflows, despite some users' preference for muscle memory. ChatGPT-3 presents natural language prompt for GDB, helpful for memory leaks and segmentation faults. Interface still unwieldy in certain scenarios, while font and color scheme are well-received.