I hope you’re having a nice fall, and that you have a great new year! I’ve got plenty of links to share, so let’s get into it…
Aesthetics
If you’d like to peek into some Geocities-era websites that are miraculously still online, click through the gateway above!
Good bot! Artistic uses of machine learning tech continue to be my favorite.
Solarpunk Is Not About Pretty Aesthetics. It's About the End of Capitalism
Regular readers will recall my fascination with Solarpunk.
1st Carnivorous Plant Identified In 20 Years Grows Near Vancouver
New carnivorous plant just dropped!
Another cool artistic use of ML (GPT-3). Great graphics on this piece too.
Tech
A Geopolitical Intellectual Property Boardroom Drama Heist!
One Woman’s Mission to Rewrite Nazi History on Wikipedia | WIRED
Wikipedia is of course becoming a cultural battleground. Good review of the rules of the game, made gripping by the narrative of this story.
Facebook is the AOL of 2021 | ZDNet
I never thought I’d see the day of ZDNet dunking on Facebook and me agreeing, but here we are.
Farmers say laser-blasting machine saves time and cuts pesticide use
Good bot! Pew pew pew!
How Big Telecom Killed Rules That Would Have Prevented Hurricane Ida Outages
Periodic reminder that telco megacorps are not looking out for your best interests.
The World’s Largest Computer Chip | The New Yorker
A friend and reader sent me this (Hi, Jon!) and it’s fascinating how companies are dodging the end of Moore’s Law.
In case you’re thwarted by The New Yorker’s paywall, here’s a related piece from AnandTech.
Culture
A Drug Addiction Risk Algorithm and Its Grim Toll on Chronic Pain Sufferers
Bad bot. This proprietary system is making healthcare decisions based on questionable premises, and preventing people with genuine needs from getting the treatment they seek. Another example of how small “AI” systems can create large negative effects without looking like Skynet.
Dutch cities want to ban property investors in all neighborhoods | NL Times
This is not about individuals investing in property, but banning corporations from buying houses. This seems like a smart move.
My Ordinary Life: Improvements Since the 1990s · Gwern.net
Piece provides pleasant perspective on how our lives have changed for the better in the last 30 years.
Quiz: If America Had Six Parties, Which Would You Belong To?
Cool quiz to think about issues and see how our political parties could be decomposed into their components. NYT unfortunately remains paywalled, but if you can, try it.
A Generation of American Men Give Up on College: ‘I Just Feel Lost’ - WSJ
There is certainly a growing group of men who don’t want to go to college and don’t know what to do with their lives. Feels like fertile ground for whatever can capture their attention and interest. Gaming? Crypto? We shall see!
Outside the Wire: the Afghan DJs abandoned by the US military - The Verge
A cool long read about the US’ use of radio DJs to spread propaganda. Especially relevant now that the military has withdrawn from Afghanistan.
On the Link Between Great Thinking and Obsessive Walking
I recently wrote that one of my hobbies is walking. I find it great for thinking, and talking. Turns out I’m in good company, as Darwin likewise was a walker.
Why Mexico's phaseout of glyphosate and GMO corn may help to reverse years of U.S. trade policy
It’s refreshing to see Mexico making choices that don’t prioritize US corporate interests.
The Rise of the Shitposter - Ed Zitron's Where's Your Ed At
Shitposting, defined… and somehow, it matters? I find this writer quite funny as well!