Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Resurrecting the Old Web: Blogs and RSS Feeds Make a Comeback

2025-09-25

A Maine news story about middle schoolers using landlines sparked a reflection on the current state of social media. The author argues that social media has become an addictive noise machine, and people long for the simpler, purer connection of the early internet. To address this, the author advocates a return to blogs and RSS feeds, creating a 'bear blog' platform to share thoughts and connect with other blogs via links, mimicking the simpler networking of the old web. The author calls for breaking free from the social media dopamine loop and collectively building a purer online experience.

(stevedylandev.bearblog.dev)

Misc

Japanese City Limits Recreational Smartphone Use to Two Hours a Day

2025-09-25

The city council of Toyoake, Japan, has passed an ordinance symbolically limiting recreational smartphone use to two hours daily. The aim is to promote better sleep, particularly for students returning to school after summer break. While not legally binding, the ordinance encourages healthier sleep habits and addresses concerns about excessive smartphone use impacting daily life. The city plans to survey residents on the ordinance's effectiveness and explore addressing other smartphone-related issues.

(www.theregister.com)

Misc smartphone use sleep deprivation public policy

The Four Architects of America's Sports Betting Boom

2025-09-25

The 2018 Supreme Court repeal of a 26-year ban on sports betting unleashed a gambling boom unlike any other in US history. This fascinating story centers around four key figures: Bill Bradley, the principled former Senator and NBA player who initially championed the ban; Chris Christie, the pragmatic New Jersey governor who fought for legalization; Jeremy Kudon, the shrewd lobbyist who navigated state legislatures; and Ted Olson, the legal mastermind who successfully challenged the ban in court. Their intertwined efforts, alongside the rise of daily fantasy sports, paved the way for the widespread legalization of sports betting across America.

(shreyashariharan.substack.com)

Misc sports betting legalization

Courtroom Sketches: A Dying Art in the Age of Cameras?

2025-09-24

The UK's ban on photography in courts dates back to 1922, but courtroom sketching persists. This article explores how courtroom artists capture fleeting moments and how their work remains a vital part of news reporting. It compares different artistic styles and analyzes the pros and cons of allowing cameras in court, considering the impact on court transparency and public understanding of legal processes. Courtroom sketching is not merely art; it's a historical record, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of law and art. Concerns over responsible camera use and maintaining the solemnity of the court are also addressed.

(www.itsnicethat.com)

Misc courtroom sketching

Hacking Persian Learning with Anki, ChatGPT, and YouTube

2025-09-24

The author details their effective Persian learning system using Anki, ChatGPT, and YouTube extensions. They create various Anki flashcards, including reading practice and English-Persian translation cards, leveraging ChatGPT for instant clarification. A key technique involves using a dual-subtitle YouTube extension, watching videos at 75% speed, and repeatedly reading and listening to solidify comprehension, culminating in real-time understanding.

(cjauvin.github.io)

Misc

UK Human Rights Groups Oppose Mandatory Digital ID

2025-09-24

Several UK human rights organizations have written to the Prime Minister urging him to abandon plans for a mandatory digital ID. They argue that such a system would fundamentally alter the citizen-state relationship, irrevocably harming civil liberties, and failing to deter illegal immigration. Concerns are raised about frequent identity checks in daily life and the potential expansion of its use to access various public and private services.

(bigbrotherwatch.org.uk)

Misc

Pope Leo XIV Rejects AI Papal Avatar: Tech Development Needs Human Connection

2025-09-24

Pope Leo XIV has rejected a proposal to create an AI-powered virtual version of himself, which would have allowed Catholics worldwide to have virtual audiences. The Pope expressed concerns that an AI representation would be inappropriate, and voiced worries about AI's potential to cause job displacement and exacerbate social inequality. He stressed that technological advancement must be balanced with faith and humanity, preventing technology from becoming a cold, empty shell that neglects human values. This decision echoes the concerns previously raised by Pope Francis, highlighting the importance of upholding ethics and social fairness in the face of technological progress.

(www.theregister.com)

Misc religious technology

Website Privacy Policy and Data Collection Explained

2025-09-24

This website uses technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information for optimal user experience. Consent allows processing data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs. Withdrawing consent may affect features and functions. The policy details legitimate uses of technical storage or access, including enabling specific services, communication transmission, storing preferences, and statistical purposes (both anonymous and non-anonymous). Targeted advertising and user tracking are also mentioned.

(chipwise.tech)

Misc

The True Meaning of Friendship: The Warmth of Inclusion

2025-09-24

Alexei, a high-achieving college freshman, showed remarkable kindness to Anna, a shy classmate. Despite Anna consistently refusing invitations to parties, Alexei persistently included her, ensuring she felt part of the group. Years later, Anna expressed deep gratitude, highlighting how this inclusive friendship provided a sense of belonging during her difficult transition to college life. This story underscores the essence of friendship: not shared activities, but genuine care and acceptance.

(sharif.io)

Misc belonging

Michigan City: A Quiet Corner of American Resilience

2025-09-23

A week spent in Michigan City, Indiana, reveals a town quietly humming with manufacturing and a surprisingly tranquil life. While seemingly unremarkable, the town produces vital industrial goods—from die-cutting tools for packaging to drainage solutions—unseen cogs in the modern world's machinery. Interactions with residents showcase the simplicity and warmth of their lives, a stark contrast to the often-toxic online environment. This experience prompts reflection on balancing political engagement with a grounded perspective, highlighting the town's quiet strength as a cornerstone of a healthy society.

(walkingtheworld.substack.com)

Misc American town

The 1300-Year-Old Mystery: Ise Grand Shrine's Cyclical Rebirth

2025-09-23

For 1300 years, Japan's most revered Shinto shrine, Ise Grand Shrine, has been completely rebuilt every two decades. This isn't mere renovation; it's a $390 million, nine-year project involving the nation's finest artisans. Ancient rituals, generations of inherited skills, and reverence for the deity intertwine in this cyclical process. From prayerful tree-felling to the final consecration, each step is imbued with solemnity and mystery, reflecting a unique Japanese understanding of the cycle of life and harmony with nature.

(apnews.com)

Misc Ise Grand Shrine Shinto Shrine Reconstruction

Rungis Market: The Hidden Heart of Parisian Gastronomy

2025-09-23

At 4 am, the Rungis International Market, Europe's largest fresh food market, roars to life. This bustling hub, twice the size of London's Hyde Park, employs 13,000 people and supplies 60% of the Paris region's fresh produce. This article follows Parisian restaurateur Marc-Antoine Surand on a journey through this hidden world, revealing the stories behind Parisian cuisine and the historical relocation of Rungis from central Paris, and how it reshaped the relationship between Parisians and their food.

(www.vittlesmagazine.com)

Misc gastronomy Paris Rungis Market

Mastering the Art of Fall Foliage Travel: Timing is Everything

2025-09-23

Planning a fall foliage trip? Knowing when leaves peak is tricky, as timing varies yearly. This guide suggests using fall foliage maps, checking real-time updates, and finalizing plans within two weeks of peak color to account for weather. Pre-planning your hikes or drives, and aiming for early mornings at popular spots to beat the crowds and enjoy the golden sunrise hues, will maximize your autumnal experience.

(www.explorefall.com)

Misc fall foliage peak season

My Anti-Projects: A Collection of Unfinished Works

2025-09-22

The author reflects on their unfinished projects, including unused domains, unlaunched websites, incomplete designs, unreleased code, unpublished blog posts, and unread web links. They call these unfinished works "anti-projects," prompting reflection on the gap between intention and completion—a relatable experience for many.

(blog.jim-nielsen.com)

Misc unfinished projects intention vs. completion

Decade-Long Program Cracks Century-Old Math Conjecture

2025-09-22

Two mathematicians ran a program for over a decade, finally disproving the long-standing additivity conjecture. Using a massive database they built, they processed millions of knots, ultimately finding a counterexample that shattered the conjecture. This story highlights the power of persistence and clever methodology, demonstrating the immense challenges hidden within seemingly simple mathematical problems.

(www.quantamagazine.org)

Misc

The Stealth Laptop Bag: A Movie Prop Masterpiece

2025-09-22

Carrying a laptop in a grocery bag to a Cloudflare board meeting sparked comments. The author prefers inconspicuous bags, leading to the discovery of the perfect solution: a silent movie prop grocery bag. Looking like a typical brown paper bag, it's actually fabric, durable, nearly silent, and perfectly sized for a vintage MacBook Pro. It's the ultimate in understated practicality.

(blog.jgc.org)

Misc laptop bag movie prop stealth

The Five Doors of Influence: A New Approach to Persuasion

2025-09-22

This article explores five distinct approaches to influencing others: Rationalizing, Asserting, Negotiating, Inspiring, and Bridging. Each represents a 'door' leading to different levels of relationship and commitment. The author emphasizes recognizing our own default persuasion style (our 'blind spot') as crucial, as it shapes our perception and interactions. The key is adapting our approach to the individual, rather than rigidly sticking to one method. Through examples and reflective questions, the article guides readers in understanding and applying these five techniques to improve communication and influence.

(andiroberts.com)

Misc influence

Newton's Infinite Summation: A Story of Discovery

2025-09-21

While studying mathematics, a young Newton ingeniously solved the problem of finding the area of a circle using infinite series through analogy and observation. Instead of directly tackling the circle, he investigated the areas under a series of more general curves. By observing patterns in these areas, he deduced an infinite series representation for the area of a circle. This process was full of guesswork and verification. Newton not only found an approximation for the area but also developed the powerful theory of power series, laying the foundation for the development of calculus. This showcases Newton's extraordinary mathematical intuition and problem-solving skills, and teaches us that changing our perspective on a problem can often lead to greater breakthroughs.

(www.quantamagazine.org)

Misc Power Series

Probability and Duality: From Coin Flips to High-Dimensional Geometry

2025-09-21

This article explores several seemingly unrelated probability problems, such as the probability of a path existing in a random graph and the probability that the convex hull of four points on the unit circle contains the origin, both surprisingly equal to 1/2. The author cleverly uses duality tricks and combinatorial arguments to reveal the deep connections behind these problems. By analyzing the number of cells cut out of a high-dimensional space by linear hyperplanes and studying the properties of random matrices, the author ultimately explains these probability results and poses several unsolved mathematical problems, prompting readers to ponder the curious relationship between probability, geometry, and duality.

(cgad.ski)

Misc duality

Tranquilizers and the Age of Anxiety: Capitalism's Drug Problem

2025-09-21

This article explores the intricate relationship between drug consumption and modern capitalism. Through personal experience and historical review, the author traces the evolution of anti-anxiety medications, from Miltown in the 1950s to Klonopin today. These drugs, the author argues, are not simply treatments for anxiety, but also products of a capitalist society that generates widespread stress and precarity. The article posits that the pressures, instability, and uncertainty of modern life lead to pervasive anxiety and trauma, with drugs serving as a coping mechanism. The author's personal journey illustrates this, prompting reflection on the complex interplay between drug use and societal structures.

(lithub.com)

Misc History of Drugs Anxiety

Oxford Falls Out of UK's Top 3 Universities

2025-09-21

In the 2026 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, Oxford University fell out of the top three UK universities for the first time, dropping to fourth place alongside Cambridge. Durham University claimed third place, while the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) retained its top spot for the second consecutive year. St Andrews University held second place. Durham's significant improvement in student teaching quality evaluations propelled its rise.

(hotminute.co.uk)

Misc University Rankings Oxford University Durham University

Touching Time: Stones, Wood, and the Enduring Power of Intention

2025-09-21

The author's experiences living in Rome and Japan led him on a quest to understand what evokes a feeling of connection across time. Initially, he believed it was ancient stone structures, like Roman ruins. However, in Japan, he discovered that even repeatedly rebuilt wooden buildings, like Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), could inspire the same feeling. Ultimately, he realized it wasn't the materials themselves, but the enduring intention, tradition, and continued practice behind the structures—like the centuries-old fire watch patrol in a Tokyo neighborhood—that forms the crucial link to the past.

(aethermug.com)

Misc cultural experience sense of time traditional architecture

European Train Travel: 5-Hour Reach Map

2025-09-21

This map visualizes the area reachable within 5 hours from every major train station across Europe. Inspired by Direkt Bahn Guru, it uses data sourced from the Deutsche Bahn website. Hover over a station to see its 5-hour isochrone. The map assumes 20-minute transfers and travel speeds slightly faster than walking, representing optimal travel times. Actual journeys might be longer due to real-world transfer times.

(old.chronotrains.com)

Misc european transport map visualization

GlucoDataHandler: Cross-Platform Glucose Data Visualization App

2025-09-21

GlucoDataHandler is an innovative Android app that gathers glucose data from various sources and displays it clearly on your Android smartphone, smartwatch (Wear OS, Mi Band, Amazfit), and in your car (via GlucoDataAuto). It supports multiple glucose monitoring devices and apps, including AndroidAPS, Juggluco, xDrip+, Eversense, and Dexcom, offering customizable alarms, widgets, and lockscreen display. Tasker integration and data forwarding are also supported. The app has benefited from contributions and support from various community members, making glucose management easier for diabetes patients.

(github.com)

Misc

Disney Faces Lawsuit Over Steamboat Willie Copyright

2025-09-21

Morgan & Morgan, a major US law firm, is suing Disney for the right to use images from Steamboat Willie in its commercials. They argue the copyright has expired, but fear a trademark infringement lawsuit from Disney, prompting them to seek a court ruling. Their proposed ad depicts Mickey's boat crashing into Minnie's car, leading her to contact the firm. Disney has yet to respond.

(apnews.com)

Misc trademark infringement

The Slow Creep of Totalitarianism: How Germany Fell Silent

2025-09-21

This excerpt from Milton Mayer's *They Thought They Were Free* details the gradual descent of the German people into silence and complicity under the Nazi regime. A philologist recounts how the widening gap between government and people allowed the Nazis to implement their horrific policies incrementally. Each seemingly small step, disguised as an emergency measure or patriotic duty, eroded individual resistance. The author highlights the difficulty of predicting the consequences of inaction and the pervasive uncertainty that stifled dissent. Ultimately, the horrifying reality of the Nazi regime is revealed, but only after it was too late for many to act.

(press.uchicago.edu)

Misc political apathy historical reflection

The Myth of University Education: A Credentialing Machine?

2025-09-21

The author reflects on their experience studying Environmental Engineering in Jordan, arguing that universities prioritize credentials over genuine knowledge. A rigid curriculum and rote memorization left them uninspired, failing to acquire practical skills. This contrasts sharply with their experience studying in Germany, leading the author to embrace self-directed learning in programming, Arduino, etc. Ultimately, they aim for financial independence to design their own learning path.

(www.waliddib.com)

Misc

Slave Ship Mutiny: The Amelia (1811)

2025-09-21

On January 20th, 1811, off the west coast of Africa, enslaved people aboard the illegal slave ship Amelia staged a successful mutiny. Armed with wooden planks, they overpowered the crew and forced the ship back to Africa. This event exposed a vast multinational criminal enterprise, with global repercussions. Unlike the infamous Zong massacre, the Amelia's attempted cover-up was foiled by the captives' rebellion.

(www.historytoday.com)

Misc slave revolt slave trade historical event

West Bank Palestinians Rely on Homegrown Navigation Apps to Bypass Israeli Checkpoints

2025-09-20

Navigating the West Bank has become a daily struggle for Palestinians, with Israeli checkpoints and barriers severely restricting movement. Homegrown apps like Doroob Navigator and Azmeh, which crowdsource real-time traffic and road closure data, have become lifelines, helping people reach work, schools, and hospitals. These apps highlight the resilience and community spirit of Palestinians in the face of ongoing conflict and restrictions.

(restofworld.org)

Misc navigation apps mapping

Einstein's 1940 World's Fair Speech: A Celebration of a Diverse America

2025-09-20

This article recounts a little-known speech given by Albert Einstein at the 1940 New York World's Fair. The speech praised the contributions of immigrants and African Americans, advocating for the acknowledgment of America's diversity and inclusivity. The context is set against the backdrop of pre-WWII anti-immigrant sentiment and Nazi influence in the US; Einstein's speech served as a powerful counterpoint, emphasizing the importance of multiculturalism to American society and refuting the fallacies of immigration restriction. This contrasts sharply with the nativist movements of the 1850s and the pro-Nazi elements before WWII.

(www.openculture.com)

Misc Multiculturalism

Category: Misc