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This essay explores the evolution and importance of children's literature. From its origins as moral instruction manuals to today's imaginative and diverse works, children's literature has moved beyond regulating children to focusing on their real needs and imaginations. The author argues that great children's literature not only brings joy but also cultivates critical thinking, moral awareness, and a deep understanding of the world, offering a bulwark against negativity and ultimately serving as an engine of wonder and hope.
This website celebrates the modern literary novel worldwide since the early 20th century, categorized by nationality. It's a personal yet extensive survey of literary fiction since 1900, constantly expanding. Discover over 1700 authors writing in or translated into English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish. Each entry includes biography, bibliography, and selected book reviews. Created by a translator, this is a personal collection aimed at providing a valuable resource for literature enthusiasts. As Mia Couto says, "Books are never written. When we read them, we write them."
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This article delves into the science behind creating alcohol-free cocktails that taste remarkably similar to their alcoholic counterparts. It challenges the common assumption that alcohol's flavor is dominant, instead highlighting the role of trigeminal nerve stimulation (the burning sensation) and its drying effect on the mouth. The article analyzes the bitterness and sweetness of low-alcohol beverages and how alcohol enhances other flavor compounds. By using spicy ingredients like ginger and chili to mimic the burn, and strong tea tannins to replicate the astringency, one can craft mocktails with a similar mouthfeel. The focus, however, isn't on perfectly replicating the taste of alcohol, but rather using these elements to enhance the overall flavor profile.
A viral article about The New Yorker's use of diaereses sparked a discussion about the difference between diaereses and umlauts. The article explains that The New Yorker uses diaereses in words like "coöperate" to indicate that the two vowels should be pronounced separately, not as a diphthong. However, diaereses and umlauts look similar but serve different purposes: diaereses separate adjacent vowels, while umlauts indicate a change in vowel pronunciation. The article traces the origins of both marks, explains their usage in English and German, and explores how the umlaut sound change has affected the spelling and pronunciation of English words. It concludes with a humorous summary of the differences between diaereses and umlauts, and reveals the historical and cultural reasons behind The New Yorker's continued use of diaereses, despite reader complaints.
This article leverages the algebraic properties of quaternions to derive a 'master equation' for spherical trigonometry, elegantly proving the spherical law of cosines, the spherical law of sines, and Napier's rules. The author cleverly connects quaternions to the relationships between sides and angles of spherical triangles, using rotations and inner products to derive concise and elegant formulas. Applications to practical problems like calculating sunrise and sunset times are discussed, showcasing the power of quaternions in geometric problems.
The Dutch Republic, in the 17th century, was Europe's most powerful mercantile power. Its prosperity, as Julie Berger Hochstrasser notes, was built on the foundational elements of capitalism: rapacious resource extraction and privatization, exploitation of waged and unwaged labor, colonial theft, profit from trade, and the concealment of these exploitative practices. As Marx highlighted in *Capital*, the visible marketplace contrasts sharply with the hidden realities of production. Simon Schama's *The Embarrassment of Riches* showcases Amsterdam's opulent streets, filled with goods from around the world, while obscuring the suffering in plantations, ships, mines, and refineries that made this abundance possible.
This essay explores the unique experience of coming of age in the digital era, focusing on the generation that matured around the turn of the millennium. The author argues that the release of *The Matrix* in 1999 perfectly captured the anxieties and ontological shock of this generation, coinciding with Y2K fears, a contested election, and 9/11. This confluence of events, coupled with rapid technological advancement, created a profound sense of societal and psychological disruption. The essay concludes that this experience shaped a generation's approach to technology, fostering both fluency and skepticism, a critical awareness of the underlying systems at play.
In 1992, a university student with no musical background embarked on a DIY pipe organ journey to fulfill a course requirement. Initially using a vacuum cleaner motor to power crude wooden pipes, the result was deafening. Through experimentation and refinement, he designed an ingenious valve system and pipe structure, culminating in a unique instrument. This humble organ, built with ingenuity and passion, became a testament to the joy of creation and a source of inspiration for fellow music enthusiasts.
Goethe's poem, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," a tale made famous by Disney's Fantasia, illustrates the perils of power unchecked by wisdom. The apprentice, using magic beyond his understanding, creates a chaotic situation highlighting the risks of uncontrolled human creations. The article explores the 'sorcerer's apprentice syndrome' found in numerous stories where humanity's inventions—like robots—turn against their creators, underscoring the timeless warning against prioritizing power over knowledge.
A blogger friend seeks advice, and the author suggests: be authentic, showcasing your unique personality and contradictions is more engaging than blindly imitating others; start by writing quickly, like chatting with a friend, then refine; begin with simple 500-word posts, such as "a problem I had and how I solved it"; practice consistently, improving one aspect at a time; don't be afraid to make mistakes, Kafka often rewrote from scratch; when editing, cut the weakest 20%; ultimately, your blog will attract people who share your unique perspective.
The Society for Technical Communication (STC), a long-standing organization, has announced its closure due to insurmountable financial liabilities and declining membership. Despite years of cost-cutting measures and revenue generation attempts, the organization's debt and operational expenses exceeded its income. STC will cease all operations, including membership renewals, educational programs, certification courses, and all chapter and SIG activities. A bankruptcy trustee will manage the closure process and communicate with creditors.
The Cardan grille is an ancient method of steganography that uses a perforated grid to hide secret messages within ordinary letters. In the Renaissance, Girolamo Cardano devised a simple grid where messages were written through the holes. The grid was then removed, and the remaining spaces filled to create an innocuous-looking letter. While slow and requiring skill, this cleverly concealed messages within plain text, evading direct cryptanalysis. Though largely obsolete by the late 17th century, the Cardan grille remains a fascinating historical example of steganography.
Blogger The Bloggess hilariously recounts her battle against AI writing tools. She refuses to let AI 'polish' her emails, finding the AI-generated versions sterile and inauthentic. The AI's attempts to rewrite her text and even replace her images with AI-generated ones infuriate her, leading to a funny rant about the importance of preserving individual writing styles. The Bloggess hopes her rejection of AI's suggestions will teach the AI to appreciate and even propagate her wonderfully flawed, human style.
This article argues that smartphones are killing our ability to feel sexy. The author contends that the convenience of our phones eliminates desire, risk, and genuine connection. From endless scrolling to instant gratification, phones detach us from our bodies and immerse us in a digital world, preventing us from experiencing life's fleeting sensual moments. The author calls for us to disconnect, embrace uncertainty, and reconnect with the physical and emotional experiences that make life exciting.
Renowned mathematician Terence Tao shared his insights on solving problems in dynamic systems on Mathstodon. He highlighted the need to consider the complexity and evolution of such systems, requiring a multifaceted approach utilizing various mathematical tools and real-world context. His post sparked discussion among math enthusiasts, showcasing the ongoing exploration and innovation in the field.
The US government launched a deferred resignation program, allowing federal employees to apply until February 6, 2025. This program addresses government restructuring and workforce reductions. Employees choosing this option retain pay and benefits until September 30, 2025, and are exempt from daily in-person work requirements. The program excludes military personnel, postal service employees, those in immigration enforcement and national security, and others as specified by their employing agency.
A New York Public Library study reveals the positive impact of libraries on people's well-being and community development, especially in lower-income areas. Over 90% of respondents reported that using the library enhanced their love of learning, personal growth, and ability to cope with life's challenges. Libraries offer more than just books; they provide calm spaces, a sense of community, and an optimistic outlook, serving as an antidote to negativity.
Alexey Staroselets cancelled his Spotify subscription due to an overwhelming influx of AI-generated music and album art in his Discover Weekly playlist. He cites the bloated, poorly designed desktop app as a contributing factor, ultimately leading him to support real artists and own his music.
Paul Krugman, Nobel laureate in economics, recently announced his departure from his 25-year position as an opinion writer at the New York Times. His departure stems from increasing editorial interference at the Times, ranging from minor edits to substantial rewrites, and restrictions on his topics. The Times also eliminated his blog and newsletter, limiting his reach and expression. Krugman felt the Times was becoming bland and losing its edge, leading him to seek greater freedom and independence by moving to Substack.
This article uses engaging analogies to explain the concept of the fourth dimension. By imagining a 2D being observing a 3D object, the author illustrates how we might perceive a 4D hypercube. It clearly explains how to understand 4D geometry through cross-sections, and utilizes rotation matrices and linear algebra to calculate and visualize the projection of a rotated hypercube into 3D space, resulting in complex geometric forms.
Curious about your Hacker News activity over the past year? DeepSeek's new HN Wrapped tool analyzes your profile to generate a personalized yearly report. It summarizes your posts, comments, upvotes, and more, revealing your activity trends and interests. Relive your year on HN!
This article argues that email is outdated and presents numerous examples of errors and security risks caused by improper email use, such as information leaks and accidental email misdirection. The author points out that the BCC function in email has existed since 1975 yet remains a source of confusion for many. Modern collaborative tools, like shared documents and instant messaging, are argued to be superior for communication needs. While email offers the advantage of permanent storage, it's clumsy and error-prone in the digital age. The author calls for the adoption of more efficient communication methods, ultimately advocating for the phasing out of email.
POTUS Tracker is a website tracking US presidential executive orders, schedule, and signed legislation. It offers mobile notifications and experienced significant downtime on January 28th due to server overload, but has since been upgraded thanks to donations. The site is owned and operated by Luke Wines, with portions of the President's schedule provided by Roll Call and legislation information from Congress.gov.
Starting January 27th, Osaka City, Japan, implemented a city-wide ban on smoking on all streets, including vaping. Violators face a 1,000 yen ($6.40 USD) fine. This is part of a beautification project ahead of Expo 2025, with 17 new designated smoking areas planned. The ban is actively enforced by patrols, making it more than a symbolic gesture.
This article challenges the long-held misconception that the hierarchical structure observed in captive wolf packs reflects the natural social dynamics of wolves and, by extension, human leadership. Early research on captive wolves popularized the concept of an "alpha" male, implying dominance and aggression as the foundation of leadership. However, later studies of wild wolves revealed a different reality: family-based units guided by experienced parents, where leadership stems from nurturing and protection, not brute force. The author argues that applying the captive wolf model to human society has led to a skewed understanding of power and leadership, contributing to negative outcomes in industries like tech, where high-pressure environments and a focus on dominance foster burnout. The article calls for a reassessment of leadership, emphasizing cooperation and care over aggressive competition and control.
Douglas Bader, a World War II RAF pilot who lost both legs in a 1931 plane crash, defied the odds to become a legendary figure. Medically discharged, he returned to service and fought valiantly in the Battle of Britain, leading his squadron to impressive victories. Captured after a dogfight, Bader made multiple daring escape attempts. Remarkably, a replacement prosthetic leg was even parachuted to him in a mission dubbed 'Operation Leg', facilitated by German General Adolf Galland. Post-war, Bader championed disability rights and continued flying until 1979, maintaining a unique 42-year friendship with Galland.
A year after being laid off, the author reflects on the experience. The article details warning signs preceding the layoff: cancelled team events, unexpected package notifications, lack of leadership vision, vague mandatory meetings, and the timing around quarterly results. The author emphasizes that even high performance may be disregarded during layoffs, reducing employees to mere rows in a spreadsheet. The author reflects on the broken trust in modern work and advises those yet to be laid off to stick to contract hours, protect personal time, continuously interview, leverage external offers for salary increases, and not overthink their resumes. Ultimately, the layoff fundamentally altered the author's perspective on work, leaving them disillusioned.
Purelymail offers incredibly cheap email hosting, significantly undercutting competitors like Protonmail, Fastmail, and Google Workspace, especially for multiple users. It's IMAP and POP3 compatible, allows custom domains, and boasts unlimited users and storage. While lacking features like calendar syncing and boasting a somewhat unpolished UI, it's generally reliable (running on AWS), promises no data selling, and is surprisingly affordable. Currently in beta, it's a strong contender if you need simple, cheap, and reliable email.
The author recounts the year-long project of digitizing and archiving over 8,000 family slides, inherited after her parents' passing. This unexpectedly emotional journey offered insights into her parents' lives and provided valuable lessons in family photography. Key takeaways include focusing on capturing interactions and daily life rather than just tourist snapshots, adding descriptive labels and location data, and improving photo quality through basic photography knowledge. The project highlights the importance of family photos not only as a legacy but also as a powerful tool for preserving cherished memories.