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Jerry Lewis' Lost Holocaust Film 'The Day the Clown Cried' Found After 45 Years

2025-05-30

Jerry Lewis' Lost Holocaust Film 'The Day the Clown Cried' Found After 45 Years

One of cinema's most sought-after lost films, Jerry Lewis' controversial Holocaust film 'The Day the Clown Cried,' has resurfaced after 45 years. Swedish actor Hans Crispin claims he stole a complete workprint in 1980 and has been privately screening it ever since. The film, shot in 1972 but never released, depicts a German circus clown in a Nazi concentration camp forced to lure children to their deaths. While Lewis himself had mixed feelings about the film, Crispin intends to make his copy available, hoping to preserve and share this historically significant, yet disturbing, piece of cinema history.

(www.thenationalnews.com)

Misc lost film jerry lewis

23-Year-Old Extradited to US, Allegedly Part of Notorious Cybercrime Group

2025-05-01

Tyler Robert Buchanan, a 23-year-old Scottish man believed to be a member of the prolific Scattered Spider cybercrime group, was extradited from Spain to the US last week. He faces charges of wire fraud, conspiracy, and identity theft, accused of involvement in attacks that stole over $26 million. The group used SMS phishing and SIM swapping to target numerous companies, including Twilio and LastPass in 2022. Buchanan was arrested in Spain in June 2024 after fleeing the UK following threats from a rival gang. Seized devices revealed evidence linking him to the crimes. He's currently held without bail, awaiting trial and facing significant prison time.

(krebsonsecurity.com)

Tech

Solved: The 81,998-Bar Korean Pub Crawl – A TSP Milestone

2025-04-24

A team has solved the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP) for 81,998 bars in South Korea, finding the shortest possible route to visit them all. The total walking time is a staggering 178 days, though practically impossible to complete in such a timeframe. The solution's precision, however, proves its optimality, surpassing the previous record of 57,912 stops in the Netherlands. The team employed the LKH and Concorde algorithms, combined with the 'cutting-plane method', demonstrating that even with an astronomically large number of possibilities, optimal solutions can be found. This showcases a significant advancement in solving large-scale optimization problems.

(www.math.uwaterloo.ca)

Tech Traveling Salesperson Problem

GPT Cache Optimization: A Real-World Case Study

2025-04-20

GPT Cache Optimization: A Real-World Case Study

A South Korean user encountered persistent PDF generation failures, token overflow loops, and cache redundancy issues while running multi-session GPT simulations. Instead of giving up, they meticulously measured, analyzed, and implemented an optimization solution involving system behavior logs, trigger-response circuits, and quantifiable metrics. The optimization significantly reduced token usage, implemented a memory-like routine via custom trigger-circuit logic, and automated the deletion of failed system responses. This report, based on real user session data, was referenced in official correspondence with OpenAI.

(github.com)

Development GPT optimization case study

Male Blue-Lined Octopus Uses Venom to Conquer Mates

2025-03-16

Male Blue-Lined Octopus Uses Venom to Conquer Mates

A groundbreaking study reveals a unique mating strategy in the blue-lined octopus (Hapalochlaena fasciata): males inject females with tetrodotoxin during mating, temporarily paralyzing them to avoid being cannibalized. This differs from other species' use of venom for hunting or defense; it's a unique reproductive application. Researchers observed males precisely biting near the females' aorta to inject the venom. While deadly to most animals, females have evolved resistance, ensuring successful mating. Male venom glands are significantly larger, suggesting a need to overcome female resistance. This study highlights an evolutionary arms race between sexes for reproductive success.

(www.newscientist.com)

Tech octopus venom mating

Another Car Carrier Fire Highlights Growing EV Risks at Sea

2025-06-05

Another Car Carrier Fire Highlights Growing EV Risks at Sea

The fire aboard the Morning Midas, carrying thousands of vehicles including electric vehicles, is the latest in a string of car carrier fires. This incident, along with detailed accounts of previous disasters like the Fremantle Highway and Felicity Ace, highlights the significant challenges posed by lithium-ion batteries in maritime transport. Investigations often reveal issues such as inadequate fire suppression systems, poor emergency response, and underlying design flaws. The increasing number of electric vehicles necessitates urgent improvements in safety regulations and technologies for their seaborne transportation.

(gcaptain.com)

Tech car carrier fires maritime safety

Nostalgia Trip: Why Early Computers Were More Fun

2025-04-18

This article explores why older generations find early computers more enjoyable than modern ones. The author argues that the simplicity and limitations of early hardware – slow processors, low resolutions, limited memory – forced creative problem-solving, making the experience more engaging. The largely text-based internet fostered stronger human interaction, lacking the pervasive advertising and passive content consumption of today. The author posits that the appeal lay in the exclusivity; only those truly passionate about computers invested the time, creating a tight-knit community. As computers became ubiquitous and user-friendly, this unique aspect faded, replaced by accessibility but at the cost of depth and challenge.

(www.datagubbe.se)

Misc computer culture

Google's Carbon: Not Just a C++ Successor, But a Technical Debt Reckoning

2025-02-08

Google's Carbon: Not Just a C++ Successor, But a Technical Debt Reckoning

Google's experimental programming language, Carbon, isn't merely a C++ replacement; it's a project aiming to tackle C++'s massive technical debt through automated tools for large-scale migration to a modern, maintainable language. Stemming from disagreements with the C++ standards committee over the language's future direction, Carbon seeks to free itself from committee constraints, enabling more agile evolution. While a monumental challenge, Carbon leverages tools like Clang and LLVM, unifying abstractions via interfaces to address C++'s complexity, offering a potential solution for the vast C++ codebases that will persist for decades to come.

(herecomesthemoon.net)

Development Technical Debt

VS Naipaul's Brutal, Yet Illuminating, Critique of My First Novel

2025-05-05

VS Naipaul's Brutal, Yet Illuminating, Critique of My First Novel

This piece recounts the author's intense and complicated relationship with Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul regarding his debut novel. Naipaul delivers a scathing critique, pointing out flaws in the narrative structure and offering suggestions for improvement. Despite the harsh criticism, Naipaul also affirms the author's talent and provides invaluable writing advice. The experience, both painful and enlightening, ultimately teaches the author valuable lessons about writing and reveals the deeper meaning behind Naipaul's rigorous approach.

(granta.com)

Misc

far: Lightning-Fast Find and Replace CLI Tool

2025-05-24

far: Lightning-Fast Find and Replace CLI Tool

far (Find And Replace) is a fast and flexible command-line tool for searching and replacing text across files and folders. It targets specific files, directories, or glob patterns, and boasts smart casing support (e.g., Foo → Bar, FOO → BAR), inspired by Sublime Text's find and replace functionality. Installation is straightforward: clone the GitHub repo and build. For example, `far --find "Foo" --replace "Bar" --target "./src/**/*.rs"` replaces "Foo" with "Bar" in all .rs files within the src directory. Licensed under the Apache-2.0 License, contributions and suggestions are welcome.

(github.com)

Development text search and replace

Running a Minecraft Server Inside a FreeBSD Jail

2025-04-05

Running a Minecraft Server Inside a FreeBSD Jail

This tutorial walks you through setting up a secure Minecraft server within a FreeBSD Jail container, a more secure alternative to Docker or Podman on Linux. The author details the process of creating the jail, installing the FreeBSD base system, configuring network settings, building the Minecraft server from ports, and configuring crucial settings like memory allocation, EULA acceptance, and server properties. Finally, the guide demonstrates starting the server and connecting via a Minecraft client. This is a comprehensive guide for users comfortable with FreeBSD.

(vermaden.wordpress.com)

Development

Cookie-Based Authentication in Axum: From Extractors to Middleware

2025-06-05

This article explores two approaches to implementing cookie-based user authentication in the Rust Axum framework. Initially, the author demonstrates using a custom extractor, `CookieJwt`, to retrieve JWT tokens from requests, conditionally rendering a 'Profile' or 'Login' button based on JWT validity. However, this approach proves less clean and scalable for complex authentication scenarios. The article then refactors the solution using Axum middleware, providing a cleaner, more reusable, and flexible approach to handling authentication logic. This middleware efficiently validates JWTs, manages refresh tokens, and gracefully handles various request types, ultimately resulting in a more robust and adaptable user authentication system. The author details the middleware's implementation, highlighting its advantages over the extractor-based approach.

(mattrighetti.com)

Development

React's 5th Anniversary: From Internal Project to Open Source Superstar

2025-04-16

On React's fifth anniversary, this post looks back at its journey. From Facebook's internal projects BoltJS and FaxJS used for building complex web applications, to eventually becoming a functional UI library, React underwent multiple iterations and API refactoring. The post also covers the introduction of JSX, and Instagram's role in pushing React to open source. React's success wasn't overnight; it's a result of continuous team improvements and active community involvement.

(legacy.reactjs.org)

Development

1Password's New Location-Based Feature: Nearby Items

2025-03-06

1Password's New Location-Based Feature: Nearby Items

1Password has rolled out a location-aware feature allowing users to tag passwords with physical locations. When near a tagged location, relevant credentials automatically appear in the 1Password mobile app. This 'Nearby Items' feature streamlines access to information, eliminating the need to search or recall specific account names. Location data can be added to any existing or new password entry, and a map view facilitates location setting and viewing. 1Password assures users that location data remains local and never leaves the device. The feature is available to all 1Password customers now.

(www.engadget.com)

Tech password management location services

72-Year-Old Historian Seeks Reader Support for Independent Blog

2025-02-24

Robert Zimmerman, a 72-year-old historian, is launching a fundraising drive for his blog, Behind the Black. Known for his independent analysis, he accurately predicted the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Rejecting advertising and sponsorships, he relies solely on reader donations. Readers can contribute via Zelle, Patreon, PayPal, or check; larger donations receive signed copies of his books.

(behindtheblack.com)

Misc independent blog

ESP32 Bluetooth Controller 'Backdoor': A False Alarm?

2025-03-11

Recent concerns have emerged regarding a potential "backdoor" or "undocumented features" in the ESP32 Bluetooth controller. Espressif has responded, stating that the so-called "undocumented HCI commands" are solely for debugging purposes and do not pose a security threat. These commands assist in debugging (e.g., read/write RAM, memory-mapped flash read, send/receive packets), and don't play an active role in standard Bluetooth host stack (like NimBLE or Bluedroid) HCI communication. In ESP32, the controller and host run on the same MCU, communicating via a virtual HCI layer. Any code accessing this layer must execute on the ESP32 with full privileges. Therefore, unless the application itself has vulnerabilities, these undocumented commands cannot be exploited. Espressif will provide a software patch to remove access to these debug commands and will document all vendor-specific HCI commands for greater transparency.

(developer.espressif.com)

Hardware Bluetooth Security

Debugging Bash Scripts: Gracefully Handling `set -e` Errors

2025-07-27

This article presents a neat trick for gracefully handling errors triggered by `set -e` in Bash scripts. By using `trap 'echo "Exit status $? at line $LINENO from: $BASH_COMMAND"' ERR`, you can print information like the error line number, failing command, and exit status when the script encounters an error, making debugging easier. This leverages Bash-specific features: `$LINENO`, `$BASH_COMMAND` environment variables, and the `ERR` trap condition. Other shells like sh may behave differently and might not fully support this functionality.

(utcc.utoronto.ca)

Development script debugging

The Pragmatist's Guide to Functional Programming: Macro over Micro

2025-04-14

This essay argues against a purely micro-level application of functional programming principles in imperative languages. While acknowledging the benefits of functional programming, the author contends that obsessively replacing for loops with maps and reduces without addressing higher-level architectural concerns often yields minimal gains or even negative results. The true value lies in adopting macro-level principles like managing mutation, simplifying architecture, and strengthening type systems. The author advocates for a pragmatic approach, prioritizing architectural design and code quality over strict adherence to functional micro-styles, suggesting a portfolio of 80/20 solutions often surpasses a single 100/100 approach.

(jerf.org)

Development

A Programmer's Cat Turds and Self-Redemption

2025-09-23

A Programmer's Cat Turds and Self-Redemption

A programmer, witnessing a colleague consume cat turds disguised with mints at a bar, falls into deep thought. He reflects on years of encountering 'cat turds' in his programming work: pointless code changes, cumbersome processes, and his past impatience and lack of understanding towards others. He realizes he once prided himself on his expertise, even using it to judge others, but now feels weary and lost. The article explores the struggles programmers face in their careers and how to maintain passion and creativity, ultimately concluding with him seeking AI assistance to solve problems and reflecting on his own attitude, showcasing a journey of self-redemption.

(www.scottsmitelli.com)

Development

Borges, Simon, and a 1970 Conversation That Still Matters

2025-04-02

Borges, Simon, and a 1970 Conversation That Still Matters

In 1970 Buenos Aires, a meeting between Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges and AI pioneer Herbert A. Simon sparked a fascinating interdisciplinary dialogue. Their conversation, touching on free will versus determinism, explored the parallels between human behavior and computer programs. Borges's insightful questions challenged Simon to reconcile the deterministic nature of human actions with the preservation of individual identity. This exchange highlights the value of cross-disciplinary thinking and offers a timely reflection on the challenges facing academia today, emphasizing the need for collaboration between the humanities and STEM fields. The conversation also inspires contemplation on simulating historical figures using AI.

(resobscura.substack.com)

AI Interdisciplinary Humanities

Britain's First Internet Connection: The Untold Story of a Pioneer

2025-01-09

Britain's First Internet Connection: The Untold Story of a Pioneer

This article recounts the story of British computer scientist Peter Kirstein, who in the early 1970s, connected Britain to ARPANET, marking the beginning of the UK's internet era. Despite governmental hurdles and technical challenges, Kirstein's innovative approach and perseverance led to the successful connection of London computers to ARPANET, for which he created the internet's first password. The article provides a fascinating glimpse into the early days of the internet, from its Cold War origins to its global impact, showcasing the twists and turns of technological advancement and the contributions of its pioneers.

(theconversation.com)

Tech

Does Field Ordering in LLM Structured Outputs Matter?

2025-05-23

Does Field Ordering in LLM Structured Outputs Matter?

This post investigates the impact of field ordering in Pydantic models used for structured AI outputs. The author uses a painting style classification task, comparing two field orderings (answer-first and reasoning-first) on various LLMs (GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1-mini, GPT-4o, GPT-4o-mini) across easy and hard tasks. Results show subtle but inconsistent performance differences across models and task complexities, suggesting the need for attention to subtle patterns in LLM outputs to optimize performance.

(blog.kallyaleksiev.net)

AI model performance

LexisNexis Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Info of Over 364,000 Individuals

2025-05-29

LexisNexis Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Info of Over 364,000 Individuals

LexisNexis Risk Solutions, a data broker, suffered a data breach affecting over 364,000 individuals. A hacker accessed a third-party platform used for software development on December 25, 2024, stealing sensitive data including names, birthdates, addresses, Social Security numbers, and driver's license numbers. The breach highlights ongoing concerns about data security and the lack of stringent regulations on data brokers. This incident follows previous controversies surrounding LexisNexis's data sharing practices and the recent Trump administration decision to scrap regulations restricting the sale of personal information by data brokers.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech data broker

Global Apple Eating Challenge: A Geography-Based Snake Game

2025-06-01

Global Apple Eating Challenge: A Geography-Based Snake Game

This game, "Snake on a Globe," puts a unique twist on the classic snake game. Players navigate a global map, eating apples located in major cities. The challenge lies in efficiently using lines of longitude and latitude to reach each city and consume as many apples as possible within a time limit. The game tests geographical knowledge and rewards players for speed and efficiency. Longer routes decrease your score, and colliding with yourself or reaching zero points ends the game.

(engaging-data.com)

Game

Unlock 3D Photos with Your Eyes: A Simple Guide to Cross-View Stereoscopy

2025-02-26

Unlock 3D Photos with Your Eyes: A Simple Guide to Cross-View Stereoscopy

Your brain is a natural 3D powerhouse! It can reconstruct a three-dimensional scene from just two slightly different 2D images. This article unveils a simple method to experience 3D photos without specialized equipment – cross-view stereoscopy. By taking two pictures of the same scene from slightly different angles, and then focusing your eyes on each image respectively, your brain will magically merge them into a single 3D image. The article explores the artistic potential of 3D photos, arguing that it can better represent the depth and detail of complex scenes like forests and caves, opening up new possibilities for photography and art.

(moultano.wordpress.com)

Tech 3D vision cross-view stereoscopy

Google Business Profile Leaks Founder's Personal Phone Number

2025-05-26

The founder of a volunteer management software discovered his personal phone number was leaked by Google Business Profile and displayed in Google search results. He had previously provided the number for identity verification but hadn't consented to public sharing. After removing the number, the issue was resolved, but he expressed dissatisfaction with Google's actions and concerns about personal information security. This incident fueled concerns about personal data breaches, echoing a previous bank data breach experience.

(danq.me)

Tech

Senate Finance Committee Proposes Massive Expansion of QSBS Tax Benefits

2025-07-05

Senate Finance Committee Proposes Massive Expansion of QSBS Tax Benefits

The Senate Finance Committee released its version of proposed legislation following the House's passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (H.R. 1). This proposal significantly expands tax benefits for Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) acquired after enactment. Key changes include a tiered gain exclusion (higher exclusion for longer holding periods), an increased per-issuer cap ($10M to $15M, inflation-adjusted from 2027), and a higher aggregate gross assets threshold ($50M to $75M, inflation-adjusted from 2027). These changes offer greater flexibility for founders and investors in early-stage companies, mitigating tax consequences of early exits. However, the proposal's fate remains uncertain; companies should monitor legislative developments closely.

(www.mintz.com)

Startup Tax Benefits Qualified Small Business Stock

The UK's National AI Institute: A Case Study in University-Led Failure

2025-03-27

The UK's National AI Institute: A Case Study in University-Led Failure

The Alan Turing Institute (ATI), intended to be the UK's leading AI institution, is in crisis due to mismanagement, strategic blunders, and conflicts of interest among its university partners. The article details the ATI's origins and how it became a university-dominated, profit-driven consultancy rather than a true innovation hub. The ATI neglected cutting-edge research like deep learning, focusing excessively on ethics and responsibility, ultimately missing the generative AI boom. This reflects common issues in UK tech policy: unclear goals, over-reliance on universities, and a reluctance to abandon failing projects. The defense and security arm, however, stands as a successful exception due to its industry and intelligence agency ties.

(www.chalmermagne.com)

AI AI Institute UK Tech Policy University Domination

The Genesis of Linux: From As and Bs to Mars

2025-03-02

This article is a fascinating firsthand account of Linux's creation by early contributor Lars Wirzenius. It begins in 1991 with Linus Torvalds, using a 386 PC with a meager 4MB of RAM, writing a simple multitasking program that displayed alternating streams of 'A's and 'B's on the screen – the genesis of the Linux kernel. With the help of Wirzenius, Linus refined the kernel and released it online. Through key events like the famous debate with Andrew Tanenbaum, the adoption of the GPL license, and the porting of the X11 system, Linux evolved from a hobby project into a global operating system powering billions of devices from Earth to Mars.

(lwn.net)

Tech

Energy Infrastructure Projects: A Shocking Truth About Massive Cost Overruns

2025-05-31

A new study from Boston University's Institute for Global Sustainability reveals that over 60% of energy infrastructure projects worldwide experience construction cost overruns. Analyzing $1.358 trillion invested in 662 projects across 83 countries between 1936 and 2024, the research encompassed diverse energy types, from wind and solar to nuclear and hydrogen. The study found that projects, on average, exceeded budgets by 40% and ran nearly two years behind schedule. Nuclear power plants were the worst offenders, with an average cost overrun of 102.5%, exceeding expectations by $1.56 billion. In contrast, solar and transmission projects performed best, often finishing ahead of schedule or under budget. Researchers suggest that smaller, modular renewable energy projects may offer lower financial risks and better budget predictability.

(www.bu.edu)

Tech

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