1. Asking 60 LLMs a set of 20 questions
Total comment counts : 61
Summary
The author developed a script to test around 60 models with prompts related to reasoning, instruction following, and creativity. The script stored the answers in a SQLite database, and the raw results are available to view.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a generic harness that can be used to run benchmarks across various language models. The author encourages people to test these models using their own data and examples rather than relying on general benchmarks. The harness supports models such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Llama, Codellama, Replicate, and Ollama. The author provides an example benchmark comparing GPT model censorship with Llama models and shares a link to it.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article mentions two additional benchmarks: “TheoremQA: A Theorem-driven Question Answering dataset” and a collection of benchmarks related to AI alignment, ethics, and regional law. The links to these benchmarks are provided in the article.
2. Privacy Nightmare on Wheels’: Every Car Brand Reviewed by Mozilla
Total comment counts : 44
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
Mozilla conducted tests on internet-connected cars and found that they failed both privacy and security measures. The article includes a link to further information on the topic.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article highlights that when a person sits in the passenger seat of a Subaru that uses connected services, they have consented to the use and potentially sale of their personal information. This includes details such as name, location, audio recordings, and inferences about the person’s characteristics and behavior. The article argues that simply sitting in someone’s Subaru should not automatically grant consent for the use of personal information, especially for purposes like data brokering or targeted advertising. The article also points out that Subaru is not the only car company engaging in this practice. The reader questions the legality and validity of such consent, particularly when being a passenger in a friend’s Subaru or an Uber.
3. Newly discovered comet Nishimura could be visible to naked eye this weekend
Total comment counts : 15
Summary
A comet called Nishimura, discovered just a month ago, may be visible to the naked eye this weekend. This is a rare chance for stargazers in the northern hemisphere, as comets usually take months or even years to reach peak visibility after discovery. Nishimura will pass closest to the sun on September 17th and will then pass by Earth at a safe distance. The best time to observe the comet is before sunrise in a northeastern direction, to the left of Venus, in a clear sky. People with small binoculars should be able to see it easily, and if conditions are right, it may even be visible without any equipment. The comet’s tail appears greenish due to its high gas content.
Top 1 Comment Summary
There is a bright comet called Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) in the morning sky. It is not visible to the naked eye, but digital cameras can capture its starlike head and long tail even with short exposures. The comet is getting closer to the sun and increasing in brightness rapidly. Its estimated magnitude is +4.5, which would be visible to the naked eye in a dark sky. However, since the morning sky is not dark, cameras are needed to observe the comet. Just a few seconds of exposure time can result in a beautiful picture.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article talks about a new discovery that could potentially cause problems if it gets closer. Despite feeling existential dread, the author plans to be on a hill, watching for this object which was previously unknown and will soon be visible to the naked eye.
4. LogoScale – A method for vectorizing small, crappy logos
Total comment counts : 17
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The author of the article had success with converting raster images into vector images in Inkscape using the “trace bitmap” feature. They were able to clean up and make adjustments to the images, although this may require some manual work depending on the source. They give an example of converting a small, low-resolution GIF into a fully scalable SVG that became the official replacement for a government agency’s logo. The author also praises Inkscape for its ability to easily create complete icon sets and mentions that it has an API for batch processing.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article explains that in order to create a vector image from a raster image, one must use vector software that is capable of performing a bitmap trace, like Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape. The author expresses disappointment because it seems that the process does not directly create a vector image by itself, and wishes there was a method that connects the two parts of the problem.
5. The Development of the C Language (2003)
Total comment counts : 5
Summary
The C programming language was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, during the creation of the Unix operating system. The language went through several periods of development and changes, with the first widely available description appearing in 1972. By the mid-1980s, C was officially standardized by the ANSI X3J11 committee, and its use spread beyond Unix to become one of the most commonly used languages in the computer industry. The development of C was influenced by the desire for a higher-level language for system programming and the limitations of the hardware at the time. The language initially began as B, which was a simplified version of BCPL. B and C are both procedural languages oriented towards system programming and are designed to be “close to the machine.” They have a single data type called “word” or “cell” and rely on library routines for input-output and other interactions with the operating system. B was later extended to include a character type and was renamed NB before evolving into C. The transition from B to C coincided with the creation of a compiler capable of generating efficient machine instructions, allowing programs written in C to compete with assembly language.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the discovery of some code that the author believes was written in NB. The code is compiled to threaded code like B, but has knowledge of characters like C. Though it doesn’t perfectly align with the author’s story, they are unsure of what else it could be. The article includes a link to the code.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the Amiga OS and its development from BCPL to C. Initially based on a port of TRIPOS to the Motorola 68000, Amiga OS eventually transitioned to using C. In AmigaOS 1.x, AmigaDOS was still written in BCPL, which made application development challenging. AmigaOS 2.x introduced C and attempted to maintain compatibility with BCPL. It wasn’t until AmigaOS 4 that the BCPL heritage was completely abandoned. The author reflects on the capabilities of AmigaDOS at the time, noting its surprising capability and modern features. The transition to PC from Amiga felt like a step back in time, as DOS lacked multitasking in a visual environment and other advanced features found in Amiga OS.
6. Every type of plastic used by LEGO (2022)
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article explains that Lego is committed to sustainability and product safety. They have a dedicated webpage that provides information on the materials used in their products.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article talks about how Lego bricks can serve as a good representation of different types of plastics because many people are familiar with them. It mentions that Lego even used Bakelite, which is a type of plastic, at one point.
7. Morphology and temporal evolution of ground-nesting bee burrows
Total comment counts : 5
Summary
The article provides contact information for obtaining more information, including a reference number, IP address, and timestamp. It also mentions the use of cookies and copyright information.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a paper that contains X-ray images of bee nests. The direct link to the paper is provided.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article discusses the prevalence of solitary bees in the bee species population, which was surprising to the reader.
8. FTC judge rules Intuit broke law, must stop advertising TurboTax as “free”
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
The Federal Trade Commission’s chief administrative law judge ruled that Intuit, the company behind TurboTax, violated US law with deceptive advertising. The judge stated that Intuit should be required to clearly display all conditions of its “free” offer to consumers. Intuit plans to take the matter to federal court but will be subject to an order if it loses the appeal. The judge found that Intuit falsely advertised that consumers could file their taxes for free using TurboTax when, in reality, this was only true for a third of taxpayers. Intuit must not represent its product as “free” unless it actually offers it for free to all consumers or clearly discloses any fees at the beginning of the offer. The ruling sets strict requirements for how disclosures must be conveyed in various formats. Intuit also previously settled a separate case and agreed to pay $141 million in restitution to consumers. Intuit believes the FTC’s decision is improper and ignores the facts.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article argues that the entire tax filing software industry is unnecessary and suggests that the IRS should develop and offer its own online filing system to all Americans free of charge. It criticizes companies like Intuit for lobbying to create an industry that is financially beneficial to them.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article argues against the outsourcing of primary responsibilities by public institutions. While public service outsourcing is limited in Turkey, the author believes it is a good regulation. However, certain responsibilities such as the maintenance of roads should not be outsourced. The author also mentions that tax filing and return processes should not be outsourced as they are primary responsibilities of the government. The author contrasts this with their experience in Estonia, where they can easily fill in tax returns in under 10 minutes. Overall, the author emphasizes the importance of public institutions fulfilling their job descriptions and providing efficient services to the public.
9. Julia and Mojo Mandelbrot Benchmark
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
The author of the article benchmarked Julia code against Mojo code by calculating the Mandelbrot set. On their machine, the Mojo code ran in 2.14 ms, while the Julia code took 7.45 ms. The author asked for ways to improve the Julia code to make it faster and more efficient. They mentioned using SIMD operations in Julia and commented on the appearance of the Mojo code. The article also discussed the differences between the Julia and Mojo implementations and suggested manual vectorization using the SIMD.jl package. Additionally, the author shared a parallelized version of the Julia code that ran faster than the original.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article states that the Julia version currently outperforms Mojo, but it is expected that both will have similar performance with some adjustments. The author also raises the question of which version is more elegant, obvious, and maintainable, with their personal belief being that Julia is the better choice.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author believes that Mojo’s first-class support for Ahead-of-Time (AoT) compiled binaries, along with Just-in-Time (JIT) compilation, will have a significant impact in the future. They criticize Julia’s poor AoT support and express a desire for the developers to have recognized this issue earlier.
10. The Power of Food for People with Dementia
Total comment counts : 7
Summary
This article explores the concept of using food to trigger memories and enhance the quality of life for individuals with dementia. The author recounts her personal experiences with her father’s dementia and how certain foods and songs were able to bring moments of clarity and joy. The article discusses a unique event called the Dinner Party, organized by a playwright and actor in collaboration with the Global Brain Health Institute, which aims to recreate and share dishes that hold sentimental value for individuals with cognitive impairment. The event highlights the potential power of food to activate memories and improve well-being in dementia patients. The author reflects on the impact of the Dinner Party and the importance of such experiences in maintaining a sense of identity and connection for those with dementia.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the routines and experiences of individuals with dementia in nursing homes and hospitals. The author, who used to work in security, describes how patients would line up and interact while waiting for medication, followed by eating their meals at around 4:30 to 5 PM. Some patients required assistance during mealtime. Those who enjoyed wandering would return to their rooms after eating, only to line up again within 30 minutes. The author reflects on the significance of food in our lives, particularly in triggering memories. They also share a personal anecdote about their grandfather’s favorite meals and how his very last meal, pureed meatloaf, brought him comfort before passing away three days later.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The writer has discovered that their mother’s cognitive decline and potentially even dementia symptoms may be caused by a systemic yeast infection. They are currently treating the infection with a special diet and other methods to combat the yeast. The writer noticed a significant improvement in their mother’s mental clarity, which surprised them, as they did not realize yeast could have such a significant impact.