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Life and Times of a Web Developer

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In 1985, at the age of eleven, I bought my first comic book: The Transformers #9. From there, I went on to collect nearly a thousand comics over my teenage years, mostly in the Marvel universe like Spider-Man and X-men. Lots of Groo the Wanderer (which my mom always enjoyed) and then into stuff like Watchmen and The Sandman. Bill Sienkiewicz was one of my favourite artists with his work on The New Mutants, Stray Toasters, The Shadow, and Dazzler.

About a decade ago, I got into whisky. What started with a few bottles of Balvenie slowly grew into a 200+ bottle collection. Then over the pandemic, I got into cocktails and my cupboards burgeoned with amari and liqueurs.

I’ve noticed this pattern where I feel the need to “collect them all”. It’s by no means limited to physical things, either. Pokemon Go was addictive for a hot minute, I tell yah. At one point, I had collected everything in The Simpsons: Tapped Out. And then they’d release more things. I spent every day going into the app to complete all the daily tasks. Until one day I tapped out. I deleted the app and never went back in.

Same thing happened in Pokemon Go. A raid was happening nearby and I considered getting in my car to participate. That’s when it hit me that it was time to stop. Boom. App gone. Never went back in.

I always hit a point where I stop. I got rid of all my comics. I stopped playing Pokemon Go. I stopped buying whisky. I reach a stage where I realize that the collecting is unsustainable.

Last year, I considered getting into vinyl. The idea of popping a record onto the player and chilling in my lounge chair had plenty of appeal until I considered the logistics. Knowing myself, I didn’t want to suddenly have boxes and boxes of records on my shelves. No record player was purchased that day. Or since. I can sit in my lounge chair and listen to a streaming service just as easily.

(I recognize that there is a perfectly reasonable middle ground where I only purchase a handful of records and play those on repeat, instead of building a huge collection. There were other reasons I talked myself out of a record player.)

That’s not to say that I don’t have that completionist streak still in me. Nor that I’m not willing to spend lots of money on the various quests to complete things. My restaurant adventures are a testament to that. It is handy, for me at least, to be able to know when a goal is no longer serving its purpose and to be okay with moving on to new things.

Postscript: When I originally started writing this post—much of which was written last year—it was with the intention of recognizing my own habit of “collecting”. It is amusing me to have just written that last line and realize that I seem to be having a recent theme of endings and beginnings.


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Slashdot

News for nerds, stuff that matters

Did Virginia Regulators Downplay Data Center Health Concerns?

Politico reports that in the Virginia area alone there's dozens of data center projects "that altogether need 70 gigawatts of power — equivalent to 70 nuclear plants" — currently seeking connection to their grid. But there's also concerns about a Virginia data center powered with natural gas and backup diesel generators:


When Virginia's top environmental regulator received an analysis warning of data center pollution, it took him less than five minutes to forward it to seven people on his staff... Internal emails obtained by POLITICO through a public records request paint a portrait of an agency that moved quickly to defend the only data center in Virginia that is powering itself — in what former officials and environmental health advocates described as an unusual effort to shape the debate around an industry whose global epicenter is in the state. The agency's pushback focused on the report's findings that the facility in Loudoun County could release harmful amounts of air pollution through eight bus-sized natural gas turbines — as allowed by permits granted by the Department of Environmental Quality [DEQ] itself... The request comes as data centers are devising new ways to produce their own power as a way to temper growing public discord over rising electricity prices amid the AI construction boom.

Virginia has more than 600 data centers. The report [commissioned by Virginia's 54-year-old environmental nonprofit Piedmont Environmental Council] raised concerns that the data center's on-site power system, which also includes dozens of backup diesel generators, could cause tens of millions of dollars in health damages to people living around the facility, owned by Vantage Data Centers... [The analysis also argued the pollution could lead to 3.4 to 6.5 premature deaths annually.] People living near the Vantage facility in Sterling say its natural gas turbines produce constant noise and air pollution. The permits for Vantage issued by DEQ in 2023 allow cumulative emissions of seven different pollutants, including 95 tons per year of nitrogen oxides and more than 56 tons of soot. Both contribute to asthma and heart attacks.

Those figures are in line with other state permits for minor sources of pollution, but DEQ's permits for Vantage have sparked local concerns because of the facility's location in a residential area... [Viriginia environmental quality officials] raised questions about whether the report wrongly described the facility's potential air pollution as dangerous, when soot levels in Loudoun County are deemed acceptable by America's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Health experts, including former EPA air quality official Michael Korber, told POLITICO that soot pollution can negatively affect human health even at EPA-approved levels. The World Health Organization's standard for ambient soot pollution is nearly half of what EPA suggests is safe.

Some current and former staffers on Virginia's Department of Environmental Quality believe it's inappropriate for the agency to issue aggressive statements on the healthfulness of the data centers, with one former department leader saying Virginia's DEQ "is not the health department."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Drying Lakebeds Are Releasing Massive Amounts of Carbon, Study Finds

"In many parts of the world, lakes are drying out at a scale so massive that scientists are warning they may be emitting enough greenhouse gases to rival our fossil fuel habit," reports ScienceAlert:

In a new study published in Science, scientists say the Aral Sea — the world's largest desiccated lake — has emitted a whopping 204 megatons (~225 million US tons) of carbon dioxide since it was drained in the 1960s... The study estimates that between 1960 and 2022, the evaporating sea has released 204 megatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, based on site surveys and core samples collected from across the dry lakebed...

The new study suggests that rehydrating the entire basin could come with enormous benefits to the environment, not just within the sea itself, but at a global level. "There is a hidden carbon treasure beneath the Aral Sea," says biochemist Rafael Marcé from the Spanish National Research Council. "If these sediments remain exposed, carbon will continue to be released into the atmosphere. If the sea is re-flooded, that same carbon could shift from being a source of emissions to becoming part of the climate solution." According to the researchers' calculations, re-flooding the lakebed could prevent the release of the estimated 165 megatons of carbon that remain.
The study also revealed that nearly one-fifth of the Aral Sea's carbon emissions are actually being released as wind blows away sediment on the lakebed, a factor that researchers had not accounted for in the past.




Thanks to Slashdot reader schwit1 for sharing the article.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Hyundai Claims Humanoid Robot Plan Is Not Part of Talks With Striking Workers

Ars Technica reports:



Hyundai Motor Company's plan to put humanoid robots to work by 2028 is not part of current negotiations with striking South Korean autoworkers, according to the company.

The automaker is disputing news reports that partial labor strikes by the Hyundai Motor union at the world's largest automotive plant in South Korea were spurred by concerns about the company's planned deployment of humanoid robots in the United States starting in 2028. [The planned robots are built by Boston Dynamics, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyundai.] A Hyundai statement shared with Ars describes the union's demands as focusing on compensation-related issues such as wage increases, bonuses, and an extension of workers' retirement age. "Potential deployment of robots in Korean production facilities is not part of the current labor-management discussions," according to the Hyundai statement...

Hyundai emphasized that its current plan only covers the initial deployment of the Atlas humanoid robot at Metaplant America, an electric vehicle factory near Savannah, Georgia, starting in 2028. "Decisions about future Atlas deployment at other facilities will be made thoughtfully, in accordance with local operational needs, and in dialogue with the employees and workforce representatives at those sites," the company stated. However, The Wall Street Journal described the Hyundai Motor union as making "unprecedented demands seeking to enshrine job protections in the era of robots and AI," and characterized certain compensation demands as hedging against potential reductions in work hours caused by AI adoption and robotic automation. "Remember that without labor-management agreement, not a single robot using new technology will be allowed to enter the workplace," the union told Hyundai in an internal letter reported by Reuters.

Hyundai management and the labor union are currently reviewing a proposed wage reform that would "provide factory workers with greater income stability even after the carmaker's planned deployment of humanoid robots," The Korea Times reported. But experts cautioned that the wage overhaul, which would convert hourly pay for overtime and night-shift allowances into fixed wages, could come at the expense of company productivity.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Amazon Cracks Down On Use of AI Images By Sellers

CNBC reports:


Amazon is requiring that third-party sellers label any product images or videos that contain "AI-generated people" after New York recently passed a law mandating greater transparency around "synthetic performers" in ads... The policy directs sellers to tag images [and videos or other graphics on listing pages] with specific metadata keywords before they're uploaded. "Recent legislation requires disclosure when images or videos in advertisements contain photorealistic AI-generated people," Amazon wrote in the announcement [clarifying that the requirement doesn't apply to content featuring TV/video game/movie characters or content including real people, even if they've been altered using AI]. The company said it will "add an indicator" to listings on its website, informing consumers that images or other content feature AI-generated people, "where applicable." It's unclear what criteria Amazon will apply when deciding when to display the label to shoppers...

Amazon has embraced AI internally and it's increasingly infusing the technology across its portfolio. The company has optimized listing titles and details so they're more likely to be spotted by AI systems, invested in a recently rebranded assistant called Alexa for Shopping, and launched a feature that injects AI-generated [images of] products into its search bar in real time based on user queries. More Amazon third-party sellers are using AI to generate text, images and other content for their listings, partly by using the company's tools.

Outside sellers account for more than 60% of goods sold on Amazon, the article points out. It adds that there's currently no nationwide U.S. law requiring companies to disclose AI-generated advertising content, it adds — but YouTube, Meta, Pinterest, and TikTok have already added labels for AI-generated content.

And a new California law also requires large AI providers to embed watermarks in AI-generated images, video and other content...

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Formula 1 News

Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website

What are the tyre strategy options for the Hungarian GP?

Matt Youson takes a look at the different pit stop and tyre options that are available to the teams on race day at the Hungaroring.

Our four-leg Bet Builder for the Hungarian Grand Prix

We have picked a four-leg Bet Builder for the Hungaroring, including race winner, podium finish, top-six and points finish selections.

What To Watch For in the Hungarian Grand Prix

Chris Medland runs through the most important areas to keep an eye on during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

What the teams said – Qualifying in Hungary

The drivers and teams react to all the action from final practice and Qualifying at the Hungaroring for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix.

MetaFilter

The past 24 hours of MetaFilter

Water in the air an untapped water resource until now

Water in the air an untapped water resource until now. Can water be made from air in Western Australia's Wheatbelt? Researchers are putting an invention to the test.

Rotterdam - FediMeteo (@rotterdam@nl.fedimeteo.com)

Weer voor de stad Rotterdam Deze bot wordt beheerd door het FediMeteo-project. Voor informatie en contact kunt u de pagina https://fedimeteo.com raadplegen.

Weer voor Rotterdam ☁️ - 26-07-2026 01:15 CEST...

Weer voor Rotterdam ☁️ - 26-07-2026 01:15 CEST

In één oogopslag:
• 21.9°C · Bewolkt ☁️ | Min 19.2°C / Max 26.8°C | Kans op neerslag 1%

Verwachting voor vandaag:
• Min 19.2°C, Max 26.8°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 1%, 🧭 1003.9 hPa ↘️ -0.5 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 19.8 km/u (5.5 m/s), richting: → 249°

Uurlijkse voorspelling voor de komende 12 uur:

02:00: 21.5°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1004.4 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 17.6 km/u (4.9 m/s), richting: ↗ 236°
03:00: 20.9°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1003.9 hPa ↘️ -0.5 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 15.5 km/u (4.3 m/s), richting: → 249°
04:00: 21.0°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1003.5 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 13.3 km/u (3.7 m/s), richting: → 268°
05:00: 20.9°C (Gedeeltelijk bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1003.4 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 4.0 km/u (1.1 m/s), richting: → 291°
06:00: 21.0°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1003.2 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 6.1 km/u (1.7 m/s), richting: ↘ 314°
07:00: 20.8°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1003.3 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 7.2 km/u (2.0 m/s), richting: → 288°
08:00: 20.9°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1003.2 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 7.9 km/u (2.2 m/s), richting: → 259°
09:00: 21.3°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 16%, 🧭 1003.2 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 8.3 km/u (2.3 m/s), richting: → 257°
10:00: 22.1°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 38%, 🧭 1003.3 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 12.6 km/u (3.5 m/s), richting: ↗ 245°
11:00: 21.6°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 57%, 🧭 1003.6 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 20.9 km/u (5.8 m/s), richting: ↗ 226°
12:00: 20.9°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 70%, 🧭 1003.6 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 21.6 km/u (6.0 m/s), richting: ↗ 247°
13:00: 22.2°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 80%, 🧭 1003.2 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 20.5 km/u (5.7 m/s), richting: ↗ 243°

Voorspelling voor de komende dagen:

maandag 27 juli: Min 18.9°C, Max 22.2°C (Lichte motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.7 mm, Kans op neerslag 43%, 🧭 1014.7 hPa ↗️ +10.8 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 24.1 km/u (6.7 m/s), richting: → 266°
dinsdag 28 juli: Min 18.0°C, Max 23.0°C (Lichte motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.9 mm, Kans op neerslag 35%, 🧭 1019.5 hPa ↗️ +4.8 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 17.3 km/u (4.8 m/s), richting: → 286°
woensdag 29 juli: Min 19.3°C, Max 27.1°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1015.8 hPa ↘️ -3.7 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 13.3 km/u (3.7 m/s), richting: ↗ 228°
donderdag 30 juli: Min 19.4°C, Max 31.7°C (Gedeeltelijk bewolkt) ⛅, 🧭 1011.9 hPa ↘️ -3.9 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 10.6 km/u (2.9 m/s), richting: ↑ 160°
vrijdag 31 juli: Min 22.2°C, Max 32.1°C (Lichte motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.6 mm, Kans op neerslag 3%, 🧭 1014.5 hPa ↗️ +2.6 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 20.5 km/u (5.7 m/s), richting: ↗ 204°
zaterdag 01 augustus: Min 19.6°C, Max 24.9°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 12%, 🧭 1017.5 hPa ↗️ +3.0 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 10.7 km/u (3.0 m/s), richting: → 263°

Details:
• 🌡️ Huidige temperatuur (om 01:15): 21.9°C (Bewolkt)
• 🤚 Gevoelstemperatuur: 19.8°C (-2.1°C)
• 💨 Windsnelheid: 19.4 km/u (5.4 m/s), richting: ↗ 235°
• 🌬️ Windstoten: 37.1 km/h (10.3 m/s)
• 💧 Luchtvochtigheid: 58%
• 🧭 Luchtdruk: 1004.4 hPa ↘️ -0.9 hPa/3h
• 👁️ Zichtbaarheid: 26.1 km
• ☀️ UV-index: 0.0
• 🌅 Zonsopgang: 05:54 · 🌇 Zonsondergang: 21:43

Luchtkwaliteit:
• AQI: 57 🟡 (Matig)
• PM2.5: 8.1 μg/m³
• PM10: 11.5 μg/m³

Gegevens geleverd door Open-Meteo



Update from flickr on the App!

John from Brisbane has added a photo to the pool:

Update from flickr on the App!

For those who have Apple devices (at least) and use the flickr app, yesterday afternoon came as something of a surprise to see it rolled back to what it was before the latest troublesome update. Here is a copy of the reply after I thanked them for acting. We will still get a new app sometime, hopefully with all the feedback it will function much better. I have copied that feedback I got via the flickr help page and email below.

In the meantime, this is a shot into the winter sun of one of South East Queensland's most photographed trees - the Brighton Tree at low tide on the Pine River estuary with the 2.7 kilometre dual Houghton Highway and Ted Smout Memorial Bridges on right linking Brisbane and Redcliffe. The tree is situated in the suburb of Brighton.


"Thank you for your patience and feedback about the recent app update.

We heard you loud and clear, and we've made the decision to roll back the iOS app to the previous version while we address the issues you've been experiencing. You should see this rollback reflected in the App Store within the next 24 hours, likely much sooner.. If your app doesn’t update automatically, try checking for updates in the App Store.

This doesn't change our plans. We're still making a significant investment in the Flickr app, something that's been overdue for a long time. We just want to make sure the next version we ship is one you can rely on, rather than pushing forward with a release that's causing more frustration than value. Expect more updates from us as we get this right".

Thanks again for bearing with us, and for being part of the Flickr community.

Swansons Washpool: Habitat of Platypus and Rakali

Ian & Marg has added a photo to the pool:

Swansons Washpool: Habitat of Platypus and Rakali

Sitting here with a young friend, we watch the platypus swim across the pool appearing like a young crocodile, with the crown of its head out of the water, and its bill skimming the surface. Then we watch a rakali playing in the rocky pool beside us, as if it is checking us out, then luring our attentiion by disappearing into a watery hiding place between rocks, then cheekily reappearing again. These two aquatic animals are the only two aquatic mammals we have on the Australia continent, but both inhabit this pool together.

VK: Voorpagina

Volkskrant.nl biedt het laatste nieuws, opinie en achtergronden

Op zeker drie plekken brand in Kyiv na Russische aanvallen

Brazilië wantrouwt reden bezoek delegatieleden VS en weigert inreisvisum

Vanillasludge posted a photo:

Dode en meerdere gewonden bij Pride in Berlijn nadat auto inreed op bezoekers

De Pride in Berlijn is stilgelegd, nadat een witte auto meerdere mensen aanreed in stadspark Tiergarten. De politie is op zoek naar de bestuurder en mogelijke andere verdachten. Burgemeester Kai Wegner spreekt van "een aanval op onze vrije en open samenleving".

The Guardian

Latest news, sport, business, comment, analysis and reviews from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice

Tearful Ramsay-Peaty tells critics ‘you can’t hurt me’ after shock Commonwealth bronze

  • Ramsay-Peaty finishes third in 100m breaststroke

  • ‘People who comment … you don’t know who I am’

Adam Ramsay-Peaty has never been someone to mask his feelings. But defeat has never sounded as emotional or as raw as this. There were tears. Frustrations. Questions about why he kept putting himself through the 5.30am starts at the age of 31.

And then came the crescendo in the form of a blistering attack on his critics on social media and the media. “You can’t hurt me,” he said, before telling them to “do better”. It was dramatic. It was powerful. And it was certainly heartfelt.

Continue reading...

Wel.nl

Minder lezen, Meer weten.

Dode en meerdere gewonden na incident tijdens Pride in Berlijn

BERLIJN (ANP) - De vermoedelijke aanrijding tijdens de Pride in Berlijn heeft aan zeker één persoon het leven gekost. Ongeveer vijftien personen raakten gewond, meldt de politie volgens persbureau AFP. Er zou met een voertuig zijn ingereden op mensen.


Auto rijdt in op menigte tijdens Pride-Event in Berlijn, ten minste 1 dode en 14 gewonden

Social

Wij onderbreken het Stamcafé omdat in Berlijn vermoedelijk een auto op een mensenmenigte is ingereden tijdens Christopher Street Day, de Duitse benaming van Pride. Rond tien uur vanavond zou een wit transportbusje met hoge snelheid zijn ingereden op een mensenmenigte zijn ingereden in Tiergarten, het grootste park van Berlijn. Getuigen zeggen tegen Bild dat er iemand uit de bus zou zijn gestapt die te voet is gevlucht. Er zijn meerdere gewonden. Later meer.
UPDATE 23u28 - Hier beelden van een arrestatie. Zou dader kunnen zijn, maar ook goed mogelijk dat het iemand anders is, politie is uiteraard met man en macht op zoek
UPDATE 23u35 - Politie bevestigt 1 dode
UPDATE 23u39 - Aantal gewonden nu op 14, waarvan enkele ernstig
UPDATE 23u43 - Nieuwe vid van politie hierboven, met door Grok vertaalde tekst: "Kort voor 22 uur zou de bestuurder van een wit voertuig op de Ahornsteig in het grote #Tiergarten meerdere personen hebben aangereden. Er zijn talrijke gewonden, onder wie meerdere levensgevaarlijk gewonden. De zoektocht naar een of meer verdachten verloopt met hoge druk. Verdere informatie volgt." In de video spreekt de woordvoerder ook over reanimaties. Dat klinkt: niet goed.
UPDATE 23u56 - Bronnen van Bild melden dat de dader een steekwapen bij zich gehad zou hebben en daarmee mensen aan heeft gevallen voor hij op de vlucht ging
UPDATE 23u59 - Overigens is de verdachte (zal je altijd zien) een man
UPDATE 0u03 - Burgemeester Berlijn spreekt van een "aanval op onze vrije en open samenleving"

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Hulpdiensten massaal aanwezig