Image by Michiel Hendryckx, via Wikimedia Commons Occasionally I slip into an ivory tower mentality in which the idea of a banned book seems quaint—associated with silly scandals over the tame sex scenes in James Joyce or D.H. Lawrence. After all, I think, we live in an age when … | Continue reading
"But manager says to." Starbucks employee sparks conversation online with photo of shift aftermath: 'Why make that much?' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
For more than 50 years, there’s been a mystery about the Universe that the greatest minds in physics and astronomy have been unable to solve: the fact that, when we map out all of the known matter that we can see and apply the known laws of gravity, it doesn’t add up to match the … | Continue reading
It's time to shed some light on the vital role bats play in agriculture and a sustainable environment. Experts call attention to consequences of dwindling bat populations — here's how it could impact you first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own deportation. This includes, for example, when a person refuses to apply for travel … | Continue reading
Okay so maybe the definition of sitelet doesn't quite fit but it's close enough to describe these common pages people have on their sites. Maybe it needs a better name. Pagelets? Web dongles? Barnacles? Do they need a name? I want one. Anyway, Chris had an idea for a /interests p … | Continue reading
"These reforms will help safeguard the health of our public lands and nearby communities for generations to come." Biden administration increases cost to drill and mine on American soil for first time in century: 'Taxpayers have been losing billions of dollars' first appeared on … | Continue reading
Canna Obscura/Shutterstock At the end of this month, a senate inquiry by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee is due to hand down its report on a bill to legalise cannabis. Legalisation aims to redirect profits away from organised crime, safeguard people age … | Continue reading
Dubai skyline AleksandarPasaric/Pexels Since ancient times, people have built structures that reach for the skies – from the steep spires of medieval towers to the grand domes of ancient cathedrals and mosques. Today the quest is to build the world’s tallest skyscrapers, such as … | Continue reading
"Just one embarrassment after another." Resident calls out government's ad campaign targeting clean energy: 'A disgraceful use of our tax dollars' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
The new balcony systems are another exciting development that is making the benefits of solar energy available to more people. Balcony solar panel systems gain popularity for their portable convenience — here's how they work first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
A new algorithm learns to squish, bend, or stretch a robot’s entire body to accomplish diverse tasks like avoiding obstacles or retrieving items. | Continue reading
Ashutosh Kumar, a materials science and engineering PhD student and MathWorks Fellow, applies his eclectic skills to studying the relationship between bacteria and cancer. | Continue reading
"It is important to explore the effects that may be coming down the road." Scientists turn to crawfish to study lithium contamination: 'Moves through the food chain and potentially into us' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
"This looks like a lovely place." Homeowner shares before-and-after photos after creating urban oasis in backyard: 'You're living the dream' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
I am writing a fairly long blogpost and I feel weird about it, so here is another post to compensate | Continue reading
Catch up quickly with the stories from Central and Eastern Europe that matter, this week led by news that the Ukrainian domestic intelligence service has uncovered a plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia’s war on Ukraine Ukraine this week said it uncovered a ne … | Continue reading
"By the time we got here it was already busy." Residents endure hours-long lines outside local police stations as food crisis looms: 'We had no other choice' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
"How is this even a possible thought in a human's brain?" Teens caught on video tossing garbage into ocean after Boca Bash turn themselves in to police: 'This is a teaching moment' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
"That's going to be an expensive remediation." New homeowner receives harsh warning after sharing photo of landscaping blunder: 'That won't be that way for long' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
The "loan guarantee" is contingent on regulatory approvals and other requirements. Biden administration issues billion-dollar loan for reactivation of nuclear power plant: 'There's a growing sense among officials in the industry and government that it may not be the last' first a … | Continue reading
"You cannot know what freedom means till you have seen a peregrine loosed into the warm spring sky to roam at will through all the far provinces of light." | Continue reading
Mary Beth Thomas, VP and Director of Independent Retail Sales at HarperCollins, has left the company, as confirmed by Publishers Weekly (PW). It’s uncertain whether a successor will be appointed. Additionally, HarperCollins is launching a voluntary buyout program for sales staff, … | Continue reading
"That's almost as big as the ego of anyone who would want to drive that." Photo of monstrous two-story vehicle leaves internet in disbelief: 'This can't be real' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
"We have to be prepared." Unpredictable droughts lead to cities being placed under constant water restrictions: 'It is troubling that we're still so many feet below normal' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
Ridgeline subscribers! Hello! As I wrote last week, my new pop-up newsletter/walk — The Return to Pachinko Road — begins on May 14. Subscribe here if you feel so inclined (almost 3,000 people have already signed up — thank you!): And, as I also mentioned last week, Ben Pobjoy — w … | Continue reading
Making decisions is part of everyday life. However, not all decisions are created equal. Some are easily reversible and should be made quickly with a bias toward actions while others have a long-lasting effect or are irreversible; those require careful and deliberate planning bef … | Continue reading
Student protest movements have historically functioned as an indispensable corrective for America and the West. That is the legacy of 1968 we should be talking about | Continue reading
The mainstream media would have us believe that electric cars are facing stagnating demand. No doubt they will be encouraged by the drop in Tesla sales March to April. In April 2024, Tesla Australia delivered 2077 vehicles (1166 Model Y and 911 Model 3), a drop compared to over 6 … | Continue reading
io9 is proud to present fiction from LIGHTSPEED MAGAZINE. Once a month, we feature a story from LIGHTSPEED’s current issue. This month’s selection is “We Will Teach You How to Read | We Will Teach You How to Read” by Caroline M. Yoachim. Read more... | Continue reading
Apple apologized on Thursday for a new iPad Pro commercial that featured several creative objects—including a piano, video cameras, and cans of paint—being destroyed by an industrial crusher, telling Ad Age that it “missed the mark.” The ad was met with fierce backlash from peopl … | Continue reading
Pets are our loving companions and offer moments of levity even when times are tough. Though it’s hard to say whether they understand humor, they certainly provide us with plenty. From cats stuck in stone walls to dogs stuck in cat doors, our domesticated animals give us somethin … | Continue reading
These conditions set the stage for a possible early start to the wildfire season and a potentially dangerous one. Officials brace for brutal wildfire season as this summer shows similarities to last year's conditions: 'It's not setting up to be a great season' first appeared on T … | Continue reading
With my workmen all the morning, my wife being ill and in great pain with her old pain, which troubled me much because that my house is in this condition of dirt. In the afternoon I went to Whitehall and there spoke with my Lord at his lodgings,... | Continue reading
My goal is to read 25 books per year… At least. Last year, I see only twelve books on the blog, but I’m sure some titles are missing. It’s probably an oversight, and I’ll update the list as soon as I’m done checking my list of books read last year. This year, I’m far from my goal … | Continue reading
Countertop induction cooktops (burners) are a fast and easy way to begin transitioning to electrons for cooking, as they do not require any electrical upgrades because they plug right into a standard outlet, so even renters can take advantage of induction cooking. If you’d like t … | Continue reading
After some recent casting announcements that came with no details attached (Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich), Marvel’s Phase Six entry Fantastic Four—which already has Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the main heroes, plus Julia Garner as Si … | Continue reading
Apart from the new more powerful iPad Pro, Apple also introduced the new Pencil Pro that comes with several innovative features. Those include a gyroscope, haptic feedback, squeeze gesture, Find My support, and so on. The Pencil Pro comes with a special sensor to allow for the sq … | Continue reading
Huawei has launched the MatePad tablet range which includes an optional PaperMatte Edition as well that allows for a paper-like reading and writing experience. Huawei said the display supports nanoscale anti-glare etching technology, which eliminates 99 percent of light interfere … | Continue reading
Companies like Kobo and Amazon are offering discounts on several of their e-reader models. Now, PocketBook too has joined in the fun, offering a nice deal on a couple of their models on Amazon. If you are looking for a new e-reader or e-note, there are some serious discounts avai … | Continue reading
On Tuesday, Apple introduced its new iPad Pros with a video called Crush! that was meant to convey how much the device can do. The trouble was the way the video delivered the message, depicting musical instruments, books, a record player, paints, a TV, and many other creative too … | Continue reading
If you’ve been waiting for an über-cheap EV that can handle all of your daily driving needs on city streets, perhaps for commuting or running errands, and you don’t need it for roadtrips or hauling a bunch of passengers, you’re in luck. Eli Electric Vehicles recently announced th … | Continue reading
Universal Pictures’ latest horror release Abigail is now available to watch on-demand at home, for those who missed it in theaters or wanted to wait for a scary movie night in. The kidnapped vampire ballerina romp directed by Radio Silence filmmakers Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettin … | Continue reading
"Thank you for this!" Garden expert shares perfect kitchen-staple food to grow for any lazy gardener: 'Let them do the work for you' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
Essentially the classic tower stacking game, jumbo-sized for your summer party fun. | Continue reading
If a soft-bodied robot uses rigid actuators to move its body, then it isn't really soft now, is it? An experimental new caterpillar-inspired bot gets around that conundrum by using soft, collapsible origami segments to squirm and steer its way into our hearts. Continue Reading Ca … | Continue reading
On Wednesday, OpenAI released a draft of its Model Spec sheet that details how it intends its AI models to behave. There is a section focusing on NSFW content that gives the impression that the company is exploring ways to makeAI porn, but the company says that is not happening. … | Continue reading
In this article, we want to share our experience using real-life examples on how to identify and optimize slow SQL queries, especially when working with relational database management systems like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MSSQL, Oracle, etc. The post SQL Query Optimization: How to Iden … | Continue reading