Posts in "Link"

Mark Zuckerberg’s rebrand is a master class in distraction

Zuckerberg has started working out, changed his hairstyle, and is wearing gold chains, but most importantly, he’s given up on trying to seriously respond to his critics.

Ever since the Trump presidency people like Musk and Zuck have turned into literal supervillains. Previously closeted conservatives who throw on a 2002 JCPenny fit and think they’re these hip uber influencers but really they’re just antisocial little boys who literally want to control the world at all costs.

Nintendo Targets YouTube Accounts Showing Emulated Games

Recent laws in Japan have criminalized console and game modding, as well as save file editing.

YouTubers such as PointCrow have reported takedowns of their videos featuring modded gameplay.

Content creators are now more hesitant to produce videos involving Nintendo games, fearing potential legal repercussions or channel strikes.

Does Microsoft or Sony push back this hard against mods and emulators? Like not even the emulators themselves, but videos of games played on them? Seems harsh 🤨

Sending Children Through the US Postal Service in the 1910s

The children had to meet specific criteria: they had to weigh less than 50 pounds, which was roughly the weight limit for postal packages at the time. Their parents or guardians would affix postage stamps to their clothing as a form of payment for their delivery.

This odd chapter in postal history is a reminder of how societal norms and regulations evolve over time, and it remains a curious anecdote from the early 20th century.

Well that’s enough US history for me today.

Jeremy Clarkson Says All Modern Cars ‘Are Sh*t’

Jeremy Clarkson has been known for his often controversial takes on cars. Well, he’s got another one: modern cars are “all shit now.” Clarkson said this during a watch party for the final episode of “The Grand Tour”

Clarkson isn’t alone in this opinion. A quick look at the Jalopnik comments section will make you think everyone hates modern cars because they’re too big, have too much technology and are too heavy.

I’m perfectly happy with my tiny 2013 Honda Fit 💁

OpenAI might raise the price of ChatGPT to $44 by 2029

OpenAI could face a blowback if it increases prices too quickly. While ChatGPT has roughly 10 million paying users today, surveys suggest that many believe the current $20-per-month price is too high.

Personally I think $20 is already too high for ChatGPT. I pay $20 a month for Perplexity and I get Claude (with the ability to search the web), ChatGPT and Perplexity’s own chat bots. AI is a handy tool to have but not for $44 a month. Not everyone has that Sam Altman money.

U.S. Court Orders LibGen to Pay $30m to Publishers

…LibGen is one of the longest-running shadow libraries online.

In recent years, rightsholders have made several attempts to shut the site down. Court orders have led to LibGen being blocked in several countries, but completely eliminating the threat has been extremely difficult. This is partly because the identities of those running it remains unknown.

While this is a win on paper, it’s unlikely that the publishers will get paid by the LibGen operators, who remain anonymous.

The check is in the mail, I’m sure