An explosion! Tech Dif returns! also, computers.
5th June 2023
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Hello!
Right, we
start this week's newsletter with a big new thing: The Technical Difficulties are back! For newer subscribers to this newsletter, that may not mean anything: but every so often, I get together with three old friends and we go off on adventures. There's a new season of four episodes, just started, and it begins with a rather spectacular sight: Chris does drag. (The fact this was released on the first day of Pride month was genuinely,a coincidence.)
Lateral continues too! The Answer in Progress team are back to make me feel old, as they answer questions about generous grades, delayed days and spacious sidewalks. As ever when this team are on, it's a delight.
And of course, there's a regular video on the Tom Scott channel! It's time to blow stuff up, because no-one knows how explosions work (yet).
Elsewhere on YouTube:
- Medlife Crisis' video on the placebo effect is an hour long, so it took me a while to get round to it: but it's absolutely worth it. A deep-dive on a fascinating subject, with running gags and surprising facial hair. Stick around for the "sponsored" sections.
- Jade from Up and Atom takes on the sofa-round-a-corner maths problem, using actual physical props and then some really clever visualisations. I had no idea this was still technically-unsolved.
- Short, simple, and no doubt very expensive: DJI paid someone to take a drone to the summit of Mount Everest. (thanks to Michael for sending this over!)
- I know it's somewhat obvious to point to the Slow Mo Guys. They've been regulars on YouTube longer than I have. You know the format, you know the people. But in case you haven't seen it, or haven't checked in with them for a while: Giant Balloon June is back, it's more bizarre than ever, and the failed attempt is just as much fun as the final product.
Other interesting links I've found this week, which all seem to be about computers. That's not a deliberate choice, I guess it's just where my head's been.
- Data is a Toxic Asset is a great post by security expert Bruce Schneier, making a clever analogy between companies' hoards of personal data... and toxic waste.
- If you're pointing people at a web site, make sure you renew the domain name: every Maryland vehicle license plate is now advertising an online casino. (That's a link to Vice Motherboard; other articles on that site won't be suitable for everyone.)
- The default Windows 10 desktop image — even if you're not a Windows user, you'll probably recognise it — is an actual photograph of real, physical stuff. There's a lot of post work on it, but it's strange to see behind the scenes.
And finally: what happens when the earthquake warning system at Tokyo Disneyland goes off.
All the best,
— Tom
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