Recently updated blogs

LLMs are good search helpers. Here’s three search tools I use every day. All of these use an AI to synthesize answers but also provide an essential feature: specific web search results for you to verify and further research. I use these for conversational inquiries in addition to more traditional keyword searches. Phind is an excellent free LLM + search engine. The AI writes an answer to your query but …

Every time I mention a Brian Aldiss novel, I have to be careful to check the original title against the one published in the US. The terrific novel Non-Stop (1958) became Starship in the States, rather reducing the suspense of decoding its strange setting. Hothouse (1962) became The Long Afternoon of Earth when abridged in the US following serialization in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. I much prefer …

The weekend was spent at home celebrating pre-onam and onam. The Onam sadhya was great. I published the whole set of Pooklam arranged by Anju this year. Uma has learnt to make new friends. So Uma, Anju, and everyone at home have a viral fever. They have been out of service since Wednesday :) I took a couple of days off to babysit the family. It was not hectic but …

Matt and Sam answer listener questions for their 100th episode—and hear from friends of the podcast, new and old.

Bell & Ross, known for crafting timepieces that blend high-end watchmaking with practical design, has launched the limited edition BR-X5 Racing. This watch, limited to 500 pieces, draws inspiration from motorsport, offering a combination of performance, precision, and modern aesthetics. Design Rooted in Motorsport The BR-X5 Racing features a design that mirrors the functionality and form of racing car dashboards. Its central seconds hand boasts a checkerboard pattern for precise …

For authors, one of the (these days, increasingly few) positives of social media is connecting with other authors. Especially if no one else in your family/social circle is involved in the arts (raises hand), it’s great to be able to find a community where you can discuss craft, business, the ups and downs of querying, the challenges of self-publishing–both sharing your own experiences and learning from others’. But…what if that …

1. This robot arm can do your tidying up. TidyBot, a research “mobile manipulator” from Princeton, successfully puts away 85.0% of objects in real-world test scenarios. It uses large language models to quickly learn preferences (e.g. shirts on the shelf vs in a drawer). Instruction following used to be one of the great challenges for home robots. LLMs solved that problem at a stroke. I have previously speculated about portable …

I've never come across a YouTube classic synth video I didn't love. One of my favorite channels belongs to the legendary Anthony Marinelli, and I was really happy he picked a Madonna classic here.

Before moving to the US, I attended the Gelfand seminar and took some pictures. I was a regular participant and have some bittersweet memories from that time. I’ve written about my experiences in several blog posts related to Gelfand, who was my advisor. The year was 1990, and I just acquired my first camera. I was about to leave the USSR for the US and took a bunch of pictures …

A truly impressive paper was published this week with a new reconstruction of global temperatures over the last ~500 million years. There is something tremendously satisfying about seeing a project start, and then many years later see the results actually emerge and done better than you could have imagined. Especially one as challenging as accurately tracking half a billion years of Earth’s climate. Think about what is involved – biological …

Check out the exclusive premiere of ‘Dreamland,’ a track by Kramer and Lydia Lunch. This song is part of an upcoming compilation LP that features an impressive lineup, including Joan As Police Woman, Eric Mingus, Jennifer Charles, Allen Ginsberg, Britta Phillips, Teller, Thurston, Eva Moore, and others, with music produced by Kramer. The compilation is set to be released on October 18th, 2024, via Shimmy-Disc. We’re excited to announce the …

Weather Systems debuts with their spiritual Anathema successor.

Photographed with a Fujifilm X100VI – 23 mm focal length – 1/900″ at f/8 – ISO 125 Teton Pass, Wyoming, United States – Newe Sogobia (Eastern Shoshone), Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla, Shoshone-Bannock, and Tséstho’e (Cheyenne) land This photograph, titled “Weather inversion over Jackson Hole, as seen from Teton Pass. September, 2024.”, was originally published on All-Encompassing Trip.

Rapido Trains UK have announced a range of generic pre-grouping coaches, with the new 00 Gauge 48’ ‘Evolution’ Bogie Coaches. There is such a variety of coaching prototypes in the pre-grouping era that it has been difficult for the industry to justify making 100% accurate models for all of them. Rapido Trains UK are filling this gap with a selection of generic 48’ bogie coaches, including SECR, LBSC and SDJR, …

The LEGO® Pharrell Williams collaborative set 10391 Over the Moon was revealed earlier this month in advance of the October release of the film Piece by Piece, an animated biopic directed by Academy Award® winner Morgan Neville.A gold-adorned space shuttle and a pile of minifigure heads certainly caught our attention when the set was announced, so read on to find out more.Continue reading »