Links

The AI risk movement is wrong about its core claims

Large language models (LLMs) are not entirely alien; they are trained on human-generated data and model human language, reflecting human values before achieving superhuman competence.

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Ukraine makes 96% of its military drones

In 2024, Ukrainian drones constituted over 96% of all military UAVs, according to Defence Minister Rustem Umerov on 28 December.

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The Sydney Ducks: Australian criminals in San Francisco

The Sydney Ducks were a gang of criminal immigrants from Australia in mid-19th century San Francisco, blamed for rampant crime and the devastating 1849 fire.

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Harry Dexter White

Harry Dexter White (1892–1948) was a senior official in the U.S. Treasury Department who played a significant role in shaping American financial policy towards the Allies during World War II.

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Cheap metro construction in Madrid

Between 1995 and 2007, Madrid tripled its metro system by adding 126 miles (203 kilometres), making it one of the world’s fastest-growing metros.

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Why founders may fail after success

Founders may receive none of the proceeds from a company exit due to liquidation preferences granted to investors.

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Why are even the most peaceful religions prone to militarism?

Religious favoritism, where the state supports a dominant religion, intensifies religious contention and often leads to majoritarian violence against minority faiths.

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Quoting Natasha Lyonne on AI in movies

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Nazi interest in Asia

The Nazis inherited a German interest in Asian esoteric traditions like Theosophy, aiming to combine science, spiritual wisdom, myth, and magic, and drew inspiration from Hinduism and Buddhism.

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Quoting Jim Rohn

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One reason why The Greens underperformed in 2025

Twenty-five per cent of respondents had never heard of Adam Bandt.

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The Soviet Union coveted legitimacy

The Soviet Union lacked internal legitimacy due to unfulfilled promises of communism’s material abundance, leading them to seek external validation as a superpower to bolster domestic support.

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US manufacturing did not move overseas, it moved to the South

Manufacturing jobs have shifted from the Rust Belt to Southern states like Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, resulting in a reversal of manufacturing exports since 1970.

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Why is the world losing colour?

Colour is disappearing from our world, with over 80% of new cars being grayscale and consumer goods becoming increasingly neutral since 1800.

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Black Mirror's pessimism won't lead us to a better future

Black Mirror’s focus on dystopian narratives overlooks the dual nature of technology, ignoring its potential benefits and fuelling irrational fears.

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Are we misunderstanding ADHD?

A study led by Swanson found that while Ritalin initially reduced A.D.H.D. symptoms in children more effectively than behavioural training, this advantage faded by 36 months, with all groups displaying similar symptom levels.

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How deactivating Facebook and Instagram affects users' emotions

Two large randomised experiments examined the impact of social media deactivation on users’ emotional state before the 2020 U.S. election.

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The story behind the Blue Willow china pattern

Blue Willow china is a classic tableware pattern featuring a transfer-printed design inspired by Chinese art, depicting a serene outdoor setting with consistent elements across various porcelain items.

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Is American pop culture worse than ever?

Critics argue that the 2020s are the worst decade in a century for American pop culture, with stagnation in music, movies, fashion, TV, and sports.

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Savitri Devi

Savitri Devi Mukherji (1905–1982) was a French-born Greek-Italian writer, Nazi sympathiser, and spy who worked for the Axis powers in India during World War II.

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Painted protest

Over the past eight years, major biennials have focused on identity, rejecting Western perspectives, and reclaiming precolonial knowledge such as indigenous thought and magic.

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Europe's internal barriers

Europe’s internal barriers are estimated by the IMF to be equivalent to tariffs of 45% for manufacturing and 110% for services, shrinking the market for European companies.

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Is AI essential?

Companies must leverage AI to remain competitive, as industry dynamics will shift dramatically over the next few years.

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50 years of travel tips from Kevin Kelly

Organise travel around personal passions rather than destinations to create more memorable and adventurous experiences.

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Bureaucratic governance in Australia

Abul Rizvi, former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Immigration, treats migration as a technocratic solution to counter population ageing due to declining fertility in Australia.

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