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Elon Musk, From South Africa to Paypall, Tesla, Twitter and SpaceX

The story of Elon Musk is the story of a man who has constantly taken big risks, and they have often paid off in a big way. When he was just a boy, he was teased for the size of his head and body—but in the end it gave him confidence. He taught himself to code, building his first website at age 10. He helped PayPal go global and then paid back the friend who gave him his start by buying out their idea for Tesla Motors, which has since become one of the most successful car companies on Earth. SpaceX is getting ready to send people into space for the first time ever—and according to Musk’s predictions, this could happen as early as next year!

J. Robert Oppenheimer - did he become death, the destroyer of worlds

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J. Robert Oppenheimer was born in New York City on April 22, 1904. His father Julius and mother Ella were German Jews who emigrated to New York from Germany in 1888, when Robert was three years old. Robert’s parents were first-generation American-born citizens who had both been born within a few years of their arrival in the United States

J. Robert Oppenheimer was born in New York City on April 22, 1904. He was the son of Julius Oppenheimer and Ella Friedman, both German immigrants. His family moved to the Bay Area when he was three years old and settled in Berkeley, where they opened a grocery store which they operated until 1925.

Lake Mead, sinking water level

The water level of Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, is decreasing due to a drought that has lasted for more than 15 years in Nevada and Arizona. This decreasing amount means that some of the most famous landmarks within Lake Mead National Recreation Area will be exposed to visitors.

Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States and a key source of water for Los Angeles, is on track to drop below its all-time low. That would trigger a federal shortage declaration and mandatory cutbacks in deliveries to Arizona and Nevada.

Lollapalooza, good, bad, loud or all of the above

Lollapalooza, good, bad, loud or all of the above

I’ve been going to Lollapalooza since the late 90s and I’ve loved every minute of it. The music, the food, the crowds…it’s all pretty much a blast. But lately I’ve noticed that some parents look at me with a little bit of envy when they hear about my plans for this summer’s festival season. It seems like more and more parents are staying home because they’re worried about how their kids will behave at these mega events. So what is it like? Is it good or bad? Loud or quiet? All of the above? Well let me tell you…

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was a legend in her own lifetime. She was a bombshell, an icon of sexuality, and the ultimate Hollywood starlet. Her life is often romanticized and mythologized as a storybook romance filled with tragedy, but in reality she was just another woman who had to deal with heartache and loss like all of us do at some point in our lives. She still made it through alive though!

Why does some of the worlds most renowned scientists say a recession is coming

We’ve been living through a period of economic uncertainty for years now, but that doesn’t mean this is the last recession we’ll encounter. There are many factors at play in an economy like how much debt people have taken on, how much business has grown since then and what types of jobs are available today compared to 20 years ago. Even though the Federal Reserve is trying hard to keep inflation under control, sometimes it’s impossible for them to do so because there aren’t enough resources available from other countries or even just from within their own country’s borders. When this happens then you get these kind of situations where countries can’t afford things like interest rates going up anymore which means they start having problems paying off loans which then leads into more bankruptcies etcetera etcetera etcetera….

Hans Island, the island contested by Denmark and Canady

Hans Island, the island contested by Denmark and Canady with booze as weapons

I’ve heard of some strange wars but this might be the absolute strangest. It’s a tiny island in the Arctic Ocean that is contested by Canada and Denmark, and of course, it’s called Hans Island. There is no water on this island. It has no natural resources, and it has never had any people living on it. This island’s only claim to fame is that both Canada and Denmark want the sovereignty over it.

NATO is a peacekeeping organisation

The United States is the most powerful member of NATO. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created in 1949 and was designed to counter the Soviet Union, an expansionist power that had occupied half of Europe after World War II. The alliance includes 30 North American and European countries whose militaries agree to coordinate their operations with each other in times of war or other threats to regional stability.

Blood RED SKY

The apocalypse seemingly arrived early in China’s eastern port city of Zhoushan with the sky appearing blood red over the weekend. What the hell? Turns out that the horrific hue was caused by the lights of boats.

Residents took to social media to share photos and videos of the sky turning an eerie shade of red, with many commenting that it looked like a scene from a horror film.

The blood-red sky made headlines across China, which is famous for its smoggy skies and polluted waterways. But this time, it was something else—the lights of boats and cars, as well as red lanterns hung for a festival.

The internet is a series of tubes.

if you’re reading this, then I’m assuming you’re just as confused as I am about how you ended up here. Maybe you were searching for something on Google or checking your email, but whatever it was, somehow we ended up together—you reading this longread and me writing it! That’s right: YOU’RE READING MY LONGREAD RIGHT NOW! It’s the craziest feeling, isn’t it? Like we’ve been transported into some kind of alternate universe where anything can happen!

Britney Spears' nude Instagrams are causing concern

You may have grown up with Britney Spears as a cultural icon. The pop star was hugely popular in the late ’90s and early 2000s for hits like “Baby One More Time” and “Oops!… I Did It Again.” But it seems Britney’s time in the spotlight hasn’t been all that easy. Over the years, she has struggled to maintain her image as a role model for young women, especially after her more controversial moments, like her 2007 meltdown.

Eurovision is politics by other means

The Eurovision Song Contest is famous for its camp costumes and kitsch. This makes it very difficult to take seriously, which is part of the reason it’s so popular in Britain. The other reason is that it’s on the television, and what else are you going to watch?

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So, before the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest took place in the Ukraine, most of the world had forgotten about it. Despite its name and setting, however, this was an event rooted in history: the Soviet Union’s contest from 1956 to 1964. It’s not just that it was held during the Cold War; much more important is that for four years, this competition functioned as a platform for political messages by first-time winners. Even more fascinating is that their victorious songs included anti-Soviet screeds about democracy and individual freedoms.

Andy Warhol’s iconic Marilyn Monroe portrait sells for record $195m

When Andy Warhol created his iconic portrait of Marilyn Monroe, he might not have realized it, but he was creating history. The painting sold for $195m, the highest price ever paid for a work by an American artist. It is one of four paintings Warhol made shortly after Monroe’s death in 1962. Each painting depicts her with red lips and a red background.

The Men In Her Life is a 1962 painting by Andy Warhol. It is a silkscreen painting, one of four based on a publicity photograph from the 1953 film Niagara. It was sold at auction on May 8, 2012 for $41,545,000 at Christie’s in New York City.

Tuna mousse

Tuna mousse is a classic appetizer that pairs the mild flavor of canned tuna with creamy ingredients to create a spreadable treat. Whether served at a casual brunch or as part of a formal cocktail hour, it evokes a sense of nostalgia while remaining versatile enough for modern tastes. The dish likely emerged in the mid-twentieth century when canned goods grew popular and hosts sought quick ways to transform pantry staples into elegant hors d’oeuvres.

Brexit

If the EU’s withdrawal from the EU means that all citizens of the UK will be excluded from the Single Market, then all people from EU states will be required to leave the EU. This means that at a minimum, all citizens of the EU state will be able to enter the UK without the need for a visa. This could even happen when the UK does not yet have access to the Single Market: in the early stages of the negotiations UK citizens may be excluded by some EU institutions. If the EU’s withdrawal from the EU means that all citizens of the UK will be excluded from the Single Market, then all citizens of the EU state will be forced to leave the UK. This means that at a minimum, all citizens of the EU state will be required to leave the EU. This could even happen when the UK does not yet have access to the Single Market: in the early stages of the negotiations UK citizens will be excluded by some EU institutions. If the same policy applies to immigration, the EU will also not allow asylum. Immigration from the EU means that EU citizens will be subjected to a number of restrictions, including requiring their citizenship to be changed from one nationality to another, requiring full disclosure by the authorities of their nationality at the time of departure but no longer having to submit to a passport and must make a public report of their citizenship and any reasons for having so changed at the time of departure (or their return to the EU is blocked and will not be considered for removal) and requiring them to return home for five or six months, under Article 50 (and in case of permanent residence) for all EU citizens. EU citizens can also be subject to these restrictions at the time of departure, which is a good thing in some cases: for example EU citizens in the UK of legal permanent residence could enter only if they are living in the EU state of residence for one year and for four years each, as in the following scenarios.

Ibex

The mark-hor ibex is the most common wild goat in North America and has been known in northern England and America for hundreds of years and more than 60,000 people have recorded it in the United States. The wild goat is one of the wildest animals in the world. The name ibex, borrowed from Latin ibexis (“bear”), was probably coined for a goat, possibly associated with the Germanic words ibeia (“bear”) and ibes (bear in German), which could possibly indicate a wild goat. It is an endangered species in Europe, Africa, and North America; however this is probably just the result of a wild goat not being found. The ibex is a member of the family of wild animals found in the European savages of eastern and southern Australia; it was also found in many other subspecies of wild dogs and horses.

What Is a Government Shutdown?

In many case, the shutdown allows an organization to maintain or reorganize in order to operate as intended with the support of its members and the general public.

What Are the Resources Needed?

In order to provide the government with the necessary resources to maintain and reorganize through the shutdown, the Department of Justice has some resources available. While the government can only operate for three years at an annual average of about $5 million per year, there is a certain portion of that annual budget that is allocated for programs which are operating normally. A single program is deemed to be an “architectural benefit program” rather than an “office of government,” which means that a department is not needed to fulfill an “architectural benefit program” unless the entire budget includes an “architectural benefit program.” See “Other Resources.”

What is Bitcoin

Bitcoin has also been the subject of many headlines, and in the past several days it has gained significant attention due to its ability to send funds with no verification. Additionally, a number of individuals on the Bitcoin community have questioned the validity of the digital currency in the face of significant data breaches and even financial misbehavior that has resulted in the shutdown of many major credit and debit websites.Bitcoin, in particular, has grown in popularity since its inception in 2013.In the year 2017, Bitcoin is being used by businesses around the world to facilitate payments, and in the last few months has reached a new all-time high of over $50,000.

Playing around with GPT-2 - the sequel

In our previous article playing-around-gtp-2 we used the smaller models released by GPT-2.

Now, november 1st 2019, the openai group has launched the full model - and is apparently no longer afraid of the model being abused.

The new larger model is impressively more coherent in its output.

If you have followed the guide in the original article, the new model can be downloaded by running:

1
python3 download_model.py 1558M

As the model is quite extensive, and the download speed seems throttled - it may well take some time to download the model.

Clearing your DNS cache

The Domain Name System (DNS) acts as the internet’s phonebook, translating human-readable website names into the numerical IP addresses that computers use to locate servers. Every time you visit a website, your operating system stores a local copy of that DNS lookup so it can return the address faster the next time you visit. This temporary storage is called the DNS cache. While convenient, the cache can occasionally hold outdated or corrupted information, causing connection problems or redirecting you to the wrong site. Clearing the DNS cache regularly is a simple maintenance task that ensures your browser always has the freshest data.

Olive tapenade

Olive tapenade is a savory spread that captures the essence of Mediterranean cuisine. Traditionally crafted from olives, capers, and anchovies, it delivers a punch of salty, briny flavor. The dish likely originated in Provence, France, but variations have spread throughout Southern Europe. Served alongside crusty bread or used to top grilled fish, tapenade embodies the simplicity and boldness of regional ingredients.

In this article, we’ll explore the background of tapenade, detail the equipment and ingredients required, and provide a step-by-step method for making your own. We’ll also discuss pros and cons of homemade versus store-bought versions and offer ideas for customizing this versatile condiment.

Aioli

Garlic press

Bowl

kitchen machine with a beater attachment / - or a whisk

  • 2 egg yolks
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 dl grape seed oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic

Beat the egg yolks thoroughly with the salt

Add the mustard and whip again

Add the oil a little at a time in a very thin stream while whipping

Lasagne bolognese

  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife
  • Pan
  • a small pot
  • square refractory dish/casserole suited for using in the oven
  • 20 oz pork shoulder
  • 6 oz of pancetta, diced
  • 3 onions
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 4 celery stalks
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 large cans of diced tomatoes
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 1 cup of white wine
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup of beef broth 
  • salt
  • pepper
  • a tablespoon of butter
  • Lasagne sheets - buy or make some yourself
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 5 tablespoons of flour
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 2 oz of grated Parmegiano
  • a dash of nutmeg

Meat sauce:

What you need to know about quantum computing

Quantum computing is a new technology that has been gaining traction in recent years. The first quantum computer was built in the early 2000s, and since then there have been major breakthroughs in the field. What is quantum computing? What are the various ways that quantum computers work? What can they do? How will we need to adapt to their presence?

Quantum computing, unlike conventional computing, uses the quantum mechanical properties of matter to perform operations. This new ability promises to revolutionize a number of industries including encryption, artificial intelligence, financial transactions, and medical research. By making the discovery, the international team has laid the foundation for inventing a new quantum internet and computing technologies. And the discovery is good news for an area of computational research that had stalled for years. Quantum computing will affect trading strategies Quantum computing, while not yet available to the public, will have an important impact on trading strategies in the future. It is a potential game changer for the world of finance, with a number of exciting possibilities for traders and investors. A quantum computer is a machine that uses the weird and wacky properties of quantum mechanics to perform data crunching tasks, which are well beyond the abilities of today’s supercomputers.

Plain pasta

Homemade pasta has a reputation for being labor-intensive, but with the right technique it can become a quick and satisfying kitchen project. Fresh dough produces noodles that are tender yet resilient, providing a perfect canvas for any sauce. This guide walks you through the process of making plain pasta from scratch and explores the traditions behind this staple of Italian cuisine.

Pasta-making has deep roots in Italy, though noodles existed in many cultures long before tomatoes arrived from the New World. Early Italian pasta was often dried for storage, allowing communities to enjoy a reliable source of carbohydrates throughout the year. Fresh pasta, typically made with eggs and refined flour, became associated with special occasions or regional specialties such as tagliatelle in Emilia-Romagna or pappardelle in Tuscany.

Playing around with GTP-2

Although they don’t seem to be ready to release the full trained model, they’ve release a smaller subset of the model.:

This is great news if you’re like me and can’t wait to try out this new toy the model can be run using tensorflow on either linux or windows 10, if you’re using linux please skip right ahead to Installing GPT-2 and dependencies.

Installing ubuntu on windows10 You need to enable the linux subsystem for windows before you’re able to use any linux distributions from the windows store, so run a powershell as administrator and type.:

Pizza sauce made from fresh tomatoes

Homemade pizza sauce crafted from fresh tomatoes brings vibrant flavor to your pies. This brief overview explains the benefits of using real tomatoes and sets the stage for a step-by-step approach to making sauce that rivals your favorite pizzeria’s.

The universe is hilarious! Like, Venus is 900 degrees. I could tell you it melts lead. But that’s not as fun as saying, ‘You can cook a pizza on the windowsill in nine seconds.’ And next time my fans eat pizza, they’re thinking of Venus! - Neil Degrasse Tyson

Pizza dough, easy to prepare

A good pizza starts with a well-made dough. While countless recipes claim to produce the perfect crust, the fundamental principles are quite simple: flour, water, yeast, and time. Homemade dough offers far more flavor and texture than store-bought alternatives and provides the satisfaction of crafting a meal from scratch.

This guide explains the history of pizza dough, offers tips on choosing ingredients, and walks you through the steps of mixing, kneading, and proofing. With a little patience, you’ll be shaping pies like a pro.

Blackberry apple pie

Ingredients

  • large bowl1
  • small bowl1
  • Electric hand mixer1
  • Oven1
  • Refrigerator1
  • Pie dish1
  • Wax Paper1
  • Tinfoil1
  • Softened butter225 g
  • Sugar50 g
  • Eggs2
  • wheat flour350 g
  • lemon juice2 tablespoons
  • cooking apples600 grams of
  • blackberries125 g
  • sugar25 grams of
  • potato starch1 tablespoon
  • Egg for brushing1
  • Skyr/Sour cream2 cup
  • skimmed milk1/2 cup
  • icing sugar2 tsp
  • pure vanilla powder2 teaspoons

Directions

  1. Mix butter and sugar and stir well.
  2. Add the eggs and whisk very thorough (an electric hand mixer advised)
  3. While still whisking, add the flour little by little.
  4. Now take the dough out onto the table and roll it up into a ball.
  5. Put the dough in a sheet of wax paper and place it in the fridge (~ 5) for at least 1 hour.
  1. Peel and cut the apples into fairly small dices.
  2. Rinse the blackberries.
  3. Make a mix of sugar and potato flour/starch.
  1. Combine the ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Store in refrigerator until needed.
  1. Bring out your pie dish.
  2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and put one quarter aside(to the lid).
  3. Use a rolling pin to roll the rest of the dough to a thickness of 2-5 millimeters.
  4. Use the dough to coat the bottom and sides of the pie dish.
  5. Fill with apple pieces and blackberries
  6. Pour on the sugar / potato starch mixture.
  7. Take the fourth of the dough that was put aside earlier, roll it out and cut it into 1-2 cm strips and put them on top in a nice pattern
  8. Brush with egg.
  9. Bake the pie at the center of the oven at 180 degrees for for 50 minutes to one hour.
  10. Once the pie has become nice and golden (approximately 30 minutes) cover it loosely with some tinfoil for the remainder of the cooking time.
  11. Let it cool for at least 3 hours before serving.

Few desserts capture the comfort of home quite like a warm blackberry apple pie. The pairing of tart berries with sweet, tender apples has roots in traditional European baking, where seasonal fruit fillings changed with the harvest.

Patatas bravas

Patatas bravas is more than just fried potatoes with spicy sauce; it is a beloved staple of Spanish tapas culture. This introduction explores the origins of the dish and explains why it remains a favorite at bars and family gatherings alike. Preparing it from scratch lets you control the heat and texture while honoring the traditions of Spanish home cooking.

  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Small pot
  • Large pot
  • Large pan
  • Stove
  • Bowl(s) for serving
  • 3 large potatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 large tsp. hot paprika
  • 4 large tablespoons olive oil
  • 30 g flour
  • 3 dl chicken stock
  • Salt
  • White pepper
  • Finely chop the onion
  • Roast the onion in a small pan, in a teaspoon of olive oil until it is transparent
  • Add a dash of pepper, a pinch of salt and the paprika and cook it  while stirring for a minute
  • Add the flour and continue stirring while it fries for 30 seconds
  • Add the chicken stock and stir until it is smooth 
  • Let it boil on medium heat for a few minutes.
  • Use salt and pepper to adjust the taste,
  • Peel the potatoes and cut them into squares (approx. 1.5 x 1.5 cm )
  • Add water and few tablespoons of salt to the large pot, turn op the heat 
  • When the water is boiling add the potatoes and boil them until almost done (8-15 minutes depending on how new the potatoes are)
  • Remove the potatoes from the water and allow to cool
  • Heat up the pan, add olive oil and fry the potatoes until they’re crisp and golden
  • Add the potatoes to the serving bowls and drizzle with the sauce 
  • Serve and enjoy

While fried potatoes have existed in Spain since the introduction of the tuber from the New World, the bravas sauce we know today originated in Madrid during the early 20th century. Street vendors served the spicy, tomato-based mixture over crispy potatoes, and the dish spread rapidly across the country. Each region now boasts its own twist on the recipe, ranging from mild to intensely fiery.

Delicious broccoli-carrot pie

This savory broccoli and carrot pie is proof that vegetables can be the star of comfort food. Combining a buttery crust with tender greens and creamy cheese, it is perfect for casual dinners or special gatherings. Below, you’ll find some history behind vegetable pies, step-by-step instructions, and tips for customizing the recipe.

Vegetable pies have been popular in Europe since medieval times. Early versions relied on crusts to seal in ingredients for baking, allowing cooks to transform vegetables into hearty meals. As trade expanded, new ingredients like carrots and broccoli appeared in pie fillings. Over the last century, vegetarian cooking trends further popularized savory pies, making them a favorite among families seeking meatless options.

Mediterranean Diet

It took nearly 50 years since people began following the Mediterranean diet to truly understand how rich the foods were. While other studies tried to study the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and body health, it didn’t work. A big part of this is the fact that scientists have always known that people who are consuming meat and dairy at the same time are not healthy people (Carmen et al., 2005). They said that if you eat meat or dairy, and then slowly grind it down with water, such that the ratio of the protein to the fats begins to diverge, it’s possible you are “getting rid of the excess meat.” And this does take some work.

Minestrone soup

Minestrone soup is a hearty vegetable soup that originated in Italy and has since become popular worldwide. Its appeal lies in its flexibility: almost any assortment of seasonal vegetables and beans can be simmered together to create a filling meal. Historically, minestrone was considered a “poor man’s soup”—a way for farmers to turn garden leftovers into something satisfying.

In this guide, we’ll delve into the roots of this dish, outline necessary tools and ingredients, and provide a step-by-step method. We’ll also discuss pros and cons of preparing minestrone from scratch and share ideas for variations to keep it interesting all year round.

Spanish omelette - a ten step guide

The Spanish omelette, or tortilla española, is a quintessential dish of Spain. Made primarily from eggs and potatoes, it is hearty enough for a main course yet simple enough to serve as a tapa. This guide expands on the traditional ten-step method, providing historical context, technique tips, and variations that will help you master this versatile meal.

The origins of the Spanish omelette date back to at least the early 19th century. Legend has it that during the Carlist Wars, resourceful soldiers combined eggs and potatoes to create a filling dish from limited provisions. Over time, the tortilla evolved into a staple of Spanish cuisine, gracing family tables and tapas bars alike. Today, each region has its own take—some include onions, others chorizo or vegetables—but the basic combination of eggs and potatoes remains constant.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara is one of Italy’s most beloved pasta dishes, celebrated for its rich flavor yet humble origins. Traditionally made with eggs, cured pork, cheese, and freshly ground pepper, it delivers a creamy sauce without any actual cream. Home cooks often simplify the recipe, but understanding its roots helps preserve the authentic taste and texture.

This expanded guide explores the history of carbonara, provides step-by-step instructions, and offers tips for perfecting the dish in your own kitchen. By following these techniques, you can serve up a restaurant-quality meal that satisfies both purists and modern diners.