Recent investigations into AI reveal that comedians and writers who excel at clever wordplay might find temporary solace.
Researchers from institutions in the UK and Italy have been exploring the capacity of large-scale language models (LLMs) to comprehend puns, only to discover significant gaps in their understanding.
For instance, they examined the statement, “I used to be a comedian, but my life became a joke.” Even after substituting it with “I used to be a comedian and my life became a mess,” LLMs still acknowledged the presence of puns.
Another example tested was: “long fairy tales have a tendency to dragonify.” When “dragon” was swapped with its synonym “extension” or any arbitrary word, LLMs erroneously assumed a pun was present.
Professor Jose Camacho Collados, associated with Cardiff University’s School of Computer Science and Informatics, suggested that the research indicates a fragile understanding of humor by LLMs.
“Essentially, LLMs tend to retain information from their training, allowing them to recognize established puns, but that doesn’t equate to true understanding,” he remarked.
“We consistently managed to mislead the LLM by altering existing puns and stripping away the double meanings integral to the original humor. In these scenarios, the model would draw connections to prior puns and create various justifications for its conclusions. Ultimately, we determined that the model’s interpretation of puns was merely an illusion.”
The findings indicated that LLMs’ accuracy in differentiating between pun and non-pun sentences could dip to 20% when encountering unfamiliar wordplay.
Another pun tested was: “Old LLM never dies, it just loses attention.” Even when attention shifted to “ukulele,” the LLM still identified it as a pun, as “ukulele” bore a slight resemblance to “you-kill-LLM.”
The team was impressed by the creativity displayed, yet the LLM still failed to appreciate the humor.
The researchers emphasized that their findings underscore the need for caution when utilizing LLMs for tasks that involve humor, empathy, and an understanding of cultural subtleties.
This month, nine seismic observatories in Alaska are expected to lose power, leaving tsunami forecasters without essential data to assess whether an earthquake could generate destructive waves heading toward the West Coast.
These stations depended on federal support that lapsed last year, and the Trump administration declined to renew it this fall. Information from the observatories is vital for researchers studying the size and shape of earthquakes occurring along the Alaska subduction zone, a fault known for producing some of the globe’s most potent earthquakes, thereby endangering California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii.
Michael West, director of the Alaska Earthquake Center, mentioned that the removal of the observatory could postpone the notification of a potential tsunami in Alaska’s coastal regions, with areas like Washington state potentially facing less precise forecasts.
“Statistically, the last tsunami in the United States originated from Alaska, and the next one will likely follow suit,” he stated.
This is yet another setback for the U.S. tsunami warning system, which has already been grappling with underfunding and staff shortages. Researchers are alarmed that the network might be on the verge of collapse.
“The entire tsunami warning system is regressing,” West said. “There are numerous issues at play.”
In the United States, there are two tsunami warning centers that operate continuously—one in Palmer, Alaska, and another in Honolulu. These centers provide forecasts that assist emergency managers in deciding if coastal evacuations are necessary after an earthquake. Data from Alaska’s seismic stations has historically been integral to the center’s operations.
Both centers are already experiencing staffing shortages; currently, only 11 of the 20 full-time positions at the Alaska center are filled, as reported by Tom Fahey, union legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization. Meanwhile, in Hawaii, four out of 16 positions remain vacant. (Fahey indicated both sites are looking to hire scientists.)
Furthermore, funding for the National Tsunami Hazard Reduction Program, which finances the majority of state tsunami risk reduction initiatives, has been slashed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In 2025, a mere $4 million was allocated—significantly less than the historic $6 million provided.
“You’re on life support,” West remarked regarding the program.
Tsunami evacuation route sign in Bolinas, California.Steven Lamb/San Francisco Chronicle, via Getty Images file
Additionally, due to probationary layoffs in February under the Trump administration, NOAA terminated Corinna Allen, director of the National Weather Service’s tsunami program, as reported by Washington state seismologist Harold Tobin. Allen, who had just recently joined the agency, refrained from commenting through a spokesperson for her new employer, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
These recent reductions coincide with the Trump administration’s broader strategy to cut federal spending, especially on science and climate research. NOAA enacted cuts in February, including hundreds of layoffs, reductions in weather balloon launches, and a halt to research on climate and weather disaster costs.
Most of the closed seismic stations in Alaska are located in isolated regions of the Aleutian Islands. West noted that this chain extends westward from the Alaska Peninsula towards Russia, following a subduction zone on the ocean floor. KHNS is Alaska’s public radio station, which first reported the news of the stations going offline.
A NOAA grant of approximately $300,000 annually had supported these stations. The Alaska Earthquake Center sought a new grant to continue operations through 2028 but was turned down, according to emails between West and NOAA officials examined by NBC News.
NOAA spokesperson Kim Doster stated that the federal agency ceased funding in 2024 under the Biden administration. Uma Bhatt, a professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and deputy director of the institute managing the grant, mentioned that the University of Alaska Fairbanks managed to raise funds in the spring to keep the program running for another year, anticipating that federal support would follow. Unfortunately, that funding never materialized.
“The removal of these observations does not hinder the Tsunami Warning Center from fulfilling its mission,” Doster remarked. “AEC [Alaska Earthquake Center] is one among many partners aiding the National Weather Service’s tsunami initiatives, and the NWS continues using various methods to guarantee the collection of seismic data throughout Alaska.”
The White House has not responded to requests for comment.
West indicated that the Alaska Earthquake Center supplies a significant portion of the data utilized for tsunami alerts in the state. The grant funding the nine seismic stations also facilitated a data stream that included inputs from the center’s additional sensors. Consequently, tsunami warning centers across the nation will no longer have direct access to that data feed.
West noted that the stations spread across the Aleutian Islands cover an extensive geographical expanse.
“There’s nothing else in the vicinity,” he pointed out. “It’s not like there’s another piece of equipment 20 miles away; there aren’t even any roads.”
West intends to abandon the station later this month but will leave the equipment behind.
Washington State’s Tobin expressed concerns that the closures “might lead to delays and diminish the quality of tsunami warnings.”
“Surveillance is sparse in this region. We need to be vigilant,” he remarked, adding, “These programs often operate unnoticed until a critical event occurs.”
The Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone stands out as one of the most active fault lines globally, having previously triggered substantial tsunamis. In 1964, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake unleashed a tsunami that claimed 124 lives, with 13 fatalities in California and five in Oregon. The majority of California’s casualties occurred in Crescent City, where waves reaching 6 meters obliterated 29 city blocks, according to the city’s website.
Experts in tsunami studies emphasized that the observatory stations in the Aleutian Islands are crucial for the swift identification of nearby earthquakes. The closer an earthquake is to a sensor, the lower the uncertainty regarding the resulting tsunami.
NOAA’s Tsunami Warning Center aims to generate an initial forecast within five minutes, which is vital for local communities. (In the event of a significant earthquake in the Aleutian Islands, the first waves could reach nearby Alaskan towns within minutes.) The only data available quickly enough to facilitate these initial projections comes from seismic signals, as opposed to buoy-mounted tide gauges or pressure sensors.
Subsequently, the warning center provides a more detailed wave height prediction about 40 minutes later. Daniel Ungaard, director of tsunami programs at the Washington Geological Survey, noted that without sensors in Alaska, there would be increased uncertainty about projected wave heights, complicating decisions on whether to initiate evacuations along Washington’s coastline.
“We strive to avoid unnecessary evacuations,” he explained, emphasizing that unwarranted alerts could result in wasted time, resources, and credibility.
Last year, tsunami warning centers nationwide were inundated. In December, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake near Cape Mendocino, California, activated a tsunami warning along the coast. July saw an 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting a widespread warning along the U.S. West Coast, just west of the Aleutian Islands.
NOAA has been instrumental in establishing many seismic observatories that form part of the Alaska Earthquake Center network. However, West mentioned that over the past two decades, the agency has decreased its support. The nine bases developed by NOAA were decommissioned in 2013.
“Now is the moment for NOAA to decide on their commitment,” he declared. “I aim to ignite a conversation about tsunami preparedness in the United States, ensuring it doesn’t merely arise in response to the next catastrophic tsunami.”
WAfter arriving in Bangkok from Nairobi last December, Duncan Okindo sensed something was amiss as he began his job as a customer service agent. The 26-year-old had previously sold cattle, borrowed funds from a friend, and used his savings to pay the recruitment agency 200,000 Kenyan Shillings (£1,150).
“I thought it was a positive step to leave [the country] and seek opportunities to support my family,” Okindo recalls.
Unfortunately, when a van collected Okindo and six other Kenyans at the airport, the driver took their passports and falsely informed Thai officials that they were tourists. After several hours of travel, they were taken to a boat to cross a river, confused and exhausted.
For the next three months, he was forced to send thousands of messages from fake social media accounts, posing as a wealthy American investor to defraud U.S. real estate agents through cryptocurrency scams.
When he failed to hit his daily targets, he faced beatings, confinement in a freezing room, and sometimes went without food for up to two days. He prayed for the safety of others who suffered at the hands of the Chinese gangsters operating the center, wishing they could avoid the electrocution and sexual torture he witnessed.
“It was hell on Earth,” says Okindo. “I felt completely shattered.”
Eventually, he was released from Myanmar’s KK Park, a compound reflecting the rising number of Kenyans, Ugandans, and Ethiopians trafficked to Southeast Asia as criminal organizations look to expand the East African labor pool.
KK Park is a rapidly growing fraud center located in Myawadi, along Myanmar’s border with Thailand. Photo: Jittrapon Kaicome/The Guardian
Since the 2021 coup in Myanmar, there’s been a surge in cyber slavery compounds, taking advantage of the country’s weakened governance and fostering illegal activities. The number of such centers along the Thai border has escalated from 11 to 26 in just four years.
Okindo considers himself fortunate. The mission to find and free trafficked individuals involves coordination among multiple governments, militias, and police forces. Thai officials have successfully promoted the release of thousands of trafficking victims, while East African governments are increasingly collaborating with Thai authorities willing to engage with Myanmar’s junta and militia forces at the border.
Victims can only be released into Thai custody if their home country agrees to take responsibility for their repatriation and the associated costs.
Since 2020, the Southeast Asian cyberslavery industry has ensnared hundreds of thousands, forcing individuals into what is colloquially termed “slaughtering the pigs,” a brutal way to build trust with scam targets before executing fraud. Initially aimed at Chinese and Taiwanese victims, the industry has expanded to Southeast Asians, Indians, and now, Africans.
“Sometimes I’m afraid to talk about it,” Okindo reflects. Photo: Provided by Duncan Okindo
This has led various human trafficking networks to search for recruits with English and technical skills, including East Africans. Estimates now suggest thousands are trapped in Southeast Asian compounds, according to Benedict Hoffman, a representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
As awareness grows among citizens in various countries, recruitment becomes increasingly challenging. “It’s much harder these days to enlist large numbers of individuals from India,” Hoffmann notes. “This is why we’re observing a rise in victims from Africa.”
Between January and April, the Kenyan government successfully repatriated 175 citizens from Myanmar; Roseline Njogu, the Director of the Diaspora Issues Department in Kenya’s State Department, noted that a substantial group of Kenyans, about 150 individuals trafficked from across Southeast Asia, was rescued between 2022 and 2024. This issue also extends to Ethiopia and Uganda.
Recruiters exploiting modern slavery are capitalizing on government migration promotion, targeting Kenya through online job advertisements, social media, texts, and in-person visits to rural areas, states Mutuk Nguri, CEO of the Counter Human Traffic Trust.
Chinese, Vietnamese, and Ethiopians rescued in Misawadi, Myanmar. They are recognized as victims of human trafficking at fraud centers. Photo: Thanaphon Wuttison/AP
The government acknowledges its precarious position, according to Nguri. The Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Issues did not respond to requests for comments.
Thailand has aided thousands, but repatriation presents its own challenges and costs. Thai officials must establish that workers are indeed victims of human trafficking before releasing them to their home countries.
When Susan Wahura* was rescued from a Myanmar romance scam operation in 2022, she spent a month moving between four Thai detention centers before realizing she was trafficked and initiating legal steps to obtain freedom.
“I spent time in a solitary cell before accepting my status as a trafficking victim which ultimately led to my freedom,” shares 32-year-old Wahura.
Neither Uganda nor Ethiopia maintain embassies in Thailand, complicating their ability to identify victims in Myanmar, currently engulfed in civil conflict. Earlier this year, several Ugandans and Ethiopians found themselves stranded at the Myanmar-Thai border as repatriation efforts stalled.
Duncan Okindo has created a TikTok video detailing his trafficking experiences in Myanmar, aiming to raise awareness about predatory agencies and bogus job offers. Photo: Carlos Mureithi/The Guardian
The fraud syndicate is exploiting vulnerabilities in East Africa’s diplomatic representation to deter victims from seeking help, asserts Jason Tower, a global initiative against transnational organized crime.
“Ultimately, that’s the objective of the scam syndicate—to transform individuals into profit-generating machines, acting as high-capacity con artists,” states Tower.
Nevertheless, despite repatriation efforts by East African nations, deceptive recruitment agencies keep advertising fake job opportunities. Both Okindo and Wahura continue to share guardian messages with Kenyans contemplating moves to Southeast Asia.
In May, Okindo, who holds a mass communication diploma, filed a lawsuit against the recruitment agency and its staff, accusing them of conscription into slavery and human trafficking. A Nairobi court has issued a temporary injunction preventing the overseas employment of labor.
Since his return, Okindo has spoken publicly about his experiences through television, TikTok, and other social media outlets, connecting stranded victims with legal support, aid organizations, and ambassadors for their recovery.
His aim is to raise awareness about malicious institutions and false job opportunities while encouraging victims to seek justice.
“I’ve enlightened many individuals,” he asserts. “Though I sometimes feel scared discussing it, I share my story, knowing that speaking out could help save others.”
These striking images capture the efforts of photographer Nicole Tung, who dedicated nine months to documenting the human and environmental toll of overfishing in Southeast Asia. Since the 1950s, fishing has rapidly evolved from a traditional craft into a global industry, primarily in developed nations. The rise in overfishing and illegal catch practices is alarming, driven by the increasing demand from a growing population.
Tung emphasizes the significance of the region as a vital part of the global fisheries market. Her project received funding from the €50,000 Kaminyak Photojournalism Award for fieldwork, which shifted her perspective on seafood consumption. Rather than suggesting complete abstention, she advocates for greater awareness and informed choices from consumers.
She expressed her distress over harrowing accounts from Indonesian fishermen, who detailed the violence and dreadful conditions they encounter at sea.
The image above illustrates a fisherman delivering a catch of tuna at General Santos fishport in the Philippines after a month at sea, including Bigger Tuna and Blue Marlin.
Thai dock worker
Nicole Tung
In other scenes, dock workers from Myanmar sort fish species being offloaded in Ranong, Thailand. Below, the indigenous Ulak Roy people and Thai villagers from Koh Lipe gather wood from nearby islands during a festival celebrating the end of the fishing and tourism season. They utilize the materials to construct ceremonial boats as offerings to their ancestors.
Indigenous Urak Lawoi people and Thai villagers sail their boats in Thailand
Nicole Tung
In this concluding image, a family of Filipino fishermen prepares bait for their fishing line in Quezon, Palawan, Philippines.
For decades, insulin, cardiac treatments, and antibiotics have crossed numerous borders without restrictions. Customs duty exemptions have helped make medications affordable. However, this could soon change.
President Trump has been voicing plans for high tariffs on pharmaceuticals as part of a strategy to revamp the global trading landscape and stimulate domestic manufacturing. This month, he mentioned drug tariffs could be expected “in the near future.”
If implemented, this decision could lead to significant and unpredictable repercussions for medicines produced in the European Union.
Pharmaceuticals and chemicals are the top export to the US. This includes various profitable products such as popular weight-loss drugs, cancer therapies, cardiovascular treatments, and flu vaccines.
“These are vital items that ensure lives,” remarked Léa Auffret, head of international affairs at Beuc, a European consumer organization. “It’s alarming to potentially involve them in a trade conflict.”
European firms may respond to Trump’s tariffs in several ways. Some pharmaceutical companies, eager to avoid tariffs, have already announced plans to boost production in the US, aligning with Trump’s vision. Others might consider shifting their production there later.
Alternatively, some firms may choose to remain but increase prices to offset the tariffs, consequently raising patient costs. Rising prices could impact both European and American patients. Certain companies have begun arguing that Europe must create more business-friendly terms by easing regulations that keep drug prices low.
There might also be a middle ground where companies adjust their financial interests to the US for accounting reasons to dodge import fees.
Auffret’s organization has cautioned European officials against retaliating with tariffs on American medicines in response.
Navigating the pharmaceutical sector is intricate. Insurance contracts and government regulations can complicate abrupt pricing adjustments for branded drugs, making long-term commitments challenging. Consequently, no one can predict outcomes with confidence.
“We haven’t encountered tariffs on medicines for quite some time,” noted Brad W. Sesser, an economist with the Council on Foreign Relations, who has researched the tax regulations encouraging overseas production.
Even if Trump postpones the so-called “mutual” tariffs for a full 10% rate during the transition, he has indicated that specific industry tariffs are forthcoming, revealing that computer chips and pharmaceuticals are next in line. Recently, the US initiated an investigation into both sectors, marking the initial step toward imposing tariffs.
Many industry analysts predict that new tariffs could reach 25%, similar to those already imposed on steel, aluminum, and automobiles.
Potential tariffs are particularly concerning for the pharmaceutical industry in Europe, especially in Ireland, where pharmaceuticals account for 80% of exports to the US.
Many pharmaceutical firms relocated to Ireland due to its low corporate tax rates. However, they also benefit from a robust workforce skilled in pharmaceutical development.
The sector has grown swiftly in recent years, with over 90 pharmaceutical companies currently operating there, as reported by the Foreign Direct Investment Agency. Many major US drug manufacturers also have a significant presence in the country. Last year, the Irish pharmaceutical sector exported 58 billion euros, or about $66 billion, worth of drugs and chemicals to the US.
“The Irish population is intelligent,” Trump remarked during a March visit from Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin to the White House. “You trained at our pharmaceutical companies and other firms,” he continued, referencing “this beautiful island of 5 million people, where the entire US pharmaceutical industry keeps an eye.”
Currently, tariffs could diminish the manufacturing advantages in Ireland, aligning with Trump’s intentions.
“In the US, we no longer produce our own medications,” Trump stated from the Oval Office last week. “Pharmaceutical companies are based in Ireland,” he added.
Companies are already expanding their operations. Firms are hurrying to export medications from Ireland to the US before potential barriers arise, as statistics indicate.
Ireland stands out as the only unaffected nation, while Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and Slovenia serve as key exporters.
“This poses a significant issue for Europe,” observed Penny Nurse, who directed the competitiveness program at the German Marshall Fund think tank and has extensive experience in European public policy and corporate relations.
European leaders are reaching out to both American officials and industry members. Following his visit with the Irish Prime Minister, the Irish Foreign Minister also traveled to Washington to confer with the Secretary of Commerce.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, convened in Brussels with the European Pharmaceutical Industry Association, the lobbying group representing Europe’s largest pharmaceutical firms.
The industry is seizing opportunities to advocate for reduced regulatory burdens.
European pharmaceutical lobbyists conveyed to von der Leyen that companies might relocate production or investment to the US in response to Trump’s tariffs, particularly if they encounter expedited approvals and improved access to capital.
At least 18 members of this group, including Bayer, Pfizer, and Merck, plan to invest nearly 165 billion euros in the European Union over the next five years, with half of that potentially relocating to the United States. However, this forecast may not encompass all potential shifts.
“Pharmaceutical companies require more favorable conditions to produce in Europe,” stated Dorothy Blackman, head of Pharma Germany, the country’s largest pharmaceutical association.
Such warnings appear to carry weight as companies begin to strategize increased spending in the US. Recently, Roche announced a $50 billion investment plan, marking the latest in a series of similar announcements.
In a recent commentary, the CEOs of Novartis and Sanofi suggested that reduced regulations alone won’t suffice to prevent the current downturn. They asserted that “European price control and austerity measures will diminish market appeal,” and urged the bloc to pave the way for higher pricing.
Executives in the industry are also cautioning that tariffs could disrupt supply chains, impair patient access, and weaken research and development efforts.
“There’s a reason” drug tariffs remain at zero, stated Joaquin Duatto, CEO of Johnson & Johnson. During a recent earnings call, he added, “Tariffs create disruption in the supply chain and lead to shortages.”
Von der Leyen emphasized similar worries, noting that tariffs on the pharmaceutical sector could impact “globally interconnected supply chains and the availability of medications for both European and American patients.”
Pharmaceutical tariffs also threaten the European Union with another risk.
Many generics are typically manufactured in Asia, where efforts are underway to bolster the production of essential but less profitable medications.
Yet, if US tariffs prompt Chinese and Indian generic manufacturers to seek non-US markets, this could inundate Europe with cheaper drugs.
This influx might complicate the EU’s efforts to establish a domestic base for generics, even as it entices the US to produce well-known brand-name medications.
“We anticipate this may result in increased investment in the US,” indicated Diederik Stadig, a sector economist at ING. “The European Commission must act urgently.”
Whenmai* began studying psychology in mid-2019. She looked forward to traveling to college to have a lively conversation with her classmates working on new ideas.
However, when her in-person tutorials were exchanged for a Zoom meeting in 2020, her excitement turned into horror.
“People don’t switch cameras. They have their names displayed,” says Mai. “It’s very lonely and very isolated. If you’re struggling with questions, then no one will talk.”
The auditorium, once full of students, was emptied in favor of pre-recorded lectures, Mai said. Even the lab demonstrations have been replaced by a lively, undirected Zoom breakout room.
Mai sat through an online class who fell silent mid-hour time slot as the instructor sued a grid of faceless viewer names to engage in simple questions.
“No one spoke,” she says. “It’s so annoying, it hurts so much, you just want to go out.”
As soon as she graduated, Mai moved to Hobart to study medicine. The lockdown was fading memory and she was expecting a packed campus.
But apart from her medication classmates, she says it was abandoned – it remains two years later.
“I had this very naive vision, ‘Oh, wow, I’m going to meet a lot of students from many different places.” [but] Many students don’t attend just because they have other work or life commitments,” she says.
Australian students like MAI enroll in college in the hopes of experiences that many facilities no longer offer. They imagine themselves in time and space exploring big ideas with their peers and teachers, share vibrant discussions and share their path to becoming independent adults.
Those who can’t afford to spend the whole week on campus or are not given the option of in-person classes are worried that they are missing out. High quality education While increasing fees are being charged.
Students under financial pressure cut classes and picked up more jobs. The result is a malicious cycle of lower campus attendance, according to students. Few students will be taking part in the class in person, and attending classes is even less attractive and there will be fewer face-to-face opportunities for universities as they do not appear.
Like Mai, many people ask themselves: “What is the point of going to campus?”
AAccording to Dr. Thuc Bao Huynh, a researcher at the Center for Youth Policy and Education Practice at Monash University, Ustralian’s expectations for university life go back to research ideals before the 1980s, before the 1980s.
“If someone was a student, they wouldn’t actually do that much except they were students,” he says. “That’s not the case anymore.”
The myth of campus life opposes the modern reality where increasingly fewer students have the luxury of their own research and social life, their primary responsibility. Since the 1990s, the number of Australians from a wider background has increased. Costs of living are accelerating this trend, Huynh said it forces more students to treat the university as a part-time commitment.
Those who can’t afford to spend the whole week on campus, or who don’t have in-person classes on the course, are worried that they are being charged a growing number of fees, rather than overlooking a quality education. Photo: Agenzia Sintesi/Alamy
“Being a student is 1740532059 I mashed with everything else that young people are experiencing,” Huyn says. “That’s another thing they have to deal with.”
Classmates at Jed Brockhouse who struggled to work juggle college and were given the option to do coursework online will not be able to come to campus at Latrobe University in North Melbourne.
“If you know you don’t need to be there, why do you sit in class for two hours, fit in an hour of traffic?” he says.
Sam Lane only learned how much he missed when he took a break from law classes and reached out to art history.
He says he went to university in 2019 looking for a photo of his parents’ campus life. To people. “
Lane got a glimpse into the fantasy world at the University of New South Wales Art School on Sydney’s bustling Oxford Street. His long three-hour art history class forced him and his peers to meet face to face or gave him time to tackle and discuss aesthetics and philosophy.
“You didn’t feel like you were there just to get bitten and spit out of the auditorium,” he says. “If there’s something interesting for the class, you can dig into it.”
However, once his art tutorial is over, Lane has to hurry back to the main campus of UNSW in eastern Sydney, reducing the teaching time on campus, and the professor has rushed through an impossible amount of information. Ta.
Sam says he went to university in 2019 looking for photos of campus life drawn by his parents. Photo: Lisa Marie Williams/The Gardian
“We don’t have time to chat, we don’t have time to get to know the people around you,” he says. “You’re too busy trying to get through all the content very quickly.”
Lane is now approaching the end of his degree and watching attendees get nervous with the Student Association, stopping the long-term party tradition, including Battle of the Band events.
“People want to understand what they have lost and really go back to it… [but] There’s no good time to put it [on] “There aren’t enough people on campus so they don’t get voter turnout,” he says. “I’m a little dead.”
THis tendency towards online learning reflects wider pressure. A decline in federal funding and threatened losses from international students, the main source of income, forced the university to save. At the same time, university staff teach 200,000 students more than they did a decade ago.
Kaab Qureshi, a sophomore at Australian National University in Canberra, says it’s difficult to learn in classes that have become “strange” as the university is cut and contact time condensed.
“They just want to cut costs as quickly as possible,” he says. “I think they’ve made more reputation and profitable than student involvement and support.”
Even the face-to-face class stuffing didn’t stop them from finding the community they wanted for those who could afford to stroll around campus.
Kristy Sauw, a classmate at ANU in Qureshi, says his first year in college wasn’t good. After moving from Wagga Wagga High School to the on-campus residential hall, it was easy for her to make friends and go to classes in person.
“We made a lot of friends in our philosophy tutorials because we considered it an hour to yap. It was really fun,” she says. “As much as we focus on what we’re actually talking about, we’ve also become bonded and talked about random topics.”
Qureshi spent extra money to live in the residential hall for his first year, but the
tHe mystery surrounding William Henry Gates III is well-preserved. This book delves into the early years of Gates, from his birth in 1955 to the founding of Microsoft in 1975. The sequel will reveal the next chapter of his story.
The title of the book aptly captures its essence. In the era when only humans wrote computer programs, “source code” referred to the code that powered the programs. Understanding a programming language enabled one to decipher the workings of a computer program.
What can we learn from studying Gates’ journey? Essentially, it narrates the tale of a fortunate young man. He had supportive parents who provided him with the right environment to grow emotionally and intellectually. However, he faced internal battles due to his high IQ, rebellious nature, and anxiety.
Reflecting on his upbringing, Gates acknowledges the challenges he faced in social settings and how his parents supported him. He attended a progressive private school that nurtured his talents.
Notably, Gates and his friends had access to a computer in the 1960s, which was rare at the time. This early exposure to computing led them to develop software and write programs for companies in their region.
Gates’ journey took him to Harvard, where his programming skills stood out. He dabbled with a December PDP-10 but shifted focus when Allen discovered a new microcomputer based on Intel’s 8080 processor.
Together, Gates and Allen ventured into the world of software development, leading to the establishment of Microsoft. Their early success paved the way for future accomplishments.
The book hints at Gates’ institutional expansion and legal battles, setting the stage for what’s to come in the next volume.
Gates in 1983. Photo: DOUG WILSON/CORBIS/Getty Images
The book provides valuable insights into Gates’ formative years, shedding light on his complex personality. His early struggles and triumphs set the stage for his future endeavors.
One of the defining moments in Gates’ life was the tragic loss of his best friend and programming partner, Kent Evans. This loss deeply impacted Gates and influenced his career trajectory.
In a poignant moment, Gates reflects on his conversations with Evans’ father and imagines what could have been if Evans had lived. Their shared vision laid the foundation for what would become Microsoft.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has resigned, leading to David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus being named interim co-CEOs. Despite an increased demand for semiconductor chips and improved profitability, Intel has struggled to keep up with its competitors.
Mr. Gelsinger, with a career spanning over 40 years, also stepped down from the board of directors. He joined Intel in 1979, serving as the first chief technology officer, and returned as CEO in 2021. Intel announced plans on Monday to search for a new CEO.
Recently, it was revealed that the Biden administration intends to reduce some of Intel’s $8.5 billion federal funding for computer chip factories nationwide. Sources familiar with the situation disclosed this information anonymously.
The reduction is partly due to the $3 billion Intel receives for supplying computer chips to the military. In March, Joe Biden announced a deal to provide Intel with up to $8.5 billion in direct funding and $11 billion in loans.
The changes in Intel’s funding are not linked to its financial performance or milestones, according to sources familiar with the grant. In August, the company announced a workforce reduction of 15%, affecting around 15,000 employees, as part of its efforts to enhance competitiveness against leading competitors like Nvidia and AMD. Unlike some rivals, Intel both designs and manufactures chips.
Mr. Zinsner is Intel’s executive vice president and CFO, while Mr. Holthaus has been assigned the new CEO position overseeing Intel Products, including the Client Computing Group, Data Center and AI Group, and Network and Edge Group.
Frank Yeary, the independent chairman of Intel’s board of directors, will serve as interim executive chairman.
“Pat’s tenure at Intel began crucially and his return in 2021 came at a pivotal time for the company,” Yeary stated. “As a leader, Pat has driven innovation throughout the company, particularly in cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing.”
LTo be fair, technology has improved my life and still surprises and delights me every day. My cell phone also turns into a flashlight! My TV remembers how far into last night's episode it was, even if I didn't. The bus stop knows when the bus is coming and can monitor the entire journey of the pizza from the restaurant to your home. Frankly, these are miracles.
However, there were corresponding sacrifices. For over 20 years, I have surrendered entire areas of ability, memory, authority, and independence to machines in my life. Along the way, we've become anxious about problems that didn't exist before, indecisive about choices we didn't have to make before, and angry about things we never noticed before. Ta.
There are probably hundreds of ways technology has ruined my life. Let's start with him 16 pieces.
1. I lose concentration.
It's not just me: 2022 survey According to a study conducted by the Center for Attention Research, 49% of adults believe their attention spans are shortening due to competing distractions available on cell phones and computers. Now I end up doing 20 minutes of half-hearted research and getting dragged down an online rabbit hole, all the while being bothered by notifications announcing the arrival of an email or the death of an elderly actor. Masu. They were close relatives or something. Especially since he chases me with the relentlessness of a bailiff on Duolingo. Sometimes he interrupts my Italian lessons and reminds me to take another Italian lesson. That's why I still can't order coffee in Rome after 5 years with her.
2. Poor posture
I felt like sitting in front of a screen all day was having a negative effect on my body, so I bought a stand to raise my computer in hopes that it would help me sit up straighter. Then it became variable focus, so I had to crane my neck and jut my chin out to read the screen through the bottom half of the glasses. I ended up switching to a laptop.Then I had to put that on the stand. Despite this, I still have a question mark attitude. I tried setting an alarm to step away from the computer at regular intervals, but it kept waking me up.
3. Life can feel like a never-ending battle to prove you're not a robot.
Obviously, this includes all the failed attempts to click on every photo with a traffic light in it to qualify as a legitimate human investigator looking for spare dishwasher wheels . But it also means resisting the temptation to click an auto-reply button in an email that says something like “Okay, thank you!” and compose your own response. Every day is a Turing test, and you don’t always pass it.
4. Meetings are now inevitable.
You used to be able to say, “Friday?” I'm sorry, but on Friday I'm going to Antarctica. ” But thanks to Zoom, Google, and FaceTime, there is no reasonable excuse for not attending a meeting. You can also see a picture of yourself all the time, so you can see exactly how bored you are.
5. I can no longer argue in the pub.
I remember a time when it was considered ungentlemanly to check the factual accuracy of what your drinking buddies said. You were simply trying to counter their argument by presenting your own plausible facts. But when everyone has all the GDP, brick Even though the countries are so close together, there doesn't seem to be much point in having a lively discussion. I end up researching it all night and saying, “Hmm.” These days, if you want to get into a petty argument over vague facts in an environment where phone use is prohibited, you have to go to jail. Or try a pub quiz. Either way, it's not life.
6. It's getting harder and harder to turn on.
You may have experienced the feeling you get behind the wheel of a rental car at a foreign airport, staring at the dashboard and wondering, “How am I going to drive it?” Or maybe you've faced a similar calculation in an unfamiliar shower or while standing in front of a seemingly ordinary stove. The constant development of new ways to turn things on has led us steadily away from the intuitive and toward the deliberately mysterious. Last week I found myself alone in a frigid bedroom with no electric radiator working. I ended up having to turn it upside down to find the model number to find the manual PDF online. I just wanted it to be hot.
Oddly enough, the virtual world is full of old-fashioned mechanical emulators – animated buttons that make clicking sounds. Knobs and sliders can be manipulated with a cursor, but in the real world the controls are reduced to a flat black panel covered in cryptic symbols such as a crescent moon. lightning. A circle with an M inside. M stands for mode.
This may sound like any age, but it's hard to believe that today's young people want a Wi-Fi enabled kettle.
7. You now have unfiltered access to the opinions of stupid people.
Technology not only allows us to know what stupid people are thinking; It now cherry-picks their thoughts and presents them to me every day as if I were some kind of idiot connoisseur. To be honest, I don't remember asking for anything like this.
8. Stupid people now have unfiltered access to each other's opinions.
In the past, so-called gatekeepers of traditional media restricted the flow of information through narrow, one-way channels. Now stupid people have their own media, where they can freely discuss and reaffirm stupid ideas with each other. Unfortunately, this wasn't quite the force of good we had hoped.
9.I am I'm clearly worse at typing than I was 10 years ago.
I was never a great typist, but ever since word processing programs started correcting my mistakes, I developed a misplaced confidence in my abilities. If this facility is not available for any reason, I type like a person suffering from a stroke.
10. I feel a strange obligation to monitor bad news in real time.
They call it doomscrolling. We all do it to some degree, but bad news is just more persuasive than good news. But for me, it went from being a mild obsession to a full-time job.
11. I live in fear of being scammed.
I'm deeply suspicious of delivery notifications, communications from my mobile phone service provider, QR codes, and anything else that asks me to click on a link that I didn't order. I believe that the email from my bank regarding fraudulent activity is itself a scam. I once ignored a genuine email from my son saying he lost his phone and requested that he send a text message to a foreign number. He was alone in Vietnam at the time, and I thought, “Well done, you son of a bitch.”
12. I am forced to live in silent and shameful defiance of all conventional wisdom regarding passwords.
I don't know about you, but when I get advice about not writing down passwords, not using the same password over and over, and changing passwords regularly, I nod and say, “Sure,” but I… Write down all your passwords, keep them as few as possible, and change them only when absolutely necessary. To me, all the conventional wisdom about passwords ignores an important point. That means it's useless if you don't know the password. You can click “Forgot your password?” each time, set a new password, and forget it again immediately. By the way, I am also doing this.
13. You should go anywhere with advance warning and advance arming.
It used to be considered creepy to Google someone right before meeting them. Now it seems rude to show up without knowing anything about them. It should also give you information about what you're going to see and do, where to eat, and perhaps your travel route. Don't get me wrong. I like to be prepared. I just don't want to read a restaurant menu before leaving the house.
14. I have consistently risen to the level of disruption that every new technology allows.
As of this writing, I have 77 tabs open in my browser. Behind it is a completely different browser. Every morning I sift through the stacks of open documents to find the ones I need. You might think this virtual disorganization is preferable to a cluttered desk, even if it's neatly tucked into a slim laptop, but my desk is also cluttered, and the surrounding The walls are covered with post-its.
15. I resent technology, but I'm powerless without it.
Sometimes we hear stories of inventions that seem designed to foster slavish dependence, such as self-tuning guitars or programmable cocktail machines, but what we're actually reminded of is that technology is broken. Only when under. It's not just that you've lost the skills you need. I can't even remember the process. How did I previously find my way, figure out what to watch on TV, pay for takeout? There should have been a system in place.
16. The rest of the world is also helpless without it.
In my work in journalism, I sometimes find myself in certain technical inconveniences. A week without a smartphone. That's what a month without Google feels like. And what I got here is that if you abandon modern technology, the world generally refuses to participate in the experiment. You only know this when someone at the ticket counter looks you in the eye and tells you to download the app.
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