Web Finds for January 12, 2023
A curated list of interesting links with an emphasis on news, technology, and more by ldstephens
Apple Is Working on Adding Touch Screens to Macs in Major Turnabout
“Apple Inc. is working on adding touch screens to its Mac computers, a move that would defy long-held company orthodoxy and embrace an approach that co-founder Steve Jobs once called “ergonomically terrible.””
In-N-Out’s eastern expansion gets farther from its California roots
“For decades, In-N-Out was an avatar of California cred. Transplants to the East Coast who had grown up devouring its burgers and “animal style” fries spoke wistfully of the fast-food chain back home, and visits to a drive-through were often the first order of business after their planes touched down at LAX.”
Elon Musk breaks world record for largest loss of personal fortune in history
“Elon Musk has broken the world record for the largest loss of personal fortune in history, according to a Guinness World Records report.”
What’s Next for GOP & Trump — On with Kara Swisher
“The dust from last week’s once-in-a-century, marathon voting session in the House has settled, and Kevin McCarthy is finally Speaker of the House — for now. But what’s next? We talk to Manu Raju, CNN’s Chief Congressional Correspondent, and Charlie Sykes, a former conservative talk radio host and a founder of The Bulwark, to make sense of it all.”
California’s deadly floods reveal a likely climate change symptom: weather whiplash
“The term “weather whiplash” has been around for at least a decade, and it means what it sounds like: a quick shift between two extreme and opposing weather conditions. From drought or fire to floods, from severe cold and snow to heat waves.”
Our obsession with pets means startups aimed at Vets are booming, as Digitail shows
“With our mysterious, unsustainable, and psychological attachment to pets, combined with a boom in pet ownership since those lonely pandemic times, means veterinary practices have come under increasing pressure.”
The Fate of the World in 2023 (with Ian Bremmer) — Stay Tuned with Preet
“Ian Bremmer, founder and president of Eurasia Group, has long been considered among the most trusted voices on global affairs in the 21st century. Preet and Bremmer discuss Eurasia Group’s annual “Top Risks’’ report that sizes up the most urgent geopolitical challenges facing the world in the upcoming year. So, what are we up against in 2023? You’ll have to listen!”
Hail, Cesar!
“After all, Conde didn’t just replace Oppenheim with a less experienced and presumably less expensive executive. (Alas, like magazines before them, that is the trend in the shrinking industry of television news.) Instead, he eliminated his position and split it into three roles, with Libby Leist overseeing the Today franchise and its e-commerce business; Janelle Rodriguez overseeing Nightly News and the network’s streaming service, NBC News Now, a surprisingly monetizable hit; and Blumenstein hired to run the remaining brands, like Meet the Press and Dateline, as well as the core newsgathering effort upon which this whole enterprise depends. All three will report directly to Conde. “The job that Noah had has been eliminated,” another high-level NBC News executive told me.”
Elon Musk drove more than a million people to Mastodon — but many aren’t sticking around
“The number of active users on the Mastodon social network has dropped more than 30% since the peak and is continuing a slow decline, according to the latest data posted on its website. There were about 1.8 million active users in the first week of January, down from over 2.5 million in early December.”
Don’t Ban ChatGPT in Schools. Teach With It.
“Instead, I believe schools should thoughtfully embrace ChatGPT as a teaching aid — one that could unlock student creativity, offer personalized tutoring, and better prepare students to work alongside A.I. systems as adults. Here’s why. The first reason not to ban ChatGPT in schools is that, to be blunt, it’s not going to work.”
Originally published at https://ldstephens.substack.com on January 12, 2023.
