Hey everyone! In my latest post, I dive into some fascinating reads: Microsoft’s new spreadsheet-savvy LLM, Michigan State’s research on pollinator-friendly annuals, essential bathroom design rules, and Leo Babauta’s advice on facing fears. Plus, the health impacts of coal trains, eco-lawns, recreating Bell Labs, digital minimalism, and the benefits (yes, benefits!) of incompetent management. Also, psilocybin research and some big moves by activist investor Elliott in Starbucks. Enjoy!
- Microsoft unveils a large language model that excels at encoding spreadsheets: New LLM has the “potential to transform data management and analysis, paving the way for more intelligent and efficient user interactions.”
- Thanks to Michigan State for finding out which annual varieties are best for pollinators: Researchers at Michigan State have found the best varieties of the 6 most popular annuals for supporting pollinators.
- 8 Golden Rules of Bathroom Design: These principles are key to creating a terrific bathroom, no matter its size or style
- The Magic Daily Practice of Facing Your Fears: By Leo Babauta Every day, there are things we’re resisting, avoiding, feeling some fear about. We don’t often recognize that, but what we most often do is turn away from these things. This turning away leads to a couple of impactful things: This isn’t wrong — it’s just how things tend to go. It’s all […]
- Coal-filled trains are likely sending people to the hospital: As a result, the mere passage of coal trains could affect the health of surrounding communities. Ostro was particularly concerned about how these pollutants could harm vulnerable populations living near the coal export terminal in Richmond. Previous census data had already shown that those in Richmond who live around the rail line have mortality rates 10 to 50 percent higher than the county average. Communities in Oakland could be at risk, too, since discussions are underway to build a new coal export terminal in the region.
- How to Grow an ‘Eco Lawn’ (and Why You Should): Eco lawns are easy to maintain and great for the environment. They’re also drought resistant, winter resistant, resilient, and make the bees happy.
- What Would It Take to Recreate Bell Labs?: For most of the 20th century, AT&T was almost entirely responsible for building and operating America’s telephone infrastructure. It manufactured the phones and electrical equipment, laid hundreds of millions of miles of wire across the country, and built and operated the switchboards and exchanges that made it possible for anyone with a phone to call anyone else.
- Modern Luddites: On Being a Digital Minimalist Family in a Tech-Saturated World: Advice from the author of Childhood Unplugged
- Advantages of incompetent management:
- How to Be (Reasonably) Hard on Yourself: The mantra
- Shots – Health News: Scientists scanned the brains of people who took psilocybin, including a member of the research team. The scans showed how the drug disrupts key networks, potentially enhancing brain plasticity.
- Activist investor Elliott builds sizeable stake in Starbucks, say sources: (Reuters) -Activist investor Elliott Investment Management has built a sizable position in Starbucks and has been discussing ways of improving the coffee chain’s stock performance, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday. Starbuck’s stock price, which has lost 23% over the last 52 weeks, jumped nearly 7% to end trading at $79.27 on Friday. The stock price took a hit in April when Starbucks, the world’s biggest coffee company by location and sales, reported a drop in same-store sales for the first time in nearly three years.