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π Technofeudalism
Technofeudalism is a modern economic system where big technology companies have power similar to feudal lords in the past. Instead of land, these companies control digital platforms, data, and online markets. People and smaller businesses rely on these platforms, just like peasants once relied on feudal lords for land and protection.
Discussed on
- "Technofeudalism" | 2026-11-02 | 38 Upvotes 6 Comments
π Never Complain, Never Explain
"Never complain, never explain" is a public relations strategy that has become particularly associated with the British royal family.
Discussed on
- "Never Complain, Never Explain" | 2026-11-02 | 132 Upvotes 53 Comments
π Shiny Object Syndrome
Shiny object syndrome is the situation where people focus undue attention on an idea that is new and trendy, yet drop it in its entirety as soon as something new can take its place.
Discussed on
- "Shiny Object Syndrome" | 2026-10-31 | 67 Upvotes 23 Comments
π Rhind Mathematical Papyrus
The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus (RMP; also designated as papyrus British Museum 10057 and pBM 10058) is one of the best known examples of ancient Egyptian mathematics. It is named after Alexander Henry Rhind, a Scottish antiquarian, who purchased the papyrus in 1858 in Luxor, Egypt; it was apparently found during illegal excavations in or near the Ramesseum. It dates to around 1550 BC. The British Museum, where the majority of the papyrus is now kept, acquired it in 1865 along with the Egyptian Mathematical Leather Roll, also owned by Henry Rhind. There are a few small fragments held by the Brooklyn Museum in New York City and an 18Β cm (7.1Β in) central section is missing. It is one of the two well-known Mathematical Papyri along with the Moscow Mathematical Papyrus. The Rhind Papyrus is larger than the Moscow Mathematical Papyrus, while the latter is older.
The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus dates to the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt. It was copied by the scribe Ahmes (i.e., Ahmose; Ahmes is an older transcription favoured by historians of mathematics), from a now-lost text from the reign of king Amenemhat III (12th dynasty). Written in the hieratic script, this Egyptian manuscript is 33Β cm (13Β in) tall and consists of multiple parts which in total make it over 5Β m (16Β ft) long. The papyrus began to be transliterated and mathematically translated in the late 19th century. The mathematical translation aspect remains incomplete in several respects. The document is dated to Year 33 of the Hyksos king Apophis and also contains a separate later historical note on its verso likely dating from the period ("Year 11") of his successor, Khamudi.
In the opening paragraphs of the papyrus, Ahmes presents the papyrus as giving "Accurate reckoning for inquiring into things, and the knowledge of all things, mysteriesΒ ... all secrets". He continues with:
This book was copied in regnal year 33, month 4 of Akhet, under the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Awserre, given life, from an ancient copy made in the time of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt Nimaatre. The scribe Ahmose writes this copy.
Several books and articles about the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus have been published, and a handful of these stand out. The Rhind Papyrus was published in 1923 by Peet and contains a discussion of the text that followed Griffith's Book I, II and III outline. Chace published a compendium in 1927β29 which included photographs of the text. A more recent overview of the Rhind Papyrus was published in 1987 by Robins and Shute.
Discussed on
- "Rhind Mathematical Papyrus" | 2026-10-30 | 21 Upvotes 1 Comments
- "Rhind Mathematical Papyrus" | 2023-04-02 | 42 Upvotes 30 Comments
π Mecca Defence Alliance
The Mecca Defence Alliance, formerly the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, also known as the Mecca Pact or Makkah Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance in the Muslim world that was signed into force by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey on 7 August 2026. It builds upon the earlier Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on 17 September 2025 to include Turkey. The pact's ratification was officially announced amidst the 2026 Iran war. The text has not been released.
The Mecca Defence Alliance enshrines a collective security arrangement modelled on Article 5 of NATO, with its official announcement stating that "any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all." The trilateral pact has been described by Steven A. Cook as a "major change" in Middle East geopolitics and the first institutional arrangement of its kind in the region.
Discussed on
- "Mecca Defence Alliance" | 2026-10-28 | 25 Upvotes 1 Comments
π Star Trek actor Walter Koenig dies, aged 90
Walter Marvin Koenig (; September 14, 1936 β October 25, 2026) was an American actor and screenwriter. He began acting professionally in the mid-1960s and quickly rose to prominence for his supporting role as Ensign Pavel Chekov in Star Trek (1967β1969). He went on to reprise this role in all six original-cast Star Trek films and in Star Trek: Generations (1994). He also acted in several other series and films including Goodbye, Raggedy Ann (1971), The Questor Tapes (1974), and Babylon 5 (1993). As a screenwriter, Koenig worked on Land of the Lost (1974), Family (1976), What Really Happened to the Class of '65? (1977) and The Powers of Matthew Star (1982), and wrote several books.
Discussed on
- "Star Trek actor Walter Koenig dies, aged 90" | 2026-10-27 | 14 Upvotes 2 Comments
π Anemoia: Nostalgia for a time one did not personally experience
Anemoia, also known as vicarious nostalgia, historical nostalgia, or fauxstalgia, is a form of aspirational nostalgia for a period of time that one did not personally experience. It is often evoked through romanticized depictions of the past, which reflect the belief that society is becoming worse and that the past was better. The concept has frequently been discussed in relation to Millennials and Generation Z, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Anemoia can exist for a time period itself, or a specific imagined event taking place in that time period.
Discussed on
- "Anemoia: Nostalgia for a time one did not personally experience" | 2026-10-26 | 16 Upvotes 2 Comments
π Oseberg Tapestry Fragments
The Oseberg tapestry is a fragmentary tapestry, discovered within the Viking Oseberg ship burial in Norway.
The tapestry (dated to about 834AD) is 16 to 23 centimeters in width, but the full length is unknown. The tapestry is filled with a large assortment of human and animal figures with varying interpretations. It is made from wool, silk, and flax.
The fragments were found in 1904 in Norway inside of a well-preserved Viking ship, along with numerous other grave goods and two female bodies.
Discussed on
- "Oseberg Tapestry Fragments" | 2026-10-26 | 30 Upvotes 6 Comments
π Great Vowel Shift
The Great Vowel Shift was a series of changes in the pronunciation of the English language that took place primarily between 1400 and 1700, beginning in southern England and today having influenced effectively all dialects of English. Through this vowel shift, the pronunciation of all Middle English long vowels was changed. Some consonant sounds changed as well, particularly those that became silent; the term Great Vowel Shift is sometimes used to include these consonant changes.
English spelling began to become standardized in the 15th and 16th centuries, and the Great Vowel Shift is the major reason English spellings now often considerably deviate from how they represent pronunciations. The Great Vowel Shift was first studied by Otto Jespersen (1860β1943), a Danish linguist and Anglicist, who coined the term.
Discussed on
- "Great Vowel Shift" | 2021-04-14 | 259 Upvotes 268 Comments
- "Great Vowel Shift" | 2018-04-06 | 129 Upvotes 117 Comments
π Cecilia Berdichevsky, Clementina expert (1961)
Cecilia Berdichevsky or Berdichevski (nΓ©eΒ Tuwjasz; 30 March 1925 β 20 February 2010) was an Argentine computer scientist. She began her work in 1961 using the first Ferranti Mercury computer in that country.
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- "Cecilia Berdichevsky, Clementina expert (1961)" | 2026-10-21 | 37 Upvotes 2 Comments