Linked List: September 15, 2018

Saturday, 15 September 2018

My thanks to Brilliant for once again sponsoring this week’s DF RSS feed. Brilliant shows you how to think critically and become a creative problem solver by guiding you through problems. They take concepts like conditional probability and machine learning, break them up into bite sized concepts, present clear thinking in each part, and then build back up to an interesting conclusion. Develop your joy of learning by cultivating your curiosity, applying what you learn, and allowing for failure.

To help you build up your problem-solving and critical thinking abilities, click here to save 20 percent off your annual premium subscription.

FEMA to Test ‘Presidential Alert’ System Next Week ★

NBC News:

“The EAS [Emergency Alert System] is a national public warning system that provides the President with the communications capability to address the nation during a national emergency,” FEMA said.

The test message will have a header that reads “Presidential Alert,” according to the agency. Users whose phones are on will twice hear a tone and vibration and then see an English-only (for now) message: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” [...]

FEMA stated that the government cannot track end users’ location through this alert system. The test is supposed to take place at 2:18 p.m. EDT on Sept. 20.

Under the Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act of 2006, cellphone users cannot opt out of the presidential alerts.

I’m sure Trump would never abuse this.

Is the iPhone XS Max 512 GB Expensive? ★

Not compared to a MacBook Pro. Interesting comparison.

Mary Meeker Is Leaving Kleiner Perkins, Starting New Firm ★

Theodore Schleifer, reporting for Recode:

Mary Meeker of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, one of the premier Silicon Valley investors at one of its premier venture capital firms, is leaving her position in an abrupt, high-profile splitting of the firm she helped lead.

Meeker is leading an exodus of late-stage investors from Kleiner Perkins in its most dramatic shake-up since legendary investor John Doerr stepped back from his role more than two years ago. Meeker’s exit — she, along with three of her partners, will form a new firm — will undoubtedly deal a hard blow to Kleiner Perkins, given her high profile in the business community and her stature as by far the most senior woman in venture capital.

Here’s how you know this is a huge deal:

“I don’t think it’s a huge deal,” Ted Schlein, who succeeded Doerr as the de facto head of the firm, said in an interview.