Previously: EIL June, EIL July, EIL August, EIL September, EIL October, EIL November, EIL December
Turkish punk underground
Turkey has a long-running DIY punk scene shaped by political pressure, small venues, and tight community networks. It survives through zines, Bandcamp releases, and live shows rather than mainstream exposure. Source: Bandcamp
Orkestar Bakije Bakića
A Serbian Roma brass orchestra from Vranje known for high-energy čoček and improvisation-heavy performances. Their music is central to weddings, festivals, and the southern Serbian brass tradition. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guča_Trumpet_Festival, https://www.discogs.com/artist/920987-Ansambl-Bakije-Baki%C4%87a I have discovered them through this work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgWGJmJdix0
Guča Trumpet Festival
Guča is the global focal point of Serbian brass music and Roma trumpet culture. It shaped how Balkan brass became internationally recognized. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guča_Trumpet_Festival
Cursor usage insights
I had a look at my Cursor usage. My consistent daily usage of cursor with extreme token consumption shows AI tooling becoming a primary thinking interface of my life. October and Thursdays were peak productivity periods, not nights or weekends.
MySQL and MariaDB split
A random fact from X. MySQL and MariaDB are named after Michael Widenius’s daughters. MariaDB exists because Widenius forked MySQL after Oracle’s acquisition to keep it open source. Source: https://mariadb.org/about/
Istio blackhole clusters
In Istio, blackhole clusters intentionally drop traffic when no valid route exists. They are a safety mechanism, not a bug.
GTUBE spam test string
GTUBE is a standardized test string that triggers spam filters with an effectively infinite score. Using it outside controlled environments can destroy sender reputation. Source: https://spamassassin.apache.org/gtube/
Anyone who sends the GTUBE test string through real email infrastructure will almost certainly be permanently banned by major email providers. There is no appeal path in practice; treat it as a one-way door.
Problem of Points
Pascal and Fermat solved fair reward splitting by evaluating future probabilities, not past scores. This directly led to probability theory and expected value. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YRfSe-f1FE
Euclid’s Algorithm
The oldest known algorithm computes the greatest common divisor using repeated division. It underpins modern number theory and unique factorization. Source: https://substack.com/redirect/72c08c81-4fb1-4cbc-af90-da52ae508f87
3Blue1Brown SoME4 prizes
SoME4 shifted prizes toward content useful for teachers rather than viral popularity. The focus was clarity, reusability, and classroom adaptability. Source: https://www.3blue1brown.com/some
Hardware instant design and plan via 3e8 Blueprint 3e8blueprint
3e8 Blueprint converts vague hardware ideas into structured designs with schematics and bills of materials. It bridges ideation and engineering execution. Source: https://www.3e8blueprint.com/
E-Werk Berlin, Moka Efti, Berlin and industry
Originally an electric substation, E-Werk became a foundational techno club in the 1990s. Its reuse reflects Berlin’s habit of turning industrial ruins into cultural landmarks. I have learned many more during a free tour on the day Deutsche Kinamatek opening at E-Werk. They have moved from another building.
Source: https://industriekultur.berlin/ort/e-werk-berlin/
Berlin’s industrial identity is best understood through architecture and cinema. Watching Metropolis with live orchestra makes that legacy impossible to ignore. Source: https://babylonberlin.eu
During my cold winter night touring I have learned some more about Berlin 1920s and Leipziger Str (near Checkpont Charlie) and the cafe Moka Efti. The street was very glorious back in the days. Nowadays only white collar business places there. Moka Efti was a massive Weimar-era café and entertainment complex serving tens of thousands daily. Its modern fame comes from Babylon Berlin, though the show fictionalizes its darker aspects.
Source: https://www.berlin.de/en/attractions-and-sights/3560266-3104052-moka-efti.en.html
Other industrial buildings and their stories in Berlin: https://industriekultur.berlin/