web development | Chris Aldrich

Read UTC is Enough for Everyone, Right? by Zach Holman (zachholman.com)

Programming time, dates, timezones, recurring events, leap seconds... everything is pretty terrible.
The common refrain in the industry is Just use UTC! Just use UTC! And that's correct... sort of. But if you're stuck building software that deals with time, there's so much more to consider.
It's time... to talk about time.

As programmers, we’re kind of inherently built to want the ABSOLUTE BEST HIGHEST FIDELITY FORMATS OF ALL TIME. Like dammit, I need the timestamp down to the micromillinanosecond for every cheeseburger that gets added to my bespoke Watch-The-BK-Throne app. If I do not have this exact knowledge to the millisecond of when I consumed this BBQ Bacon WHOPPER® Sandwich From Burger King® I may die. ❧

I totally want this as a Post Kind on my website now!
Annotated on March 03, 2020 at 07:28PM

Read Twitter is testing controversial new conversation controls feature, allowing users to prevent responses (Reclaim The Net)

What was designed to reduce harassment could be a perfect recipe for the spread of unchallenged fake news and echo chambers.

Read Take the Quiz: Could You Manage as a Poor American? (New York Times)

See whether you make the kinds of mistakes that can cost poor families food or health insurance.

This is some horrid evidence.

From a web development perspective, I love the way the mail in this article moves as you scroll. It adds to the overall effect of the story here.

Originally bookmarked on January 29, 2020 at 06:39AM

Debates about how to structure these programs have long been influenced by a related economic assumption: The more people really need a benefit, the more effort they’ll put into getting it. “For decades, economists had this view that burdens could quote-‘help’ separate out those that are what one calls truly disadvantaged versus those who might be more marginally needy,” said Hilary Hoynes, a professor of public policy and economics at the University of California, Berkeley. “Our current research suggests it could be exactly the opposite.” These burdens, she suggested, may instead be tripping up the worst off: hourly workers who can’t shuffle their schedules for a meeting; parents dealing with domestic violence, disabilities or low literacy; families without bank accounts to automate monthly payments; households already facing unpaid bills and late notices when another urgent letter arrives in the mail. ❧

Annotated on February 04, 2020 at 11:12AM

It can be easier to apply for farm subsidies than it is to get SNAP benefits, said Joel Berg, a former official with the Department of Agriculture, the agency that administers both programs. ❧

Annotated on February 04, 2020 at 11:14AM