The Amped Journal

Here’s my review of Qwen 3.8 27B - I can't remember the last time I've had this much fun playing with a local model that runs on my own computers

My conclusions from the end of the post

Fun bonus: I set Pi up with Qwen 3.8 27B and had it build a script for transforming its own .jsonl transcripts to Markdown... which it did! Here's the transcript of it building the tool I then used to share that transcript

5 years later and most of the best players here have been bought https://t.co/SemLNVzXXx

Google Launches Gemini 3.7 Flash with Coding and Speed Boosts The new model shines in benchmarks like FrontierCode at 43.6% and DeepSWE at 65.3%, with better instruction following and multi-step planning that cuts down on human tweaks. Priced at just $0.75 per million input tokens through year's end, it finished a 3D family lunch prompt in under two minutes—faster than competitors. While some praise its speed-quality balance, others note occasional reasoning slip-ups, and Chinese models like Qw…

AI Models Compared on 3D Generation and Benchmarks In side-by-side tests, Qwen 3.8 delivered the strongest visuals of a detailed family around a wooden table, while Gemini 3.7 Flash finished fastest in under two minutes. GLM 5.3 topped benchmarks like Terminal Bench (28.3) and DeepSWE (66.9), excelling in coding and cybersecurity, as Grok 4.6 sometimes cut outputs short. No model wins every time—Gemini shines for quick work at $0.75 per million input tokens, Qwen for visual quality, and choices…

We ran evals on GLM 5.3 cybersecurity capabilities. It's the new open frontier. Given its lower costs, I expect this to be a boon for defensive security work. e.g., it means you can run https://t.co/KwrlahlCiK at least 3× more often!

I liked this chart so much I had to recreate it I flipped the axis so that top right is best (tip by @marckohlbrugge and @daniellockyer) My chart is based on https://t.co/1z6UN2d0nh data, which for quality of life includes people actually liking the place, climate, healthcare, https://t.co/AjVz82RjPs

I used to put blueberries in there Until a few weeks ago When I discovered that blueberries are some of the most pesticide contaminated things you can eat They have thin skin and are tiny so they're pesticide bombs The thicker the fruit the better I learnt: pineapple,

The cool thing about AI is it's letting people add their own little flavor of creativity to all their projects You'd never make this by hand 5 years ago, but with AI it's easy to generate it and used properly it gives everything more color and personality!

I love organic food as much as the next guy and we have a weekly organic veg and fruit box from the local farm here But a lot of organic food is simply a label and still contains pesticides, but alternative ones @bryan_johnson says organic food typically tests worse than https://t.co/nGN8iaZiwf

Here's places I've been mapped So I barely been to bad value places, except SF!

7am, by Craig Simpson.

There's a pervasive myth that "tax policy changes" are the reason economic inequality is growing. Actually it's because technology makes it increasingly easy to start companies, and makes them grow faster once you do.

If you want to get into YC, don't focus on getting into YC. Focus on building stuff and understanding your users. That's what gets you into YC.

Interesting example of the fixed pie fallacy in the wild. If someone else is getting richer than you, "their wealth is growing at your expense."

Sunday morning, Cafe Borrone. I see a man in profile. Are those flip-up sunglasses, or eyebrows? They're eyebrows. There's only one man it could be. It is.

Markets Gear Up for Data-Heavy Week with Retail Earnings This week kicks off with U.S. housing starts, industrial production, and the Federal Reserve’s July meeting minutes on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by jobless claims and manufacturing PMIs later. Retail giants like Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s, Walmart, and others report results, offering clues on consumer spending strength amid the S&P 500’s 13.5% year-to-date gain. Analysts stress watching market reactions to these releases closely, as…

BREAKING: Actor Hayden Panettiere, star of popular TV shows ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville,’ dies at 36.

BREAKING: President Trump orders the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea after he says it declined to help denuclearize Iran.

Tommy John, the first pitcher to return following a pioneering elbow surgery later named after him, dies at 83.

"Running backs need to get their own union." Jahmyr Gibbs is now the highest-paid running back in the NFL, but he's still underpaid in comparison to wide receivers. Tune into "On Football with Rob Maaddi" for more. #JahmyrGibbs #Football #Runningbacks #NFL #Widereceiverson

The AP Top 25 has been a college football tradition for 90 years. But who actually decides which teams make the cut and who gets to be No. 1? Here’s how the rankings work. Produced by Kiki Sideris

North Korean operatives are using stolen identities, AI and American accomplices to land jobs at U.S. companies, funneling millions back to the regime. Here's how the country became a hacking superpower. Watch more: 🔗 https://t.co/yTIKtqvEWx

Yes

Two major rocket launches almost simultaneously

Try Grok @Bot!

Intelligence/Joule will keep improving

NCDOT Announces Public Hearings On Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement. The N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) on Friday announced plans to hold public hearings on the replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge next month and released an environmental assessment of the project. The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge was originally constructed in 1969 and currently carries over 65,000 vehicles per day between New Hanover and Brunswick counties, exceeding its design capacity. The estimated cost…

Wrightsville Beach Bridge Project Could Finish 2 Years Earlier Than Expected. Wrightsville Beach’s three-bridge replacement project could finish two years earlier than originally expected because of a different construction delivery approach. During a press conference on Friday, Trevor Carroll, the Division 3 Engineer for the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT), announced that the department's decision to use a construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC) method could expedite project …

GE Vernova Hitachi To Support Development Of Texas Gas-plus-nuclear Power Plant. GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy's facility in Wilmington is set to play a key role in the development of a new gas-plus-nuclear power plant in Texas. GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy announced this week the signing of an agreement with Blue Energy, a vertically integrated deployment platform for financeable, prefabricated nuclear power plants. The agreement launches the next phase of collaboration to deploy a 2.…

A Sneak Peek At Cape Fear Museum's New Location. Visitors to the Cape Fear Museum of History & Science will notice a huge difference the moment they enter the museum's new facility at 230 Grace St. “We’re basically doubling our exhibit space ... and we are tripling our education space," said Kate Baillon, museum director, during a media tour Thursday of the new location. The new museum is scheduled to officially open to the public Tuesday, Aug. 18. "This is so much bigger, so much more than our…

OPINION: Wilmington's Economy Depends On Getting The Bridge Right. Every generation inherits decisions that will shape its economic future for decades. The replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is one of those decisions. The debate has too often been framed as a choice between economic growth and historic preservation. That is the wrong question. The real question is this: Which bridge alternative delivers the transportation improvements our region needs while protecting one of Wilmingto…

UNC Health, Wilmington Health Move Forward With Cancer Center Plans. UNC Health and Wilmington Health are taking steps to bring a potential comprehensive oncology program to Wilmington, with state regulators granting an exemption for the project's medical office building as another part of the project is under review. The two healthcare providers applied in June for the ability to establish a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner in Wilmington, which goes along with plans for a freestandin…

Starbucks Brewing New Location On Carolina Beach Road. Another Starbucks could be coming to Carolina Beach Road. The coffee shop chain is eyeing a site at 6400 Carolina Beach Road, close to Ashley High School, for its latest Wilmington-area location, according to plans submitted to New Hanover County. The plans are set to go before the county’s technical review committee next week. The project is slated for a vacant outparcel in the Masonboro Commons retail center. According to site plans, it w…

Public Comments Fuel Fight Over Hospital Beds. Hundreds of New Hanover County residents submitted letters supporting UNC Health’s proposed hospital, including some independent healthcare providers and former Novant Health employees. The comments were submitted ahead of a public hearing on the projects, scheduled for Aug. 20 at 1 p.m. in the meeting room of the Arboretum Education Center. Three health care providers – UNC Health, Atrium Health and Novant Health – are competing for acute care bed…