Proof is a word that shouldn't be used lightly. I don't think anyone would see this as proof that quantum foam doesn't exist. The laws of physics allow for quantum foam to happen, which may lead us to start looking very differently at the structure of the universe. However, we now have some strong evidence from measurements over a reasonably large distance that quantum foam is not an immediately noticeable factor in the universe.
I kind of liked quantum foam as a possible way of explaining gravity observation that are not explained by the amount of visible matter and thus attributed to 'dark matter', because 'matter' is the only thing we know that would cause gravity. This tells me I shouldn't get too excited about that possibility.
The article is a bit dodgy in this regard. It just means that at a quantum level, the energy fluctuations (as observed in this experiment) are not big enough to cause significant space-time alterations.
Last time I checked in C, all pointer types where the same storage size. There's no need to define the same data structure multiple times by using templates. You just use casts.
Java is a language for people good at resisting temptation. It gives you all sorts of ways to make your code look nicer, more elegant, but the only way to be productive in Java is to avoid all of them.
In my experience, you can be more productive in Java than in any other language, because it has by the best tools and libraries. However, don't use reflection, don't use cloning, avoid automatic (de)serialization, don't doc needlessly, don't separate interface and implementation when you don't have to, use refactoring and code generation, don't feel bad about code duplication.
Most of all, always consider that coding is cheap. Changing a constant? Easy, not hard. Changing interfaces? Easy, not hard. Introducing an alternative implementation? Easy, not hard. Changing names? Easy, not hard. Adding new types? Easy, not hard. You don't need to think about easy things in advance, think about the problem instead.
I never quite understood fitness. I bought some weights 2 years back and found a light exercise routine I like enough to do it daily. Works like a charm.
Well, if the money supply kept up perfectly with economic growth then the value of money would stay the same. Inflation is extra money supply expansion.
I don't see any reason to reinterpret this as an anti-government pamphlet. It's just pointing out that economic conditions and mentality are changing around the world, but that this is often overlooked in the news cycle because politicians don't report on it when it is not their personal achievement.
Come on you incorrigible pessimists, lighten up. There is obviously some tongue-in-cheek and inaccuracies in the article, but also some profound truth. This is the greatest time in history to be alive as a human and we might as well recognize that.