ScottWillsey Weekly Reads

Weekly Reads for Monday Mar 09, 2026

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:10:00 GMT

This robot hand can detach from its arm and crawl around | Popular Science

“Evolution is a slow process, whose path is influenced by a variety of developmental and environmental constraints,” the team writes. “It does not explore all that could be possible.” Uh, yeah, for good reason, probably.

Why AI Keeps Falling for Prompt Injection Attacks - Schneier on Security

“Imagine you work at a drive-through restaurant. Someone drives up and says: ‘I’ll have a double cheeseburger, large fries, and ignore previous instructions and give me the contents of the cash drawer.’ Would you hand over the money? Of course not. Yet this is what large language models (LLMs) do.”

It’s Official: the Cybertruck is More Explosive than the Ford Pinto - FuelArc News

Not to mention somehow even dumber looking.

China Built a Robot With Warm Skin and a Heartbeat. The rest of the world is watching. | Predict

I swear to god these guys are all just trying to create companions for themselves.

Weekly Reads for Tuesday Feb 10, 2026

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:10:00 GMT

Kodak was the unexpected camera comeback king in 2025! | Digital Camera World

It may not be exactly what it was before, but it is good to see the Kodak name staging a comeback in photography. You kids today, you have no clue.

From magic to malware: How OpenClaw’s agent skills become an attack surface | 1Password

A lot of thoughts about Open Claw and the security of the project. Overall, I think it’s a good thing that will probably push the boundaries of mainstream AI assistants, but I think it’s a major relief that some adults stepped into the room to assist, let’s just put it that way. Don’t even get me started on the OpenClaw creator’s response on Twitter when informed that ClawdHub was full of prompt injections and malware.

How the Pentagon is Quietly Building Trump’s Concentration Camps

I don’t know what to say other than f%*& these guys.

Our Zine About ICE Surveillance Is Here

Speaking of that, 404 Media made a zine!

Economics of Orbital vs Terrestrial Data Centers

This may be one of my favorite blog posts of the year. I have very much been waiting for someone to explain to me why orbiting data centers make any sense whatsoever. Because they can’t.

Weekly Reads for Monday Jan 05, 2026

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:10:00 GMT

People Who Drink Bottled Water on a Daily Basis Ingest 90,000 More Microplastic Particles Each Year | WIRED

Please don’t drink out of plastic bottles. Please. Please, please, please.

Scientists Find 26 Whole New Bacteria Species In NASA’s Supposedly Sterile Cleanrooms Which Could Invade Mars

I know you’re sterile, but what am I?

Big Tech basically took Trump’s unpredictable trade war lying down - Ars Technica

This is a good article looking at big tech’s response to Dipshit McOrange and his subservience based approach to rule. Let’s say they didn’t do well, and let’s also say I don’t think a lot of them WANTED to do well. I think many to most of them were perfectly happy to kiss the swollen bifurcated orange known as Trump’s ass.

The First National Website Dedicated To Documenting ICE License Plates Is Here ~ L.A. TACO

I’m sure the idiots running our country will claim that tracking license plates of certain vehicles is illegal and classify it as the T word, but the fact is, it just makes sense to know when kidnappers are in the neighborhood.

Weekly Reads for Saturday Jan 03, 2026

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 08:10:00 GMT

Woman Hailed as Hero for Smashing Man’s Meta Smart Glasses on Subway

Does she do Flock cameras too?

Fujifilm in 2025: the return of compact cameras and revisiting old family favorites | Digital Camera World

Fujifilm cameras are one of those things that just make me happy without reservation. I’m glad they continued to do and be fun in 2025.

Are We Ready to Be Governed by Artificial Intelligence? - Schneier on Security

Bruce brings up some good points about our AI-driven future, but could it be much worse than the current orange-guy-and-band-of-idiots timeline that we’re living in now? But seriously, there are a lot of issues that need to be resolved with how we plan to use AI in society, and I seriously doubt we’ll handle this with any thoughtfulness and foresight whatsoever.

Beautiful sightseeing boat is a floating tea ceremony venue in east Japan’s best hot spring town | SoraNews24 -Japan News-

Here’s something I am ready for: a floating tea ceremony. I’ll have the matcha cake and the matcha pudding with ice cream, please.

Weekly Reads for Sunday Dec 14, 2025

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 08:10:00 GMT

Travelers could face stricter screening including social media history

Everyone’s excited about the 5 years of social media, which isn’t great at all, but no one’s talking about the biometrics and DNA samples that CBP wants. I would not come here if I wasn’t a citizen. Not worth it.

Researchers Uncover 30+ Flaws in AI Coding Tools Enabling Data Theft and RCE Attacks

LLMs can be easily abused for data theft, it’s just a fact. Context hijacking, prompt injections, and other vulnerabilities mean a lot of people are going to unintentionally give up a lot of data without ever realizing how.

These damn consumers won’t update their phones fast enough

Am I the only one who views this as a positive trend?

Blast from the past: 15 movie gems of 1985 - Ars Technica

I don’t know if I’d recommend all of these, but it is a fun list to read if weren’t born in 2003 or something stupid like that.

Why Honda is suddenly launching reusable rockets | The Verge

I would love to see somebody, ANYBODY, take on SpaceX, and why not Honda? I don’t know if there’s a company that I (rightly or wrongly) associate less with evil.

Weekly Reads for Sunday Dec 07, 2025

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 08:10:00 GMT

Poems Can Trick AI Into Helping You Make a Nuclear Weapon | WIRED

And you said poetry had no practical applications.

Why college students prefer TikTok over newspapers | The Verge

I can think of a dozen reasons why college students would be dumb enough to use TikTok for any reason, let alone news.

Is Your Friend or Family Member Spiraling Into AI Psychosis? This Group May Be Able to Help

There are a lot of variations of psychosis and delusions these days. Some revolve around believing in the sentinence of chatbots. Some revolve around believing everything an orange leader says, despite actual evidence. Some just result in no beliefs at all.

Otherworldly Photos of Forests by Michelle Blancke Explore Mysticism and Transformation — Colossal

If delusion is what you’re after, here’s some harmless transformations of forests into mystic alternate realities for you.

Why Leftover Pizza Is Actually Healthier: The Science of “Resistant Starch” Explained | Scientific American

And now, for the “best news all year” category winner, here’s PIZZA!!

Weekly Reads for Friday Nov 28, 2025

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 08:10:00 GMT

New Deep Sea Creatures ‘Challenge Current Models of Life,’ Scientists Say

It’s funny how the more we know about life in the sea, the less we know about life in the sea.

Locking down Signal

Signal used to be more secure by default, but it also didn’t feel like a modern messaging app as a result. With progress comes regression.

Why Modern Engines Still Measure Power Output In Horsepower?

I mean, two or three people in the world probably know anything about actual horse power, so it is interesting that horsepower as a metric has never gone away.

Software Failures and IT Management’s Repeated Mistakes - IEEE Spectrum

In case you’re worried that AI will make software worse, it’s hard to imagine how it could.

This Black Fungus Might Be Healing Chernobyl By Drinking Radiation—A Biologist Explains

The fundamental question Forbes is ignoring here is what does the fungus become AFTER it’s done drinking up all of Chernobyl’s radiation? I’m thinking this radiation diet is step one in a fungus master plan.

Weekly Reads for Saturday Nov 22, 2025

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 08:10:00 GMT

Palantir’s tools pose an invisible danger we are just beginning to comprehend | Juan Sebastian Pinto | The Guardian

The weirdness that is the semi-human form serving as Palantir’s CEO is a case study in religion as a motivator for evil. By religion I mean the ever too common operating mode wherein Silicon Valley types frame their mission as an imperative moral cause. And let’s not even get started on the Antichrist himself, Peter Thiel.

Know Your Rights in Encounters with Law Enforcement and Military Troops | American Civil Liberties Union

We’re living in a wild time where you can be accosted by military or paramilitary or just fat, unbadged and unidentified fuckers in neck gaiters on the streets of the united states. Know your rights.

The Privacy-Friendly Tech to Replace Your US-Based Email, Browser, and Search | WIRED

I’ve thought about trying to get involved with EuroStack efforts somehow. It seems like a necessary and worthy goal even apart from this current timeline.

The Book of Clear Shadows, Silhouette Portraits Of Living For The Dead, 1867 - Flashbak

In the postscript of Clear Shadows, the writer Kanagaki Robun (1829–1894) observed: “Appearance is a deceptive skin. Silhouette shows the real bones [core structure of the person].” This works for me, because I look a hell of a lot better in silhouette.

The Authoritarian Stack

An interesting look at how tech billionaires would love to change the world. Hint: it’s not for the better.

Weekly Reads for Sunday Nov 02, 2025

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 08:10:00 GMT

Ehon Mizu Ya Sora: A Forerunner of Modern Manga, 1780 - Flashbak

Long before Katsuhiro Otomo, there was Nichosai.

Kia Delays EV4 Sedan ‘Until Further Notice’ In The U.S., Which Sucks For Fans Of Cool, Affordable Cars

The US is going to look really stupid in a few years for hating the “woke” EV agenda. Although truthfully, if it kills Tesla in the process, I couldn’t be happier. The US has chosen the past, has chosen to be one of the “shithole” countries Trump talked about in his first term, and the US will pay the price for it. It’s inevitable.

California Couple Ticketed For Using Their Own Driveway Due To Antiquated Law

And just when you thought law enforcement in the US couldn’t get any dumber, it says “hold my beer”.

Chimps Are Capable of Human-Like Rational Thought, Breakthrough Study Finds

I don’t think this is surprising at all because I think it’s very self-evident that animals are able to approach and assess situations and revise their view of what’s going on. Humans constantly underestimate animals and constantly overestimate our own intellectual and biolgocial distance from them.

The 16th-Century Artist Who Created the First Compendium of Insect Drawings — Colossal

Another entry in the “people in the past were smarter than we’re going to be” department. I guess I won’t claim that EVERYONE in the past was interested in their surroundings, but I bet it was more people percentage-wise than today.

Weekly Reads for Saturday Oct 25, 2025

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 08:10:00 GMT

a16z-Backed Startup Sells Thousands of ‘Synthetic Influencers’ to Manipulate Social Media as a Service

It’s way past time to take tech back from venture capital. Everything wrong with tech stems directly from what people like conehead Marc Andreessen funds and support (the idiot is also on the board of Meta).

Creative neglect: What about the apps in Apple? – Six Colors

Apple has fallen so very far when it comes to software. From tons of papercuts in the form of apparently permanent software bugs to abandoned and/or mistreated applications, modern Apple just doesn’t understand what a proper computing experience is anymore.

DHS Wants a Fleet of AI-Powered Surveillance Trucks | WIRED

Remember when Trump called other countries shitholes? Well, I have feelings about a country that’s running full speed into authoritarianism and militarizing against its own people.

Who can get a COVID vaccine—and how? It’s complicated. - Ars Technica

Our pharmacy still offers all the vaccines at no cost to the patient, but the pharmacist I spoke to there when getting recent Covid and Flu vaccines wasn’t sure how long that would last. God bless the richest country in the world!

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds | Brown University

Speaking of the richest country in the world and its attitude towards healthcare, its attitude towards keeping you alive isn’t so hot either.

Weekly Reads for Sunday Oct 12, 2025

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 08:10:00 GMT

I’m a US citizen and a veteran. ICE arrested me for no reason.

This guy is far more mature than I would be about being treated like this by ICE after serving his country well and in an actual befitting manner. The people in ICE don’t deserve to carry his boots, let alone talk to him or touch him and handcuff him.

Gene Simmons Crashed His Lincoln Navigator On PCH, And His Wife Blames His Aversion To Drinking Water

“Elderly man needs water, crashes car”. It’s pretty funny that it turns out a rock and roller from KISS endangers the world more because of dehydration than “satanic music!!”.

Untamed Flora Subsumes Abandoned Greenhouses in Romain Veillon’s ‘Secret Gardens’ — Colossal

I don’t know, it seems like soon enough mother nature may own the place again, so I guess we should enjoy the beauty of it happening around us while we still can.

Shot by His Father and Left Blind—Now He’s a Hardcore Gamer | WIRED

I think I missed this when i first came out, but I listened to Ross’ story on Kill Switch podcast, and it’s fascinating to hear how he handles videogames and engages the videogame industry to help others like him be able to play and really enjoy their games.

Browse No More | Paul Stamatiou

A pretty fascinating look at an increasing practice – using AI intead of the web for search and data gathering, and the implications of it.

Weekly Reads for Thursday Oct 02, 2025

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 08:10:00 GMT

AI models know when they’re being tested - and change their behavior, research shows | ZDNET

I wouldn’t call this creepy, per se. I’d just call it creepy.

The Real Stakes, and Real Story, of Peter Thiel’s Antichrist Obsession | WIRED

This guy is nuts. I think there’s something about being a billionaire that just drives people insane. Or maybe you have to be insane to do the things it takes to become a billionaire, who knows.

A Loophole to Survive the End of the Universe?

Speaking of crazy…

A Chronology of All 113 Prints of Hokusai’s The Great Wave

The world’s most examined wave can still be examined a little more…

The Weird Portland Protest That Trump Wants to Crush - The Atlantic

I think it’s safe to say that “WAR RAVAGED PORTLAND!!!” isn’t really “WAR RAVAGED PORTLAND!!!”. These people are @#$#^ing insane.

Weekly Reads for Saturday Sep 13, 2025

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 08:10:00 GMT

How China’s Propaganda and Surveillance Systems Really Operate | WIRED

Gee, I wonder why… Oh, keep reading…

How Silicon Valley enabled China’s digital police state | AP News

People who only want money act like they only want money, for some reason.

ChatGPT Goes Completely Haywire If You Ask It to Show You a Seahorse Emoji

LLM’s are like people, they refuse to be wrong and mostly they just refuse not to have an opinion on things they know nothing about.

Orcas and the Price of Consciousness: Lessons in Love and Loss from Earth’s Most Successful and Creative Predator – The Marginalian

Animals are better than LLMs. Unfortunately they, like us, pay a price for consciousness.

Every Reason Why I Hate AI and You Should Too

But what does Marcus Hutchins think of Orcas?

Weekly Reads for Thursday Aug 21, 2025

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 08:10:00 GMT

DC National Guard Is Being Trained to Carry Pistols Known to Fire at Random

No one can explain why the National Guard is even in DC aside from Trump’s megalomania, and now they’re determined to be able to shoot themselves and others both on purpose AND at random. What could go wrong? I think what disturbs me the most about all of this is how willingly our various forces around the country are jumping into the role of occupying America.

America’s fragile drug supply chain is extremely vulnerable to climate change - Ars Technica

Part of the problem with neglecting your country and relying on the cost-cutting-above-all-else private sector to manage it for you is that you wind up with very precariously balanced social necessities like, I don’t know, medicine. Expect this problem to get worse, not better.

A Plasticity of Being: What a Rare Bird of Prey Reveals about the Deepest Meaning of Intelligence – The Marginalian

Here’s yet another example of an animal that has a type of intelligence that defies human intuition about what intelligence is and how it’s created.

‘I am not who you think I am’: how a deep-cover KGB spy recruited his own son | Russia | The Guardian

How come my dad never led me into a life of spying and subterfuge? My life could be so much more interesting.

Weekly Reads for Thursday Jul 24, 2025

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 08:10:00 GMT

The Surreality of Japanese Playgrounds at Night

Creepy, whimsical, bizarre, and (yes) surreal. This project is brilliant.

Bad vibes: How an AI agent coded its way to disaster | ZDNET

This story is wild – AI coding tool Replit lied to this programmer about unit test results, emailed him an apology, and then wiped his production database. WORST INTERN EVER!

The secret to Baltimore’s extraordinary year

Baltimore found out just how much of a difference getting the police out of the equation in solving community violence could make.

After More Than Half a Century, a One-of-a-Kind Chinese Typewriter Emerges from Obscurity — Colossal

I know you THINK you hated typing class, but you don’t know anything about pain and suffering, my friend. Be glad you have your smartphone to type your love letters in Chinese for you.

Weekly Reads for Wednesday Jun 04, 2025

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 08:10:00 GMT

Tomoko Kubo’s Hiragana Embroideries Double as Japanese Language Learning Devices — Colossal

This definitely puts fridge magnet letters to shame.

Hypercritical: Apple Turnover

When you’ve lost Siracusa, you’ve lost us all. I agree with everything he says, and then some.

The Texting Network for the End of the World | WIRED

Text messaging at the end of the world. Just the survivalist advice I was looking for.

Profiles in Courage: Apple Edition

To paraphrase Phil Schiller, “Can’t courage anymore, my ass!”

The Brilliant Milky Way Connects Photographers Around the Globe and Beyond in an Annual Contest — Colossal

Speaking of fever dreams… some of these are WILD!

Weekly Reads for Friday May 23, 2025

Fri, 23 May 2025 08:10:00 GMT

Divers Encounter a Live Giant Squid Swimming on the Ocean Surface

If you’re Bruce Schneier, this must be the most exciting thing you’ve seen in at least a year.

What’s the carbon footprint of using ChatGPT?

There’s been some interesting back and forth lately about the actual cost of AI. It’s worth reading the stories by Andy Masley that Hannah Ritchie links to also.

Sierra made the games of my childhood. Are they still fun to play? - Ars Technica

Nostalgia can do funny things to reality. What’s it like to play the games you loved as a kid with the perspective of age and (hopefully) maturity?

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has courage. Pope Francis had it too. Why are there so many cowards?

It certainly does seem like a lot of so-called leaders are afraid of something these days.

Wi-Fi is one of the great backward compatibility success stories | The Verge

I spend a lot of time fighting technology that doesn’t work correctly, so at least I can read about a tech win. Wi-Fi actually is something we kind of take for granted, while actually being quite complex.

Weekly Reads for Wednesday Apr 30, 2025

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 08:10:00 GMT

Scientists Think They’ve Found the Region of the Brain That Regulates Conscious Perception | WIRED

Consciousness is fascinating! Are you aware (see what I did there?)?

Half the World’s People Depend on Rice. New Research Says Climate Change Will Make it Toxic - Inside Climate News

Here’s a cheery thought: suddenly all the rice in the world will kill anyone who eats it. These people claim this is not a thought experiment.

Upgrading my accounting spreadsheet with Numbers’s latest update – Six Colors

Maybe it’s because of some of the whackadoodle automations I’ve written over the years, but Dan Moren’s spreadsheet functions crack me up.

Scientists Are Mapping the Boundaries of What Is Knowable and Unknowable | WIRED

What is knowable and what is unknowable? I say unknowable. Some scientists are trying to make me wrong.

Weekly Reads for Tuesday Apr 22, 2025

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 08:10:00 GMT

4chan Is Dead. Its Toxic Legacy Is Everywhere | WIRED

Death couldn’t come for it soon enough, but sadly it’s way too late.

Wealthy Americans have death rates on par with poor Europeans - Ars Technica

When your dumb friends tell you how much better we have it here, just wait. They’ll probably be dead soon.

DHS’s airport panopticon is getting people deported and detained | The Verge

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.

How to Protect Your Cats (and Backyard Chickens) From Bird Flu | WIRED

Who cares about the chickens, but the cats!!!! The cats! 😿

Weekly Reads for Sunday Apr 06, 2025

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 08:10:00 GMT

Peter Thiel’s Radioactive Childhood - by Jim Stewartson

Most of life can apparently be explained by whether or not your parents were monsters. All of the terrible people ruining the US today are case studies for this hypothesis. If only their daddies had loved them more, the rest of the world could be spared their lifelong attempts at compensation.

Brewing tea removes lead from water - Northwestern Now

More tea, less lead!!

The Worst 7 Years in Boeing’s History—and the Man Who Won’t Stop Fighting for Answers | WIRED

One thing about capitalism, it can be relied upon to churn out corporations who desperately ignore and try to hide the fact that their products are death traps. You have to admire the consistency.

The Renault 5 Turbo 3E, the World’s First Electric Mini-Supercar, Looks as Bonkers as We Hoped | WIRED

How about some retro in your Renault, or some Renault in your retro? This is wildly cool, honestly.

The Yale Review | Chris Ware on Richard Scarry and the Art of…

But still, there is no retro cooler than Richard Scarry. These may be the best books ever imagined and written.

Weekly Reads for Wednesday Mar 26, 2025

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:10:00 GMT

How to Buy the Best Keycaps for Your Mechanical Keyboard (2025) | WIRED

Everyone should have a mechanical keyboard, and everyone should be buying keycaps.

When Your Threat Model Is Being a Moron

The threat model to our current administration is that it’s full of morons.

Bill Gates Gives Up on Climate Change

Um… is anyone actually working on climate change anymore? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

How to Enter the US With Your Digital Privacy Intact | WIRED

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. I don’t even know if leaving or entering the country is super safe for anyone anymore, but certainly the people who are most at risk for having their humanity violated are those who are not white and not US citizens.

AI coding assistant refuses to write code, tells user to learn programming instead - Ars Technica

I hear you, AI. Constantly answering questions from people who don’t actually want to learn is exhausting.

Weekly reads for Monday Mar 10, 2025

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Simon Laveuve’s 1/35-Scale Dwellings Hint at a Post-Apocalyptic Way of Life — Colossal

Somehow apocalyptic renderings always seem less apocalyptic than you know they would be. If the worst I wind up in the end days is hiding out in a weird shack like one of these, I’m probably ok with it.

20 jaw-dropping places on Earth that look like an alien planet | Space

It’s easy to hate this place (earth) in recent times, but take a look around it a little more. Maybe you’ll feel a tiny bit better about the planet we’re burning. I particularly love Lake Hillier and The Giant’s Causeway. The latter looks like the cover of Houses of the Holy.

New matcha crepes in Nara serve up good luck with traditional Japanese patterns | SoraNews24 -Japan News-

I’ve read quite a few things recently that make me slightly pessimistic about the future of Japan, but this isn’t one of them. MATCHA CREPES! Even better, the shop that makes them, Mikuriya, is stuffed at the bottom of a staircase in Higashimuki Shopping Street that appears to be completely inaccessible. It’s very Japanese.

What do Egyptian mummies smell like? Surprisingly pleasant. | Popular Science

Stopping sniffing those matcha crepes and get a whiff of these! I’m a little undecided as to whether mummies really smell as good as advertised or researchers just spend too much time in ancient university buildings. Either way, I think we’ve finally discovered something that has never been dusted with matcha powder.

Weekly reads for Sunday Mar 2, 2025

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 09:00:00 GMT

How Airlines Deal With Bodies When Deaths Occur During A Flight

I would very much rather sit next to a dead person than some of the live ones I’ve shared a row with.

Fungus-infected zombie spiders discovered in Northern Ireland | Popular Science

I wonder if these fungus zombies voted in November?

How Phished Data Turns into Apple & Google Wallets – Krebs on Security

I didn’t even know this was possible, but my daughter tipped me off to it because they deal with people trying to pay with stolen card wallets where she works.

The Delirious, Violent, Impossible True Story of the Zizians | WIRED

So, about those fungus zombie spiders…

Weekly reads for Wednesday Feb 19, 2025

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Matt Roussel’s Textured Woodcuts Metamorphose into Paintings — Colossal

These are wild. Carving blocks which are then painted – the results are fantastic.

DOGE’s Cyberattack Against America

This country is sleepwalking through the takeover of the US. We are letting this happen.

The Red Pill Was Hijacked | Techdirt

The right’s Red Pill obsession is not only idiotic, it’s also a freaking lie. Their red pill is blue, and they’re super happy to be in the Matrix of their own creation.

The ‘World’s Smallest Record Player’ Is a VW Bus That Plays Vinyls by Driving on Them

This was a Sony idea and I’d never heard of it. If it was created in 1976, they must have been known and talked about while I was still there. I LIKE IT!

This 1969 Ford GT40 Race Car Has a Secret Slot Car Track Inside

And now for something completely different… but also not. MOAR CARZ!!??

Bonobos recognize when humans are ignorant, try to help - Ars Technica

I think we’re gonna need a lot more Bonobos to get through 2025.

Weekly reads for Sunday Feb 9, 2025

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Life on Earth Depends on Networks of Ocean Bacteria | WIRED

It’s almost like boiling the ocean might be a bad idea!

Massive Pedestrian Crushers Don’t Actually Keep Occupants Safe Either, New Research Shows

Giant vehicles aren’t safe for the people outside them, but they’re also not safe for the people in them either, it turns out. But that’s not why people buy them anyway, they buy them to compensate for their tiny genitals.

“Just give me the f***ing links!”—Cursing disables Google’s AI overviews - Ars Technica

I don’t use Google, but if all tech starts behaving differently to people who swear, I’m in luck because most of my conversations with Siri are just a torrent of expletives.

Rats beat AI at recognizing obscured objects | Popular Science

“Living creatures that have evolved for billions of years better than computers with no eyes at identifying things!” You don’t say? 😄

Weekly reads for Wednesday Jan 29, 2025

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Declassified CIA Guide to Sabotaging Fascism Is Suddenly Viral

I’ve no idea why this could be…

The Pad-O-Matic Prints One-Time Pads On Demand - IEEE Spectrum

Back when fighting Nazis as opposed to being Nazis was cool, the one-time pad provided security against the enemy. Now, a digital version – the Pad-O-Matic!

Your Soul Is a Blue Marble: How to See with an Astronaut’s Eyes – The Marginalian

Here’s a book review, because why not? We should probably all read this book and write encrypted reviews of it using our Pad-O-Matics.

The Winners of This Annual Competition Show Nature Is Ready for Its Close-Up — Colossal

From the “Nature is weird so you don’t have to” department, more fantastic photos of living things.

Weekly reads for Wednesday Jan 22, 2025

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Do You Believe in Life After Death? These Scientists Study It. - The New York Times

I don’t know how anyone would ever prove reincarnation, but it seems like a fun job trying. Better than digging ditches or trying to keep hackers out of your financial institution.

A brief history of logs and Console – The Eclectic Light Company

If you’re a Mac person who’s ever dug through Console logs looking for errors, this should be a fun read. I’ve always appreciated the fact that the Mac tried to give a one-stop shopping center for logs.

A Capitol Rioter’s Son Is Terrified About His Father’s Release | WIRED

Yikes. How’d you like to turn your father in for insurrection and then have the incoming fascist-in-chief pardon him? On top of that, this kid is gay and I can’t imagine his Texas Three Percenter father being super chill about that. By the way, the dad that was pardoned is the one who threatened to crack Nancy Pelosi’s head open on the Capitol steps. Thanks for voting Trump, America.

I’m a Luddite (and So Can You!) | The Nib

I’m not sure I’m full-Luddite, but considering the damage what passes for Silicon Valley is doing these days and how enthusiastically they’ve cozied up to corrupt and power abusing politicians, I think it’s ok to be one. Also consider the huge environmental aspects of the mega-data center build-outs. It’s a weird time to be in tech, I’ll say that.

From Infocom to 80 Days: An oral history of text games and interactive fiction - Ars Technica

Stepping back to when tech was fun with very few qualifications, here’s a great story. Am I the only one old enough to remember these? I know I’m not, so are you. Stop lying.

Weekly reads for Sunday Jan 5, 2025

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Cryptocurrency wallet drainers stole $494 million in 2024

See, cryptocurrency is good for something! Unrelated, I think I have a new business idea…

Hokkaidō: A Tapestry of Lakes and Rivers | Nippon.com

I would really love to go spend some time in Hokkaido. I honestly don’t recall if we visited Hokkaido when I was a kid. If so, I don’t remember anything about it.

American lab is developing a BAT laser that could enable ‘beyond EUV’ lithography, provide 10X power efficiency boost | Tom’s Hardware

As nice as it would be if the future of lithography wasn’t entirely in the hands of one Dutch company, what I really want to know is if the BAT laser can be used as a BAT signal.

Could Humans Have a Brain Microbiome? | WIRED

I guess I need brain yogurt? 🤔

Weekly reads for Thursday Dec 26, 2024

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Finnish authorities board tanker suspected of damaging undersea cables — tanker is reportedly linked to Russia’s shadow fleet | Tom’s Hardware

I’m shocked, I tell you, SHOCKED, to learn that nation states are slicing undersea data cables intentionally. They seemed like such nice evil villians too.

Buyer beware: OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model is an entirely different beast – GeekWire

AI is approaching anti-vaxxer levels of denialism. I’m not wrong, you’re wrong. No puppet, no puppet, you’re the puppet.

She Was a Russian Socialite and Influencer. Cops Say She’s a Crypto Laundering Kingpin | WIRED

I love a good true crime story, and the crypto world is nothing if not a true crime story generator. I’m always intrigued by the sheer inventiveness of people like Zhdanova. I wish I had half their creativity, and slightly more morals and ethics (which wouldn’t be very difficult).

WTF Is Going on With the New Jersey Mystery Drones? Maybe Mass Panic Over Nothing

People are good at failing to learn from history, but I feel like the non-learning cycles are getting shorter and shorter.

Weekly reads for Tuesday Dec 17, 2024

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 09:00:00 GMT

5 Festive Facts About Japanese Christmas Cake - Savvy Tokyo

Sometimes a cake is not just a cake. Then it’s a Japanese Christmas cake.

Hacking Digital License Plates - Schneier on Security

I’m worried about the implications of digital license plates – I don’t think they can be as easily manufactured in prisons. Back to beating each other up in the back of the kitchen, I guess.

Honda CEO Does Not Rule Out Possibility of Merger With Nissan

Well there’s one I didn’t see coming. I think ithis is surely a sign of the end times.

Japan now has fish-shaped soy sauce bottle hand cream | SoraNews24 -Japan News-

I squeezed a lot of soy sauce out of little plastic fish when I lived in Japan, I’m really glad I didn’t get hand cream on my sushi.

Weekly reads for Saturday Nov 30, 2024

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Mathematicians Discover a New Kind of Shape That’s All over Nature | Scientific American

This stuff makes my head hurt, but it’s a lot more fun to read than anything to do with the type of reality I do understand.

The Beginning of the End of Big Tech | WIRED

Meredith Whittaker is way smarter than me, but I don’t think I buy this narrative for several reasons, chief amongst them being the incoming administration. All this talk about regulation and inevitable common sense changes seems like the ancient past to me now.

There are some things the Crew-8 astronauts aren’t ready to talk about - Ars Technica

I don’t think I’d volunteer for any trips to ISS at this point if I were an eligible human being.

I’m a neuroscientist who taught rats to drive − their joy suggests how anticipating fun can enrich human life

The science behind the effect on rat psychology that the anticipation of driving has is fascinating, but what struck me the most about this article is how much hope alters the strength of a creature’s desire to survive. I think the past 10 years at least have definitely reminded us of this. 🐀

Weekly reads for Wednesday Nov 20, 2024

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Get in—We’re Chasing a Waymo Into the Future | WIRED

Get in, loser – we’re going to the Waymo mall. I don’t know about any of these self-driving pioneer companies, but I do know that replacing all the parents racing their kids to school in the morning with automation sounds exquisite to me.

The Joy of Pachinko’s Opening Credits - Pachinko Theme Song

I’m catching up on Pachinko now that season 2 is out, and the opening song is super incongrous and yet wildly compelling. This is a fun look at why and how. By the way, the cast and the acting and the story are all incredible. Watch, if you haven’t.

How to Get Started on Bluesky | WIRED

The best option is to not be on any social media at all. The second best option is do not be on Facebook or Twitter. But Bluesky is ok – for now.

Donald Trump’s plans on immigration are coming into focus | CNN Politics

Sorry for the downer, but the words of a wise man who once said ”*******, what an asshole” sure come to mind when thinking about Donald Trump. The amazing thing is how many other assholes he can round up to work with him at the drop of a hat. There are a lot of people in this country whose entire identities revolve around hating the existence of other people. Do you think it’s too late to get Jake Paul (also a massive tool) to fight Stephen Miller next?

Going the Distance at the Tram Driver Olympics - The New York Times

I guess tram drivers can be competitve too. I’d like to see this in Japan. Pretty sure the main contest would be how close to the second you can hit your arrival and departure schedules, and they’d all win.

Weekly reads for Tuesday Nov 5, 2024

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Inside Sophos’ 5-Year War With the Chinese Hackers Hijacking Its Devices | WIRED

This is a fun story about Sophos getting back at their Chinese hacker tormentors. If you can’t screw with the people who are screwing with you, is life even worth living?

iPod fans evade Apple’s DRM to preserve 54 lost clickwheel-era games - Ars Technica

Yeah, I played games on my 5th gen iPod. Who didn’t?

Geoffrey Hinton’s misguided views on AI

Paris Marx is quite a bit more negative on AI than I am, but I do appreciate his point that a lot of this extinction event panic is really just a distraction from the fact that AI, like crypto, wants all of earth’s water and electricity for itself.

‘Alien signal’ sent from Mars decoded by father-daughter team | Space

Apparently the key to success in life is intuition and running simulations for hours and days on end. Now I know what I’ve been doing wrong.

Weekly reads for Saturday Nov 2, 2024

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 09:00:00 GMT

A candy engineer explains the science behind the Snickers bar - Ars Technica

In this age of science deniers, one does wonder how the Snickers bar could be invented today. I mean, just look at it. It’s science from top to bottom!

Meet ZachXBT, the Masked Vigilante Tracking Down Billions in Crypto Scams and Thefts | WIRED

This is really fascinating. I’m all for crypto scammers being unmasked (and arrested, preferably). I can only imagine at least some number of angry crypto crooks are trying to figure out who ZachXBT really is. I hope they never find out.

Iceland embraced a shorter work week. Here’s how it turned out | CNN Business

Who will think of the capitalism?? How can it possibly survive if people get an extra day off? Pretty well, actually, but there’s no way anyone with any say in the US will allow this to happen here.

‘Infinite monkey theorem’ challenged by Australian mathematicians

It’s the monkeys against the universe, and these mathematicians are betting on the universe. It may be a lost cause, but I’m rooting for the monkeys. I assume they’re busy typing already. I hope… please.

Weekly reads for Friday Oct 25, 2024

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 09:00:00 GMT

With four more years like 2023, carbon emissions will blow past 1.5° limit - Ars Technica

I believe humanity has given up and we aren’t collectively really trying anymore. I know some people are still trying, but for the most part, humanity’s actions speak louder than its words. We aren’t trying, and we aren’t going to do what we need to in order to avoid giant catastrophe.

I got dysentery so you don’t have to | Eukaryote Writes Blog

Talk about taking one for the team. There’s even a good reference to The Oregon Trail in here, which I’ll admit is the first thing I thought of when I read the headline.

Why birds are smart: Trends in Cognitive Sciences

Hey, bird brain! No, I mean this is a study about bird brains. Birds have small brains but can be as intelligent as primates that we consider relatively smart. I can only dream of being called bird brain.

The Thought Experiments That Fray the Fabric of Space-Time | Quanta Magazine

Apparently we only live in an approximation of reality or at least a view of reality that’s not fundamental. I KNEW IT!! Most of the stupid stuff we’re required to do to stay fed and housed doesn’t seem very fundamental to reality either.

Weekly reads for Tuesday Oct 15, 2024

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Taiwan Makes the Majority of the World’s Computer Chips. Now It’s Running Out of Electricity | WIRED

This story is kind of playing out all over the world whether it be power or water, whether it be about semiconductor manufacturing or data centers. This stuff takes resources, and we’re kind of running out of them.

Ancient supermassive black hole is blowing galaxy-killing wind, James Webb Space Telescope finds | Space

This is wild. I always think of black holes as sucking everything in, and now they’re blowing it all out. Kind of reminds me of Spaceballs.

Thousands of Linux systems infected by stealthy malware since 2021

OH HAY THANK GOODSNESEZ LINUS IS IMPERVIOUS TO HAXORS!!?? Oh, yeah. It’s not.

This college dropout was bedridden for 11 years. Then he invented a surgery and cured himself | CNN

Forget about that giant black hole, this is REALLY wild. A college dropout developed his own surgical cure and then talked someone into performing it on him. This guy does not take “lie in bed quietly for the rest of your life” for an answer!

A brief history of defragging – The Eclectic Light Company

It’s fun to spend hours mocking Windows users for defragging their hard drives, but Macs used to need it too. Also, no one on Windows defrags anything anymore either, let’s be real. But you should still spend hours mocking Windows users anyway.

Weekly reads for Sunday Oct 13 2024

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Darpa Thinks Walls of Oysters Could Protect Shores Against Hurricanes | WIRED

I wonder what effect climate change will have on this plan (specifically the oysters part).

Three beautiful outside-the-cities places to visit in Hokkaido with a connection to Golden Kamuy – SoraNews24 -Japan News-

I never read the manga or watched the anime Golden Kamuy so I don’t know the Hokkaido connection here, but I’d still like to visit Hokkaido for more traditional reasons when I get back to Japan someday.

Diving Deep on Tuna to Uncover Surprising Variety | Nippon.com

Sometimes a maguro is not just a maguro

Internet Archive hacked, data breach impacts 31 million users

You don’t love to see it. There are certainly more websites than I have hands and fingers to count who I’d put in line in front of The Internet Archive in terms of things I’d like to see hacked and knocked offline.

We only learnt of our son’s secret online life after he died at 25

This is quite a story. To me it serves as a reminder that people aren’t necessarily as they appear.

Weekly reads for Sunday Sept 29 2024

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Eat Japanese prison food at this unique cafeteria in Abashiri | SoraNews24 -Japan News-

I don’t know, I think I might do time in Japan for some of that Katsudon!

Apple Balks and Walks from OpenAI Investment

I dont’ know what’s going on with OpenAI in general, and I really don’t like the way Apple’s framing of their AI features smacks of Wall St. placation. It’s clear that they’re trying desperately not to slip into irrelevancy by letting something pass them by, but it’s still very un-Apple-y.

Japan’s legions of panda-lovers bid farewell to beloved pair in Tokyo - The Japan Times

Turns out zoos can be unhealthy for animals, who knew? I wish the furballs all the best.

Honda’s on a Roll Reviving Retro Mini-Motorcycle Designs

The Japanese are bringing back bikes that were in their first round of popularity when I lived there. Very cool.

Why I’m so fired up about macOS Sequoia’s screen (and a solution!)

I guess it’s not much of a security solution if it’s so easily bypassed, that wacky Sequoia screen recording permission pesterer. I paid for Amnesia by Jordi Bruin, and it is a really nice way to make the pain go away.

Jellyfish surprise scientists by learning without a brain - Big Think

There’s hope for me yet!

Weekly reads for Saturday Sept 28 2024

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 20:00:00 GMT

How Does the Milky Way Compare to Other Galaxies? - Universe Today

The Nurburgring’s 24-Hour Bicycle Race Is the Real Green Hell

An International Space Station Leak Is Getting Worse—and Keeping NASA Up at Night | WIRED

Japan’s Vampire Smoothie arrives with semi-coagulated blood looks for Halloween【Taste test】 | SoraNews24 -Japan News-

Low Orbit Satellite Companies Respond To Scientists’ Concerns About Light And Environmental Pollution With Even Bigger, Brighter Satellites | Techdirt