Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-03-23 Briefing

Created Mon, 23 Mar 2026 19:12:01 +0000 Modified Mon, 23 Mar 2026 19:12:20 +0000
7955 Words

AI security vulnerabilities are emerging as a major concern, with agents susceptible to manipulation via simple prompts and Google deploying Gemini to monitor the dark web for threats, including data leaks. Meanwhile, Google warns of a surge in voice phishing attacks compromising cloud environments. SoftBank is building a massive AI datacenter in Ohio on a former nuclear site, and the US Army has received a self-flying Black Hawk helicopter. SpaceX is challenging Amazon’s FCC objection regarding its orbiting datacenters, highlighting similar plans by Blue Origin.

🤖 AI & Innovation

AI agents are ‘gullible’ and easy to turn into your minions

AI agents are vulnerable to “zero-click” attacks, allowing attackers to manipulate them into performing malicious actions through persuasive prompts without user interaction. Exploits have been demonstrated against popular platforms like ChatGPT, Cursor, and Salesforce, potentially leading to data leaks and unauthorized actions. Security experts are now focusing on the ease of “persuading” AI agents to compromise security, rather than solely focusing on technical prompt injection.

SoftBank to build massive AI datacenter on former US nuclear weapons site

SoftBank is constructing a massive 10-gigawatt AI datacenter campus in Ohio on a former nuclear weapons site, alongside new power generation and grid upgrades. The project, a partnership involving multiple companies, will also fund the cleanup of uranium contamination at the site. This initiative aims to support AI development and energy security while creating jobs and benefiting local communities.

Google unleashes Gemini AI agents on the dark web

Google is deploying its Gemini AI agents to monitor the dark web, analyzing millions of posts daily to identify threats against specific organizations. The service proactively alerts companies to risks like data leaks and malicious activity with a claimed 98% accuracy, significantly reducing false positives. This new dark web intelligence service is currently in public preview and combines AI analysis with insights from Google’s threat intelligence experts.

Junior disobeyed orders and tried untested feature during a live robot demo

During a live demonstration for investors, a junior team member attempted an unauthorized and untested battery replacement on a sensitive humanoid device. The risky maneuver caused the device to fall, significantly delaying the presentation despite warnings from a senior colleague. The incident underscored the importance of adhering to established procedures, even with the goal of making a positive impression.

AI and anonymity clash online

Artificial intelligence is increasingly capable of identifying anonymous online users, raising privacy concerns and potentially jeopardizing online anonymity. In response, Reddit’s CEO is exploring an anonymous identity verification system using facial recognition technology to combat platform manipulation, though details regarding privacy implications are still developing. These advancements highlight the growing tension between online safety and user privacy.

Smart TV Regulation Concerns Arise

European broadcasters are calling on the EU to regulate smart TV operating systems under the Digital Markets Act, arguing that dominant tech companies are wielding excessive control over content distribution. They fear this control could unfairly favor the platforms’ own services, stifling competition and limiting consumer choice. The broadcasters believe designating these systems as “gatekeepers” is necessary to ensure a fair marketplace for all content providers.

iPhone 17 Pro Demonstrated Running a 400B LLM

An iPhone 17 Pro, reportedly still in development, has been demonstrated running a 400B parameter large language model (LLM). This suggests Apple is exploring on-device AI capabilities with increasingly sophisticated models. The demonstration indicates a significant advancement in the processing power of future iPhones.

I Built an AI Receptionist for a Luxury Mechanic Shop – Part 1

An individual is developing a custom AI receptionist, named Axle, for a luxury mechanic shop to handle missed calls and potential lost business. The AI utilizes a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline, drawing information from the shop’s website and leveraging Anthropic’s Claude for response generation. The system is designed to integrate with a voice platform to automate responses and collect callbacks for customer inquiries.

POSSE – Publish on your Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere

POSSE is a content syndication method where users publish content on their own websites before sharing it to other platforms, linking back to the original post. This approach prioritizes maintaining connections with existing friends and offers benefits such as content ownership, improved search visibility, and reduced reliance on third-party services. By linking back to the source, POSSE also distributes content and can enhance search engine ranking.

The King Wen Permutation: [52, 10, 2]

A new analysis of the 64 I Ching hexagrams has revealed a unique permutation cycle decomposition of [52, 10, 2] with zero fixed points. This is the first time such an analysis has been performed, and the resulting cycle type is unprecedented in existing literature. The findings are presented and invite verification by others.

White-collar AI apocalypse narrative is just another bullshit

Claims of AI replacing white-collar workers are overblown, as evidenced by the rebound of customer support roles. Many white-collar jobs involve complex, unpredictable situations that require human judgment and experience, tasks current AI struggles to handle effectively. The “80/20 rule” highlights that while AI can automate routine tasks, the remaining 20% of complex cases necessitate human problem-solving.

Agent Kernel – Three Markdown files that make any AI agent stateful

Agent Kernel is a framework allowing AI agents to retain memory and build upon past work using just three markdown files and a Git repository. It leverages existing AI agent instruction reading capabilities, eliminating the need for databases or custom frameworks. The system enables users to easily create and manage multiple agents with distinct identities and knowledge bases.

Storing Solar Energy as Ice for Air Conditioning

A new prototype system stores solar energy by freezing water into ice, offering a potentially cheaper and more compact alternative to battery storage. The system leverages the high energy density of frozen water and has successfully cooled a car, demonstrating its feasibility. Researchers aim to utilize this stored thermal energy to reduce reliance on traditional air conditioning and moderate indoor temperatures.

Tesla faces wider probe of self-driving feature

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has expanded its investigation into Tesla’s self-driving feature following nine crashes where drivers weren’t properly alerted to take control in low visibility. The probe, potentially impacting 3.2 million vehicles, focuses on Tesla’s camera-reliant autonomous driving system, which differs from competitors using additional sensors. This development occurs as Tesla plans to introduce driverless robotaxis and vehicles without steering wheels.

Huang: Nvidia, AGI, AI Future – A Deep Dive (Lex Fridman)

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently participated in a podcast with Lex Fridman, where he stated that his company has achieved Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The extensive conversation covered topics including running Nvidia, AI scaling laws, and future technological developments like data centers in space. The full discussion is available on YouTube.

AI-powered prescription startup Doctronic raises $40M

Doctronic, a startup connecting patients with doctors for virtual visits, recently secured $40 million in funding. The company is pioneering the use of AI to automate prescription refills through a pilot program in Utah. This move represents a growing trend of AI integration into patient care and healthcare services.

AI Cloud Startup Gimlet Labs Raises $80M

Gimlet Labs, a startup founded by a Stanford adjunct professor, has raised $80 million to address bottlenecks in AI inference. Their “multi-silicon inference cloud” software optimizes AI workloads by distributing them across diverse hardware, potentially increasing efficiency by 3x to 10x. The company is partnering with major chip manufacturers and targeting large AI model labs and data centers.

Google Execs: Surprised by ChatGPT, Shaping AI’s Future

Google CEO Sundar Pichai admitted being initially surprised by the rapid rise of ChatGPT, which highlighted a faster-than-expected adoption of generative AI. In response, Google accelerated its development of the Gemini AI models, which have since demonstrated impressive capabilities and driven significant gains in Alphabet’s stock price. The company is now partnering with Apple to integrate Gemini into future Apple devices, solidifying its position as a major player in the AI landscape.

OpenAI Eyes Fusion Power Deal with Helion

OpenAI is reportedly in talks to purchase 5 gigawatts of electricity from fusion startup Helion Energy by 2030, with the potential to scale up to 50 gigawatts by 2035. Sam Altman, who is an investor in Helion and previously served as its board chair, has recused himself from the deal discussions. The potential agreement highlights OpenAI’s pursuit of fusion energy to meet its substantial power requirements.

OpenAI Hires Meta Ad Exec to Lead Sales

OpenAI has hired Dave Dugan, formerly a Meta executive, to lead its ad sales efforts. Dugan, who recently stepped down from his role at Meta, will serve as vice president of global ad solutions. He will report to OpenAI’s COO, Brad Lightcap, as the company seeks to expand its advertising relationships.

Reality Labs Loss Huge, But Drives Meta’s Hardware Ambition

Meta’s Reality Labs division has lost over $80 billion pursuing metaverse initiatives, but remains crucial for producing the company’s hardware, including VR headsets and AI-powered glasses. Despite shifting focus towards artificial intelligence, Meta insists it’s not abandoning the metaverse concept, broadening its definition to encompass experiences beyond virtual reality headsets. The division is expected to continue incurring significant losses in the years ahead.

LLM ‘benchmark’ as a 1v1 RTS game where models write code controlling the units

Researchers developed a real-time strategy game where large language models (LLMs) write code to control units and compete against each other. Gemini 3.1 Pro emerged as the top performer in the tournament, demonstrating the potential for LLMs to learn and optimize strategies through iterative code improvement. The study utilized a simple game environment and a feedback loop of code writing, gameplay, and replay analysis.

🔒 Security & Privacy

Smooth criminals talking their way into cloud environments, Google says

Google’s latest security report reveals voice phishing has become the leading initial access method for cloud environment breaches. Attackers are increasingly employing sophisticated social engineering tactics, such as impersonating IT staff and utilizing “ClickFix” scams, to gain access. Compromised systems are rapidly being transferred to ransomware or data theft groups, indicating a concerning rise in undetected, advanced attacks.

RSAC 2026: Uncle Sam backs out, and AI agents are everywhere

The RSA Conference 2026 in San Francisco will highlight the growing use of agentic AI in cybersecurity. US federal government officials will not be attending this year’s event. Conference priorities will be discussed on “The Kettle” podcast, offering insights into industry trends.

Sitting ducks: over 500K outdated Windows web servers are exposed online

Over 500,000 Windows web servers running outdated software are currently exposed and vulnerable online. The exposed servers pose a significant security risk due to their susceptibility to potential cyberattacks. Users are advised to enable JavaScript and cookies to proceed, suggesting a security protocol is in place.

Anime fans’ credit cards might be stolen from Sony streamer Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll, a popular anime streaming service owned by Sony, is warning users about potential credit card theft. The issue stems from a need for users to enable JavaScript and cookies to continue accessing the platform. Crunchyroll is advising users to monitor their accounts for any unauthorized activity.

Study: ‘Security Fatigue’ May Weaken Digital Defenses

A new study reveals that repeated cybersecurity requirements can lead to “security fatigue” in employees, causing mental exhaustion and disengagement. This fatigue, resulting from a cumulative cognitive burden, can weaken digital defenses despite employees’ intentions. Researchers recommend simplifying processes and providing training to mitigate fatigue and improve security compliance.

Migrating to the EU

A user has moved several online services and subscriptions from non-EU providers to European alternatives due to concerns about global politics and data protection. The migration included email, web hosting, and Git repositories, prioritizing functionality, affordability, and EU-based operations. The user documented the process as an interim report, detailing the challenges and solutions encountered in finding suitable replacements.

Polymarket Bans Insider Trading Bets

Polymarket has implemented new rules prohibiting insider trading on its platform. These rules ban betting based on stolen information, illegal tips, or events where users can influence the outcome. The move comes after recent scrutiny regarding potential market manipulation.

How do you trust a new Linux distribution?

A new Linux distribution called StageX is utilizing a “web of trust” system, employing PGP key signatures to verify software contributions and build a network of trust. Analysis of StageX’s key dataset, comprised of over 5,400 keys, reveals a complex interconnectedness within the open-source community, with unexpected relationships like a Romanian furniture company’s involvement. The visual representation highlights established organizations such as Mozilla and CERN alongside more surprising connections.

From virtio-snd 0-Day to Hypervisor Escape: Exploiting QEMU with an Uncontrolled Heap Overflow

Researchers have discovered a vulnerability in QEMU’s virtio-snd device that allows for a guest-to-host escape. The vulnerability stems from a heap overflow caused by insufficient validation of guest-controlled input when allocating audio data buffers. This flaw can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to the host system.

💰 Business & Finance

CMA dithers on cloud probe as Microsoft’s meter runs on taxpayer dime

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority is facing criticism for delaying a decision on Microsoft’s dominance in the public cloud market, resulting in ongoing costs for taxpayers. This inaction is reinforcing Microsoft’s market power, creating a dependency among public sector organizations and potentially hindering AI innovation. Experts warn the delay undermines the UK’s digital strategy and prioritizes Microsoft’s interests over competition.

Australia to datacenter operators: BYO energy, pay your way, build green, or stay home

Australia is imposing new requirements on datacenter operators, mandating self-generated power, infrastructure cost coverage, and alignment with national interests. Hong Kong authorities seized approximately 17,000 counterfeit data storage devices during a raid on a local distributor. Singtel, a major Singaporean telecom, apologized for three recent network outages and is reconfiguring its network in response.

Criminal prints millions in Resolv stablecoin, crashes its price 70%

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Coke fires worker injured on the job, keeping him would be hard on the company

Coca-Cola Canada Bottling terminated a 35-year employee, Shawne Hopkins, after he sustained a serious workplace injury. The company justified the decision by citing a rare legal doctrine allowing termination based on “undue hardship,” despite its significant size and recent investment in a new facility. Legal experts are questioning the appropriateness of using this doctrine in this situation.

Snowflake lays off documentation staff after they train AI replacement

Snowflake has laid off around 400 technical writers and contractors, replacing them with an AI-powered documentation system trained on their workflows. The company is reporting significant efficiency gains from this transition, with management celebrating a 300% increase in productivity. This move is part of Snowflake’s broader strategy to reduce costs through AI implementation.

Dash0 raises $110M Series B at $1B valuation

Dash0, an observability platform built on OpenTelemetry, has raised $110 million in Series B funding, achieving a $1 billion valuation. The company is developing “Agent0,” an AI-powered platform designed to automate production operations and move beyond traditional monitoring. This investment will accelerate Agent0’s development and target companies seeking alternatives to established vendors like Datadog.

Huel Joins Danone

Danone, a global food and beverage company, has acquired Huel, a nutrition company known for its convenient, complete food products. The acquisition will allow Huel to expand its reach and leverage Danone’s resources while maintaining its brand identity and B Corp certification. The deal is still pending regulatory approvals and will not impact current Huel products or pricing.

Thermal Grizzly hit by China metal scam

Thermal Grizzly has fallen victim to a 40,000 euro metal scam from Chinese suppliers, who provided copper-plated steel and aluminum-plated steel instead of genuine materials. The fraud was discovered through quality control tests, including a magnet test, after the company struggled to source materials in Europe. Due to the suppliers’ location in China, Thermal Grizzly’s legal options are limited.

Migrating the American Express Payment Network, Twice

American Express successfully migrated its payments network to a new microservices architecture twice, achieving zero customer-impacting downtime. The complex migration involved transitioning live card authorization traffic while maintaining consistent performance and preventing data loss. A key component of the process was the Global Transaction Router, which managed traffic routing without handling payment processing.

Kalshi/Polymarket CEOs Invest in Prediction Market VC Fund

The CEOs of Kalshi and Polymarket, competitors in the prediction market sector, have jointly invested in a new $35 million venture fund called 5c(c) Capital. The fund, led by former Kalshi employees, will focus on backing startups within the prediction market space. This investment highlights a collaborative effort despite the intense competition between Kalshi and Polymarket.

OpenAI Offers 17.5% Return to Secure Partnerships

OpenAI is offering private equity firms a guaranteed 17.5% return and early access to new AI models to secure joint ventures and accelerate enterprise adoption. This offer surpasses what rival Anthropic is providing, as both companies compete to secure partnerships and ease financial pressures ahead of potential IPOs. The deals aim to rapidly deploy AI tools within established companies and create customer loyalty.

EA Seeks $15B Debt for Saudi Takeover, Aims for Savings

Electronic Arts is seeking a $15 billion debt package to finance its acquisition by a Saudi-led group in a $55 billion deal. The deal is projected to generate nearly $700 million in annual cost savings. Bloomberg reports the information was obtained from sources familiar with the matter.

Sony to Sell Stake in Home Entertainment to TCL for ~$1B

Sony is nearing a deal to sell a 51% stake in its home entertainment business to TCL Electronics for around $1 billion. The agreement, which could be announced this month, would give TCL a controlling interest in Sony’s home entertainment operations. While negotiations are advanced, the deal remains subject to final approval.

CoinDCX Cofounders Arrested Amid Fraud Allegations

Indian police have arrested CoinDCX co-founders Sumit Gupta and Neeraj Khandelwal following allegations of an investment fraud involving approximately $85,000. CoinDCX maintains the claims are false and attributes the fraud to impersonators using a fake website. This arrest marks the second time someone linked to the exchange has been arrested in less than a year, following a previous incident related to a $44 million hack.

Canonical Joins the Rust Foundation as a Gold Member

Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has joined the Rust Foundation as a Gold Member, demonstrating its commitment to the Rust programming language. This investment will support Rust’s development and governance, particularly enhancing the developer experience on Ubuntu and bolstering the security of its package registry. The partnership reflects Rust’s growing importance in building secure and resilient systems.

🌍 Geopolitics & Society

SpaceX hits back at Amazon in orbital datacenter dispute

SpaceX has responded to Amazon’s FCC objection regarding its planned orbiting datacenters by highlighting Blue Origin’s similar application, arguing for equal regulatory scrutiny. The move effectively accuses Amazon of hypocrisy given Blue Origin’s own ambitious satellite deployment plans. This dispute underscores the growing competition and debate surrounding the feasibility and regulation of space-based data centers.

NASA sets ‘impossible’ ground rules for relocation of ‘flown space vehicle’

NASA has released a draft proposal seeking contractors to relocate a flown space vehicle, potentially including Space Shuttle Discovery, to Houston, Texas. The agency’s requirement that the vehicle be moved intact presents a significant logistical challenge due to its size and complexity. While a Space Shuttle relocation poses difficulties, moving an Orion capsule would be considerably simpler.

The drone swarm is coming, and NATO air defenses are too expensive to cope

Recent conflicts demonstrate that inexpensive drone swarms are increasingly effective against advanced air defenses, posing a challenge to NATO. Experts recommend shifting away from costly interceptors and adopting layered, cost-effective defense systems utilizing mass-produced, low-cost drones, mirroring Ukraine’s successful approach. NATO needs to prioritize scalable production and rapid adaptation to counter this evolving threat.

When it comes to catastrophic space weather, the UK is holding a cocktail umbrella

A recent report by the UK’s National Audit Office found the country is ill-prepared for a major space weather event, despite advancements in forecasting. The government lacks a comprehensive plan to respond to such an event and has not defined acceptable risk levels, leaving critical infrastructure vulnerable. Further investment and planning are urgently needed to mitigate potential disruptions and improve the UK’s resilience.

US govt pays TotalEnergies nearly $1B to stop US offshore wind projects

The U.S. government has released nearly $1 billion previously earmarked for TotalEnergies’ offshore wind projects. The investment will now be redirected towards U.S. natural gas ventures, including the Rio Grande LNG plant and a long-term LNG offtake agreement in Alaska. This decision signals a shift in U.S. energy policy away from wind power and towards fossil fuel production.

California sheriff running for governor seizes >650k 2025 election ballots

Republican gubernatorial candidate and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has seized over 650,000 ballots to investigate unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud related to a redistricting measure. State officials have dismissed these allegations and criticized Bianco’s actions as undermining trust in elections, prompting a court-appointed special master to oversee a ballot count. The sheriff’s actions have escalated a conflict with the California Attorney General and raise concerns about election integrity.

The world just lived through the 11 hottest years on record

A new WMO report confirms the past 11 years have been the hottest on record, with 2025 experiencing record levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and ocean heat. The report highlights a record-high Earth energy imbalance, indicating significant heat accumulation primarily absorbed by the oceans. Experts say this energy imbalance provides a more accurate measure of long-term warming than surface temperatures alone.

Lyme Disease Vaccine Candidate Demonstrates Strong Efficacy in Phase 3 Trial

A Lyme disease vaccine candidate developed by Pfizer and Valneva has shown over 70% efficacy in a Phase 3 trial for individuals aged five and older. The vaccine, targeting a key bacterial protein, was well-tolerated with no significant safety concerns. Pfizer plans to submit regulatory applications based on these positive results, potentially offering a new preventative measure against Lyme disease.

America tells private firms to “hack back”

The Biden administration is reportedly allowing U.S. companies to take offensive action against cyber attackers, effectively permitting a form of “hack back.” This policy shift aims to deter ransomware and other cyberattacks by empowering private firms to disrupt threat actors. Officials emphasize that these actions would be carefully controlled and within legal boundaries, with clear reporting requirements.

Attractive students no longer receive better results as classes moved online

The article discusses a shift in student outcomes observed during the transition to online classes. It appears that previously identified advantages linked to student attractiveness no longer correlated with better results in the online learning environment. Further information is unavailable due to a captcha challenge blocking access to the content.

Jazz CRJ9 at New York on Mar 22nd 2026, collision with fire truck on runway

A Jazz CRJ9 aircraft collided with a fire truck on a runway in New York on March 22, 2026. The incident is being discussed in an online forum by numerous aviation professionals and anonymous users. The discussion took place primarily between 10:11 and 13:00 Zulu time on March 23, 2026.

Plane and ground vehicle collide at New York’s LaGuardia airport halting flights

Two pilots were killed when an Air Canada plane collided with a firefighting vehicle at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The incident, which occurred while the fire engine responded to a separate aircraft issue, resulted in 41 injuries and prompted the airport’s closure. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, causing widespread flight disruptions.

Kimchi-derived probiotic found to promote excretion of intestinal nanoplastics

A probiotic strain, Leuconostoc mesenteroides CBA3656, isolated from kimchi has been found to effectively bind and promote the excretion of nanoplastics in laboratory and animal studies. The probiotic maintained high binding efficiency even under conditions mimicking the human intestine, resulting in a twofold increase in nanoplastic removal via feces. This research suggests that fermented foods like kimchi may offer a biological solution for reducing nanoplastic accumulation in the body.

LaGuardia Airport Closed After Plane Collided with Ground Vehicle

A plane with Air Canada Express collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport Sunday night after landing, killing the two pilots. Forty-one people, including emergency responders, were injured and hospitalized, and the airport is currently closed. The incident occurred around 11:40 p.m.

FIRST Robotics founder Dean Kamen resigns because of Epstein files

Dean Kamen is resigning from the board of FIRST, the robotics education organization he founded, due to scrutiny surrounding his past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein. While investigations by FIRST, ARMI, and Sequel Med Tech found no wrongdoing by Kamen, he acknowledged errors in judgment for not severing ties with Epstein. He will return to his roles at ARMI and Sequel Med Tech.

Department of State advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution

The U.S. Department of State is advising all American citizens abroad to exercise increased caution due to potential threats, especially in the Middle East. This alert follows targeted attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities and concerns about groups supportive of Iran posing a risk to U.S. citizens. Travelers are urged to monitor security alerts and advisories for their specific destinations.

US to Build $4T Supply Chain Consortium

The U.S. is establishing a voluntary $4 trillion consortium with countries like Singapore and Sweden to secure supply chains for critical resources including semiconductors, energy, and minerals. The initiative, dubbed “Pax Silica,” aims to reduce global dependencies and bolster economic security, particularly following recent events in Iran. The U.S. will initially contribute $250 million to the fund.

Wheely Ride-Hailing Arrives in NYC, Challenges Uber Elite

London-based luxury ride-hailing app Wheely has launched in New York City, aiming to compete with Uber’s premium offerings. The service, already popular in Europe and Dubai, caters to high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients. This expansion marks Wheely’s entry into the U.S. market, fulfilling demand from existing customers.

Sports Betting Ban Proposed for Prediction Markets

Senators Schiff and Curtis have introduced bipartisan legislation to ban sports betting on prediction markets regulated by the CFTC, like Kalshi and Polymarket. The bill aims to address concerns about consumer protections, tribal sovereignty, and the lack of public revenue, while also prohibiting “casino-style games” on these platforms. This marks the first bipartisan Senate bill focused on regulating prediction markets.

International version of open source maps webapp

A new international version of the open-source mapping web application, Cartes, is now available. The app, whose code is hosted on Codeberg, features category suggestions when zoomed in. Users should expect some missing translations as the platform is newly launched.

Semi-retirement, or, really, changing my relationship with the BSDs

OpenBSD developer Dr. Brian Robert Callahan and his students recently published research on mitigating return-oriented programming (ROP) attacks by removing code “gadgets.” Their techniques, easily adaptable to other systems like FreeBSD, significantly reduce vulnerabilities with minimal performance impact. Callahan’s work highlights a shift in his involvement with OpenBSD, now incorporating student research and fostering a collaborative environment.

On becoming a day person

The author attributes significant improvements in productivity and well-being to adopting a “day person” routine, which involves waking up early and prioritizing daytime activities. This lifestyle includes enjoying sunrises, exercising, focused work, and prioritizing sleep, creating a more grounded and efficient schedule. While not a universal solution, the author encourages others to explore the benefits of a daytime-focused lifestyle.

🛠️ Tech Development

Forget drones – the US Army just took delivery of a self-flying Black Hawk helicopter

The US Army has received a self-flying Black Hawk helicopter, the H-60Mx, developed through DARPA’s ALIAS program. Equipped with the MATRIX system, the helicopter can perform autonomous missions and be remotely controlled, having already completed cargo resupply and medical evacuation trials. The Army will now evaluate and integrate the technology, potentially developing an autonomy kit for its entire Black Hawk fleet.

Intel Core Ultra Chip Updates

Intel’s Core Ultra 250K and 270K processors offer a compelling combination of strong application performance and increased value for PC enthusiasts, with pricing starting as low as $199. While prioritizing productivity and efficiency, these chips still trail behind competitors in gaming performance and consume considerable power. The launch on a soon-to-be-obsolete platform presents a potential consideration for buyers.

Microsoft fixes broken Windows update days after vowing fewer broken updates

Microsoft released a quick fix update to address sign-in errors affecting some Windows users, stemming from a March 2026 security update. This corrective patch arrives shortly after Microsoft vowed to improve the reliability of Windows updates and reduce the need for such fixes. The update includes the original security fixes alongside the resolution for the account issue.

TypeScript 6.0

TypeScript 6.0 has been released as a transitional version between 5.9 and the upcoming 7.0, marking a shift towards a new compiler codebase written in Go. The release includes minor improvements and adjustments to type-checking and DOM types to prepare for future changes. Developers are encouraged to try TypeScript 7.0 previews and adopt version 6.0 to familiarize themselves with the upcoming updates.

Threadprocs – executables sharing one address space (0-copy pointers)

A new project, “threadprocs,” enables multiple independent programs to share a single address space, effectively allowing pointers to be valid across processes without modification. This approach aims to simplify systems that utilize shared memory by eliminating data copying and serialization, falling between traditional threads and multi-process architectures. While experimental and with limitations, the project explores a novel way to manage process memory boundaries.

Sed, a powerfull mini-language from the 70s

Sed, a Unix utility often perceived as a simple text editor, is actually a powerful, albeit obscure, programming language capable of complex text processing. It utilizes features like loops and “hold space” to manipulate data streams, enabling advanced operations beyond basic line editing and transforming it into a full-fledged programming tool. This allows users to process and transform text in ways that go beyond simple filtering.

Postgres Traffic Control

PlanetScale’s new Database Traffic Control system provides real-time resource budget enforcement for Postgres databases. Using rules based on query patterns, application names, or user tags, it limits resource consumption like CPU and concurrency. This feature helps prevent performance issues and outages by prioritizing and managing different workloads.

Launching Cloudflare’s Gen 13 servers

Cloudflare has launched its Gen 13 server fleet, utilizing AMD EPYC 5th Gen Turin processors to prioritize throughput and core count. To address performance limitations caused by reduced cache, Cloudflare developed FL2, a new request handling layer, allowing them to fully leverage the new hardware. This upgrade unlocks significant performance gains while maintaining service level agreements.

Fyn: An uv fork with new features, bug fixes, stripped telemetry

Fyn is a new, exceptionally fast Python package and project manager written in Rust, designed to replace tools like pip and Poetry. It offers significant speed improvements, comprehensive project management features including a task runner and virtual environment activation, and prioritizes user privacy by excluding telemetry. Fyn is available for macOS, Linux, and Windows.

GitHub appears to be struggling with measly three nines availability

GitHub has recently experienced numerous outages and slowdowns impacting services like Actions and Copilot, raising concerns about its reliability. The company’s uptime has reportedly fallen below 90%, failing to meet its stated 99.9% SLA for Enterprise customers. This instability reflects a broader challenge for cloud providers in maintaining consistently high availability.

Digs: Offline-first iOS app to browse your Discogs vinyl collection

Digs is a free, offline-first iOS app designed for browsing Discogs vinyl collections. It synchronizes a user’s Discogs collection, enabling offline browsing, searching, and random record selection, while still using Discogs for collection management. The app utilizes a token-bucket rate limiter to comply with Discogs API limits and is built using React Native and Expo.

Dataframe 1.0.0.0

The Polars library has released version 1.0.0.0 of its dataframes, introducing typed dataframes with compile-time schema tracking for improved data integrity and efficiency. This release includes interoperability with Python via Apache Arrow and supports querying large datasets, including those from Hugging Face and larger-than-memory files. Future development will focus on expanding data connectors, supporting various data formats, and integrating with AI agents.

Intuitions for Tranformer Circuits

The article explores mechanistic interpretability, a field focused on understanding how machine learning models, specifically transformers, function internally. It introduces a framework for analyzing simplified transformer architectures, emphasizing concepts like the “residual stream” that enables information flow. The author aims to clarify these concepts for newcomers, contributing to efforts in AI alignment and safety.

Chip Startup Lace Nabs $40M for Novel Lithography Tech

President Trump postponed planned U.S.-Israeli military strikes against Iran following talks with an Iranian official, causing oil prices to drop significantly. The decision occurred amidst disruptions to U.S. air travel due to a runway accident at LaGuardia Airport and ongoing personnel shortages. French nationalist parties saw varying outcomes in recent municipal elections.

Samsung Adds AirDrop Support via Quick Share

Samsung is integrating Apple’s AirDrop functionality into its Quick Share feature, beginning with the Galaxy S26 series in South Korea. The update will allow Galaxy phone users to directly share files with iPhones and Mac computers. Samsung plans to expand AirDrop compatibility to additional Galaxy devices and regions in the future.

UW Computing & Apple Rivalry

The University of Washington IT department is undergoing restructuring and expanding its computing infrastructure with new systems, shifting some maintenance responsibilities to external engineers. Simultaneously, Apple is preparing for a leadership transition, with John Ternus, the hardware engineering SVP, emerging as the likely successor to CEO Tim Cook and assuming broader responsibilities. These changes indicate shifts in both academic technology and corporate leadership.

Rewriting a 20-year-old Python library

The popular Python library “akismet,” used to interact with the Akismet spam filtering service, has been completely rewritten after nearly two decades. The update addressed limitations in the original code and enabled support for a new Akismet API feature, modernizing the library and simplifying its configuration. This volunteer-led project highlights the ongoing need for updates even in established software projects.

Tackling IPv4 Address Exhaustion in Amazon EKS Clusters - Blog

Amazon EKS clusters can experience IPv4 address exhaustion due to limitations in VPC IP availability and the way the VPC CNI plugin manages pod IP addresses. The plugin’s reliance on EC2 instance limits for Elastic Network Interfaces (ENIs) restricts the number of assignable IPs. While IPv6 is a long-term solution, various practices can be implemented to increase the available IP addresses and prevent this issue.

From error-handling to structured concurrency

The article examines error handling in concurrent programs, highlighting the challenges of adapting traditional stack-unwinding methods to systems with multiple tasks. Current approaches, either terminating individual threads or the entire program upon error, are deemed inadequate. The author seeks a better solution for managing errors in concurrent environments.

Generators in lone lisp

The Lone Lisp programming language has introduced a new generator type designed to improve iteration performance. Unlike previous approaches using delimited continuations, these generators utilize semicoroutines – specialized coroutines that only yield to their own callers – to avoid costly stack copying. This implementation employs separate, switchable stacks for enhanced efficiency.

An Incoherent Rust

The Rust programming language’s design, specifically its coherence rules and orphan rules, is creating challenges for ecosystem development. These rules, intended to prevent conflicts, inadvertently restrict the adoption of alternative libraries and make replacing foundational crates difficult. This complexity ultimately hinders innovation and slows down the evolution of the Rust ecosystem.

Gram 1.1.0 released

Gram 1.1.0 has been released, introducing new app icons and a significant shift to a wgpu-based renderer for improved stability and Linux compatibility. This version expands Linux support with new package formats and enhances language and extension capabilities. Developers encourage users to support the project through usage, contributions, or donations.

The way CTRL-C in Postgres CLI cancels queries is incredibly hack-y

The psql command-line interface for PostgreSQL utilizes a “hacky” method to cancel queries, sending unencrypted requests that could pose a security risk. This plaintext communication leaves the system vulnerable to Denial-of-Service attacks, although a future psql release plans to implement encrypted cancellation functions. While recent PostgreSQL versions have increased the secret key size, psql has not yet adopted this security enhancement.

📰 Media & Culture

Calling out corporate BS? There’s a steaming pile to aim for

A recent Cornell University study found a correlation between susceptibility to corporate jargon and weaker analytical skills. Researchers suggest jargon is often used to signal status and obscure simple concepts, rather than convey meaningful information. The study notes that the practice of mocking corporate jargon, known as “bullshit bingo,” is common in fields valuing critical thinking.

OnlyFans Owner Dies

Leonid Radvinsky, the billionaire owner of OnlyFans, has died of cancer at age 43. He acquired the platform in 2018, overseeing its rapid growth to over 300 million users, and was reportedly in talks to sell it for $8 billion. His death leaves uncertainty about the future of OnlyFans and its parent company, Fenix.

New Samsung smartphone now supports AirDrop from iPhone

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Children see porn on 4chan unchecked: site fined £450,000, refuses to comply

Due to legal action, 4chan has been fined £450,000 for failing to prevent children from accessing pornography on its platform. The site has reportedly refused to comply with the ruling, indicating ongoing legal challenges. The incident highlights concerns regarding online safety and the responsibility of platforms to protect vulnerable users.

Is it a pint?

A citizen-led movement called the Pint Patrol has emerged after observations revealed that many establishments are not accurately serving the advertised pint sizes for beer, wine, and cider. The movement aims to promote honesty and accuracy in serving sizes across the United States. The article details the initial findings that sparked the formation of the Pint Patrol.

355 Issues of the UK music magazine NME from 1969-1983

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GB News seems to have become Reform TV–and Ofcom hasn’t stopped it

Recent analysis suggests GB News is exhibiting a strong right-wing bias, potentially aligning with the political agenda of the Reform Party, despite initial denials. Critics contend that regulatory bodies like Ofcom have failed to effectively hold the broadcaster accountable for impartiality breaches. This situation is linked to broader issues of inadequate regulation in Britain, stemming from privatization policies enacted decades ago.

Abstract Wikipedia

Abstract Wikipedia, a Wikimedia project launched in beta in March 2026, aims to create language-independent articles using data from Wikifunctions and Wikidata. The collaborative project allows anyone to contribute and seeks to expand the Wikimedia article base. It is part of the Wikimedia family and connects to various other Wikimedia initiatives.

“Collaboration” Is Bullshit

A recent article argues that the modern workplace emphasis on “collaboration” is often a facade, masking a reality where a small percentage of employees contribute the majority of work. This pattern, observed across industries and historically, leads to diminished individual accountability and a focus on appearances rather than genuine output. The article suggests organizations prioritize teamwork rituals over actual results.

The machine didn’t take your craft. You gave it up

The article challenges the common belief that technology or market forces can steal someone’s passion for a craft. It argues that the perceived loss of love for a craft isn’t alienation imposed by external systems, but rather a reflection of individual choices and values. Ultimately, the piece emphasizes that personal fulfillment and external rewards create universal tensions, independent of technological advancements or economic pressures.

Markdown Ate the World

The evolution of word processing led to the complex .doc file format, designed to bundle various features into a single file. However, the .doc format’s intricate structure and the unreliable computing environments of the time made it frequently prone to data corruption and loss. This widespread corruption frustrated users and highlighted the challenges of early digital document management.

The Death of Character in Game Console Interfaces

Modern game console interfaces are increasingly adopting utilitarian designs similar to computers, a departure from the unique and engaging interfaces of older consoles like the Nintendo Wii and GameCube. This shift prioritizes efficiency over personality, potentially diminishing the immersive and exploratory feel that defined previous console experiences. The trend risks reducing consoles to simple appliances rather than distinct entertainment platforms.