John
@bostonenginerd.com
I love cats. I love every kind of cat.
Reposted by John
Banning VPNs sets a dangerous precedent.
It gives governments and corporations more power to decide when and how we can practice free speech, while eroding privacy and limiting access to information.
It gives governments and corporations more power to decide when and how we can practice free speech, while eroding privacy and limiting access to information.
ICYMI: We launched a global campaign to stop VPN ban legislation & led a kickass VPN Defense Day of Action: “ While it's unlikely the Michigan law will go into effect, observers stress it as a major milestone in a nationwide struggle over informational freedoms.”
www.slashgear.com/1998517/us-s...
www.slashgear.com/1998517/us-s...
US States Want To Ban VPNs, But Citizens Are Already Fighting Back - SlashGear
The Michigan ban is about more than moderating content. VPNs play an essential role in protecting citizens' right to access and share information.
www.slashgear.com
October 29, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Banning VPNs sets a dangerous precedent.
It gives governments and corporations more power to decide when and how we can practice free speech, while eroding privacy and limiting access to information.
It gives governments and corporations more power to decide when and how we can practice free speech, while eroding privacy and limiting access to information.
Reposted by John
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).
It’s also concerning. 1/
It’s also concerning. 1/
PSA: we're aware that Signal is down for some people. This appears to be related to a major AWS outage. Stand by.
October 27, 2025 at 10:38 AM
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).
It’s also concerning. 1/
It’s also concerning. 1/
Reposted by John
California made history in 2025. 🌞⚡ Solar is now the state’s #1 electricity source, overtaking gas (83.1 vs 81.6 TWh). In under a decade, solar surged from marginal to dominant. Big kudos to California—proof the clean energy future is not capacity, it’s generation. More to come! #EnergyTransition
September 28, 2025 at 10:29 AM
California made history in 2025. 🌞⚡ Solar is now the state’s #1 electricity source, overtaking gas (83.1 vs 81.6 TWh). In under a decade, solar surged from marginal to dominant. Big kudos to California—proof the clean energy future is not capacity, it’s generation. More to come! #EnergyTransition
Lovely time today at the Cambridge Science Festival! Thanks to the #MITMuseum, the sponsors and volunteers for organizing the event today!
September 21, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Lovely time today at the Cambridge Science Festival! Thanks to the #MITMuseum, the sponsors and volunteers for organizing the event today!
MRNA-based treatments are one of the most exciting things which have happened in my lifetime. We need to keep moving forward on biotech.
www.noahpinion.blog/p/did-rfk-ju...
www.noahpinion.blog/p/did-rfk-ju...
Did RFK just take away your cancer treatment?
mRNA promised to help turn cancer from a death sentence into a manageable condition.
www.noahpinion.blog
August 9, 2025 at 5:06 PM
MRNA-based treatments are one of the most exciting things which have happened in my lifetime. We need to keep moving forward on biotech.
www.noahpinion.blog/p/did-rfk-ju...
www.noahpinion.blog/p/did-rfk-ju...
Minimize information gathering and information stored in state databases, regulate information collected and stored by private companies including location information and communication metadata.
Recent federal policy changes have raised questions about protections for immigrants, international students, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and disabled people. What can federal, state, and local leaders do to better protect vulnerable communities in Massachusetts?
#MAPoli
#MAPoli
July 17, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Minimize information gathering and information stored in state databases, regulate information collected and stored by private companies including location information and communication metadata.
Just put a GE heat pump washer / dryer combo in my house, and it’s blowing me away with how energy efficient it is. On the loads I’ve run so far, it’s used around 1kWh for washing and drying. The old units used around 8kWh for the same load.
#electrifyallthethings
#electrifyallthethings
July 12, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Just put a GE heat pump washer / dryer combo in my house, and it’s blowing me away with how energy efficient it is. On the loads I’ve run so far, it’s used around 1kWh for washing and drying. The old units used around 8kWh for the same load.
#electrifyallthethings
#electrifyallthethings
Disappointed that @bsky.app has capitulated to the UK age verification laws -- age verification = identity verification and the end of pseudonymous speech.
bsky.social/about/blog/0...
bsky.social/about/blog/0...
Working with the UK Government to Protect Children Online - Bluesky
Part of Bluesky’s mission to create a more open and decentralized social web is helping users feel safe and in control of their experience. We always try to balance safety with privacy, and free expre...
bsky.social
July 11, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Disappointed that @bsky.app has capitulated to the UK age verification laws -- age verification = identity verification and the end of pseudonymous speech.
bsky.social/about/blog/0...
bsky.social/about/blog/0...
Just setup wallabag as my @mozilla.org Pocket replacement. Sad to see that service is going away, but looking forward to self-hosting another service!
wallabag.org
wallabag.org
Save the web, freely | wallabag: a self hostable application for saving web pages
wallabag.org
May 29, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Just setup wallabag as my @mozilla.org Pocket replacement. Sad to see that service is going away, but looking forward to self-hosting another service!
wallabag.org
wallabag.org
Achievement Unlocked: Finished the Costco package of asparagus before it rotted.
May 26, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Achievement Unlocked: Finished the Costco package of asparagus before it rotted.
Reposted by John
I cannot emphasize this enough: Please do not use AI tools as therapy. Not only is it not a good replacement for actual therapy, but your chat logs could be shared with the government, and I don't think you need a reminder that especially right now in the US, that could put you in danger.
AI therapy is a surveillance machine in a police state
Big Tech wants you to share your private thoughts with chatbots — while backing a government with contempt for privacy.
www.theverge.com
May 18, 2025 at 5:55 PM
I cannot emphasize this enough: Please do not use AI tools as therapy. Not only is it not a good replacement for actual therapy, but your chat logs could be shared with the government, and I don't think you need a reminder that especially right now in the US, that could put you in danger.
Really bummed that the Iotawatt won't be produced locally any longer. This is one of the most useful devices we have in our house.
The device was made in the US out of globally sourced material, and was made uneconomic by the tariffs.
community.iotawatt.com/t/ending-pro...
The device was made in the US out of globally sourced material, and was made uneconomic by the tariffs.
community.iotawatt.com/t/ending-pro...
Ending production
Sadly, the current business climate in America has become so unpredictable for small businesses that I’ve decided to stop making IoTaWatt units. My suppliers have put me on notice that they reserve th...
community.iotawatt.com
May 19, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Really bummed that the Iotawatt won't be produced locally any longer. This is one of the most useful devices we have in our house.
The device was made in the US out of globally sourced material, and was made uneconomic by the tariffs.
community.iotawatt.com/t/ending-pro...
The device was made in the US out of globally sourced material, and was made uneconomic by the tariffs.
community.iotawatt.com/t/ending-pro...
Reposted by John
From Jeffrey Toobin's 2008 book THE NINE, this remains the greatest Justice Souter anecdote I can possibly share. RIP.
May 9, 2025 at 2:18 PM
From Jeffrey Toobin's 2008 book THE NINE, this remains the greatest Justice Souter anecdote I can possibly share. RIP.
Reposted by John
More data supporting the need to restrict vehicle sizes. Car bloat is killing people, plain and simple.
May 2, 2025 at 9:48 AM
More data supporting the need to restrict vehicle sizes. Car bloat is killing people, plain and simple.
Reposted by John
Reposted by John
I knew the U.S. higher education system was a massive draw for foreigners, but I did not know the U.S. sold more educational services to the rest of the world than it did natural gas and coal combined. Great piece by @crampell.bsky.social
April 18, 2025 at 2:23 PM
I knew the U.S. higher education system was a massive draw for foreigners, but I did not know the U.S. sold more educational services to the rest of the world than it did natural gas and coal combined. Great piece by @crampell.bsky.social
Reposted by John
the Dunkin’ logo has never felt more accurate
March 29, 2025 at 4:06 PM
the Dunkin’ logo has never felt more accurate
Reposted by John
I don’t think foreign adversaries can hack Signal either, but they can definitely hack normal consumer devices that run Signal, and social engineer their way into Signal groups
Bondi says she thinks Signal is a safe way to communicate and foreign adversaries can’t hack it (the US intelligence community begs to differ … )
March 28, 2025 at 1:16 AM
I don’t think foreign adversaries can hack Signal either, but they can definitely hack normal consumer devices that run Signal, and social engineer their way into Signal groups
Reposted by John
Signal's a great app to keep your communications secure, but make sure you know the identities of the users in your group chats.
Our SSD guide on how to use Signal includes guidance on managing your group chat preferences.
Our SSD guide on how to use Signal includes guidance on managing your group chat preferences.
How to: Use Signal
Download location: Google Play Store, Apple App Store
System requirements: Android 5 or later, iOS 13 or later
Version used in this guide: Android: 7.0. iPhone: 7.0
License: GPLv3
Level: Beginner
Time...
ssd.eff.org
March 24, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Signal's a great app to keep your communications secure, but make sure you know the identities of the users in your group chats.
Our SSD guide on how to use Signal includes guidance on managing your group chat preferences.
Our SSD guide on how to use Signal includes guidance on managing your group chat preferences.
Reposted by John
Sigh. Here we go again. It's really important that people are smart about this story re: Trump admin using Signal to discuss war plans.
The center-left media wants to make the story about Trump admin fucking up, which they did. But in the process they're falsely implying that Signal is "insecure."🧵
The center-left media wants to make the story about Trump admin fucking up, which they did. But in the process they're falsely implying that Signal is "insecure."🧵
March 25, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Sigh. Here we go again. It's really important that people are smart about this story re: Trump admin using Signal to discuss war plans.
The center-left media wants to make the story about Trump admin fucking up, which they did. But in the process they're falsely implying that Signal is "insecure."🧵
The center-left media wants to make the story about Trump admin fucking up, which they did. But in the process they're falsely implying that Signal is "insecure."🧵
Reposted by John
Using tax info to target undocumented people puts the lie to the claim that undocumented people don't pay taxes. It also makes them much less likely to pay taxes in the future.
It's similar to detaining them at hearings and check-ins while claiming they never show up for hearings and check-ins.
It's similar to detaining them at hearings and check-ins while claiming they never show up for hearings and check-ins.
🚨 NEW 🚨
The IRS is on the cusp of an agreement with ICE to assist with deportations.
The IRS would use confidential taxpayer information to verify addresses of suspected undocumented immigrants ICE is attempting to locate, @jeffstein.bsky.social & I can report.
The IRS is on the cusp of an agreement with ICE to assist with deportations.
The IRS would use confidential taxpayer information to verify addresses of suspected undocumented immigrants ICE is attempting to locate, @jeffstein.bsky.social & I can report.
IRS nears deal with ICE to share addresses of suspected undocumented immigrants
The move toward information-sharing comes as President Donald Trump pushes his administration to use every resource to conduct what he hopes will be the largest mass deportation of immigrants in U.S. ...
www.washingtonpost.com
March 22, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Using tax info to target undocumented people puts the lie to the claim that undocumented people don't pay taxes. It also makes them much less likely to pay taxes in the future.
It's similar to detaining them at hearings and check-ins while claiming they never show up for hearings and check-ins.
It's similar to detaining them at hearings and check-ins while claiming they never show up for hearings and check-ins.
Reposted by John
It's Monday, which is a good day to remember that the data broker industry must be destroyed: gizmodo.com/data-broker-...
Data Broker Brags About Having Highly Detailed Personal Information on Nearly All Internet Users
The advertising industry is immensely powerful, and disturbingly opaque.
gizmodo.com
March 17, 2025 at 5:53 PM
It's Monday, which is a good day to remember that the data broker industry must be destroyed: gizmodo.com/data-broker-...
Reposted by John
A big shout-out to @gbhnews for another incredible podcast series! I'm midway through "Scratch & Win", which documents the meteoric rise of the Massachusetts State Lottery, and it's pure nerd catnip: organized crime, gambling, power, machine politics, combinatorics, computer science history! I […]
Original post on infosec.exchange
infosec.exchange
February 27, 2025 at 11:05 PM
A big shout-out to @gbhnews for another incredible podcast series! I'm midway through "Scratch & Win", which documents the meteoric rise of the Massachusetts State Lottery, and it's pure nerd catnip: organized crime, gambling, power, machine politics, combinatorics, computer science history! I […]