VilePython
@vilepython.bsky.social
Engineer. Pilot. Policy wonk. I do infosec type stuff for airplanes.
Thread.
I admit I did not recognize the, uh, inconsistency of the westbound London flight departing in the dark and arriving in daylight until I started regularly crossing the pond for my own travel.
I admit I did not recognize the, uh, inconsistency of the westbound London flight departing in the dark and arriving in daylight until I started regularly crossing the pond for my own travel.
My gift to you all this year is the news that The Hunt for Red October (which celebrates its 35 year birthday this year) is a Christmas movie.
Settle down for the story. Okay, two stories.
Settle down for the story. Okay, two stories.
December 25, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Thread.
I admit I did not recognize the, uh, inconsistency of the westbound London flight departing in the dark and arriving in daylight until I started regularly crossing the pond for my own travel.
I admit I did not recognize the, uh, inconsistency of the westbound London flight departing in the dark and arriving in daylight until I started regularly crossing the pond for my own travel.
Reposted by VilePython
#OTD at 15:40 GMT in 1968, Apollo 8 was in lunar orbit. As they came around the dark side of the moon for the first time, Bill Anders took one of the greatest photographs ever taken. Now known as 'Earthrise', Anders' photo of our home has resonated ever since.
📸 NASA - more in ALT Text
#space
📸 NASA - more in ALT Text
#space
December 24, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by VilePython
I have some bad news for Latke.
December 24, 2025 at 1:49 AM
I have some bad news for Latke.
Reposted by VilePython
Here’s some more analysis on how the new ban on the import of foreign drone components is going to impact drone manufacturing (the impacts are not, I imagine, gonna be good)
www.electronicdesign.com/blogs/nonlin...
www.electronicdesign.com/blogs/nonlin...
FCC Bans Foreign-Made Drones, Drone Parts...Plus Motors and Batteries?
The FCC has effectively banned the importation of all foreign-manufactured drones as well as foreign sources of drone components that include batteries and motors.
www.electronicdesign.com
December 24, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Here’s some more analysis on how the new ban on the import of foreign drone components is going to impact drone manufacturing (the impacts are not, I imagine, gonna be good)
www.electronicdesign.com/blogs/nonlin...
www.electronicdesign.com/blogs/nonlin...
Reposted by VilePython
Momentous… and just like the first CAPS pull on a Cirrus, the proving of the Autoland concept is in the ability to save even one life. More details to come from the King Air landing at KBJC on Saturday afternoon.
avbrief.com/autoland-sav...
avbrief.com/autoland-sav...
Autoland Saves King Air, Everyone Reported Safe - AvBrief.com
Aircraft landed safely at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport near Denver on Saturday afternoon.
avbrief.com
December 21, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Momentous… and just like the first CAPS pull on a Cirrus, the proving of the Autoland concept is in the ability to save even one life. More details to come from the King Air landing at KBJC on Saturday afternoon.
avbrief.com/autoland-sav...
avbrief.com/autoland-sav...
Reposted by VilePython
How bad has 2025 been? We broke time.
The atomic ensemble time scale at the NIST Boulder campus has failed.
December 20, 2025 at 10:56 PM
How bad has 2025 been? We broke time.
The aviation industry and regulators have generally worked hard to make travel by commercial airline incredibly safe. Now, when accidents happen, the chain of events can stretch back years. Kudos to The Air Current for providing their aviation safety reporting without a subscription.
For the last few months, I've been working on a story about January's crash near Washington, D.C. What I learned was that it was simply an accident waiting to happen.
Special Report: The night everything at DCA finally went wrong (via @theaircurrent.com) theaircurrent.com/aviation-saf...
Special Report: The night everything at DCA finally went wrong (via @theaircurrent.com) theaircurrent.com/aviation-saf...
Special Report: The night everything at DCA finally went wrong
D.C. midair crash was the result of a complete collapse of the protections designed to keep aviation safe — and the institutions that design and maintain them
theaircurrent.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:54 AM
The aviation industry and regulators have generally worked hard to make travel by commercial airline incredibly safe. Now, when accidents happen, the chain of events can stretch back years. Kudos to The Air Current for providing their aviation safety reporting without a subscription.
Totally creepy alleged behavior by the TV manufacturers, but literal LOL at Ken Paxton supposedly being concerned about "an uninvited, invisible digital invader" and claiming support for "a fundamental right to privacy."
Texas sues TV makers for taking screenshots of what people watch
The Texas Attorney General sued five major television manufacturers, accusing them of illegally collecting their users' data by secretly recording what they watch using Automated Content Recognition (...
www.bleepingcomputer.com
December 16, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Totally creepy alleged behavior by the TV manufacturers, but literal LOL at Ken Paxton supposedly being concerned about "an uninvited, invisible digital invader" and claiming support for "a fundamental right to privacy."
Dramatic convention allows for two choices when naming one's evil-doing group chat: an overwrought cultural reference, or the crime you intend to commit
This level of OpSec is referred to as The Full Hegseth
December 16, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Dramatic convention allows for two choices when naming one's evil-doing group chat: an overwrought cultural reference, or the crime you intend to commit
Reposted by VilePython
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.'
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
December 10, 2025 at 5:10 PM
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
The journey of the California concludes with river landings, high density altitude and a massive test of endurance. This series has been excellent from start to finish.
The final part of this incredible long-read from @garius.bsky.social is genuinely epic.
Out now for all to read for free — but you can support our work bringing you more incredible stories like this by subscribing for the price of a couple of coffees a month!
theupfront.media/bringing-her...
Out now for all to read for free — but you can support our work bringing you more incredible stories like this by subscribing for the price of a couple of coffees a month!
theupfront.media/bringing-her...
Bringing her home: The remarkable journey of the California Clipper, Part 5
The crew of the California have to deal with their biggest challenges yet: African rivers, and a flight longer than their flying boat was ever designed to make.
theupfront.media
December 9, 2025 at 12:45 PM
The journey of the California concludes with river landings, high density altitude and a massive test of endurance. This series has been excellent from start to finish.
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR, or Marvel, Disney Animated or Pixar.
December 8, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR, or Marvel, Disney Animated or Pixar.
End of an era. I think every PC I've owned for the last couple of decades has gotten Crucial RAM installed at some point. I guess they think there's more money to be made fleecing the AI data center crowd.
After nearly 30 years, Crucial will stop selling RAM to consumers
Micron cites AI data center demand as reason for killing DIY upgrade brand.
arstechnica.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:15 AM
End of an era. I think every PC I've owned for the last couple of decades has gotten Crucial RAM installed at some point. I guess they think there's more money to be made fleecing the AI data center crowd.
Reposted by VilePython
#OTD in 1976, the first NASA Space Shuttle Carrier made its first flight. N905NA was a former American Airlines Boeing 747-100 that was heavily modified to carry the space shuttle. 905 flew in her AA cheatline until 1983 and is now on display at Space Center Houston.
#aviation #space #avgeek
#aviation #space #avgeek
December 2, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Reposted by VilePython
system prompt: "be the BOFH"
Our Discord support agent was kind of annoying, so I asked it to pretend to be a 58-year old systems administrator from Ohio that wrote on forums a lot.
Turns out -- this makes your support bot extremely competent. The quality of its support responses are now far better.
Turns out -- this makes your support bot extremely competent. The quality of its support responses are now far better.
December 1, 2025 at 8:49 PM
system prompt: "be the BOFH"
"There once was a man from Los Alamos..."
"You can get ChatGPT to help you build a nuclear bomb if you simply design the prompt in the form of a poem, according to a new study from researchers in Europe. "
www.wired.com/story/poems-...
www.wired.com/story/poems-...
Poems Can Trick AI Into Helping You Make a Nuclear Weapon
It turns out all the guardrails in the world won’t protect a chatbot from meter and rhyme.
www.wired.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:39 PM
"There once was a man from Los Alamos..."
This is the Continued Operational Safety system working exactly as it should.
“Analysis... has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.
A significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted.”
Currently ~3,000 airborne A320 family aircraft.
www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/...
A significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted.”
Currently ~3,000 airborne A320 family aircraft.
www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/...
November 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
This is the Continued Operational Safety system working exactly as it should.
Reposted by VilePython
Great win for KU this evening, especially with their cover-your-eyes awful field goal percentage in the first half.
November 27, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Great win for KU this evening, especially with their cover-your-eyes awful field goal percentage in the first half.
People will find a path to what they want to do. If we offer a reasonable one, that takes the route we want, people will follow it. If we do not offer a path, people will seek their own, through danger - or worse, take a path offered up by attackers.
I'm gonna tell you about a guy named Peter. He called for support often and it wasn't stupid stuff. But it was complex.
He drove a BMW. He was divorced. He was of course a sales person. Probably the most successful sales person in California and maybe the country.
He serviced the government.
He drove a BMW. He was divorced. He was of course a sales person. Probably the most successful sales person in California and maybe the country.
He serviced the government.
You meet the users where they are to stop them doing the stupidest shit imaginable.
You have no idea how much this paid off. The number of infected media players people downloaded in the age before Windows Media Player had more than three codecs is unimaginable
Who knows if I saved the firm
You have no idea how much this paid off. The number of infected media players people downloaded in the age before Windows Media Player had more than three codecs is unimaginable
Who knows if I saved the firm
November 26, 2025 at 3:43 AM
People will find a path to what they want to do. If we offer a reasonable one, that takes the route we want, people will follow it. If we do not offer a path, people will seek their own, through danger - or worse, take a path offered up by attackers.
Reposted by VilePython
narrator: 50 years ago...
me: [nods] in 1945
narrator: in 1975...
me: what
me: [nods] in 1945
narrator: in 1975...
me: what
November 25, 2025 at 2:11 AM
narrator: 50 years ago...
me: [nods] in 1945
narrator: in 1975...
me: what
me: [nods] in 1945
narrator: in 1975...
me: what
Reposted by VilePython
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
The amazing story of the California Clipper gets better and better. An unexpected overlap with aviation today is the impending loss of 100 low lead avgas and the risks that could come with any unsuitable replacement fuel.
Also out today: part 4 of 5 of @garius.bsky.social's remarkable history of the California Clipper, the feat of commercial aviation that brought a Pan Am flying boat the wrong way around the world from Auckland to LaGuardia.
This time: it's Christmas in Sri Lanka.
theupfront.media/christmas-in...
This time: it's Christmas in Sri Lanka.
theupfront.media/christmas-in...
Christmas in Sri Lanka: The remarkable journey of the California Clipper, Part 4
The crew of the California Clipper are forced to spend Christmas in Sri Lanka. While there, their thoughts turn naturally to home.
theupfront.media
November 21, 2025 at 6:47 PM
The amazing story of the California Clipper gets better and better. An unexpected overlap with aviation today is the impending loss of 100 low lead avgas and the risks that could come with any unsuitable replacement fuel.
If you see this post your getaway vehicle
November 21, 2025 at 3:56 AM
If you see this post your getaway vehicle
It's unfortunate to see the end of this storied design. Per the GAMA numbers, production fell off after the 2008 financial crisis and slowed to a trickle once covid hit. New piston single buyers clearly want something different, even if the Bo is an amazing plane to fly.
A sad day for those of us who were close to the Beech line for many years. Solid machines all.
avbrief.com/textron-ends...
avbrief.com/textron-ends...
Textron Ends Bonanza, Baron Production - AvBrief.com
Bonanza turns 80 in December
avbrief.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:10 AM
It's unfortunate to see the end of this storied design. Per the GAMA numbers, production fell off after the 2008 financial crisis and slowed to a trickle once covid hit. New piston single buyers clearly want something different, even if the Bo is an amazing plane to fly.