eric
@cosmic-ray.net
professional geek. eric_hummel on the bird site and insta
Reposted by eric
Whoa! Mind blown: the s/ORIG/NEW/ syntax predates Unix:
actually that editing syntax predates computers by more than a century: it's traditional copyeditor markup!
January 21, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Whoa! Mind blown: the s/ORIG/NEW/ syntax predates Unix:
Reposted by eric
Melting Ice Caps Expose Hundreds Of Secret Arctic Lairs https://theonion.com/melting-ice-caps-expose-hundreds-of-secret-arctic-lairs-1819571016/
January 8, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Melting Ice Caps Expose Hundreds Of Secret Arctic Lairs https://theonion.com/melting-ice-caps-expose-hundreds-of-secret-arctic-lairs-1819571016/
Reposted by eric
Oh man. I've been trying to write something kinda sorta like this (not quite, but close). But, yeah, this is worth reading.
I've spent a couple of days working on this one, and it didn't end up quite where I expected it to. But I think this is the clearest way I can describe where my head's at, why I approach LLMs in the way that I do, and why, while it's describing-not-prescribing, it's a little light prescribing too.
The abstraction you didn't ask for
When I say
ed3d.net
December 31, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Oh man. I've been trying to write something kinda sorta like this (not quite, but close). But, yeah, this is worth reading.
Reposted by eric
I was recently reminded of this.
A couple decades ago, I wrote a short paper that described how the basic approaches of cryptography and computer security lead to an efficient and practical privilege escalation attack against master-keyed mechanical lock, which I published in IEEE Security and […]
A couple decades ago, I wrote a short paper that described how the basic approaches of cryptography and computer security lead to an efficient and practical privilege escalation attack against master-keyed mechanical lock, which I published in IEEE Security and […]
Original post on federate.social
federate.social
December 29, 2025 at 1:41 AM
I was recently reminded of this.
A couple decades ago, I wrote a short paper that described how the basic approaches of cryptography and computer security lead to an efficient and practical privilege escalation attack against master-keyed mechanical lock, which I published in IEEE Security and […]
A couple decades ago, I wrote a short paper that described how the basic approaches of cryptography and computer security lead to an efficient and practical privilege escalation attack against master-keyed mechanical lock, which I published in IEEE Security and […]
Reposted by eric
Stunning new revelation: Epstein hung out almost exclusively with guys who had black boxes where their heads should be.
December 19, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Stunning new revelation: Epstein hung out almost exclusively with guys who had black boxes where their heads should be.
Reposted by eric
This is a pretty interesting piece. Love or hate the idea of mixing federal pardons with state crimes, you need to read this.
I don't know, Aaron. I think we need to take this seriously. In fact, after surveying hundreds of years of history in the past few days, I've written an article assessing the originalist case here:
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
December 16, 2025 at 5:27 PM
This is a pretty interesting piece. Love or hate the idea of mixing federal pardons with state crimes, you need to read this.
Reposted by eric
Reposted by eric
Today in “Dudes Rock”:
A dude playing Dire Straits’s “Sultans of Swing” guitar solo on…a recorder.
A dude playing Dire Straits’s “Sultans of Swing” guitar solo on…a recorder.
December 12, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Today in “Dudes Rock”:
A dude playing Dire Straits’s “Sultans of Swing” guitar solo on…a recorder.
A dude playing Dire Straits’s “Sultans of Swing” guitar solo on…a recorder.
Reposted by eric
twenty twenty-five
a horror story
December 11, 2025 at 12:18 PM
twenty twenty-five
Reposted by eric
This is incredible.
Will Arnett was on Conan and told a story about how Conan dealt with the death of his parents by accusing Jason Bateman of killing them. It’s so funny.
December 9, 2025 at 5:57 PM
This is incredible.
Reposted by eric
"You mutter 'What fresh hell is this?' every ten minutes."
America in 2025 or Hollow Knight: Silksong?
1. It’s the hotly anticipated sequel of a late 2010s, grimdark existential nightmare. 2. The economy is really, really bad. Like. Really bad. 3. Th...
buff.ly
November 22, 2025 at 5:30 PM
"You mutter 'What fresh hell is this?' every ten minutes."
Reposted by eric
I really wish we'd stop calling them climate "skeptics" or "vaccine skeptics", if you jump off a cliff we don't call you a "gravity skeptic"
November 25, 2025 at 8:18 PM
I really wish we'd stop calling them climate "skeptics" or "vaccine skeptics", if you jump off a cliff we don't call you a "gravity skeptic"
Reposted by eric
new euphemism for "fact" dropped, today's is "scientific orthodoxy"
Breaking News: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he personally instructed the CDC to abandon its position that vaccines do not cause autism. The move underscores his determination to challenge scientific orthodoxy — in this case, that vaccines save lives — and bend the health department to his will.
RFK Jr. Says He Instructed CDC to Change Vaccines and Autism Language on Website
In an interview, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited gaps in vaccine safety research. His critics say he is ignoring a larger point: Vaccines save lives.
nyti.ms
November 21, 2025 at 7:10 PM
new euphemism for "fact" dropped, today's is "scientific orthodoxy"
Reposted by eric
This was genuinely the best Weekend Update in a very long time. Expectedly dark.
youtu.be/SesRWE02PIU
youtu.be/SesRWE02PIU
Weekend Update: Government Shutdown Ends, Epstein Email Says Trump "Knew About the Girls" - SNL
YouTube video by Saturday Night Live
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 3:17 PM
This was genuinely the best Weekend Update in a very long time. Expectedly dark.
youtu.be/SesRWE02PIU
youtu.be/SesRWE02PIU
Reposted by eric
"It’s impossible to say when IT will HAPPEN. But it can’t be too long until IT HAPPENS. Looking at the data, it is statistically plausible that IT will HAPPEN in the next thirty-six months. Eighteen, if you factor in hamburger consumption and all the weird bruising."
When It Happens
It’s been so long, you sometimes forget that eventually, IT will HAPPEN. It’s impossible to say when IT will HAPPEN. But it can’t be too long until...
buff.ly
November 15, 2025 at 2:40 AM
"It’s impossible to say when IT will HAPPEN. But it can’t be too long until IT HAPPENS. Looking at the data, it is statistically plausible that IT will HAPPEN in the next thirty-six months. Eighteen, if you factor in hamburger consumption and all the weird bruising."
Reposted by eric
When it comes to writing, LLMs have won - lcamtuf.coredump.cx/blog/llm-win/
When it comes to writing, LLMs have won
As a middling author, I find it fairly easy to sniff out LLM-generated articles.
lcamtuf.coredump.cx
November 13, 2025 at 11:14 PM
When it comes to writing, LLMs have won - lcamtuf.coredump.cx/blog/llm-win/
here for the deep cut
Yes, the Grink *was* there. He was there for *me*, Bryan, in ways you haven’t been. And, you know, it’s just so fucking *you* to keep bringing him up like it’s some kind of gotcha. This was never about me or my mistakes, it’s about your insecurity and I’m sick of it. At least the Grink was *there*
October 27, 2025 at 9:27 PM
here for the deep cut
I use LLMs for work ~everyday and I have basically stopped reading anything it writes that isn’t the code I asked it to write, I’ve grown so tired of the groveling sycophancy. It doesn’t actually feel bad, it shouldn’t tell me it feels bad (or that I’m “absolutely right!” about absolutely anything)
I am reminded, again, that vibe coding with AI tools is like having a very, very eager, but not very bright intern. Ready to jump in and do everything, but not very good at it. I have to constantly clarify instructions and it is repeatedly issuing groveling apologies, which get old fast.
October 25, 2025 at 11:26 PM
I use LLMs for work ~everyday and I have basically stopped reading anything it writes that isn’t the code I asked it to write, I’ve grown so tired of the groveling sycophancy. It doesn’t actually feel bad, it shouldn’t tell me it feels bad (or that I’m “absolutely right!” about absolutely anything)
Reposted by eric
Select all the photos of traffic lights to proceed to Heaven
-RAPTCHA
-RAPTCHA
September 26, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Select all the photos of traffic lights to proceed to Heaven
-RAPTCHA
-RAPTCHA
Reposted by eric
Report: You To Be Fired For Reading This Headline About Charlie Kirk
Report: You To Be Fired For Reading This Headline About Charlie Kirk
NEW YORK—Insisting your fate was sealed the moment you clicked the link, a report released Tuesday found that you will be fired for reading this headline about Charlie Kirk. “Shortly after you navigat...
theonion.com
September 16, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Report: You To Be Fired For Reading This Headline About Charlie Kirk
Reposted by eric
In honor of Jimmy Kimmel get suspended in part for saying "And by ‘statistical fact’, [Vance] means ‘complete bullshit’,” in response to Vance's false claim that most political violence is from the left, here's the DOJ report showing the opposite, that the DOJ conveniently just memory-holed:
web.archive.org
September 18, 2025 at 12:50 AM
In honor of Jimmy Kimmel get suspended in part for saying "And by ‘statistical fact’, [Vance] means ‘complete bullshit’,” in response to Vance's false claim that most political violence is from the left, here's the DOJ report showing the opposite, that the DOJ conveniently just memory-holed:
Reposted by eric
I made the mistake of devoting myself to AI4SG early in my career because I wanted to believe I could use my skills to make the world a better place. Instead, I found exactly what Dr. Birhane describes - particularly with respect to accountability laundering. I'll share one example🧵
AI is the wrong tool to tackle complex societal & systemic problems. AI4SG is more about PR victories, boosting AI adoption (regardless of merit/usefulness) & laundering accountability for harmful tech, extractive practices, abetting atrocities. yours truly
www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/ai-...
www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/ai-...
The False Promise of “AI for Social Good”
Abeba Birhane refutes industry claims about the technology's potential to solve complex social problems.
www.project-syndicate.org
September 16, 2025 at 8:19 AM
I made the mistake of devoting myself to AI4SG early in my career because I wanted to believe I could use my skills to make the world a better place. Instead, I found exactly what Dr. Birhane describes - particularly with respect to accountability laundering. I'll share one example🧵
Reposted by eric
Reposted by eric
I'm pleased to introduce a full set of Congressional *and* legislative report cards, courtesy of the Princeton Gerrymandering Project. An enormous amount of work, the culmination of several years of development. Check it out!
samwang.substack.com/p/redistrict...
samwang.substack.com/p/redistrict...
Redistricting plans in 50 states, graded (correctly)
...but first, we have to kill the proportionality myth.
samwang.substack.com
August 25, 2025 at 10:17 PM
I'm pleased to introduce a full set of Congressional *and* legislative report cards, courtesy of the Princeton Gerrymandering Project. An enormous amount of work, the culmination of several years of development. Check it out!
samwang.substack.com/p/redistrict...
samwang.substack.com/p/redistrict...
Reposted by eric
It's easy to forget because they've been incrementally improving for so long, but browser dev tools are very good now.
If I wanted to teach someone how the web platform worked I probably just tell them to press F12 and start exploring
If I wanted to teach someone how the web platform worked I probably just tell them to press F12 and start exploring
August 19, 2025 at 11:04 AM
It's easy to forget because they've been incrementally improving for so long, but browser dev tools are very good now.
If I wanted to teach someone how the web platform worked I probably just tell them to press F12 and start exploring
If I wanted to teach someone how the web platform worked I probably just tell them to press F12 and start exploring