Babak Farhang
@gnahraf.bsky.social
applied & engineering physics guy turned programmer
I'm building something new. Here's the first part..
https://crums.io
Aurora, CO
I'm building something new. Here's the first part..
https://crums.io
Aurora, CO
Pinned
Babak Farhang
@gnahraf.bsky.social
· Jan 23
crums-io.github.io
Skip Ledger: a commitment scheme for ledgers
crums-io.github.io/skipledger/p...
Fixes typos (don't write essays in VS w/o a spell/grammar checker 🫣), includes new sections formalizing some definitions + more pseudo code.
Q's, suggestions, or critiques, pls
#cryptography #blockchain #notblockchain
crums-io.github.io/skipledger/p...
Fixes typos (don't write essays in VS w/o a spell/grammar checker 🫣), includes new sections formalizing some definitions + more pseudo code.
Q's, suggestions, or critiques, pls
#cryptography #blockchain #notblockchain
Great piece about the return of Big Oil to Washington. And an amusing behind-the-scenes thread about investigating the story
Today, in the Sunday print NYT, we published an investigative look at Harold Hamm, the 13th child of Oklahoma sharecroppers who started an oil company named Continental, which turned him into a billionaire, powerbroker and friend of Donald J. Trump. You may never have heard of Hamm. But you should
December 15, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Great piece about the return of Big Oil to Washington. And an amusing behind-the-scenes thread about investigating the story
Artificial Stupidity
We named it wrong and early. You see, inanimate things cannot do stupid. It takes work (energy) to achieve the flip side of intelligence.
We named it wrong and early. You see, inanimate things cannot do stupid. It takes work (energy) to achieve the flip side of intelligence.
November 19, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Artificial Stupidity
We named it wrong and early. You see, inanimate things cannot do stupid. It takes work (energy) to achieve the flip side of intelligence.
We named it wrong and early. You see, inanimate things cannot do stupid. It takes work (energy) to achieve the flip side of intelligence.
.@schumer.senate.gov the only good you accomplished this week was ending your political career. Your defining moment is already a historical footnote. Pathetic
November 10, 2025 at 2:42 AM
.@schumer.senate.gov the only good you accomplished this week was ending your political career. Your defining moment is already a historical footnote. Pathetic
Totally normal, well adjusted, human being in the foreground, just a little mad (a lot) at the fellow on the floor for interrupting his presentation.
incredible photo that's definitely worth at least 1,000 words from Andrew Harnik of Getty
November 7, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Totally normal, well adjusted, human being in the foreground, just a little mad (a lot) at the fellow on the floor for interrupting his presentation.
Reposted by Babak Farhang
This morning, the Trump Administration’s Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.
October 4, 2025 at 6:10 PM
This morning, the Trump Administration’s Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.
Great new promo for Disney after the 20s mark 🤣
September 20, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Great new promo for Disney after the 20s mark 🤣
To all feckless employers for whom it concerns:
Charlie Kirk was a bigot.
~ Also, forget the blacklist.. make a whitelist
Charlie Kirk was a bigot.
~ Also, forget the blacklist.. make a whitelist
September 19, 2025 at 7:29 PM
To all feckless employers for whom it concerns:
Charlie Kirk was a bigot.
~ Also, forget the blacklist.. make a whitelist
Charlie Kirk was a bigot.
~ Also, forget the blacklist.. make a whitelist
If language itself is a live creature that we collectively host (many hypothesize it is), then LLMs are *foreign hosts, viruses, and it shouldn't surprise if it were to deploy antibodies to kill them.
August 12, 2025 at 4:07 PM
If language itself is a live creature that we collectively host (many hypothesize it is), then LLMs are *foreign hosts, viruses, and it shouldn't surprise if it were to deploy antibodies to kill them.
Reposted by Babak Farhang
My latest for @nytimes.com -- please repost so your followers can see this for free. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
How a Puzzle About Fractions Got Brain Scans Rolling (Gift Article)
A story of bowling pins, patterns and medical miracles.
www.nytimes.com
June 30, 2025 at 10:33 AM
My latest for @nytimes.com -- please repost so your followers can see this for free. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
The Age of Reason Strikes Back
Meanwhile peoples across the galaxy were beginning to send mathematicians as their representatives. It began with a widely followed representative of the supreme being, then the Romanians ..
Meanwhile peoples across the galaxy were beginning to send mathematicians as their representatives. It began with a widely followed representative of the supreme being, then the Romanians ..
May 19, 2025 at 11:51 AM
The Age of Reason Strikes Back
Meanwhile peoples across the galaxy were beginning to send mathematicians as their representatives. It began with a widely followed representative of the supreme being, then the Romanians ..
Meanwhile peoples across the galaxy were beginning to send mathematicians as their representatives. It began with a widely followed representative of the supreme being, then the Romanians ..
Fun discussion about Pope Leo XIV being a mathematician.
www.reddit.com/r/math/s/F8y...
References to The Book (Paul Erdos) and this one tidbit..
Greg Cantor apparently corresponded with Pope Leo XIII about his belief in the Absolute Infinite, something bigger than all cardinalities (?)
www.reddit.com/r/math/s/F8y...
References to The Book (Paul Erdos) and this one tidbit..
Greg Cantor apparently corresponded with Pope Leo XIII about his belief in the Absolute Infinite, something bigger than all cardinalities (?)
From the math community on Reddit
Explore this post and more from the math community
www.reddit.com
May 9, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Fun discussion about Pope Leo XIV being a mathematician.
www.reddit.com/r/math/s/F8y...
References to The Book (Paul Erdos) and this one tidbit..
Greg Cantor apparently corresponded with Pope Leo XIII about his belief in the Absolute Infinite, something bigger than all cardinalities (?)
www.reddit.com/r/math/s/F8y...
References to The Book (Paul Erdos) and this one tidbit..
Greg Cantor apparently corresponded with Pope Leo XIII about his belief in the Absolute Infinite, something bigger than all cardinalities (?)
Unlike with ordinary assets, the OCC has no real power over #blockchain (nor does any other entity or gov't body). It can regulate all it wants, but the transactions it deems illegal can never be undone.
"Regulating" this offers little but expose the US financial system to new forms of credit risk.
"Regulating" this offers little but expose the US financial system to new forms of credit risk.
The US OCC says banks can buy and sell customers' crypto assets on their behalf and can outsource crypto custody and trade execution services to third parties (Danny Park/The Block)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
May 8, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Unlike with ordinary assets, the OCC has no real power over #blockchain (nor does any other entity or gov't body). It can regulate all it wants, but the transactions it deems illegal can never be undone.
"Regulating" this offers little but expose the US financial system to new forms of credit risk.
"Regulating" this offers little but expose the US financial system to new forms of credit risk.
Reposted by Babak Farhang
NY Times Editorial Board:
“The first 100 days of President Trump’s second term have done more damage to American democracy than anything else since the demise of Reconstruction. Mr. Trump is attempting to create a presidency unconstrained by Congress or the courts…”
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/o...
“The first 100 days of President Trump’s second term have done more damage to American democracy than anything else since the demise of Reconstruction. Mr. Trump is attempting to create a presidency unconstrained by Congress or the courts…”
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/o...
Opinion | Fight Like Our Democracy Depends on It (Gift Article)
The patriotic response to today’s threat to American democracy is to oppose Trump soberly and strategically.
www.nytimes.com
May 1, 2025 at 11:15 AM
NY Times Editorial Board:
“The first 100 days of President Trump’s second term have done more damage to American democracy than anything else since the demise of Reconstruction. Mr. Trump is attempting to create a presidency unconstrained by Congress or the courts…”
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/o...
“The first 100 days of President Trump’s second term have done more damage to American democracy than anything else since the demise of Reconstruction. Mr. Trump is attempting to create a presidency unconstrained by Congress or the courts…”
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/o...
Reposted by Babak Farhang
I have followed you and learnt from your insights on the state of Big Science since your early blogging days. But your recent forays into political commentary, both-siding fascists, are quite disgusting. You should know better: science w/o civilization is worth nothing. Goodbye. Unfollowing.
April 6, 2025 at 1:24 AM
I have followed you and learnt from your insights on the state of Big Science since your early blogging days. But your recent forays into political commentary, both-siding fascists, are quite disgusting. You should know better: science w/o civilization is worth nothing. Goodbye. Unfollowing.
half of us voted for this maligned moron. twice. but the great dictator cannot be wrong. not even once. so either he stays or the republic. he will not have both
April 4, 2025 at 12:15 PM
half of us voted for this maligned moron. twice. but the great dictator cannot be wrong. not even once. so either he stays or the republic. he will not have both
Can't buy me love, love, love.. 🎵
April 2, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Can't buy me love, love, love.. 🎵
Reposted by Babak Farhang
Maybe fuck right the hell off? Your social media platform sucks (and it used to be good), your cars suck (they fall to pieces as you drive them, and calling them full-self-driving doesn't make them so), your satellites pollute the sky, and your rockets blow up. Stop whining.
Targeting Tesla has led to a Musk meltdown — on Fox.
“My companies are suffering,” Musk muttered, on the verge of tears.
Musk appeared minus his chainsaw, whining that his involvement in the government has been “disadvantageous” — claiming his companies are “suffering”…
“My companies are suffering,” Musk muttered, on the verge of tears.
Musk appeared minus his chainsaw, whining that his involvement in the government has been “disadvantageous” — claiming his companies are “suffering”…
March 29, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Maybe fuck right the hell off? Your social media platform sucks (and it used to be good), your cars suck (they fall to pieces as you drive them, and calling them full-self-driving doesn't make them so), your satellites pollute the sky, and your rockets blow up. Stop whining.
Reposted by Babak Farhang
I feel the exact same way about a person deriving joy from firing government workers and defunding programs helping the world’s poorest.
Musk: I mean, have you Tim Walz, who is a huge jerk, running on stage with the Tesla stock price.. What an evil thing to do. What a creep, what a jerk. Like who derives joy from that?
March 29, 2025 at 11:52 AM
I feel the exact same way about a person deriving joy from firing government workers and defunding programs helping the world’s poorest.
Also check out the quote tweets.. looks like the [if Chuck Schumer replaced..] meme is just getting started 🤣🤣🤣
[if Chuck Schumer replaced Russell Crowe in Gladiator]
My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I'm ready to work with you
My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I'm ready to work with you
[if Chuck Schumer replaced Liam Neeson in Taken]
CHUCK SCHUMER: [on phone] I don’t know who you are or what you want, but I will find you and I will help you kill my daughter
CHUCK SCHUMER: [on phone] I don’t know who you are or what you want, but I will find you and I will help you kill my daughter
March 15, 2025 at 5:10 AM
Also check out the quote tweets.. looks like the [if Chuck Schumer replaced..] meme is just getting started 🤣🤣🤣
On psycopaths and psycopathy.. Where and when is its archetype first identified in fiction? I'm guessing recognition of their malevolent, deceitful character is relatively recent (e.g. Gas Light, the 1938 play, then movie).
Many a classical hero would today be called a troubled, unparented dipshit.
Many a classical hero would today be called a troubled, unparented dipshit.
February 28, 2025 at 5:58 PM
On psycopaths and psycopathy.. Where and when is its archetype first identified in fiction? I'm guessing recognition of their malevolent, deceitful character is relatively recent (e.g. Gas Light, the 1938 play, then movie).
Many a classical hero would today be called a troubled, unparented dipshit.
Many a classical hero would today be called a troubled, unparented dipshit.
Reading this ars article on AI tarpits arstechnica.com/tech-policy/... reminds me of a simpler solution..
The basic idea is to rate-limit (when needed) by requiring the client to solve a proof-of-work puzzle and encode it in the request URI like say my_article.html?PoW=..
#robots.txt
1/
The basic idea is to rate-limit (when needed) by requiring the client to solve a proof-of-work puzzle and encode it in the request URI like say my_article.html?PoW=..
#robots.txt
1/
AI haters build tarpits to trap and trick AI scrapers that ignore robots.txt
Attackers explain how an anti-spam defense became an AI weapon.
arstechnica.com
February 1, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Reading this ars article on AI tarpits arstechnica.com/tech-policy/... reminds me of a simpler solution..
The basic idea is to rate-limit (when needed) by requiring the client to solve a proof-of-work puzzle and encode it in the request URI like say my_article.html?PoW=..
#robots.txt
1/
The basic idea is to rate-limit (when needed) by requiring the client to solve a proof-of-work puzzle and encode it in the request URI like say my_article.html?PoW=..
#robots.txt
1/
Reposted by Babak Farhang
We are organising the International Workshop on Foundations and Applications of Privacy-Enhancing Cryptography (PrivCrypt) - co-located with ACNS 2025 end of June in beautiful Munich.
Submission deadline is March 21, 2025 (AoE).
Please help spread the word! 🙏
privcryptworkshop.github.io
Submission deadline is March 21, 2025 (AoE).
Please help spread the word! 🙏
privcryptworkshop.github.io
PrivCrypt 2025
privcryptworkshop.github.io
January 24, 2025 at 11:43 AM
We are organising the International Workshop on Foundations and Applications of Privacy-Enhancing Cryptography (PrivCrypt) - co-located with ACNS 2025 end of June in beautiful Munich.
Submission deadline is March 21, 2025 (AoE).
Please help spread the word! 🙏
privcryptworkshop.github.io
Submission deadline is March 21, 2025 (AoE).
Please help spread the word! 🙏
privcryptworkshop.github.io
Skip Ledger: a commitment scheme for ledgers
crums-io.github.io/skipledger/p...
Fixes typos (don't write essays in VS w/o a spell/grammar checker 🫣), includes new sections formalizing some definitions + more pseudo code.
Q's, suggestions, or critiques, pls
#cryptography #blockchain #notblockchain
crums-io.github.io/skipledger/p...
Fixes typos (don't write essays in VS w/o a spell/grammar checker 🫣), includes new sections formalizing some definitions + more pseudo code.
Q's, suggestions, or critiques, pls
#cryptography #blockchain #notblockchain
crums-io.github.io
January 23, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Skip Ledger: a commitment scheme for ledgers
crums-io.github.io/skipledger/p...
Fixes typos (don't write essays in VS w/o a spell/grammar checker 🫣), includes new sections formalizing some definitions + more pseudo code.
Q's, suggestions, or critiques, pls
#cryptography #blockchain #notblockchain
crums-io.github.io/skipledger/p...
Fixes typos (don't write essays in VS w/o a spell/grammar checker 🫣), includes new sections formalizing some definitions + more pseudo code.
Q's, suggestions, or critiques, pls
#cryptography #blockchain #notblockchain
Since, as of today, the US Constitution no longer matters, US states (and their citizens) that have long been pouring a net surplus into federal coffers will get to keep that surplus and spend as they see fit.
~ not joking, just calling it early
~ not joking, just calling it early
January 21, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Since, as of today, the US Constitution no longer matters, US states (and their citizens) that have long been pouring a net surplus into federal coffers will get to keep that surplus and spend as they see fit.
~ not joking, just calling it early
~ not joking, just calling it early