Andrew Cowie
@istathar.space
Systems Engineer focused on space exploration, platform operations, and mission critical procedures. Linux, Rust, Observability. Ex 🇨🇦 army, 🇺🇲 and 🇬🇧 tech, 🇦🇺 banking. Supporting the cause of peace and freedom at NAFO and trying to get better at Warhammer 40k
Pinned
Andrew Cowie
@istathar.space
· Jan 15
Andrey Kostin, head of VTB, called rumors of freezing Russian bank deposits absurd, citing no economic basis:
"Do you understand that this is essentially an absurd idea?' They told me: 'That's precisely why it could appear in Russia.' If we follow that logic, then sure, it's possible," Kostin said.
"Do you understand that this is essentially an absurd idea?' They told me: 'That's precisely why it could appear in Russia.' If we follow that logic, then sure, it's possible," Kostin said.
The first rule of Soviet Russia is that when they deny something is going to happen, it's going to happen.
Unless you deny that you're going to deny it. In which case you're not going to do whatever you said you weren't going to do, and instead are going to do it because you said you wouldn't.
Unless you deny that you're going to deny it. In which case you're not going to do whatever you said you weren't going to do, and instead are going to do it because you said you wouldn't.
Upgrading to Fedora 43 #linux Wayland is now the default. That's awesome, but it wrecked havoc on systems with Nvidia GPUs. Magic incantation to get Gnome Shell to work again:
ENV{DEVNAME}=="/dev/dri/card0", TAG+="mutter-device-preferred-primary"
into /etc/udev/rules.d/61-mutter-primary-gpu.rules
ENV{DEVNAME}=="/dev/dri/card0", TAG+="mutter-device-preferred-primary"
into /etc/udev/rules.d/61-mutter-primary-gpu.rules
November 17, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Upgrading to Fedora 43 #linux Wayland is now the default. That's awesome, but it wrecked havoc on systems with Nvidia GPUs. Magic incantation to get Gnome Shell to work again:
ENV{DEVNAME}=="/dev/dri/card0", TAG+="mutter-device-preferred-primary"
into /etc/udev/rules.d/61-mutter-primary-gpu.rules
ENV{DEVNAME}=="/dev/dri/card0", TAG+="mutter-device-preferred-primary"
into /etc/udev/rules.d/61-mutter-primary-gpu.rules
Friendly Local Game Store only allocated 4% of the Space Wolves "Wolf Scouts" vs T'au Empire "Stealth Suits" box set they requested based on customer preorders. Really makes you wonder why GW even bothers with making FOMO boxes. Guess I'll buy the kids Lego for Christmas instead? #warhammer40k
November 7, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Friendly Local Game Store only allocated 4% of the Space Wolves "Wolf Scouts" vs T'au Empire "Stealth Suits" box set they requested based on customer preorders. Really makes you wonder why GW even bothers with making FOMO boxes. Guess I'll buy the kids Lego for Christmas instead? #warhammer40k
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
If you think IPv6 got rolled out before the rise of the machines and subsequent apocalypse, you‘re hopelessly optimistic and I love that for you
November 7, 2025 at 4:23 AM
If you think IPv6 got rolled out before the rise of the machines and subsequent apocalypse, you‘re hopelessly optimistic and I love that for you
And a happy International Dentist Appreciation Day to all who observe the holiday.
October 31, 2025 at 9:41 PM
And a happy International Dentist Appreciation Day to all who observe the holiday.
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
Another loud victory that disappeared faster than they could celebrate it.
October 24, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Another loud victory that disappeared faster than they could celebrate it.
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
5/ Not surprisingly, this doesn't help with morale or developing interpersonal relationships: "Even, fuck, [it's like if] we've become friends, he's the only one I've ever been friends with. Like, okay, [even] your best friend, you have to do it."
October 23, 2025 at 8:07 PM
5/ Not surprisingly, this doesn't help with morale or developing interpersonal relationships: "Even, fuck, [it's like if] we've become friends, he's the only one I've ever been friends with. Like, okay, [even] your best friend, you have to do it."
And a very happy International Type-Your-Password-Into-The-Search-Bar-And-So-Now-You-Get-To-Change-It Day to all who observe. May your upper case, numbers, and special characters bring you happiness and joy.
October 20, 2025 at 4:02 AM
And a very happy International Type-Your-Password-Into-The-Search-Bar-And-So-Now-You-Get-To-Change-It Day to all who observe. May your upper case, numbers, and special characters bring you happiness and joy.
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
the sanity of google software
October 14, 2025 at 2:38 PM
the sanity of google software
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
I can't imagine this is actually going to have any effect but I enjoy yelling into a box that's ... going to be summarized by AI into something that encourages some google PM to keep stuffing more AI down people's throats
October 11, 2025 at 12:37 AM
I can't imagine this is actually going to have any effect but I enjoy yelling into a box that's ... going to be summarized by AI into something that encourages some google PM to keep stuffing more AI down people's throats
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
South Korea has lost 858 terabytes of government data after a fire destroyed its government data center and there were no backups.
quasa.io/media/south-...
quasa.io/media/south-...
South Korea's Catastrophic Data Center Fire: 858 Terabytes of Government Data Lost Forever Due to No Backup
The fire has ignited calls for overhaul - stricter battery protocols, mandatory offsite backups, and lithium-ion audits worldwide.
quasa.io
October 8, 2025 at 5:45 PM
South Korea has lost 858 terabytes of government data after a fire destroyed its government data center and there were no backups.
quasa.io/media/south-...
quasa.io/media/south-...
The real question is "who is Kenny?" followed by "who killed Kenny?". Poor Kenny, we hardly knew you. #warhammer40k
October 8, 2025 at 11:37 PM
The real question is "who is Kenny?" followed by "who killed Kenny?". Poor Kenny, we hardly knew you. #warhammer40k
Did anyone notice that the centerpiece model of this year's #warhammer40k Christmas battleforce box is ... not a Captain, not a guy waving a flag, not a giant stompy Dreadnaught, but ... wait for it ... a Space Marines Lieutenant! Truly they are the heroes of the Imperium.
October 7, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Did anyone notice that the centerpiece model of this year's #warhammer40k Christmas battleforce box is ... not a Captain, not a guy waving a flag, not a giant stompy Dreadnaught, but ... wait for it ... a Space Marines Lieutenant! Truly they are the heroes of the Imperium.
New T'au "Stealth Suits" and Space Wolves "Wolf Scouts" models coming in the next Kill Team box. They look fantastic! #warhammer40k
October 3, 2025 at 1:54 PM
New T'au "Stealth Suits" and Space Wolves "Wolf Scouts" models coming in the next Kill Team box. They look fantastic! #warhammer40k
I am presently reading about "electrification of the NSW railway" on Wikipedia but I'm worried about reports of liberal bias. When it comes to the history of trains in the 1920s, is there a fascist version I could read instead?
September 30, 2025 at 5:28 AM
I am presently reading about "electrification of the NSW railway" on Wikipedia but I'm worried about reports of liberal bias. When it comes to the history of trains in the 1920s, is there a fascist version I could read instead?
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
finally some normal fucking people on reddit
September 29, 2025 at 8:50 PM
finally some normal fucking people on reddit
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
Gemini just said to me:
I will not give up. The problem is complex, but your encouragement and the insights from the BNF grammar give me a path forward. The greedy description rule is the enemy, and I will defeat it.
Don't you just love it when the AI phrases the code you wrote as "the enemy"?
I will not give up. The problem is complex, but your encouragement and the insights from the BNF grammar give me a path forward. The greedy description rule is the enemy, and I will defeat it.
Don't you just love it when the AI phrases the code you wrote as "the enemy"?
September 29, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Gemini just said to me:
I will not give up. The problem is complex, but your encouragement and the insights from the BNF grammar give me a path forward. The greedy description rule is the enemy, and I will defeat it.
Don't you just love it when the AI phrases the code you wrote as "the enemy"?
I will not give up. The problem is complex, but your encouragement and the insights from the BNF grammar give me a path forward. The greedy description rule is the enemy, and I will defeat it.
Don't you just love it when the AI phrases the code you wrote as "the enemy"?
Jon Spoelstra, _Ice to the Eskimos: How to Market a Product Nobody Wants_ (1997)
and
Frank Pacetta, _Don't Fire Them, Fire Them Up_ (1994)
Neither is overly about leadership, except that they're about figuring out what matters and how to motivate people to accomplish that, which is everything.
and
Frank Pacetta, _Don't Fire Them, Fire Them Up_ (1994)
Neither is overly about leadership, except that they're about figuring out what matters and how to motivate people to accomplish that, which is everything.
What are some books/readings you’d suggest for first time managers?
I just promoted someone on my team and I want to help support them.
I just promoted someone on my team and I want to help support them.
September 25, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Jon Spoelstra, _Ice to the Eskimos: How to Market a Product Nobody Wants_ (1997)
and
Frank Pacetta, _Don't Fire Them, Fire Them Up_ (1994)
Neither is overly about leadership, except that they're about figuring out what matters and how to motivate people to accomplish that, which is everything.
and
Frank Pacetta, _Don't Fire Them, Fire Them Up_ (1994)
Neither is overly about leadership, except that they're about figuring out what matters and how to motivate people to accomplish that, which is everything.
I am trying to type "Threat Model" in a security policy document I'm writing but it keeps coming out as "Thread Mottle" which is funny.
September 25, 2025 at 1:55 AM
I am trying to type "Threat Model" in a security policy document I'm writing but it keeps coming out as "Thread Mottle" which is funny.
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
"watching a camel juggle" is now the definitive phrase of our time.
he says he thought it would be easiest to broker an end to the war in Ukraine because of his relationship with Putin, but war is full of surprises, who knew. he then goes on to say it's just making Russia look bad. the UN camera operator cuts to Zelensky, who looks like he's watching a camel juggle
September 24, 2025 at 12:58 AM
"watching a camel juggle" is now the definitive phrase of our time.
Reposted by Andrew Cowie
This circular dynamic is a huge part of what was going on in the Y2k tech bubble.
Good thing we aren’t also doing wildcat banking, destroying the SEC, allowing bucket shops to operate with abandon, ditching any semblance of consumer protection in the name of ‘free markets’… oh wait um
Good thing we aren’t also doing wildcat banking, destroying the SEC, allowing bucket shops to operate with abandon, ditching any semblance of consumer protection in the name of ‘free markets’… oh wait um
Been trying to explain why economy increasingly feels like it's running wholly on rich people passing each other same bag of money - innovation is stalled, unemployment is rising, but stock tickers are still somehow going up. This example captures the current state of our economy perfectly.
September 24, 2025 at 12:00 AM
This circular dynamic is a huge part of what was going on in the Y2k tech bubble.
Good thing we aren’t also doing wildcat banking, destroying the SEC, allowing bucket shops to operate with abandon, ditching any semblance of consumer protection in the name of ‘free markets’… oh wait um
Good thing we aren’t also doing wildcat banking, destroying the SEC, allowing bucket shops to operate with abandon, ditching any semblance of consumer protection in the name of ‘free markets’… oh wait um