Mark Gritter
@markgritter.bsky.social
Math and startup geek. Software Engineer at Thirdlaw. Ex-Postman, Ex-HashiCorp, ex-Tintri. he/him
Reposted by Mark Gritter
8675309 is prime, and so is 8675311, so if you ever need a middlin'-large pair of adjacent primes to test your cryptographic suite, all you need is a 1980s earworm and a +2 and you're all set.
Man, everything is so bleak, anyone got a fun fact or little bit of trivia they want to share
November 21, 2025 at 3:28 AM
8675309 is prime, and so is 8675311, so if you ever need a middlin'-large pair of adjacent primes to test your cryptographic suite, all you need is a 1980s earworm and a +2 and you're all set.
Reposted by Mark Gritter
#procjam starts tomorrow! As a reminder: you can bring an old project, you can start early, you can finish late, you can do whatever you want (except use generative AI). Come make something that makes something, and make new friends in our wonderful community too.
PROCJAM - the Procedural Generation Jam - is back for another year! Join us on itch.io this November for another week of making something that makes something - a bskybot, a videogame, a digital artwork, a dice table or something else!
🗓️ Nov 21st - Dec 1st
🔮 itch.io/jam/procjam
🗓️ Nov 21st - Dec 1st
🔮 itch.io/jam/procjam
PROCJAM - The Procedural Generation Jam
A game jam from 2025-11-21 to 2025-12-01 hosted by PROCJAM. Let's Make Something! PROCJAM - the Procedural Generation Jam - is a creative coding jam about making things that make things. This normally...
itch.io
November 20, 2025 at 3:50 PM
#procjam starts tomorrow! As a reminder: you can bring an old project, you can start early, you can finish late, you can do whatever you want (except use generative AI). Come make something that makes something, and make new friends in our wonderful community too.
Reposted by Mark Gritter
The four horsemen of internet service outages are DNS, BGP, the Greater American Cable Seeking Backhoe, and a fucked up config file getting propagated through the network, and the result is in: the fourth horseman is what got Cloudflare this time blog.cloudflare.com/18-november-...
Cloudflare outage on November 18, 2025
Cloudflare suffered a service outage on November 18, 2025. The outage was triggered by a bug in generation logic for a Bot Management feature file causing many Cloudflare services to be affected.
blog.cloudflare.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:57 PM
The four horsemen of internet service outages are DNS, BGP, the Greater American Cable Seeking Backhoe, and a fucked up config file getting propagated through the network, and the result is in: the fourth horseman is what got Cloudflare this time blog.cloudflare.com/18-november-...
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Soooo... PayPal is banning Asahi Linux users. Hey, can you maybe not do that please?
gist.github.com/asahilina/31...
Yes, they ban Linux users with a GPU name containing the string "Apple M1". Anything else works.
gist.github.com/asahilina/31...
Yes, they ban Linux users with a GPU name containing the string "Apple M1". Anything else works.
Asahi Linux PayPal Block Fix
Asahi Linux PayPal Block Fix. GitHub Gist: instantly share code, notes, and snippets.
gist.github.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:43 AM
Soooo... PayPal is banning Asahi Linux users. Hey, can you maybe not do that please?
gist.github.com/asahilina/31...
Yes, they ban Linux users with a GPU name containing the string "Apple M1". Anything else works.
gist.github.com/asahilina/31...
Yes, they ban Linux users with a GPU name containing the string "Apple M1". Anything else works.
Reposted by Mark Gritter
There are still spots available in this workshop! Vertigo peeps take note! No writing experience needed, but also since it's writing prompts it should be fine for people with loads of writing experience.
Do you suffer from vertigo? Or do you care for someone who does? Would you like to explore your experiences through creative writing? If so, please sign up for this online workshop with the wonderful @marissalingen.bsky.social 5pm GMT, 23rd November. Email ar220@st-andrews.ac.uk to register.
November 17, 2025 at 3:49 PM
There are still spots available in this workshop! Vertigo peeps take note! No writing experience needed, but also since it's writing prompts it should be fine for people with loads of writing experience.
Reposted by Mark Gritter
All of the time -- and I mean ALL of the time -- I get messages from people in tech that if we just promoted people with the right engineering degrees, and the Technical People were in charge, all would be fixed. That is why I wrote Why I Cannot Be Technical. You either get it or you don't.
November 16, 2025 at 4:55 PM
All of the time -- and I mean ALL of the time -- I get messages from people in tech that if we just promoted people with the right engineering degrees, and the Technical People were in charge, all would be fixed. That is why I wrote Why I Cannot Be Technical. You either get it or you don't.
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Doctor says, 'Dont worry, parser design is simple. Great programmer Kate Compton has written the parser you seek’
November 16, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Doctor says, 'Dont worry, parser design is simple. Great programmer Kate Compton has written the parser you seek’
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Christine took one look and was like "this must be how hiragana was invented"
I had a slightly different take. I'm learning Chinese. And every language learning source is less useful than it could be because it fails to equip me to read Hanzi written in ballpoint pen??!
I had a slightly different take. I'm learning Chinese. And every language learning source is less useful than it could be because it fails to equip me to read Hanzi written in ballpoint pen??!
I saw this on Twitter and it's just incredible. they need to put this person in charge of kanji
November 14, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Christine took one look and was like "this must be how hiragana was invented"
I had a slightly different take. I'm learning Chinese. And every language learning source is less useful than it could be because it fails to equip me to read Hanzi written in ballpoint pen??!
I had a slightly different take. I'm learning Chinese. And every language learning source is less useful than it could be because it fails to equip me to read Hanzi written in ballpoint pen??!
Reposted by Mark Gritter
The first paper session of the day is on Mechanics and Design, and we're starting off with a Mike Cook @mtrc.bsky.social talk arguing that Game Design is Generative Design.
Thinking through the argument here was really compelling, and makes me want to read the paper right this instant!
Thinking through the argument here was really compelling, and makes me want to read the paper right this instant!
November 13, 2025 at 5:41 PM
The first paper session of the day is on Mechanics and Design, and we're starting off with a Mike Cook @mtrc.bsky.social talk arguing that Game Design is Generative Design.
Thinking through the argument here was really compelling, and makes me want to read the paper right this instant!
Thinking through the argument here was really compelling, and makes me want to read the paper right this instant!
Reposted by Mark Gritter
New story this morning! The Crow's Second Tale in @bcsmagazine.bsky.social ! www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/stories/the-... This is one of my stories that is 100% not autobiographical except the part that is, which is that I tell stories to crows too, just in case.
Beneath Ceaseless Skies - The Crow’s Second Tale by Marissa Lingen
So Kiris knew, even at the age of five: no one should only know one story. Not even a crow, like in the song. And if she was the only one who had spotted the problem, she felt down to her five-year-ol...
www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:30 PM
New story this morning! The Crow's Second Tale in @bcsmagazine.bsky.social ! www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/stories/the-... This is one of my stories that is 100% not autobiographical except the part that is, which is that I tell stories to crows too, just in case.
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Wow. Can't say much else. The overhead corona was unbelievable. The most intense reds and greens. ❤️💚😍💃 She'll be dancing until sunrise.
I visited Franconia Sculpture Park over summer and it has been on my aurora photo bucket list ever since. That's where I went last night.
Schafer, Minnesota.
I visited Franconia Sculpture Park over summer and it has been on my aurora photo bucket list ever since. That's where I went last night.
Schafer, Minnesota.
November 12, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Wow. Can't say much else. The overhead corona was unbelievable. The most intense reds and greens. ❤️💚😍💃 She'll be dancing until sunrise.
I visited Franconia Sculpture Park over summer and it has been on my aurora photo bucket list ever since. That's where I went last night.
Schafer, Minnesota.
I visited Franconia Sculpture Park over summer and it has been on my aurora photo bucket list ever since. That's where I went last night.
Schafer, Minnesota.
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
Reposted by Mark Gritter
The far right is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and Musk keeps posting about "hobbits" because modern scientific racism owes more to fantasy worlds and gaming systems than genetic science, and they see both as effective mediums for right-wing propaganda www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why Elon Musk Needs Dungeons and Dragons to Be Racist
The fantastical roots of “scientific racism”
www.theatlantic.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
The far right is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and Musk keeps posting about "hobbits" because modern scientific racism owes more to fantasy worlds and gaming systems than genetic science, and they see both as effective mediums for right-wing propaganda www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Mark Gritter
For about another 21 hours all our games are suspiciously cheap:
🕵️ Gunpoint is 80% off! store.steampowered.com/app/206190/G...
🚀 Heat Signature is 80% off! store.steampowered.com/app/268130/H...
🧙♂️ Tactical Breach Wizards is 40% off! store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/...
🕵️ Gunpoint is 80% off! store.steampowered.com/app/206190/G...
🚀 Heat Signature is 80% off! store.steampowered.com/app/268130/H...
🧙♂️ Tactical Breach Wizards is 40% off! store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/...
Save 40% on Tactical Breach Wizards on Steam
In Tactical Breach Wizards, you lead a team of renegade wizards in kevlar through turn-based battles to unravel a modern conspiracy plot. Combine their unique spells in clever ways, or rewind time to ...
store.steampowered.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:59 PM
For about another 21 hours all our games are suspiciously cheap:
🕵️ Gunpoint is 80% off! store.steampowered.com/app/206190/G...
🚀 Heat Signature is 80% off! store.steampowered.com/app/268130/H...
🧙♂️ Tactical Breach Wizards is 40% off! store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/...
🕵️ Gunpoint is 80% off! store.steampowered.com/app/206190/G...
🚀 Heat Signature is 80% off! store.steampowered.com/app/268130/H...
🧙♂️ Tactical Breach Wizards is 40% off! store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/...
Reposted by Mark Gritter
His comments were not going out to nowhere. He directly told the brilliant and incredible grad students, postdocs, particularly people he had no reason to fear because they were in vulnerable and low power positions -- that they did not belong in science
bsky.app/profile/anal...
bsky.app/profile/anal...
When I was a postdoc, CSHL held a Burns poetry night, which Watson attended.
I did a dramatic reading of Ice Ice Baby.
I hope he found it deeply offensive, and that the graduate students (many of whom he told didn't belong there) found it at least mildly entertaining.
This is a good day for CSHL.
I did a dramatic reading of Ice Ice Baby.
I hope he found it deeply offensive, and that the graduate students (many of whom he told didn't belong there) found it at least mildly entertaining.
This is a good day for CSHL.
Watson was a racist who, "near the end of his life, faced condemnation and professional censure for offensive remarks, including saying Black people are less intelligent than white people"
November 8, 2025 at 5:15 PM
His comments were not going out to nowhere. He directly told the brilliant and incredible grad students, postdocs, particularly people he had no reason to fear because they were in vulnerable and low power positions -- that they did not belong in science
bsky.app/profile/anal...
bsky.app/profile/anal...
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Upwards of three-quarters of men marry and the divorce rate for first marriages, once as high as 50% has fallen to around 40%, so 60% of those marriages do, in fact, last forever.
So the modal straight man - 45+% of them - in the United States does, in fact, find a woman to stay with him forever.
So the modal straight man - 45+% of them - in the United States does, in fact, find a woman to stay with him forever.
November 8, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Upwards of three-quarters of men marry and the divorce rate for first marriages, once as high as 50% has fallen to around 40%, so 60% of those marriages do, in fact, last forever.
So the modal straight man - 45+% of them - in the United States does, in fact, find a woman to stay with him forever.
So the modal straight man - 45+% of them - in the United States does, in fact, find a woman to stay with him forever.
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Haha, this from the New Yorker is getting passed around the math dork community. I did a comic about this kind of thought a few years ago: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/commut...
November 7, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Haha, this from the New Yorker is getting passed around the math dork community. I did a comic about this kind of thought a few years ago: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/commut...
Reposted by Mark Gritter
As a bookstore that sells pamphlets and magazines, the criminalization of such materials feels pretty close to home. So let's take a closer look at the materials the federal government is claiming tie readers to "antifa terrorism." We can pick out six titles in these grainy photos. 1/
November 6, 2025 at 4:36 PM
As a bookstore that sells pamphlets and magazines, the criminalization of such materials feels pretty close to home. So let's take a closer look at the materials the federal government is claiming tie readers to "antifa terrorism." We can pick out six titles in these grainy photos. 1/
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Big EV gap between China and the USA.
- China has 52 BEV models with >400-mile range with many under $50k; USA has 4 all priced above $75k
- EV sales share in 2024: China 47%; USA 10%
Great paper in Science by @jhelvy.bsky.social.
- China has 52 BEV models with >400-mile range with many under $50k; USA has 4 all priced above $75k
- EV sales share in 2024: China 47%; USA 10%
Great paper in Science by @jhelvy.bsky.social.
November 3, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Big EV gap between China and the USA.
- China has 52 BEV models with >400-mile range with many under $50k; USA has 4 all priced above $75k
- EV sales share in 2024: China 47%; USA 10%
Great paper in Science by @jhelvy.bsky.social.
- China has 52 BEV models with >400-mile range with many under $50k; USA has 4 all priced above $75k
- EV sales share in 2024: China 47%; USA 10%
Great paper in Science by @jhelvy.bsky.social.
Dan Lew built some code to completely enumerate all possible #Balatro erratic decks, looking for the least random:
blog.danlew.net/2025/11/03/b...
I was surprised to see that there are only about 2.3 trillion seeds possible (and that there's a NaN bug!)
Via androiddev.social/@danlew/1154...
blog.danlew.net/2025/11/03/b...
I was surprised to see that there are only about 2.3 trillion seeds possible (and that there's a NaN bug!)
Via androiddev.social/@danlew/1154...
Balatro’s Least Erratic Decks
My most recent “just for fun” project was to find the least erratic of the Erratic decks in Balatro (a poker-ish roguelike deckbuilder game).
Before each game, you pick a deck that has a special powe...
blog.danlew.net
November 3, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Dan Lew built some code to completely enumerate all possible #Balatro erratic decks, looking for the least random:
blog.danlew.net/2025/11/03/b...
I was surprised to see that there are only about 2.3 trillion seeds possible (and that there's a NaN bug!)
Via androiddev.social/@danlew/1154...
blog.danlew.net/2025/11/03/b...
I was surprised to see that there are only about 2.3 trillion seeds possible (and that there's a NaN bug!)
Via androiddev.social/@danlew/1154...
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Tactical Breach Wizards is 40% off in today's Daily Deal! The cheapest the wizards have ever allowed us to price them.
To celebrate, we've added a community missions pack, featuring some great ones players have made since launch.
store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/... .
To celebrate, we've added a community missions pack, featuring some great ones players have made since launch.
store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/... .
Save 40% on Tactical Breach Wizards on Steam
In Tactical Breach Wizards, you lead a team of renegade wizards in kevlar through turn-based battles to unravel a modern conspiracy plot. Combine their unique spells in clever ways, or rewind time to ...
store.steampowered.com
November 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Tactical Breach Wizards is 40% off in today's Daily Deal! The cheapest the wizards have ever allowed us to price them.
To celebrate, we've added a community missions pack, featuring some great ones players have made since launch.
store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/... .
To celebrate, we've added a community missions pack, featuring some great ones players have made since launch.
store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/... .
Reposted by Mark Gritter
Okok, using this chance to try out ✨stylometrics w AI✨ - tonight just seeing how far we can push this with str_count-ing basic features.
I looked at:
- en-dash
- em-dash
- mean sentence length
- max sentence length
- comma
- quotes <">
- Fancy Quotes <„>
Per category which exists for all 5 years
I looked at:
- en-dash
- em-dash
- mean sentence length
- max sentence length
- comma
- quotes <">
- Fancy Quotes <„>
Per category which exists for all 5 years
November 2, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Okok, using this chance to try out ✨stylometrics w AI✨ - tonight just seeing how far we can push this with str_count-ing basic features.
I looked at:
- en-dash
- em-dash
- mean sentence length
- max sentence length
- comma
- quotes <">
- Fancy Quotes <„>
Per category which exists for all 5 years
I looked at:
- en-dash
- em-dash
- mean sentence length
- max sentence length
- comma
- quotes <">
- Fancy Quotes <„>
Per category which exists for all 5 years
Reposted by Mark Gritter
ok so I made a list of good Halloween-themed Star Trek episodes for My Own Reasons and I've decided to share them here! If you're staying in tonight but want some seasonally appropriate Star Trek episodes to watch, here you go! #StarTrek #Halloween
October 31, 2025 at 6:43 PM
ok so I made a list of good Halloween-themed Star Trek episodes for My Own Reasons and I've decided to share them here! If you're staying in tonight but want some seasonally appropriate Star Trek episodes to watch, here you go! #StarTrek #Halloween
Reposted by Mark Gritter
new blog post: i got distracted listening to @worldenddisk.com's Roguelike Celebration talk blog.vbuckenham.com/paying-atten...
Paying attention to trees
I was just watching Ada Null's 2025 Roguelike Celebration talk, and there's a bit where she's riffing off Kate Compton:
Picture a garden full of wild trees of the same species. If you compare any two...
blog.vbuckenham.com
October 27, 2025 at 4:42 PM
new blog post: i got distracted listening to @worldenddisk.com's Roguelike Celebration talk blog.vbuckenham.com/paying-atten...