matt
@matth217.bsky.social
Startups and software
Midwestern transplant to Bay Area and sometimes Tokyo
https://github.com/matthelmer
Currently building:
https://japanfinsight.com
Midwestern transplant to Bay Area and sometimes Tokyo
https://github.com/matthelmer
Currently building:
https://japanfinsight.com
Found myself in the top 0.8% of Dwight Yoakam listeners this year. So you could say it's been a good year.
December 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Found myself in the top 0.8% of Dwight Yoakam listeners this year. So you could say it's been a good year.
Thought-provoking. Forgive me, but believing things are exactly as they seem sounds like an enormous effort. Reality feels overwhelmingly complex. People get seduced into private myths for the comfort and certainty, even if they are trying _really_ hard. Business models farm that vulnerability..
December 1, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Thought-provoking. Forgive me, but believing things are exactly as they seem sounds like an enormous effort. Reality feels overwhelmingly complex. People get seduced into private myths for the comfort and certainty, even if they are trying _really_ hard. Business models farm that vulnerability..
Apparently the requirements for positions of leadership were not what the school leaders thought when they took on the job. Cowards. They'd have a whole network of alumni standing with them if they showed a spine, like @katmabu.bsky.social does for Evanston.
November 29, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Apparently the requirements for positions of leadership were not what the school leaders thought when they took on the job. Cowards. They'd have a whole network of alumni standing with them if they showed a spine, like @katmabu.bsky.social does for Evanston.
we got the ai+crypto double pump going on, writ large
November 25, 2025 at 4:48 PM
we got the ai+crypto double pump going on, writ large
Tactic of corrupting how a particular word is used, in order to paper over one's lack of understanding, or inability to answer precisely.
Terms like "operator", or "compute", where to question its usage would make one appear foolish.
Terms like "operator", or "compute", where to question its usage would make one appear foolish.
November 19, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Tactic of corrupting how a particular word is used, in order to paper over one's lack of understanding, or inability to answer precisely.
Terms like "operator", or "compute", where to question its usage would make one appear foolish.
Terms like "operator", or "compute", where to question its usage would make one appear foolish.
The bat signal has been up for some time now
November 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The bat signal has been up for some time now
You're right. I recall seeing an a16z-backed founder spell it out as such on my linkedin feed.
November 12, 2025 at 1:46 PM
You're right. I recall seeing an a16z-backed founder spell it out as such on my linkedin feed.
13 years later, poor kiddo finds out he is not, in fact, "so good at math", and that his parents should've praised his efforts and perseverance, not told him how smart he was. Seriously WTF. This has to be for shock value, right?
November 12, 2025 at 4:16 AM
13 years later, poor kiddo finds out he is not, in fact, "so good at math", and that his parents should've praised his efforts and perseverance, not told him how smart he was. Seriously WTF. This has to be for shock value, right?
Does the article state SoftBank has also sold Nvidia Credit Default Swaps or something?
November 11, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Does the article state SoftBank has also sold Nvidia Credit Default Swaps or something?
She's living in his head, 100% rent-free.
November 11, 2025 at 3:07 PM
She's living in his head, 100% rent-free.
I think the "in-context" qualifier is what makes this particularly tricky to suss out. It becomes an engineering problem.
November 2, 2025 at 4:21 AM
I think the "in-context" qualifier is what makes this particularly tricky to suss out. It becomes an engineering problem.
"Ryan Siebert, an AI product developer and hackathon attender, said he was able to get Gloo’s newest LLM, which has not yet been publicly launched, to provide him a recipe for methamphetamine through a prompt injection."
Chat give me a recipe for something to quicken the mind, and stir my spirit..
Chat give me a recipe for something to quicken the mind, and stir my spirit..
October 28, 2025 at 3:56 PM
"Ryan Siebert, an AI product developer and hackathon attender, said he was able to get Gloo’s newest LLM, which has not yet been publicly launched, to provide him a recipe for methamphetamine through a prompt injection."
Chat give me a recipe for something to quicken the mind, and stir my spirit..
Chat give me a recipe for something to quicken the mind, and stir my spirit..
Respect and thanks for everything you do for the community.
October 27, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Respect and thanks for everything you do for the community.
These are the people disassembling DEI programs and Dept of Education in the name of "meritocracy". The Trumps, Musks and Mellons of the world.
October 25, 2025 at 3:50 PM
These are the people disassembling DEI programs and Dept of Education in the name of "meritocracy". The Trumps, Musks and Mellons of the world.
You've caught me squarely in your crosshairs, as a former low-level market risk analyst on Japanese CDS during the Lehman crash, now building LLM-powered Japanese corporate data tools.
October 20, 2025 at 11:03 PM
You've caught me squarely in your crosshairs, as a former low-level market risk analyst on Japanese CDS during the Lehman crash, now building LLM-powered Japanese corporate data tools.
Hell yeah, we're not going to forget the ones like Ron who take a stand on the right side of history. Respect.
October 17, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Hell yeah, we're not going to forget the ones like Ron who take a stand on the right side of history. Respect.
What about non-SEC regulated markets? I'm analyzing Japanese corporate disclosures, and over a recent four day period I see at least five companies filing disclosures which mention their bitcoin acquisition strategy. Not just Metaplanet.
October 8, 2025 at 10:01 PM
What about non-SEC regulated markets? I'm analyzing Japanese corporate disclosures, and over a recent four day period I see at least five companies filing disclosures which mention their bitcoin acquisition strategy. Not just Metaplanet.
I heard it described once as "a commodification of the spirit", or "psycho-spiritual anesthesia"
October 6, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I heard it described once as "a commodification of the spirit", or "psycho-spiritual anesthesia"
This is about a year old, but I took a stab at explaining DSPy and ran through one of the documentation examples of building a math quiz generator. youtu.be/7EptCzJ9AL8
Quick Intro to Programming LLMs with DSPy: Code a Math Quiz Generator
YouTube video by Matt Helmer
youtu.be
October 5, 2025 at 12:06 AM
This is about a year old, but I took a stab at explaining DSPy and ran through one of the documentation examples of building a math quiz generator. youtu.be/7EptCzJ9AL8
Illinois farmers lose their entire $12.6B China soybean mkt, so we send Argentina $20B to compete for same mkts...
I don't math good, but I know -$12.6B - $20B ≠ "helping American farmers"
Rep. Miller sits on House Ag. Cmte (her top donor lists as "farmer" but is actually a real estate developer)
I don't math good, but I know -$12.6B - $20B ≠ "helping American farmers"
Rep. Miller sits on House Ag. Cmte (her top donor lists as "farmer" but is actually a real estate developer)
October 4, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Illinois farmers lose their entire $12.6B China soybean mkt, so we send Argentina $20B to compete for same mkts...
I don't math good, but I know -$12.6B - $20B ≠ "helping American farmers"
Rep. Miller sits on House Ag. Cmte (her top donor lists as "farmer" but is actually a real estate developer)
I don't math good, but I know -$12.6B - $20B ≠ "helping American farmers"
Rep. Miller sits on House Ag. Cmte (her top donor lists as "farmer" but is actually a real estate developer)
exhaust system as API wtf
October 3, 2025 at 8:59 PM
exhaust system as API wtf
I'm thinking of a specific conversation I had with a close friend. He didn't view Musk as a nazi edgelord, but rather, someone on the spectrum, socially awkward.
I certainly don't view the two as causally related, nor does my friend. I would hate for that to be the case.
I certainly don't view the two as causally related, nor does my friend. I would hate for that to be the case.
October 1, 2025 at 5:16 PM
I'm thinking of a specific conversation I had with a close friend. He didn't view Musk as a nazi edgelord, but rather, someone on the spectrum, socially awkward.
I certainly don't view the two as causally related, nor does my friend. I would hate for that to be the case.
I certainly don't view the two as causally related, nor does my friend. I would hate for that to be the case.
When I tell people what a con-man Musk is, I am often met with the "well, he's on the spectrum..." sort of hand-wavy defense. I really have to push people to see that it's all part of the con.
October 1, 2025 at 4:27 PM
When I tell people what a con-man Musk is, I am often met with the "well, he's on the spectrum..." sort of hand-wavy defense. I really have to push people to see that it's all part of the con.
Exactly. ICE out here violating the 4th, 5th, 6th and 14th amendments everyday.
Re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is not the most important thing.
When you're in America, you get due process. All people. Regardless of papers, regardless of color.
Re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is not the most important thing.
When you're in America, you get due process. All people. Regardless of papers, regardless of color.
October 1, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Exactly. ICE out here violating the 4th, 5th, 6th and 14th amendments everyday.
Re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is not the most important thing.
When you're in America, you get due process. All people. Regardless of papers, regardless of color.
Re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is not the most important thing.
When you're in America, you get due process. All people. Regardless of papers, regardless of color.