As I have done for several of our past trips, I started delayed posting my travel journal from last month's trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. The first installment is at altmode.org/2026/03/11/v...

Curious about two USAF helicopters, JOLLY91 and JOLLY92, that seem to be orbiting over two container ships off the coast of California right now. Normal training, or are they investigating something? #flightradar24

CTIA has a bunch of fairly onerous compliance requirements about automated texting. I’d like to know how political fundraising texts are getting around that.

The one AI agent I would be interested in is one that detects political fundraising text messages, replies Stop to them, and doesn’t pass the messages on to me. These fundraising messages have gotten completely out of hand. @actblueorg.bsky.social

Surprised that Trump hasn’t asked for some deep red state to be named after him. If it was Texas, he might even inherit the motto, “Don’t mess with Trump.”

You’re more patient than we are. We have up on WaPo quite some time ago. My only regret is that I can only cancel once.

And what’s worth the camouflage? Do they think this is helping them hide?

Protesters on El Camino Real in Mountain View, California

Protesters in Mountain View

What about an impostor or bounty hunter pretending to be official?

What is “BORTAC”, anyway? Does this guy have a badge?

I consult for NIST on SP 800-63B and some related docs but I’m not a NIST employee. Not involved in the AI stuff and hadn’t heard of the change you’re describing.

The answer is Cabernet Sauvignon.

Still, this is standard operating procedure for people getting SCI clearances. It's also a deterrent to people with something they want to hide, and it doesn't take long. He should get a polygraph for consistency if nothing else.

These millionaires have a suggestion for the FAA: Cancel all private jet flights during the shutdown Private jets make up one in six flights handled by the FAA, and taxpayers already foot the bill for their 'jet setting,' says Patriotic Millionaires.

The shutdown may be over, but this is still on my mind. And it seems I'm not alone. @patrioticmillionaires.org www.fastcompany.com/91437451/faa...

Who Didn’t Suffer During the Shutdown? People Flying Private.

Wouldn't it be a more efficient use of limited air traffic control resources to prioritize commercial traffic over private, and impact fewer people? Oh yeah, can't inconvenience the billionaires and corporate execs.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/t...

"I have a decent fluency in LLMs, and they have utility, but the absurd degree of over-hype, the way they're being forced on everyone, and the insistence on ignoring the many valid critiques about them make it very difficult to focus on legitimate uses where they might add value."

A master class from MIT in responding to authoritarian overreach:

Your “premise … is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.
… America’s leadership in science & innovation depends on independent thinking & open competition for excellence.

The Redistricting Fight You Haven’t Heard About

Word of the day: 'dummymander' www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/u...

Given Pam Bondi's refusal to answer important questions, she should be held in contempt of Congress. But, oh yeah, it would require Republican votes to do that.

Sen. Alex Padilla Says His Viral Moment Was a Sign of Things to Come

I am enormously proud to have Alex Padilla @padilla.senate.gov as my senator (and fellow MIT alum). This interview clearly explains why: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/04/m...

It's only symbolic unless you have enough votes to override a veto, because you know Trump would veto this.

Posted on the wall of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum since 2003. When are people gonna wake up and fight back?

Headline from NYTimes website: "Trump Says Broadcasters Risk Losing Licenses When Hosts Criticize Him" Subtitle: "President Trump said federal regulators should revoke broadcast licenses over late-night hosts who speak negatively about him."

This is about as un-American as anything I have seen lately. Media freedom ratings for the US, never as good as they should be, should be flashing red right now.

How much will be spent changing signage, letterhead, websites, etc from Defense to War? Will agencies like DIA and DTIC need renaming? Will terms like DEFCON need to change? What happens if the courts decide Trump didn’t have the authority to do this? This is the opposite of government efficiency.

More like a value-added tax because it’s less visible, but who it hits is the same.

Passwords? Don’t they use PIV Cards at DHS?

Stop renewing passports? I guess anything is possible, but the side effects of doing that would be tremendous. But as you say, good to have a fresh passport.

Just received my renewed US passport. Honestly surprised that there isn't a picture of Trump on it somewhere.

Jokey Names for Detention Centers Face Criticism for Insensitivity

Why is it that every time I see the term "Alligator Alcatraz" my mind keeps reading it as Alligator Auschwitz? www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/u...

“We’re gonna program it that way” acknowledges that they’re going to use it to manipulate people.