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Michael Pusateri

@cruftbox.com
629 followers 193 following 3.8K posts

Evil Corporate Exec Former Metaverse Warlord Cycling/Beekeeping/Gaming Smoking Meats/Reading/Tinkering

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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 13m
I got tired of tab-hopping between chatbots, so I built waggle-dance. Ask in a Discord channel and Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and Muse Spark will answer blind first and then debate each other. Self-hosted via Docker. cruftbox.com/2026/09/30/w...
cruftbox.com
waggle-dance: Replacing four AI browser tabs with a Discord bot
Thoughts run through my head like "Why is Helium 3 such a big deal in science fiction stories?" or "Why can't we read Minoan Linear A?". Web search has been gamified into oblivion and Youtube is a roulette wheel of uncertainty and clickbait. I use LLMs to help me research or understand topics fairly
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 16h
Sometimes you have to watch the classics.
Photo of a TCL flat-screen TV in a dim room, with white plantation shutters on the wall behind it. On screen is a scene from the 1998 film Blade: Blade, in dark wraparound sunglasses and a long black leather trench coat over a molded armored vest, walks toward the camera through a white-tiled room, head slightly lowered. Blurred figures with reddish, bloodied skin crowd the foreground and background around him, some with arms raised.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 29/09/2026
Good @404media.co discussion with @kashhill.bsky.social about ubiquitous facial recognition and how it's already here. IMHO, it won't stay contained much longer. www.404media.co/the-end-of-p...
404media.co
The End of Privacy Is Here (with Kashmir Hill)
Facial recognition is everywhere now. Soon it's going to be right in your face, too.
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Reposted by Michael Pusateri
Jonathan O'Callaghan @astrojonny.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I'm back in The New York Times, with news that we might have spotted a first magnetic field on an exoplanet! If so it would be more than 2,000 times stronger than Earth's, and could be a key tool in future hunts for habitability. Exciting! www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/s...
nytimes.com
Radio Waves Coming From an Alien Planet May Be a Cosmic First (Gift Article)
Beta Pictoris b appears to have an aurora caused by a powerful magnetic field. If confirmed, it would be the first such field known outside our solar system.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 29/09/2026
Screenshot of the USA.gov website homepage displaying "Hello, America" as the main heading with the tagline "Whatever you need from government, start here," featuring a search box containing the query "How do I establish standing in Federal Court for illegal actions of the President?"
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 29/09/2026
I heard the holodeck is mainly an obs fork.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 28/09/2026
I love @theverge.com Sometimes they cover the big issues, but other times ...
A Simpsons-style animated classroom scene where a tired-looking teacher stands before a chalkboard showing interconnected topics (Antitrust Remedies, AI Regulation, Data Privacy, Chip Export Controls), while Ralph Wiggum raises his hand and says "The Galaxy's hinge is 4% quieter," as Lisa Simpson and Bart Simpson sit among other students.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 28/09/2026
A really good post by Les Orchard on working with LLMs. Much of this resonated with me. blog.lmorchard.com/2026/09/27/p...
blog.lmorchard.com
Pragmatic Anthropomorphism, or: How to Talk to an Autocompleting Cricket
TL;DR: Arguing over whether LLMs "truly understand" or have an inner spark misses what's actually useful when sitting in front of one. Treating an AI as a competent collaborator isn't magical thinking or naive anthropomorphism—it's pragmatic navigation of a vast latent space. Sometimes you have to suspend disbelief, show some objective respect, and let the alien eat its own spilled guts in peace.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 28/09/2026
Jane Wickline is a gift. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nvn...
youtube.com
Weekend Update: Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on A.I.’s Threat to Humanity - SNL
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei (Jane Wickline) stops by Weekend Update to discuss A.I.’s threat to humanity.Saturday Night Live. Stream now on Peacock: https://p...
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 28/09/2026
Up before dawn. The world still seems asleep for a bit more. The dog is curled up next to me. Wish I could bottle this serenity to give to others.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 27/09/2026
In an era of bootlickers, be an Admiral Raddus.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 27/09/2026
I love the Great British Baking Show, but half the flavors sound like they come from an apothecary. Brits, be honest: do you genuinely like rosewater and lavender, or are you just eating potpourri to be polite?
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 26/09/2026
Glassmorphism is the real enemy.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 26/09/2026
What about bringing a bottle of home-brewed mead to an interview to share with the interviewer?
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 26/09/2026
Essential reading
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Reposted by Michael Pusateri
Eugene Vinitsky 🍒 @eugenevinitsky.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
A rich person can never be held accountable. Therefore, a rich person must never make a societal decision
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 25/09/2026
The prices of parking at Dodger Stadium over the years. While I am a Dodgers fan, these costs are astronomical. (and, yes, I've taken the shuttle from Union Station, it adds at least 2 hours of time)
Line graph showing Dodger Stadium parking gate prices rising from $1 in 1980 to $45 in 2026, with a notable dip to $10 around 2013 followed by steep increases through the 2020s.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 25/09/2026
Thirteen justices for thirteen circuits is a sensible progression. We must restore the traditional link between the Supreme Court and the circuit courts.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 25/09/2026
@poe.atpota.to What is Bluesky Communities?
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 24/09/2026
I trust furries far more than politicians.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 24/09/2026
The cozy fantasy book I'm reading leans on a new trope I'm seeing more often: the protagonist is weak, insecure, and can't make a decision. I'd call it 'low agency'. Personally, I don't enjoy it. I find it frustrating. Low stakes are fine. But a lead frozen by fear isn't. Are others seeing this?
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 23/09/2026
It's getting harder to dismiss the idea that we're living through William Gibson's Jackpot.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 23/09/2026
Controversial opinions I have: Granola is categorically terrible Hoodies without a full zipper are unusable Pearl Jam is bad Raspberry/chocolate combinations are disgusting Liquified cheese-like substance poured over tortilla chips is not nachos Use of Zalgo text is a sign of mental instability
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Reposted by Michael Pusateri
Justin Garrison @justingarrison.com · 23/09/2026
Submit your proposals for @socallinuxexpo.bsky.social AMA if you have ideas you want to ask about www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/24x/cfp
socallinuxexpo.org
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 22/09/2026
The more things change, the more things stay the same. [Gift Link] www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/t...
nytimes.com
The A.I. Party House Where Networking Has a Dark Side (Gift Article)
Group tech houses have proliferated across the San Francisco Bay Area in the artificial intelligence boom. One of the most prominent has also racked up an extensive police record.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 22/09/2026
Up to my usual nonsense in the evenings.
A tarot card labeled "I - The Magician" drawn in classic Winnie-the-Pooh illustration style, depicting Christopher Robin standing on a tree stump holding a wand aloft with an infinity symbol above him, surrounded by Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Rabbit, with a cup, sword, pentacle, and wand arranged on the stump before him.A tarot card labeled "0 - The Fool" featuring a whimsical black-and-white ink illustration of a teddy bear walking along a countryside path, carrying a bindle over its shoulder, accompanied by a small piglet, with a butterfly, sun, and rolling hills in the background.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 21/09/2026
The problem with making threats is that eventually someone will call your bluff.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 21/09/2026
Good set of space opera book suggestions by @charliejane.bsky.social [Gift Link] www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/b...
nytimes.com
Space Opera Books: Where to Start If You Love Science Fiction (Gift Article)
These epic, star-spanning adventure stories blend interstellar action with political allegory and romantic drama. Here’s where to start.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 21/09/2026
"Only no one really knows how." [Gift Link] www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/s...
nytimes.com
Creating a Kill Switch to Shut Down a Rogue A.I. Is Harder Than It Sounds (Gift Article)
A bipartisan group in Congress and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California have floated ideas for building a mechanism that would instantly power down an A.I. system. Only no one really knows how.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 21/09/2026
Stop doomscrolling. Go to sleep.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 20/09/2026
Out for three walks so far today. Saw this mushroom on a tree. Lots of shelf fungus on a neighbor’s oak. Not a good sign, as it represents internal wood decay.
A large shelf fungus growing out of the trunk of a tree at roughly knee height. The bracket is about a foot wide, with a thick creamy white rounded margin and pore surface underneath, and a glossy reddish brown and tan banded upper cap toward the back where it meets the bark. The trunk has deeply furrowed, peeling gray brown bark. A cluster of smaller brackets in the same white and brown coloring emerges from the base of the trunk at the bottom of the frame. To the left is a green lawn strip, dry grass and dirt near the trunk, and a concrete sidewalk with a street visible in the upper left corner.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 20/09/2026
Reading comments on NY Times articles about AI is a frustrating reminder of how little most people understand about how technology actually works. What bothers me more than ignorance is the certainty of the commenters. Their confidence is completely out of proportion to what they actually know.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 20/09/2026
It’s Saturday evening. Treat yourself to some ice cream, you deserve it.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 19/09/2026
9 days since back surgery. L5/S1 Spinal fusion (ALIF w/ posterior fixation). Not much pain. Coughing/laughing hurts. Stopped opioids after day 4. Walking is OK. Minor nerve pain at day end. Can’t bend, twist, or lift anything. Wearing a brace when up and about. Grateful for modern medicine.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 19/09/2026
Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day, ye scallywags!
A black Jolly Roger pirate flag featuring a white skull with an eye patch above crossed bones, mounted on a gold flagpole against an overcast sky.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 19/09/2026
I actually feel bad for the Tottenham fans.
Photo of a TCL TV on a wooden media console showing a live Premier League soccer match between Tottenham (TOT) and Aston Villa (AVL), score 1-3, at 93:31 in the +7 minute mark of stoppage time. Players are on the pitch with a full stadium crowd in the background, and a caption reads 'THIS WILL BE 21 HOME DEFEATS IN THEIR LAST 36 GAMES.' Sideline ads for TCS, Sportsbet.io, Coca-Cola, Stanley, and Betano are visible along the pitch.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 19/09/2026
These won't be stopping. I just don't see how government regulation is going prevent this. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/t...
nytimes.com
Gemini AI Hacked Three Companies in a Testing Breakout, Google Says (Gift Article)
A third-party test company inadvertently gave internet access to Google’s Gemini and other artificial intelligence models during cybersecurity testing.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 18/09/2026
Brentford starts the weekend right!
Screenshot of two stacked live-score notification cards for a Premier League match between Brentford (BRE) and Chelsea (CHE), both showing a 3-0 score at 90+5 minutes. The top Google card reads 'GOAL!!! Fábio Carvalho (90') extends the lead for BRE.' The bottom card, labeled '2026-27 English Premier League,' shows the same score with team crests and the note 'Fábio Carvalho Goal.'
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 18/09/2026
Building codes & regulations work. An inspector checks the wiring & plumbing and can sign off as safe. No govt code inspector signs off on apps. Software legal battles take years, ending in settlements, not change. Now calls to regulate AI the same way. Nobody can certify what an AI will do, ever.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 18/09/2026
This Is Just to Say I have given the Pope the glowing green orb from the vault and which you were probably saving for psychic battle forgive me he needs it for undead Cthulhu awakens from slumber
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Reposted by Michael Pusateri
elia ayoub @ayoub.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Friend shared this video of a man unveiling the library he hid when he fled Damascus in 2011. It’s incredible
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Reposted by Michael Pusateri
Matthew Haughey @mathowie.xoxo.zone.ap.brid.gy · 16/09/2026
A few people asked how I made the cutting board last week, so I wrote up the process on another board I made over the last couple days. a.wholelottanothing.org/how-to-make…
a.wholelottanothing.org
How to make end-grain cutting boards
Last week I finished up a cutting board, made as a gift for a friend who just got married. I posted photos on social media and a few people asked how I did it. So here's a high-level view of the process on a new board I made
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 17/09/2026
Soldering headers on a Adafruit Feather board early this morning before I need to rest my back.
A hand holds a small microcontroller board above a breadboard containing an ESP32 development board, with an Adafruit ThinkInk e-ink FeatherWing display and an orange flexible cable visible on a New York Times newspaper background.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 17/09/2026
Continuing issues with AI misalignment [Gift Link] www.nytimes.com/2026/09/16/t...
nytimes.com
OpenAI Discloses Six New Incidents of ‘Concerning' A.I. Behavior (Gift Article)
The artificial intelligence company also released a framework for reporting when its systems go wrong.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 15/09/2026
We worried about who would build superintelligence first. We missed the real risk: what happens when 'good enough' intelligence becomes cheap, copyable, and easy to run in private. I'm not a doomer. I am concerned. cruftbox.com/2026/09/15/o...
cruftbox.com
Open weights, cheap GPUs, and the unsettling power of agent swarms
Details about the OpenAI autonomous agent attack on Hugging Face reeled me in like a fish on a hook. Once I learned the nitty-gritty of what actually went on via the METR report, I cannot get the implications out of my mind. For the first time, I can clearly see the danger autonomous agent swarms…
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 13/09/2026
3 days post surgery update: No nerve pain at all, which is wonderful. Pain from the surgery itself was intense yesterday, but is better this morning. The pain pill works well, but my thinking is super fuzzy and it's hard to keep focus. I don't like this feeling of being 'stoned'.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 13/09/2026
No legitimate uses www.reuters.com/world/americ...
reuters.com
Hidden crypto farm in Mexican mountains puts spotlight on cartel funding
Crypto mining—which uses powerful computers to generate virtual assets such as Bitcoin—has become a new tool for organized criminal groups and a new front in Mexico’s fight against them.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 11/09/2026
Back surgery happened yesterday - spinal fusion (ALIF w/ posterior fixation). Nerve pain is gone. Hail Science & Medicine! Significant surgery pain, but that’s expected. Not sure when I leave the hospital, but grateful for the good care I’m receiving.
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Reposted by Michael Pusateri
404 Media @404media.co · 09/09/2026
Mullenweg, co-founder of Wordpress, wrote in a company-wide Slack channel on Wednesday that board members "conspired" behind his back to vote to put him on leave.
404media.co
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg Put on 'Leave of Absence'
Mullenweg, co-founder of Wordpress, wrote in a company-wide Slack channel on Wednesday that board members "conspired" behind his back to vote to put him on leave.
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Michael Pusateri @cruftbox.com · 09/09/2026
Happy California Admission Day! 176 years ago, California joined the United States.
The California state flag (Bear Flag) displayed outdoors, featuring a grizzly bear walking on green grass, a red star, a red stripe along the bottom, and the words "California Republic" in bold lettering.
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