iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

My dear friend @nickomargolies.com just made a clever app that aggregates a ton of interesting demographic and other data about anywhere in the U.S. you drop a pin. And it's free! apps.apple.com/us/app/this-...

apps.apple.com

This Here: Local Data App - App Store

Download This Here: Local Data by Nicholas Margolies on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips, and more apps like This Here: Local Data…

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Pavel @spavel.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Wow, they really ARE running the government like a software company

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Reported Pentagon data breach
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Hegseth to cut 20% generals

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Dr Heidy Khlaaf (هايدي خلاف) @heidykhlaaf.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

It was great speaking to Sam on this, and really demonstrates in practice how the doomerism narrative really does distract from concrete and current-day AI risks. I suppose faulty and unreliable models (the reality) just isn't as alluring as an AGI god (the fiction).

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 29/09/2026

I wrote about something that was making me feel nuts: After weeks of discourse around hypothetical existential threats from AI triggered global calls for government intervention, we learned a faulty AI system almost triggered a US-China war. And no one really cared. theintercept.com/2026/09/28/a...

theintercept.com

AI Almost Started a U.S.–China War — and No One Seems to Care

The tech world is too busy dreaming up imaginary doomsday scenarios to focus on a very real one that flared up between nuclear powers.

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Jake Lahut @jakelahut.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

At a certain level, only God-given talent could produce this type of answer. It just can't be taught.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 22/09/2026

Candystand derailed my middle school education

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 22/09/2026

emulating the PS1 version

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 22/09/2026

(make sure you play with a CRT shader!)

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 22/09/2026

Policenauts on the other hand has been an unexpected treat

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Noah Hurowitz @noahhurowitz.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

A disturbing new form of family separation: An Iranian couple fled their homeland after twice being arrested for converting to Christianity. Liam was granted asylum in the U.S., but his wife Hannaneh was denied, and has been locked up ever since theintercept.com/2026/09/21/a...

theintercept.com

Immigration Roulette: Husband Granted Asylum, Wife Locked Up Awaiting Deportation

An Iranian couple seeking refuge in the United States faces a cruel new form of family separation.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 21/09/2026

I remember it being really good but it turns out my taste in things hadn't peaked as a 21 year old. Agree that MGS3 holds up extremely well (both original and Delta) today, and MGS2 is my fav game of all time.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 21/09/2026

Needed to get that off my chest

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 21/09/2026

I’m a big MGS stan and the MGS4 remaster was one of my most anticipated games in a long time, having not played it since it came out when I was in college, and boy am I not having very much fun.

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AI Now Institute @ainowinstitute.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Recently obtained contracts between Big Tech companies & the Pentagon reveal their efforts to game the risk assessment process in AI weapons contracts. AI Now's @heidykhlaaf.bsky.social explains to @sambiddle.com why it’s crucial that risk assessments be independent: theintercept.com/2026/09/08/m...

theintercept.com

AI Giants Work Hand-in-Hand With the Pentagon, Contracts Reveal

The Intercept sued to obtain records that reveal an intimate relationship between the military and OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and xAI.

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

"The Department of Defense asked OpenAI to provide the U.S. military with a special version of its artificial intelligence technology designed to turn down the military commands as infrequently as possible, according to documents obtained by The Intercept."

theintercept.com

The Pentagon Asked OpenAI for Artificial Intelligence Designed to Rarely Say No

The U.S. military’s desire for an AI tool with “minimal refusal rates” was revealed through a FOIA lawsuit filed by The Intercept.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 09/09/2026

Records I reviewed show police are searching tens of thousands of Flock cameras to investigate the horrendous violent crime of standing around in public. theintercept.com/2026/09/09/f...

theintercept.com

Cops Are Using Flock to Spy on People for the Crime of Standing Around

Police scanned Flock cameras in a single town in Illinois more than 1,200 times to investigate cases of loitering.

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Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 08/09/2026

The military wanted a version of OpenAI's models that would not refuse directives from military officials, a metric called the "minimal refusal rates." This kind of stuff is extremely dangerous. theintercept.com/2026/09/08/p... archive.ph/iKdbn

theintercept.com

The Pentagon Asked OpenAI for Artificial Intelligence Designed to Rarely Say No

The U.S. military’s desire for an AI tool with “minimal refusal rates” was revealed through a FOIA lawsuit filed by The Intercept.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 08/09/2026

This story also generated one of the best quotes I've ever been given by a government official: “There might be some stray voltage or wires crossing between whatever FOIA information you may have received versus what actually exists versus what is an executed contract per se"

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Dr Heidy Khlaaf (هايدي خلاف) @heidykhlaaf.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I spoke to the @theintercept.com on how we're entering very dangerous and anti-democratic territory when AI companies, in seeking to deploy their technology in US military, are put in a position to self-report and determine the risks of their very own products.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 08/09/2026

Contract documents I obtained show that OpenAI and Google aren't simply selling a product, but working hand in hand with the Pentagon, advising the U.S. military on AI usage and risks, military AI strategy, and even receiving briefings on "operational missions." theintercept.com/2026/09/08/m...

theintercept.com

AI Giants Work Hand-in-Hand With the Pentagon, Contracts Reveal

The Intercept sued to obtain records that reveal an intimate relationship between the military and OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and xAI.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 08/09/2026

Both OpenAI and DOD now say I was given a draft document by mistake, but neither will provide what they say was actual final version that went into effect. My FOIA lawsuit is ongoing.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 08/09/2026

I wanted to know how a major error like this could have happened, why the government confirmed this contract was the final version, and what the "real" version was. This Pentagon official then went dark and stopped responding to my queries.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 08/09/2026

OpenAI said it was a "draft" contract reflecting a request from DOD that they turned down. I was contacted by a Pentagon official (whose previous work experience was working for the Trump campaign) saying he wasn't sure what the document was, but promised me he would explain.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 08/09/2026

We then asked the Pentagon's lawyers to confirm that this "minimal refusal" contract was in fact the final executed version. They said it was. Then hours later, after going to OpenAI for comment, they reversed course.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 08/09/2026

I obtained these documents through a FOIA lawsuit against the Pentagon. The initial FOIA request explicitly requested only final, executed, signed contract documents, and asked DOD to exclude any draft materials.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 08/09/2026

The documents I obtained include an OpenAI contract with the Pentagon requiring that the military AI it sold to Hegseth would maximally comply with the military's commands. The story behind this doc became very strange (thread) theintercept.com/2026/09/08/p...

theintercept.com

The Pentagon Asked OpenAI for Artificial Intelligence Designed to Rarely Say No

The U.S. military’s desire for an AI tool with “minimal refusal rates” was revealed through a FOIA lawsuit filed by The Intercept.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 08/09/2026

Exclusive: I obtained hundreds of pages of contract documents from the OpenAI/Anthropic/Google/xAI Pentagon deal. It includes a (redacted) copy of OpenAI's classified deployment agreement signed during the DOD/Anthropic showdown. theintercept.com/2026/09/08/m...

theintercept.com

AI Giants Work Hand-in-Hand With the Pentagon, Contracts Reveal

The Intercept sued to obtain records that reveal an intimate relationship between the military and OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and xAI.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 03/09/2026

To answer the many many people who have texted me this in recent days—no I did not sue Disney

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Brian Finucane @bcfinucane.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

There's a lot of weirdness and bluster in the DoD one-year update on the boat bombing, including: --it was on background --only metrics are supposed reduced "illicit maritime activity" in certain areas, number of strikes, and bodycount --invokes COIN-esque objectives www.war.gov/News/News-St...

war.gov

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 01/09/2026

I can't remember the last time I called a friend outside of trying to locate them in a crowded place. Meanwhile my mom and her friends still call each other just to chat and it seems really lovely. Ah well

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 01/09/2026

$500 toothbrush is an incredible idiot tax

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lookcaitlin @lookcaitlin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Robert Evans #1984 h1.nu/1xgBj

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Alex Wellerstein @wellerstein.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Striking-yet-difficult-to-parse Cold War report graphic of the day — "Time History of Biological Response to Ionizing Radiation" (US Naval Radiological Laboratory, 1965)

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 31/08/2026

I would be totally fine with descriptive metaphors if it weren't for the large volume of people who don't think this is a metaphor at all. I think that's the biggest problem with AI anthropomorphization: many take it literally.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 31/08/2026

I think "secret AI civilizations" is still deeply silly

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Josh Fruhlinger @jfruh.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I’d like to believe the parachuting pilot was drawn in later at an editors request

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 24/08/2026

One of the best reporters I've ever known in addition to just being a really great person. Awful.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 24/08/2026

Jess's reporting literally got someone off death row last year and now BuzzFeed laid her off.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 24/08/2026

I took the picture myself two days ago on my phone

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Max Read @maxread.info · 24/08/2026

took my 5 y/o to a big hannaford today and he was completely one-shotted by the grocery store bullshit. worlds biggest mark. i refused to get him a dumpling toy and he screamed WE'RE ONLY GETTING THINGS YOU WANT. yeah man i really "want" "daves killer bread"

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 24/08/2026

I took it yesterday on my phone while picking up a sandwich. I don't really care if you think it's real or not.

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Sam Biddle @sambiddle.com · 24/08/2026

I did yeah. I don't want to say lest crazy people on here try to review bomb their Yelp or something. It sucks but they don't deserve The Internet's Wrath. The sandwich they sold me was good.

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Mac the squirrel :) @macsquirelera.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I’m at a Oaxacan festival and a taco stand has an AI sign too and it’s terrible

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