Kevin Webb
@triangulator.org
Tinkering with semiconductors and copper for ebikes, cargo bikes, and things slightly larger.
Also curious about the pre/post-cloud internet (forecast: 🌤️).
Also curious about the pre/post-cloud internet (forecast: 🌤️).
Just read the report that triggered this, fantastic and much needed work on pricing transparency groundworkcollaborative.org/work/instaca...
December 22, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Just read the report that triggered this, fantastic and much needed work on pricing transparency groundworkcollaborative.org/work/instaca...
Great reporting on how Flock is lobbying police departments to build support for their technology.
"Staunton announced this afternoon that it will end its contract with Flock Safety and remove the six automated license plate readers installed throughout the city."
Staunton cancels Flock contract, doesn't agree with CEO's ideology
Staunton has announced that it will end its contract with Flock Safety and remove all automated license plate readers installed in the city.
augustafreepress.com
December 22, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Great reporting on how Flock is lobbying police departments to build support for their technology.
Fantastic visual exploration of the current state of model interpretability.
youtu.be/D8GOeCFFby4?...
youtu.be/D8GOeCFFby4?...
But what is grokking?
YouTube video by Welch Labs
youtu.be
December 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Fantastic visual exploration of the current state of model interpretability.
youtu.be/D8GOeCFFby4?...
youtu.be/D8GOeCFFby4?...
Further evidence that graph and physics modes are some of the coolest stuff happening. This is built in Google’s GraphCast GNN and generates improved results with 0.3% of compute required for existing models.
Today, we're rolling out a new suite of AI-driven global weather models, including a "first of its kind" hybrid ensemble system! Want to get geeky with us? Come check it out:
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
This AIGFS forecast in the form of a map, for December 10, 2025, shows the heavy precipitation from an atmospheric river hitting the U.S. Pacific Northwest. AI weather models like this one will protect life and property by improving forecast accuracy and timeliness for events such as the catastrophic flooding that impacted the Northwest.
www.noaa.gov
December 18, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Further evidence that graph and physics modes are some of the coolest stuff happening. This is built in Google’s GraphCast GNN and generates improved results with 0.3% of compute required for existing models.
Reposted by Kevin Webb
I realize folks don't want to hear this, but we really need to re-examine the conventional wisdom that we can shift the entire US market to pure EV with massive batteries and some light consumer incentives.
It's a nice thing to believe but the evidence doesn't add up.
It's a nice thing to believe but the evidence doesn't add up.
Production of the all-electric Ford F-150 has come to an end. But the next one will be an extended-range electric vehicle, or EREV, with 700 miles of range.
But Ford announced other pivots back to gas today too:
insideevs.com/news/781889/...
But Ford announced other pivots back to gas today too:
insideevs.com/news/781889/...
The Next Ford F-150 Lightning Will Get A Gas Engine
Ford has an answer to the F-150 Lightning's woes: turn it into a 700-mile extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) for the next generation.
insideevs.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I realize folks don't want to hear this, but we really need to re-examine the conventional wisdom that we can shift the entire US market to pure EV with massive batteries and some light consumer incentives.
It's a nice thing to believe but the evidence doesn't add up.
It's a nice thing to believe but the evidence doesn't add up.
Woof, what a thread…
December 15, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Woof, what a thread…
This is a fantastic example of tech journalism.
Why You’re Better Than a Computer at Solving Connections
www.nytimes.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:53 AM
This is a fantastic example of tech journalism.
PSA: Sohla and Ham cookie content dropped today youtu.be/fzNRjc2g1NU?...
Perfect Shortbread and Ways to Make It Your Own | Cookies In Session with Sohla
YouTube video by Sohla and Ham
youtu.be
December 10, 2025 at 12:45 AM
PSA: Sohla and Ham cookie content dropped today youtu.be/fzNRjc2g1NU?...
Reposted by Kevin Webb
hard to imagine a better comment on the state of silicon valley startups than: the hot startups are just straight up naming themselves after pseudoscientific concepts now
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemuria
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemuria
December 7, 2025 at 11:19 AM
hard to imagine a better comment on the state of silicon valley startups than: the hot startups are just straight up naming themselves after pseudoscientific concepts now
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemuria
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemuria
Just spent my lunch break with an engineer trying to sort out a neighborhood-wide stormwater problem caused by aging infrastructure and 10yr rainfall events that occurred multiple times per month last summer.
It’s wild how inadequate current tools are for handling the no longer extreme.
It’s wild how inadequate current tools are for handling the no longer extreme.
Zillow’s climate score rollback is a wake-up call: build open, future‑conditions federal flood maps -- gold‑standard, trustworthy data for building codes, mortgages, and our future. Column today: open.substack.com/pub/susanpcr...
Zillow’s climate risk reversal looks like a setback. It’s really a wake‑up call.
When private models sow confusion, it’s a flashing warning sign that Washington needs to fix federal flood maps,
open.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Just spent my lunch break with an engineer trying to sort out a neighborhood-wide stormwater problem caused by aging infrastructure and 10yr rainfall events that occurred multiple times per month last summer.
It’s wild how inadequate current tools are for handling the no longer extreme.
It’s wild how inadequate current tools are for handling the no longer extreme.
“The operator of a vending machine gets to experience the idle fancy of exhausted shopkeepers everywhere, selling their wares without getting up early in the morning, without necessarily getting up at all. But what is behind the will to be vended to?”
A day in the life of (almost) every vending machine in the world
The long read: What’s behind the indestructible appeal of the robotic snack?
www.theguardian.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:10 AM
“The operator of a vending machine gets to experience the idle fancy of exhausted shopkeepers everywhere, selling their wares without getting up early in the morning, without necessarily getting up at all. But what is behind the will to be vended to?”
Interesting framing from @blaiseaguera.bsky.social of intelligence as an organizational process.
Blaise Agüera y Arcas: why AI really is intelligent
Our podcast on science and technology. The Google engineer explains how AI has given him a new perspective on intelligence—and life itself
economist.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Interesting framing from @blaiseaguera.bsky.social of intelligence as an organizational process.
Woof.
“CPSC is aware of 31 reports of fire, including 12 reports of property damage totaling approximately $734,500. Some of these incidents occurred when the battery was not charging, the product was not in use, and the product was in storage.”
“CPSC is aware of 31 reports of fire, including 12 reports of property damage totaling approximately $734,500. Some of these incidents occurred when the battery was not charging, the product was not in use, and the product was in storage.”
CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using Batteries for E-Bikes from Rad Power Bikes Due to Fire Hazard; Risk of Serious Injury or Death www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/202...
November 24, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Woof.
“CPSC is aware of 31 reports of fire, including 12 reports of property damage totaling approximately $734,500. Some of these incidents occurred when the battery was not charging, the product was not in use, and the product was in storage.”
“CPSC is aware of 31 reports of fire, including 12 reports of property damage totaling approximately $734,500. Some of these incidents occurred when the battery was not charging, the product was not in use, and the product was in storage.”
This is absolutely bonkers. If you’d have asked me even a few months ago if this was possible, I’d have said no way…
November 22, 2025 at 3:36 PM
This is absolutely bonkers. If you’d have asked me even a few months ago if this was possible, I’d have said no way…
“When he told them he was born in Raleigh, the agent questioning him grew angry. They pulled off the road into the parking lot of a carpet cleaning company, where they dumped him, a half mile away from where they picked him up, throwing his wallet and cards out of the SUV window as they drove off.”
‘They basically just kidnapped me’: US citizen taken by Border Patrol in Cary • NC Newsline
As Border Patrol agents swept the Triangle area, a construction worker born in the U.S. was among those detained.
ncnewsline.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:37 PM
“When he told them he was born in Raleigh, the agent questioning him grew angry. They pulled off the road into the parking lot of a carpet cleaning company, where they dumped him, a half mile away from where they picked him up, throwing his wallet and cards out of the SUV window as they drove off.”
One of the more surprising takeaways from Gemini 3 is the lack of sycophancy (or “EQ” as OpenAI calls it). It just responds with the requested information.
Engagement mining is a design choice. And the choices these companies are making say a lot about their product strategy/path to revenue.
Engagement mining is a design choice. And the choices these companies are making say a lot about their product strategy/path to revenue.
November 20, 2025 at 1:57 PM
One of the more surprising takeaways from Gemini 3 is the lack of sycophancy (or “EQ” as OpenAI calls it). It just responds with the requested information.
Engagement mining is a design choice. And the choices these companies are making say a lot about their product strategy/path to revenue.
Engagement mining is a design choice. And the choices these companies are making say a lot about their product strategy/path to revenue.
Great discussion.
Among the many fractures, the split between OpenAI pursuing consumer revenue (agentic shopping, p*rn, etc) and all the other model shops seems like the most consequential.
It’s deeply linked to finance (why OAI is chasing the quick buck) and could define normie perception of AI.
Among the many fractures, the split between OpenAI pursuing consumer revenue (agentic shopping, p*rn, etc) and all the other model shops seems like the most consequential.
It’s deeply linked to finance (why OAI is chasing the quick buck) and could define normie perception of AI.
THE POLITICS OF AI ARE ABOUT TO EXPLODE
We talk with @esaagar.bsky.social about how big tech may soon find itself friendless in DC, as basically all sides of the political spectrum are setting up to oppose AI in some way podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
We talk with @esaagar.bsky.social about how big tech may soon find itself friendless in DC, as basically all sides of the political spectrum are setting up to oppose AI in some way podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
The Politics of AI Are About to Explode
Podcast Episode · Odd Lots · 11/19/2025 · 45m
podcasts.apple.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Great discussion.
Among the many fractures, the split between OpenAI pursuing consumer revenue (agentic shopping, p*rn, etc) and all the other model shops seems like the most consequential.
It’s deeply linked to finance (why OAI is chasing the quick buck) and could define normie perception of AI.
Among the many fractures, the split between OpenAI pursuing consumer revenue (agentic shopping, p*rn, etc) and all the other model shops seems like the most consequential.
It’s deeply linked to finance (why OAI is chasing the quick buck) and could define normie perception of AI.
I’ve had a running test for multimodal models over the last ~year: extract the “Crss” values for each tick mark in this chart. GPT 5 makes up numbers, Claude 4.5 refuses to try, Qwen3 VL has a plausible guess. Gemini 3 pro pretty much nails it.
November 19, 2025 at 1:00 AM
I’ve had a running test for multimodal models over the last ~year: extract the “Crss” values for each tick mark in this chart. GPT 5 makes up numbers, Claude 4.5 refuses to try, Qwen3 VL has a plausible guess. Gemini 3 pro pretty much nails it.
Reposted by Kevin Webb
For no reason at all this morning I feel the need to re-share my piece with Miranda Nazzaro from last week about how we are all overly dependent on a small handful of internet providers: cyberscoop.com/with-each-cl...
With each cloud outage, calls for government action grow louder
Public interest groups want the feds to investigate the systemic risk from market consolidation, while tech and security experts worry about single points of failure.
cyberscoop.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
For no reason at all this morning I feel the need to re-share my piece with Miranda Nazzaro from last week about how we are all overly dependent on a small handful of internet providers: cyberscoop.com/with-each-cl...
Good day to reflect on the tradeoffs between relying on monolithic platforms and protocol-driven infrastructure like BGP Anycast.
Anycast is what makes these platforms possible, but it’s nearly impossible to implement on your own. (Cloudflare requires an enterprise account to enable it.)
Anycast is what makes these platforms possible, but it’s nearly impossible to implement on your own. (Cloudflare requires an enterprise account to enable it.)
November 18, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Good day to reflect on the tradeoffs between relying on monolithic platforms and protocol-driven infrastructure like BGP Anycast.
Anycast is what makes these platforms possible, but it’s nearly impossible to implement on your own. (Cloudflare requires an enterprise account to enable it.)
Anycast is what makes these platforms possible, but it’s nearly impossible to implement on your own. (Cloudflare requires an enterprise account to enable it.)
Reposted by Kevin Webb
cloudflare's on-duty IT staff bangs on the doors which I have padlocked from the inside as I calmly break open lava lamp after lava lamp and drink the contents
November 18, 2025 at 1:59 PM
cloudflare's on-duty IT staff bangs on the doors which I have padlocked from the inside as I calmly break open lava lamp after lava lamp and drink the contents
Bezos and co putting $6.3B into PINNs (for CFD?) is one of the more interesting AI bets out there. Will be interesting to see if they’ve timed Project Prometheus to capture declining hardware costs.
The biggest contribution LLMs (and PoW before) may make is subsidizing the hardware for actually useful applications of GPU enabled computing. There’s so much cool stuff happening that isn’t LLMs (see PINNs) it’s going to be bananas once a zillion fully depreciated GPGPUs flood the market.
AI feels like a real mania, a genuine collective break from reality among the ruling class. They might as well be pouring billions of dollars into an attempt to replace all jobs and knowledge with a large bronze idol of Dagon.
November 17, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Bezos and co putting $6.3B into PINNs (for CFD?) is one of the more interesting AI bets out there. Will be interesting to see if they’ve timed Project Prometheus to capture declining hardware costs.
On the plus side, at least we’re finally being honest that digital enforcement for micromobility is about who has rights to space…
“In certain crowded nightlife areas where teenagers congregate, all rented e-bikes are being slowed down even further.”
“In certain crowded nightlife areas where teenagers congregate, all rented e-bikes are being slowed down even further.”
D.C. is forcing e-bikes to slow down, citing teen crime
Police say Lime bikes are being used as getaway vehicles.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:14 PM
On the plus side, at least we’re finally being honest that digital enforcement for micromobility is about who has rights to space…
“In certain crowded nightlife areas where teenagers congregate, all rented e-bikes are being slowed down even further.”
“In certain crowded nightlife areas where teenagers congregate, all rented e-bikes are being slowed down even further.”
The transformation that the bike industry is undergoing looks a lot like what’s happening to the automotive sector due to electrification. Very messy and long overdue.
The reckoning was triggered by reverberations from COVID supply shocks, but what’s happening is much larger.
The reckoning was triggered by reverberations from COVID supply shocks, but what’s happening is much larger.
NEW: Rad Power Bikes has told employees it will go out of business in January without new funding.
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
Rad Power Bikes faces shutdown in January without new funding | TechCrunch
The company is "still fighting to find ways to continue" according to an email viewed by TechCrunch.
techcrunch.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:26 PM
The transformation that the bike industry is undergoing looks a lot like what’s happening to the automotive sector due to electrification. Very messy and long overdue.
The reckoning was triggered by reverberations from COVID supply shocks, but what’s happening is much larger.
The reckoning was triggered by reverberations from COVID supply shocks, but what’s happening is much larger.