Alexis aka xcryptessa
@xcryptessa.bsky.social
Security engineer. Developer. Observer.
A cipher wrapped in eyeliner and logic.
Encrypting what matters. She/her. 🏳️🌈
A cipher wrapped in eyeliner and logic.
Encrypting what matters. She/her. 🏳️🌈
This is 24 pages, but well worth reading from start to end. It explains much of what went wrong in the government's case against Comey - and it's a lot. It really seems like a rushed & careless case, where rights & rules didn't matter.
👀Fitzpatrick said Halligan made two apparent "fundamental misstatements of law" to the grand jury that could threaten the case. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 17, 2025 at 5:41 PM
This is 24 pages, but well worth reading from start to end. It explains much of what went wrong in the government's case against Comey - and it's a lot. It really seems like a rushed & careless case, where rights & rules didn't matter.
Reposted by Alexis aka xcryptessa
New: this app lets ICE track vehicles and owners across the country. ICE uses phone to scan license plates, add to a database of billions of records. Thomson Reuters then enriches that with marriage, voter, other info. Can predict where a car will be in the future
www.404media.co/this-app-let...
www.404media.co/this-app-let...
This App Lets ICE Track Vehicles and Owners Across the Country
Material viewed by 404 Media shows data giant Thomson Reuters enriches license plate data with marriage, voter, and ownership records. The tool can predict where a car may be in the future.
www.404media.co
November 17, 2025 at 2:31 PM
New: this app lets ICE track vehicles and owners across the country. ICE uses phone to scan license plates, add to a database of billions of records. Thomson Reuters then enriches that with marriage, voter, other info. Can predict where a car will be in the future
www.404media.co/this-app-let...
www.404media.co/this-app-let...
The Paradox of Automation: When Software Developers Automate Away Their Own Understanding
Software engineering has always oscillated between two opposing imperatives. On one side stands the desire to build abstractions that free us from repetitive cognitive labor. On the other stands the necessity…
Software engineering has always oscillated between two opposing imperatives. On one side stands the desire to build abstractions that free us from repetitive cognitive labor. On the other stands the necessity…
The Paradox of Automation: When Software Developers Automate Away Their Own Understanding
Software engineering has always oscillated between two opposing imperatives. On one side stands the desire to build abstractions that free us from repetitive cognitive labor. On the other stands the necessity of understanding the systems we build well enough to maintain, secure, and extend them. The contemporary software industry valorizes automation as the apex expression of engineering craftsmanship. The more pipelines we generate, the more infrastructure we templatize, the more code we scaffold automatically, the more productive we appear.
xcryptessa.wordpress.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:36 PM
The Paradox of Automation: When Software Developers Automate Away Their Own Understanding
Software engineering has always oscillated between two opposing imperatives. On one side stands the desire to build abstractions that free us from repetitive cognitive labor. On the other stands the necessity…
Software engineering has always oscillated between two opposing imperatives. On one side stands the desire to build abstractions that free us from repetitive cognitive labor. On the other stands the necessity…
Rubio designed Cartel de Los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, calling Maduro its leader. That’s likely all that’s needed to justify attacking him & Venezuela. www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11...
Update from Edward Wong
www.nytimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Rubio designed Cartel de Los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, calling Maduro its leader. That’s likely all that’s needed to justify attacking him & Venezuela. www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11...
This is probably one of the best indicators of just how much pressure there is on the US economy. Every datapoint you add, the more clear it is that things are worse than some would like us to think.
This isn't good.
This isn't good.
As Morris watches his BNPL investments from the other side of the table, he seems to understand the warning signs better than most.
BNPL is expanding fast, and that should worry everyone | TechCrunch
As Morris watches his BNPL investments from the other side of the table, he seems to understand the warning signs better than most.
techcrunch.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:07 PM
This is probably one of the best indicators of just how much pressure there is on the US economy. Every datapoint you add, the more clear it is that things are worse than some would like us to think.
This isn't good.
This isn't good.
Hmm. I've noticed a group of accounts that have thousands of followers, but are clearly coordinating much of the content they post (though not 100% identical). Posts are left-leaning, mostly reposts, with a pattern to the username selection.
I wonder, boring bots or something more interesting?
I wonder, boring bots or something more interesting?
November 16, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Hmm. I've noticed a group of accounts that have thousands of followers, but are clearly coordinating much of the content they post (though not 100% identical). Posts are left-leaning, mostly reposts, with a pattern to the username selection.
I wonder, boring bots or something more interesting?
I wonder, boring bots or something more interesting?
Intimate Machines and Invisible Risks: Security Reflections on Romantic Entanglements with AI
The New Intimate Frontier The past few years have produced a profound shift in how individuals conceptualize emotional connection. Artificial intelligence systems, once relegated to narrow tasks and…
The New Intimate Frontier The past few years have produced a profound shift in how individuals conceptualize emotional connection. Artificial intelligence systems, once relegated to narrow tasks and…
Intimate Machines and Invisible Risks: Security Reflections on Romantic Entanglements with AI
The New Intimate Frontier The past few years have produced a profound shift in how individuals conceptualize emotional connection. Artificial intelligence systems, once relegated to narrow tasks and tightly defined workflows, now routinely converse with a fluency that mimics companionship. Some individuals seek emotional support from these systems, while others pursue something more immersive and affective. This instinct is understandable, perhaps even inevitable, given the human tendency to anthropomorphize responsive systems.
xcryptessa.wordpress.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Intimate Machines and Invisible Risks: Security Reflections on Romantic Entanglements with AI
The New Intimate Frontier The past few years have produced a profound shift in how individuals conceptualize emotional connection. Artificial intelligence systems, once relegated to narrow tasks and…
The New Intimate Frontier The past few years have produced a profound shift in how individuals conceptualize emotional connection. Artificial intelligence systems, once relegated to narrow tasks and…
This isn't just about a rich guy trying to be richer, this is about control of what people see & hear. This is about ensuring that a small group of billionaires utterly dominate the information people receive about what's going on in the world.
Monopolies are bad. Especially in media & entertainment, like WB.
Without varying viewpoints & perspectives, this monopoly will stifle consumers use of critical thinking / deductive reasoning to ascertain what is true & what has value. It will suppress unique ideas/voices.
There's no growth.
Without varying viewpoints & perspectives, this monopoly will stifle consumers use of critical thinking / deductive reasoning to ascertain what is true & what has value. It will suppress unique ideas/voices.
There's no growth.
November 16, 2025 at 1:11 PM
This isn't just about a rich guy trying to be richer, this is about control of what people see & hear. This is about ensuring that a small group of billionaires utterly dominate the information people receive about what's going on in the world.
I saw some people talking about moving away from KeepassXC because of AI written code - at this point, AI code is in almost everything (of any complexity), including security tools.
If anyone thinks that they can avoid AI generated code, they are in for a surprise.
If anyone thinks that they can avoid AI generated code, they are in for a surprise.
November 15, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I saw some people talking about moving away from KeepassXC because of AI written code - at this point, AI code is in almost everything (of any complexity), including security tools.
If anyone thinks that they can avoid AI generated code, they are in for a surprise.
If anyone thinks that they can avoid AI generated code, they are in for a surprise.
Reposted by Alexis aka xcryptessa
I think it’s safe to assume AI now lets white-collar firms (law, marketing, software, consulting, etc) do same work with fewer people.
The key questions: will this mean layoffs to cut costs or producing more with the same staff?
This is just the start of the pendulum swing back from COVID hiring.
The key questions: will this mean layoffs to cut costs or producing more with the same staff?
This is just the start of the pendulum swing back from COVID hiring.
November 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM
I think it’s safe to assume AI now lets white-collar firms (law, marketing, software, consulting, etc) do same work with fewer people.
The key questions: will this mean layoffs to cut costs or producing more with the same staff?
This is just the start of the pendulum swing back from COVID hiring.
The key questions: will this mean layoffs to cut costs or producing more with the same staff?
This is just the start of the pendulum swing back from COVID hiring.
Designing for Failure: Why Modern Systems Need Chaos, Observability, and Humility
The Premise of Fragility Modern software systems carry an aura of strength. They stretch across geographic regions, abstract complexity behind layers of orchestration, and promise reliability that borders on the…
The Premise of Fragility Modern software systems carry an aura of strength. They stretch across geographic regions, abstract complexity behind layers of orchestration, and promise reliability that borders on the…
Designing for Failure: Why Modern Systems Need Chaos, Observability, and Humility
The Premise of Fragility Modern software systems carry an aura of strength. They stretch across geographic regions, abstract complexity behind layers of orchestration, and promise reliability that borders on the mythic. Yet beneath this surface lies an unavoidable truth: every distributed system is fundamentally fragile. Perhaps it has always been so, but the scale, heterogeneity, and speed of contemporary architectures have intensified the underlying brittleness.
xcryptessa.wordpress.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Designing for Failure: Why Modern Systems Need Chaos, Observability, and Humility
The Premise of Fragility Modern software systems carry an aura of strength. They stretch across geographic regions, abstract complexity behind layers of orchestration, and promise reliability that borders on the…
The Premise of Fragility Modern software systems carry an aura of strength. They stretch across geographic regions, abstract complexity behind layers of orchestration, and promise reliability that borders on the…
Economy is weak, jobs numbers are bad - so kill 300,000 jobs & a $28B industry. Seems smart. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/13/c...
Congressional hemp restrictions threaten $28 billion industry, sending companies scrambling
Congress' stopgap funding bill added a provision banning almost all hemp, which threatens $28 billion hemp industry and has sent companies scrambling.
www.cnbc.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Economy is weak, jobs numbers are bad - so kill 300,000 jobs & a $28B industry. Seems smart. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/13/c...
Reposted by Alexis aka xcryptessa
I remember when Republicans were beside themselves that the Clinton Foundation took donations for non-profit purposes from the Saudis and other countries AFTER he left office, noting it posed a conflict of interest because Hillary could still run for office in the future.
Emolumental: The Trump Organization is in talks that could bring a Trump-branded property to one of Saudi Arabia’s largest government-owned real estate developments.
Trump is set to host Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, next week.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/15/w...
Trump is set to host Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, next week.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/15/w...
Trump Organization Is Said to Be in Talks on a Saudi Government Real Estate Deal
www.nytimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I remember when Republicans were beside themselves that the Clinton Foundation took donations for non-profit purposes from the Saudis and other countries AFTER he left office, noting it posed a conflict of interest because Hillary could still run for office in the future.
Trump is turning Chicago into a war zone. As is often the case, the biggest issue with anything Trump touches - is the fact he touched it.
Chicago may experience less tear gas use as Operation Midway Blitz winds down. Cold and wet weather reduce effectiveness, while wind adds unpredictability.
Wind, cold temps can change the impact of tear gas and pepper balls, experts say
chicago.suntimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Trump is turning Chicago into a war zone. As is often the case, the biggest issue with anything Trump touches - is the fact he touched it.
A tax on Americans makes things for Americans. Who could have predicted this.
Trump’s new “affordability” push is basically reversing the tariffs he said would never cause un-affordability.
@nytimes.com 🤡
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
@nytimes.com 🤡
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
November 14, 2025 at 1:01 PM
A tax on Americans makes things for Americans. Who could have predicted this.
Reposted by Alexis aka xcryptessa
Chinese state-sponsored hackers used Anthropic’s A.I. technology to conduct a largely automated cyberattack against a group of technology companies and government agencies, the company said Thursday.
Anthropic Says Chinese Hackers Used Its A.I. in Online Attack
The company claimed that A.I. did most of the hacking with limited human input and said it was a rapid escalation of the technology’s use in cybercrime.
nyti.ms
November 14, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Chinese state-sponsored hackers used Anthropic’s A.I. technology to conduct a largely automated cyberattack against a group of technology companies and government agencies, the company said Thursday.
Reposted by Alexis aka xcryptessa
Prohibited activities include advising Chinese graduate students. For reference, a recent Georgetown report estimated 16% of STEM graduate students in the US are Chinese nationals.
This would take out entire fields at the knees, which is perhaps the point.
This would take out entire fields at the knees, which is perhaps the point.
“The prohibited activities would include joint research, co-authorship on papers, and advising a foreign graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The language is retroactive, meaning any interactions during the previous 5 years could make a scientist ineligible for future federal funding.”
U.S. Congress considers sweeping ban on Chinese collaborations
Researchers speak out against proposal that would bar funding for U.S. scientists working with Chinese partners or training Chinese students
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Prohibited activities include advising Chinese graduate students. For reference, a recent Georgetown report estimated 16% of STEM graduate students in the US are Chinese nationals.
This would take out entire fields at the knees, which is perhaps the point.
This would take out entire fields at the knees, which is perhaps the point.
Reminder: Your time and attention are your own, if you have someone combative show up in your feed, block early and block often. Nothing to be gained by wasting time on people that just want a fight.
November 13, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Reminder: Your time and attention are your own, if you have someone combative show up in your feed, block early and block often. Nothing to be gained by wasting time on people that just want a fight.
This opens the door to real competition for SpaceX, something that is very much needed. Blue Origin is now positioned to start taking over contracts that once SpaceX could get with no effective competition.
Breaking News: Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, landed a booster from its New Glenn orbital rocket, matching a feat so far only achieved by SpaceX.
Blue Origin Lands Booster After Rocket Launch and Matches SpaceX’s Feat
The lower half of the New Glenn rocket set down on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean after lifting a small NASA Mars mission to space.
nyti.ms
November 13, 2025 at 9:30 PM
This opens the door to real competition for SpaceX, something that is very much needed. Blue Origin is now positioned to start taking over contracts that once SpaceX could get with no effective competition.
Congrats to the Blue Origin team, that was an amazing landing!
November 13, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Congrats to the Blue Origin team, that was an amazing landing!
Sometimes there are no words. This is one of those times, I can’t even.
Megyn Kelly: "I know somebody very close to this case…Jeffrey Epstein, in this person's view, was not a pedophile…He was into the barely legal type, like he liked 15 year old girls…He wasn't into like 8 year olds…There's a difference between a 15 year old and a 5 year old."
November 13, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Sometimes there are no words. This is one of those times, I can’t even.
Reposted by Alexis aka xcryptessa
In Bovino's upside down world, there is no difference between an armed gang member preying on others in his community and a guy working 12 hours a day washing cars, flipping burgers, or installing sheetrock to feed his family — and he wants you to hate and fear both men equally.
Bovino: "Whether they were criminals or individuals that were taking jobs from Americans -- you name it, that's what they were doing. And I'll tell you what's gonna happen. We're gonna go even harder on the streets. If he releases those 650, we're gonna apprehend 1,650 on the streets of Chicago."
November 13, 2025 at 7:49 PM
In Bovino's upside down world, there is no difference between an armed gang member preying on others in his community and a guy working 12 hours a day washing cars, flipping burgers, or installing sheetrock to feed his family — and he wants you to hate and fear both men equally.
Losing evidence seems to be a growing trend for the government.
An interesting tidbit in the joint status report filed in the Broadview ICE facility case today:
ICE says video from inside the facility "between October 19, 2025, and October 31, 2025, has been irretrievably destroyed" and can't be produced in discovery.
www.courtlistener.com/docket/71832...
ICE says video from inside the facility "between October 19, 2025, and October 31, 2025, has been irretrievably destroyed" and can't be produced in discovery.
www.courtlistener.com/docket/71832...
November 13, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Losing evidence seems to be a growing trend for the government.
Reposted by Alexis aka xcryptessa
Still working our way through approx. 23,000 pages of Epstein related documents released by House Oversight Cmte.
In another email.. this one from Feb. 2017.. Epstein references Trump
==>
In another email.. this one from Feb. 2017.. Epstein references Trump
==>
November 13, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Still working our way through approx. 23,000 pages of Epstein related documents released by House Oversight Cmte.
In another email.. this one from Feb. 2017.. Epstein references Trump
==>
In another email.. this one from Feb. 2017.. Epstein references Trump
==>
Reposted by Alexis aka xcryptessa
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable gr...
www.404media.co
November 13, 2025 at 2:11 PM
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...