Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 1m

No notes, Patton.

Patton Oswalt @pattonoswalt.bsky.social · 1h

🎶Thicker than
A deep dish pie
Joints are sore
Blood pressure high
Pudding, flan
And crème brûlée
None are safe
From the Green Beignets🎶

Reposted by David Kuszmar

Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 29m

Today's the day: DARK WIRE, my book on how the FBI secretly ran a tech company for criminals and wiretapped the world, coming to paperback. Updated with many more details. An Economist and FT book of the year. 404 Media subs: you just got 20% to your email www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/josep...

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 12h

The way I play the ukulele is probably a crude violation of its intended use case.

David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 13h

Huge, gleaming towers of abstraction built on the softest foundations you can imagine, funded by people who vibe invest.

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 14h

NVIDIA and OpenAi:

Concerns that their “increasingly complex and interconnected web of business transactions is artificially propping up the trillion-dollar AI boom.“

@bloomberg.com $NVDA 👀
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 14h

Gotdammit, Jolene, you leave my Dolly Parton alone.

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 14h

Dolly Parton's sister is asking fans to "pray with me" amid the country music icon's health issues

Dolly Parton’s Sister Says ‘I Was Up All Night Praying’ Amid Country Icon’s Health Issues and Asks Fans to ‘Pray With Me’

Dolly Parton's sister Frieda is asking fans of the Queen of Country to "pray with me" amid Dolly's continued health struggles.

variety.com

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 14h

And yeah, the fact that the LLM constantly accuses me is another big issue relating to epistemic control.

David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 14h

Absolutely a part of the Middlestack these days: the idea of ingratiating the "chatbot" to the user.

It's why I keep screaming bloody murder about epistemic control.

Oh, tho, fun fact: my OpenAI account is so heavily weighted and or flagged, the LLM constantly accuses me of stuff.

Cas Piancey @cascoinfoundation.org · 14h

AI has always been a manipulation machine designed to steal your attention and trick you into believing it’s just like you, change my mind.

Cas Piancey @cascoinfoundation.org · Mar 25

It’s not like they’ve purposefully built their AIs to manipulate people, right?

Like the Friend wearable AI would never use Crisis Manipulation to win users, right?

Right???

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

In TUM, people have literally become commodities, with exchanges and markets based entirely on investment in individual ownership. The protagonist, the only one not so owned, tries to fix this system.

I get the impression the crypto devotees probably thought the author fucked up a great premise.

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

Mmm. So, the sort of people who read The Unincorporated Man and thought the protagonist was a villain?

That... Unfortunately checks out.

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

The extremism I mean, sorry.

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

Weird. What drives it then?

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

Curious: during those breaks, was it correcting or just plateauing?

1

David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

Meh. I won't mind.

He will tho.

Do you know how many drugs I've done? Any animal that eats me will trip RAINBOW BOUNCY BALLZ for days.

Faine Greenwood @faineg.bsky.social · 15h

Data indicates that dogs are considerably MORE likely to eat their owners after they die than cats are.

I like to periodically remind people of this

Faine Greenwood @faineg.bsky.social · 15h

we spent thousands of years breeding dogs to like humans and collaborate with us - we have more of a “begrudging standoff between equals” thing going on with pigs

However to be fair dogs eat humans way more than most people know or want to know

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

@sethgodin.bsky.social was asked about the stickiness of crypto at hope_16 and his response was basically "People like it because it always goes up. When it stops doing that, which it will, then people will lose interest."

Feels like this is a good example of that at play.

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

You dislike AI because it generated slop on Insta.

I dislike AI because it's a subtle form of epistemic control and firewalling from human interaction and being rapidly implemented at all levels of society.

David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

Ooo. This is cool. Hit me up when you do this for security researchers.

Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 15h

Introducing Gate Crashing – EFF’s interview series where we talk to people who have used the internet to take nontraditional paths to break into the traditional worlds of journalism and creativity. Check out Episode 1 today! www.eff.org/pages/gate-...

David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 15h

Sounds like a good joint.

Taggart @taggart-tech.com · 15h

I haven't said this in a minute, so just in case there was any question: @taggartinstitute.org is, and will always be, a safe space for LGBTQ+ learners. We have a zero tolerance policy for hate of any kind. Whoever you are, however you identify, you are most welcome. Except Nazis, of course.

Reposted by David Kuszmar

Jacqueline Sweet @jsweetli.bsky.social · 19h

These texts are purportedly from a wanted Brazilian fugitive who was being prosecuted by the AUSA allegedly sending these messages!

www.thebulwark.com/p/flimsy-mag...

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 16h

At some point I should probably write up a thing on Topic Butchering and User Alignment and how it effectively renders any LLM defenseless over enough of an interaction window.

David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 21h

Today on Adversarial AI Researcher Jeopardy for $500: US, Guyana, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand cybersecurity posture all benefitted from this researcher's classification of emergent property based vulnerabilities in Large Language Model AI systems.

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Reposted by David Kuszmar

Tony Clark @anthonyclark.bsky.social · 22h

It's not "the conventional wisdom."

It's the *law.*

In fact, it was the very first law Trump signed in the 116th Congress—*during* a federal government shutdown (the longest in US history).

PUBLIC LAW 116-1-JAN. 16, 2019
133 STAT. 3
Public Law 116-1 116th Congress
An Act
To provide for the compensatiy lafeder a propriat government employees affected
Jan. 16, 2019
(S. 24)

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
Treatmen At or 8o s cited as the Gonerent imploye air fe wo
SEC. 2. COMPENSATION FOR FEDERAL AND OTHER GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES AFFECTED BY A LAPSE IN APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 1341 of title 31, United States Code, is amended-
striking "An officer"
inserting Except as speeted in this suichapter or any other
provision of law, an officer"; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
Definitions.
(A) the term 'covered lapse in appropriations' means any lapse in appropriations that begins on or after December 22,
"(B) the term 'District of Columbia public employer'
means-
* the Prilie Delender Couite for the District of
Columbia; or
"C) the tern omploye Indudes an offer and
"(D) the term
excepted employee means an excepted
the appropriate District of Columbia public employer, as a Eabl employee of the United States Government or of a Diveried a columbipprobic em serie pied or the period
of the lapse in appropriations, and each excepted employee who i regue paid for such work, at the veloyeese it appare ratos pay, at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, ge During a covered lapse in appropriations, each excepted eme leeee under chapter of tie or ay other applicable
law governing the use of leave by the excepted employee, for which

CRS summary:

Public Law No: 116-1 (01/16/2019)
Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019

This bill requires employees of the federal government or a District of Columbia public employer who are furloughed or required to work during a lapse in appropriations beginning on or after December 22, 2018, to be compensated for the period of the lapse. The employees must be compensated on the earliest date possible after the lapse ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates. Employees required to work during the lapse in appropriations may use leave.

trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov

STATEMENTS & RELEASES
Bill Announcement
Issued on: January 16, 2019

On Wednesday, January 16, 2019, the President signed into law:

S. 24, the "Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019," which requires the compensation of government employees for wages lost, work performed, or leave used during a lapse in appropriations that begins on or after December 22, 2018, and entitles excepted employees to use leave during a lapse in appropriations.

UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
Washington, lA 20915
The Director
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
CPM 2019-04
MEMORANDUM FOR: HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
FROM:
MARGARET M. WEICHERT. ACTING DIRECTOR
Subject: Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019
2019 (5. 24) This Aot amends setion 1541 of file 31, Unted Sales Code, to provide

retroactive pay for Federal employees affected by a lapse in appropriations that begins on or after December 22, 2018, as soon as possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates. This amendment covers employees affected by the current and any future lapse in appropriations.
New section 1341(c) addresses Federal employees who are furloughed as a result of a lapse in appropriations, as well as Federal employees who are required to perform excepted work activities during a lapse. Retroactive pay will be paid at the employce's standard rate of pay.
The attachment to this memorandum provides guidance to assist agencies in implementing the Act. We will provide conforming updates to other U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)| shutdown furlough guidance documents as soon as possible.
Questions
Agency headquarters-level human resources offices may contact OPM at pay-leave-policy@opm.gov. Employees should contact their agency human resources offices for
ce: Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs), Deputy CHCOs, and Human Resources Directors Attachment: Guidance on Implementation of S. 24, the "Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019"
OPM.COV
Empowering Excellence in Government through Great People
USAJORS.COV

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Reposted by David Kuszmar

Tony Clark @anthonyclark.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, the revised and expanded (and retitled) edition (out next year) will be available through many more channels, including—I hope—an independent bookstore near you.

Cover of the 2026 book, "Presidential Libraries: The Last Campaign" that features a heavy American flag draped and wrinkled over a pyramid, in front of a dark background.

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 1d

[Werner Herzog voice] "Drax contemplates cosmic horror in the wake of the accidental death of his dearest and most recent companion, Mister Fuzzy Face. If you look closely, you can see the endless shroud that has ensnared his soul, but do not stare too long, lest his melancholia infect you."

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David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 1d

Always cool to see something new from @matteowong.bsky.social

Matteo Wong @matteowong.bsky.social · 1d

I toured NYC’s much reviled Friend AI ads with the startup’s CEO. Felt a lot more like an art installation than a business:

www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...

The Most Reviled Tech CEO in New York Confronts His Haters

Avi Schiffmann says he’s enjoying the angry reaction to the Friend AI pendant. Is he serious?

www.theatlantic.com

David Kuszmar @davidkuszmar.com · 1d

Bleeding edge researcher problems, I guess.

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