Console Blackjack in GNU Smalltalk
I wrote a console version of Blackjack in GNU Smalltalk.
The Rise of Autonomous Code
The idea of code that can fix itself represents a monumental advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) and software development. However, this innovation has a dark counterpart: autonomous AI-generated offensive code capable of attacking and exploiting systems without human intervention. Such a development introduces profound challenges to cybersecurity, as this type of malicious code could operate at speeds and scales far beyond human capabilities, targeting vulnerabilities with surgical precision and adapting almost instantaneously to countermeasures. Generative offensive code poses an existential threat to cybersecurity.
A Tribute To My Friend John
John was usually a man of few words and even fewer visitors. He'd kept to himself for as long as I'd known him - a grumpy, stubbornly solitary guy whose real passion was the hobby of remote control airplanes and the internal combustion engines that powered them. We met at my local fly field...
Assessing the Environmental and Human Cost of AI
The advent of large language models (LLMs) has revolutionized the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. LLMs, which include tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Bard, and others, have demonstrated remarkable capabilities, from answering complex questions to assisting in creative endeavors. However, training and maintaining these models require substantial computational resources, translating into significant environmental impacts. Chief among these impacts is water usage, primarily to cool the vast data centers that run these models, raising the question: are the benefits provided by LLMs worth the strain on the world's increasingly scarce fresh water supplies?
Sam Harris, Robert Sapolsky, Dan Dennett, and Rush Walk Into a Bar…
Do We Really Have Free Will?
Ah, free will—everyone's favorite topic for debates that make your brain feel like it's trying to do yoga. The question is: Do we actually make our own choices, or is everything we do already set in stone by forces beyond our control? Here's my not really that deep of a dive into some perspectives on the big question, starting with some serious science guys (Sam Harris and Robert Sapolsky), getting a little elbow room from philosopher Dan Dennett, and then letting rock legends Rush have the last word.
Console Blackjack in Zig
I wrote a console version of Blackjack in Zig.
The 7 stages of accepting that you probably do not have free will
1. Shock / Disbelief
"Wait, what do you mean I don’t have free will?"
Encountering the idea for the first time can be unsettling. Many people are startled, as the belief in personal freedom feels deeply ingrained.
2. Denial
"That’s ridiculous. I make my own decisions all the time!"
Here, one might resist the idea, clinging to their experience of conscious choice. The idea that all actions are determined by brain chemistry, physics, or fate feels counterintuitive.
I Passed the CISSP Exam
Today, I finally conquered the CISSP exam—a milestone I’ve been working toward recently. It’s been a long journey filled with lots of late-night study, some anxiety near the end, and a whole lot of coffee along the way.
Waking up this morning, I felt “typical” exam day jitters, amplified by the significance of what was at stake. The CISSP certification isn’t just any exam; it’s a test of not only knowledge but also a bit of mental endurance with picking the “best” answer. After months of preparation, the moment was here. I arrived at the testing center thirty minutes earlier than the recommended thirty minutes, went in and went through their security checks, and found myself seated in front of the computer, ready to go.