Bernie Michalik
@berniemichalik.ca
I am a father, consulting IT Architect, former runner, chief cook/bottlewasher, and Cape Bretoner. I work at IBM in Toronto. More here: berniemichalik.ca and smartpeopleiknow.com
Nice > A Food Lover’s Tour of Toronto www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/t...
A Food Lover’s Tour of Toronto
Multicultural neighborhoods, market tours and dinner parties offer culinary intrigue in Canada’s largest city.
www.nytimes.com
September 18, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Nice > A Food Lover’s Tour of Toronto www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/t...
More sanity.
* VIRGINIA GOVERNOR SAYS STATE IS BANNING NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS FOR DATA CENTERS, REQUIRING STRICTER PERMITTING AND CLEAN ENERGY MANDATES FOR THE SERVER WAREHOUSES
@reuters.com
@reuters.com
September 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM
More sanity.
I like how some researchers went out of their way to debunk this lite.cnn.com/2026/09/18/s...
All roads don’t lead to Rome after all | CNN
lite.cnn.com
September 18, 2026 at 6:29 PM
I like how some researchers went out of their way to debunk this lite.cnn.com/2026/09/18/s...
Some sanity returns, via Lina Khan.
AI firms are subject to already-existing laws, Lina Khan tells @cwarzel.bsky.social: Part of the conversation around regulating AI “seems to assume that these current developments are happening in some legal vacuum,” she adds, “and that is just false.”
theatln.tc/t9IwiQTz #TAF26
theatln.tc/t9IwiQTz #TAF26
September 18, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Some sanity returns, via Lina Khan.
Urbanists, take note:
NYC DOT unveils the final vision for transformation of the avenue (from E.46th to E.57th).
“.. A reduction of two lanes of traffic, wider sidewalks, benches, space for cultural programming, a bike lane ..”
(via Mark Levine)
“.. A reduction of two lanes of traffic, wider sidewalks, benches, space for cultural programming, a bike lane ..”
(via Mark Levine)
September 18, 2026 at 4:51 PM
Urbanists, take note:
When we do code assessments for clients the answer to “are there hardcoded values in your code?” Is some form of Yes
a lot of folks are asking how someone can do something so "stupid" as hard coding a secret token, and i'm telling you that you are holding software developers and companies on way too high a pedestal if you still think there's secure, quality code being sent out into the world
HaJ3FgupAm8RrDJW3MHgT9X7Ft27eVaD
What is that? That's a hard-coded API token that Flock cameras use to identify themselves and get OAuth credentials, which can then be used to talk to Flock's production servers. Like, anyone on the internet can probably do this right now.
What is that? That's a hard-coded API token that Flock cameras use to identify themselves and get OAuth credentials, which can then be used to talk to Flock's production servers. Like, anyone on the internet can probably do this right now.
September 17, 2026 at 4:32 AM
When we do code assessments for clients the answer to “are there hardcoded values in your code?” Is some form of Yes
The Cagot story is fascinating. I wrote a bit about it here smartpeopleiknow.com/2026/07/07/o...
September 17, 2026 at 4:29 AM
The Cagot story is fascinating. I wrote a bit about it here smartpeopleiknow.com/2026/07/07/o...
This is an A1 post
I keep seeing videos of a guy who catches crabs and lobsters, cracks all the barnacles off them, puts a shrimp in their claws and throws them back. can you imagine. abducted by aliens but they just give you a spa day and hand you two hot dogs and let you go
September 17, 2026 at 4:24 AM
This is an A1 post
What Johnny said 👇🏻
September 17, 2026 at 12:22 AM
What Johnny said 👇🏻
Did not see that coming before the midterms tbh > Fed Raises Interest Rates in Push for ‘Timelier’ Retreat in Inflation www.nytimes.com/live/2026/09...
Fed Raises Interest Rates in Push for ‘Timelier’ Retreat in Inflation
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time since 2023, putting its new leader, Kevin Warsh, at odds with President Trump. “The plain fact is that inflation is too high,” Mr. Warsh sa...
www.nytimes.com
September 16, 2026 at 10:51 PM
Did not see that coming before the midterms tbh > Fed Raises Interest Rates in Push for ‘Timelier’ Retreat in Inflation www.nytimes.com/live/2026/09...
I am obligated to post any new implementation of Doom, a game I was playing since the 90s (on Windows for Workgroups, no less)
The DOOM demo is fascinating
September 16, 2026 at 2:05 AM
I am obligated to post any new implementation of Doom, a game I was playing since the 90s (on Windows for Workgroups, no less)
This is remarkable. I love that you get the confidence levels with every response. Did I like the doom demo too? You bet! 😄
Jev: Fable-level model that doesn’t charge for output tokens because they’re too cheap to meter
it’s not general though, it only makes decisions, doesn’t generate text, but input tokens are measured by the billion ($42/btok)
typesafe.ai/blog/introdu...
it’s not general though, it only makes decisions, doesn’t generate text, but input tokens are measured by the billion ($42/btok)
typesafe.ai/blog/introdu...
September 15, 2026 at 11:00 PM
This is remarkable. I love that you get the confidence levels with every response. Did I like the doom demo too? You bet! 😄
If you have to scroll through something, I recommend this. (gift) > www.nytimes.com/2026/09/10/t...
In Paris, a Moody New Korean Bistro (Gift Article)
Plus: exuberant home décor from Collina Strada, Noguchi sculptures in Midtown Manhattan and more recommendations from T Magazine.
www.nytimes.com
September 15, 2026 at 4:45 PM
If you have to scroll through something, I recommend this. (gift) > www.nytimes.com/2026/09/10/t...
Good thread. I think Carney is making a gamble that the upfront money pays off in other things like regional airports which have a harder time funding bigger initiatives. I can understand some might see this cynically.
On airports it’s probably worth a point of clarification for folks new to all this.
A 🧵 1/n #cdnpoli
Govt doesn’t “own” airports today. It created a series of non-profit concession corps (who can do profit making things) who run on top of land Canada owns.
A 🧵 1/n #cdnpoli
Govt doesn’t “own” airports today. It created a series of non-profit concession corps (who can do profit making things) who run on top of land Canada owns.
September 15, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Good thread. I think Carney is making a gamble that the upfront money pays off in other things like regional airports which have a harder time funding bigger initiatives. I can understand some might see this cynically.
This sounds good enough to get me to go to a Cineplex, if for no other reasons then it's jammed packed with fine actors, starting with Scott.
Toronto film festival: the actor gives his greatest screen performance to date as the Chariots of Fire star who spends his final months playing Hamlet on stage
Elsinore review – Andrew Scott is astonishing as Ian Charleson in devastating Aids drama
www.theguardian.com
September 15, 2026 at 4:18 PM
This sounds good enough to get me to go to a Cineplex, if for no other reasons then it's jammed packed with fine actors, starting with Scott.
I found this insightful in a way most news I hear/read about the Houthis is not.
It’s time — past time — to respect Ansar Allah’s military prowess, regardless of how you feel about the group.
Read the headline in French Montana’s voice if you don’t get it.
Read the headline in French Montana’s voice if you don’t get it.
Fanute The Houthi Coup
One decade. Three adversaries. Total domination. It's time to respect Ansar Allah
www.forever-wars.com
September 15, 2026 at 2:52 PM
I found this insightful in a way most news I hear/read about the Houthis is not.
"Many recent A.I. safety incidents could have been prevented if the labs had been more careful about operational details. Of five mishaps known to have occurred in quick succession over the summer, three involved errors in the configuration of so-called sandboxes". Amazing.
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
“The superpowers share an interest in preventing superhuman A.I. models from causing havoc, as China’s leaders clearly recognize,” Sebastian Mallaby writes. “However difficult U.S.-China coordination, the consequences of not coordinating make it essential to try.”
“The superpowers share an interest in preventing superhuman A.I. models from causing havoc, as China’s leaders clearly recognize,” Sebastian Mallaby writes. “However difficult U.S.-China coordination, the consequences of not coordinating make it essential to try.”
Opinion | Dario Amodei’s Essay Was Gutsy. It Didn’t Go Far Enough.
America’s A.I. bosses can do only so much on their own.
nyti.ms
September 15, 2026 at 12:58 PM
"Many recent A.I. safety incidents could have been prevented if the labs had been more careful about operational details. Of five mishaps known to have occurred in quick succession over the summer, three involved errors in the configuration of so-called sandboxes". Amazing.
If you train your dog to be dangerous, it will be dangerous.
If you train your gen AI to be dangerous, it will be dangerous.
The AI companies and the dog owners have the agency and the responsibility and are the ones that are accountable.
The ones with agency want you to blame what they trained.
If you train your gen AI to be dangerous, it will be dangerous.
The AI companies and the dog owners have the agency and the responsibility and are the ones that are accountable.
The ones with agency want you to blame what they trained.
September 15, 2026 at 12:53 PM
If you train your dog to be dangerous, it will be dangerous.
If you train your gen AI to be dangerous, it will be dangerous.
The AI companies and the dog owners have the agency and the responsibility and are the ones that are accountable.
The ones with agency want you to blame what they trained.
If you train your gen AI to be dangerous, it will be dangerous.
The AI companies and the dog owners have the agency and the responsibility and are the ones that are accountable.
The ones with agency want you to blame what they trained.
The good thing about awards shows is they cause a big shift in my feed that’s better for me and likely others.
September 15, 2026 at 3:12 AM
The good thing about awards shows is they cause a big shift in my feed that’s better for me and likely others.
Even @lawrenceodonnell.bsky.social is repeating the AI could kill us all line. Sad.
September 15, 2026 at 2:09 AM
Even @lawrenceodonnell.bsky.social is repeating the AI could kill us all line. Sad.
FYI...
New from 404 Media: humans are reading ChatGPT conversations.
OpenAI has hired an army of contractors who read real ChatGPT users' chats. I've seen internal docs, the review system, and real user prompts. Sometimes they contain very personal and sensitive information www.404media.co/inside-proje...
OpenAI has hired an army of contractors who read real ChatGPT users' chats. I've seen internal docs, the review system, and real user prompts. Sometimes they contain very personal and sensitive information www.404media.co/inside-proje...
Inside ‘Project Lily’: The Humans Reading Your ChatGPT Chats
Humans are reading ChatGPT users’ prompts to improve OpenAI’s models, and those chats can include sensitive, personal information, according to leaked internal documents and real prompts seen by 404 M...
www.404media.co
September 14, 2026 at 3:49 PM
FYI...
If AI is causing you stress, I have some ideas to help with that smartpeopleiknow.com/2026/09/14/o...
On A.I. hysteria: what is driving it, the anxiety it can cause, and how to personally deal with that
Many people are succumbing to hysteria(1) when it comes to A.I. I understand why people feel this way. But I think it is important for people to know that some of this hysteria is being whipped up …
smartpeopleiknow.com
September 14, 2026 at 3:46 PM
If AI is causing you stress, I have some ideas to help with that smartpeopleiknow.com/2026/09/14/o...
Good pre-autumn sky.
September 14, 2026 at 2:13 AM
Good pre-autumn sky.
Big Macs will be thrown if this happens
September 13, 2026 at 1:13 AM
Big Macs will be thrown if this happens
More good stuff from Paul Ford > A.I. Slopware Is Everywhere Now. Nobody Is Using It. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/o...
Opinion | A.I. Slopware Is Everywhere Now. Nobody Is Using It. (Gift Article)
Just because A.I. is revolutionizing coding, doesn’t mean it will automatically revolutionize our apps.
www.nytimes.com
September 13, 2026 at 1:13 AM
More good stuff from Paul Ford > A.I. Slopware Is Everywhere Now. Nobody Is Using It. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/o...