Simon
@devtriplesecops.com
Reducing entropy in my own little corner of the universe. Generalist Polyglot with an interest in all things #Python #DevOps #InfoSec #FOSS
🐘 https://infosec.exchange/@iokiwi
🌐 https://simonmerrick.com
📍 Ōtautahi, Aotearoa
🐘 https://infosec.exchange/@iokiwi
🌐 https://simonmerrick.com
📍 Ōtautahi, Aotearoa
October 29, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Pet peeve: When mail and sms apps let you use and emoji ‘reacts’ but actually send a whole ass message “x reacted ❤️ to this message”
Corollary: people who continue to do so knowing it sends a whole ass message.
On a mail list or chain with multiple participants.
Exhibit A: my inbox
Corollary: people who continue to do so knowing it sends a whole ass message.
On a mail list or chain with multiple participants.
Exhibit A: my inbox
September 29, 2026 at 1:32 AM
Pet peeve: When mail and sms apps let you use and emoji ‘reacts’ but actually send a whole ass message “x reacted ❤️ to this message”
Corollary: people who continue to do so knowing it sends a whole ass message.
On a mail list or chain with multiple participants.
Exhibit A: my inbox
Corollary: people who continue to do so knowing it sends a whole ass message.
On a mail list or chain with multiple participants.
Exhibit A: my inbox
Reposted by Simon
This is just to say
I have OCRed
the text
thet was in
tne arch:ve
and whicb
yov were prabaldy
seamhing
for "breahtast"
Fargme ms
fheg mem debo:w5
sb ?mccf
mmb 5c oc1b
I have OCRed
the text
thet was in
tne arch:ve
and whicb
yov were prabaldy
seamhing
for "breahtast"
Fargme ms
fheg mem debo:w5
sb ?mccf
mmb 5c oc1b
July 28, 2026 at 5:49 PM
This is just to say
I have OCRed
the text
thet was in
tne arch:ve
and whicb
yov were prabaldy
seamhing
for "breahtast"
Fargme ms
fheg mem debo:w5
sb ?mccf
mmb 5c oc1b
I have OCRed
the text
thet was in
tne arch:ve
and whicb
yov were prabaldy
seamhing
for "breahtast"
Fargme ms
fheg mem debo:w5
sb ?mccf
mmb 5c oc1b
Leaving this here because it goes hard and its stuck in my head.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=taM5...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=taM5...
Rocky Leon - Billionaire
YouTube video by Rocky Leon
www.youtube.com
July 29, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Leaving this here because it goes hard and its stuck in my head.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=taM5...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=taM5...
Flying out of Ōtautahi this morning. Beautiful views of our landscape and investment in renewable energy. First time I’ve seen the solar panels.
July 26, 2026 at 2:00 AM
Flying out of Ōtautahi this morning. Beautiful views of our landscape and investment in renewable energy. First time I’ve seen the solar panels.
Why does this industry insist on reinventing things and names for things. How is 2SV different from MFA or 2FA?
July 24, 2026 at 6:45 AM
Why does this industry insist on reinventing things and names for things. How is 2SV different from MFA or 2FA?
July 22, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Not sure if this is satire or a cautionary tale in statics and selection bias.
July 16, 2026 at 11:36 PM
Not sure if this is satire or a cautionary tale in statics and selection bias.
Reposted by Simon
We're very happy to announce that #PyConAU 2026 workshops are now available for registration, and they're free for attendees (as long as you register)!
🗞️ 2026.pycon.org.au/posts/worksh...
🗞️ 2026.pycon.org.au/posts/worksh...
July 9, 2026 at 2:07 AM
We're very happy to announce that #PyConAU 2026 workshops are now available for registration, and they're free for attendees (as long as you register)!
🗞️ 2026.pycon.org.au/posts/worksh...
🗞️ 2026.pycon.org.au/posts/worksh...
Tired: Booty Calls
Wired:
Wired:
June 16, 2026 at 7:55 PM
Tired: Booty Calls
Wired:
Wired:
Reposted by Simon
Psst! Have you heard? The #PyConAU schedule is now live!
We're so excited to share the amazing line up of speakers who will be sharing their expertise at the conference this year! You don't want to miss it!
📆 2026.pycon.org.au/schedule
🎟️ 2026.pycon.org.au/tickets
Help us get the word out? 📣
We're so excited to share the amazing line up of speakers who will be sharing their expertise at the conference this year! You don't want to miss it!
📆 2026.pycon.org.au/schedule
🎟️ 2026.pycon.org.au/tickets
Help us get the word out? 📣
May 25, 2026 at 2:00 AM
Psst! Have you heard? The #PyConAU schedule is now live!
We're so excited to share the amazing line up of speakers who will be sharing their expertise at the conference this year! You don't want to miss it!
📆 2026.pycon.org.au/schedule
🎟️ 2026.pycon.org.au/tickets
Help us get the word out? 📣
We're so excited to share the amazing line up of speakers who will be sharing their expertise at the conference this year! You don't want to miss it!
📆 2026.pycon.org.au/schedule
🎟️ 2026.pycon.org.au/tickets
Help us get the word out? 📣
'Widows Bay' is just so well done. Worth checking out if you don't mind a bit of horror.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmc2...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmc2...
Widow's Bay — Official Teaser Trailer | Apple TV
YouTube video by Apple TV
www.youtube.com
May 14, 2026 at 12:36 AM
'Widows Bay' is just so well done. Worth checking out if you don't mind a bit of horror.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmc2...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmc2...
I went to the Chch AI meetup yesterday and saw a talk titled 'The Doom Thesis' based on a book, 'If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies'. What stood out is LLM Doomerism seems to be the other side of the same LLM hype coin - ascribing significantly more capability/potential to LLMs than is warranted IMO
May 4, 2026 at 11:07 PM
I went to the Chch AI meetup yesterday and saw a talk titled 'The Doom Thesis' based on a book, 'If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies'. What stood out is LLM Doomerism seems to be the other side of the same LLM hype coin - ascribing significantly more capability/potential to LLMs than is warranted IMO
Err...is Gemini having a Stroke?
[WARNING]: Contains spoilers for S01E12 of TV show 'The Pitt'
[WARNING]: Contains spoilers for S01E12 of TV show 'The Pitt'
May 4, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Err...is Gemini having a Stroke?
[WARNING]: Contains spoilers for S01E12 of TV show 'The Pitt'
[WARNING]: Contains spoilers for S01E12 of TV show 'The Pitt'
Reposted by Simon
i keep thinking about this more and more with each passing day
July 15, 2025 at 5:02 AM
i keep thinking about this more and more with each passing day
⏳ T minus 1 week until the PyCon AU CFP closes (29 March AoE). Have you submitted?
Info & Submissions
2026.pycon.org.au/cfp/
Don't forget about the specialist tracks
2026.pycon.org.au/cfp/speciali...
Info & Submissions
2026.pycon.org.au/cfp/
Don't forget about the specialist tracks
2026.pycon.org.au/cfp/speciali...
March 23, 2026 at 10:11 PM
⏳ T minus 1 week until the PyCon AU CFP closes (29 March AoE). Have you submitted?
Info & Submissions
2026.pycon.org.au/cfp/
Don't forget about the specialist tracks
2026.pycon.org.au/cfp/speciali...
Info & Submissions
2026.pycon.org.au/cfp/
Don't forget about the specialist tracks
2026.pycon.org.au/cfp/speciali...
"Please try again later" except the raw JSON response confirms this will never succeed because the package requires a signature
The average user - I.e. anyone other than a web developer - must just tear their hair out at modern technology.
AI won't fix your lack of care for the user.
The average user - I.e. anyone other than a web developer - must just tear their hair out at modern technology.
AI won't fix your lack of care for the user.
March 6, 2026 at 2:03 AM
"Please try again later" except the raw JSON response confirms this will never succeed because the package requires a signature
The average user - I.e. anyone other than a web developer - must just tear their hair out at modern technology.
AI won't fix your lack of care for the user.
The average user - I.e. anyone other than a web developer - must just tear their hair out at modern technology.
AI won't fix your lack of care for the user.
Reposted by Simon
Here we go…
"Pro-Trump activists who say they're in coordination w/the WH are circulating a draft EO that claims China interfered in the 2020 election as a basis to declare a natl emergency that would unlock extraordinary presidential power over voting
It'd empower Trump to ban mail ballots & voting machines"
It'd empower Trump to ban mail ballots & voting machines"
Trump, seeking executive power over elections, is urged to declare emergency
Activists who say they are in coordination with the White House are circulating a draft executive order that would unlock extraordinary presidential power over voting.
wapo.st
February 26, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Here we go…
Reposted by Simon
Specialist Track spotlight: Platform Engineering 🏗️
DevOps, SRE, infrastructure, developer experience, and platform war stories.
Share what you’ve learned → 2026.pycon.org.au/cfp #pyconau #cfp
DevOps, SRE, infrastructure, developer experience, and platform war stories.
Share what you’ve learned → 2026.pycon.org.au/cfp #pyconau #cfp
February 18, 2026 at 1:49 AM
Specialist Track spotlight: Platform Engineering 🏗️
DevOps, SRE, infrastructure, developer experience, and platform war stories.
Share what you’ve learned → 2026.pycon.org.au/cfp #pyconau #cfp
DevOps, SRE, infrastructure, developer experience, and platform war stories.
Share what you’ve learned → 2026.pycon.org.au/cfp #pyconau #cfp
What emoji would you most associate with ‘Planform Engineering’?
A. 🚀
B. ⚙️
C. 🏗️
D. 🛠️
A. 🚀
B. ⚙️
C. 🏗️
D. 🛠️
February 16, 2026 at 7:42 PM
What emoji would you most associate with ‘Planform Engineering’?
A. 🚀
B. ⚙️
C. 🏗️
D. 🛠️
A. 🚀
B. ⚙️
C. 🏗️
D. 🛠️
As developers we have a bad tendency to try solve every problem with more code - when neither the problem nor solution are in code.
AI makes the lowers nominal upfront cost of trying to solve all of our problems with more code.
AI makes the lowers nominal upfront cost of trying to solve all of our problems with more code.
February 12, 2026 at 7:34 AM
As developers we have a bad tendency to try solve every problem with more code - when neither the problem nor solution are in code.
AI makes the lowers nominal upfront cost of trying to solve all of our problems with more code.
AI makes the lowers nominal upfront cost of trying to solve all of our problems with more code.
Reposted by Simon
First they came for the immigrants, and the freakiest people you know threw the fuck down because it was never going to end with immigrants.
for @autostraddle.bsky.social, i wrote about how minnesota's queer-owned businesses (and queer folks in general) are standing up to ICE and defending their communities:
How Minnesota’s Queer-Owned Businesses Are Leading the Fight Against ICE
As the federal occupation continues, community members are committing themselves to standing up to the feds while supporting the state’s immigrant communities in any way possible.
www.autostraddle.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:54 PM
First they came for the immigrants, and the freakiest people you know threw the fuck down because it was never going to end with immigrants.