I started using Mint in a much simpler time [1] - it did everything I needed, which wasn't much. Then they were acquired by Intuit and things began changing, the most obvious being the introduction of ads - it didn't make sense to me that an app run by a publicly-traded company …
read more2021 Software Contributions
I don't remember if it happened in late 2020 or early 2021, but while I was experiencing the latest episode of the internet catching fire because of a vulnerability in some little-known, widely-used open source project [1] I decided I wasn't going to be yet another Internet rubbernecker lobbing bombs …
read moreSmartass Seeks Dumb TV
I've never been that great about figuring out what gifts to give people, so when my mother said she wanted a new TV it made my Christmas shopping significantly easier - the only problem being I knew I couldn't buy her a smart TV. To my surprise, gifting what should be …
read moreAll Downhill From Here
It's official - I've wasted my youth. I'm not some young, dumb 20-something anymore.
I remember when I was a bright-eyed 15-year-old attending what I believe was the last NOPI Nationals, seeing drifting for the first time and saying to myself "That's what I'm gonna do; I'm gonna do that". Despite …
read moreThe Best Early Birthday Present
At the time, I was truly worried I might have lost it.
I had just finished an early dinner before heading to K1 for the monthly league race, and I could feel my stomach squirming as I walked to my car. My first thought was rapid-onset food poisoning, but the …
read moreSecure Mail Takes Professionalism
Jim Wang said it best - "Your email address is the center of your digital life". From shopping to social media, cordcutting to crowdfunding, Allstate to OnlyFans - the modern internet collapses without a platform-independent communication hub.
Since email is of such critical importance, it is then fundamental that that we never …
read moreThe Apex Predator Awakens
For the past couple years, I've been participating in the championship at my local indoor karting track. It's nothing particularly special - you show up one day a month, pay the fee and get a standard race day experience with two time-based qualifying sessions for placement in a position-based final. I'd …
read moreAll Over But The Shouting
I don't visit Oppositelock nearly as much as the regulars, and I'm much more of a lurker than a poster when I do visit, but in my ridiculous lurking tenure I have posted a couple of things I'm proud of. Unfortunately weedkiller can't stop herbs, as it seems Oppositelock is …
read moreYour Passwords Should Be Shorter
EDIT: On tape delay from Las Vegas, it's me presenting this rant at BSides!
One of the most storied rites of passage computer touchers have in their journey to adulthood is the writing of a curmudgeonly, more-than-slightly-condescending article with an incendiary title practically guaranteeing placement on the first page of …
read moreA (Mostly) Foolproof GHA Python CI/CD Workflow
Before the world fell over and caught fire, I went to PyCon for the first time. Like all work "conferences" it was pretty nice - all expenses paid, saw some interesting talks and got to meet a bunch of new people.
One set of talks I was particularly interested in were …
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