The future of web3 is centralization
And so was the past. A fairer title here would be “the future of digital-signature-based commerce (or ‘blockchain’) will still rely on custodians”. But we’re writing blog posts here, people, not dissertations!
Posted 2023-03-13
#blockchain
Why Plaid is a scam
Plaid.com is a company that collects bank account logins and passwords to “verify” your login to other quasi-banking institutions. They are a service provider to other companies, and here is what it looks like:
Posted 2023-02-06
#scams
Add your friends to the SDN list with this one weird trick
There is humor in this article title, you do not want to add your friends to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. This list is published by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and is used to enforce economic sanctions and other financial restrictions imposed by the United States government.
Posted 2023-01-28
#nft
#zero-day
Does OpenSea Shared Storefront have a backdoor?
This project demonstrates how OpenSea administrators can take any tokens minted on the OpenSea Shared Storefront. This is a previously-undocumented backdoor.
Posted 2022-11-04
#nft
What kinds of things should be standardized?
A standard, in technical settings, is an established specification which allows any compliant thing to work with any compliant user of that thing, also known as cross-connect. It is a set of restrictions, or marketing claims, incumbent upon the standardized product.
Posted 2022-09-30
#coding
NFTs, good or bad for art?
In the beginning there were cats.
Posted 2022-05-05
#my-life
#blockchain
My travel intentions
I would love to be on the road all the time meeting the designers and builders that craft the future we all see coming. This future is accountable, transparent, respectful of customers and increasingly built on concepts brought up by blockchain and NFTs.
Posted 2022-04-15
#my-life
#blockchain
Monthly updates
Part of my own new year’s plan was to set a professional mission (inspired by Musk’s “Die on Mars”) and organize my time to getting towards that. Here’s the mission:
Posted 2022-04-01
#my-life
Ethics statement on buying NFTs
How can you tell if a blockchain enthusiast is shilling? Their lips are moving.
Posted 2022-03-23
#my-life
#blockchain
The Perl script that rewrote Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four
I always dreamed of publishing my first book, a specific project, but it meant waiting for the 70th anniversary of George Orwell’s death.
Posted 2022-02-21
#programming
#predictions
Randomization strategies for NFT drops
ℹ️ This article assumes a basic/intermediate understanding of game theory, blockchain transaction settlement, entropy (mathematics) and Solidity. However the conclusions and reasoning are usable to anybody evaluating risks with different NFT drop approaches.
Posted 2022-02-04
#blockchain
Firefusk
Includes spyware! Phones home on each use.
Posted 2005-12-15
#privacy
Standards of online etiquette
I have been told several times that I have the absolute worst etiquette online. Well you know what? If you don’t have to wear pants to use instant messenger, isn’t it quite obvious that any other formalities do not apply?
Posted 2005-12-15
#my-life
Riddle beakers
The AIM profile riddles are back! The old rankings are still in effect. The current riddle is:
Posted 2005-10-18
#my-life
Best language for illicit code
So public safety comes into my room last night while I’m sleeping with a fanfare of the head of public safety, head of network security and 10+ other people. One is standing by to turn off the circuit breaker, and they’re ready to seize my computer. So I sat with them in the living room to answer some questions. Here is the conversation between the network security guy (herein: NSG) and myself:
Posted 2005-03-05
#my-life
School is canceled
In the middle of the night, I learned about a mysterious and FAKE message canceling class for all Villanovans:
Posted 2004-09-19
#my-life
C++ STL set functions… and liquids that can write code
Are you badass with C++ STL? Then fix this…
Posted 2004-06-13
#coding
Bad phone sex (that used to be good)
Is it possible to ruin sex with a phone call, if the person who called you is the person you’re sleeping with?
Posted 2004-06-06
#my-life
The special ingredient for growing young trees
Kristin Quinlan: the tree to which you feed BEER was STOLEN from an ARBORETUM!?
Kristin Quinlan: I legitimately purchased my tree, feed it water, and now it’s dying. Hmmmpppphhh.
Posted 2004-06-04
#my-life
10 weird things you can do on a couch
Ode to a couch
Posted 2004-06-04
#my-life
Riddle: answers to the coconut millionaire question
The last profile riddle:
Posted 2004-02-03
#riddles
#my-life
#funny