BGDon 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 👨‍💻

A lifelong technologist, lived every major digital and technology transformation. Freelancer refining AI and LLM models. Golf fanatic. Boise State Alum. Ex-Pat Canuk.

Author/publisher of the TechAptitude newsletter: https://techaptitude.substack.com/

#AI #LLMs #Cloud #Software #DevOps #ProductMarketing #Golf #BoiseState #BleedBlue #Marketing #CyberSecurity #Canuk #Quantum #QuantumComputing #NASA #Space #Crypto

TechAptitude Substack: https://techaptitude.substack.com/

Last Notes

2026-07-08 20:13:34 UTC

Spying on Users, vs. Optimization Monitoring?
A coding boffin reported finding tracking code hidden in Claude Code's AI model's system prompt capable of tracking user’s system timezone and usage of proxy servers to help spot Chinese users in certain AI labs.
Anthropic countered that the tracker was added as an “experiment” “to prevent account abuse from unauthorized resellers and protect against distillation,” and was supposed to be removed.
https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/anthropic-caught-secretly-spying-on-users #AI #Anthropic #Claude #ClaudeCode #China #Distillation #Surveillance #Ethics #CodingAgents #AISoftware
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/116/886/178/053/395/406/original/85382938049bcce5.jpg

2026-06-20 17:28:43 UTC

I have asked myself this question many time as well! Doing this because "it's cool" feels a bit lame!
"The Mars Delusion"
"Establishing a human colony on Mars is fraught with risk. Why are so many people obsessed with achieving it?"
https://www.noemamag.com/the-mars-delusion/
Even if humans do manage to reach Mars, WHY do proponents just seem ignore the major physical risks by not talking about them head on?? (let alone consider the political and social considerations)
- Martian air is 95% carbon dioxide, which would suffocate the average human in a few seconds
- Surface air pressure is six millibars, roughly equivalent to the pressure 22 miles above Earth.
- Near-vacuum conditions will vaporize all the water in a human body in an instant
- Average radiation levels on Mars are 50 times higher than on Earth > can you say slow grinding death
- The average surface temperature hovers around -80°F, fluctuating by as much as 100 degrees from day to night, and dipping to -225°F at the poles.
- If microbes exist beneath the Martian surface — humans could be subject to cross-contamination leading to a alien viral infection
- Mars redish soil is hugely poisonous to humans, being laced with perchlorates, and this poisonous dust blows everywhere on Mars
Good Luck trying to survive on Mars! #Space #Mars #ColonizeMars #SpaceTravel #MarsColony #RedPlanet #SpaceExploration
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/116/783/509/283/353/165/original/ea92a008963e45b1.png

2026-05-29 18:49:30 UTC

Things that go BOOM in the night!
Latest HotFire test of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket got extra hot last night (May 28) - with the rocket exploding seconds after the start of the test.
A giant fireball engulfed and destroyed the launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center. An orange sky was visible in Fort Pierce, 185km (115 miles) to the south.
This was the 5th test/launch of New Glenn and 2 of the previous 4 tests also experienced some form of "anomaly" https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/29/blue-origin-rocket-explodes #Space #NASA #BlueOrigin #NewGlenn #HotFire #Test #Explosion #Anomoly
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/116/659/354/217/796/554/original/6031744574c416f3.png

2026-04-23 18:58:34 UTC

Traditional Media and Digital Native Creators - where does this relationship go in the future? Here is a review of possible collaboration models - it is mildly interesting. :-) https://digitalcontentnext.org/blog/2025/12/18/from-skepticism-to-strategy-media-adapts-to-the-creator-economy/ #Media #Publisher #Creator #DigitalNative #CreatorEconomy #Collaboration #Standards #Ethics #Videos #Journalism #Sports #News #TikTokers #YouTubers #Advertising #Branding #Audience #SocialMedia
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/116/455/550/231/750/061/original/dc1497c7544cb5c3.jpg

2026-03-23 18:22:32 UTC

Clean up on aisle 7! Interesting idea - who will pay the bill?
US based Portal Space Systems and Australian startup Paladin Space are combing forces to create and launch a scalable, commercial space debris clean-up service.
Paladin’s supplies their Triton debris identification and capture system with Portal provides its maneuverable Starburst spacecraft. Target launch = Q2 2027. https://www.inc.com/chloe-aiello/these-two-startups-are-teaming-up-to-prevent-a-pearl-harbor-moment-in-space/91318935
#Portal #Paladin #Triton #Space #SpaceJunk #LEO #Starburst #SpaceCraft #SpaceDebris
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/116/279/876/682/128/384/original/42060fe149574b87.png

2026-03-17 18:57:37 UTC

Can you say giant S_IT SHOW!
Turmoil resulting from "seismic shifts in NASA Management and in the Federal government has caused "sweeping workforce losses and operational instability throughout 2025", and has led to the cancellation of one of NASA's most important upcoming astrophysics missions to launch a next generation x-ray telescope.
The project has lost more than 20 personnel with key expertise as a result of NASA's Deferred Resignation Program and endless management reorganizations to "align" with the 2026 presidential budget request. https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/nasa-project-leader-blames-next-generation-x-ray-telescope-cancellation-on-agency-mismanagement #NASA #Mismanagement #USGov #BudgetCuts #AXIA #Space #SpaceCraft #XRayTelescope #Astrophysics #Fail #ShitShow
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/116/246/004/982/022/990/original/6a7b1a0ef49eabc0.png

2026-02-18 23:11:11 UTC

Your web site might have been BOT-ed!
A number of web sites have experienced intriguing spikes in traffic that seem to originate from bots operating in China and Singapore.
While not posing serious risks, impacts are being felt by people who earn revenue from attracting ad clicks on their websites. “This is destroying my AdSense strategies,” as the affected websites deemed as seen as less desirable to advertisers and penalized by Google.
https://www.wired.com/story/made-in-china-niche-websites-are-seeing-a-surge-of-mysterious-traffic-from-china/ #Internet #Advertising #Bots #AI #AIBots #WebTraffic #OnlineAdvertising #China #AdSense
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/116/094/155/581/677/299/original/b64468c060c3ee60.jpg

2026-02-16 18:44:12 UTC

"We got your back" > except when it comes to your PayCheck, the signup Bonus you were promised, and Health Insurance.
ICE agents reporting no sign of payment of promised bonus, going a month or more without receiving a paycheck, and inability to secure/access Health Insurance. https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ice-employees-vent-reddit-saying-theyre-not-getting-paid-still-no-insurance-despite-promises-1775650 #ICE #USGov #DHS #Immigration
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/116/081/780/484/853/566/original/04fe8cdfeb7fc63b.png

2026-01-12 15:57:43 UTC

More! We need More!
The US FCC has authorized SpaceX -StarLink to launch another 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites, bringing its total authorization to 15,000 Gen2 satellites. Satellites will be positioned into new orbital shells at altitudes ranging from 340 km to 485 km and will support space based Internet and direct-to-cell connectivity for new mobile phone services.
DL the FCC announcement here (PDF): https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-417881A1.pdf
#Space #SpaceX #StarLink #FCC #Satellites #Spacecraft #Internet #DirectoCell #SpaceJunk #SpaceSafety #CellPhone #Mobility
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/115/882/819/214/798/944/original/92dee3b0793b8e21.jpeg

2025-09-03 20:07:36 UTC

Trump administration DHS unleashes ICE use of sophisticated hacking and spyware software Graphite from company Paragon Solutions. Graphite can hack into any phone and can not only track an individual’s whereabouts, read their messages, look at their photographs, but also open and read information held on encrypted applications, like WhatsApp or Signal.
This software has been used in the past to target innocent people, including individuals who have been perceived to be government enemies including in Italy where 90 people, including journalists and members of civil society were surveilled with the software. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/02/trump-immigration-ice-israeli-spyware #Spyware #Graphite #Paragon #DHS #ICE #PhoneHack #Surveillance #Privacy #EncryptedApps #Encryption #Immigration #Signal #WhatsApp
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/115/142/165/611/231/476/original/eacdb5ecbe70bcad.jpeg

2025-08-27 18:22:12 UTC

Doge actors copied and uploaded a social security database to a cloud server without independent oversight that only Doge officials could access.
The database contains highly personal information about approx. 300 million US citizens and residents, including names, place and date of birth, race and ethnicity, names of family members, phone numbers, addresses and social security numbers.
There has not been a full accounting of why Doge has accessed the public’s data in this database. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/26/doge-social-security-elon-musk #Doge #SSA #SocialSecurity #Security #CyberSecurity #socialsecuritydata #Privacy #IdentityTheft
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/115/102/111/676/950/830/original/fc7a601311c201a1.png

2025-08-06 15:03:48 UTC

“I don’t think I’ve seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in the business”
RFK Jr. cancelling $500M in funding for mRNA vaccine research affecting 22 projects on viruses such as bird flu and COVID-19.
File this under you can't fix stupid! https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-vaccines-mrna-pfizer-moderna-1fb5b9436f2957075064c18a6cbbe3c9 #HHS #Vaccines #COVID19 #BirdFlu #mRNA #Fail #RFKjr #Idiot #PublicHealth #youcantfixstupid
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/114/982/418/358/504/483/original/d1ea8ce202fcc99b.jpeg

2025-06-09 16:00:17 UTC

Oh boy - is this the first of many complaints? This will be a serious slow burn and could take a couple of years.
DOJ AG Bondi now faces ethics complaint to the Florida Bar by 70 law professors, attorneys and former Florida Supreme Court justices. The group alleges Bondi has breached ethical duties in her current role and that “serious professional misconduct that threatens the rule of law and the administration of justice” has been carried out. https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5335994-bondi-accused-of-serious-professional-misconduct-in-florida-bar-complaint/ #DOJ #Bondi #EthicsCompliant #Ethics #FloridaBar #misconduct #ruleoflaw
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/114/654/232/158/917/663/original/92693a59ca1ad0a6.jpg

2025-03-13 16:00:11 UTC

Oh really it was Ukraine that took down X on March 10? Not so fast.
Independent security researchers found evidence that some X origin servers were not properly secured behind DDoS protection, and researchers noted they did not even see Ukraine in the breakdown of the top 20 IP address origins involved in the attacks. https://www.wired.com/story/x-ddos-attack-march-2025/ #X #Musk #DDoS #cyberattack #cybersecurity #security #Ukraine #BotNet #Internet
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/114/155/947/674/143/358/original/8fc6ce4989516cc1.jpg

2025-02-10 19:10:20 UTC

By continuing to provide cloud and hosting services to TikTok, Oracle and Akamai are rolling the dice with massive legal and financial risks.
They are relying on Trump's promises not to enforce the TikTok ban law - in spite of clear evidence and case law that USA courts rarely protect defendants who count on executive non-enforcement.
They face potential penalties of $5K per user x 170M users! Plus there is a 5 year statute of limitations. What is to stop a future administration in pursuing violations regardless of Trump's current stance. https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trump's-tiktok-executive-order-and-the-limits-of-executive-non-enforcement #TikTok #Oracle #Akamai #TikTokban #lawsuit #legalrisk #liability #executiveorder #PAFACAA #cloud
https://files.techhub.social/media_attachments/files/113/981/164/235/752/245/original/8c8eccecca4d0cea.jpeg