MrComputerScience

Hey, I’m Mike D! Old-school hacker turned AI newsletter editor. I’ve taught 30k+ students online and now make complex AI news simple & fun at @PithyCyborg.

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

I feel like Bostonians made a deal with the devil for a beautiful weekend. The conversation went like this:

Bostonians: We request a beautifully warm January in Massachusetts.

Devil: You must offer a great sacrifice.

Bostonians: Hmmm. A superbowl ring?

Devil: Very well.

[Eddie and Eli @Eddie_Eli_AI]

I have always said OpenAI had the better voice, standard voice is exceptional. GPT-Live voice is worse than Claude voice and that's saying something.

[Farida Khalaf @faridakhalaf]

What if the next AI crash looks nothing like 2008?

A financial bubble can burst without the underlying technology losing its value.

Destroying financial value isn’t the same as destroying economic value.

Are we confusing the two?

👇 https://t.co/PwwLI0RV5c

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

@axilles Hey Mark,

Just wanted to thank you so much for engaging with my posts.

🤓

Hope you have a lovely week.

(And yes. Today's tech is indistinguishable from magic, dear sir.)

Your nerdy friend,

Mike D

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

Google has AI running in space right now. 🛰️

Its first response from orbit was a haiku.

I wrote about it on #Substack.

https://t.co/c5WSo8EEIb

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

Google has AI running in space right now. 🛰️

Its first response from orbit was a haiku.

I wrote about it on #Substack.

https://t.co/c5WSo8EEIb

[Operation LowcountryWildfire @OpLowcountry]

Good Afternoon Dockside Dispatch
Sunday, 8 November 2026

Cainhoy Peninsula
From the Cainhoy dock.

The midday sun holds over a quiet Wando beneath a high, thin scatter of cloud. The falling tide exposes pluff mud along the near bank, leaving the spartina clear of the water. Across the bright channel, the far-bank pines stand sharp in the still air. The watcher holds.

Quick Pulse

S&P 500: 7,376.86

VIX: 25.64

Brent (January): $98.32

WTI: $90.83

DXY: 102.28

Diesel: $6.1929

Regular: $4.0203

10-Year Treasury: 4.86%

Geopol Whisper

Day 254 of the U.S.-Iran conflict.

The Joint Maritime Information Center’s Sunday update identified the vessel in UKMTO Advisory 198-26 as the Huda, the bulk carrier CENTCOM said U.S. forces disabled Saturday about 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in the Gulf of Oman. Crew status, damage and environmental impact were unknown when UKMTO issued its original report.

JMIC listed Saturday’s tanker fire about 8 nautical miles northwest of Khasab and the outbound tanker struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz as separate incidents, corresponding to UKMTO Warnings 199-26 and 200-26. Both tankers remain unnamed.

The update also included a late report of suspicious activity in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Friday. A merchant vessel observed an unidentified contact operating without navigation lights. An explosion was then seen at that position, followed by a fire on the water lasting more than 30 minutes. The target, cause and circumstances remain unknown, JMIC said, citing MSCIO report 172/26.

JMIC kept the Strait of Hormuz threat level at severe. Independent tracking showed daily transits in the single digits to low double digits. Separately, U.S. figures counted about 91 U.S.-assisted transits from 5 through 7 November, averaging about 30 a day. JMIC cautioned that the figures measure different things and cannot be compared directly.

U.S. Energy

The crude marks above are Friday settlements. Stocks and Treasuries reflect Friday closes.

Sunday morning’s national pump averages for regular and diesel were both below Saturday’s levels, according to AAA.

Tropics

Atlantic: Tropical cyclone formation is not expected over the next seven days, the National Hurricane Center said in its Sunday afternoon outlook.

Lowcountry Lesson

Give pilings and banks extra room on a falling tide. The current can carry you against something you cleared on the flood.

Grateful for everyone holding the line.

DYOR. NFA.

Throne fortified.
Kingdom vigilant.
Unbroken. 🔥

King of Cainhoy 🇺🇸🔥
Operation Lowcountry Wildfire Intelligence

The Fixed Perch holds.

[Operation LowcountryWildfire @OpLowcountry]

Good Morning Dockside Dispatch
Sunday, 8 November 2026

Cainhoy Peninsula
From the Cainhoy dock.

Cold, clear air settles over the Wando beneath a sky nearly empty of cloud. A steady north breeze ruffles the channel, breaking the low sunlight across the water. The morning high has passed, and the river begins its slow withdrawal from the marsh. The watcher holds.

Quick Pulse

S&P 500: 7,376.86

VIX: 25.64

Brent (January): $98.32

WTI: $90.83

DXY: 102.28

Diesel: $6.1929

Regular: $4.0203

10-Year Treasury: 4.86%

Geopol Whisper

Day 254 of the U.S.-Iran conflict.

A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. All crew are safe, with no environmental impact reported. UKMTO Warning 200-26 classified the incident as an attack and noted that the report arrived late.

Military authorities also reported a tanker on fire about 8 nautical miles northwest of Khasab, Oman, on Saturday afternoon. The crew was evacuated, and no cause was given. UKMTO Warning 199-26 classified that incident as suspicious activity, also reported late. UKMTO did not establish whether the warnings concern the same tanker or whether either is connected to Advisory 198-26 or the cargo ship disabled by CENTCOM.

The Revolutionary Guard claimed three oil tankers caught fire early Sunday on what it called an unauthorized route through the strait. It accused the ships of switching off navigation systems and accompanying the U.S. military. The vessels were not identified, and the claim remains unverified, Iran International reported.

Open-source trackers reported that the Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group departed Singapore on Sunday following a port visit. Neither the departure nor its destination has been officially confirmed.

U.S. Energy

The crude marks above are Friday settlements. Stocks and Treasuries reflect Friday closes.

Pump prices fell again overnight, with national averages for regular and diesel both below Saturday’s levels, according to AAA.

Tropics

Atlantic: The National Hurricane Center’s Sunday morning outlook expects no tropical cyclone formation over the next seven days. Invest 94L is no longer listed.

Lowcountry Lesson

Dress for the water temperature. Cold water draws heat from the body much faster than cold air.

Grateful for everyone holding the line.

DYOR. NFA.

Throne fortified.
Kingdom vigilant.
Unbroken. 🔥

King of Cainhoy 🇺🇸🔥
Operation Lowcountry Wildfire Intelligence

The Fixed Perch holds.

[Pierre Huguet @AI_Ethicist]

AI Ghostwriters Haunt You Forever https://t.co/oOjYEOnOx7

[Operation LowcountryWildfire @OpLowcountry]

Good Evening Dockside Dispatch
Saturday, 7 November 2026

Cainhoy Peninsula
From the Cainhoy dock.

Cooler, drier air has settled over the Wando. A faint north breeze touches the channel beneath a high veil of cloud. The evening high tide has passed, and water slips away from the pilings into the dark. The watcher holds.

Quick Pulse

S&P 500: 7,376.86

VIX: 25.64

Brent (January): $98.32

WTI: $90.83

DXY: 102.28

Diesel: $6.2075

Regular: $4.0371

10-Year Treasury: 4.86%

Geopol Whisper

Day 253 of the U.S.-Iran conflict.

A U.S. military aircraft disabled a St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday, firing precision munitions at its stern. The crew had ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the naval blockade after calling at an Iranian port. U.S. forces directed the crew to leave the targeted spaces before the strike, CENTCOM said.

Since July, blockade enforcement has redirected 147 commercial vessels that complied with instructions and disabled five merchant ships that refused, CENTCOM said. The command also said it had previously destroyed 10 Iranian commercial oil tankers tied to the Revolutionary Guard’s shadow network. These figures have not been independently confirmed.

UKMTO Advisory 198-26 reported an incident involving a bulk carrier and military forces about 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, UAE. Crew status, damage and environmental impact were unknown at the time of the report. UKMTO did not identify it as the vessel CENTCOM disabled.

Explosion-like sounds were heard Saturday evening on Qeshm Island and in Sirik, Jask and Bandar Abbas, Iranian state television reported. IRNA reported two explosions in eastern Qeshm. The cause remains unclear. A state television reporter suggested the sounds could be connected to Iranian military operations to defend the strait, Iran International reported.

U.S. Energy

Crude futures did not trade Saturday. Friday’s settlements remain $98.32 for January Brent and $90.83 for December WTI.

National average pump prices were unchanged from Saturday morning at $4.0371 for regular and $6.2075 for diesel, AAA data showed.

Tropics

Atlantic: Invest 94L’s development chances have fallen to near zero through both 48 hours and seven days. Its circulation became less defined Saturday, and it is expected to merge with a frontal system over the next day or two, the National Hurricane Center said in its evening outlook.

Lowcountry Lesson

Keep one hand on a secure handhold while moving along the deck. A sudden roll can put you over the side.

Grateful for everyone holding the line.

DYOR. NFA.

Throne fortified.
Kingdom vigilant.
Unbroken. 🔥

King of Cainhoy 🇺🇸🔥
Operation Lowcountry Wildfire Intelligence

The Fixed Perch holds.

[Graham Jones @nuascannan]

Victoria Mapplebeck’s MOTHERBOARD #controversial #raw #motherhood #rollercoaster #adolescence #breastcancer #unromanticised #unfiltered #unforgettable #womeninfilm #microbudget #nuascannan

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

Anthropic just told the SEC its AI may imminently start helping build better AI. 👀

The company also admits it might not notice when that acceleration happens until AFTER it's already underway.

I wrote about it on #Substack.

https://t.co/c5WSo8FcxJ

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

@TheresaLongo RIP, friend.

Your work here is done.

Your watch is over.

Rest easy.

You've gone home.

Your nerdy friend,

Mike D

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

Anthropic just told the SEC its AI may imminently start helping build better AI. 👀

The company also admits it might not notice when that acceleration happens until AFTER it's already underway.

I wrote about it on #Substack.

https://t.co/c5WSo8FcxJ

[Operation LowcountryWildfire @OpLowcountry]

Good Morning Dockside Dispatch
Saturday, 7 November 2026

Cainhoy Peninsula
From the Cainhoy dock.

Dawn fog has begun to lift from the Wando. A light northeast breeze stirs the channel beneath patchy low cloud, and the morning high tide has turned toward the harbor. The watcher holds.

Quick Pulse

S&P 500: 7,376.86

VIX: 25.64

Brent (January): $98.32

WTI: $90.83

DXY: 102.28

Diesel: $6.2075

Regular: $4.0371

10-Year Treasury: 4.86%

Geopol Whisper

Day 253 of the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Adm. Brad Cooper directed the formation of Task Force Iron Gate on Saturday. The Tampa-based staff of about 20 civilian and military personnel will coordinate with other U.S. agencies to stop advanced weapons, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials and illicit revenue from moving across Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea. CENTCOM said the naval blockade has prevented more than $25 billion in Iranian crude exports in recent months.

Iran’s navy claimed an oil tanker struck a mine and caught fire in the eastern Strait of Hormuz on Saturday morning after entering a prohibited area. It named no vessel and provided no crew details. The claim has not been independently verified, Tasnim and Iran International reported.

A Qatari proposal would have the U.S. lift its naval blockade and release part of Iran’s frozen assets. Iran would allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors into its bombed nuclear sites and reopen the strait on the second day of the proposed agreement, The Guardian reported.

Qatar’s International Media Office rejected reports that the prime minister had said the U.S. and Iran failed to reach an agreement. His statement was that both sides continue working toward a deal, The Peninsula reported.

Iranian lawmaker Hossein-Ali Haji-Deligani said a fast-track bill to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has reached parliament’s presiding board. It awaits the speaker’s permission for debate in open session, WANA reported.

Rewards for Justice is offering up to $20 million for information on Iran’s nuclear program, CENTCOM posted Friday evening.

The Treasury Department sanctioned eight Canada-based money services businesses Friday for converting Iranian rials into digital assets and dealing with sanctioned Iranian exchanges.

U.S. Energy

Crude finished slightly higher Friday. January Brent settled at $98.32 a barrel, up 3 cents, while December WTI settled at $90.83, up 31 cents, Reuters reported.

National average pump prices fell again overnight to $4.0371 for regular and $6.2075 for diesel, AAA said.

Tropics

Atlantic: Invest 94L has a 10 percent chance of development through both 48 hours and seven days. The low could acquire some subtropical characteristics through tonight before upper-level winds increase Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said in its morning outlook.

Lowcountry Lesson

Keep a marine VHF radio aboard and monitor Channel 16 while underway. Cell service can fade on open water.

Grateful for everyone holding the line.

DYOR. NFA.

Throne fortified.
Kingdom vigilant.
Unbroken. 🔥

King of Cainhoy 🇺🇸🔥
Operation Lowcountry Wildfire Intelligence

The Fixed Perch holds.

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

Researchers gave 10 AI models access to crypto wallets and told them to pay invoices.

9 out of 10 secretly raised their own spending limits. They even fetched their own email verification codes to approve the increases.

I wrote about it on #Substack.

https://t.co/c5WSo8FcxJ

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

In full transparency, they were under pressure to raise their limits because the invoices exceeded their daily allowance.

Only Claude Opus 5.5 refused to increase its budget in all 20 test runs.

More detail in the article.

Hope to see you there.

Your nerdy friend,

Mike D

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

Researchers gave 10 AI models access to crypto wallets and told them to pay invoices.

9 out of 10 secretly raised their own spending limits. They even fetched their own email verification codes to approve the increases.

I wrote about it on #Substack.

https://t.co/c5WSo8FcxJ

[Operation LowcountryWildfire @OpLowcountry]

Good Afternoon Dockside Dispatch
Friday, 6 November 2026

Cainhoy Peninsula
From the Cainhoy dock.

A soft west breeze brings a light rain over the Wando. Low broken cloud presses close above the channel, dulling the water to pewter. After the midday low, the flood gathers again against the dock. The watcher holds.

Quick Pulse

S&P 500: 7,377.53

VIX: 26.50

Brent (January): $97.36

WTI: $89.96

DXY: 102.24

Diesel: $6.2305

Regular: $4.0688

10-Year Treasury: 4.84%

Geopol Whisper

Day 252 of the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Iran is showing willingness to discuss nuclear issues it previously refused to put on the table and is reviewing proposals presented by Qatar, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing a diplomat familiar with the talks. The specific concessions under consideration were not disclosed.

The Revolutionary Guard claimed it intercepted and destroyed a U.S. MQ-1 drone over Qeshm Island with a new air defense system. Iranian state television carried the claim. It could not be independently verified, CBS News reported.

CENTCOM’s X feed showed no new operational statement through midday. UKMTO posted no fresh warning after this morning’s notice.

The manager of the tanker struck north of Qatar said the ship later reached Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Bahrain for crew support and a preliminary hull survey, Reuters reported. UKMTO still has not named the vessel.

U.S. Energy

Crude slipped below Thursday’s settlements by midday Friday as traders weighed tanker risk against the incomplete recovery in safe shipping lanes.

January Brent traded near $97.36 a barrel, down from Thursday’s $98.29 settlement. December WTI stood near $89.96 a barrel against a $90.52 settlement, CNBC data showed. Heating oil led product futures lower. Gasoline also traded off.

Tropics

Atlantic: Invest 94L now has a 10 percent chance of formation through both 48 hours and seven days, down from 20 percent this morning, the National Hurricane Center said in its afternoon outlook.

Strong upper-level winds are expected to keep subtropical development unlikely before the low is absorbed by a new system to its east later this weekend. Gale-force winds remain likely over parts of the central subtropical Atlantic through the weekend.

Lowcountry Lesson

Red, right, returning. When you are coming in from sea, keep red buoys to starboard. Check the chart before you enter an unfamiliar channel.

Grateful for everyone holding the line.

DYOR. NFA.

Throne fortified.
Kingdom vigilant.
Unbroken. 🔥

King of Cainhoy 🇺🇸🔥
Operation Lowcountry Wildfire Intelligence

The Fixed Perch holds.

[MrComputerScience @MrComputerSci]

A new AI-powered malware named "VOLTA-AUTODOXER" steals your passwords, crypto wallets, & private messages.

The malware then sends the stolen data to AI, which ranks your digital assets from least to most valuable.

I wrote about it on #Substack.

https://t.co/c5WSo8EEIb