Members of Technical Staff

Sofi_a (active X/Twitter poster and chronicler of online culture) and Baelentina_ (engaged X/Twitter participant) riff on how they began posting and pandemic-era habits. They recall Clubhouse/Spaces, San Francisco meetup culture, and shifts after major platform changes. Conversation hits algorithm tweaks, newcomer behavior, the hollowing out of old Twitter norms, and surprising DMs and cross-cultural reactions.

Richard (Blackbox), product and systems lead, and Robert (Blackbox), strategy and ops mind, chat about SEAL-inspired small-team culture and intense morning calisthenics. They describe a 1,200 push-up challenge and training pacing. Then they switch to tech: centralized agent hubs, running agents in remote VMs and sandboxes, and integrations across the development workflow.

Gillian Obrien, a tarot reader and psychic, leads a year-ahead tarot reading with AI-assisted interpretations. She explains her Ethereal Visions deck and walks through a monthly arc from present challenges to a Lovers theme. Short readings cover conflict, endings, emotional openings, creative reclamation, and a romantic commitment by year end.

This episode dives into the drama surrounding former xAI engineer Sulaiman Khan Ghori's departure. Was it a firing or a calculated exit? Discussion includes key revelations from his podcast interview, sparking reactions about potential insider information. The community's meme-like responses and the speculation around communication protocols and risk aversion at xAI add to the intrigue. Listeners are encouraged to explore the interview for deeper insights into this Silicon Valley saga.

While AI is eating the world, it turns out that most people don’t actually like that idea, and current messaging around AI is on track to make things worse. What are AI vibes like in places outside of San Francisco? Does the layperson see productivity gains anywhere near those of knowledge workers? What are AI leaders saying that comes across as as off-putting as humanly possible? I cover all of this and much more with Sina, and my good friend Anton Troynikov, founder of Chroma, also joins me to dive much deeper into messaging and AI policy.Watch on X; listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.SponsorsInference trains and deploys custom language models for some of the fastest growing companies in history. If you're spending more than $50,000/month on OpenAI, Anthropic, or Gemini, they can help you save money, improve quality, and ultimately make your business more efficient.Lighthouse makes U.S. work and green-card visas easy for technical talent and fast-growing teams. From free evaluation to streamlined onboarding, personalized support and full document prep they get your top engineers, researchers and founders through the visa journey in weeks not months. Trusted by startup builders who don’t want immigration to be a blocker.Trufflepig is the AI-native spreadsheet software that allows you to work at the speed of thought and they’re hiring. Join a fast-growing AI startup building something that people will actually use.Morph is the better way to apply AI code edits. Merge LLM changes into your code and files - at 10,500+ tokens per second. 98% accurate + 2x faster than search-and-replace.

In this insightful discussion, the host dives into the unique challenges of navigating the San Francisco social scene as a straight man. He emphasizes the pivotal role of Twitter and networking events, comparing the vibes of Partiful and Luma. Highlighting the importance of authenticity, he advises against pretense in social interactions. The conversation also touches on dating dynamics, the transient nature of friendships in SF, and the value of hosting events to build connections. Ultimately, it's all about making genuine, lasting relationships.

Sina Hartung, a health-tech founder and former endocrinology clinic operator, joins to unpack her insights on the buzz surrounding unregulated Chinese peptides. The duo dives into the meme's origins in wellness circles and differentiates between peptides, SARMs, and steroids, emphasizing personalized risk assessments. Sina shares her clinical perspective and discusses the implications of weight-loss drugs for different demographics. They also critique DIY wellness culture, revealing safety concerns and cultural trends in health, all while making bold predictions for the future.

Two hosts dive into bold predictions for 2026, exploring the cultural resurgence in San Francisco and the future of partying. They humorously critique the shift from performative tech culture to a more relaxed vibe. The duo discusses the impact of AI on the city, reviving downtown and boosting real estate. Wildcards like corporate-sponsored parties and the evolution of tech roles provide a quirky twist. With playful banter, they ponder if AGI claims are just flashy influencer content and debate the prospects of autonomous commuting.

Looksmaxxing is on the cards for 2026, and that’s something I know a thing or two about. I decided to take on Clavicular at his own game and mog him. I also dropped some caution around Chinese peptides before breaking down different gyms in SF and giving my final recommendation. This emergency pod has you covered for looksmaxxing in San Francisco in 2026.Watch on X; listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.SponsorsInference trains and deploys custom language models for some of the fastest growing companies in history. If you're spending more than $50,000/month on OpenAI, Anthropic, or Gemini, they can help you save money, improve quality, and ultimately make your business more efficient.Lighthouse makes U.S. work and green-card visas easy for technical talent and fast-growing teams. From free evaluation to streamlined onboarding, personalized support and full document prep they get your top engineers, researchers and founders through the visa journey in weeks not months. Trusted by startup builders who don’t want immigration to be a blocker.Trufflepig is the AI-native spreadsheet software that allows you to work at the speed of thought and they’re hiring. Join a fast-growing AI startup building something that people will actually use.Morph is the better way to apply AI code edits. Merge LLM changes into your code and files - at 10,500+ tokens per second. 98% accurate + 2x faster than search-and-replace.

Explore the wild happenings of 2025 month by month! Delve into the buzzing world of Chinese social media and the controversies sparked by Red Note. Laugh at the absurdity of AI monitoring worker productivity and viral Ghibli memes. Unpack the chaos of founders going viral and the rising tide of performative tech culture. Reflect on the dramatic narratives of overemployment and the lasting threads of the Chinese spy saga. This year had it all, from viral moments to timely controversies!