Happy Saturday, everyone! Here on Global Nerdy, Saturday means that it’s time for another “picdump” — the weekly assortment of amusing or interesting pictures, comics, and memes I found over the past week. Share and enjoy!
Here’s what’s happening in the thriving tech scene in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas for the week of Monday, February 23 through Sunday, March 1!
This list includes both in-person and online events. Note that each item in the list includes:
✅ When the event will take place
✅ What the event is
✅ Where the event will take place
✅ Who is holding the event
This week’s events
- Monday, February 23
- Tuesday, February 24
- Wednesday, February 25
- Thursday, February 26
- Friday, February 27
- Saturday, February 28
- Sunday, March 1
Monday, February 23
Tuesday, February 24
Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. online: Explore the power of community support in finding job opportunities and learn how to leverage unconventional networking strategies. Register now and expand your professional network!
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday at 5:30 at Hidden Springs Ale Works (Tampa): It’s the last Tuesday of the month, which means it’s time for another TampaTech Taps & Taco Tuesday! Come connect with industry peers, have some of Hidden Springs’ fine beers at 15% off, and of course, free tacos!
No speakers, no presentations — just great conversations and a raffle (because that’s way more fun!)
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday at 6:00 at Buffalo Wild Wings (Oldsmar): It’s a casual and engaging evening of AI discussions, great food, and new connections! Whether you’re an AI enthusiast, developer, artist, or just curious about the future of Generative AI, this meetup is the perfect place to share ideas, ask questions, and explore the possibilities of AI.
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday at 6:00 at Entrepreneur Collaborative Center (Tampa): As businesses grow, productivity challenges rarely come from a lack of effort—they come from limited systems, unclear processes, and overloaded teams. This session focuses on how entrepreneurs can use AI to support their teams, increase output, and improve execution without adding headcount.
Here’s what they’ll cover:
- How AI can support teams across operations, sales, and customer support
- Using AI to reduce manual work and repetitive decision-making
- Where AI adds the most value as a team assistant, not a replacement
- How to integrate AI into existing workflows without disruption
- Common mistakes that reduce adoption and create resistance within teams
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at Embarc Collective (Tampa): Network, Collaborate, and Scale — Where Tampa’s Digital Marketers Connect. Two free drink tickets with admission.
Calling all e-commerce operators, remote workers, digital marketers, Shopify entrepreneurs, Facebook Ads pros and AI enthusiasts and start-up entrepreneurs — join us for an evening of high-impact networking and actionable conversations in the heart of Tampa Bay.
Who Should Attend:
- Shopify Store Owners
- Paid Media Consultants & Facebook Advertisers
- DTC Founders & Ecommerce Operators
- Affiliate Marketers & UGC Creators
- Growth Hackers & Funnel Builders
- AI Enthusiasts & Professionals
- Anyone serious about scaling online or leveraging tech in Tampa Bay
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday at 6:00 at MakerSpace Pinellas (Largo): Come one come all, those with no experience and those who have published their own games alike! They’ll be getting together every other week to build video games. We will primarily be working in Godot, a free and open source game development engine, but we are open to building in Unity, Unreal, etc.
Find out more and register here.
Wednesday, February 25
Wednesday at 12:30 online: It’s back!
The Heart of Agile’s Coffee Corner brings people together via Zoom in a casual setting to share and discuss ways we Collaborate, Deliver, Reflect, and Improve.
This month’s session is a reset for the St. Pete – Tampa – Orlando group. We’ve been quiet for a while, and we’d like to reconnect, hear what you need, and shape what this Coffee Corner becomes next.
In this 60-minute session, you can expect:
- A brief re-introduction to the Heart of Agile and the four imperatives
- Lightly facilitated small-group conversations about where your work is strong and where it’s stuck
- A collaborative discussion about what would make this monthly gathering truly valuable for you
Find out more and register here.
Wednesday at 5:00 at the WeWork Building (Tampa): Get a comprehensive summary of key re:Invent 2025 announcements and insights from the keynotes, followed by three deep dive sessions selected from the most popular re:Invent presentations covering Amazon Bedrock, AgentCore, Kiro, and Amazon Quick Suite.
Find out more and register here.
Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at Geographic Solutions (Palm Harbor):
Tampa Devs will be joining the Pinellas Tech Network for a fast‑paced look at the trends shaping the web in 2026.
They’ll explore how AI is becoming a true collaborator in development, why performance and composable architectures now define modern builds, and how design is shifting toward more organic, minimal, and human‑focused experiences.
Whether you’re a developer, designer, digital strategist, or simply tech curious, you’ll walk away with practical insights to apply to your next project—and connect with fellow tech leaders across Pinellas and Tampa Bay.
Speakers:
- Adam Heaton, Attack Surface Management Lead, Taxwell
- Yukti Goyal, Technical Lead, Kforce
- Alexis Menard, Senior Software Engineer, Intel
- Nisha Patel, Product Manager, Clearly Agile
- David Rivera, Web Designer II, Geographic Solutions
- RC Clements, Founder, Byte Bot
- Jeremy Rivera, Developer Advocate, Deque Systems
Find out more and register here.
Thursday, February 26
Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at American Legion Post 138 (Tampa): It’s the Tampa/MacDill AFB Orange Call! In a military context, an “orange call” refers to an alert signaling a heightened cybersecurity state of readiness.
This orange call’s purpose is to gather and network amongst fellow communicators, guardians, and enablers of all ranks, titles, and experience levels, share resources, and seek professional development. They’ll will conduct a round table meet-and-greet and discuss MacDill communicators and missions, including the increasing role of cyber and the importance of defending our nation’s networks.
Find out more and register here.
Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Dynaway (Tampa): Ready to get your hands dirty and learn by doing? Join the DUG Meetup for a 3-month group hackathon where we’ll design, build, and ship a real solution together!
This month, they’re kicking things off by choosing a use case and mapping out a plan. Bring your ideas, your curiosity, and your willingness to experiment. There’ll be a vote on what to build and start sketching out the approach.
What to Expect
- A relaxed, collaborative environment where learning is the goal
- Hands-on experience with Power Platform tools
- A chance to try something new alongside fellow community members
Find out more and register here.
Friday, February 27
Friday at 8:30 a.m. at Rapid7 (Tampa): Meet your fellow local techies and get a tour of the Rapid7 office! A leader in security operations, Rapid7 is dedicated to providing intelligent threat detection and vulnerability management through product offerings such as InsightVM, InsightIDR, and Threat Command.
Homebrew Hillsborough is Hillsborough County’s collaborative coffee networking for techies and entrepreneurs. They’re taking the conversation to a community business resource near you and providing real-time relevant tech talks and tours. Come meet with others in our community to expand the network and see how we are creating a Homegrown Hillsborough.
This is a great opportunity for businesses, local innovators and entrepreneurs and anyone interested in helping strengthen and grow our local economy to come together to network, share ideas, collaborate, ask for help and offer it.
Find out more and register here.
Friday at 12:00 p.m. online: Cracking the Code: How to Win AI-Driven Job Interviews features a panel of industry professionals who work closely with hiring technology, talent acquisition, and career development. This session breaks down how AI is used throughout the interview process and what employers are actually evaluating behind the scenes.
This live panel discussion will explore how AI tools assess resumes, analyze interview responses, and measure candidate fit. The speakers share practical guidance on how to prepare for AI-driven interviews, communicate skills clearly, and avoid common mistakes that can hold candidates back. Attendees will also gain insight into how human decision makers interact with AI systems and where candidates can stand out.
Find out more and register here.
| Event name and location | Group | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Let’s Open The House of Doors Friday, Feb 27 · 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM EST |
Pages and Plates Book Club | 11:00 AM |
| Computer Repair Clinic 2079 Range Rd |
Tampa Bay Technology Center | 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM EST |
| Feb 2026 Homebrew Hillsborough: Rapid7 Rapid7 |
Homebrew Hillsborough | 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM EST |
| Cracking the Code: How to Win AI-Driven Job Interviews Online event |
Tech Success Network | 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EST |
| Woodshop Safety (Members Only) Tampa Hackerspace West |
Tampa Hackerspace | 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST |
| Friday Board Game Night Bridge Club |
Tampa Gaming Guild | 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM EST |
| Friday Night Magic at Conworlds Emporium Conworlds Emporium |
Tarpon Springs Community Fun & Games | 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM EST |
| MTG: Commander FNM Critical Hit Games |
Critical Hit Games | 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM EST |
| Taps & Drafts | EDH/MtG Night 1Up Entertainment, Tampa |
Nerdbrew Events | 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST |
| Modern FNM Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games | 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM EST |
| Mario Kart @ Grand Prix – Clearwater Tampa Bay Grand Prix |
Gen Geek | 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST |
| Friday Pokemon Tournament Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games | 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM EST |
| Return to the top of the list | ||
Saturday, February 28
Sunday, March 1
| Event name and location | Group | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Geeks Go Celebrate My Birthday At The Plant City Strawberry Festival Florida Strawberry Festival |
Geekocracy! | 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST |
| Sunday Chess at Wholefoods in Midtown, Tampa Whole Foods Market |
Chess Republic | 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM EST |
| D&D Adventurers League Critical Hit Games |
Critical Hit Games | 2:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST |
| IMPROV Drop-In Class! (FUN! No experience required) [$20] Spitfire Theater |
Tampa 20’s and 30’s Social Crew | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST |
| Numenera: A one shot of a science fantasy RPG Emerald City Comics 4902 113th Ave N, Clearwater, Florida 33760 |
St Pete and Pinellas Tabletop RPG Group | 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM EST |
| Sunday Pokemon League Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games | 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM EST |
| Sew Awesome! (Textile Arts & Crafts) 4933 W Nassau St |
Tampa Hackerspace | 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM EST |
| A Duck Presents NB Movie Night Discord.io/Nerdbrew |
Nerd Night Out | 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM EST |
| Return to the top of the list | ||
About this list
How do I put this list together?
It’s largely automated. I have a collection of Python scripts in a Jupyter Notebook that scrapes Meetup and Eventbrite for events in categories that I consider to be “tech,” “entrepreneur,” and “nerd.” The result is a checklist that I review. I make judgment calls and uncheck any items that I don’t think fit on this list.
In addition to events that my scripts find, I also manually add events when their organizers contact me with their details.
What goes into this list?
I prefer to cast a wide net, so the list includes events that would be of interest to techies, nerds, and entrepreneurs. It includes (but isn’t limited to) events that fall under any of these categories:
-
- Programming, DevOps, systems administration, and testing
- Tech project management / agile processes
- Video, board, and role-playing games
- Book, philosophy, and discussion clubs
- Tech, business, and entrepreneur networking events
- Toastmasters and other events related to improving your presentation and public speaking skills, because nerds really need to up their presentation game
- Sci-fi, fantasy, and other genre fandoms
- Self-improvement, especially of the sort that appeals to techies
- Anything I deem geeky
The newest video on the Global Nerdy YouTube channel is now online! It’s called A Fake Recruiter Tried to Scam Me — I Caught Him Using ChatGPT. Watch it now!
It’s the story of how a scammer posing as an executive recruiter tried to con me out of hundreds (and possibly thousands) of dollars using AI-generated emails, a fake job description, and a fabricated “internal document” from OpenAI.
He had me… for thirty seconds, and then I thought about it.
The short version
A “recruiter” emailed me out of the blue about a developer relations role. This isn’t out of the the ordinary; this has happened before, and it’s happened a couple of times in the past couple of months.
However, this role stood out: it was Director of Developer Relations role at OpenAI. Remote-first, $230K–$280K base, Python-primary, and AI-focused. It was basically my dream job on paper.
Over the course of several emails, he asked for my resume and salary expectations while giving me nothing concrete in return: no company name, no hiring manager, no specifics.
When I finally got suspicious and asked three simple verification questions:
- Who’s your contact at OpenAI?
- Is this a retained or contingency search?
- What’s your formal relationship with the hiring organization?
He went silent for over a day, then came back with a wall of text that answered none of them.
Then came the real play: he told me that OpenAI required three purportedly “professional documents” before I could interview, and they had to be ready in the next 48 hours:
- An “Executive Impact Matrix,”
- A “Technical Leadership Competency Assessment,” and
- A “Cross-Functional Influence & Initiative Report”
The descriptions of these documents made it look as if they were complex and would take hours to prepare. The recruiter “helpfully” offered to connect me with a “specialist” who could prepare them for a fee.
None of these documents are real. No company asks for them. It’s a document preparation fee scam, and the whole weeks-long email exchange was just the runway to get me to that moment.
But the best part? When I didn’t bite, he followed up with a fake “OpenAI Candidate Review” document showing my name alongside other “candidates” with star ratings. This would be a massive HR violation if it were real:
But it wasn’t real! He generated it with ChatGPT. And he left behind evidence — the dumbass forgot to crop out the watermark.
How the AI gave him away
One of the most interesting things about this scam is how AI was both the scammer’s greatest tool and his undoing.
Every email he sent me was written in polished, flawless corporate English.
But in the one paragraph where he steered me toward paying the “specialist,” the grammar suddenly fell apart:
“a professional I have known for years that specialise in this kind of documents with many great and positive result.”
The AI wrote the con. But the human wrote the close. And the seam between the two is where the truth leaked out.
This is a pattern worth watching for. As AI-powered scams become more common, the tell is going to be a shift in quality at the moment where the scammer needs to speak in their own words. You’ll see well-written text, abruptly followed by different writing style marked by poor, non-idiomatic grammar (because they’re communicating with you in a language they don’t know well). Keep an eye out for that sudden transition.
The 3 questions real recruiters can answer
If you’re job searching right now and a recruiter reaches out, ask them these three questions:
- Who is your contact at the hiring company?
- Is this a retained or contingency search?
- What is your formal relationship with the hiring organization?
A real recruiter answers these in seconds. A fake one dodges, deflects, or disappears.
8 fake recruiter red flags
Based on my experience, here are eight things to watch out for:
- The job seems tailor-made for you. LLMs make it trivially easy to generate a convincing “JD” (job description) from someone’s LinkedIn profile. If it checks every single box, ask why.
- The information only flows one direction. They ask for your resume, salary, and preferences. They give you nothing concrete: no company name, no hiring manager, no search terms.
- The email footer doesn’t add up. Gmail addresses or mismatched domains, vague or incomplete street addresses, and an “alphabet soup” of certifications are all warning signs.
- They dodge verification questions. Real recruiters are proud of their client relationships. Fake ones ghost you when you ask for specifics.
- They ask you to pay for documents or preparation. No legitimate employer requires this. Ever. This is always the scam.
- Watch for the grammar shift. Polished emails that suddenly drop in quality when money enters the conversation? That’s AI-generated content with a human-written sales pitch sloppily stitched in.
- Check the metadata. If they send you an “official” document, look at every corner, every file property, every detail. Scammers are playing a numbers game, and as a result, they’re often rushed and sloppy. Sometimes they literally leave the watermark.
- The emotional setup is part of the scam. Flattery, validation, and the sense that someone finally sees your worth is intoxicating, especially when you’ve been job hunting for months. That’s by design. The best time to be skeptical is when you most want to believe.
Why this matters right now
This isn’t just my problem. It’s an epidemic:
- Job scams grew over 1,000% between May and July 2025, according to McAfee.
- Losses from recruitment fraud exceeded $500 million in 2024, according to the FTC.
- 6 in 10 job seekers encountered a fake recruiter in 2025, and 1 in 4 fell for a scam, according to a PasswordManager.com survey.
AI tools are making these scams more polished, more personalized, and harder to detect. The “spray and pray” emails with obvious typos are being replaced by tailored, multi-email campaigns that build trust over weeks before making their move.
If you’re job searching (or know someone who is), please share this post and the video. The more people know what to look for, the less effective these scams become.
Watch the video
Once again, here’s the video, where I walk through the entire scam step by step, from the first email to the ChatGPT watermark:
And if you haven’t already, subscribe to the Global Nerdy YouTube channel. There’s more coming soon, and I promise it’ll be less infuriating than this one. Probably.
Report it
If this has happened to you, here’s where to report it:
- FTC: reportfraud.ftc.gov
- FBI (IC3): ic3.gov
- LinkedIn: Report the profile directly through the platform
- Your state Attorney General: naag.org
And if you’ve got your own story about a fake recruiter, drop me a line on LinkedIn! Let’s make these scams harder to pull off.
Happy Saturday, everyone! Here on Global Nerdy, Saturday means that it’s time for another “picdump” — the weekly assortment of amusing or interesting pictures, comics, and memes I found over the past week. Share and enjoy!
The screenshot above is another regular reminder from Yours Truly that the LLM isn’t always right, but the final decision is always yours. Sometimes, you need to sass back — not necessarily to get better results, but to remind yourself not to abdicate completely to AI.
In case the first line in my prompt sounds familiar, but you can’t place it, here’s the source:
Here’s the video version:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NPXjPWIj31g
Here’s what’s happening in the thriving tech scene in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas for the week of Monday, February 16 through Sunday, February 22!
This list includes both in-person and online events. Note that each item in the list includes:
✅ When the event will take place
✅ What the event is
✅ Where the event will take place
✅ Who is holding the event
This week’s events
- Monday, February 16
- Tuesday, February 17
- Wednesday, February 18
- Thursday, February 19
- Friday, February 20
- Saturday, February 21
- Sunday, February 22
Monday, February 16
Monday at 6:30 p.m. (online): Join Saint Petersburg AI Collaborative Intelligence Group for an interactive 2-hour workshop that will change how you think about building software! Ever wondered how Netflix builds features in weeks instead of months? Or how startups with small teams compete with tech giants?
The secret is multi-agent coding – where specialized AI agents work alongside human experts to dramatically accelerate development while improving quality.
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday, February 17
Wednesday, February 18
Thursday, February 19
Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Kforce (Tampa): Tampa Bay AI Meetup is teaming up with Tampa Bay Java User Group to bring you Pratik Patel from Azul, who’ll be talking about the architecture of AI-native applications. These aren’t traditional applications with ML models bolted on, but a whole new class of software designed from the ground up to learn, adapt, and act autonomously.
Find out more and register here.
Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at Independent Cafe (Tampa): Tampa Bay Designers (which has incorporated Tampa Bay UX) is holding a Design Hangout! You’re invited to join other designers and grab a drink, talk shop, or whatever else comes to mind.
Find out more and register here.
Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at 511 Franklin (Tampa): Tampa Bay Techies is holding aTech Networking Happy Hour! It’ll be a relaxed, business-casual event where you can meet and connect with tech professionals, job seekers, and enthusiasts. Whether you’re a seasoned tech pro, a student eager to break into the industry, or just someone passionate about technology, this event is for you!
You must be 23 or older to attend. They’re offering a FREE drink for the first 30 guests!
Find out more and register here.
Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Wild Rover Brewery (Tampa): It’s Lean Beer time! Lean Beer is an alternative to the early morning Lean Coffees, for folks who can’t always join at 7:30AM. Lean Beer is a great place to ask questions and share your stories of using Agile and Lean software approaches, over an adult beverage, if you choose.
They discuss any topics on Agile and Lean that are of interest to whomever is gathered. You suggest the topics, then the group prioritizes that list democratically, through a good ole’ fashion vote. They manage our discussions via time boxes, and a Roman vote (drinks up/drinks down). Vegas rules apply!
Find out more and register here.
Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Top Golf (Tampa): Tampa Bay New-in-Tech is holding an evening at Top Golf! Whether you’re a pro at tech, golf, or neither, this is all about having a good time, meeting great people, and making connections.
This isn’t about how well you golf – it’s about meeting awesome people, swapping stories, and having a blast.
Find out more and register here.
Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at Armature Works (Tampa): Tampa Devs is holding a “Meet & Greet” at Armature Works, a social gathering where you can enjoy drinks, food, and friendly conversations. Whether you’re new to the area or a long-time resident, this event is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people and expand your social circle!
Find out more and register here.
Friday, February 20
| Event name and location | Group | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Repair Clinic 2079 Range Rd |
Tampa Bay Technology Center | 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM EST |
| Friday Board Game Night Bridge Club |
Tampa Gaming Guild | 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM EST |
| Privacy Pop-up with WebWipe Tampa Bay Innovation Center |
Tampa Bay Bitcoin | 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST |
| MTG: Commander FNM Critical Hit Games |
Critical Hit Games | 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM EST |
| “The Miracle of Mindfulness” – Thich Nhat Hanh, Part II The Skills Center |
Tampa Stoics | 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM EST |
| Taps & Drafts | EDH/MtG Night 1Up Entertainment, Tampa |
Nerdbrew Events | 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST |
| Modern FNM Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games | 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM EST |
| Sula by Toni Morrison Discussion Baba in St. Pete (outside) Baba Restaurant |
Classic Book Club – Dinner Edition | 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST |
| Friday Pokemon Tournament Sunshine Games | Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Sunshine Games | 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM EST |
| Return to the top of the list | ||
Saturday, February 21
Sunday, February 22
About this list
How do I put this list together?
It’s largely automated. I have a collection of Python scripts in a Jupyter Notebook that scrapes Meetup and Eventbrite for events in categories that I consider to be “tech,” “entrepreneur,” and “nerd.” The result is a checklist that I review. I make judgment calls and uncheck any items that I don’t think fit on this list.
In addition to events that my scripts find, I also manually add events when their organizers contact me with their details.
What goes into this list?
I prefer to cast a wide net, so the list includes events that would be of interest to techies, nerds, and entrepreneurs. It includes (but isn’t limited to) events that fall under any of these categories:
-
- Programming, DevOps, systems administration, and testing
- Tech project management / agile processes
- Video, board, and role-playing games
- Book, philosophy, and discussion clubs
- Tech, business, and entrepreneur networking events
- Toastmasters and other events related to improving your presentation and public speaking skills, because nerds really need to up their presentation game
- Sci-fi, fantasy, and other genre fandoms
- Self-improvement, especially of the sort that appeals to techies
- Anything I deem geeky
Categories
Your first warning
Coming soon to your favorite podcast platform: me and Cory Doctorow — two guys from Toronto — on the This Week in Tech podcast!
The live recoding will take place on Sunday, March 8th at 5:15 p.m., and you’ll be able to catch it on most podcasting platforms and YouTube the next day.