Returned again to the streets to make my voice heard. as usual, lots of great signs and support from passing drivers. some high schoolers had questions about my sign. #nokings #vote
Galleries
#Defcon 34 was meshtastic!
i am back home after another incredible con. I returned with t-shirts, badges, and bursting with knowledge. One of the fun and interesting message channels this year was Meshtastic, Defcon had their own firmware again this year, but from what i hear, it went much better this year. there was a wealth of information and humor coming over this tiny radio.
The Lonley Hackers Club was printing the meshtastic messages out of a receipt printer, the pile got pretty big. Even the Bio Hacking Village added LoRa to their badge!
Big Lebowski screening and after party at Palace Theatre!
i love this movie and will watch it at nearly any opportunity. A friend informed me that it was playing at the palace with an after party in a unit above the theater that was actually used to film Mod’s apartment! The event was put on by the Secret Movie Club. Apart from a few technical glitches and the fact that it was a 4k blu-ray instead of 35mm projection, it was a solid moviegoing experience. The afterparty was very interesting. drinking white russians while exploring this incredible theatre. It turned out that some of the most interesting places where actually off limits, but we didn’t know.
First visit to Tuna Canyon since the fires
Great weather inspired the visit. i was curious how much it had changed since the fires. unfortunately it changed a lot. There were more than a few fire scars, a couple of missing oak trees and some different trails. i met some brush cleaning goats.
No Kings 3! This time downtown!
My first No Kings protest downtown and it was exciting. Live performance, crazy characters, great signs and lots of camaraderie. i gave out stickers and made friends as we idled and marched. Unlike the first and second march, this time i traveled to downtown los angeles to participate in a much larger gathering. i couldn’t get pictures of all the incredible costumes. Everyone was so friendly and curious. i lost count of how many times i bumped into or stepped on the foot of a fellow protestor.
VCF 2026! give away all the things and maybe get a few more
It’s that time of year again, and the Vintage Computer Festival. When i clean out my garage and marvel at all the incredible past computing and electronics that are kept working with love and proficient attention to maintenance. not my first visit, or even my second.
This year i brought three carloads, with xServes, xRAIDs, and fiber channel gear! Time Capsules in original packaging. iMacs and laptops from many generations and many operational statuses.
There was a demo of adult themed “dirty” original nintendo games. i never knew. custom cases, or custom lights, here was an Amiga 500 made clear. looking good.
Two of my dream systems were in the consignment room. i was proud that i didn’t go home with a 20th Anniversary Mac nor a MacTV. it was hard, but had to be done.
Going with the retro look with my new Hak5 Pineapple Pager!
Launched at Defcon 33 and eagerly awaited by wifi tinkerers and technologists. i finally received mine. i’m still figuring out the functionality from potential. As a handheld device, unlike the rest of the pineapple line, it is designed to be used from the device. i was looking for an always monitoring device with audio and haptic alerts. it’s handheld nature makes extracting logs a novel concept, but it is already providing insight into my wireless space. 
I love the default look with all it’s retro elements. From war games to classic MacOS, out of the box it has more retro style than it’s 90s pager reveals. it operates on 3 wifi bands! (2,5,6) and maybe bluetooth as well eventually. This is just the beginning as the firmware gets more mature and additional content is added by the users. this is with the stock hardware. Hak5 is already selling USB modules for ethernet, GPS, and LoRa for even more functionality. i’ll update as i get more capable with the gadget. currently it does eat it’s battery very enthusiastically. i don’t think i’ve gotten more than 2-3 hours of use on a charge. (but i don’t yet know what i am doing)
No Kings 2.0 with an even bigger turnout!
Better weather, funnier signs, and even more engaged neighbors! At the second No Kings rally, everyone was delightful and excited about positive change in the USA.
