Occupy Wall Street March on and Occupation of Times Square – 2011.10.15 – Day 29 #OWS #USDOR #OccupyWallSt

Section 529 Row 3 Seat 8

What pisses me off most is that the Mets organization complains and bitches about losing money left and right.  They complain that nobody comes to the games.  Well, maybe that’s because they treat their fans like shit.  Giving someone who purchased a pack of tickets, well in advance, shit seats is not going to make them want to do it again.  Those seats were worthless.  I couldn’t see ANY of left field.  And to make matters worse, I could BARELY see home plate or third base.  Seriously, have you ever tried to enjoy a baseball game where you couldn’t see home plate because part of the building was in the way?  These seats ruined my experience, and I probably won’t be purchasing any additional tickets for the rest of the season, nor will I consider a multi-game pack of tickets for next season.

Section 529 Row 3 Seat 8 Citi Field

While I’m on a roll ranting about Citi Field, let me also complain about the service of the staff there.  It is also shit.  I’ve been to almost a dozen games this year, so it’s not just a fluke, it is consistent.  If you want to get a beer and/or some food between innings, you’ll consistently miss 1 or more innings of game play.  This is because the staff working the concessions are not the brightest folks.  I’m all for giving mentally challenged people an opportunity in life, but when you are charging $50 to get into the game, $8 per beer, and $8+ per food item, the service should at least be better than McDonalds.  Unfortunately the service is worse than McDonalds.  It apparently takes 3 people to serve 1 beer at Citi Field.  While the next register sits empty.  The lines move at a snail’s pace.  I’ve been in line for over 1 inning, only to be the next person in line, only to be cut off because the bottom of the 7th inning began, which is the beer sales cut-off point.

All in all, I’m not having much fun going to the games anymore.  It’s not even the Mets playing like shit that frustrates me, I can live with that.  I can’t live with spending way too much money only to be fucked in the ass by an organization which doesn’t care for those folks spending their hard earned money at the establishment.  After this season I think I’ll be staying at home to watch most of the games.

On September 11, 2010, the 9th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center towers by radical Islamic terrorists, I had the opportunity to attend a pro-Islam / pro-mosque / anti-bigot demonstration close to Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan. I feel I shouldn’t have to explain all of the bullshit that has been going on related to the proposed Islamic Community Center construction near Ground Zero as it’s been all over the news for weeks. My opinion on the topic is that in America people can build buildings on private property for whatever legal purpose they deem fit. This includes building any building near Ground Zero. Please see Ron Paul’s article below which is far more eloquent than I can ever be. The video above was shot during the march as thousands of true patriots marched against the bigotry and hatred currently being spread by people wrapping themselves in the flag and claiming (falsely) to be patriots.

Demagoguing the Mosque and Islam
By Ron Paul – Published 08/23/10

Left and the Right Demagogue Mosque, Islam

Is the controversy over building a mosque near ground zero a grand distraction or a grand opportunity? Or is it, once again, grandiose demagoguery?

It has been said, “Nero fiddled while Rome burned.” Are we not overly preoccupied with this controversy, now being used in various ways by grandstanding politicians? It looks to me like the politicians are “fiddling while the economy burns.”

The debate should have provided the conservative defenders of property rights with a perfect example of how the right to own property also protects the 1st Amendment rights of assembly and religion by supporting the building of the mosque.

Instead, we hear lip service given to the property rights position while demanding that the need to be “sensitive” requires an all-out assault on the building of a mosque, several blocks from “ground zero.”

Just think of what might (not) have happened if the whole issue had been ignored and the national debate stuck with war, peace, and prosperity. There certainly would have been a lot less emotionalism on both sides. The fact that so much attention has been given the mosque debate, raises the question of just why and driven by whom?

In my opinion it has come from the neo-conservatives who demand continual war in the Middle East and Central Asia and are compelled to constantly justify it.

They never miss a chance to use hatred toward Muslims to rally support for the ill conceived preventative wars. A select quote from soldiers from in Afghanistan and Iraq expressing concern over the mosque is pure propaganda and an affront to their bravery and sacrifice.

The claim is that we are in the Middle East to protect our liberties is misleading. To continue this charade, millions of Muslims are indicted and we are obligated to rescue them from their religious and political leaders. And, we’re supposed to believe that abusing our liberties here at home and pursuing unconstitutional wars overseas will solve our problems.

The nineteen suicide bombers didn’t come from Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iran. Fifteen came from our ally Saudi Arabia, a country that harbors strong American resentment, yet we invade and occupy Iraq where no al Qaeda existed prior to 9/11.

Many fellow conservatives say they understand the property rights and 1st Amendment issues and don’t want a legal ban on building the mosque. They just want everybody to be “sensitive” and force, through public pressure, cancellation of the mosque construction.

This sentiment seems to confirm that Islam itself is to be made the issue, and radical religious Islamic views were the only reasons for 9/11. If it became known that 9/11 resulted in part from a desire to retaliate against what many Muslims saw as American aggression and occupation, the need to demonize Islam would be difficult if not impossible.

There is no doubt that a small portion of radical, angry Islamists do want to kill us but the question remains, what exactly motivates this hatred?

If Islam is further discredited by making the building of the mosque the issue, then the false justification for our wars in the Middle East will continue to be acceptable.

The justification to ban the mosque is no more rational than banning a soccer field in the same place because all the suicide bombers loved to play soccer.

Conservatives are once again, unfortunately, failing to defend private property rights, a policy we claim to cherish. In addition conservatives missed a chance to challenge the hypocrisy of the left which now claims they defend property rights of Muslims, yet rarely if ever, the property rights of American private businesses.

Defending the controversial use of property should be no more difficult than defending the 1st Amendment principle of defending controversial speech. But many conservatives and liberals do not want to diminish the hatred for Islam — the driving emotion that keeps us in the wars in the Middle East and Central Asia.

It is repeatedly said that 64% of the people, after listening to the political demagogues, don’t want the mosque to be built. What would we do if 75% of the people insist that no more Catholic churches be built in New York City? The point being is that majorities can become oppressors of minority rights as well as individual dictators. Statistics of support are irrelevant when it comes to the purpose of government in a free society — protecting liberty.

The outcry over the building of the mosque, near ground zero, implies that Islam alone was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. According to those who are condemning the building of the mosque, the nineteen suicide terrorists on 9/11 spoke for all Muslims. This is like blaming all Christians for the wars of aggression and occupation because some Christians supported the neo-conservatives’ aggressive wars.

The House Speaker is now treading on a slippery slope by demanding an investigation — a bold rejection of property rights, 1st Amendment rights, and the Rule of Law — in order to look tough against Islam.

This is all about hate and Islamaphobia.

We now have an epidemic of “sunshine patriots” on both the right and the left who are all for freedom, as long as there’s no controversy and nobody is offended.

Political demagoguery rules when truth and liberty are ignored.
Source: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=1077

SHODAN for Penetration Testers (The Next Hope) from theprez98 on Vimeo.

I tried to find a Google Calendar format of the schedule for this year’s talks. However I was unable to find such a format. I’ve painstakingly created the following calendar based on my interests and talks that I would like to attend. This is not a complete schedule of the conference. I’m too lazy to turn the whole schedule in to a Google Calendar, however I may do so before the actual conference… we shall see. Use as you will if you wish.

You can view the full schedule by visiting: The Next Hope schedule

Last month I was fortunate enough to attend the George Clinton and P-Funk All Stars concert at the B.B. King Blues Club in midtown Manhattan. It was an early birthday gift from my Fiancé, quite possibly the best birthday gift I’ve received in quite some time (if ever). Because of George Clinton’s policy of allowing fan recordings (much like the Grateful Dead’s policies), I was able to shoot some video at the concert. It isn’t the best video as it was shot on my iPhone 3G, but still not horrible. I figured I would share it for all those true funk fans out there. Already looking forward to my next George Clinton concert (this one was my 5th).

Last week I attended the “computer security” conference HOPE (Hackers on Planet Earth), held every two years in NYC. The title of this year’s event was “The Last Hope”, but it may not be the last. Unfortunately I had to work Friday and was not able to get to the convention until about 4pm, luckily it was being held only 2 avenues away from my workplace. I had never attended HOPE in the past, although I have gone to Las Vegas for DEFCON several times in the past 10 years. HOPE is organized by the crew over at 2600: The Hacker Quarterly.

All told, the event was interesting, and I was glad to attend. However, maybe I’m just getting old but “the scene” just doesn’t hold my attention as it once did. Oh well. The convention took place at the Hotel Pennsylvania, which was scheduled for demolition soon, hence “The Last HOPE”. However by the end of the convention it was announced that plans to demolish the hotel have been put on hold due to the bad economy, so HOPE will take place again at it’s usual spot in 2010.

Some of the sessions I attended were great, others not so great. Amongst the good ones were:

• Bagcam – How Did TSA and/or the Airlines Manage to Do That to Your Luggage? By: algormor
• A Hacker’s View of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) By: Phil Lapsley
• Hacking the Price of Food: An Urban Farming Renaissance By: Bicyclemark
• Methods of Copying High Security Keys By: Barry Wels and Han Fey
• One Last Time: The Hack/Phreak History Primer By: Jason Scott

Looking back at the list of talks, I wish I’d attended more/different ones. Guess I am just getting old. Oh well, there’s always 2010. I spent a good amount of time in the Lockpick Village playing around and picking a couple locks, its always fun to open locks you’ve never touched before. I picked up a copy of Emmanuel Goldstein‘s new book: The Best of 2600: A Hacker Odyssey, this huge tome was well worth the money. It’s jam packed with stories from the past 24 years of 2600 history. I should have gotten it autographed when I saw Emmanuel at the conference, but he was busy. Again, oh well.

Even though I am kind of burned out after being in the scene for the past 15 years or so, I will probably end up attending again in 2010. It’s much easier that traveling to Las Vegas for DEFCON since I now reside in NYC.

Check out Photos from TheLastHOPE over at flickr. Search twitter for #thelasthope for people liveblogging the event. Finally, check out the video below. It was created by the folks at MAKE Magazine, who were in attendance at the conference as vendors. Overall I think the video captured the spirit of the event, good work MAKE folks!

Until 2010, peace.

I’ve made the last minute decision to attend HOPE (Hackers on Planet Earth) in NYC this weekend. I will post some photos and information about the convention sometime soon. To follow the action you can search twitter for #thelastHOPE . If you are at the event, you can track attendees via the RFID tags embedded in the badges. More to follow…

Unfortunately I was too late to get an RFID badge for The Last HOPE. Oh Well.

On Sunday December 16th the champions of freedom and liberty (you, the people) will hold another mass donation day for Ron Paul. December 16th is the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. From the Tea Party 07 website:

On December 16th, 1773, American colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to protest an
oppressive tax. This December 16th, American citizens will dump millions of dollars into the
Ron Paul presidential campaign to protest the oppressive and unconstitutional inflation tax -
which has enabled a flawed foreign policy, a costly war and the sacrificing
of our liberties here at home.

Please join us this December 16th 2007 for the largest one-day political donation event in
history. Our goal is to bring together 100,000 people to donate $100 each,
creating a one day donation total of $10,000,000.

Please pledge via feedburner below to confirm your commitment to donate.
Each day you’ll receive an email with our total number of subscribers.
In this way we will know exactly where we stand in our efforts.
Our goal is 100,000 subscribers.

Please pledge now. Please spread the word. Thank you.

As I write this Ron Paul’s Q4 donation totals are up to about 11,350,000. The total Q4 goal was set at $12,000,000 and I am hoping it will pass that before the money bomb starts on the 16th (but doubtful). Please spread the word to friends and family about Ron Paul before the 16th. Instead of an xmas gift, ask for a donation to Dr. Paul’s campaign in your name. This holiday season be sure to print up some literature to distribute to your family.

For those who don’t know about Dr. Paul please do some Google searches and find out about what he stands for. The media has been censoring his campaign and it is no surprise if you don’t know about him.

Ron Paul needs your vote in your state’s primary.

I was expecting flashy booths and displays from some of the top electronics companies, however this was not the case. The few major companies with exhibits were showcasing the same stale old technology they’ve been schlepping for a while. Major companies you would expect to be at a show of this type were completely absent or under-represented. As far as “technology” offerings goes, many of the companies represented were “B-Level” companies. The gaming side of the convention was horrible with the notable exception of the Namco and Guitar Hero 3 booths. Virtually no other game producers were on hand to showcase their latest offerings. Entertainment wise, what entertainment? There was an exhibit at the Toshiba booth about HD-DVD and that is about it.

Gateway unveiled its “ONE” product line, an all-in-one computer reminiscent of Apple’s newer iMacs, except black. Gateway tried to hype up this product as revolutionary, as if they just figured out that style is important for consumer products, Hello 1998. Palm introduced the Centro line of phones, a product aimed at the low end cell user. Instead of being revolutionary the products showcased at the event were completely lack luster and the same old fare, very stale.

Companies I would have expected to show up include: Apple, Sony, Google, IBM, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, NBC, FOX, Rockstar Games and Bungie, to name a few. To top off the disappointment, all the swag sucked. I’m done, I’m running out of adjectives to describe the steaming pile of poo that was DigitalLife. Maybe next year will be different, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

A big part of the reason for my attending DigitalLife is to cover some of the new technologies at the show. You may know from reading my blog that I love gadgets, so I will try and cover any of the revolutionary new items hitting the market soon. DigitalLife also has extensive gaming events and tons of exhibitors.

If there is anything you would like me to try and find out for you, just leave a comment below! I will do my best to find some information and report back in an article or comment! I’m looking forward to hearing some of your suggestions, questions, and comments. And as always, I’m in it for the Swag, and if I get anything really good I will try and find some way to give back to the readers! So lets hear your questions and I may pick you at random for some free stuff!

Any companies that would like to give me some Swag to share with readers, please contact me via the contact page so we can meet up! See you at the show!

Tickets to the event are only $12/person for a 4 day pass, which to be honest is quite a good deal for a tradeshow/convention.

I’m also looking forward to the release of Halo3, Guitar Hero3, and other games that will be premiering at the event. Should be good times for gamers as well as technology geeks. Hope to see you all there. Stay tuned for updates!

I’ve always been a fan of lock picking. Its fun. Below are some links related to the lock picking events this year:
Hackers click locks open at conference in US
White House High-Security Locks Broken: Bumped and Picked at DefCon

Got to love Defcon. 12 year old girl bumping a lock:

Besides all that I haven’t heard too much in the way of other news. It usually takes people a week to sober up and remember all the really important things that went down at Defcon. So I will keep my eyes open and post any more interesting bits that came out of the convention this year. If you know of anything that went down, or would like to share your experiences this year please comment below!

So there is a lot of hype about 7.7.07, so I figured I would chime in with my own notes. Just in case you have been living under a rock, today is the “Live Earth Concert”. The cool thing is that it’s being broadcast live around the world on the internet. Possibly one of the largest streaming events on the internet. While I agree with raising awareness of Environmental issues, I’ve never thought huge concerts were the best way about doing it, but to each his own. Be sure to at least check out the sites as they are interesting. MSN and Microsoft are the sponsors of the technology side, and I do have to admit I am impressed at the level of interactivity and sophistication. Good times indeed.

One of the interesting things on the Live Earth page is that they use “green hosting” for their web site hosting. A small step in the chain but worthwhile, as huge server farms use tremendous amounts of energy. The hosting is provided by AISO.Net which uses solar energy to power their facilities. Besides all of the cool internet based technologies, alternative energy technologies are starting to heat up. Should be an interesting few years as those energy technologies receive more investment.